Touring a new city or town typically involves a bit of shopping in between all of the sightseeing. In fact, some shopping centres include such a wide variety of stores and restaurants that the shopping experience resembles a sightseeing adventure. From luxury goods to trendy wares, the shops at the Siam Paragon Shopping Centre carry a bit of everything.

The Siam Paragon Shopping Centre encompasses five spacious levels of shops, restaurants, and entertainment. Only recently opened in 2005, this shopping centre still glistens with the shininess of being new. More than 250 brands are available. This centre includes both local and international manufacturers. It is located near the Siam Centre in the heart of Bangkok. One of the added perks of shopping at this particular complex is that tourist discount cards are available at the information desk.

Siam Paragon Ocean World

One of the biggest aquariums in Asia, Ocean World is located in the basement of the Siam Paragon Shopping Centre. The aquarium is huge and covers approximately 10,000 square meters. The aquarium is an excellent sightseeing opportunity and is enjoyable for both adults and children. More than 30,000 marine animals, representing approximately 400 species, live at Ocean World. Seven environments are explored in an amazing array of color.

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Siam Paragon Shops

An eclectic array of top designer boutiques are scattered throughout the Siam Paragon Shopping Centre. Many of the stores carry high price tags as well, so it is best to come prepared with enough funds to make several purchases. A handy directory is located at the bottom of every escalator to assist shoppers in locating their intended destination. Maps are also provided at the information centre. Names such as Prada, Dior, Gucci, Burberry, and Versace are to be seen at any number of boutiques or flagship shops.

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Siam Paragon Restaurants

The Siam Paragon Shopping Centre offers a huge food hall for those visitors who decide to enjoy a tasty bite to eat. The food hall is located on the ground floor of the centre. It has been divided into three distinctive sections: Food Hall Take Home, Food Hall Gallery, and Food Hall Food Court.

The Food Hall Take Home area is home to a large number of establishments offering tasty desserts. From Italian gelato to pastries to smoothies to traditional Thai desserts, the choices here are tempting and varied. This section also features a popular promotional area where visitors can sample interesting treats from around the world.

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The Food Hall Gallery area features an upscale atmosphere with upscale food options. The delectable dishes served here include both traditional local cuisine as well as international dishes.

The Food Hall Food Court offers a medley of food establishments set up in a crescent like appearance. A large aquarium, although it is much smaller than the one at Ocean World stands in the center. A variety of cuisine can be found here including Thai, Italian, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

Located on the border with Spain, the entire municipality of Alcoutim only has a population of about 4,000 residents. The actual town of Alcoutim is just across the Guadiana River from Sanlucar de Guadiana, a Spanish town. Alcoutim is also one of the few municipalities in the Algarve without any ocean coastline. 

Alcoutim is the picture of pastoral tranquility. Just gazing up the winding ribbon of river that meanders through the mountains, or seeing the cascade of whitewashed houses that line the hillsides, or the gentle bobbing of colorful fishing boats or elegant sails of pleasure craft on the river as they’re anchored at the shore; Alcoutim’s charm and atmosphere are preserved in time.

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Like the countryside around it, the town of Alcoutim has also seemingly been preserved in time. This traditional Algarvian hill town has retained all of the charm and sense of history that is famous in this area. The oldest part of the town is home to narrow streets that climb the steep hills and are lined with centuries old houses that have stood testament to the passing of time.

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An ancient castle stands as an imposing guard over this quaint town. The remains of the castle are evidence suggesting that the castle was built in the 14th century to defend the border of this hotly contested strategic location on the river. Inside the remains of the castle can be found a museum that showcases the archeological finds discovered when this area was excavated. The towers of this castle are open to visitation and provide stunning panoramic views of the area.
Like all ancient Algarvian towns, Alcoutim is also home to an equally ancient church. Originally built around 1538, this particular church was built on the foundations of a pre-existing medieval church. While the church has been rebuilt several times over the course of time it has retained much of the old-world charm and preserves many fine examples of architecture common to the 16th century.

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Even though much about Alcoutim has stood for hundreds of years, the town is not without its modern amenities. This combination of old and new is allowing the area to come under close study and serious consideration by those who wish to purchase property in the Algarve. The availability of open land allows purchasers to build to suit, while property values in and around the town remain constant and not as dear as those in the main tourist areas of the region. These factors combined are making Alcoutim a viable option for many buyers for whom living on the beach is not a necessity.

There are many activities for the tourist in Bangkok, but an excellent introduction to the way of life in Bangkok and its major tourist attractions is to jump on a riverboat and take a ride on the Chao Phraya River and its canals.

Just grab a map of the Chao Phraya and its attractions from one of the piers, and begin your riverboat experience! Here’s a list of the main riverboat stops and the must-see tourist destinations:

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Board the riverboat at the Taksin Bridge Station. As you travel north, feast your eyes on all the sights and sounds of Bangkok!

Make a stop at the Memorial Bridge Pier which is within easy walking distance of several attractions. Next to the pier is the Pak Klong Market, Bangkok’s biggest wet market and flower distribution centre. You’ll also find Little India and Chinatown as well as Sampang Lane, a quaint narrow lane filled with shops selling local items.

Head back to the river boat and off to the next main stop,Thien Pier. First, walk through the market surrounding the pier and pay a visit to Wat Pho where you’ll see the world’s largest reclining Buddha image. Then, take a ferry across the river to Wat Arun, one of Thailand’s most scenic and iconic temples. You’ll see a main temple surrounded by four smaller towers, all decorated with Chinese porcelain - and you’ll realise why it’s called the Temple of Dawn when you see the first light of morning as it reflects off the shiny porcelain with a ethereal glow.

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Make sure you stop at the Chang Pier – this is the closest boat stop to the impressive Grand Palace. The palace complex is huge – so you might like to go on a guided tour of the palace or rent an audio guide. The palace architectural style comprises an exotic fusion of classical Thai and European elements – a style fashionable in eighteenth century Thailand. The centrepiece of the palace complex is the Emerald Buddha, housed in Wat Phra Keow, the king’s personal place of worship and royal temple.

To see the Royal Barge Museum, get off at the Pinklao Bridge Pier. Take a nice meandering stroll through a winding walkway over swampy land, and you’ll arrive at the museum that is home to the royal barges used in formal processions.

As your riverboat travels further north, you’ll see the spectacular new Rama VII Bridge as well as the 100-foot tall standing Buddha of Wat Indrawiharn.

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The final stop is Tewet Pier. Nearby is the Dusit district, Bangkok’s ‘new’ royal city. Take the ‘tuk-tuk’ - a motorised, open air, three-wheeler - to the Vimanmek Mansion Museum. This beautiful museum is reputedly the world’s largest teakwood building and once home to the King – it also holds many artefacts from throughout Thailand’s history. The Dusit district also contains another gem of a temple - the exquisite Wat Benjamabophit, famed for its white marble ordination hall where you’ll find a highly-decorated bronze Buddha image.

Now that you’ve been Bangkok’s main attractions, why not hop on a canal boat that serves Khlong Saen Saeb, an exotic Bangkok canal – and you’ll get to see how the locals live and commute.

So next time you’re in Bangkok, forget about the ubiquitous taxi - remember to take a memorable ride on a riverboat!