ON arrival in Bangkok I realised that the capital of Thailand really is an urban jungle.

Not because its maze-like streets wind like vines on the forest floor, but because in between the city’s impressive array of soaring sky scrapers and gleaming glass towers sprout palm trees, bamboo bushes and riotous rainbows of Bougainvilleas at every available opportunity.

The teeming, steamy metropolis that is Bangkok might well be home to glamorous cutting-edge architecture, around which a futuristic air-conditioned sky train whizzes, but down below orchids, lotus flowers and roses are piled high and sold cheap in the heady Chatuchak Flower Market.

A walk through the captivating street stalls, which take up position on Thursdays, provides endless opportunity for people-watching as Thai shoppers stock up on floral offerings to take to the temples glinting in every corner of Bangkok.

The Chao Phraya River sweeps a lush curve through the city centre and also brings with it a swathe of tropical vegetation and perilous homes perched along its edge.

The best way to explore this extraordinary way of life is by boat and so led by Ake, our Tourism Authority of Thailand-appointed guide, we took to the water in a brightly-coloured barge.

On the busy waterway sightseeing tourist boats bob alongside industrial barges shipping goods into and out of the city, while on the river’s banks bejewelled Buddhist temples in every possible size and shape shimmer in the sunlight. The most impressive of these is the dizzying Wat Arun temple, which is decorated with an inestimable number of pieces of Chinese porcelain.

I say dizzying because the devoted (or those suffering the delusional effects of too much sun) can climb to the top of the steep 79-metre tall pagoda, catch their breath and then look out to see what seems like the whole city spread before them.

It’s a truly majestic piece of architecture, based on the iconic Cambodian Angkor Wat temple, and should not be missed.

Back in our traditional long-tailed boat, we set course for the city’s old canals.

Bangkok was once known as the “Venice of the East” for its intricate network of waterways, known as klongs, and today they remain a fascinating way to get a glimpse of a totally alien existence.

Hovering just inches above the water, wooden huts are home to families and fishermen who use the canals as their metro system.

Also dotted along the interlacing waterways are yet more golden temples around which cluster enormous open-mouthed catfish.

The Buddhist faith frowns on the fishing of these and so they have grown fat and greedy on plentiful supplies of tourist bread.

There’s definitely a weird fascination in throwing a piece in and watching the thrashing catfish feeding frenzy that ensues.

Wat Phra Kaew, the temple of the Emerald Buddha, stands out as the most spectacular structure in Bangkok – no mean feat in a city where gold leaf and glittering mosaics abound.

Together with the neighbouring Grand Palace it is arguably the city’s defining piece of architecture and to leave Bangkok without visiting it would be unforgivable.

Dating back to 1782, the temple is a series of endlessly adorned places of worship and symbolic structures, which culminate in the Royal Monastery of the Emerald Buddha, where the venerated jade Buddha sits.

Visiting the city during the summer can be exhausting, as temperatures soar above 30C (86F) and so it was with relief I found myself on the 23rd floor of the Rembrandt Hotel unpacking my suitcase in an air-conditioned room.

The hotel can honestly boast it has a restaurant fit for a king – King Bhumibol Adulyadej to be precise.

Despite being treated in hospital for a respiratory condition the revered monarch is not prepared to go without the curry served in the hotel’s 26th floor Rang Mahal restaurant and so the day we checked in staff had been seconded to Siriraj Hospital to cook for the Thai monarch.

Refreshed and ready to explore further afield, we left Bangkok the next day in the pursuit of some unconventional shopping experiences, the likes of which are not available at Bicester Village.

Wandering through street market at Maeklong it’s not immediately obvious that you’re shopping in the world’s most ridiculous retail environment – until the siren sounds.

In a scene reminiscent of the Mary Poppins song A Spoon Full of Sugar, market stall awnings spring back, piles of goods are bundled of out the way and before you have time to wonder what’s going on, a train – an actual passenger train – passes through the market inches away from the stalls, shoppers and assorted wares.

After that the floating market at Damnoen Saduak seemed like a perfectly sensible way to shop – don’t we all do our best bartering while paddling around in a small boat?

Bangkok is a world away from any Western destination, but flying from Birmingham Airport did make it seem a lot closer without any of the hassle of getting to and through London’s Heathrow airport.

Our connecting Turkish Airlines flights took us via Istanbul, giving us the opportunity to break up the journey, which meant we were able to make the most of our time in Thailand when we arrived there refreshed.

FACTFILE

Return flights between Birmingham and Bangkok, via Istanbul start from £540 in economy and £1,911 in business class (including taxes).

Turkish Airlines operates daily flights from Birmingham to Istanbul and offers some 190 onward destinations across Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

The carrier operates 11 flights a week between Istanbul and Bangkok, all with short connections in Istanbul from the daily Birmingham flight.

Bookings can be made at thy.com or by calling 0844 800 6666.

Birmingham Airport is the UK’s third largest airport outside London, and the UK’s seventh largest overall, handling some nine million passengers a year.

Birmingham currently serves 143 direct scheduled and charter routes and offers an additional 279 possible connections worldwide. This gives passengers a choice of 422 direct or one-stop flights.

Find out more about Birmingham Airport at birminghamairport.co.uk or on Twitter @bhx_official

The Rembrandt Hotel and Towers is conveniently located in central Bangkok, close to the BTS Skytrain and Metro line. See rembrandtbkk.com

For more information on Bangkok and Thailand, see tourismthailand.org/uk Guides are available to hire in Bangkok from Asia World Travel, see asiaworld-travel.com