Laem Chabang (Bangkok)

Laem Chabang is Thailand's main deep-water port, and it's industrial. Bangkok is the reason for the stop, but it's about 2-2.5 hours away by road depending on traffic. Most people take organised excursions since navigating Bangkok independently from this distance is ambitious for a port day. The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) are the top sights, though both have strict dress codes: covered shoulders, long trousers, closed shoes. Wat Arun across the Chao Phraya River has a distinctive tower covered in coloured porcelain. Floating markets like Damnoen Saduak are tourist-oriented but still interesting. Thai street food is cheap and good: pad thai, som tam (green papaya salad), and mango sticky rice from sidewalk stalls. If Bangkok's distance puts you off, Pattaya is closer at about 45 minutes and has beaches, though they're not Thailand's best. The currency is Thai Baht.