When Bangkok Beckons

Offering culturally enriched tours to culinary delights and more, the bustling South Asian city is a travel hotspot unlike any other. HELLO! took in all of these sensory experiences on a trip to the Thai capital, as a special guest at an exclusive showing of Gucci's latest high jewellery collection. Roohi Oomerbhoy Jaikishan recounts her time there

There's nothing quite like waking up to the sight of long-tail boats floating down the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, catching the beauty of the sun rising or savouring the sight with drinks at sunset. My husband Chetan and I were surrounded by such oriental beauty on a trip to the Thai capital as special invitees for the Gucci High Jewellery preview.

We checked into Bangkok's grand old madame, the Mandarin Oriental, where we soaked up the hotel's illustrious history in the Author's Wing, once a haunt for such eminent writers as Somerset Maugham and Joseph Conrad. While here, we decided to take it slow on our first day and enjoy the evening with a cocktail-or two-at The Bamboo Bar, a historic haunt in the city for lovers of all things music.

HIGH ON GUCCI

On the day of the exhibition, we were geared up for an elaborate experience in signature Gucci style. The luxury label chose the magnificent Phaya Thai Palace on the banks of the Samsen Canal for the showcase. As we entered the palace, a beautiful space that fuses classic European and Thai architecture, we were transported to a time from a century ago.

The Phaya Thai Palace was the ideal choice for the exhibit, given that it's steeped in history and culture and a popular tourist attraction. It perfectly fit the theme of Gucci's new high jewellery collection, which is rooted in travel and memories, beautiful and mystical, coexisting with the wonders of the world. The collection evokes impressions of Roman ruins, mythical Greece and gorgeous European landscapes each with a beauty comparable to that of this idyllic location.