Glittering, teeming, sprawling, ever-changing—Bangkok is vast. Its 600 square miles and home to more than 10 million people. With proper planning, the size can excite rather than intimidate. Pick a great neighborhood and explore it thoroughly. If you have a week here, change neighborhoods and hotels at least once. Within neighborhoods, you can easily walk, hire a tuk-tuk or take the BTS Skytrain, which is a fast, air-conditioned and affordable above-ground subway.

Bangkok has a well-deserved reputation as one of Asia’s safest cities for tourists. It’s very clean, the locals friendly and eager to help with directions, and generally, crime is low in the majority of neighborhoods. There are a few scams foisted on unwise tourists. Never let a cab driver take you to a gem shop (they get kickbacks; you get hassled to buy fake stones), and never let someone tell you a major attraction is closed, offering you a different tour instead. Just politely decline and walk away.

Thailand has fixed prices in restaurants, established shops, metered taxis, and hotels. It’s not appropriate to barter here. For curbside boutiques, tuk-tuks and outdoor markets, haggling is expected, but know how to be polite. You can request a slightly lower price than the amount the vendor first gives you. If that price is accepted, you should purchase the item. It’s rude to haggle, get your price and walk away instead.

Bangkok is one of the hottest capital cities on Earth. The average temperature rarely dips below 80 degrees, and in the hottest months (March to June), it can creep upwards of 100. The good news? Bangkok has hundreds of hotel pools, from shady, tropical respites to rooftop infinity endeavors. Dozens offer pool passes for non-guests, and you can source these easily online. Passes begin at few dollars for small hotels to $30 passes at the four-star properties, which usually include free drinks, a chaise chair, towels and snacks.

The buzziest neighborhoods, like Bang Rak, the Old City and Chinatown are located along the Eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River. Most tourists choose to stay on this side, but don’t skip visiting the other bank. Ferries across are easily sought at any pier. On the western side, book a bike tour of Bang Krachao (a vast jungle section known as ‘Bangkok’s Green Lung’), stay or dine in cute boutique hotels, wander along the canals, see the famous Wat Arun temple, and shop till you drop at the glitzy Iconsiam mall.