Amari Atrium's outdoor swimming pool is adjacent to Italian restaurant Vivaldi. Provided to China Daily

Although there is plenty of the clothing, shoes, housewares and knickknacks you would find in a typical Asian market, Jatujak's more unusual offerings include animals and an extensive nursery section for those with a green thumb.

I'm not sure if I would want to take home a lizard as a souvenir, but it makes for an interesting sight.

Jatujak also sells local designers' products and antiques, although these have dwindled in recent years. One of my favorite stops is the Celadon shop, where I can always find good deals on its crackly glazed dishes in a rare shade of blue.

Weary shoppers will find there are plenty of places to catch their breath. Viva 8 near the Clock Tower puts on a lively show with its Spanish chef hamming it up for the cameras as he makes huge platters of delicious seafood paella. Its resident DJ, a lovely Thai woman, spins trance tunes that will wash over you just as soothingly as a cold beer.

A short walk from Jatujak is Or Tor Kor, a covered market boasting the best of the country's fresh fruit and vegetables. It is reputed to be the city's cleanest, as every vendor is subject to rigorous hygiene standards.

Durian neatly peeled and packaged to resemble loaves of bread stand alongside large mango and pretty bunches of lichee. Plump crabs wiggling their claws and other fresh seafood are available along with dried goods such as Chinese mushrooms, salt fish and banana chips.

In this foodie's haven, you can have practically any Thai delicacy prepared before you, from papaya salad to grilled prawns. There are buckets of curries and stews for folks to take away and a seating area for those who prefer to dine on the premises.

I heard through the grapevine that though the night market in Lumpini Park closed down a few years ago, there is an even better one near Jatujak affectionately known as the Train Market. It was founded by a bunch of vendors from Jatujak who took over a deserted parcel of land near former train tracks - which led to its name.