THE WAT PHO is not closed until 2 p.m. The Wat Pho is not closed until 2 p.m.

Consider chanting this mantra as you walk the highly trafficked half mile between Bangkok's biggest tourist attraction – the Grand Palace and its adjoining temples – and the Wat Pho, a Buddhist compound where the equally famous 150-foot-long Reclining Buddha resides. Because chances are, a continuous stream of Thai passersby, business owners, and tuk-tuk drivers will earnestly and sincerely tell you the Wat Pho is closed until 2 p.m. ... or 4 p.m. ... or whatever time is two hours later than right now. It's not closed. Really.

With millions of Western tourists entering the Thai capital each year, locals have discovered there's easy money in convincing folks to hop in a three-wheeled, golf cart-like, diesel-spewing tuk-tuk for a tour of the "best" stores, restaurants, etc. in all of Bangkok. The entrepreneurial driver gets a percentage of everything you spend in those two or so hours before the Wat Pho "reopens."

This kind of shadiness goes down worldwide. It's part of being a tourist, especially when you don't know the local language. The really disarming thing about Bangkok is how nice people are while they're ripping you off. On that long walk from the palace to the Wat Pho, I completely believed the man who told me he was a political science professor and used my map to show me the city's "secret treasures" – right up to the moment when he hailed his friend in a tuk-tuk to come over and drive me to these treasures because, didn't I know? The Wat Pho is closed until 2 p.m.

After a day or so of such exchanges, it's tempting to keep to the malls and air-conditioned restaurants, where the prices are clearly marked and the menus translated for Westerners. But that would be a mistake. For one thing, you're likely to find yourself traveling solely in the company of other tourists, which isn't what you came for, hopefully. The best way to enjoy the city is to strike a balance between keeping an open mind and keeping in mind a few simple facts of tourist life.

For example, another reason to stay clear of Bangkok's elegant shopping centers is that you won't find any deals. Prices are pretty much the same as in the United States. You'll have better luck with street vendors selling easily packed housewares and accessories. Everything from Chinese-style paper lanterns to intricate beaded necklaces to the much-heralded Thai silk bedspreads, tablecloths, and wall hangings are available for the haggling.

You may still be paying four times what a Thai person would. But most small items are cheap enough for even the tightest tourist budget, and if you intimate you're willing to buy a few items from the same vendor, prices loosen up even more. Go to markets in local-heavy areas like Chinatown instead of the Patpong night market, in Bangkok's notorious sex district and awash with tourists. Negotiate with vendors via calculator; whatever number they punch in, shake your head and put in one-quarter of that amount. You'll be surprised how often you end up getting your price. The number-one rule in Bangkok haggling: you must be willing to walk away. You'll rarely regret it.

In Bangkok's bustling, hard-to-navigate shopping districts, throngs of people share the streets with stinky motorcycles, and food carts take up virtually every corner. The latter is where most regular Thai people eat out, at stands where you can get a solid meal – like savory soup with noodles, meat, and green vegetables – for less than a dollar. (Cribbing some Thai vocabulary helps if you want a more specific idea of what you're eating.) Fruit juices are served in narrow plastic bags with ice and a straw for about 15 baht (35¢). Bottled water is a staple in the perpetually hot, moist city and costs just a few pennies more. The best street carts for more familiar Thai food are on Khan Sao Road in backpacker haven Banglamphu, where pad thai and chicken or pork skewers are little more than a dollar.

And lastly, in all your street dealings in Bangkok, remember that people respond best to quiet, respectful smiles and a cool temper, which is why you'll need to remember your mantra: The Wat Pho is not closed until 2 p.m. The Wat Pho is not closed until 2 p.m. ...

If you go

When to go Bangkok is always hot and humid, but the supposed "cool, dry" season is early November through late February. Prices are highest in December.