While Bangkok is one of the best cities in the world, it can also be extremely overwhelming when you first arrive! You can spend months in this city and not even scratch the surface! From world class malls and rooftop bars, to old temples rich in history, Bangkok has it all. However there are some things that you MUST do while you’re in Bangkok and that is what we’re going to focus on here!
1. See the 3 Best Temples in Bangkok
There are over 400 temples in Bangkok. You’re likely to run into many of them if you walk around the streets anywhere in the city. However there are three temples that you shouldn’t miss when you first visit Bangkok! We have grouped these together as they are all extremely close to each other so it’s easy to get to all three in the same morning. They’re also all very unique and iconic in Bangkok!
Keep in mind that when visiting temples in Thailand, you need to dress respectfully. An easy rule is to cover your ankles and shoulders. No shorts and no tank tops! The Grand Palace can be even more strict! Luckily they have clothes you can rent if you aren’t allowed to enter.
A. The Grand Palace
The Grand Palace is the most famous tourist attraction in Bangkok. It was built in 1782 and was home to the Thai king for over a century (although he doesn’t live there anymore).
The Grand Palace is gorgeous! The decorations are very impressive. It is made up of many different buildings, including the famous Wat Phra Kaew ,or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is the most sacred place in all of Thailand! It’s home to the famous Emerald Buddha. While the Emerald Buddha is quite small (only 26 inches/66 cm high) it dates back to the 14th century!
The Grand Palace is open everyday from 8:30am-3:30pm. It costs 500 baht ($14 usd) to enter.
B. Wat Pho
After touring the Grand Palace, you cannot miss Wat Pho! It’s located right below the Grand Palace. You can walk there from the Grand Palace in about 10 minutes! However, if you’re tired or the sun is too strong, it’s a quick (less than 100 baht) Tuk Tuk ride between the two.
Wat Pho is another of the most visited sites in Bangkok! It’s best known for it’s huge 150 foot/46 meter long Reclining Buddha statue! You cannot miss this statue if you visit Bangkok! On top of the Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho also has many gorgeous buildings and temples around its grounds.
Wat Pho is known as the first public university in Thailand. It’s also known as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage. It is actually still a massage school today! Visitors can even pay to get a massage right at the temple – which is a great way to relax after walking around all day!
Wat Pho is open 8am-6:30pm every day. It costs 200 baht ($5.50 usd) to enter.
C. Wat Arun
Wat Arun, or the Temple of Dawn, is our last must see temple for your first visit to Bangkok! Wat Arun is almost directly across the Chao Phraya river from Wat Pho! When you leave Wat Pho, just walk toward the river and you can get a boat across the river for just 5 baht ($0.14 usd) each!
Even after seeing the other two temples, Wat Arun is very unique! It’s main tower is 282 feet/86 meters tall and you can even climb up part of it! The entire temple is covered in porcelain and seashells which make it extremely gorgeous.
Wat Arun is open from 7:30am-5:30pm. It costs 100 baht ($2.80 usd) to enter.
While you have to see the temple in person during the daytime, keep in mind it’s also an amazing site for sunset! If you have the time, try to go to one of the riverside bars across from Wat Arun (such as The Deck or View ARUN) to watch the sunset. You won’t be disappointed!
2. Sunset at a Rooftop Bar (Mahanakhon Skywalk)
The next thing on our list is to watch the sunset at one of Bangkok’s many rooftop bars! Even if you only have one night in Bangkok, you should try to check this off your list!
If you’re not on a budget, head to the King Power Mahanakhon! The Mahanakhon is the most iconic building in Bangkok’s skyline. It’s the one that looks ‘broken’ and is the tallest building in the city (some argue that the Magnolia Residences are taller, however it’s just the tower on top of them so I don’t count that)!
The Mahanakhon is a little pricey – tickets start at 880 baht ($25 usd). However it’s home to the famous glass floor skywalk! The skywalk is 1,017 feet/310 meters high. It’s a really great experience, although it can be a little scary when you first step on it!
Right next to the glass floor is a rooftop bar (the Mahanakhon Sky Beach Bar) that boasts it’s the highest rooftop bar in Bangkok. It does have great sunset views – if you’re lucky enough to get a table. Drinks are actually cheaper than some rooftops (a Chang beer costs 160 baht ($4.50 usd)) but you also need to pay the entrance price.
UNLESS you go after 7pm. If you go to the Mahanakhon Sky Beach bar after 7pm, you only have to pay 500 baht ($14 usd) to enter and you receive a drink voucher to use the entire 500 baht toward drinks! You also get access to the glass skywalk! This is a cheaper way to visit the Mahanakhon, however you’ll only get nighttime views.
There are HUNDREDS of other rooftop bars all around the city. While they are much more expensive than your normal street bar, the views make up for it. Our personal favorite is Octave at the Marriott Hotel due to it’s 360 degree views! It’s the perfect spot to watch sunset and doesn’t have a strict dress code like some places. While cocktails are more expensive, you can get a local beer for 250 baht ($7 usd).
3. Chatuchak Weekend Market
Chatuchak Weekend Market is another must see in Bangkok!!! However, you can only go here on the weekend. If you try to go on a weekday it is only a plant/flower market as opposed to the huge weekend market.
Chatuchak Weekend Market sells literally everything you can think of! And it has the cheapest prices in Bangkok! This is the best place to pick up all your souvenirs before heading home. You can also find great cheap clothes and bags!
Try to head here earlier in the day. While most stalls are open until the evening, it isn’t a night market. It’s better to go in the morning or early afternoon.
4. Iconsiam
Go to Iconsiam. Yes, it is a mall. However, Iconsiam has won so many awards – it’s said to be one of the best malls in the WORLD!
To get to the mall, you can take the BTS to Saphan Taksim. From there you can take the free shuttle boat directly to Iconsiam! That’s right!! This mall has a FREE BOAT that takes you to the door!
Once you arrive at the mall the two places that you MUST see are the basement and the top floor.
The basement of Iconsiam is set up like a floating market. It’s even complete with water and has food being sold off of some boats! You can find all kinds of typical Thai food here. Make sure you walk around Sook Siam and try some of the street food that is sold there.
After being amazed in the basement, head up to the top of Iconsiam. The 7th floor is home to the famous waterfall fountain! If you’re lucky enough to arrive when it’s on it’s an amazing site!
The waterfall is also next to the largest Starbucks in Thailand! While the Starbucks Reserve has a seating area outside, head to the other side of the 7th floor and you can access the free outdoor art exhibit!
It’s a really cool art exhibit with light-up towers and amazing views over the Chao Phraya river. Don’t miss this view!
5. Chinatown
Chinatown is currently one of the trendiest areas to stay in Bangkok! It’s also one of the biggest and oldest Chinatowns in the world! Not only is it full of more street food than you’ve ever seen, it’s extremely busy and full of vibrant lights.
Bangkok’s Chinatown has markets both during the daytime and at night, however it’s best to head to Chinatown at night so you get the full experience with all the neon lights on. Even if you don’t want to try some of the street food, this is an amazing place to take pictures and enjoy the vibes!
You cannot miss this iconic location when you visit Bangkok!
6. Walk the Streets of Talat Noi
Talat Noi is a great area to explore right before heading to Chinatown as these places are right next to each other! It’s the perfect mix of old and new, and a true hidden gem in Bangkok.
Talat Noi is a great place to walk around and ‘get lost’ in the city. It’s a maze of little alleyways that are filled with cool street art, old machine shops, and new trendy cafes! You’ll want to have your camera ready as there are amazing photo spots hidden around every corner!
7. Lizard Spotting at Bangkok’s Parks
Another must see thing in Bangkok is the giant monitor lizards that frequent the green spaces around the city! These lizards can grow up to 6.5 feet (2 meters) long! If you spend a decent amount of time in Thailand, it will become quite normal to see these lizards. However, on your first trip to Bangkok they are unlike anything you’ve seen before!
Fun fact about parks in Thailand: they play the Thai national anthem at 8am and 6pm daily! While it’s not obligatory, you can stand still during the anthem to show respect to the country you’re in and people around you.
A. Lumphini Park
Lumphini Park is the oldest park in Bangkok. It’s also one of the most famous parks! There is always something going on here – from yoga classes to Muay Thai. It’s common to see groups of people sitting in the shade playing games. You can also rent a boat to paddle on the lake!
Lumphini Park is also the best place to see huge lizards! They are everywhere in this park!!! Don’t be surprised when they jump in the water – these lizards can swim!
B. Benjakitti Forest Park
After exploring Lumphini park, there is a neat path close to the north east corner of the park. This path is known as ‘the Green Mile’. It will take you the whole way from Lumphini Park to the new Benjakitti Forest Park! The path is really interesting as it shows the contrast between the little houses along the canal with the huge skyscrapers in the distance. While the path itself is less than 1.5 km (less than 1 mile), there isn’t much shade so it’s best to avoid in the middle of the day.
Benjakitti Forest Park is the newest park in Bangkok! Its official opening was August 12th, 2022. This park is unlike any park we’ve ever seen!
There are many different eco systems around the park. It’s also known for its many skywalk paths that cross all over the park!
It’s an amazing and unique park that you should definitely check out if you have time! While we haven’t seen as many monitor lizards here compared to Lumphini, it is still filled with tons of wildlife. It’s equally as nice at nighttime when all the skywalk paths are illuminated by many lights!
C. Rot Fai Park/Wachirabenchathat Park/Chatuchak Park
This is our personal favorite park in Bangkok! It’s actually three parks that are all right next to each other: Chatuchak Park, Wachirabenchathat Park (aka Rot Fai Park, which means Train Park in English), and Queen Sirikit Park.
As the name implies, Chatuchak Park is right next to Chatuchak Market. If you’re planning to spend a weekend shopping in the market, it’s a great time to also stop by the park and relax!
If you make it to Chatuchak Park, make sure you cross the street to Wachirabenchathat/Rod Fai Park! This park is bigger and better than Chatuchak Park!
There is a bike path around Rod Fai park which is really neat! You can rent bikes for very cheap and spend and hour or two biking around the park. It also has a free butterfly garden in it! There are always lots of races happening in this park. You can find many different flowers around the park. Sometimes it’s full of sunflowers!
8. Check Out Khao San Road
Khao San Road is probably the most well known backpacking street in the world!
The street is lined with bars and restaurants. It is also surrounded by cheap accommodations – perfect for backpackers. No matter what time you visit this street, you’re guaranteed to run into some interesting people with even more interesting stories!
Khao San Road took a major hit during covid as there weren’t many tourists in the country, however it is back! Even if you don’t want to party all night, it is worth it to stop by this iconic street. And if you do want to party all night? This is the place to go!
9. Get a Massage!
Massages are one of our favorite things about Thailand! I’ve never seen a place with more massages shops or cheaper prices. You can literally see a massage shop on almost every corner in Thailand!
If you’ve never tried a Thai Massage, be aware that it isn’t the relaxing massage you are used to back home. Thai massages are much stronger and focus on using pressure and stretching your body. The masseuse will also use their own body during the massage (think massaging you with their elbows, forearms, feet, etc). If you want a gentler massage, or if your current massage is too hard, just tell them ‘soft soft’. We’ve used this all over Thailand and it helps!
I definitely recommend trying a foot massage while you’re in the country! Most shops it will cost just 250-300 baht for an hour foot massage! That’s $7-8.50 usd!! While Thailand isn’t a tipping country, we always tip a little when we get a massage.
10. Go on a Tuk Tuk Ride!
A trip to Thailand is not complete without riding in a Tuk Tuk! Tuk tuks are three wheeled vehicles with open sides that are an iconic symbol of Thailand. You can find these all over the country, especially in touristy areas.
Tuk tuks are great for short distances, however they don’t have meters like in a taxi. You have to talk to the driver and agree on a price before jumping in the backseat. A lot of times the drivers try to charge foreigners a lot more than they would locals, however tuk tuks are generally still really cheap.
Make sure you take a ride in one of these while you’re in the city!
[…] there are so many amazing things to do in Bangkok, there are also tons of day trips you can take from the city! Whether it’s a quick 5 minute […]