The megacity of Bangkok has, as most capitals of the world, endless activities to do for tourists. However, if you come from America or Europe, the city could surprise you: street markets all around, chaotic traffic, tuk tuks everywhere, full of temples, many (and when I say many, I mean innumerable) tributes to the king and the royal family, like the one in this picture:
Definitely, although the average time that foreigners spend in Bangkok is of three days, don't be afraid to stay a little longer because you won't get bored.
In this post I am going to explain the most famous tourist attractions of the capital of Thailand.
TEMPLES
- The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
Built in 1782, it was the King's housing for 150 years. Its architecture, colours and sculptures are amazing and, in addition, Wat Phra Kaew holds the most important image of Buddha of Thailand, the Emerald Buddha that you can see in the picture above.
Don't forget to cover your shoulders and knees before getting inside, like in all the Buddhist temples, because if not they won't let you in (for this enclosure you must use a t-shirt and trousers; covering your body with a handkerchief is not valid).
Price: 500 THB
Timetable: 8.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.
- Wat Pho and Wat Arun
The Wat Pho also holds a very important piece of art, the reclining Buddha (46 metres long), and it is located next to the Grand Palace.
Price: 100 THB
Timetable: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wat Arun is also nearby but in the other side of the river, so you will have to cross it with a small boat that costs about 4 THB. However, the inside is not really special so you can also observe it from only one side.
Price: 50 THB
Timetable: 7.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
- Wat Saket
Called as the Golden Mountain due to its colour, this beautiful temple will grab your attention from the first moment you step in. Although you have to go up 318 steps to reach the top, the way is entertaining because there is background music and other elements. Once at the highest point, the views of Bangkok won't disappoint you.
Price: 50 THB
Timetable: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Wat Traimit
The Golden Buddha Temple holds, as it name indicates, the statue of a Golden Buddha that weights more than five tones and is recognised all around the world. It is close to the area of Chinatown.
Price: 20 THB
Timetable: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MARKETS
- Chatuchak
This is a weekend market in where you will find normal clothes and fabrications too, costume jewellery, decorations, hygiene products... As you can see in the photo, it is huge!
Timetable: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Friday to Sunday
- Khao San Road
This is the "backpacker's street" which, in its 500 metres length, holds many guesthouses, bars, restaurants, discos, massage centres and, overall, one of the biggest food street markets where you will be able to try anything you want, including insects.
Timetable: it depends on each stall and business, but the best time to go there is at the evening/night.
- Pak Khlong Market
The flowers market is a place where you will find a vast variety of beautiful and colourful flowers, which are sold in economic packs. The majority of them come from the north and are yellow to make garlands for the Buddhas as a tradition. You will also find stalls that sell fruits, vegetables, species and fish.
Timetable: 24 hours a day
- Floating markets of Damnoen Saduak, Amphawa or Taling Chan
There are many floating markets around Bangkok, but these three are the most visited ones by tourists. The history of them goes back centuries, when merchants navigated through the rivers while they sold and exchanged products from their own boats. The price of the products, though, is expensive because they are oriented to tourists.
You can rent a boat driven by a native or observe it from the outside.
Price: it depends on the time you want to spend in the boat and the distance you cover, but usually from 150 to 1000 THB per person
Timetable: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
SHOPPING CENTRES
- MBK, Siam Paragon and Central World
Going shopping is something that many tourists like to do when they are abroad. In Bangkok, their desires will be met as there are dozens of shopping centres and more are constantly being built. These three are the most famous ones (MBK is one of the biggest in Asia) and are all located in the area of Siam.
Timetable: all from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
PARKS
- Lumphini
This is one of the largest green spaces in central Bangkok. It is about 500.000 square metres and was founded one hundred years ago. Many Thai citizens go there to do sport, not only jogging but also strength workouts on the machines, aerobics, Tai Chi... Apart from people, the fauna and the flora also play a great roll, as you can see in the photo above (I found these Komodo Dragons during my walk in Lumphini park!).
Other beautiful parks that you will find in Bangkok are Benchasiri Park, Benjakitti Park, Bang Kra Chao, Chatuchak Park or the gardens of Jim Thompson's House.
OTHERS
- Jim Thompson's House
Jim Thompson was a businessman and architecture from the United States who, after participating in the Second World War, decided to move to Thailand and found a company called "Thai Silk". He built this traditional house that not only is important for its architecture but also for the gardens around and the pieces of Asian art that it holds.
Price: 200 THB (adults) and 100 THB (young people under 22)
Timetable: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Chinatown
New York, London, Toronto, San Francisco... all these are big cities that have a Chinatown, so Bangkok couldn't be less. Next to the river Chao Phraya, in this neighbourhood nowadays there are restaurants, Chinese shops and businesses for the trading of gold, although in the past it was famous for the opium trade, prostitution and the commerce of stolen goods.
- Sky bar
Bangkok's nightlife is a big highlight for tourists and this is why sky bars have taken profit and now offer cocktails and disco in the heights for them. In most of them you don't have to pay anything to get in, yet you need to ask for a drink that will usually cost quite a lot. Anyway, the experience is worth it because the skyline of Bangkok is incredible.
There are many sky bars you can go to, but I chose "Zoom Sky Bar and Restaurant" (located on the 40th floor of a hotel) because it was highly recommended on the internet and I could have dinner there too (above you can see a picture of a dessert I ordered which was delicious). Other sky bars you can go to are Red Sky Bar, Above Eleven, Moon Bar, Mahanakhon Bangkok Skybar, Vertigo, Riverview Rooftop, Sirocco Bangkok, Baiyoke Sky Hotel...
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