BKK, one of my favourite cities. And I’ve been here so many times, I feel I could really do with sharing the best things to see, do and where to stay. Whether you’re just here for a stopover en route to somewhere else, or you are spending a good few days, there’s a lot to squeeze in.
River boats
The Chaophraya river that flows through the city is Bangkok’s lifeblood, and no visit here is complete without chugging along the river. There are many boat tours that will take you along the river, from where you can see the famous temples, floating market and stilted houses. You can also take a hop-on-hop-off boat ride and get off to explore the temples and sights. And, if you’re clever, stay at a hotel that has a free shuttle boat, and do it all for free! The best time is after dark, when the whole city is lit up- it is really magical!
Temples
There are a lot of large temples in Bangkok. You could try visiting them all, but you will likely just exhaust yourself in the heat. If you’re going to see just one, make it Wat Arun the beautiful temple of the dawn. The whole thing is covered in intricate designs and it truly is a beautiful place to spend a few hours admiring the architecture. The rest of the temples, just enjoy them from a boat ride.
Malls
Trust me, you will need the AC breaks. For bargains, try MBK Center. For glamour, Siam Paragon or Icon Siam. For something in between, Central World is a good option.
Parks
Lumpini park is easy to access with the BTS Skytrain, and is the city’s green lung. Spend a couple of hours strolling in the shade, watching old timers do tai chi and look out for monitor lizards swimming in the water or resting in the shade of the trees. One visit we saw thirty of them! They let you get quite close, too.
Rooftop bars
The Lubela tower was where The Hangover was filmed, and their rooftop bar is free to enter, you just pay for drinks. The views from the 64th floor are epic at night. We had a great time there and it is not too busy, so dress nice and take a lot of photos!
Khao San Road
That infamous road. If you really want to visit, go around sunset, and walk first along the large street that leads to the Grand Palace and the emerald Buddha, to glimpse these buildings from outside. There are a lot of decent restaurants here, so you don’t have to go wild, if you don’t want to.
China Town
Bangkok’s China town is a must visit, for the chaos and color, and the old school houses and restaurants. Wander through, laugh at the names (Yoo Fishball, anyone) and then find yourself at Mother Roasters a hidden away cafe with great coffee and adorable cats. If you visit the area around Chinese New Year, you’ll get to see dragon dances, and everyone decked out in red and gold.
Bang Kachow
Just half an hour away, this cute suburb is the perfect place to rent a bike, and spend a sunny day pedalling past the old colonial style houses, over little bridges, and past palm plantations, reminding yourself how things would have been, back in the day. Stop at any of the cute cafes for a drink, and explore hidden paths to waterfalls and temples.
Wat Sam Phran
An hour out of the city, this is the famous bubblegum pink dragon temple which looks like something out of a movie. You can climb through the dragon to the very top, not for those with claustrophobia, but a cool experience, and the grounds are huge so you can easily spend a few hours there.
Disco tuk tuks
Tuk tuks are a fun and handy way to get around, any time of day, but are funnest at night, when the drivers put on rainbow lights and blast crappy pop music from their speakers. A uniquely Bangkok thing to do, get a ride back to your hotel in one of those.
Asiatique
This outdoor shopping area comes alive in the evening, with hundreds of stalls and shops selling everything you can imagine. There are loads of places to eat, places to get your nails done, and board a dinner boat cruise, if you want to. Or just sit and watch the chaos, and the lights along the river.
Further afield- Ayuttheya
About an hour north of the city is the ancient city of Ayuttheya, which is like a mini Angkor Wat. You can visit as a day trip, or stay a night, which is what I did. There are tons of temples and stupas to explore, and there is the famous fallen Buddha head. It is well worth spending a couple of days here; the town is also nice and not at all touristy, with a huge night market and hawkers.
The best hotel
I think I’ve stayed around six times. But I love Chatrium Riverside Hotel. Huge (and I mean huge) rooms which even have a kitchen, huge balconies, a beautiful pool area that you can easily lose a day to, a free shuttle boat, gym, a restaurant with lovely breakfast buffet by the river, what more do you want?
Getting around
Boats, the sky train, Grab taxis, tuk tuks, many options. You can walk too, just be prepared to sweat, a lot.
When to visit
I have literally visited at all times of year, and the weather is more or less the same; very hot, very humid. Rainy season brings epic thunderstorms in the afternoon that are fun to watch from your balcony. Chinese New year is a vibe but very busy. Spring is probably the quietest, but Bangkok is never very quiet. Long story short, any time of year is fine!
I hope you enjoyed this guide! Let me know if I missed anything, or have any recommendations. I did write in-depth about a Bangkok stopover a few years ago, just type Bangkok into the search on this site and you’ll find it 🙂 much love x
