Bangkok is for sure, a city of contrasts. Extreme luxury goes in hand with extreme poverty, modern architecture sits eye-to-eye with ancient. Because of this (or in spite of this?) a visit to Thailand’s capital will be sure to be an experience. Bangkok is chock full of rich history, culture, and delicious food galore. Read on to see how to best experience the city in this guide to Bangkok!
Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew
Hours: 8:30AM – 3:30PM
Price: 500 baht
Dress Code: Legs must be fully covered (no shorts or short skirts) and shoulders must also be covered.
Although technically two separate temples, the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha are located in the same complex so it’s best to visit them both at once. I recommend getting here early, because this is one of the most popular sites in Bangkok and can get extremely crowded.
Wat Pho
Hours: 8:00AM – 5:00PM
Price: 100 baht
Dress Code: Legs must be covered down to the knee and shoulders must also be covered.
This temple is also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha because Wat Pho features an enormous buddha figure lying down at 46 meters long! Shoes must be removed upon entrance inside the actual temple but not necessary for the surrounding grounds. This was my favorite temple, and the one I found most photogenic.
Wat Arun
Hours: 8:30AM – 5:30PM
Price: 100 baht
Dress Code: Legs must be covered down to the knee and shoulders must also be covered.
Also known as Temple of Dawn and arguably the most stunning of the three temples, sadly Wat Arun was under construction while I was visiting, which meant I couldn’t climb up to the top of the temple which is the main highlight of the experience.
To get here from the other two temples you should take a boat across the river. From Wat Pho you should go to the Sapphan Taksin boat pier and take a river boat that stops at pier 8. From here a small shuttle boat takes you from one side of the river to the other for only 3 baht.
MahaNakhon
Not only is this Bangkok’s tallest tower, it is surely also the most unique. It’s got a phenomenal spiral cut in the building which is cuboid-surfaced. All in all, it looks like something straight out of a video game, and is quite worth seeing.
Lumpini Park
If you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city environment, Lumpini Park is the perfect place to do that. Just like Central Park is to New York City, Lumpini is like a breath of fresh air in Bangkok. If you’re lucky you may spot some huge lizards here too!
Siam Square
Siam Square is an absolutely gigantic shopping mall complex, made up of three separate Siam malls and is also connected to other shopping complexes.
Siam Paragon, the first mall, is the most upscale of the three. Here you’ll find mainly luxury brands such as Gucci, Dior, Louis Vuitton, the likes. The food here is similarly luxurious and consists of many high-end restaurants and a gourmet food market.
If you’re like most of us, without such a large budget, then Siam Discovery is probably better suited for your tastes. Here you can find mid to high range stores like Adidas, North Face, etc. There are also your classic chain restaurants here such as Starbucks and Outback Steakhouse.
Siam Center seems to attract a younger, edgier crowd that either of the other two malls. It is directly connected to Siam Discovery.
Also worth mentioning is MBK Shopping Center which has 8 floors and over 2000 shops. This is your stop for cheap goods and knock-off products. Fake name brands are a-plenty here.
Rooftop Bar
Bangkok has is chockfull of stunning rooftop bars, making this activity a must do when you’re in the city. The most popular one is Sky Bar, which was featured in the movie The Hangover 2. In fact, the bar has a special cocktail called The Hangovertini in commemoration of the movie.
Other popular rooftop bars include Vertigo and Moon Bar Rooftop, Octave bar, and Attitude Rooftop. Be prepared to pay a premium on the cocktails for the gorgeous view.
Visit one of Bangkok's Many Novelty Cafes
Bangkok is known for their number of novelty cafes. I highly recommend visiting one just for the experience. I visited the Hello Kitty cafe and the Little Zoo cafe.
Here are just a few of them:
- The Unicorn Cafe – You may have seen this one on instagram. All the decor is in gorgeous pastel colors, all the food is unicorn themed and rainbow, and visitors are given unicorn onesies to wear when they step inside.
- Mermaid Castle Siam – This under-the-sea themed cafe is perfect for any mermaid fan!
- Little Zoo Cafe – Eat delicious food while adorable animals run around at your feet!
- Hello Kitty House – Needless to say, you’ll be seeing a lot of Hello Kitty in this 3-story Hello Kitty themed cafe.
- Perhaps Rabbits’ – Also Disney themed, this is an Alice in Wonderland themed cafe! With dishes such as a Rabbit Hole Mud Cake, this cafe won’t disappoint.
Eat Street Food
Bangkok is known for their delicious street food. Honestly, you can find amazing street food no matter where in Bangkok you are, however, one street that is particularly famous for its street food is Khao San Road.
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Have you ever been to Bangkok? What did you do there? What did you eat? Let me know in the comments below!