Welcome to Bangkok, the capital and the most populous city of Thailand! In this article, we will show you the top 15 things to do in Bangkok. We also include a bonus attraction that might surprise you.
Here are our picks for the top 15 things to do in Bangkok!
One must-do in Bangkok is sailing its vast majestic river, the Chao Phraya. The river flows from the boundless vastness of the ocean into the Thai capital. It is lined with stilted houses sitting next to the sky-bound high risers and pagodas shining with gold.
Hop on a public boat at just 15 Baht, and take delight in the invigorating fragrance of the algae and freshwater.
The best boat stations to take a trip between are China Town, known for its food stalls and Chinese shrines and temples, and Khao San road, a kinetic hub for backpackers and gap year students from all over the world.
Another alternative to travel along the majestic Chao Praya River is to go on a river cruise.
The two-hour cruise experience features an international buffet dinner, live music performances, and great service. You can also view historic Bangkok landmarks, such as the Emerald Buddha Temple and Grand Palace, on the cruise ride. Take on the journey with friends, family, and your significant other. Enjoy an entertaining and memorable night!
One of the best places to go in Bangkok for a selfie to spice up your Instagram account is Mahanakhon Sky Walk.
Thailand’s highest observation deck is an amazing elevated platform with a glass floor, located right in the downtown and offering gob-smacking vistas over the city. Stop by the building’s rooftop on the 78th floor, and enjoy an exhilarating walk across the world’s largest glass floors. Visit in the afternoon for a memorable sunset experience, or late at night for a glittering view of Bangkok
No trip to Bangkok is complete without visiting the iconic floating markets. Undoubtedly one of the nation’s biggest tourist attractions, it sports an abundance of local delicacies, colors, chaos, and picturesque views – you’ll want to make sure it’s on your itinerary.
Damnoen Saduak is the biggest and most famous floating market in Bangkok. It’s large and full of life. It’s located about 80 kilometers from the capital in Ratchaburi Province. Amphawa Floating Market is another authentic floating market, popular with the locals for weekend shopping.
Bangkok is a city known for its art. One of the best art venues is Bangkok Art and Culture Center. Housed in a corkscrew-shaped somewhat futuristic building, the museum offers all kinds of art lovers’ delights, including art exhibits, musical and theatrical performances, bookshops, and art galleries. Open daily (except Monday) from 10 am till 9 pm, it is one of the best places to visit in Bangkok in the late afternoon.
Chatuchak Market is the world’s largest weekend market. Here you can purchase all kinds of goods, but it stands out for being one of the best places to buy souvenirs in Thailand. It boasts unique dolls and many unique Thai wares. You can bring something truly impressive back home to your loved ones.
Siam Paragon with its vast selection of top-tier brands like Hermes, Ferrari, Balenciaga and Bangkok’s other luxury emporiums, is believed to consume as much electricity as some Thai Provinces.
Apart from Siam Paragon, EmQuartier, a veritable giant known for high-end brands; IconSiam, a novel luxurious emporium on the banks of Chao Praia, and shopping malls like Central Bangkok and Rama9 among others, offer unrivaled commercial brilliance and oftentimes outshine the world’s best shopping malls and department stores like Harrods in terms of opulence and luxury.
Head to explore Bangkok’s shopping malls and discover the commercial bonanza that makes Bangkok one of the best cities to go on a shopping spree.
Situated right in the downtown at the end of Si Lom Road, Lumpini Park is one of the best places in Bangkok to jog, walk and do exercises.
What is more, it is a great place to explore the wild nature without having to get out of town. You can see for yourself huge lizards crawling around its lake and upon trees.
Also, bear in mind that at night the square before the park and opposite Si Lom is a nice spot to drink Thai Milk Tea and read books that can be purchased at gargantuan and ultramodern Siam Paragon’s Kinokuniya bookstore.
Bangkok is known for its monasteries, temples, and shrines. Here you can find Wat Pho, the temple of the giant reclining Buddha, and Wat Arun, one of the best landmarks to see not just sunsets in Bangkok, but also sunrises when the rising sun shines back off the surface of the temple with truly mesmeric iridescence. Other Buddist landmarks include Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok’s most sacred Buddhist temple, home to the world-renowned Emerald Buddha.
Keep in mind that one can get to a real monastery for free. Vipassana Dhama is one of the best places in the world to meditate for free, and learn your way to Dhamma.
Ayutthaya is the ancient capital of Thailand, about 80 kilometers north of Bangkok. Ayutthaya is home to unique palaces and temples, showing how sophisticated Thai architecture is.
The ancient town is so well preserved that it has served as a setting for some of Thailand’s popular TV series. Keep in mind that apart from going by train or bus, you can take a slow boat to Ayutthaya or even cycle here.
Khaosan road is something a true traveler must visit one day. Here you can find prime bars, massage parlors, and a number of street stalls selling everything from street food to souvenirs.
When you are here surrounded by people by night, or when you walk the sun-parched tarmac by day, it is the road’s unique backpacking atmosphere that lures you back and makes it Bangkok’s most beloved street.
Keep in mind that it is one of the best places in Bangkok to eat local exotic foodstuffs like scorpions and the like, or do laughing gas.
Because Bangkok is associated with unhinged partying, you really must try going out at night here.
There are a number of first-class partying districts like Nana and Soi Sukhumvit where you can take pleasure in the world-renowned go-go performances, relaxing Thai massage, and just plain beer drinking.
The two places are less appealing to backpackers but more to seasoned ex-pats and tourists and are two best places to visit in Bangkok for a person keen on pinpointing its feast-making allure.
Silom is another nightspot, popular with LGBTQ communities and is a perfect place for a night escapade at an LGBTQ bar.
Your Thai holiday doesn’t have to be all about sightseeing, shopping, and eating out. On your Thai trip, you might as well learn Thai boxing, massage, or the most useful skill of all, Thai cooking.
There are a number of schools offering prime Thai cooking classes like Sampong culinary classes, at just 1300 baht, at a school located in Si Lon area, close to many of the capital’s best-wet markets.
Head here to bring something more tangible than a souvenir to your loved ones back home, that is knowing how to cook the best Pad Thais and Tom Yams.
Number two on our top thing list is visiting Bangkok’s Chinatown.
Here you can walk along Yaowarat, the district’s main avenue that lures travelers with its street stalls, Chinese temples, and many authentic boutiques in its environs, selling top-quality goods that can be found in Chinatown only like its prime silverware and jewelry.
The best time to visit Yaowarat is at night when the street glows red and the sois around it are full of arcane activities and are fragrant with incense.
The best place to start exploring the district is Odeon Circle with its giant Paifang, where Yaowarat crosses Charoen Krung.
Head here to see the beautiful Wat Mangkon Kamalawat Chinese Temple, situated on Charoen Krung and walk further down the avenue to see how diverse and bustling is Bangkok at night.
One of the best things to do in Bangkok is to go on a street food tour. It allows you to pinpoint budget options from locals, which only locals know.
On your Thai gastronomy tour, you can also see a number of cultural landmarks like Buddhist holy places and comprehend how the gastronomical heritage fits into the larger frame of unique Thai culture.
A street food tour normally takes 3 to 4 hours, with a pick up from your hotel.
Head here to get the first-hand experience of kinetic Bangkok street life.
And here is the Bonus:
At the Rajadamnern Stadium, you can experience the country’s renowned Muay Thai national sport! The Rajadamnern Stadium is one of the country’s oldest and most renowned Muay Thai arenas, and it is still visited by a large number of Thai people and foreign visitors. You can either watch 9 different matches from your ringside seats or sit among the spectators who place bets on their favorite fighter at the 2nd or 3rd Class sections. You’ll discover how this traditional sport has thrived for ages as you join the masses in cheering and screaming. It’s a unique experience that you should not miss in Bangkok!
Have a great trip to Bangkok!