Historic building - Temples - Museum - Top sights
Top Sights
Wherever you stay in bangkok is for a few hours, a few days or more, absolutly any intinerary should include some top sights place, museum shopping or historic building.
National Wat Phra Kaew and Grand Palace
Places you almost 'have to' visit! Rather close to Khao San Road and
Banglamphu. You can go there by taxi, tuk tuk or why not a cheap river
boat on the Chao Praya river to pier Tha Chang. From there it's just
walking distance to this beautiful temple and the amazing Grand Palace.
located in the grounds of the Grand Palace,
Wat Phra Kaew is among the top attractions, attracting tourists with its
stunning temples, towering golden chedi, ornately decorated interiors
and the much revered though diminutiv
e Emerald Buddha. The palace,
although not as impressive as the surrounding temples, is an interesting
example of new-Baroque architecture. Fine murals are also on display,
and there is a decorations and coins museum on site. It’s the one site
all tourists get to while in Bangkok.
Location: Rattanakosin
Open: Daily 8.30 am - 3.30 pm,
Admission Fee: Foreigner 200 Baht for both the palace and the temple
Wat Pho and the
Reclining Buddha
Wat Pho or Wat Phra Chetuphon as the Thai's often names it, is the
largest and one of the oldest temple in Bangkok. You'll find it on
Chetuphon road.
located beside the neo-baroque Grand Palace, Wat Po is a complex of stunning temples with intermingling spires of intricate and ornate design. The most outstanding attraction is the massive, 40 meter reclining Buddha which is one of the most impressive and certainly the largest in all of Thailand. Also noted for its ancient school of massage.
Location: Rattanakosin
Open: Daily 8.00 am 5.00 pm
Admission Fee: Foreigner 20 Baht
and it is opened every day between 8.00 am and 5.00 pm.
Thon Buri canals
(trip)
A trip along Bangkok’s canal is one great way to see a number of the major sites from an interesting perspective, without the hassle of having to navigate Bangkok’s city streets. A leisurely cruise along one of Bangkok’s water ways affords passengers a glimpse inside the daily life of locals. Boats can be boarded from any pier along the canals. The Chao Phraya Express boat passes many of the city’s major sites. The quiet canals of Thon Buri, across the river are a world away from modern Bangkok and show how Bangkok once was when it was described as the ‘Venice of the East’ a century ago.
Location: Thonburi & Riverside
Open: daily, early morning to evening,
Admission: Thai 250 Baht per person, Foreigner 300 baht per person.
Chinatown
Chinatown is a colourful, exotic and busy area, packed with market stalls and probably the greatest concentration of gold shops in the city. The Chinese community, relocated here from Rattanakosin (Old City) in the 1700's, still continue their own traditions and religious practices, and the area is quite unlike the rest of Bangkok. Relatively untouched by modern development — and despite being always crowded, hot and exhausting — it's an experience not to miss.
Location: Chinatown
Wat Arun (temple of Dawn)
With its spectacular river side location and the soaring 82 meter spire set right in the centre of the temple, Wat Arun is another of Bangkok’s top attractions. It’s also one of the oldest, pre-dating the founding of Bangkok when the original capital was set up in Thon Buri across the river. Makes an excellent sunset backdrop from river boats. Located opposite Wat Po, catch boats from Tha Tien pier behind the Grand Palace.
Location: Thonburi & Riverside
Open: Mon-Tue, Thu-Sun 8.30 am - 5.30 pm, Close: Public Holidays
Admission Fee: 10 Baht.
Floating Market - Damnoen Saduak
Damnoen Saduak is the Thai name of this market and it is often found in international articles and movies about Bangkok showing elderly women in hats selling food and other goods directly from the boats.
Most tours include the delightfully chaotic Floating Market on itineraries but its an early start to get to the area in Damnoen Saduak, an hours drive southwest of the city and an organised tour is the best option. The sights, sounds, smells and array of goods on offer can be slightly overwhelming, but you won’t find this experience many places in the world. Although quite touristy, it reflects a typical central Thai market that uses the many canals instead of streets for commerce.
The market is found about 100 kilometers from Bangkok and a feeling of anticlimax has been the case for some visitors, traveling for about two-three hours in a minivan to get there.
Location:
Around bangkok
Open: Daily 06.30 to 10.00
Admission: organised tours start from 650 baht
Lumpini Park
located in the heart of the city, this expansive area is a nice escape from the city madness. Early morning in the park, you will find hundreds of residents out for their morning yoga, tai chi or jog. There are a number of Thai restaurants and boats are available for hire for a peaceful cruise on the lake in the heart of the park, (Lumphini Metro station).
A huge green oasis right in the middle of the capital city of Thailand. Perfect if you get bored with cars and crowded streets. Well managed green areas around a sea where you actually can take a tour in a rowing boat. Many Bangkok citizens perform their morning gymnastics as Tai Chi, strength training or jogging etc. here.
A rare expanse of public greenery in the heart of the city, it was once property of King Rama VI, who issued a royal command to turn the area into a public park as a gift to Bangkok's residents. The park's symbol, a statue of its creator Rama VI, stands at the main entrance at the southwestern corner, right opposite MRT Si Lom station.
You will find Lumphini Park next to Rama IV Road and Ratchadamri Road (between Rama IV, Ratchadamri, Wireless (Wittayu) and Sarasin Rds).
Location: Silom & Sathorn
Opening Hours: Office Mon-Fri 8.00 am - 4.00 pm, Closed: Sat, Sun and Public Holiday, Park: Daily 4.30 am - 8.00 pm
Admission Fee: Free
Patpong shopping
The Patpong night market features all the usual Asian knock-offs and assorted tourist goods. Prices are considerably inflated compared to most any other market so be prepared to fight for a bargain.
Despite being one of Bangkok’s original red light districts, Patpong attracts loads of tourists to its market with its vast array of fake designer goods and prices that are hard to beat. The goods are of decent quality and most people will probably only realise their lacking authenticity on close inspection. It’s an excuse for the more curious to pop in on the go go bars and ‘ping pong sex shows’ upstairs, most leave them disappointed by the boring shows and expensive beer. Silom area, (Sala Daeng BTS station.)
Location: Silom & Sathorn
Open daily: 6.00 pm - 1.00 am
Chatuchak Weekend Market
BTS Mo Chit, Metro Kampaeng Phet. Northern Bangkok's biggest draw, this incredibly vast, 35-acre outdoor market has over 8,000 vendors selling anything and everything under the sun. To put that number in perspective, if you browsed each stall each one minute, non-stop for 8 hours on both Saturday and Sunday, it would take you around two months to visit them all! A good rule of thumb is to buy immediately if you spot something interesting, because you will never find the same stall again. The market opens at 7 AM, so get there early to beat the crowds and the heat. Keep an eye on your belongings here as pickpockets work in the crowds, and avoid Chatuchak on rainy days as the roofs and drains here aren't quite up to a tropical downpour.
Location: Phahonyonthin
Open: Saturdays and Sundays, 6.00 am - 5.00 pm
Admission: free
Siam Paragon
Was opened in December, 2005. A large, almost futuristic shopping center
with a large number of shops (clothes, sports, books, beauty shops, toys,
restaurants, fast food etc.) and a huge supermarket at the ground level
(called Gourmet Market). Go there by the skytrain to Siam station or by
taxi or tuk-tuk.
Location: Patumwan
MBK - Mah Boon Krong
Next to Siam Center and Siam Square. This shopping center has some of
the lowest prices you can find in Bangkok. Everything from mobile
(cellular) phones to clothes and even food can be bought here.
Absolutely a store that we recommend. Go there by skytrain to National
Stadium or Siam station or by taxi or tuk-tuk.
Location: Patumwan
Rattanakosin - Riverside - Chinatown - Sukhumvit - Silom & Sathorn - Pathumwan - Ratchadaphisek - Phahonyothin - Around Bangkok