Bangkok is a beautiful and big city that can get quite overwhelming. With so many things to do in Bangkok, it’s hard to decide what to add to your bucketlist. I’ve traveled to Bangkok 3 times now and want to share with you some of my favorite activities that you could add to your list.
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Watch the Sunset over Wat Arun
By far my favorite of the things to do in Bangkok is to watch the sun set over Wat Arun from a bar across the river. It was an absolutely beautiful sight to see and something I would definitely do again if I go back.
You can find many restaurant, bars and cafes on the opposite side of the river from Wat Arun. Just be prepared to come a little earlier or reserve a table way in advance to ensure you will have a good seat.
My friend and I went to one of the bars at 5 pm and just ordered some drinks and food and stayed until it was time for the sunset. While we were enjoying the breeze and wonderful view of the river, more and more people arrived.
Visit the Jim Thompson House Museum
Address: 6 Kasem San 2 Alley, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Admission: 200 Baht (you will need to visit the house with a tour guide)
Opening Hours: daily from 10 am until 5 pm
I believe that it’s always a good idea to visit at least one museum in the place you are traveling to. During my visit to Bangkok, I decided to visit the Jim Thompson House. As I love fabrics and knowing more about the local craftsmanship of each country, it was a very interesting place to go. Jim Thompson was an integral part of the Thai Silk Industry and learning more about his life and the silk business in Thailand was very interesting.
Shop at some of the many Malls
Bangkok is home to a big selection of huge malls that can serve as the perfect location to get out of the sun and heat for a bit. But they are also fun to explore and to actually do some shopping. Some stores offer tax back options so do bring your passport if you are planning to do a lot of shopping. You can potentially save some more money.
Most of these malls also have big food courts where you can find a variety of different food options from Thai food, Western food all the way to some bigger Fast Food chains.
Here are some of the more popular malls you can check out.
ICONSIAM
Address: 299 Charoen Nakhon 5 Alley, Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600, Thailand
Opening Hours: daily from 10 am until 10 pm
Siam Paragon
Address: 991 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Opening Hours: daily from 10 am until 10 pm
MBK Center
Address: 444 Phaya Thai Rd, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Opening Hours: daily from 10 am until 10 pm
Central World
Address: 999/9 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Opening Hours: daily from 10 am until 10 pm
Siam Square One
Address: 388 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Opening Hours: daily from 10 am until 10 pm
Enjoy an evening at Asiatique
Address: 2194 Charoen Krung Rd, Wat Phraya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Admission: free
Opening Hours: daily from 11 am until midnight
Asiatique is a fun area by the river that has lots of restaurants, a ferris wheel and some shops for you to shop at. Especially at night time everything is lit up nicely and you can really enjoy the end of your day.
Visit a night market
Bangkok has quite a few night markets that you can enjoy during the week and on the weekend. But I do have a slight feeling that after Covid a lot of the night markets changed or closed down. But here are some night markets that you can still visit on your trip to Bangkok.
JODD FAIRS Rama 9
Address: Rama IX Rd, Huai Khwang, Bangkok 10310, Thailand
Admission: free
Opening Hours: 4 pm until midnight
Jodd Fairs is a fun night market to visit where you can find all kinds of different food, and several little vendors selling clothes, accessories and little gadgets. If you are specifically looking for souvenirs you won’t find much here, though. Just keep that in mind when you go.
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Address: 587, 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Admission: free
Opening Hours: Fridays from 6pm until midnight, Saturday & Sunday from 9 am until 6 pm
Although Chatuchak Weekend Market is supposed to also be open during the week, there is not much going on and a lot of the shops vendors are closed. On Fridays it is a lot more crowded and filled with more vendors and street food. However, I did expect it to be much bigger than it actually was which could also be a result of Covid. I hadn’t been to Chatuchak pre-Covid but I have seen pictures of a very busy and bustling area full of vendors selling crafts, souvenirs and lots of other items.
If you are looking for snacks to bring back home as souvenirs, you will be able to find a lot of shops that sell dried fruits, coconut chips, etc.
Khao San Road
Address: Talat Yot, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Admission: free
Opening Hours: all day (but I recommend afternoon/evening hours)
Khao San Road probably being one of the most known areas for tourists also offers some street food and small vendors selling souvenirs during the evenings. While there is not much going on during the morning or daytime, the area really comes to life at night.
Ong Ang Walking Street
Address: PGV3+Q4M, Wang Burapha Phirom, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Admission: free
Opening Hours: Fridays through Sundays from 4 pm until 10 pm
Located on the side of Chinatown alongside the Ong Ang Canal, the Ong Ang Walking Street offers all kinds of different street food and a great ambience to spend an evening on the weekend.
Explore one of the largest Chinatowns of the World
One of my favorite places to explore and get lost in in Bangkok is the Chinatown area. Full of beautiful unique street art, impressive old temples, as well as a street full of blinking LED signs at night, this area has so much to offer. Unfortunately, I’ve only came to visit this area on my 3rd trip to Bangkok but I am glad that I did. Chinatown is something you should definitely add to your list of things to do in Bangkok.
And while you’re in the area, I recommend that you just walk around a little and look around, see what you can find, and don’t rush.
Admire the 46m long reclining golden Buddha statue
Address: 2 Sanam Chai Rd, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Admission: 200 Thai Baht (ca. 5,30 EUR)
Opening Hours: daily from 8 am until 6:30 pm
One of the most impressive reclining Buddha statues I have seen is the one you can find at Wat Pho – one of the most important temples in Thailand. 46 m long and made of gold, this Buddha statue and temple built in 1832 attracts hundreds of tourists every single day and is a very popular photo spot.
Just make sure to take your shoes off when entering and wear appropriate clothing when visiting Wat Pho.
However, the golden reclining Buddha statue is not the only impressive thing to find at Wat Pho, Wat Pho is also considered one of the leading places for the traditional Thai Massage. So while wandering around, you will be able to learn more about the tactics and traditions of the Thai Massage.
Visit the Grand Palace
Address: Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Admission: 500 Thai Baht (ca. 13,25 EUR)
Opening Hours: 8:30 am until 3:30 pm
Although it is not the cheapest place to visit it is still worth to see. Just be prepared to wear something that covers your shoulders and knees or bring something along with you. When I went they also provided some cover ups to anyone who didn’t have anything but you would need to pay extra for that. Since 1782 the Grand Palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam. However, after 1925 the King and his royal goverment moved elsewhere and the palace grounds are nowadays only used for ceremonial purposes.
Explore Wat Arun
Address: 158 Thanon Wang Doem, Wat Arun, Bangkok Yai, Bangkok 10600, Thailand
Admission: 100 Thai Baht (ca. 2,60 EUR)
Opening Hours: daily from 8 am until 4 pm
The Buddhist temple Wat Arun is located on the West side of the Chao Praya River in Bangkok. It is also know as the Temple of Dawn and sits right at the river front.
There is a small ferry you can take to get to the temple from the other side of the river. The ferry costs 5 THB per person (ca. 0,13 EUR).
While walking through the area of Wat Arun, you will also see many people dressed in traditional Thai clothing. Near Wat Arun you can find a few rental stores renting out traditional Thai clothing and offering photographers to take photos of you while you visit the temple grounds.
When visiting the temple, just ensure that, again, you wear appropriate clothing. And a small perk when purchasing your ticket for Wat Arun is that you will also get a complementary small water bottle to take with you.
Get a traditional Thai Massage
One of the things that Thailand is most known for is their traditional Thai Massages. When strolling around Bangkok, you will find many places offering the traditional Thai Massage. And while I do recommend trying it while you’re visiting Thailand, always make sure you find a good place with trained employees. Usually these shops have certifications on their walls for each employee. I would also recommend that you check the reviews online before going.
Take a stroll through Lumphini Park
Address: Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Admission: free
Opening Hours: daily from 4:30 am until 10:00 pm
One thing I unfortunately didn’t get to do on my last trip to Bangkok but that is still on my list of things to do in Bangkok is to take a stroll through Lumphini Park. It’s a park located in the center of Bangkok and during early hours you might even be able to spot a few local animals.
I hope I was able to give you some inspiration on things to do in Bangkok for your upcoming or current trip!
I always enjoy coming back to Bangkok and feel like there is always more to do no matter how often you go.
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