13 Best Things to Do in Bangkok + 3 Essential City Tips

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Are you wondering what the best things to do in Bangkok are? Well, let me tell you, there are a LOT! Bangkok is a bustling metropolis of a city and a wonderful combination of old and new.

Tall skyscrapers, modern restaurants and shopping complexes sit right next to century-old temples and rickety street stalls. It’ll certainly be busy and more than a little chaotic, but well worth visiting as there are so many incredible things to do in Bangkok!  

The major attractions of the city can easily be seen in a few days, making it the perfect city stop on the way to anywhere else in Southeast Asia. Here are 13 of the best things to do in Bangkok. 

13 Best things to do in Bangkok

So, without further ado, here are the 13 best things to do in Bangkok, Thailand.

1. Head North to Ayutthaya

Although not strictly in Bangkok itself, Ayutthaya is a must-see for any traveller visiting the city. Around 80 km north of Bangkok, Ayutthaya was the formal capital of Thailand and the Kingdom of Siam.

Full of absolutely stunning temples and palaces including the all-famous image of a Buddha head inside a living tree, you will not be disappointed if you take a trip here. You can also see a 121ft long reclining Buddha and one of the holiest and most unique temples in all of Thailand, Wat Phra Si Sanphet.

Getting to Ayutthaya

There are several ways to get to Ayutthaya from Bangkok. You can take a train which leaves from Hualamphong station and will take up to 2 hours depending on which train you take. It’s quite a scenic route and you’ll ride past farmers’ fields and local villages. The best place to buy tickets is via 12Go Asia’s website and tickets are also pretty cheap.

You could also take a minivan which leaves from Victory Monument near the metro station, however, similar to shared taxis, there’s no set time to leave, the bus will just depart whenever it’s full, meaning you could be waiting a while before you leave. It is a pretty good price at 100 TBH though, so it has its upsides (and it’s worth it to see this!).

The other way to visit Ayutthaya from Bangkok is by group or private tour. This will usually mean a personalised pickup service, a tour guide and a driver who will take you around all the top sights of the city and get you safely back, so you don’t miss anything.

I personally recommend this method of getting there because there are no taxis in Ayutthaya, so if anything goes wrong with your public transport, you’re pretty much stranded. It’s also arranged for you so you won’t have to struggle to get between the different temples, some of which are quite far apart.

The only restriction this may have is on your budget as the tour will cost about £30 per head. Hiring a taxi or songthaew for the day will also give you similar freedom and ease of getting around and could be cheaper depending on your haggling skills.

Overall, it’s not a huge price to pay and it will definitely be an unforgettable trip. 

✅ I recommend this tour to Ayutthaya from Bangkok

2. Visit the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha  

Bangkok is the perfect city for some temple hopping which incidentally is also a great way to get your bearings if you’ve just arrived in the city.

The Grand Palace is a must-see for anyone visiting Bangkok. This simply stunning temple sits right in the middle of the old town. It’s actually a few temples in one because Wat Pho and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha are also in the same complex.  

The Grand Palace costs 500 TBH to enter which is fairly expensive compared to other Thai temples. Then again, this is only about £14, you do get a lot of temples for your money and they’re all incredibly beautiful!

It’s also the most famous attraction in the city so expect it to be busy! The complex is huge and will easily take an hour to two hours to look around.

✅ Book a tour of the Grand Palace in Bangkok

Things to know before visiting Bangkok’s temples

There are a few things to note before visiting any of Bangkok’s temples.

Dress Conservatively

You need to dress conservatively. Thailand is a modest, very religious country and locals don’t tend to walk around in short skirts or vest tops. When visiting any temple, your shoulders and knees must be covered and to enter the temple itself, you must remove your shoes out of respect for the gods.

When visiting the Grand Palace, you will be separated into two queues and if you are not wearing the correct clothing, you will be asked to purchase either a long skirt or a pair of loose-fitting trousers or a T-shirt.

Trust me, these are not the prettiest of things, cost about £5 each and you most likely won’t want to wear them outside the temples! It can turn a fairly cheap day, quite expensive pretty quickly. So, come prepared with a T-shirt and a knee-length shirt or trousers.  

It will be busy – and hot!

The second thing to note is that Bangkok’s Grand Palace is incredibly busy and will most likely be incredibly hot. Thailand’s ‘winter’ runs from November to March and compared to a lot of Europe’s dreary, icy temperatures, it’s tropical heaven!

Temperatures can reach up to 30 degrees or more, with high humidity. So be prepared when exploring the capital, with light airy clothing and a good water bottle like this, that keeps your drinks cool all day in the heat.

Plus, if you don’t like getting sandwiched through the gates with a hundred other tourists and want to take photos that aren’t crowded with people, I recommend getting there are early as possible! 

3. Visit Wat Pho and the Reclining Buddha 

No matter what you’re interested in, a trip to the reclining Buddha should be on the list of any traveller visiting Bangkok.

Standing, or lying, proud at 15 meters high and an incredible 46 meters long, the reclining Buddha in this temple is one of the largest Buddha statues in Thailand. Plus, if you weren’t impressed by the length of this Buddha, be sure to check out its feet which are intricately engraved with beautiful mother-of-pearl markings.  

4. Cross the River to Wat Arun  

After the Grand Palace, cross the river and explore Bangkok’s second most famous temple, Wat Arun. A complete contrast to the Grand Palace, it swaps striking gold for white, heavily detailed with beautiful blue and orange patterns.

Wan Arun has 3 main pillars and also some extremely steep stairs that you can climb and walk around the second level. Unlike the Grand Palace, you can’t actually go inside Wat Arun, but the exterior is extremely beautiful and well worth a visit whilst in Bangkok. Wat Arun costs 100 TBH to enter.

5. See History at the Bangkok National Museum 

For anyone who loves going a bit more in-depth into history, you can learn a lot from the Bangkok National Museum.

First opened by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1874 to showcase all of the relics and gifts he gained from his father, it now holds the largest collection of art and treasures in Thailand. It was also the first public museum in Thailand.

Full of Chinese weaponry, paintings, clothing and masks, the museum will fascinate you and you can also get an English tour to learn the back story of every artefact.  

6. Go Crazy on Khao San Road  

An absolute must-visit whilst in Bangkok, Khao San Road is famous for its raucous and totally exhilarating atmosphere.

It’s a bit of a tourist hot spot and you certainly won’t be the only one there! But if you’re looking for a taste of Thailand’s more bonkers street food (think crocodiles on spit roasts and fried scorpions on sticks), independent shops and restaurants, nightlife and entertainment, then this is definitely the place for you.

Wander down the street and take your fancy from handmade souvenirs, beautiful pottery and embroidery, wacky food and loads more! 

7. Explore Bangkok’s Floating Markets  

Another of the top things to do in Bangkok is to explore the floating markets.

There are several smaller markets close to Bangkok’s city centre but the best way to see them would be to take an organised tour to the outskirts. Some of the best floating markets are about an hour or more away from central Bangkok so it is a lot easier to see them this way.

✅ I recommend this tour of Bangkok’s Floating Markets

8. Eat at Terminal 21 Food Court  

This was definitely my favourite food court in the city and totally one of the top things to do in Bangkok.

Terminal 21 is actually a shopping mall, but don’t be put off! Even if you hate shopping, this mall will have something for you! It’s designed like an airport and each floor is dedicated to a different region of the world. The food court is on the ground level, so if you’re not a huge shopping fan, head straight down there for some of the most delicious (and cheap!) food in the city.

They have literally everything from Japanese dim sum to American fried chicken and I guarantee you’ll find something that takes your fancy. I decided to try spicy Hong-Kong style noodles, dumplings and a drink, which in total set me back by 109 TBH, which is about £2.60!

Not a bad price to pay for dinner, plus if you need a bit of retail therapy, there is no better place to do it!

9. Go on a Bangkok River Cruise  

A cruise down the famous Chao Phraya River is definitely one of the top things to do in Bangkok. The river provides a lot for the city and all of its canals have given Bangkok its nickname of the ‘Venice of the East’.

We went at night but if you time your cruise properly, there is no better way to get incredible waterside pictures of the Grand Palace silhouetted in the sunset. That would definitely be the perfect end to a day in the city.  

✅ Book a river cruise in Bangkok

10. Explore Chinatown 

I love a city with a Chinatown but did you know that Bangkok’s Chinatown is actually one of the largest in the world?

The main street is called Yaowarat Road and just walking down it will be an experience in itself! There are countless street stalls, and restaurants, as well as billboards, neon lights and crazy tuk-tuk drivers.

Don’t get me wrong, it will be a little hectic, but it’s definitely one of the top things to do in Bangkok and you can’t leave the city without visiting! 

✅ I recommend this guided tour of Bangkok’s Chinatown

11. Visit a Rooftop Bar 

There are mixed opinions about whether Bangkok’s rooftop bars are worth it. The most popular is the Sky Bar which has a great view. However, it also has a bit of a reputation for being overpriced and over-rated.

A great alternative would be the Moon Bar. Rated one of the best rooftop bars in the world, there’s a restaurant, 61 floors and some pretty magnificent cocktails. As with any rooftop bar, time it for the sunset and you won’t be disappointed. 

12. Wander Around Lumpini Park 

I will probably say this time and time again but I absolutely love a city with green space. Lumpini Park is Bangkok’s rendition of New York’s Central Park, Milan’s Sempione Park or London’s Hamstead Heath.

The 500,000 sq. meters make Lumpini Park the perfect peaceful space for relaxing after a hard day’s temple hopping. It’s also a great place for a bit of people-watching as you’ll likely see older Thai couples walking by the lake or practising Thai Chi. 

13. Stuff Yourself At Street Markets

One of the absolute best things to do in Bangkok is to eat street food. You could literally spend a day walking around Bangkok’s streets eating from every different street stall you can find.

Plus, according to Lonely Planet, Bangkok tops the list as the best city to visit for foodies!

A few must-tries are boat noodles, papaya salad, grilled pork on sticks, Thai basil or the traditional Pad Thai. Then, if you have a bit of a sweet tooth be sure to try mango and sticky rice, or delicious fresh fruit and shakes. Trust me, you absolutely cannot go wrong with Bangkok’s street food! 

Getting Around Bangkok 

Navigating Bangkok is surprisingly simple for a city so hectic. Partly because Bangkok has one of the best transport systems in the world.

Metro

Firstly, there’s a great metro service. Despite there only being one line, it covers a lot of the city. You can buy a single ticket for up to 40 TBH or an unlimited card for 120 TBH.

Skytrain

There is also the Skytrain. This is not only a great way to see the city from above but another super convenient way to get around. The Skytrain has two lines, the BTS Sukhumvit Line which covers the north and the BTS Silom Line which goes to the east.

Trains come every 5 minutes or so and you can also buy an unlimited ticket for 120 TBH.  

✅ Pre-book train travel in Bangkok

Taxi

By road is another way to navigate the city if, of course, you can avoid the traffic.

Between 16:30-18:30 tend to be the busiest times of day with a lot of traffic jams, so avoid travelling by road during these times if possible. Metered taxis are affordable, efficient and everywhere. You can pretty easily flag one down and hitch a ride.

Alternatively, the Grab app is super useful in Bangkok. Similar to Uber, you can request a taxi via your phone and it’ll give you a set price.

Tuk-Tuk

You can also find Tuk-Tuks on more or less every corner. Be sure to negotiate a price before you set off or you could easily be paying too much! If you do have the Grab app, I recommend checking what Grab would charge and then basing your agreed price a little under that figure.  

Bus

There is also a bus that has its own private bus lane and once again, just one set route. The route does, however, cover 12 stops. It also crosses the Silom Skytrain line, so you could definitely use this to take you to the trains.  

The final way to get about the city is by boat. Although this won’t take you to many inner-city sites, ferries or water taxis are frequently used to get up and down the river, and across it.

The ferry service will just take you from one side of the river to the other. It only costs 10 TBH per trip and will drop you off amongst a collection of trinket shops, restaurants and food stalls on either side.

The river taxis will take you a little further. Colour-coded by different flags, the boats cover 21 piers along the river and cost 15 TBH irrespective of the distance you travel. 

Getting to the City from the Airport 

Another great thing about Bangkok is how well it’s connected to the airports. Two airports serve the city; Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang. Suvarnabhumi is now the most popular airport and there are many ways to get from the airport into the city.  

The Airport Rail Line is the fastest route from the Suvarnabhumi terminal into the city. The station is located at the base of the terminal itself and costs just 40 TBH per ticket. Trains depart every 15 minutes from 6am until midnight so consider this when deciding on your journey. I use 12Go to plan all my train journeys in Asia and it’s by far the easiest option.

Taxi is another way to get into the city. There are several methods of travelling by taxi. First, you could take a shared minivan to the Victory Monument. From there, you can catch a further van, train, bus or taxi to your final destination. However, this service is only available from 5am until 8pm.

You can also get a metered taxi directly from the airport itself. This is definitely the most convenient method of travel; it will take you directly to your hotel and cost up to 420 TBH (roughly £10) including tolls and airport tax.

✅ Book, a private transfer from Bangkok airport to the city. You can also book public transport tickets here.

The Best Places to Stay in Bangkok 

Bangkok has many different districts and if you’re a first-timer to the city, it can be hard to know the best area to stay. Here’s a brief outline of the best neighbourhoods to stay in Bangkok.  

Siam

Siam is a shopaholic’s dream. Full of department stores, designer outlets and fashion boutiques, it is most certainly the best shopping area in Bangkok. There are also plenty of things to do nearby such as Siam Centre, Siam Discovery and Central World.  

Bangkok Old Town

Bangkok Old Town is another option if you’re searching for an authentic Thai feel, with plenty of history. The old town is riddled with temples, monuments, canals and museums and is also easy to walk around. It’s also very close to the main city attractions such as the Grand Palace and Wat Arun. 

Silom

Silom is the Wall Street of Thailand full of financial corporations, law firms and large institutions. However, amid all this seriousness, Silom comes alive with street vendors and sidewalk stalls down alleyways. It’s also home to the Patpong night market and has easy access to the Skytrain. 

Sukhumvit

Sukhumvit is the place to go for lively nightlife, top restaurants and luxury hotels. It’s home to ex-pats and locals alike but Sukhumvit also has 2 red-light districts which can be off-putting for some. Nevertheless, with easy access to the Skytrain and some of the top facilities in Bangkok, it’s still a worthy option. 

Khao San Road

If you’re looking for a backpacker’s paradise, look no further than Khao San Road. Centrally located, easy to navigate on foot and full of street food, budget restaurants, bars, nightlife, hostels and boutique hotels. It’s all or nothing with Khao San Road and, a little bit like Bangkok, you either love it or you hate it. 

Final Thoughts on the Best Things to Do in Bangkok

Overall, Bangkok is a fantastic city to visit. It’s a little hectic and can be busy and hot. But the history is incredible, the people are so welcoming, and the electric vibe of the city will have you coming back for more.

So, if you’re planning a trip to Thailand, don’t skip the capital and head straight or the islands. Don’t get me wrong, I love Krabi and Phuket, but, the capital has so much to offer and you definitely need to add Bangkok to your travel bucket list.

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