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Bucket list destination:

Bangkok

  • Bangkok, Central Thailand, Thailand

Last updated: 22 September, 2024
Expert travel writer: Chris Schalkx

Bangkok is one of South East Asia’s most complex and contradictory cities. Gritty but glamorous, lively but laid-back, the Thai capital is a hive of frenetic street activity with traffic gridlock that grinds the place to a halt for hours.

It’s home to the region’s best fine dining restaurants, as well as tasty street food stalls, sleazy girlie bars and sleek cocktail spots. It’s the address for retro hipster markets and posh designer stores, lofty luxury hotels and charming B&Bs.

Perhaps surprisingly, it’s also a tranquil haven dotted with tropical gardens and glinting temples.

Whatever your penchant, Bangkok’s almost certainly got it covered.

Orientation

Bangkok is a colossal, sprawling city and few tourists ever get as far as its genteel suburbs and posh housing estates.

Most visitors check into a smart hotel along busy Sukhumvit Road or one of the quieter sois (lanes) leading off it, confining their explorations to the historic centres of Chinatown and Bangrak, and everything in between that lines the Chao Praya river.

The areas they miss out on, such as laid-back and cafe-studded Ari, street food haven Talad Phlu, or the on-the-up nightlife enclave of Chinatown’s Soi Nana are the most fun.

Tours, tickets & transfers

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Our selection of the best Viator tours of this destination, plus helpful tickets and transfers

  • Bangkok

Take a personalized tour in and around Bangkok for a unique look at Thai culture and lifestyles. Your personal guide works with you to tailor a full-day itinerary to the city's top attractions, such as the Grand Palace and Floating Market. Explore distinct neighborhoods, browse the shops, and see key sights all in one day.

Price $60

Min age 1

Rating 4.91 / 5 [3313 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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  • Bangkok

This 8 hours custom and private guided day tour showcases the best of Bangkok and beyond both traditonal and off-the-beaten-path based on your own itinerary. You travel with your fully licenced private tour guide by suitable public transports to top attractions such as Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun  and floating market who will give you the insights and history of sites you visit. Explore and experience vibrant neighborhoods viewing way of life of the locals, testing local cusine (own expense). You are in control of your day for this private and custom tour.

Price THB 1,962

Min age 0

Rating 4.85 / 5 [374 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Website >
  • Bangkok

Explore the capital of Thailand with this guided tour that packed the best Bangkok has to offer in a day. A full day visit to the “must see” and the most interesting attractions of Bangkok will give you an impressive insight into Bangkok’s history, Thai architecture, religion, and communities.

Price THB 6,750

Min age 4

Rating 4.77 / 5 [327 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Website >
  • Bangkok

Checkmark from your travel bucket list the main spots of the city on an extended tour of Bangkok and get to know the city like the back of your hand. All you have to do is trust your local guide, they got you and will show the best of their city. Your local guide has a jam-packed itinerary full of history, culture, stories, and sights. See must-sees of the city, plus get current recommendations about local hot spots, family-owned eateries, and up-and-coming districts of Bangkok you must pay a visit. Yes, this tour is the city guide that will help you enjoy Bangkok in the best way possible. Withlocals Full Coverage City Tour™ is one of Withlocals' signature tours available in major cities worldwide. We work with passionate local guides who earn a fair fee. We support local economies by only offering local produce and prevent over-tourism with only small non-intrusive groups. Our tours are carbon-neutral and away from the standard tourist routes.

Price €122

Min age 0

Rating 4.92 / 5 [289 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Website >

Travel advice

When to go

High season (November-January) is also the ‘cool’ season. Don’t get the wrong idea, though. It’s only a few degrees cooler than the hottest months, and even evening temperatures rarely dip below 21°C. February and March are hot and sticky, while sweltering April is the hottest month.

The rainy season usually begins in May and lasts until October – downpours can be pretty intense, but generally only last for an hour or so in the afternoon. Wear flip-flops or sandals, as there’s no way to avoid wet feet, and carry an umbrella.

Getting there and away

The easiest way to travel from Bangkok’s sleek Suvarnabhumi Airport to downtown Bangkok is by cab. Taxis are cheap and clean – you buy a ticket from the desk outside the terminal – although London-style taxi ‘limos’ are available for those wanting a little extra comfort.

The Airport Rail Link is convenient if you’re staying close to a stop, but be warned that there are no elevators (and lots of stairs) at several of the stops.

Getting around

The BTS/Skytrain system is affordable and excellent, whizzing you across Bangkok in minutes – savvy travellers base themselves at hotels near a BTS stop. Buy a transport card so you don’t have to line up for tickets during peak hours. The MRT (underground) is handy, but it doesn’t have the Skytrain views.

Taxis and tuk-tuks are cheap and useful for heading out at night, but avoid them at peak times when you’ll waste hours in gridlock.

For a break from taxis and trains, take to the water and bounce along the khlongs (canals) in a speedboat with the locals.

Where to stay

First-time visitors like to base themselves on the Chao Phraya River (Bangkok’s ‘Grand Canal’), in atmospheric Chinatown or in or near old Bangrak to be in the heart of the action.

However, while Chao Phraya River views are wonderful and it’s great to be able to step out of the hotel door into bustling Chinatown, staying there isn’t really necessary as the BTS/Skytrain makes it easy to get anywhere fast – which is why hotels along Sukhumvit Road (dotted with BTS/Skytrain stops) are very popular.

Second-time visitors tend to prefer Asoke, surrounded by restaurants, or the hipster neighbourhood of Thonglor.

Avoid the backpacker ghetto of Banglamphu, and its main street Khao San Road, like the plague. It’s not even worth a look to satisfy curiosity.

Where to eat or drink

Superb restaurants are dotted all over the city and there are fantastic street food stalls on every corner.

After dark, Chinatown’s main drag turns into the city’s best street food destination; Sukhumvit Soi 38 (BTS Thonglor) is a more intimate version.

Thonglor, Ekkamai and Ari are the locals’ choice for affordable eateries, stylish restaurants and hip bars and pubs. RCA is where Thais go for dance clubs and live bands.

Also see our guide to Bangkok’s best food and drink.

Where to shop

Siam, with its swanky malls, is the spot to shop for everything from Thai designer fashion at Siam Centre to cheap cameras, phones and electronics at MBK.

Shopaholics love Chatuchak or JJ markets for clothes, crafts and souvenirs, while Sampeng Lane in Chinatown is fun for colourful Asian trinkets, accessories and kids’ toys.

Pahurat Lane in Little India is the place to head for textiles, while the Amulet market sells Buddhist images, statues and amulets.

Also see our guide to Bangkok’s best shopping.