Bangkok District and the Capital of Thailand,
Essential to Remember
Bangkok deserves at least 3 to 4 days: Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Chinatown, floating markets, evening rooftops. The city surprises with its contrasts: millennial temples just 100 meters from glass towers, street markets next to air-conditioned shopping centers.
It is the most populous city in Thailand. Many planes pass through Bangkok to go to Australia so if you are going to Australia, don’t forget to stop by Bangkok, you won’t regret it! !
Bangkok is often the gateway to Southeast Asia! This gives you a preview of what awaits you in Asia.
I will give you some advice and my favorite places:
  ;Bangkok District: Khao San Road
Did you know?
Bangkok is officially the city with the longest name in the world: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya… This full name of 168 characters even holds a Guinness World Record.
The backpackers’ corner and cheap hotels, you will find a very lively street in the evening with Thai food stalls or product sales stands. The most sold products are t-shirts, CDs, flip-flops, country flags, small Buddha or elephant statues.
You can also find stands selling unique products, a little preview in photos:   ;
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It’s worth trying once in your life, everything is edible except the cockroaches, but we already know that’s disgusting! Special mention for the worms, they are delicious!
Be careful in this street, there are often prostitutes who approach you.
There are also quite a few travel agencies offering bus trips to the North, the South of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos,…. A little advice: visit several agencies beforehand, you could save from 100 to 500 baht (3 to 12 euros).
Bangkok District: Chinatown
  ;But what a strange idea to have a Chinatown in Bangkok, they all look the same to us Europeans, very hard to tell the difference between Chinese and Thai food if you don’t know! Chinatown is made up of many small streets and one main street.
A little anecdote: I spent my first night in Bangkok in Chinatown and when I wanted to go back, I got lost and was approached by a Thai woman who made advances towards me! At that moment, I thought, what will happen next! and that is another story.
My experience
My favorite Bangkok is the one with rooftops at exactly 7pm at sunset. Octave Rooftop, Sky Bar (the roof from the movie The Hangover Part II), Cloud 47: each has its own style. Expect 12-18€ per cocktail but the view is worth every baht.
| Site | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Palace + Wat Phra Kaew | 3h | ~13€ |
| Wat Pho | 1h30 | ~5€ |
| Wat Arun | 1h | ~3€ |
| Chatuchak Market | 3h | Free |
| Rooftop Sky Bar | 2h | ~25€ cocktail |
There are many cheap open-air food stalls, if you don’t mind food that isn’t fresh, go for it. You can save some money instead of going to restaurants that are 2 to 3 times more expensive.
You will find in Chinatown the cheapest trinkets in Bangkok: necklaces, rings, bracelets, statues, wallets, t-shirts, etc. I recommend going during the day, there are so many small shops that you can easily get lost!
Advantages
- Spectacular temples
- Ultra-diverse nightlife
- Exceptional street food
- Modern transport (MRT, BTS)
- Luxurious hotels at affordable prices
Disadvantages
- Heavy traffic and pollution
- Tuk-tuk scams
- Stifling heat in the dry season
- Solicitors around temples
- Risk of “tourist traps” everywhere
Bangkok neighborhood: The Temples
The main temples are: “Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho”, the reclining Buddha, The Emerald Buddha temple)), Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn),
The first two are located not far from each other, they are the old remains, with gilding, sparkling tiles, and Buddha statues. Shorts are not allowed inside, so long pants are recommended; it is also possible to rent audio cassettes about the palace.
The classic trap to avoid
Beware of “volunteer guides” in front of the Grand Palace who tell you it is “closed for a ceremony” and offer you an alternative tour (often to a partner shop). The Grand Palace is open every day except in exceptional cases.
It is not recommended to listen to the Thais at the entrance of the temple, they are often fake tourist guides who get you into tuk-tuks.
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The shopping mall district (Siam, MBK, ..) :
  ;These are the commercial districts, nothing interesting, prices are quite expensive like in Europe ! You can access them by the elevated train !
Other readings that follow the same logic: our feedback on practical Bangkok guide which sets the tone, the practical guide on my choices for for concrete details, and finally the Seoul districts if you want to extend the reflection.
Travel advice to follow :
Other readings that follow the same logic: our feedback on my choices for which sets the tone, the practical guide on practical Bangkok guide for concrete details, and finally the island of the if you want to extend the reflection.
How many days in Bangkok?
3 to 4 days for the must-sees. 5-6 days to explore Chinatown, the weekend market, and an excursion to Ayutthaya.
How to get around Bangkok?
MRT and BTS (metro and skytrain) for long distances, Grab for short rides. Avoid tuk-tuks without a meter.
What is the best period?
November to February: dry weather, temperatures of 25-30°C. Avoid April (Songkran and scorching heat).
- Do not get into a Tuk Tuk before knowing how much the trip will cost, never follow the advice of Thais !
- Do not drink tap water !
- Always watch your belongings !
- When you take the bus, never leave valuables behind !
