Bangkokisfamousforitschaoticstreets,cheapanddeliciousstreetfood,wildnightlife,andnever-endingtraffic.It’salsoacitythatmosttravelerseitherloveorhate.IhateditwhenIfirstarrived.But,whenImovedtoBangkokin2006,Ifellmadlyinlovewithit.
MosttravelersjustpassthroughherewhentheybackpackortravelaroundThailand,seeingthebigtemples,complainingaboutthetraffic,andthenmoveon.Butthere’salottoseeanddoinBangkokbeyondthebigstuff.BecausewhenyoulookbeyondthechaosandpeelbackBangkok’slayers,thecitycomesalivewithendlessthingstodo,see,explore,eat,anddrink.It’sacitythatopensitselfuptothosewhoarewillingtogetpastallthetemplesandbackpackerbars.
Youjustneedtoknowwheretolook.Assomeonewholivedhere,Icantellyouwheretolook!
ThisBangkoktravelguidewillgiveyoutipsonhowtoplan,savemoney,andgetoffthebeatenpathinoneofmyfavoriteplacesintheworld!
Thepalacewasbuiltoverthecourseofthreeyearsattheendofthe18thcenturybyKingRamaIandistheofficialresidenceofthecurrentmonarch(althoughhedoesn’tlivethereanymore;itisjustusedforofficialceremonies).Hiddenbehindhighconcretewalls,you’llseetonsofwats(temples),chedis(mound-likestructurescontainingBuddhistrelics),carvings,statues,andthefamous15thcenturyEmeraldBuddha.ThisstatuehashisrobesrotatedthreetimesayearbynoneotherthanThailand’skinghimself.Nearbyyou’llfindWatPowithitslarger-than-lifegoldenrecliningBuddhastatueandbusymassageschool.Evenifyou’reonlyinBangkokforaday,youshouldmakeitapointtovisittheglitteringGrandPalace!Trytogetoneofthefreetourstheyofferasthereisminimalsignageinthepalace.
JimThompsonwasaformerAmericanspyandsilkmerchantinThailandduringthe1950sand1960s.HebuilthistraditionalThaihomeinBangkokanddecorateditwithgorgeousteakwoodfurnitureandasurroundinggarden.Hevanishedmysteriouslyin1967whileinMalaysia,andhishouseisnowamonumenttotraditionalThaiarchitectureandincludesafabulousguidedtouraboutJimThompsonandtraditionalThailifestyle.Avisithereisoneofmyfavoritethingstodointhecity.Andproceedsareusedtohelpunderprivilegedkids!It’sopendailyfrom10am-6pm.
ThisisagorgeousBuddhisttempleontheedgeoftheChaoPhrayaRiveroppositetheGrandPalace.Ithasonemainspireandfoursmallonesandissoiconicyou’llfinditonThaimoney.Fromthetopofthemainspire,yougetsweepingviewsofthecity,makingforextraordinaryphotographsduringsunriseandsunset(though,atthetimeofpublicationconstructionwasgoingon).Theintricatetiledfacadereflectsthelightbeautifullyduringsunriseandsunset.Thestairsaresteep,sobecarefulclimbing.
Bangkokhastonsofshoppingmallsinadditiontoallthemarkets.Likeanincredibleamount.EverytimeIcomeback,theyaddafewmore.MakesureyoucheckoutSiamParagon(fordesignerclothes),Terminal21(toseethestunninginternationallythemeddecor),Platinum(forcheap,trendyclothes),Pantip(forcheapelectronics),andMBK(forcheapknockoffs).CentralWorldhasmorethen600stores,ICONSIAMisthepinnacleofluxury,andEmsphereisfullofrestaurantsthatareopenuntil3am.
You’llneverhaveaproblemfindinggoodbarsandclubstogotoinBangkok.KhaoSanRoadandSilomaretwoofthemostpopularnightlifespotsinthecity,whileSoiNana(inChinatown)isfamousforitscocktailbarsandquirkyartvibe.ThongLoisfullofbarsandclubsfrequentedbylocalThais.SomeofmyfavoritebarsareBrickBar,Whisgars,TOT,CheapCharlies,Craft,andJ.Boroski.
First,wanderamongthelilies,birdsofparadise,andorchidsatPakKlongTalad,theflowermarketatthenorthendofChinatown.Fromthere,grababitetoeatatoneofthemanyfoodstalls.Youcaneatyourweightinstreetfoodhereandstillnotbreakthebank.It’soneofthebestandcheapestplacestoeatinthecity!
Thecity’stop-enddiningandnightlifeliesinthistrendyneighborhood,includingmanyWesternjazzbarsandbeergardens.It’sverypopularwithBangkok’syoungmiddleandupperclasses.Theneighborhoodisverywalkableandagreatplaceforafashionablenightout.PopularspotsincludeBeerBelly,acraftbeerbarwithbeerponganda2-for-1happyhourfrom5-8pm;andRabbitHole,aswankybarwithcreativecocktails.
FamousfortheGiantSwingthatmeetsyouattheentranceofthetemple,WatSuthatisoneofBangkok’smostmemorabletouristsites.TheGiantSwingwasfirstconstructedin1784butwasreplacedin2005withanentirelygoldenteakone(thetemplewasaddedin1807).Asidefromtheswing,thetemplefeaturesamagnificenttraditionalroof,ancientmurals,andhand-carvedteakdoorpanels.Thehugecomplexincludesmultiplelargetemplesonthepropertyaswellassmallerstatuesandcourtyards.It’sopendailyfrom9am-6pm.
ThissmallgardenislocatedaroundthecornerfromtheChatuchakWeekendMarket.Thereareover500butterfliesflyingaroundthisdomedenclosure,whichalsofeaturesawiderangeofflowers,ferns,andevensomewaterfalls.Entryisfreeandit’sopenTuesday-Sunday.Thebutterflygardenislocatednexttothreesprawlingparkstocontinueyourdayinnature:QueenSirikitGardens,RodFaiPark,andChatuchakPark.It’stheperfectareatorelaxandtakeastroll.
Thisportraitmuseumhassomeamazingportraitsoftheroyalfamilyaswellaspaintingsdonebythelateking,whowasanartistandmusicianinhissparetime.ThemuseumhasfourdifferentsectionsthatshowinfluencesontheartfromdifferentperiodsalongwithThaiculturalartworks.HighlightsincludetheRoyalPaintsofKingRamaVIandKingRamaIX,alongwithsculpturesofKingRamaVIandKingRamaIX.It’slocatedintheformerRoyalMintbuilding,theyhaveexcellentinterimcontemporaryartexhibitsfromlocalartistsonthegroundfloor.
Thebiggestincidentshappenwhenpeoplearedrunkandstupid.AvoidillegalsubstancesatallcostsasThailandisvery,verystrictondrugsandtheydon’tcutforeignersabreak.Expecthugefinesandjailtimeifyougetcaught.
Ifyouexperienceanemergency,dial191forassistance.
Alwaystrustyourgutinstinctandmakecopiesofallyourimportantdocuments.
Bangkokhastonsofcheap,fun,andsocialhostelsaswellasgoodbudgethotels.Herearesomeofmyfavoriteplacestostay:
Thisbudgetcoversahosteldorm,streetfoodforallyourmeals,beersfrom7-Eleven,afewtemplevisits,andpublictransportationtogetaround.Ifyouwanttohavemorefun,staydowntown,eatsomenicermeals,ordrinkmore,addabout300THBmoreperday.
Onamidrangebudget,youcangetabudgethotel/guesthouse,eatatmoresit-downrestaurants,splurgeonafewtaxis,andvisitmoreattractionsinthecity.Youaren’tgoingtobelivingthehighlife,butyouwon’twantforanythingeither.
Thisisjustthegroundfloorforluxurythough.Bangkokdoesluxuryreallywellandifyouwantfancyhotels,meals,tours,orcocktails,youcangetithere.Theskyisthelimitifyouhavethemoneytospend!
Bangkokcanbeacheapcityifyouavoidsplashingoutonfancyfood,cocktails,andbignamehotels.StickingtoThairestuarantsandinexpensiveaccommodation,you’llbehard-pressedtospendalotofmoney.Nevertheless,herearesomewaystosavemoneyinBangkok:
Golocal–TheeasiestwaytosavemoneyinBangkokistosimplylivelikealocal.Takelocalbuses,eatstreetfood,anddrinklocalbeer.TheaverageThailivesonlessthan7,750THBpermonthinBangkokandonevenlessinthecountryside.Keepitsimpletokeepitaffordable.
Getasightseeingpass–TheTAGTHAipassforBangkokbundlestogethermanyofthemostpopularattractionsforapricethat’slowerthanpayingforeachentranceseparately.
Don’tbooktoursbeforeyouarrive–WanttotakeacookingclassorguidedtourWaituntilyougetheretobookanything.Travelagenciesarelocatedalloverthetouristareas,lookingtoselltheirtours.Whileyou’reabletopurchasethesetoursonlinebeforeyouarrive,you’llbepayingalotmorethatway.Instead,bookwhenyouarrivesoyoucanhaggleforabetterdeal.
Buybeerat7-Eleven–BuyingbeeratThailand’subiquitous7-Elevensanddrinkingoutsidewillsaveyouquiteabitonyourbartab.Whileyoucan’tgetwreckedonthestreet,youcantakedrinkswithyoutositoutsideyourguesthouseorwhileonthebeach.Theseplacesareusually50%cheaperthandrinkingatthebarandtheyhavetonsofsnacks.
Takeadvantageofhappyhour–Thailand’smanyhappyhourshavehalf-priceddrinksand2-for-1specials.Ifyouwanttohitthebar,sticktodrinkingduringhappyhours.Ifyouvisittheareasfrequentedbybackpackers,you’llfindevenmoredrinkspecials.
Faresforordinarybuses(withfans)startat7-8THBandalsogoupbasedondistance.Aweeklypassforthesetypesofbusescosts120THB.
CommonlyknownastheBTSortheSkytrain,thisisanelevatedtransitsystemwithfarescosting16-52THBpertripor150THBforaone-daypass.IfyouplantobeinBangkokforawhile,lookatbuyingtheRabbitCard,whichcosts200THB,including100THBinpre-loadedfares.Youcangetadaypassfor140THBwhichcoverstheentireBTSsystemthatincludessmartbusesandexpressferries.A15-trippassis450THB.
TheChaoPhrayaExpressBoatCompanyisthemainferryservicealongtheChaoPhrayaRiver.ThecentralpierislocatedatBTSSaphanTaksin,andfaresare14-30THB.ThereisalsoaspecialtouristboatthatrunsbetweenPhraAthitandSathornevery30minutesbetweenthehoursof9:30amand6pm.
CanalboatsareespeciallyusefulforgettingtoandfromSiamSquareandthesurroundingareaduringrushhour.ThisisoneofthebestandcheapestwaystogetfromKhaoSanRoadtodowntownBangkok.Itonlytakes15minutes,andprices,ingeneral,startfrom10THB.
TheMetropolitanRapidTransit(orMRT)isthecity’sundergroundtrainsystem.Itconnectsmostofdowntownwithsomeofthesuburbs.Itusestokensinsteadoftickets,butmetrocardsareavailableforfrequenttravelers.Farescost16-45THBpertrip,dependingonyourdestination.
Motorcycletaxisareanotherpopularwaytogetaroundthecity,usuallycostingbetween20-100THBpertrip.Youtellyourdriverwhereyouwanttogo,negotiateaprice(hagglehard!),straponthehelmet,andspeedoffintotraffic.They’rethequickest(butthescariestway)togetacrossBangkok.
NovembertotheendofFebruaryisthebesttimetovisitBangkokifyouwantpleasantweather.Bangkokis“coolest”duringthistimebutstillaveragesahotdailyhighofaround29°C(85°F).Thisisalsothedriesttimeofyear.However,becausethiscoincideswithChristmasandNewYear,expectbigcrowdsandinflatedprices.
Theshoulderseason(ApriltoJune)isthehottesttimeofyeartovisitBangkok,withtemperaturessoaringashighas40°C(100°F).Ifyouhavetocomeduringthistime,trytomakeitfortheThaiNewYear(Songkran)inApril.Songkranisthelargestwaterfestivalintheworld,andyou’reguaranteedtohaveablast.
AvoidJulytoOctoberifyoucan.Thisismonsoonseasonandrainscanbeheavyandunpredictable.I’mnotsayingit’sgoingtorain24/7,butitrainsmoreoftenandmoreheavilythanatothertimesoftheyear.Pricesareusuallycheaperduringthistimethough.
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WantmoretipsforyourtripCheckoutallthearticlesI’vewrittenonBangkoktravelandcontinueplanningyourtrip:
Enteryouremailandgetplanningcheatsheetsincludingastepbystepchecklist,packinglist,tipscheatsheet,andmoresoyoucanplanlikeapro!