Things to do · Bangkok · Thailand
20 best things to do in Bangkok
20 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Mastertongapollo, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Bangkok are Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho and Wat Arun. Of the 20 picks below, 7 are free, 5 work on a rainy day and 5 suit children. Allow about 4 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
- Free sights
- 7
- Good on a rainy day
- Jim Thompson House
- Time to see the highlights
- 4 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew | Rattanakosin | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Wat Pho | Rattanakosin | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Wat Arun | Thonburi | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Chatuchak Weekend Market | Chatuchak | 3–4 hours | Free |
| Chao Phraya Express Boat | Chao Phraya River | 1–2 hours | Low cost |
| Chinatown and Yaowarat Road | Chinatown | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Wat Traimit (Golden Buddha) | Chinatown | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Rooftop bars | Riverside | 1–2 hours | Expensive |
| Erawan Shrine | Ratchaprasong | 20 minutes | Free |
| Jim Thompson House | Pathum Wan | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Lumphini Park | Silom | 1 hour | Free |
| Wat Saket (Golden Mount) | Banglamphu | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Wat Benchamabophit (Marble Temple) | Dusit | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Bangkok National Museum | Rattanakosin | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Museum Siam | Rattanakosin | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Mahanakhon SkyWalk | Silom | 1–1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| ICONSIAM | Thonburi riverside | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Bang Krachao | Bang Krachao | Half a day | Low cost |
| Talat Noi | Talat Noi | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Bangkok Art and Culture Centre | Pathum Wan | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
The 20 best things to do
Palace · Rattanakosin
1.Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
The walled royal palace, begun in 1782 when Bangkok became the capital, combines gilded throne halls with Wat Phra Kaew, the temple of the Emerald Buddha, Thailand's most sacred image. Its cloisters are painted with the whole Ramakien epic, and the compound glitters with golden chedis, mosaic-covered towers and guardian giants. A strict dress code covers shoulders and knees.
Arrive at opening to beat the heat and tour groups, and ignore anyone outside who says the palace is closed today; it is a well-known scam that ends at gem shops.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Art
Religious site · Rattanakosin
2.Wat Pho
One of Bangkok's oldest and largest temple complexes holds the 46-metre gold-leafed Reclining Buddha, whose feet are inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and more than a thousand Buddha images in its cloisters and halls. Wat Pho is regarded as the home of traditional Thai massage, and its school still gives treatments on site.
Drop a coin into each of the 108 bronze bowls along the Reclining Buddha's back for luck, then book a massage at the temple's school.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Art
- Architecture
Religious site · Thonburi
3.Wat Arun
The Temple of Dawn's central prang, decorated with broken porcelain and seashells in floral patterns, rises about 70 metres on the west bank of the Chao Phraya. Steep steps climb part of the way up, and the temple is a few minutes across the river by ferry from Tha Tien pier next to Wat Pho.
See it close up in the morning, then watch it light up at sunset from a riverside terrace on the Tha Tien side.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- Views
Market · Chatuchak
4.Chatuchak Weekend Market
One of the world's largest weekend markets spreads thousands of stalls over 27 sections, selling clothes, ceramics, plants, antiques, vintage, handicrafts and food. It runs mainly on Saturdays and Sundays and is reached from MRT Kamphaeng Phet or BTS Mo Chit.
Arrive early before the heat builds, grab a map at the entrance and carry small notes for bargaining.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Iconic
- Free
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Experience · Chao Phraya River
5.Chao Phraya Express Boat
Express boats run up and down the river from Sathorn pier, next to BTS Saphan Taksin, stopping at piers for Chinatown, Wat Arun, Wat Pho and the Grand Palace (Tha Chang). It is an inexpensive river tour and often faster than a taxi through the old town's traffic.
Use the regular orange-flag boats rather than tourist boats to save money, and let passengers off before you board.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- Kids
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Neighbourhood · Chinatown
6.Chinatown and Yaowarat Road
Bangkok's Chinatown fills Yaowarat Road with neon signs, gold shops and, after dark, dozens of street-food stalls selling grilled seafood, peppery rolled-noodle soup, dim sum and Chinese desserts. By day, narrow Sampeng Lane is a wholesale market of everything from toys to fabric.
Go after 6pm for the food, take the MRT to Wat Mangkon, and eat at stalls with queues of locals.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- After dark
- Free
- Iconic
- Photo spot
Religious site · Chinatown
7.Wat Traimit (Golden Buddha)
At the Chinatown end of Yaowarat Road, Wat Traimit houses a solid-gold seated Buddha about three metres tall and weighing around five and a half tonnes, found in 1955 when its plaster covering cracked. Exhibitions on the lower floors cover the history of Bangkok's Chinese community.
Visit before an evening in Chinatown; it is a short walk from MRT Hua Lamphong.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Iconic
- Art
Experience · Riverside
8.Rooftop bars
Bangkok has some of the world's highest open-air bars, from the gold-domed Sky Bar on the 63rd floor of the State Tower by the river to rooftop terraces along Sathorn and Sukhumvit. Most enforce a smart-casual dress code that rules out flip-flops, shorts and vests.
Go just before sunset for both views, and expect cocktails to cost several times street prices.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- After dark
- Views
- Couples
- Iconic
Religious site · Ratchaprasong
1.Erawan Shrine
At the busy Ratchaprasong intersection beside the Grand Hyatt, this Hindu shrine to Phra Phrom (Brahma) is one of the city's most visited spiritual sites. Worshippers offer garlands and incense, and traditional dancers perform for those whose prayers have been answered.
Visit in the evening when it is busiest, and avoid standing directly in front of people praying.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- After dark
Museum · Pathum Wan
2.Jim Thompson House
American silk entrepreneur Jim Thompson, who revived the Thai silk industry and vanished in Malaysia in 1967, assembled six old teak houses beside a canal into a home filled with Southeast Asian art. Guided tours lead through the rooms, and the tropical garden and silk shop are open to all.
Combine it with the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre near BTS National Stadium, a few minutes' walk away.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Art
- Rainy day
Park · Silom
3.Lumphini Park
The city's central park has a lake with pedal boats, shaded paths and large monitor lizards that roam freely. At dusk, locals jog, play sepak takraw and join outdoor aerobics classes, and everyone stops still when the national anthem plays at 6pm.
Go early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat, and keep a respectful distance from the monitor lizards.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Religious site · Banglamphu
4.Wat Saket (Golden Mount)
A gilded chedi crowns an artificial hill reached by a spiral path of about 300 steps lined with bells, gongs and small waterfalls. The top terrace gives a 360-degree view over the old town's rooftops and temple spires.
Climb in the late afternoon for softer light and a cooler breeze at the top.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
Religious site · Dusit
5.Wat Benchamabophit (Marble Temple)
Built under King Chulalongkorn at the turn of the 20th century, this temple is clad in Italian Carrara marble and blends Thai and European design, with stained-glass windows and a cloister of 52 Buddha images in styles from across Asia.
Visit early in the morning, when monks may be chanting and the marble is still cool underfoot.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Rattanakosin
6.Bangkok National Museum
In the former Front Palace beside Sanam Luang, the national museum covers Thai art and history from prehistoric times, with gilded royal funeral chariots, Buddha images in every regional style and the Buddhaisawan Chapel with its painted murals.
Use it as a rainy-season retreat in the old town; the Grand Palace is about a 10-minute walk away.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Museum · Rattanakosin
7.Museum Siam
In a colonial-era former ministry building near Wat Pho, Museum Siam uses interactive, playful exhibits to explore what it means to be Thai, from food and festivals to history and language. It is a good introduction to the culture and works well with children.
Arrive or leave by MRT Sanam Chai, whose station hall is decorated like a royal palace.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Viewpoint · Silom
8.Mahanakhon SkyWalk
King Power Mahanakhon's pixelated tower rises 314 metres beside BTS Chong Nonsi, and its 78th-floor glass-floored SkyWalk gives a 360-degree view over the city and the river, with a rooftop bar above.
Book a slot shortly before sunset to see the city in daylight and after dark in one visit.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- After dark
- Couples
- Kids
Waterfront · Thonburi riverside
9.ICONSIAM
This vast riverside mall on the Thonburi bank, opened in 2018, includes SookSiam, an indoor floor of food and craft stalls laid out like a floating market representing Thailand's regions. Its riverfront terrace hosts an evening fountain show, and shuttle boats cross from Sathorn pier.
Eat dinner at SookSiam, then watch the river from the terrace; arrive by shuttle boat or the Gold Line monorail.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Rainy day
- Free
- Kids
Nature · Bang Krachao
10.Bang Krachao
Across the river from Khlong Toei, this loop of the Chao Phraya is a protected green area of mangroves, palm groves and raised concrete paths often called Bangkok's green lung. Rent a bike near the pier, ride to Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park and visit the Bang Nam Phueng floating market at weekends.
Take a longtail ferry from Wat Khlong Toei Nok pier, rent a bicycle on arrival and set off early before the heat.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Active
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Neighbourhood · Talat Noi
11.Talat Noi
One of Bangkok's oldest riverside communities, Talat Noi is a maze of lanes where mechanics' workshops sit beside Chinese shrines, street art and cafés in converted shophouses. So Heng Tai, a Hokkien mansion around 200 years old with a swimming pool in its courtyard, is one of its landmarks.
Walk in from MRT Hua Lamphong or Si Phraya pier, then continue into Chinatown for dinner.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
- History
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Gallery · Pathum Wan
12.Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
A spiralling white atrium beside BTS National Stadium houses free exhibitions of contemporary Thai and international art, plus small independent galleries, craft shops and cafés.
Ride the escalators to the top floor and walk down the spiral ramp through the exhibitions.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, Wat Traimit (Golden Buddha) and Jim Thompson House |
| History | Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, Jim Thompson House and Wat Saket (Golden Mount) |
| Views | Wat Arun, Chao Phraya Express Boat, Wat Saket (Golden Mount) and Mahanakhon SkyWalk |
| Outdoors and nature | Lumphini Park and Bang Krachao |
| Food and markets | Chatuchak Weekend Market, Chinatown and Yaowarat Road and ICONSIAM |
| After dark | Chinatown and Yaowarat Road, Mahanakhon SkyWalk, Rooftop bars and Erawan Shrine |
| With children | Chao Phraya Express Boat, Lumphini Park, Museum Siam and Mahanakhon SkyWalk |
| On a rainy day | Jim Thompson House, Bangkok National Museum, Museum Siam and ICONSIAM |
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Bangkok?
Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew. The walled royal palace, begun in 1782 when Bangkok became the capital, combines gilded throne halls with Wat Phra Kaew, the temple of the Emerald Buddha, Thailand's most sacred image.
+What can you do for free in Bangkok?
Chatuchak Weekend Market, Chinatown and Yaowarat Road, Erawan Shrine, Lumphini Park and ICONSIAM. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Bangkok when it rains?
Head indoors to Jim Thompson House, Bangkok National Museum, Museum Siam and ICONSIAM.
+What is there to do in Bangkok at night?
Chinatown and Yaowarat Road, Mahanakhon SkyWalk, Rooftop bars and Erawan Shrine are best after dark.