The first moment when you arrive in Bangkok you feel the energy of a huge city that never sleeps. With more than 8 million inhabitants Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and one of the 30 biggest cities in the world. The city has a lot to offer for tourists : an exciting nightlife, amazing restaurants, famous attractions, big shopping malls and welcoming locals. Everyone will find something to do in the city that combines modern architecture with ancient traditions. I’ve spent almost one week in the city and had enough time to explore the different areas and the special vibe that exists in the city. Here are my personal top things to do in Bangkok.
Wat Arun
Wat Arun, which is also called the Temple of Dawn, lies majestically at the Chao Phraya River and can be visited every day from 8 to 17:30 in the evening.This Buddhist temple should represent Mount Meru, the center of the world in Buddhist cosmology. If you are not afraid of height you can climb up the steep stairs to have a nice view over Bangkok from the top.
Grand Palace
The Grand Place is the city’s most famous attraction and was built in 1782 and was the home for the Thai King for 150 years. You definitely need half a day to visit the whole day and don’t miss the Wat Phra Kaew where you can see the famous Emerald Buddha.
Wat Pho
Wat Pho which is also called the Temple of the Reclining Buddha is located close to the Grand Temple, so you combine it with a visit of the Grand Temple. The temple is the birthplace of the traditional Thai massage and its gigantic reclining buddha will take your breath away.
Floating Market
A bit outside of Bangkok you can visit the Floating Market on day trip. Even if today the floating market is only made for tourist and the thais will try to sell everything they can, it’s a fun experience . One thing is sure: Even if you didn’t wanna buy something, you won’t return back to your hotel without a bag.
Khao San Road
Some travelers avoid this most famous touristic street in Bangkok, but I think it’s worth to have a look at it at least once in the evening. Bars, restaurants, well known food chains, clubs, touristic shops, tattoo studios etc. everything that a tourist wants to have when he is homesick is present in this street. All night long the party goes on so I would not recommend to have a hotel in this street if you are allergic to noise. Don’t forget to taste grilled scorpion or buy a nice t-shirt that will cost you not more than 4 dollars.
Accommodation:
For people that wanna be close to the entertainment area but still have a relaxed place I can reccommend this hotel : Rambutri Village Inn & Plaza
For people who wanna be right on Khao San Road (even if it’s not that easy to get some sleep at night) I can recommend : Dang Derm Hotel