Travelers interested in Thai history and culture shouldn’t miss the Bangkok National Museum. Housed in the 18th-century Wang Na Palace, with its ornately decorated buildings, the museum is as beautiful as it is educational. There’s information in English, as well as guided tours in multiple languages.
Sports lovers shouldn’t miss a trip to Rajadamnern Stadium while in Bangkok. It’s the capital’s oldest dedicated Muay Thai arena, and one of two places in Bangkok to enjoy a true Thai kickboxing experience. Whether you get a ringside seat or a spot further back in the stall, you’re sure to have a good time.
Standing nearly 90 feet tall, the Giant Swing is located in front of Wat Suthat in the heart of Bangkok. The teak archway, originally used in religious ceremonies, was constructed toward the end of the 18th century, during the reign of King Rama I. It has since undergone several renovations.
The Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute was opened in 1913 when it became the first place in Thailand to offer anti-rabies vaccination. Today the Institute is a leading producer of snake antivenom, using venom extracted from snakes on the farm. There are more than 1,000 snakes housed at the site.
As a city with many waterways and canals, Bangkok boasts a number of floating markets, including the small Taling Chan Floating Market. Visit for a less crowded, more local experience than at some of the larger markets. Go to check out the range of vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, plants, crafts, souvenirs, and ready-to-eat food on sale.
A branch of the museum that first opened in Pattaya, Art in Paradise Bangkok (aka the Trickeye Museum and the 3D Museum) offers similar interactive exhibits in the Thai capital. Full of optical illusions that travelers use as photo backdrops, the family-friendly museum is a fun place to spend a few hours out of the heat or rain.
The Temple of the Golden Mount, or Wat Saket, is a low hill with a pointed golden temple (chedi). It’s built on the site of a earlier, failed temple building that turned to rubble and became a hill. Wat Saket was once the highest point in Bangkok. Visit today for great views of Bangkok and to see its Buddha relic.
Wat Benchamabophit—or the Marble Temple—is a Buddhist temple in the Dusit area of Bangkok made from Italian marble. Enter the working temple to take in its ornate features, including typical Thai curved roofs and glittering decorations.
The energetic Asiatique The Riverfront—part open-air night bazaar, part shopping mall—combines the city’s old traditions and modern commercial energy. Located at the former East Asiatic Company trade docks, the complex contains more than 1,500 shops and boutiques, about 40 restaurants, and several entertainment venues.
Tucked away in the artistic enclave of Khlong Bang Luang on the Chao Phraya River, the Artist House at Khlong Bang Luang is part gallery, part café, and part performance venue. Occupying a 100-year-old, two-story teak building, the Artist House (Baan Silapin) exhibits paintings, photos, drawings, prints, and sculptures on its first floor.
The 17th century Bang Pa-In Palace, also known as the Summer Palace, consists of many attractive buildings spread throughout large tended grounds. Different architectural styles are represented: Chinese, European, Khmer, and pure Thai. The palace is a worthwhile stop on a day trip to Ayutthaya from Bangkok, although fewer tourists come here, making it a peaceful destination.
The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Khao Yai National Park was Thailand’s first national park, located in the Panom Dongrak Mountains. It includes forests, grasslands, and a variety of animals and bird life. As it’s just a couple of hours from Bangkok, visiting the park is an easy way to experience Thailand’s natural side.
Topped by 37 gilded spires, representing the 37 virtues, Wat Ratchanatdaram’s Loha Prasat shrine is a highlight of the Bangkok skyline. The name translates as “Iron Palace” because the 19th-century architects took inspiration from metal temples in India and Sri Lanka—but it was designed as a space for meditation.
Head to Khao San Road to immerse yourself in the heart of Bangkok’s budget backpacker scene. Explore a road packed with budget and mid-range hotels, bars and nightclubs, travel company offices, markets, and other tourist facilities. It’s a convenient place to base yourself while staying in Bangkok, or to head for a meal and nightlife.
The Phahurat Market is also known as Bangkok’s Little India, and is the focal point of Indian life in the area. The locals are mainly Sikhs who settled here at the turn of the 20th century to trade textiles. Now, it’s a fun place to shop for Indian food, fabric, clothing, and accessories.
Wat Suthat is one of the most important temples in Bangkok. It is famous for the large red swing structure just outside, but the interior is perhaps even more impressive, with frescoes depicting scenes from the Buddha’s life, and a 13th-century bronze Buddha statue. Wat Suthat is conveniently near other must-see attractions in Bangkok.
Visit the Jim Thompson House for a deeper understanding of Thai history, architecture, and crafts. The collection of six teak houses and gardens belonged to an American expat who helped revive the country’s silk weaving industry and built this peaceful enclave in the mid-20th century before mysteriously disappearing in 1967.
This ancient Buddhist temple situated to the southeast of Ayutthaya was first built in 1357 by King Uthong to house returning monks who had gone to study practical Buddhism in Sri Lanka. This towering chedi can be seen from far and wide and features a platform offering wonderful views of the temple site and city beyond.
The weekend-only Chatuchak Market is a one-stop shopping spot in the Thai capital, with stands selling everything from street food to blue jeans, and silk scarves to beauty products. If you can’t find it at the sprawling Bangkok market, it probably doesn’t exist.
Boasting the title of the largest fresh food market in Bangkok, stalls at Khlong Toey Market sell meat and vegetables straight from rural farms and seafood direct from the nearby fishing port. While you can find random items such as batteries and electronics here, the real draw is the food. Come hungry, as you’ll be met with an array of Thai specialties and fresh fruit and vegetable samples.
The Ma Boon Khrong—or MBK Center—is a huge shopping mall in central Bangkok, near Siam Square. It’s popular with locals as well as tourists, and if you can’t buy what you’re looking for here, it probably doesn’t exist anywhere in Thailand. When shopping for low-cost gifts or souvenirs in the Thai capital, you can’t skip the MBK Center.
It might sound like one of the more offbeat things to see in Bangkok, but the Royal Barges National Museum is a fascinating collection of boats that will interest travelers with a range of interests. On display are eight ornately decorated barges that are used in royal processions (which are only held occasionally. Come here to learn more about Thai history and culture.
Calypso Cabaret is a live lip-synching and choreography show that celebrates Thailand’s transsexual performance culture.
While Bangkok is full of temples that are worthy of a visitor’s time, few people head over to the Thonburi (west side of the Chao Phraya River, where Wat Kalayanamit is located. The large temple stands out on the skyline and it’s also unusual for having Chinese influences. Travelers who have seen the major sights of Bangkok and are looking for a more off-the-beaten-path experience will enjoy visiting Wat Kalayanamit.
Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine is an important one, even though it is not the largest, oldest, or most grand. The small shrine dedicated to Than Tao Mahaprom—the god of creation, Brahma—sits on a busy central Bangkok street and is always surrounded by people and offerings. Visit to learn more about Thai culture.
Bangkok is one of Asia’s most exciting capital cities, and there’s plenty to keep visitors entertained while in port. Bangkok Cruise Port (Laem Chabang) is a popular start or end destination for cruises to China, Singapore, and Southeast Asia, welcoming cruise liners from Viking, Windstar, and Silversea, among others.
Lumpini Park is a large green open space in the middle of concrete Bangkok. Local residents like to exercise here before and after work, and families hang out here at the weekends. Plus, it’s home to some increasingly rare Thai flora and fauna. When you’re tired out by the shopping malls and glittery temples of Bangkok, Lumpini Park is a nice place to chill out.
Join other Thai culture and architecture enthusiasts at Suan Pakkad Palace, a museum complex of renovated houses from all over Thailand. See artifacts and antique objects representing the arts, crafts, and traditions of Thailand in each house. The palace was formerly home to Prince and Princess Chumbhot, who made it a museum in 1952.
Situated on a bustling canal lined with teak storefronts opening onto the water, Amphawa Floating Market comes alive each afternoon as Thai locals come to shop or grab a bite from one of many boats-cum-floating restaurants. While smaller than the more famous Damnoen Saduak, this floating market offers a more authentic experience.
Built in 1793 on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, Phra Sumen Fort is one of many forts built around Bangkok during the Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin periods. The hexagonal structure is now closed to the public, but it can be admired from the grassy Santichaiprakarn Park surrounding it.
