Bangkok Recommended Attractions & Activities

in Brief

Thailand’s capital is an international tourist mecca and was recently voted the best destination city in Asia. Most visitors to the country take time to explore the endless possibilities on offer around the city, although the sheer size and scope of the place can also make it quite a challenge as a first stop. Plenty of companies offer tours of Bangkok that take in all the main sights and this can be the best way to experience what is one of Asia's most diverse destinations. Another option is to enjoy Bangkok at the end of a trip to Thailand. Traveling around a hot, teeming metropolis can be a little daunting when you first step off the plane.

Shopping

One of the main reasons people spend a few days in Bangkok is the shopping. The choice of shopping malls, markets and retail streets is endless. For those with the time and energy, it's a bargain hunter's paradise, whether you prefer trawling the bustling lanes of Chinatown for jewelery and rare antiques or scaling the air-conditioned heights of the branded malls. Popular centres for big name stores include Siam Square and Sukhumvit Road and the choices are so extensive that most shops stay open late into the night. Areas like Patpong and Sanam Luang Night  Market draw crowds of customers well after dark, particularly for the infamous copy merchandise on display. Then of course there's the sprawling and unusual Chatuchak weekend market, which offers everything from traditional handicrafts to original art and vintage fashions every Saturday and Sunday.

Culture

On the cultural side, Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace together form the city's biggest tourist attraction. The spectacular bejeweled temples inside the palace complex are a memorable sight. Wat Phra Kaew, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is one of the most sacred temples in the whole of Thailand with important Buddhist ceremonies taking place throughout the year. While almost next door to the Grand Palace, Wat Po is another complex of impressive buildings with towering chedis and intricate, ornate carved exteriors. Inside the main temple, a huge reclining Buddha fills an equally large hall, while other, smaller buildings house classrooms for what is Thailand's most respected school of traditional massage.

Beyond the religious centres, local life is another cultural attraction in Bangkok and one of the best ways to catch a glimpse is to take a boat through the Thonburi canals. Small boats can be hired from the many piers that serve Bangkok's busy Chao Praya River. Once you cross the main waterway and enter the quite canals, you soon understand why the city was once often described in history as the ‘Venice of the East’.

Jim Thompson House & Silk Museum

Another fascinating side trip is to Jim Thompson’s House. A renowned American entreprenuer credited for reviving the Thai silk industry through the 1950s and 60s before mysteriously disappearing in Malaysia. His traditional wooden home is one of the best preserved Thai houses in the capital, with an impressive collection of antiques and  works of art n display from several countries in Southeast Asia.

Bangkok Attractions