Thailand is a country of tropical forests and cultivated fields, and of grand cities, full of monuments. One of these cities is Bangkok, a city of more than four hundred temples, that boasts a rich history and numerous cultural attractions. Read the following travel tips for visiting the city that is also known as the City of Angels.
It’s best if you first check out the offer at Get Your Guide, which has a lot of guided tours and visits to attractions to choose from. HI members also get 10% off every booking.
The main tourist attractions in Bangkok are definitely Buddhist temples, where you can feel the country’s spiritual power. The flexi guided tour will take you to the most famous of these temples. The tour starts with a walk to Wat Phra Kaew, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. On the way there, you’ll pass through the Amulet Market, one of the most famous markets in Rattanakosin Island. This temple is the most sacred of all the temples in Thailand and it will completely enchant you with its richly colourful and golden decorations. Afterwards, you can explore the former residence of the Thai kings, a place where important royal events still take place. The next item on the list is the oldest and largest of the temples, the Wat Pho Temple. You can get there through the Tha Tian market, where people have been selling sea food for centuries. Wat Pho or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha is one of the six temples which hold the royal temple status and which present the major tourist spots. The temple was built by king Rama I and it’s the historical centre of Thai medicine. It’s also the birthplace of Thai massage that’s still being taught there. The final stop is the famous Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn, which is known for its large 70-metre prang and which is located next to the Chao Phraya River. The temples interior is decorated with tiny pieces of stained glass embedded in Chinese ceramics. The world’s largest Chinatown is one of the yet undiscovered tourist gems. Explore it with an experienced guide and discover its major cultural and culinary spots. This colourful district offers countless opportunities for beautiful photos. You can look at the multicoloured and fragrant flowers at the Pak Khlong Talat market. The guided tour will then take you to Little India, a home to numerous pleasantly smelling curry houses and colourful clothes. Finally, you can explore the large and cheap clothing market, the Sampeng.
If you’re travelling with children, then you should all head to Dream World where the whole family can enjoy more than 40 rides, including thrill rides. Children can also meet their favourite cartoon characters. There are plenty of useful things for tourists in Bangkok which you can learn. One of the best is definitely a cooking class where you’ll learn to cook healthy Thai dishes using local herbs and spices. While walking around the city, you’ll notice the chaotic traffic and the hectic tuk-tuks that boldly zigzag among cars. Why not explore with a special ticket that lets you hop on and off each tuk-tuk? You can book your own tuk-tuk using a special app. Get to known the city before it sleeps by going on a five-hour sunset bike ride. You’ll manoeuvre down calm streets and discover temples and numerous markets in a completely different light. After you’re done cycling on the river banks, it’s time for dinner at a traditional restaurant. Away from the sacred buildings, Bangkok is a modern capital of a bustling country. This can be felt from a viewing glass terrace at the top of the uniquely designed and largest Thai skyscraper, King Power Mahanakhon. On the glass Mahanakhon SkyWalk roof terrace, you can enjoy the best view of the city below.
No visit to Thailand is perfect if it doesn’t include the famous markets. Take a guided tour of two markets just outside Bangkok. First, take the train to the market on train tracks – Maeklong. The very journey to one of the largest sea food markets in the whole country is breath-taking, as it will take you through rice fields. Following up is the Damnoen Saduak floating market and you can reach it by a traditional boat. Take your time and observe the numerous colours and the haggling that goes on between customers and the sellers, who sell their items directly from their boats. Try the local delicacies, such as rice with mango or the famous pad thai. Another trip outside the city will take you through countless canals on a traditional boat. This was how all people in the city used to travel in the past. Observe the numerous small farms and orchid plantations during the trip. After all, your destination will be one of these beautiful farms, full of orchids. With a single ticket you can visit the most famous attractions in the Samut province, namely the Erawan Museum and the Ancient City. The museum was designed as a symbol of peace and depicts art, philosophy, religious diversity and the spirit of Asia. Walk through the Ancient City, a park that is shaped like Thailand. The idea of the park’s founder was to create a golf course, filled with miniatures of historically important Thai buildings.
For all the information, I recommend buying Lonely Planet’s Pocket Bangkok, which comes in a handy size, so it fits perfectly in your pocket. The guide includes suggestions on how to save money and time as well as honest reviews of accommodation and numerous attractions and their opening hours. You can also buy the detailed and waterproof map of the entire city to accompany the travel guide. And there’s also great news – all HI members get 20% off all Lonely Planet books when buying directly from their website.
Enjoy while exploring Bangkok and don’t forget to send postcards with MyPostcard. All HI members get 25% off. New users can send their first postcard for free with the HIGlobetrotter promo code through the Globetrotter profile. You can read more about it here.
Wherever you go, your trip can be safe, with simple and customisable international travel insurance for solo travellers and families. Get travel insurance through World Nomads and get a policy with 24-hour assistance and transport for medical emergencies, as well as cover for more than 220 sports and leisure activities on snow, water, air and land. The insurance policy may include, among other things, coverage for experiential activities, such as au pairs – part-time or voluntary work with children, working in a bar, fruit picking, office work, teaching and some other work abroad. Protect yourself or your family with World Nomads travel insurance.
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