Bangkok Travel Guide
Bangkok is the most viscerally alive city in Asia, and possibly on earth. It is loud, hot, chaotic, deeply spiritual, and organized around pleasure in all its forms — food, temples, nightlife, massage, markets, and the Chao Phraya River that runs through it all. The city moves in layers: the ultra-modern towers of Sathorn and Sukhumvit, the ancient streets of Rattanakosin, the canal-side neighborhoods that predate the modern city, and the vast weekend markets that feel like a civilization unto themselves. Bangkok is also the cheapest gateway to extraordinary food and culture anywhere in the world. The contrast between the serene gold of Wat Phra Kaew and the neon chaos of Sukhumvit Soi 11 three kilometers away is not a contradiction — it is exactly what Bangkok is. The city contains every version of itself simultaneously.
Where to stay in Bangkok
- Sukhumvit
- Where most tourists stay. BTS Skytrain runs through it. Hotels at every price. Lower Sukhumvit (Nana, Asok, Thong Lo) is good. Upper Sukhumvit more local.
- Silom / Sathorn
- Main business district. BTS access. Patpong night market is here (touristy but interesting once). Quieter than Sukhumvit.
- Banglamphu / Khao San Road
- Grand Palace and Wat Pho are a short walk. Full of guesthouses, massage shops, street food. Khao San itself is fun for one night — don't stay near it if you want sleep.
- Ari
- Expat and local neighborhood. Quiet streets, excellent coffee shops, good restaurants without tourist markup. No major tourist sights nearby — that's the point.
- Riverside (Charoen Krung)
- Old trading port area. ICONSIAM mall on the Thonburi side. Creative studios and galleries in Charoen Krung. The most interesting area of Bangkok to walk.
What to see in Bangkok
- Grand Palace + Wat Phra Kaew
- Dress code strictly enforced: cover shoulders and knees. Sarong rental available (฿200 refundable deposit). Arrive at 8:30am when it opens. Temple of the Emerald Buddha is inside — remarkable.
- Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha)
- More aesthetically impressive than the Grand Palace interior. The Reclining Buddha is 46m long and gold-plated. The foot massage school here is excellent (฿420/hour).
- Chatuchak Weekend Market
- Saturdays and Sundays only. 15,000 stalls. Go before 11am before the heat peaks. Screenshot a sector map. BTS to Mo Chit.
- Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)
- Cross-river from Wat Pho (฿5 ferry). Best photographed from the Wat Pho side at sunset. The porcelain-encrusted spires are extraordinary up close.
- Day Trip: Ayutthaya
- Ancient capital 80km north. Train from Hua Lamphong station (90 min, ฿15–20). Rent a bicycle (฿50/day) to visit the temple ruins. UNESCO listed.
- Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
- Weekend mornings only. 90% local — Bangkokians actually shop here. Fresh produce, cooked food, boat tours. Far more authentic than Damnoen Saduak.
- Day Trip: Kanchanaburi
- Bridge over the River Kwai + WWII museum. 130km west. Train from Thonburi station (3 hrs, ฿100) or minivan from Victory Monument.