Bangkok is an exciting city with bright lights and a fast pace lifestyle. After spending four days in Phuket, we went on to visit Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. We really only had one full day to see as much as we could, so I put together a list of sites that we visited. If we had more time, we would have seen a lot more (common trend in my posts!). As always, customize your itinerary based off your schedule and interests.
Although Bangkok is a very progressive city, there are still traditional rules that are in place. Make sure to bring your cover-ups to the temples, and keep in the mind that some tourist sites close earlier than expected.
Where: Bangkok, Thailand
When: February 2015
Duration: 2 days, 1 nights
Hotel: Shangri-La, Bangkok
Flight: United Airlines
Peak time to visit- January to March
Must see sights:
The best way to see Bangkok is by longboat on the river. We walked one block from our hotel to get to the nearest pier.
(Private longboat)
(View from our boat of a tour cruise)
- Tip- to avoid the lines, you can pay a little more for a private long boat to drop you off at your desired destination. If you take the public boats, they will pack you in like sardines. Majority is standing room only.
1. Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)
The Wat Pho and the Grand Palace are right next to each other. These were the two sites we really wanted to see. However, we found out that they both close by 5pm. We started our day a little late, so we had to pick one out of the two, and we went with the Wat Pho.
We were told that the Grand Palace was big, and we wouldn’t be able to see everything in the hour we had left. Make sure to plan out your day!
(Wat Pho temples)
(Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho)
- Tip- The longboat drops you off at the pier that’s on the same street as Wat Pho and the Grand Palace
- Tip- Dress politely, cover knees and no sleeveless shirts. I brought a cardigan with me everywhere. Also, no shoes in temples
- Tip- The cost is $200 baht ($6USD) and is cash only
- Tip- Plan on spending about 1-2 hours to fully see everything and take pictures without rushing
2. Grand Palace
(Photo from http://www.tourplus.my/attractions/the-grand-palace)
- Tip- Make sure to see this first because they close at 4:30pm
- Tip- Recommended tour time is 2 hours
- Tip- Dress modestly
3. Muay Thai Boxing
(Nick with the winner of the lightweight round)
- Tip- We bought tickets through the hotel for $60pp. You can save a lot of money by buying it at the venue for much cheaper
- Tip- Make sure to get tickets for the tourist seating area because the locals are there to gamble and are rowdy
4. Silom Road Night Market
We ate a lot of street food, and shopped for t-shirts
(Vibrant lights in the night market)
5. Spa time at the Shangri La
(Tranquil waiting room at the spa)
- Tip- Thai massages outside the hotel are very cheap. You can expect to pay $10-20USD in Bangkok for a decent looking spot
- Tip- The Thai massage at Shangri-La was $40, but the experience and ambiance was well worth it for me.
(Ending our trip with cocktails and sunset over the river)
- Tip- Always ask for the bar specials. They’re usually 20% cheaper than regular drinks.
Thanks for reading. This blog concludes my three city tour to Thailand. Enjoy!
Salena
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