Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, is a dynamic city with something for everyone! With dazzling nightlife, markets, parks, malls, skyscrapers, and temples bearing breathtaking architecture, this city offers the perfect combination of culture and modern allure! Get a taste of it all at the best places to visit in Bangkok we’ve highlighted below.
List of Places to visit in Bangkok
For the best experience of touring Bangkok, try to visit between November and February. It is the best time to visit Bangkok when the weather is cool and dry and the city comes alive with a plethora of festivals!
A typical 2-3 days trip in Bangkok should cost you around INR 20k to INR 35k which would include budget (mid-range) accommodations, standard meals, local transport, and entry fees to the tourist attractions specified below.
We’ve put together a list of all the must-visit Bangkok attractions that exhibit Bangkok’s diversity and charm spectacularly! Pick the ones best suited to your travel style and include them in your itinerary!
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1. Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
The most iconic landmark of Bangkok, the Grand Palace is a beautiful complex flaunting intricate Thai architecture with ornate buildings, vivid murals, and golden spirals!
Built in 1782, the palace has served as a royal residence for generations of leaders. It is among the best places to visit in Bangkok where one can learn about the royal history of Thailand!
The Wat Phra Kaew, located inside the Grand Palace complex, houses the glistening Emerald Buddha, a mesmerizing statue that has been carved out of a single jade block!
Address: Na Phra Lan Road, Phra Nakhon
Timings: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Entry fee: INR 1,200/-
Insider tip The murals inside Grand Palace depict scenes from the Ramayana! Visitors love the unique blend of Thai and Hindu heritage and architecture displayed in these murals, reflecting deeply on Thailand’s historical connection to India.
2. Wat Arun
Wat Arun, meaning the “Temple of Dawn”, is tucked along the pristine Chao Phraya River. It is a highly revered religious site that symbolizes resilience and the strength of Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok.
This stunning Buddhist temple named after the Hindu God of Dawn lures in travelers with its distinctive spires, or ‘prangs’, that gleam during sunrise and sunset! Its 70-meter-tall central prang, in particular, is bejeweled with porcelain fragments that reflect light magnificently!
But that’s not all that makes it stand out from other Bangkok tourist places. The structure’s steep steps lead to the top where visitors can gaze at panoramic views of Bangkok’s entire skyline and the Chao Phraya River.
Address: Arun Amarin Road, Bangkok Yai
Timings: 8 AM – 6 PM
Entry fee: INR 300/-
Insider tip Wat Arun is one of the best places to visit in Bangkok to view the sunset! Visit the temple late afternoon to enjoy stunning vistas of the city skyline bathed in warm golden light!
3. Chatuchak Weekend Market
Among all the places to go in Bangkok for shopping, Chatuchak Weekend Market is the most popular! Spread over 35 acres, it’s the world’s largest weekend market with over 15,000 stalls divided into 27 stalls to ease navigation.
You can buy everything from clothing, handicrafts, antiques, plants, food items, electronics, and cosmetics, at this market, one of the liveliest Bangkok attractions! You can also relish savory Thai street food like mango sticky rice and coconut ice cream here.
The best things to buy at Chatuchak Weekend Market include wooden artifacts, silk scarves, traditional Thai attires, vintage lamps, handwoven rugs, handcrafted jewelry, exotic bonsai trees, paintings, spices, quirky pet accessories, stationery, Thai essential oils, scented candles, and herbal balms and teas.
Address: Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road, Chatuchak
Timings: 9 AM – 6 PM (Only open on Saturdays and Sundays)
Entry fee: Nil
Insider tip Visit the market early in the morning to bargain for the best prices and avoid crowds!
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4. Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
An important cultural hallmark of Bangkok since the 19th century, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is among the best places to visit in Bangkok for a more authentic experience of Thai shopping and a dive into its rich heritage!
Located just an hour’s drive from Bangkok, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is a vivid spectacle with sailors wearing conical hats rowing slender boats filled with fruits, flowers, and local produce on Ratchaburi’s waterways.
Renting a boat and sailing amid the frenzy of shopkeepers selling everything from fresh fruits, vegetables, essential oils, handicrafts, and souvenirs is one of the best things to do in Thailand (Bangkok).
Address: Damnoen Saduak, Damnoen Saduak District, Ratchaburi 70130
Timings: 7 AM – 5 PM
Entry fee: Nil (Boating charges start at INR 500/-)
Insider tip Other than shopping, it’s also a great spot for photography and private long-tail boat tours through quiet backwaters surrounded by serene village scenes!
5. Jim Thompson House
The Jim Thompson House was built in honor of Jim Thompson, the American businessman who brought Thailand’s silk industry to life and whose stylish fabrics were featured in the famous Broadway production of The King and I, earning him recognition worldwide!
Its traditional Thai style of architecture, lush gardens, and unique collection of Southeast Asian art and antiques, which originally belonged to Thompson, are the main attractions here.
It’s among the top Bangkok tourist places that offer detailed guided tours of the complex. You can learn about his life, his contribution to the silk industry, and even his mysterious disappearance in Malaysia in 1967!
Address: 6 Kasem San 2 Alley, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Timings: 9 AM – 6 PM
Entry fee: INR 500/-
Insider tip You can witness live demonstrations of silk weaving techniques and buy premium quality silk products from the in-house gift shop.
6. China town
Bangkok sightseeing is incomplete without a visit to Chinatown, or Yaowarat Road, a renowned heritage site that lets you experience everything from sizzling street food, festive nightlife, and gratifying retail therapy!
Lined with street food stalls, traditional markets, and ornate Chinese temples, this lively dragon-shaped set of streets is among the most fun places to visit in Bangkok for a thrilling nightlife filled with good food and laughter!
Other than buying gold, handicrafts, clothing, souvenirs, rare Chinese herbs, and traditional medicines, you can gorge on food items like dim sum, mango sticky rice, pork chops, seafood, and desserts.
Address: Yaowarat Road, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100
Timings: Open 24/7
Entry fee: Nil
Insider tip Visit during the Chinese New Year when this place turns into a riot of colors, traditional music, dance performances, dragon costume parades, and endless food!
7. Lumpini Park
Bangkok’s Lumpini Park, named after Buddha’s birthplace in Nepal, is often called the ‘Green Lung of Bangkok’ courtesy of its expansive greenscapes and is among the most refreshing places to visit in Bangkok!
Covering an area of 142 acres, Lumpini Park is a peaceful retreat that features azure blue lakes, hiking trails, endless canopies of trees, and an outdoor gym.
It’s the perfect spot for hiking, yoga, jogging, and paddle boating. You can also spot monitor lizards and several exotic species of waterbirds on the banks of its lake!
Address: Lumpini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Timings: 4:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Entry fee: Nil
Insider tip Lumpini Park plays host to several concerts every week. Check the park’s calendar online before visiting so that you can plan accordingly!
8. MBK Center
MBK Center, or Ma Boon Khrong, is nothing short of Heaven for bargain shoppers! This 8-story shopping mall conveniently located in the heart of Bangkok offers everything from affordable clothing to electronics, bags, jewelry, home decor items, furniture, skincare products,
handicrafts, and traditional Thai souvenirs.
It’s one of the best Bangkok attractions for budget shopping where visitors can explore over 2,000 stores before dining at the mall’s enormous food court, playing at its bowling alley, or singing to their heart’s content at its karaoke lounge!
This one-stop shopping destination sells everything from authentic Thai handicrafts to branded merchandise at the lowest prices in all of Bangkok, making it the perfect place to buy gifts and souvenirs for friends and family back home!
Address: 444 Phaya Thai Rd, Wang Mai, Subdistrict, Bangkok 10330
Timings: 10 AM – 10 PM
Entry fee: Nil
Insider tip Most vendors offer even bigger discounts in the evening before closing!
9. Asiatique The Riverfront
A former trading port, Asiatique is a classy open-air market that combines the charm of a Thai night bazaar, a high-end modern mall, river-facing fine dining, and the thrill of the giant Asiatique Sky Ferris Wheel!
Set on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, it has over 1,500 boutiques selling artsy handicrafts next to world-class restaurants overlooking the beautiful river. One of the best places to visit in Bangkok, Asiatique exhibits a scenic mix of Thai and European architecture!
Visitors can buy silk scarves and essential oils, enjoy a romantic dinner with a view, gaze at Bangkok’s lit skyline via the Ferris wheel, take a walk along the riverbank, and witness live musical performances!
Address: 2194, Charoen Krung Road Wat Phraya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120
Timings: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Entry fee: Nil
Insider tip Don’t forget to attend the Muay Thai Live show, a dramatic narration of the history of Thai boxing.
10. Erawan Shrine
Erawan Shrine is one of the most fascinating places to see in Bangkok courtesy of its stunning architecture, 15-foot tall golden statue of Brahma, and traditional Thai dance performances!
Said to have been built in 1956 to appease troubled spirits hindering the construction of a hotel nearby, this holy shrine is believed to be imbued with magical powers!
As the city’s most respected spiritual landmark dedicated to Lord Brahma, it receives thousands of visitors daily. People come from near and far to seek its healing powers, marvel at the intricately crafted golden effigy, and watch ritualistic dance performances.
Address: 494 Ratchadamri Rd, Khwaeng Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330
Timings: 6 AM – 11 PM
Entry fee: Nil
Insider tip It is believed that Erawan Shrine answers prayers through ritualistic dance performances, a unique part of this shrine’s heritage. If you wish to conduct a prayer ritual, you can book a traditional dance in advance!
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So, which of these exciting places to visit in Bangkok do you wish to experience first? And if you know of any more visit-worthy Bangkok sightseeing places, let us know in the comments below. Happy tripping!