Bangkok, Thailand, has a lot to offer tourists and business people passing through. With
some of the best hotels in the world at the some of the best prices, there has never
been a better time to explore this amazing country. As one of the only countries in Asia
to have never been colonised, and even with the enormous kick into the 21st century
that Bangkok has experienced recently, the Thai people have still managed to retain a
lot of their beautiful culture and amazing hospitality. The names you have heard such as
the land of Angels, the land of smiles are all true, and you can expect to have a great
time when you are there.
There is a lot to do when you are in Bangkok and depending how much time you have
while you are there it is important to prioritise, and a little planning will help you to make
the most of your time there. The section below will give you a few ideas of what there is
to do in Bangkok, scroll down and see what grabs your interest. If you have any tips or
questions do feel free to Contact Us.
Spas
Thailand has some of the best spas in the world. Ever type of massage, and
treatment is available at some of the best prices you will find anywhere. As this topic is
so large we have devoted an entire page to the best Spas in Bangkok which list rates,
treatments, pictures etc so that you can make an educated choice of where best to
indulge in a bit of pampering.
Golf
For golf enthusiasts Thailand could quite easily be described as a golfer sparadise, with so many golf courses to choose from at some of the best rates in the
world. As with the spas, the topic of golf is too large to fit here so we have devoted a
special page to golf giving you details of the best courses offered so you can enjoy Golf
in Bangkok to the fullest.
Cinemas
Believe it or not, Thailand has been internationally recognised as having
some of the best cinemas in the world. Not only are they extremely modern, but most of
the better cinemas have VIP or First Class cinemas. These cinemas with cinemas, are
similar to an Executive Floor in a five-star hotel in that they often feature a lounge with
complimentary snacks and beverages, and only have seating for around 20/40 people
in a regular sized theatre. The seats are similar to what you would find in Business or
First Class on a quality airline. They recline, often come complete with blanket and
pillow and even have waiter service available. Of course, they do cost a lot more than
the regular options (around THB 140) but at around THB 700/750 are still exceptional
value for money and something not to miss! While these VIP cinemas can be found
around Bangkok, we highly recommend the Nokia VIP cinema at Siam Paragon. With
different VIP theatres, this VIP section of a large cinema complex plays the latest
movies in such comfort, you won't mind telling your friends you went to the cinema in
Bangkok!
Shopping
With some of the shopping facilities in Asia, shopping is something you will
not want to miss. Most of the shops, have some amazing discounts, sometimes as
much as 80 % off. High quality goods can be had in the major shopping centres. Copy
goods etc. can be found in most of the street stalls on Sukhumvit, or the Night Plaza in
Patpong. To read about shopping in Bangkok please visit our page devoted to Shopping
in Bangkok.
Night Life
Bangkok is famous around the world for its entertainment and night life. We
have devoted a whole page to reviewing the Bars in Bangkok, please take a look.
Restaurants : Thailand has a culinary delight for you to explore, the food is now
becoming more and more popular around the world, with the Tourism Authority of
Thailand actively using their delicious food as a tourist attraction. There are thousands
of restaurants in Bangkok, but knowing which are good and which mediocre is as
difficult in a foreign land as it is in your home town. We have a page devoted to
restaurants in Restaurants in Bangkok.
Grand Palace
Is an absolute MUST, as it is an outstanding architectural achievement,
that also houses the infamous Emerald Buddha, which is the most revered Buddha
image in Thailand. We suggest that you go early in the morning to avoid the major
crowds, it will still be busy but getting there around 9 am or 10 am will give you a little
more space. Do not wear shorts when you visit, and if you are female we recommend
that you do not wear sandals, skirts and suggest that you wear a long sleeved blouse
or something. You will need to keep half the day if not more open to see everything and
you will definitely need your camera with a lot of film handy. To get there, you can either
take a taxi, or the Sky train to National Stadium stop and then a taxi from there, on the
way back we recommend that you take one of the many taxi boats.
The Grand Palace
officially opens 8.30 am and closes 3.30pm. Admission fee costs 200 Baht and includes
a ticket to the Vimanmek Royal mansion. It may be advisable to rent a Personal Audio
Guide that will only cost 100 Baht for two hours, and comes in English, French,
German, Spanish, Russian, Japanese and Mandarin.
Snake Farm: Officially called the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, is definitely wirth
a visit and the memory will linger for while after you have returned home.
The snake
farm
Is one of the largest producers of anti-venom Serum in Asia, and before going on
to the show, they will explain to you how Serum is made, the difference between snakes
and some other useful tips, such as what to do if you are faced by one ! After the
educational period you are led outside, shown around the different snake pits and then
to a stand where they will show you a snake show which includes feeding and other
entertaining tricks. If you a bit queasy around snakes sit at the back of the small stand.
The snake farm can be found on Rama IV, opposite the Suriawongse Road, and not far from the Pan Pacific Hotel. The closest Sky train stop is SalaDaeng. The shows begin
at 11am and 2.30 pm on weekdays and 11 am on holidays, admission is 70 Baht.
Crocodile Farm: Is 30 kilometres away from Bangkok, and you can pretty much devote
a whole day to it with transport etc included. It is very close to the Rose Garden so you
might as well do them both at the same time. It is an enormous place with over 60,000
fresh and seawater crocodiles to see. They have feeding where you can buy chicken to
throw to the crocs, and they also have a show every hour, where a brave or perhaps
crazy guy puts his head inside the crocs head etc. If you do not have much time in
Bangkok missing this will not be a serious mistake and something that you can always
catch on another visit. Admission is 300 Baht for adults and 200 Baht for children.
The
farm opens from 7 am to 6pm. The farm also houses other creatures such as snakes,
gibbons, lions, and trained elephants. They even have a small dinosaur museum, where
life size dinosaurs and their skeltons are on display.
Floating Market
The infamous market that many articles on Bangkok, cover with
pictures of Thais selling there fresh produce on boats. The market is some 80
Kilometres outside of Bangkok. You can take an organised tour, or take a bus from the
Southern Bus Terminal. Everyday, hundreds of vendors boats crowd the market area
early morning until around noon. You will be able to travel around in boat and see a little
of what Thai village life is like. Although do remember that this is now a very famous
excursion so it will not be your normal Thai village. It is best to get there early.
National Museum: This museum which is within walking distance from the Grand Palace
is one of the largest in Southeast Asia. The museum was once used as a palace and
consists of several old yet beautiful buildings of colour. The museum also houses many
artifacts found from all parts of the country ranging from Neolithic times, Sukhothai,
Ayutthaya to the modern Bangkok period. Admission is 40 Baht per person, and the
museum is open everyday except Mondays, Tuesdays and annual holidays, from 9 am
to 4 pm.
National Gallery Museum
Opposite the National Museum mentioned above, on Chao
Fa Road, and exhibits traditional and contemporary works of art created by Thai artists.
Opening times are the same as above, and the admission fee is 30 Baht.
Wha Mahathat: This is an old temple which was built during the reign of King Rama I. It
is located on Na Phrathat Road near Thammasat University. The temple houses the
Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University, which is one of the two highest seats of
Buddhist learning in Thailand. Foreigners can take advantage of the meditation classes
that are offered.
The temple opens from 9am to 5 pm daily.
Wat Pho: Neighbouring the Grand Palace the Wat Pho is found along Thai Wang Road
and houses the very impressive gigantic gold plated reclining Buddha which is some 46
metres long and 15 metres high ! Its soles are inlaid with mother of pole ! Admission is
20 Baht and is open from 9 am to 5 pm.
Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun): Is on the other side of the Chao Phraya river. You can take
a boat from the Tha Tien Pier near Wat Pho or by Arun Amarin Road. The temple is
best known for its 79 metre high porcelain encrusted Pagoda that sparkles magnificently
in the sun.
Wat Ratchanatdaram
This temple was built during the reign of King Rama III, in 1846
and is found along Mahachai Road. Loha Prasat is the temples main attraction, and
stands 36 metres high with 37 surrounding spires, it is the only one of its kind in the
world. Next to the temple is a statue of King Rama III.
Wat Indravihan: This temple is well known for its huge standing Buddha image called
Luang Pho To, which measures 32 metres tall and 10 metres wide. It was built during
the reign of King Rama IV, and is located on Wisutkasat Road in Bang Khun Phrom
area.
Wat Bowon Niwet
This temple built in 1829 is the shrine-hall of Phra Phutthachinnasi, a
very beautiful Buddha image which was moulded in around 1357. Wat Bowon Niwet is
one of the most temples in Bangkok, whose one time chief abbot was King Rama IV,
before he ascended to the throne. Other Chakri kings who resided here during there
monkhood, include King Rama IV, King Rama VII as well as His Majesty King Bhumibol
Adulyadej. The temple can be found on Phra Sumen Road in the Bang Lamphu area.
Vimanmek Mansion Museum
Is definitely a great day out. The mansion is the worlds
largest golden teak building. The 3 storey Royal mansion contains 81 rooms, halls and
ante-chambers containing Royal memorabilia.The compound located in the Dusit
Palace on Ratchawithi Road, is open daily from 9 am to 4 pm and admission is 50 Baht.
The dancing shows begin at 10.30 am and 2.30 pm. Proper attire is required. So no
shorts, sandals etc.
Wat Trai Mit
Is located on Yaowarat Road in China Town, near the Hulamphong train
Station. This temple houses a very impressive solid gold Buddha which weighs 5 and a
half tonnes and is three metres in height ! This seated Buddha image was built in the
Sukhothai period.
Erawan Shrine
You will most probably come across this shrine, on your shopping tours
or perhaps as you notice that your taxi driver is no longer holding the wheel, instead is
performing a quick 'wai' and not looking at the road ahead of him ! The shrine is located
next to Sogo, and the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The shrine is devoted to Phra Phrom, a Hindu
God, who is greatly revered by Thai people. Laced flowers (Malee) and small wooden
elephants as well as Thai dancing performances are always offered to this statue by
grateful and hopeful devotees. The closest sky train station is Chidlom.
Philatelic Museum
If stamps are your thing you may be interested in the stamp
museum located on the 1st floor of the Metropolitan Postal Bureau, behind the Sam Sen
Nai Post office. Stamps and such are for sale. It is open from Tuesday to Saturday from
9am to 4pm.
Ancient City
The largest outdoor museum in the world, which consists of gigantic sized
replicas of famous buildings, monuments and temples that can be found all through
Thailand. The area the museum covers is some staggering 280 acres, and is built into a
shape that resembles the actual shape of Thailand. The Ancient City is at 33.km on
Sukhumvit Road and is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm with admission costing 50 Baht
per person.
Thai Boxing (Muay Thai)
Thai Boxing or Muay Thai is becoming very well known
around the world, and is a popular stop off for people who enjoy it. The two main
stadiums are Ratchadamnoen Stadium on Ratchadamnoen Nok Road and is open
Monday and Wednesday at 6 pm Thursday at 5 pm and 9 pm, and Sundays at 4 pm
and 8 pm. The other major stadium is Lumpini Stadium on Rama IV Road, and fights
are every Tuesday and Friday at 6pm and Saturday at 5 pm. You may want to ask the
Hotel where you are staying at for tips on the best seats and even to get the tickets for
you.
Thailand has some of the best spas in the world. Ever type of massage, and
treatment is available at some of the best prices you will find anywhere. As this topic is
so large we have devoted an entire page to the best Spas in Bangkok which list rates,
treatments, pictures etc so that you can make an educated choice of where best to
indulge in a bit of pampering.
For golf enthusiasts Thailand could quite easily be described as a golfer sparadise, with so many golf courses to choose from at some of the best rates in the
world. As with the spas, the topic of golf is too large to fit here so we have devoted a
special page to golf giving you details of the best courses offered so you can enjoy Golf
in Bangkok to the fullest.
Believe it or not, Thailand has been internationally recognised as having
some of the best cinemas in the world. Not only are they extremely modern, but most of
the better cinemas have VIP or First Class cinemas. These cinemas with cinemas, are
similar to an Executive Floor in a five-star hotel in that they often feature a lounge with
complimentary snacks and beverages, and only have seating for around 20/40 people
in a regular sized theatre. The seats are similar to what you would find in Business or
First Class on a quality airline. They recline, often come complete with blanket and
pillow and even have waiter service available. Of course, they do cost a lot more than
the regular options (around THB 140) but at around THB 700/750 are still exceptional
value for money and something not to miss! While these VIP cinemas can be found
around Bangkok, we highly recommend the Nokia VIP cinema at Siam Paragon. With
different VIP theatres, this VIP section of a large cinema complex plays the latest
movies in such comfort, you won't mind telling your friends you went to the cinema in
Bangkok!
With some of the shopping facilities in Asia, shopping is something you will
not want to miss. Most of the shops, have some amazing discounts, sometimes as
much as 80 % off. High quality goods can be had in the major shopping centres. Copy
goods etc. can be found in most of the street stalls on Sukhumvit, or the Night Plaza in
Patpong. To read about shopping in Bangkok please visit our page devoted to Shopping
in Bangkok.
Bangkok is famous around the world for its entertainment and night life. We
have devoted a whole page to reviewing the Bars in Bangkok, please take a look.
Restaurants : Thailand has a culinary delight for you to explore, the food is now
becoming more and more popular around the world, with the Tourism Authority of
Thailand actively using their delicious food as a tourist attraction. There are thousands
of restaurants in Bangkok, but knowing which are good and which mediocre is as
difficult in a foreign land as it is in your home town. We have a page devoted to
restaurants in Restaurants in Bangkok. 
Is an absolute MUST, as it is an outstanding architectural achievement,
that also houses the infamous Emerald Buddha, which is the most revered Buddha
image in Thailand. We suggest that you go early in the morning to avoid the major
crowds, it will still be busy but getting there around 9 am or 10 am will give you a little
more space. Do not wear shorts when you visit, and if you are female we recommend
that you do not wear sandals, skirts and suggest that you wear a long sleeved blouse
or something. You will need to keep half the day if not more open to see everything and
you will definitely need your camera with a lot of film handy. To get there, you can either
take a taxi, or the Sky train to National Stadium stop and then a taxi from there, on the
way back we recommend that you take one of the many taxi boats.
Is one of the largest producers of anti-venom Serum in Asia, and before going on
to the show, they will explain to you how Serum is made, the difference between snakes
and some other useful tips, such as what to do if you are faced by one ! After the
educational period you are led outside, shown around the different snake pits and then
to a stand where they will show you a snake show which includes feeding and other
entertaining tricks. If you a bit queasy around snakes sit at the back of the small stand.
The infamous market that many articles on Bangkok, cover with
pictures of Thais selling there fresh produce on boats. The market is some 80
Kilometres outside of Bangkok. You can take an organised tour, or take a bus from the
Southern Bus Terminal. Everyday, hundreds of vendors boats crowd the market area
early morning until around noon. You will be able to travel around in boat and see a little
of what Thai village life is like. Although do remember that this is now a very famous
excursion so it will not be your normal Thai village. It is best to get there early.
National Museum: This museum which is within walking distance from the Grand Palace
is one of the largest in Southeast Asia. The museum was once used as a palace and
consists of several old yet beautiful buildings of colour. The museum also houses many
artifacts found from all parts of the country ranging from Neolithic times, Sukhothai,
Ayutthaya to the modern Bangkok period. Admission is 40 Baht per person, and the
museum is open everyday except Mondays, Tuesdays and annual holidays, from 9 am
to 4 pm.
Opposite the National Museum mentioned above, on Chao
Fa Road, and exhibits traditional and contemporary works of art created by Thai artists.
Opening times are the same as above, and the admission fee is 30 Baht.
Wha Mahathat: This is an old temple which was built during the reign of King Rama I. It
is located on Na Phrathat Road near Thammasat University. The temple houses the
Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University, which is one of the two highest seats of
Buddhist learning in Thailand. Foreigners can take advantage of the meditation classes
that are offered. 
This temple was built during the reign of King Rama III, in 1846
and is found along Mahachai Road. Loha Prasat is the temples main attraction, and
stands 36 metres high with 37 surrounding spires, it is the only one of its kind in the
world. Next to the temple is a statue of King Rama III.
Wat Indravihan: This temple is well known for its huge standing Buddha image called
Luang Pho To, which measures 32 metres tall and 10 metres wide. It was built during
the reign of King Rama IV, and is located on Wisutkasat Road in Bang Khun Phrom
area.
This temple built in 1829 is the shrine-hall of Phra Phutthachinnasi, a
very beautiful Buddha image which was moulded in around 1357. Wat Bowon Niwet is
one of the most temples in Bangkok, whose one time chief abbot was King Rama IV,
before he ascended to the throne. Other Chakri kings who resided here during there
monkhood, include King Rama IV, King Rama VII as well as His Majesty King Bhumibol
Adulyadej. The temple can be found on Phra Sumen Road in the Bang Lamphu area.
Is definitely a great day out. The mansion is the worlds
largest golden teak building. The 3 storey Royal mansion contains 81 rooms, halls and
ante-chambers containing Royal memorabilia.The compound located in the Dusit
Palace on Ratchawithi Road, is open daily from 9 am to 4 pm and admission is 50 Baht.
The dancing shows begin at 10.30 am and 2.30 pm. Proper attire is required. So no
shorts, sandals etc.
Is located on Yaowarat Road in China Town, near the Hulamphong train
Station. This temple houses a very impressive solid gold Buddha which weighs 5 and a
half tonnes and is three metres in height ! This seated Buddha image was built in the
Sukhothai period.
You will most probably come across this shrine, on your shopping tours
or perhaps as you notice that your taxi driver is no longer holding the wheel, instead is
performing a quick 'wai' and not looking at the road ahead of him ! The shrine is located
next to Sogo, and the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The shrine is devoted to Phra Phrom, a Hindu
God, who is greatly revered by Thai people. Laced flowers (Malee) and small wooden
elephants as well as Thai dancing performances are always offered to this statue by
grateful and hopeful devotees. The closest sky train station is Chidlom.
Thai Boxing or Muay Thai is becoming very well known
around the world, and is a popular stop off for people who enjoy it. The two main
stadiums are Ratchadamnoen Stadium on Ratchadamnoen Nok Road and is open
Monday and Wednesday at 6 pm Thursday at 5 pm and 9 pm, and Sundays at 4 pm
and 8 pm. The other major stadium is Lumpini Stadium on Rama IV Road, and fights
are every Tuesday and Friday at 6pm and Saturday at 5 pm. You may want to ask the
Hotel where you are staying at for tips on the best seats and even to get the tickets for
you.