Bangkok is one of my favorite cities in Asia. It has amazing street food, great nightlife, big parks, tons of history, and seriously good shopping. This 3 day Bangkok itinerary should help you plan the perfect few days in the Thai capital.
Best Neighborhoods to Stay in Bangkok
There are so many fantastic hotels in Bangkok. The nice thing about the city is that you can enjoy a lovely hotel with all the high-end amenities without breaking the bank. Some of my favorite neighborhoods to visit and find hotels in Bangkok are Sukhumvit, Silom, and Siam. If you want to be around all the backpackers, head to Khao San Road.
Visit the Temples
Image via Flickr by Twang_Dunga
If you only have a few days in Bangkok, you need to go to the Grand Palace and a few of the temples in the city. You can easily visit the Grand Palace and Wat Pho in one day since they’re right next to each other. To enter the Grand Palace, you need to make sure you’re modestly covered. That goes for both men and women. They require that you wear full-length pants and that your shirt has sleeves. No tank tops allowed.
Wat Pho is where you’ll find the famous reclining Buddha. It is truly incredible how big it is. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to see the feet of the Buddha, which are made entirely of mother of pearl. Unfortunately, the feet were being restored during my trip to the city, so I didn’t get a chance to see them.
If you have time to see one more temple, grab a ferry across the river to Wat Arun, or the Temple of Dawn. There are stunning sculptures, and the view back over the city is pretty spectacular.
Shop at Chatuchak Market
Image via Flickr by Kobetsai
For an amazing market experience, skip the touristy floating markets and head to Chatuchak Market. It’s best on the weekends when locals come do their food shopping, but it’s just as exciting during the week. You’ll find absolutely everything at this market. The vendors have souvenir stalls with bracelets, t-shirts, and flip-flops. You can also buy homewares, kitchen utensils, plants, pottery, and all types of food. It’s definitely a must while you’re in Bangkok.
Eat All the Street Food
You can’t visit Bangkok and not indulge in some of the street food. It is some of the best and cheapest that I’ve had in the world. There are a few locations around the city where you’ll find street vendors congregating together. A wonderful spot is around Victory Monument. It’s a transportation hub with tons of buses arriving and departing to destinations around the city, so it can be pretty busy. But it’s also where you can get amazing Thai boat noodles.
Another spot to go for excellent street food is down Charoen Krung Road. It is literally lined with street food vendors and restaurants that spill out onto the sidewalk. You simply can’t go wrong with any of the busy spots here.
There’s so much to do and see in Bangkok. No matter how many days you spend in the city, it won’t feel like enough. It’s just a great excuse to come back again.