Things to Do in Bangkok: Temples, Markets, Food and Experiences
- Mar 7
- 8 min read
Bangkok is a city that has everything: temples full of history, endless markets to explore, incredible food to try (and some things… maybe not 😅), rooftops with spectacular views, nightlife, culture on every corner, and experiences you won’t find anywhere else.
In this guide we’ll show you the best things to do in Bangkok so you can experience the city to the fullest and not miss the highlights.
To make it easier to navigate, here’s a quick overview of the main sections.
Quick Guide: What to Do in Bangkok
🏯 Temples in Bangkok - the most iconic sites like the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun
🛍️ Shopping: Malls and Markets – from luxury malls to chaotic local markets
🚤 Floating Markets & Unique Markets – train markets and canal experiences near the city
🍜 Food: Michelin & Street Food – Michelin spots, street food and must-try dishes
🎉 Khao San Road & Night Vibes – backpacker chaos and alternative streets nearb
🌇 Best Rooftops in Bangkok – skyline views, sunset spots and iconic bars
🎶 Nightlife & Party Areas – from neon streets to upscale cocktail districts
🌿 Parks & Green Areas – where to escape the chaos and relax
✨ Unique Experiences – cooking classes, river cruises and local experiences
Things to Do in Bangkok: Must-See Temples, Markets and Experiences
🏯 Visit the most famous temples in Bangkok
Bangkok has temples that look like they’re from another planet.
🔵 Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
This is the most iconic landmark in Thailand and a must-visit on any itinerary. Inside you’ll find Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, considered the most sacred site in the country.
The architecture is incredible, and the details on the walls and roofs seem endless, so it’s worth taking your time to explore everything.
Entry: 500 THB ($13–14 USD)(includes access to the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles).
Hours: Every day from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Important: The dress code is strict. Shoulders and knees must be covered, and scarves are not accepted, you need proper clothing.
🔵 Wat Pho
One of the oldest and largest temple complexes in Bangkok, famous for housing the impressive Reclining Buddha.
Besides the main statue, the temple is also known for being Thailand’s first school of traditional Thai medicine and massage, so you’ll see many beautifully decorated stupas covered in colorful ceramics and intricate details everywhere.
Entry: 300 THB (~$8 USD)Hours: Every day from 8:00 AM to 6:30 PM
Extra tip: Since the complex is so large, it’s usually less crowded than the Grand Palace, which makes it easier to walk around peacefully.
🔵 Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)
One of the most photogenic temples in Bangkok thanks to its location on the western bank of the Chao Phraya River.
Its main structure — a nearly 80-meter-high prang tower — is decorated with thousands of pieces of Chinese porcelain that sparkle in the sunlight.
Even though its name suggests visiting at sunrise, the best time to see it is at sunset or at night, when it lights up and reflects beautifully on the river.
Entry: 200 THB (~$5.5 USD) (The ticket often includes a complimentary bottle of water.)
Hours: Every day from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
How to get there: The easiest way is by public boat on the Chao Phraya River.
Tickets start at around 30 THB (~$0.80 USD) and the closest stop is Tha Tian Pier, next to Wat Pho.
What we did!
We carried a change of clothes in our backpack and changed before entering the temples because it’s extremely hot to walk around fully covered all day.
But if you forget, don’t worry! outside the temples you’ll find the classic elephant pants and scarves to cover your shoulders. Everything is very tourist-friendly.
⭐️ Extra if you have time:
National Museum
If you enjoy history, this is a great place to see royal chariots, religious sculptures, and ancient jewelry in a much quieter environment than the main temples.
Entry: 200 THB (~$5.5 USD)Hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Closed Monday and Tuesday.
🛍️ Shopping in Bangkok: Must-Visit Malls and Markets
Bangkok is a shopping paradise. The options are endless and fit every budget — from luxury brands to vintage design, cheap clothing, and electronics.
Shopping malls
IconSiam: Huge and spectacular. The highlight is the ground floor, designed like a traditional floating market with amazing food stalls.
Siam Paragon: Luxury brands and a very high-quality food court.
MBK Center: The go-to place for electronics, phones, and cheap clothing.
Terminal 21: Very unique, each floor is themed after a different city like Tokyo, London, or Istanbul. Great for photos.
Markets you shouldn’t miss
Chatuchak Weekend Market: A massive market. If you visit on Saturday or Sunday, be ready to walk a lot and bargain across thousands of stalls.
Pratunam Market: One of the best places to find wholesale clothing at very low prices.
Talad Rot Fai (Train Market): A more hipster and vintage-style market. Perfect to visit in the evening, grab a beer and browse antique stalls.
🚤 Floating Markets Near Bangkok
Damnoen Saduak
The most famous floating market in Thailand and one of the most popular day trips from Bangkok.
Even though it’s very touristy, riding through the canals in a traditional wooden boat is still a unique experience.
What you’ll find:
floating stalls selling fresh tropical fruits
freshly cooked food (like mango sticky rice)
handicrafts and souvenirs
⭐️ Boat tour price: 400–600 THB ($11–16 USD) depending on whether it’s shared or private and how well you negotiate.
Hours: 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Best to arrive before 10 AM to avoid crowds and heat.
🔸 Other floating markets near Bangkok
Amphawa: more authentic and evening-focused (Friday to Sunday)
Tha Kha: small and very local, weekends in the morning
Taling Chan: inside Bangkok, easy to visit on weekends
Khlong Lat Mayom: very local and great to combine with Taling Chana.
Mae Klong Railway Market
This market sits directly on the train tracks.
Every time the train passes, vendors quickly fold their stalls and reopen them minutes later, a truly unique scene! Operating since 1905.
Market hours: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Train schedule: 8:30 AM / 9:00 AM / 11:15 AM / 2:30 PM / 3:30 PM
How to get there:
Minivan from Mo Chit or Sai Tai Mai (1–2 hours)
Train from Wongwien Yai (about 3 hours)
Private tour from Bangkok if you want something easier
🔸 Other markets worth visiting
Patpong (Silom): It has a very active nightlife scene and is extremely touristy. The atmosphere is more adult-oriented, famous for its strip shows and clubs. You’ll also find many counterfeit products, so bargaining is essential.
It opens from 6:00 PM until midnight.
Sampeng (Chinatown): A mix of locals and tourists. Here you’ll find a bit of everything: clothing, accessories, electronics, fabrics, and souvenirs. Perfect for exploring on foot. Open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
Pak Khlong Talat (Flores): The largest flower market in Bangkok and one of the most colorful places in the city. It’s more local than touristy. You can get there by bus, metro (near Sanam Chai station), or by boat on the Chao Phraya Express Boat.
Amulet Market: Located near the Grand Palace, this market is full of stalls selling amulets and religious items. It’s semi-touristy but very interesting if you want to see this local tradition up close.
Open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Pratunam: If you're looking for clothes and accessories, this is one of the largest markets in the country. During the day it feels more local, and from around 4:00 PM the night market starts, focusing more on food and souvenirs.
Or Tor Kor: A market specialized in food. It’s more local than touristy and a great place to try fresh Thai products and traditional ingredients.
Open from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
🍜 Try Thai Food in Bangkok
Michelin-recognized places
Jay Fai: The most famous street food stall in Bangkok with a Michelin star, known for its crab omelet. Expensive for street food but a unique experience.
Blue Elephant: Fine-dining Thai restaurant with a Michelin star and an incredible tasting menu.
Pad Thai Fai Ta Lu: A modern restaurant reinventing the classic Pad Thai.
Pad Thai en Thipsamai: Probably the most famous place in Bangkok to eat pad thai. Expect a line.
Street food
Yaowarat (Chinatown): A full street-food festival at night. Cheap and delicious.
Boat noodles at Victory Monument: Tiny bowls, incredibly tasty and extremely cheap.
K. Panich Sticky Rice: One of the best places in the city to try mango sticky rice.
Must-try dishes!
Pad Thai, mango sticky rice, som tam (very spicy papaya salad), tom yum soup and satay skewers.
🎉 Experience the chaos of Khao San Road
Chaos, drinks, loud music and people from everywhere. Who doesn’t end up here when visiting Bangkok?
Bars everywhere
Alcohol buckets
Quick street massages
Street food (including insects… and no, we didn’t dare to try them)
🔸 Rambuttri Alley
If you’re looking for something calmer, Rambuttri Alley is just a three-minute walk away (it runs parallel to Khao San Road) and has a much quieter, more bohemian vibe.
🌇 Rooftops with Spectacular Views
They’re not cheap, but they’re worth it.
The most spectacular viewpoint in Bangkok, with a glass floor and 360° views from more than 300 meters high. There’s no dress code, but it’s a good idea to book in advance because it’s usually quite busy with tourists.
A rooftop with a relaxed atmosphere, 360° views and reasonable prices. Ideal for watching the sunset without too much formality. The dress code is casual-smart (we’re still not entirely sure what that means 😂) and it’s recommended to reserve for sunset.
Elegant and romantic, located on the 61st floor and completely open-air. It offers incredible views and a more sophisticated atmosphere. It requires elegant clothing and the entrance is based on minimum consumption.
The most iconic rooftop in Bangkok, famous from the movie The Hangover II. Expensive and with a strict dress code, but with stunning views and a very exclusive experience. Going early is key.
Party in Bangkok
Bangkok’s nightlife is legendary and offers completely different atmospheres depending on the neighborhood you choose, from chaotic neon-lit streets to the most refined cocktail bars.
Soi Cowboy: This is the city’s most extravagant side. A short street full of neon lights and bars with a very particular (and loud) atmosphere. It’s worth walking through at least once just to see the visual spectacle.
Thonglor & Ekkamai: This is where Bangkok’s trendiest crowd hangs out. It’s the design district, with award-winning cocktail bars, modern rooftops and a much cooler, more local vibe.
RCA (Royal City Avenue): The area for big nightclubs. Route 66 and Onyx are temples of electronic music and commercial pop; if you’re looking for a big night of dancing, this is the place.
Chinatown (Soi Nana): The city’s alternative side. Hidden in old alleys you’ll find speakeasy-style bars (almost clandestine) like Tep Bar (with live traditional music) or Teens of Thailand, specialists in craft gin tonics.
🌿 Discover the Green Corners of Bangkok
🔸 Lumphini Park
Bangkok’s classic green lung, where you can relax and walk along wide paths, see locals practicing tai chi at sunrise, rent a small paddle boat on the central lake — 40 baht for 30 minutes — have a picnic, and if you’re lucky, spot giant monitor lizards casually wandering around.
🔸 Bang Krachao
A huge green area just minutes from the city.
How to get there
The most common way is to go to Khlong Toei Pier and from there take a ferry/boat across the river toward Bang Krachao (10–20 THB, 5–10 minutes).
Once inside the park…
Rent a bike
30–80 THB
You’ll find hidden cafés and a weekend market (Bang Nam Phueng Market).
If you're looking for something different
CHAO PHRAYA RIVER CRUISE
dinner while the temples are illuminated.
cook & eat local food
cheap, relaxing and almost mandatory.
How to Keep Planning Your Bangkok Trip
After exploring temples, markets, rooftops and tasting a bit of everything, the next step is organizing the logistics so you can enjoy the city more easily.
👉 Where to stay in Bangkok – to choose the best area based on your travel style and move around easily.
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