Visiting Bangkok and you only have a limited time to explore and get to see the sights? Worry not as it is possible to do this so long as you are armed with the correct Thailand travel tips.
The most important things to remember is to stay close to good food and cultural sights. It will also be a good idea for you to consider taking advantage of the city’s public transportation system.
While this may appear counter-intuitive, you will soon find that hailing a taxi is by far not the best way for you to move from one part of the city to the next. Traffic in the city centre tends to be awful, which means that you should make the most of the limited time that you have in the city. The following are important tips for visiting Bangkok:
Day One
1. Life on the River
Consider spending your first day in the capital travelling along the Chao Phraya River. This is a river that runs up and down along the western part of Bangkok. River ferries are the main source of transportation along this river. Take one of the ferries which traditionally stops at all the crucial sites along the river and have yourself some fun.
On your way, make sure to visit some of the most important cultural sites in this area which include the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, the Grand Palace, and Wat Phra Kaew.
Depending on where you have chosen to stay, you will note that the best hotels located within the city will offer its guests free boat transportation. The boats routinely make stops at all crucial major transit hubs and other transport locations like the Sathorn Pier.
2. Chinatown Street Food
Having seen and visited all the important sites in the city, head back to your hotel and freshen up. After this head out to visit Bangkok’s Chinatown. If you get there early in the evening, you can have ample time to do some shopping before sampling the local cuisines over dinner.
Chinatown is a popular location as it is where you will find vendors selling Chinese-inspired cuisines as well as traditional Thai food that is very popular with both tourists and expats alike. The good thing about street food is that it is not expensive which means that you can get to save some money as well.
Your visit to Chinatown should expose you to food like sticky and mango rice among a host of other new dishes such as the spicy rolled noodle pork soup. If Chinatown is not your ideal location, consider heading over to Patpong Night Market. While the latter is more touristy and less authentic, it does tend to be entertaining.
Day Two
1. Massage, Markets, and Shopping
Why not spend your second and last day in Bangkok engaging in one of the city’s renowned pastimes, shopping? When your visit coincides with a weekend, the natural move to make will be to visit Chatuchak Weekend Market. It is where to go if you are looking for souvenirs to take home with you.
Chatuchak has made a name for itself for being one of the biggest across the globe. You should, therefore, not be surprised to find everything from live animals to home goods during your visit. If visiting during the week, consider visiting the other renowned shopping sites in Bangkok.
2. Visit Rooftop Bars in Bangkok
Given that this is your last evening in the city, why not spend the evening having some fun and sampling the nightlife in the city. Cielo Sky Bar & Restaurant located on the 46th floor of the Sky Walk Condominium is the place to go if you want to make your last night in Bangkok memorable. The sky bar and restaurant is today the best gathering place for visitors, locals, and expats looking to sample local dishes and tasty cocktails.
Summary
Bangkok attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year from all corners of the world. As noted above, there is a lot to see in the city from historical architecture to global markets. It is a city packed with everything you would expect to experience when on holiday.
