Bangkok, which has received the title of a kind of gateway to Southeast Asia – is a city where you can have a very interesting time. The capital of Thailand attracts tourists with a special Asian atmosphere, and there are many diverse attractions there. We will tell you about the most iconic, world-famous places – those that you need to see in Bangkok first, and you can see them yourself.
Since this metropolis has a rather large scale, while exploring it, sometimes walking will be relevant, but mostly you will have to go by public transport or taxi. By the way, in a taxi, even before the trip starts, you need to agree with the driver that payment will be made according to the meter – this turns out to be much cheaper than the fixed price list.
Wat Phra Kaew Grand Palace and Temple
The Royal Palace and Wat Phra Kaew Temple are a complex attraction open to the public.
The Grand Palace, which has served as the residence of the kings of Thailand since the 18th century, still hosts state receptions and ceremonies.
Wat Phra Kaew, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is not only a well-known tourist attraction in Bangkok, but also a place of pilgrimage for all Buddhists.
Tourists who plan to visit this complex on their own can use a map of Bangkok with attractions.
Wat Pho Temple
Often referred to as the Reclining Buddha Temple, this shrine is located near the Grand Palace complex. Walking around this oldest temple in Bangkok and one of the largest in Thailand, you can see 1000 images of the Buddha. But the most impressive attraction is a statue of the Buddha, depicting him lying down and waiting for the indulgence of nirvana. This huge gilded figure, decorated with pearls and mother – of-pearl, is perhaps the largest sculpture of the Buddha in the world: its length is 46 meters, and its height is 15 meters.
More interesting information about this shrine, which will definitely encourage you to explore it yourself, can be found on the page.
Khao San Street
Although Khao San Street is considered a landmark in Bangkok, it is unlikely that it will ever join the UNESCO list. To put it precisely, Khao San is a colorful hangout place where Thai transvestites and prostitutes, as well as backpackers who have come to Taiwan, gather.
There are a lot of cheap hotels, Thai food in makashniks, souvenirs, clothing, fake IDs, pirated video copies, products with “diamonds”, drugs of varying severity.
But gradually Khao San is becoming more and more a dull tourist attraction, and in a few years it will be absolutely safe even for those tourists who are used to traveling independently.
Read all about Khao San Street and the opportunities it offers tourists here.
Wat Suthat Temple and Giant Swing
This religious landmark is located at Bamrung Mueang Road, Bangkok 10200. The Bangkok sightseeing map clearly shows that the building is located in close proximity to Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Pho temples. It is worth considering this when planning to make an independent visit to these places.
Wat Suthat is largely known for the famous Giant Swing (Sauchinga) that stands in the square in front of its entrance. This unusual religious building has the shape of the letter “P”: at the top of two wooden columns with a height of 21 meters lies a crossbar decorated with openwork carvings. In the past, when a ceremony was held to thank Shiva for the rice harvest, a bag filled with silver coins was tied to the crossbar. On the same crossbar were tied ropes, swinging on which the volunteers tried to get a valuable bag on their own. In 1932, local authorities banned such a ceremony due to the high injury rate of participants, and the Swing was converted into a symbolic monument.
But Wat Suthat is also interesting in addition to Swings. The walls inside the central pavilion (vihan) are covered with original paintings from the beginning of the XIX century. There is an 8-meter-high bronze Buddha statue in the central part of the vihan, and 156 gilded figures of the deity stand around the perimeter of the outer walls of the courtyard.
- Giant Swings can be viewed at any time. Wat Suthat is open every day from 8: 30 to 21: 00, but entry to vihan is allowed from 9: 00 to 17: 00.
- As a rule, there is no influx of tourists here. Thanks to this, it is very convenient to come to this landmark of Bangkok on your own, so that you can touch the shrines of Buddhism in peace and quiet.
- Admission is only 20 baht.
Wat Trai Mit or the Golden Buddha Temple
In the Chinatown area, near the Central Railway Station, there is another famous attraction – the Temple of the Golden Buddha, or Wat Trai Mit.
The Buddha statue in this temple is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest and most expensive religious object cast from pure gold. Its weight is about 5.5 tons, its height is 3 meters, and its width from knee to knee is 3.1 meters. The whites of the Golden Buddha’s eyes are made of pearls, and the pupils are made of black Thai sapphires. According to the Americans who estimated this statue, its value is about $250,000,000. But it should be noted that no one has ever checked the purity and quality of gold. There is also no reliable information as to whether the statue is actually made entirely of gold.
The statue of the Buddha, created in the XIII-XIV centuries from a single piece of gold, was covered with plaster during the Burmese war and decorated with fragments of colored glass so that it would not attract too much attention from enemies. When a new religious building was erected in Bangkok in 1957, it was decided to install an old statue brought from the north of the country. During transportation, part of the plaster broke off, thanks to which a treasure was discovered, which can still be viewed in Wat Trai Mit.
- Address: 146 Bamrung Mueang Rd, Wat Ratchabophit, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand.
- This religious landmark of Bangkok is quite possible to see on your own. It is open to the public daily from 8: 00 to 17: 00.
- The entrance fee to the hall with the Buddha statue is 40 baht only. If you pay 100 baht, you can also view the exhibits of the museum located on the floor below.
- Video shooting is prohibited inside the building, but it is allowed to take photos.
- Official website: https://watsuthatthepwararam.com/.
Wat Saket Temple
There are hundreds of temples in Bangkok, and it will take much more than two days to get around them all, but some simply cannot be avoided, some are mandatory to visit if you come to the capital of Thailand. Moreover, all the items described in this article are located close to each other and it is convenient to view them in a short time.
The Golden Mountain Temple is located in the eastern part of the Old City, between Boriphat Road and Lan Luang Road.
The best way to get to this attraction on your own is to order a taxi directly from the hotel. You can’t get here by metro, but you can use city buses № 8, 15, 37, 47, 49 – the fare will vary depending on the bus category and the distance traveled.
Until the construction of skyscrapers began in Bangkok, this iconic building remained the highest point on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River. At first, an artificial hill was built here, and a temple with a gilded pagoda crowning it was built on it – their total height is 76 meters.
To reach the top of the hill, you need to climb a wide spiral staircase of 320 steps. The ascent is easy, as the slope is small and there are comfortable benches for rest along the way.
The interior of the shrine is quite simple, the main decorations are sculptures of the Buddha in various poses. In the back corner of the room is a narrow staircase leading to the roof. The first thing you notice when you get there is a large pagoda covered with a myriad of golden mosaic tiles.
Around the structure, however, as well as along the entire ascent, huge gongs and bells are installed. You can and even need to call them yourself, because it is believed that this attracts good luck. And the gong can also be simply rubbed with your hand – if you do it correctly, it will emit a smooth beautiful hum, which is considered a sign of purity of soul!
On the top floor of Wat Saket, where the gilded pagoda is located, there is a viewing platform. It offers a surreal circular landscape and panoramic views of Bangkok.
- Exact address: 344 Chakkraphat Diphong Road / Prap Sattru Phai Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Bangkok 10100.
- Golden Mountain can be climbed any day from 07: 30 to 17: 30.
- Entrance to the territory is free, but to enter the building, climb to the pagoda and the observation platform, you must make a donation of 50 baht before starting the ascent. By the way, you do not need to take off your shoes here, as it is customary to do when entering all the sacred places of Thailand.
Experienced tourists recommend making an independent trip to the Golden Mountain in November. Loikratong is celebrated every year in this month in Thailand, so for 2 days in Bangkok there is something to see even more than usual. During the Thai holiday, Wat Saket hosts a large-scale week-long fair, which begins with a spectacular candlelit procession from the base of the hill to the top.
Wat Arun Temple
The Temple of Dawn or Morning Dawn is one of the first places in terms of its significance and beauty out of all 31,200 Buddhist places of worship in Thailand. You should definitely see it, especially since it is quite possible to do it yourself, without a guide.
On the territory of this religious complex there are many skyward pagodas, the most famous of which is Prha Bang with a height of 79 meters. It is decorated with rich carvings, inlaid with pieces of colored glass and porcelain, sea shells and mirrors. Four smaller pagodas line the corners of Phra Bang, and equestrian statues of Vayu (the wind god)are placed in niches. At the very foot of Phra Bang, various statues are placed: traditionally sitting Buddha, animal figures, exotic deities.
The top of the central pagoda, where there is a viewing platform, is reached from each of its sides by rather steep steps. The climb is not easy, but the effort is fully paid off with views of the surrounding area, the Chao Phraya River and Bangkok.
The Museum of Contemporary Art building itself is an architectural masterpiece, and on six floors there are interesting and diverse expositions: sculptures, paintings, installations (it is clear that there are no world masterpieces here). All these fascinating exhibits reflect the worldview of the Thai people, tell about their life and traditions. In the halls, you can take photos yourself, but only without a flash.
There is also a shop that offers a variety of products: refrigerator magnets, picture prints, postcards, photos of Bangkok attractions with descriptions.
- The museum is located near Don Muanaga Airport, at 499 Kamphaengpet 6th Road / Lad Yao, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900.
- Tickets to the museum cost 280 baht, for students 120 baht, and children under the age of 13 and people over the age of 60 can pass for free. A card is issued along with the ticket, and large bags are accepted for storage.
- You can view works of contemporary Thai art on any day except Monday from 10: 00 to 18: 00.
- Official website: mocabangkok.com.
Sea Life Bangkok Aquarium
Many travelers know that Bangkok has the largest oceanarium in Asia. It is better to come here on your own, so that you can have enough time and calmly see all the inhabitants.
Sea Life Bangkok is divided into 7 themed locations, and in huge and very small aquariums live more than 30,000 fish, aquatic mammals and other inhabitants of the sea. There are also activities available to visitors such as swimming with sharks, diving, swimming in a boat with a transparent bottom.
Admission fee: from 801 to 1590 baht, depending on the ticket type.
Before you go on an excursion to the aquarium on your own, it makes sense to learn as much as possible about this attraction by reading the article.
Snake Farm
Even if you are only in Bangkok for 2 days, it makes sense to see such a tourist attraction as Snake Farm on your own. During the trip to the snake farm, you can watch an interesting show with snakes, try dishes made from snake meat, and also buy preparations made on the basis of snake venom or fat.
On the territory of the farm, right on the street, there are enclosures in which snakes live. Sometimes they hide under rocks and can’t be seen at all. And sometimes these coldbloods can be perfectly seen, and they also try to see those who are looking at them-quite creepy, but interesting.
Terrariums are also available indoors, but almost all the snakes contained in them are in the city’s Dusit Zoo.
On the second floor, you can see a really interesting exhibition: a collection of snake skeletons, embalmed embryos, snake eggs, the trunk of a huge python in a section (you can see the internal structure in detail). Visitors are shown videos about the anatomy and reproduction of snakes, as well as how to provide first aid for their bites.
From Monday to Friday, Snake Farm features a snake venom extraction procedure and a 30-minute show featuring different coldblood species. During the show, the snakes are carried out one at a time, some are simply held in their hands, and some are teased with their hands or feet. All these actions are accompanied by stories and comments in English. It should be noted that the schedule of these two events is not very convenient: the poison is extracted at 11:00, and the performance takes place at 14:30 – if you want to see both, you have to wait quite a long time.
- Snake Farm is open to the public from Monday to Friday from 9: 30 to 15: 30.
- Admission for adults is 200 baht, for children-50 baht.
- This landmark is located in Bangkok at 1871 Rama IV Road / Phathumwan, 10330.
- Website: www.saovabha.org.
Lumpini Park
Next to Silom MRT Station (address: Rama 4 Road | Wangmai, Pathumwan) is Lumpini Park. It is open to all comers every day from early morning until sunset, and admission is completely free.
Lumpini Park occupies a huge territory in the heart of the metropolis. It is very beautiful thanks to perfectly manicured lawns and small ponds where you can go boating. Lumpini also has several children’s playgrounds.
Residents of Bangkok come to the park en masse to play sports: early in the morning and after lunch, group classes are held here, in the evenings – jogging, fitness, aerobics. But even during these hours, you can always find places for a secluded holiday.
In the morning, monitor lizards bask in the sun near the park’s reservoirs. If you do not disturb these animals and behave quietly, they calmly pose in front of the cameras of tourists. The local ponds are also home to large turtles.
Baiyoke Sky Observation Deck
“Bayok Sky” is a famous landmark in Bangkok and Thailand, because this building is one of the tallest in the country. The height of the skyscraper is 305 meters.
On the 77th floor there is an observatory equipped with interactive maps and telescopes. From the site, you can see Bangkok and its surroundings all the way to the Gulf of Thailand.
On the last, 84th floor, there is a rotating observation deck (rotates around its axis 360°), from which you can enjoy even more stunning views.
Find out how you can get into Baiyoke Sky on your own, how much it costs to climb to the site, and when it’s best to do it here.
Ratchada Night Market
A peculiar attraction of the capital of Thailand can be considered Night Market Ratchada. It is known for the fact that on its sales aisles you can buy almost everything: disc phones, gramophones and records for them, books, clothes, as well as all kinds of automotive products from used tires to small models of cars of different times. It offers delicious Thai food, cafes with fresh seafood, bars with live music.
Ratchada market prices are low. There are a lot of people, and most of them are locals. There are not so many tourists walking independently among the shopping malls.
- You can find the night market at the following address: next to Ratchada Criminal Court, Ratchadapisek Road, Bangkok.
- It is open from Thursday to Sunday inclusive, from 17: 00 to 01: 00.
Chatuchak Market
This weekend market is located away from the main attraction of Bangkok in the north of the city. It is worth a visit to experience the atmosphere of Thai life. By the way, Chatuchak is the largest market in Thailand. It is visited by about 200 thousand people every weekend.
On more than 15 thousand counters, you can find everything from spices, food and Thai souvenirs, to clothing and home furniture. A separate section sells domestic and exotic animals, such as snakes, spiders, and chameleons. Prices here are much lower than in tourist places.
Next to the market is a large quiet green park with the same name – Chatuchak. Here you can relax after active shopping.
Official website: www.chatuchakmarket.org.
Conclusion
We talked about what to see in Bangkok in the first place, having come here for a short time. Choose the attractions that are of the greatest interest to you, and get to know this stunning metropolis. If you are not interested in independent travel, you can always hire a guide, especially since Thai guides are not too expensive and speak English quite well.