Dynamic, exotic and richly cosmopolitan, Bangkok is one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant travel destinations. As a city of contrasts, this cultural epicentre entices millions of travellers each year to its bountiful markets, luxury hotels, stunning scenery and tantalising cuisine. Where ancient and modern coincide, Bangkok’s glorious golden temples and world-class skyscrapers await. Revel in the frenetic pace as you soak up the sights, shop until you drop then tuk-tuk around town for a zesty slice of Bangkok’s indulgent and risqué nightlife.
1 Thai baht (THB) = 100 satang
Tourist Police: 1155
Police, Ambulance: 191
Fire Brigade: 199
Bangkok Post
The Nation
Thai Examiner
Shops are generally open Mon–Sat 8am–9pm. Banks are generally open Mon–Fri 9:30am–5pm except on public and bank holidays. Banks located in major shopping malls are generally open Mon–Sun, 7 days a week, 10am–7pm.
Approximately 10.5 million
Tourism Authority of Thailand TAT
1600 New Phetchaburi Road, Makkasan, Rajatevee, Bangkok
+66 2 250 5500
Open 8.30am–4.30pm
10.7 million (2022 estimate)
To arrive in Bangkok is to be thrust into the pulsing heart of the Orient, a sprawling mega-city encompassing 50 districts and six ever-expanding provinces.
Known to the Thais as "Krung Thep," South East Asia's own "City of Angels" epitomises the East meets West tradition, where ancient trends blend and thrive with cutting edge sophistication.
Bangkok throbs and pulses with relentless heat and frantic pace as tuk-tuks zip along concrete boulevards and Skytrains zoom overhead. The true engine room behind "Amazing Thailand," this city will amaze, dazzle, and humble the most seasoned global wanderers with its exciting fusion of cultural, spiritual, historical, and cosmopolitan charm.
Dusit is the political core of Thailand, home to lavish architecture and gardens, while Bangkok's rustic "Old Town" Rattanakosin holds must-see sights such as the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and the royal gardens of Sanam Luang.
Glitzy Siam Square carves the city's commercial core with an array of shops, malls, and boutiques–a true shopper's paradise. Multicultural Yaowarat and Pahurat provide a feast for the senses, with the cuisine of Chinatown and a flurry of Indian markets. Sensational Sukhumvit Road roars at night with fine restaurants, bars, and raunchy clubs, while the ever-indelible Khaosan Road area is a delight for budget travellers and revellers alike–buzzing with curbside vendors, stalls, and wild nightspots.
Explore the city like a local and discover the top things to do and see in Bangkok, as well as the best restaurants, bars, nightclubs, cafes, and hotels the Thai capital has to offer, with our comprehensive, up-to-date, and free Bangkok travel guide.
With a relentless array of sights, sounds, scents, and tastes all immersed in a bevvy of hidden treasures, Bangkok has an overwhelming variety of things to discover and absorb. Check out some of the best things to do and see in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Royal Grand Palace
Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)
Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho - Temple of the Reclining Buddha)
Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn)
Wat Saket And Phu Khao Thong (The Golden Mount)
SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World
Lumphini Park
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
Khaosan Road
National Science Museum
Madame Tussauds Bangkok
The Tilleke & Gibbins Museum of Counterfeit Goods
Queen Saovabha Institute Snake Farm
Bangkok Doll Museum
Batcat Museum & Toy Thailand
Democracy Monument
Bangkok Cooking Classes
Chinatown
If nothing else, Bangkok serves as an epicentre of South East Asian culinary sensation, with endless cuisine varieties and flavours to boot. Tantalize your taste buds with a journey through Bangkok's endless flurry of fine restaurants, delectable eateries, and simmering roadside food stalls. Comprising the best places to dine with such a short list is an impossible task. However, here's what each of Bangkok's main culinary areas have to offer the gastronomic aficionado, with a sneak selection of some of the standouts:
Yaowarat Road
Phahurat Road
Siam Square
Sukhumvit Road
Silom Road
Eat Me Restaurant
Suda Restaurant
Baan Khanitha
Le Dalat Indochine
Roti Mataba
Took Lae Dee
Seven Spoons
80/20
Khaosan Road
Well known for its great selection of coffee beans and roasters, Bangkok offers a wide range of cafes. Don't hesitate to take a piece of cake to go with your tea or coffee.
Old Town Cafe Bangkok
Ceresia Coffee Roasters
Gallery Drip Coffee
Unbranded Cafe
Audrey Cafe Glamour
Authors' Lounge at Mandarin Oriental
When the sun comes down, Bangkok is well-versed on how to have a seriously good time.
A city famous for its wild nightlife, Bangkok’s bars, clubs, taverns, and lounges light up the streets, bustling and bursting with action. Partiers and revellers will rejoice with an abundance of rock pubs, jazz cafes, and sleek cocktail bars.
Many nightspots have free entrance, though some more popular venues charge a modest entry fee. The city also yields an array of sophisticated entertainment for more refined pleasure seekers, including Broadway-inspired stage shows, traditional performances, and nighttime river cruises.
Below is a list of the best bars and nightclubs for a fun night out in Bangkok, Thailand:
Khaosan Road Area
The Bamboo Bar
Vertigo and Moon Bar
Sirocco
Phra Nakorn Bar & Gallery
Maggie Choo's
Have we mentioned that Bangkok is a veritable shoppers’ paradise? You’ll find pretty much everything and anything you could ever want, need or desire in this town - from fashion to electronics, novelties and crafts. Hit up and indulge in Bangkok’s enormous array of modern shopping hubs, contemporary stores, cosmopolitan boutiques and exotic, labyrinthine markets for every conceivable consuming penchant.
Clothing & Tailors
Antiques
Mahboonkrong (MBK) Center
Siam Paragon
The Emporium
Siam Centre & Siam Discovery
Pantip Plaza Bangkok
Peninsula Tailors
Jatujak Weekend Market (Chatuchak)
Step One Tailor
Best Time To Visit
If you are looking to avoid holiday crowds, you should visit Bangkok in November and early December. However, note that Bangkok is generally very busy. Rainfall is highest in September and October but the climate is hot and humid throughout the year, making Bangkok the perfect year-round destination.
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Passport/Visa
"Visitors to Thailand need a valid passport and in some cases a visa to enter the country. Nationals of 57 countries are allowed to be in the country from 14 to 90 days without a visa. Nationals of other 21 countries including China, India and Saudi Arabia are granted a visa on arrival, while the remaining need a visa in advance. Check the website below for further information:
www.thaiembassy.com/visa/thailand-visa.php"
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Don Mueang International Airport
Bangkok’s first airport now serves mainly short-haul flights for budget airlines on domestic routes. It lies 25 kilometres north of central Bangkok. There is a 500 metre walkway that connects the International and Domestic terminals, with a free Thai Airways shuttle bus available.
Address: Don Muang International Airport, Bangkok
Email:
Phone: +66 2 535 1192
Website: www.donmueangairport.com
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Suvarnabhumi International Airport
Suvarnabhumi International Airport is a major international gateway to Asia. This immaculate, shining Suvarnabhumi Airport is the newest of Bangkok’s airway hubs. It is located in Samut Prakan Province, just 30 kilometres east of Bangkok. Suvarnabhumi — pronounced soo-WAHN-ah-poom, means ‘golden land’ in Thai — and this new airport welcomes thousands of visitors daily who are anxious to see the country’s golden attractions.
Getting into Bangkok is easy with regular shuttle bus and airport taxi service. The recently opened Suvarnabhumi Airport Link provides direct train service into the terminal city station. Airport Express also provides four main direct bus services to various inner city hotels. A 24-hour public bus service is also provided from the Bus Terminal at the Transport Centre.
Taxis can be found on Level 1 of the terminal. Alternatively, take a shuttle bus (Express route) to the Transport Centre taxi stand.
Address: Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok
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Phone: +66 1722
Website: www.bangkokairportonline.com
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Public Transport
The Skytrain (BTS) is an extensive, modern air-conditioned monorail network. It is composed of two lines that reach the popular destinations of Bangkok. One line stretches east to Sukhumvit Soi 77 at the On Nut terminus all the way north to Jatujak Park and the Northern Bus Terminal at the Mo Chit terminus. Its other line runs from National Stadium at MBK Shopping Centre south across to the west side of the Chao Praya River at the Wongwan Yai terminus. Individual ticket fares are available, as well as a continuous top-up card.
Tuk Tuk
Bangkok’s iconic transport, the three-wheeled mini taxis known as tuk-tuks, are not as common for transport these days. Producing new tuk-tuks has been banned by the government due to the pollution they produce. However, these three-wheeler ‘mobile lawnmowers’ are a true adventure ride. Let your locks flow in the breeze as you absorb the sights, sounds and frenetic chaos of Bangkok’s bustling roads in these hair-raising open-air carts. Price depends on distance, time of day (peak hour afternoons) and the mood of the driver. A common offer by tuk-tuk drivers is a ride around the city for a good price as long as you stop off at an over-priced tailor or jeweller afterward. Be wary of these offers.
Bus
Bus lines are a very common form of transport for locals getting to work and around the city. For visitors from foreign countries, it is less ideal as the lines follow major traffic arteries that are often clogged with traffic. The bus routes aren’t laid out in English, so find a Thai speaker to help out with getting from here to there. The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority does have a website in English for bus numbers that reach popular tourist attractions.
www.bmta.co.th
Envisioned as a key rail artery from the city districts to Bangkok’s major airline hub, commercial airport link services connect Suvarnabhumi Airport and Makkasan area in downtown Bangkok.
The express service is a 15-minute non-stop journey between the City. Alternatively, the commuter rail service is expected to make stops at eight different stations along the network, connecting with both the subway and Skytrain services.
www.bangkokairporttrain.com
MRT
The underground MRT train line runs north to south and covers the eastern edge of the city that the Skytrain doesn’t serve. Its northern terminus is Bang Sue Station in the Northern Bus Terminal/Jatujak Park area. Its southern terminus takes passengers to the edge of Chinatown (Yaowarat) at Hua Lamphong Station.
www.bangkokmetro.co.th
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Taxi
Taxis are readily available all over the city. Make sure the driver shows a working meter prior to the ride. Avoid touts offering a taxi service for a fixed fee, which is illegal and unsafe.
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Post
Generally, post offices are open from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm, though some refuse international parcel shipments after 3.30 pm. Many shopping centres and stores will send purchases from their locations during their business hours.
Main Post Office:
Address: Charoen Krung Road, Bangkok
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Phone: +66 233 1050
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Pharmacy
Thailand pharmacies are exceptional with most pharmacists speaking excellent English. In tourist areas, many stay open until midnight or 1 am. Bangkok pharmacies will generally sell most medicines over the counter without prescription.
The Southeast Pharmacy (directly across from Nana complex):
Address: 207, 209 Sukhumvit Rd, Khwaeng Khlong Toei Nuea, Khet Watthana, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Bangkok
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Phone: +66 2 250 0651
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Telephone
Country code: +66
Area code central Bangkok: 02
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Electricity
220 Volts
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