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When people tell me they hate Bangkok, I understand. When I first went to Bangkok in 2006, I despised the city and couldn’t wait to get out.

It’s not the best tourist city in the world. Outside of shopping and a few temples, there’s not much to do. Plus, it’s dirty and it smells.

It wasn’t until I lived in the city that I really fell in love with it.

Bangkok is not a city that opens itself up easily, and most people spend just a day or two here before leaving to go to the islands or the jungle. But while as a tourist you may not need tons of time to “see” the city, Bangkok has more than a few days’ worth of temples and activities.

Bangkok may not have lot of “tourist attractions” the way that Paris, London, NYC, and Buenos Aires do but that’s OK. Bangkok is not that kind of city – this is a place to wander, eat, and imbibe. It doesn’t have to be a love-it-or-hate-it city but it is worth seeing.

Here’s my suggested itinerary for the City of Angels that will have you ticking off the major sites and some of the lesser known ones too:

Day One

The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun

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Start your visit to the city with a tour of the Grand Palace (Royal Palace) and neighboring Wat Pho, home to the famous reclining Buddha and massage school. The Royal family doesn’t live in the palace (it’s only used for official state functions) and you can’t go into any of the buildings, but wandering the grounds and open temples is worth the visit. It’s beautiful and the craftsmanship in the architecture is amazing. Go first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds.

Afterwards, wander down the street to Wat Pho and the famous reclining Buddha (as well as the famous Golden Buddha). The Wat Pho complex fills a city block so while seeing the statues doesn’t take long, you could spend a solid hour wandering the maze-like temple grounds.

Next, head across the river to Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) and get stellar views of the city from atop the temple. It’s my favorite temple in the city because of the view!

Note: Be sure to wear clothes that cover your legs and shoulders; it’s considered disrespectful to wear revealing clothes. If you don’t, you can rent pants or shirts at the palace. At Wat Pho, they give them out for free.

Cruise the river

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Take a tour of the Chao Phraya river, a relaxing and beautiful experience that shouldn’t be skipped. Don’t take an overpriced tour, though. You can ride the water taxi up and down the river for around 20 baht (less than $1 USD). Start at the central pier, go to the end, and come back. Presto! Instant tour!

Tour the temples

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Bangkok has a lot of beautiful temples. Hire a tuk-tuk driver to take you around for the day to see the temples. Just make sure he doesn’t take you shopping along the way — drivers get kickbacks if they bring customers into certain shops. They can be annoying about this but stay firm! This is often the cheapest and most efficient way to see the temples throughout Bangkok. My favorite temples are if you want to check them out: 

Wat Saket and the Golden Mount
Wat Traimit
Wat Benchamabophit
Wat Kalayanamit

Visit Khao San Road

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The backpacker capital of the world, this road (along with Soi Rambuttri) in Bangkok is where you’ll find endless bars, shops, street food, international restaurants, vendors, locals, and activity all day and all night. It’s also a popular spot on the weekend for Thais. I personally like the quieter Soi Rambuttri, but Khao San is an awesome place to sit outside and meet other travelers. Be sure to visit Brick Bar, the hidden-away Thai ska bar where only locals go.


Thank you for reading day #2 to follow tommorow.