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Wat Arun in Bangkok
The Temple of the Dawn or Wat Arun towers 260 ft above the Chao Phraya River. With fabulous views of the rising and setting sun and of the city's main attractions, the temple is one of Bangkok's major tourist attractions after the Grand Palace.
It is possible to climb the temple for views across the river to the Grand Palace and beyond, but its narrow steps are not for the faint-hearted.
Location: Located near the West bank of the Chao Phraya, opposite to Tha Thien Pier.Things to Keep in Mind: Once inside the temple grounds, visitors must be appropriately dressed and must remove their footwear.
Timings: The temple is opened from 9 AM to 5:30 PM.
Mega reclining Buddha at Wat Pho
Sightseeing in Bangkok is not complete without the Wat Pho which is the host of the largest reclining Buddha in the city. It is Thailand’s earliest center for the public education, and has the largest collection of images of Buddha.
Covering the 8 hectares of area, Wat Pho has various tourist sites, for example, Th Chetuphon and monastic facilities.
The temple compound is also the headquarters for the education of traditional Thai medicine, Thai massage, etc. It is amongst the highly visited Thailand tourist places.
Location: Wat Pho is located in the Phra Nakhon district on the Rattanakosin Island. To reach there, you can take a ferry from the Tien Pier.
Timings: 8.30 AM to 6.30 PM
Price: To enter into this beautiful Buddhist temple and behold the largest reclining Buddha in Thailand, you will have to pay an admission fee of 100 THB
Dusit Palace
Among all the tourist places in Bangkok Dusit Palace is the one you should not miss. It is a large, spacious complex of Palaces, mansions and throne halls build in Bangkok at the start of the 20th century. The Grand Palace had been the residence of Thai Kings since the founding of the Rattanakosin Kingdom and its capital Bangkok in 1782.
With the number of buildings and residents growing at the Grand Palace, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) decided to have a new Palace build.
Location: Visit Palace is located in the Dusit district , a few kilometers North of the old Rattanakosin area with the Grand Palace.
Getting There: By far the easiest and most comfortable way to get there is by air conditioned metered taxi.
Timings: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Price: 100 Baht
Swim With Sharks at Siam Ocean World
Siam Ocean World Aquarium is the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia. It is one of the finest places to visit in Bangkok. Boasting More than 400 species of fish, crustaceans and even penguins populate this vast underground facility.
Diving with sharks is also an option if you have your diving licence, and there are shark and penguin feedings. Among all the things to do in Thailand, this is the most recommendable.
Location: Siam Ocean World Aquarium is located at Siam Paragon.
Things to keep in mind: Try carrying an extra set of clothes and towels.
Price: Costs around 700 BAHT for Foreigners and 200 BAHT for Nationals
Royal Thai Elephant Museum
A national symbol and a deeply revered animal in Thailand remain to be the elephant. Tradition dictates that a white elephant should belong to the monarch and becomes their exclusive property. Considered a symbol of prestige and wealth, the white elephant is an albino of the Siamese elephant. the grounds of the Dusit Palace. Formally the building was used as the stables of the royal elephants, but today has been converted in to a museum, which is made up of two buildings.
The first building will give visitors insight in to the history of royal elephants and how the animals are classified. Several artifacts, photographs and figurines can also be found in the first building. The second building has a display model of a white elephant in full royal regalia along with other artifacts. Another highlight of the museum remains to be the fine display of elephant tusks, the longest is said to be 290 cm in length and once belonged to the auspicious white elephants.
Location: Dusit Palace Park, Th Ratchawithi
Approximate Price: Adult- 100 baht , Child 20 baht with free Grand Palace ticket.
Timings: 9:30 am to 4:00 pm
Shop till You Drop at Chatuchak Market
Once only popular among wholesalers and traders, Chatuchak Weekend Market has reached a landmark status as a must-visit place for tourists. Its sheer size and diverse collections of merchandise will bring any seasoned shoppers to their knees – this is where you can literally shop ‘till you drop’.
If you have one weekend in Bangkok, squeeze in a day trip to Chatuchak Weekend Market and you will not be disappointed. There is a system to help you navigate your way through Chatuchak. Inside, one main walkway encircles the entire market, and it branches off into a series of numbered alleyways called Soi 1, Soi 2, Soi 3, and so on.
Highlights: There is an information centre along with ATMs and foreign-exchange booths at the Chatuchak Park Office. Schematic maps and toilets are located throughout the market. The whole market is divided into sections to make it easier to explore.
Location: The Phahonyothin, Bangkok
Timings: Open from Saturday to Sunday from 9:00 to 18:00
Golden Buddha at Wat Traimit
Wat Traimit is one of the most favourite tourist destinations in Bangkok. It has an impressive 5.5?tonne and 3m?tall, solid?gold image of Buddha. The image is sculpted in an elegant Sukhothai style and was discovered around 40 years ago. The statue of Buddha in Wat Traimit is housed in a new marble structure, which is of four?storey.
If you are interested in beholding the way the statue was made, there is Phra Buddha Maha Suwanna Patimakorn Exhibition on the second floor of temple. On the other hand, the third floor of temple highlights the multimedia exhibits on the Chinatown of Bangkok and its inhabitants. It is said that the temple is dated back to early 13th century.
Location: The temple is located at Th Mittaphap Thai?China. There are various options to reach there. You can either take a metro or ferry from the Ratchawong Pier.
Timings: 8 AM to 5 PM
Price: To get into the temple, you may have to spend 40 THB
Royal Barge Museum
Tucked away just inside a canal across the river from the Grand Palace is the Royal Barge Museum. Here are displayed just eight of the over 50 barges that make up formal processions. That may seem like a lot, but during the Ayutthaya period, when the river was the main means of transport, royal barges apparently numbered in the thousands.
The barges on display vary in size and function. The most important of all is the Suppanahong, or 'Golden Swan,' with its figurehead prow in the shape of a huge golden swan.
Location: Khlong Bangkok Noi
Approximate Price: Admission to the museum is 100 Baht (2.81 USD) per person. If you want to take pictures, there's an additional fee of 100 Baht for a camera or 200 Baht for a video recorder.
Timings: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm every day.
Getting There: The best way to get to the museum is by boat. If you take the regular Express Boat service, the nearest stop is Pinklao Bridge Pier, although this involves a long winding walk along a narrow concrete walkway over the swampy land.
Soi Cowboy
Soi Cowboy is one of the best known designated entertainment nightlife districts in Bangkok. It is also one of the most visited tourist attraction in Bangkok. It is a short street, approximately 150 metres long, and is (technically) closed to traffic at night. Be prepared to be tugged on by dozens of ladies as you enter the threshold of Soi Cowboy.
This widely popular red light zone was just recently renovated and enjoying a surge in visitors as a result. It is filled with good restraints and numerous bars serving reasonably priced alcohol and cheap beer.
Location: On the corner of Asoke and Sukhumvit road.
Approximate Price: 110THB to 150THB for beer and entry into every bar is free.
Timings: Opens at 6 PM. Closes at 1 AM to 2 AM
Floating Market Bangkok
Almost every traveller visiting Bangkok for the first time has this ardent urge to visit these unique shopping areas conducted from the traditional boats. Despite the fact that sellers are more worried about tourists as compared to local people nowadays, the floating markets of Bangkok are still heaped with tropical fruits and vegetables, ready to drink coconut juice and local food cooked from floating kitchens found right on the vessel.
It might sound strange but there are different varieties of floating markets in Bangkok. While most of them begin their operations early morning at around 05:00 AM, rest remain open till noon as well. Well, it is best advised to sit and relax without any bargaining over prices, you can even opt for a guided boat tour to Bang Khu Wiang, Bang Nam Pheung, Damnoen Saduak, Khlong Lat Mayom and various other beautiful and impressive floating markets. It is a highly visited tourist place in Bangkok.
Best Time: These stunning markets are operational throughout the year. Weekends are the ideal time to visit, DamnoenSaduak, Amphawa, Taling Chan and Khlong Lat Mayom are the four major floating markets in Bangkok and is advisable to visit them early in the morning so as to avoid overcrowding tourists.
Location: Floating markets are located throughout Bangkok and surrounding provinces Things to keep in mind: Depending on the market you chose to visit, ensure that you are aware with the opening and closing timings of different markets. Also, some markets operate on weekends, make sure that you are well aware of the fact. Bargaining is a tough job here and is time-consuming also, thus, is recommended that you do a slight research before jumping onto
the price argument with the vendors
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