Stories · Thailand
3 days in Bangkok
Told the way I’d tell a friend, step by step.
Bangkok is where I ate the best meals of my life, on a plastic stool, for next to nothing. The golden temples, the canals, the markets: it is all there, but it is the joyful chaos that carries you away. Get up early for the temples, sleep in the afternoon, live at night.
Day 1 · Fresh air
Early in the morning, meet me at Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Rajwaramahawihan. Bring water, shoes that hold, and no watch. Unmissable, and for good reason. Travellers give it 4.7 out of 5 (38,348 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. Practical: the public-transport route · what visitors say.
Late morning, head to The Grand Palace. This is the breath of the trip. Even one hour changes the day. Everyone goes; everyone is right. 4.6 out of 5 across 80,651 reviews: few places are this unanimous. Practical: here is the route by public transport, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your visit or compare on Tiqets.
At lunchtime, stay around Bangkok 10200: a noisy room, a dish of the day, and you’ve understood everything.
After lunch, I make my way to Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan. Cross the river by shuttle boat for a few baht, climb the steep steps, and come back to see it lit up from the opposite bank at dinner. Travellers give it 4.7 out of 5 (45,474 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. To get organised: how to get there; skip-the-line get your tickets in advance, otherwise also check Tiqets.
In the evening, let go: a terrace, a walk, and Bangkok does the rest.
Day 2 · The icons
To start, it’s Wat Saket Ratchawora Mahawihan. It’s the kind of place that makes you go quiet for a moment, even when you thought you knew it all. Everyone goes; everyone is right. 4.7 out of 5 across 8,200 reviews: few places are this unanimous. To get organised: here is the route by public transport; skip-the-line book your tickets, otherwise go through Tiqets.
Around noon, it’s centralwOrld. You’ve seen it a hundred times in pictures; in person it is bigger, closer, more alive. Everyone goes; everyone is right. Travellers give it 4.5 out of 5 (79,000 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. To get organised: the public-transport route; skip-the-line book your visit, otherwise also check Tiqets.
Lunch without a plan: the first noisy room you pass is often the right one.
Later, meet me at Wat Trai Mit Witthayaram Worawihan. Take the time to walk all the way around it; the best views are rarely at the entrance. Unmissable, and for good reason. 4.6 out of 5 across 23,000 reviews: few places are this unanimous. Practical: the public-transport route, and if you’d rather skip the queue, get your tickets in advance or go through Tiqets.
To end the day, Rooftop at sunset: The city from above, a drink in hand, the storm rumbling in the distance in the rainy season: a Bangkok cliché, and a good one. To get organised: the public-transport route; skip-the-line get your tickets in advance, otherwise go through Tiqets.
Day 3 · Day trip
In the morning, meet me at Safari World. The kids will still be talking about it weeks later. So will the adults, though they admit it less. Everyone goes; everyone is right. Practical: here is the route by public transport, and if you’d rather skip the queue, get your tickets in advance or go through Tiqets.
Then, it’s Bangkok World. It’s the kind of place that makes you go quiet for a moment, even when you thought you knew it all. Travellers give it 4.5 out of 5 (498 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. To get organised: the public-transport route; skip-the-line get your tickets in advance, otherwise compare on Tiqets.
If you’re still hungry
I still have a few up my sleeve: The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Chatuchak Weekend Market, SEA LIFE Bangkok, Jim Thompson House Museum, Asiatique The Riverfront Warehouse 7 and Lumphini Park. Your call.
My advice
The BTS and MRT avoid the traffic jams; the express boat on the Chao Phraya is the most beautiful transport in the city.
Street food is safe when it boils and cooks in front of you: it is also the best.
An hour’s foot massage at the end of the day costs the price of a coffee in Europe: indulge.
Safe travels. And get lost at least once; that is where Bangkok begins.
A Triovol story · written by someone who would go back tomorrow
Opening hours, prices and closures change: a quick look at the venue’s website before you go avoids bad surprises.