Bangkok - Sights and attractions

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Bangkok is a huge and modern city humming with nightlife and fervour. Most of Bangkok's sights are concentrated in the Old City on Rattanakosin Island. Out of Bangkok's hundreds of temples, the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun usually make up the top 3.

Top 10 things to do in Bangkok!

Here you'll find various famous landmarks and attractions of Bangkok. You can find all kind of interesting facts and information about some of the city's most remarkable landmarks.

National Museum Bangkok

The history of the National Museum Bangkok dates back to 1874 when His Majesty, King Rama V opened the first public "museum" to exhibit the royal collection of King Rama IV, and other objects of general interest, at the Concordia Pavilion inside the Grand Palace. Later, the museum was transferred to its present site, the "Wang Na", or "Palace to the Front" which had been the palace of the Prince Successor. In 1926, it was named the "Bangkok Museum" and subsequently developed into the National Museum Bangkok, when it came under the direction of the Department of Fine Arts in 1934. read more...

Wat Pho

Wat Pho is the one of the largest and oldest wat in Bangkok (with an area of 50 rai, 80,000 square metres), and is home to more than one thousand Buddha images, as well as one of the largest single Buddha images: the Reclining Buddha. read more...

Wat Arun

Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, is one of Bangkok's best known landmark. It stands on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River in Thon Buri. Wat Arun is best seen from the opposite bank of the river; it glistens in the sunlight during the day and stands dark and noble at dawn or dusk.

Siam Paragon

Siam Paragon Thai is one of the biggest shopping centers in Asia located in Bangkok, Thailand. It includes a wide range of specialty stores and restaurants as well as a multiplex movie theater and the Siam Ocean World aquarium (the largest aquarium in South East Asia) and an exhibition hall and the Thai Art Gallery and also an opera concert hall. It also has a large bowling alley and karaoke center.

Lumpini Park

Lumpini Park is located in the heart of Bangkok, at the junction of Rama IV and Ratchadamri roads. It has an area of 140-acre (0.57 sq.km). The park has an artificial lake where visitors can rent boats. A track around the lake is a popular area for bicycling. In front of the park is the monument of King Rama VI, built in 1941. It has the city's first public library and dance hall. During winter time, the Palm Garden of Lumphini Park becomes the site for the annual Concert in the Park festival featuring classical music by the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and other bands.

The Grand Palace

The Grand Palace has an area of 218,400 sq. metres and is surrounded by walls built in 1782. The length of the four walls is 1,900 metres. Within these walls are situated government offices and the Chapel Royal of the Emerald Buddha besides the royal residences. Visitors are requested to be dressed properly and appropriately upon entering the ground of the Bhubing Palace.

The Jim Thompson House

The Jim Thompson House, now a museum, is the second most popular tourist attraction in Bangkok, surpassed only by the Grand Palace in visitor attendance. The former residence of the American expat Jim Thompson is a kind of ideal-house in Thai-style, and a nice escape from the traffic chaos elsewhere in downtown. Entry is 100 baht and it is easily accessed by the National Stadium Skytrain station. From there, walk 200 meters north into Soi Kasemsan 1.

Ratchadamnoen Boxing Stadium

Thailand’s national sport has stretched all over the world – at last count over 80 countries had national associations – and its popularity is never stronger than in Bangkok itself. If you want to go, contact your hotel concierge, who can usually arrange tickets and transport for you.

Chao Phraya River tours

A trip to Bangkok would never be complete without a trip down the Chao Phraya River on one of the many river boats. You can get on at any of the major piers along the river, although the best tours can be found at the major piers like Tha Chang, Tha Tian and the Wat Arun Pier. Read more...

Royal Barge Museum

Housed in a big boat shed, the barges on show are apparently brought out for special occasions, but here you can get a good close-up look at them out of the water. There are eight different barges on show dating back as far as late 1800s and several were apparently used on occasions for war.