Things to do in Bangkok — and where to stay

Start in the old royal quarter — the Grand Palace, Wat Pho with its reclining Buddha, and Wat Arun across the river — then spend an evening eating your way through Chinatown. For a base, Sukhumvit or Silom are the most convenient for transport; the riverside is the most atmospheric.

The big temples

• The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew. The former royal residence is a dazzling complex of gold, mosaics and carving. Inside the grounds is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha — a small statue of green jade that is Thailand's most sacred image. The dress code is enforced: covered shoulders and knees, or you won't get past the gate.
• Wat Pho. Home of the giant reclining Buddha covered in gold leaf, and the historic home of traditional Thai massage — the temple's massage school is a good place to try one.
• Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). The riverside tower decorated with pieces of porcelain. Climb the steep steps for the river view, or watch it light up at sunset from the opposite bank. A cross-river ferry links it with Wat Pho.
• Wat Saket (Golden Mount). A golden chedi on a man-made hill, reached by a path lined with bells. Breezy and with a fine view over the old town.
• Wat Prayoon. A quiet white stupa with a turtle pond; few tourists.

Chinatown and street food

Yaowarat, Bangkok's Chinatown, is chaos perfected: neon characters, crammed alleys and, after dark, a main street that turns into one huge open-air restaurant. Follow the longest queues. Next door, Talat Noi is one of the oldest quarters, with street art on peeling walls, piles of old car parts and cafés in old shophouses. The renovated Ong Ang Canal nearby makes a pleasant evening walk.

What to eat: pad thai, tom yum (sour, spicy, fragrant — from street stalls to fine dining) and mango sticky rice for dessert.

Markets

• Chatuchak Weekend Market — one of the biggest markets in the world: clothes, décor, plants, food. Haggle, and remember which gate you came in by.
• Jodd Fairs — the trendy night market for food (the spicy pork ribs are famous). It has moved before, so check the current location.
• Maeklong Railway Market — a day trip outside the city: vendors fold their awnings seconds before a train rolls through the market.

Modern Bangkok: malls, rooftops and green spaces

• Mahanakhon Skywalk — a glass floor at the top of one of the city's tallest buildings, with a rooftop bar.
• Rooftop bars along Sukhumvit and Silom; the viral Tichuca with its glowing tree has long queues.
• Siam Paragon and the malls of Siam Square — air-conditioned escapes from the heat, with an aquarium in the basement.
• Lumphini Park — joggers, swan boats and large monitor lizards roaming the lawns (harmless if left alone).
• Bang Krachao — the "green lung", a jungle-like river bend where high-rises are banned. Rent a bike and ride the narrow paths.
• Ari — a low-rise neighborhood of design cafés, and The Commons in Thonglor for food and craft beer.
• Khaosan Road — the legendary backpacker street; noisy, grubby and fun for one evening.

Further afield: Ancient Siam (Muang Boran), an open-air park of replica temples and palaces from all over Thailand; the pink 17-story Wat Sam Phran wrapped in a dragon; and Baan Silapin, the Artist's House on a Thonburi canal with traditional puppet shows.

Bangkok in 1 or 2 days

Day 1. Grand Palace early, Wat Pho, ferry to Wat Arun. Late lunch, rest in the hotel through the hottest hours, then sunset on the river and dinner in Chinatown.

Day 2. Chatuchak (if it's the weekend) or Bang Krachao by bike, afternoon at Siam malls or Lumphini Park, sunset from a rooftop or the Golden Mount, night market in the evening.

With a third day, go to Maeklong or Ancient Siam, or spend it in Talat Noi and Ari. Many travelers use Bangkok as a stopover on the way to the beach — compare Phuket's areas and Pattaya's areas.

Where to stay in Bangkok

Rule of thumb: stay near a Skytrain (BTS) or metro (MRT) station or a river pier. Bangkok traffic is famous for a reason, and being a short walk from public transport saves hours.

Getting around and practical tips

• Skytrain, metro and boats. The BTS Skytrain and the MRT metro cover most areas tourists need; river boats along the Chao Phraya link the riverside hotels with the old town. For the BTS you may still need a Rabbit card or single tickets, while the MRT and the airport rail link accept contactless bank cards — check the current rules.
• Taxis. Use Grab or Bolt to avoid haggling and meter arguments.
• From the airport. Suvarnabhumi (BKK) is connected to the city by the Airport Rail Link; Don Mueang (DMK), used by many budget airlines, has rail and bus links.
• Arrival card. Thailand has switched to a digital arrival card (TDAC). Fill it in only on the official government website — sites that charge for it are middlemen.
• When to go. The cooler, drier months from about November to February are the most comfortable; April is the hottest; the rainy season brings afternoon downpours.
• Temple etiquette. Cover shoulders and knees, take off your shoes where asked, never touch anyone's head, and don't point your feet at a Buddha image.

The scam to know: "The palace is closed today"

A friendly, well-dressed local near a temple tells you the Grand Palace is closed today — a holiday, a ceremony, a royal visit — and kindly suggests a tuk-tuk tour instead. The tour ends at a tailor or a jewelry shop that pays him commission. The palace is almost certainly open: walk to the official entrance and see for yourself. This is one of the world's most widespread scams; others are in common tourist scams and how to avoid them.

Bangkok in TripGist

TripGist maps Bangkok's nine neighborhoods with their character, from Rattanakosin to Ari and Bang Krachao, plus the temples, markets, rooftops and hidden spots like Talat Noi and Wat Prayoon, what to eat, transport tips and the scams. Free, no ads, on iPhone and Android.