Thailand’s capital is a city of around ten million people spread along the Chao Phraya River. Its two airports, its railway terminal and its bus stations connect to every destination on this site, so most trips start or end here. Give it more than a stopover: beyond the traffic there is a second Bangkok of narrow lanes, wooden houses on stilts and orchards threaded by canals, and the best way to find it is under your own power.
Guided bike tours slip through alleys too small for cars, cross the river by ferry and reach Bang Krachao, a loop of jungle and raised concrete paths known as the city’s green lung. Longtail boats run the old khlongs (canals) of Thonburi. In the evening you can watch muay thai at one of the two historic stadiums, or take a beginners’ class in a working gym the next morning.
Bangkok is also the base for day trips: the ruined temples of Ayutthaya to the north, the waterfalls and railway history of Kanchanaburi to the west and the wildlife of Khao Yai to the north-east.
Highlights
- Cycle the backstreets, canalside paths and temple courtyards with a local guide
- Ride a longtail boat through the Thonburi canals
- Watch a night of muay thai at Rajadamnern Stadium
- Take a beginners’ muay thai class in a real gym
- Eat your way through Chinatown after dark by tuk-tuk
- Day-trip to the temple ruins of Ayutthaya
Bangkok in pictures
How long to stay and where to base yourself
Two full days cover a bike tour, the Grand Palace and Wat Arun, a canal ride and an evening of muay thai or street food. Add a third and fourth day for Ayutthaya and one other day trip.
For sightseeing on foot and by boat, stay near the river or in the Old City (Rattanakosin and Banglamphu). Chinatown puts the best night-time street food at your door. Sukhumvit and Silom have the widest hotel choice and direct BTS Skytrain and MRT links, which matter more than distance in a city with heavy traffic.
