With impressive architecture, sprawling markets and fascinating museums dotted throughout the city Bangkok has a lot to keep guests occupied during the day before its renowned nightlife gets underway. The majestic Grand Palace and the enduring Wat Arun are amongst probably the most photographed landmarks in South East Asia and offer an interesting introduction to the Far East for the thousands of vacationers reserving cheap Bangkok Flights each year.
Temples & Palaces
Lots of Bangkok’s most famous architectural points of interest lie in and around the winding Chao Praya River in the Old Town area of the city. These are within simple reach of the popular backpacking hang-out Khao San Road and properly linked to other areas of the city by water taxi.
Wat Arun
The five spires of Wat Arun (aka the Temple of Dawn - pictured above) tower over the adjacent river; a picture which takes pleasure of place in lots of a vacation photo album. The temple consists of 4 intricately adorned and narrow spires that surround a taller central spire. This taller spire will be scaled utilizing the steep flight of stairs carved into the stone.
Wat Arun looks notably spectacular at sunset though the quietest time to visit is early in the morning from 8.30 am onwards however before the crowds arrive.
The Grand Palace
Arguably the must-see sight of a trip to Bangkok, The Grand Palace (essential image) was xconstructed in 1782 and was residence to the Thai king for 150 years. Nowadays the palace is a well-liked tourist attraction that houses the majestic Emerald Buddha, a statue carved from an enormous block of jade that dates back to 15th century AD. Only the king of Thailand can come into contact with the statue, which is testament to its revered status. It’s housed inside the Wat Phra Kaew - the most revered Buddhist temple in Thailand.
Wat Sacket
Wat Saket (aka the Golden Mount) combines distinctive architecture with panoramic views over the city. It’s a 300 step climb to the top of the overgrown man-made hill that sprouts incongruously from the encompassing concrete, but the view is certainly well worth the climb to look out over the city.
November is a particularly attention-grabbing time to go to Wat Saket when it hosts a traditional temple fair and an annual Buddha worshipping ceremony. Crowds of worshippers gather to the temple during this era and it’s best to visit during the day.
Wat Pho
Just 10 minutes from The Grand Palace is Wat Pho - a calming temple on the banks of the Chao Praya River. The golden reclining Buddha statue is the centrepiece of Wat Pho which stands at 15 metres tall. It is also an important place to experience a standard Thai massage - a extra intense take on the enjoyable western version.
Markets
The considered markets in Thailand conjures up photographs of boats gently floating alongside slim canals selling recent produce. Whilst some of the finest-identified floating markets require a day journey from Bangkok there are some attention-grabbing markets to go to within the city itself.
Chatuchak Market
This vast 35 acre market features over 9,000 market stalls every weekend and sells pretty much anything you'll be able to imagine. It’s divided into 27 sections with a big walkway circling the outside of the market and numbered alleyways to help newcomers discover their bearings around.
Anyone ready to haggle can depart Chatuchak with a number of fantastic bargains. The market will get significantly scorching throughout the warmer months of April and May so it’s a good suggestion to reach early and discount hunt before it warms up.
Bang Nam Pheung
Tucked away in a horseshoe of the Chao Praya River, the Bang Nam Pheung market is full of all sorts of attention-grabbing local produce - the fascinating array of unique fruit will likely be an eye-opener for anyone new to Asia.
Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
This has the allure of a small localised market and isn’t as touristy as among the more frequented floating markets that surround the city. A lot of the market is stationed on land but there is a number of small boats that float alongside, cooking-up delicious Thai food.
Museums
Jim Thomson’s House
Anybody that’s trying to delve a little deeper into Thai culture ought to pay a visit to one of Bangkok’s intriguing museums.
Jim Thompson’s House is definitely an unlikely title for a vacationer attraction but this former of residence of a US expat homes a formidable assortment of artefacts, historic wall hangings and different attention-grabbing objects.
The Museum of Siam is an interactive narration of Thai identity. There are many interactive games to maintain both youngsters and adults entertained, like excavating a mock archaelogical site and firing historical weapons. Bangkok National Museum is extra traditional fare, housing relics from hundreds of years of Thai historical past including ornate royal chariots.
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