Step into the mesmerizing city of Bangkok, where the essence of Thailand’s past and present converge in a harmonious symphony of culture and modernity. Bangkok is a city of striking contrasts, where gleaming skyscrapers coexist with centuries-old temples, and the traditional charm of markets and street vendors mingles with the excitement of a vibrant nightlife. Here, you’ll explore the historic Grand Palace, adorned with intricate details and colorful mosaics, and then dive into sampling the tantalizing street food dishes like pad thai, curries, and mango sticky rice.
In this guide, we’ll delve into the warm hospitality of the Thai people and their deep respect for traditions, as well as their forward-looking vision for a bright and prosperous future. With its unique blend of cuisine, culture, history, and modernity, Bangkok is a city that never fails to enthrall and surprise.
When I am researching activities and things to see in a new city, I wish I found more itineraries that ranked the list of activities they recommend. Everyone’s time is different in a new city and it’s important to be able to prioritize activities that are a MUST versus activities that are nice, but could possibly be skipped. I like to schedule my days and build an itinerary with one MUST item, one TRY TO DO item, and one SKIP item a day in case something happens or we are too tired, we can always hit the MUST item and SKIP the item that’s not as important.
★★★ MUST SEE
★★ TRY TO DO
★ SKIP (BUT WORTH IF YOU HAVE TIME)
★★★ Grand Palace/Wat Phra Kaew
★★★ ICONSIAM
★★ Wat Pho
★★ Boat Ride
★ Thai Massages
★ Wat Saket
Use these jumps to navigate to a specific day or just keep scrolling to read the full itinerary!
When: August 2023
Who: My husband and I for our honeymoon (2 adults)
Where we stayed: Erewan area
Day 1 Information ~
Grand Hyatt Erewan ~ reserve your hotel room ahead of time
Arrive in Bangkok: We arrived in Bangkok BKK at 4:50PM. As soon as we received our luggage, we stood in line at the taxi stand and got a taxi. It was about a $12 ride (including tolls which you have to pay for). There was heavy traffic since it was rush hour so we arrived at our hotel about an hour later. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Erawan.
Check in: The Grand Hyatt Erawan is a very nice hotel near the Erawan shrine. We used our points to pay for our nights here. I believe it was around 12,000 Hyatt points a night which is a good price. Check in was easy and this hotel is definitely luxury; I absolutely recommend it.
Dinner: We ended up just eating Thai dinner at the hotel after settling in. The name of the restaurant was You&Mee and it was surprisingly good for a hotel restaurant.
Day 2 Information ~
Grand Palace ~ purchase tickets ahead of time
Blue Elephant Dinner ~ make dinner reservations
Grand Palace: We started our morning going to the Grand Palace which is a magnificent historically significant complex situated in the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. It is a dazzling architectural masterpiece and a cultural treasure. The Grand Palace complex has multiple buildings, but the most important to see is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Phra Kaew. When visiting the Grand Palace, you MUST dress respectfully. Modest clothing that covers shoulders, arms, and knees is required. Hats and sunglasses must be removed before entering. Shoes must be removed when entering some of the temples. I suggest arriving early as this is a major tourist attraction and can be quite crowded during peak hours. The Grand Palace opens every day from 8:30AM to 3:30PM and one adult ticket costs 500 baht ($15). I did purchase these tickets ahead of time online. We arrived around 9AM and it was already very crowded; we stayed just under 2 hours.
Wat Pho: Right next to the Grand Palace is the Wat Pho so we left and walked right over to Wat Pho (about a 5 minute walk). Wat Pho is a historic and revered Buddhist temple and features the Reclining Buddha which is a must see. The Wat Pho is like the Grand Palace where it is a vast complex that includes multiple courtyards and smaller temples to explore. When visiting Wat Pho, you MUST dress respectfully. Modest clothing that covers shoulders, arms, and knees is required. Wat Pho is open to visitors from 8AM to 5:30PM. This temple you can do later as it’s not as big of a tourist attraction as the Grand Palace and was way less crowded. One adult ticket cost around 200 baht or around $5. We paid cash for our tickets and bought them when we arrived. We spent about one hour here exploring then left to get lunch.
Lunch: We exited Wat Pho from the opposite side of the entrance, toward the river. I had found a restaurant on Google that was walking distance. This restaurant was named Kway Chap Tha Tian and it was seriously some amazing Thai food. My husband and I both got full entrees and Thai teas all for under $10! I definitely recommend this restaurant if you are near the Grand Palace or Wat Pho.
Boat Ride: After lunch, we walked to the boat stop along the Chao Phraya river to ride it upstream to ICONSIAM. The walk to get to the boat stop was about 10 minutes. It wasn’t too busy and we paid for one way tickets upon arrival. It was 15 baht per person (.40 cents). It was super fun to take a boat as public transportation and even though our boat was late, it was still a quick and easy way to get across the river.
ICONSIAM: We spent several hours at ICONSIAM. This mega mall is a prominent and luxurious shopping and entertainment complex located in Bangkok, Thailand, situated on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. It’s a remarkable destination that offers world-class shopping, a wide array of dining options, cultural attractions, and stunning riverfront views. There was a michelin starred Thai Tea stand called Pang Cha and it was very yummy Thai tea. We spent our time walking around and shopping; there’s also local vendors selling handmade jewelry, purses, etc. located on the bottom floor of the mall. The mall is open from 10AM-10PM.
Dinner: We wanted to go to a fancy dinner while on our trip and we chose to go to Blue Elephant and participate in their Chef’s Tasting Menu. This cost about $77 per person and was the best meal we had on the trip. The restaurant has multiple Michenlin stars and the staff were over the top in hospitality. The tasting menu is always rotating due to whatever is fresh at the moment, but my favorite meal was the crab curry on a charcoal bun! I definitely recommend this restaurant if you are in Bangkok. We also got a few drinks which were delicious. Blue Elephant opens at 5PM and our reservations were for 5:30PM. After dinner, we took public transportation home.
Wat Saket: We decided to have a more chill day today so first we started the day by going to Wat Saket around 10AM. We used a ride sharing app called Grab to get a ride to Wat Saket. The Golden Mount Temple is a significant and historic Buddhist temple located in the heart of Bangkok. It is known for its iconic golden temple that stands atop of an artificial hill, offering panoramic views of the city. When visiting Wat Saket, you MUST dress respectfully. Modest clothing that covers shoulders, arms, and knees is required and there are 320 steps to the top. It is about 100 baht or ~$3 to enter and we paid in cash. We spent about one hour here.
Thai Massage: After the Golden Mount temple, we took another Grab to get to Soi Rambuttri Rd. This road is a charming and lively street located in the historic district of Bangkok. It is a popular destination for travelers seeking a mix of vibrant street life, street food, budget accommodations, and cultural attractions. This is also where we got a Thai massage. There are so many Thai massage groups up and down the street we just picked one. It was ~300 baht for a 30 minute massage and it was so heavenly we almost did another one.
Lunch: We took public transportation (buses) back to our hotel and walked across the street to the mall called centralworld in search of lunch. We ended up eating hot pot and it was pretty yummy.
Erawan Shrine: Erawan Shrine, known as the Thao Maha Phrom Shrine, is a revered religious site and a popular tourist attraction located in the heart of Bangkok. It is one of the most famous and visited shrines in the city, known for its rich history and cultural significance. We stopped by here on our way home to marvel at its beauty. It was super busy though! It is free to visit.
Rest/Relax by the Pool: Our Grand Hyatt hotel had such a nice pool so we spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool.
Dinner: We ate at our hotel again since we were gross from the pool. I can’t recommend staying at this hotel enough!
It was time to leave Bangkok and head to Phuket. We flew Bangkok Airways and departed at 12:35PM. We got to the airport the same way we arrived; using the ride sharing app Grab. We did use our Priority Pass (more info linked HERE) to get into one of the lounges: Bangkok Airways Boutique Lounge. This lounge was in Domestic Terminal A since we were flying within the country. This lounge was super nice and we were able to snag a massage chair. There were tons of options for food which felt very luxurious. I can’t recommend getting the priority pass enough! Bye Bangkok!
Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, experiences a tropical savanna climate with distinct seasons throughout the year. The weather can be characterized by its heat and humidity, and it’s important to plan your visit accordingly. Here is an overview:
Spring: Highs will be around 95℉
Spring: Lows will be around 90℉
Summer: Highs will be around 95℉
Summer: Lows will be around 95℉
Autumn: Highs will be around 89℉
Autumn: Lows will be around 77℉
Winter: Highs will be around 89℉
Winter: Lows will be around 77℉
Bangkok offers a wide range of accommodations to suit various preferences and budgets. The city is known for its luxury hotels, budget-friendly guesthouses, and everything in between. Here are some popular areas to consider:
Public transportation in Bangkok is diverse, extensive, and generally efficient, making it relatively easy to nativate. Here’s an overview:
