25 Amazing Things To Do

in BANGKOK

This is one of Mark Wiens' earliest videos - from ten years ago.  I was following him way back then.  He's gone on to become YouTube's most popular food vlogger.

When I travel, I enjoy having a list of things to do.  Even if you change your plans or can't accomplish everything, in a city as big as Bangkok, unless you have weekS of time there, it's a good idea to have a smart game plan.  Mark's list still holds up pretty well, but let me share my own list.

(no particular order)

Jim Thompson House Museum

I'd go on a weekday.  I'd tour the house, then I'd have lunch on the patio.  It's funny, but when Mark Wiens did his Bangkok list, he left off this one.  I made a comment about it on his video.  He had not been in Bangkok very long and likely didn't know about it.  Many don't.  Jim Thompson was an American (USofA).

Massages

I would certainly get a traditional Thai massage (2 hours) and an oil massage (90 minutes is ideal to me).  Long before your departure, search on the internet for even more types of massage you might enjoy.  You're likely only over there once.

The Grand Palace & Wat Pho

Wat means TEMPLE.  Wat Pho, home of the Reclining Buddha, is right next door to The Grand Palace.  I would do both the same day - preferably a weekday, and early in the morning.  You're going to need 3-4 hours to do it right.  Don't forget to visit Wat Phra Kaew, which is on the palace grounds.  It safeguards The Emerald Buddha, Thailand's most cherished national treasure.

Night Markets

There's always some new night market popping up where you can eat, shop and just have fun.  It's a carnival-like atmosphere in Bangkok, every day.  Jodd Fairs is easily the favorite night market in the city, right now.  But there are many good ones.  SWU (university) has a Friday evening market that's fun.

Exotic Fruits

You will find them everywhere: food carts, produce stands, supermarkets and inside malls.  And when it's durian season, be on the lookout for it.  When you're looking for a fine fruit like durian, a market like Or Tor Kor is best.  You could go there, eat some durian, then have a delicious lunch followed by a fresh coconut to drink.  And then after walking around a bit more and buying some items to take back, eat some mango sticky rice.  Or Tor Kor is great!  If you can't make it there, you still can have this type of experience at a Tops Supermarket or food hall in one of the city's giant malls.

River Cruise

I'd find a way to enjoy the River of Kings: the Chao Phraya.  You could take a ferry to cross it, or you could take a hop on - hop off boat that gets you to some the key landmarks as you go up and down it.  You could opt for a evening dinner cruise to see some of the temples and The Grand Palace lit up a night.  Long-tail boats can also be hired for a couple of hours and the skippers can even take you on some of the historic canals (klongs).  Bangkok was once a small fishing village, and the city was criss-crossed by canals. 

Malls

Malls are not the same everywhere.  When you experience them in Bangkok, you will see.  They have some of the biggest, most luxurius malls in the world, with any and every shop and brand you can imagine.  You can buy the world's most expensive cars in mall showrooms, and walk a bit down to an Apple store to get the latest iPhone.  It's that crazy.  I enjoy the food halls (courts), restaurants and cafes.  I also like the state-of-the-art movie cinemas.  Unreal.

Chinatown

On a weeknight, head to Chinatown (Yarowat).  You can go on a weekend, but the crowd is unbelievable.  I would try to go to one of the temples - Wat Traimit is an example - then walk the main road in Yarowat.  I'd snack along the way, then find a place to have dinner.  If you like to drink, Yarowat has some incredible cocktail bars.  Give those a try.  Bangkok's MRT (metro) has a stop or two in Yarowat.  The stations are well-designed and look like museums.  No need to worry about the city's infamous traffic if you can take the MRT.

BTS & MRT

Ah, perfect timing.  The BTS is the skytrain (elevated train) and the MRT is the metro.  There are 135 stations (and rapidly expanding, btw), and you can pretty much go anywhere in the city.  Going to be a lot of walking involved still, but you don't have to waste time stuck in traffic.  I use a little of all transportation options in Bangkok, but the BTS and MRT are the best.

Ruam Sab Market

You should look for places where office workers go for meals.  They know where the good food is.  Ruam Sab Market is one such market.  Get there by 10:45 and be considering what you'd like to eat.  Once you get that worked out, order it, take a seat and then hang out in until noon and after.  Crowds pour in.

Benjakitti Forest Park

Bangkok is a massive concrete jungle.  As it's grown, green spaces have not always a big priority - not big spaces anyway.  Luckily, though, forward-thinking people are now realizing that what people need are places where they can escape the grind of the city for their physical and mental health.  This new forest park is unbelievable.  Go check it out one morning or an hour or two before sunset.  Very impressive.

Flower Market

If you are arriving in Thailand from the West, where there's a significant time difference, you will be wide awake in the wee hours of the morning for a few days, at least.  In that case, get down to the huge flower market along the river.  That's when it's bustling.  2, 3, 4 AM.  It's enormous and interesting, plus it smells good.  All the big hotels, nice restaurants and temples send buyers out to get the best.  Thais love their flowers.

Mahanakhon Skywalk

This is where you can get the best 360 views of Bangkok.  You can also walk on a glass floor with a jaw-dropping view below.  Get to Mahanakhon a couple of hours before sunset to ensure you have time to get up there for good daylight views.  Then stay past sunset.  You can even get a beer or cocktail.  

Rooftop Bars

Bangkok is the rooftop bar capital of the world.  There are 50+, each with spectacular views.  Some are still better than others, so do your research ahead of time.  I like to get to them an hour before sunset, then stay a bit afterwards.  You can dine, you can dance, you can socialize with friends or you can experience it alone.  Let's face it, though, in Bangkok you're never really alone.

Floating Market

People associate Bangkok with floating markets, and rightly so.  However, find out where Thais like to go.  The touristy floating markets are just that.  Go the opposite direction.  The fewer tourists you see, the better.

Khao San Rd and Soi Rambutri

KSR is the world's most famous backpacker road.  It's been changing a lot over the past decade, and lots of young Thais are enjoying it, too.  It's not always as edgy and rough as it once was, but after the sun sets, it becomes really fun.  You can encounter people from all over the world.  Soi Rambuttri is a road nearby KSR.  I love the street stalls, especially the iced dessert and fruit shake stands at one end.

Temples

There are hundreds of wats in Bangkok.  I've been inside 25 of the best ones.  Certainly if you're in Bangkok for a week, you can manage to visit five.  If you want to get away from noise and hustle & bustle, go see some temples.

Walk Some Neighborhoods

This is easier said than done, certainly if you're a tourist.  The old part of the city has many opportunities for this.  You can also just walk some of the sois (small lanes) off off the main roads.  There are also walking tours in Bangkok.  Even bicycle tours are a way to see the real Bangkok.  Have a go!

Red Light Districts

You want eye-opening?  Go spend a couple of hours on both Soi Cowboy and at Nana Plaza.  Patpong is also a red light district - probably the first such zone in Bangkok.  The city has a well-deserved reputation.

Monuments & Shrines

Just like in any major world city, there are monuments to past leaders, wars, significant moments and difficult times.  You can also find huge sculptures of elephants (Thailand's national symbol) and revered shrines to gods and spirits.  A walking tour is one way to experience these.  You can also just look out the window as the taxi or bus takes you around.

I'm at twenty.  Five more to go!