Jim Thompson House

 under construction

Jim Thompson, on the left

For more on this historic Bangkok house, click here.

And click here and scroll for more of the home under construction.

Bangkok - Four Full Days

Sometimes people only have a few days in Bangkok because they are traveling to other Thailand destinations.  My neighbor was in this situation.  I helped her come up with the most reasonable plan for her visit to the Thai capital.

Arrival Day + 4 full days + Departure Day

Arrival Day

*Check into the hotel

*Relax

*Get to first rooftop bar by 5 pm

*Enjoy a drink and maybe an appetizer until sunset

*Leave rooftop by 6:30 to go have dinner elsewhere

*Try a mall food court for the best street food in a clean environment

*Get a Thai, oil or foot massage to end the night

*Rest at hotel for an early start in the morning

First Full Day (needs to be weekday, just not Monday)

*Leave hotel by 7 AM to go to Benjakitti Forest Park for a nice stroll. If you could leave by 6 AM, even better. You will reach it by BTS (skytrain) and MRT (metro). Easy.  

*Back to hotel. Another mall for lunch. Or if you see a nearby restaurant to try, go for it.

*Take it easy in the afternoon. Shopping, coffee shop, etc..

*Big night. Go to King Power Mahanakhon skyscraper for rooftop experience. Take BTS. Must leave hotel by 4 PM. Important to be up on rooftop by 5 PM. Take sunset and wear suncreen. Sunset is at 5:48. 

*Leave by 6:15. Go to Chinatown. BTS, then switch to MRT. Chinatown gets going at 7 PM. Walk the main road, Yarowat Rd. Snack, eat, enjoy. MRT/BTS back.

Second Full Day

*Sleep in.

*Massage

*Lunch - maybe another big mall

*Rest, shop, do your own thing

*Rooftop bar - arrive by 5 PM, depart by 6:00

*Jodd Fairs night market (one behind Rama 9 mall). Take MRT there. You will get there by 6:45. Eat, drink, explore. 

Third Full Day

*Grand Palace + Wat Arun + Wat Pho. Must start early. Leave hotel by 7:30 AM. BTS to Sathorn Pier. Get on the Hop On Hop Off boat. Go to Wat Arun, then boat back across to Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha). Walk to the Grand Palace after Wat Pho. Enjoy the undergound near the entrance to the Grand Palace.  You can rest there before going behind the palace walls. When done with the Grand Palace, walk back to the MRT to catch it back to your hotel.

*Rest all afternoon.

*Massage

*Rooftop Bar - 5 PM

*Dinner somewhere

Fourth Full Day

*Jim Thompson Home Museum (where I met Kade) - get there by 10 AM. Take BTS, then short walk.

*Lunch at Siam Paragon gourmet food hall. Go up to bookstore Kinokuniya on 3rd floor. Look out back window (behind shade) to see temple.

*After Siam Paragon, walk across to Siam Square to see stores and do some shopping.

*Rest back at hotel

*Rooftop bar

*After rooftop, go to Erawan Shrine, then walk the area to see the other five shrines.

*Have dinner at Central World food festival or at restaurant inside Central World.

Next Day

*Departure

Bangkok Ideas

- message to someone traveling to BKK

I have been helping an Asheville lady plan her upcoming Thailand trip. She and her husband went before on a group tour - this time going by themselves. They knocked out all the essentials that first trip, and are now looking for new half-day experiences (listed below). The other half of their day will be relaxing at their 5 star hotel, and getting massages. Bangkok can take its toll. They will be there three weeks, and another week in Singapore.

These could also be things you'd like to do in Bangkok...but make sure to also do the big things: Grand Palace, Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho, Jim Thompson House Museum, Wat Saket, Wat Arun, the Amulet Market, etc..

One day

Benjakitti Forest Park (AM) plus Ruam Sab food market (early lunch). Just make sure you go to the forest park and not just stay at the original Benjakitti park. Forest park is new, and next to it. Take a water bottle each. Sometimes they're sold near the parks, but don't count on it. You might even find a coconut seller (for the juice) selling near the park. Never more than 50 baht!!!

One day

Vanilla Sky Rooftop, plus the Japanese restaurant next door for dinner. Maybe Nana Red Light district to extend the night??

One day

Belga Rooftop (drinks and dinner) - views, drinks and food are all exceptional.

One day

Char Rooftop - based on our experience, I would limit my time there to only drinks, and I would get there right when they open. Must experience before it gets dark. After a drink or two, walk 15 minutes (or take taxi) to Krua Nai Baan, the restaurant my friend jeff recommends. Would be cool to do it, since from Char Rooftop you will be looking out at that area where the restaurant is. Once done with dinner, walk back to the BTS to go to your hotel. 

One day

Octave rooftop and Sabaijai restaurant. - I would arrive at Octave Rooftop one hour before sunset (5:50 pm), go to bar on rooftop, get drinks, stay for sunset and a bit after. I would leave at 6:30 to walk to Sabaijai. It's a 22 minute walk, so a bit over a mile.  You could also take a taxi from Octave all the way to Sabaijai. When done, walk or taxi back to the BTS to take it to the Grande Sheraton.

One day

Mahanakhon Sky Walk, and dinner back at your hotel. BTS.

One day

Siam Square late afternoon (walk around), then go inside Siam Paragon mall for an easy dinner. You could choose the food court level, or find a nice restaurant on the upper floors. Siam Square is ideal on a weekend, since popular with teens and college kids. You could flip this around and have lunch at Siam Paragon before crossing over to enjoy Siam Square. This would leave your evening free.

One day

Emquartier mall walk-around, plus dinner. After that, go to Flamenco Sky Lounge for drinks and dancing. Emquartier will have a dazzling array of food options. You could also try latin american/spanish nibbles at Flamenco.

One day

Jodd Fairs night market - arrive at MRT Rama 9 station. There's a big mall there. Behind it is Jodd Fairs. You will have dinner there. Arrive 5 pm at latest, stay till you're ready to leave. 

One day

Bamboo Bar & Veranda restaurant at Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Reservation needed. Dress nicely. Mrt/bts there.

One day

Khao San Rd plus road that runs parallel to it (Soi Rambutri). Only tricky day so far. Would likely need taxi. You can eat dinner and go clubbing there. We need to talk through this.

One day

Vertigo restaurant and Moon Bar at Banyan Tree Hotel. Would need a reservation for dinner. Request outside, rooftop. Dress nicely. If unable to get a reservation, you can still go to the Moon Bar. Again, get there before sunset for the views. Mrt (30 min) or taxi (8 min) there. 

One day

Yaowat (Chinatown) - arrive early evening by BTS/MRT. Walk around and have dinner, then find the cool bars. Consider going to Wat Traimit first. In that case, get to Wat Traimit by 4 pm. Closes at 5 pm. Walk after that. Mrt home.

One day

Hi-So Rooftop - dinner and drinks. Get reservation. Eat dinner. Mrt.

One day

Terminal 21 conveyor belt sushi, then walk to Soi Cowboy red light district, pick some clubs and go in for a peek. Only trust the beers. You can go club to club.

One day

Go to Above Eleven Rooftop, but only if you intend to go to Havana social club for dancing. You should get to Above Eleven right when they open, order a drink and some sushi, then move along to Havana.

One day

Go to Central World mall (chitlom bts stop) for dinner at the outdoor beer garden. When done, you could go back to the hotel or you could take the BTS to Nana plaza for another red light district.

Bangkok - Things To Do

In 2022, I helped out an Asheville friend who was going to Bangkok.  She had been on a short trip before.

1. Rooftop Bars

If you do all these, you will get the best overall views of the city. Be sure to add Mahanakhon (rooftop and skywalk) to complete this.

Char, Belga, Octave or Tichuca, Vanilla Sky These are all on Sukvumvit Rd and close to the BTS. 

HI-SO, Vertigo & Moon Bar - these would give you a vantage point of the river, plus a view back towards your hotel.

2. Benjakitti Forest Park

Considering its location, I would combine it with a stop for lunch at Terminal 21 mall or at the food market, Ruam Sab.

3. Dancing

Bangkok is well-known for its club scene, plus like in any major international city, you can find music of all types. You will need to do your own research.

Havana Social - If you do Havana Social, you can first stop off at the rooftop bar Above Eleven, which is very close. They serve Japanese/Peruvian cuisine. Remind me to tell you about my experience.

Flamenco

4. Malls

These five are along Sukhumvit Rd and are likely ones you might visit. Besides air-conditioning, these malls are great places to go to look around. They are also great places for food courts and nice restaurants. If you are tired, malls can be an easy way to grab a coffee, meal and rest. These malls also have supermarkets that rival (and surpass ours). So if you are looking for items for your room, you can do some light shopping.

Emquartier - vertical garden, waterfall, rooftop garden

Emporium

Central Embassy

Siam Paragon

Terminal 21

Iconsiam - the newest, most luxurious one along the river, and one you will see from atop Mahanakhon bldg. You could reach iconsiam by BTS, but it's a little tricky. I would not make this mall top priority.

5. Two excellent night markets

I would do both of these - two separate nights. Arrive at 5 pm or so and walk around. Snack, eat and wait for crowds to arrive by 7 pm. These will amaze you. Reachable by BTS. If you only choose one, go with Jodd Fairs.

Jodd Fairs & One Ratchada

6. Mahanakhon Skywalk

I would arrive at the skyscraper BTS station stop a full two hours before sunset. Buy tickets and get on up to the top so that you can for sure be up on the rooftop one hour before sunset. You can get drinks up there. As soon as the sun sets, I would go back to my hotel via BTS and order room service food, or already have foods and snacks waiting there for you, for dinner. And before getting to Mahanakhon, I would make sure to have already had a nice lunch and some afternoon snacks so that you are not hungry when you arrive. More on this later.

7. Oriental Hotel

Get pre-dinner drinks at Bamboo Bar (arrive as soon as they open) and dinner on riverside patio (make reservation for dinner). I think the restaurant is called Verandah. You could always return to Bamboo Bar after dinner to get another drink and enjoy piano music.

8. Temples

Wat Traimit in Chinatown - home of the world's largest solid gold Buddha

Wat Bowonniwet Vihara - near Khao San rd, where at least two kings were monks

Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen - biggest outdoor Buddha in Bangkok

9. Restaurant experiences

Ruam Sab (Asoke Montri Rd) for weekday lunch. I would get there by 10:45 to be ready to order at a food stall by 11 AM. Office workers will pour in by noon. Worth the food and the spectacle.

Food courts - Terminal 21 mall has a great one. I would arrive early to beat the crowd. All malls will have food courts. Great-tasting. Tremendous variety.

Japanese - I would try the great ones that the Japanese expat community enjoy. I can help you come up with possibilities that work best with other things you're doing. You will see lots of chains that are popular with Thais. Still good, but just not the best. There's a great Japanese restaurant near Vanilla Sky Rooftop. I would recommend going to rooftop first, and staying till sunset. When done, exit and walk next door to the Japanese restaurant.

Even though you have been to the Jim Thompson House Museum, I would consider having lunch there on the garden patio. 

For a really good restaurant that is easy to reach off of Sukhumvit Rd, I recommend Sabai Jai. You can exit BTS Ekimai, then walk Soi Ekimai until you reach it. They serve Northeastern thai cuisine, specializing in grilled meats and papaya salads. However, they have everything you'd want in a Thai restaurant. Very popular with locals and expats. The idea is to order 4, 5 or 6 or more plates to share with somebody. I recommend grilled chicken, grilled pork, sticky rice, larb and somtam (maybe regular and fruit). Always good to carry wet ones to clean hands.

10. Khao San Rd and Soi Rambutri

Consider going. I may have to talk with you about this one.

11. Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza for go-go bars. Skip Patpong, since you saw last time. Plus i read that it is being torn down.

12. Massage

Your hotel will likely have a spa with massage. Not going to be the "extras" kind, but will be very good if you're desiring a relaxing vacay. 

Outside the hotel, pretty much anywhere along Sukhumvit, there will be a wide range of massage places, where you can get similar to your hotel massages and other less expensive kinds, plus those with "extras." But even those that offer "extras" doesn't mean you have to get them. These ladies will give amazing massages, with extras or not. I know the massage side of life there, and can give more detailed insight in-person.

13. Klong (canal) boat tour

You could easily do one of these by yourselves, and you would be treated to an interesting part of life in Bangkok. A good tour and boat captain can take you by some amazing temples and markets along the klongs. Keep in mind, this is different than the floating market tour, which i personally would skip. Too touristy and artificial. I can explain more in-person.

Avoid + things you did last time

Lumpini Park

Patpong

Grand Palace

Reclining Buddha

Asiatique

Wat Arun

Temple of Golden Mount

Didn't Materialize

This is a message I sent to a friend describing my travel plans for the following year.  I get really into planning!  Although I ended up altering the plans quite significantly, I do like this idea.

We're actually returning a year from now rather than wait a year and a half. In fact, my Alabama cousin, my age, hopes to meet me in Singapore. We will spend several days there, then work our way north through Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands (where Jim Thompson went missing) and Penang. These Malaysian stops will be to try durian, which will be in peak season then. I hope to try many varieties. After two weeks in Singapore and Malaysia, we will go to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan for another week, just to relax. Once done there, we will take the train to the new Bang Sue Grand station in Bangkok. I will meet Kade there, and will stay another 3-4 weeks.   

Books on Asia

source

These are ones I've read:

Thai Ways

Thai Culture in Transition
China Wakes
My Big, Big Honey
The Uzbeks
But, I Don't Give A Hoot
Fresh Air Fiend
10 Million Tigers
China: Lonely Planet
Bangkok in the Balance
Asian Mystique
Sailing Down the Yangtze
The Private Life of Chairman Mao
King Mongkut & The British
Pol Pot, Anatomy of a Nightmare
The Rape of Nanking
Rama IV (Travels to Europe)
Soviet Intervention in Afghanistan
The Peoples of Soviet Central Asia
The Sunflower
Isaan
When Elephants Weep
Bangkok: Then and Now
Bali
Dreams of India
India: Celebration of Festivals
China: 50 Years Inside the People's Republic
A Day in the Life of China
Kathmandu
The Jim Thompson House
Singapore
Russian Confronts Chechnya 

Gems

This was different.  I didn’t know what to expect, but I kind of liked it.  It's more of a place to enjoy drinks with a friend or two.  There's a stage for a band, so I'm sure it gets loud at night.  But, as you probably know, I like to get to places early so I can enjoy the views.

This is the very large spirit house in front of MBK mall.

I needed to head straight down that road.  Over to the right is MBK and the rooftop area (with the trees) where I just was (Cat on the Roof). 

I've been inside that temple.  I remember it had marble floors.  Worth a visit!  The name of it is Wat Hua Lamphong.

Oh, boy!

That was Jim Thompson's store on Surawong Rd. 

I have a recently-deceased cousin named Natalie.  We call her Nat.  Sometimes when I'm traveling and see names that remind me of family and friends, I will share photos. I did that with this photo.  Cousin Natalie thought it was funny!  Hard to believe she died just a couple of months after we returned from Bangkok.  Rest in Peace, Natalie!

All three rooftop bars on the 9th Fl of Silom Edge mall are fun.  The views are also very good, especially of Lumpini Park.

I took the MRT home.

Rooftop Bar Count

16, 17, 18

Start With Coffee

These are views from a platform on the blue line of the MRT.  I was en route to Sathorn to meet a friend for a walk in the Old European Quarter of Bangkok.

We decided to meet at Cosmic Cafe.  It's a short walk from Saphan Taksin BTS station.

After coffee, we started our exploration.  The first stop was Wat Yannawa.

The main hall of the temple was closed for renovations.  Next to it, though, was a small museum with various exhibits.  I managed to photograph a few before realizing photography was prohibited.

We then started walking north on Charoenkrung Rd, the first modern road in Bangkok.

My maternal grandfather was named Victor.

Assumption Cathedral

While preparing to photo the cathedral, I had a friendly chat with a lady from South Korea.

The building with the gold dome is State Tower.  From a rooftop bar up there, you can look down and see many of landmarks in the area.  I particularly recall seeing Wat Yannawa and thinking it would be good to visit it one day.

Our next stop was at the old headquarters of East Asiatic Company.  We didn’t notice any construction going on, but it's supposedly being converted into a luxury hotel and spa.

We then walked on to the iconic Mandarin Oriental Bangkok.

The Bamboo Bar opens around 5 PM.  Kade and I have been there before.  I highly recommend it!

Hard to beat a watermelon smoothie on a very hot day.  This was at one of the Oriental Hotel's riverside restaurants.

We then went inside the hotel's historic tea house.

Looking back at the tea house

My mother would thrilled with that squirrel sighting!

Jim Thompson

Once done at the hotel, we walked by the French Embassy until we reached the construction site of the old Customs House, which is being turned into a luxury hotel.

We then sat and rested in a cemetery near a mosque.

This is a temple entrance/exit.  That's Charoenkrung Rd.

After an early afternoon coffee at MaLet's Cafe,  my friend and I parted ways.  It was quite a morning activity!  The heat was getting to us!

  I continued walking down Charoenkrung Rd towards the BTS.

This large shrine is at State Tower.

I found a place for a massage.  I got my typical 90-minute oil massage.  I couldn't have been happier.  It felt like the best massage ever in my years in Thailand.

Chinese spirit house inside the massage shop

Almost everywhere you go, there will be portraits of Thai royals - even in massage shops.

That's the massage shop over there.  Not the prettiest building, but inside it was very clean.  It was a common design: a multi-story shophouse with stairs.

I walked on down to the Bangrak Street Food Market.  I had first spotted it while enjoying a beer at Palate Rooftop Bar on Charoenkrung Rd.  I wanted to try it.

You guessed it!  Coconut Durian Shake!

I had the Braised Pork w/ Rice dish.  It's called Kai Palo.  It's a favorite comfort food for Thais.  I've always loved it.  And I get the boiled egg with it.

Sitting next to me was a lady from Chicago and her friend from California.  He has moved to Charlotte, NC and spends time in Florida.  I enjoyed chatting with them.  I told them they should visit us in Asheville, NC and that I would introduce them to some black bears.

This taro shake was pretty good!

I took the BTS and MRT back home.

This map I made shows all the places visited on this single-day walk.  It also includes activities I did on other days.  With determination and time, you could cover all this in two days.  If you love history, it's definitely worth it.

The entire length of Charoenkrung Rd is 5.3 miles (8.5 km).