Top 10 Unforgettable Things to Do in Bangkok

Looking for the most unforgettable activities in Bangkok? Check out this list of the very best sights and things to do in Bangkok, Thailand.

The majority of travelers in Thailand spend a few days in Bangkok before moving on to some of the country’s laid-back resort towns.

Bangkok leaves visitors with very different impressions and divided opinions. Some travelers absolutely love Bangkok while others definitely hate it. Which team are you on?

If you haven’t been to Bangkok yet but are planning a visit, don’t worry about whether it’s a shitty city or not. To be completely honest with you, your own experience with this vibrant metropolis is more important.

Bangkok certainly offers a lot more than noise, hectic traffic, smelly cars, and crowds. Bangkok is also the place where two vastly different worlds meet and old meet new in an extremely adventurous way.

If you’re planning a trip to Bangkok, you should definitely check out this list of the very best sights and most unforgettable things to do in Bangkok, Thailand.

Read also: Best Places to Stay in Thailand

Table of Contents

1. Go on a boat tour on the Chao Phraya river

Once upon a time, Bangkok was a floating city full of small and charming canals, but today, most canals are unfortunately filled with concrete.

But don’t worry, if you would like to go on a boat tour on the Chao Phraya River, it’s still possible to get an impression of life back then. During most boat trips in Bangkok, you’ll also pass many of the major sights in Bangkok.

When choosing a boat tour on the river in Bangkok, there are seriously endless possibilities. You can go on a boat trip with a longtail or a water taxi, a canal boat, a ferry, or how about renting your very own private boat?

2. Visit the great temples of Bangkok

You simply cannot visit Bangkok without visiting at least one of the many temples in the vibrant city. One of the most unforgettable things to do in Bangkok is to visit the impressive Grand Palace. The palace once served as the residence of the royal family of Thailand.

Inside the Grand Palace, you’ll find the Wat Phra Kaew Temple which houses the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred Buddha in Thailand. Besides the Grand Palace, I would also recommend visiting the popular temples of Wat Arun and Wat Pho.

By the way, remember to be aware of scams from the locals. If a local tells you that the temples are closed, don’t believe them! At first, we blindly believed the man who told us this, but we quickly found out it was a lie. So always make sure to check for yourself whether the temples are open or not.

3. Eat food from a street kitchen

If you want to taste real Thai food, you’ll need to order some food from a street kitchen. Most Thai food tastes great, although it may look a little unhygienic at first.

You’ll be able to find street kitchens everywhere in Bangkok, serving everything from noodle dishes to crunchy insects. The food is usually very spicy and extremely cheap.

If you’re afraid of hygiene, you can check out the most popular street kitchens in Bangkok on Google. Another option for finding the best places is to keep an eye on where the locals are enjoying their meal.

4. Go shopping

When visiting Bangkok, you’ll quickly realize that the possibilities for shopping in Bangkok are endless. And I’m not even exaggerating, you’ll not be disappointed!

You can visit several of the huge shopping malls in Bangkok including Central World, Siam Paragon, and MBK. Of course, you can also find countless markets around the city.

By far the most popular market in Bangkok is the Weekend Market with more than 8,000 stalls! The market is, as the name suggests, only open on weekends. Despite the short opening hours, it is usually visited by more than 200,000 people in a single weekend. It’s crazy!

5. Ride a tuk-tuk

The famous tuk-tuks are a very important means of transportation in Thailand. Therefore, it is also something you’ll have to try at least once while you’re in Thailand. And yes, of course, they’re also one of the best things to do in Bangkok.

We only drove the tuk-tuk a few times in Bangkok, as the drivers often demanded unreasonably high prices – especially compared to the taxi drivers. It may be a better idea to wait to try a tuk-tuk ride until you arrive in a smaller resort town.

If a tuk-tuk driver suggests an extremely low and unrealistic price because he must make a few stops along the way, say no immediately! The driver often stops in stores owned by his own family or people he works with.

The sellers in these stores are often extremely intrusive and demanding. You may have a hard time getting away because the tuk-tuk driver also requires you to buy something in the stores before moving on. Just always remember to be careful before a tuk-tuk ride in Thailand.

6. Get a Thai massage

Thai massage is extremely cheap in Thailand and you can easily find an hour massage for less than 5 Euro / 5.5 USD. With such cheap prices, it would almost be foolish not to do so when in Thailand.

Thai massage can actually hurt quite a bit but afterward, I promise you that your body will feel great. If you really want to try a good massage in Bangkok, you should visit Wat Pho Temple. This is the place where the very best masseurs in all of Thailand are trained – and I have to tell you that it’s really good!

7. Enjoy a drink at a rooftop bar

In Bangkok, many of the skyscrapers boast a sky bar with an absolutely stunning view of the city. You should definitely visit at least one of these rooftop bars in Bangkok. Enjoy a drink at unimaginable heights as the sun sets over the city.

Most of the bars offer free admission for visitors, but a drink is often pricey compared to other places in Bangkok. But what to expect when getting a drink with an incredible view? It is definitely worth the money.

8. Get lost in Chinatown

Chinatown in Bangkok is one of the largest of its kind in the world. When visiting this neighborhood, it almost feels like you’re standing in the middle of the streets of China.

In Chinatown, it’s literally always crowded with people and it can be a pretty claustrophobic place to visit in Bangkok. But Chinatown is definitely still worth a visit as it’s one of the best things to do in Bangkok.

In addition to the crowds, Chinatown is also filled with religious temples, Chinese decorations, fragrant street kitchens, and small shops selling all sorts of things.

9. Go on a bike ride

It may sound dangerous to cycle around the busy streets of Bangkok, but it really gives a different insight into life in the big city.

One of the best ways to experience the city from a bike is by participating in a guided bike ride in Bangkok. Along the way, you’ll most likely pass small streets with locals, lush parks, ancient temples, rice fields, and more.

It is one of the best and most unforgettable activities in Bangkok. You’ll get a completely different insight into the city.

10. Relax in Lumpini Park

If you’ve had enough of the crowds, noise, and car pollution, Lumpini Park is the perfect place to relax a bit. This park is a true green oasis in the middle of Bangkok and is very popular, especially among the locals on the weekends.

Something very special about Lumpini Park is that free Monitor Lizards are walking around the park. The giant lizards are more than a meter long, which causes many people to confuse them with small crocodiles. But don’t worry, they’re completely harmless.

Inside the park, there’s also an artificial lake where you can rent a pedal boat or rowboat. It’s a great way to enjoy the silence for a while before heading out into the streets of Bangkok again.

So, that’s all on this list of the very best and most unforgettable things to do in Bangkok, Thailand. What are your favorite things to do in Bangkok? What are you looking forward to on your trip to Bangkok? Feel free to leave a comment.