A dreamscape tourist destination, full of lively experiences, colorful culture, fascinating sightseeing and amazing hospitality, Thailand’s vibrant capital is never boring. Home to a wealth of magnificent temples, numerous interesting museums, beautiful parks and gardens, and literally hundreds of luxury hotels and spas, where you can indulge in a wide assortment of treatments, Bangkok is truly a holidaymaker’s haven, where there is no end to fun and enjoyment. And whatever your motivation for a trip to Bangkok, whether it’s sightseeing, adventure, cuisine sampling, shopping or partying, you’ll find plenty here to keep you busy all day long. The only problem you might have in Bangkok is that you won’t want to leave the city.
Read on to get acquainted with some of the best places of interest you should not miss out while adventuring in this overwhelming city.
Grand Palace
If there is one must-see attraction that no visit to Bangkok would be complete without, then it’s the dazzling Grand Palace Complex, built in traditional Thai architecture mixed with European designs. Surrounded by walls dating back to the year 1782, the Grand Palace occupies an area of 218, 499 square meters, and is composed of several structures, including the most popular Wat Phra Keow (Temple of the Emerald Buddha). Other points of interest within the complex include: the Outer Court and the Central Court. For more than 150 years, Bangkok’s Grand Palace has not only been the home of the King and his court, but also the entire administrative seat of government.
Admission to the Temple of the emerald Buddha and the Central Court of the Grand Palace is about $13, which also includes an admission ticket to Vimanmek Mansion and several other sites around the city that can be visited within seven days of your tour to Grand Palace.
Chinatown
Packed with buzzing market stalls, street-side restaurants and a wealth of heritage shops, Bangkok’s Chinatown, also known as Yawolat after the neighborhood’s main street, is definitely one of the city’s most popular attractions that is a must for any traveler to Bangkok. Full of enticing smells and weird and wonderful trinkets to buy, Chinatown invites visitors to soak up atmosphere, try delicious cuisine, and indulge in vibrant shopping with a huge selection of textile, clothing, souvenirs, handicrafts and food.
The casual visitor to Chinatown would probably only have time and energy to explore the main street Yaowarat Road, where most of the neighborhood’s activities are concentrated. The other road of interest is Rachawong Road, which is also worth a visit.
Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn)
On the west bank of Chao Phraya River in Thonburi, in the Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok lies a truly majestic temple – Wat Arun or ‘Temple of the Dawn,’ called so because of its being especially beautiful at dawn. Constructed in the 17th century, this Buddhist temple is the star of many ‘visit Thailand’ posters and perhaps a better known symbol of Bangkok that never fails to amaze tourists from all over the world.
One of the most remarkable features of Wat Arun is its central prang (Khmer-inspired tower), the tallest tower unique in design and decor, with exterior, featuring millions of pieces of Chinese porcelain, as well as flowers and decorative motifs made of ceramic shards donated to the monastery by locals at the request of the King, while there are also four more such towers that are comparatively smaller in size. At the base of the complex are Chinese stone statues that were once used as ballast in trading ships.
The temple is open to public from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm every day. Visitors can enjoy the most spectacular view of the glittering monument from the east side of the river at sunset, when the spires of Wat Arun make an impressive silhouette against the skyline.
