BANGKOK BUCKET LIST

Bangkok is the capital of Thailand. It’s also the biggest city in South East Asia. It has some of the most elaborate Buddhist temples and palaces such as the lavish Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun.

Bangkok doesn’t have an off-season. The city lives 24/7, 12 months a year. It can get pretty humid and warm during parts of the year. I recommend picking a time from November to January for the most bearable weather conditions. The months of March-May can get extremely hot. If you can’t stand intense heat I recommended not to visit during this time. The rainy season starts late May into November. I decided to travel during mid-November and it was perfect in my opinion!

1. CHAO PHRAYA RIVER

When in Bangkok you need to experience a boat ride down the Chao Phraya River. You might have heard some call this area Venice of the East. That is because of this river and the many canals that flow off of it! Plenty of locals still use this river to get to work daily. I was able to experience this first hand. Use this as your mode of transportation to get around and experience the diverse way of life in Bangkok. You can see everything from the luxurious hotels to little shacks along the river.

2. GRAND PALACE

For about 150 years, this place was not only the home of the king and his court, but also the entire administrative seat of the government. By the turn of the 20th century, Thai kings had stopped living in this palace, and it primarily became a public museum. Despite this the complex remains the seat of power as well as the heart of the Thai kingdom with several royal offices still situated inside. 

3. WAT ARUN

Named after Arun (the God of the Dawn) Wat Arun measures 79 meters tall along side the Chao Phraya River. In my opinion it’s one of the best attractions in Bangkok. The tower is beautiful at any time of day, but it’s extra gorgeous when you catch the ceramic and colored porcelain tiles in the right light. The main tower is guarded by two giants that are indeed a sight!

4. WAT PHO

Wat Pho is the home of the famous Reclining Buddha. This Buddha measures 15 meters tall and 46 meters long and is covered in gold leaf. It’s hard to picture its true size so a visit in person is a must. The entire complex is more than just the Reclining Buddha though. Wat Pho also holds the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand. You’ll want to spend some time roaming around in awe of the colorful and intricate details of the temples as Wat Pho is one of the best places to visit in Bangkok. 

5. STREET FOOD

Food stalls along the street on your way to Wat Pho offer a wide range of snacks and local dishes. Go for a fresh fruit smoothie, Roti pancakes, Mango Sticky Rice, Fried Bananas…(I am drooling) or Cool off with a Thai Iced Tea from the locals. The food is so delicious and so cheap here!

6. THAI COOKING CLASS

Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines in the world! So why not learn to make it at home? This cooking class will teach you how to prepare traditional Thai dishes. You use ingredients that you yourself gather from a nearby market. Come hungry because this class was a feast! I even got my meal to go! Enjoy a delicious meal with your hosts & other people you will meet around the world while learning about Thai culinary and cultural heritage. I recommend Silom Thai Cooking School. They even give you a recipe book of the dishes you cooked and chopsticks to take home 🙂

We finished off the class by being served Mango Sticky Rice. My favorite dish in Thailand! This type of rice is made from a long grain that contains more starch. It was cooked in a bamboo basket and sits for about 3 hours. It takes some time but it is worth it!

7. PAD THAI & TOM YUM SOUP

You are probably super hungry by now after reading this! When visiting Bangkok don’t miss Thailand’s famous dish Pad Thai & delcious soup Tom Yum. Pad Thai is a local stir-fried rice noodle dish. Tom yum is a type of hot and sour soup. This is usually cooked with delicious shrimp. Whether you pick up some at the food stalls, local eateries, or if you get some at a nice restaurant, in Bangkok it’s usually super delicious no matter where you get it!

This is me making homemade Pad Thai & Tom Yum Soup! The Pad Thai was the freshest I’ve ever tasted. The noodles were so fresh they melted in my mouth. I still dream about it to this day! I enjoyed both dishes with Shrimp.

8. BRUNCH IN THE SKY

My stay at the Amara Bangkok was spectacular. Every morning I would head to the roof in my robe and lay out on the deck where I would be waited on like a queen! I ordered some coffee & breakfast and just took in that incredible view. Bangkok mornings are so peaceful & quiet (since everyone is still sleeping from being out late and partying). 

9. ROOFTOP POOL

Nothing like relaxing in a pool in Bangkok’s sky! The views of Bangkok are absolutely incredible, and the pool feels refreshing in the hot Thai heat! I am enjoying Amara Bangkok’s infinity pool and its incredible view.

10. THAI MASSAGE

There’s no better place to experience a Thai massage than in the land where it all began! Massages can start out as simple as a half hour foot massage to a a full body massage with stretching (I have never felt so great after one of these)! Your best bet is to ask the hotel where the best places are near you to get a massage, but there will be plenty throughout the city! I couldn’t believe how alive the city is at night. It became a nightly routine of mine to end the night with a foot massage.

11. STREET MARKETS

Whether they sell food, clothes, accessories, or all of the above, you will always bump into a street market no matter where you’re going. The Chatuchak Market is the biggest of its kind in the country. It’s open on weekends only and it takes hours to explore it. The Chinatown market is also a fun market if you are more limited on time.

11. RIDE IN A TUK TUK

Tuk tuks are everywhere and are fun to take at least once just to say you did it, but they’re also a great and inexpensive way to get around the city. You can recognize their bright colors from a distance along with their upbeat music playing. During rush hour you can get around faster in a tuk tuk, because they are smaller and can weave in and out of traffic easily. It’s exhilarating! The tuk tuks are notorious for trying to overcharge you, so be sure to ask up front how much it will cost and make a counter offer. I found it helpful to research before on Grab (Uber in Asia) and see what the quote was for a ride to get an idea of how much it costs.

12. DINNER AT THE BLUE ELEPHANT

Blue Elephant is a fancy Thai restaurant that was built in a beautiful old Chinese style building in 1903. This Thai style restaurant is a charming one. The decor is lovely, the atmosphere is relaxing, the service is phenomenal and of course the mouthwatering authentic Thai food is out of this world! The prices are a bit higher here than normal for Thailand… nothing compared to the US though! This is a place for special occasions or if you are just looking for a nice night out. I had the lamb with purple potatoes and it was absolutely incredible. 

14. SHOPPING

Bangkok is one of the best shopping cities in the world. Whatever you’re wanting to shop for something upscale like Chanel, a quirky market piece, or contemporary pieces from designers you’ve never heard of, you can certainly find it here in Bangkok! I enjoyed shopping at the street markets the most where you could find a lot of merchandise handmade from the locals.  

15. UNICORN CAFÉ

Are you a unicorn fan like myself? A visit to one of Bangkok’s unicorn café’s is a must if you enjoy pastel colors and sweet little treats! They serve food like rainbow spaghetti, unicorn waffles, rainbow crepe cake, cotton candy and fruit punch with glitter. Have you ever seen such a magical café?!

Of course there are endless amounts to do in Bangkok. If I had more time I would love to add more to this list. These were my top picks for the essential Bangkok experience!

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Let me know in the comments below if you are planning a trip to Bangkok and tag me on Instagram @blondevoyagenyc so I can see your adventures.