24hrs in Bangkok.. A complete guide !!

Whether you’ve got a direct flight to Bangkok or a very long layover in the sprawling and incredible city, you’re probably wondering what to see in Bangkok in one day. Known as “The City of Angel”, the city flaunts with the skyscrapers, high-end lifestyle, luxurious shopping malls, swanky cars and what not. Reputed as one of the chaotic cities in the world, Bangkok still holds its other side wrapped in the rich cultural heritage.

In case you are stopping in Bangkok only for a day, here is an itinerary, which will help you to plan your 24 hours in the capital city of Thailand.

Grand Palace

The Grand Palace of Bangkok is one of the top tourist destinations in the city. This Royal building complex is real as grand and stunning as it sounds. It’s a fairytale building and you’ll instantly recognise the scenery from tour guides and postcards of Asia. The Grand Palace is divided into three zones: The Outer Court, The Middle Court, and The Inner Court. The tourists are not allowed to visit the Inner Court as it is exclusively reserved for the Royal family and his consorts. The grandeur of this massive building complex is impressive and this makes it a must visit place for everyone. The architecture, the intricate details on the walls, and the massive statue of Buddha simply floored me at The Grand Palace. Don’t be surprised if you get lost in the crowd as it gets over-crowded with tour groups from different countries. It is advisable to visit early morning to avoid the crowd. In the palace you will also find the temple of the Emerald Buddha which is called Wat Phra Kaew. It’s open from 9am and worth visiting early to beat the crowds.

Timings: 8:30 am to 3:30 pm (daily) except special Royal ceremonies.

Entrance Fee: 500 THB

Dress Code: Thailand is very strict regarding the dress code in their religious and royal places. Tourists are required to dress appropriately.

Wat Pho

One of the most iconic tourist spots of Bangkok is the famous Wat Pho. It has the city’s largest reclining Buddha statue and the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand. Wat Pho is considered as a sacred place for Buddhists. The giant reclining Buddha is 46 meters long and is covered in gold leaf.

Timing: 8:30 am to 6:30 pm (daily) except special Royal ceremonies.

Entrance Fee: 100 THB

Dress Code: Tourists are required to dress appropriately.

Take a boat ride on the Chao Phraya River

Away from the chaotic and maddening city crowd, it’s always a great idea to take a ride on the Chao Phraya River to sink in the serenity of the place. The landscape, the gorgeous temples and the lifestyle of Thai people can become your companion on your boat ride from the central pier to the end. This is certainly a unique way of exploring the bustling city of Bangkok.

Wat Arun

Wat Arun is one of the most famous, and in my opinion, most beautiful temples in Bangkok. Unfortunately there’s scaffolding on the main tower as it’s under reconstruction so you can’t currently get the best view from the tower. It’s still worth a visit as the grounds are a lovely place to unwind and watch the long tail boats drift up and down the river.

Timing: 8:30 am to 6:30 pm (daily) except special Royal ceremonies.

Entrance Fee: 50 THB

Dress Code: Tourists are required to dress appropriately.

Be a tourist and walk on Khao San Road

If you don’t feel like spending an evening in a sophisticated spot ditch the rooftop cocktails and head to Khao San road. It’s loud, colourful and world famous for being one of the busiest roads in Asia. The cheap food and drink make it a backpacker’s paradise so expect to find lots of tourists here partying well into the night.

Visit Asiatique The Riverfront Night Market

One of the best places to spend your evening in Bangkok is Asiatique night market. Bustling with boutiques, restaurants, live music, one can spend the entire evening strolling around this market, indulging in shopping, eating in different restaurants, taking a night ferry ride on the Chao Phraya River or by simply sitting there watching the world passing by. The whole aura of this market is such that it makes you feel refreshed once you land there. The market is vibrant with colorful shops containing a lot of artifacts, clothing, jewelry, gadgets, food items and much more. It’s a great place to pick up Thai Souvenirs for your family and friends.

Indulge in Shopping

One of the most happening places in Bangkok is Siam Centre. If you are a Shopaholic, then this is the place for you, where you will get the best of the shopping malls from economy to ultra luxury. The best way to explore this area is by BTS (Sky Train). A wide variety of products like clothing, jewelry, mobile accessories, handicrafts, gadgets to books, from the most affordable to top end brands, you can get everything in the various shopping malls here. Most popular shopping malls like MBK, CentralWorld, Siam Paragon, Terminal 21, and Platinum Fashion Mall, etc., will spoil you with choices.

One day in Bangkok will certainly be exciting and full of entertainment, and it will definitely offer a teaser for you and there’s so much more to discover that am sure you’ll want to book to go back to the unique city immediately.