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All you need to know to visit Bangkok

กรุงเทพฯ
Central Thailand
0 km from Bangkok
Province of Bangkok
Thai prononciation : Krungtep

Budget
euroeuroeuro

Recomm. stay
2 à 4 jours

Visits
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Travel guide to go and visit Bangkok

The Thai capital is fascinating. It is this mix of asian recklessness and western life. Many say that Bangkok never sleeps and it's true. There is always animation, you will find a supermarket open all the time, night and day. Mostly the famous 7-Eleven. The bustle of the city and its traffic density can sometimes make you want to flee but Bangkok is full of astonishing places, some more peaceful, some really exotic. I really started to appreciate Bangkok only when I started to mainly use public transport (see all information in ''Transports in Thailand" then Transports in Bangkok), especially the subways and Chao Phraya Expres sboats. The "big mango", one of Bangkok's nicknames, is also a fascinating and culturally rich city that offers multiple facets, modern towers and shopping malls among the largest in the world, older and historical districts or rural ones especially along the klongs, the small channels crossing the city.

With the Great Palace, Wat Phra Keo and Wat Pho to name only the 3 most famous monuments, Bangkok is an essential stop for those who want to discover the Thai culture and understand the place that the Buddhist religion occupies in the Life of the Thais. Lovely parks, day or night markets, klongs, Chao Praya river, vendor stalls that reduce the sidewalk to a narrow alley, people who smile at you, temples, tuk-tuks, nightlife that shows the best and sometimes the worst of Thailand, massage ... You are in another dimension. Sometimes exhausting, Bangkok, if you let it time, will seduce you.


To see all optiosn to get around in Bangkok, read our dedicated paragrpah about getting around in Bangkok.

bangkok

Accommodations in Bangkok

In Bangkok, for sleeping, there are thousands of hotels and hundreds of guesthouses. Whatever is the area of the city you choose you will have no trouble finding a room in Bangkok even at last minute. It is however better, especially for a first trip to Thailand, to book at least your first hotel in Bangkok night in advance. The most popular area to stay for travelers is Khao San Road, which is known as the backpacker district. This is where you will find the largest concentration of cheap hotels and guesthouses and also the greatest concentration of tourists of course. Khao San has the advantage of being next to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) and the Great Palace. I recommend to avoid accommodations located in Khao San Road itself. Personally, I much prefer Soi Rambuttri which is a 2 minutes walk away. The second most popular area for tourists is Sukhumvit district. It is crossed by a subway line and an underground subway line so you can easily get around Bangkok. The prices of the rooms are more expensive and there are logically less backpackers. In general, try to stay near a BTS station, the Bangkok skytrain to be able to get around and reach Bangkok airport easily.

Find accommodation in Bangkok

My recommandations

People often ask me what accommodations I recommend in Thailand, here are my recommandations in Bangkok.

Guesthouse in Bangkok

Khao San Road

Guesthouse in Bangkok

Khao San Road


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Practical information about Bangkok

If getting around Bangkok in a in tuk-tuk is part of the folklore, I advise you to use the subways to get around.

You can bargain prices for a lot of things in Bangkok especially for tuk-tuk or motorcycle taxis. For taxis, prefer those with a taximeter and insist that they use it. This is the best way to pay the fair price.
Be careful, some tuk-tuks drivers around Wat Pho or Grand Palais may tell you that the temples are closed and propose to take you elsewhere. In the vast majority of cases, nothing is closed, they just want to drive you to stores that reward them with gasoline vouchers for each customer they bring. Sometimes you'll even end in jewelry store where you will be scammed.

How to go to Bangkok ?

Bangkok is the capital city so it is very easy to connect it by bus, train or plane. There are also many boat + bus packages from the islands of the country. For large and medium-sized cities, buses depart from Bangkok at least every hour in general. From Mochit BusTerminal buses go to Northern Thailand and Isan (North-eastern Thailand), from Ekkamai to Eastern Thailand and from Sai Tai Mai BusTerminal to Southern Thailand (and Kanchanaburi or Damnoen Saduak & Amphawa). Bangkok central train station is Hua Lamphong from which all trains leave except trains to Kanchanaburi which are at Thonburi railway station. Bangkok has two airports, Suvarnabhumi, the biggest and most recent one, where you will most likely land when arriving in Thailand and Don Muang more specialized in domestic flights (there are also some international medium-distance flights) and starting point of most low-cost airlines.

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My selection of tours & activities in Bangkok

Bangkok Classical Bicycle Tour Bangkok

Bangkok Classical Bicycle Tour

Offered in Englishenglish guide
Discover the unknown Bangkok on a 3-hour bicycle tour that explores Chinatown and the Chao Praya River. Cross the river by pedestrian ferry and continue through backstreets discovering shop houses and the historic neighborhood of Thonburi.

How to get around in Bangkok ?

To get around in Bangkok, you have the choice !If occasional travelers often use tuk-tuks and taxis, getting around the Thai capital by subway, whether aerial or not, avoids traffic. There are several metros in Bangkok: the BTS or skytrain, the subway, MRT and the Airport Rail Link which connects bangkok to Suvarnabhumi airport. You can also use motorbike taxis or take the buses even if it is a little bit complicated for a tourist. To help you, I created a bus line search engine in Bangkok to go to the main places in the city. Another option is to take the river shuttles on the klongs, the small canals crossing Bangkok or the Chao Phraya Express baots. The most adventurous among you will perhaps try the Pun Bikes.

To get to or from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the best option is to take the Airport Rail Link from or to Phaya Thai (served by the BTS) or take a taxi. To get to Don Muang Airport, where most of the low-cost airlines depart and arrive, there are express buses departing regularly from the airport to BTS Mo Chit, Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal or Victory Monument. Don Muang is also accessible by train but trains in Thailand are regularly late ! A free shuttle bus service runs between the two Bangkok airports (from 5:00 to 22:00, it takes around 1h30 , more info HERE)

All information about Transportation in Bangkok are HERE.

Festivals in Bangkok ?

Here is a list of the main festivals taking place every year in Bangkok. I mention their dates as soon as they are official on Thai Festivals page.
vijit chao phraya 2023 - bangkok illuminations

Vijit Chao Phraya 2023 - Bangkok Illuminations

This festival generally takes place in the month of December

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spectacle de théâtre masqué khon gratuit

Spectacle de théâtre masqué Khon gratuit

This festival generally takes place in the month of Several times a year

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bangkok thai short film and video festival

Bangkok Thai Short Film and Video Festival

This festival generally takes place in the month of September

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thailand tourism festival

Thailand Tourism Festival

This festival generally takes place in the month of January

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chinese new year in chinatown

Chinese New Year in Chinatown

This festival generally takes place in the month of February

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bangkok international motor show

Bangkok International Motor Show

This festival generally takes place in the month of March

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phra pradaeng songkran festival

Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival

This festival generally takes place in the month of April

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anniversaire de la fondation de bangkok

Anniversaire de la fondation de Bangkok

This festival generally takes place in the month of April

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bangkok water festival

Bangkok Water Festival

This festival generally takes place in the month of April

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la fête (french-thai festival)

La Fête (French-Thai Festival)

This festival generally takes place in the month of June

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bangkok river fair

Bangkok River Fair

This festival generally takes place in the month of August

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samut prakan temple fair

Samut Prakan Temple fair

This festival generally takes place in the month of October

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tak bat phra roi tradition

Tak Bat Phra Roi Tradition

This festival generally takes place in the month of October

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golden mount temple fair

Golden Mount Temple Fair

This festival generally takes place in the month of November

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bangkok river festival

Bangkok River Festival

This festival generally takes place in the month of November

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grand loy krathong ceremony

Grand Loy Krathong Ceremony

This festival generally takes place in the month of November

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thailand's new year countdown celebrations

Thailand's New Year Countdown Celebrations

This festival generally takes place in the month of December

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bangkok street show

Bangkok Street Show

This festival generally takes place in the month of December

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bangkok international motor expo

Bangkok International Motor Expo

This festival generally takes place in the month of December

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bonjour french fair

Bonjour French Fair

This festival generally takes place in the month of December

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bangkok amazing countdown festival

Bangkok Amazing Countdown Festival

This festival generally takes place in the month of December

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Must-visits in Bangkok

Wat Pho

วัดโพธิ์
My opinion :
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Very pleasant in the late afternoon, just opposite to the Wat Phra Kaew, it is famous for its huge reclining Buddha.

Wat Arun

วัดอรุณ
My opinion :
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or Temple of Dawn on the other side of the river in front of Wat Po. The crossing by tray boat is very cheap (3 bahts)

The klongs

คลอง
My opinion :
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These small canals going through Bangkok take you rto a completly different setting : very quiet, rural, almost out of time. You really have the the impression of having left the city.

Wat Phra Kaew

วัดพระแก้ว
My opinion :
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and its many buildings with gilding and refined decorations. No entry after 15:30 is possible. Try schedule the visit in the morning to be sure.

Great Palace

พระบรมมหาราชวัง
My opinion :
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royal residence which is now used only for ceremonies. It is right next to Wat Phra Keo

Golden Mountain

ภูเขาทอ
My opinion :
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which offers a beautiful view of the city and where you can see the contrast between modernity and the more fragile houses.

Klong Lat Mayom Floating Market

ตลาดน้ำคลองลัดมะยม
My opinion :
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This small floating market on the immediate outskirts of Bangkok is open on weekends only and is a nice place to visit to discover the life on the canals of the Thai capital city. Collective or private boat tours leave. I advise you to combine your visit with a tour on the klongs (canals).
My opinion :
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At the top of the Mahanakhon Tower, on the 78th floor, culminating at over 300 meters, it offers the highest and most impressive view over the Thai capital city. Its part with its glass floor above the void is not for those who are subject to vertigo.

Wat Pak Nam Phasi Charoen

วัดปากน้ำภาษีเจริญ
My opinion :
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This temple, not yet very known to foreign tourists, already attracted some of them thanks to the superb colored vault of its chedi, but it should attract many more once its large Buddha image will be completed.

Talad Noï

ตลาดน้อย
My opinion :
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This small district of Bangkok Chinatown, has the atmosphere of a small village. It is very pleasant and exotic to wander there on foot. Talad Noi with its small alleys, his street art works, his old houses, his mechanics stalls, his local life gives you a very different image of Bangkok.

Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre

โรงมหรสพหลวงศาลาเฉลิมกรุง
My opinion :
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This theater in the center of Bangkok perpetuates the tradition of Thai drama and dance and gives at least 3 small performances every day showing short sequences of traditional visual arts. And the best part is that it's free! Well almost ! I invite you to consult the details on the dedicated sheet on the site.

Royal Barges National Museum

พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ เรือพระราชพิธี
My opinion :
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This riverside museum houses some of the richly decorated royal barges. These centuries-old vessels with their beautifully decorated prows are still used in rare royal processions on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.

Other places to see in Bangkok

Wat Benchamabophit Bangkok
Wat Benchamabophit
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one of our favorite temples in Bangkok. Peaceful with its small watercourse, it is pleasant to be. In the main bulding, the sitting Buddha with its blue background is beautiful on photographs.
Muang Boran (Ancient City) Bangkok
Muang Boran (Ancient City)
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at about 70 km from Bangkok, this park includes replicas at larger or smaller scales of the most famous temples in Thailand and some of Cambodian, Burmese, Laotian or Chinese temples. A suprising visit that can be a introduction to your stay in the country.
Vimanmek Palace (Dusit Palace) Bangkok
Vimanmek Palace (Dusit Palace)
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the largest teak house in the world.
Wat Ratchabophit Bangkok
Wat Ratchabophit
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not far from Wat Pho and Grand Palace, this architecturally refined temple is rarely visited but really worth a visit
Jim Thompson House Bangkok
Jim Thompson House
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turned into a museum, the house consists of old buildings from different provinces of Thailand that Jim Thompson had made rebuilt here. You can see many pieces of his collection of art objects and learn the basics of silk work in Thailand. Jim Thompson was an American businessman who helped revitalize the Thai silk industry in the 1950s and 1960s
Taling Chan Floating Market Bangkok
Taling Chan Floating Market
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small market held on weekends. The floating portion is quite small but is a nice place and still quite unknown among tourists. It is also a good starting point to visit the klongs, the small canals running through Bangkok. Prices are lower and tours offered interesting.
Koh Kret island Bangkok
Koh Kret island
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this small island outside of Bangkok is an exotic and charming place. Here you will be away from the noise of the city. The inhabitants are Mon. They are famous for their pottery.
Phutthamonthon Bangkok
Phutthamonthon
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about thirty kilometers from Bangkok, this huge park is known for the big Walking Buddha statue standing at its center which is reportedly the largest in the world. Around it, monuments recall the main stages of the life of Lord Buddha and a temple houses the sacred texts of Theravada Buddhism carved in marble stone.
Siam House of Bizarre Creatures Bangkok
Siam House of Bizarre Creatures
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little funny museum especially interesting for curious people who will love its collections of weird animals such as two-headed turtles. Don't come especially for the museum but it can be nice to see it when visiting the Taling Chan Floating Market next door.
Wat Traimit Bangkok
Wat Traimit
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known for its 3 meters high golden Buddha. It is the largest solid golden statue in the world. It stayed hidden under a layer of plaster for a very long time. Rediscovered in the 50s, it is now exposed at Wat Traimit.
Chatuchak Week End Market Bangkok
Chatuchak Week End Market
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is the largest market in Bangkok. It is held every weekend. You can find and buy almost everything. The Chatuchak Market is such a phenomenon that it has become a tourist attraction even though the Thais remain by far its main customers.
Wat Suthat Bangkok
Wat Suthat
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temple in front of which stands the big swing. Its courtyard is very nice and pretty. It is not far from the golden mountain.
Asiatique The Riverfront Bangkok
Asiatique The Riverfront
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this night market located in old docks of Bangkok along the Chao Phraya river, provides shopping and dinners in quality restaurants. It is a unique place in Bangkok and getting more and more famous. Asiatique is more Hi-So compared to night markets we are used to see in Thailand.
Wat Intharawihan Bangkok
Wat Intharawihan
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interesting for its 32 meters hight big Buddha image decorated with glass and gold mosaics. Oddly little known, Wat Intharawihan worth a visit ofr its unique in Bangkok statue.
Bang Krachao, Bangkok's green lung Bangkok
Bang Krachao, Bangkok's green lung
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Also called 'Bangkok's green lung', this little area of nature is a good option to escape the bustle of the city. You can have some nice bicycke rides there, discover a floating market and relax in a beautiful park. A good getaway for weekends (the floating market is only open on weekends).
Bang Nam Phueng Floating Market Bangkok
Bang Nam Phueng Floating Market
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This small floating market is held on Saturdays and Sundays near Bang Krachao, just on the outskirts of Bangkok. This is one of the best floating markets in close proximity to Bangkok even if it is not actually ''floating''. It is interesting to add it to your tour in Bang Krachao the green lung of Bangkok.
Wat Bowonniwet Bangkok
Wat Bowonniwet
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A 5 minute walk from the famous Khao San Road, this temple is however not much visited by tourists. It is a very important place in the royal and religious history of Thailand. Several kings were monks there, including the late King Bhumibol who died in October 2016. The temple has a superb chedi and magnificent Buddha images in its main hall.
Wat Pariwat Bangkok
Wat Pariwat
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Even if its nickname is the David Beckham Temple, it is more for the small statues of various comic and manga characters that are among the statues decorating the exterior of one of the halls of the temple that it is fun to visit Wat Pariwat. It is a curiosity still little known by tourists and a unique temple marrying Buddhism, super heroes and cartoons.
Khlong Bang Luang Floating Market Bangkok
Khlong Bang Luang Floating Market
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This is not a floating market but a small part of a sympathetic canal (klong in Thai language) sometimes on the programme of in tours on the klongs of Bangkok especially for the show at the Artist House. Exotic and only a few metro stops from the Grand Palais.
Artist's House (Baan Silapin) Bangkok
Artist's House (Baan Silapin)
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Also known as Baan Silapin, this teak canal house in Bangkok is home to a puppet and traditional dance school that gives a show every day.
Wat Bang Chak Bangkok
Wat Bang Chak
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This amazing temple opposite Koh Kret island on the outskirts of Bangkok is in my opinion a must see place when you go visit the island on the Chao Phraya river.
Chinatown Bangkok
Chinatown
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Bangkok's Chinatown has a life of its own. It is one of the busiest and most commercial area in the Thai capital city and also a convenient base for exploring Bangkok and discovering the famous Thai Street Food in the evening.
Erawan Museum Bangkok
Erawan Museum
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This large museum is one of the most interesting and well known in Bangkok although it is a few kilometers outside the city. You can't miss it with its huge statue of Erawan, a 3-headed elephant.
Santa Cruz Church Bangkok
Santa Cruz Church
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It is one of the churches, if not the most famous Catholic church in Bangkok. Ideally located in the Thonburi district, 50 meters from the banks of the Chao Phraya river, it was built by the Portuguese who settled here.
Neon Market Bangkok
Neon Market
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This fairly new night market is one of the nice places to dine or shop in Bangkok in the evening. Its weak point remains its location a little far from the metro.
Lhong 1919 Bangkok
Lhong 1919
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This small market located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, mixing art galleries, craft shops, restaurants and bars installed in warehouses of Chinese architectural style dating back almost 2 centuries, is not lacking in charm, especially with its beautiful Street Art paintings, and really deserves to be better known and more visited.
Amphawa Bangkok
Amphawa
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Especially interesting for its floating market installed on weekends on a canal, the surroundings of Amphawa Floating Market which is a 1h30 drive from Bangkok are also interesting with boat tours, several other floating markets, the surprising Mae Klong Railway Merket less than 10 kilometers away, its countryside, its crafts... A destination more interesting to visit on weekends.
Ayutthaya Bangkok
Ayutthaya
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Even if it is more interesting to sleep there and stay at least 2 days, Ayutthaya, former capital of Siam Kingdom can be visited very easy in one day from Bangkok. It is the nearest historical destination from the capital. Tourists come here to explore its ruins of temples classified as World Heritage by UNESCO. They get here by themselves by train or hire a guide who organizes everything for them.
Kundeejeen Community Bangkok
Kundeejeen Community
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This small hamlet along the Chao Phraya River in Thonburi district in Bangkok is a place steeped in history and tradition. It was first the Portuguese immigrants who came to settle there after the sack of Ayutthaya by the Burmese when the capital of the Kingdom was moved here. Today, the community perpetuates its historical and culinary traditions there.
Thonburi district Bangkok
Thonburi district
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This district located just opposite the most visited monuments in Bangkok, on the other bank of the Chao Phraya river, has a very pleasant small village atmosphere and is full of interesting places to visit to discover both the history and the diversity of Bangkok culture. It can be visited very easily by wlaking. Especially following my Walking Tour itinerarytinerary.
Bang Kapi floating footbridge to cross the canal Bangkok
Bang Kapi floating footbridge to cross the canal
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This ingenious floating footbridge installed with a system of pulleys and pedals to move it in one direction or the other is one of the little curiosities of a Bangkok off the beaten track. Not a visit to put on the program if you are in a hurry but if you take the time to discover Bangkok in a different way.
ICON SIAM Bangkok
ICON SIAM
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Yes, it's a shopping center but it has almost become a monument to visit in Bangkok. For its architectural style, the fact that it illustrates the splendor of Bangkok's large malls or at least just for the view of the Chao Phraya river that it offers from its 6th floor terrace. By the way, you can also go shopping there ;)
JODD FAIRS Rama 9 Bangkok
JODD FAIRS Rama 9
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This is one of the nicest night markets in Bangkok. Large selection of food and clothing and craft products including jewelry. A great place to eat well and shop especially as it is right next to a large shopping center.

Weather & climate in Bangkok

Bangkok has a tropical savanna climate. There are three seasons: the warm season, the rainy season and the cold season, although the temperatures remain quite high. The rainy season begins with the arrival of the south-west monsoon in mid-May. September is the most raining month, with an average rainfall of 334.3 millimeters. The rainy season lasts until October, when the dry, cool northeast monsoon takes over until February.

The best moment to go to Bangkok is in November, December, January and February. The least favorable months, due to the monsoon, are from June to September until mid-October. September is the month when it rains the most, there can be some flash floods in some parts of the city.

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How to ask in Thai to go to Bangkok ?

I want to go to Bangkok / Yak paï ti Krungtep.
Where is Bangkok ? / Krungtep you ti naï ?
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All COVID-19 restrictions for coming to Thailand lifted from October 1 !

all covid-19 restrictions for coming to thailand lifted from october 1 !

We have been waiting for it for months, hoping it will happen on July 1, but it will finally be October 1, 2022, when Thailand will lift the last COVID restrictions to enter the country. From this date, it will no longer be necessary to show...

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