Bangkok is a concrete jungle packed with beautiful temples, floating markets, tasty street food, bargain basement shopping and hedonistic escapes. Here’s how to spend 3 days in Bangkok.
Many travellers fly in and out of Bangkok as they make their way to sun-soaked beaches. But this is a tragic mistake, for Bangkok is a magical assault on the senses.
And by scratching under the surface of this busy chaotic city, you will find a quixotic mix of old and new. Colourful ancient temples, relaxing traditional massage techniques and floating markets tell the story of a bygone age. Towering rooftop bars, bargain basement shopping and endless pubs and clubs allow your hedonistic side to roam.
Add in the mouth-watering quality of local street food and the warm welcome from everyone you meet and you will be glad you spent 3 days in Bangkok. If you are visiting Bangkok as part of a longer Thailand stay, this 3-week Itinerary might provide some inspiration.
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3 DAYS IN BANGKOK OVERVIEW
DAY 1 AM / Exploring the Grand Palace & ancient temples
DAY 1 PM / Relaxing with a traditional massage, Wat Pho & Chinatown
DAY 2 AM / The stunning Golden Mount & Jim Thomson House
DAY 2 PM / Crazy Chatuchak Market, Rooftop bars & a naughty night out
DAY 3 AM / Sensory overload on a traditional floating market
DAY 3 PM / Khao San Road & Michelin Starred street food
WHY GO TO BANGKOK?
Staring at colourful ancient palaces and temples
Sipping cocktails in rooftop bars and thronging streets
Rowing past floating markets and a traditional way of life
White knuckle rides with crazy tuk-tuk drivers
Sampling some of the best street food anywhere in the world.
Getting tired muscles massaged by traditional experts
3 days in Bangkok: Temples, tuk-tuks and other glorious assaults on the senses
DAY 1 AM / GRAND PALACE & ANCIENT TEMPLES
Begin your morning at the Grand Palace, a magnificent example of intricate Thai craftsmanship and originally the residence of Thai kings. The palace is a sprawling complex; tucked inside is Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), the most important temple in Thailand. It’s almost the icon of the city and one of the things that make Bangkok one of the best places to visit in Thailand.
Next, cross the river on a local ferry to the much-photographed Wat Arun. Its colourfully decorated spires stand majestically over the Chao Phraya River.
Hop back on the ferry to Pak Khlong Talad and wander around the flower market – a mass of intricately woven flowers offering a gaudy display of colour and a beautiful aroma.
Grab lunch perched on the pavement at Café Tha Tien for their great value old-school Thai dishes, delicious sweet tea and no-frills service.
Grand Palace / 8:30 – 15:30 / Price: Thai Baht 500 per person / Note: Legs and shoulders must be covered / Location: Na Phra Lan Rd, Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang.
Wat Arun / 8:30 – 17:30 / Price: Thai Baht 100 per person / Location: 158 Thanon Wang Doem, Khwaeng Wat Arun.
Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market / 24 hours, but boats arrive between 2 am – 3 am; from 8 pm onwards the food markets swing into action / Price: Free / Location: Chakkraphet Rd, Khwaeng Wang Burapha Phirom.
DAY 1 PM / WAT PHO, TRADITIONAL MASSAGE & CHINATOWN
After lunch head to the temple of Wat Pho, one of the many stunning temples in Thailand. Here a 46-metre long statue is squeezed into a temple building; hardly big enough for its mammoth occupant. It’s cramped and claustrophobic as you scrap for space to get the right angle for a photo. Your ticket includes a bottle of water and the right to be blessed by a monk who will spray you with holy water and, if it takes your fancy, beat you with a short witches broom.
Wat Pho is also the spiritual home of Thai massage and a massage school is located within the temple grounds. The massages are excellent but can get booked up advance, so call ahead. If it’s busy, pop to the Chetawan Wat Po Massage School, a branch of the original, located a short walk outside the temple complex.
Feeling rested, head to the energetic bustle, neon lights and frantic street food of Chinatown. Centred around Sampeng Market and Yaowarat Road, you can buy anything from gold bathmats to spiritual offerings for the dead. For dinner, create your own culinary experience ambling around the stalls and grabbing a morsel from each.
Wat Pho / 8:00 -17:00 / Price: Thai Baht 100 per person / Location: Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon
Chetawan Wat Pho Massage / 8:00 – 18:00 Mon to Sat / Price: Thai Baht 280 for a half hour or 420 for 1 hour / Reservations: +66865636255 / Location: 392/33 Maha Rat Rd, Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang
DAY 2 AM / GOLDEN MOUNT & JIM THOMSON HOUSE
On day 2 of your 3 days in Bangkok head to Wat Saket – Temple of the Golden Mount. The temple is on top of an artificial hill with a 300 step climb to reach a magnificent gold chedi with great views over the city. Ring the bells that line stairs, get blessed by a monk and pay remembrance to the 60,000 plague victims memorialised in the cemetery.
Next, go to Jim Thompson’s house. By far the most fun way to get there is to hop on a local commuter boat. These boats fly up the narrow canal of Klong Saen Saep at breakneck speed as locals stop everyone getting drenched by clinging to plastic sheeting. Get on the boat at Phanfa Bridge pier and exit at Sapan Hua Chang pier, purchasing the ticket onboard.
Jim Thompson was Thailand’s most famous expat who revived the handwoven silk trade industry following the war. Deciding to settle in Bangkok, he built his house cobbling together six traditional Thai teakwood houses, transported from historic Ayutthaya and Ban Krua. Filled with antiques, it’s a fascinating legacy to a man that mysteriously went missing from Malaysia’s highlands in 1967.
Wat Saket / 8:00 – 16:00 / Price: Thai Baht 50 per person / Location: Khwaeng Ban Bat, Khet Pom Prap Sattru Phai
Jim Thompson House / 9:00 – 18:00 / Price: Thai Baht 200 per person; More: details here / Location: 6 Rama I Rd, Khwaeng Wang Mai
DAY 2 PM / CHATUCHAK MARKET, ROOFTOP BARS & A NAUGHTY NIGHT OUT
Time for some shopping. Walk across to Mah Boon Krong shopping mall where teens flock for the huge range of shops, great bargains and air-conditioning. But, at the weekend, a better option than the mall is the Chatuchak Weekend Market. It’s a simple metro ride to this rambling, shopping destination on steroids. Picture narrow laneways packed with everything from club wear to fighting fish; amazing plants to 1970’s record players. Allegedly there’s a system to help you navigate this 35-acre site, but we never quite worked it out. Grab a snack at any of the food stalls packed with locals.
For the evening head to Sukhumvit, home to both the thriving sex tourism industry and the respectable city scene. Start at Vertigo Moon Bar, an outdoor rooftop bar sitting on the 61st floor of the Banyan Tree Hotel. Drinks are pricey but it offers a glorious sun set over Bangkok and a chance to mingle with the cool and trendy. If you want a seat arrive an hour before sunset.
Next amble over to Patpong Night Market. With fake Louis Vuitton on the stalls and girls shaking their wares in the go-go bars flanking the market, it’s a deliciously naughty night out. A few streets east grab a seat on the pavement, in the main gay area of Bangkok, and watch the on-street drama as it unfolds.
MBK Center / 10:00 – 22:00 / Location: Pathumwan Intersection
Chatuchak Weekend Market / 9:00 – 19:00: Sat & Sun whole market; 18:00 – 0:00 Fri wholesale market; 7:00 – 18:00 Wed/Thurs plant section / Location: Kamphaeng Phet 3 Rd, Khwaeng Lat Yao
Vertigo Moon Bar / 17:00 – 1:00 / Dress code: Smart casual, no shorts, bare shoulders or open toe shoes. You can borrow a sarong if necessary. Location: Banyan Tree Hotel.
DAY 3 AM / TRADITIONAL FLOATING MARKET
On the last day of your 3 days in Bangkok, head to a floating market. Here locals seated in dugout canoes sell all manner of vegetables, fruits, fried fish, leaf-wrapped pandan rice and so much more. It is a bustling, energetic yet traditional scene that is great for photos and even better for an early lunch.
There are a few good floating markets, each with a different atmosphere. You can find all the information and opening times here.
If you go to Damnoen Saduak leave early as it gets very busy. It’s great for photos, but the market has become touristy with higher prices and more scammers. Many now consider Khlong Lat Mayom, just on the outskirts of town, the best floating market in Bangkok.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market / A private tour leaves from the Asian Trails Tour Desk in the Rembrandt Hotel Tours at 7:30 am / Bookings: All information and bookings can be made here.
Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market / 9:30 – 14:30 Sat & Sun / Directions: Take a taxi from Wongwian Yai station.
DAY 3 PM / KHAO SAN ROAD & STREET FOOD WITH A MICHELIN STAR
Returning to Bangkok, spend the afternoon hanging around the Khao San Road area, a must-do for a complete 3 days in Bangkok.
Infected with backpackers and soul-seeking tourists, Khao San Road, and the slightly quieter – but still crazy – Soi Ram Butri is lined with budget accommodation, massage parlours, tattoo joints, peddlers, internet cafes and endless bars. Have a foot massage, buy a cheap t-shirt or simply sit and watch the myriad of tourists.
As the sun drops head to Phra Nakhon Rooftop Bar; a local hangout situated 4 floors above the noise where the atmosphere is more chilled.
If you’re a foodie, have dinner at Raan Jay Fai, the first and only street food stall in Thailand to be awarded a Michelin star. The 73-year-old owner and chef Ms Jay Fai prepares her signature crab omelette and other delicacies. You’ll see a long trail of hopefuls forming a queue so make sure you reserve well in advance. Even with a reservation, the wait to eat can be long and dishes relatively expensive. But it’s good.
If you decide against Raan Jay Fai or can’t score yourself a seat, there are a number of other eateries on nearby. Pick one sit down and try the Yen Ta Fo, a pink noodle soup that tastes better than it looks.
Raan Jay Fai / 15.00 – 3:00 Mon-Sat; Price: 500 to 1,000 Thai Baht per dish: Reservations: Potentially required months in advance via phone on +66927249633 or email Location: 327 Maha Chai Rd, Khwaeng Samran Rat
ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO PLAN YOUR OWN INCREDIBLE 3 DAYS IN BANGKOK
We believe that a little pre-planning, research, and understanding what you are looking for in a destination, will help make your travels far more successful. Here’s some further information we think you might need to plan your own 3 days in Bangkok.
GETTING AROUND BANGKOK
International flights arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport and at Don Mueang Airport. Upon arriving ignore the touts and get a public metred taxi into town, making sure you ask them to turn the meter on.
Tuk-tuks are an easy and cheap way to travel short distances in Bangkok. For longer journeys use taxis or the metro. You can find all the places we visited on our 3 days in Bangkok on the map below.
If you have any extra days there are many excellent cheap day trips from Bangkok, just a an hour or so from the centre, which are well worth exploring.
BEST TIME TO GO TO BANGKOK
The rains come to Bangkok in September / October and the temperatures can reach over 30 degrees from April to June. December to February are the coolest and most pleasant months, but tourist numbers can be high. Mid-November to mid-December is optimal.
COSTS OF OUR 3 DAYS IN BANGKOK
The total cost of our 3 days in Bangkok, for two people, was Thai Baht 28,000. With Nov 2018 exchange rates of Thai Baht 42 to the British Pound; 54 to the US dollar; and 48 to the Euro, this equates to:

US $870

GBP £670

EUR €750
Total Cost
For 2 people, excluding international flights- ฿14,000 4 nights’ accommodation
- ฿5,000 3 days of food and drink for 2 people
- ฿2,500 4 gin and tonics at Vertigo Bar
- ฿1,500 4 Massages
- ฿5,000 Transport, entrances and floating market
BOOKING TIPS FOR YOUR 3 DAYS IN BANGKOK
Stay a short walk from Khao San Road area, but not too close to the busy streets of Khao San Road and Soi Ram Butri. We stayed at the excellent Old Capital Bike Inn. It was convenient for getting to many of the sights and the service, breakfast and hospitality were excellent.
If you’re travelling with family, here is an excellent resource featuring the best family hotels in Bangkok.
If you head to a floating market outside Bangkok, your guest house will be able to help you make arrangements or book a tour.
If you intend to eat at Raan Jay Fai, email or call them well in advance. It will save you queueing for a table, although it may still take you a while to eat.
For more Thailand inspiration, read about some of the stunning temples in Chiang Mai.
First time in Thailand, read this list for some helpful things to know before you go.
GUIDEBOOKS & READING
We used the Lonely Planet guidebook for Bangkok which contains helpful information about opening times, attractions and is generally good for restaurant recommendations.
Another great source for restaurants is Foursquare. Download the app before leaving.
MORE FROM THE BLOG
If you are in Bangkok you should consider a trip to Railay Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Or if you enjoy holidays to Asia consider a 10 day trip to Sri Lanka, another excellent laid-back destination.
Hmm, I see what you mean about that huge statue at Wat Pho – she must feel very clautrophobic in there. Still, if she got cramp at least she’s in the right place for a massage 😉
Can you just clarify exactly where I can get a gold bath mat please – I’ve been looking for one of those for ages! #farawayflies
ps. voted for you.
Gold bath mats are an essential for any modern bathroom. I’ll speak to my brother, he can do a good deal for you. Thanks very much for your vote, we really appreciate it!
Thailand, specifically Bangkok, is high on my travel wishlist, so this post couldn’t be more perfect. I also I love that you include the cost breakdown in multiple currencies that is incredibly helpful. Thank you for sharing on #farawayfiles and good luck on your UK Blogging Award!
Thanks Hilary. It’s a fantastic city so I hope you get there soon. Let us know if you have any questions.
Looks amazing: your photos show Bangkok off well! The statues and temples are sublime. This seems a great itinerary to see a bit of everything and useful to get an idea of prices! Like how you structure the guide. I’ve never really considered travelling to Bangkok (my only knowledge of the area are the references in the musical Miss Saigon, lol….and they aren’t particularly favourable) but you’ve made me re-think! #FarawayFiles
Thanks very much. Bangkok is a great city, a little bit of something for everyone. The food is incredible and the temples are so atmospheric.
Bangkok is a great city, I’ve visited twice now and still have so much to see. As the last trip was a short stay I had to choose between the floating markets and the husky cafe, and well, you’ve probably seen which won! 😉 #FarawayFiles
Nice choice I think. The Huskies look so cute, those blue eyes!
I loved the temples and the floating market when I was in Bangkok. Next time, would love to try more of the food and do more shopping. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard
The shopping is pretty cool, great place to grab a bargain.
I tend to get a bit claustrophobic in massive cities like this but I could tolerate it for 3 days. I am sure the street food is tasty and observing the floating market and people watching would be entertaining. Beyond the temples I might wish to visit public gardens and museums, more my “cup of tea.” #The WeeklyPostcard
Thanks for your comments Deborah. Some of the gardens in Bangkok are a great way to escape the craziness!
Absolutely stunning photos. I would love to visit Bangkok to see the floating market and the temples. The detail on them is absolutely incredible – each piece seems so small and intricate.
Thanks so much, Sara. The temples in Bangkok are beautiful, so much detail.
Some of the real Thai classics here. I’ve visited a few times and it’s aways an assault on the senses. Fabulous city though. I think I’d need a massage after being beaten with a witch’s broom! Thanks for sharing on #FarawayFiles
Yes, the massage was fantastic. Always a great way to relax after a long day walking around a city.
Hi Paul
We are visiting Bangkok in October. Would you recommend a street food tour?
Thanks for the blog, very informative!
Hi Elmien – Thanks for your comment, glad you found it useful. There’s a really great street food tour designed by chefs. All the information and booking is here. Have fun in Bangkok!