Bangkok Travel Guide: Best Things To Do, Activities And Day Trips (After 8 Months Living There)

1) Asiatique The Riverfront

Asiatique is a large open-air mall in Bangkok, right on the Chao Phraya River and Charoen Krung Road. We loved how family friendly the area is, but it's also great fun for adults! There's a giant ferris wheel with sky views over the river, a Jurassic World experience (they even do dinosaur shaped nuggets, how cute!!), plus lots of unique markets and stalls for a meal out, snacks, or picking up some souvenirs. If you want to make a full evening of it, you can even hop on a luxury 5 star river cruise along the Chao Phraya, right from the waterfront.

2) Bang Krachao Island

Bang Krachao is a protected artificial green oasis shaped by a bend of the Chao Phraya River just south of Bangkok. Known as the "Green Lung," and features cycling paths, dense orchards, local homestays, and strict building rules that ban skyscrapers.

We hopped on a boat to Bang Krachao from Icon Siam mall for just 5 baht (11p!) per person. It took around 10-15 minutes in total to get there. You can hire a bike and take a guided nature bike tour around the island, or if you'd rather go electric, there's also a fun e-scooter jungle tour through the greenery.

For something a bit different, you can even try a 2 hour SUP river tour with snacks and paddle around the island instead. Just make sure to bring small cash notes with you, as most places don't take card.

3) The Bed Cinema

The Bed Cinema in Bangkok is a luxury cinema located on the 7th floor of CentralWorld. Instead of normal seats, the room features plush, adjustable electric beds equipped with built-in massage features, pillows, blankets, slippers, and an all-you-can-eat snack lounge.

We visited the Bed Cinema thinking it would be good, but it was so much better than we expected! We paid 1,200 baht each, and booked through their official website, though you can also purchase directly from the cinema at CentralWorld.

We chose the double bed, and you get a tray to fill with all-you-can-eat popcorn, snacks (not the best snacks, but the popcorn is delicious), plus cold and hot drinks. Just note it gets pretty cold inside the theatre with the air conditioning, so definitely bring a jumper.

4) Chinatown

Bangkok's Chinatown is one of the largest Chinatowns in the world, centered on Yaowarat Road, and it's a massive, vibrant, district famous for legendary night street food, wholesale markets, historic Chinese-Buddhist temples, gold shops, and trendy new cafes.

It's huge, and gets extremely busy in the evenings, though it can vary depending on the time of year, I'd say it's pretty much always busy. There's a lot of food stalls, but it can feel hot and overwhelming, so I'd recommend visiting late afternoon or early evening. If you want to make the most of the food scene without the guesswork, it's worth doing this guided Chinatown food tour, which takes you to the best spots. It's also just a great spot for photos, with that iconic neon light background.

5) Take a Thai cooking class

I loved this Thai cooking class with a market tour, it was so fun going around the markets and learning a little about the ingredients we were going to use, and the cooking itself was really easy to follow. We made traditional Thai recipes and even learnt a unique white lotus flower folding lesson!

I was honestly shocked with how delicious my meals turned out to be. It was such a fun and relaxing evening, and I even learnt new skills I can now use to cook these meals at home.

6) Erawan Museum & Ancient City

The Erawan Museum is breathtaking, but if you visit, I want you to really take it in, don't just come for a quick look and a photo. Thai culture is beautiful, and even though I'm not religious, I find so much peace visiting temples and spiritual places like this.

The museum is sectioned into three levels, based on a book by Bhumitha describing heaven and earth as split into three parts: the underworld, the human earth, and heaven. The lowest, underground level is called Suvarnabhumi, the second level represents the human earth, and the third level, located inside the elephant's body (which you can actually walk up into!) represents heaven. There's a pilgrimage path throughout the grounds featuring artifacts from both Buddhism and Brahma-Hinduism, which Thais regard as symbols of life, and you can follow the path to receive blessings along the way.

We arrived just before 9am to make sure we were first there, so we could really enjoy the peace of the place before it gets busy. You'll need to dress modestly; women need to cover their knees and shoulders, so wear light trousers and a t-shirt, or bring something to put over what you're wearing.

There's a Thai price and a foreigner price, which some people have a problem with, but I really don't see the issue. If you're visiting a country you're a guest, and some places are heaving with tourists, so they need to maintain the place. That shouldn't mean the price gets driven up for locals so they can't enjoy it themselves. Book a guided tour to the Erawan museum here

If you have time, I'd also highly suggest combining it with a visit to the Ancient City. There you can rent a golf cart and drive around a park shaped like Thailand itself. If there's a group of three of you, it's worth booking the Ancient City & Erawan Museum combined tour, or if you're travelling solo or as a pair, there's also a private trip covering the Erawan Museum, Ancient City & Bang Pu.

The Erawan museum is open daily from 9am to 6pm, and you can get there via the BTS Green Line, getting off at Chang Erawan Station (E17), exit 2.

7) Escape Room - XScape

Xscape Escape Rooms is an immersive 60 minute live escape game center located near BTS Phrom Phong, on the 2nd floor of the Ariston Hotel. It has movie quality sets, interactive puzzles, and themes like a casino heist or a prison breakout, they also told us they're bringing out a new Egypt room, which sounds great.

We tried the Prison Break room as a group of four, but you can play with anywhere from 2 to 7 players. We were all really pleasantly surprised, I don't want to give too much away here because the surprises are the fun part, but it was actually really challenging (but not so much we couldn’t figure it out) and really interactive, with great sound effects and props that made the whole thing feel real.

They even gave us a discount code for anyone to get 10% off their booking, just use code Kashima10 at checkout, you can book your tickets through their website, just quote the code above! https://xscapeescaperooms.com/

8) Mahanakhon Building & Skyverse

The Mahanakhon building is so much fun, you can easily spend a few hours here. It's a whopping 78 story tower with a pixelated spiral cutout design, located right at Chong Nonsi BTS station, and it has observation decks, cafes, restaurants and interactive zones throughout. The gorgeous hotel The Standard sits right next door too, so it's worth combining a visit with a stay or even just a drink there.

You can book your Skywalk and SkyVerse ticket here. The glass tray floor sits 314 meters high which you can walk around on, plus both indoor and outdoor observation decks and a high speed multimedia lift to get you up there. We also loved Mahanakhon SkyVerse on the 4th floor, an immersive digital art and virtual world experience included in the same ticket, and it's such an easy, fun activity to enjoy with kids too.

If you're feeling brave, there are a few extra add-ons worth considering once you're there. Mahanakhon Bangkok I-Tilt, located on the 75th floor, lays you flat on a mesh rectangle and tilts you out over the edge, 296 meters above the city (we didn’t do this, no thank you) There's also Mahanakhon SkyRides, where you can try the world's first self-controlled ParadropVR City Flyer, an immersive, interactive pod experience, and TukTuk Quest, where the iconic Thai tuk-tuk becomes both your vehicle and your virtual journey.

If you're after a proper meal or drinks while you're there, OJO is right inside the building too, a high end, Michelin-listed Mexican restaurant and rooftop bar well worth checking out.

9) Try a Muay Thai class

Founded in 2023 by Muay Thai World Champion Superbon Singha Mawynn, this is a top-tier training camp, open to all levels, with a focus on technique, strength, and conditioning. It's located in Bueng Kum, around 18km from central bangkok, which takes roughly 30-60 minutes by car depending on traffic.

Training sessions run Monday through Saturday, 7am to 9pm. Trainers include the renowned ‘Trainer Gae’, You can find their price list pinned on their socials at @superbon.trainingcamp.

The gym itself is one of the cleanest and most professional I've trained in, every trainer is super welcoming but it's a hard 2 hour class, always worth a shot but as it's also super hot in Bangkok, I would say you need some level of fitness to get through it. If you're a beginner or want to build some stamina first, try the 1:1 sessions for personalised training.

12) Watch a Muay Thai fight at Rajadamnern Stadium (Immersive experience)

Watching a Muay Thai fight is a really fun experience. Most fighters start their training from as soon as they can walk, so they're extremely skilled and incredibly fit, and there are few other things to do in Bangkok that offer the same adrenaline-fueled energy as watching a live match. You can catch a fight any night of the week, with the immersive experience typically starting at 8:10pm.

If you want to see it for yourself, you can book tickets here: Muay Thai boxing tickets at Rajadamnern Stadium, one of the most unique, unforgettable things you can do in Bangkok.

13) Visit the parks

There are around 40-50 parks in Bangkok, which are perfect to explore to enjoy some nature and escape the busy city. These are our favourite 4 parks and why:

Lumpini Park - One of the most popular parks in the city. Where locals come to jog, practice Tai Chi, do social dancing, or just relax under the shade, and it even has its own lake with free rentable swan paddle boats (but you have to be under 75kg to go on them!) You’ll also find monitor lizards just walking around, they don’t seem bothered by humans, but still, don’t get too close!

It’s a really beautiful place to unwind and get your steps in, plus there are clean toilets, some small stalls to get drinks, an accessible playground, library, a great outdoor + indoor sports center, and lots of activities held here.

Benchakitti Park - The best part is the elevated boardwalk that actually connects from Lumphini all the way through to Benchakitti. The skywalk winds through marshland and trees, perfect for skyline photos. There's also a 2 kilometer paved loop around the lake for running and biking, plus a wetland design filled with lotuses, local birdlife and some monitor lizards. It also has a dog park, outdoor gym equipment, and skatepark area.

Dusit Central Sky Park - A rooftop garden right in the middle of the city, sitting around the 4th to 6th floor of Dusit Central. It's a great spot for panoramic views over Lumpini Park and the Bangkok skyline.

Suan Luang Rama IX - The largest park in Bangkok, split into several distinct zones. Highlights include the Garden of the Great King, home to the Ratchamangkhala Pavilion and its nine mirrored exhibition rooms, a huge Botanic Garden with greenhouses, a geodesic dome, and a lotus pond pavilion; a reservoir built to help manage flooding, now used for water sports; the Romanee Garden, designed to recreate Thailand's natural landscapes with mountains, waterfalls, and creeks; a Water Garden modeled on a natural bog habitat; and a sports center with a pool, tennis courts, and an outdoor stage.

14) Kross Padel

We visited Kross Padel on two occasions, and we loved their Kross Padel Sky Bangkok location, which is on the rooftop of a Marriott hotel, as well as their indoor courts. They're very friendly and responsive, and it's easy to book a court with their app ‘Kross Padel.’

15) Visit Sea Life

We visited Sea Life as a couple for a date day on a rainy day, and it's actually big enough to spend a few hours there. They also have a small cafe to get popcorn, snacks and drinks, plus you can get a glass bottom boat to see the huge sharks in the giant glass dome up close. It's a great family day out too, located on the bottom floor of the Siam Paragon shopping centre. It's the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia, covering approximately 10,000 square meters with hundreds of different species on display. You can book your tickets here.

16) Visit the malls

Shopping malls in Bangkok are next level. There are over 200 malls across the city, but these are the 6 we loved and would recommend the most, all open daily 10am to 10pm (check holidays etc for different opening hours)

ICONSIAM - This 10-story mega complex sits right by the Chao Phraya River, with over 7,000 shops, a themed indoor floating market called SOOKSIAM, and an art-in-mall journey featuring over 100 Thai and international artists. Hop on the shuttle boat from Sathorn Pier to get here (12 THB per person, departs from BTS Saphan Taksin)

CentralWorld - One of the largest malls in Southeast Asia, spread across seven floors with 500+ stores, 100 restaurants, an ice rink, and the largest H&M in Southeast Asia. Nearest BTS is Chit Lom or Siam.

MBK Center - Bangkok's legendary bargain mall, 8 floors and over 2,000 shops where prices are negotiable. Bring cash and your best haggling skills, BTS: National Stadium.

Siam Paragon - Bangkok's most upmarket mall, with luxury boutiques, a 16-screen Cineplex and Sea Life. Directly connected to BTS Siam.

EmSphere - Built around entertainment rather than traditional shopping. Home to Thailand's first downtown IKEA, rooftop beach club Tribe Sky Beach Club, and a 6,000 capacity concert venue. Connected via skywalk to BTS Phrom Phong.

EmQuartier - One of Bangkok's most striking malls, split into three towers, with a five story cascading waterfall and rooftop water garden as its centerpiece. Directly connected to BTS Phrom Phong.

If you want to shop at better prices and experience an outdoor market, Chatuchak Weekend Market is the place to go. It's one of the largest weekend markets in the world, with over 15,000 stalls across 27 sections. Open Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 6pm. Bargaining is common, and most stalls are cash only. It's around 25 to 30 minutes from Sukhumvit or Siam, easiest via BTS Mo Chit or MRT Chatuchak Park. You can also book a guided tour here, if you'd rather have someone show you around.

17) Visit Song Wat Road & Talat Noi

We loved Song Wat Road and Talat Noi, there are so many cute coffee shops, restaurants and places to get unique souvenirs and home-made items that are different to the markets. If you'd rather have someone show you around, it's worth booking a guided walking tour of the area.

They have a great perfume shop called SKONX Perfumery, known for over 300 fragrances including some Thai-inspired scents like mango sticky rice, plus a testing bar if you want to learn more about the notes and find something that suits you. Plus places to get beautiful ceramics, ice cream, and the best mango sticky rice is from Wanjai Cafe House, tucked away in an alleyway just off Song Wat Road. It's one of the oldest, still family-run businesses in the neighbourhood, and their Nam Dok Mai mangoes are peeled to order so they stay perfectly fresh.

There's also a pistachio-themed café called Pista&, also on Song Wat Road, where they source pistachios from Iran, Turkey, and America, each with a different flavour profile. Try the pistachio tiramisu, the white chocolate pistachio latte, or the Turkish gelato croffle. Grab a cute photobooth photo and visit the riverside restaurants. It gets super busy, so come between around 10:30am and 3pm if you want to catch everything open, since most cafes and shops open around 10 to 11am and close by 6pm.

18) Visit the temples

Bangkok is home to over 400 temples, but these are 4 of the most popular:

Grand Palace - Built in 1782, this sprawling complex served as the royal residence until 1925 and is home to over 100 buildings, including Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Open daily from 8:30am to 3:30pm (last entry around 2:30pm), entrance is 500 THB for foreigners, which includes access to Wat Phra Kaew. Strict dress code applies: shoulders and knees must be covered, no shorts, sleeveless tops, or sandals without heel straps.

Wat Pho - Home to the incredible 46 metre long Reclining Buddha, covered in gold leaf with mother-of-pearl inlays on its feet. It's also considered the birthplace of Thai massage, so you can get a massage on site. Open daily from 8am to 6:30pm, entrance is around 200 to 300 THB. Same dress code applies as the Grand Palace.

Wat Arun - Known as the Temple of Dawn, its 82 metre central prang is covered in colourful porcelain that catches the light beautifully at sunrise and sunset. It sits on the opposite side of the river from Wat Pho and the Grand Palace, reachable by a short 3 THB cross-river ferry from Tha Tien Pier. Open daily from 8am to 6pm, entrance is around 200 THB.

If you'd rather skip the queues and have a guide walk you through the history, it's worth booking a private tour of the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun. You can also hire a photographer and rent traditional Thai costumes, complete with props and professional hair and makeup included. The photos are incredible, and this one includes the rental of the costumes, which other tours don't - you can book yours here.

Beyond the city, there's also the Dragon Temple, Wat Samphran, which is famous for its 80 metre tower with a giant dragon coiled around it, which you can actually walk up through the inside of. It's still a working temple, so the same modest dress code applies. Open daily from 8am to 5pm, and it's about an hour's drive from central Bangkok.

You can also combine a day out with the Maeklong Railway Market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, two of the most unique markets near Bangkok. Maeklong, nicknamed the "Umbrella Market," sits directly on an active railway track, and vendors pull back their stalls every time a train passes through, several times a day. From there, it's a short ride to Damnoen Saduak, one of Thailand's most famous floating markets, where you can cruise the canals by longtail boat and shop directly from vendors on traditional wooden boats. If you'd like to see both in one day, it's worth booking a private, combined tour of the Dragon Temple, Maeklong Railway Market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.

As someone who's done many, many tours, I always find private ones are worth it. You don't need to wait around for your group, and you can personalise the trip so much more. Group tours are great, but sometimes you're stuck following the same timing as everyone else, waiting around for people to use the bathroom, or do their souvenir shopping.. trust me on this one, book a private tour if you can.

19) Topgolf

Topgolf Megacity is a great day out for couples, friends, and the whole family. It's located next to Mega Bangna Shopping Mall, around 35 minutes from central Bangkok, so you can combine your visit with some shopping too.

You don't need any golf experience at all, it's designed for total beginners just as much as experienced players. Prices vary depending on the day and time, generally starting from around 850 to 1,500 THB per hour per bay, which fits up to 6 people, so it's worth booking ahead, especially for evenings and weekends. There's also plenty to eat and drink on site, including a sports bar, a rooftop bar, and a casual beer garden.

20) Calypso Cabaret Show

We went to the Calypso Cabaret Show as a family and loved the dancing and costumes. It's a fun night out and isn't inappropriate or uncomfortable like some shows can be, very good quality and performance.

The show is held at Asiatique The Riverfront, Warehouse 3, and has been running for over 30 years, performed by talented transgender and LGBTQ+ artists. You can expect Broadway-style choreography, dazzling costumes, and around 15 to 16 high-energy acts who blend dance, lip-sync, and comedy, all packed into about 70 to 80 minutes.

There are two shows nightly, generally around 7:30pm and 9:15pm (timings can shift slightly on weekends), and it's suitable for all ages, including young kids and seniors, since the theatre is fully air-conditioned, seated, and easy to access. It's an easy stop to combine with a visit to Asiatique itself, since the theatre is right inside the complex. Book your tickets here!

21) ATV (Quad bike) tour

Nakhon Nayok is a province just northeast of Bangkok, known for its lush landscapes and waterfalls. This trip combines an ATV ride (quad bike) to Namtok Sarika Waterfall and whitewater rafting along the Nakhon Nayok River, with a delicious thai lunch and private transport from Bangkok included.

We've done around 6 ATV tours now and love it every time. I can't actually ride a bike (don't ask, bad experience), but I can drive an ATV with ease. It's very safe and easy to control, and the guides are always fantastic. It's a great family day out, and we usually share a quad between two people, making it a really fun way to sightsee, even on a rainy day. You can book our favourite ATV experience in Bangkok here.

22) Get a massage with head spa

I love a massage, but in the UK massages can be anywhere from £70 to £200+, but in Thailand they can vary from around £5 for street massages, to around £40-60 for an entire relaxation package.

We tried Chandee Sleep Salon and Massage in Silom, Bangkok - The experience begins under a starry ceiling, surrounded by gentle ASMR water sounds. Their signature 17-step Vietnamese Ring of Water ritual uses warm flowing water and organic products to deeply cleanse and rejuvenate your scalp.

This package includes your selected treatment, use of organic products, access to the relaxation lounge, and herbal tea, and you'll leave feeling refreshed and ready to explore Bangkok further. Chandee Silom is centrally located too, making it easy to fit relaxation into your day or evening.

I personally don't love a Thai massage, I find it very uncomfortable and do not recommend going to a cheap place, some of them can be a bit too hard and some (not all) have been known to cause serious damage. Opt for clinics that are at around 500 to 1,000+ baht each. This clinic is trialled and tested, clean and well worth the visit.

Day trips from Bangkok that are so so worth the trip

1) 2-Day River Kwai Trip: Floating hotel, traditional Thai dance show, Hellfire Pass, the River Kwai Bridge and Death Railway

I think about this tour a lot, the floating hotel was probably one of my favourite experiences in Thailand. There's no wifi or electricity at the hotel, which was so refreshing, so nice to be completely switched off from the world. The hotel itself is surrounded by the most incredible lush mountains and peaceful river, I would really highly recommend this trip to anyone. They also performed a traditional Mon dance, food was delicious, and the rooms were comfortable and provided with mosquito nets.

This trip also lets you enjoy the highlights of Kanchanaburi, including:

• The stay in the romantic bamboo floating raft hotel

• Exploring WW2 historical sites such as the Memorial at Hellfire Pass and the River Kwai Bridge

• Enjoying a traditional Mon dance in the evening at the floating hotel

• Riding a train along the original track of the Death Railway (last photo)

For the price, this tour is fantastic, because you're combining everything into one trip. Hellfire Pass and the River Kwai Bridge were also so interesting to learn about the history, if you do any tour outside of Bangkok, definitely do this one - You can book your tour here!

2) Ayutthaya Full-Day Trip

I really loved the trip to Ayutthaya. The highlight for me was learning about the history of Wat Mahathat, and how the Buddha head ended up inside the tree. The temple was originally built in the 14th century as the spiritual centre of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, but was destroyed during the Burmese invasion in 1767, with many Buddha statues decapitated in the process. It's such a beautiful location and entirely different to the temples in Bangkok, a real scenic gem.

Book this tour to explore the former capital of Thailand with a private driver, including a visit to the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace en route to Ayutthaya in a private car.

3) Khao Yai National Park

You'll get to hike along one of the many nature trails and see the majestic Haew Suwat Waterfall, beginning on the KM 33, Nong Phak Chi Trail, walking through forests and grasslands with a chance to spot monkeys, hornbills and elephants from the Nong Phak Chi Observation Tower.

After lunch you’ll visit the Haew Suwat Waterfall (makes for a great photo spot!) then continue on to Lamtakong Campsite, a peaceful area where deer roam freely year round, which was a really lovely, unexpected highlight of the tour.

Lastly, you’ll head to Haew Narok Waterfall, which is the tallest waterfall in the park and the most stunning, before heading back to Bangkok in the early evening. You can book your tour here!

Thank you so much for reading my blog on activities and things to do in Bangkok.

If you would like information on where to stay, rooftop bars and my food recommendations, you can read my other blog posts or visit my social media accounts linked below!

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