Bangkok 7-day itinerary

Start early at the Grand Palace (฿500) — Thailand's most sacred complex. The Emerald Buddha temple is staggering in its detail. Walk five minutes to Wat Pho (฿300) for the 46-metre gold-leaf reclining Buddha. The temple compound is vast and peaceful despite the crowds — find quiet corners in the secondary courtyards with their rows of gilded stupas.

Take the ฿5 cross-river ferry to Wat Arun (฿100) — the Temple of Dawn with its Khmer-style prang encrusted in colourful porcelain shards. Climb the steep central tower for sweeping Chao Phraya views. Back on the east bank, explore Tha Tien market for dried seafood snacks and coconut ice cream. Lunch at a riverside shophouse — boat noodles for ฿15 a bowl.

MRT to Wat Mangkon station and surface into the neon-lit chaos of Yaowarat — Bangkok's legendary Chinatown street food paradise. T&K Seafood does giant grilled prawns for ฿200. Nai Ek Roll Noodle has Michelin-recognized duck noodles for ฿60. End with mango sticky rice (฿80) and a Thai iced tea. The energy here after dark is unmatched in the city.

BTS to Mo Chit. Chatuchak is the world's largest outdoor market — 15,000 stalls across 35 acres. Get lost in sections for vintage clothing, handmade ceramics, Thai silk, and street art. Fuel up with coconut ice cream (฿40), pad thai wraps (฿50), and fresh coconut water. If visiting on a weekday, Or Tor Kor fresh market next door is excellent.

BTS to National Stadium. The Jim Thompson House (฿200) is a beautiful teak mansion built by the silk trader who vanished in 1967. Then walk to Siam Square — MBK Center has seven floors of affordable electronics, fashion, and a legendary food court (meals from ฿50). Siam Paragon's basement food court is also excellent for Thai and international food.

Sunset drinks at Octave Rooftop at the Marriott Sukhumvit (happy hour cocktails ฿290) or the budget-friendly Tichuca rooftop bar (cocktails from ฿350 with excellent skyline views). Then head to Khao San Road for the classic backpacker night — cheap buckets (฿150), street pad thai, scorpion-on-a-stick vendors, and live music until 2am.

Grab to Khlong Lat Mayom — a genuinely local weekend floating market where Bangkokians actually shop. Vendors paddle boats selling grilled seafood, som tam, and Thai desserts. Boat noodles: ฿20. Grilled river prawns: ฿100. Wooden walkways are lined with more food stalls and handcraft shops. This is the real Bangkok experience most tourists miss entirely.

MRT to Lumphini. Lumpini Park is Bangkok's green lung — locals practice tai chi, monitor lizards patrol the lakes, and the city noise disappears. Rent a swan pedal boat (฿40/30min). Walk south through Bang Rak — the creative district with galleries, specialty coffee, and the century-old Assumption Cathedral. Lunch at Muslim Restaurant on Charoen Krung for biryani (฿80).

Free shuttle boat from Sathorn pier to Asiatique The Riverfront — a massive open-air night market and entertainment complex in converted warehouses along the Chao Phraya. Over 1,500 boutiques and 40 restaurants. The Ferris wheel (฿400) offers great river views at night. Food ranges from ฿60 street dishes to sit-down riverside Thai restaurants.

Take the 6:40am train from Hua Lamphong station to Ayutthaya (฿20 third class, 2 hours) — one of the most scenic and cheapest train rides in Asia. The former Siamese capital was once the largest city in the world before being destroyed by the Burmese in 1767. Rent a bicycle at the station (฿50/day) and start at Wat Mahathat — the famous Buddha head entwined in tree roots.

Cycle the temple circuit — Wat Phra Si Sanphet (three iconic chedis, ฿50), Wat Chaiwatthanaram (the most photogenic ruin, ฿50), and Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon (climb the massive central chedi). A ฿220 multi-temple pass covers six major sites. Lunch at the riverside Roti Sai Mai stalls near the old market — hand-pulled cotton candy wrapped in thin roti, an Ayutthaya specialty (฿20).

Return to Wat Chaiwatthanaram for sunset — the Khmer-style temple complex silhouetted against the orange sky is one of Thailand's most iconic views. The ruins close at 6pm but the exterior is visible from the riverbank. Catch the 5:30pm or 7pm train back to Bangkok (1.5–2 hours). Dinner at the train station or back in Bangkok — Yaowarat for round two.

Grab to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA, ฿250) — an under-visited gem housing Thailand's largest private collection of modern Thai art. The building itself is stunning. Then head to the Chatuchak area — even on weekdays, the outdoor art galleries and the smaller JJ Green night market section have interesting vintage and art stalls open.

Explore the Dusit district — the administrative heart of Bangkok. Wat Benchamabophit (฿20), the Marble Temple, is one of the most beautiful in the city with its Italian Carrara marble and 52 Buddha images. Walk through the tree-lined avenues to Vimanmek Mansion (check opening times — it undergoes periodic restoration). Lunch at a local rice-and-curry shop (฿40–60).

BTS to Thong Lo — Sukhumvit Soi 55 is where young Bangkok goes out. Start with dinner at Phed Phed (fiery northeastern Isaan food, mains ฿120–200), then bar-hop. Iron Fairies is a whimsical underground bar with live jazz. 72 Courtyard has rooftop bars and craft cocktails. The Commons is a community mall with excellent food vendors and craft beer on tap.

Take a longtail boat tour through the Thonburi khlongs (canals) on the west bank — the Venice of the East. You will glide past stilt houses, riverside temples, orchid farms, and the Royal Barges Museum. Hire a longtail from Tha Chang pier (฿1,500 for 1 hour, split between up to 6 passengers). The canal network reveals a Bangkok that skyscrapers have not touched.

Walk through Talat Noi — Bangkok's oldest Chinese-Portuguese neighbourhood, now a street art hub. The So Heng Tai mansion is a 200-year-old courtyard house turned cafe. Continue to Warehouse 30 on Charoen Krung — converted WWII warehouses housing galleries and indie shops. Lunch at Jek Pui curry rice (฿50) — a legendary one-dish lunch spot since the 1950s.

MRT to Thailand Cultural Centre. The Ratchada Train Night Market (Talad Rod Fai) is a massive outdoor market with vintage cars, craft beer bars, live music, and incredible street food. The famous aerial photo spot is from the Esplanade shopping centre car park next door. Grilled seafood platters: ฿200. Craft beer: ฿100. The atmosphere on weekend nights is electric.

Book a morning cooking class — Silom Thai Cooking School (฿1,000) or Baipai Thai Cooking School (฿2,200 for premium) both start with a market tour to select fresh ingredients, then teach you to cook 4–5 dishes including pad thai, green curry, and som tam. You eat everything you cook for lunch. The skills and recipes you take home are the best souvenir from Thailand.

Climb the 344 steps of the Golden Mount at Wat Saket (฿100) — a 58-metre hill topped by a golden chedi with 360-degree views of old Bangkok. The spiral walkway is lined with bells and banyan trees. Then explore the nearby Bamrung Muang Road — Bangkok's "monk supply street" selling Buddhist statues, robes, and temple decorations. Last-minute shopping at MBK or Terminal 21.

For a final splurge, dinner at Err Urban Rustic Thai — a Michelin-starred restaurant serving old-school Bangkok recipes in a heritage shophouse near the Grand Palace (dishes ฿120–300). Or keep it real with one last street food crawl through Yaowarat. End with a Thai iced tea, a foot massage (฿200/hour), and a tuk-tuk ride through the illuminated city streets.