You certainly know it if you follow me, after my long 15-month trip to New Zealand, it was in Thailand, then in Laos, that I stopped over for about twenty days.
My international flights landing and taking off from Bangkok, I took the opportunity to visit the city. The immense Thai capital of nearly 10 million inhabitants conceals things to do and to see, in particular, you will see it, many temples.
Apart from these impressive religious constructions, the city has also been able to modernize in recent decades to now be one of the most modern cities in Southeast Asia with an incalculable number of skyscrapers, each one higher than the other. .
Let’s embark together for Bangkok to discover these essential places.

Royal palace

The royal palace is undoubtedly the must-see number 1 in Bangkok. It is by far the most visited places in the city. The Royal Palace, built in the late 1700s is none other than the former residence of the King of Thailand. The royal palace is a vast complex made up of a multitude of buildings and small, richly decorated squares. The decorations are, in fact, what makes this palace special. Numerous statues of Buddha throne all over the palace.
The highlight of the show is none other than the Emerald Buddha, true jewels of the temple.

Wat Pho

Located right next to the Royal Palace, Wat Pho is for me the second must-see in Bangkok. Famous around the world, especially after its appearance in Leonardo Dicaprio’s film “The Beach”, Wat Pho is home to one of the largest reclining Buddhas in the country. An immense Buddha, all in gold leaf clad which measures nearly 50 meters in length and 15 in height. All around the reclining Buddha are many small pagodas like what you can see in the royal palace.
Note that to visit Wat Pho and in particular to enter the palace which houses the reclining Buddha, it will be necessary to adopt adequate clothing. First of all, you must take care to remove your shoes (as in all temples in Thailand) but also cover your shoulders and not wear skirts or shorts that are too short.

Wat Arun

Located on the other side of Chao Praya, the river that winds through the city, is Wat Arun. Wat Arun is the largest temple in the city. Over 300 years old, this temple is one of Bangkok’s must-sees. You can get there and walk around the different structures. It is possible to climb on the larger one and enjoy a breathtaking view of Bangkok. At night, Wat Arun is simply beautiful, all lit up.

Floating markets

A visit to a floating market also seems to be a must when visiting Bangkok. Take a boat ride through the small canals as you would in the streets of a market in France. On either side of the stream are the vendors, also installed in sort of small boats with all their products.
There are several floating markets in Bangkok, some being very touristy, others much less so. We can cite, for example, the most famous, Damnern Saduak, located a hundred kilometers from Bangkok all the same. Bang Khu Wiang, located much closer to the city center, is also very famous but it takes place very early in the morning, between 4 and 7 a.m.

Discover Ayutthaya

About 80 kilometers from Bangkok is: Ayutthaya! Why am I telling you about this city located outside of Bangkok. Quite simply because there are day trips to discover this city. What’s special about her? Ayutthaya is quite simply the ancient capital of Thailand. Indeed it was until 1767. That year, after its destruction by the Burmese army, Bangkok took the place of capital. Ayutthaya is today, and since 1991, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These many ruins and temples make it special and attract tens of thousands of tourists every year.

Bangkok and its malls

Now let’s move on to the modern city side. And yes, because Bangkok is not just temples, palaces and floating markets. The city is resolutely modern in many neighborhoods. The most striking aspect of this modern side is undoubtedly its malls. These huge, ultra-modern shopping centers have sprung up like mushrooms across the city. If you want to check out some of these malls, then head to Sukhumvit Road. On this big avenue you will find many malls, among them, one of the most modern, Terminal 21. On more than 6 floors you can discover the hundreds of shops, restaurants or cafes of this huge shopping center.

Rooftop

I tell you about it in the introduction of this article, rooftops are particularly impressive in Bangkok. A real must for a visit to Bangkok, an evening on a rooftop will fill your eyes.
Here are two of the city’s most famous rooftops, the Sky Bar at Lebua at State Tower. It is on this rooftop that some scenes of the famous “The Hangover” were filmed.
For my part, it was at the Vertigo at the Banyan Tree Hotel that I went. The roof of this luxury hotel is amazing. The view is breathtaking and the cozy atmosphere of the lounge bar contrasts sharply with the streets of Bangkok. Of course, the price of drinks and fantastic cocktails do not have the same price!

Here is for this tour of the essentials of Bangkok, if you want to have more ideas on the things not to be missed in Bangkok, you can take a look on the Expedia site which will give you good ideas of activities to do. in Bangkok.

Some tips for your trip to Bangkok

If you want to travel to Bangkok or elsewhere in Thailand then choose your period well. Indeed certain seasons are not really favorable to the discovery of this country. Winter should be favored, ie from the month of November to the month of March. The temperatures are certainly high, but the humidity is lower. The summer period is hot but above all very humid with a very pronounced rainy season.