Probably the most fascinating metropolis of Asia and definitely the greatest city in Thailand, Bangkok is an amazing place. It will take you several days to experience all that the capital city has to offer, but if you’re only stopping by Bangkok hotels on your way to the beach, here are five places you should not miss here:

1. Wat Pho (Wat Phra Chetuphon, Thasis) is the largest and oldest Wat (temple) in Bangkok, stretching over 20 acres and being built 200 years before Bangkok became Thailand’s capital. The main attraction here is the gold plated reclining Buddha, 46 meters long and 15 meters high. It is the place of Thailand’s first university and the best place in the world where you can get a Thai massage.

2. The Grand Palace is the official residence of the kings of Thailand. This complex of wonderful buildings attracts the highest number of visitors in Bangkok, each year. One of the most famous is The Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew), which contains small Emerald Buddhas from the 14th century. Keep in mind that this is Thailand’s most sacred place and a strict dressing code applies: long pants, long shirts, no bare feet, no bare shoulders etc.

3. Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) is a 104 meter prang (Khmer-style tower), decorated with pieces of porcelain. With murals and Buddha images designed by King Rama II and a couple of mythical guardians that one can see also at Wat Pho, some say that it’s better to admire this landmark from a distance. If you’d like to see a nice view of Chao Phraya river, you can walk up some stairs here.

4. The National Museum claims to be the largest museum in South East Asia. It is the best place to find out some facts about the Thai culture, history and religion. An English tour of the museum lasts about 2 hours and it is available on Wednesdays and Thursdays. It is recommended to see the museum along with these tours, since there are large parts of the museum without information.

5. Bang Khu Wiang Floating Market is the best choice for enjoying a traditional Thai floating market. All kind of exotic fruits and vegetables can be found here and they are all fresh. To get there, you must rent a boat on the Chang Pier river and asked to be taken to Noi-Khlong Om-Bang Khu Wiang Floating Market.

Image credit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

Popularity: 1% [?]