If you are traveling to Thailand then you are likely to be passing through Bangkok at least once on your trip, which means you are going to need to come up with a Bangkok itinerary to make the most of your time in Bangkok. In this Bangkok trip planner post, I’ve outlined the best Bangkok itineraries depending on how much time you have. You will find ideas for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 day Bangkok itineraries. Feel free to skip ahead using the table of contents below and check out some of the best non-touristy things to do in Bangkok.
Big thanks to Manpreet Kaur from Hello Manprett for her help in putting together this Thailand Bangkok itinerary.
Did You Get Travel Insurance Yet?
If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that you need to be prepared for anything! Travel insurance has always been high my list of things to get before I travel but now more than ever its at the top of my list.
I’m pretty sure we have all had travel plans messed up because of COVID and not all insurers covered this. So when looking for travel insurance it’s important to check it covers travel disruption due to COVID-19, Hey Mondo, Passport Nomads, Safety Wing, and Travel Insurance Master all provide cover for this.
Hey Mondo is great if you are looking for a great value flexible policy. They offer single trip cover, annual multi trip cover, and long term travel cover. You even have the option to start the cover when you are already on your trip, although you won’t be covered for the first 72 hours. For me my favourite feature is their app which offers you a 24/7 Dr chat and the ability to file a claim direct in the app.
Passport Nomads provides the most comprehensive cover for Digital Nomads. The game changer with them is that you have a red card and if you find yourself in need of medical care you just contact them and they will pre load your card with the funds to cover your treatment, meaning you won’t need to pay out of pocket and then put in a claim later.
Safety Wing is great value with monthly cover starting at $39. It’s super easy to use and it just renews each month. They have an excess of $250 and it’s simple to make a claim through their website. I currently use them as they offer me free cover for my son as part of my policy and I like that it renews on a monthly basis, so I don’t have to pay out a big lump sum up front.
I also use Travel Insurance Master for some short vacation type trips.
If you are doing shorter trips or an extended backpacking trip then Hey Mondo or Travel Insurance Master are the best option. If you are a digital nomad or planning travel of at least 6 months then go for Passport Nomads or SafetyWing.
Bangkok Itinerary 4 Days
4 days in Bangkok Thailand is, in my opinion, the perfect amount of time to be able to explore the city without feeling rushed. This Bangkok trip itinerary has all of the main points of interest and a few hidden gems that you might not yet know about.
Here is a summary of the best 4 day Bangkok itinerary
- Day 1 – Lumphini Park and Mall, Jim Thompson House, and Art Box Night Market
- Day 2 – Day of Temples – Wat Ratchanatdram Worawihan, Wat Thepthidaram, Wat Suthat Thewararam, wat Arun, Wat Pho, evening at the Night Markets
- Day 3 – Grand Palace, Bangkok national museum, and the evening in Koh San Road
- Day 4 – Floating markets, Chinatown, Wat Traimit, and Sunset at a rooftop bar
Day 1 – Ease Your Way Into Bangkok
If you want to avoid hating Bangkok then I recommend easing your way into the city and making your first day a chilled one. So, spend day 1 of your Bangkok itinerary exploring Lumpini mall. Jim Thompson House, Lumphini Park
Lumpini mall is a great way to start your trip in Bangkok, there are so many unique stores and delicious places to eat. You can walk around and relax while you ease into the city. There are several large malls in this area as well as some beautiful parks where you can chill out with a cold drink if shopping isn’t your thing. The best thing about starting your Bangkok travel itinerary here is that you don’t need to worry about people shouting at you on the street, feeling the pressure of finding somewhere good to eat, or having to deal with TukTuk drivers, etc.
Once you are done in the mall you can head over to a cute little night art market which is located in Bangkok Khlong Toei. It’s called the Art Box Night Market and its an artisanal night market selling all kinds of locally made jewelry and clothes. The perfect place for beautiful, unique souvenirs. The market is open from 4 pm daily until 12 am. If you don’t have much energy left then grab dinner here before heading back to your hotel.
I’d recommend getting an early (ish) night so you have plenty of energy for the next day.
Day 2 – The Day of Temples
I made this handy map you can save to help you navigate your way about the best temples to visit in Bangkok.
This is a BIG day on your Bangkok trip itinerary, today you are going to be hitting up ALL of the temples… Okey not all of them, that would be impossible as there are thousands of temples in Bangkok, but you will be visiting 5 of the main temples using this Bangkok temple one day itinerary.
The temples you will be visiting are (in this order):
- Wat Ratchanatdram Worawihan
- Wat Thepthidaram
- Wat Suthat Thewararam
- Wat Arun
- Wat Pho
Wat Ratchanatdram Worawihan
Start off your day at Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan this is a beautiful temple where you can walk up a spiral staircase and get some tips on different types of meditation and mindfulness techniques that the monks practice. It has a very calm and peaceful atmosphere and is the perfect place to start your day.
Wat Ratchanatdram Worawihan opens at 8 am so I’d suggest getting these as close to that time as you can. Also if you can possibly swing by here at night when all of the 37 spires are lit up, do. It really is beautiful.
Wat Thepthidaram
Next up, just a few minutes walk away you will find Wat Thepthidaram. This temple was built in 1836, by King Rama III to honor one of his many wives. The temple is very famous in Thailand as it is where the ‘Shakespeare of Thai Literature’ was ordained as a monk and lived for many years after falling out of favor with the kind. If you have an interest in Buddhism it’s an interesting place to come.
Wat Suthat Thewararam
After take a walk towards the giant swing which sadly is no longer swingable but still cute to see and to take a quick snap of. Plus it’s right outside another gorgeous temple called Wat Suthat Thepwararam which you can admire from outside, or take a peek inside. It’s one of the 10 royal temples of the first grade in Bangkok.
Wat Arun
Then on to one of my favorite temples in Bangkok, Wat Arun. To get here you will need to take a 10-minute walk followed by a 10-minute boat journey there and back. Don’t let this put you off, it adds to the whole experience, and riding on the public boats if pretty in expensive and easy to do.
As well as visiting Wat Arun there is another small temple located very close, so be sure to check it out before you leave. Please remember to wear appropriate clothing when entering Wat Arun, or any other temple in Thailand. Quite often there will be somewhere you can borrow something to cover you up, but it’s always a good idea to wear long pants and have a scarf handy to cover your shoulders. as there are people who are inside the temple making sure you follow the rules. If you don’t follow the rules you will either be refused entry, or kicked out. If you are unsure what to wear in Thailand then take a read of my Thailand packing guide here.
Wat Pho
Take the boat back and head straight to Wat Pho where you’ll find the glorious reclining Buddha. It’s a busy place packed with so many others but take your time to appreciate the beauty and pay your respects to this beautiful place. I’ve also saved this one for last as this is where the Thai Massage school is and I still dream of the hour-long foot massage I had here after a long day of temple gazing. So do yourself a favor and book a Thai Massage in Wat Pho. I thought an hour was too long for a foot massage, I was wrong. I could have sat there all day! Your feet will thank you. Of course, you can get a full body massage too if you prefer, but sometimes there is a bit of a wait for a bed.
Cruise along the Chao Phraya River
After all of that walking it’s time to chill out and what better way to do that while getting a different view of Bangkok that taking an evening cruise along the Chao Phraya River. Yes, it’s super touristy, but that doesn’t mean it’s not an awesome thing to do though.
Day 3 – The Grand Palace
The Grand Palace
Yes, I know I’ve left this until day 3, but there is a reason for that. If you are going to get scammed anywhere in Bangkok, it’s likely to be at The Grand Palace. It is THE tourist spot in Bangkok and getting there can be like running the gauntlet. Firstly you have the Tuk Tuk drivers who might try and take you on a tour of nicknack shops in Bangkok or they will try to tell you it’s closed and take you somewhere else. When you do get to the Palace you will likely have a few other street touts also telling you it’s closed. Stay strong my friend. Do not listen to anyone, just get to the ticket booth!
The Grand Palace is pretty huge, and there isn’t much shade in there so I suggest getting there early so you can spend a few hours exploring and taking pictures before the midday sun starts to burn you and making your exploration unbearable.
Bangkok National Museum
This is another place you should check out if you can, it’s one of the largest museums in Asia and they hold many exhibitions for Thai art and history. plus it has AC so you can spend some time here cooling down after the Grand Palace.
Khao San Road
Yes, I know what you’re thinking. Another cheesy tourist trap. But I don’t care how old you are, or how ‘I’m too cool for Khao San Road’ you think you are. Just go haha. I honestly thought it would be my worst nightmare. And if I’m honest I felt like I was in a nightmare the next day my hangover was so bad. But it’s too much fun not to give it a chance. So go, soak up the drunk backpack atmosphere. Drink some Chang beer, eat some Pad Thai and have fun
Day 4 – The Floating Markets, Chinatown of Bangkok, Wat Traimit, and Rooftop Bar hopping
Floating Markets
I don’t normally advise to do tours, but in this case, I’m going to. Most of the Bangkok floating markets are miles outside of Bangkok center and can be tricky to get to. So if you want a stress free morning book on a tour. The only market that is in the afternoon is Amphawa, all of the others it’s best to go early and have breakfast there.
There are 4 main floating markets in Bangkok:
- Damnoen Saduak (open daily 7 am – 11 am)
- Amphawa (open Fri, Sat & Sun 12 pm -8 pm)
- Taling Chan (open Sat & Sun 8 am -5 pm)
- Khlong Lat Mayom (open Sat & Sun 9 am -4 pm)
Damnoen Saduak is the most popular floating market with tourists. Amphawa is much smaller but more authentic. Taling Chan is the closest to Bangkok so if you want to go it alone this is probably your best bet. Khlong Lat Mayom is also pretty close and this is the market for the foodies, so go hungry!
If you are visiting at the weekend then you have more options. If during the week then taking a morning tour to Damnoen is your only option.
Chinatown
Once you return from your morning at the market then I recommend spending the afternoon exploring Bangkok Chinatown. You can find it by heading to Yaowarat Road. If you haven’t already had enough temples (trust me, temple burnout in Thailand is a real thing) then there is a temple worth checking out close to Chinatown, Wat Traimit otherwise known as ‘The Temple of Golden Buddha.’. Standing at five meters and weighing five and a half tons, it’s pretty impressive and worth the walk.
Watch the Sunset From a Rooftop Bar
What better way to spend your final evening in Bangkok than watching the sun setting while sipping on cocktails from one of Bangkok’s famous rooftop bars? If you are on a budget then check out Octave at Bangkok Marriot Hotel Sukhumvit or if you want to splash the cash and dress to impress then give Sirocco a try.
And that concludes my 4 day Bangkok itinerary. If you have more or less time to spend in Bangkok check out the other Bangkok itineraries I’ve added below to help you plan your Bangkok trip.
Bangkok Itinerary 5 Days
For a Bangkok 5 days trip then I’d follow everything on the 4 day itinerary, but add in a day trip to Ayutthaya from Bangkok.
So, your 5 days in Bangkok would look something like this:
- Day 1 – Lumphini Park and Mall, Jim Thompson House, and Art Box Night Market
- Day 2 – Day of Temples – Wat Ratchanatdram Worawihan, Wat Thepthidaram, Wat Suthat Thewararam, wat Arun, Wat Pho, evening at the Night Markets
- Day 3 – Grand Palace, Bangkok national museum, and the evening in Koh San Road
- Day 4 – Take a day trip to see the temples of Ayutthaya
- Day 5 – Floating markets, Chinatown, Wat Traimit, and Sunset at a rooftop bar
Bangkok Itinerary 3 Days
If you are planning a Bangkok 3 day trip then you are going to have to prioritize. And if you want to see the best of Bangkok in 3 days, you are going to have a busy few days! The first thing I would suggest is making a list of your must-see in Bangkok in 3 days. This is what I would recommend:
- Grand Palace
- Wat Arun and Wat Pho
- Floating Markets
- Chinatown
- Night Markets
- Koh San Road
Lucky for you, I’ve managed to squeeze all of these top Bangkok sites into my Bangkok three day itinerary and more.
Here is a summary of the best things to do in Bangkok in 3 days:
- Day 1 – Day of Temples – Wat Ratchanatdram Worawihan, Wat Thepthidaram, Wat Suthat Thewararam, Wat Arun, Wat Pho, evening at the Night Markets
- Day 2 – Grand Palace, Bangkok national museum, and the evening in Koh San Road
- Day 3 – Floating markets, Chinatown, Wat Traimit, and Sunset at a rooftop bar
For more details on each please check out the detailed review above on the 4 day itinerary.
Bangkok Itinerary 2 Days
So you have 2 days in Bangkok, no sweat. Just be prepared to cover a lot of ground in those 2 days… and don’t skip the foot massage at Wat Pho. You’re going to need it!
Here is a summary of the best Bangkok two day itinerary:
- Day 1 – Day of Temples – Wat Ratchanatdram Worawihan, Wat Thepthidaram, Wat Suthat Thewararam, Wat Arun, Wat Pho, spend the evening at the Night Markets eating and shopping for elephant pants.
- Day 2 – Floating Markets, Grand Palace, and spend your evening in Koh San Road.
For more details on each please check out the detailed review above on the 4 day itinerary.
Bangkok 1 Day Itinerary
If you only have 1 day in Bangkok it would actually recommend hiring a driver or a private tour guide for the day. That way you can hit up all of the must-see places in Bangkok in 1 day without stressing. It’s not going to be easy but if you are smart you can do it!
Here is a summary of my Bangkok one day itinerary:
- Floating markets
- Grand Palace
- Wat Arun
- Wat Pho
- Night Market
- Koh San Road
Floating Markets – You will only be able to do this if you are there over a weekend as these markets are close during the week. If it’s the weekend then visit either Taling Chan or Khlong Lat Mayom. Both are close to Bangkok and you can visit without a half-day tour. You will need to take a taxi though.
Grand Palace – Top of everyone’s list. If you don’t visit the floating markets get here for 8 am to avoid the crowds. It’s going to take you 2-3 hours to see everything as it is huge.
Wat Arun – You will need to take a short walk to the river and then take a 10-minute boat ride to get here. But it’s worth it, plus the boat ride is fun.
Wat Pho – You will need to head back in the direction you just came from to get here. But I saved the best temple for last. Not only will you find the reclining Buddha here. But you can also get the best foot massages ever for a great price from the students at the Thai Massage school.
Night Market and Koh San Road – They aren’t really close together, but if you are quick and take a TukTuk, you can do both. I did! Get to the night market early and take a wander around and snack on some of the food. Then take a TukTuk to Koh San Road and share some drinks with the backpacker crowd. Make sure you get a Pad Thai from one of the street vendors too.
Final Thoughts
PHEW. So there you have it. All of my Bangkok itineraries depending on how much time you have to spend in Bangkok. If you are unsure of how much time to spend in Bangkok I suggest 4 days. Its the perfect amount of time to spend here so you don’t have to rush around so much.
I hope you have an amazing time in Bangkok and thank you again to Manpreet Kaur from Hello Manprett for her help with this post.
