Bangkok Things to Do Tips by idy

This is the wat featured on the 10-baht coin. At 86 metres, its towering prang is one of Bangkok's famous landmarks.

The wat was first named Wat Jang (jang meaning dawn) by Rama I. It was renamed Wat Arun Rajavararam by King Mongkut, who also 'completed' the structure by covering it with thousands of donated fragments of Chinese porcelain.

The huge central prang rests on three levels of terraces, surrounded by other structures representing the Buddhist universe and the four great seas of the physical world.

Visitors are allowed to climb up to the third terrace, where they can enjoy views of the Chao Phraya.

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Phone: 02-466-3167
Address: Arun Amarin Road
Directions: From Tha Tien pier on the Chao Phraya take a ferry across the river to Wat Arun pier.

Originally built in the 16th century, Wat Pho is Thailand's largest and oldest temple. It features Thailand's largest reclining buddha (46 metres long and 15 metres high) and also houses the country's largest collection of buddha images.

The temple was almost completely rebuilt by King Rama I in 1781. Today, it is also the national headquarters for the teaching and preservation of traditional Thai medicine.

Visitors should get a massage at Wat Pho's massage school at the eastern end of the compound. It costs about 180baht for an hour-long massage or 100baht for a 30-minute session. Wat Pho-trained masseurs and masseuses are highly regarded for their technique and expertise.

An entrance fee of 20baht is charged. It's open daily from 8am to 5pm. The ticketing booth is closed daily from 12pm to 1pm.

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Phone: 02-221-991
Address: Chetuphon Road
Directions: Coming from the Chao Phraya, alight at Tha Tien Pier.

Wat Phra Kaeo, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, adjoins the Grand Palace. It is the holiest of all Thai temples, and its small jade-green statue of the buddha is considered the most sacred image in Thailand.

The statue of was discovered in 1434, covered in stucco. When the stucco started to crumble away years later and several miracles occurred, the statue gained a reputation for bringing good fortune.

In the 945,000 square metre compound, visitors will see Ayutthaya-style murals, door panels with mother-of-pearl inlay, golden outer walls and gilded roofs, a model of Cambodia's Angkor Wat, and sacred buildings such as the Royal Pantheon and the Phra Si Rattana Chedi.

Admission to Wat Phra Kaeo and the Grand Palace is charged at 125baht. The compound's opening hours are 8.30am to 11.30am and 1pm to 3.30pm.

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Address: Ratchadamnorn Nai Road
Directions: The compound is next to Wat Pho.

Situated south of the Grand Palace and by the Chao Phraya, Chinatown is a bustling ethnic enclave that is also one of the oldest districts of the city.

Back in the late 18th century, the Chinese merchants moved south when their land was cleared to make way for the building of the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo. Sampeng Lane thus became the first commercial zone for Chinese businesses during the day, and was an opium district during the night.

Today, the district is home to colourful Chinese temples, Chinese schools, Chinese pharmacies, provision shops, wet markets, busy narrow streets lined with peddlers of bric-a-brac and small eateries. Can't find them? Just venture off the main streets!

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Address: Ratchawongsi Road
Directions: To get to Chinatown via the Chao Phraya, visitors should alight at Tha Ratchawong.

Apparently, purely Hindu neighbourhoods are quite rare in Thailand as most Indians have integrated into local society. However, there are pockets of Hindu culture in this small district, with shops selling traditional Hindu costumes for Hindu ceremonies such as weddings, and also a 7-storey Sikh temple.

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Address: Between Chakkrawat Road and Chak Phet Road
Directions: Next to Chinatown. Air-con bus numbers 1 or 7.

Take a tour of the network of canals (khlongs) of Thon Buri, where sights like stilted wooden houses, temples, vegetable gardens, rice fields will greet you. Visitors will also come across boat vendors selling products like straw hats and vegetables.

There are 3 primary canals around Thon Buri leading west from Chao Phraya river. To go up Khlong Bangkok Noi, take a river taxi from Tha Maharat. To go to Khlong Bangkok Mon, get a river taxi from Tha Tien; and from either Tha Tien or Tha Rachini, there are water taxis leaving for Khlong Bangkok Yai.

The river taxis operate from 6am to 6.30pm. Alternatively, long-tailed boats can be hired from river piers for private excursions.

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Directions: Take river taxis from Tha Maharat, Tha Tien or Tha Rachini.

The Royal Plaza, located at the entrance to Dusit Park, is dominated by a statue of King Chulalongkorn on a horse.

On December 5 every year, the Royal Guard Regiment affirms its oath of loyalty to the king and queen at the plaza, with much pomp and ceremony.

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Directions: Entrance of Dusit Park

This building looks a little out of place in sleepy Dusit Park, with its huge green dome, white Roman columns and manicured lawns.

Unfortunately, the building is rarely open to public but most visitors would prob'ly be content just staring, eyes-agog, from the outside, trying to get it all into a picture. It really does look pretty amazing!

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Address: Dusit Park
Directions: Behind the Royal Plaza.

The Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall boasts an impressive facade with its veranda carved in exquisite timber latticework. The building houses the SUPPORT Museum, where visitors can find traditional crafts such as nielloware, woodcarving and textiles.

No photography is allowed inside the museum. Lockers are provided free of charge for those who wish to stow away their bags and cameras. No footwear is allowed inside the museum as well.

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Address: Dusit Park
Directions: Behind Ananta Samakorn Throne Hall.

The former stables of the Ananta Samakorn Throne Hall is now the Royal Elephant National Museum.

Exhibits illustrate the beliefs and traditions concerning white elephants, such as the capture of wild elephants and ceremonies to celebrate and confer royal status upon the white elephants belonging to the King.

Visitors can also find exhibits like gigantic tusks, preserved skin from a white elephant and hair tassels from royal elephants.

These stables were built during the reigns of King Rama V and King Rama VII.

The museum is open daily from 9am to 4pm and an admission fee of 5baht is charged. No photography is allowed in the museum.

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Phone: 0 2282 3336
Address: Uthong Nai Road, Dusit Park
Directions: Behind the Ananta Samakorn Throne Hall.