Bangkok – the city of angels – is not only the capital of the Kingdom of Thailand, but much more a center for arts, fashion and entertainment, with many cultural landmarks such as countless temples, and with a vivid street life at any time of day or night.
It is one of the world's top tourist destinations and one of the must-see cities in Asia. Find out more about Bangkok's attractions:
1. Grand Palace
The Grand Palace is the former residence of the kings of Siam, as Thailand was named before. When passing the two yaks at the entrance, you will find yourself in a different world of fairy tales. It is a must-see on your visit to Bangkok.
The Grand Palace consists of numerous buildings, halls and pavilions surrounded by open lawns, gardens and courtyards. It is used for official receptions of the King's guests, state guests, and other foreign dignitaries and still contains a number of royal offices and a museum.
Location: Thanon Na Phra Lan, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok.
Opening hours: 8:30 - 15:30
Entrance fee: 500 Baht (together with Temple of Emerald Buddha)
You can take a boat to either Tha Tien pier or Tha Chang pier.
Best time to visit is probably morning time, before vast crowds of tourists appear.
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2. Temple of the Emerald Buddha
The Temple of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Phra Khaeo is situated right next to The Grand Palace, forming an ensemble with it and sharing the same entrance. Admire the wall paintings in the colonnades around the Emerald Buddha statue.
The whole scene is dominated by splendid colors and by gold. See the royal audience chamber in Phra Thinang Amarin Winitchai, with its gold overcharged throne. They say, you will find nothing alike in the whole of Thailand.
Location: Thanon Na Phra Lan, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok.
Opening hours: 8:30 - 15:30
Entrance fee: 500 Baht (together with The Grand Palace)
Please dress modestly, cover upper arms and feet. Shorts and skirts should reach the knees.
You can take a boat to either Tha Tien pier or Tha Chang pier.
The best time to visit is probably morning time, before vast crowds of tourists appear.
3. Wat Arun
Situated on the bank of Chao Phraya River, Wat Arun is one of the visually most recognized attractions of Bangkok. The temple is in the center of an extensive garden with green trees and many statues. Its surface is covered with a million Asian pottery, shells and glass shards, making it unique and dazzling in the sunlight.
After restoration, this temple is fully accessible again, and one can climb the steep stairs from all four corners of the building. Alternatively, one can watch Wat Arun glow at sunset from the opposite side of Chao Phraya River.
Location: On the west side of Chao Praya River, opposite Tha Thien Pier
Opening hours: 8:30 - 17:30
Entrance fee: 100 Baht
The best time to visit is probably at sunset.
A tip for insiders is to enjoy a drink and the view from the bar "the deck" on the roof-deck of the Arun-Residence Hotel.
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I have never hear of this company…
I have never hear of this company before , and after reading all these reviews ,I decided to give it a try . The professionalism and communicative skill received by one of the agent , Sharon of Asia Highlights , convince me that She was the right travel agent for my trip in Asia . Very quickly she communicated with me and got all the detail of my desire vacation . Sharon made me a great itinerary with great experiences that I am dreaming to experience and I am looking forward to it . Thanks Sharon for been so great and crafting me a dream vacation with great suggestions.
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orge alvarez,
May 2023
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Coco Yang worked tirelessly to…
From the moment I landed in Bangkok, Ms Noi Ying was there to welcome me and get me settled into my hotel. We enjoyed several days together touring Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. In Chiang Mai, Mr Ekachai took my son snd I on an amazing trip to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and to visit a community Lanna home, gardens and a hands-on cooking class preparing an authentic Thai meal. Lisa arranged a last-minute speedboat tour of 5 breathtaking islands in Phuket. From start to finish, the guides exceeded my expectations!! Thank you, Asia Highlight!! Debbie Woods
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Debbie Woods,
May 2023
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Sharon from Asia highlights has been…
Sharon from Asia highlights has been amazing. She offered her amazing ideas to other tours I wanted. We have planned the perfect 9 day itinerary to Thailand. She worked in my budget and was very flexible when I had to change my flights. Thank you sharon. Can’t wait for the trip.
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Heather Stern Wilensky,
Apr 2023
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Ms. Ning first review 4-2023
Ms. Albee Ning has been doing a great job accommodating my requests and itinerary changes. Remember the first itinerary is a rough draft and you may modify it to suit your tastes. Remember you can not do it all and see everything in 3 weeks. If the flight wasn't so long I would visit Southeast Asia more often. I will update my review in a few months. We don't leave for 9 more months. Asia Highlights is working well for me so far!
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Chiefray,
Apr 2023
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Perfect Trip To Thailand…
We had so much fun in Bangkok with Tanni and Tom as they kept laughing at all of our silly jokes. Paul, our guide and Chiang Mai was really thoughtful, fun and full of great information about the temples and sights. Thanks so much! Brian and Michelle
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Scott Orchard,
Mar 2023
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I highly recommend Asia Highlights
I highly recommend Asia Highlights. I worked with Alisa and she is fantastic! I was planning my honeymoon trip, and I changed the destination multiple times. Each time, Alisa provided me an updated itinerary with activities that matched my interests. Whether I had a small change to an activity, a question about one of the arrangements, or a change or destination, Alisa was helpful, thoughtful, and knowledgeable, providing me with updated options in an extremely timely manner. In the end, despite the fact that I changed my mind on location multiple times, I ended up booking a 17 day trip to Thailand for this upcoming November. I am extremely excited to experience everything that Alisa planned for us. I recommend Asia Highlights to everyone and look forward to using them again on any other trips to Asia in the future. Thank you Alisa and Asia Highlights!
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Britt Rosen,
Mar 2023
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Three weeks encompassing Vietnam
A special shoutout to our last guide in Bangkok - Ms. Ka-Noon who spoiled us with her kindness and then got us through check in and security for our flight home in record time at that huge Bangkok airport.
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Deby,
Feb 2023
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Over the last 5 years we've used Asia…
Over the last 5 years we've used Asia highlights twice. And both times we've had fantastic vacations. Would not want to do it any different when we travel to Asia from now on. Sharon was fantastic. She was a wonderful agent who helped us nail down our trip and make everything go as smooth as possible.
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Todd Atwell,
Feb 2023
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Family Trip to Thailand
Our trip to Thailand comprised three generations of the family , ten people and an age range of 4 to 70 so a potentially difficult brief.Our itinerary over two weeks involved four locations, and a number of different trips and tours.From out arrival at an extremely busy Bangkok airport Asia Highlights were terrific.In each location we were met by a smiling , knowledgeable and professional guide who simply made everything easy and stress free for everyone.Our transportation was clean and comfortable . Transport was always ready for us at the agreed time and the drivers were excellent.There were so many highlights enjoyed by all the age groups. The floating houses , railway market and elephant sanctuary were particular favourites.We had one minor glitch with the accommodation in Phuket which was immediately dealt with by Tip. I think we would have struggled to resolve the problem by ourselves.
So, thank you Asia Highlights , Cathy, Tip and tour guides Tanny, Sam and Lisa. It was a memorable holiday and we will be back.
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Roger Pyle,
Feb 2023
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Trip of a lifetime from Asia Highlights!
I recommend highly Asia Highlights as a travel company. Our travel consultant Albee took the time to connect with us during the planning process to make sure we were comfortable with our itinerary. When we arrived, we were met by our guide and all the details were attended to. They picked great hotels and tours. I often describe our trip as the trip of a lifetime! Would definitely use them again when we come back to Asia
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Nancy Parker,
Feb 2023
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Asia Highlights and Albee - highly recommended
Asia Highlights is very reliable agency and Albee is an amazing representative of the company. From the moment when we contacted her until our departure, the whole support we received was 6* level. She prepared our trip offer within few hours and afterwards she was extremely flexible to adjust as per our needs. In the period between the offer and the trip, Albee was always available for all our questions and supported us on the best possible way. During the trip she was again flexible to add new activities/transfers and this went on the smoothest possible way. Thank you, Albee and Asia Highlights. Definitely we will approach you again for our next Asian trip
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AZ,
Feb 2023
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5 STAR CUSTOMER SERVICE BY MONICA
Monica is a very sweet young lady who speaks excellent English via email/WhatsApp, and knows the importance of excellent customer service.
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Trent,
Jan 2023
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We had an awesome experience with Asia Highlights
We started our trip in Bangkok, where Mr. Prassert our tour guide, met us. He was on time and the van was clean and well-maintained. Mr. Prassert was our guide for the 4 days we spent in Bangkok. He was helpful, kind, and willing to accommodate our pee and coffee breaks. The driver was safe and punctual.
Next, we went to Chiang Mai.Gemma exceeded every expectation we had for our tour of Chiang Mai! She had a great attitude that made exploring the city fun and exciting, as well as an abundance of knowledge and experience. She was always spot on with figuring out logistics and coming up with unique ideas that suited our interests and schedules. Gemma was incredibly generous with her time and even walked us to security at the airport to make sure we could carry all of our luggage. That’s just one example of how far out of her way she went to make our trip easier and more enjoyable. Gemma was sincerely interested in making every minute of our trip count. We’re very grateful to have met her and feel like we have found a friend in Gemma! Our driver in Chiang Mai was also great and very accommodating to our changes in schedules.
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Lois Paskow,
Dec 2022
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Thailand & Cambodia 2022
Albee went above and beyond to make our trip perfect. She rearranged flights due to a mistake of mine. She made sure we were still picked up and escorted to the airport. I felt comfortable and safe with all our reps. She did an excellent job and I highly recommend her booking your next trip. Thank you, Albee.
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Karen Brooks,
Dec 2022
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Perfect vacation thanks to Albee we…
I can’t say enough about how much we appreciate all the efforts, attention to details and immediate responses to all questions that Albee and her team provided. The Asia Highlights team deserves more stars than the maximum allowed because of continually going above and beyond all expectations. Thanks Albee for making our vacation through south east Asia absolutely perfect!!!
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Michael Sharp,
Dec 2022
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2023 Chiang Mai CAD Yipeng Festival
We got early bird ticket and Bella was assisting us through whatsapp. Easy, competitive price, front row tickets. Thanks Bella, for being patient explaining everything to me. Highly recommended.
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lily hartati,
Dec 2022
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Bella has been an outstanding customer service rep
Bella has been an outstanding customer service rep. She was responsive and knowledgeable. Buying tickets from their website was super easy and the whole process was straightforward. Highly recommended.
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Khai,
Nov 2022
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I was ever so grateful to have a point…
I was ever so grateful to have a point of contact while in a foreign country for the first time, alone, that helped me through the Ins and outs of getting to and from my destination. Albee was readily available which brought me much comfort and feeling of safety. If in this part of the world again, I will not hesitate to use your services..
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Omega,
Nov 2022
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Memorable Experience!!!
I booked tickets to the Chiang Mai Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Nov 2022. Bella was extremely responsive and helpful!!
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Bowen,
Nov 2022
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Personalized
It is the attention to detail and what we specifically wanted to see that made the reservation experience so exciting.
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Peter Bongiovanni,
Nov 2022
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4. Jim Thompson House
The Jim Thompson House, on the bank of the Saen Saeb Canal, is the garden-enclosed home of James H.W. Thompson, an American businessman of Thai silk industry. Consisting of six traditional teak-structured Thai-style buildings, this house is a museum, holding its owner's extensive art collection.
Take this trip into ancient Asian objects of art from Thailand, China, Cambodia and Burma, covering paintings, sculptures, porcelain and other collectable items.
Location: Soi Kasemsan 2, Bangkok
Opening hours: 9:00 - 17:00
Entrance fee: 100 Baht
Take the Skytrain to National Stadium Station.
5. National Museum
The Bangkok National Museum houses the largest collection of Thai art and artifacts of the country. It offers a wide range of decorative arts and an ethnological collection of Chinese weapons, gold treasures, precious stones, Khon masks, puppets, ceramics and clothing, and you can find textiles, woodcarvings and traditional musical instruments from around Southeast Asia.
One of the most remarkable exhibitions is the funeral chariots of the royal family, made of teak and gold-plated, some up to 15m high. Furthermore, find examples of Thai architecture including the Buddhaisawan chapel and various beautiful pavilions.
Location: 4 Naphrathat Road, Phra Nakorn District
Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday 9:00 - 16:00
Entrance fee: 200 Baht
If you take a boat, get off at pier 9 Tha Chang/Tha Phrachan
In order not to miss anything, take a guided tour.
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6. Chao Phraya River
It is also called the River of Kings, because all three cities where Thailand's kings had their residences, Ayutthaya, Thonburi and Bangkok, are on this river. It used to be the main transportation route of ancient Bangkok and, with a length of 370 km, of the whole of Thailand.
Three of Bangkok's attractions are on the bank of Chao Phraya River: The Grand Palace, Wat Arun and Wat Pho. You will also find some of the best hotels there. The river is the scene for several festivals, such as Loy Krathong, during which candles are set floating on the river. Take a boat tour or a dinner cruise to watch the skyline and endless number of illuminated temples pass by along the banks.
7. Erawan Shrine
Erawan Shrine is a Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Brahma – the Lord of creation – in Pathum Wan district of Bangkok. It was built after a number of casualties occurred during the construction of Erawan Hotel.
To support one's prayers to Brahma, a group of dancers is available to propitiate the God of creation, whom you can ask for money, love, health but also success in your career and satori.
Location: On Ratchaprasong crossing, across Central World Plaza
The best time to visit: Between seven and eight o'clock – morning and night.
You can buy a little gift from the small booths along Phloenchit Street to sacrifice to Brahma.
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8. Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
As Bangkok's Khlongs (canals) have been filled up to build streets during the last decades, the hot spot for the floating markets today is Damnoen Saduak, a city about 80 km south-west of Bangkok. As a photographer you will enjoy the colorful motives there, known also from a James Bond movie.
In ancient times, the river carried the boats and their loads of fresh vegetables and other agricultural products from the countryside into the cities. These days it is still worth visiting the floating markets, especially in the morning between 6 and 9 a.m., before the tourists dominate the scene.
From Bangkok city you will have to take a car to reach this destination. We will be happy to organize an individual or a group tour for you.
9. Chatuchak Market
Chatuchak Market is said to be Thailand's biggest in-door market, covering a surface of 1.13 square kilometers. It contains more than 10,000 little shops and stores, the majority of which are only open on Saturdays and Sundays.
It is a paradise for those who love to bargain. You can buy almost anything from clothes and food to antiques and handicrafts. It attracts some 300,000 visitors on a busy day, being a good spot to pick up souvenirs and enjoy the local atmosphere.
Location: Kampendpetch 2 Road, Ladyao, Chatuchok
Opening hours: Saturday and Sunday 6:00 - 18:00
Take the subway (MET) and get off at Chatuchak Park
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10. Bang Krachao
Bangkok has a national park called Bang Krachao, which is directly in the center of the city. Most people do not know it is there because it is not heavily advertised, or just parts of the national park are advertised for tours so most people don't even realize they are visiting Bang Krachao. For example, Bang Nam Phueng Floating Market is a popular tour advertised by most tour operators and it is in Bang Krachao.
If you decide to spend a day there, you have a host of activities to enjoy and you can take your time getting through them because this is one part of Bangkok where life slows down to a snail's pace. There are no high-rise buildings, very few cars, lots of winding and narrow roads, cycle routes, small canals, orchards, scenic gardens, and plenty of trees there. It is literally as if you have left the city and are standing in the Thai countryside.
Bicycles are available for rent for as little as $2 per day, and you can get a bike with a baby seat if you have young kids. You should plan to head to Flower Road and Green Lane, the 100-acre Sri Nakhon Kuen Khan Park and Botanical Garden, the Ganesh statue, Bangkok Tree House, and visit all or some of the nine Chinese, Hindu, and Thai temples there.
Location: Bang Krachao
Open: all day
Entrance fee: free
11. SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World and Madame Tussauds
If you are looking to kill some time and you need an excuse to take the kids somewhere, or you like sea life and celebrities, then SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World and Madame Tussauds are the perfect venues.
SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World is in Siam Paragon and has an array of sea life from around the world. There is a huge aquarium in which you can book a diving experience with tiger sharks, manta rays, blacktip reef sharks, schools of tuna, and a range of other tropical sea life.
Madame Tussauds can also be booked with your SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World ticket. You will need to take a short walk from Siam Paragon to Siam Discovery. Once inside, you can marvel at wax replicas of world-famous celebrities from Asia, India, and across the globe.
At the end of the Madame Tussauds experience, there is a short 4D movie. During this movie, the seats move and snow is splashed into your face while you follow the squirrel from the movie Ice Age chasing his beloved acorn.
Location: Siam Paragon and Siam Discovery
Open: 10am–9pm
Entrance fee: 1,000 baht (US$30)
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12. Siam's Shopping District
If you are looking for a mixture of entertainment, dining, and high to low-end shopping, then Siam's shopping district is perfect.
You can visit MBK where you will find an indoor marketplace full of electronics ranging from originals to fakes, such as Bose speakers. There are also plenty of affordable T-shirts, sports goods, and shops that sell Thailand/Bangkok memorabilia. This is certainly one of the best shopping centers if you plan on a one-off shopping spree for all your gifts to take home.
A stone's throw away from MBK are Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon shopping centers. These shopping centers are not for the fainthearted. The shops there are nearly all designer brand stores in which prices are usually more expensive than in cities such as New York and London.
If you fancy a coffee, then Starbucks, Costa Coffee, and Coffee World can all be found in Siam Paragon. In addition to this, there are plenty of restaurants to choose from in all the aforementioned shopping centers. We highly recommend The Fifth Food Avenue, which is ironically on the fifth floor of MBK. There are a number of food kiosks there offering Japanese, Thai, Indian, Italian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Greek cuisine, being just a small sample of what is on offer.
Location: Siam
Open: 10am–10pm
Entrance fee: free
13. Lumpini Park
One of Bangkok's most famous parks, Lumpini is easily accessible by both MRT and BTS. The park offers a number of activities and if you are lucky enough to visit while a festival is being held there, then you will also be spoilt for choice when it comes to food.
The park is a great place to relax in the shade. There are park benches and tabled seating areas surrounding a huge lake in the center of the park. The lake actually traverses through the park and on to the outer edges. While you are sitting around it, you will see turtles and some huge catfish, and you are guaranteed to run into a monitor lizard or two.
If you want to go out onto the lake, then you can hire a pedal boat that fits two adults and one child. You can buy bread and fish food to feed the turtles and fish, which will come right up to the riverbank or to the side of your pedal boat.
For those that like sport, there is a jogging track around the park and you can take part in group aerobics, tai chi, and yoga in the evenings, which are all free. There is also a free gym as well as basketball and takraw courts. Takraw is like volleyball but Thais impressively use their feet to play this game.
Location: Rama IV Road, Pathumwan
Open: 6am–9pm
Entrance fee: free
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14. Yaowarat Road (Chinatown)
Chinatown is known as Yaowarat Road to Thais but most taxi drivers that have dealt with foreigners will know where you mean.
It is best to visit Yaowarat Road either in the afternoon or after rush hour in the evening. You will find a large selection of Peking, Cantonese, and Hong Kong-style Chinese restaurants, as well as more Chinese restaurants from different parts of Chinese mainland. You will find a selection of noodles, rice, and duck dishes there, all being the main fare sold in many of the restaurants.
Aside from eating, there is also plenty of shopping to be done in Yaowarat Road. If you like Chinese puddings and snacks, there are numerous stalls to buy them from. Chinese herbal medicine is also widely promoted there and there is a handful of shops with Chinese medicine experts on hand who are willing to help you if you fancy giving natural remedies a try.
On top of this, Yaowarat Road has several small market areas where you can pick up just about anything for a decent price, but be prepared to haggle the price down.
Location: Yaowarat Road
Open: 10am–10pm
Entrance fee: free
15. ASIATIQUE The Riverfront
ASIATIQUE The Riverfront is one of Bangkok's new attractions. It is on the riverside just outside of the Silom area and a short walk from Central Pier and Saphan Taksin BTS. You can also get a boat there from Central Pier, which is underneath the BTS.
If you have kids, then start with the mini go-kart track, Ferris wheel, and carousel, plus there are always people walking around in costumes who are there to entertain children. Furthermore, there is a mini kids' cinema showing short cartoon movies.
This place is perfect for coffee, tea, shopping, and to unwind with alcoholic beverages in style at night. It is also known for having the trendiest market in Bangkok. You can wander around the small walkways where quaint little stores sell custom-made clothes, designer clothes, accessories, menswear, womenswear, eloquent dresses, and all kinds of other attire.
Once you have finished browsing the market, you can head to one of the many restaurants there. You can choose to eat seafood, Indian, Thai, Western, Japanese, Korean, barbecued, or Chinese food. There are both outside and inside air-conditioned dining options available.
Other features there are the many bars where you can unwind and drink the night away. There are several options from large to small bars with seating. If you like to have a drink, then you can visit as many bars as you please and have a drink at each of them.
Location: Charoen Krung Road
Open: 10am–midnight
Entrance fee: free
Visit Thailand with Asia Highlights
Feel free to choose from the numerous attractions for your own personal trip to Bangkok. We from Asia Highlights will do our utmost to realize your dream trip to one of the most stunning locations in south-east Asia. We will follow all your requirements and tailor-make an itinerary you will remember. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Travel with Asia Highlights
Explore Asia with Asia Highlights
At Asia Highlights we offer tailor-made tours through Asia, where you can enjoy all highlights as well as amazing cultural experiences. To get started, send us an email.