Temples & Street Food: A 4-Day Bangkok Itinerary | Travileer

Four days of gold-leaf temples, river boats and a night market on every corner, for less than a hotel breakfast at home.

Bangkok is where a small budget goes furthest in a big city. A plate from a street cart is a dollar or two, the Skytrain is under two dollars a ride, and the river boats that connect the old city to the new one cost less than a coffee. The one expensive ticket in town is the Grand Palace, and it is worth it. This plan keeps the temples to the mornings before the heat, the markets to the evenings after it, and the river in between.

Trip details

  • Destination: Bangkok, Thailand
  • Duration: 4 days
  • Budget: budget ($350 - $700)
  • Best season: November - February
  • Best for: Backpackers, food-first travellers, first-time Southeast Asia
  • Interests: street food, temples, markets, river, nightlife, shopping

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1: The old city and the river

the Grand Palace, two great temples and a sunset across the water

  • 08:30 — The Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha · Grand Palace, Phra Nakhon
    The royal compound of golden spires, murals and the small jade Buddha that is the most sacred image in the country. Entry is 500 baht for foreign visitors, the most expensive ticket in the city. Arrive at opening; by ten the courtyards are full.
    Tip: Dress code is enforced: shoulders and knees covered, no ripped jeans. Sarongs are rented at the gate if you forget.
  • 11:00 — Wat Pho and the Reclining Buddha · Wat Pho, Phra Nakhon
    A forty-six-metre gold Buddha lying on its side, feet inlaid with mother-of-pearl, in a temple that is also the birthplace of Thai massage. Entry is 300 baht. The massage school in the grounds takes walk-ins.
  • 13:00 — Lunch in the Tha Tien lanes · Tha Tien pier, Phra Nakhon
    The old shophouse lanes between Wat Pho and the river hold a dozen noodle and rice shops that feed the pier. Boat noodles or a pad kra pao and a fresh coconut come to a few dollars.
  • 16:30 — Cross to Wat Arun for sunset · Wat Arun, Bangkok Yai
    The Temple of Dawn is best at dusk, from the west bank. Take the cross-river ferry from Tha Tien for a few baht, climb the steep central prang while the light is gold, then watch it from the riverside as the floodlights come on.
    Tip: Entry is 200 baht. The prang steps are steep; hold the rail.
  • 19:30 — Dinner on Yaowarat Road, Chinatown · Yaowarat, Samphanthawong
    After dark the main road of Chinatown becomes one long open-air kitchen: grilled seafood, oyster omelettes, mango sticky rice and the queues that mark the famous stalls. Eat at three places rather than one.
    Tip: MRT to Wat Mangkon station puts you in the middle of it. Bring cash in small notes.

Dining highlight: Yaowarat Road after dark — Thai-Chinese street food, $8-15. The best restaurant in Bangkok is a kilometre of pavement. Follow the longest queue.

Day 2: Markets and the modern city

the biggest market in Asia, a silk house and the malls of Siam

  • 09:00 — Chatuchak Weekend Market · Chatuchak Weekend Market, Chatuchak
    Fifteen thousand stalls across thirty-five acres, open Saturday and Sunday. Clothes, ceramics, plants, antiques and a food section that is a destination on its own. Go early; by noon the aisles are a slow shuffle.
    Tip: Weekends only. On a weekday, go to Or Tor Kor Market next door instead, a covered fresh-food market that is open daily.
  • 12:30 — Lunch at Or Tor Kor Market · Or Tor Kor Market, Chatuchak
    The best produce market in the city and a food court to match: crab curry, grilled river prawns, durian in season. Cleaner and calmer than Chatuchak, a two-minute walk away.
  • 15:00 — Jim Thompson House · Jim Thompson House, Pathum Wan
    Six teak houses assembled by the American who revived the Thai silk industry and then vanished in the Malaysian jungle in 1967. The guided tour through the art collection and gardens runs every twenty minutes.
  • 17:00 — Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and the Siam malls · Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Pathum Wan
    A free contemporary art centre with a spiral atrium, opposite the Siam Square malls. Air conditioning, exhibitions and the best people-watching in the city as the offices let out.
  • 19:30 — Dinner at Terminal 21 or on Sukhumvit · Terminal 21, Watthana
    The food court on the top floor of this airport-themed mall is the cheapest good dinner in Sukhumvit, with dishes at 40 to 80 baht. The soi restaurants around Asok station are the sit-down alternative.

Dining highlight: Or Tor Kor Market — Thai market food, $5-12. Where Bangkok's chefs shop and where the fruit is the best in the country. Eat the crab.

Day 3: Backstreets, a park and the riverside at night

5 activities. Sign in to unlock this day.

Day 4: The river and the new riverside

4 activities. Sign in to unlock this day.

Where to stay

Sala Rattanakosin — Boutique riverside, $140-220 per night, Tha Tien, old city.

The old city has few good hotels and this one puts the two most important sights within a five-minute walk, before the crowds and the heat.

  • Rooms facing Wat Arun across the river
  • Two minutes from Wat Pho and the Grand Palace
  • Rooftop bar with the best sunset view in the old city

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Bangkok, Thailand?

We recommend 4 days to experience the best of Bangkok, Thailand.

When is the best time to visit Bangkok, Thailand?

The best season to visit Bangkok, Thailand is November - February.

What budget should I plan for Bangkok, Thailand?

This itinerary is designed for a budget budget of approximately $350 - $700.

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