Bangkok

Things to see and do

Temple

Si Maha Mariamman Temple

This Hindu temple features intricately decorated roofs and loads of colourful statues of Hindu deities and idols. The main temple which opens to three decorated shrines has a stark white entrance with pillars made of mythical creatures and lotus leaves.
Boonsamakan Vegetarian Hall

This small, tricky-to-find hall is worth a look both during the vegetarian festival when it is a highlight and the rest of the year as well. The hall features some intriguing wood carvings, particularly some three-dimensional work on the upstairs front area along with the usual dragons and ... read more
Sikh temple - Sri Guru Singh Sabah

The entrance is difficult to spot from Chakraphet Road, but those who make the effort will be rewarded by seeing a side of Thailand most don't even know exists. You can ask one of the men hanging around the lobby if you can go upstairs. Both men and women receive an orange cloth to cover their ... read more
Wat Arun

One of Bangkok's most famous and historic landmarks Wat Arun, or the Temple of the Dawn, stands proudly on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River. In 1768, when King Taksin planned to move the capital from Ayutthaya to Thonburi he travelled down the Chao Phraya River by boat, arriving at dawn ... read more
Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)

Built in 1782 by King Rama I, Wat Phra Kaew, or Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is home to the most sacred image in Thailand, the Emerald Buddha – actually made of jade. Wat Phra Kaew is the grandest temple in Bangkok and the standard against which all others are measured. The Emerald Buddha ... read more
Wat Pho

This immense and awe-inspiring complex is the largest temple in Bangkok and is reputed to be Thailand's oldest learning centre. Quite fittingly, it also contains the oldest and largest reclining Buddha in Thailand. The feet of the Buddha, which are over 3 metres long, have been inlaid with ... read more
Wat Saket and the Golden Mount

Sitting atop an artificial hill a few minutes walk from Democracy Monument, Golden Mount and Wat Saket seem to hover watchfully over Rattanakosin. An important wat that originally served as a crematorium and burial ground for plague victims, Wat Saket was rebuilt during the reign of King Rama I ... read more
Wat Traimit

The incredible five-metre high Buddha image here is solid gold and weighs around five tonnes. As the largest solid gold Buddha in the world, it is one of Thailand's greatest treasures. The Buddha is over 700 years old but was discovered to be made of solid gold in 1955. At some stage the Buddha ... read more
Wat Benchamabophit

The white Italian-marble Wat Benchamabophit was restored and enlarged in 1899 by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). According to the King's wishes, some of his ashes are now interred at the base of the central Buddha image. The wat houses a huge collection of Buddha statues of different periods from ... read more
Wat Bovornivet

Within the walls of Wat Bovornivet is Mahamakut Buddhist University, one of the oldest in Bangkok. Since its founding in 1826 – when it was originally known as Wat Mai – this wat has been home to a number of royals who entered the monkhood, including the present king, King Bhumibol. Many ... read more
Wat Prayoon

Wat Prayoon lies within a compound surrounded by lush trees on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River. It is a little out of the way, but if you are in the area it is definitely worth poking your head in. The most memorable aspect of this temple is the Khao Mor cemetery. Comprised of ... read more
Wat Rachabophit

One of the most beautiful and underrated temples in all of Bangkok, Wat Rachabophit is an unexplored gem blissfully free of tourist gridlock. Sitting just at the outskirts of Chinatown, the temple shows off its Chinese influence through magnificent shimmering Chinese tiles that cover every ... read more
Wat Pathum Wannaram

The most amazing thing about Wat Phatum Wannaram is that despite its location right next to Siam Paragon, it is still a very traditional forest wat. Once inside the leafy grounds, which have a solid reputation as a meditation centre, you can almost forget that there is a bustling city right ... read more
Wat Indraviharn

Located to the north of Khao San Road, Wat Indraviharn is home to one of the tallest Buddha images in Thailand. Standing 32 metres tall, this Buddha is built in the modern style with a topknot enshrining a Buddha relic brought from Sri Lanka. Built during the reign of King Rama IV, the Buddha ... read more
Wat Mahathat

Just a few blocks from all the Wat Phra Kaew tourist madness sits Wat Mahathat, a welcome respite from the neighbourhood's traveller overload. The wat itself is fairly unremarkable but it is home to Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University, one of the most highly esteemed sites of Buddhist learning ... read more
Wat Leng Noi Yi

Wat Leng Noi Yi, or the Dragon Flower Temple, dates back to 1871 and is one of the most important sites for the Chinese in Thailand. The original temple was built using donations scraped together from the residents along Sampaeng Lane. Today, the temple's name has been officially changed to Wat ... read more
Wat Suthat

Wat Suthat is best known for its fine murals, dating from the 19th century, and expansive collection of Buddha images. Large and airy feeling, the wat's grounds are fairly big with some cute buildings and beautiful corridors to explore. Construction on the wat began in 1807 during the reign of ... read more
Wat Ratchanatdaram and the Amulet Market

Built in 1846 during the reign of King Rama III, Wat Ratchanatdaram's main attraction is the Loha Prasat, or "Iron Monastary." Loha Prasat stands 36 metres high and is surrounded by 37 spires, representing the 37 virtues needed to attain enlightenment. It is safe to say, there is no other wat quite ... read more
Wat Chakrawat

Presented as a royal temple in 1825, Wat Chakrawat - or the crocodile wat, as it should be known - boasts three live crocodiles along with a stuffed specimen. Supposedly brought here as strays, the three live beasts sit in two separate ponds to the left as you enter the main temple. The croc in ... read more
Wat Rakhang

If you're interested in seeing what a bustling temple looks like in modern day Thailand, Wat Rakhang (meaning Temple of the Bells) will deliver. Wat Rakhang sits on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya and is abuzz with people feeding fish, ringing bells and making merit. Architecturally the ... read more
Wat Chai Chana Songkhram

Just to make life a little more confusing, Bangkok is home to two temples named Wat Chai Chana Songkhram. One of these wats is in Chinatown while the other is near Khao San Road. Meaning “war victory” it makes sense that Chai Chana Songkhram would be such a popular name and we've got them both ... read more
Wat Mahannaparam and Chao Phaa Sua

Located near the Great Swing, these two religious sites couldn't be more different. The Buddhist temple Wat Mahannaparam is a quiet spot famous for a Buddha image that is made predominantly of gold. There are only a few visitors wandering around, and the grounds provide a quiet place to sit or ... read more
Wat Suwannaram

Built during the Ayutthaya period before Bangkok was the nation's capital, Wat Suwannaram, meaning the Golden Monastery, was given its name by King Rama I. Also called Wat Amarin, this temple appears fairly ordinary from the outside. What makes Wat Suwannaram a worthy stop, however, are the ... read more

Museum

National Museum

Thailand's first museum was established during the reign of King Rama IV when he used two of the buildings within the Grand Palace to showcase his personal collection. The first public museum was opened in 1874 and was relocated to the current site in 1887. It is now the largest of its kind in ... read more
Royal Barges National Museum

The royal barges are used only rarely, when the royal family takes part in stunning processions down the Chao Phraya River. Although the procession consists of 26 boats, only a handful of these are designated as royal with the others performing the roles of escorts. Each royal barge is ... read more
The National Gallery

The National Gallery, housing both contemporary and traditional Thai art, is home to the best public collection in the kingdom. The contemporary art section is on the ground floor in rooms to the left and right after the entrance. The artwork shows influences from cubism, impressionism and a touch ... read more
Museum of the Department of Forensic Medicine

Ghouls and doctors, this is your thing: a room stuffed with all sorts of body parts and gruesome medical curiosities. The main attractions are the mummified bodies of infamous Thai murderers, but the shelves are also chock full of skulls marred by bullets, aborted foetuses and an array of limbs and ... read more
Snake Farm (Pasteur Institute)

Get your reptilian fix here: glass-encased displays of live and deadly snakes, a small museum with the skins of enormous carcasses and an ampitheatre where visitors -- frequently tour groups -- can view snake handlers tease the snakes and audience. Snake venoms are collected here for anti-venom, ... read more
Mr Kukrit's House

Thailand's prime minister in 1974-75, Kukrit was one of the kingdom's few truly intellectual leaders and this stunning wooden house bears witness to a life lived simply but smartly. Brim-full of fine art treasures, the house features an interesting library and bonsai trees in the well-tended ... read more
Dusit Throne Hall

This 1903 white hall built for King Rama V and originally used for meetings and banquets, houses a mother-of-pearl throne topped by a regal umbrella. The umbrella may appear a bit tatty, but that's because it is only changed when a new king accedes to the throne, and the current King Bhumibol ... read more
Ananta Samkhon Palace

A former reception hall within Dusit Palace, the Ananta Samkhon Throne Hall is now a museum as well as a one of the most unique, and Western looking, landmarks in Bangkok. Planned during the reign of Rama V and completed in 1915, the edifice was constructed in the Italian Renaissance and Neo ... read more
Bangkokian Museum

Difficult to find but worth the search, this unexpected museum displays the home of a middle-class Thai family during the years surrounding World War II (1937-1957). Relatively unchanged since the family lived here, the house provides an authentic and interesting look back at Thai life during the ... read more