About Bangkok

Country: Thailand

Ideal Trip Duration: 2-3 Days

Nearest City to Bangkok: Bangkok

Best Time to Visit Bangkok: June to March

Peak Season: November to March

At a distance of 90 km from Ayutthaya, 116 km from Pattaya, 161 km from Kanchanaburi, 218 km from Hua Hin, 436 km from Sukhothai, 710 km from Chiang Mai, 800 km from Chiang Rai, 807 km from Krabi, 845 km from Phuket, Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. Often called as the party capital of Southeast Asia, Bangkok is among the top tourist destinations in the world and also one of the top places to visit in Thailand.

Bangkok, also known as Krung Thep, is the gateway to Thai warmth and hospitality. Buzzing with energy at one end and immersed in peace at the other, Bangkok is a perfect amalgamation of modern and traditional culture. It is dotted with magnificent temples, modern skyscrapers, authentic canals, busy markets, and air-conditioned malls. Bangkok has something for everyone and is considered as one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Asia.

The history of Bangkok dates back to the early 15th century, when it was a small trading post under the rule of Ayutthaya Kingdom. Because of its strategic location near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, the town eventually grew and became popular during the reign of King Thaksin in 1768, when he made it his capital city, Thonburi. In 1782, King Rama I moved the capital from western bank to the eastern bank's Rattanakosin Island, thus founding the Rattanakosin Kingdom. Bangkok's economy began to grow through international trade, first with the Chinese and subsequently, with European traders. The city grew rapidly during the 1960s through the 1980s and now exerts a significant impact on Thailand's politics, economy, education, media and modern society.

Bangkok is a city of contrasts and offers tourists a wide range of attractions. Wat Phra Kaew, Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Wat Traimit, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Safari World, Jim Thompson's House, Chinatown, Lumphini Park, Bangkok National Museum and Madame Tussauds are the top places to visit in Bangkok. It is renowned as a heaven for shoppers as it is packed with a plethora of malls, local markets and night markets. Bangkok also offers a bundle of fantastic street food, non-stop action and unforgettable experiences. Bangkok nightlife is another highlight that has attracted many of tourists from all over the world.

Being the cultural and commercial capital of Thailand, Bangkok celebrates many of Thailand's annual festivals. Songkran, or the Thai New Year, is the most anticipated and exciting annual event in Thailand and in Bangkok. Many roads and areas in Bangkok would close down to celebrate Songkran with 3 days of water parties, especially on Khao San Road. Apart from Songkran, Loy Krathong, the King's Birthday and Chinese New Year are two other popular festivals celebrated in Bangkok.

Bangkok is one of Asia's busiest air transport hubs. Two commercial airports serve the city, the older Don Mueang International Airport and the new Bangkok International Airport or Suvarnabhumi. Suvarnabhumi International Airport is the biggest airport in Thailand and a major transfer hub for Southeast Asia as it is connected by flights with almost all the major continents in the world. Bangkok is connected to the rest of the country through the national highway and rail networks, as well as by domestic flights. Bangkok is surprisingly easy to navigate as it has excellent and modern public transport systems in the form of buses, river taxis, Skytrain (BTS) and underground (MRT) rail systems.

Bangkok experiences a tropical monsoon climate which remains hot and humid throughout the year. Being a popular tourist destination, tourists flock this place almost during all the seasons. Every season has a distinct charm and the city is at its enchanting best all months of the year. However, the peak season is between November and March when the tourist footfall is particularly high. The months of March, April and May are the hottest.

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Very Good
STD Code: 0066
Languages Spoken: Thai, English & Chinese
Major Festivals: Songkran, Loy Krathong, the King?s Birthday and Chinese New Year
Notes/Tips:
None

How to Reach Bangkok

By Air

Nearest Airport: Bangkok - Suvarnabhumi Airport (10 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Bangkok Hua Lamphong Railway Station (32 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Mo Chit Bus Terminal (36 Kms)

Top 10 Places to Visit in Bangkok

Museum

#1 of 13 Places to Visit in Bangkok

At a distance of 1.5 km from Grand Palace and 33 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok National Museum is a museum situated in Bangkok. It is one of the most popular museums in Bangkok and among the must include places in Bangkok Tour Packages.

Situated on the former grounds of Wang Na Palace near Grand Palace, the Bangkok National Museum is the main branch museum of the National Museums in Thailand and also one of the largest museums in Southeast Asia. It features exhibits of Thai art and history. The museum was originally established by King Rama V to exhibit the private collection of his father King Rama IV in 1874 at the Concordia Pavilion inside the Grand Palace. In 1887, the museum was shifted to the front palace, and called it 'Wang Na Museum' or front palace museum. Later, it was named the Bangkok Museum in 1926, and subsequently developed into the Bangkok National Museum, when it came under the direction of the Department of Fine Arts in 1934.

The National Museum Bangkok .....

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Museum

#2 of 13 Places to Visit in Bangkok

At a distance of 2.5 km from Lumpini Park, 7 km from Grand Palace, and 28 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport, Madame Tussauds is a wax museum located in the Siam Discovery Center in Siam area of Bangkok. It is one of the popular wax museums in the World and among the top places to visit in Bangkok.

Established in 2010, Bangkok's Madame Tussauds is the 10th Madam Tussauds museum in the World which gives you a chance to pose with the wax statues of world celebrities, heads of state, activists, sports persons, legendary artists, and even royalty. Divided into 10 sections as Red Carpet, Music, History, Film, Leaders, Art & Science, TV and Sports, it has a collection of nearly 70 wax statues of famous persons including Madonna, Princess Diana, Michael Jackson, Beethoven, famous film stars along with some Thai important persons.

Of the 10 sections, the most elegant and famous is the Royal Room as it displays the wax figures of His Royal Highness, Prince Mahitala Thibed Adulyadej and Her .....

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Heritage

#3 of 13 Places to Visit in Bangkok

At a distance of 34 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the Grand Palace is a complex of buildings situated at the heart of Bangkok in Thailand. It is one of top places to visit in Bangkok and is a must include place in Bangkok Tour Packages.

The construction of the Grand Palace was started in 1782 by King Rama I when he moved the capital city from Thonburi to Rattanakosin Island. Throughout successive reigns, many new buildings and structures were added, especially during the reign of King Rama V. The palace had been served as the official residence of the Kings of Thailand and also as the site of administrative offices. By 1925, the king and the royal family had moved to other residences while all government agencies completely moved out of the palace after the abolition of absolute monarchy in 1932. However, it is still used for several royal ceremonies and state functions.

Situated on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, this rectangular shaped palace complex is laid very similar .....

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Pilgrimage

#4 of 13 Places to Visit in Bangkok

At a distance of 34 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport, Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha is a prominent Buddhist Temple in Bangkok. Situated inside the Grand Palace Complex, it is the most sacred Buddhist Temples in Thailand and among the top places to visit in Bangkok.

Commonly known as Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram in Thai, Wat Phra Kaew was established by King Rama I in 1782 while starting the construction of Grand Palace as it is a tradition in Thailand to build a Buddhist temple in the precincts of the royal palace. The temple enshrines the highly revered Emerald Buddha image in meditating posture in the style of the Lanna School of the northern Thailand. Only the Thai King and Prince are allowed to touch the Emerald Buddha.

The Emerald Buddha housed in the temple is about 66 cm tall and is considered to be the protector of Thailand. There are three different costumes of the Emerald Buddha, one of each season. The summer and winter costumes were made in the .....

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Heritage | Pilgrimage

#5 of 13 Places to Visit in Bangkok

At a distance of 3 km from Grand Palace and 35 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport, Wat Arun is a Buddhist temple located on the west bank of Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. Situated opposite to the Grand Palace, Wat Arun is one of the stunning temples in Bangkok and among the must include places in Bangkok Tour Packages.

Locally known as Wat Chaeng, Wat Arun majestically stands at 70 m tall on Thonburi side of Chao Phraya River. It is considered as one of the best known landmarks in Thailand and among the most visually stunning structures in Bangkok. Popularly called as the Temple of the Dawn, the temple derives its name from the Hindu god Aruna, often symbolized as the radiations of the rising sun. The first light of the morning reflects off the surface of the temple with pearly iridescence.

Standing majestically over the water, this Buddhist Temple is believed to have been existed before 1656 CE. Since the time of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, a Buddhist temple has occupied the place .....

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Pilgrimage

#6 of 13 Places to Visit in Bangkok

At a distance of 500 m from Grand Palace and 36 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport, Wat Pho or Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn is a Buddhist temple complex in the Phra Nakhon district of Bangkok in Thailand. Situated to the south of the Grand Palace, it is one of the oldest temples in Bangkok and among the top places to visit in Bangkok as part of Bangkok Tour Packages.

Also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho was believed to be founded during the 16th century. King Rama I was rebuilt the temple complex on the site of older one, and became his main temple where some of his ashes are enshrined. Later, it was expanded and extensively renovated by Rama III. It is considered as one of the oldest and largest temple complexes in Bangkok and also placed first on the list of six first class royal temples in Thailand.

Wat Pho is famed for its giant reclining Buddha that measures 46 m long and is covered in gold leaf. The Buddha's feet are 5 m long and .....

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Pilgrimage

#7 of 13 Places to Visit in Bangkok

At a distance of 3 km from Grand Palace and 34 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport, Wat Traimit or the Temple of Golden Buddha is a well-known Buddhist temple in Bangkok. Located at the end of Chinatown's Yaowarat Road, it is one of the most noteworthy temples in the city of Bangkok and also one of the must include places in Bangkok Tour Packages.

Wat Traimit houses the world's largest massive gold seated Buddha image. This Sukhothai style statue is about five meters in height and weighing five and a half tons. There is a quite interesting story behind the statue. After the capital of Thailand was moved from Ayutthaya to Bangkok by King Rama I, this statue, then covered in stucco and plaster, was also moved. In 1955, a new building was created to house this statue and while it was being shifted to its new location, it fell off the crane. The people responsible for shifting this statue feared and fled without taking it back. The overnight rains washed off some of the plaster, revealing the .....

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Backwaters

#8 of 13 Places to Visit in Bangkok

At a distance of 33 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the Chao Phraya is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the center of Thailand. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand.

A Bangkok Tour is incomplete without venturing to the majestic Chao Phraya River. Also known as the River of Kings, Chao Phraya, formed by four major tributaries including Ping, Wang, Yom, and Nan Rivers, has long been one of the most important waterways in Bangkok and also a source of livelihood for many locals. As well as offering an escape from the traffic and congestion of downtown Bangkok, the Riverside is full of fascinating temples that straddle its sides and quaint markets that pop up at night around the numerous ferry piers.

Taking a boat trip down the river is a fascinating experience as you will see some of the Bangkok's most famous landmarks standing proudly on the banks of the river. Operated by the Chao Phraya Express Boat company, five public .....

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Shopping | Miscellaneous

#9 of 13 Places to Visit in Bangkok

At a distance of 3 km from Grand Palace and 34 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport, Chinatown is a bustling locality in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand. It is the largest Chinatowns in the world and among the must visit Bangkok Tourist Places as part of Thailand Packages.

Centered around Yaowarat road, Chinatown in Bangkok is a bustling place of narrow streets, busy markets, Chinese temples and bright lights. It was founded in 1782 when the city of Bangkok was established as the capital of the Rattanakosin Kingdom, and served as the home of the mainly Teochew immigrant Chinese population. It become a commercial hub during the 19th century but has declined in prominence since early 20th century as commercial activity moved elsewhere following the city's expansion. It now serves as a hub of Chinese culture, with numerous shops selling traditional goods.

Bangkok's Chinatown is a heaven for foodies who flock here after sunset to explore the vibrant street-side cuisine. During day .....

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Park

#10 of 13 Places to Visit in Bangkok

At a distance of 3 km from Chinatown and 32 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport, Lumpini is a public park in Bangkok, Thailand. It is the largest park in Bangkok and among the best Bangkok Tourist Places.

Named after the birthplace of the Lord Buddha in Nepal, Lumpini Park is covering an area of about 142 acres of land in the heart of the main business district. According to the history, it was created in the 1920's by King Rama VI on royal property in order to set to be an exhibition center for Thai crafts and flower displays. After the First World War, the site was renovated into the first park in Bangkok and was used as a camp by Japanese Army during the World War II.

Although this original vision was never fulfilled, Lumpini Park has over the years grown into an ideal place for basking in the bliss of tranquility, fresh breeze, and nature's shade. Lumpini is an entirely man-made park consisting of extensive lawns and a large boating lake where visitors can rent boats. It is also .....

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