Bangkok Tours, Tickets & Things to Do
Discover the best Bangkok tours, Grand Palace and temple visits, floating market trips, Chao Phraya dinner cruises, tuk-tuk food tours and day trips to Ayutthaya. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Bangkok itinerary.
Explore Bangkok by interest
Whatever brings you to Bangkok — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Grand Palace & temples
The Emerald Buddha, Wat Pho and Wat Arun.
ExploreFloating markets
Damnoen Saduak and the Maeklong Railway Market.
ExploreRiver cruises
Chao Phraya dinner cruises and canal longtail tours.
ExploreFood & tuk-tuk
Night street-food tours through Chinatown and the old town.
ExploreMuay Thai
Live boxing nights at the famous stadiums.
ExploreAyutthaya
The UNESCO temple ruins of the old Siamese capital.
ExploreElephant sanctuaries
Ethical days feeding and bathing rescued elephants.
ExploreCity & canals
City tours, Chinatown and the canals of Thonburi.
ExploreTop attractions in Bangkok
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Grand Palace
The dazzling royal complex and the Emerald Buddha.
Floating markets
Damnoen Saduak and the Maeklong Railway Market.
Chao Phraya River
Dinner cruises past the floodlit Grand Palace and Wat Arun.
Thonburi canals
Longtail boat tours through old Bangkok’s waterways.
Chinatown street food
Night tuk-tuk food tours through Yaowarat.
Muay Thai
Live boxing nights at Rajadamnern Stadium.
Ayutthaya
The UNESCO ruins of the ancient Siamese capital.
Elephant sanctuary
Ethical days with rescued elephants near Bangkok.
Bangkok in 1 day
- 1Grand Palace & Wat Pho
- 2Wat Arun
- 3Chinatown food
- 4Chao Phraya night cruise
Bangkok in 2 days
- 1Day 1: Grand Palace & temples
- 2Chinatown food tour
- 3Day 2: floating markets
- 4Muay Thai or river cruise
Bangkok in 3 days
- 1Day 1: temples & city
- 2Day 2: floating markets
- 3Day 3: Ayutthaya
- 4Farewell rooftop dinner
Bangkok with kids
- 1Longtail canal boat
- 2Reclining Buddha
- 3Elephant sanctuary
- 4Floating market
Bangkok floating markets
- 1Dawn drive to Damnoen Saduak
- 2Paddle-boat through the canals
- 3Maeklong Railway Market train pass
- 4Amphawa evening (Fri–Sun)
Bangkok street food
- 1Morning market & cooking class
- 2Michelin-listed stalls
- 3Yaowarat after dark
- 4Night tuk-tuk food crawl
1.5 hrs awayAyutthaya
The UNESCO temple ruins of the ancient Siamese capital.
1.5 hrs awayFloating markets
Damnoen Saduak and the Maeklong Railway Market.
2 hrs awayElephant sanctuary
Ethical days feeding and bathing rescued elephants.
2.5 hrs awayKanchanaburi
The Bridge over the River Kwai and Erawan waterfalls.
1.5 hrs awayAmphawa market
A local weekend floating market with fireflies at night.
2 hrs awayPattaya
Beaches, the Sanctuary of Truth and seaside fun.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Bangkok visitor asks before booking.
The best months
The cool, dry season from November to February brings the most comfortable weather — the best time to visit.
Cool season (Nov–Feb)
Warm, dry and pleasant — peak tourist season, so book popular tours and hotels ahead.
Hot season (Mar–May)
Very hot and humid, often above 35°C, peaking around the Songkran water festival in April.
Rainy season (Jun–Oct)
Hot with afternoon downpours; greener, quieter and cheaper, and rain rarely lasts all day.
Songkran (April)
The Thai New Year water festival in mid-April turns the streets into a giant water fight — fun but very busy and hot.
Loy Krathong (Nov)
The festival of floating lanterns and baskets in November is beautiful along the rivers and canals.
One day
Enough for the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun, Chinatown food and a river cruise.
Two days
Add a floating market trip and a Muay Thai night.
Three days
The sweet spot: temples, markets and a day trip to Ayutthaya.
Four to five days
Add Kanchanaburi, an elephant sanctuary and more of the markets and malls.
A week or more
Use Bangkok as a gateway to Chiang Mai, the islands or Cambodia’s Angkor Wat.
Travelling with kids
Mix boats, an elephant sanctuary and markets at a heat-friendly, gentle pace.
BTS Skytrain & MRT
The elevated Skytrain and metro are fast, cheap and air-conditioned — the best way to beat Bangkok’s traffic.
River & canal boats
Chao Phraya express boats and canal services reach the old town and temples scenically and quickly.
Tuk-tuks & taxis
Tuk-tuks are fun for short hops (agree the fare first); metered taxis and apps like Grab are cheap and easy.
On foot
The old town’s temples are walkable, but the heat and busy roads mean short stretches and frequent breaks.
Tours with transport
Day trips and city tours include transport, handy given the traffic and the spread-out sights.
From the airport
Suvarnabhumi links to the centre by the Airport Rail Link or taxi; Don Mueang by bus or taxi.
Temple dress code
Cover shoulders and knees at temples and the Grand Palace; bring a cover-up or you may be refused entry or have to rent one.
Avoid common scams
Ignore strangers claiming a temple is “closed” and offering a cheap tuk-tuk tour — a classic gem or tailor scam. Use metered taxis or Grab.
Cash & bargaining
Carry baht for markets, street food and tuk-tuks; haggle politely in markets, though malls and shops are fixed-price.
Heat & water
Stay hydrated, use sun protection, and plan air-conditioned breaks; sightsee early or late in the hot season.
Respect the monarchy
Thais deeply revere the royal family; never disrespect images of the King, which is also against the law.
Eat where it’s busy
Busy street stalls with high turnover are delicious and generally safe; a food tour points you to the best.
Floating market tours
Popular Damnoen Saduak and railway market trips fill up in high season — book ahead.
Ayutthaya day trips
River-cruise Ayutthaya tours have limited places, especially in winter — reserve early.
Elephant sanctuaries
Ethical sanctuary day trips have small daily numbers and book out fast.
Dinner cruises
Chao Phraya dinner cruises are popular on weekend evenings — book ahead.
Muay Thai tickets
Ringside seats at the big stadiums sell out for top fight nights.
High season & festivals
Around Songkran and the cool-season holidays, hotels and tours fill up — plan early.
Temple & city tours
Around ฿800–2,500 (about €20–65) for a guided Grand Palace and temples tour.
Floating market trips
Roughly ฿1,000–2,500 (about €25–65) including transport and a longtail boat ride.
Ayutthaya day trips
About ฿1,200–3,000 (about €30–80), more with a river cruise return.
Dinner cruises
Around ฿1,000–2,500 (about €25–65) for a Chao Phraya dinner cruise with buffet.
Elephant sanctuary
Roughly ฿2,000–3,500 (about €50–90) for an ethical day with transport.
How to save
Eat street food, use the Skytrain and river boats, and join group tours.
Bangkok through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Warm, dry, pleasant days — the best and busiest time to visit.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Book popular tours and hotels ahead.
- Best for
- Very hot, peaking at the Songkran water festival in April.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Sightsee early and take air-conditioned breaks.
- Best for
- Greener, quieter and cheaper, with short afternoon downpours.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Carry a rain layer; mornings are often clear.
- Best for
- Songkran (April) and Loy Krathong (November) bring colourful celebrations.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Atmospheric but busy — plan around the dates.