One day of sightseeing in Bangkok, Thailand

On our 2 weeks in Thailand, we spent one day of sightseeing in Bangkok. Although we spent a total of 5 days in Bangkok. Here is a highlight of the summary of our 5 days in Bangkok:

Table of Contents

Summary of our 5 days in Bangkok

Day1: Arrival in Bangkok

Day2: One day of sightseeing in Bangkok

Day3: Bangkok to Ayutthaya day trip

Day4: Bangkok to Pattaya day trip

Day5: Relaxing, shopping & visiting couple of more places in Bangkok.

Our accommodation in Bangkok

The kitchen & Dining in our family suite at Hotel Evergreen Place Siam

We stayed at Hotel Evergreen Place by Siam (Link to book: Agoda, booking.com) which was in the centre of the city and close to the main road, malls, grocery stores etc.

Read : Where to stay in Bangkok when visiting with family

Places to visit in Bangkok, Thailand

On the day of our arrival in Bangkok, it was evening by the time we completed our e-visa process after arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport , took a taxi and checked-in into our hotel. So, we mostly took rest for rest of our first day in Bangkok.

On the second day, we started on our one day of sightseeing in Bangkok. Following is a google map showing the places that we covered in the respective order.

Although there are a lot many places to visit in Bangkok. Including some kids specific places & some others suitable to adventure lovers. Like Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World, Safari World, Dream World (A Theme Park) , Dusit Zoo, other theme parks, museums and botanical gardens. But we decided to escape these and focus on the main cultural and historical places during our one day of sightseeing in Bangkok, which are also the must see places in Bangkok. One of the reason being our recent trip to Singapore, wherein we visited the Singapore Zoo, SEA Aquarium, Gardens by the Bay Singapore, Universal Studio Singapore and Sentosa Island in Singapore.

However, if you are interested, you can use one more day in your Bangkok trip to visit some of the above places which we skipped. But, don’t try to include more places in your one day of sightseeing in Bangkok than I have here. Otherwise, you will feel like rushing from one place to another. Instead of being able to really enjoy these beautiful places.

The Grand Palace, Bangkok

The Grand Palace of Bangkok doesn’t need any introduction. It is the most famous iconic place and a must visit in Bangkok. The kings of Siam have resided in this palace for centuries. The palace grounds are huge, divided in 4 major parts – the Outer Court, the Middle Court, the Inner Court and the temple of the Emerald Buddha. It is said that during the reign of King Rama-1 most of the buildings in these parts were made. And for the constructions the bricks were brought all the way from Ayutthaya. The army went to the then ruined Ayutthaya kingdom. Then they dismantled the palaces, forts and city walls there and brought the bricks from there. However, they refrained from destroying any temples!

The Grand Palace was our first stop on our one day sightseeing in Bangkok. Upon arrival, we entered from the main gate and followed the signs to the entry ticket counter. There is a really huge queue for the entry fee. So, the sooner you arrive here, the better. Post obtaining the ticket, we first headed to the temple of the emerald Buddha. While admiring the intricate work on the walls of the temple, we first proceeded to deposit our shoes on the shoe counter. And then went inside. It was really very crowded inside the temple. And people were asked to keep moving.

The Temple of Emerald Buddha

Amidst the crowd, we managed a good glimpse and some snaps of the Buddha. The temple is really an architectural wonder. It has very intricate cravings, popping colours on the walls and the ceiling and a shining Buddha statue in the centre.

After visiting the temple, we visited other nearby structures. And also rested in one of the several shades just in front of the temple. Because the day was really very hot and humid. From here, we proceeded to the back side of the temple, where there were other smaller temples and Buddha statues. Visiting them all, following the signs, we proceeded towards the exit. Just before the exit, we also visited the museum. And then spent sometime in the small refreshment cafe where we had some refreshing crushed ice drinks and juices – a much needed relief after roaming around the Grand Palace premises in the hot and humid climate.

Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre

The tickets for a show at Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre are already included along with the Grand Palace entrance tickets. The shows are of around half an hour. And these shows are conducted at regular basis throughout the day. Also, there is a free transport available from the gates of the Grand Palace to take the visitors to the Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre.

Once we completed exploring the Grand Palace and having some refreshment, we caught an open bus to the Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre. We were just in time for the next show. In no time, we had our tickets checked and we were seated inside the theatre. And in another 5 minutes the show started.

The show was around “Ramakien”, the national epic of Thailand which is inspired by the Hindu epic “Ramayana”. Being from India, and being a Hindu, we thoroughly enjoyed the slightly different, yet so connected narration of Ramakien. Wherein the story was about Sita being abducted by Ravana. Followed by the story of God Rama & his brother Lakshmana going on a rescue mission along with their monkey army headed by Lord Hanumana. And the funny incidence of Lord Hanumana entering the garden where Sita was kept captive. As, Lord Hanumana caused a lot of havoc in that garden and overall in Ravana’s kingdom. Even our kids enjoyed the cultural show.

Lunch

After the show was over, it was around 2:30pm. So, we decided to have lunch here before we proceeded for the next sightseeing. There was a small yet cozy cafe on the premises of the theatre itself. And to our delight there were several vegetarian food options (A rare thing in Thailand) to enjoy here. So, we had a few delicacies like vegan burger, tofu fried with vegetables, cold coffee, some other vegan milkshakes and fries for kids. After an appetising lunch, we started for the next destination – Wat Arun Temple, around 4:00pm.

Wat Arun Temple, Bangkok

Wat Arun or “The Temple of Dawn” is one of the oldest and most famous temples of Bangkok. We took a tuk tuk from opposite the Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre to Wat Arun. And reached there in less than 30 minutes. We bought the entry tickets at the main gate and then entered the temple premises.

About Wat Arun Ratchawararam

Wat Arun is a buddhist temple. The name of the temple is kept after the Hindu God “Aruna” which literally means “Sun”. Wat Arun is architectured in such a way that the first radiations of the rising sun in the morning reflect from the temple. It is believed that there was a buddhist temple here as old as the times of Ayutthaya Kingdom. King Rama V did major restorations and reconstructions to the temple, bringing it in the form that you see it presently.

The walls of the temple have very intricate carvings. And there are several storeys to the temple in which tourists can climb almost till the top. From there, one can get breathtaking view of the Chao Phraya River behind.

Our visit to Wat Arun Temple

After visiting the temple, we exited from the back gate, into the manicured garden behind the temple, on the banks of the river. There are benches and rocks placed in the garden where we rested for a while and then set off to the shops at the right corner. Here, we had tender coconut and did some shopping of local handmade products and handicrafts. Thereafter we left the premises of the temple to reach the main gate. While navigating the narrow lanes from the temple to the main road, we observed several Buddhist Monk residences, smaller temples etc. in these lanes. Interestingly, there was a palmistry place as well, where we saw a queue of people waiting! Some of us actually wanted to try their luck, or, rather know their luck here. But the queue was so long that they eventually gave up. And we decided to head to our next stop.

Chao Phraya River

After visiting the river banks and exiting the premises of the temple, we took a taxi back home. We did negotiate with a lot of tuk tuk drivers. But as it was getting dark, they were charging exorbitant prices and were not very willing to negotiations. So, we finally booked a “Grab” taxi. In fact the first taxi driver also refused to go by his taxi meter. And was charging a flat price. We had to let go of him and get another one, who finally dropped us off to our hotel.

Summary of our one day of sightseeing in Bangkok, Thailand

Overall, this is how our day looked during our one day of sightseeing in Bangkok, Thailand:

Place Visited	Time
The Grand Palace & It’s temples	10:30am-1:00pm
Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre	1:30pm-2:30pm
Lunch	2:30pm-3:30pm
Wat Arun Temple	4:00pm-5:30pm
Chao Phraya River	5:30pm-6:30pm

Tips on doing the one day of sightseeing in Bangkok, Thailand

Wear comfortable cotton cloths as the days are pretty hot and at times there’s no shade.
Be cognitive of your dress. Cover your shoulders and knees as a token of respect when you visit religious places like the temples inside the Grand Palace & Wat Arun.
If you do happen to wear shorts or open shoulder dresses, you will find shops near the main entrance that will rent you sarong kind of dresses to cover up. Remember to take these as otherwise you will not be allowed to enter inside the religious places.
Carry water in refill water bottles. At most of the places you will find drinking water facilities from where you can refill your bottles. Drink plenty of water.
Carry an umbrella or wear caps or hats in the sunny spots.
Keep a copy of your important documents and some cash with you all the time. Unlike Europe, we didn’t see much of pickpocketing concerns in Bangkok, at least at the tourist spots. We carried a backpack and a shoulder bag to carry all our stuff.
You can carry a pram or light stroller if you are traveling with small kids and toddlers.
Carry kids foods, snacks and water with you.

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