Self guided tour in Bangkok. solo travel to bangkok

The tickets home were via Bangkok, with long docking between flights. This prompted the idea to get acquainted with the city.

The usual walk around Bangkok did not suit us, so we ordered private tour for all day.

I will tell you about how it was, as well as about all organizational issues, where to book a tour, what to see, route, cost. I will share my impressions and give some recommendations.

At the last moment

A walk around Bangkok was not originally planned. This idea arose when we were already resting in Phuket.

I don't know why this thought didn't occur to me at home, but as it happened, it happened.

Literally a week before the return, we all outplayed. The flight to Moscow was from Bangkok, therefore, having decided to spend one day in the capital, we lost only an internal flight, having bought new ticket on the same flight only one day earlier.

booked at home, extended stay for a day without any problems.

With the order of the excursion, the situation was more complicated. The routes of organized groups did not coincide with our date in any way, there are few Russian guides in the network, all of them were already taken.

Despite the huge number of offers on the Internet, a week before the event there was nothing to choose from. Keep this in mind if you plan to buy excursions on the spot.

Ilves Tour Agency

In the end, we paid for an individual tour from the Ilves Tour agency http://www.ilvestour.co.th/. The tour is called "Legends of the City of Angels", it is carried out only individually, you can see the description.

We chatted via WhatsApp with a representative in Bangkok - Natalia (+66 89 939 9347). All technical issues were discussed in detail. Natalia responds promptly, there were no problems with communication.

I want to say right away that I am satisfied with the cooperation, with the exception of one moment, which I will write about below, in the Temple of the Dawn section.

Excursion cost

The cost is 15,000 baht, regardless of the number of people. There were two of us, we paid 7,500 baht each. Expensive of course, but if the company is larger, then it will turn out quite acceptable.

The price includes:

Russian guide
Russian speaking Thai guide
Minivan with Thai driver
Lunch at a restaurant on the river
Private boat for 1 hour (canal cruise)
Luxurious dinner with panoramic views high tower Bangkok
Entrance tickets to all attractions along the route

Paid with a Sberbank card. So it was more profitable and more convenient. 15,000 baht amounted to 25,000 rubles on the day of payment.

It was enough to make an advance payment of 2,500 baht, the rest could be given to the guides on the spot in local currency. But the first option suited us more, and they took advantage of it. Of course they took risks, but everything went almost according to plan.

Excursion program

Our program lasted 8 hours. In fact, it all depends on you, there is no set time. Escort will be until you complete the route. No one is in a hurry, the guides adapt to your desires and physical abilities.

Our minivan

Our route:

Royal Palace
Temple of the Reclining Buddha
Canal walk
Lunch at a restaurant on the river
Temple of Dawn
golden mountain
Observation deck of Baiyoke Sky Tower
Dinner at Baiyoke Sky tower restaurant

As we traveled along the route, we drove through Central District cities, walked through Chinatown.

The program is very rich, it allows you to see the main attractions of Bangkok in one day.

The tour includes a transfer from the hotel in Bangkok and back (not relevant for us, because we stayed in the suburbs).

How it was, my impressions

We arrived without incident, we were there 10 minutes before the appointed time, they were already waiting for us.

Our guides

I want to say right away that below I will not tell the history of the sights that we visited. According to the mind, a separate article should be written about each place. I hope that someday I will get my hands on it.

Now, I will just share my impressions and post photos that will clearly show you what I saw.

Our first stop. The object struck by the very fact of the existence of a statue of Buddha made of pure gold. I have never seen noble metal on such a scale.

In the morning there were not many tourists, we got the opportunity to carefully see everything. Our Thai guide told the history of the temple, it was drizzling, it was not hot and comfortable.

pure gold buddha

There is a smaller Buddha statue

Outside the gates of the temple is Chinatown. It has its own, unique atmosphere, it is difficult to convey in words, it just does not look like other streets of the city at all.

Chinatown

Royal Palace

We got to the Royal Palace a little later than ten in the morning. Honestly, this is the only place where I wanted to immediately escape. And it's not that it's not interesting, or there's nothing to watch. Just the opposite. This is the most important point of our program, in my opinion.

The fact is that I have never seen such a crowd of people before. The flea market was everywhere - at the entrance and exit, at every object, in every, even a remote corner of the complex.

It was not easy to enter the territory. Crowds of tourists could hardly contain the entrance gate.

It is difficult even to enter the Royal Palace.

In connection with the latest mourning events, most of them are closed to foreigners. The body of Rama 9 rests in the palace. There is a huge queue to him, consisting of ordinary citizens of the country. Here, small and large. I saw whole classes of children who also wait so long. Thais stand for 6-9 hours to say goodbye to their beloved King. This commands respect!

Queue to the deceased King. All pilgrims are in black clothes, only children are in white.

A queue of Thai citizens to pay tribute to their beloved King.

The doctors are on duty.

Children also stand in line.

Everything is very well organized for them. There are hot food points, doctors are on duty. However, the test is not an easy one.

Catering organized for pilgrims.

Doctors, if one of the pilgrims becomes ill, will help.

Especially a lot Chinese tourists. I would even say that they are more than 90%. Taking photos or just getting close to something interesting is next to impossible. Huge queues everywhere.

The facades of the buildings are shining. The finish is amazing.

Each element is an art in itself.

There are a lot of people, it is difficult to photograph.

Of course, this negatively affected the perception of the surrounding beauty. But we tried not to react to the sometimes simply boorish behavior of Chinese tourists, listened carefully to our guide, absorbed the history Royal Palace.

Heads of state stay here when they come to Bangkok

Royal Palace. In the background is a white building where the body of Rama 9 will lie until 10/13/17

Notice the shape of the Russian Empire

We walked around the complex for two hours. There is something to see there. Architectural ensemble very impressive. Despite the abundance of tourists, visiting the palace is a must.

Temple of the Reclining Buddha

The Temple of the Reclining Buddha was a 15 minute walk. We saw a lot of police along the way. Their posts are placed every 50 meters, so everything is in order with security there.

Such police posts every 50 meters.

The police are everywhere.

The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is the largest and oldest temple in Bangkok. Its territory is huge, includes many buildings, a park and an artificial pond.

Here is a giant statue of the Reclining Buddha

Model of the Reclining Buddha complex

Scheme of the tourist part of the complex.

The statue of the Reclining Buddha itself is located in a separate viharna.

True, columns interfere with seeing the Buddha in all its glory, they close the full view. His feet, which are beautifully painted, were inaccessible due to restoration.

a lot of people

The statue is almost invisible behind the columns.

Of course, in order to get around everything, you need at least three hours. We didn't have that much time. So we walked around a bit. We sat in the shade, listened to the detailed story of the guide.

The area is large and beautiful.

Lots of figures throughout the complex.

It is better to come here early in the morning and walk before lunch.

Canal walk

Dinner time was approaching, we were a little tired and hungry. Therefore, lunch at a restaurant on the river was very helpful.

The restaurant is European, there were no Chinese tourists here, only groups from Europe.

Quite a decent "Buffet" and a pleasant interior.

Decent interior.

Restaurant on the river

After a hearty lunch, we boarded a Thai boat and set off along the canals of Bangkok.

This is a pier for regular trams. A very common mode of transport in Bangkok.

The same boat took us.

It was very interesting to observe how rickety huts closely coexist with quite modern mansions, the contrast is strong.

This is a crematorium. In the background you can see the wall where the urns with the ashes are.

The walk lasted about an hour, from the river we looked at the life local residents, it was not hot, splashes sometimes fell on clothes, which was refreshing. We really enjoyed this part of the program. We not only received a lot of information, saw a different life in Bangkok, but also had a little rest, gained strength for the next breakthrough.

Temple of Dawn

Bad luck. I don't know why, but we didn't go there. Moreover, I realized this fact only at home, having carefully read the program.

The decision to visit Bangkok was spontaneous. There was no time for a detailed study of the route. Therefore, having read the program in passing, I only remembered that there would be a Royal Palace, a walk along the river, lunch, dinner and several Temples.

It’s too late to make claims, it’s a pity that we didn’t see such an interesting and iconic place. So that you do not find yourself in the same situation, carefully study the route, but rather print it on paper.

golden mountain

To be honest, this place did not impress us at all. Perhaps because after the previous objects it is not so large-scale here, or because we are already tired. The time was about three o'clock, the sun was scorching mercilessly, climbing the hot steps without the slightest hint of shade was given to us with difficulty.

Golden Mountain.

The path to the top is lined with bells of various sizes.

At the top there is a small hall, of course there are no air conditioners here, but the benches standing under the open windows pleased. The view of the city from there is amazing. We rested for 20 minutes, enjoying the scenery.

Unfortunately, by that time all the equipment had been discharged, so there are no photos.

I do not consider this place a must visit. If you have only one day, it is better to take a longer walk around the territory of the Temple of the Reclining Buddha complex. In my opinion, this is much more interesting.

Jewelry shop

This part of the program is a condition of the agency, and was informed about it during the tour. As we were explained, they are provided with a minivan with a driver on some favorable terms, for which the tourists must be forcibly taken to the outlet.

We did not resist, the event took no more than 20 minutes. For decency, they walked through the halls, admired the goods and left the store with a sense of accomplishment.

It is not necessary to buy, the main thing is to visit. It is pleasant to be there, air conditioners work, the interior of an expensive boutique.

Baiyoke Sky Tower

We arrived at the tower at five o'clock. After a detailed briefing on the location of the observation deck and the restaurant, we received entry tickets and parted ways with our escort.

Of course they are great. The Russian guide did not stop talking during the trips and on the walk along the river, willingly answered all questions, talked a lot about the everyday life of the Thais. The Thai guide accompanied us to all the objects, broadcasting the history of the country and sights in tolerable Russian.

In general, we are satisfied with the accompaniment, only the question of visiting the Temple of the Morning Dawn remained open and added a bitter aftertaste. I advise the management of the agency to pay attention to this fact.

observation deck

After parting with the escort, we breathed freely. After such a flow of information and impressions, I wanted to enjoy the rest of the program alone.

Having wandered a little in the difficult labyrinth of the elevators of the building, we got to the observation deck.

The view from there is amazing. The city appeared before us in a light haze. It is so large that the edges are not visible even from such a height.

Five minutes later there was a strong creak and the platform began to move in a circle.

We were not warned about this and at first we were afraid. The movement is almost imperceptible, but the sounds are not very pleasant. When we figured out what was going on, the fear passed and we just enjoyed the views.

There were few tourists, no one interfered with anyone.

After observing the metropolis for a bit, we left the site and went to dinner.

Dinner at the restaurant

Dinner exceeded all expectations. The huge hall with panoramic windows was almost empty.

The choice of food was impressive. Here are collected all the delicacies that you can collect. Dishes of Thai and European cuisine.

Soups are prepared in front of you from the ingredients that you choose yourself. A lot of meat - lamb, pork, rabbit, chicken. Fish, shrimps, crabs, squids, sushi section. Lots of side dishes and vegetables cooked in different ways. Sweets, fruits, ice cream.

I won’t say how much this abundance costs, everything was included in the price of the excursion, but it’s not a pity to spend money on such a dinner.

I really wanted to try everything, tried to take a little bit, but it's impossible. Such a number of dishes cannot be digested by the human body at a time. Therefore, after spending about an hour there, full and satisfied, we left the tower.

Conclusion

We got to the hotel by subway. The day was very busy, we were exhausted. Tired physically, from long walking and heat, tired mentally, from the abundance of new information.

We didn't regret visiting Bangkok anyway. At least once, but to see the city is a must. And it does not matter at all how - to buy an individual tour or take a walk on your own. In any case, you will get pleasure and a lot of new impressions.

Will I ever come back here, I don't know. It depends on many things. But I would like to walk around the city again, because I didn’t manage to see so many things.

Perhaps you have your own experience of visiting Bangkok, share with readers, write a story, I will definitely publish it on the blog pages. Read more about this.

Leave comments, share the article with friends on social networks, subscribe to updates, there are many more interesting posts ahead.

With that, I say goodbye, until we meet again!

Tatyana Solomatina

The city of Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and a wonderful place for lovers of independent travel, warm countries, exotic, historical sights, shopping and all kinds of entertainment. Personally, we are not fans of big and noisy cities, but we are just head over heels in love with this one. We have been there so many times and still, at every opportunity, we come to it with pleasure again and again, each time discovering something interesting and previously unknown there.

Of course, so much has already been said about Bangkok on the Internet that every tourist planning to visit this city for the first time will easily find any information about it - how to get there, where best hotels and shopping, what sights to see and so on. But we, already having considerable experience of trips here, would still like to supplement the available information a little.

View from the Temple of the Golden Mount

And somewhere else and expand them, because, to be honest, many stories about the Thai capital are written by people who have never been there, and, as a result, they contain only general information(often unreliable), but few specifics and details.

Temple in the suburbs of Bangkok at the ferry to the island of Koh Kret

This page is conceived by us as a guide for tourists in Bangkok, there will be little information directly on it, and they will be brief. For more detailed practical information click on the relevant links in the text.

Temple of Crocodiles

Bangkok has two airports, both of which are international:

Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok) International Airport Suvarnabhumi)
Don Mueang Bangkok International Airport

Suvarnabhumi is the main air gate Thailand, it is here that tourists from Europe and America arrive, respectively from Russia. Details on what to do and how to be upon arrival at this port: where and how to go through passport control, get luggage, change currency, take a taxi, etc. Instructions on how to get from the airport to Khaosan Road by bus for 60 baht -. We recommend ordering a taxi online (if you need it that way) on this trusted site -

Keep in mind, tuk tuk is one of the most expensive modes of transport in Bangkok

If you need to get from one airport to another immediately after arrival, then you should know that there are a lot of them, but you only need to know about two of them :

Don Muang, or as it is more commonly called Don Muang, is an old city airport, currently domestic and international flights are operated from it in the Asian region.

To easily understand which airport your flight is arriving at (or departing from), just take a look at your air ticket or itinerary receipt. If BKK is indicated in it, then the port of Suvarnabhumi, if DMK, then Don Muang.

How to get around in Bangkok

Often you can come across advice - "be sure to have a map of Bangkok with you." Or a related question - "tell me where you can find a map of Bangkok?". Guys what card? It’s the 21st century outside, and everyone has a smartphone in their pocket, and a tablet in their backpack. All you need to do is download and install one of the hundreds of map and navigation apps. Personally, we have been using the free Maps.Me application for several years and we recommend it to you. Installed - and in your hands is a magnificent, detailed navigator that works offline, knows thousands of places, roads, paths and even forest paths.

turtle temple

Hotels in Bangkok

Where can I stay so that it is inexpensive and close to everything I need? Probably, this question torments many who travel to this city for the first time. Let's try to alleviate these "torments of choice" of yours a little. There are seas of hotels in Bangkok, but, by and large, it is better for tourists to choose only between two areas:

Silom (Silom) - the name may not be entirely accurate, because by it we mean not only the quarters of Silom (it's just the most famous name), but the "new" city, i.e. skyscraper district - we recommend it to those whose goal is shopping, and who cannot imagine a vacation without the entertainment of a modern metropolis.
Khaosan (Khao San) - in old Bangkok, within walking distance from the main attractions - the choice for those whose main goal is to get acquainted with historical sights.

So, the first, Silom, is suitable for fans of megacities with their skyscrapers, shopping centers, restaurants and related entertainment. This part of Bangkok has many modern hotels with excellent rooms and great service, the truth and the price is appropriate.

The conditional area of Silom on the map

Although, if you wish, you can always find some promotion and book a room with a good discount. Personally, we are looking for similar options on the discount page of the RoomGuru.ru website, where discounts reach up to 80%, here on this one.

Cheap hotel with balcony and city view

If you are a budget traveler who wants to see the many historical sights of the old city, then keep in mind that you can get from Silom district to the historical center (Royal Palace and Khaosan Road) for only 11 baht. About how to do it.

The main drawback of living in this area is that, in general, it is not budget-friendly and not so much because of the cost of hotels, but because the tourist infrastructure is poorly developed (mostly you will have to be content with the offers available at your hotel), plus remoteness from the historical center.
The main plus is comfort, modern hotels with an appropriate range of services and services.

Well, for those who are not financially constrained in any way, and maybe for those who decide to “live in luxury for at least one day”, the mega-cool Tower Club At lebua hotel is probably suitable.

Khaosan - by this concept we mean not only a specific Khaosan Road (Khao San Road), but a whole area located a 10-minute walk north of the Grand Royal Palace of Bangkok. This place is more democratic, both in terms of prices and lifestyle.

Notional Khaosan district on the map

There is an opinion that mainly tourists with low incomes settle here, and hotels are all cheap and of poor quality. This is fundamentally not true, perhaps it was once, but today you can find 4-star hotels here.

Another myth about this place is that there is always noise and din. Also a lie. In some places it is so quiet and calm here that in the morning you can enjoy the singing of birds and roosters. With our recommendations for hotels in this part of the city, you can. Detailed information about Khaosan Street and surrounding areas -.

Here is a small selection of good hotels in the area.

Lovers of retro style, and not only for them, I think will not leave indifferent the very cozy and romantic hotel Old Capital Bike Inn, decorated in vintage style.

At the end of the "housing issue" of the Khaosan area, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with our map, which will help you more easily navigate and get comfortable in this wonderful place.

How to get from Bangkok

For almost all tourists, the Thai capital is an intermediate point on the way to a particular island or resort in Thailand, so many are wondering "how to get from Bangkok to ...". Answers to some of them can be obtained by clicking on the name of interest to you:

To Koh Samui
To Koh Phangan
Do Koh Tao
To Koh Lanta

Most of the places listed can be reached by using inexpensive comfortable buses departing from the South Bus Station, but about how to get to the bus station itself.

The general recommendation for those who stayed not in the new city, but in the old one (in the vicinity of Khaosan) is not to worry and do not bother buying tickets at bus stations, in the end, it will not be cheaper with trips to the box office and back. You need to take tickets at least a day in advance, which means there will be three walks (most likely by taxi), so count. In short, the advice is this - buy tickets from agencies, which are a dime a dozen here. Personally, we have been doing just that for many years.

The algorithm is the following:

we go around several nearest agencies (3-4) in order to find out the average cost for the direction we are interested in;
further, we turn to the one that we liked more;
we definitely bargain, bring down the price, if they don’t want to reduce the price, we go to another.

As a result, you can get a completely acceptable result, for example, this one - a Bangkok - Koh Phangan ticket (bus + ferry) for 650 baht per person. By the way, pay attention to the carrier company - Songserm, far from the smallest and quite famous.

Ticket price (bus + ferry) Bangkok - Koh Phangan for two people

We know that there are statements on the Internet - “Khaosan is full of scammers, do not buy tickets there!”. What do you say? It's simple - be prudent if you are offered tickets at a cost very different from the average - think about it. In general, reputable carrier companies have been working here for a long time, thousands of tourists are safely and daily transported.

Another way to avoid extra costs is to purchase tickets online through the website. We personally use it too. Of course, there are some nuances and you won’t bargain, but in general it’s convenient with a wide choice of options, both in terms of cost and modes of transport.

River transport in Bangkok

The river transport of the capital is a great help for an independent traveler, it is very convenient and inexpensive. With it, you can quickly and cheaply get to many interesting places. It has also been mentioned more than once on other sites, however, personally, we have not seen complete information on any of them, telling about all its subtleties and nuances, but they are available. In short, if anyone needs detailed instructions and a story about what, where and how - click here.

Public river transport Bangkok is very democratic in terms of prices, the fare is from 5 to 20 baht. For example, from Khaosan Street to the Silom area can be reached in just 11 baht. How? Read on this page.

From Khaosan to Silom for 11 baht

Attractions of Bangkok

Bangkok is a storehouse of interesting places for an inquisitive tourist, you can visit this city dozens of times and each time you can find something new and unusual in it. We will talk about its main attractions, such as the Grand Royal Palace, the Temple of the Reclining and Emerald Buddha, the Temple of Dawn and the Golden Mountain, because it is easier to find information about them, but let's start with little-known places that, believe me, are not inferior to "promoted celebrities", or even surpass them.

iron temple

No, let's start with detailed description a two-day itinerary in Bangkok (1st for the main attractions, 2nd for little-known ones) - here it is. Now, in fact, we list some little-known sights located in the historical part of the city (to get detailed information click on the appropriate name or link):

The Temple of the Turtles and the Wat Prayon stupa are a wonderful place to relax in the center of a hot metropolis and a magnificent huge, snow-white Buddhist stupa.
Temples: Wat Intharawihan - the most big statue standing Buddha in Bangkok, Wat Noranarth Soontarikaram, the Thais call it the temple of the "happy Buddha", Wat Bowonniwet is a beautiful and somewhat unusual temple a 5-minute walk from Khaosan Street, you can
Temples: Wat Mahathat Yuwarat Rang Sa Rit Racha Woramahawihan - an international meditation center next to the Grand Royal Palace and Chanasongkhram Ratchaworamahawihan - a beautiful temple located right at the end of Khaosan Street, about them.
Amulets market - you should definitely look at it, especially since it is located just a 5-minute walk from the Grand Royal Palace of Bangkok and you can find here an uncountable number of all kinds of inexpensive and original souvenirs.
The Wat Chakrawat Crocodile Temple is an interesting temple located in Bangkok's Chinatown, whose monks keep and care for several crocodiles.
Temple of the Golden Mount (Wat Saketand the Golden Mount) - unlike the above, it cannot be called little-known, but it is one of our favorite places in Bangkok, we love to visit it in the evening and enjoy the sunset and panoramas of the city at night.
Chinatown.
Temple of the Golden Buddha.
Temple of Wat Ratchanadda.
Koh Kret Island - the island of potters and favorite place recreation of Thais north of Bangkok on the Chao Phraya River.

Chanasongkhram Ratchaworamahawihan Temple is located just 20 meters from Khaosan Road. Very beautiful and at the same time almost unknown to tourists

From the numerous parks of the city, we single out two:

Lumpini (Lumphini) - perhaps the most famous among tourists. It has gained wide popularity thanks to the giant monitor lizards living on its territory.
Chatuchak - in our opinion the most beautiful and interesting. Much larger and more diverse than the previous one, and the monitor lizards in it are even larger. Among other things, on its territory there is an outdoor pool and a butterfly garden.

The location of some of the most interesting attractions in Bangkok can be seen on the map below. For getting brief information about the place you are interested in, click on the corresponding icon on the map.

Food in Bangkok

In our opinion, food in Bangkok and in Thailand as a whole is not just a meal, but some kind of national idea elevated to a cult. It often seems that everything is eaten here and everywhere, continuously 24 hours a day. So what, what, but what and where to eat in Bangkok is not worth worrying about.

The cost of fish from 10 baht. One of the many stalls in the Khaosan area

Just step out of your room and hundreds of all kinds of food outlets will be at your service, ranging from cheap street macaroons where you can overeat for 30-40 baht to expensive restaurants.

Evening on Rambuttri

If anyone needs or is just interested, then an example and description of how cheap, tasty and nutritious you can eat in Thailand,.

Rice in pineapple with seafood - 150 baht

Here is a photo of the price page of one of the tourist restaurants on Khaosan.

Let's just say that these are the average prices in tourist restaurants khaosan district

This menu is tourist place, in Thai eateries about half the price.

Shopping in Bangkok

First, two words about money. It is not surprising, but many people are wondering what currency is better to travel with? The answer is - with dollars or euros, in large denominations (small banknotes change at a more unfavorable rate). Yes, here's another thing - you can exchange rubles, but not everywhere and at a very low rate.

About currency exchange - where to change? There are many exchange offices and banks. In the Khaosan area - a shaft, on every corner, in the Lumpini area - much less, but there will be no problems.

As for the exchange rate, we don’t know how, but we have long understood for ourselves that it makes no sense to rush around the city in search of a better rate. Gone are the days when the exchange rate difference was significant, at the moment, on average, it is practically not noticeable. So, do not worry - change it at the nearest exchanger, and spend the saved time better on impressions.

A little advice - do not change money at street money changers (there are also now). The price they offer is sometimes very tempting, but it should alert you.

Which is better, cash or credit card? Both, but if you are a budget traveler and do not want to significantly overpay, prefer cash.

Banknote 20 baht

The shops

There are definitely no less shops in Bangkok than cafes and restaurants, they are everywhere and what is wonderful, there are streets and even entire blocks where they sell certain goods. Let's say you need to buy electronics - you go to a certain area and find dozens of shops and shops selling this type of goods there. You need an auto part - you go to another one, plumbing - the next one, fabrics - thousands of colors are waiting for you in the corresponding area, etc. Very comfortably. But you need to know where what is sold, of course.

Jewelery in the Indian Quarter

If you are an ordinary tourist who wants to shop a little, then you can go to shopping centers new city. Prices here are certainly considerably higher, but there are many quite inexpensive things. And if you also come across any sale, then you can get great things very cheaply. For example, these jeans are only 300 baht.

Markets

Personally, we prefer to shop in the markets of Bangkok. Their advantages, unlike stores, are as follows:

a larger selection of goods;
initially lower prices;
with the ability to bargain, you can achieve significant discounts, sometimes at times from the original price.

From our personal experience, we can see that in Silom and Khaosan, best time for shopping - late evening, at this time it is much easier to negotiate discounts.

Safety in Bangkok

In our opinion, Bangkok today is one of the safest and most friendly cities in Asia. The vast majority of the local population is always happy to welcome visitors and are ready to provide them with any possible help and support. However, we should not forget that this is a huge modern metropolis that attracts a variety of people like a magnet, and not always the best. In order to protect yourself and protect yourself from potential troubles as much as possible, we personally can recommend the following:

The main thing is to respect other people's customs and culture, behave and dress according to these customs and traditions.

Always remain polite, and most importantly, calm, try to control yourself in any situation, in no case be rude or raise your voice. You know, for a Thai, a screaming, pissed off person who cannot calmly discuss and solve a problem does not deserve any respect at all.

Respect the local population and treat them as equals. If you consider yourself superior to them, you are just a narrow-minded and uncultured person, to whom such disrespect will return like a boomerang, with all the ensuing “charms” and “bonuses”.

Do not abuse alcohol, especially in the evening, while on the street. Going to one or another hot spot, it is foolish to count on the fact that the locals are waiting for you there just to entertain, amuse and please in every possible way. No, their main task in this case is to milk the maximum amount of dough out of you. Yes, here's another thing - you should not judge the strength of the Thais by their physique, often a puny boy can easily beat a decent "closet" well. In addition, if you decide to fight, there may be more than one "puny boys" against you.

If any of the locals offered you to buy drugs (this is not uncommon in Bangkok), even the same marijuana, you should know that in Thailand they can be punished very severely for their use and distribution. Before agreeing, think carefully about whether you want to spend a few years in a Thai prison?

But, we repeat - there is no need to be afraid, it is very safe here. Main source possible troubles - you and your behavior. Be prudent and cultured, and then with 99% confidence, we can say that troubles will bypass you.

Bangkok is a wonderful city!

updated: January 26, 2019 by: Sergei

Tourists who come to Thailand tend to spend time on the sandy shore or rush to plunge into the world of inexpensive exotic shopping, where for just a few hundred dollars you can become the owner of high-quality fake goods of famous European and Japanese brands. But can those who devote Special attention visiting historical and cultural sites?

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To answer this question, we suggest using our guide, which will allow you to visit the most interesting corners of the main city of Thailand. Your attention is a rich one-day tour of the center of Bangkok.

As a starting point for our route, we suggest choosing a local attraction with a special meaning - Lac Muang. It is a pillar three meters high and symbolizes the beginning of something. As a rule, there are such monuments in every Thai city and they were installed at the time of the formation of the first settlements.

The pillar is located next to the Grand Palace, so it is not surprising that for many tourists it remains unnoticed. Around it there is also a chapel for spirits, which are considered the guardians of Bangkok.

Wat Mahathat

One of the main relics of the city is the Wat Mahathat temple complex, many of whose walls and buildings have been repeatedly destroyed. Even today, the efforts of the authorities failed to completely recreate the iconic religious complex in its original form. For many centuries, the most valuable relic of the temple was the Buddha statue, made of pure gold. According to legend, the statue had the gift of fulfilling desires. But after she was moved to another temple, tourists come to see stone head Buddha, which for hundreds of years was slowly entwined with the roots of the trees growing here.

By the way, for lovers of meditation visit temple complex will be especially memorable. It is here that everyone, under the guidance of the monks, will be able to approach the knowledge of the truth one more step.

Bangkok National Museum

Like in any other country in the world, in Thailand they pay special attention to their centuries-old history and carefully collect artifacts that help to study the life, life features and traditions of the ancient Thais even deeper and in more detail. That is why all tourists who are not indifferent to history are invited to visit exhibition halls metropolitan National Museum. The collection of relics collected under one roof is considered not only the most significant in Thailand, but for several years in a row has been holding the palm among similar museum expositions throughout Southeast Asia.

Among the exhibits, one can also find the first tools of labor of the ancient settlers, and objects that were created at the present time are of particular value. Weapons, jewelry, life and household items, as well as valuable relics of religious significance and those that were used in the implementation of rituals. In the local halls, you can find out which crafts were held in high esteem in different historical eras, with the help of which inventions the Thais tried to conquer nature and achieve the desired result. An impressive collection of national costumes and art objects deserves special attention.

Khaosan street

Well, the most famous street The capitals of Khaosan are recommended to be visited by all tourists who are used to spending evening and night time easily and cheerfully. Here everyone can find something to do at affordable prices and for every taste. By the way, this street is famous for its low prices for housing, so there are many tourists among tourists who travel on their own and try to save on everything. In hostels, everyone will be offered good conditions for an overnight stay for only 2-3 dollars per person.

Well, you can refresh yourself in cafes located on Khaosan Street “cheaply and cheerfully”, choosing your favorite type of street food or fast food popular all over the world. Every evening, numerous bars lure guests of the city with loud music, and on every corner, in search of new customers, sellers of exotic dishes, medicines, amulets and other mysterious nonsense are expanding their trade. Here you can order interesting excursion, which will allow you to get to know Bangkok and all its charms even closer.

Democracy Monument

Every self-respecting tourist is simply obliged to find time and visit another significant monument in the center of Bangkok - the Democracy Monument. They created an unusual building in 1939 in honor of the victorious war for the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in Siam.

giant swing

Love rides? Then hurry to the huge swing, which in the 18th century played not only an entertaining role, but was also able to give the sea vivid impressions, a surge of adrenaline and even promised wealth to the most desperate and dexterous participants.

The building is 42 meters high, and the principle of operation is as follows. A group of daredevils was placed in a cradle, swinging which they tried to reach a bag of gold coins, which was attached to a pole at a height of 25 meters. There was one important nuance: you had to tear the bag with your teeth. Many were so zealous that they were injured, and sometimes the celebration was even overshadowed by the death of daredevils.

Unfortunately, today there is no opportunity to ride on a giant swing. Under the influence of the destructive force of nature, the wooden parts of the attraction gradually fell into disrepair and collapsed. The last time the swing worked was back in 1935.

Museum of Siam

One of the most unusual museums in Thailand is the Siam Gallery. Unlike other similar establishments, visitors are offered to plunge into the history of the country with the help of modern virtual programs and manipulators. The main guides and exhibits of the museum are dozens of holograms, animations and sensory projections.

For example, tourists can personally fire a cannon at an enemy ship, play an educational game with markets and merchants, or even compose new card Siam, drawing villages and settlements on it.

Phakhurat Market

Well, how to get around the exotic market, the counters of which are simply overwhelmed by the variety of spices, fabrics and souvenirs presented! It is here that people come for first-class silk, snow-white cotton and Indian cambric. At affordable prices, you can always buy ready-made products made of silk, other fabrics - outfits, national clothes and bags.

We don’t know how anyone, but we really like Bangkok, we always visit this city with pleasure and every time we find something new and interesting in it. As a rule, tourists stay there for only 1-2 days, and the main questions that interest them in this regard are:

where is the best place to stay?
what to see in Bangkok on your own in a couple of days?

We have already talked about hotels and where is the best place to stay in order to have time to see the main attractions of Bangkok in the article “Hotels in the center of the old city”. Now we intend to answer the second question by offering you a variant of the route around Bangkok for one or two days.

What to see in Bangkok on your own?

Everyone has different interests, for this reason we offer a two-part route: one for the main attractions of Bangkok, the other for little-known ones.

But, first of all, we list the most important monuments in historical center Bangkok. In our opinion this is:

Grand Royal Palace
Temple emerald buddha
Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha)
Dawn (Wat Arun)
Giant Swing
Temple of Wat Suthat
Temple of the Golden Mount (Wat Saket)
Temple of Wat Ratchanadda (Wat Ratchanaddaram)

In addition to the above, there are still a great many other places unknown to most tourists, which are very beautiful, interesting and worth visiting. Therefore, we decided to make two separate routes:

The first - according to the main monuments
The second - in little-known places

If you plan to stay in the capital of Thailand for one day, then decide for yourself what is more interesting for you, but for those who stay in it for a couple of days or more, they will be able to go through both. By the way, we have opened a section in which we will talk about little-known places in the city, who wants to see what almost none of the tourists have seen, here -. And for those who need all the information about the Thai capital, see - a guide for independent tourists.

How to navigate in Bangkok?

For the successful implementation of your independent excursion, you will need the ability to navigate in a place, in an unfamiliar city. Nowadays, it is not difficult at all. Personally, we have been successfully using the Maps.Me application as a navigator for several years and highly recommend it. Its main advantages are offline work, detailed and very accurate maps. Surprisingly, even in our Karelian forests he knows such paths that not all natives know about. In short - install, you will not regret it.

How to move along the route?

The route we propose can be passed:

Day 1. Top attractions in Bangkok

Route around Bangkok. Day 1

The entire route of the first day on the map is as follows. The map is interactive, feel free to click.

So, the first route. We start from Khaosan, assuming that you took our advice and stopped in this area. We recommend starting it with a visit to the Royal Palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Wat Pho.

Note. The corresponding stages of the journey are highlighted in red here and below.

All of them are concentrated in one place and combined into a single huge complex, inspection of which, even a cursory one, will require a lot of time and effort.

Next, go to the beautiful Temple of the Morning Dawn (Wat Arun), located on the other side of the Chao Phraya River. Getting to it will not present any difficulty. From the Reclining Buddha head to the Tha Tien pier, 300 meters to it.
Here, take a ferry that runs from one coast to the other. The cost of the crossing is 4 baht.

Be sure to climb the Wat Arun tower, admire the city and the river from above.
After - again on the ferry, ferry back and follow to the Giant swing and the Temple of Wat Suthat, along the way we examine the temple of Wat Ratchabopit SathitMahasimaram. From the pier to the swing just over 1.5 kilometers.
We recommend taking a short walk along Bamrung Muang Street, before reaching the Giant Swing, where shops and workshops specializing in Buddhist themes are concentrated, you can buy very interesting and unusual souvenirs, including jewelry. In this area in general interesting quarters.

The Big Swing is not particularly interesting, but the temple is worth the time.

Next, head to amazing place- to the temple of the Golden Mountain, the distance to it is only 700 meters.
We don’t know, someone might consider this Bangkok attraction mediocre, because it doesn’t have bright architecture and scale, but in our opinion, this is one of the best places in the city. It's just an oasis, among the "stone jungle".
At the same time, we got here when it was raining heavily and we must notice - this is something, a country of rivers and waterfalls. And when the bright sun came out after the rain - in general a fairy tale! It's a pity there aren't many photos left.

Although this place is known to many tourists, it is not visited by them en masse. And thank God! The energy in the temple, located on the very top of a man-made mountain, is amazing! It is also a good observation deck with views of Bangkok.

Leaving Wat Saket, be sure to look into the inconspicuous glass pavilion at the foot of the mountain. It houses a stunning relic - the oldest stone statue of Buddha, taken from Afghanistan. The energy from her just shoots like a fountain.
The next on the route is the temple of Wat Ratchanadda, some 400 meters on foot to it.
This attraction is notable, first of all, for its unusual architecture and many black metal spiers (37 in total), representing the difficult path to enlightenment. Very beautiful. By the way, inside the complex you can buy all kinds of amulets. Unfortunately, all our photographs of this place have been lost.

On this day 1 self walk Bangkok can be completed. Firstly, visiting the listed sights will require considerable time, and secondly, it will take effort, and in the local hot climate you need a lot of them, especially if you are not used to it. In short, we return to our wonderful inexpensive hotel.
We recommend devoting the rest of the day and evening to rest and entertainment. Personally, we prefer a massage and a good dinner in one of the many Thai restaurants, and before going to bed, take a walk along the evening Khaosan Road and its surroundings.

Day 2. Little-known sights of Bangkok

Route around Bangkok. Day 2

We continue our story about what to see in Bangkok on your own. Route of the second day. It will be longer, and although we ourselves did it on foot, we still recommend using the services of tuk-tukers. Well, if you, like us, are drawn to adventure, and you are confident in the endurance of your legs, walking is much more interesting.

Route of the second day on the map

We start it from the Phra Arthit pier in the Khaosan area (we mean that you took our advice and settled there). Here you should use water transport Bangkok - take a boat and swim to the Rachawong pier (landmark - just behind the bridge over the river).
A little advice - do not use tourist boats, but local water trams, this is both more interesting and many times cheaper. Boats (by routes and classes) are distinguished by the color of the flag above them, the following will suit you: without a flag, with orange or green. Details about all the nuances of boat transport -.
We got off at the Rachawong pier, catch a tuk-tuk - your goal is the Prayurawongsawas Waraviharn temple.
It is currently being reconstructed and restored, but here the main interest is not in it, but in a huge Buddhist stupa, inside which you can enter. It's just class!

After you will find a small but very pleasant surprise - the Temple of the Turtles. It is 100 meters from the stupa to it (see the map). Another heavenly oasis in a hot metropolis.
The temple is tiny but worth a visit, especially if you love turtles and nature. There are hundreds of turtles here, and you can feed them yourself. Treats for these cute amphibians are sold right there, the cost is donation. Soon we will tell you in detail about this wonderful corner of the Thai capital.

A couple of notes on the above described part of the route from the pier to the Prayurawongsawas Waraviharn stupa and the Turtle Temple.

Note 1. As an option, you can cross the river not by the bridge, but by ferry from the Rachawong pier.
Note 2. If you walk from the pier, then you need to cross the river along the Memorial Bridge, it has a pedestrian part. Along the way, you can see the interesting Ratchaburana Ratchaworawihan temple, the King Rama I memorial, relax by the fountains next to it and admire the views of the Chao Phraya River from the bridge.

After resting in the Turtle Temple, again catch a tuk-tuk (or a taxi, if you prefer), go to the Temple of the Golden Buddha.

From the turtle temple to the Golden Buddha is about 2.6 kilometers.
The path lies through the Chinatown of Bangkok, which also has something to see and what to buy.
After that, take a taxi (tuk-tuk will be more expensive and longer) and go to Wat Benchamabophit temple. The distance from the Golden Buddha is about 6 km if by car and 5 if on foot.
Not to say that the Benchamabophit temple is a little-known place, it is simply located away from the main mass of the main attractions and many, often, simply do not have time to visit it. Unfortunately we don't have any photos of him.

After visiting Wat Benchamabophit, move to Wat Intharawihan and the huge statue of the standing Buddha.

Total distance – between them about 2.5 km.
Then - a beautiful and interesting temple Wat Bowonniwet Wihan, located just 400 hundred meters from Khaosan Road. Along the way, on the way from one to another, you can see the Tri Thotsathep temple.
Despite this closeness to tourist center, Wat Bowonniwet is not teeming with tourists, especially in the evening, you can safely wander in silence, enjoy its architecture and sculpture.

Well, we complete the route with a tour of the Chanasongkhram Ratchaworamahawihan temple.
The path to it on the map looks like this.
Amazingly, despite the fact that it is located directly at the intersection of Khaosan and Chakrabongse streets, tourists practically do not visit it, and many do not even know about its existence. And in vain, the place is beautiful and interesting. By the way, if you have time, you can visit the evening "service" and enjoy the sound of mantras.

In the future, we will definitely devote a separate article to it, especially since not only the temple, but also the surrounding area is interesting there.

So, in fact, we talked about what you can see in Bangkok on your own, in one or two days. Of course, this is not all the sights of this wonderful city. Interesting things are here on every corner and to see everything, you have to live here for more than one month, or maybe a year.

Have a nice rest and interesting routes!

updated: January 13, 2019 by: Sergei