The golden Phra Siratana Chedi and the halls of Wat Phra Kaew inside the Grand Palace Photo above: Kardelen O. via Google
A Bangkok itinerary for 2 days works best if you split the city in two. On day 1, ride the river boat to the Old City for the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun. On day 2, spend the morning at a market or museum, the hot middle of the day in the Siam malls, and the evening in Chinatown. With only one day in Bangkok, do the three temples in the morning and afternoon, then take the MRT to Chinatown for dinner.
The plan below uses opening hours from the official sites, checked September 26, 2026, and routes that use the river, the BTS Skytrain and the MRT rather than road traffic. It assumes you start from a hotel in the center; our guide to getting around Bangkok explains the networks.
2 days in Bangkok at a glance
| Time | Day 1: the Old City and the river | Day 2: markets, malls and Chinatown |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning | BTS to Saphan Taksin, boat from Sathorn Pier to Tha Chang | Chatuchak Weekend Market (Saturday or Sunday) or the Jim Thompson House (from 10 a.m.) |
| Morning | Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, from 8:30 a.m. | Market or museum continued |
| Midday | Wat Pho and the Reclining Buddha; lunch near Tha Tien pier | Siam malls through the hottest hours |
| Afternoon | Cross-river ferry to Wat Arun | MRT to Chinatown; Wat Traimit before 5 p.m. |
| Evening | Wat Arun lit from 6 p.m.; dinner in the Old City | Yaowarat Road street food and Wat Mangkon Kamalawat |
Day 1: How do you see the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun in one day?
Start at the Grand Palace when it opens at 8:30 a.m., walk south to Wat Pho, have lunch by the river at Tha Tien, then cross to Wat Arun by ferry. The three sit within one short stretch of the Chao Phraya, so the order saves backtracking and puts the outdoor palace visit in the coolest part of the day.
Morning: the boat to the Grand Palace
Take the BTS Silom Line to Saphan Taksin, leave by Exit 2 and walk down to Sathorn Pier under the bridge. From there the orange-flag Chao Phraya Express Boat runs upriver to Tha Chang (N9), next to the palace. The operator's website lists the orange flag as running Monday to Friday. On a weekend, take the MRT Blue Line to Sanam Chai instead, or use the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat, a hop-on, hop-off service with an all-day pass.
The Grand Palace opens daily at 8:30 a.m. and sells tickets only until 3:30 p.m. The ticket covers Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles inside the compound. Royal ceremonies can close parts of it, so check the palace's schedule page the day before. Our guide to the best time to visit the Grand Palace covers timing and tickets in detail.
Late morning: Wat Pho
Wat Pho is directly south of the palace, about a ten-minute walk by the palace's own directions. Its best-known image is the 46-meter Reclining Buddha, and the temple's visit page lists it as open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., so there is no need to rush. The Wat Po Thai Traditional Medical School in the grounds offers Thai and foot massage if your legs need it.
Lunch and the ferry to Wat Arun
Tha Tien pier is next to Wat Pho. Supanniga Eating Room has a branch on the riverfront there, facing Wat Arun, with family recipes from Trat and Isan. After lunch, take the cross-river ferry from Tha Tien to Wat Arun on the Thonburi bank. The Tourism Authority of Thailand lists the temple as open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Its central prang is 66.8 meters tall and faced with seashells and pieces of Chinese porcelain.
Evening: Wat Arun lit up
The Tourism Authority of Thailand says Wat Arun's main pagoda is lit nightly from 6 p.m., and you can watch it from the east bank after the ferry back. For dinner, Thipsamai on Maha Chai Road has served pad thai since the family started in 1939; its website says the flagship is closed on Tuesdays.
Day 2: What should you do on the second day in Bangkok?
Spend the morning at a market or museum, keep the Siam malls for the midday heat, and go to Chinatown in the late afternoon. On a Saturday or Sunday, the morning belongs to Chatuchak Weekend Market; on a weekday, the Jim Thompson House is the better start.
Morning, weekend: Chatuchak Weekend Market
Chatuchak Weekend Market in north Bangkok trades on Saturdays and Sundays, through the day and into the evening. The market does not publish its hours on a readable official page, so check its Facebook page before you go. Go early, carry cash in small notes, bargain politely and keep an eye on your bag, as the Tourism Authority of Thailand advises. For directions, read where Chatuchak Market is.
Morning, weekday: the Jim Thompson House
The Jim Thompson House is a museum of traditional Thai teak houses near BTS National Stadium, open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You see the main house only on a guided tour, offered in Thai, English, French, Chinese and Japanese. The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is at the same station if you want more art before lunch.
Midday: the Siam malls
From National Stadium it is one stop to Siam, where Siam Paragon, Siam Center and MBK Center all open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Use them for lunch in a food hall and a break from the heat. CentralWorld, with the Erawan Shrine at its corner, is one BTS stop east at Chit Lom.
Late afternoon and evening: Chinatown
Ride the BTS to Sala Daeng, change to the MRT Blue Line at Silom, and ride to Hua Lamphong for Wat Traimit, the Temple of the Golden Buddha, a few minutes' walk from the station. The Tourism Authority of Thailand lists it as open until 5 p.m., so arrive by about 4 p.m. From there, walk or ride one stop to Wat Mangkon, the station named after Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, the Dragon Lotus Temple. Yaowarat Road, Chinatown's main street, fills with street food in the evening. For a booked tasting-menu dinner instead, Restaurant Potong is in a five-story shophouse nearby.
What to do in Bangkok in one day
With one day in Bangkok, follow day 1 until mid-afternoon, then go to Chinatown for the evening. See the Grand Palace at 8:30 a.m., Wat Pho before lunch and Wat Arun after it, then cross back to Tha Tien and walk to MRT Sanam Chai. Chinatown's Wat Mangkon station is two stops away, and Yaowarat Road is ready for dinner.
This keeps the day to one river bank and one subway line, with no taxi across town. If your day falls on a weekend and you would rather shop, swap Wat Arun for the afternoon at Chatuchak, reached by MRT to Chatuchak Park.
What should you wear and bring?
Dress for the Grand Palace, because it is the strictest stop. The palace does not admit sleeveless shirts, vests, short or see-through tops, shorts, mini skirts, or torn, tight or cycling trousers, and Wat Pho asks visitors not to wear shorts. Loose trousers or a long skirt and a top with sleeves work for all three temples. Our guide to what to wear in Bangkok covers the rest.
- Cash: small notes for the boat, ferry, market stalls and street food.
- Water and shade: the palace courtyards have little shade; plan outdoor sights for the morning.
- Transport: the BTS runs from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., and the MRT gates accept contactless Visa and Mastercard cards. See how to buy a BTS ticket.
Have more than two days?
Add a day and the plan loosens: our three-day Bangkok itinerary adds the Mahanakhon SkyWalk, Lumphini Park and the Golden Mount, and what to do in Bangkok for a week adds museums, Muay Thai and a day trip. For more ideas, browse our Bangkok attractions.
Sources: The Grand Palace, practical information, Wat Pho, visit plan, Chao Phraya Express Boat, Chao Phraya Tourist Boat, ICONSIAM, getting here, TAT, Wat Arun night view, TAT, the Old City and Yaowarat by MRT, Jim Thompson House, visitor information, Siam Paragon, MBK Center, Thipsamai, BTS timetable, MRT, EMV contactless. Checked September 26, 2026.
Two days covers the essentials: the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun on one day, and a market, the Siam malls and Chinatown on the other. Three days or more leaves time for museums, parks and a rooftop view.
The Grand Palace is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with tickets sold only from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Foreign visitors pay 500 baht, which includes Wat Phra Kaew and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles (official website, checked September 26, 2026).
Wat Pho's visit page lists it as open daily from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with admission of 300 baht; children under 120 cm enter free (checked September 26, 2026).
The Tourism Authority of Thailand lists Wat Arun as open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and says the main pagoda is lit nightly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. The temple does not publish its hours on a readable official website, so check its Facebook page for closures.
The operator's website lists the orange-flag boat, the one that stops at Tha Chang and Tha Tien, as running Monday to Friday, at a flat 18 baht (checked September 26, 2026). On weekends, take the MRT Blue Line to Sanam Chai or the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat.
On Saturdays and Sundays, through the day and into the evening. The market does not publish exact hours on a readable official page, so check its official Facebook page before you go.
Adults pay 250 baht and visitors aged 10 to 21 pay 150 baht with ID; children under 10 enter free. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the main house is seen only with a guide (checked September 26, 2026).
Walk to MRT Sanam Chai and ride the Blue Line two stops to Wat Mangkon, the station for Yaowarat Road. The Tourism Authority of Thailand lists the stations in the order Wat Mangkon, Sam Yot, Sanam Chai.
