The Big Buddha at Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen, a stop on some Bangkok canal tours Photo above: Phonlakrit Sunthornhon via Google
A Thailand trip that runs through Bangkok usually needs the same handful of decisions, and they come in a fairly fixed order: how you get online, how you get from the airport to your hotel, what to do in the city, which day trips are worth the early start, and what to book for children. This page puts our Bangkok guides in that order, with the one fact from each that tends to decide the plan.
Every guide linked here states the date its facts were checked, and says plainly when an official source could not be reached. Opening hours, fares and prices change, so use the guides to narrow your choices and confirm the detail with the venue when you book.
What should you sort out before you land?
Two things are worth doing before the flight. The first is data: our eSIM and SIM card guide compares what dtac, AIS and True publish, and explains how an eSIM differs from a physical SIM. The second is the airport run: the airport transfer, fast-track and BTS and MRT pass guide explains which airport you land at and how each one connects to the city, because Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang are served differently. Entry paperwork has its own page, the Thailand Digital Arrival Card guide, and the best time to visit Bangkok guide helps you choose dates.
If you have not picked a base yet, where to stay in Bangkok compares the main areas, and the two-day Bangkok itinerary shows how a short stay can fit together.
What is there to do in the city itself?
Bangkok rewards a mix of fixed sights and looser experiences. For the water, read about canal and longtail boat tours, which covers private boats, shared tours and the cheaper public boats. For the back lanes, the bike and tuk-tuk tours explain how the guided rides work and what to watch for. A cooking classes guide compares four schools that publish their own menus, and private guides helps if you want a flexible day with a guide who sets the pace.
For views, the MahaNakhon SkyWalk and Baiyoke Sky guide compares the two towers that sell tickets to anyone, and for a rest day the day spas by area guide lists the day-spa chains clustered along the BTS Sukhumvit line.
What should you plan for the evening?
Evenings split into three kinds of night. Chao Phraya dinner cruises come as buffet boats, show cruises or a served set menu, so choose by the evening you want. Muay Thai and cabaret shows covers the weekly Muay Thai card at Rajadamnern Stadium and the two cabaret revues. For a drink with a view, the rooftop bars guide collects hours, dress codes and booking rules from each venue, because a few of them will turn you away at the door for the wrong shoes.
Which day trips are worth leaving the city for?
None of the classic day trips is inside the City of Bangkok, and distance is what separates them. Ayutthaya is the nearest, 86 km north of the city by the Tourism Authority of Thailand's figure, and our Ayutthaya day trip guide compares a tour, the new commuter train and a private car. The floating markets compared guide explains why Damnoen Saduak, Amphawa and Maeklong are three different mornings, each well over an hour each way.
The longer trips need an early start. Erawan Falls is about 65 km beyond Kanchanaburi town, which is itself roughly 128 km west of Bangkok, so read the Erawan Falls day trip guide before committing a day to it. Khao Yai National Park is about 200 km away by the park's own figure, workable as a long day but better as an overnight, and the Khao Yai and elephant sanctuary guide sets out what World Animal Protection says about elephant venues so you can decide with the facts in hand.
What suits a day with children?
Bangkok's big family days come down to a few places, and the theme parks and aquariums compared guide sorts them by where they actually are. Safari World is inside the city, in Khlong Sam Wa district, and the Safari World guide covers tickets, hours and the journey. Dream World is not in Bangkok at all: it is in Pathum Thani. For the wider picture, Bangkok with kids collects ideas by age and weather.
