Things to Do in Bangkok on Sunday: Chatuchak, Temples and What's Open

The best things to do in Bangkok on a Sunday start with Chatuchak Weekend Market, which trades only on Saturdays and Sundays, and then fill the rest of the day with the sights that stay open seven days a week: the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, the city's big parks and a Muay Thai card in the evening. The main thing to plan around is that most sights run as usual, but a few museums have different closing days, so check before you set off.

Here is a Sunday built around the market, followed by what is open and what to watch out for.

Morning: Chatuchak Weekend Market

Chatuchak Weekend Market, also called JJ or Jatujak, is on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road in north Bangkok. The Tourism Authority of Thailand counts it among Asia's largest and most diverse open-air markets, and notes that on weekends it runs from the day into the evening. BTS lists Mo Chit as its station for the market.

Because the market is so large, it pays to go early, before the midday heat, and to know roughly what you are after. The tourism authority's advice for big markets applies: carry Thai baht, since many vendors prefer cash, bargain politely where haggling is expected, and keep an eye on your bag and phone in the crowded lanes. The market's official Facebook page is the place to check current hours and any holiday closures.

Add an art museum nearby

If you want an air-conditioned break after the market, MOCA Bangkok, the Museum of Contemporary Art, is also in the Chatuchak district and is open on Sundays. It holds more than 1,000 works of Thai modern and contemporary art. The museum's own directions reach it by the SRT Red Line to Bang Khen station, Exit 2, then a walk of about 400 meters.

Midday: the old city

The old city's headline sights open every day, so Sunday works as well as any other day. The Grand Palace opens at 8:30 a.m. and stops selling tickets at 3:30 p.m., so go in the morning if you skip the market or split the day. Next door, Wat Pho is open until 7:30 p.m., which makes it a good afternoon stop, and the massage school inside the temple runs from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Both have strict dress codes, so cover your shoulders and knees. MRT Sanam Chai, Exit 1, is the nearest rail station for both.

Museum Siam, a hands-on museum about Thai identity by the same station, is open on Sundays too, and the National Museum by Sanam Luang opens Wednesday to Sunday.

Afternoon: parks and air-conditioning

Lumphini Park, Bangkok's first public park, is open every day from 4:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., with a lake where you can rent swan pedal boats and rowing boats. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the senior citizens' club in Lumpini Hall runs social dancing classes on Saturdays and Sundays, and on the last Sunday of each month the park hosts Buddhist merit-making, with food offered to monks. The Green Bridge walkway links it to Benjakitti Park's skywalk, so you can walk between the two.

If it is too hot or it rains, head to Siam. SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World, under Siam Paragon, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Jim Thompson House Museum, near BTS National Stadium, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Evening: Muay Thai at Rajadamnern Stadium

Rajadamnern Stadium, on Ratchadamnoen Nok Road in the old city, has fights every night of the week. On Sundays the card is the Kiatpetch promotion, and the stadium's schedule shows gates opening at 5 p.m. Book online through the stadium's own website or buy at the stadium.

A sample Sunday

1. Early morning: a walk or a pedal boat at Lumphini Park while it is still cool.
2. Late morning: BTS to Mo Chit for Chatuchak Weekend Market, with cash in hand and a rough list.
3. Afternoon: MRT to Sanam Chai for Wat Pho, which stays open until 7:30 p.m., or MOCA if you would rather stay north and out of the sun.
4. Evening: Muay Thai at Rajadamnern Stadium, where Sunday gates open at 5 p.m.

If you only have half a day, choose between the market and the old city rather than trying to squeeze in both, which are in different parts of the city.

What is closed or different on Sundays

• Chatuchak is weekend-only. If Sunday is your last day, it is your last chance for the market.
• Museum closing days vary. Museum Siam, MOCA and the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre close on Mondays, and the National Museum closes on Mondays and Tuesdays, so Sunday is a better museum day than the start of the week.
• Buddhist holidays and royal ceremonies can change opening arrangements at temples and the Grand Palace, so check the official schedule if your Sunday falls on one.

For more ideas, see our guides to Bangkok attractions and shopping in Bangkok.

Sources: Tourism Authority of Thailand, by day, TAT, after dark, TAT, night markets, BTS Skytrain, MOCA Bangkok, The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Museum Siam, National Museum Bangkok, SEA LIFE Bangkok, Jim Thompson House Museum, Rajadamnern Stadium. Checked September 26, 2026.