Bangkok
Twenty years of visits taught me one rule: stay on the BTS Skytrain. Get the neighbourhood right and Bangkok is addictive - street food at midnight, air-conditioned malls that double as transit, and temples that appear without warning.
I have watched Bangkok transform over twenty years of visits, and the modern air-conditioned malls that now dominate the centre are not just shopping - they are essential infrastructure for navigating the heat, with basement food halls serving better Pad Thai than most street stalls. The one rule that holds: hotels near the BTS Skytrain are the only reliable way to move through central Bangkok without losing hours to gridlock.
Pick a base on the BTS or MRT and the city opens up - temples and the river on one side, malls and rooftop bars on the other, and the night markets after dark. A few days decodes the centre; the islands and the north are a separate trip, reached by a short flight or an atmospheric overnight train.
Getting there
Suvarnabhumi (BKK) is the main international airport, about 30km east of the centre, and the Airport Rail Link runs into the city (Phaya Thai, on the BTS) in around 30 minutes - far quicker than a taxi in traffic. Low-cost and regional flights use Don Muang (DMK) to the north. A metered taxi is fine off-peak; insist on the meter. For routes into Thailand by origin, see the Thailand country guide.
From within Thailand
Bangkok is the hub for the whole country - here is how it connects.
| From | Method | Journey time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiang Mai | Flight or overnight train | ~1h 15m / ~12h | Thai AirAsia and Bangkok Airways fly hourly; the State Railway sleeper is the atmospheric alternative. |
| Phuket | Flight | ~1h 25m | The fastest way to the Andaman coast; no realistic rail option. |
| Koh Samui | Flight or train + ferry | ~1h 10m / overnight | Bangkok Airways flies direct; the budget route is the sleeper to Surat Thani then a ferry. |
| Ayutthaya | Train or day tour | ~1h 30m | The old capital is an easy day trip north - cheap commuter trains or a guided tour. |
Getting around
The BTS Skytrain and MRT metro are the answer to Bangkok - air-conditioned, fast, cheap, and above the gridlock. Get a Rabbit card and stay near a station; the elevated walkways link whole malls so you can cross the centre at peak heat without stepping outside. Grab (the local ride app) removes the haggling, and the Chao Phraya river boats are the scenic way to reach the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Chinatown. Tuk-tuks are for the experience, not the value - agree the price first.
What to see
The headline sights, most reachable by BTS or river boat.
The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew
The former royal complex and the Emerald Buddha - the single must-see, and dress code is strictly enforced (knees and shoulders covered). Go early to beat the heat and the tour groups.
Wat Pho & Wat Arun
The vast reclining Buddha at Wat Pho, then the river ferry across to the porcelain-clad spires of Wat Arun - best at sunset from the far bank.
Chinatown (Yaowarat)
The best street food in the city after dark - a sensory overload of woks, neon and gold shops. Go hungry, and let a food tour decode it.
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Thousands of stalls under one roof at the north end of the BTS - everything from street food to antiques. Weekends only; go in the morning before the heat peaks.
The malls & rooftop bars
Siam Paragon and the Terminal 21 food court are genuinely worth it, and the rooftop bars (Vertigo, Octave) give you the skyline with a drink. Air-con sightseeing is a real Bangkok pleasure.
Neighbourhoods & hotels
Where you stay in Bangkok matters more than in most cities. Pick a neighbourhood for detail and hotel picks.
My top pick for a first visit - the Asok junction gives you dual BTS and MRT access directly above the station, in the middle of where locals actually live, with the Terminal 21 food court (regional Thai dishes under 100 baht) downstairs. The surrounding sois pack in everything from budget to five-star. Thonglor, the trendier dining strip, is a few stops east.
Bangkok's Grand Central - both BTS lines cross at Siam, so you are never more than one transfer from anywhere, and elevated walkways link straight into Siam Paragon, Siam Center and MBK. Premium rates, but the logistics justify it on a short stay. National Stadium, one stop west, is slightly better value.
One stop south of Siam, between the commercial chaos and the green of Lumpini Park - Bangkok's most prestigious addresses, a touch more breathing room, and the same direct BTS connection so you sacrifice nothing in mobility.
Bangkok's financial district, where Sala Daeng BTS meets Si Lom MRT for both rail networks from one station. Suits by day, a livelier scene along Silom Road after dark, and 142 acres of Lumpini Park on the doorstep for a morning run.
Worth the trip
The trips worth booking in and around Bangkok.
Chinatown street food tour
The best way into Yaowarat after dark - a guide takes you to the stalls and shophouses you would never find, eating your way through the neon. Go hungry.
Check availability →Maeklong railway market & floating market
The market that packs up every time a train rolls through, plus the Damnoen Saduak floating market - a classic, touristy but genuinely worth the early start.
Check availability →Ayutthaya temples day tour
The ruined former capital an hour north - crumbling stupas and a Buddha head wrapped in tree roots. A guided day saves the logistics in the heat.
Check availability →More on Bangkok
Tested routes
2024Emirates First Class: the cheapest fare I have found (Bangkok-Hong Kong)Excellent→Good to know
Getting in from BKK
The Airport Rail Link reaches the city (Phaya Thai, on the BTS) in ~30 minutes for around 45 baht - far better than a taxi in traffic. Don Muang (DMK) handles the low-cost flights.
Rabbit card
Get a Rabbit card for the BTS Skytrain on arrival - and stay near a station. The MRT uses a separate token/card. Grab covers the rest.
Heat
It is hot and humid year-round - sightsee early, retreat to the air-conditioned malls in the afternoon, and hydrate. Nov-Feb is the cooler, drier window.
Temple dress code
Knees and shoulders covered at the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun, enforced at the door. Carry a light scarf or long trousers.
Tap water
Do not drink the tap water - bottled is cheap everywhere, and locals drink it too. Ice in established places is fine.
VAT refund
Spending big in the malls? Thailand refunds VAT to tourists at the airport - keep the forms and receipts; I have a full guide.