10 things you must do in Bangkok, Thailand

While there is certainly no shortage of markets dotted around the city, the Chatuchak weekend market is a must do for any shopping lover. With hundreds of stalls split into 27 sections there is something for everyone, if you can find it that is. The market is absolutely huge and even with the signage and app it is still fairly easy to get lost inside the maze. However, if you’re not in a rush, that can be part of the fun!

Top tip: get the public bus there for a fraction of the cost of any taxi/grab/tuk tuk

Chinatown really comes to life in the evenings with countless food stalls with small plastic chairs lining the streets and alleyways. Pull up a plastic stool and dig in to some of the best street food that the city has to offer for as little as a few pounds. With everything from seafood to pork noodles and sticky buns there is something to suit all tastebuds. Our personal favourite was the pork noodle soup – you’ve got to try it!

This one may surprise you but Bangkok offers many travel clinics across the city where you can get vaccines done for a fraction of the cost of back home. After much research, we decided on the Queen Saovabha Memorial institute and were so happy with the process we’re recommending it to everyone. If you have ran out of time in the UK or even want to get a few more vaccines for future trips, consider getting them done here. As an example of price we paid £8 for one dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine (Energix B). In the UK we paid £48 for the exact same thing. If you’re concerned about safety, cleanliness and overall treatment then of course do some further research, but our experience was very good.

Check out our vlog from our experience with getting vaccines in Bangkok.

The most popular temples (Wat Pho, The Grand Palace) are well worth seeing if it’s your first time in Bangkok, but there is plenty more to see. Our personal favourite was Wat Saket (known as the Golden Mount), one of the oldest temples in Bangkok built high on a hill overlooking the city. Climb a few hundred stairs late afternoon for a truly unforgettable sunset view across the city. It is one of the cheaper temples to enter at 50 THB per person and is most certainly worth the short climb to the top. As always, dress appropriately covering the shoulders and knees.

This is without a doubt our top tip for the city. Riding the public bus is easy, interesting and incredibly cheap compared to any other form of transport around the city. Some journeys (of 30 minutes or so) were as little as 15 baht each, a fraction of the cost of a grab or tuk tuk. Not only does riding the bus save you tons of money, but it is a great opportunity to mingle with the locals, people watch and escape the tourist traps. If you’re worried about how to navigate, don’t be. Google maps will be your best friend. We simply put our destination into maps, pressed on the bus icon and it tells you exactly where the bus stop is, the number and how many stops. You can then of course follow the bus on the map to know when to jump off – it couldn’t be easier!

While you may not want to spend the night on the famous backpacker street, it is well worth visiting for the street food, people watching and cheap massages. You can go from the bustling street to a comfortable reclined chair in a matter of minutes and it’ll only set you back a couple hundred baht.

Join the queue and watch as the chefs make countless plates of pad Thai outside the front of this bustling restaurant/stall. Awarded ‘best pad Thai’, it is well worth the wait for a hot plate of these delicious noodles.

No matter your budget you should be able to find a rooftop bar of some kind to sip a cocktail or two at. From the elaborate and expensive Skybar made famous in the hangover, to your smaller hostel rooftop, the options are endless. For a budget friendly rooftop bar try Ching Cha near the Giant Swing. If you’re in the mood to splash out head to Sky Bar at Lebua but be sure to dress up. Ladies will be turned down for wearing sandals and men for wearing shorts, hats or activewear of any kind. Don’t get caught out like we did, half way across the city and with no option but to head back. There are ladies selling and renting out clothing just outside the hotel but you will pay through the nose for it.

An obvious one I know, but it can’t be missed. Hop around the city taking in all the culture and history of beautiful temples of all kinds. From the reclining buddha at Wat Pho to the Golden Mount and Marble temple, there are so many to see that you could spend days going round them all. My advice is to pick a handful that you’d like to see and don’t attempt to see them all, or you may become ‘templed out’, as we like to call it.

For only 45 baht per person you can get from the aiport to the city centre where you can easily grab a tuk tuk or grab to your accomodation. The train is regular, organised and clean (far nicer than the London Underground that’s for sure) and is a great way to save money straight off the bat.