Ten million people, gilded temples between office towers, and the best street food on earth. Overwhelming for about a day, then it starts making sense.
Bangkok traffic is legendary, and almost everything worth seeing sits on or near the Chao Phraya.
A taxi from Sukhumvit to the Grand Palace can take ninety minutes at the wrong hour. The orange-flag express boat does the same trip in twenty minutes for about forty pence, and it's a sightseeing trip in itself. Combine it with the Skytrain, which connects to the pier at Saphan Taksin, and you can skip the traffic entirely. Visitors who work this out on day one have a completely different trip from those who spend it in the back of a cab.
Three nights covers the temples, the river, a market and a great deal of eating.
The royal complex and the Emerald Buddha. Go at eight-thirty opening; strict dress code, and covered shoulders and knees are enforced.
A 46-metre reclining Buddha and the home of Thai massage. Next door to the palace, far less crowded, and better.
Yaowarat Road from six onwards. Charcoal grills on the pavement, and the best eating in the city for a couple of pounds.
Fifteen thousand stalls, weekends only. Go early, take cash, and accept you'll get lost.
Into the Thonburi canals, where the city still lives on stilts over the water. An hour, and the best value excursion here.
Sky-high bars are a Bangkok institution. Dress codes apply. Go at six for sunset rather than later.
Choose by transport link. In Bangkok, being near a Skytrain station or a pier matters more than the address.
On the Chao Phraya, near the express boat piers. Hotel boats, sunset views, and quick access to the temples.
Along the Skytrain. Restaurants, bars, malls and the widest hotel choice.
Between the river and Sukhumvit. Good value, well connected, and lively at night.
Near the palace. Atmospheric and cheap, but poorly served by the Skytrain — you'll rely on boats.
November to February is the cool dry season, and it's the only really comfortable window.
Cool is relative — expect 30–32°C but with far lower humidity. March to May is the hot season, regularly 35–40°C, which is punishing in a city this dense. June to October is the monsoon: heavy afternoon rain, cheaper hotels, and it rarely disrupts a whole day. Songkran in mid-April turns the city into a nationwide water fight, which is either wonderful or unbearable.
11h 30m direct to Suvarnabhumi (BKK), or with a Gulf stopover which most people prefer.
The Airport Rail Link runs to Phaya Thai in about 30 minutes and connects to the Skytrain.
Thai baht. Cards work in malls and hotels; street food and boats are cash.
No visa needed for UK passports on stays under 60 days. We'll confirm current rules.
We'll come back with hotels near the right transport, an island leg priced alongside, and the payment plan written out in full.
Three. It's the right dose before you move on to an island or the north — most people find a week here is too much.
Depends on your month. Krabi or Phuket November to April; Koh Samui May to September. Opposite coasts, opposite seasons.
Yes, at busy stalls with high turnover. Bangkok's street food is among the best regulated in Asia and stall-holders take real pride in it.
Yes, though the heat and crowds are tiring. The river boats, the markets and the aquarium work well; pace the temple days.
Flights, a central hotel and transfers as one package. We book the museum and gallery slots that sell out, and tell you which ones to book yourself.
Guide prices, per person, based on two sharing, including return flights, central accommodation and airport transfers. They indicate what a break of this type has typically cost and are not an offer or a quotation. Your price depends on dates, party, departure airport and availability, and is confirmed in writing before any payment is taken.
Ready-built itineraries with flights, transfers and internal hops booked as one package, ATOL protected. Every one can be reshaped around your dates.
12 nights · Apr–Oct · from £1,749pp
13 nights · Nov–Mar · from £1,649pp
13 nights · Nov–Mar · from £2,099pp
13 nights · Dec–Mar · from £1,599pp
14 nights · Apr–Oct · from £1,849pp
15 nights · Apr–Oct · from £2,199pp
14 nights · Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov · from £2,999pp
12 nights · Nov–Mar · from £1,849pp
