01Before you start
Three days is enough to see Bangkok properly if you group things by area instead of criss-crossing the city. Traffic is the thing that ruins most first-time itineraries — a journey that looks like 20 minutes on a map can genuinely take an hour in a taxi at the wrong time of day.
This plan keeps each day within one or two neighbourhoods and leans on the BTS Skytrain and river ferries wherever possible.
02Day 1 — Old city and temples
Start early at the Grand Palace, ideally by 8:30am. It gets hot and crowded fast, and the dress code is enforced: shoulders and knees covered for everyone.
Wat Pho, with the enormous reclining Buddha, is a ten-minute walk away. From the pier beside it, a cross-river ferry takes you to Wat Arun for a few baht.
In the evening, head to Chinatown (Yaowarat) for street food. It properly comes alive after dark.
- ✓Grand Palace — go early, dress code enforced
- ✓Wat Pho — reclining Buddha, traditional massage school
- ✓Wat Arun — best light in the late afternoon
- ✓Yaowarat (Chinatown) — street food after sunset
03Day 2 — Markets and modern Bangkok
If your trip includes a Saturday or Sunday, spend the morning at Chatuchak Weekend Market — more than 15,000 stalls, and genuinely one of the great markets in the world. On a weekday, swap in Or Tor Kor fresh market opposite, which is smaller but excellent for fruit and prepared food.
In the afternoon, cool off in the malls around Siam. Then watch sunset from a rooftop bar — most have a smart-casual dress code, so no flip-flops or vests.
04Day 3 — Canals, creativity and a slower pace
Take a longtail boat through the Thonburi canals in the morning to see a quieter, older side of the city built around the water.
Spend the afternoon around Charoen Krung and Talat Noi — old shophouses, independent galleries and some of the best coffee in Bangkok.
If you are flying onward, leave a generous buffer. Getting to Suvarnabhumi at rush hour can take well over an hour.
