4 stunning things to do in Bangkok: It’s crazy!

Bangkok. A world of bright lights, insane driving and some questionable smells. There’s so many things to do in Bangkok, it’s impossible to know where to start.

When thinking about what to do in Bangkok, a long list comes to mind. Temples, bars, shows, markets, street food…it goes on and on.

As we only stayed here for 3 nights, it was a packed itinerary and there’s definitely things we didn’t get to experience. But keep reading to discover my personal top things to do in Bangkok on a budget.

Wat Samphran – Dragon Temple

A truly magical experience, Wat Samphran is a site to behold!

When you arrive, you are presented with a prayer necklace to place at the top of the temple. To get to the top, you walk up 16 stories through the dragon that spirals round the outside of the temple.

At the top, you’re greeted by some breathtaking views and a peaceful aura fills every part of this place. 

What’s more is there is no admission charge, although donations are encouraged. One thing to note is this is about a 30 minute taxi ride out of the city, which cost us 500 baht – the equivalent of £12.50.

Read more about why I fell in love with the Bangkok dragon temple here to start planning your visit. You don’t want to miss it.

After the Rain Cafe

Another one that is outside of the city and actually very close to Wat Samphran. We combined the two into one day.

This idyllic little cafe has a series of waterways with stunning greenery such as palm trees and banana plants towering overhead.

You can sit by the water’s edge and enjoy a coffee or some food, before taking out your own paddle boat. You can do this free if you’ve bought something in the cafe before, otherwise it’s 100 baht each (£2.50).

Known for being extremely instagrammable, this was one of my favourite things to do in Bangkok.

The Reclining Buddha

A true treat for the eyes, the reclining Buddha is a must. Situated in the Phra Nakhon district, this monumental figure is part of the Wat Phra Chetuphon temple where admission is 200 baht each (£5).

This solid gold feature is a representation of the Buddha before passing into the afterlife, feeling at peace and content. It is an impressive 46 metres long and 15 metres high, making it the third largest Buddha in Thailand.

The soles of the feet are particularly stunning, embellished with mother of Pearl symbols. This interestingly goes against the Thai rule of not pointing to the soles of feet.

Rooftop bars

A classic Bangkok bucket list item, the rooftop bars are quite literally out of this world. With stunning views, tasty cocktails and a great vibe, this is a must.

We visited Hops Bar, not the highest but given our short stay time it was one of the closest to get to.

Set on top of the iconic ICONSIAM shopping mall 8 stories high, it overlooked the Chao Phraya river and had some lovely live music.

Our only regret, was not going to more of these bars! As they definitely are a great evening out.

Want to read more about Bangkok? Explore what the ups and downs of eating gluten free in Bangkok and see if anything takes your fancy.