The most popular temple visited by tourists to Bangkok other than Wat Phra Kaew in the Grand Palace, Wat Po is known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, it is famed for its 150 foot long giant reclining Buddha, which is completely covered in gold leaf. Thais make pilgrimages here to walk clockwise around the Buddha and drop coins...

This reception hall was built in the early 1900s and is part of the vast complex called Dusit Palace. Construction began under HM King Chulalongkorn, but he did not live to see the marble structure completed. These days Throne Hall, which is across the street from Dusit Zoo on U-Thong Nai Road, houses dazzlingly ornate palanquins and other royal regalia....

This little museum offers a very unique and intimate portrait of Bangkok in the mid-20th century. The teak houses on the shady, somewhat overgrown grounds are filled with furniture and photos of the family that lived here. The ground floor of the back house contains a motley assortment of household items dating from the early 20th century through the 1970s....

When Rama I moved the capital of the kingdom, the city of Krung Thep – or Bangkok as foreigners call it – was born. So was this extensive complex of buildings and monuments of both royal and religious significance. Some are still used for ceremonies, but Wat Phra Kaew, the most sacred temple in Thailand, has no resident monks these...

Hualamphong is Bangkok’s main train station and most long-distance trains depart and arrive from here. Trains make their way to major cities and destinations throughout Thailand and beyond on Northern, Northeastern, Eastern, Western, and Southern Lines. The station is also a terminus of the Eastern & Orient Express, with luxury service to Singapore, Chiang Mai, and the capital of Laos,...

American GI turned Thai silk expert and entrepreneur Jim Thompson introduced the world to Thai textiles and crafts and revolutionized the industry. He was a connoisseur of Southeast Asian art and culture, and visitors to his home, a little group of houses he purchased from different parts of Thailand and reassembled beside a canal in Bangkok, can see the Thai...

This fort once formed part of a city wall built during the reign of Rama I. The wall headed east from here, reaching a canal that ran south and functioned as a moat. This effectively formed a protected island, and that’s why the neighborhood is still called Rattanakosin Island. For years the fort was in disarray, but today the whitewashed...

This gorgeous park opposite the Grand Palace is steeped in history and full of Victorian, traditional Thai, and Chinese-style architecture. It was originally built as a palace in 1866, and was later the residence of King Vajiravudh. In 1960 it became a public park. Shady, green paths lined with frangipani trees wind through the grounds. Botany classes are held in...

Most temples in Bangkok are Buddhist, but this one, built in 1877, honors Ganesh, Kartik, and Sri Maha Mariamman. The colorful Chola and Pallava architectural styles come from Tamil Nadu. Remove your shoes before entering the temple grounds to see more of the ornate sculptural work. You can walk around the people at the front making offerings and praying. If you decide you...

King Chulalongkorn and his family lived in this carved golden teak structure during the early 20th century. Its East-meets-West luxurious domesticity and modern advancements, like the kingdom’s first indoor bathtub, reflect key interests of its royal owner. Surprising to learn, then, that Rama V only resided here five years. To see the mansion and all of the antiques and royal...

The Temple of Dawn is one of the most easily recognized monuments in Bangkok thanks to its 81-meter-high Phra Buddha Prang. The tower, covered in ceramic shards and shells, can be climbed via steep staircases, above each of which are statues of Indra riding Erawan. The four smaller prangs – or spires – around it feature statues of the wind...

While the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Grand Palace are undeniably high on the list of sites to see, Wat Pho wins big points for its seniority and pastel-colored beauty. Known as The Temple of the Reclining Buddha in English, this is one the oldest temples in Bangkok, dating to the 16th century before the city was here. The...

Yaowarat Road is the heart of Chinatown in Bangkok and a must-see for anyone who wants to immerse him or herself in Chinese culture. It’s bustling all the time. The street is lined with traditional Chinese pharmacies that sell herbal and medicinal remedies, gold shops, and dim sum parlors. There are some good hotels here, including Shanghai Mansion, which used...