There are SO many good things to see and eat in this city, that my research continued long after I had enough to fill our days here. I was consistently swapping things in and out, and wishing that we could have had weeks here. I have added a big list of 'extras' at the end of this itinerary that we didn't get a chance to visit, so if you get time, these suggestions might be right up your alley. There are links within this itinerary so you can watch travel vlogs based on the locations mentioned, and I've also Google mapped locations to each spot for convenience. I've also highlighted my absolute favourite places I visited, so you will know that these come highly recommended. 

DAY ONE

• ARRIVE / CHECK-IN | We stayed in the Chinatown at this Airbnb HERE.

• EXPLORE | Yaowarat Road and the Chinatown area | Eat at some of the hundreds of street food stalls for dinner. This area is one of the best suburbs in the world for street food! “Known locally as Yaowarat, there are many street food vendors and tiny restaurants in Bangkok’s Chinatown. You’ll find a great mixture of Thai and Chinese favourites, with grilled meats and seafood, noodle soups, dim sum, curries, fried rice, and lots more. The cute tea shops are perfect for taking a break while you digest your food, ready to try even more! Steer clear of restaurants that sell real shark fin soup, though, and do your part for conservation and the environment. Chinatown is often thought of as the birthplace of the street food scene in Bangkok, and it’s easy to see why!” - Culture Trip
   A MUST VISIT 

• SNACKS / THAI FISH CAKES | Jay Eng (ร้านเจ๊เอ็ง) | Not too far from Yaowarat Road is this stall which sells famous Thai fish cakes for only 35 baht ($1.07) per plate. As seen on Mark Wiens HERE (at 3:58 sec). They also own a Satay stall just down the road from this one which is great too! 
  HOURS: 10 am - 8 pm (closed Monday)
  ADDRESS: HERE

• LATE LUNCH / EARLY DINNER | Khao Gaeng Jek Puey (ข้าวแกงเจ๊กปุ้ย) | We didn't get a chance to visit this place in the end as it was one of the stalls that was closed due to it being a public holiday. I have left it highlighted as a must see as so many people recommend it, and it is also featured on the new Netflix series, 'Street Food'. This is one of the best Thai street food stalls in the whole of Bangkok, known especially for their authentically local atmosphere and famous for their incredible Thai style curries. This roadside eatery has no tables so look out for the red plastic stools! It also gets really busy, so come early. See on Mark Wiens HERE (at 11:30 sec)  and more about it in this video HERE. TripAdvisor reviews are HERE. TIP: Order stir-fried crab and the Panang curry as well.
  HOURS: 3:30pm-9pm
  ADDRESS: HERE
   A MUST VISIT 

• NOODLES | Lim Lao Ngow Fish Ball Noodle (ลิ้มเหล่าโหงว (สาขาเยาวราช) | Known for their fresh fish balls Lim Lao Ngow Fish Ball Noodle (ลิ้มเหล่าโหงว (สาขาเยาวราช) is a street food stall in Bangkok’s Chinatown. Their fishballs are delicious and bouncy. Seen on Mark Wiens HERE (at 4:25 secs).
  HOURS: 6:30pm - 11pm, closed Mondays
  ADDRESS: HERE

 

DAY two

• BREAKFAST OR LUNCH | Kuay Teow Khae (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวแคะ (โคตร โคตร) คอนแวนต์) | One of the most popular Thai street food noodle stalls in Silom. They have a few different options, go for their signature special bowl (เส้นโซบะยำแห้ง), including egg noodles topped with everything. Mark Wiens said that this is one of the better single bowls of noodles he’s had in Bangkok. Price - 60 THB ($1.83) for the largest bowl, and that bowl comes with everything, including the crispy pork. See YouTube HERE. TIP: If coming at lunchtime, the most popular time, try and arrive around 11:30 am to avoid the main rush.
  HOURS: 7am-2pm daily, closed Monday.
  ADDRESS: HERE

• TOUR | Secrets of Sacred Tattoo | A tour based on the traditional Sak Yant tattoo. Link to the Airbnb experience with all the details HERE. I recommend this tour to anyone who had a genuine love for tattooing, and/or the cultural side to the practice. Make sure you book a tattoo appointment in advance, as the tour does not come with a tattoo, that is an additional cost. We were lucky to get in as one of the girls on the tour with us switched from a large size to a small size, so because the smaller tattoo didn't take as long, it meant Aaron could have a small one done also. There were other people waiting to get tattooed after us, so we would have had to come back hours later if this spot didn't open up. A very moving and culturally rich experience we will never forget! 
  TIME: 10 am - 1 pm
   A MUST see 

• SHOPPING | There are so many malls in Bangkok, and the shopping here is unreal! Not only good for buying but also escaping the hot and humid Bangkok weather in these huge air conditioned buildings! Here are a few of the malls to visit: In the Siam area (near the BTS Siam station) - here you have SIAM SQUARE - an outdoor/indoor mall with boutique shops, and then 3 main malls - SIAM CENTER AND SIAM DISCOVERY which are plaza type malls full of branded and unbranded shops and
  SIAM PARAGON - which homes to all the big named luxury brands. To see a map of what this area looks like, see HERE. Go to Garretts Popcorn at Siam Paragon on the ground Floor. MBK (Next to the Siam malls) the closest thing Bangkok has to an indoor street market, this where you will find everything from mobile phones, photo equipment, video games, luggage, gold ornaments to fake Supreme shirts and Yeezes! There are 7 floors and each level has a different item, ie clothing, electronics, make up | TERMINAL 21 HERE- every floor of this 9 story mall is fitted out to a different theme based on cities around the world. It is mostly made up mostly of endless tiny shops owned by small fashion designers. Terminal 21 is directly connected to BTS Asok station. Level 1 (Tokyo) has all the women's clothing, and level 2 (London) is menswear and Level 3 (Istanbul) has beauty, bags and shoes. 
  ALL MALL HOURS: 10 am - 10 pm

• BAR / COCKTAILS | OCTAVE BAR AT THE MARRIOTT | There are many sky bars in Bangkok, and if you were to get to just one, Octave Bar (situated on floors 45 – 49 of the Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit) appealed as it not only has stunning views, but it has more of a relaxed vibe. Like all sky bars, you need to wear smart casual attire - ie no singlets on guys. Aaron wore pants, a nice linen shirt and shoes to be safe as we were quite away from our accomidation, so didn't want to risk being turned away because of clothing! Get here early as close to opening as you can (it opens at 5 pm) to not only get a table with that golden hour view over the city but also ½ priced drinks from 5-7pm. We arrived around 5:30 pm and nabbed one of the last remaining tables with stools, it fills up so quick! Standard cocktail prices are quite expensive, around 375 baht ($18 NZD) each so make the most of happy hour. You can only order the 'Colours of Thailand' cocktails during happy hour and the colour the cocktail is written in on the menu is the colour that the drink comes IRL, see their drinks menu HERE. We tried almost all of them, and 'crystal clear' was my fav (some were duds!). Also, taxes are not included on the menu price, so don’t be surprised when paying the bill if it is a little more than expected. See more on YouTube HERE (at 4:54 sec).
  HOURS: 5 pm - 2 am
  ADDRESS: HERE | It’s just a two-minute walk from the Thonglor BTS Skytrain station.
   A MUST VISIT 

• DINNER | Rod Fai Night Market 2 | There are TWO Rod Fai markets so don’t be confused when searching for this. This is the second and newer market, the other is a little too far away if staying in the central Bangkok / Chinatown areas. To get here, catch the MRT to the Thailand Cultural Centre station. Walk through the station and then you will come out to the Esplanade shopping mall. Walk through the mall and the market is at the back.  See video on YouTube HERE and read on TripAdvisor HERE.
  HOURS: 5 pm - late (midnight +)
  ADDRESS: HERE. Catch the MRT from Hua Lamphong station to Thailand cultural centre station, 35 min then a 2 min walk to the market. Car ride will be over an hour!|

 

 

DAY THREE

• TEMPLE | Wat Arun | The temple of Dawn - out of all the main temples you can visit in Bangkok, this one is a favourite among many. It is one of the only temples left where you can actually walk on the structures. It is also only 50 baht ($2.30 NZD) entry fee compared to 500 baht ($23.00 NZD) for the Grand Palace. Yes, it is not as big as the Grand Palace, but maybe that’s what adds to the charm of Wat Arun. It is best to go first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds, but it is also particularly pretty at night. See video of this temple HERE.
  COST: 50 baht ($2.30 NZD)
  HOURS: 8am-5:30pm
  ADDRESS: HERE
  Leave accommodation at 7:40 am - get a GRAB. Then leave the temple by 9:15 am to get to the mall in time (takes 18-50 mins by car)

• TOUR | Bangkok Old Market Hidden Street Eats | I ended up cancelling this tour about 1.5 hours in because it was THAT hot - I was feeling super dizzy and nauseous. We were not only walking around in the peak of the day, but also in hot markets with the big charcoal burners going. I was incredibly sad to have had to do that, I would never cancel a food tour if I didn't have to. I have left it in the itinerary as you might be interested...just do it in April on the hottest month ;) The tour begins with a boat ride from Siam pier to a hidden old town district rarely visited by Westerners. Wander through this peaceful laid-back neighbourhood where you're unlikely to see another traveller. Visit a century-old food market that's been feeding locals since 1899. Slurp on silky udon noodles smothered in rich beef stew, savour freshwater fish curry steamed in banana leaves, chow down on grilled Thai sausage wrapped rarities and gorge on ten other palette teasing things you'll never find alone. Seen on YouTube HERE and the tour website HERE.
  COST: $55 USD ($80 NZD) per person and includes all the costs of foods etc
  HOURS: 10:30 am (be there by 10:15 am) - 2:30 pm

• SPA | Infinity Spa | This was one of the best spa experiences we have ever had, from the customer service to the treatment, right down to the mango sticky rice and tea they give you after you are done with your appointment. The interior of this spa is super cool, I love the modern architecture here and all the furnishings. But not just pretty on the outside, this spa delivers a certificate of excellence on TripAdvisor (see HERE) and many raves about the treatments at Infinity. Yes, you can get much cheaper massages in Bangkok, but here you are paying for a truly luxurious experience. Their signature treatment is the ‘Infinity Aroma’ with herbal compression, 90 min for 1,365 baht ($62.50 NZD) + a foot massage for 90 mins for 945 baht ($43.00). Total = $211 for the both of us. See more on their website HERE.
  HOURS: 10am-10pm
  ADDRESS: HERE
   A MUST VISIT 

• DINNER | Sawang Noodles | Another restaurant that was closed when we were there (so we went to J & K Seafood on Yaowarat instead) but left it in here as it looked really good, esp if you are a dry noodle lover like me! Order their ‘mee kam boo’, which are egg noodles with crab claw, and also comes with crab nuggets, pork, steamed wonton and veg etc l. It's a little pricey (but the noodles are all hand-made. It sounds worth it from Mark Wiens review and also those on TripAdvisor, see HERE and on YouTube HERE (at 1 min).
  HOURS:  5 pm-11 pm
  ADDRESS: HERE
  A 23 min walk or a 5-15 min drive from Infinity Spa. Then walk 7 mins to the Sam Yan MRT station and take the train back to the Hua Lamphong station. A 6 min walk from the station back to the accommodation.

 

DAY FOUR 

• FLOATING MARKET | Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market (the market’s name in Thai is Talat Nam Khlong Lat Mayom) | Get there early before the main lunch crowds arrive - a good time to leave is around 8:30 am. It takes 20-40 mins to get there by taxi and will cost between 200-300 baht ($9-$13 NZD) one way, the cost depending on where you are leaving from in the city. Mark Wiens said it’s his favourite floating market in Bangkok! It isn't too touristy, it’s relatively inexpensive, and it’s a food lovers paradise! You can take a canal boat ride (1 hrs approx) in between food that will take you past the local villages and temples, and if possible wait for one of the manual boats instead of the motor boats. The manual boats are not only free but it’s a very peaceful cruise down the river without the sound of the engines. See Mark Wiens YouTube about it HERE and also this YouTube HERE and HERE.
  HOURS: 8 am - 5 pm
  ADDRESS: HERE
   A MUST VISIT 

• SHOPPING | VINTAGE MARKET | I found this market (still don’t know the name of it) while browsing YouTube. It is a huge flea market selling vintage goods at the weekend only, so if you are a second-hand thrift shop love, then this market is for you! LOCATION: It's right in front of an entrance at Chatuchak market. If you are coming from Mo Chit BTS station, and Chatuchak market is on your right, you have to walk through Chatuchak and go left on the main path in Chatuchak and just follow it to GATE 1.  GATE 1 will be on your left-hand side, and you will see a big RED BUILDING called DD MALL. Right across the road from GATE 1 is where this Vintage Market is. They set up right out front of the mall. See YouTube HERE for a walk around tour of it. I assume the hours will be similar to Chatuchak which is Saturday and Sunday, 8 am - 5 pm.
  ADDRESS: HERE to get to DD Mall

• MARKET | Chatuchak Weekend Market | It is the world's largest and most diverse weekend market, with over 200,000 visitors every weekend. It has more than 15,000 stalls and 11,505 vendors all divided into 27 sections. (NOTE: Head to section 7, the homeware section to find cheap props!). It is advised to go either first thing in the morning or later afternoon (around 4:30 pm) as it can get extremely hot and crowded during the peak of the day. If you are getting overwhelmed or too hot, you can get a relaxing massage in one of the air-conditioned spa shops. Because of the mammoth size, it is worth printing this map (or having access to it on your phone) before you go! Especially handy to know where the toilets are! ;) They give out maps at the main entrance...but there are so many ways to get into this market, you might not first enter at the front, so a link to map is HERE.
  HOURS: 9am-6pm, Saturday and Sunday only.
  ADDRESS: HERE

• DINNER & LATE NIGHT EATS | Jeh O Chula AKA ‘Jay O’ (ร้านเจ๊โอว) |  Probably the most well known late night Bangkok street food restaurant in the city, we queued for over an hour to get into this place! We met locals in the line who guaranteed us it was so worth the wait, and it was! Their glorified instant noodle dish has become ‘insta famous’ because of how crazy big it is, however, they do not start serving this jumbo size until after 11 pm (although you can order their regular size anytime). It is instant (packet) noodles, topped with their house-made tom yum soup and garnished with everything from crab, squid and shrimps, to crispy pork, meatballs and egg yolks. The first thing that you need to do when you get here is head straight to the counter outside the main door and ask for a queuing number. They will call you up when it is your turn to order. Alternatively, you can get your accommodation to ring for you and make a booking and this will help with the waiting time. The other stand out dishes (available from the opening time) is the crispy pork belly, shrimp with tofu, salmon sashimi and deep-fried tofu tossed in garlic and chilli.  See TripAdvisor HERE or on Mark Wiens HERE (at 16:10 sec).
  HOURS: 5:30pm-1am
  ADDRESS: HERE
   A MUST VISIT 

• RIVERSIDE BAR | SEEN restaurant and bar | This is a riverside rooftop bar with stunning views! The food and the drinks are high class, and they have a Certificate of Excellence on TripAdvisor, see HERE. Get here close to opening time so that you can nab a table with the best view!
  HOURS: 6 pm - 1 am
  ADDRESS: HERE
  
   

OTHER OPTIONS TO EXTEND YOUR ITINERARY 

• STREET FOOD BREAKFAST | Silom Soi 20 (สีลมซอย 20) - as seen on Mark Wiens | One of Mark’s favourite morning Bangkok street food markets in central Bangkok is on Silom Soi 20 (สีลมซอย 20). You can walk around, get some good street food and enjoy the Thai food atmosphere. The market itself isn’t very big, so it’s easy to navigate, but it still packs in quite a bit. He started the morning street food tour with a bowl of Nam king (น้ำขิง), which is hot ginger soup, and along with soft silky tofu, plus some fried crispy dough thrown in the bowl as well. It was a good way to start the morning at the market as the ginger kick-started the taste buds. Located at the front of the market (right on the corner of Silom Soi 20) is a lady who sells Khao neow dam sang kaya (ข้าวเหนียวดำสังขยา) - black sticky rice with coconut and custard. When you order, she’ll add some black sticky rice to a piece of banana leaf, add some coconut cream, and then follow it by a slice of Thai custard. What I like is that it’s not too sweet, but the rice is perfectly cooked so you can taste the grains, and then it’s slightly salty to contrast the sweet custard. Finally, the coconut cream is so ridiculously creamy and rich. If you love Thai desserts and sweets, this is a stall you don’t want to miss. Finally, outside of the market, along Silom road is a famous stall selling khao mok gai (ข้าวหมกไก่), which is the Thai version of chicken biryani. This stall alone makes this market worth coming to!
  HOURS: 6 am - 9 /10 ish
  ADDRESS: HERE

• COFFEE | Unbranded Cafe | Has great reviews and looks like the perfect spot to stop for a coffee fix. See TripAdvisor HERE

• COFFEE / BRUNCH | The Commons | A HUGE, modern and cool looking establishment (lots of concrete, steel and glass! Dream materials!) which has a range of different cafes and restaurants within the one place. ‘Roast’ is apparently great for coffee. See their website HERE

• LUNCH | Kuay Teow Khae (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวแคะ (โคตร โคตร) คอนแวนต์) | One of the most popular Thai street food noodle stalls in Silom. They have a few different options, go for their signature special bowl (เส้นโซบะยำแห้ง), including egg noodles topped with everything. Mark Wiens said that this is one of the better single bowls of noodles he’s had in Bangkok. Price - 60 THB ($1.83) for the largest bowl, and that bowl comes with everything, including the crispy pork. See YouTube HERE.
  TIP: Arrive around 11:30 am to avoid the main lunch rush.
  HOURS: 7am-2pm daily, closed Monday.
  ADDRESS: HERE

• LUNCH | JAY FAI | The main star of the Bangkok episode of the new Netflix series 'Street Food'. Jay Fai is a Michelin starred chef with a famous (but expensive for Bangkok) place to eat. Most known for her crab omelette and the drunken noodles! As seen on Mark Wiens HERE. TIP: There are always huge cues here, so arrive around 2:45 pm to get in without waiting too long!
  HOURS: 3 pm - 2 am, closed Saturday
   A MUST VISIT 

• LUNCH / DINNER | Daniel Thaiger Burger | If you are craving burgers and fries, then this food truck will hit the spot. As seen on YouTube HERE.
  HOURS: 11 am - 1:30 am
  ADDRESS: Occasionally moves around, so check Google Maps

• DINNER / STREET FOOD | Petchaburi Soi 5 (เพชรบุรี ซอย 5) | This is a great street and area for street food and kicks off around 6 pm. See Mark Wiens YouTube HERE.

• LUNCH OR DINNER | Seven Spoons | If wanting a break from Asian, this is a midrange Mediterranean restaurant has great reviews, see on TripAdvisor HERE. View their dinner menu HERE.
  HOURS: 11 am - 3 pm for lunch (except Sundays) and 6 pm - 11:30 pm for dinner
  ADDRESS: HERE

• BAR / COCKTAILS | Revolucion Cocktail Bangkok | Nice cocktail bar with chill vibes, great drinks and good music. Their website HERE.
  HOURS: 6 pm - 2 am
  ADDRESS: HERE

• SIGHTS | Grand Palace temple | It’s an impressive 2.3million square foot. Keep your ticket as it can give you free entry to other temples within 7 days. Opens at 8:30 am so head there early to avoid the crowds. You have to wear long pants or dress and a t-shirt with sleeves (no singlets).TIP: If someone tells you that the Grand Palace is closed today, it is a scam. Always rely on the internet for hours and times. Do NOT take a taxi or tuk-tuk in this area, as they are well known for scams. Walk a few blocks away from this high tourist spot to get one. Remember to always ask for the meter on for a fair price.COST: 500 baht ($23 NZD).
  HOURS: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
  ADDRESS: HERE

• SIGHTS | Wat Traimit - Temple of the golden Buddha | This enormous gold Buddha was encased in concrete to protect it and was only discovered to be pure gold when it was moved and a piece of the concrete fell off! It is the world's largest golden Buddha. TIP: Go early to avoid the crowds. Weekdays are best.

  • HOURS: 8 am - 5 pm
    ADDRESS: HERE

• SIGHTS | Lumpini Park | (A 9 min walk from Kuay Teow Khane) A nice ‘central park’ in the heart of the Silom area and a green escape from the bustle of the city. You can rent swan paddle boats out and take them out on the pond. It is 40 baht ($1.80 NZD) for ½ hour.

• FLOATING MARKET | Tha Kha Floating Market (ตลาดน้ำท่าคา) | A smaller and more local market. Less touristy. Take a boat ride while there. As seen on Mark Wiens HERE

• FLOATING MARKET | Amphawa Floating Market | 1.5 hours out of Thailand -very popular and very busy. See on Mark Wiens HERE