Itineraries
Bangkok 3-Day Itinerary
Three days is enough for Bangkok's essentials if you group sights by area and use the river and the MRT rather than taxis. Here is the plan, slot by slot.
Updated
5 min read
How we research
In this guide ↓
Three full days is the right length for a first look at Bangkok. It's enough for the Old Town's great temples, Chinatown and the river, and a day of markets or modern Bangkok — if you organise each day around one area and don't fight the traffic.
The plan at a glance
| Day | Area | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Town | Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun at sunset |
| 2 | Chinatown and the river | Golden Buddha, Talat Noi, express boat, Yaowarat street food |
| 3 | Chatuchak and Ari (weekend) | Weekend market, Or Tor Kor, Ari cafés, night market |
Before you start
- Day 3 depends on the weekend. Chatuchak's full market only operates on Saturdays and Sundays. If your third day falls on a weekday, use the alternative below.
- Dress for temples on day 1: shoulders and knees covered.
- Get transport sorted on arrival: have Grab installed and some small notes for the express boat and street food. Our travel guide covers the basics.
Day by day
Day 1
The Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun
Bangkok's three headline sights, in the order that best avoids crowds and heat.
Morning
Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew
MRT to Sanam Chai, then walk · 15 min walk from the station
Arrive for the 8:30am opening. Allow 2–3 hours. Dress code is strict: shoulders and knees covered. Ignore anyone outside who says the palace is closed.
Lunch
Around Tha Tien or Museum Siam
Walk · 10–15 min
Simple Thai lunch near Tha Tien pier, between the palace and Wat Pho. If the heat is too much, Museum Siam is air-conditioned and next door.
Alternative: Museum Siam (1.5 hours) if you want a cool break before more temples.
Afternoon
Wat Pho, then cross to Wat Arun
Walk, then cross-river ferry · 5 min walk + 5 min ferry
Wat Pho takes about an hour; stay longer for a massage at the temple's massage pavilions. Then take the cross-river ferry from Tha Tien to Wat Arun.
Evening
Sunset over Wat Arun
Ferry, then taxi or MRT to Wat Mangkon for Chinatown · 15–20 min
Return across the river and watch Wat Arun light up from the Tha Tien side, then dinner in the Old Town or Chinatown.
If you only have one day in Bangkok, this is it.
Day 2
Chinatown by day, the river by afternoon, Yaowarat by night
The Golden Buddha, Talat Noi's old lanes, an express boat ride and Bangkok's best street-food street.
Morning
Wat Traimit and Talat Noi
MRT to Hua Lamphong · 5 min walk to Wat Traimit
Start with the solid-gold Buddha at Wat Traimit, then walk to Talat Noi's riverside lanes of shophouses, workshops and street art.
Lunch
Chinatown noodle shops
Walk · 10 min
Eat around Charoen Krung or Yaowarat — this is a noodle and rice district at lunchtime.
Afternoon
Chao Phraya Express Boat
Chao Phraya Express Boat · 15–25 min
Ride the public express boat from Ratchawong or Marine Department pier. Head downstream to Sathorn for the riverside, or cross to ICONSIAM for its SookSiam food floor.
Alternative: Rest at your hotel during the hottest hours and return to Chinatown for the evening.
Evening
Yaowarat Road street food
Boat back to Ratchawong, or BTS + MRT to Wat Mangkon · 20–30 min
Stalls set up from late afternoon and are in full swing after dark. Walk the whole road before choosing.
Day 3
Chatuchak Weekend Market and Ari
The big weekend market at opening, Or Tor Kor's fruit hall, an afternoon in Ari's cafés and a night market.
Chatuchak's full market only operates on Saturday and Sunday.
Chatuchak only runs fully at weekends. If day 3 is a weekday, swap in the Siam day and rooftop sunset instead.
Morning
Chatuchak Weekend Market
MRT to Kamphaeng Phet or BTS to Mo Chit · Direct
Be there at opening. Allow 3 hours. Note section numbers of stalls you like.
Lunch
Or Tor Kor Market
Walk · 5 min
Directly across the road. Excellent fruit and prepared curries in a clean hall.
Afternoon
Ari cafés
BTS Mo Chit to Ari · 5 min
Two BTS stops south. Rest your feet in one of Ari's independent cafés and walk the leafy sois.
Evening
Jodd Fairs Ratchada night market
Taxi or BTS + MRT to Thailand Cultural Centre · 20–30 min
A busy night market with lots of food stalls. The original Rama 9 site has closed — head to the Ratchada one.
Alternative: If you are tired, eat in Ari instead.
If day 3 is a weekday
Swap the market day for modern Bangkok: Jim Thompson House in the morning, lunch in a Siam food hall, the free Bangkok Art and Culture Centre in the afternoon (closed Mondays) and a rooftop or the Mahanakhon SkyWalk for sunset. Then eat in Silom. See the Siam guide and Silom guide.
Adjusting the plan
- Travelling with children? Keep day 1 shorter — the Grand Palace at opening, then Wat Pho, and save Wat Arun for another morning. See Bangkok with kids.
- On a tight budget? Skip the Grand Palace (the most expensive entry in the city) and spend longer at Wat Pho, Wat Arun and the Golden Mount.
- Food is the priority? Book a Chinatown food tour on day 2 evening rather than going it alone.
- Rainy season? Rain usually arrives in heavy afternoon or evening bursts. Keep the mornings as planned, and have Museum Siam (day 1) and ICONSIAM (day 2) in reserve.
Want to change the order or the focus?
Use the itinerary planner to rebuild these three days around your own interests, pace and where you're staying.
where to next?
- Bangkok 5-Day ItineraryFive days lets you slow down. The first two days match the three-day plan; the extra time goes to modern Bangkok, the weekend market and the ruins of Ayutthaya.
- Best Things to Do in BangkokThirty-plus experiences, grouped the way you will actually plan them: by what they are and where they are. Each one says who it suits, how long it takes and what to pair it with.
- Where to Stay in BangkokLocation matters more in Bangkok than in most cities, because traffic punishes the wrong choice. Start with how you want to spend your evenings and how close you need to be to the BTS or MRT.