Itineraries
Bangkok 7-Day Itinerary
A week in Bangkok is a different trip from a long weekend: you can afford a slow day after the day trip and still see more than most visitors do.
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A week in Bangkok is a different kind of trip from a long weekend. You can see everything on a first-timer's list, take a day trip, and still have days with nothing more ambitious than a canal boat and a long lunch. That slower pace is the point: it's how you get to know the city rather than just its landmarks.
The plan at a glance
| Day | Area | Pace |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Town: the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun | Full |
| 2 | Chinatown and the river | Moderate |
| 3 | Siam, BACC and a rooftop sunset | Easy |
| 4 | Chatuchak and Ari (weekend) | Full |
| 5 | Ayutthaya day trip | Full |
| 6 | The Golden Mount and the Old Town backstreets | Moderate |
| 7 | Thonburi canals and the riverside | Easy |
Pacing a week in the heat
Seven consecutive full days in Bangkok's heat and humidity wear most people out. This plan alternates full days with easier ones and keeps the early afternoon free on most days for a pool, a massage or a nap.
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
Jim Thompson House, Siam and a rooftop sunset
A heritage house, a free art centre, the mall district for the hottest hours and a rooftop for sunset.
Morning
Jim Thompson House
BTS to National Stadium · 5 min walk
Guided tours of the teak houses run throughout the day; allow an hour including the garden.
Lunch
Mall food halls
BTS one stop or walk via skywalk · 10 min
Siam Paragon and Siam Center's food halls are an easy way to try several Thai dishes in air conditioning.
Afternoon
BACC and Siam shopping
Walk · 5–10 min
The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is free (closed Mondays). Then browse Siam Discovery, Siam Center or CentralWorld.
Evening
Sunset from a rooftop or the Mahanakhon SkyWalk
BTS Siam to Chong Nonsi or Sala Daeng · 10 min
Head to Silom or Sathorn for sunset — a rooftop bar or the SkyWalk observation deck at Chong Nonsi.
Day 4
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.
Weekend only — move this day to fit your dates.
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.
Day 5
Day trip to Ayutthaya
The former royal capital's temple ruins, an hour or so north by train.
Morning
Train to Ayutthaya
Train · About 1 hour on faster services
Most northbound trains now leave from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal; slow ordinary trains still use the old Hua Lamphong station. Check the State Railway of Thailand timetable for your departure station.
Lunch
Lunch near the historical park
Ayutthaya is known for boat noodles and river prawns. Eat before the afternoon heat.
Afternoon
Temple ruins by bicycle or tuk-tuk
Tuk-tuk or bicycle · 10–15 min between sites
Wat Mahathat (the Buddha head in tree roots), Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Wat Chaiwatthanaram are the essentials. Hire a tuk-tuk by the hour or rent a bicycle.
Evening
Return to Bangkok
Train or taxi · 1–1.5 hours
Train back, or a taxi if you are a group (around 1.5 hours, longer in traffic). Easy dinner near your hotel.
Day 6
The Golden Mount and the Old Town backstreets
The quieter half of the Old Town: views from the Golden Mount, Loha Prasat, Wat Suthat and an evening on Phra Athit.
A slower Old Town day after the day trip.
Morning
Wat Suthat and the Giant Swing
MRT to Sam Yot · 10 min walk
Wat Suthat's main hall has some of the city's best murals. Nearby lanes are full of shops selling Buddhist supplies.
Lunch
Old Town shophouse restaurants
Walk · 10 min
The streets around Maha Chai Road and Tanao Road have long-running shophouse kitchens. Pad thai on Maha Chai Road is a local benchmark.
Afternoon
Loha Prasat and the Golden Mount
Walk · 10 min
See Loha Prasat first, then climb the Golden Mount's spiral staircase for late-afternoon views.
Evening
Phra Athit Road or Khao San
Taxi or Grab · 10 min
Phra Athit has relaxed bars and restaurants near the river; Khao San Road, one street over, is loud and backpacker-focused. Pick your mood.
Day 7
Canals of Thonburi and a riverside evening
A long-tail boat through the khlongs, the riverside galleries of Charoen Krung and dinner by the water.
Morning
Long-tail boat canal trip
MRT to Sanam Chai or boat to Tha Chang · Direct
Hire a long-tail boat from Tha Chang pier or book a canal tour. Agree the price and duration before boarding.
Lunch
Wang Lang Market
Cross-river ferry from Tha Chang to Wang Lang · 5 min
Cross to the Thonburi bank for a busy local market beside Siriraj Hospital.
Afternoon
Charoen Krung galleries and old buildings
Chao Phraya Express Boat · 20–25 min
Take the express boat downstream to Si Phraya or Oriental pier and explore the old trading quarter around Charoen Krung.
Evening
Dinner cruise or riverside restaurant
Walk or hotel shuttle boat · 5–15 min
A dinner cruise is the classic option; a riverside restaurant usually means better food.
Swaps and additions
- Swap day 7 for Sukhumvit: Lumphini Park early, Benjakitti Forest Park's skywalks, a massage and dinner in Thong Lo. See the Sukhumvit guide.
- Families: replace day 6 with an aquarium-and-park day. See Bangkok with kids.
- Second day trip: if you have a specific interest, the Maeklong Railway Market or the Ancient City could replace day 6. See day trips from Bangkok.
- Nightlife: add an evening in Thong Lo or a rooftop bar in Sathorn. See Bangkok nightlife.
Beyond Bangkok
If you have more than a week, consider using Bangkok as the start or end of a wider Thailand trip rather than adding more city days. Ayutthaya can also be visited overnight rather than as a day trip, for quiet evenings among the ruins.
Use the itinerary planner to rebuild the week around your own interests.
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 Day Trips From BangkokA day trip costs you a whole day of a Bangkok trip, so it needs to earn it. Ayutthaya does. Some of the others are better as half-days or not at all.
- The Chao Phraya RiverThe river is the fastest way between the Old Town, Chinatown and the riverside hotels, and the most pleasant one. Once you understand the boats, it changes how you plan the city.