Bangkok is also known as Krung Thep, which translates to “City of Angels. “ It is a vast urban, vibrant that is packed full of life, culture, and delicious street food.
There are plenty of green and lush parks, river networks, and countless places to go shopping and home to the biggest markets in the world. It also comes full of millions of friendly people.
Under all the chaos when visiting Bankok, you see it packs in many exciting things to do and fantastic places to visit.
You can visit Bangkok and sample the best street-side restaurants to the best restaurants, and enjoy some of the world’s coolest rooftop bars.
In Bangkok, you can explore ancient temples, ride in a tuk-tuk, or spend the evening watching authentic Muay Thai boxing in the new Lumpini Stadium.
There is never a dull moment in Bangkok, but what happens if you only have a limited time when you travel to Bangkok and try and cram everything in.
Here is the best itinerary for the top things to do in Bangkok in 3 days.
How Many Days is Enough in Bangkok?
There is so much to do in this vast city, and it can leave many travelers wondering, Is 3 days enough for Bangkok?
While there are lots to keep you occupied for much longer, 3 days is the perfect balance of time to spend in the city if it is your first time. It can also be a great starting point for a lengthier trip around the continents of Southeast Asia.
However, if you don’t have that long, it may leave you wondering.
Is 2 Days Enough for Bangkok?
If you find you are passing through and are short on time, then 2 days in Bangkok can suffice to get a feel for the things to do at Bangkok pace without rushing, yet you will need to change your Bangkok itinerary to fit in the best places.
What Can You Do in Bangkok in 3 Days?
When you have limited days around Bangkok, you can use this Bangkok itinerary to find Bangkok things to do for each day.
Many of the places to visit in Bangkok are grouped to save you time traveling between each destination.
Day 1: Ancient Bangkok
After breakfast, you can experience the real Bangkok by taking the public ferry up the Chao Phraya River on your first day.
You can see this from the orange flag (15 Baht around 50 cents) as opposed to the tourist ferry, which is more expensive at about 150 Baht. You can see the floating markets as life is on the Chao Praya river.
The first area of interest is Ko Ratanakosin, which was the royal district. It is also home to some of the up-market Bangkok hotels. Pier 9 takes you to Tha Chang, where you are minutes away from the temples.
First is the Grand Palace, which was home to the Monarch and houses the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew). The Grand Palace is the number one of the places to visit in Bangkok. The Emerald Buddha is a 66cm tall figurine made from pure jade.
Ten minutes away, you can visit Wat Pho, the Reclining Buddha is covered in gold leaf and measures 46 meters long and 15 meters in height.
Wat Pho has another four chapels that contain 394 gilded Buddha images and golden Buddhas from all over Thailand (entrance around 100 baht).
After lunch in Chinatown, which you can find the best authentic Pad Thai street food. Later, you can stroll around the famous flower market on your way toward Khao San Road. Khao San is a must when visiting Bangkok.
You can check out the crispy barbecued insects or grab a cold beer to end off a memorable trip down the San Road.
Day 2: Wat Arun and Modern Bankok
Located not too far across the river by the Grand Palace is Wat Arun Temple, you may have spotted this towering up on day one (You can visit Wat Pho and Wat Arun together).
The Temple of the Dawn packs in steep spires that reach skyward. It does look the best at night, but like many of the things to do, they close earlyish, unless you want a Thai massage or foot massage.
You can see an 82-meter tower that you can ascend to get all-around views around the city.
From here, you can check out a shopping Bonanza at Siam Paragon (for Thai food) or the Chatuchak weekend market. You may have to take public transportation to reach this.
The Chatuchak weekend market is the largest night market in the world, with over 15,000 stalls. Siam delivers a modern take on shopping and is open during the week.
Day 3: Mix and Match in Bangkok
One of the best ways to explore Bangkok is not to have a fixed schedule and just walking around. Day three can leave you a chance to do this once you have seen the most famous temples in Bangkok.
Make sure to get up close to the Cha Praya floating market (Damnoen saduak) on your last day in Bangkok.
This is traditional Thai living and is famous around the world. You also see everyone uses the river to get around. One thing we recommend you see is the Jim Thompson House Museum, which is made entirely of teak. It was he who made Thai silk famous.
After this, you can take the Skytrain to Sala Daeng BTS and find yourself across the street from Lumphini Park.
After a quick stroll, it is a ten-minute journey to Wat Saket to check out the Bangkok skyline. You can take the 344 steps and takes around 25 minutes.
To end off your trip, you do need to check out one of the rooftop bars among the many Bangkok hotels. One of the best being Skybar in the Sirocco, which is on the 63rd floor of the Dome State Tower.
Bangkok Travels
If you are thinking about traveling to or through Bangkok, the best times for the weather are November to February. This makes it more accessible for visitors, although there may not be as many tours on a Bangkok trip at this time.
There are many sights you can see, and many you can miss in a short time, but it does give you an excuse to go back to check out all the Thai history and try a different hotel alongside the praya river as you find out what Bangkok has to offer.
