But first, where should you stay in the Thai capital city? We invite you to consider PARKROYAL Suites Bangkok, which is at the prime location of Sukhumvit Soi 6, just a stone’s throw from the Nana BTS Skytrain station. This is the commercial heart of Bangkok, with upscale shopping malls—including the popular Central Embassy and Terminal 21—and a spirited nightlife. 

As for our suites, they are modern, spacious, and furnished to bring comfort and cheer to travellers on a longer Bangkok stay! Perfect for families or couples, you will enjoy a living space for relaxation, and a fully equipped kitchenette to whip up your own snacks and meals. For convenience, you can also head to our all-day dining restaurant Spice Brasserie for a tantalising selection of Asian food. 

First-time visitors should focus on covering Bangkok’s best-known attractions, namely:

• Bangkok’s Old City (Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, National Museum) 

• Chinatown (Yaowarat Road for street food)

• Downtown Bangkok (megamalls and nightlife)

• Thon Buri (peaceful waterways lined with wooden houses) 

• Bangkok’s suburbs (marketplace attractions such as Chatuchak Market)

With a week-long stay, you may also have time to fit in two popular Bangkok day trips—to Ayutthaya (Thailand’s capital city from 1350 to 1767) and Kanchanaburi (best known for its Death Railway bridge). 

Not sure where to begin? Follow this recommended 7-Day Bangkok itinerary by the PARKROYAL Suites Bangkok team!

On your first morning in Bangkok, discover the city’s spiritual roots by visiting its top religious attractions—the Grand Palace (where the Wat Phra Kaew or Temple of the Emerald Buddha is located), Wat Pho (to see the largest reclining Buddha statue in Thailand), and Wat Arun (Bangkok’s oldest temple).

These attractions are located close to one another—you can begin at the Grand Palace, proceed to Wat Pho, and take a short ferry ride across the Chao Phraya River to see Wat Arun.

For lunch, make your way to Bangkok’s Chinatown—also known as Yaowarat—to enjoy a Michelin Bib Gourmand hawker meal that’s easy on the wallet. After which, you can visit Wat Traimit, home to a five-tonne Buddha statue made of solid gold. 

Some travellers may find it difficult to appreciate Bangkok’s temples without a guide. For a meaningful way to see the above temples at your own pace, look for self-guided walking tours online or purchase an audio-guided tour that can be accessed at any time.

Do note that when visiting Buddhist temples, tourists are expected to dress appropriately. To ensure that you can gain entry, here’s what to avoid wearing:

• Shorts, quarter-length trousers, tights, short skirts

• See-through shirts and blouses

• Sleeveless shirts or vests

• Sandals (without straps)

On Day 2, venture away from Bangkok’s city centre to experience rustic living by the waterways of the Thon Buri district. This is where locals live in wooden stilt houses along canals, while food and fruit vendors ply their trade by paddling back and forth in the tranquil waters. 

To make sure you see all of Thon Buri’s highlights, book a tour that includes a meal at Talat Phlu (Thon Buri’s Chinatown) as well as a stop at the Ban Silapin Artist House, where you can watch a traditional Thai puppet show.

Buy Bangkok Bundle: Big Four Temple Self-Guided Walking Tours (Audio)

Book Thon Buri Food & Canals Adventure

Eager to kick off your Bangkok shopping spree? After all, the city is known to be a shopper’s paradise, with a seemingly endless selection of consumer products. You could certainly spend a day (or more) exploring the malls and markets of Bangkok! 

Here’s a quick guide to the best Bangkok malls:

• For families: Siam Paragon (home to KidZania, SEA LIFE Bangkok, Paragon Cineplex, and a diverse selection of restaurants)

• For luxury shopping: Central Embassy, EmQuartier, Gaysorn Village, ICONSIAM, Siam Paragon

• For indie fashion and design lovers: Siam Center, Siam Discovery, Siam Square, Terminal 21

• For bargain hunters: Platinum Mall, MBK

• For a riverfront experience: Asiatique, Lhong 1919 

Bangkok is also well-known for its sprawling flea markets, and the following markets are particularly worth visiting:

• Chatuchak Weekend Market

• Talad Rot Fai Srinakarin (Train Market) or the more conveniently located Train Night Market Ratchada 

• ChangChui Plane Market

Once you’ve had your fill of shopping, it’s time to check out these highly rated Bangkok museums:

• Ban Kudichin Museum (dedicated to Portuguese-Thai culture)

• Bangkok Art & Culture Centre

• Bangkokian Museum (heritage home)

• House of Museums (quaint museum featuring vintage displays of Thai life and culture)

• Museum of Contemporary Art

• Museum Siam (interactive museum for learning about Thai culture)

• National Museum Bangkok (extensive collection of Thai artefacts)

• Patpong Museum (tracing Patpong’s history from rice paddy to red-light district)

• Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall (interactive museum for learning about the Rattanakosin era in Thailand)

• Suan Pakkad Palace (Thai antiquities)

For Bangkok dining and nightlife, you can’t go wrong by following the recommendations of The World’s 50 Best and the Michelin Guide.

Prefer a local expert to show you the wonders of Bangkok? Here are five unique Bangkok tours to consider:

• Treasures of Bangkok: Buddhism and Monks Tour

• The Hidden Chinatown Tour

• Weird Wonderful Bangkok

• Chef-designed Bangkok Food Tour

• Bizarre Food Challenge

To get the best mix of different experiences for each day, we recommend that you start with a visit to a cultural institution like a museum first, followed by dining, and then shopping towards the later part of the day. Look for places that are close to each other, so that you can maximise your trip before hauling your spoils back

A UNESCO World Heritage attraction, Ayutthaya was the thriving capital of Thailand (formerly Siam) from the 1300s to 1700s. Its glory days ended when it was razed to the ground during the Burmese-Siamese war, causing citizens to flee for their lives. Today, Ayutthaya is better known as a photographer’s dream, thanks to one of its most striking sights—the head of Buddha embedded into the roots of a Bodhi tree. (This imagery is significant, as Buddhists believe Buddha gained enlightenment while sitting under a Bodhi tree.)

You can book an Ayutthaya day tour that includes transport from Bangkok, or arrange for a full-day taxi service—check with your concierge for assistance.

Those fascinated by history should also head to Kanchanaburi—the site of the Thailand-Burma Railway, better known as the Death Railway. This is a 400km railway that connects Thailand to Myanmar. Notably, it was built by forced labour during WWII, with over 100,000 lives lost in the process. 

To maximise your time in Kanchanaburi, book a day tour that includes transport from Bangkok. This will allow you to visit all of Kanchanburi’s top attractions, such as the Erawan National Park, the Mueang Sing Historical Park (known as Thailand’s Angkor Wat), the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre museum, and the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. 

Book the Ultimate Ancient City of Ayutthaya Day Trip

Book City Escape: Kanchanaburi Day Trip

Need more travel advice for your one-week Bangkok holiday? Contact our PARKROYAL Suites Bangkok team!