Vacation in Bangkok, The best of Thailand’s capital

This is exactly what you will find in the capital of Thailand. The Asian metropolis is more contrasting and exciting than almost any other city. You should definitely plan a vacation in Bangkok! And if it gets too loud for you, Bangkok is the perfect starting point for a tour of Thailand with its beautiful islands.

At first glance, Bangkok seems overwhelming. More than 15 million people jostle in the densely populated region at the mouth of the Chao Phraya in the Gulf of Thailand, where shiny steel high-rise buildings between multi-lane highways reach into the blue sky. only unfolds on city trips to Bangkok lasting several days The full charm of this multi-faceted city , which will gradually cast a spell over you, . Get involved!

The most important information for holidays in Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital of the Kingdom of Thailand, called Krung Thep Maha Nakhon in the local language. Bangkok is the political, economic and cultural heart of the country and has been one of the most visited tourist cities in the world for years.

Getting to Bangkok

From Germany you can fly with Lufthansa, Eurowings or Thai Airways directly from Frankfurt or Munich to Bangkok. If you would like to get to know other Asian cities, you can also reach Bangkok by train, for example with the legendary Eastern & Oriental Express from Singapore or with the night train from Vientiane. You can reach other metropolises like Saigon by bus. International flights arrive at the major Suvarnabhumi Airport , from where the fastest and cheapest way to reach the city center is via the Airport Rail Link . Makkasan Station connects to the MRT (subway) and Phaya Thai Station connects to the Skytrain. The old Don Mueang Airport is now mainly used by low-cost airlines such as AirAsia and Nok Air. It is best to take a taxi from here.

Weather in Bangkok

Bangkok is always in season . Even in rainy weather in the rainy season from May to November, you can visit the big city without any problems. The rainy season does not mean hours of irritating drizzle like it does here, but short, heavy downpours. You can wait for them in a museum, a café or a shopping mall.

The most pleasant time for your trip to Thailand with the best weather is undoubtedly the German winter : between December and February it is relatively cool (which means 25 to 30 degrees in Bangkok) and rain is hardly to be expected. , which is celebrated in Bangkok, also falls during this time The Chinese New Year festival (depending on the full moon at the end of January to mid-February). Thailand celebrates its own New Year, Songkran, in April: wonderfully quirky fun as people drench each other with water pistols and water cannons, cooling off at the hottest time of the year.

How long should you vacation in Bangkok?

Murray Head once sang “One night in Bangkok”, but of course one night is not enough to do justice to this overwhelming metropolis. for Bangkok city breaks Plan a minimum of three nights up to a full week . Then there is enough time for excursions in the surrounding area. Keep in mind that Bangkok's tropical humidity is hard on the body . Don't plan too much sightseeing in one day and set aside a few hours a day for relaxing by the pool.

Best travel time for Bangkok

• Always season

• Rainy season: May - November (but only short cloudbursts)

• Best travel time: December - February (25-30 °C, hardly any rain)

• Special tip: Chinese New Year (end of January to mid-February, depending on the full moon)

Tips for your vacation in Bangkok

If you are in Bangkok for the first time, you will surely be overwhelmed by this city . It's noisy, crowded and confusing. But once you've made friends with the city, you can experience and discover so many beautiful things. The Royal Palace and Wat Pho , where you can marvel at the largest reclining Buddha on his journey to Nirvana, are must-sees for every Bangkok tourist.

The highlight and a must for every backpacker is the notorious Khaosan Road , with its countless restaurants and entertainment options.

In addition to cheap souvenirs, you will also find numerous fashion designers here who offer their goods in the market halls. You will be amazed. To get an overview of the metropolis, you can, for example, drive on the King Power Mahanakhon Skywalk . An impressive building that opened at the end of 2018.

Another highlight are the floating markets . Take the Khlong Tour, for example. There you will gain unique insights into the life of the locals and you can also buy fruit and vegetables.

Shopping in Bangkok

Whether traditional markets or global designer brands: the capital is a shopping paradise - you should definitely plan time for a big shopping spree.

Around Siam Square and along Sukhumvit Road you will find huge shopping malls like Siam Paragon, CentralWorld and MBK . particularly Terminal 21 is recommended : In this mall, each floor is designed in the style of a different city, so you can “travel” from Paris to Tokyo and Istanbul to London and San Francisco. A special highlight is the new Mall Iconsiam Mall !

If you prefer traditional markets to the same malls all over the world, you will find shopping heaven on earth in Bangkok: The Chatuchak Weekend Market with its over 8,000 stalls is considered the largest market in the world. As the name suggests, the market is only open on weekends (Friday from 6 p.m. to midnight, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.). You can reach it by subway via its own Chatuchak Park station, or by skytrain to Mo Chit. Slightly smaller is the centrally located Pratunam Market , which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

In the late evening, the Rot Fai night market is an experience: Here you will find a lot of vintage items from the 50s to 70s in addition to the usual souvenirs. The floating markets on the river are extremely touristy but well worth a visit, for example at Talin Cheng just twelve kilometers south of the city.

Tips for shopping in the markets in Bangkok:

• properly in the markets You have to haggle . The shopping malls have fixed prices.

• Credit cards are often not accepted – take enough cash with you.

• With the super cheap branded clothing on the markets, you can usually assume that they are fakes.

• The dense crowd makes it easy for pickpockets. Watch your valuables!

Eating & drinking in Bangkok

The food stalls of Bangkok offer fantastic pleasure at a small price . At every corner they present all the delicacies of the famous Thai cuisine - and much more. Hellishly hot papaya salad from Isaan, Hainanese chicken rice, grilled satay skewers, oyster omelettes or simply freshly prepared Pad Thai: a trip to Thailand is a feast for the palate. Accompany it with one of the two ubiquitous Thai beers, Chang or Singha.

If you want something finer, you will find restaurants in every price range in Bangkok. The food courts of the shopping malls are particularly suitable for a quick snack in an air-conditioned environment. At least once you should treat yourself to an evening cocktail in one of the sky bars to enjoy the great view over "Bangkok by Night". Tips include Moon Bar at Banyan Tree Bangkok Hotel and Red Sky at Centara Grand at Centralworld.

Excursions from Bangkok

It's not just Bangkok itself that's worth a trip - trips to the surrounding area are also worthwhile. A destination worth seeing is the old capital Ayutthaya north of Bangkok, which was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767 and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. You can book day trips that take you by boat down the Chao Phraya River to Ayutthaya and later by bus back to Bangkok.

Another popular destination is Kanchanaburi with the “Bridge on the River Kwai” made famous by the war film of the same name. Today a museum commemorates the construction of the Burma-Thailand railway, which cost the lives of countless prisoners of war during World War II.

If you prefer to go out into nature, visit the Khao Yai National Park, which is criss-crossed by numerous hiking trails.

Nightlife in Bangkok

Bangkok's nightlife is legendary. If you want to see the hustle and bustle of the red light district for yourself, you will find the highest density of bars in Soi Cowboy on Sukhumvit Road (next to Terminal 21 Shopping Mall), in Nana Plaza (Soi 4, Sukhumvit Road) and of course Patpong (Soi 1, between Silom and Surawong Road).

The young (and young at heart) western party scene meets in the bars along the backpacker mile Khao San Road or in the evenings at the Chatuchak Market .

Exciting and unusual bars that we can recommend to you include Maggie Choo's, Havana Social, The Iron Fairies and The Bar at The House on Sathorn.

Museums in Bangkok

In addition to Jim Thompson's House , there are a few other museums that you shouldn't miss on a city trip to Bangkok:

• the Bangkok National Museum with its magnificent collections of Thai art

• the Museum of Siam , which introduces visitors to culture and history

• the (free!) Bangkok Folk Museum , which consists of two old houses with traditional late 19th-century furnishings

• the unusual Museum of Counterfeit Goods exhibits many of the confiscated counterfeits common across Southeast Asia

If there's time, head out to the Ancient City Open Air Museum near Suvarnabhumi Airport, which brings ancient Siam to life in 170 hectares of faithful replicas.

Sights of Bangkok

• The Royal Palace (Grand Palace) in the heart of the old town Rattanakosin consists of numerous magnificent buildings. The temple Wat Phra Kaeo with the Emerald Buddha is also located on the premises, the most important shrine of the Thais.

• The Wat Pho temple south of the palace houses a 46 meter long reclining Buddha, one of the largest Buddha statues in the world.

• Across the Chao Phraya River, Wat Arun Temple is the third of Bangkok's three major temples. From its stupa you have a great view over the river, the royal palace and the modern city center.

• The Jim Thompson House gives you an impression of the traditional silk crafts in Bangkok. It belonged to American businessman Jim Thompson, who disappeared without a trace in 1967. The house with its art treasures and antiques has remained unchanged since then and is now a much-visited museum.

• Around Siam Square and along Sukhumvit Road you will find modern Bangkok with air-conditioned shopping malls and posh hotels.

Our tip: is surprisingly little known The "Golden Mount" temple (Phu Khao Thong) about a kilometer east of the royal palace in Thailand. Serpentine stairs lead up an artificial hill to the temple. Once at the top, you can enjoy a great view of the city center.