Thailand’s capital is Bangkok. People think of it as the largest city in the world. About 9 million people live there. Traffic jams, high temperatures, and rowdy nightlife do not immediately make visitors feel at home. Bangkok is a large city known for its colorful shrines and busy streets. It is one of Asia’s biggest and most cosmopolitan cities. It has beautiful temples and palaces, lively nightlife, many canals, and great shopping. Here are 10 of the best tourist attractions in Bangkok in 2022.
Wat Traimit
Bangkok’s Chinatown is where the Wat Traimit temple can be found. The temple is well-known for its golden Buddha statue, which is more than 10 feet tall and weighs more than five tons. The style of the picture is Sukhothai.
Plaster was used to hide this picture’s value, which is 900 years old. When the image was being moved to a new building in 1957 and fell from a crane, it was found to be made of pure gold. The temple itself is said to have been built in the early 1300s.
Dusit Palace
The area where the Royal residences are located is called the Dusit Palace. This was built in the European style for King Rama V between 1897 and 1901. The construction that stands out the most is the Vimanmek Mansion. It is made of golden teak wood and is the largest wooden house in the world.
In addition to the throne room, bedrooms, and bathrooms, this beautiful wooden mansion has 31 rooms where you can see art. If you went to the Grand Palace before this one, keep your ticket because it lets you into the mansion for free.
Lumphini Park
Lumphini Park is more than just a green spot in the middle of busy Bangkok. At first, this park was made to hold Thai arts and flowers. But now, it is a peaceful place where people can walk the paths, ride a paddle boat, or sit back and watch people do their morning and evening exercises. The water monitor lizard is a reptile that looks like a crocodile. Lucky people who walk along the pond may see it. On Sunday afternoons, there are free outdoor concerts.
Chatuchak Weekend Market
JJ Market is what people in the area call Chatuchak Weekend Market. It is the biggest place like this in Thailand. Some say this is the largest weekend market in the world. There are more than 8,000 booths selling things like clothes, antiques, and furniture. On the weekends, more than 200 thousand people come to this very popular market. There are also a lot of good restaurants in the market. There are shows, dancing, and live music to keep the shoppers entertained.
Khao San Road
The Khao San Road is a small street obstructed by the Chao Phraya River. Khaosan means milled rice in English. It’s good to remember that this street used to be a big Bangkok rice market. But in the last 20 years, Khaosan Road has become a popular place for backpackers worldwide.
There are a lot of cheap places to stay along the road, from dorm-style hostels to affordable 3-star hotels. The road also has bars, restaurants, food stands, convenience stores, travel agencies, and internet cafes.
Jim Thompson’s House
The famous CIA operative Jim Thompson, who helped bring the Thai silk industry back to life after World War II, put together Jim Thompson’s House by putting together six traditional Thai houses. While building his silk business, Thompson became a major collector of Southeast Asian art. Jim Thompson’s House is across from Bangkrua. It is on a long, which is where his weavers used to be. You have to move on a guided tour of the buildings. It is given in many languages other than English.
WatArun
WatArun is on the side of the Chao Phraya River in Thonburi. It is one of Bangkok’s oldest and most well-known top tourist spots. Buddhists believe that Mount Meru is the center of the universe. This famous temple is built to look like Mount Meru.
CentralWorld
In 1990, the Central World opened. The eight-story Central World was advertised as a shopping center for middle-class people, while the six-story Siam Paragon was aimed at the rich. Central World was one of many places that protesters against the government set on fire on May 19, 2010. The fire burned for two days. The Zen department store fell in the fire. After months of repairs, the shopping center reopened on September 28 with 80% of its retail space ready for business.
The Reclining Buddha Temple
One of the most well-known statues of a Buddha lying down is in Wat Pho, Bangkok. Almost 200 years before Bangkok became the capital of Thailand, the Wat Pho temple was built. Wat Pho has the biggest Buddha image and the most Buddha in Thailand.
The gold-plated 46-meter-long and 15-meter-tall Reclining Buddha statue memorializes the Buddha’s passing into Nirvana. An Engraved mother of pearl is used to decorate the eyes of the statue, and the soles of the feet show the 108 good traits of the real Buddha.
Grand Palace & Wat Prakeaw
The building of the Grand Palace began in 1782. When Siam moved its capital from Thonburi to Bangkok, work on the building began. Before King Ananda Mahidol’s strange death in 1946, the palace was where the Kings of Thailand lived. His brother, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, took the throne after he died. After he became king, he moved to the Chitralada Palace for good.
Any international traveler will tell you that going to the palace is the most useful thing in Bangkok. Part of the palace grounds is home to the famous Wat Phra Kaew, a royal temple. The famous Emerald Buddha lives there in Thailand’s most important temple. The Emerald Buddha is a statue made of jade and dressed in gold.