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How many days in Bangkok? 4 days of temples, river and street food
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Bangkok needs four days: one on the river for the three great temples, one in Chinatown and the old city, one for markets and modern Bangkok, and one for the ruined capital of Ayutthaya. The heat shapes everything: do temples from 8:00 to 11:00, hide in a mall or museum at midday, and go out again after 17:00 when the street food starts.
Short answer
Three days covers the temples, Chinatown and a market. The fourth day adds Ayutthaya, the best day trip from the city, or simply a slower pace in heat that averages above 32°C.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun
Morning. Be at the Grand Palace gate at 8:30 (500 baht). The Emerald Buddha is in Wat Phra Kaew inside the palace walls; allow 2 hours. Covered shoulders and long trousers or skirts are required, and guards check.
Afternoon. Walk 10 minutes south to Wat Pho (about 300 baht), home of the 46-metre Reclining Buddha and the birthplace of Thai massage: a 30-minute massage at the temple school costs a few hundred baht. Then take the cross-river ferry from Tha Tien pier (a few baht, 3 minutes) to Wat Arun, decorated with Chinese porcelain.
Evening. Watch the sunset over Wat Arun from a rooftop bar on the Tha Tien side, then eat on Phra Athit Road or the quieter end of Khao San Road, where pad thai costs 60-100 baht.
If anyone near the palace tells you it is 'closed today for a ceremony' and offers a tuk-tuk tour, it is the oldest scam in Bangkok. Walk to the gate yourself.
Day 2: Old town and Chinatown
Morning. Climb the Golden Mount (Wat Saket, about 100 baht), 344 steps to a view over the old city, then walk 10 minutes to the Giant Swing and Wat Suthat.
Afternoon. Take a taxi or the MRT to Wat Mangkon station for Chinatown (Yaowarat). Visit Wat Traimit, whose Golden Buddha weighs 5.5 tonnes of solid gold, and walk the narrow lanes of Sampeng market.
Evening. Yaowarat Road becomes Bangkok's best street-food strip after dark: rolled noodles, grilled seafood, toasted buns with custard. Plan to graze for 300-500 baht a person. Some famous stalls close on Mondays.
Use the Grab app for taxis and tuk-tuks so you know the price upfront; street tuk-tuks charge tourists several times the local rate.
Day 3: Markets, malls and Jim Thompson
Morning. On a Saturday or Sunday, take the BTS to Mo Chit for Chatuchak Weekend Market, 15,000 stalls; go at 9:00 before the heat. On weekdays, visit the Or Tor Kor fresh market next door for Thai fruit instead.
Afternoon. The Jim Thompson House, the teak home of the American silk merchant who disappeared in 1967, is visited by guided tour (about 200 baht) and is 5 minutes from BTS National Stadium. Escape the heat in the malls of Siam: Siam Paragon's food hall and ICONSIAM by the river.
Evening. Take a Chao Phraya Express boat (orange flag, about 16 baht a ride) at golden hour for the river at its best, then a rooftop drink in Silom. Rooftop cocktails cost 400-600 baht.
Haggle at Chatuchak with a smile and expect to pay roughly two-thirds of the first price; in malls, prices are fixed.
Day 4: Day trip to Ayutthaya
Morning. Take an early train from Krung Thep Aphiwat central station (about 1.5 hours; third-class tickets cost a few dozen baht) to Ayutthaya, the Siamese capital burned in 1767.
Afternoon. Rent a bicycle or hire a tuk-tuk by the hour to see Wat Mahathat, with the Buddha's head grown into tree roots, Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Wat Chaiwatthanaram by the river. Each temple charges a small entry fee or you can buy a combined ticket.
Evening. Return by train or minivan before dark and finish at Talad Rot Fai, Jodd Fairs or one of Bangkok's other night markets for a last round of food.
Ayutthaya at midday is brutal. Start by 7:30 and carry water, a hat and sunscreen.
Only have 3 days?
With 3 days, keep Days 1, 2 and 3; if you can, make Day 3 a weekend for Chatuchak. You lose Ayutthaya.
Got extra days?
On a 5th day, visit the Maeklong Railway Market, where stalls fold back as the train passes, combined with the Amphawa or Damnoen Saduak floating markets; it is about 1.5 hours away and easiest with a tour.
Where to stay in Bangkok
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Banglamphu / Khao San | Cheapest beds, walk to the Grand Palace; noisy at night, no BTS. | 1,000-1,800 baht |
| Mid-range | Riverside (Charoen Krung) | Hotel boats and Express boats to the temples, with river views. | 2,500-4,500 baht |
| Mid-range | Sukhumvit (Nana-Asok) | On the BTS and MRT, lots of restaurants; far from the old city. | 2,000-4,000 baht |
| Comfort | Riverside luxury hotels | Mandarin Oriental and Peninsula, with shuttle boats. | 8,000-20,000 baht |
Getting around
Combine the BTS Skytrain and MRT (about 17-60 baht a ride) with river boats. The old town has no metro, so use the Chao Phraya Express boats and the cheap cross-river ferries. Traffic is bad from 7:00 to 9:00 and from 16:30 to 19:30. From Suvarnabhumi airport, the Airport Rail Link reaches Phaya Thai in about 26 minutes for around 45 baht; a metered taxi to the centre costs 300-450 baht plus tolls and a 50-baht airport fee.
Best time to visit
November to February is the cool, dry season, with highs of 31-32°C. March to May is very hot (often 35°C and more). The rainy season from June to October brings afternoon storms and lower prices. Songkran, Thai New Year in mid-April, is a three-day water fight across the city.
Month-by-month weather for Bangkok →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | 700 baht | 1,700 baht | 5,000 baht |
| Food & drink | 400 baht | 1,000 baht | 3,000 baht |
| Sights & tickets | 500 baht | 900 baht | 1,500 baht |
| Local transport | 150 baht | 400 baht | 1,000 baht |
| Total per person, per day | about 1,750 baht | about 4,000 baht | about 10,500 baht |
Approximate 2026 prices in Thai baht. Bangkok has no hotel tourist tax at the time of writing; mid-range hotels add 10% service plus 7% VAT unless prices are marked 'net'.
Before you go
Common questions
What is the dress code for temples?
Shoulders and knees covered for everyone, no see-through clothing. The Grand Palace is the strictest; sarongs are sold or lent at the entrance. Remove shoes before entering temple halls.
Is Bangkok street food safe?
Generally yes. Choose busy stalls where food is cooked to order and turned over fast. Avoid ice in very small rural stalls, though in Bangkok ice is usually factory-made.
How do I avoid tuk-tuk scams?
Agree the price before you get in, refuse any 'special tour' for 20 baht (it ends at gem shops), and use Grab or metered taxis when possible.
Is 4 days in Bangkok too long?
No, if you include Ayutthaya. Many travellers pass through in a day or two, but four days lets you see the city in the cooler parts of each day.
How this guide was made
Written by hand, without AI, from experience planning Thailand trips. Prices are approximate for 2026 in baht; confirm temple fees and train times on the official Grand Palace, Wat Pho and State Railway of Thailand websites before you go.
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