This will not be as neat as I would like. The mixed fonts make it difficult.
Ratanakosin Area, Pranakon, (the old royal part of town.)
- The easiest restaurants are by Tah Tian ท่าเตียน. Tah means dock. There is a ferry, labeled Ferry in English and the Chao Praya Express Boat เรือด่วนเจ้าพระยา Ruea Duan Chao Phraya, my favorite transporation mode. The street restaurants are where I eat usually. But an air con restaurant might be a good choice. Food near Wat Arun can be difficult. Eat on the Bangkok side.
- The next river dock going north is Tha Chang. There are also restaurants there.
- There are other restaurants North of the Amulet Market below.
- Wat Arun วัดอรุณราชวราราม ราชวรมหาวิหาร (means temple of the dawn). Its on the opposite bank of the river. There is a ferry boat across 5 or 10 baht. 35 baht to the dollar. It is hot in the midday sun.
- On the Bangkok side of the river is Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์ (Bodhi Tree Temple). The big attaction is the giant reclining Buddha, but my attraction is the tile work on stuppas and lintels. Both temples tend to have wonderful Water Lilies in pots although I am unsure of seasons.
- Silpa Bhirasri National Museum พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติศิลป์พีระศรี This is a little museum about Professor Silpa Bhirasri, previous name Corado Feroci (sp). Its quick, fine if there is time. But not that important otherwise.
- National Museum Bangkok พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ พระนคร This is a long walk in the heat but traffic flows in the wrong direction. If the traffic going around the National Mall (shaped like a race track) is bad it is better to walk. Otherwise a good place for a taxi or tuktuk. It is a huge museum and contains all sorts of great objects. Its hard to prioritize what to see in the museum. There is a coffee shop in it, but no food that I know of nearby other than what is mentioned above.
- There is another indoor small national museum between The Silpha Bhirasi and the National Museum. Its worth skipping.
- Political Sculpture Garden ( I do not have the name.)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/tP7FCkBQf9QVeKpW7 This small sculpture garden within Thamasat University commemorates the student and popular uprisings within Thailand. It is tied to every significant political event. Its just south of the National Museum. Its worth looking up the politics surround the sculptures. It really speaks to conflicting forces in Thailand.
- The National Gallery Museum (not the same as the national museum) is near here. I have been in there twice and I do not remember it.
- The Amulet Market down Trok Nakhon is interesting, not at night, watch for pick pockets. https://maps.app.goo.gl/nS2kXXzuMG4mzjjp8 . It might not be fun for Rachel. But its not a religious structure, just mostly Buddhist Hindu and Animist amulets.
Hmm I just saw a restaurant I have to visit Lung Louise (Uncle Louis miss transliterated) Lots of restaurants right near there that I had not been to.
Because of heat, I would have a hard time doing the two temples and the national museum in one day but it could be done.
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China Town Area. "Yaowarat China Town" (yow wah raht China town ). You can just say that to a cab driver.
This part of town has the best walking and shopping and looking in daytime and good restaurants at night.
This is a fantastic area to walk and window and sightsee. Watch your pockets.
- Sampheng Market can be very interesting along with stores nearby. Don't buy gems unless you are really good at noticing fakes.
- Phahurat Road on both sides of Burapha road used to be a great place to buy fabric from around asia. It did not seem great 3 years ago.
- China Town Dining. Go to the Yaowarat night market. Its a good place for a restaurant meal. Look for Thais and eat where they eat. Watch out for the pig only restaurant. Its the one with the longest line. Its one of the oldest restaurants in Bangkok. I do not know why. My meal was not so great. But I generally don't like pig that much. Fish meals there in 2022 were wonderful.
- Nearby but not quite China Town, King Rama I Monument พระบรมราชานุสาวรีย์พระบาทสมเด็จพระพุทธยอดฟ้าจุฬาโลกมหาราช . There is a mostly quiet park just east of the monument. Enter the monument from the north. BE VERY CAREFUL the traffic here is difficult. But there usually is a long enough lull to get to the center and then another lull to get into the plaza. The monument is French Style and grand. The US worked hard to knock out the Memorial Bridge but not harm the memorial during WWII. It is not worth going there by itself, but its a nice stop going up or down river on foot. Hot in the middle of the day.
- West of there is Pak Khlong Talat (Flower Market)ปากคลองตลาด This is nice, but not worth a separate trip.
- West of there is the Museum Siam a History Museum of Thailand. Its OK. But its got a very one sided viewpoint of everything. It seems to be to indoctrinate childre. But I did have a good time there. Likely not worth your time unless it is very convenient. West of there is Wat Pho.
(Jatujak) Chatujak Weekend Market. Easy to get to on the elevated train or subway. This is a huge market. Watch for pickpockets. There is lots of restaurants in the market. Chatujak Park, Queen Sirikhit Park and Railway Park are all next to each other. I have only seen a bit of the park. There are nice plantings. The children's museum was my children's favorite place. Chatujak Market is near the Mochit Bus Terminal.
South Bangkok
- I have not been to this park. Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park and Botanical Garden
สวนสาธารณะและสวนพฤกษชาติ ศรีนครเขื่อนขันธ์ It seems hard to get to . The park, It bills itself as The Best Urban Oasis of Asia. There appears to be a few light food places in the park. There is a bicycle rental. I would combine it with the
- Khlong Toei Market ตลาดคลองเตย and take the ferry across the river. This is a huge commercial market and not hard to get to but far. It has produce, and other things.
- Khlong Bon Folk Museum
พิพิธภัณฑ์พื้นบ้านคลองบน near the Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park . I would want to visit it.
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Pathum Wan area
- BACC Bangkok Arts and Culture Center. Thai ( B. A. C. C.) near Siam Center) A big museum with some food shops. Sometimes the art here is spectacular. Near the Rapid Transit Skytrain. I never miss this, sometimes twice on a trip.
- If you want bargain shopping try the upper floors in M.B.K. south corner near BACC.
- If you want Gucci, kitty corner from that in Siam Square.
- The southeast corner has Osotsala โอสถศาลา Pharmacy of Chulalongkorn University. It is a great place to get medicine. Mostly no prescriptions needed. Bring Generic names. Most pharmacists speak some English but it is smart to spell it rather than say the name.
- Near the BACC I eat at Wat Watana Yonta Restaurant. https://maps.app.goo.gl/kyToytnx9eccwX3w5
It is not great food, but good, not pretentious.
- I have wanted to take the PanFaa? Bridge to Water Gate Ferry east from the dock near BACC ท่าสะพานหัวช้าง Tha Sapan Hua Chang (elephant area bridge pier)https://maps.app.goo.gl/BWSrX9yARyAWbJas8 They will ask how far you want to go. Maybe • Pratunam Pierท่าเรือประตูน้ำ (ขาเข้า) The incoming and outgoing piers appear to be on opposite sides. This is on a klong, a canal.
If you want music at night, The Saxophone Bar has jazz and is nice. Near The Victory Monument. It might be boring, but sometimes the music is great.
