Day 1
1. Grand Palace: Any post about how to spend 3 days in Bangkok Thailand would be incomplete without Grand Palace. This has been the official residence of the Thai royal family since 1782. You will also find Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) inside the palace. It is one of Bangkok’s most popular attractions, so I would put it as the first activity on your itinerary. Entrance Fee: 500-600 THB per person.
2. Wat Pho: This is one of the oldest temples in Bangkok and close to the Grand Palace. It’s famous for the huge 46 metre statue of the reclining Buddha. Entrance Free: 200 TBH per person.
3. Lunch– Boat Noodle Alley: This area is famous for having many shops that sell boat noodles. It is located on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road (close to the Victory Monument). The noodles are very cheap (around £1) and come in small portions, which allows you to order multiple bowls and try different flavours.
4. MBK Center: This is my favourite shopping mall in Bangkok! There are 8 floors and over 2,000 shops with many different things. This includes clothes, cosmetics, electronics, and souvenirs. It’s normal to haggle in smaller shops, and I remember getting a pretty pair of sandals for £1. There is a food court which has both international and local foods.
5. Chao Phraya River Cruise & Dinner: This is the perfect way to spend an evening in Bangkok. Book a 2-hour cruise that includes dinner and a live performance.
Day 2
1. Chatuchak Weekend Market: If you are lucky enough to be in Bangkok during the weekend, then you may want to visit Chatuchak Weekend Market. It is very popular and has thousands of stalls selling a variety of things. It’s easy to navigate because each area is divided into sections depending on what is sold (e.g. clothing area, home decor area, souvenirs area) Don’t forget to try the Thai street food at this market, it is the perfect place to eat lunch afterwards. I’ll never forget the fresh ice cream served to me in a coconut shell, and topped with peanuts. Delicious!
2. Jim Thompson House: This is a cultural museum that used to be the residence of a man named Jim Thompson, who had a big impact on the Thai silk industry. It’s one of the most beautiful museums that I have visited. There are tropical gardens with ponds, Thai art, and Thai antiques. The entrance fee is 200 TBH per person.
3. Wat Arun: This temple is known for its pretty porcelain and ceramic decor. Visit this temple in the evening before sunset, because it lights up and looks amazing! It was almost empty when I went there at around 7pm. This temple is alongside the river which allows for the perfect photo opportunity. The entrance fee is 100 TBH.
4. Asiatique The Riverfront: This place is open late and is the perfect destination for dinner and evening entertainment. There are shops, restaurants, food stalls, a ferris wheel, calypso cabaret shows, and live muay thai performances.
Day 3
1. Wat Benchamabophit: This temple has been nicknamed “the marble temple” as a lot of it was constructed with Italian marble. The entrance fee is 100 TBH.
2. Thai Cooking Class: A unique and cheap activity to do on your last day in Bangkok. Join this cooking class that involves going to the market to source fresh ingredients for your meal. You will prepare a 4-course meal, and a copy of the recipes will be emailed to you afterwards.
3. Lumpini Park: After eating all that food, you will likely want to take a breather and digest everything. So a visit to Lumphini Park would be the perfect next stop on this itinerary.
4. Terminal 21 shopping mall: A unique shopping mall must be included in any guide on how to spend 3 days in Bangkok Thailand. It’s designed like an airport, with “boarding gates” and every floor has a theme from a particular city. There is a Tokyo floor, a Paris floor, an Istanbul floor, and more!
5. Dinner- Supanniga Eating Room: The chances are…you would have eaten a lot of street food so far in Bangkok. So enjoy a restaurant meal for dinner, at Supanniga Eating Room which is a Thai restaurant chain. They have a few different locations around the city (check out the website)
Rooftop Bar: Bangkok is quite famous for its rooftop bars, and this is the perfect way to end your last evening in the city. There are many rooftop bars, and some of the popular ones include Vertigo and Moon Bar at Banyan Tree, and Octave Rooftop Lounge and Bar.
I hope this post has given you some ideas on how to spend 3 days in Bangkok Thailand.
Click here to read my Thailand travel tips.
Happy Travels ☺
Nice one! It’s great to see that you’re keep traveling. I visited Bangkok last year for a week and plan to go again this year too. Despite not being a fan of big cities, I enjoyed BKK a lot. It surprised me. Thanks to your post, I found out about Boat Noodle Alley, which I somehow missed before. I’m going to check that place next time as I love Thai food.”
If you’ll be there again, I recommend seeing a few things you might not have had time to explore. I think three days is way too short to fully experience that city. In addition to temples, you should also visit Wat Saket Ratchaworamahawihan (The Golden Mount) and Phasi Charoen Temple. Instead of Lumphini Park, I prefered Benchakitti Park. It’s more interesting in my opinion), And don’t forget about the capital of backpackers, Khao San Road; even though I’m not really fond of places like that, it was a good experience. Also, if you have enough time, booking a day trip to the floating market is a must.
Your blog is very helpful, and thanks for the food recommendations. Keep up the great work! I wish I could share more experiences… well no place for that… Bon Voyage!
Can’t wait to see Thailand again! 😉
I’m glad that you found this useful 🙂 and thanks so much for the recommendations! I did a day trip to the floating market, but haven’t seen the other places you recommended. It’s so interesting how we all have different views on how long to spend in certain places. So many people told me not to spend more than a day in Bangkok, but I agree with you…there is so much to do there.
It is always good to know what places to check out when you are on a time budget. All of these spots look amazing.
Thailand is a must-see on my bucket list.. there is so much natural and architectural beauty in this country.. and lumphini park is one of my top on the list
Yes Thailand has something for everyone. City, shopping, temples, beaches, nature. I want to go back there to experience more things.
I have Thailand on my bucket list! I have heard that Bangkok is beautiful and has so much to see and do. I bet the street food is amazing.
Hope you manage to visit some day. Yes the street food is definitely good…the fruit is also amazing! so fresh!
That’s so much to do in just three days! I probably would only be able to manage a few of them, guess I’d just have to stay in Thailand longer!
haha! Yeah this guide is definitely for a busy traveller. It leaves room for a second trip 😉
What an excellent guide for Bangkok! I would definitely want to visit the temples and weekend market!
Glad that you found it useful 🙂
I love how you’ve included a mix of cultural sights, delicious food recommendations, and practical tips for navigating the city. Can’t wait to use your suggestions for our next family adventure!
I’m glad that you found it useful 🙂
I was in Bangkok on my way to Cambodia and had a great day at the palaces. Loved taking the boat across the river too. The cooking class you mention sounds fun too! Next time 🙂
I am dreaming to go in Bangkok someday! I can’t wait until that day comes.
I hope that day comes 🙂
I really heard that Bangkok is really a nice place to visit. I can’t wait to go there!
It is a cool city 🙂
May I know, how did you go around Bangkok? We are going as a family and we don’t know anyone there? Any tips about security, how to avoid getting scammed, etc?
It’s very easy to get around Bangkok. The easiest way is by taxi, and they are very cheap (it cost me £5) for a 45 minute journey from the airport to the city centre. Just make sure you ask the driver to turn the taxi meter on, otherwise they will scam you by picking a random price. They also have an overground metro style train called the “MRT” (you can download a route map for this online). If any taxi driver tells you that an attraction is “closed” DON’T trust them, some of them will try to drive tourists somewhere else to a shop/restaurant where they get commission if you spend there. My advice would be to try and pay with the smallest possible notes or coins everywhere to avoid getting scammed. Those are the most common scams that I know of in Bangkok, but it’s a nice city in general and you will meet nice people too 🙂
I found a gem. We are traveling to Thailand next month. Maybe a noodle lunch and a river cruise dinner is fantastic. We will include these in our itineraries
There seems like a ton of great places to visit Thailand. But with my arthritis, I’d have to break this up into a few more days.
I’m sure that would also work well 🙂
I like that you even suggest places to eat. Thanks for the tips.
You’re welcome 🙂
This would be such a fun spot to vacation at. I have never been to Thailand but after reading this, I need to get there.
Book that flight! 🙂
We visited my brother in law and his family when they were expats in Thailand. One of my favorite memories was stopping at a small market and getting pineapple. The fruit in Thailand was amazing.
Aww, great recommendations for Bangkok. Personally – I would skip the Chatuchak market and spend more time at the other attractions or exploring neighborhoods. For me, that was the one miss in Bangkok.