#Bangkok 4 day itinerary – Things to do and where to stay

Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and by far its biggest city with 8 million people and a metropolitan area of 14 M. According to a recent study, Bangkok is also the most visited city in the world, by foreigners! All of this makes Bangkok an incredibly buzzing city, full of life and activities for everyone, which is why we made this list of things to do in Bangkok in 4 days!

Bangkok has a mixture of tradition and modern Thai culture. The city landscape itself goes from the futuristic skyscrapers to the old markets and the Buddhist temples, so when planning the things to do in Bangkok in 4 days, we want a mix of all of this, not spending every single day enjoying only one of its striking characteristics.

Such a huge city has plenty of accommodation options, so that won’t be a problem but you should book in advance so you can choose where to stay in Bangkok.

You may be wondering if 4 days in Bangkok is too much time. In our opinion, it’s just the right time, as there are so many things to do in Bangkok. There aren’t many metropolises as interesting as Bangkok, with gourmet restaurants and boutique stores on a walking distance to unique street food and antique markets.

We weren’t expecting to like Bangkok as much as we did! We wandered around the city way too much but we couldn’t help it, each time we went out we found new interesting things to see and do. Though this is a big city, you should have a plan and that’s where we enter the scene. Follow this 4 days Bangkok itinerary and you’ll have a good time in your visit to Bangkok.

We also found Bangkok to be a very exciting destination for couples with plenty of romantic things to do for a few days, or maybe even a have Bangkok honeymoon.

Things to do in Bangkok in 4 days

Walk, Walk and Walk

Is there any other way to really know a city? Walking will make you see, smell and listen to Bangkok. You will find new markets, streets, and buildings. You will see the locals and the tourists… It’s our favorite way of getting around almost everywhere.

But please don’t forget that Bangkok is huge and can be very hot! What looks like a small stroll on the map, can be 5 or 10 km under a torrid sun 🙂

If you want to roam around the city but with a guide showing you all the best spots, have a look at this customized tour.

Try the Sky-train (BTS)

The sky-train is an attraction in itself. It’s sleek, modern and fast to get around. It isn’t cheap, but it won’t break your wallet. The sky-train passed close to our guesthouse so we used it a lot. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go to the old center, Wat Pho, Khao San Soi… Also, be aware of (or enjoy) the crazy rush hour.

Take the boat in the Chao Phraya river

The Chao Phraya river is one of the iconic images of Bangkok. It’s also the easiest (and cheapest) way to go downtown. Take the orange express boat for 15 Baht and enjoy the view of the Bangkok skyline from the river.

Again, like the Sky-train, the rush hour can be crazy, but that’s also a way of experience Bangkok. If you don’t want it, you can always take the touristic boats or hire a private longtail boat to cruise the river. Either way, this is a must-do in Bangkok. It’s where the traditional, old images of Bangkok will come to your mind…

Go to Chinatown

Bangkok’s Chinatown is huge, full of shops, somehow organized according to the different products they were selling. Arts being together with arts, audio shops with audio shops, and so on… Of course, food is all over the place. 🙂

The most interesting part was all the gold… So many gold stores… We can’t believe there is a market for so much gold, even in Bangkok. However, apparently, there is! When we were there it was Chinese new year, so it was even busier than usual.

Go temple hopping – Don’t miss the Wat Pho and Wat Arun

Bangkok has hundreds of temples, so we will list them all just for you… We know you want to visit them all! Right?!? 🙂 No? OK…
We really only went to 3 temples (Wat), and we recommend you visit at least a couple of them. Wat Pho (where the giant reclining Buddha is) and Wat Arun (aka temple of dawn) are some of the most famous and interesting. Note that these temples are big tourist attractions and can be crowded. Also, Wat Arun is under rehabilitation, so you may not be able to go to the top and see the views.
We also went to Wat Phra Kaew but check below in the “not-to-do list” for details…

Book here a tour to these 3 temples o Bangkok

Eat the world’s best street food

We love street food. In Bangkok (and most of Thailand) there are street food sellers in every corner. We are talking about: sausages, shakes, waffles, rotis, fruits, BBQ chicken, pork, shrimps, crepes, salads… Even restaurants serve on the street. Some of them have the kitchen right in the street/market. In the streets of Bangkok, you can eat almost everything you can imagine.
Street food is very cheap, you can have a meal for something between 1 and 2 Euros.

Chatuchak Market

Chatuchak Market is a weekend market so you can only go there if one of your 4 days in Bangkok is a Saturday or Sunday. But it’s the biggest market in Bangkok, and one you really should go if you have the opportunity.

You will need many hours to navigate the whole market, and probably won’t be able to. It’s very easy to get lost inside, but don’t worry, it’s also great fun to discover the market from the inside. What can you buy in Chatuchak?

Well, anything and everything: clothing, arts, antiques, food, plants, pets, furniture, ceramics and many many other things. Apart from the obvious food and beverages, we particularly like roaming around the pets and animal sections.

Wang Lang Market

We love markets and Wang Lang was one of our favorites. Especially because of the variety and delicious street food. This market is open every day except Sundays, from 07:00 to 20:00 and it is mainly used by locals. There is a hospital nearby so many people go to the market for lunch.

We ended up trying several dishes and almost everything that seemed different, looked and smelled delicious. We ate an omelet with coconut and vegetables which became our favorite dish in Bangkok 🙂 The cool thing is that the market is very easy to go, just catch the orange express boat and stop in the pier N10.

Siam Paragon, Central World Plaza, etc

If you are into shopping, Bangkok, particularly the Siam area, is full of shopping centers with high-end stores. Or maybe just having some fun people watching. We saw a queue to enter the Louis-Vuitton store of Siam Paragon…

Lumpini Park

We were in Bangkok during the Chinese new year and Lumpini Park had a big party/festival, both with Chinese and Thai motifs. It was full of people, with concerts, food, shows, etc. We spent a very nice evening there.

During the day Lumpini Park is a place to go to exercise, people watching or just relax by the Lake or in the grass. It’s a very pleasant city park, right in the middle of the financial district and the most modern neighborhoods of Bangkok.

Bangkok is also an excellent base for day trips, check here some of the best day trips you can do from Bangkok.

Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)

This is probably a bit polemic but if we knew what we know now it wouldn’t have gone there. At 500 baht per person, we found it is really expensive for what it delivers. Wat Phra Kaew is a very beautiful temple, arguably the most majestic in Bangkok. However it’s always crowded, really overcrowded, and the experience feels more like a tourist trap than a temple. Furthermore, inside the temple of the Emerald Buddha, you are only allowed to go slightly inside the temple, with dozens of other people doing the same.

We were so far way we could barely see the Emerald Buddha, (it’s a very small Buddha). To finalize you can only see the outside of the Grand Palace, you can’t tour the inside or even get close to it…

We know you will probably end up going there anyway, we understand it’s one of the biggest attractions in the city, but please understand that you’ll suffer (a lot) to see it.

Book a tour that includes the Grand Palace here

Have a Thai Massage

Thai massages are world-famous, one of the most famous things about Thailand. You can’t really leave Thailand without trying a Thai massage. Many people link Thai massages with sexual activities, but a true Thai massage has nothing to do with it.

If you are incertain of what to expect, have a look at our post on Thai massages and learn everything about it, before doing one. It’s really an experience and a different one from a western massage. We truly recommend it as it’s a cultural experience, a relaxing experience and a cheap one… even if you decide to pamper yourself and have a more luxury one. Have a look at this!

Do a Thai Cooking Class

If you really love food, just trying out all the Thai dishes isn’t enough, you’ll want to learn more about them, the ingredients, the techniques used and ultimately how to cook them. Fortunately for you, Bangkok is one of the best places to have a cooking class ( the other is Chiang Mai) in Thailand. The cooking class we took was easily one of our favorite activities in Thailand.

You can have a look at our full post about it here and maybe book one for you.

Go to a Muay Thai fight

Muay Thai is a unique way of kickboxing, developed by the Thai people. This ancient martial art was developed over the last 500 years and it’s one of the national sports of Thailand. Going to a Muay Thai fight allows you to learn about Thai culture from a very different perspective than anything else on this list. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!

Book your Muay Thai ticket here

Things to be aware of when visiting Bangkok in 4 days

Taxis and traffic

Traffic in Bangkok is a big problem. In some streets, it seems like it’s rush hour all day! So, a taxi can become expensive and take much more time than we expect. Furthermore, we really disliked our experiences with taxis.

We were very badly served both times we had to use it. Once the driver basically didn’t want to take us where we wanted to go and acted like he didn’t know what we were talking about. The other he decided to show us around… Bad luck, we already knew that zone quite well.

The smaller floating markets (Taling Chan Floating Market & Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market) are closed on weekdays.

They are closed, as we learned the bad way! ops 🙂 Yes, bot Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market and Taling Chan Floating Market are closed during the week and only open on weekends!

Bang Nam Pheung Floating Market and Amphawa Floating Market are open from Friday to Sunday.

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market isn’t really in Bangkok, it’s about 100 km away and it’s more of a day trip than a day in Bangkok. However, it’s the most famous and popular floating market in Thailand and if you want to visit you can book this cool day trip from Bangkok, which also includes the famous train market.

Khao San Road is what it is…

Well, we only really walked down the street once and then left. It’s just the place where the backpackers go to get wasted… Not really our kind of fun. Many people love it and we understand why, but do yourself a favor and don’t limit your self to this street. Bangkok has so much more to offer!

Bangkok deserves some of your travel time and budget. It’s a fascinating city with much more to it than you would think. Nevertheless, you should be aware of some not-so-good-things. Have a look at this list of mistakes to avoid during a trip to Bangkok.

Where to stay for 4 days in Bangkok?

If you are looking for fun and a party every day, the answer is pretty simple, stay close to Khao San Road. There’s an endless list of hostels and guesthouses in Khao San Road, but we suggest DPM Bangkok Hostel Bar & Travel. It’s a fun hostel with a fine bar and perfectly located between Khao San Road and Rambuttri Alley. The BED STATION Hostel Khaosan is a very nice alternative!

On the other hand, if you want a more peaceful hotel or guesthouse and aren’t interested in all the noise of the partiers of Khao San, we suggest you stay closer to the financial and embassy districts. They are conveniently located close to several public transport options, so you won’t have problems going everywhere. Here we suggest the Adelphi Suites Bangkok if you are looking for an upscale hotel, or the Forty Seven view by Pattiya if you want an apartment!

Any of these 4 options ensure that you’ll be very well located during your 4 days in Bangkok! And, it’s really important to have a hotel that’s perfectly located, so you don’t lose precious time.

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