You are preparing a trip to Thailand and have planned to visit Bangkok in 1 day. So my walking tour for discover the most beautiful sights of Bangkok in 1 day might interest you!

Indeed, just follow my itinerary with the attached Google Maps to discover the emblematic monuments and the essential visits of Bangkok in 1 day.

Of course, 1 day is not enough to visit all the tourist attractions of this immense capital. But with good organization and an optimized itinerary (see below), it is possible to complete a walking + tuk-tuk tour in 1 day, which gives you an overview of Bangkok.

I therefore let you discover below how to organize this visit to Bangkok and how to make the most of it in 1 day.

Why visit Bangkok in 1 day?

Thailand attracts travelers from all over the world because it has many tourist sites: Chiang Mai, Pai, Chiang Rai, Koh Pha Ngan, Koh Samui, many paradise islands, Khao Sok and Khao Yai National Park, Phang Nga Bay, Phuket and of course Bangkok!

So, when you only have a week or two to discover Thailand, you have to choose very well where to go and limit the time of visits when possible.

This is why the majority of travelers decide to visit Bangkok in 1 day so that they have enough time to discover the other wonders of Thailand.

But if you have the chance to have an extra day, I recommend my program for visit Bangkok in 2 days or plan a visit from a Floating Market more.

How to visit Bangkok in 1 day?

To discover the essentials of Bangkok in 1 day, you can choose between:

• Le Bangkok tour by tuk-tuk with an English-speaking guide;
• The visit of Bangkok in 1 day in panoramic bus with ascent and descent to the most beautiful sites (Chinatown, Patpong market, WatPho temples, Wat Hua Lamphong, Golden Buddha);
• There’s nothing quite like a bangkok private tour with French-speaking guide;
• A day of visit tourist boat (€4,10) with 11 stops including the temple of the reclining Buddha (Wat Pho), The Maharaj shopping center, Chinatown and the flower market (Pak Khlonf Talat);
• Or visit Bangkok on foot following my tourist circuit. Thus, you will discover the essentials of Bangkok without constraints and at your own pace (see details and map of the itinerary below).

To be able to enjoy my tourist circuit in a pleasant way, I advise you to start very early in the morning.

How to visit Bangkok on foot?

Many will tell you that you cannot visit Bangkok on foot because Bangkok is too big a city. But if you want to visit only the most beautiful sites, Yes it's possible. Indeed, the majority of temples and tourist attractions are located in 2 bangkok neighborhoods that touch each other: In the center and in the Siam district.

So, by following my itinerary on the map below, it is quite possible to visit Bangkok on foot.

But, you can also follow this route by tuk-tuk that you can book for the day or take one between each stage. The advantage of taking a tuk-tuk is that it's not expensive, it makes the locals work and it's fast because they weave their way between the lines of cars.

What to see in Bangkok in 1 day?

To make the itinerary of my tourist circuit, I only chose as stages the emblematic sites of Bangkok and I organized them to make an optimized circuit in a loop. I did not include the visit of the Bangkok National Museum because it takes too long.

Note that you will not be able to visit the interior of the last 2 temples either, but simply admire them from the outside because they are lit up at night and it is simply magnificent.

Here are the stages of my circuit which are the main ones bangkok must-see sites :

• The Grand Palace
• The Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaeo)
• Trok Mor Market
• Wat Pho Temple (Wat Pho)
• Wat Arun Temple (Wat Wat Arun Rajwararam)
• Chao Phraya River Ride with Express Boat
• The huge ICONSIAM shopping center (ICONSIAM Mall)
• State Tower and its view from the 63rd floor of the Sky Bar
• Wat Traimit (Golden Buddha) temple
• Wat Saket or Temple of the Golden Mountain (Phu Khao Thong)
• The famous lively street of Khao San and its night market Khaosan Night Market

Tour to visit Bangkok on foot

This circuit to visit Bangkok in 1 day represents 14 km or 3 hours of walking. But as I told you above, you can take a tuk-tuk to move between the most distant stages.

Discover its route which you can follow on foot on Google maps:

Itineraries to visit Bangkok in 1 day

To begin, here is the morning tourist circuit to follow on foot from the Grand Palais:

My afternoon tourist circuit represents 10 kilometers which is done on foot and by tuk-tuk from Wat Arun following this route:

Visits to do in Bangkok in the morning

Grand Royal Palace of Bangkok in 1h30

It is Bangkok's most popular tourist attraction that attracts crowds of visitors throughout the day. As the opening is at 8:30 a.m., I recommend that you take your online tickets on the official website and to be there at 8:15. So you can better enjoy this impressive architectural complex both for its beauty and its size.

Indeed, this palace covers 218 square meters of temples, stupas, throne room, Buddhist library and splendid gardens.

Visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaeo) in 30 minutes

Your ticket for the Royal Grand Palace gives access to Wat Phra Kaeo which is the temple where the Emerald Buddha (which is actually made of Jade) is located. This Buddhist temple of Wat Phra Kaeo is the most sacred and revered temple in all of Thailand. It symbolizes legitimacy and prosperity.

It is also the king of Thailand who changes his clothes for him every season:

• In summer: Tunic of enameled gold, adorned with precious stones 
• Rainy season: Blue-enamelled bronze toga
• Winter: Dress all in gold

Trok Mor Market in 30 minutes

This 3rd stage of my circuit to visit Bangkok in 1 day is located in an authentic market (non-touristy) where the locals will help themselves. Indeed, the Trok Mor market is a food market where you can discover the variety of fruits and vegetables of the country but also many other products that the Thais consume. This is an opportunity to find yourself in another atmosphere a little away from tourists.

If you're not a fan of food markets, you can skip this step and head from the Grand Palace straight to Wat Pho in a 10-minute walk.

Wat Pho Temple (Reclining Buddha) in 1 hour

Following my itinerary on foot, you will arrive at the large temple of Wat Pho.

This is where the famous statue of the reclining Buddha is located. Entirely covered in gold leaf, it is 15 meters (50 feet) high and 46 meters (150 feet) long. It is therefore very complicated to manage to take a picture of it in full! According to the monks, this Buddha is represented lying down because he would be waiting for death.

Wat Arun Temple in 1 hour

It takes 10 minutes to cross the Chao Phraya River and reach Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). You have to go to the Sapphan Taksin Station where ferry boats depart from (taxi boats from Bangkok) which take tourists directly to Wat Arun.

Wat Arun (abbreviation of Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan), is, in my opinion, the most beautiful temple in Bangkok.

It is named in honor of the Hindu goddess Aruna, goddess of dawn. King Tasksin enlarged a small temple which occupied the site, and later it was Rama II and Rama III who enlarged it further.

Visits to do in Bangkok in the afternoon

From Wat Arun, you can have your lunch in a small restaurant or in a stall around the temple.

Chao Phraya in 1 hour

You can then (if you have enough time) take a short walk on the Chao Phraya River returning to the pier.

Alternatively, if you prefer to get some air conditioning, then head straight to the IconSiam shopping center which you can also reach by ferry. See my good tips for doing cheap shopping in Bangkok.

IconSiam Bangkok in 2 hours

This stop has become a must for visits to Bangkok. Indeed, IconSiam Paragon is the largest shopping center in Thailand which proudly rivals those of Dubai. A temple of luxury, IconSiam Paragon has numerous boutiques but also the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia and a huge restaurant area.

The mall is also accessible by Skytrain (Bangkok BTS Skytrain) as there is a station just outside the entrance (very convenient). See to download theGoogle Play app

Rooftop bar of the State Tower in 1 hour

From IconSiam, it takes a 20-minute walk to reach the State Tower to enjoy its rooftop bar which is one of the most beautiful skybars in Bangkok and the world.

The Sky Bar is a splendid bar located on the 63rd floor of the State Tower and overlooking Bangkok from the top of its 250 meters (see reservations on the official website). This skyscraper is characterized by its golden dome on the roof thirty meters high and its neoclassical balconies.

It has an outdoor terrace with a luxurious bar where one can enjoy a magnificent view of the city of Bangkok. Attention, because it is necessary to plan a correct outfit because sports clothes and flip-flops are prohibited as well as large backpacks and suitcases.

Also note that there is a very nice hotel in this tower that you can book here:

Wat Traimit Temple and Wat Saket Temple in 1 hour

From the State Tower, you will join Khao San Road which is one of the liveliest streets at night.

For this, I recommend that you take a tuk-tuk or a taxi to take photo breaks at the temples of the Golden Buddha and the Golden Mountain that you will pass along the way.

Indeed, these temples are lit at night and come out even more beautiful than during the day.

Khao San road and its night market (evening)

Here is a good address to finish your visit to Bangkok in 1 day. This is the famous Khao San street. From 18 p.m., this street transforms into a paradise for gourmands with tempting smells, flaming woks, entertainment and popular stands.

Where to stay to visit Bangkok on foot?

Rattanakosin is the best area to stay to visit Bangkok on foot in 1 day.

The hotel I chose was a real favourite: the Siri Heritage Bangkok Hotel

Indeed, I appreciated its location close to the Grand Royal Palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Pho and Wat Saket. In addition, it has a very pleasant small swimming pool and a very low price:

For those looking for luxury, I recommend a very nice hotel very well located in Siam in one of the 5 Best Tourist Areas in Bangkok right next to the biggest shopping center.

This is the splendid palace Siam kempinski :