I lived in Bangkok for 1 year with my parents when I was in second grade so the city itself wasn’t new to me. I did all the touristy things (the Grand Palace, Jim Thompson House etc.) already back then and also had some repeats in 2015 when I was traveling Bangkok with my sister.
#list of things to do if you are a first-timer in Bangkok
- the Grand Palace
- Wat Pho & Wat Arun
- The floating market
- Jim Thompson House (museum)
- Trip to Pattaya
- Shopping @ Siam, Central World, Icon Siam
- Night cruise or day cruise at Chao Praya River
- Night markets (Jodd Fairs etc.)
- Chatuchak weekend market
- Eat local food!! Chinatown or night markets, street food
- Tuk tuk rides!
- Eat mangoes or mango sticky rice
- Khao San Road if you’re into bar hopping
- Check out rooftop bar in Bangkok (I like Red Sky Bar Bangkok)
- Get Thai massage or facials
Most of the time while I was in Bangkok, I worked & stayed indoors reading but I still explored some places while volunteering. Below is a quick rundown of what I did while I was there for two weeks!
My old home in Sukumvhit
I went to visit my old house at Asok station [skytrain (BTS)] where I used to live with my family. This was actually the first thing I did in Bangkok. I walked around the neighborhood and I really liked the fact that it has not been changed much! The restaurant that my family used to eat out at was still there, and the river that flows right next to the building was still the same.
Asok Station: Terminal 21 & Robinson
Terminal 21 is one of my favorite shopping places in Bangkok! Robinson (Department store) is right next to Terminal 21 and I went down to Tops Market to see if there is anything new. My mom used to go grocery shopping there (+ Asok Market, which no longer exists) when we lived in Bangkok.
Chatuchak Market
This used to be my favorite local market when I lived in Thailand. It wasn’t touristy at all back then, and it was so easy to find local food, souvenirs, and clothes at a very affordable price. Back in 2015, me and my sister were surprised to see how touristy and expensive things have got. This time I visited again, and the local vibes had disappeared completely and no tram would take people around the market (this used to be the case long ago). I was really disappointed since the uniqueness of the market was gone.
If you are still looking for places to buy souvenirs, this could be a good place to go but consider Big C across from Central World as well.
Jodd Fairs- Night Market
This is the night market that newly opened so I was excited to check it out. Exploring the night market was fun! They had souvenirs (magnets, T-shirts, etc.,), accessories, and bags. Loved the vibes here!
Pak Khlong Talat Mai Flower Market
I went to the new Flower Market (there is an old flower market, and is still there) to see what it’s like for the first time. The venue was big but had few vendors. Phuang malai or malai (มาลัย) is a Thai floral garland, which wishes luck. You will see them everywhere (even on the streets)!
Siam Paragon/Discovery Siam
I met a friend while in Bangkok, which was really nice!! We haven’t seen each other for 9 years and we’ve finally met to have lunch and spend some time together. She lives near Emporium so she suggested meeting halfway point from Ari (where I stayed) and where she is-- and that was Siam! Siam is very crowded (especially over the weekends) with people shopping, and eating. There are couple department stores and shopping centers in Siam station, and one of them is Siam Paragon, where all the luxury high-end brand stores are located (Gucci, Cartier, etc.) and the other one is Discovery Siam, which is more street fashion casual style. There’s also the Siam center that I didn’t visit, but all the shopping can be done one stop in Siam.
We went to Veganerie Soul in Siam Paragon and they had decent food! We ordered green curry w/ riceberry, Pad Thai, and Sushi Salad Bowl. They were out of Thai salad so we ended up getting sushi salad instead but it was great! Their food was overall good! We had a matcha drink afterwards and spent time catching up.
Icon Siam
Located by the Chao Praya River, Icon Siam is a new shopping center (another high-end luxury) but there was also casual young street fashion. A lot of people were at the ground level, where they had a lot of food vendors and options. It was a night market-themed indoor food market with live music. It was worth checking it out and seeing what this place has to offer. Unlike other shopping centers, I think Icon Siam had international food options as well as local food options.
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