Bangkok in 3 Days: Old City, Jim Thompson House and Chatuchak

Spend day 1 in the Old City at the Grand Palace (THB 500), Wat Pho (THB 300) and Wat Arun (THB 200). Day 2 is Jim Thompson House (THB 250) and a boat ride. Day 3 is Chatuchak, free and open at weekends, with a day-trip swap on weekdays.

Three days in short

Yes, three days is enough for the big Bangkok sights. Spend day 1 in the Old City, day 2 on Jim Thompson House and the river, and day 3 at Chatuchak if it falls on a weekend. Together the four ticketed sights cost one foreign adult THB 1,250.

Day 1: Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun

Be at the gate of the Grand Palace for the 08:30 opening, which happens every day, public holidays included. Go there first, because ticket sales stop at 15:30. Then walk to Wat Pho and keep Wat Arun for the end of the day, since it stays open until 18:00.

Your THB 500 ticket also covers Wat Phra Kaew and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textile. Buy it at the gate or online, but treat an online ticket as final, since it cannot be refunded or moved. Do not plan your visit around going inside the three big halls, because they can be seen from the outside only.

Dress is the thing that trips people up here. Leave sleeveless tops, vests, see-through tops and short pants at the hotel. On a day with a royal ceremony, visits are suspended, so look at the palace’s calendar the day before.

Walk on to Wat Pho for the Reclining Buddha, which is 46 meters long. The ticket is THB 300, and the temple stays open until 19:30. Wear trousers, since shorts are not allowed. If your feet need a rest afterwards, the temple’s school offers Thai massage at THB 340 for 30 minutes.

Finish at Wat Arun, where entry is THB 200. Take the ferry from Tha Tien pier to get across. Cover your shoulders and legs here too: no shorts, sleeveless tops, open shoulders or flip-flops.

That is a lot for one day. If you pay for only one ticket, my pick is the palace. If the day feels too heavy, skip Wat Arun now and see it on day 2, when the tourist boat calls at its pier.

Day 2: Jim Thompson House and the river

Day 2 lets you sleep in, since Jim Thompson House opens at 10:00. Ride the BTS to National Stadium station and use exit 1. Admission is THB 250 for an adult.

Reservations are not needed. Every visit to the main house is guided, in English among other languages. Shoes come off inside, and bags over 20 cm go in the lockers.

Save the afternoon for the river. The Chao Phraya Tourist Boat is a hop-on hop-off service, and the all-day River Pass costs THB 150. Boats leave every 30 minutes, so you can step off near Rajinee for the flower market, or at Ratchawong for Chinatown. Wat Arun and Tha Chang are on the same route.

Day 3: Chatuchak, or a weekday swap

Chatuchak is free to enter. It runs Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and some zones also open on Friday afternoon. Plan to arrive between 9:00 and 11:00 AM or after 4:00 PM, so you miss the intense heat.

Leave Mo Chit BTS station by Exit 1, and a direct walkway leads into the market. The market is vast and maze-like, so photograph the layout map at the entrance.

If day 3 falls on a Monday to Wednesday, the general goods market is closed. Swap in a day trip instead and keep Chatuchak for a weekend.

I would pick Ayutthaya, as the park is open every day from 08:00 to 18:00. A foreign visitor pays THB 80 for the ordinary ticket. The Ayutthaya Historical Park tickets guide covers the temples. For other trips, see Bangkok day trips.

If you live here or are staying longer, do not squeeze all of this into three days. Spread it over several weeks, one area per outing.

Getting between the stops

• Coming by MRT? Get off at Sanam Chai, take Exit 1 and hop on a bus to the palace.
• Prefer the river? From BTS Saphan Taksin Exit 2, walk to Sathorn Pier and board the orange-flag boat to Tha Chang.
• Not sure what a ride costs? Every BTS and MRT fare is on the Bangkok BTS and MRT fares page.

For a longer stay, follow the two-week itinerary, which links Bangkok with the north and the islands.

Before you go

Pack long trousers, since the palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun each ban shorts or short pants. If a stranger says Wat Arun or Jim Thompson House is closed, walk on. Keep a Saturday or Sunday free for Chatuchak.

For more depth on each stop, turn to the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Chatuchak and Chao Phraya boat pages. When you need a bed near the sights, see where to stay in Bangkok.

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Not confirmed: Ferry fare: no official fare was found for the cross-river ferry from Tha Tien to Wat Arun, so ask at the pier. Closure days: the palace stays shut on ceremony days, so check its calendar before you go.

Prices, timetables and opening hours change; check with the operator before you travel. See how guides are checked.

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