Bangkok is truly one of the world’s great cities, and also a bargain for travelers in almost every way. The gateway to Southeast Asia is also the best place to start a visit to the region. Not only are the attractions top-notch, but the tourist infrastructure is far better than anywhere else in the region.
One of the world’s most popular cities for tourists, Bangkok is a shopping and food mecca that is busy every month of the year. Even as one of the more expensive cities in the region, this is an excellent bargain compared to almost anywhere else.
The temples and other main sights are stunning and worth a few days on your first visit. The nightlife scene is also among the best in Asia, including some edgy things that aren’t available in most other countries.
| Population | 9,100,000 |
| Area | 12,000,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+7 |
| Currency | Thai baht |
| Airports | Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) |
The Grand Palace and Wat Pho are arguably the top attractions in Bangkok and they are definitely worth a visit. The city has many other temples and statues that are stunning and unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
Bangkok is also filled with excellent hotels, restaurants, and shopping malls, all with reasonable prices. Many visitors focus on these things after seeing the main sights, and just use the city as an adult playground.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 8.00 - 14.00 |
| 11.00 - 48.00 |
| 15.00 - 50.00 |
| 24.00 - 62.00 |
| 72.00 - 147.00 |
Korbua House Doubles from US$40 | |
Adelphi Suites Hotel Doubles from US$79 | |
The Aldephi Suites provides great value in the Sukhumvit (shopping and expat) area, including a welcoming swimming pool. |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 7.61 - 17.08 |
NapPark Hostel @ Khao San Beds from US$11/night | |
This large and very popular hostel is perfectly located near Khosan Road and the main sights, plus excellent reviews and low prices. |
And of course food is not only excellent in Bangkok, but it’s famously cheap as well. Freshly prepared dishes from street stalls can be found all day and well into the night, with meals costing around US$1 and up, and restaurants in the city don’t charge much more for a comfortable seat and good service.
| Budget breakfast | Many hotels include breakfast in their rates. Street stalls are easy to find everywhere, but sit-down restaurants charge a lot more. | $0.86 - $3.45 |
| Budget lunch | Street stalls are easy to find everywhere and serve tasty and (usually) safe meals at all hours. Food courts in shopping areas are also a good budget bet. | $1.44 - $5.76 |
| Budget dinner | Again, the range here is wide because traditional restaurants aren't nearly as cheap as other street-side options. | $2.30 - $7.20 |
| Pint of beer | Happy hours are common, but otherwise beer is not the bargain it is elsewhere in SE Asia. | $1.73 - $4.32 |
| McDonalds Big Mac | So-called meal deals don't add too much to the price, but McDonald's here isn't really a great bargain otherwise. | $2.30 |
| Pizza | American-style big pizzas are available, though not cheap, and small European-style pizzas are easy to find. | $3.45 - $10.07 |
| Can of cold beer | There are 7-Elevens on every block, and cold local beers are a relative bargain. | $0.72 - $1.15 |
| Cup of coffee | Coffee in Thailand is usually made from instant powder and it's relatively expensive. | $0.86 - $1.73 |
Bangkok is enormous and quite spread out. The boat tours on the river are a great way to see some of the top sights and learn about them in comfort.
There are bus tours offered, but the traffic in Bangkok has the potential to make them a slog.
| Month | High F | Low F | PRECIP (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 90 | 70 | 0.4 |
| February | 91 | 74 | 1.2 |
| March | 93 | 77 | 1.1 |
| April | 95 | 79 | 2.6 |
| May | 93 | 78 | 8.7 |
| June | 92 | 78 | 5.9 |
| July | 91 | 77 | 6.1 |
| August | 91 | 77 | 7.8 |
| September | 90 | 76 | 14.0 |
| October | 90 | 76 | 9.5 |
| November | 89 | 74 | 1.9 |
| December | 88 | 69 | 0.4 |
As with virtually every other tropical city, Bangkok has two seasons, dry and rainy. It’s hot every day of the year, by most people’s standards, and it’s usually quite humid even during the so-called dry season. The warmest month of the year is April, and it only cools off slightly during the summer due to the frequent cloud cover.
The dry season lasts from November through April, with December and January being known for having virtually no rainfall at all. The rainy season lasts from May through October, and during this period it can come down in sheets, usually for short periods of time. December and January are usually the most comfortable months for visiting, but the city is modern and well suited to its rainfall so visiting any time of the year is okay.
| 21 Mar | 6:22am | 6:29pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:51am | 6:48pm |
| 21 Sep | 6:07am | 6:15pm |
| 21 Dec | 6:37am | 5:55pm |
Hotels in Bangkok can be found for next to nothing, but be warned that the absolute bottom end gets you a low standard that isn’t found many other places. Spending a bit more can get you something fairly nice, and things get better and better the more you are able to spend.
It doesn’t always happen this way, but in Bangkok the hotel seasons match the dry and rainy seasons exactly. For mid-range and high-end hotels, the high season in Bangkok is from November through April, and many also have a peak season during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday period.
The low season for Bangkok hotels runs during the rainy season, from May through October. For cheaper hotels they might not change the published rates at all during the year, but you’ll be in a better position to bargain for a lower rate during the low season, especially if you are planning on staying more than a couple days.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 8.00 - 14.00 |
| 11.00 - 48.00 |
| 15.00 - 50.00 |
| 24.00 - 62.00 |
| 72.00 - 147.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 7.61 - 17.08 |
Bangkok is served by two huge airports, the larger of the two being Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). This is where all long-haul flights land and many flights within Asia as well.
Don Muang Airport (DMK) is usually the busy hub for Asia Airlines and other low-cost carriers, although it has closed in 2020 for renovation during the COVID pandemic.
The BTS system is an above-ground metro that is cheap and efficient, although it doesn’t connect too many of the main tourist zones.
Taxis in Bangkok are very affordable and comfortable.
Tuk-tuks can be fun on short rides, but the drivers are known for trying to hustle passengers by promising free rides in exchange for visits to jewelry and clothing shops. It’s better to avoid those. Tuk-tuks are often more expensive than normal taxis anyway.
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from airport to city center | 7.97 - 11.51 |
| Airport train to city center | 1.30 - 2.59 |
| 3km tuk-tuk ride in Bangkok | 1.44 - 2.88 |
| Skytrain ride in Bangkok | 0.43 - 1.50 |
| 3km taxi ride in Bangkok | 1.90 - 2.88 |