Bangkok is famous for its rooftop bars, temples, cheap street food, crowded streets, and wild nightlife! 

When visiting Bangkok, there are a few scams to be aware of to have a more enjoyable vacation. This blog post also includes the three best temples to visit, as well as other things to do and see near Bangkok. 

Bangkok Scams

The Grand Palace is Closed

While you are walking around the vicinity of the Grand Palace you will most likely be approached by tuk-tuk drivers that will tell you that “The Grand Palace is closed today”. They then proceed to tell you that they can take you to all these free temples for 20 to 40 Baht. What they don’t tell you is that they take you to jewellery stores/tailor shops etc. as they get some form of payment from the shop owners. 

Khlongs Boat Canal

If you want to explore the Khlongs by boat, book a trip with a tour agent or at the pier. Avoid people that approach you on the street even near the pier. They will try to charge you a lot more than you it should be. If it’s a cheaper price be aware that they may take you on the boat but stop close to the pier demanding more money to take you back. 

Tuk Tuk Rides

This is similar to “the Grand Palace is closed” scam. Make sure to negotiate a price with the Tuk Tuk drivers before you ride one and that you are clear with them to only take you to the places you want to go and not to jewellery shops/tailors etc. unless you want to. Download the “Grab App” and check how much it roughly costs to get to and from destinations. This will help with knowing what price you can ask for. 

Unmetered Taxi’s

Some taxis don’t run on a meter and will just tell you a price that is usually a lot more than it should be. Always make sure to get metered taxis or use Grab so you know exactly what you can expect to pay.

3 Temples to Visit in Bangkok

The below 3 temples are close to each other so you can easily see them all in half a day. 

1. Wat Arun

Wat Arun is located on the opposite side of the river from The Grand Palace and Wat Pho, so you’ll need to take a ferry taxi from nearby Wat Pho. It costs only 5 Baht and takes only 5 minutes. 

Entrance Fee: 100 Baht per person including a bottle of water 

2. Wat Pho

Wat Pho is right beside the Grand Palace. Wat Pho is Bangkok’s oldest and largest temple complex, housing the giant reclining Buddha, one of Thailand’s largest Buddha sculptures. 

Stupas, chedis, and other historical statues can also be found in the temple. 

Entrance Fee: 200 Baht per person 

3. Temple of the Emerald Buddha

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is located inside The Grand Palace. There’s a strict dress code in place. Both men and women must cover their shoulders and knees. If you don’t adhere to the dress code you will be given the option to buy pants and/or a top from the entrance. If you must purchase, local stalls outside the Grand Palace sell clothing at much lower prices. 

Entrance Fee: 500 Baht per person (make sure to watch the free masked theatre show, included with your ticket). 3 shows run daily at 1 pm, 2:30 pm and 4 pm. Take the free shuttle bus to the theatre near the exit of The Grand Palace close to the show time. 

3 Things to do Near Bangkok

1. Chocolate Ville

Chocolate Ville is like a miniature Disneyland located about 30-40 minutes outside of Bangkok. It’s a vibrant eatery with a European village theme. There are tons of spots to take photos.

The entrance fee is 100 Baht per person, but if you buy food or drinks at the park, you can have this deducted from your bill. It’s the best place to take your kid or be a kid. Visit after 4:30 p.m. to see the village during the day and the beautiful decorations at night. 

2. Ancient City

Ancient City is one of the world’s largest outdoor museums featuring a 200-acre city with 109 scaled-down copies of Thailand’s most famous monuments and architectural attractions. Since the park is so big it’s best to either rent a golf cart (350 Baht for the first hour, 100 Baht for every hour after), rent a bicycle or there is a complementary tram service that runs at certain times of the day. Plan to spend at least half a day here or even the whole day as there is lots to see. 

The fee is 700 Baht per person if you pay on entry, but if you book online through the Klook website, you can save 50% and only pay 350 Baht per person. 

3. Wat Samphran

Wat Samphran, also known as the Dragon Temple, is about 50 minutes outside of Bangkok. There is no entry fee but it’s donation-based. You can go to the top of the building to take a selfie with the dragon’s head.  

Before entering the temple, you will be given a banner on which to write your name and hang it once you reach the top. Locals will explain the significance of the dragon temple and the rituals that take place here.  

An elephant and turtle statue stands to the right of the temple. The best place to photograph the dragon temple is at the top of the large gold Buddha structure. 

Bangkok is a city that most people will either love or hate but it’s worth visiting at least once to see what all the hype is about!