How to Spend 3 Days in Bangkok, Thailand

There really is nothing like Thailand – they call it the “land of smiles” for good reason, and it truly is heaven on earth. The food is absolutely amazing, the people are so friendly, and the scenery is breathtaking and will leave you speechless.

Before the pandemic hit, my boyfriend and I traveled to Thailand for 3 weeks – from February 10 through February 27. In these next couple of posts, I’m going to break down everything we did in each city, in the order that we visited them. We did A LOT in these 3 weeks, and hit many of the touristy spots, but honestly I wish we could have stayed even longer! I feel like this itinerary though is perfect for those who want to get a good feel for the country and hit all of the must-see spots, while also giving you some time to relax and have a little downtime.  

Our Airbnb was beautiful, and the host was absolutely fantastic – her name was Orathip. At first, our Taxi had a bit of trouble finding it so we had to walk around for about an hour trying to find it, but along the way we found a “Car Bar” (and I mean that literally) where we stopped and had a beer and some delicious noodles the owner cooked up for us.

Then we went back to our room to get a good night’s rest for the next day. Also, one thing I want to mention is that the air conditioning in this place was AMAZING. One thing that many people may not realize before their trip is just how hot it is there, and humid, so be prepared! It would even be a good idea to bring some electrolyte tablets to have on hand just in case. (For all of my, *ahem, sweaty people out there – loose, thin, airy clothing will be your best friends…. I quite literally had to change twice a day, and we weren’t even there in the dead of summer!)

Day 2

The following day, we woke up and started our morning with some noodles! Which is VERY rare for me – I’m the kind of person that has to eat breakfast food for breakfast. My favorite food in the entire world is Thai food, so I could eat that for breakfast lunch and dinner lol. After our bellies were full, we explored the city in a Tuk Tuk – a three-wheeled little vehicle that’s used as a taxi. You have to haggle with them though because they can definitely get pricey!

We took a ride down to MBK Shopping Center, which is probably Bangkok’s most legendary shopping mall and for good reason! I’m not even into shopping, but this was impressive to see – so much so that we actually made another trip on our last day before making the journey back to the US.

There are 8 floors packed with 2,000 shops that sell everything from clothing, fashion accessories, handbags, leather products and luggage to furniture, mobile phones, electrical appliances, cameras, stationery and DVDs. And they’re CHEAP – you can seriously find anything your heart desires in this store. This is a great place to go to get gifts / souvenirs you want to bring home as well. Just make sure you have enough room to bring it all home 😉 On the weekend they also have an amazing outdoor food market, and unfortunately we didn’t realize it was only on the weekends or we would have eaten there! Definitely make sure you check it out.

After a day full of shopping and exploring, we went back to the Airbnb to get some rest before a night out on Khao San Road. This street is known for its nightlife, and is often referred to as the travelers / backpackers hub of the city filled with bars, restaurants and hostels. Make sure you get their bucket drinks! Super touristy, but they definitely get the job done if you’re looking to get a little tipsy 😉

Day 3 

The following day we bought a Hop on Hop Off Boat Pass, which was $7 for the whole day and took you up and down the Chao Phraya river. If you’re looking to see a bunch of the main sights in Bangkok, this is definitely worth the purchase. Since it was our first time in the country, we did a lot of the touristy things but for our next trip we’ll definitely go off the beaten path a bit more!

One of our first stops on the boat ride was the Flower Market, Pak Khlong Talat, a market in Wang Burapha Phirom Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok, Thailand, that sells flowers, fruits, and vegetables. It is the primary flower market of Bangkok and has been cited as a “place of symbolic value” to Bangkok residents. We just so happened to be there on Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated in Thailand, and the place was riddled with giant red teddy bears, love balloons, and more. And the smell!!

The next stop was the Iconsiam – I know, I know. I mentioned we weren’t into shopping, but we thought we might as well check it out to get our money’s worth, and oh we were not expecting what we saw! It was truly the most beautiful, spectacular shopping center I have ever seen. And even if you aren’t into shopping, just the design of the center is something to witness yourself. It actually won the INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY AWARDS in RETAIL DEVELOPMENT and World Retail Awards Outstanding Store Design of the Year> 1,2000 sqm.

Next stop was Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn. “Given the beauty of the architecture and the fine craftsmanship, it’s not surprising that Wat Arun is considered by many as one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand. The prang (spire) by the Chao Phraya is one of Bangkok’s world-famous landmarks. The imposing spire rises over 70 meters high, beautifully decorated with tiny pieces of colored glass and Chinese porcelain placed delicately into intricate patterns.” It was absolutely stunning, and the photos don’t do it anything close to justice. Make sure you dress accordingly and either bring a shawl or use one of the ones available for rent!

Day 4.5 

On our last day in the city (technically half day), we went to Chatuchak Market and let me just say that we wish we could have spent the whole day there! We had to catch our flight in the early afternoon so we couldn’t stay long, but it was truly something spectacular. Chatuchak is probably the biggest outdoor market in the world (at least one of the biggest), covering more than one km, and has about 15,000 stalls selling just about anything you can imagine from every corner of Thailand! And it has been in Bangkok for decades.

And lastly, on our last night during our three-week trip, we departed from Bangkok and were able to snag a one-night reservation at an Airbnb called Ba Hao, and it was without a doubt one of the top 5 highlights of our entire trip. If you have a chance, you should absolutely stay here, and if you can’t sleep here then you it would be worth your while to eat at the restaurant on the bottom floor – truly some of the best food we had the entire trip. A little bit about the spot is below and they’re usually booked so if you snag an opening you should DEFINITELY do it – it was worth every penny. We stayed in the SANTIPHAP ROOM, and it was charming. 

Website: https://www.ba-hao.com/room