Itinerary · Thailand
Bangkok temples in one day: Grand Palace to Wat Arun
Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho a 10-minute walk away, a small boat to Wat Arun, then Jim Thompson House or Chinatown: Bangkok's old town in a day.
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The day at a glance: palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, then a choice
Bangkok's three big old-town temples sit along the Chao Phraya River, so they fit neatly into one day. The guide's 4-day plan opens the same way: Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew in the morning, then Wat Pho and a massage, then a boat to Wat Arun. This post takes that single day and goes deeper into the order, dress code, scams, the river crossing and afternoon options.
Start early at the Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew, walk 10 minutes to Wat Pho, then cross to Wat Arun by small boat from the pier near Wat Pho. In the afternoon, pick either Jim Thompson House, the traditional home of a silk entrepreneur, or Chinatown (Yaowarat), famous for street food after dark. For a full multi-day plan, see the Bangkok 5-day itinerary.
- Early morning: Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew (foreign visitors pay an entry fee; check the official price)
- Next: a 10-minute walk to Wat Pho for the Reclining Buddha and a massage
- Afternoon: a small boat from the pier near Wat Pho to Wat Arun
- Late afternoon to evening: Jim Thompson House or Chinatown
Before you set out: dress code and where you stay
Sleeveless tops and shorts are not allowed at the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, so wear long trousers and a top that covers your shoulders. At other temples, too, cover shoulders and knees and remove your shoes indoors. Insulting the monarchy is a criminal offence, so mind what you say.
Where you stay shapes the morning. Khao San / Old Town is close to the Grand Palace and major temples on foot or by taxi but has no rail station. Riverside hotels have easy boat access to the Grand Palace and Wat Arun, and hotel shuttle boats make it convenient. Silom / Sathorn has good access to both the BTS and the river, while Sukhumvit is a longer ride to the old-town temples.
The Chao Phraya Express Boat is scenic and practical for the Grand Palace and Wat Arun. Sathorn Pier connects to BTS Saphan Taksin. The MRT Blue Line serves Sanam Chai station near Wat Pho, and you can tap in with a contactless credit card.
- Long trousers and a top that covers your shoulders (no sleeveless tops or shorts at the Grand Palace)
- Shoes that are easy to slip off
- Small notes in cash (street stalls and markets are cash-based)
- Bottled water (do not drink tap water)
Morning: Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew, and the 'closed today' scam
The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) is Bangkok's must-see. Foreign visitors pay an entry fee, so check the current price on the official site. The guide says to go early in the morning; the midday heat is intense, so finishing the outdoor sightseeing early makes the rest of the day easier.
Ignore anyone near the Grand Palace or other famous temples who says it is closed today and offers a tuk-tuk tour; it is a classic scam. If you do take a tuk-tuk, agree on the price before getting in and decline any detour to gem or tailor shops.
Wat Pho: a 10-minute walk, the Reclining Buddha and a massage
Wat Pho is a 10-minute walk from the Grand Palace, which makes the two an easy pair. It is home to the 46 m golden Reclining Buddha and is the birthplace of traditional Thai massage.
The guide's own plan also puts Wat Pho and a massage into this day. It advises alternating indoor and outdoor plans to cope with the midday heat, so a massage after a morning on your feet fits well. Tipping is not required, but about 50-100 THB after a massage is customary.
Wat Arun: crossing by boat from the pier near Wat Pho
Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) stands on the opposite bank, and you cross by small boat from the pier near Wat Pho. That is why it follows Wat Pho so naturally.
Wat Arun looks best at sunset, viewed from the opposite bank. See the prang up close by day, and if you have time, look back at it from across the river as the sun goes down.
For other riverside stops, the Chao Phraya Express Boat is handy for the Grand Palace, Wat Arun and riverside night markets. Check boat fares at the pier.
Afternoon choice: Jim Thompson House or Chinatown
Jim Thompson House is a museum in the traditional teak houses of an American silk entrepreneur, seen on a guided tour. It is near BTS National Stadium. The guide's 4-day plan pairs it with the Siam malls, so add it this afternoon if traditional houses interest you, or save it for a shopping day in Siam.
Chinatown (Yaowarat) is one of Bangkok's best-known street-food strips and comes alive after dark. It is walkable from MRT Wat Mangkon, and the MRT Blue Line links Sanam Chai near Wat Pho with Chinatown, so it is an easy way to carry a temple day into the evening.
The old town has no rail station, so getting to other districts is slower. Ride-hailing apps fix the fare in advance, so there is no haggling, but rush-hour traffic is heavy, so combine them with rail.
- Pad Thai and som tam: about 60-100 THB a plate at street stalls (say mai pet for a mild som tam)
- Khao man gai: about 50-80 THB
- Mango sticky rice: about 100-150 THB (mango season is March to May)
Budget, weather and a final check
The guide's daily budgets are about 1,200 THB (hostels, street food, public transport), about 3,500 THB (4-star hotel, restaurants and massages, ride-hailing) and about 10,000 THB+ (riverside luxury hotel, fine dining, rooftop bars). Check the Grand Palace entry fee on the official site. Thai ATMs charge a fee per foreign-card withdrawal (check the amount at each bank), so withdraw larger amounts less often.
The guide names November to February, the dry season, as the comfortable time to visit. Thai Meteorological Department submission · WMO normals collection (NOAA NCEI) figures for Bangkok Metropolis station, 1991–2020, give November to February highs of 32-34°C, lows of 23-25°C and about 12-45 mm of rain a month. March to May is very hot (April high 36°C), and June to October brings short, heavy afternoon downpours. In any season, do the outdoor sights in the morning.
- Long trousers and a top that covers your shoulders
- Small notes in cash and bottled water
- Ignore 'closed today' tuk-tuk offers
- Check entry requirements with official sources
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FAQ
Can I enter the Grand Palace in shorts?
No. Sleeveless tops and shorts are not allowed at the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew. Wear long trousers and cover your shoulders, and remove your shoes inside temple buildings.
How do I get to Wat Arun?
It is on the opposite bank, so you cross by small boat from the pier near Wat Pho. The Chao Phraya Express Boat is also handy along the river, and Sathorn Pier connects to BTS Saphan Taksin.
What if someone near the palace says it is closed today?
Ignore anyone who says it is closed today and offers a tuk-tuk tour; it is a classic scam. Agree on tuk-tuk fares before getting in and decline detours to gem or tailor shops.
Jim Thompson House or Chinatown for the afternoon?
Choose Jim Thompson House, near BTS National Stadium, for a guided tour of traditional houses, or Chinatown, walkable from MRT Wat Mangkon, if street food in the evening is the goal.
Related reading
ⓘ Photo credits
- Wat Arun · Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 3.0
- Airport Rail Link train, Bangkok · Chitipat Witee / CC BY-SA 4.0