Refreshed: September 2026
Bangkok is an assault on all of your senses, period!
From the moment you arrive until the moment you leave, it is an unforgettable experience. The noise, the traffic, the crowds, the smells — everything just hits you. And not to mention the heat!
I was in Bangkok for a three-day stopover and, unlike many of my trips, I had no guide or organised city tour to rely on. I had to fend for myself. Fortunately, my friend’s son lived in Bangkok and came to my rescue. It certainly helped having someone who knew his way around the city.
With only three days, I wanted to see as much of Bangkok as possible and experience some of its most famous attractions.
The Grand Palace
At the top of my list was the Grand Palace, one of Bangkok’s best-known sights. It is a magnificent complex of buildings and temples, with so much to see in a relatively small area.
It was incredibly busy. Locals and tourists from all over the world queued to see the main sights, and everyone seemed to be jostling for space and trying to take photographs. It was a rainy day, although certainly not cold.
I hired an audio guide to help me navigate the complex and understand the history and significance of the different buildings. There was so much information that after a while I gave up trying to absorb everything and simply went with the flow!
Taking good photographs wasn’t easy either. Avoiding the crowds was almost impossible, so eventually I stopped worrying about achieving the perfect shot and concentrated on enjoying what I was seeing.
The Temple of the Emerald Buddha
The highlight for me was visiting the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, one of the most sacred Buddhist temples in Thailand.
Before entering, visitors had to remove their shoes and dress appropriately. I already knew about the dress code and had come prepared, but several tourists had arrived wearing shorts or unsuitable tops and needed to cover themselves before entering.
Beautiful murals
Another thing that caught my attention was the beautiful hand-painted murals along the walls of the Grand Palace complex. Some seemed to continue forever along the corridors.
I didn’t understand the stories being depicted, but it didn’t matter. I could still appreciate them for what they were beautiful works of art.
With only three days in Bangkok, there simply wasn’t time to see everything. I missed Wat Pho and its famous Reclining Buddha, but I did manage another experience high on my list — a floating market.
An adventure at the floating market
Getting there was an adventure in itself.
I bought the excursion from a tour company with a desk in my hotel lobby. Yes, one of those! But I had already done my research online and knew roughly what the tour should cost, so I was satisfied that I wasn’t being ripped off.
I was picked up very early from my hotel for the coach journey to the floating market outside Bangkok. The journey took around two hours and our guide was engaging, informative and entertaining.
Most importantly, she also knew when to stop talking and let those who wanted to sleep get some rest!
Naturally, there was the obligatory stop along the way providing us with an “opportunity” to buy souvenirs.
The market was colourful and busy, with boats selling food, fruit, drinks and other goods. There were also plenty of stalls aimed at tourists.
I enjoyed the food much more than the souvenir shopping.
The boat trip through the market was included in our excursion and although it was fun, I found it slightly terrifying.
The waterways were narrow and crowded and our boatman seemed determined to get us through them as quickly as humanly possible. I wondered whether he was on some sort of bonus for reaching the other side first!
For him, of course, it was just another day’s work. For me, someone who couldn’t swim, it was rather different.
And I can assure you, the water did not look particularly inviting. Falling in was definitely not part of my Bangkok itinerary!
Bangkok street food
I love food generally and street food in particular. Wherever I travel, I enjoy trying the local dishes, so Bangkok was certainly not going to disappoint me.
I found a food market in the city centre where you could feast with your eyes as well as your stomach. There was so much choice.
Naturally, I tried as much as I could possibly manage. Some things I loved and some I didn’t. And a few didn’t remain in my mouth for very long!
That’s all part of the experience.
An evening at Siam Niramit
As well as travel and food, I enjoy seeing local cultural performances. Wherever possible, I try to see a show and experience some of the music, dance and traditions of the country I am visiting.
In Bangkok, I went to see Siam Niramit, a large cultural production showcasing Thai history, arts and traditions.
The evening included traditional village settings, outdoor performances, music and dance, along with other activities before the main show.
After the noise and chaos of central Bangkok, wandering around the recreated villages was surprisingly peaceful.
Then came the show itself — colourful, energetic and spectacular. It was a great evening out and gave me another glimpse into Thai culture.
And then there were the electricity cables...
Of all the things I saw in Bangkok, there was one completely unexpected sight that fascinated me.
The electricity cables.
Yes. Electricity cables!
There seemed to be masses of them everywhere — bundled together, winding around poles and stretching above the streets.
I couldn’t stop taking photographs of them.
My fellow travellers eventually became slightly concerned by my new obsession and joked that they would soon be invited to sit through my Bangkok electricity-cable slideshow when we returned home!
But seriously — have you ever seen anything quite like this?
Seeing really is believing
Bangkok was chaotic, colourful, noisy, hot, fascinating and occasionally overwhelming.
And I loved experiencing it.
Three days gave me only a taste of the city, but what a taste it was: magnificent temples, beautiful artwork, street food, a floating-market boat ride that tested my nerves, a wonderful cultural show and, of course, those unforgettable electricity cables.
If you want somewhere completely different from what you are used to, Bangkok certainly delivers.
Go with an open mind. Embrace the noise, the crowds, the food, the culture and the unexpected.
Because sometimes, seeing really is believing.
Have you been to Bangkok? What surprised you most about the city?
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Very interesting experience molly.
Yes it was. Thank you.