There are parts of Bangkok just begging to be explored on foot. Indeed, there are even a few places that can't possibly be accessed by bus or even car. However, given the city's hot tropical climate, walking is not for everyone. Even those in good shape will need to take it easy and plan on a water break from time to time. The walks outlined here are designed to take about two hours, although in some cases there are optional extensions for those that want to keep going.
Needless to say, the best time to explore is in the early morning hours. Most temples on these tours will be open at 8:00 am or earlier. Markets will sometimes be in full swing as early as 4:00 am.
Several of these tours are available in ebook form, so you can take them with you and follow step-by-step. See the page on our Bangkok Walking Tours ebook for details.
- Golden Mount to Giant Swing
- Some of Bangkok's quirkiest, and infrequently visited, sights are all along a route running down the eastern wall of the old royal precinct. This walk takes you to the Golden Mount, the Loha Prasat, Monk's Bowl Village and then on to the Giant Swing. You can also buy a downloadable e-Guide for this walking tour.
- Chinatown
- Bangkok's Chinatown is home to several markets, where one can find just about anything for sale. Set close by the river, the district is easy to access by river boat -- much easier than getting there by car. Consisting of many narrow lanes, Chinatown can really only be explored on foot.
- Ratanakosin Island
- There's more to the royal city than the Grand Palace. This walking tour takes in many of the lesser known, but no less interesting, sights.
- Thonburi
- The often ignored west bank of the Chaophraya river has some interesting temples and other places, some of which pre-date the founding of Bangkok.