Best Tours of Bangkok

Thailand has been the most popular destination for young tourists in recent years. Bangkok, the capital of this country, has become the most visited city thanks to the variety of destinations and activities it offers. Its official name is Krung Thep Mahanakhon.

Among so many options to enjoy the best things Bangkok has to offer, I recommend taking tours. You will find a variety of options to help you get around the city and not miss anything. You will also be able to enjoy good Thai food.

If you are a well-informed tourist, you probably have several destinations in mind that you want to explore. If so, I recommend you hire a private guide and show him or her your places of interest. This way this professional will take you directly to the sites you want. These types of tours average €60 and last approximately eight hours.

Among the sites usually included in these tours are the Grand Palace and the floating market. You can even visit Bangkok's lively neighbourhoods and sample local food. Please note that everything you consume during the tour is at your own expense. It is common for tourists to offer food to their guide as well.

You can also visit the city's best temples including Wat Po and Wat Arun. Other places to visit include the Jim Thompson House, Khaosan Road and more. Entrance to museums and temples should be at your own expense as well as transport.

You should also bear in mind that this type of tour does not include private transport, but that your guide will tell you which public transport to take. Also, you will have to walk especially if the sites you will visit are close to each other.

Details of interest

• Price: around 60 €.
• Duration: approximately 8 hours.
• Means of transport: you will take public transport and walk around the city.
• Advantages of this option: you will be able to walk around the city visiting the sites of your choice and your guide will accompany you at all times.
• Disadvantages of this option: it is better to do a little more research before hiring this service, so you know which sites you should visit. However, you can ask your guide to point out the best options.

Among the best things to do at night in Bangkok is a tuk tuk tour. Tuk tuk tours cost an average of €75 and last about four hours. To start, meet your guide at the station he or she tells you to go to. This is usually Krung Thonburi, at the Green Line exit.

The first thing you'll do on an evening tour is hop on a tuk-tuk. A tuk-tuk is a motorised tricycle that is very popular in many Asian countries. On board you will see the city, its temples and skyscrapers lit up.

With this means of transport, you will visit different destinations such as markets, palaces and even the bustling streets of Chinatown. There you can find places to eat authentic Thai fast food and even enjoy a delicious dessert. At all times your guide will tell you important details and facts about all the places you visit.

Please note that this tour does not include entrance fees to the different temples, but you will be responsible for them. At the end of the tour, your guide will take you back to the starting point or to the nearest public transport station to the hotel where you are staying.

Details of interest

• Price: around 75 €.
• Duration: approximately 4 hours.
• Means of transport: tuk tuk.
• Advantages of this option: you will be able to experience Bangkok by night and one of its most popular forms of transport.
• Disadvantages of this option: entrance to the sites visited is not included.

Do you like Thai food? If you answered yes, you should sign up for this cooking class tour in Bangkok. There is no better way to learn about a culture than through its cuisine. These types of experiences usually cost an average of €40 and last approximately four hours.

Food tours in Bangkok are the order of the day. However, to make them more interesting, cooking classes are included. To start this tour, you will first meet your guide and group at a specific location in the city. From there you can head to the nearest market.

There your guide and chef will tell you what ingredients to buy. You will be fascinated to see all the shops and ingredients you can choose from. Then it's time to go to the kitchen where the magic happens. You can choose from a list of 20 dishes the five that catch your eye. These include pineapple fried rice, green curry and sweet and sour chicken, among others.

Once you choose what you are going to prepare, the chef will give you the instructions you need. When you're done you can enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner, depending on the time of day you take this tour. This will be a great time to share with other tourists before returning to your hotel or continuing to enjoy the city.

Details of interest

• Price: around 40 €.
• Duration: approximately 4 hours.
• Means of transport: walking tour.
• Advantages of this option: you can learn how to prepare Thai dishes.
• Disadvantages of this option: you won't get to see many parts of the city. Also not recommended if you don't like cooking.

Have you ever seen a floating market? Well, in Bangkok you will! Your guide will take you to see them and you will also learn how some of the city's coconut and salt workshops work. The whole experience costs an average of €40 and lasts approximately seven hours.

A tour of Bangkok's floating markets is a must on your visit to Bangkok. To tour them, meet your guide at a pre-arranged point. He or she will tell you which transport to take to get to the place where you will board a boat that will take you to the Damnoen Saduak floating market.

You can take a boat ride and then walk around the market. Then it's time to visit the railway market. Visiting these places will allow you to learn about the local culture and see how the locals behave. You will also be able to take home a souvenir for when you return home.

The last stops are usually the small workshops where coconut sugar and salt are made. You can have a tasting and learn about all the work these people do. At the end, your guide will take you back to the starting point or drop you off at the closest point to your hotel or your next destination.

Interesting details

• Price: around 40 €.
• Duration: approximately 7 h.
• Means of transport: boat and walking tour.
• Advantages of this option: you will be able to see sites not found in other parts of the world.
• Disadvantages of this option: if you get seasick travelling by boat, this may not be the best option for you.

A Bangkok river cruise tour is a unique experience you must have in Bangkok. This tour takes place on the Chao Phraya River and to get there you must meet your guide at a pre-arranged location. The average cost of this cruise is €50 and it lasts on average three hours.

From the meeting point, your guide will take you to the pier where you will board a luxurious boat. You can sit in the comfortable seats or stroll around the deck and admire the city as the sun sets. As the ride progresses, your guide will point out the sites that can be seen from there. Highlights include the Temple of Dawn and the Grand Palace.

At one point during the tour you can enjoy the large buffet of Thai food included in this tour. You will be able to eat delicious dishes and even desserts at this amazing dinner. You will even have the chance to listen to the melodious music of a live band or local guest artists.

On this tour you will also pass under the Royal Barges National Museum Bridge, as well as the Asiatique Museum The Riverfront and the Phra Sumen Wat Rakang Kositaram Fort, among other sites. At the end of the tour, you will return to the pier so you can either return to your hotel or continue to enjoy the night in Bangkok with other vibrant plans.

Details of interest

• Price: around €50.
• Duration: approximately 3 hours.
• Means of transport: boat.
• Advantages of this option: you can enjoy a delicious Thai buffet and a night view of the city.
• Disadvantages of this option: if you tend to get seasick on boat rides, this may not be your best option for getting to know Bangkok.

Would you like to see a natural spectacle made up of thousands of fireflies? In Bangkok you can see it with a twilight bicycle tour. This experience costs an average of €60 and lasts approximately five hours. Just meet your guide at a specific point, take your bike and start the tour.

Bicycle tours in Bangkok are very popular and in demand. On this one you will have the opportunity to ride a bicycle made of bamboo- have you ever seen one, you'll love it! They are safe and environmentally friendly vehicles that will help you get to know the city.

If you want to see the fireflies popular in the city, then you should do this tour during the night. The tour usually takes you through the back streets of the capital until you reach a restaurant near the Chao Phraya River. There you can enjoy dinner included in the final price of the tour. After dinner you can continue the tour to where your guide tells you to go.

Please note that you will only be able to see the fireflies if you travel between May and December to Bangkok. In other seasons you will be able to do the same tour, but you will not be able to see the fireflies. A bottle of water and a safety helmet are included in the tour.

Interesting details

• Price: around €60.
• Duration: approximately 5 hours.
• Means of transport: bamboo bicycle.
• Advantages of this option: you will be able to tour the city on a bamboo bike and interact with Bangkok's nature.
• Disadvantages of this option: if you don't know how to ride a bike, it would be better to take another type of tour.

When travelling to Bangkok you should bear in mind that the climate throughout the year is hot and the humidity is usually high. This is because the city is crossed by the Chao Phraya River. If you want to feel less heat during your stay, the best time of year to visit Bangkok would be January.

However, I recommend doing a little more research to see if any activities or festivals are held in a different month. Regardless of the time of year you travel, keep in mind that the clothes you wear should be light and cool. This way you will be able to walk in peace and not get too hot.

In case you are travelling in rainy months, don't forget to bring an umbrella. On the other hand, don't forget to bring sunscreen and always have a bottle of water at hand. It is also a good idea to have cash on hand in local currency, so that you can tip or pay for services more easily.

Among the things you should know about Bangkok is that it is considered disrespectful to buy Buddha souvenirs. You will even see billboards explaining this. If you want to take a souvenir home with you, it's best to bring a handicraft or something similar.

On the other hand, it's a good idea to do some research on the sites you want to see in Bangkok. Many tours can be customised to your liking so it will be a great opportunity for you to plan an itinerary that meets your expectations. This way you will be able to enjoy much more of this Asian paradise in Thailand.