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Chanting monks, gilded palaces, lively markets — experience Bangkok’s highlights through the eyes of a local.
Split into 50 districts, intersected by the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok is too vast to explore on foot alone. Accompanied by a private guide, you’ll cross the city by tuk-tuk, as well as boat taxi or Skytrain, taking in major highlights as you go.
Flitting between crowded streets and tranquil wats (temples), you’ll see Bangkok from many different perspectives. You might ride the BTS Skytrain with morning commuters, experiencing rush hour without bumper-to-bumper traffic. Or, if you’re staying in a riverside hotel, you might take a taxi ride along the Chao Phraya River, where every twist and turn brings a different view — glittering palaces, 400-year-old temples, busy markets, and stilted wooden houses teetering on the water’s edge.
This is a private tour, so what you see is entirely up to you, but popular spots include the Grand Palace for a glimpse into Thai royalty, and Wat Pho, whose star attraction is the country’s largest reclining Buddha, which is covered in gold leaf. Your guide can take you early to experience the monks’ daily chanting ritual.
You might also choose to visit the Jim Thompson House, a canal-side showcase of the American silk businessman’s art and antiques, or explore one of Bangkok’s liveliest districts, Khao San Road, by tuk-tuk.
Weaving through market lanes past vendors selling t-shirts, trinkets, and pad thai, you’ll encounter a heady mix of honking horns, swirls of incense, and flashes of neon.
Along the way, you’ll stop at a local cafe to try oliang (iced coffee) or lemongrass tea.
Typically, the tour takes half a day.
Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our Thailand specialists
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
Eco-friendly canal cruise through Bangkok鈥檚 historic khlongs
After exploring the quiet bakery-lined streets of Bangkok鈥檚 Portuguese quarter, you鈥檒l step aboard a solar-powered longtail boat to experience life along the historic Thonburi canals. Wooden shophouses on stilts, gilded temples, and a towering golden statue all line your route.
Experience the secret garden of Bang Kra Jao by bicycle
Just across the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok lies the city's secret garden 鈥� Bang Kra Jao. Only accessible by boat, you must cross the river on a small ferry to reach this beautiful area full of small villages, temples and tropical flora.
Experience the Songkran Festival
The Songkran Festival celebrates the New Year. They are colorful and lively celebrations, with music, traditional dance and, of course, water, which symbolically cleanses the body from the sins of the previous year.
Sizzling food tour of Bangkok by tuk-tuk
Sweet, sour, salty, and spicy 鈥� Thailand鈥檚 cuisine is known for its expert balance of all four flavors, and one of the best ways to taste them is on a privately guided tuk-tuk tour of Bangkok.
Street food walking tour of old Bangkok
You and your guide will walk through the narrow streets to experience many local sights with various food tastings along the way. Try things like 鈥榢afae boran鈥�, a classic Thai coffee, or the popular Thai dessert, 'Khanom Thua Paep' (mung bean rice crepe).
The Silk Route of Jim Thompson
Jim Thompson's house is a real highlight of any trip to Bangkok. The house itself is beautifully decorated and preserved and provides a fascinating insight into the life of this mysterious man, who set up a huge empire trading in Thai silk before disappearing whilst walking in the Malaysian highlands in 1967.
Wat Pho & The Grand Palace
An early start will get you to Wat Pho in time to experience the monks' early morning chanting ritual and avoid the crowds who arrive later.
Witness chanting at Wat Pho
An early start will get you to Wat Pho in time to experience the monks' early morning chanting ritual. Later you will visit the temple grounds and the famous 45-meter Reclining Buddha, and The Grand Palace, Thailand's most important landmark.
You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tours below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.
