How To Spend 48 Hours In Bangkok

When it comes to the world’s most visited cities, Bangkok regularly retains the number one spot, attracting 22.78 million international visitors last year with its bustling street markets, colourful cultural attractions and a top-notch dining scene.

Here’s how to spend 48 hours in Thailand’s ‘City of Angels’ and why you should put it on top of your 2023 travel list.

Day one

Head to Toby’s at Saladaeng for breakfast

8 am: After a restful night’s sleep at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok and an energising in-house yoga session, choose from the hotel restaurant’s Shambhala Spa-inspired breakfast menu while overlooking the pool.

Alternatively, step out onto the streets of Sathorn and walk a few blocks to Toby’s at Saladaeng. Tucked down a quiet business district laneway, this attractive Australian-inspired cafe is the latest of the owner’s three modern offerings in the city, and its Aussie breakfast classics peppered with Thai flavour will transport your tastebuds across the Asia Pacific.

Pair a flat white or lean green juice with the prawn toast – topped with fried eggs, grilled prawns and lotus root served with black sesame sweet plum sauce, it’s the hearty start you need to tackle the busy streets.

sun loungers at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok’s pool — Relax by COMO Metropolitan Bangkok’s exquisite pool.

Wander around Lumpini Park

9.30 am: Cross the highway and stroll through one of the city’s loveliest parks en route to Silom metro station. Known as the ‘Central Park’ of Bangkok, Lumpini Park is an oasis of green where you’ll find locals practising taichi, making Buddhist offerings and taking to the lake in swan-shaped paddle boats.

Marvel at the Grand Palace

10.30 am: After catching the subway to Sanam Chai, exit the station in the historic centre of the city and walk to Bangkok’s number one attraction, the Grand Palace.

Rehomed here in 1792, the official residence of the King of Thailand is also home to the country’s most sacred Buddhist temple, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Save time by buying tickets online, ensuring you are appropriately dressed, and taking a tour with a local guide.

a gilded statue in the Grand Palace — Find many gilded statues at the Grand Palace. (Image: Rutpratheep Nilpechr)

Gaze in awe at Wat Pho

12 pm: Next, walk a few blocks to Wat Pho. The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is one of Bangkok’s oldest and most visited temples. Aside from housing an impressive 46-metre-long golden Buddha, it also holds the ashes of King Rama I who restored the temple complex in 1788.

people entering Wat Pho, Temple of the Reclining Buddha — Visit Wat Pho, Temple of the Reclining Buddha. (Image: Taylor Simpson)

Considered Thailand’s earliest centre for public education, Wat Pho was added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World program in 2008 for its ancient marble inscriptions, including those about Thai medicine and massage. As the birthplace of Thai massage, a treatment at the temple’s massage school is a must.

intricate details of the Wat Pho structure — The temple is one of Bangkok’s most sought-after sights. (Image: Jack Hunter)

Visit Bangkok’s newest shopping centre

1.30 pm: By now you’ll be ready for lunch. Take a traditional long boat or express ferry from nearby Tha Chang Pier and cruise down the Chao Phraya River to one of Bangkok’s newest luxury shopping centres, Iconsiam.

Drink and dine at Tasana Nakorn Terrace

2 pm: Positioned on the west bank and ranked among the top four shopping centres in the world in 2021, Iconsiam is one of the largest malls in Asia, with more than 7000 global brands and 100 restaurants.

Spread over multiple levels and seven different dining zones, eating options range from Michelin-star restaurants such as Blue by Alain Ducasse, to street food stalls within the world’s only indoor floating market – showcasing dishes from Thailand’s 77 provinces. Before you go, grab a drink at Tasana Nakorn Terrace for spectacular riverfront views.

Experience the Mahanakhon Skywalk

4 pm: Speaking of views, catch Iconsiam’s free shuttle boat to Sathorn Pier before connecting via the BTS Skytrain to Bangkok’s newest skyscraper and Thailand’s tallest building, King Power Mahanakhon.

Head straight to the top for the Mahanakhon Skywalk – an experience that includes walking over a glass tray on the 78th floor and 360-degree views from the Observation Deck at the Peak, 314 metres above ground level.

the tallest skyscraper in Thailand — Gaze at Thailand’s tallest skyscraper, the King Power Mahanakhon. (Image: Rutpratheep Nilpechr)

Pamper yourself with a luxury spa treatment

5.30 pm: By now you’ll want to head back to COMO Metropolitan Bangkok for a well-earned rest. Relax with a luxurious treatment at COMO Shambhala Spa, a signature cocktail by the pool or power nap back in your room.

Sit down to a traditional Thai fine dining at Nahm

8 pm: After freshening up, sit down to dinner at Nahm. Consistently ranked among the best restaurants in Asia since its opening by renowned chef David Thompson in 2010, the restaurant at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok has retained its Michelin star for six years running, with Pim Techamuanvivit now at the helm. Opt for the Heritage degustation with matching wines to experience a modern, fine-dining take on traditional Thai fare.

Grab a drink at Moon Bar

9.30 pm: Bangkok is known for its rooftop bars. Stroll next door to Banyan Tree and take the lift to the hotel’s Vertigo and Moon Bar to experience one of its best. Located on the 61st floor, the cocktail bar is the perfect place to drink in the bright lights of the city and see King Power Mahanakhon from a different perspective, right in front of you.

people dining at Vertigo and Moon Bar, Banyan Tree — Head to Vertigo and Moon Bar at Banyan Tree for a quick buzz.

Head to Chinatown for late-night barhopping

10.30 pm: If you’ve still got energy to burn, head to Chinatown for late-night barhopping. Popular with a young, hip crowd, Soi Nana is the best laneway to explore with cute and compact speakeasy-style cocktail bars including Asia Today, Tep Bar, Wallflowers and Teens of Thailand – with the latter regularly ranking among Asia’s 50 Best Bars.

Day Two

Go for a morning stroll

8 am: After breakfast, catch a tuk-tuk to nearby Benchakitti Forest Park for a morning stroll along the park’s newly opened Skywalk. Running almost two kilometres, the raised walkway is thought to be one of the world’s longest.

Set within 48 hectares of land formerly belonging to the Tobacco Authority of Thailand, the newly converted and expanded wetlands now make Benchakitti Forest Park the largest of its kind in the city.

an aerial view of the wetlands at Benjakitti Park — Benchakitti Forest Park is home to an abundance of water lilies.

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Discover Thailand’s remarkable silk industry

9.30 am: For one of the city’s cultural treasures, make your way to Jim Thompson House Museum to visit the Bangkok home and Asian art collection of the man responsible for reviving Thailand’s silk industry.

Book ahead for a guided tour of the six traditional teak weavers’ cottages that make up the late American entrepreneur’s home. Stop at the museum shop on your way out for luxury silk clothing and textiles.

verdant gardens at Jim Thompson House Museum — Explore art and lush gardens at Jim Thompson House Museum.

Browse artisan shops at BACC

11 am: Walk around the corner to Siam Square to see the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC). Worth a visit for its architecture alone, the centre’s circular atrium design is likened to New York’s Guggenheim Museum. Host to contemporary events, activities and exhibitions from some of the best Thai and international artists, BACC is also a regular venue for the Bangkok Art Biennale. Take time to browse artisan shops also located here.

people looking at the art displays inside Bangkok Art and Culture Centre — The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre’s design has been likened to New York’s Guggenheim Museum.

Admire colourful street art

12.30 am: Catch the BTS Skytrain to Saphan Taksin to explore Bangkok’s newest creative district. Charoenkrung Road is the city’s oldest road and along it you’ll find an array of hipster galleries, design stores, cafes and excellent eateries such as Samlor.

The popular comfort food restaurant is the latest venture of Napol Jantraget and Saki Hoshino – the power couple chefs who formerly owned Michelin star restaurant 80/20, also found here. After lunch, visit Thailand Creative Design Centre and slip down side streets known as sois for colourful street art and hidden bars.

Get a Thai massage at Mandarin Oriental

2 pm: Walk from Charoenkrung to nearby Mandarin Oriental to try the high-end hotel’s latest spa treatment, the Cannabis Relax and Restore Massage. With cannabis now decriminalised in Thailand, it’s the perfect time to experience the therapeutic effects of the plant with a luxury treatment that includes CBD-infused massage oil and cannabis poultice combined with medicinal Thai herbs.

Pre-book and arrive early for the included river boat crossing from the hotel to The Orient Spa, located on the opposite side of the Chao Phraya. Alternatively, head back to COMO Metropolitan Bangkok for a Thai massage and dip in the hotel pool.

Get social at The Commons

5 pm: Feeling refreshed, walk around the corner from the hotel to The Commons. Filled with eateries, bars, fitness studios and an event space, this modern multi-level hub in Saladaeng is one of two in the city, designed with community in mind. Get social and grab a drink here before taking the metro to Rama 9 for dinner.

Try local street food

6.30 pm: While Chatuchak Market is Bangkok’s biggest marketplace, Jodd Fairs is its newest, popular with visitors and locals alike. Wander the night market’s fairy-lit aisles to shop for creative wares, clothing and street food with a twist like cheese-flavoured ice-cream, quail egg skewers topped with bacon, matcha green tea macarons and the local favourite, leng saeb – a mountain of spicy pork served in a tasty broth. Of course, more traditional fare can be found here too, including delicious seafood delicacies.

a durian fruit stall at Jodd Fairs night market — Pull up a table at Jodd Fairs night market to feast on local street food in a buzzing atmosphere.

Wind down at BKK Social Club

8.30 pm: For your last spin in the city, feel the wind in your hair by taking a tuk-tuk to BKK Social Club. Coming in at number 10 at Asia’s 50 Best Bar Awards last year and crowned Thailand’s best, the cocktail bar within the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River is inspired by the glamour of Buenos Aires, with its parallels to Bangkok.

Settle into a plush private booth beneath the greenery and chandeliers in the indoor-outdoor space, and soak up the sublime selection of upbeat music and bespoke cocktails. Want more? End your night on a high at one of the city’s newest rooftop bars, The Loft at Waldorf Astoria. The bohemian, New York-style Art Nouveau bar located on the 57th floor serves the forgotten cocktails of the original 1953 Waldorf Astoria Bar Book.

a classy interior at BKK Social Club — BKK Social Club was voted the 10th best bar in Asia. (Image: Ken Seet)

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.