9 Things You Have To Do In Bangkok

The Thai capital’s full of famous markets, delicious street food, emerging art scene and grand palaces, but here are the best things to do while in Bangkok.

The Charoen Krung Road experience

Eschew the big sights and tourist spots of the centre for a day and see this intriguing art-infused district just to the south, off Charoen Krung Road.

1. The Jam Factory

Start your day at the Jam Factory, a warehouse collective of businesses. You’ll find Candide Books & Cafe, a chic homewares store, and The Never Ending Summer, which serves classic Thai in a minimalist space; think about returning for dinner. Catch a boat from Klong San Pier across the river.

Address: 41/1-5 Charoen Nakhon Rd, Khwaeng Khlong San, Khet Khlong San, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10600, Thailand

2. Speedy Grandma Gallery

New galleries are popping up all over this area. One of these is Speedy Grandma, which – located in an unassuming back alley – gives a voice to young, often subversive local artists. There are around 10 exhibitions a year featuring everything from photography to sculpture.

Address: 672/52 Charoen Krung Rd, Khwaeng Bang Rak, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, Thailand

3. Bangkokian Museum

Walk down Charoen Krung Road but take a detour up Charoen Krung 43 Alley to this free little museum (and moment of calm). Built in 1937, it is the preserved home of the middle-class Suravadee family, a picture of life during the Second World War.

Address: 273 Saphan Yao Alley, Khwaeng Si Phraya, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, Thailand

4. Number 1 Gallery

Speedy Grandma artists could graduate to host an exhibition here. Its 300 square metres of gallery space showcases up-and-coming Thai and international artists. There’s also a bar and cafe attached. Check out Number 1 Gallery for what’s on.

Address: 19 Soi Silom 21, Khwaeng Silom, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, Thailand

5. Blue Elephant Cooking School & Restaurant

Bangkok is your chance to sample delicious food. Learn how to make it yourself by taking an afternoon cooking class, Ancient Thai Cuisine Cooking, at this restaurant housed in a period mansion, hosted by chef Nooror Somany.

Address: 233 S Sathorn Rd, Khwaeng Yan Nawa, Khet Sathon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10120, Thailand

6. Sky Bar

By night, Bangkok is a neon-drenched, cyberpunk spectacle that’s best viewed from on high. Sky Bar is the place to enjoy a cocktail while gazing out at the metropolis and its ramshackle skyline; one of the best open roof high-rise bars in the city.

Address: 1055 Si Lom, Khwaeng Silom, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, Thailand

markets bangkok shopping food clothes discover sights bars art attractions — The must see spotsaround Bangkok (illustration: Mike Rossi).

The 3 Bangkok must-do’s

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7. The Grand Palace

The hundred or so buildings that constitute the Grand Palace are a breathtaking introduction to Thailand’s ornate beauty and an absolute day-one must when visiting the capital. A collection of palaces, courts, pavilions and temples, it’s an opulent display of marble, gold leaf-clad mythical figures and elegant chofas piercing the sky from the ends of multicoloured-tiled roofs. The blending of classical European and Thai architecture works surprisingly well; stately without ever seeming gaudy.

Positioned on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, construction began in 1782 and it was the seat of the Thai Royal family until 1925. It’s still used for official ceremonies today; the royal relics of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej were enshrined here last October. The centrepiece of the complex is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew, which dates back to the founding of the Grand Palace. This royal chapel is a masterpiece of classical Thai architecture, housing a Buddha carved from a single hunk of jade.

Address: Na Phra Lan Rd, Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Khet Phra Nakhon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand

8. Chao Phraya River: like an Asian Venice

You can’t claim to have seen Bangkok until you’ve seen it by boat from its tangle of waterways, or khlongs. Most of them branch off the western banks of the Chao Phraya River, and can narrow to just six metres, a parameter that has governed the design of the slender, riverboats in the city. Take a tour by riverboat to see life on the canals – the rickety old clusters of houses overhanging the water, children backflipping off jetties into the murky depths below patches of water lilies, and of course, the famous floating markets.

9. Pick a fight (Muay Thai)

Even if you turn your nose up at the thought of combat sports and would never dream of attending a live fight, you’ll be sorely missing out if you don’t watch a bout of traditional Muay Thai kickboxing – the national sport. Head to Rajadamnern stadium to catch a few rounds, accompanied by traditional music, ritual and prayer, the roar of the crowd and frenzied gambling as every kick lands. It’s like a game of two-up but instead of a coin toss you’re watching practitioners of an 18th-century martial art.

Address: 1 Ratchadamnoen Nok Rd, Pom Prap, Khet Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand

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.

9 essential Bangkok things to do