A megacity that eats on the pavement, traffics for sport, and air-conditions everything else.
Bangkok is THB-only for street food and 7-Eleven runs, card-friendly everywhere else. Pull THB 5,000 to 10,000 per person from a Bangkok Bank or Krungsri ATM on arrival (avoid the AEON ATMs in tourist zones, they shave 220 baht per withdrawal). The BTS Skytrain and MRT subway are the only honest way around in traffic; taxis are cheap but the trip from a 3km hop can take 45 minutes in rush hour. Tipping is not expected but 20 to 50 baht in a sit-down restaurant is appreciated. The street food everywhere outside the famous Yaowarat strip is dirt-cheap (40 to 80 baht a plate) and the locals eat from the same stalls; the "where do tourists eat" version costs 200 baht and is worse.
Not the headlines. The spots Bangkok locals reach for after the famous ones are done, and why each one is worth the detour.
The "wholesale market for locals", next to Chatuchak weekend market, the freshest fruit and the noodle stalls Bangkok chefs eat at on their morning off.
Half day from the Saphan Taksin pier, THB 1,500 split four ways, the "old Bangkok" of stilt houses, temple monks, and floating shop boats.
THB 60 for the day pass, hop on and off at the temples, the locals commute, the Insta crowd never figures it out.
The 1948 jazz bar at the river-front grande dame hotel, dressy, the cocktail that justifies the trip, EUR 18 each.
The reclining Buddha temple, gate opens 8am, by 9:30 the tour buses arrive. Skip the Grand Palace if time is tight; Wat Pho gives you 80 percent of the same wow at 30 percent of the queue.
November to February for the cooler dry season (28C, low humidity). March to May is brutally hot (40C+), June to October is the rainy season with daily afternoon storms but cheaper hotels. Songkran (Thai New Year, mid-April) is a city-wide water fight, magical but plan around it.
Sukhumvit (Asoke, Phrom Phong, Thong Lo) is the workhorse base for 4 to 6 people. On the BTS line, surrounded by malls, rooftop bars, and decent international and Thai food. Silom for the after-dark energy (and Patpong if that is your scene). Skip Khao San Road for sleeping; it is a backpacker theme park and the noise is constant. Avoid hotels north of Chinatown for accommodation, you will spend half the day in traffic.
At a street stall: point at what the locals next to you are eating. Or ask for "pad krapow gai khai dao" (basil chicken with a fried egg over rice), "tom yum goong" (the spicy shrimp soup), "som tum" (papaya salad, ask for "neung prik" for one chili if you do not love heat), or "khao soi" (northern noodle curry, often only at northern restaurants). Western-style Thai food at hotel restaurants is dialed down by 60 percent. Eat on the pavement at least once a day for the real version.
Almost all tuk-tuk offers in tourist zones (specifically near the Grand Palace and Wat Pho) are scams that route you through gem stores or tailor shops you "must" visit. The driver gets commission. Take a Bolt or Grab instead, both work in Bangkok, both cheaper than tuk-tuks, both with a real price upfront. Take a tuk-tuk only for the experience, once, after agreeing on a flat price BEFORE getting in. Skip any tuk-tuk driver who approaches you.
Everyone votes, nobody argues, the itinerary builds itself. Free for the first trip.
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