Thailand · December

Bangkok

Golden temples, river light and the best street food on earth.

December is the cool, dry season — Bangkok’s most comfortable month. Loy Krathong falls just before, around 24–25 November in 2026, if you can arrive early. 5 December is a national holiday.

Currency

Thai baht (THB)

Language

Thai

Airports

Suvarnabhumi (BKK), Don Mueang (DMK)

Getting around

BTS Skytrain, MRT, river boats

Contents

01

4 places

Neighbourhoods

Use the river and the Skytrain to skip traffic.

01

Neighbourhood · Old town

The royal island: Grand Palace, Wat Pho and riverside markets.

02

Neighbourhood · Chinatown

Neon signs, gold shops and the city’s most famous street food at night.

03

Neighbourhood · North

A leafy, local district of cafés and small restaurants.

04

Neighbourhood · Riverside

Bangkok’s oldest road, now its creative district with galleries and design shops.

02

4 places

See

Temples to visit early, before the heat and crowds.

01

Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew

Palace · Rattanakosin

The dazzling royal complex and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

02

Temple · Rattanakosin

The 46-metre Reclining Buddha and Thailand’s traditional massage school.

03

Temple · Thonburi

The porcelain-studded spire across the river, best at sunset from the opposite bank.

04

Jim Thompson House

Museum · Pathum Wan

Six teak houses and a jungle garden, home of the American who revived Thai silk.

03

4 places

Eat

Eat on the street, eat often.

01

Street food · Phra Nakhon

Michelin-starred crab omelette cooked over charcoal by the goggled chef herself.

02

Pad thai · Phra Nakhon

Bangkok’s best-known pad thai, wrapped in a thin egg crêpe.

03

Yaowarat street food

Street food · Chinatown

Roast duck, noodle soups and seafood stalls along the main road after dark.

04

Or Tor Kor Market

Market · Chatuchak

A spotless fresh market with the country’s finest fruit and ready meals.

04

4 places

Architecture & Design

A fast-changing skyline and a lively art scene.

01

Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

Cultural centre · Pathum Wan

A spiralling white atrium with free contemporary exhibitions.

02

King Power Mahanakhon

Architecture · Silom

Ole Scheeren’s pixelated tower, with a glass-floored skywalk at the top.

03

Creative hub · Charoen Krung

Old riverside warehouses turned into shops, cafés and galleries.

04

Museum · Chatuchak

A private museum of modern Thai art.

05

2 places

Day Trips

Ancient capitals and canal villages.

01

Day trip · ~1.5 hrs north

Ruined temples of the old Siamese capital, a UNESCO site best explored by bicycle.

02

Day trip · ~1.5 hrs south-west

A canal-side market town, busiest on weekend afternoons and evenings.

06

Notes

Practical

Small things that make the trip easier.

01

Use the BTS, MRT and Chao Phraya boats to avoid traffic jams.

02

Temples require covered shoulders and knees; carry a light scarf.

03

Ignore anyone outside a temple saying it is closed today — a common scam.

04

Get a local SIM or eSIM; ride-hailing apps make getting around easy.

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