1. Grand Palace

One of Bangkok's main and grandest attractions is the Grand Palace complex, home to the royal residence, government offices, and the beautiful Temple of the Emerald Buddha. All this splendor began to take shape back in the 18th century, with new buildings gradually added over time. Today the complex covers more than 200,000 square meters!

2. Temple of the Reclining Buddha

This temple houses one of the largest and most famous Buddha statues in the world. It is renowned not only for its size but also for the unusual reclining pose of the deity. To be precise, the Buddha is not simply lying on his side – he is awaiting the coming of nirvana. His eyes are half-open, and a faint smile rests on his face.

3. Temple of the Emerald Buddha

One of Bangkok's most revered temples and a sacred place for every Thai. This temple was built on the grounds of the Grand Palace in 1782. Inside it stands a Buddha statue carved from a single piece of jade in the 15th century.

4. Temple of Dawn

Before the age of skyscrapers, Bangkok's tallest temple was also considered the tallest building in the city. Wat Arun owes its romantic name to the god of dawn – Aruna. It is believed that the walls of this temple are touched by the very first rays of the rising sun.

5. Wat Ratchabophit

This temple became an example of cultures influencing one another. It was not only Europeans returning from the East who tried to reflect their impressions in architecture – the exchange worked the other way too. King Rama V was so impressed by the cathedrals of Western Europe that he decided to create something similar at home. That is how Wat Ratchabophit appeared: outwardly it looks like a traditional Thai temple, yet inside you can feel echoes of European culture.

6. Golden Buddha

The world's largest solid-gold statue, weighing 5.5 tons (!), stands on the fourth floor of the Wat Traimit Temple. According to historians, the Golden Buddha was made in the 13th century. At first it was covered with a thick layer of plaster, and that is precisely what helped protect the statue from vandals and looters. The treasure's true nature was forgotten over time and was only revealed quite recently, in 1957, purely by chance, while it was being moved from one temple to another.

7. Lak Mueang

This small shrine has enormous historical significance – the story of the city began here. In 1782, when the capital was moved from Thonburi to Krung Thep (Bangkok), the first city pillar was installed here. The shrine itself was built to appease the spirits protecting Bangkok. This place is considered the geographical center of the city, the point from which all roads begin.

8. Baiyoke Tower II

Baiyoke Sky is the tallest building not only in Bangkok but in all of Thailand. There is an indoor observation deck on the 77th floor and an open-air one on the 84th. The view from up there is breathtaking! Then again, you can admire it not only from the decks, but also by staying in one of the rooms at the Baiyoke Sky Hotel inside the tower.

9. Khao San Road

“A place where you can dissolve into the crowd” – that is how Khao San Road is often described. This street is considered Bangkok's tourist center, and its rhythm does not slow down day or night. By the way, “khao san” means “milled rice” in Thai. The name comes from the rice market that stood here some 30 years ago.

10. Canal Tour

If you want to see Bangkok's sights at speed and without getting stuck in traffic, take a ride on the Chao Phraya River. Of course, the drivers of tourist boats will call out to you from every direction, but the view from public transport is just as good, and the fare is several times lower ;)