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2 Days In Bangkok Itinerary. How To Spend 48h In Thailand’s Capital?

2 days in Bangkok Itinerary 

Traveling as a couple? See our 2 days in Bangkok Itinerary for Couples

There is something special about the capital of Thailand that makes people either love or hate it. For some, 2 days in Bangkok is not enough and they keep coming back to this vibrant city to get to know it even more. Others are looking for ways to escape after less than 48 hours in Bangkok. All they are dreaming about is to find peace on one of the Thai islands. One way or another, this city renders strong emotions, either positive or negative.

I love Bangkok. Maybe it’s because of the delicious Thai food, maybe because of the cheap taxis or maybe because of the easy access to everything that you need. Everybody will find something for themselves in BKK. It’s not easy to create the perfect itinerary for Bangkok. I’ve been in the capital of Thailand many times and I know that this city has a lot to offer. 2 days in Bangkok is not much but it’s enough to feel the spirit of this place!

Here is my 2 days Bangkok itinerary. Don’t be discouraged by the limited time- this guide is not made for the people who like to walk 10 hours a day. You will have time to get tired and also to relax. The point of traveling is not to run around the place you are visiting but to truly understand and ‘feel’ your destination.

If you have more time in the capital of Thailand, see also our 3 days in Thailand itinerary and post about unusual things to do in Bangkok.

Day 1 of 2 days Bangkok Thailand Itinerary

Current time in Bangkok: 

1. Visit the Grand Palace

This is the landmark of Bangkok, the most beautiful place we’ve seen there. Visiting The Grand Palace is one of the best things to do in Bangkok for couples, families, and all the other travelers.

How to get there?

You can either take a taxi or travel by BTS skytrain and a boat.

If you choose the second option, go to Saphan Taksin station and then take a Chao Phraya River Express boat to Chang Pier.

How much time do you need for sightseeing?

It will take 2-3 hours to see everything.

What’s the cost?

The Grand Palace is probably the most expensive place to visit in Bangkok. The ticket price is 500 Baht per person ($18). Despite the price, it’s still worth to go there, especially if you have just 2 days in Bangkok. The Grand Palace is incredibly beautiful.

You can always book your tour to Grand Palace online, to skip the lines and save your time.

If you are looking for one day tour Bangkok, there is a pretty interesting option offered by GetYourGuide. You can be picked up from the airport, taken to see the palace, the temples and other highlights of Bangkok and then go back to catch your flight. It will take about 10-12 hours. If you are interested, see more here to check this Bangkok city tour price.

Tips

Dress properly.

You have to cover your legs and arms, so shorts or sleeveless shirts are the wrong things to wear. If you have an inappropriate outfit, you may be refused to enter the Palace.

Bring socks.

Socks are probably the last things you would think of when preparing your 2 days in Bangkok itinerary. While in the Grand Palace, you have to take off your shoes to get inside the temples. If you want to stay hygienic, wear socks to avoid walking barefoot.

The Grand Palace bangkok
Bangkok 2 days itinerary: Go to The Grand Palace first.

2. Visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha

The temple is very close to the Grand Palace, within the walking distance. Wat Phra Kaew is considered as one of the most beautiful and the most important temples not only in Bangkok but also in entire Thailand.

What’s the cost?

Admission is included in the cost of the Grand Palace ticket.

How much time do you need for sightseeing?

Less than 1 hour is enough, so it’s not much of your 2 day Bangkok itinerary.

If you want to read more about Thai temples, check out this awesome post written by our friend Hannah: Legends of Bangkok’s temples.

Click here for the best temple tour Bangkok.

Thai monster temple god
Temple of the Emerald Buddha is a must visit if you get the most of Bangkok in 2 days.

3. Spend some time on Khao San Road

Khao San Road is one of the most famous places in Bangkok. It is where you can buy cheap food, party, meet other travelers and… try weird food like fried insects or scorpions. More about it here.

Khao San Road is the most popular among backpackers and budget travelers. It’s one of the most touristic places in Thailand. The road is very short and full of colors. There are many Bangkok hotels in there but it’s not the best place to stay. It’s too busy and too noisy!

How to get there?

Khao San Road is situated within the walking distance from the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. It will take about 15-20 minutes to get there.

How much time do you need for sightseeing?

Khao San Road is quite small, so you can walk through it in about 10 minutes. You may be tired after sightseeing though, so it’s a good place to relax and drink delicious fresh fruit juice. Maybe even get an amazing Thai massage.

If you want to do some shopping, check out this guide written by our friend Bruno: Bangkok shopping guide or simply book a shopping tour with a private driver.

friend insects
Trying fried insects on Khao San Road is a must of your 2 days itinerary in Bangkok!

4. Enjoy the Loy Nava dinner cruise

Now it’s time for some things to do in Bangkok at night! The best is to take an early evening dinner cruise on the Chao Praya river!

We’ve chosen the Loy Nava dinner cruise. Why? Mainly because it starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 8.30 p.m. We were able to see Bangkok both during the day and night.

In Thailand, it’s getting dark around 7 p.m. Trust us- watching the sunset from the boat while eating delicious Thai food is an amazing experience! It will be a highlight of your Bangkok 2 day itinerary.

How to get there?

Loy Nava stops at Taksin Pier (the very same place where the boat to the Grand Palace is leaving).

From Khao San road the best it to take a taxi or a boat to the pier.

What’s the cost?

The cost is really low- about $60 per person. This includes 2,5 hour cruise, 6 course dinner and live Thai music. Click here to book your dinner cruise with Loy Nava.

Loy Nava dinner cruise Bangkok night
Loy Nava is one of the best things for couples to do in Bangkok.

If you are really looking for more things to do in Bangkok at night, you can go and see the famous ping pong show in the evening. Remember that what happens in Bangkok stays in Bangkok.

We are pretty sure you know that The Hangover 2 was filmed in Bangkok. Did you know that there is a tour of all the places you can see in the movie? Check out this tour here.

If you are sightseeing really fast and you have some spare time in your Bangkok trip itinerary, think about visiting Bangkok floating market during a day or book a floating market tour online.

Here are the tours worth booking for your first day in Bangkok:

 

Day 2 of Two days in Bangkok

5. Explore Chinatown and Indiatown.

China and India towns in Bangkok are amazing! They are so colorful, bright and full of exotic scents. We absolutely love them! Going there may not be the obvious things to do in Bangkok in 2 days but it’s definitely worth your time.

Those places are also pretty good for shopping. You will find there some of the best things to buy from Bangkok, including souvenirs and clothes.

How to get there?

You can either take a boat from Taksin pier or go there by taxi. As you see, Taksin pier will be visited by you many times during these 2 days in Bangkok :).

What’s the cost?

Thankfully, walking is free! It won’t cost you a penny. So If you are a budget traveler and wonder what to do in Bangkok in 2 days, go exploring China and India town.

If you prefer sightseeing with a guide, or you simply want to try the best food of China town, check out this tour (use the code: LAZYTRAVEL10 to get 10% off. Code valid until Feb, 29th,2020).

How much time do you need for sightseeing?

It depends on how fast you walk but it will take at least 2 hours to see everything.

China India town Bangkok
If you are looking for best places to visit in Bangkok in 2 days, go to China and India towns.

6. Visit Art in Paradise

Art in Paradise is a modern museum where the illusion is mixed with reality. We LOVED this place! If you don’t have enough time, it may not be a part of your Bangkok two day itinerary, as there are plenty of these museums in Thailand. I visited the one in Chiang Mai but Art in Paradise in Bangkok is awesome as well.

How to get there?

Take a taxi to Esplanade Shopping Mall. The museum is situated on the 4th floor of the Mall.

What’s the cost?

Adults– 300 THB

Chidren above 135cm- 200 THB

Children below 135cm- free.

Your time in Bangkok is limited, so it’s always better to skip the lines and book tickets online.

How much time do you need for sightseeing?

You will need at least 2-3 hours to take a picture with every painting. There are more than 150 of them in the museum!

Tips

Take your camera!

The funniest part of visiting Art in Paradise Museum is taking pictures! They look really awesome, like if you were a part of the painting.

Have fun

Art in Paradise is the best museum we’ve ever been to. We had a great time there. Click here to read more.

Art in Paradise Museum in Bangkok
Art in Paradise is one of the places to visit in Bangkok in 2 days.

7. Relax in Dahra spa

After walking and having fun in the Art of Paradise, it’s time to relax. It’s not easy to find a good spa in Bangkok. The one we can honestly recommend is the Dahra spa. The quality of the products they are using is very high, the staff is professional and the interiors are beautiful.

Thai massage is famous all over the world, so you just need to find time for it in your 2 day itinerary Bangkok.

How to get there?

From the Art in Paradise, you can take MRT to Sukhumvit station and then BTS to Phrong Pong.

The faster way is of course to take a taxi. The spa is situated very close to the Holiday Inn hotel.

What’s the cost?

It depends on what you will choose. Last time we’ve been there, we took Deluxe Spa treatment. We had almost 3 hours of amazing relaxation! Coffee body scrub, milk and honey wrap and Thai massage at the end. We are lazy travelers, so for us it was one of the best things to do in Bangkok in 2 days.

Check out Bangkok spa packages here.

spa bak massage flower thailand
2 days in Bangkok what to do – Get Thai Massage

8. Visit Soi Cowboy street [adults only!]

Soi Cowboy, also known as the red-light district, is a place of debauchery and hustle. It’s one of the things to see in Bangkok in 2 days only for adults.

You will find there go-go dancers, prostitutes, women, men, men that look like women and more.

YES, there are MANY ladyboys on the street. You may be surprised that a sexy girl who invites you to the club is actually a boy… Remember that what happens in Bangkok stays in Bangkok, so don’t be afraid of going a little bit wild.

How to get there?

Soi Cowboy is located within the walking distance from Dahra Spa, between Sukhumvit Soi 21 and 23. It’s situated quite close to the Asok BTS station.

Soy Cowboy is just a normal street during a day. It turns into a place full of sins at night.

ladyboy Thailand man
If you wonder what to do in Bangkok for 2 days, visit Sri Cowboy street at night.

Here are the tours worth booking for your second day in Bangkok:

 

Tips for 2 days in Bangkok

Always take a taxi with a meter

Bangkok taxi drivers are not always fair. Even though you will see the ‘meter’ sign on every taxi, most drivers won’t turn it on. They will give you a higher price only to earn more.

Remember to always discuss the price BEFORE you start your ride.

You can also trust a taxi driver when he will tell his price. Thai people are very honest, so if the driver says that he will charge 200 baht, he will do so.

TIP: Sometimes the drivers use highways to get somewhere faster. You, as a passenger, will pay for it. Highway cost is about 50-70 baht.

Renting a car to travel around Bangkok is a really bad idea. The traffic is quite high and the infrastructure is very advanced. If you still want to have a car all for yourself, consider booking a car with a driver.

taxi Bangkok
Traveling by taxi will save you a lot of time during your visit Bangkok in 2 days.

2. Try street food during your 2 days in Bangkok

It’s impossible to see and experience everything in Bangkok in two days. One thing you can (and definitely should!) do is trying Thai snacks and street food. Don’t be afraid to buy something from the local sellers. Thai people are very careful when it comes to hygiene. Everything you will see is fresh and delicious. Even though the local government is banning some of the street food stalls, it’s still available all around the city. 

Most restaurants and sellers don’t use fridges, so they buy ingredients in the morning, prepare dishes and sell them later. They will work until everything they have is sold out.

We’ve been in Thailand more than 10 times, always eating street food. We have never been sick.

If you want to make sure you’ve tried the best Bangkok street food, book a guided tour. It’s really cheap and worth going to, especially if you don’t have enough time to wander around the city and try all the food by yourself.

Thai street food
Trying street food should be a part of your Bangkok itinerary 2019.

Where to stay for 2 nights in Bangkok?

If your time in the capital of Thailand is limited, you need to choose your place to stay carefully. The most important factor is location.

Places to stay in Bangkok for budget travelers

If you are traveling on a budget, check out Au Bon Hostel. We’ve been staying there twice (or more? I can’t really remember) and really liked it. There is 7Eleven just opposite the hostel. Khao San road is situated within walking distance. That was a life saver for us when we accidentally got drunk with Thai people we just met! If our accommodation was somewhere further, we probably would make it back.

Check out the latest prices for Au Bon Hostel –> click here.

Places to stay in Bangkok for couples

The most romantic hotel that we have seen in Bangkok is the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers.

It’s located by the river, so the views from the hotel rooms are absolutely breathtaking. There is a free hotel boat that will take you to the nearest BTS station. It’s a five star hotel, so all the luxurious facilities can be found there, including swimming pools, air con and more.

Check out the latest prices for Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel –> click here.

Places to stay in Bangkok for families

Holiday Inn Sukhumvit is a perfect hotel in Bangkok for those traveling with kids.

The location is great, within the short walking distance to the nearest BTS station and shopping malls. Infants under the age of 2 stays for free.

The cheaper alternative for Holiday Inn Sukhumvit is Airbnb, especially if you want to prepare your own meals and have a home-like place to stay.

Check out the latest prices for Holiday Inn Sukhumvit—> click here.

Places to stay in Bangkok for party lovers

Lebua Hotel is a place where Hangover 2 was filmed. It has one of the best sky bars in the city! Surprisingly, it’s not that expensive.

Check out the latest prices for Lebua Hotel—> click here.

Map of the places to stay in Bangkok:

Booking.com

pillow fight hotel Bangkok
There are so many things to do in Bangkok for 2 days that you need to make sure you are booking the right accommodation.

The capital of Thailand is amazing. If you need to book a flight to Bangkok, you can book it here – remember to compare the price with Momondo. Check also Thailand vacation packages at the lowest prices.

If you are looking for more awesome places in Bangkok, check out this post written by our friend Ari: 10 Things You Have to See in Bangkok.

And if you have only one day in Bangkok, check out this awesome guide written by our friend Cristina.

Have more time in Bangkok? Check out this post with Pattaya from Bangkok day trip itinerary.

If you would like to change something in your Bangkok itinerary here are more Bangkok activities:

Pin For Later:

Still wonder what to see in Bangkok in 2 days? We will be happy to answer all your questions. Comment below!

18 Responses

  1. Me and my hudband are going to Thailand next month. We have a flight to Phuket 2 days after our arrival so we want to get the most of Bangkok in this limited time. Your post have been really helpful although I wonder if going to Khao San Road is necessary for the family with kiddos (8 and 12 yo)?

    1. It’s not really necessary, you can skip Khao San Road, especially when you are traveling with kids. While in Thailand, be sure to try dried scorpions and do some shopping. You can do it all in Phuket though.

  2. Hi. Is it possible if we can visit the Grand Palace without entering inside? Do we still need to pay anything? We wanted to see only the outside of the palace. Thank you.

    1. You can’t really see much without paying, as Grand Palace is a complex of buildings. All you will see at the entrance will be complex from the distance. It’s definitely not worth to go there and not getting in.
      I know it’s quite pricey to buy a ticket but I think it’s worth it.
      By the way, when we were in Bangkok for the first time, our budget was really tight, that’s why I totally get your struggles. We’ve been talking for 5 minutes whether we should get in or not. When we were busy discussing, my brother came to us saying that he has already bought us tickets. That was one of the best gifts ever!

  3. Hi,
    You talk of location of accommodation as being key if your time is limited; your article talks of best places for families, party lovers, etc. but not which part of the city is central to most attractions you recommend for a 2 day stay.
    Would you provide?
    Thanks.

    1. Hi Rolande,
      Thanks for your comment! Bangkok is huge that’s why you will need to travel from one attraction to another by BTS, Taxi, or tuk-tuk. The recommended districts/areas are:
      -Khao San
      -Sukhumvit
      -Bangkok Old Town

      My tip is to search for the accommodation that is close to BTS station.

  4. Going to Visit Bankok next week as I don’t know much about it so I was looking for a blog to suggest me the best places to visit there thanks for your recommendations

  5. Hi, wondering if we should consider the hop-on hop-off bus? I am not clear on how bad traffic is there and wondering if we will waste time and money on this, instead of just catching a taxi or Tuk Tuk.

    1. The traffic may be really bad in Bangkok, so I wouldn’t recommend hop on hop off buses. Public transport and taxis in Bangkok are really cheap, so it will be affordable unless your budget is VERY tight and you have plenty of time to sit in the bus during the peak hours.

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We are Karolina, Patryk, and Mia, the lazy traveling family. After spending 5 years as digital nomads, and living in many countries in the world, we decided to make Poland our base.

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