Things To Do
Wat Pho - Birth place of Thai massage
Wat Pho (wat-po) is famous for one of the largest reclining Buddhas and for the birth place of Thai massage. Walk around the grounds as there is much to see, smell, and experience. As Buddhist culture is very modest, while on the grounds, you will be asked to cover your shoulders and to wear pants that cover your knees (eg. capris). As Thailand is hot, it's common to bring a sarong and a quick t-shirt as temporary coverings while you're in the temple. Don't forget to seek out the building that displays as Wat Pho Thai Massage school. This is the birth place of Thai massage and where they train others in the art. It's a little costlier ($18 for an hour compared to the average $10-$13 for an hour) but well worth it. Make sure you wear flexible clothing as it is more of a stretch than an actual massage.
The Grand Palace
Get there as early as possible if you can! The tour buses and all the pushy tourists apart of that tour usually show up around 10:30a-11a and make things difficult to navigate so the earlier the better. The palace is ALWAYS open! Do not let scammers or persons tell you otherwise unless there is official signage posted.
Chatuchak Weekend Market
One of the largest and best night markets in Bangkok! It's only open on the weekends so make sure you plan accordingly. On Fridays, they have wholesale night where you get a nice discount for purchasing 3 or more. It's LARGE so just know you will not cover it all.
Wat Arun
Gorgeous temple by the river! You can cover this temple within a few hours so make this a side stop rather than a destination.
Siam Paragon
One of the best places to (window) shop! They have every popular designer, they have an aquarium below, and a large/awesome movie theatre at the top. We recommend to go see a movie when you need a cool break (read much needed A/C). During the movie, make sure to stand for the Thai National anthem honoring the King. The food court is also pretty great where you put money on a "gift card" and the different stalls accept the card for different foods you want. Once you're finished, you can go back to the gift card station and get a refund.