Top 21 Things Bangkok is Known For & Famous for
Bangkok is one of the world’s most visited cities, with what seems to be an endless flow of young backpackers looking for a good time. Thailand and Bangkok have become one of the world’s top tourist hotspots with year-round great weather, extremely cheap for travelers, safe and welcoming, and most people’s first stop when headed off on their South East Asia trips.
Bangkok, Thailand is known for it’s many temples, the grand palace, and the ancient city. Tourism is a huge industry in Bangkok with partying and visiting the red light district being on many tourist’s bucket lists. Bangkok is also known for it’s generally happy people.
Find out in what Thailand is known for here.
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TEMPLES
Thailand is home to some of the world’s most beautiful and awe-inspiring temples.
Bangkok has its share of the county’s most amazing temples.
Buddhism is an integral part of Thai culture with about 95% of the population following Buddhism.
The temples are so much more than just tourist attractions, they are major religious centers for the Thai people and are a part of everyday life.
The oldest temple in Bangkok began construction in the 17th century and finished in the 18th century.
Some notable temples worth visiting
- Wat Phra Kaew
- Wat Pho
- Wat Suthat
- Wat Saket
- Wat Traimit
GRAND PALACE
The Grand Palace is where the royal family of Thailand was located for hundreds of years.
This massive palace is 218,000 square meters or 2,346,532 square feet. It’s one of the most visited places in all of Thailand.
The palace is decorated in gold and is free to enter and roam in most areas of the palace.
There is a dress code for entering the grounds of the palace, your shirt must cover your shoulders and you must have bottoms that cover your knees.
The grand palace is made up of a number of buildings, halls, and pavilions. All on the grounds of open lawns, gardens, and courtyards.
ANCIENT CITY
The Ancient City in Bangkok is one of the best ways to experience Siam history and culture.
The city has ruins and has rebuilt the site to its original glory.
It is a great way to see what Thailand was like in the past.
The Ancient City is the world’s largest private open-air museum globally and is well worth the visit as it is a great way to experience the culture and grab some amazing photos.
FOOD
Thai food is one of the things Thailand and Bangkok are known for around the world. All sorts of delicious dishes and an endless amount of street food. Make Bangkok world-famous for its culinary addition to the world.
The food is amazing no matter what you get with thousands of different options. The best part of all is the fact it is so cheap. Most meals cost between 1-3 dollars.
- Pad Thai can be found for about 1 dollar
- Smoothies & juices .50 cents
- Beer at a bar 2-6.50 a bottle
Thai food is one of the best highlights about going to Thailand. With an incredible variety of different dishes.
- Fried chicken
- Curries
- Mango Sticky Rice
- Tom Yum Kung
- Som Tam
- Khai Palo
- Pad Thai
These are just some of the local dishes one can expect to find while in Bangkok.
Typical meals cost anywhere from 50 cents to a few dollars depending on where you are and what kind of place your eating at. High-end restaurants can still have outrageous prices but for the most part, the food in Thailand is very cheap especially for tourists from Europe or America.
TRANSPORTATION
Bangkok is famous for its Tuk-tuks and many boats that move people around the city.
Tuk Tuk are 3 wheeled small engine taxis which are the main way of getting round by land in Bangkok.
The city also has 2 different ferry systems, one for the canals of the city and the other is the river ferries which move people along the river.
To gain a bit more knowledge and learn about some history of the city and Thailand, hopping on one of the tourist boats is a great way to experience the city.
It will cost you slightly more but well worth the extra few bucks.
TOURISTS
Thailand has become one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations, attracting millions of people each year. Thailand and Bangkok as the entry point to the country.
Bangkok is one of the world’s most visited cities even surpassing many well-known tourist hotspots like New York and Paris.
Bangkok for the past few years has gained the #1 spot for the most visited city in the world.
Check out Forbes’s most visited cities in the world list!
RED LIGHT DISTRICT
Bangkok is well known around the world for its massive sex industry and red light areas.
Prostitution is illegal in Thailand, although it has become a popular destination for tourists looking for sex as the police do not enforce it. When they do, the girls are mostly arrested, and the purchaser is rarely charged with an offense.
Agree with it or not, the industry is a multi-billion-dollar-a-year economic boom to the country.
Some notable areas:
- So-called ‘karaoke bars.’
- Soapy massage
- Massage parlors
- Go-go bars
- Soi Cowboy
- Patpong
- Nana Plaza
The city is full of these places, and you will see it in action no matter where in the city you visit.
PARTYING
Thailand has become kind of the unsung party nation of the world, travelers looking for a good time know that heading to Thailand is probably a pretty safe bet if you’re looking for a party.
Bangkok is a major part of that party. The city is well known for its thousands of bars which offer locals and travelers alike a great time out any day of the week.
A few ideas to get the ball rolling on where to go out tonight.
- RCA (Royal City Avenue)
- Khao San Road
- Chinatown
- Sky Bars
CHINA TOWN
The largest Chinatown outside of China. This area of Bangkok is home to some of the city’s famous temples, shopping areas, and has a bustling nightlife center.
It is perhaps the best Chinatowns in the world to visit. It does feel more like China than most other Chinatowns around the world.
Bangkok’s Chinatown is where you can find some of the city’s most tasty treats. It is an adventure every time you venture in.
SKY BAR BANGKOK
Bangkok is well known for its incredible nightlife, bars, entertainment districts, and sky bars. The city has a ton of these awesome sky bars that provide amazing views of the city.
The city has more than 70.
Here are some to checkout!
- Octave bar
- Vertigo rooftop restaurant
- Hi-So Rooftop Bar
- Yao rooftop bar
These are just a few of the city’s most well-known sky bars.
Please do yourself a favor and make sure you check them out at least once.
They tend to be more expensive than other bars, but you pay for the view, not really the drinks.
MARKETS
One of the biggest draws to Thailand for many people is the cheap shopping the country provides as it is a major hub for textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods. People from many of its neighboring countries come to Bangkok for cheap shopping.
The city has many markets where locals sell various goods from spices and foods to clothing, oils, and incense, to other unique and strange things only found here.
Some of the city’s most famous markets are
- Chatuchak Weekend Market
- Talat Rot Fai Markets also called Train Night Market.
- The Neon Market, or Talad Neon Night Market
- Khlong Toei Market
- Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
- Amphawa Floating Market
RIVER FRONT
The Riverfront areas of Bangkok are of major importance for the city as they are part of the city’s lifeblood at its core.
Bangkok has many different ferries that service the river and canals of the city and are home to some of the city’s famous floating market.
MASSAGE
Thailand and Bangkok are well-known for the Thai Massage which originally came from Thailand. Duh!
Thai massage parlors can be found throughout the city and offered a wide range of massages from full-body, head and neck, feet and hands are a few of the most popular.
The city also has many happy ending massage parlors which cater to a different type of clientele.
Thai massages are a mix of rubbing, stretching, acupressure, with some added yoga poses.
RED BULL STARTED IN THAILAND
For those who didn’t know where the world’s favorite energy drink has its origins. Look no further than Thailand. Originally called Krating Daeng was used to help the local people fight the urge to sleep.
Redbull was originally a non-carbonated drink until an Austrian businessman visited Thailand and sampled the drink and then thought of introducing it to the western world by making it carbonated and changing the recipe a little bit.
The rest is history and Redbull is now one of the most well-known energy drinks around the world.
BUDDHISM
Thailand is one of the world’s largest Buddhist countries globally, with more than 90% of the country follows the Buddhist ideology.
The country is covered in many Buddhist temples. The Temples are shrines to Thailand’s culture and history and are worth visiting anyone looking to experience Thailand.
Buddhism is a major part of Thailand, and the country and city have tons of festivals and events to mark certain days of the year.
Māgha Pūjā is one of the most important holidays for Thailand and Southeast Asia as a whole.
CHEAP
One of the biggest draws to Thailand and Bangkok is how cheap it is for international travelers.
A night at a 5-star hotel can cost as low as $120 a night, whereas other countries like the US may cost you hundreds of dollars more.
Thailand is famously cheap for its international visitors, which is one reason why it has so many tourists from all around the globe.
Thailand and Bangkok, as well as other parts of the country, are not as cheap as they once were due to word getting out about Thailand being a cheap travel destination.
The country is still very cheap compared to Western nations but more expensive than some of its neighboring countries.
SOUTHEAST ASIA ENTRANCE
Bangkok is most people’s entrance to Southeast Asia. Bangkok has established itself as one of the major players in the Southeast Asia trade.
Bangkok has become the regional hub for economic development across Thailand and Southeast Asia.
Bangkok is the city where travelers begin their epic Southeast Asia Backing trips and serves as an important city for the entire region.
LOTS OF ENTERTAINMENT
Bangkok is like Disneyland for adults. The city is home to many famous bars, strip clubs, red-light districts, shopping, food, museums, and entertainment neighborhoods.
The city has gained international recognition for being a city where people tend to let their hair down and search for a great time.
Bangkok and Thailand have become a global hotspot for travelers, and it has one of the world’s largest tourism industries. The industry itself generates more than 10 billion dollars a year for Thailand’s economy.
HAPPY PEOPLE
One of the first things you notice once you hit the ground in Thailand and Bangkok is how friendly the people are.
Everyone seems to be smiling and happy. This is a strong contrast from countries like Germany, which unfairly has the reputation for being super serious all the time.
Thai people are very laid back and easygoing. This makes dealing with people a lot easier and puts you in a good mood all day every day.
There of course are some expectations but that is everywhere in the world.
We still love our German friends.
SHOPPING
Thailand has become a major shopping destination for travelers looking to score some great deals.
The shopping around the city can be found in mall and other similar areas as well as the endless sea of markets which are where the best deals are usually found.
Haggling is common practice in the city and one should not assume that the price listed is the final price. Almost everything is negotiable.
Check out a good guide here to help you get the best prices in Bangkok while you are there.
TROPICAL
A huge reason why people love Thailand and Bangkok is because of the amazing tropical weather that the country receives every year.
Thailand’s tropical climate makes it a great place to visit, with average daily temperatures staying at a nice low of around 25°C (77°F) and highs of 35°C (95°F) for most months of the year.
The best time to go to Thailand is November to February, which is considered the cooler part of the year. For most westerners, this is a great time to escape the cold at home for a nice tropical sunny climate.
SUMMARY
Thailand, and more specifically, Bangkok, is known for being a popular tourist destination for people from all over the world. It is known for being incredibly affordable, for its friendly and welcoming culture, and its delicious food among other things listed above.
If given the chance, it is definitely an adventure and journey worth taking to visit.
And if you are planning a trip to Bangkok we recommend booking accommodation through Hostel World here for the best rates and be sure to check out Lonely Planet’s Travel Guide to Thailand here.
Disclaimer: The below text contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission for purchases made through links in this post, at no extra clost to you.
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