I stayed in Bangkok for 10 days, and one of my favorite parts was having Folashade (a.k.a. Fo, a.k.a. one of my best friends in the world), fly all the way across the world from the U.S. to visit me. There was so much to do in the city that I felt a little overwhelmed at first. However, after spending some time Googling the best things to do and places to visit, we decided on a few. I would like to visit Bangkok again, and hopefully, I can add to the following list of places, but until then, here are some of my favorites so far.

Lumpini Park

Lumpini Park is like the Central Park of Bangkok. The park includes a lovely fitness center as well as outdoor gym equipment for a nice, al fresco workout session. There is also a track that runs about two and a half kilometers long for running in the abundant shade of the many tall trees in the park. The park’s 142 acres is home to a variety of flora and fauna, including monitor lizards, turtles, cats (and their kittens!), and many other types of friendly wildlife. I befriended quite a few cats while I was there, but I wasn’t quite brave enough get too close to the monitor lizards or the giant snake I spotted near the entrance.

Sitting area outside of the Chinese Pavilion (on the left)

A couple of cats I befriended.

A HUGE monitor lizard strolls past the outdoor exercise equipment.

Art in Paradise (Bangkok)

Since Fo was unable to visit for our stay in Chiang Mai, we went to the Art in Paradise again; this time, we went to the one in Bangkok. This location had a number of pieces that were different from the one in Chiang Mai, and Fo and I had a great time going on all sorts of adventures through the 3D artwork that we encountered.

Royal City Avenue (RCA)

Royal City Avenue is one of the most popular nightlife scenes in Bangkok. Fo and I were specifically looking for a venue that played HipHop/Rap/R&B, and we ran into an expat from the U.S. who recommended a club called “Route 66.” The cover was 300 baht but it included one drink from the bar. After that, drink prices started at 160 baht. The DJ played a mix of current Top 40 and EDM, so it was kind of a mixed bag, but we made sure to turn all the way up when he played a song we really liked.

Khao San Road and Soi Rambuttri

This is a great spot for backpackers because there are a number of hotels and hostels in this area. This area also boasts a vibrant nightlife in Bangkok because of the many bars, clubs, and restaurants. Each of these roads are a great place to grab food and drinks, enjoy live music, or check out the countless shops and street vendors.

The Grand Palace

My trip to The Grand Palace was quite an adventure. There are a few restaurants right outside the Palace as well as a few street vendors selling clothes to tourists who were not dressed in the appropriate attire. The views of the palace from the entrance were marvelous. The entrance fee is 500 baht, so keep that in mind if you plan a trip here.

Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram (The Marble Temple)

This temple is one of my favorite ones because it was quite charming. The temple gets its name from the elegant white marble used for the interior design of the Ubusot (Buddhist ceremonial hall). There are also numerous bridges throughout the courtyard featuring different designs. I also came across a beautiful set of drums in a pavilion near one of the bridges.