Bangkok Old Town: a guide to Rattanakosin
Bangkok Old Town is Rattanakosin, the island formed by the Chao Phraya River and a ring of canals where King Rama I founded the capital in 1782. The Grand Palace, the oldest temples, the royal avenues and the flower market are all here, within an area that can be walked end to end in an hour. It is also the hottest and most crowded part of the city for sightseeing, so the order of the day matters: temples early, museums and shade in the middle, the river at sunset.
The Grand Palace and Wat Pho
The [Grand Palace](/?q=Grand Palace) and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) inside its walls are the main event. Arrive as it opens, before the tour groups, and dress to the code: shoulders and knees covered, no see-through fabric, shoes that are easy to remove. Ignore anyone outside telling you it is closed; it is a well-known scam. [Wat Pho](/?q=Wat Pho), a five-minute walk south, has the forty-six-metre reclining Buddha, a courtyard of chedis covered in ceramic tiles, and the traditional massage school where a massage after the walking is well earned.
From the Tha Tien pier behind Wat Pho, a cross-river ferry runs to [Wat Arun](/?q=Wat Arun), the Temple of Dawn, whose central tower is covered in broken porcelain and can be climbed partway. It is best seen from the Rattanakosin bank at sunset, and up close in the morning.
Sanam Luang and the museums
Sanam Luang is the large royal field north of the palace, used for cremations and ceremonies and otherwise open grass. The [National Museum](/?q=National Museum) on its western side holds the country's main collection of art and artefacts in a former palace. Wat Mahathat beside it has an amulet market in the surrounding lanes, and Tha Maharaj on the river is a small open-air mall with cafes. Museum Siam, south of Wat Pho by MRT Sanam Chai, is a modern museum on what it means to be Thai and is good with children; see Bangkok with kids.
The Giant Swing and the Golden Mount
East of the palace district, [Sao Ching Cha](/?q=Giant Swing), the Giant Swing, stands in front of Wat Suthat, a temple with a very large bronze Buddha and fine murals. Bamrung Muang Road around it is lined with shops selling monks' robes, Buddha images and temple supplies. Further east, Wat Ratchanatdaram has the Loha Prasat, a many-spired metal castle you can climb. Across the canal, the [Golden Mount](/?q=Golden Mount) at Wat Saket is an artificial hill with a gilded chedi on top, reached by a spiral stair with a view over the Old Town; its temple fair in November is one of the city's best. The festivals calendar has it.
The flower market
[Pak Khlong Talat](/?q=Pak Khlong Talat), the flower market, fills the streets and arcades at the southern tip of the island near Memorial Bridge with marigolds, orchids, jasmine garlands and roses sold by the bunch and the sack. It is busiest late at night and before dawn when the deliveries come in, but there is plenty to see at any hour. Yodpiman River Walk beside it has a riverside promenade. MRT Sanam Chai is the nearest station.
Eating in the Old Town
The lanes around Sao Ching Cha and Mahachai Road have several of Bangkok's best-known old restaurants, including a famous pad thai shop and a famous crab omelette, both with long queues. Tha Maharaj and Phra Athit Road are easy for a sit-down meal. For a cold drink with a river view, the cafes near Tha Tien look straight at Wat Arun. Khao San and Banglamphu, at the northern end of the island, are covered in the Khao San guide, and the 3-day itinerary fits all this into a morning.
Getting there
MRT [Sanam Chai](/?q=Sanam Chai) on the Blue Line, decorated in the style of a royal hall, is the one station in the Old Town, close to Wat Pho, Museum Siam and the flower market. The Chao Phraya Express Boat is the other way in: Tha Chang pier for the Grand Palace, Tha Tien for Wat Pho and the Wat Arun ferry, Phra Athit for Banglamphu. The Khlong Saen Saep canal boat ends at Phan Fa Lilat pier beside the Golden Mount, a cheap route from Pratunam and Siam. Taxis and tuk-tuks hang around the palace gates; agree on the meter or a price before getting in. Walking between the sights is the best option, with a hat and water.