The beauty of Bangkok is yours for the taking if you take any of these 5 most-favorite city tours. Take a pick based on your personality and preferences.  You may simply be looking for beautiful sights, rearing to go deeper into history, craves Thai food and culture or want to take them all, there’s a tour just for you.

The beauty of Bangkok is yours for the taking if you take any of these 5 most-favorite city tours. Take a pick based on your personality and preferences.  You may simply be looking for beautiful sights, rearing to go deeper into history, craves Thai food and culture or want to take them all, there’s a tour just for you.

Bangkok City, Temples and Grand Palace Tour The Bangkok City and Temples Tour will take you through a 4-hour pilgrimage to the city’s unbelievably elaborate Thai temples set in beautifully-manicured lawns.  The basic tour lets you visit three of Bangkok’s finest temples or wats—the Wat Traimit, the Wat Pho and the Wat Benjabophit-- while the combined tour adds a stop to the Grand Palace.  The vehicle for transportation is an air conditioned bus manned by an English-speaking tour guide. It is important to note that as the Thais consider their temples sacred, modest dressing is required—no shorts and sleeveless shirts for either sexes.  Bring comfortable clothing and footwear as there may be considerable trekking and climbing.  It also helps to bring your own snacks and refreshments as the tour excludes these items.

Ayutthaya Tour by the River Sun Cruise

For an utterly calming cruise along the city’s rivers, the Ayutthaya River Sun Cruise is the way to go.  A comfortable air-conditioned passenger cabin gives you an 8-hour cruise which will take you to several must-sees in Bangkok.  The tour usually starts in the morning, stops for a buffet lunch and continues on to the afternoon. First stop is the Bang Pa-in Summer Palace which showcases a harmonious blend of Thai, Chinese, European and Khmer architecture.  You will also get to visit the ancient Thai capital—Ayutthaya—with its temple ruins as silent reminders of ancient Burmese rampage.  In the afternoon, the boat will be plying the Chao Phraya River and gives you pretty views of the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Dawn.  You will appreciate the English-speaking tour guide which explains the history behind the sights.

Sian Niramit Sian Niramit is simply feasting your palate on authentic Thai food while feasting your eyes on world-class Thai stage show.  It’s  5-hour gustatory and visual stimulation as Thai performers recount in theater the history, culture and various nuances of all things Thai. The tour often includes a hotel-to-venue transport or you can take the free shuttle bus service which takes off every 15 minutes.  The show takes you through 700 years of Thai history in 3 stage acts set in realistic prop backdrops.  If you’re rearing to know the history of Thailand and take in the music, clothing, lores and customs of this beautiful country, the Sian Niramit is the best option.

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Probably one of the most down-to-earth immersions you can have in Bangkok is made by going to the most popular of the city’s numerous floating markets—the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.  If you’re not afraid to get sweaty, if you’re curious of Thai produce and products, and if you want to rub elbows with real Thai merchants and lowly folks, then the Floating Market is the place for you. That classic James bond chase scene along the floating market may conjure the sight of a chaotic, touristy river.  But the complete tour has a lot more to offer.  At the market you’ll see a whole cornucopia of Thai delicacies, crafts and oddities peddled by smiling Thai vendors.  Along the river you’ll get a glimpse of how residents live on stilt houses.  You may also want to try the fun out of haggling for prices.

River Kwai Tour Including Long-tail Boat

The bridge over the River Kwai and the Death Railway are both historical landmarks and breathtaking scenes.  Once used by the Japanese as a strategic route for arms and supplies transport to and from Burma, the bridge is set against a lush backdrop of verdant forests and opens out into a breath-stopping cliff. Whether you are on a bamboo raft, a long-tail boat, or an air-conditioned boat, you will bask in peace as you note how the serene river slices through a criss-cross of lovely streams and dense jungles.  You’ll get to see a majestic waterfall, pools of emerald water.  Other tour packages may include a stop in the War Cemetery and an elephant ride.  There’s a hitch, though, the tour may be cancelled if rains result in dangerously high water levels.