BANGKOK, 11 September 2025: For most first-time visitors to Bangkok, the itinerary is well-trodden: the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Chatuchak Market, but they represent only one layer of Thailand’s capital.
To truly discover the city’s heart and character, travellers should step off the beaten path and explore the Thai capital’s hidden corners, the places that locals treasure but guidebooks often overlook.
Here are six hidden gems in Bangkok worth discovering, along with tips on how to find them.
Wat Ratchabophit
Commissioned by King Rama V, Wat Ratchabophit is a temple that speaks volumes about a monarch eager to blend tradition in the 19th Century, with modernity. At first glance, the golden chedi and sweeping tiled roofs seem classically Thai. But step inside the cloisters and you are transported to Europe, with marble floors from Italy, stained glass windows, and corridors influenced by Gothic churches. This seamless mix is deliberate, reflecting a king who travelled extensively and wanted to position Siam as a nation both modern and proud of its heritage.
The temple is often quiet, with only a handful of worshippers or photography enthusiasts wandering its polished marble paths. The royal cemetery at the rear holds monuments to several members of the Chakri dynasty, adding to its historical importance.
- Location: Fuang Nakhon Road, Phra Nakhon district.
- Access: Closest MRT Sanam Chai (10 to 15 minutes’ walk), tuk-tuk or taxi from Siam in around 20 minutes.
- Opening Hours: 8.00am to 5.00pm daily.
- Traveller Tip: Because it is seldom busy, you can take your time here, soaking in the quiet elegance. Bring a camera; the fusion of styles makes for striking images.
Baan Bat (The Monk’s Alms Bowl Village)
Tucked into narrow lanes near the Golden Mount lies Baan Bat, a community that has kept alive the centuries-old craft of making alms bowls for monks. Each bowl begins as strips of steel or brass, hammered and welded together, then polished until gleaming. The rhythm of the hammering echoes through the alleyways, a living soundtrack of tradition.
What makes Baan Bat remarkable is its endurance. As mass-produced bowls have flooded the market, many villages have abandoned the painstaking work. Here, families have continued, passing the skill from one generation to the next. Travellers can watch artisans at work, speak with them about the process, and even purchase a bowl as a meaningful souvenir.
- Location: Soi Baan Bat, off Bamrung Mueang Road.
- Access: From BTS Ratchathewi, take a tuk-tuk or taxi, around 10 minutes.
- Opening Hours: 0900 to 1700, Monday to Saturday.
- Traveller Tip: Visit mid-morning when artisans are most active. Buying a bowl directly supports the families and preserves the tradition.
The Artist’s House (Baan Silapin)
On a quiet canal in Thonburi stands a 200-year-old wooden home known as The Artist’s House. Part gallery, part café, part performance space, it offers a glimpse of the creative soul of Bangkok. Inside, walls are decorated with paintings, masks, and sculptures, while the open terrace looks out onto the canal where long-tail boats glide by.
The highlight is the traditional puppet theatre, staged on weekends. Puppeteers, dressed in black, manipulate ornate figures to re-enact tales from Thai mythology. The performance is accompanied by live music and, though informal, carries an authenticity that large theatre shows can never match.
Equally rewarding is simply lingering by the canal, sipping a coffee, sketching, or watching children feed the fish. It is Bangkok at its most intimate, life lived at the water’s edge.
- Location: Soi 3, Wat Kuhasawan, Thonburi.
- Access: BTS Wutthakat or Bang Wa, then a short taxi or motorbike ride, and canal boats also stop nearby.
- Opening Hours: 0900 to 1800 daily, puppet shows on weekends (times vary).
- Traveller Tip: Come early for the best seats at the puppet show. Allow time for a canal boat ride, which enhances the sense of stepping back into old Bangkok.
Wat Prayoon
On the Thonburi side of the river, near the Memorial Bridge, lies Wat Prayoon, a temple that won a UNESCO cultural heritage award for its meticulous restoration. Its massive white chedi dominates the skyline, gleaming against the blue sky. At the same time, the grounds feature miniature rock gardens, shrines, and a pond teeming with turtles, beloved by children and locals alike.
Originally built during the reign of King Rama III, the temple was designed to symbolise Mount Meru, the centre of the universe in Buddhist cosmology. Its peaceful ambience is a welcome contrast to the hustle across the river.
- Location: Thonburi side of Memorial Bridge.
- Access: MRT Sanam Chai, then cross the bridge on foot, around 15 minutes, or by tuk-tuk.
- Opening Hours: 0830 to 1700 daily.
- Traveller Tip: Visit late afternoon when the light softens and the river breeze cools the air. Combine with dinner at one of the nearby riverside restaurants.
Bang Krachao (The Green Lung of Bangkok)
Known as the “Green Lung,” Bang Krachao is an artificial island created by a bend in the Chao Phraya River. Unlike much of Bangkok, it has been protected from large-scale development, preserving its mangroves, orchards, and elevated pathways shaded by palms. It is best explored by bicycle, which can be rented near the pier.
The experience is one of serenity. Birdsong replaces traffic noise, and you pedal past small temples, orchid farms, and wooden houses on stilts. On weekends, the Bang Nam Phueng Floating Market comes alive with food stalls, fruit, and local crafts, an excellent taste of community life.
For city dwellers, it is a vital green escape. For travellers, it is a chance to experience rural Thailand without ever leaving Bangkok.
- Location: Phra Pradaeng district, opposite Khlong Toei.
- Access: From BTS Bang Na or On Nut, take a taxi to Khlong Toei pier, then take a ferry across the river.
- Opening Hours: Always open, best during daylight. Floating market weekends 0800 to 1600.
- Traveller Tip: Go early to avoid the heat. Weekdays are tranquil, weekends vibrant. Either way, take water, sunscreen, and curiosity.
Wat Suthat and the Giant Swing
Despite being one of Bangkok’s most historically significant temples, Wat Suthat remains oddly overlooked. Its ordination hall is among the city’s grandest, filled with detailed murals that seem to stretch endlessly and centred on a massive bronze Buddha brought from Sukhothai. The atmosphere inside is solemn, spiritual, and timeless.
Early in the morning, the sound of monks chanting fills the air, a moving experience for any visitor. Step outside, and you find the Giant Swing, once used in daring Brahmin ceremonies. Young men would swing to dizzying heights, attempting to catch a bag of coins suspended from a pole, a ritual now banned for safety but still remembered in Bangkok lore.
- Location: Dinso Road, Phra Nakhon.
- Access: MRT Sam Yot around a 10-minute walk, easy by tuk-tuk or taxi from Democracy Monument.
- Opening Hours: 0830 to 2100 daily.
- Traveller Tip: Arrive at dawn to witness the chanting. Afterwards, explore the street food around Dinso Road that serves up some of the city’s tastiest snacks.
Andrew J Wood
A professional hotelier, writer, and travel journalist with over 40 years of experience in the hospitality and tourism industry, and a resident of Thailand since 1991. Andrew is a regular contributor to the region’s travel and tourism publications.
