Bangkok travel guide

Bangkok Honeymoon: Where to Eat, Shop, and Explore in 5 Days

Bangkok was the first stop on our honeymoon, and we stayed in the city for five days instead of trying to rush through all of Thailand. We wanted a trip that kept us moving, so the itinerary mixed temples, malls, markets, street food, inexpensive massages, and the kind of Thailand-only fast food we always want to try when we travel.

5 days Time in Bangkok

Twice Silom noodle stop

~$3 Breakfast, coffee, and smoothie

Thai noodles with pork, fish balls, crispy pork, and char siu — The Silom noodle stall we went back to twice.

Peter and Lisa outside a Bangkok temple — One of the temple stops on our honeymoon.

Rooftop pool and Bangkok skyline at the Millennium Hilton — The rooftop pool and city view at the Millennium Hilton Bangkok.

The reclining Buddha at Wat Pho in Bangkok — The reclining Buddha at Wat Pho.

Thai seafood noodles with shrimp and vegetables — Another Bangkok food stop, a spicy noodle dish with shrimp and seafood.

Where we ate.

 Millennium Hilton Bangkok Chao Phraya River 

Five-star hotel

Get: A hotel stay built around points, river views, pools, and a lounge

We splurged on the Millennium Hilton using hotel points, and the location made it feel like part of the trip instead of just a place to sleep. The Chao Phraya River view, pools, lounge, and gym were a welcome reset after the wedding, and it was close enough to walk to Iconsiam.

 Iconsiam Chao Phraya River 

Shopping mall and food hall

Get: Thai food, Japanese food, shopping, and air conditioning

Iconsiam was brand new when we visited and the whole city seemed determined to see it. It is huge, polished, and packed with luxury brands, but the food variety was the real draw. Bangkok's malls are also a practical part of the itinerary: when the heat gets intense, air conditioning is an activity.

 Chatuchak Weekend Market Chatuchak, Bangkok 

Weekend flea market

Get: A long walk through hundreds of stalls

Chatuchak is the kind of market where you can spend two hours without realizing it. There are tourist souvenirs, clothes, gifts, and just about anything else, plus stalls selling things we did not expect to see. We went on a Thursday, so not every stall was open, but there was still enough to explore and shop.

 A Silom street noodle stall Silom, Bangkok 

Thai street food

Get: Egg noodles with pork, fish balls, crispy pork, and char siu, with soup on the side

This was our favorite food stop in Bangkok, so we went back twice. The noodles came with different kinds of pork and fish balls, crispy pork, char siu, Thai spices, and a separate bowl of soup. It was cramped, hot, and we were sweating through the meal, but the food was so good and so inexpensive that the discomfort became part of the memory.

 KFC Thailand Bangkok 

Thailand-only fast food

Get: The shrimp donut

We had to try a Thailand-only KFC item, and the shrimp donut was much better than a novelty snack had any right to be. It was fried and a little greasy, but not heavy, with just enough shrimp and a texture that reminded us of the shrimp filet we had loved in Japan.

 McDonald's Thailand Bangkok 

Thailand-only fast food

Get: McFried Chicken

We always try McDonald's when we travel, and Bangkok gave us McFried Chicken. It was a quick stop rather than a full meal, but it was surprisingly delicious and worth adding to the list if you like comparing fast food across countries.

 Wat Pho Rattanakosin, Bangkok 

Temple of the Reclining Buddha

Get: A temple visit

The reclining Buddha is enormous, and it was one of the rare sights that was even more impressive in person than we expected. The visit is relatively quick, but the scale of the statue makes it feel like a major stop.

 Wat Arun Chao Phraya River, Bangkok 

Temple of the Dawn

Get: A close look at the porcelain details

Wat Arun was our favorite temple for the details. The temple is covered in intricate porcelain work, and getting close lets you see how much texture and pattern is built into the white exterior. It was also the most photogenic stop of the trip, which is saying something in Bangkok.

 Bangkok street breakfasts Near the hotel and local markets 

Everyday Thai food

Get: Fried rice, coffee, pad see ew, mango sticky rice, and smoothies

Some of our best memories were the cheap morning meals near the hotel. Fried rice, coffee, pad see ew, and a smoothie could cost around three dollars, and we ate plenty of mango sticky rice along the way. Bangkok made it easy to eat well without turning every meal into an event.

 A Bangkok massage Bangkok 

Thai massage

Get: A massage for two

A massage for both of us cost around $15, which felt like an incredible deal. Lisa's massage left Peter with enough bruises to become a running joke, but it was still one of the inexpensive experiences that made Bangkok such a good honeymoon destination.

 Loi Krathong Bangkok 

Water lantern festival

Get: An evening at the annual festival

The festival was a fun final layer to the trip, with water lanterns and a very different atmosphere from the temples and malls. If you want to plan around it, aim for November, when Loi Krathong usually takes place.

Good to know before you go

Bangkok was the first stop on a three-stop honeymoon, and staying in one city for five days kept the trip from turning into a luggage-moving marathon.
We stayed mostly within Bangkok and skipped the floating market and tiger attractions so we could explore at our own pace.
Grab was much easier for us than negotiating with taxis, and the BTS was clean, fast, and available in Thai and English. Rush hour can be extremely crowded.
Be cautious when someone tells you a temple is closed and offers to take you somewhere else. We were warned that this is a common tourist scam.

Questions people ask us about Bangkok.

Is Bangkok a good honeymoon destination?

Yes, especially if you are the kind of couple who gets bored sitting still. Bangkok gives you temples, markets, malls, street food, massages, and plenty of visual stimulation without requiring constant travel between cities.

Where should you eat in Bangkok?

Start with street stalls, especially around Silom. Our favorite noodle stall served egg noodles with pork, fish balls, crispy pork, and char siu, and we went back twice. It was hot, crowded, cheap, and excellent.

What Thailand-only fast food should you try?

The shrimp donut at KFC Thailand and McFried Chicken at McDonald's. The shrimp donut was the standout, with a good amount of shrimp and a light enough fried texture that we wanted another one.

What should you know before visiting Bangkok temples?

Cover your shoulders and knees, and bring something that can work as a scarf or cover-up. Also be careful if someone tells you a temple is closed and tries to redirect you to another attraction.

How should you get around Bangkok?

Use Grab when you want a clear price and an easy car ride, and use the BTS when traffic is bad. Both were more predictable for us than negotiating with taxis, though the BTS can become extremely packed during rush hour.

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