Free things to do in Bangkok
Bangkok, it’s a beautiful city, it’s a BIG city, and it’s a city that’s full of free or cheap things to do - you just need to know where to look! First of all, let’s set some boundaries. In the case of this article, 'cheap' is classified as 36 baht (US$1) or less. We think that's a pretty fair assessment of 'cheap.' Come along with us and we’ll show you where to find the very best of Bangkok when you’re on a budget.
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Bangkok Parks
Although it can seem like a concrete jungle, Bangkok is also home to a very, very beautiful collection of parks. Benjakitti Park, Benjasiri Park, Chatuchak Park, Rot Fai Park, Rama 9 Park, Lumphini Park - there are so many parks that it’s hard to pick a favourite. Every park seems offers it's visitors something different - whether it’s visiting the prehistoric monitor lizards of Lumphini Park, riding the bike track at Rot Fai, or strolling the stunning walkways of Benjakitti park. The very best thing of all - is that you can go and visit all of them. They're completely free!
If you want to know more about the parks, we're working on an ultimate guide to Bangkok parks (stay tuned!) or you can explore our YouTube Bangkok park series!
Hire a boat
Yes, the parks are all free, and some of them even offer additional activities - for a small fee, of course. One of our favourite things to do is hire one of the paddle boats or kayaks that are available at several of the local parks - Benjakitti and Lumphini park, to name a couple. What could be better than hopping aboard a giant swan or duck, and getting into the pond, where you’re eye to eye with turtles and monitor lizard? Best of all, this experience generally costs around 15 baht (US$0.42)
Bike ride
Several of the big Bangkok parks also offer bike riding. Sure, you can bring your own bicycle, but if you’re just visiting, you can hire your own too. Benjakitti and Rot Fai park each have their own bike riding course and bikes for rent, starting at around 20 baht (US$0.55). We recommend the Rot Fai one - it's really fun, and you're bound to see lots of monitor lizards.
Where: Benjakitti Park, Ratchadaphisek Rd, Khlong Toei, Bangkok
Where: Rot Fai Park, Kamphaeng Phet 3 Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok
Feeding the animals
Here’s one more activity you can do at your local park - purchase some food and feed the animals! Next to many of the guard towers, you might notice bags of pellets. These are fish and turtle food, and you can buy a bag - typically for around 15 baht (US$0.42). Wander down to the water's edge to feed the animals - it’s meant to be good luck - and you won’t believe how enormous some of the catfish are!
Visit the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre
To embrace the art scene of Bangkok, it’s worth paying a visit to the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. It’s not going out of the way even remotely - the BACC is centrally located, just down the road from the Siam BTS Skytrain stop. There are beautiful artworks on display, free of charge, and the buildings unique spiral layout with have you marvelling. It’s a popular Instagram photo location, both for its art, as well as the impressive circular windows that line one side of the building. The main part of this building is free, but the BACC also hold paid exhibitions on the top floors.
Where: Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre, 939 Rama I Rd, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Explore Bangkoks unique buildings
Bangkok is home to some of the most unique buildings - possibly in the world. They’re well worth a visit, and you can definitely make a day of it. The most famous has to be the MahaNakhon; the tallest skydeck in Bangkok, which literally looks like it’s made out of pixels. If you've ever spotted a giant G over the Bangkok skyline, then you might've seen the G Tower, but our favourites have to be the extra novelty Elephant Tower and the robot. We’ve never seen anything like it. And they’re just so cute!
Buy your MahaNakhon Sky Walk tickets here
Where: Elephant Tower: 3300 Phahonyothin Rd, Khwaeng Chom Phon, Khet Chatuchak, Bangkok
Where: Robot building: Khwaeng Yan Nawa, Khet Sathon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Bangkok
Where: MahaNakhon: Khwaeng Silom, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Bangkok
Take a boat ride
Take in Bangkok from a seat onboard the Chao Phraya river. You must remember that this is a big city, and many people use the boat as part of their daily commute. For only a 15 baht (US$0.42) flat fee, you can catch one of the orange boats, which is an excellent way to see the city on a budget.
Concert in the Park
Not too long ago, the Bangkok Mayor decided to bring in an awesome new idea to liven up the city. Every Sunday during January and February, the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra performs in the park. World class music in a beautiful setting - all for free? What a brilliant idea. You can choose to enjoy the music as a soundtrack to your park run, or you could bring along a blanket and some snacks and make yourself a little picnic.
When: Held every Sunday during the months of January and February.
Explore the local Street Art
As well as stunning museums and galleries, Bangkok is also host to some pretty exceptional street art. You might see some familiar artists as you stroll the streets of Bangkok - including Alex Face; creator of the giant rabbit-human hybrid, and Mue Bon, who invents larger than life bird figures. If you're looking for a bunch of street art all in one place (the perfect Instagram photo backdrop), then pay a visit to Chaloemla Park or Or Ang Walking Street.
Where: Chaloemla Park, Phetchaburi 18 Alley, Thanon Phetchaburi, Ratchathewi, Bangkok
Where: Or Ang Walking Street, Wang Burapha Phirom, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok
Visit a temple
There are so many incredible temples in Bangkok - and many of them, we’re sure you know by name. Wat Arun, Wat Pho; these are the touristy temples in Old Bangkok. These are the temples that might charge you up to 500 baht (US$13.92) to get in. (We definitely think this is worth doing if you haven't yet, by the way!) The fantastic thing about being in a city that's so rich with temples, is that many of them are free - or you can give a donation. It’s hard to choose a favourite, but two that we enjoyed were Wat Pariwat (the David Beckham temple - more about that here) and Wat Paknam; a temple with the biggest Buddha statue in Bangkok.
At Wat Paknam you can visit one of the largest Buddha statues in Thailand
Ride the train
It's one of the best ways to see Bangkok - and it's very, very cheap. Actually, to go one step further - sometimes it's even free between certain stops, particularly when new ones have popped up. Whether you're way up high on the BTS (Skytrain), taking in all of the views of Bangkok, or zipping around underground on the MRT, just make sure that try out Bangkok's train system. It's a great way to get around, it's very cheap, and it's a good way to immerse yourself in the local culture.
River City
Another excellent art gallery that offers many free exhibitions from mostly local artists is River City. This is an excellent and inspiring gallery near Bangkok's Chinatown district. As the name would suggest, it's right alongside the Chao Phraya River, so you can choose whether you'd like to arrive by boat - as well as the usual offerings of a car, taxi, or tuktuk.
Where: River City, 23 Soi Charoen Krung 24, Talat Noi, Bangkok
Street food
Bangkok, and Thailand in general is famous for its street food. Being able to sample traditional and modern recipes, packed with so much flavour - and often with that infamous spicy kick, is something that you must do when you visit Bangkok. Whether you feel like sticking to your comfort zone and sampling some Pad Thai made by a street vendor, or dining on some traditional moo ping (a pork skewer), we guarantee there is something for everyone. And yes, a lot of it costs under 36 baht (US$1).