Lady’s Itinerary for 24 Hours in Bangkok

Today I want to share my travel itinerary for 24 hours in Bangkok, Thailand with you. The Thai capital is one of my favorite cities in Southeast Asia, and I was exited to let its energy sweep me up and send me off to explore.

24 Hours in Bangkok

Bangkok is bustling. Spending four days in the serenity of the great temples in Siem Reap and Luang Prabang before heading to Thailand threw the intense urbanity of the country’s main metropolis into stark relief during my 24 hours in Bangkok.

Where to Stay in Bangkok

After taking the train from Suvarnabhumi Airport to the city center, I hopped into a taxi to get to my hotel, the COMO Metropolitan Bangkok.

Unfortunately, my map had the hotel’s location wrong, and my driver couldn’t figure out where it was when we realized we weren’t in the right place. After an hour of circling the neighborhood, we finally arrived.

The COMO Metropolitan Bangkok was located in the Sathon district. It was set back from the main road in a secluded area.

After passing by the large outdoor pool, I walked into the spacious lobby to check into my room, which the hotel had offered me on a complimentary basis for my 24 hours in Bangkok.

The room was on the 9th floor and had views over the pool and gardens. It was incredibly large and had a king-size bed, dark wood floors, sofas, chairs, a desk, a TV, and a massive bathroom with both a shower and a tub.

Things to Do in Bangkok

After setting my bags down, I went out to catch the metro to the first destination on my itinerary for my 24 hours in Bangkok: the markets.

The hotel concierge had recommended a food market called Or Tor Kor, which I was excited to explore. Next to it was the largest market in Thailand, the Chatuchak Weekend Market.

I arrived at Or Tor Kor market around lunchtime and let my appetite be whetted by stacks of purple mangosteens, fresh slices of pineapple, sweet sugarcane juice, and all kinds of tropical fruits I’d never seen before.

At one end of the market was an area with tables and chairs surrounded by vendors selling everything from satay to curry. I bought lunch from one of them and sat at a table to eat red curry with chicken.

After getting my food fix, I continued my 24 hours in Bangkok by heading across the street to the Chatuchak Weekend Market, which locals call JJ Market. There I found myself in the largest market I’ve ever been to.

The perimeter of the 35-acre space was lined with stalls packed with everything from clothing to jewelry and ice cream served in coconut halves.

Inside the covered area of the Chatuchak Weekend Market, impossibly narrow walkways separated rows of stalls brimming with paintings, metal goods, leather sandals, silk skirts, and souvenirs.

In all, there were over 11,000 vendors and 15,000 stalls offering everything imaginable.

After walking around for an hour, I left the Chatuchak Weekend Market and headed to the next destination on my itinerary for 24 hours in Bangkok: the Jim Thompson House museum.

On my last trip to Bangkok I covered most of the traditional sightseeing highlights, including the Grand Palace, the golden Buddha at Wat Traimit, and the reclining Buddha at Wat Pho. 

The one thing I didn’t have time for was the Jim Thompson House. I was determined to rectify that on this trip.

The house was a museum created from the home of an American who moved to Bangkok and reinvigorated the Thai silk industry after World War II.

While living in Bangkok, Jim Thompson collected all kinds of art, antiques, furniture, and sculptures.

In 1967, he mysteriously disappeared in the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia, never to be seen again. After his disappearance his home was made into a museum.

The Jim Thompson House was as good as I hoped it would be. The museum was packed with treasures both ancient and modern.

There was also a contemporary art exhibition space, restaurant, bar, and large gift shop selling the silk products Thompson made famous.

Restaurants in Bangkok

After the museum, my 24 hours in Bangkok continued as I headed back to the COMO Metropolitan Bangkok and got ready for dinner. The hotel had offered me a meal at its restaurant, Nahm.

I went with the tasting menu, which consisted of a selection of canapes followed by a salad, soup, relish, curry, and grilled dish. They were all served at the same time to provide a balance of flavors throughout the meal.

The portions were enormous for just one person, but the food was so good it was hard to stop eating.

I found some of the dishes overwhelmingly spicy (although they weren’t considered spicy according to my server!), but others balanced them out with cooler flavors.

24 Hours in Bangkok

The end of the meal coincided with the end of my 24 hours in Bangkok. I had to leave for the airport at 4 o’clock the next morning, so after dinner I went up to my room to get what sleep I could.

As short as my time in Bangkok had been, I was happy to have had a day in Thailand on my Southeast Asia trip. The city was energetic and exciting, and it got me enthused for my next destination: Brunei.

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