Welcome to GO PAC's Bangkok travel guide, the things to do, what to wear for temples and street markets, and what to pack for a city that runs at full volume from 5am to 3am.
Quick answers: Bangkok for UK travellers
- Best time to visit: November to February (cooler, less humid).
- Currency: Thai Baht (THB). ยฃ1 โ 44 THB (May 2026).
- UK passport visa: Visa-free, 30 days on arrival.
- Flight time from London: 11 to 12 hours.
- Daily budget: ยฃ20 to ยฃ40/day mid-range; ยฃ80+ for upmarket.
- Power plug: Types A, B, and C. UK plugs need an adaptor.
- Best travel kit for Bangkok: See the GO PAC travel accessories guide.
Bangkok, before you go.
Bangkok is warm all year. April is the hottest month, with average highs of about 35.7ยฐC, and December the coolest, with average lows of about 23ยฐC. The rains arrive in mid-May and peak in September.
Getting in: the rules are the same as the rest of Thailand. From 15 September 2026, UK passport holders can stay visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, and every visitor completes the Thailand Digital Arrival Card in the three days before arriving.
Plan the Grand Palace for early in the day. It opens daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm and stops selling tickets at 3:30pm.
The Bangkok schedule.
Temples by morning, markets by afternoon, sky bars by night. Bangkok doesn't do dull.
Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew
The centrepiece of Bangkok, arrive at opening (8:30am) and move quickly before the crowds. Dress code is strict: cover shoulders and knees. Sarongs available at the gate for เธฟ50.
Night Market Tour
Asiatique by the river is spectacular. Rod Fai Market at Ratchada is a photographer's dream. Talat Rot Fai Train Market on weekends is where locals actually eat. Book a food tour for the first night.
Chao Phraya River
Take the express boat from Sathorn pier to Phra Athit. เธฟ15 the whole way. Get off at every pier that takes your fancy. The river is Bangkok's original highway and still its most atmospheric.
Thai Cooking Class
Most start with a market tour, Blue Elephant and Baipai are the gold standard. You'll make four dishes, eat everything, and spend the flight home trying to remember the recipes. They give you a booklet. It helps.
Look up, look around.
Wat Arun at Sunrise
Cross the Chao Phraya on the เธฟ5 ferry from Tha Tien pier and watch Wat Arun catch the first light. The porcelain mosaic spires turn pink and gold. Get there before 7am.
Lebua Sky Bar
Yes, it's from The Hangover II. Yes, it's touristy. Yes, the cocktails are เธฟ600 each. The view over Bangkok at night makes it completely worth it, get there at sunset for the full effect.
Chatuchak Weekend Market
35 acres, 15,000 stalls, everything you can imagine. Go on a Saturday, arrive at 10am, and budget a full day. The vintage section near Section 7 is outstanding.
Wat Pho & The Reclining Buddha
Thailand's oldest temple complex contains a 46-metre gold reclining Buddha. The foot alone is 5 metres. Combine with a traditional Thai massage at the attached school, genuinely world class.
The Bangkok Kit.
Temples need covered shoulders. Tuk-tuks need a good grip on your bag. Night markets need a power bank. Here it is.
What to pack for Bangkok
- Satin Eye Mask, for the overnight flight to BKK
- Memory Foam Travel Pillow, arrive ready to eat, not wrecked
- Noise-Cancelling Ear Plugs, Bangkok is not a quiet city
- Travel Plug Adapter, Type A and B sockets both in use across Bangkok
- Collapsible Water Bottle, the heat is real, tap water is not drinkable
- Keycode Luggage Lock (another brand's item, not GO PAC: see our Amazon travel picks), night market bag security is a sport here
- Waterproof Phone Case, canal tours, Songkran and rain showers
- Travel Packing Cubes (other brands' cubes, not GO PAC: see our packing cubes guide), day heat, temple visit and evening bar in three cubes
- Travel Wallet, keep passport and cards close in Chatuchak
- Light breathable layers, extreme AC indoors vs 35ยฐC outside
For the flight, compare five travel pillows in our best travel pillow UK guide.
Stopping in Europe on the way? Read our guides to ETIAS for UK travellers and EES border checks at Dover, St Pancras and UK airports.
Memory Foam Travel Pillow
Eleven hours to Bangkok goes better with proper neck support. Memory foam, washable cover, packs down small.
£14.99 View the pillow →Free UK shipping · 30-day returns