Some useful terms:
bot: the central shrine in a Buddhist temple.
chedi: a memorial mound, usually bell-shaped, containing sacred objects
klong: canal
wat: Buddhist temple or monastery with religious and other buildings. Wats are usually separated from the secular world by 2 walls. Between these walls are found the monks' quarters and sometimes a bell tower.

Dusit Zoo
Rama V and Ratchawithi rds.
02/-0000
Daily 8am-6pm
Admission charged
The Dusit (also called Khao Din) Zoo is in a lovely park between the Chitralada Royal Palace and the National Assembly. Besides admiring the many indigenous Asian animals (including royal white elephants), you can rent paddleboats on the pond. Children can ride the elephants while their parents rest and snack at one of the zoo's cafés under broad shade trees.

Jim Thompson's House
Soi Kasemsan 2
On a small soi off Rama I Rd., opposite the National Stadium
02/215-0122
Mon-Sat 9am-5pm
Admission charged
Jim Thompson was a New York architect who served in the OSS (Office of Strategic Services, now the CIA) in Thailand during World War II and afterward settled in Bangkok. Almost single-handedly he revived Thailand's silk industry, employing Thai Muslims as skilled silk weavers and building up a thriving industry.

Kamthieng House (The Siam Society)
131 Soi Asoke
02/661-6470
Tues-Sat 9am-noon and 1-5pm
North of Sukhumvit on Soi 21
Admission charged.
The 19th-century Kamthieng House, on the grounds of the Siam Society Headquarters, is a rice farmer's teak house transplanted from the banks of Chiang Mai's Ping River. Its collection, organized with financial help from the Asia and Rockefeller foundations, is oriented toward ethnographic objects illustrating the culture of everyday life.

Lak Muang (City Pillar Shrine)
Sanam Chai Rd.
About a quarter mile northeast of the Grand Palace on the southeast corner of Sanam Luang
Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm
Free admission
The "City Pillar," northeast of the Grand Palace complex, near the Defense Department Building, is a small but delightful shrine, said to be inhabited by the spirit that protects Bangkok. Rama I erected a wooden pillar,), a symbol of Shiva to mark the heart of his new city. During the reign of Rama V the site was improved and other idols erected. Lak Muang was recently renovated, and countless locals come in supplication and with offerings for the guardian deity. Some pay professionals to dance in homage or thanks, and you can often see beautiful young women in ornate costumes performing classical lakhom chatrii, usually a little before noon.

Queen Sirikit National Convention Center
Ratchadaphisek Rd. off Rama IV Rd.
Just south of Sukhumvit Rd. & Soi 21
02/229-3000
Call for the schedule of each show
Free admission
The center is the venue for many new exhibits and art shows open to the public, as well as the pivotal point for Bangkok's fastest-growing neighborhood.

Red Cross Snake Farm
1871 Rama IV Rd.
02/-0161
Daily 8:30am-4:30pm
At the corner of Rama IV Rd. and Henry Dunant
Admission charged.
For a short, entertaining, and enlightening show, stop by the Thai Red Cross Snake Farm (the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute) in the heart of Bangkok opposite the Montien Ho Established in 1923, the farm was the second facility of its type in the world (the first was in Brazil). There are slide shows and snake-handling demonstrations weekdays at 10:30am and 2pm; on weekends and holidays at 10:30am.

The Grand Palace
Near the river on Na Phra Lan Road near Sanam Luang
02/222-0094
Daily 8:30am-11:30am and 1-3:30pm

One of King Rama I's earliest accomplishments was to move the capital from Thonburi to a more defensible site on the opposite bank of the Chao Phraya. He chose the center of the Chinese community, which was then moved south to Sampeng, the current Chinatown. He intended to reproduce the destroyed capital of Ayutthaya. The construction of the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo were the first phase of his grand goal, though both were added to and rebuilt in subsequent reigns.

The palace as it appears today was greatly influenced by Western architecture, including colonial and Victorian motifs. Anna, tutor to the son of Rama IV and the central figure in the story The King and I, lived here. The royal family moved to Chitralada Palace after the death of King Ananda in 1946, but it was here, in 1981, that General Chitpatima attempted to overthrow the government in an unsuccessful coup.

The National Museum
Na Phra That Rd
02/224-1333
Wed-Sun 9am-4pm.
Free English-language tours: Buddhism culture, Wed 9:30
Art, culture, religion, Thurs 9:30am;
call the museum or check a newspaper for more details and current schedule
About a half mile north of Grand Palace
Admission charged
Trace Thailand's long history, beginning with the 5,000- to 6,000-year-old ceramic utensils and bronzeware of the Ban Chiang civilization, then acquaint yourself with one of the world's best collections of Southeast Asian art.

Ferry Ride on the Chao Phraya River
Boats leave every 20 minutes between 6:15 AM and 8 PM.
Fee charged.
Long-tailed boats and ferries ply the Chao Phraya and the city's klongs (canals), providing a scenic escape from the Bangkok's traffic. One good trip-past waterside temples, traditional houses, the Royal Barge Museum, and Khoo Wiang Floating Market-starts at the Chang Pier near the Grand Palace.

Royal Barges
On Klong Bangkok Noi, north of the Phra Pinklao Bridge, Thonburi
Take a taxi over the Phra Pinklao Bridge or take a ferry to Tha Rot Fai ("Railway Landing"), walk west along the street parallel to and between the tracks and the klong until you come to a bridge over the klong, cross the bridge and follow the wooden walkway
Open daily 8:30-4:30.
These elaborately decorated sailing vessels, the largest over 50 yards long and rowed by up to 60 men, are used by the royal family on state occasions or for high religious ceremonies.

Suan Pakkard Palace
66 New Rd
02/245-4934
Admission charged.
Open Mon.-Sat. 9-4.
The five houses of this serene palace, built high on teak columns, sit among perfectly kept undulating lawns, shimmering lotus pools, and lush shrubbery. The main attraction, the Lacquer Pavilion, contains gold-covered paneling with scenes from the life of Buddha; other houses display porcelains, Khmer stone heads, old paintings, and statues of Buddha.

Thai Classical Dance Performance at the Chalermkrung Royal Theatre
02/222-0434.
Performances held Tues. and Thurs. at 8 PM.
A troupe of 170 dancers performs the Khon Masked Dance, with stunning light effects and high-tech sophistication. English translations are printed in the programs and on screens above the stage.

Wat Arun
West bank of the Chao Phraya, opposite Tha Thien Pier
02/465-5640
Daily 8am-5:30pm
Reached by water taxi from Tha Tien Pier (near Wat Po) or cross the Phra Pinklao Bridge and follow the river south on Arun Amarin Rd
The 260-foot-high, Khmer-inspired tower, the centerpiece of the "Temple of Dawn," rises majestically from the banks of the Chao Phraya, across from Wat Po. This religious complex served as the royal chapel during King Taksin's reign (1809-24), when Thonburi was the capital of Thailand.

Wat Benchamabophit (the Marble Wat)
Si Ayutthaya Rd., south of the Assembly Building near Chitralada Palace
02/281-2501
Daily 8am-5pm
Donation requested
Tourists call this the Marble Wat because of the white Carrara marble of which it's constructed. It is an early 20th-century temple designed by Prince Narai, the half brother of Rama V. It's the most modern and one of the most beautiful of Bangkok's royal wats. Unlike the older complexes, there's no truly monumental wihaan or chedi dominating the grounds.

Wat Bovornivet
Phra Sumein Rd., north of Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd. near the Democracy Monument
8am-5pm
Free admission, Donation requested.
Visitors can wander along the paths between the monks' quarters and the waterways, used by the king for water purification ceremonies. Several kings and princes have been monks here, including King Bhumibhol, the present king, and his son Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn. Prince Mongkut, later King Rama IV, who served as abbot here for 14 years and founded the Thammayut order, for which the wat is the national headquarters. Of the two Buddha images inside the bot, the smaller one in front was cast in bronze in Sukhothai in 1257 to celebrate the country's liberation from Khmer rule. Several murals depict farangs (foreigners) in Thailand. The English are shown at a horse race, Americans are depicted as missionaries trying to pull the people away from Buddhism, Germans are shown prospecting for minerals.

Wat Mahathat
Na Prathat Rd., near Sanam Luang Park, between the Grand Palace and the National Museum
02/221-5999
Daily 9am-5pm
Donation requested.
Built to house a relic of the Buddha, Wat Mahathat is one of Bangkok's oldest shrines and the headquarters for Thailand's largest monastic order. Also the home of the Center for Vipassana Meditation at Buddhist University, the most important center for the study of Buddhism and meditation, Wat Mahathat offers some programs in English.

Wat Benjamabophit (Marble Temple)
Admission charged.
Open daily 7-5.
Bangkok's most photographed wat, built in 1899, is where Thailand's present king came to spend his days as a monk before his coronation. Statues of Buddha line the courtyard, and the magnificent interior has crossbeams of lacquer and gold.

Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Holy Jewel Image)
In the Grand Palace complex
02/222-0094
Daily 8:30-11:30am and 1-3:30pm
Take the Chao Phraya Express Boat to Tha Chang Pier, then walk east and south
Admission included in the Grand Palace fee.
The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is the royal chapel and probably the shrine most revered by the Thai people. It sits within the grounds of the Grand Palace, surrounded by walls more than a mile long, and contains some of the finest examples of Buddhist sculpture, architecture, painting, and decorative craft in the country.

Wat Po
Maharat Rd., near the river
02/222-0933
Daily 8am-5pm; massages offered until 6pm
About a half mile south of the Grand Palace
Donation requested
Wat Po (Wat Phra Chetuphon), the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, was built by Rama I in the 16th century and is the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in Bangkok. The compound, divided into two sections by Chetuphon Road, is a 15-minute walk south of the Grand Palace entrance. The northern area contains the most important monuments, and the southern portion is where resident monks live.

Most people go straight to the enormous Reclining Buddha in the northern section. It's more than 140 feet long and 50 feet high, and was built during the mid-19th-century reign of Rama III. The statue is brick, covered with layers of plaster, and always-flaking gold leaf; the feet are inlaid with mother-of-pearl illustrations of 108 auspicious laksanas (characteristics) of the Buddha.

Wat Saket (The Golden Mount)
Ratchadamnoen Klang and Boripihat Roads
open 9am-5pm
Admission to the Wat is free;
admission to the chedi, separate small donation
Wat Saket is easily recognized by its golden chedi on top of a hill near the pier for Bangkok's east-west Klong ferry. The wat was restored by King Rama I, and 30,000 bodies were brought here during a plague in the reign of Rama II. The hill, which is over 200 feet high, is an artificial construction begun during the reign of Rama III. Rama IV brought in 1,000 teak logs to shore it up because it was sinking into the swampy ground. Rama V built the golden chedi to house a relic of Buddha, said to be from India or Nepal, given to him by the British. The concrete walls were added during World War II to keep the structure from collapsing.

Wat Suthat and The Giant Swing
Sao Chingcha Sq., near the intersection of Bamrung Muang Rd. and Ti Thong Rd. 02/222-0280
Daily 9am-5pm
donation requested.
This temple is among the oldest and largest in Bangkok. It was begun by Rama I and finished by Rama III. Rama II carved the panels for the wihaan's doors. It houses the beautiful 14th-century Phra Buddha Shakyamuni, a Buddha image that was brought from Sukhothai, and the ashes of King Rama VIII, Ananda Mahidol, brother of the current king, are contained in its base. The wall paintings for which it is known were done during Rama III's reign.

Wat Traimit (The Golden Buddha)
Traimit Rd., West of Hua Lampong Station, just west of the intersection of Krung Kasem and Rama IV Roads
Daily 9am-5pm
Walk southwest on Traimit Rd. and look for a school on the right with a playground.
The wat is up a flight of stairs overlooking the school
Donation requested
Wat Traimit, which is thought to date from the 13th century, is known for its astonishing Buddha, which is nearly 10 feet high, weighs over 5 tons, and is believed to be cast of solid gold. It was discovered by accident in 1957 when an old stucco Buddha was being moved from a storeroom by a crane, which dropped it and shattered the plaster shell, revealing the shining gold beneath. This powerful image has such a bright, reflective surface that its edges seem to disappear, and it is truly dazzling. The graceful seated statue is thought to have been cast during the Sukhothai period and later covered with plaster to hide it from the Burmese or other invaders. Pieces of the stucco are on display in a case to the left.

Vimanmek Mansion Museum
193/2 Ratchavitee Rd. Dusit Palace grounds 02/281-8166
Daily 9:30am-4pm
Classical Thai dance, folk dance, and martial art demonstrations are given daily at 10:30am and 2pm.
Opposite the Dusit Zoo, north of the National Assembly Building
Admission charged; free if you already have a 125B ticket to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo
Built in 1901 by King Chulalongkorn the Great (Rama V) as the Celestial Residence, this elegant, golden teakwood mansion was restored in 1982 for Bangkok's bicentennial and reopened by Queen Sirikit as a private museum with a collection of the royal family's memorabilia. An intriguing and informative hour-long tour takes you through a series of apartments and rooms (81 in all) in what is said to be the largest teak building in the world. The original Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall houses a display of Thai handicrafts, and nine other buildings north of the mansion display photographs, clocks, fabrics, royal carriages, and other regalia.

Wang Suan Pakkard (Palace of the Lettuce Garden)
352 Si Ayutthaya Rd.
02/245-4934
Open daily 9am-4pm
Transportation: Between Phyathai and Ratchaprarop Rds
Admission includes material for a self-guided tour of grounds and collections
Wang Suan Pakkard is one of Bangkok's most delightful retreats. This peaceful oasis was the home of Princess Chumbhot of Nakhon Sawan. Five 19th-century teak houses were moved from Chiang Mai in 1952 and rebuilt in a beautifully landscaped garden on a private klong, separated by a high wall from the tumult of Bangkok's streets. The Lacquer Pavilion (actually an Ayutthaya house, moved here in 1958) was a birthday present from the prince to the princess.