Could you turn your Bangkok layover in Thailand into an exciting mini-vacation? Is it worth leaving the airport? I’ve got all the answers you need in the Bangkok layover tour guide – no extra cost, just a lovely miniature holiday on your excruciating flight around the world. Why not take the opportunity to go sightseeing in Bangkok?
When I asked on forums, commenters told me there was no point leaving the airport with my layover window (8 hours), but here’s the clever way I discovered to make full use of your layover. I decided against organised tours, I was afraid they might get held in traffic and cause me to miss my next flight, and also put off by the lack of flexibility and high ticket price.
What will you get from this Bangkok layover tour guide?
#Tips and pre-requisites to make sure everything goes to plan if you have a long layover
#How to stick to a tight budget and save the 50 dollar ticket on organised Bangkok layover tours for sightseeing
#A daredevil’s itinerary for those who want to see the most
#A play-it-safe itinerary for those who want to MAKE SURE there’s no chance of anything going wrong.
#Pics to inspire you, don’t even consider spending your layover in Bangkok airport and missing out! All you need is this Bangkok layover tour guide
What to do inside Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport for 8 hours?
If you decide you can’t go out sightseeting, here’s what there is to keep you busy inside.
The airport has tasty food, but all the tourists go to Burger King airside, because it is almost always open. The concourse on floor 4 is packed with ice cream options too, and you’ll want to try a few flavours. For the most authentic option, head to Silom Village on the floor 4 concourse.
With 6 hours you might want to invest in a 3-hour or 5-hour pass at Louis Tavern CIP First Class lounge, on Level 3.
World class massages are on offer at FL3’s spa, or you’ll likely find a massage chair in the lounge that offers 10 minutes of relaxation for a small fee.
In terms of shopping, King Power has a lock on the shopping business inside the airport, and they sell everything you could ever need- plenty of opportunities to browse and kill time.
AOT provides free Wi-Fi throughout Bangkok Airport.
The Daredevil’s Itinerary- See the biggest sites and watch the timeĀ like a hawk!
7amĀ Having cleared customs and snapped up a Thai SIM (instructions in the tips below), dive down to the basement and catch the City Line Airport Rail Link. Purchase the ticket from counter staff- they speak English. The tickets are 15-45 Baht and the route is hereĀ .Ā It takes twice as long by taxi, lucky you’ve got this Bangkok layover tour guide.
7.30amĀ Exit at Ratchaprarop station
7.45amĀ Flag down a taxi to either Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha) or the Grand Palace, which are next to each other. Depending on traffic this could take up to an hourĀ and should cost no more than 100 Baht. Enjoy these stunning sights. They open at 8.30am, ignore anyone who tries to lead you away saying they are closed- this is a scam.
9amĀ Step into the National Museum and explore Thailand’s rich history, entrance is 200 Baht- museum is open Wed-Sun.
9.30amĀ Sample a local Thai breakfast by taking a taxi back to the area of Phaya Thai station and stopping at this address for critically acclaimed Thai seafood. The journey should be quicker at this time of day:
Kuang Sea Foods
107/13 Soi Rangnam, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400
Phone: 0-2642-5591, opening 10am till late
10.30-10.45amĀ Ensure you board the Airport Rail Link from Phaya Thai station back to Suvarnabhumi Airport for customs.
The Play-It-Safe Itinerary- Stay close to the airport and avoid all taxis/traffic
7amĀ Having cleared customs and snapped up a Thai SIM, dive down to the basement and catch the City Line Airport Rail Link. Purchase the ticket from counter staff- they speak English. The tickets are 15-45 Baht and the route isĀ hereĀ . The train is really fast and efficient- itās a no-brainer.
7.20amĀ Exit at Ratchaprarop and walk to Pratunam Market 869/15 Ratchaprarop Road for a host of local Thai wonders. Plot your route via the wonders of Google Maps.
8.20amĀ Ā Enjoy an authentic breakfast at Petchaburi Soi 30 Makkasan, Kaiton Pratunam which is a short walk from the market- they specialise in authentic chicken and soup dishes that are delicious.
9.30amĀ Stroll to the Baiyoke Sky Hotel to have your mind blown by the tallest hotel in Thailand. Up on the 77th floor you can have a true Lion King moment, and for the entrance of 350 Baht youāll also have access to a fruit buffet. You don’t need a city tour with this option, you’ve seen the whole city from above! Afterwards walk 3 minutes to Ratchaprarop station.
10.30-10.45amĀ (or earlier) Ensure you board the Airport Rail Link from Ratchaprarop back to Suvarnabhumi Airport for customs.
Got an overnight layover? You wonāt want to miss out on Bangkokās quirky night markets,Ā click hereĀ to read all about it in a fantastic post by Derek Freal.
Essential Tips and Lessons Learnt – a one day tour of Bangkok
- Schedule aĀ night flightĀ to Bangkok which will allow you to arrive in the early Thai morning feeling rested. My flight from Melbourne got in at 6am and I needed to fly onwards after my Bangkok layover after about 7/8 hrs.
- First stop after customs is the 2nd floor of Arrivals in Suvarnabhumi Airport toĀ get a PAYG SIM for internet. I picked AIS because they have a website in English, but theyāre all much the same. Spend around 500 Baht for 1.5 GB of internet and just bin the SIM later.
- If you take a taxi youāll need to 1) insist he uses his meter while the driver desperately pretends that he doesnāt know what youāre talking about, 2)Ā Google Maps the journeyĀ so you know he isnāt going the āscenicā route 3) Google the real price of the journey and talk him down from his ludicrous quote.
- But a follow up to my last tip, your layover relies on you taking the fast and efficient express train because Bangkok traffic is completely batso and will cost an incredible amount of time.Ā Take taxis only for short nips, access everything else by train.
- When you take your first flight make sure you checkin all the way through to your final destination, and ask them to load your bags automatically during your layover- saving heaps of time. If your hand luggage is heavy,Ā stop at theĀ Left LuggageĀ at Bangkok AirportĀ and leave it for 100 Baht at level 2 Arrivals. They donāt accept valuables such as laptops, iPads and cameras, though, frustratingly.
After finding on Skyscanner that Ā a break of Ā 6 or more hours cost NO MORE than a shorter layover, I couldnāt resist the chance to see a slice of Thailand!
Let me know below, what did you do on your last long/ short layover between flights? Has this Bangkok layover tour guide been useful for you?
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I am always surprised to hear about scams in Asian countries when it comes to fares and the random ways people try to get money from tourists, as it’s nothing like that here in the USA. The taxi tips seem silly to me, but then I’ve never experienced a strange taxi ride in Thailand. š
If you’ve never experienced a strange taxi/tuk2 ride in Thailand, that means you’ve never been to Thailand š Everybody has one or two before they learn the ropes. Comes with the territory š
Eight hours is pretty tight, especially if you happen to get stuck in traffic. You did well do cram all that into a short time. For travellers who haven’t been to Bangkok before, I think it’s a good idea to get out of the airport.
You’re so right š That’s why I recommend avoiding taxis as far as possible- the chance of getting stuck is too real. On the train you don’t need to panic about that š
Excellent guide! Those quick layover trips are always kind of scary to me!! I’ve only done it if it’s a place I’ve already been, so I’m familiar with the area! Same with the commenter above, it’s so frustrating when the taxi drivers think they are being crafty. It must work on some people though, and that’s why they keep doing it! SMH
I love this! What a great way to kill some time! I always feel like layovers are a waste of a day but you really jam packed some great stuff in here
I’ve been to Bangkok and I must agree that tuktuk is a must. I love how friendly the tuktuk drivers are
Great advice for a quick layover. I love how many cities are working in conjunction with airlines to offer layover experiences like this! Quite honestly, I wish this was all the time I spent in Bangkok. It is one of my least favorite cities so far!
So right, I love the idea of Bangkok transit tours! But I liked the city, what kind of issues did you have there?
I love this guide and that you provide two different options, Danni! I’m all about taking advantage of layovers and found this to be extremely helpful as I’ve never been to Thailand before. I’m hoping to visit Thailand for more than just a few hours when I go to SEA in the spring, but this will be a great starting point for me.
This is so interesting, thank you! I had no idea it was possible to see anything in Bangkok during a layover and always assumed I’d have to skip it: great to see I was wrong, I’d love to visit!
Glad it gave you some ideas! There are Bangkok stopover tours with companies that will take you around the city, but I felt safer doing it solo, that way I could control the times more carefully.
I love this post! I definitely think it’s a good idea to get out of the airport during an 8 hour layover in Bangkok, whether you have or haven’t been there before. There’s just soo much to see in Bangkok!
Honestly you’re so right, staying inside the terminal for a layover in Bangkok airport would have really killed me. I did look into what to do in Bangkok airport for 6 hours or more, and it’s got great facilities, but I’d have gone stir crazy!
I love intentionally scheduled a lengthy layover specifically to see that destination. Although a dozen hours may not seem like enough time to see a place like Bangkok (it is not!), it is better than not seeing it. Nice travel resource article.
Love how you have a dare devil plan. I would definitely be up for getting out of the airport and it’s so easy to get into Bangkok city. Good ideas in here.
Awesome guide! I’m going to Thailand next year and will take note of your tips – even though we’ll stay longer š
Thanks, Kathi, look forward to reading about your travels!
This is perfect! Iām traveling around Thailand and Air Asia has some lengthy layovers between Northern Thailand and neighboring countries. I have a 12 hr layover so this is the perfect chance to see some of the sights I was too jet lagged to see last week! Thank you!
I liked your crisp style of writing and the super informative content. The safe and adventurous versions give a fair idea. Keep it going š. Only one doubt though, is a transit visa required?
Where is the rest of the article
Hi Rizi – thank you for letting me know! The article had a technical error, but it’s back up now š
How much time do we need to allow to get back to our flight out? (At 17:00)?
The train is fast! It will take around a half hour š