Many travellers are limited to 48 hours stopover when they visit Bangkok, before they proceed to other countries in the region.Although Bangkok is a large city, it is possible for us to visit the most important in the area in less than two days. As an example, we can have a nice boat trip in the afternoon using the traditional rice barge down the Chao Phraya River. We may also get a glimpse of the majestic Emerald Buddha. There are many tours available for us to enjoy the city. We may book it directly from the hotel room. A plethora of tour operators offer 2-day of trips inside the city and they are scattered along the streets. Many also provide various one-day tour package and we may even able to choose what places to visit based on their recommendations. The tour operator could bring tourists from their hotels and return at night after dinner.
Regardless of what method we choose, it is a good idea to prioritize on the most popular places in the areas. The Grand Palace is the former residence of the local royal Thai family. The place has become the settings of multiple Hollywood films and it can be quite breathtakingly beautiful. There are different portions of the building that we may visit, such as Eight Colored Towers, Pantheon of the Chakri Kings and Golden Cheidi. The much revered Emerald Buddha is located at the Wat Phra Kaew temple, which is also located at the palace grounds. When visiting this area, we should make sure that we bring our camera with us and it is important for us to dress respectfully. The local employees may refuse our entry, if we wear sleeveless tops, shorts and slip on sandals. Strict dress code policy is also applied in the Grand Palace. Should we be refused entry, we may go to nearby tourists shops to purchase cheap clothing and shoes, so we are able to cover up those offending parts. For men, it is recommended to avoid wearing shoes, vests and sandals. By being well informed about local rules, we will be able to avoid wasting time, especially if we can stay only for a short amount of time in Bangkok.
We should also go to the oldest temple in Bangkok, the Wat Po. It is the place where we can find a large reclining Buddha. This is a great opportunity to get wonderful photos. Nearby, we can find the famous Thai massage school and we can stay for a couple of hours to take a short course. The Wat Po massage style is one of the most popular in the world. During the afternoon, we can go to the Chao Phraya River to have a boat ride with rice barge. We should be able to see plenty of historical monuments along the river bank. We should be able to get a glimpse of the authentic life in Bangkok. The barge will weave in between old houses along the waterways or klongs. The Temple of Dawn or Wat Arun is a good photography object during the afternoon.