When my best friend and I were planning our holiday trip, Bangkok was a strong contender but we weren’t so sure.

Despite being a favorite holiday destination among many, one thing we were perplexed about was our safety there. As we were just 2 young girls, we were scared of what might happen, plus continuous warnings from our friends and family added to our spiral panic.

Yet, when we got there, our view of Bangkok turned 360 degree, in the best way possible. Bangkok was way better than what we expected. Not only the food there all tastes amazing, we were amazed by how advanced the public transportations are there. It’s so easy to get around from one place to another.

We stayed in the IBIS Siam Hotel which was the best decision of the whole trip. The location of the hotel was so strategic. Direct opposite of the hotel was the BTS Skytrain, and just a stone throne away, not more than 5 minutes’ walk is the MBK Mall and every other popular Siam mall possible. We felt safe as there was always people/many tourists around at the area, even when we came back late at around 11pm.

Bangkok has the perfect mix for shopping and sight-seeing. It was a 5-day trip for us which we though were enough but there were still so many places to see. After coming home from this trip, we recommend everyone to visit Bangkok can’t wait till the next time we go back.

As we visited quiet a lot of places during our trip in Bangkok, I’ll break down 5 recommended places to visit in Bangkok that you sure want to put in your itinerary. The list is not in any necessary order.

1. Wat Arun

Among all the temples in Thailand that I’ve seen, this one left me in awe. Knowing that this grandeur temple was hand-painted colorfully throughout left me stunt. The area of this temple was vast and tall. If you go higher, you can get a magnificent overlook of the rivers and the city. The fact that we had to take a river to get to this temple also become part of the journey as it really felt like we were in Thailand.

Owing to its name as the Temple of Dawn, it’s best to visit this temple during sunset hour. To go in, you have to pay 50 baht. Be sure to wear respectable clothing when you enter.

2.  Wat Pho

Just across the Wat Arun temple is the Wat Pho. This temple is very popular in Thailand and is known for the reclining Buddha.

Compare to the Wat Arun, this temple is more traditionally constructed with its shining gold-color pillars. A lot of people also came here for a traditional Thai massage, unfortunately I didn’t get to try as it was very crowded when I visited.

The Wat Pho has a bigger complex compare to Wat Arun, there were more things to see here. One favorite thing I did here is when I predicted my luck. As I visited here with a local Thailand friend, she thought me how to do it.

So, over a small statue of Buddha, we had to shake a container containing sticks with numbers attached to it. It is recommended that you think about positive wishes when you do so. Then, the stick that falls out has a number to itand will determine our luck. We go to a counter and get a paper according to the number of the stick; that paper will read out our luck prediction.

I am really superstitious so this kind of stuffs really entertains me. Unluckily, my luck prediction was not so good. My friend said if you get good luck, you should bring your prediction paper home but if it is the otherwise then you should leave it where it was so the bad luck will not entail you. Here is a picture of my prediction paper.

When you visit, you should give this whole prediction thing a try. Even if you don’t believe it, it’s a fun thing to do.

If you’re feeling puckish, there are many yummy food stalls around the Wat Pho complex too. Like this traditional coconut ice cream which you can get for only 50 baht!

3. Tha Maharaj

This place was a hidden gem as when I was planning my itinerary, this place didn’t come out anywhere in all the travel websites. Our local Thai friends introduced this place and I instantly fell in love. After a tiring day walking around the grand temples, the Tha Maharaj is the best place to visit to chill and hangout.

The Tha Maharaj is located right over a ferry stop, so when you visit you got a really spectacular view of the river, even better than the Wat Arun I must say! It is an open-air riverside place with lots of contemporary and hip restaurants/cafes, along with many stalls selling Thai Street Food in the lanes. The price is relatively higher as the place is still new and very urban, but if you’re someone who likes taking pictures then this is heaven for you.

4. The Commons

The Commons is very similar to the Tha Maharaj as both places are new, urban, and following the open-air concept. It is located in Thonglor area, a more upscale residence in Thailand.

The Commons locates lots of new and upcoming artisan restaurants/cafes, but one thing that I love about this place is their market area. The Common’s Market-Place is a modern take on traditional Thailand markets with varying stalls from French patisserie to Mexican food. They have a very similar plan to the popular UrbanSpace Vanderbilt in New York.

As the place is open from 8am, I recommend coming to this place for a chic breakfast or brunch.

The aesthetically pleasing architecture of The Commons forms a pleasant atmosphere of the place that makes you want to stay there all day.

We tried Roast there, a restaurant serving western and Asian fusion food and I had the biggest and best waffles I ever tasted.

5. Platinum Fashion Mall

Now for all of you, shopaholics, this is the place to go. My best friend and I love this place so much that we decided to visit it again on our last day. This mall is HUGE, it has 3 zones however you can skip the third zone because all the pieces there are not that good.

Compare to Chatuchak, this place has a better variety in terms of items of clothing. Price ranges between 100-300 for the clothes and 500 upwards for the bags. It may be overwhelming as there are lots and lots of choices. If you really like an item and thinking of buying it, it’s better to buy it right at that moment with a negotiated price because it is hard to go back after you roam around the mall.

A pro tip I got from my local friends is to not buy clothes or any kind of items from shops that are located near the escalator as price tends to be higher. Go a little bit deeper in and you’ll find something similar with a much lower price.

I guarantee there is something for everyone here. You can spend up to 6 hours here and you won’t get bored. When your feet need to rest, on the 6^th floor, they have the best food court. I’ve heard that the mall actually invited popular hawkers inside, so you can try some of Thai’s famous street food here too.

I didn’t take any pictures here, maybe because I was so busy shopping.

If you’re planning to visit Bangkok, I hope you got the chance to visit the places I mentioned as they are honestly so worth visiting.  From peaceful temples to thrilling shopping, Bangkok is the place to go if you need a little break.