Start your river journey at The Oriental hotel pier. The express boats move quickly along the river and only stop for a few seconds at the piers, so be careful getting on and off (the boat may still be moving). Dress appropriately to avoid being refused admission to temples.
Begin the day with a buffet breakfast on the edge of the river. The Shangri-La Hotel's Coffee Garden and The Oriental's Verandah Terrace are boat excellent and highly recommended. About 9am, walk to the boat landing at the end of Soi Oriental (on the south side of The Oriental Hotel). There, board an express boat heading upstream to your right. Disembark at Tha Chang Wang Luang landing just past the Grand Palace,
visible on your right. Walk straight down the street about 200m (650ft) to the entrance of the Wat Phra Kaeo and the Grand palace (daily 8.30am-3.30pm) which stands on the right behind a tall, white stucco wall.
No matter how much you've heard of the Grand Palace and the Wat Phra Kaeo, also known as Temple of the Emerald Buddha, you can never be quite prepared for the glittering reality of these buildings. The admission ticket is for both aforementioned buildings, Wat Phra Kaeo Museum and the Coins and Decorations Museum in the same vicinity, as well as Vimarnmek across town. Before entering Wat Phra Kaeo, note the entrance to the Coins and Decorations Museum on your right because you will return here later.
Grand Palace and Museums
From Wat phra Kaeo, go south into the compound of the Grand Palace, built by Rama I (1782-1809). Since 1946, the Thai royal family has lived in Chitralada Palace in northern Bangkok but the Grand Palace is still used for state ceremonies.The first building is the Amarin Vinitchai Throne Hall, the royal residence for the first three Chakri dynasty kings, housing their boatshaped throne. Bihind it is Rama I 's bedchamber, Maha Montien. Since his reign, each new monarch has slept in it the first night after his coronation. In the courtyard are gold-knobbed red poles where the royal elephants where once tethered.
The centrepiece is majestic Chakri Maha Prasad (Grand Palace Hall), built in 1882, with three spires atop an Italianate building. The state drawing rooms are decorated in the manner of European palaces, with some very Thai touches to maintain the perspective. To the west is the Dusit Maha Prasad, or Audience Hall, now the final resting place of deceased kings before they are cremated in Sanam Luang field.
To the northwest is the Wat Phra Kaeo Museum (daily 8.30am-3.30pm), which contains a collection of beautiful Buddha images made of crystal, silver, ivory and gold, as well as some beautiful lacquer screens. In the southern room on the second floor are two very interesting scale models of the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo complex: one as it looked over 100 years ago and the other as it looks today. From the museum veer right to a restaurant with an open veranda and a panoramic view of the Dusit Maha Prasad. Order a chilled coconut and drink the clear, sweet liquid through a straw, scraping out the tender white flesh with a spoon. The shop also sells Chiang Mai waxed paper umbrellas, handy for warding off the sun and the rain.
Leave the Grand Palace and walk past the ticket booth to the Coins and Decorations Museum
(daily 9am-3.30pm), with examples of ceramic coins, silver bullet money, seals and both Thai and world currencies. Upstairs are beautiful royal crowns, jewelled swords, jewellery, medals, brocaded robes and betel nut sets, which signify royal rank.
The National Museum
After leaving the Grand Palace complex cross the road and head left up Na Phra That Road, keeping the large open space of Sanam Luang on your right. At the far end of the field on the left is the National Museum (Wed-Sun 9am-4pm), one of the largest in Southeast Asia. It takes you on a journey into Thailand's fabled past, and displays include huge, gold-encrusted royal funeral chariots, weapons for elephant warfare, beautiful puppets, textiles, images of Buddha and Hindu gods, and other exotica.
Guided 2-hour tours on subjects ranging from Buddhism to Thai art and culture are available at 9.30am. English-language tours are organised on Wednesday (Buddhism) and Thursday (Thai art, culture and religion). On Thursdays, the tours are also conducted in German while French- and Japanese-language tours are held on Wednesdays. Call 01-224 1333 for the full schedule and details.
Besides housing a vast collection of antiquities, the museum has an interesting history of its own. The oldest buildings in the compound date from 1782 and were built as the palace of the 'second king' (deputy ruler), a feature of the Thai monarchy until 1870. Originally, the palace included a large park that went all the way to Wat Mahathat (further north along NaPhraThat Road) and covered the northern half of the present Sanam Luang grounds.
Be sure to visit the Buddhaisawan Chapel, to the right of the museum ticket office, for its exquisite collection of murals, and to see Thailand's second most sacred Buddha image, the Phra Buddha Sihing. The bronze image is paraded through the streets of Bangkok each year on the day before the festival of Songkran, when water flies freely (see Calendar of Events).
After the tour, return to your hotel for dinner or go to one of the restaurants recommended in the Eating Out section of this guide.
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