Whenever I plan a trip to Bangkok for a private client, I explain to them that you need to sub-divide the city twice. The first, and most important step, is to consider it in terms of the “new city” and “old city.”
The new city, at this point, is much larger and has many more subsequent sub-divisions than the old one. In a very broad sense, these include areas like Siam, Sathorn, Silom and Sukhumvit, though these can be broken down further, depending on how long you have in the city.
I suppose this is true for the old city as well, to some extent, but in most cases, it’s really a binary choice: The more popular Rattanakosin island on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, or Thonburi (the subject of the Bangkok Thonburi travel guide I’m sharing today) to the river’s west.
Thonburi and I Go Back a Long Way
You could say, without exaggerating, that I’ve been perfecting my Bangkok Thonburi itinerary for over a decade. To be specific, it was in 2012 that I first ventured over the Chao Phraya at Saphan Phut, aka Memorial Bridge, and toward the white stupa of Wat Prayoon. For a long time, walking along this stretch of the river (which also took me past a Catholic church and a Chinese shrine) was something of a ritual.
It’s not unlike how you might use a website such as Tradingview if you’re looking to improve your financial game. You access the dashboard again and again until it becomes part of your routine, much like how I became so accustomed to walking through Wat Prayoon’s turtle ponds, or could smell the incense coming from the Kian Un Keng shrine, that I no longer had to use a maps application to navigate.
What to Do in Bangkok’s Thonburi District
Start at Wat Pak Nam or Wat Arun
Technically speaking, Thonburi is the former capital of Thailand, but this isn’t apparent walking around. What is apparent? Several of the district’s temples are among Bangkok’s best, including the riverside Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn, among the most famous temples in the city) and the slightly-lesser (but increasingly well-) known Wat Pak Nam further west. Start your day at one of these for best results.
Take a khlong tour
Another of my favorite things to do in Thonburi? Ride a boat along the various khlong (canals) that run through this part of the city. They run through Rattanakosin, of course, and also through the newer parts of the city, but they’re frankly less polluted this far out. Additionally, the local life along these particular khlong is much more authentic than what you find in the heart of modern Bangkok, for what that’s worth.
Explore secondary sights along the waterfront
As I foreshadowed earlier in this post, I had a walk along Thonburi’s waterfront that I almost used to consider ritualistic. In particular, I’d start by crossing Memorial Bridge to the stark-white Wat Prayoon, before continuing northward to Santa Cruz Church, Kian Un Keng shrine and Wat Kalayanamitr. On some days, I’d walk from there to the aforementioned Wat Arun, but I often wouldn’t.
Have a fancy meal
On those days—the days I skipped Wat Arun—it was usually around lunch time, which is apropos, given where we are in my Thonburi travel guide. In these cases, I’d skip past the Temple of Dawn and instead go straight to a table at Supatra River House, one of my favorite higher-end places to enjoy an authentic Thai meal. I especially love coming here at nighttime, when they view over the Chao Phraya to Rattanakosin is just magnificent.
End with one of two sunsets
I love a good full circle moment, which is why I’d suggest watching sunset at one of the two temples—Wat Arun or Wak Pak Nam—I mentioned in the first section of this article. If you watch sunset behind Wat Pak Nam, I recommend walking from Icon Siam mall (itself a rather new addition to Thonburi) to this flyover bridge, and use either a zoom lens or your phone’s most intense digital zoom.
How Thonburi Compares to Rattanakosin
The simple answer to this question is that Rattanakosin is home to many of Bangkok’s—and Thailand’s—most iconic attractions, but also a huge number of tourists. It’s walking-distance from Khao San Road, after all, which means that a certain number of the backpackers who stay there simply wander down to attractions like the Sao Ching Cha “Giant Swing” and even the Grand Palace, almost passively.
By contrast, while certain tourist spots in Thonburi are famous—Wat Arun and, increasingly, Wat Pak Nam—most of the local neighborhoods along its khlong (canals) go totally unnoticed by foreign tourists. It’s true, of course, that more and more Thais are venturing here to have more local experiences in their national capital. However, even at its busiest attractions and on the most crowded day, Thonburi is just way less busy than Rattanakosin.
Other FAQ About Visiting Bangkok’s Thonburi District
What is there to do in Thonburi?
Thonburi is a fascinating part of Bangkok, located along the western bank of the city’s Chao Phraya River. While certain tourist attractions—namely Wat Arun and Wat Pak Nam temples—do exist, the true draw of exploring this part of town is being able to have authentic interactions with locals.
Is Thonburi worth visiting?
Thonburi is definitely worth visiting, especially now that both the MRT and BTS rail lines can quickly take you there from modern Bangkok. Alternatively, you can walk across Memorial Bridge from Chinatown, or ride river boats from Sathon Pier or Wat Pho Pier.
How do I get to Thonburi?
There are a few easy ways to get to Thonburi. By BTS, you can get off at stops like Krung Thonburi, Wutthakat or Talat Phlu, depending upon which attractions you’re bound for. Bang Phai Station, meanwhile, is the closest MRT station to Wat Pak Nam. A third option is to ride any number of river boats here, or to go by Grab or taxi.
The Bottom Line
I hope you’ve found my Bangkok Thonburi travel guide helpful. As is the case when trying to differentiate between Silom and Sukhumvit in “new Bangkok,” the first step to understanding Thonburi—I mean, beyond understanding all the things to do there—is getting a sense of how it compares to Rattanakosin, the more popular part of old Bangkok by far. A very crude way to break this down is to say that Thonburi is more local and has fewer tourists, whereas Rattanakosin is one of the biggest tourism hubs in Thailand as a whole, and not just in Bangkok. Need personalized help integrating off-the-beaten-path destinations into your Thailand trip? Consider hiring me to plan it!
