Have you been planning a Bangkok sightseeing vacation but always holds it back because of budget constraints? Don’t worry because there are many ways to enjoy Bangkok even with limited vacation funds.

Bangkok is really one of the best places to visit if you want quality but inexpensive vacation. It has numerous tourist attractions that are usually accessible by public transportation. So before you cave in to the luring sales pitch of the tour guides that charge hefty fees, it is worth to read the following frugal tips for your future Bangkok sightseeing vacation plan.

Use the Map. You can ask a free copy of Bangkok map at the hotel concierge. If you cannot find any, though rarely, you can always refer to the maps located in the public transportation stations of the metro train or express boats.

Also, majority of the tourist attractions have tourist information booth nearby that you can approach.

Research Earlier. Guided tours are always expensive because you pay for their service and knowledge. Tour guides will provide you with the history, its significance and other related information of the sights you wish to go.

But why spend a dime for information that is widely available with no cost at all. Before you pack your things, do some little homework. Research and read about those famous tourist attractions that you plan to visit. This will save you a substantial amount of money while you will enjoy the thrill of exploring unguided Bangkok sightseeing tours.

Take Express Boat. This is the great way to get around in Bangkok because it is cheap and fast, away from the congested roads. Express boat is also known as the public boat. With regular trips and several routes, you can visit major tourist attractions using express boat.

Here are few local tourist attractions that you can reach through Express boat.

• Emerald Buddha & Grand Palace
• The Golden Buddha
• The Reclining Buddha
• The National Museum of Royal Barges
• Wat Arun

Tour guides will approach you in every sightseeing site. Don’t succumb to their overcharged fees as most of the local attractions are just walking distance from the pier (where the express (public) boats dock).

For instance, Wat Arun is located just across the pier Tha Tien where you get off for the Reclining Buddha. There is available ferry that will take you for five minutes or less to the Wat Arun from the Tha Tien pier for only 3 bhat per way.

Bangkok Mass Transit System. It is also known as BTS Sky train, a quick and convenient way to reach shopping malls and other tourists destinations. Aside that it gives you a top view of the city, BTS Sky train is also clean. It will cost you between 30-40 baht per trip per way.
Here are few places you can go using the BTS Sky train.

• Siam Square (Bangkok’s shopping heartland)
• Victory Monument
• MBK Shopping Mall
• Chatuchak or Weekend Market

Pack Extra Traveling Bags. Bangkok is always associated with shopping because there are so many things to buy at reasonable prices from clothes, shoes, silk, tailor-made suits, jewelries to souvenir items. You will definitely end up with an extra travelling bag on your return.

To pack all these new shopping goodies, you will need an additional suitcase on your return but why you have to buy an extra suitcase when you can pack some old folding traveling bags you keep in your closet back home.

Now that you know few Bangkok sightseeing vacation frugal tips, it’s about time to let go your travel qualms and enjoy the thrill of exploring frugally the various local attractions in Bangkok.

Cyra Miles Valdez is a freelance writer living in Abu Dhabi, UAE and her areas of interest are travel, events & holidays, health, culture & society, human interest stories and education. Her writing services include SEO writing, webpage content, article writing, blogs, essays and feature writing.

Bangkok is an incredible destination that is a blend of east and west, and one can see here historic as well as ancient shrines overlooking towering modern building that dominate the skyline. Apart from being a popular tourist spot, Bangkok serves as the country’s seat of administration and government. Bangkok is also the main port of the country, and is home to about one tenth of the population of the country. Further, Bangkok is sometimes referred to as the Venice of the East due to its beautiful canals and rivers.

Of the attractions in Bangkok that deserves a special mention are its magnificent royal palaces. Just few among many of them are the Grand Palace, which is exquisitely decorated and attached with areas such as Borombinan Hall, Amarindra Hall, and Dusit Hall; Chitlada Palace, which is the current residence of the king; Vimanek Mansion – a stupendous as well as expansive wooden palace made from golden teak; and Suan Pakkad Palace, with a collection of traditional style Thai mansions.

Equally interesting is the Buddhist wats and temples found in the city, such as, Wat Phra Kaew, which is considered the most prominent Buddhist temple in the country; Wat Arun, otherwise known as the Temple of Dawn; Wat Pho, whose centerpiece is a 46 meters long statue of Lord Buddha in reclining posture; and Wat Traimit, also known as the Temple of Golden Buddha.

A visit to Bangkok would not to be complete without taking a tour to many of its interesting museums such as Bank of Thailand Museum, located within Bangkhunphrom Palace; Erawan Museum, in whose front one can find a statue of three-headed elephant that stands on an gargantuan pedestal; Bangkok National Museum, which has on display an amazing collection of Thai art and artifacts; Bangkok Folk Museum, with exhibits such as traditional utensils and ceremonial related artifacts.

Human Imagery Museum, which throws light on the Thai life and culture; Corrections Museum, which is located at the site of the Bangkok Remand Prison; Forensic Museum, where you can see preserved corpses; Science Museum, with an interesting aquarium, a planetarium, and several other sections for entertainment and education; Philatelic Museum, which is a must-see for stamp collectors; and Royal Barge National Museum, which has on display an array of royal barges that were used during royal occasions.

Other not to miss attractions in Bangkok are Lumpini Park, the largest as well as the oldest park in the city; Dusit Zoo, boasting of more than 200 mammals, 150 reptiles, and 1000 birds; Thai Cat Palace, featuring several breeds of cats such as Siamese, white pure Maeo Khao Mani, and diamond-eyed cats; Snake Farm, also known as the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, which is one of the leading producers of anti-venom Serum in Asia; Crocodile Farm -the largest of its kind in the world, where you can see more than 60,000 fresh as well as sea water crocodiles; and Rose Garden, a well-manicured area where cultural shows are conducted.

In short, Bangkok boasts of everything that is required for an enjoyable vacation. It is therefore not a wonder why people from every nook and corner of the world flock here per year. Hence, in order to cater to the growing number of tourists, Bangkok comes with an array of accommodation choices, ranging from high-end hotels and upscale resorts to boutique hotels and budget lodgings.