Before You Read
Because I had already been to Bangkok countless times, this post is not written as a strict day-by-day itinerary. If you want an actual day-by-day route, you can read my Bangkok 5D4N trip post first. This post is more for couples deciding where to stay, what to eat, where to shop and how to make the trip easier.
Think of this as my practical Bangkok guide for couples: where to stay, how to move around, what to eat, where to shop, what to avoid and how to make the trip easy without fighting over transport, shopping bags or food choices.
It is especially useful if it is your first Bangkok trip with your partner.
This post is based on my original 2018 recommendations, so please check current hotel reviews, shop openings, transport apps and restaurant outlets before booking.
Trip At A Glance
| Detail | Notes |
|---|---|
| Destination | Bangkok |
| Travel style | Couple trip, shopping, food, cafes, massage, tailoring and easy nightlife |
| Best for | Couples planning a short Bangkok getaway |
| Main warning | Stay location matters a lot depending on whether you are there for shopping, cafes or nightlife |
Flights
For Bangkok, budget airlines like Scoot or Jetstar are usually good enough because the flight is only about 2.5 hours.
My personal preference was Scoot because, at that time, it felt like SQ’s old planes. Airfares were usually around SGD 150 to 200 per pax including baggage. If the budget-airline fare goes above SGD 200, please wait for promo or compare with full-service airlines. Sometimes SGD 200 to 300 can already get you flights like SQ or Cathay, no kidding.
Where To Stay In Bangkok
I usually stay around Platinum / Pratunam because most of my Bangkok trips are shopping-heavy. If your trip is more cafes, city dining, bars or nightlife, then Sukhumvit / Thonglor may make more sense.
Hotel Vista Express
This was one of my personal favourites because of location and price. It was around SGD 60+ per night then and located above Pratunam shopping area, so you can shop, go up to the room, drop your bags and continue.
It is also walking distance to street food and Soi 19 wanton mee. The room is nothing fancy, just a queen bed and standing shower, but if you are not particular, it works.
Berkeley Hotel
I had not tried this hotel at the time of writing, but friends said the rooms were quite pretty, like a low 4-star hotel. The location is diagonally opposite Platinum, maybe around 5 to 10 minutes’ walk. More expensive than Hotel Vista Express but still convenient.
Lemon Tea Hotel
I had not tried this either, but we walked past it and it looked good from outside. It is near the Spenza Hotel area, so the location is convenient.
Spenza Hotel
I stayed here on a previous Bangkok trip. It was decent, but I still preferred Hotel Vista Express for location because Spenza was slightly further from Pratunam / Platinum. It can feel tiring walking back with shopping bags.
The good thing is that a good massage place was along the same street, around 5 minutes away.
Amari Watergate
Amari is directly opposite Platinum, and Paul’s Fashion tailor is inside the hotel, so it is very convenient if the guy wants to tailor shirts/pants/blazers. But when I stayed there, the room felt old for the price. The convenience is the main selling point.
Novotel Platinum
If budget allows, this is probably the best shopping hotel because it is right on top of Platinum Mall. You can shop, bring bags up, rest, and continue round 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
But if you are going to Chatuchak, Union Mall, cafes or Sukhumvit a lot, then staying above Platinum matters less. It becomes more of a 4-5 star hotel choice versus 3-star budget hotels.
Transport In Bangkok
Ride-Hailing
Ride-hailing was my favourite transport mode in my more recent Bangkok trips because it gives a fixed cost and avoids some tuk-tuk/taxi nonsense. The downside is Bangkok traffic. If the app says 15 minutes, it may become 30 minutes. Please factor that in.
For overseas ride-hailing, I usually prefer cash payment so there are fewer funny issues with card charges.
Tuk-Tuk
Tuk-tuks used to be my main transport because they were cheap and could squeeze through jams. But later, fares went up and some drivers became more tourist-trap-ish.
If a tuk-tuk quotes you a very cheap price, be careful. Some will request to bring you to a souvenir shop first because they earn petrol fee/commission. If you refuse, they may drop you off somewhere random. This happened to me twice.
Some may also tell you the place you want to go is closed and recommend another restaurant/shop instead. If you are going somewhere specific, check directly with the venue and insist on the destination before boarding.
Taxis
I mainly use taxis to and from the airport because of luggage. The fare was usually around 300 baht including tolls then. If your hotel charters transport for you, it may charge around 700 baht, so flagging a cab can be cheaper.
In the city, I seldom use taxis because it can be hard to find one that uses the meter, and some quote high fixed prices due to jam.
BTS
BTS is the cheapest and fastest if your destination is near a station. No jam, very straightforward. The annoying part is that some places still require 10 to 15 minutes’ walk after you alight, and if you are not familiar with the area, you may get lost.
Breakfast / Brunch
On Lok Yun
One of my must-go breakfast places whenever I am in Bangkok. It is not a fancy “wow” breakfast, more like local toast, kaya, coffee/tea and eggs. Think Chin Mee Chin in Singapore.
The kaya spread is good, and some people even buy it back after trying.
Soi 19 Wanton Mee
Located along Petchaburi Soi 19, near Glow / Pratunam area. You can spot it from the queue and the big signs saying they do not have a branch in Singapore.
The pig trotters are good too, and we usually order both rice and noodles. It used to have smaller bowls, but from what I knew later, they standardised to bigger bowls.
Roast At The Commons
Good for couples who like brunch. The Commons is a pretty, chill place with other cafes too. Roast feels like Singapore brunch food but cheaper because of the exchange rate. Food, ambience and presentation are on the better side. So far, friends who tried it said it was one of their best meals in Bangkok.
Lunch / Casual Food
Duck Noodles Near Platinum
We chanced upon this while searching for the chicken rice stall. It was not as nice as the Chatuchak duck noodles, but the soup was savoury and I liked the duck blood. Good for a quick local lunch if you are rushing back to Platinum.
Somtam
One of my favourite Thai meals in Bangkok. It is not cheap local-stall style, more like a Thai Express kind of restaurant, but the pork and fish are good. Queue can be long during lunch/dinner, so go earlier if you can.
Pink-Shirt Chicken Rice
This is the famous chicken rice stall near Berkeley Hotel. It was not mind-blowing, but it is a simple, cheap “I’ve tried it” meal if you want quick breakfast/lunch before shopping.
Crepes & Co.
For cafe lovers. The savoury crepes, especially ham and cheese, were really good because of the sweet-savoury mix. The Central World outlet I tried had closed, but there were other outlets around Langsuan / Thonglor then. Please check current outlets before going.
Dinner
T&K Seafood Chinatown
Almost everyone who goes Bangkok knows this place. It is the famous red-shirt vs green-shirt seafood rivalry at Chinatown. I always go to the green-shirt one.
It is cheap seafood, but do not expect cleanliness. You may see roaches, stained plates/bowls and very local chaos. But this is where you get seafood like crab, prawns, fish and shark fin at a lower price.
Glow Seafood
Located below Glow Hotel. Cleaner and more convenient than T&K, but slightly more expensive. Food quality was comparable to me, so if you prefer cleaner and convenient over cheapest, Glow works.
MK
Many people know MK because it has outlets internationally. The main reason to eat it in Bangkok is that it can be cheaper after conversion. Food and service are similar to other outlets, but I like that they have Thai milk tea.
Bar B Que / Mookata
Cheap mookata-style meal at around SGD 10 per pax then for free-flow meat BBQ. The one I went to was in MBK. Do not expect huge variety; the price says it all. But if you are craving meat, it works.
Desserts
After You
One of my favourites. I love their mille crepe. Their Shibuya toast is famous too, but Thye and I do not have a very sweet tooth, so we found it a bit too sweet.
Audrey Cafe
Pretty ambience, dainty/stylish cafe. But personally, I prefer After You. Their Thai Milk Tea mille crepe was too sweet for me, even though I normally have quite a sweet tooth.
Mango Tango
I am not really a mango person, but friends raved about it. It is not bad, and it is near Somtam in Siam Square, so you can do Somtam then Mango Tango.
Nam Seng Bird’s Nest
Good after T&K Seafood. You can eat there or buy containers back to the hotel, put them in the fridge, and have cold bird’s nest the next morning.
Chinatown Local Dessert / Yaowarat Toasted Bun
Further down from T&K Seafood, opposite side. Look out for Mr Pig first, then continue further for local roadside desserts. Yaowarat Toasted Bun is usually easy to spot because of the queue.
Souvenirs And Snacks
Mr Pig at Chinatown is where we usually buy food souvenirs like pork floss rolls, biscuits and crackers. Prices were cheaper than buying elsewhere like Asiatique or MBK, and my mum loves the pork floss roll.
Shopping
Platinum Mall
The classic ladies’ shopping heaven with blogshop-style clothes and fashion items.
These days, I am not sure if I grew out of the fashion or the clothes became CMI, but younger girls/poly-age shoppers may still like it. Most clothes were around SGD 10 to 20, and nicer pieces around SGD 30 to 40.
As someone who used to own a blogshop, I can tell you some stocks probably came from China/Taobao. If you are very free, check Taobao before buying. If not, just buy because it is still cheaper than Singapore.
Pratunam
Cheaper than Platinum, but very crowded, hot and squeezy. A lot of people push huge trolleys/bags around and will just push through.
If you hate crowds, skip it and shop at morning/night markets or Platinum instead.
Union Mall
Something like Far East Plaza in Singapore. Clothes can be cheaper than Platinum, though designs may lose to Platinum. Good air-con option near Chatuchak.
Train Market / Talad Rot Fai Ratchada
I had only been to Talad Rot Fai Ratchada at that time. It is behind Esplanade Mall. If taking cab/ride-hailing, alight at Esplanade Mall, cut through to the back, follow the crowd and music.
Talad Neon
Smaller-scale night market near Pratunam / Berkeley area. There is shopping and food, and you may find banana Nutella prata there, though roadside versions can be nicer.
Victory Monument Market
Easy to find because it surrounds the Victory Monument statue. You can also try the famous cheap boat noodles nearby. I did not explore properly because the last time I went, I had food poisoning and went back to crash after five minutes.
Terminal 21
For people who prefer normal malls. Each level has a different country theme, and prices are higher, around SGD 40 to 100+. Good for local designer/handicraft type items.
Siam Square
Think Haji Lane vibes. More unique and hipster clothes, but prices can be around SGD 40 to 60 per piece. It is a huge area of shophouses and mini malls, so you can spend half a day to a day there.
Chatuchak
Chatuchak is one of those MUST MUST MUST go places if it is your first few times in Bangkok. It is an eye opener because you can find almost everything there: household items, pets, clothes, decorations, random handmade items, food stalls, little bars and all sorts of things you never planned to buy.
The food there is part of the fun too. I love the quail eggs, moo ping, coconut ice cream, duck noodles and Italian seafood rice there. There are also mini bars and stalls where you can sit down for a drink when the heat gets too much.
I would still tell people to go despite the crazy heat. Just wear loose, comfortable clothes and do not dress until too precious because you will sweat. For me, I usually go around 9am to 10am when the shops are opening, then leave around 12pm to 1pm when the sun gets unbearable. Since I have been there countless times, two hours is enough for me to walk the parts I want, but first-timers can easily spend much longer.
Also, if you are furnishing a house or like unique home items, Chatuchak is dangerous haha. I always felt that one day when I have my own house, I would come back to shop for household items properly because many things are handmade and quite unique.
Tailoring For Guys
Paul’s Fashion Tailor is the one many Singaporeans go to. The shop has photos with local celebrities and many insurance agent name cards on the table, which says a lot haha.
Thye has tailored clothes there, so we were often there. Go on Day 1 because they need time to take measurements and prepare a sample. Then return the next morning to try. If all is okay, they do the rest based on the sample and you can collect later. I would say it is safer if you are staying at least 4D3N.
You can tell them your departure date/time, and they may deliver the tailored clothes to your hotel reception.
Massage / Beauty
Baiyoke Sky Massage Row
I used to frequent the massage parlours near Baiyoke Sky Hotel, behind Pratunam Market. Prices were around 200 to 250 baht per hour for full body or foot massage then.
Foot Haven Massage
This became one of the places I frequented later. It is slightly further from Platinum/Pratunam, around 8 to 10 minutes’ walk, but the foot and full body massages were not bad. They also helped massage shoulders/neck with hot towels after the foot massage.
Nails At MBK
There are nail salons around MBK level 2 or 3 near the travelator bridge to the outer part of the mall. I like doing nails in Bangkok because prices are cheaper even for nail art. Simple nail art could be around 500 baht for classic gelish back then.
Night Activities
Clubs
For clubbing, the usual names were Route 66, Onyx or Demo. During my time, Route 66 was the one we frequented. But I have kind of outgrown clubs, so I will not pretend to be super updated here.
If you plan to party throughout your Bangkok trip, stay around Thonglor or Sukhumvit instead of Platinum/Pratunam.
Bars
Bangkok has many nice, hipster bars and live-band places. The last time we bar-hopped, it was a row of bars we chanced upon in Sukhumvit, but I could not remember the names. I would explore more bars on future trips.
Muay Thai
There are two kinds of Muay Thai experiences: doing a class, or watching a fight.
For watching fights in touristy/nightlife areas, note that it can feel a bit sleazy because people may pull you into clubs. The one we tried had no cover charge, but we had to buy a beer each and tip the fighters when they walked around. Try for the experience if you are comfortable.
If you want a more legitimate Muay Thai live show, you can try checking the ticket booth at Asiatique.
How I Would Structure A Couple Trip
For couples, I would not overpack every day. Keep the trip easy:
- One major shopping day.
- One food/cafe day.
- One market/night market day.
- One massage/rest night.
- One flexible day for whatever both of you actually like.
If one person shops more than the other, stay somewhere convenient so the shopper can shop and the other person can rest without turning it into a fight.