The Grand Palace was built in 1782 when King Rama I moved the capital to Bangkok. For 150 years it was the home of the Thai kings and the seat of government. Its walls enclose over 200,000 square metres of throne halls, pavilions and courtyards. The best known building is the Chakri Maha Prasat, which mixes a European style hall with a Thai roof. The palace is still used for royal ceremonies.

Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, stands within the grounds of the Grand Palace. It is the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The small Emerald Buddha, carved from green jade-like stone, sits high on a golden altar. The King changes its robes three times a year with the seasons. The temple is ringed by gilded chedis, guardian giants and murals of the Ramakien.

Wat Pho lies just south of the Grand Palace and is one of the oldest temples in Bangkok. It is famous for its Reclining Buddha, 46 metres long and covered in gold leaf, with feet inlaid with mother of pearl. The temple has over a thousand Buddha images and four large tiled chedis of the first kings. It is also seen as the birthplace of Thai massage, which is still taught here.

Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, stands on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River opposite Wat Pho. Its central prang rises about 70 metres and is covered with pieces of coloured porcelain and seashells arranged as flowers. Steep steps lead part of the way up. The temple is named after Aruna, the Hindu god of dawn, and is one of the best known sights of Bangkok, especially at sunset.

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market lies about 100 kilometres southwest of Bangkok. The canal was dug in the 1860s under King Mongkut, and farmers began selling produce from boats. Today vendors in wide hats paddle wooden boats loaded with fruit, noodles and souvenirs along the narrow canals. Visitors tour the market by long-tail boat. It is busiest in the early morning.

The Maeklong Railway Market lies across the railway line in Samut Songkhram. Stalls of fish, fruit and vegetables are set right on the tracks under awnings. Several times a day a train arrives, the vendors quickly fold back their awnings and pull in their goods, and the train passes inches away. When it has gone, the market spreads out again within minutes.

Amphawa Floating Market is held in the evening on Friday to Sunday along a canal in Samut Songkhram. Old wooden shophouses line both banks, with cafes and small shops. Boats serve grilled seafood and noodles from the water. After dark, boat tours go out to see fireflies in the trees by the river. The area keeps a quiet, traditional feel.

Ayutthaya was the capital of the Kingdom of Siam from 1351 until it was destroyed by a Burmese army in 1767. At its height it was one of the largest cities in the world, trading with China, Japan, Persia and Europe. The ruins of its temples, palaces and monasteries stand on an island formed by three rivers. The historical park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the royal temple inside the palace of Ayutthaya, used only by the king for ceremonies. It was built in the 15th century. Three large bell-shaped chedis in a row hold the ashes of three kings. A 16-metre standing Buddha covered with gold once stood here but was melted down by the Burmese in 1767. The three chedis are the symbol of the city.

Wat Chaiwatthanaram stands on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya. King Prasat Thong built it in 1630, in honour of his mother. Its design, with a tall central prang surrounded by smaller towers, is based on the Khmer temples of Angkor. A gallery with 120 Buddha images once enclosed it. The temple is especially fine at sunset.

Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon lies southeast of old Ayutthaya. It was founded in 1357 by King U Thong for monks returning from study in Sri Lanka. Its huge chedi was raised by King Naresuan to celebrate his victory over a Burmese prince in single combat on elephants in 1592. Rows of seated Buddhas in saffron robes line the courtyard, and a reclining Buddha lies near the gate.

Bang Pa-In Royal Palace lies by the Chao Phraya River south of Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya kings first used the site in the 17th century, and King Mongkut and King Chulalongkorn rebuilt it in the 19th. Its buildings mix Thai, Chinese, Italian and Victorian styles around ponds and gardens. The Aisawan Thipphaya-at, a Thai pavilion standing in a pool, is its most photographed sight.

Ko Kret is a small island in the Chao Phraya River in Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok. It was created in 1722 when a canal was dug across a bend of the river. The island is home to a Mon community known for its pottery. A path loops around it past old temples, potters' workshops and stalls selling sweets. It is busiest at weekends.

The Jim Thompson House is a museum in central Bangkok. Jim Thompson was an American who revived the Thai silk industry after the Second World War. In 1959 he joined six old teak houses into one home beside a canal. He disappeared in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia in 1967. His house, garden and collection of Asian art are open on guided tours.

Yaowarat Road is the heart of Bangkok's Chinatown, laid out in 1891. Chinese merchants settled here after the capital moved across the river, and the area grew into a busy trading quarter. Gold shops, herbal pharmacies and Chinese temples line the street under dense neon signs. At night the road fills with street food stalls selling noodles, seafood and sweets.

Asiatique The Riverfront is a night market and entertainment area on the Chao Phraya River in southern Bangkok. It opened in 2012 in restored warehouses of the East Asiatic Company, a Danish trading firm that built a pier here in the early 1900s. It has shops, restaurants, shows and a large Ferris wheel. Free boats run from Saphan Taksin pier.