Bangkok’s Grand Palace is the busiest tourist stop in the city.
How to Get to the Grand Palace
Get off the roads, and take advantage of the water. Moving around by river taxi is inexpensive. Plus, you’ll have a good excuse to see the Chao Phraya River up close. Going by boat allows you to avoid traffic and enjoy river scenery along the way — bonus!
If you have access to the BTS Skytrain, take it to Saphan Taksin station, then follow signs to the boat pier. Take the river taxi nine stops north to the Tha Chang (elephant) pier; they are marked with signs.
If you lose count of the stops, don’t worry. The Grand Palace is sprawled between the Tha Tien pier and Tha Chang pier; you’ll be able to see it from the boat. Once alighting at Tha Chang pier, walk a short distance south (to the right) to the entrance of the palace.
Note: For first-timers, using the river taxi system can seem a little daunting, even hectic. Boats often don’t come to a complete stop at piers as attendants blow whistles and wrestle with ropes to hold them in place. It all seems a bit frenetic. Passengers are encouraged jump on and off the boat quickly to avoid delays. Don’t worry, the Grand Palace is often the busiest stop along the river. You’ll be given enough time to get off the boat.
People staying in the Khao San Road area may opt to walk (around 20-25 minutes) to the Grand Palace. You can walk south skirting the edge of the green Royal Field or down the road nearest the river.
Open Hours
The Grand Palace is open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Occasionally, the Grand Palace does actually close for official visits and state functions, however, this is rare.
Entrance Fees
Considering that temples in Thailand are often free, the 500 baht (around US $16) per person entrance fee at the Grand Palace is relatively steep. Thai nationals do not have to pay.
An audio tour can be rented for an additional 200 baht. Optionally, human guides are available for hire; you’ll have to negotiate a rate with them. Choose an official guide within the compound rather than accepting someone’s offer on the outside.
Dress Code at the Grand Palace
To show adequate respect, you shouldn’t wear shorts or sleeveless shirts in any temple or state building in Thailand. Numerous travelers do so anyway. But unlike many of the other temples, a dress code is strictly enforced at the Grand Palace.
Men must wear long pants; women must cover legs to just above the knee.
Avoid wearing tight-fitting stretch pants or “revealing” clothing.
Don’t wear sleeveless shirts or show shoulders.
Don’t wear shirts with religious themes or symbols of death (heavy metal t-shirts, anyone?) on them. Many of the backpacker-favored Sure and No Time brand t-shirts portray Buddhist and Hindu themes.
You may be told outside that flip-flops are unacceptable footwear, but this rule is usually overlooked for tourists. Shoes must be removed when entering sacred areas anyway.
If your attire is unacceptable, you’ll be required to cover up with a sarong. Assuming the booth is open and they still have sarongs on hand, you can borrow one for free (with a refundable 200-baht deposit).
If borrowing a sarong isn’t an option, you’ll be sent across the street to the myriad of sellers to haggle for an overpriced t-shirt or to rent a sarong.
Note: The booth for loaning sarongs may close whenever they like, meaning you’ll have paid 200 baht for a used sarong.
Tips for Visiting the Grand Palace
Arrive right when the Grand Palace opens (8:30 a.m.). Doing so will give you a short while to enjoy the grounds before big tour groups and heat move in.
Plan to get hot. Bangkok’s heat and urban humidity become suffocating by 11 a.m., particularly if visiting during the hottest months between March and May. Wear sunscreen and a hat. Some visitors choose to take an umbrella, but this makes navigating crowded spaces even more challenging.
Stay patient. The heat and cramped spaces can test nerves. Unless you’re on assignment, don’t feel obligated to explore every part of the Grand Palace. If you’re no longer enjoying yourself, leave! Nearby Wat Pho is often slightly less crowded.
The Grand Palace is often the only tourist sight squeezed in by people with limited time who are passing through Bangkok for business or transit.
