Bangkok🇹🇭 + Tokyo🇯🇵
April 2026.
This trip was another one of the yearly trips I take my parents on. It was one of my dad’s bucket list destinations, and I am so glad we were able to go. The trip was split with 4 nights in Bangkok, Thailand and 4 nights in Tokyo, Japan. Because I was traveling with my parents, the trip wasn’t super jammed back with activities. My parents also aren’t foodies like me, so hitting multiple restaurants had no appeal to them.
All that to say, this trip would have looked different if I was traveling by myself or with one of my girls. But I still wanted to share what we did, because I still had a great time.
Tips:
Klook is a great way to book excursions, tours, hotel/airport transport in both Bangkok and Tokyo. It’s similar to TripAdvisor or Viator. You can even find last minute bookings on Klook, that are sold out elsewhere.
Recommend getting cash for Bangkok. There are countless markets and food stalls you may want to explore and many don’t accept card.
Cash is not needed really needed in Tokyo. Card is widely accepted and you can easily upload money onto your Suica card on your cell phone.
Pack comfortable walking shoes, you’ll be getting 10-15k steps a day, especially in Tokyo.
Bangkok
Things to do/see
Attractions
78th floor stunning rooftop. There’s a glass tray floor, which is a bit unsettling at first, but very cool experience. Highly recommend going around sunset for an amazing view. There’s also a DJ and bar on the rooftop.
There’s also a digital immersive experience o the 4th floor and some VR rides on the ground floor.
I booked our tickets on Klook.
enjoying the sunset with a cocktail
Skyverse digital immersive experience
Some other popular rooftop bar options
Lebua at State Tower
Le Du Kaan
Vertigo
Bangkok National Museum
Muay Thai fight
Dinner cruise on Chaopraya River
There are multiple companies/boats that offer these dinner cruises. I booked the Bangkok Chaophraya Cruise, and it was great.
Perfect last night in Bangkok activity. You get to see popular sites at night from the water, and it is so beautiful. It’s a buffet with large selection of food items, including local and western dishes. There are also live performances. Highly recommend.
Spa
You should absolutely visit a spa while in Bangkok. Great last day activity. There are numerous massage parlors all over the place, but be careful as many are the “happy ending kind”.
I highly recommend the spa we visited: Let’s Relax Spa. There are several of these spas across Bangkok. They have a very luxurious feel. They offer a welcome drink prior to service and sticky mango rice dessert afterwards. We had phenomenal relaxing massage for a very affordable price.
Temples
There are over 400 Buddhist temples, known as “wats”, in Bangkok. I’ve listed some of the popular ones. We only visited one, because it was over 100 degrees that day, and the sun exhausted us.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You must have your knees and shoulder covered, so no shorts or tank tops. Dress appropriately or you’ll be forced to buy some clothing/covering at the temple entrance.
The Grand Palace
Wat Pho - Home of the Reclining Buddha
Wat Arun - Temple of the Dawn
Wat Bowonniwet Vihara
Wat Ratchabophit
Grand Palace
Grand Palace
Grand Palace
Wat Arun
Shopping
Bangkok is such a great place for shopping. It is a shopping hub. It is almost unbelievable how many malls there are. There is a wide range of shopping from countless luxury stores to street markets.
Malls
Even if you don’t plan on shopping, you should still visit a few malls. It is such an experience. It is not just a regular mall with a Macy’s, these malls are 7+ floors, beautifully decorated, and a great opportunity to visit some stores we don’t have in the U.S.
ICONSIAM Mall
MBK Mall
Central World mall
SIAM Paragon
EmQuartier
Terminal 21
Union mall
Emsphere
IconSiam
IconSiam
Markets – make sure you bargain!
Sook Siam “Market” on the bottom floor of ICONSIAM Mall
An indoor take on the floating market, filled with dozens upon dozens of street food stalls. There are also numerous shops/kiosks selling clothing, accessories, souvenirs, home decor, etc.
I really enjoyed this market, highly recommend visiting.
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Good place to shop for the low. Sat-Sun, 9a-6p.
Chinatown Night Market: Yaowarat Road
Great place to go in the evening and eat street food. We sadly didn't make it here, as jet lag was kicking my parents’ butt.
Trok Mor Morning Market
Floating Market — tourist trap, overpriced
Sook Siam
Sook Siam
Sook Siam
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Suit shopping
This was actually my dad’s main reason for wanting to go to Bangkok — to get a custom suit. Getting custom clothing, especially suits, is popular in Bangkok. You can find tailor shops all across the city. It is also very impressive that places can make custom suits in as quick as 24 hours. Now the prices are obviously much cheaper than getting one made in the U.S., but don’t expect a steal of a price. Prices start at around $200.
We chose Perfect Tailor Bangkok, and were very satisfied with the experience — great selection of fabrics, patient and accommodating staff, quality work. My dad got a custom suit and custom linen set made in less than 72 hours.
Other popular tailors: Giri’s Custom Tailor, Eternal Bespoke Tailor in Si Lom, Michael Tailor in MBK Center.
Perfect Tailor
Accommodation
We stayed at the beautiful Valia Hotel Bangkok and it was amazing! I highly recommend. The hotel is so luxurious. Not only is it absolutely beautiful with amazing decor, it also is pristinely clean. The staff are very kind and attentive. There’s a restaurant on site with delicious breakfast buffet, offering local and western dishes. The hotel also offers a free shuttle to a nearby luxury mall. We stay in connected rooms called the Deluxe 2 Connected Suites, which were super spacious and affordable. The location is also great, with many restaurants and shops within walking distance. I would absolutely stay here again.
The hotel lobby and the Deluxe 2 Connected Suites
hotel restaurant
hotel pool
Two other nice hotel options I considered: SO/Bangkok and Aria Hotel.
Tokyo
Attractions
Tokyo is huge, with several different wards. I think the best way to explore is to just hit one, or max 2, wards in one day. I’ll separate out the attractions/activites I had on my list by wards for ease of planning.
Shibuya
Shibuya Crossing — largest pedestrian crossing in the world
You can get a free view of the crossing at the Shibuya Hikarie Sky Lobby on the 11th floor.
Another option is the Starbucks at the crossing. Get a drink and then you can get a view on the upper floor.
Shibuya Sky — rooftop observation deck, with great views of Tokyo and Shibuya crossing
Shibuya Parco Mall — great spot to visit for anime and video game lovers
Mega Don Quijote
Don Quijote is a Japanese chain store that sells a wide range of products — snacks, electronics, sometimes luxury items, and most popularly cosmetic and beauty items. There are numerous throughout Tokyo and at least one in every district.
It is loud and overstimulating, but worth a visit at least once, especially for some great Korean and Japanese beauty items.
Center Gai — a bustling street lined with shops and restaurants
Vintage luxury shopping — there are countless options, here are just a few
Center Gai area
2nd Street
Komehyo
Watchnian
HIVE Preloved — very curated selection of bags
Harajuku/Omotesando area
AMORE Vintage (there are 6 locations)
Komehyo
QOO
2nd street Harajuku
Rag tag
Shibuya Crossing
Center Gai
Don Quijote
Don Quijote
Don Quijote shopping
Hive Preloved
AMORE
AMORE
Shinjuku
Sumo wrestling show in Shinjuku
Omoide Yokocho — alleyway line with traditional pubs and street food kiosks
Godzilla head — roars and breathes smoke every hour on the hour between 12 - 8 PM daily.
Godzilla head
Don Quijote in Shinjuku
Ueno
Tokyo National Museum
Opportunity to see beautiful Japanese art from across centuries, worth a quick visit.
Ueno Park
Beautiful public park, especially during cherry blossom season.
Located right across the street from the Tokyo National Museum.
Ameyoko Market
Open-air market with hundred of shops selling fresh fish, food, clothing, cosmetics, etc.
Ueno Park
Ameyoko Market
Ameyoko Market
Ameyoko Market
Ginza
Tsukiji Fish Market — outdoor market with fresh seafood, street food, and restaurants
It’s a morning market, so great for lunch, but note that the market closes by 3. We didn’t realize it was a morning market and sadly got there too late.
Ginza is also a great district to do new and preloved luxury shopping.
Minato City
Team Lab Borderless
Tokyo Tower (7 min walk from Team Lab)
Asakusa
Sensoji Temple — ancient Buddhist temple, Tokyo’s oldest temple.
Sumo wrestling show Asakusa — this is the one we did
It was nice to learn more about Sumo wrestling — some of the moves, the history, and the rules. The show can bit a bit corny at times, but still overall fun. There was also a geisha performance and opportunity for the audience to wrestle the sumo wrestlers.
Sensoji Temple
Sensoji Temple
Accommodation
There are so many hotel to search through, and deciding which district to stay in is another struggle. Shibuya is where a lot of things are, which makes it a convenient location to stay — but it’s also pricey. Shinjuku is another popular district and where we stayed. I had no complaints about the area. If you’re looking for nightlife, there are spots open all through the night, including late night eat options — even a delicious 24 hour ramen spot!
Also note, hotel rooms in Tokyo are tiny, even smaller than European ones. I did not want to stay in a small shoebox room and also wanted my parents to feel like they had space in their room, so finding a hotel with larger rooms was a top priority. We stayed at the Shinjuku Granbell Hotel, which offered good sized rooms for reasonable prices. It’s also well located, walkable to numerous restaurants and shops. Rooms were very clean, and like most Japanese hotels, they provided pajamas and slippers. The one let down was the breakfast buffet; it left much to be desired.
Executive Studio Double and the Executive Yau Ma Tei Double Rooms
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