Bangkok photo spots: where to shoot, when the light is good, how to get there

Before you go: light, heat and manners

The useful light in Bangkok is roughly 06:00-08:30 and 17:00-19:30. Between those windows the sky is often white and the heat drains batteries and people alike. Carry a spare battery, a microfibre cloth (lenses fog instantly when you step out of air-conditioning) and a small dry bag in the rainy season (roughly May to October).

Temples are places of worship first. Cover shoulders and knees, take shoes off where everyone else does, never climb on a structure for a better angle and do not point a lens at people praying. Flash is usually unwelcome indoors. Drones need registration in Thailand and are not allowed over palaces, temples and many central areas - leave it in the bag unless you have checked the current CAAT rules.

The river: Wat Arun, Tha Tien and the ferries

The Chao Phraya is the easiest "big picture" in the city. Wat Arun, the riverside temple on the Thonburi bank, is photographed from the opposite bank around Tha Tien at sunset, when the prang catches the last light and the sky behind it goes orange. For the reverse view, take the cross-river ferry and shoot back towards the old town at blue hour. The orange Chao Phraya Express boats themselves make good foreground subjects; a 24-70 mm equivalent covers almost everything here. Check the temple's own notice board for current opening hours and ticket prices - they change.

Chinatown (Yaowarat) after dark

Yaowarat Road is Bangkok's neon street: signs, steam, gold shops and food stalls from late afternoon until around midnight. Arrive before sunset to catch the transition from daylight to neon. It is crowded and hand-held, so a fast prime (35 mm or 50 mm equivalent, f/1.8 or faster) is the most useful lens. MRT Wat Mangkon puts you in the middle of it. Ask before photographing stall owners up close; most are happy if you buy something.

Old town: Wat Pho, the Grand Palace area and the Golden Mount

The Grand Palace and Wat Pho are busiest from 09:00 onwards, so be at the gate when they open. Wide lenses (16-24 mm equivalent) earn their place here. The Golden Mount (Wat Saket) is a short, shaded climb with a 360-degree view over the old town - best in the last hour of daylight. Dress code is enforced at the Palace: long trousers or skirt, covered shoulders.

Parks for morning light

Lumphini Park (MRT Silom or Lumphini) and the newer Benjakitti Park (MRT Queen Sirikit) are where the city exercises at dawn: tai chi groups, runners, monitor lizards in the lake and the skyline reflected in still water. Long lenses are fun for the wildlife; otherwise a standard zoom is enough.

Rooftops and the skyline

Paid skywalks and rooftop bars give the postcard skyline; the best value is usually a drink at a riverside or Sathorn rooftop bar at blue hour rather than a daytime ticket. Tripods are generally not allowed on observation decks and in bars, so plan on high ISO and a steady rail. Riverside malls and public piers along the Chao Phraya give free views of the evening boat traffic.

Markets

Bangkok's night markets are good for colour and food; opening days change, so check the market's own page before you go. Daytime, the flower market at Pak Khlong Talat is at its best very early in the morning when deliveries arrive.

Getting around with gear

BTS and MRT are air-conditioned and safe; keep the bag in front of you in rush hour. River boats are cheap and scenic but spray in the wet season - a rain cover or a plastic bag over the camera is enough. Grab and Bolt work well late at night when you are carrying more than you would like to walk with.

And when the trip is over

If the camera was bought for this trip, or you simply do not want to carry it home, you can sell it to us in Bangkok before you fly: a quote online, a free pickup at your hotel or a visit to our Charoen Krung shop, and payment the same day. See https://sellyourgadget.asia/guides/sell-camera-before-leaving-thailand for what to bring.