Bangkok

1. 8:30a◆Grand Palace at opening

   The Emerald Buddha and the gilded chedi before the heat and the crowds — dress code enforced: covered shoulders and knees.

2. ~11:00a◆Wat Pho's Reclining Buddha

   The 46-meter gold figure with mother-of-pearl feet — drop coins in the 108 bronze bowls down the back corridor for the full ritual.

3. ~12:30p●Boat noodles by the canal

   Small, intense bowls — order three: beef with blood broth, pork clear-broth, and one more of whatever the next table has.

4. ~2:00p◆Cross-river to Wat Arun

   The 3-baht ferry to the porcelain-encrusted spire — climb the steep central prang for the river panorama.

5. 7:00p✦Sorn ⭐⭐⭐Anchor table

   Southern Thai elevated to three stars — fierce, precise crab curry and khao yam you'll measure every Thai meal against. Reservations open monthly and vanish in minutes; this is the booking to win.

Temple day runs on the river — boats beat taxis here all day. If Sorn's window is lost, Le Du and Nusara are the fallback anchors of the same caliber.

1. 9:00a✦Longtail through the Thonburi klongs

   Charter from the river pier (~90 min) through the canal neighborhoods where Bangkok began — stilt houses, temple landings, monitor lizards.

2. ~12:00p●Michelin street-food lunch

   The old town's legends: crab omelet at the charcoal-wok queue, or guay tiew kua gai (smoky chicken-fried noodles) if the line defeats you.

3. ~2:30p→Yaowarat by day

   Chinatown's gold shops, shrine alleys, and the dried-goods arcades of Sampeng Lane — scout your dinner targets.

4. ~6:00p●Yaowarat street-food crawl

   When the kitchens fire up: pad see ew off the wok, grilled river prawns split with chili-lime, kuay jab pepper broth, and mango sticky rice from the corner cart to finish.

Chinatown does its real business after dark — the day visit is reconnaissance, the night visit is dinner. Bring small bills and an empty stomach.

1. 10:00a◆Jim Thompson House

   The silk magnate's teak compound and Southeast Asian art collection — the guided tour is short and worth it; the story of his disappearance is the hook.

2. ~12:30p●Khao soi detour

   Northern curried egg noodles with crispy noodle crown, pickled mustard greens, and lime — a one-bowl argument for a Chiang Mai trip.

3. ~2:30p✦Thai massage at Wat Pho's school

   The traditional-medicine school inside the temple — the real lineage, not the mall version. Book the one-hour traditional; wear loose clothes.

4. 5:30p●Rooftop golden hour

   One drink 60 floors up as the river turns bronze — go at opening to skip the queue, then descend for dinner at street level where the food is honest.

5. ~7:30p●Som tam & grilled chicken dinner

   Isaan night: green-papaya som tam (ask 'pet nit noi' for mild-ish), gai yang with sticky rice, and larb moo — eaten with your hands via the rice.

The rooftop is for the view, not the meal — every Bangkok local drinks high and eats low. The massage will find muscles the temple stairs made; schedule nothing tight after.