Things to do in Bangkok after the Songkran festival

Thai New Year, or Songkran, is happening this weekend and everyone is getting ready for the country's ultimate water fight.

Thousands of tourists flock to different parts of Thailand to celebrate with the locals who take time off work to welcome the new year.

Songkran is a traditional Buddhist festival, where water is used to wash away one's sins or bad luck from the previous year.

Aside from street parties, Thai people also use the holiday to visit families, attend to their temples, and perform rituals.

If you'll be taking part in the celebration and wish to extend your stay in the capital city of Bangkok, here are some activities worth checking out:

Visit temples

Temples are found all over Bangkok, including the well-known Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun. These are located near each other, so it's convenient to visit them on one trip.

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If you prefer a lesser crowd, you can check out Wat Benchamabophit. It is also known as the Marble Temple due to its pillars, courtyard, and lion guardian statues being entirely made of marble.

Experience a Chinatown food crawl

Just like our own Binondo, Bangkok has its own version of Chinatown known as Yaowarat. Expect to see crowds of foodies gather in the area as food stalls start to fill the street, serving unique Chinese-Thai dishes.

For the best experience of Chinatown, join a food crawl that various tour groups offer to tourists. It usually runs for four to five hours, with stops in family-run stalls, iconic restaurants, and Michelin-starred food carts.

Join a Thai cooking class

Have you ever wondered how your favorite Thai dishes like pad thai or green papaya salad are created? Then join a cooking class and you will be able to prepare them as soon as you get home. Some cooking classes will even teach you what ingredients you can use as substitutes if you don't have them in your home country.

Shop

Shopping is probably at the top of everyone's list when visiting Bangkok. You will not run out of things to buy as everything seems to be sold here, whether in high-end malls or weekend markets. Some stores even give big discounts if you buy wholesale!

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