Companion guide · Bangkok
Things to do in Bangkok while your partner recovers
You came to look after someone, and you have 5 to 10 days with long quiet stretches. Here is how to split them: short outings you can share, the things your patient has to skip, and a day trip for when they are resting.
Your job on the trip
- Be there for the clinic appointments and the first night after the procedure.
- Carry the bags. After most surgery, lifting is off the list for weeks.
- Keep fluids, medicines from the clinic and the clinic's phone number to hand.
- Know where the nearest pharmacy is. Chain pharmacies are in every mall and near most Skytrain stations, and many stay open late.
- Emergency number: 1669 for medical emergencies. Tourist Police: 1155.
Short outings to share
Seated, short and close to the clinic districts. Most fit the early recovery days. Check each day's rules in the patient's guide.
Traditional Thai massage
An hour of stretching and pressure in an air-conditioned shop. Tell them about your surgery.
Seated, indoors, about 1 hour
Wat Pho and the Reclining Buddha
The 46-metre reclining Buddha and quiet courtyards next to the Grand Palace.
Gentle walking, some open-air walking, about 1.5 hours
Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
Thailand's most famous sight: glittering, crowded and mostly in full sun.
A few hours on foot with breaks, mostly in full sun, about 3 hours
Chao Phraya express boat
Hop on the river boats for a cheap, breezy tour of riverside temples and old warehouses.
Seated, shaded or covered, about 1.5 hours
ICONSIAM and the riverside malls
Air-conditioned malls with an indoor floating market food hall and river views.
Gentle walking, indoors, about 3 hours
Jim Thompson House
Guided tour of teak houses and silk in a shady garden.
Gentle walking, shaded or covered, about 1.5 hours
Wat Arun
The riverside temple with steep steps. A short ferry from Wat Pho.
A few hours on foot with breaks, mostly in full sun, about 1.5 hours
Bangkok National Museum
Royal chariots, Buddha images and Thai history in quiet pavilions.
Gentle walking, some open-air walking, about 2 hours
Things to do on your own
Your patient has to skip these on most days, so they are ideal while they rest.
Chao Phraya dinner cruise
A two-hour buffet cruise past the lit-up temples. Free beer is included on some boats; soft drinks are too.
Seated, indoors, about 2 hours
Chinatown street food night
Yaowarat Road after dark: grills, noodles, seafood and crowds.
A few hours on foot with breaks, shaded or covered, about 3 hours
Thai cooking class
Market visit and cooking indoors. You choose the chilli level.
Gentle walking, indoors, about 4 hours
Rooftop bar
Cocktails with the skyline from the 60th floor.
Seated, indoors, about 2 hours
Damnoen Saduak floating market
An early start, a long drive and a crowded boat ride through the market.
Gentle walking, mostly in full sun, about 7 hours
A day trip, if you have a free day
Damnoen Saduak floating market
An early start, a long drive and a crowded boat ride through the market.
Gentle walking, mostly in full sun, about 7 hours
Ayutthaya day trip
The ruined old capital, 80 km north, explored on foot or by bike in full sun.
A few hours on foot with breaks, mostly in full sun, about 9 hours
Long days away are best on a day when your patient is comfortable and has no appointment.
Where to eat
- Jok (rice porridge). Silky rice porridge with ginger and egg, sold from early morning. Ideal after dental work, once it has cooled.
- Mango sticky rice. Sweet coconut sticky rice with ripe mango.
- Mild noodle soup. Kuay teow nam: rice noodles in clear broth. Ask for no chilli.
- Coconut ice cream. Served in a coconut shell at markets and malls.
- Pad thai. Stir-fried noodles; leave out the crushed peanuts if you need to avoid hard bits.
- Tom yum and som tam. Hot and sour soup and green papaya salad. Very spicy.
- Grilled pork skewers. Moo ping from street carts. Chewy and sticky.
Recovery guides for Bangkok
Dental implants
Bangkok
7 days, day by day. The first 72 hours bring swelling and some bruising.
Open the guide
Pharmacy and clinic map: Bangkok
Clinic districts
- Sukhumvit. Many dental clinics, international hospitals and hotels. Clinics · Pharmacies
- Silom and Sathorn. Clinics, hospitals and the business district. Clinics · Pharmacies
- Pathum Wan and Siam. Malls, hotels and central clinics. Clinics · Pharmacies
- Rattanakosin (old town). The Grand Palace and temples. Clinics · Pharmacies
Pharmacies and emergencies
Chain pharmacies are in every mall and near most Skytrain stations, and many stay open late.
Emergency: 1669 for medical emergencies. Tourist Police: 1155.