There’s always a pretty cafe popping up somewhere in Bangkok, and the Old Town is no exception. For a traditional taste of cafe culture, head out for a Thai-Chinese breakfast at Kopi Hya Tai Kee. For a peaceful working session, Dialogue Coffee & Gallery offers plenty of space and tranquility, while the bookstore/cafe Passport Bookshop is the perfect spot to head for some travel inspiration. The small and arty Na Bowon is also a lovely stop on Phra Sumen Road, where you can also get an awesome late-night bowl of Thai rice soup at Khao Tom Wat Bowon. In this hot May weather, Farm to Table Organic Cafe is easily one of our favorite places to get a taste of really refreshing organic ice cream with a Thai twist. It’s a bit tricky to find, but it’ll be worth it. For a solid cup of coffee, there’s also now a branch of coffee-snob’s favorite Amatissimo at the riverside Tha Maharaj community mall, also packed with top foodie names like Peppina and Mother Trucker (but we just like the pop-up markets and outdoor screenings that happen every so often).  The newly opened Elefin Coffee is also just by the historic Wat Pho. 

 

 

From street eats to Thai fine-dining cuisine, Phra Nakhon doesn’t disappoint. Nang Loeng Market is considered one of the oldest markets in the city, home to fluffy salapao, roasted duck, guay tiew kae and traditional Thai desserts like kanom tuay and kanom gluay. For something more urbane, pay a visit to Err: Urban Rustic Thai, a product of Chefs Bo Songvisara and Dylan Jones of one of Bangkok’s top-rated fine-dining restaurants, Bo.Lan, as well as Bangkok Bold Studio, where former head of Four Seasons’ Spice Market dishes out chef’s table dinners. They even cooked for Ban Ki Moon recently at the Thai Food Festival NYC, UN Headquarters.  The Old Town is also a hub of vegetarian food. Whether it’s raw cuisine at the famous May Kai Dee, colourful superfoods pasta at Mango, royal Thai cuisine at Chakrabongse Villa, or fried tempeh at the genuinely hip Joy Luck Club, you’re pretty much spoiled for choice. The creative, mediterranean-inspired Seven Spoons gets our vote for a delicious, pescetarian-friendly choice. 

 

Some of the best and most underrated museums can be found right here on Rattanakosin Island. You’ve got the Bangkok National Museum, which has recently been given an impressive revamp to show off its world-class Buddhist artefacts. Meanwhile, Ratchadamnoen Klang is home to Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall, a space that brings together the history of Rattanakosin and the local communities through impressive light, sound and video installations. The view of the Golden Mount and Loha Prasat on the 4th floor is a bonus.  

 

But if history isn’t your cup of tea, you can also step over and explore the arty side of the Old Town at Ratchadamnoen Contemporary Art Center. The crisp industrial art space not only exhibits some great art work by local artists, but is also the place to be every weekend for Bangkok Art Festival, which brings together contemporary street shows, live music, art demonstrations and a quaint art market full of handcrafts and DIY products in the effort to promote Thai and ASEAN artistry. And did you know that you can visit the Bank of Thailand Museum every Saturday now without advanced appointment? The once rather exclusive museum is situated in the beautiful Thai-colonial Bang Khun Prom Palace, which makes one feel like they’re in a period Thai film. Here, you can learn about the history of Thai currency which traces back to the 1st century. The grounds of the Bank of Thailand on this side of the river are undeniably picturesque, too. 

 

 

You don’t always have to go wild at Brick Bar on Khao San (although once in a while that isn’t a bad idea either). The area has heaps of live music venues, be it the bluesy sounds at Adhere 13th, the jazzy tunes at Jazz Happens and Brown Sugar, or the Thai pop covers around the bars on Phra Athit—which, by the way, has welcomed new additions to the area like the Thai-style izakaya Rong Lao and new drinking hideout Wing N’ Things. Alternatively, just chill by the river on the rooftop of Sala Rattanakosin or The Deck by Arun Residence. 

 

If there’s any part of town worth holidaying in the city for, this is it. And the best part is that there are so many great hostel and boutique hotel options that won’t break the bank. Quirky design hostels with character include Once Again Hostel, Here Hostel, Nitan hostel and, the newbie, Canale Hostel, situated right by Khlong Rop Krung. For a colonial, classic atmosphere, Baan Noppawong and Baan Dinso are at the top of the list. If you’re into a homey vintage vibe though, we’d suggest Samsen 5 Lodge, Old Capital Bike Inn and Phranakorn Norn Len.

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Essentials: 

Kopi Hya Tai Kee, Wisutkasat Intersection, Phra Sumen Rd., 02-629-0446. Open daily 7am-8:30pm

Dialogue Coffee & Gallery, 533 Phra Sumen Rd., 084-754-8799. Open Tue-Sun 11:00am-11:00pm

The Passport Bookshop, 523 Prasumeru Rd., 02-629-0694. Tue-Sun 10:30am-7pm

Na Bowon, 361 Phra Sumen Rd., 02 003 5361. 

Farm to Table Organic Cafe, 179 Atsadang Rd., 02-115-2625. Open daily 10am-8pm

Tha Maharaj, 11/1, Maharaj Rd., 02-866-3163-4. Open daily 10am-10pm

Elefin Coffee, 394/1-2 Maharaj, 02-622-1115. Open daily 7am-10pm

Nang Loeng Market, 123 Phaniang Rd.

Err: Urban Rustic Thai, 394/35 Maharaj Rd., 02-622-2291. Open Tue-Sun 11am-9pm

Bangkok Bold Studio, 503 Phra Sumen Rd., 098-829-4310. Open daily 9am-10:45pm 

May Kai Dee, 59 Tanao Rd., 02-629-4413. Open daily 9am-10pm.  33 Samsen Rd., 02-281-7699. Open daily 9am-10pm. 

Mango, Near Swensen’s, 20 Tanao Rd., 02-282-4996. Open daily 9-1am

Chakrabongse Villa, 396 Maharaj Rd., 089-810-0498, 081-905-3039. Open Tue-Sun 6-11pm

Joy Luck Club, 18 Phra Sumen Rd., 02-629-3112.  Open daily 11am-midnight

Seven Spoons, 22-24 Chakkaphatdi Phong Rd., 02-629-9214. Open Mon-Sat 11am-3pm; Tue-Sun 6-11:30pm

Bangkok National Museum, 4 Na Phrathat Rd., 02-224-1333. Open Wed-Sun, 9am-4pm

Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall, Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd., 02-621-0044. Open Tue-Sun 10am-7pm

Ratchadamnoen Contemporary Art Center, 84 Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd. 02-422-8837. Open Tue-Sun 10am-7pm

Bank of Thailand Museum, 273 Sam Sen Rd., 02-283-5286, 02-283-6723, 02-283-5265. www.bot.or.th. Open Sat 10:30am-4pm

Adhere 13th, 13 Samsen Phranakorn, 09-769-4613, Open daily 6pm-midnight

Jazz Happens, Phra Athit Rd., 02-282-9934. Open daily 7pm-1am

Brown Sugar, 469 Phra Sumen Rd., 08-1805-7759. Open daily 5pm-1am

Rong Lao, Phra Sumen Rd., 083-544-6364. Open daily 5pm-midnight

Wing N' Things, Phra Athit Rd., 086-605-0158. Open Tue-Sun 4pm-1am

Sala Rattanakosin, 39 Maharaj Rd., 02-622-1388. Open daily 7-10:30am, 11am-4:30pm, 5:30-10:30pm

The Deck by Arun Residence, Arun Residence, 36-38 Soi Phatu Nokyung, Maharaj Rd., 02-221-9158/9. Open Mon-Thu 11am-10pm; Fri-Sun 11am-11pm

Once Again, 22 Samran Rat Rd., 092 620 5445

Here Hostel, 196/3-8 Ratchadamnoen Rd., 086-771-6468

Nitan Hostel, Room 190/9-10, Khaosarn Talad Yod, Phra Nakorn. 095-778-3074

Canale Hostel,  347, 349 Phra Sumen Rd., Bowonniwet, Phra Nakhon, 082-414-5926, 093-951-5441

Baan Noppawong, 112-114 Soi Damnoen Klang Tai, Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd., Bowon Niwet, Phra Nakhon. 02-224-1047

Baan Dinso, 78/3 Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd. Pranakorn Bovornnivate, 086-815-3300

Samsen 5 Lodge, 58/1 Soi Samsen 5, Samsen Road, Pranakorn, 02-628-9799

Old Capital Bike Inn, 607 Phra Sumen Road, 02-629-1787

Phranakorn Norn Len, 46 Thewet Soi1 Krungkasem Rd. Bang-Khunprom Phranakorn, 02-628-8188