Bangkok’s Royal Realms of the Chakri Dynasty - Grand Palace

Beautiful place to visit.

Beautiful place to visit. The map and audio guide leave a little to be desired but I would thoroughly recommend a visit.

Cannot book solo. 3 hours isn't long enough if you like art and architecture.

Guide was very friendly and quite knowledgeable. But - I only wanted one ticket, but had to buy two, and couldn't get a refund. This was a one on one tour not a group tour. Generally this was fine but at times I wanted to focus without distractions. I had to politely ask the guide to give me time out. Guide only allowed 3 hours which isn't enough to look through these magnificent sites, and was reluctant to leave me alone away from my hotel. She indeed gave me another half hour of her time but this still wasn't enough.

Great day out

Fantastic trip with fantastic guide. Lots of information shared about the grand palace and Thai life we loved it. Bring plenty of water and a fan

Incredible opulence!

The Royal Palace is a grand spectacle in the middle of Bangkok. We spent most of our days before this seeing ruins of temples, but to see them fully restored and covered in gold is a sight to behold. Walking around every corner, you are amazed and stunned at not only how beautiful each building is, but that the fact that most are covered in real gold is incredible! Keep in mind that all visitors are required to wear long skirts or pants. If you do not have any, you can either rent or buy them at the many stores outside the ticket office. We spent 100 baht buying a pair of pants that I will now use for pajamas. The entrance fee is also 500 baht per person. I will note that there are many tour guides outside the Palace offering their services starting at 1000 baht. You can talk them down or you can take the free tour once inside the Palace.

Really beautiful and more impressive than we expected.

The entire complex is very impress and more stunning than we expected . It is worth the trip. The buildings just glisten in the sunlight as if they are made of jewels. The complex is rather large. Each building is unique. Our photos don't do this place justice. We went two days in a row and were glad we saw it the first day when it was really sunny. The entire place sparkles.

Get some steps in

If you enjoy a good walk, history, and architecture, then this is for you. We especially the antique chinoiserie stylings and the murals. Take a water bottle. Stop in the ice cream shop to cool off.

Beautiful

We toured the Grand Palace as part of a private tour. It is beautiful and ornate. It can be very crowded and very hot but it is worth all of that to see it in person.

The grand palace

Best time to visit is in the morning because the entrance fee of 500 baht are inclusive of 3 events. First entrance to the wat, grand palace and the most that people may missed is the khon masked dance performance at the sala chalemkhrung theater which run at 1pm.Spend your time at the first 2 events by 11.30 a.m and exit to the free shuttle bus service to the theater at 12 noon. They have sign advising the free shuttle.One more important thing is the khon masked run on weekdays only.

WOW

Wow , you will need a couple of days for this one. 500 Baht to get in but such a lot to see. Once you have "run the gauntlet" of all the hoards of businesses and long tail boat owners all wanting your trade , not always honestly. One told ur that the Palace did not open until one o clock so time for a trip on his boat. Thought it odd to be closed as thousands were pouring in. As you will know , after your first day in Bangkok , you get very wary of being hounded , being a western tourist you are seen as an easy lucrative target. Anyway, back to the Royal Palace, so much to see your eyes can hardly believe it. Thoroughly recommended , as well as the usual stunning Thai gold encrusted temple buildings their are museums and official buildings within this huge area to be visited. Always busy though We traveled up river from The Orchid Sheraton/ River City catching the orange flag river boats from Pier 3 and at only 15 Baht per journey, how can you go wrong. Used these boats a lot and its 15 Baht if its one stop or twenty.

Great location and multi-tasking guide

The historical location is a must-seen and the guide was very available to explain, clarify and even take multiple pictures of us in the very best locations! Recommended!

Emerald Buddha

Be sure to follow guidelines for dress code....shawls won't work, ladies. You must have sleeves!! Other than that snag, it is a beautiful place to visit. The architecture is very impressive!

Holiday

This is a very interesting place lots of history and you will need to take your camera.. a really good place to spend a couple of hours at least

Great place but totally commercial

During my visit here the first time in 2016, minutes re places were kept open for tourists. This time I see you only get to visit the periphery of the grand palace and emerald Buddha temple. There is a strict vigil for dress code. No short pants and sleeveless tops. You will be forced to buy pants and T-shirt if you don’t adhere to the Dress code at nearly twice or thrice the price you pay elsewhere. Also the admission ticket price at 500 baht is too high. All said and done, it is still worth the visit.

Beautiful

Even in the heat, the visit to the Grand Palace was manageable as the colors and sights at the Grand Palace superceeded it. Lovely backgrounds to take photos at. Crowded most of the time even when we went on a weekday!

A must see, but be careful what you wear

A must see on any visit to Bangkok, and the grandure of the Palace does not disappoint. We went on a very hot day, I had a dress covering me to my knees, my husband has long shorts and two daughters in 20's sundresses, which were not long enough. I totally appreciate the need for respect, but when my knee length, shoulder covered dress was questioned, I do think this has become a significant money making operation. I was with a Thai friend, who said rental of sarongs was previously offered. The entrance price is 500 baht per person, then buying long trousers, t shirts or sarongs on top of this soon adds up. In the end I didn't have to buy anything, though I felt this was more down to my Thai friend questioning the rationale for their decision making!. No matter how hot it is, take a t shirt, and sarong in your bag, boys or girls.

interesting visit

picked up at local hotel by group and taken to area adjacent to Palace and fast tracked through entrance. Guided tour was interesting but be aware that you may have to remove hats, sunglasses and not hug for photos in certain areas due to cutural reasons. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and the trip overall was well worth the effort

Grand Palace - very grand

Tour of the Grand Palace was impressive. All the buildings temples and shrines are magnificent. They are kept tidy and clean -?even the toilets are clean. Lots of history and a tour guide is worth the investment. We joined the Pandan Tour which had a good English speaking guide Anan. Certainly worth visiting.

A “must visit” in Bangkok

Always enjoyable to visit the Grand Palace, despite the large number of people and the heat. Make sure you plan for some time to see the full site and take many photo’s.

Rude staff but beautiful palace

We were told before we went by hotel staff that my 12 year old son wouldnt need full length trousers and as long as my husbands shorts were below knee which they were we would be fine. We were wrong! Rude staff informed us my husband needed to buy full length trouser and husbands shorts wre not long enough. My son was crying as didnt want to wear the trousers tgey made you buy and staff persisted in being pushy and rude. When we did get in beautiful palace but for price didnt think it was worth it. Travelled all over Asia and usually lovely friendly people but Grand Palace staff let Bangkok down

Review

A magnificent place with beautifully designed buildings. The details on them are really worth. However, the shitloads of tourists from China really destroyed the whole experience. The guards are very strict with the dress code so do be careful

Great, but Hot

The Grand Palace is a must-see in Bangkok due to the rich culture and amazing architectural feats for its time. However, I suggest going very early in the morning to avoid the heat. When I went in May (even at 8:00 AM), we were so hot we couldn't even enjoy the tour. We were very ready to leave by the end of the tour. I went again at 9:00 AM in October, and it was more pleasant but still pretty hot. Don't forget to dress appropriately!

Stunning but..

Unbelievable architecture and upkeep but it was 40 degrees Celsius in April and may be another one million visitors, mostly the annoying tour groups from China who have little concern for anyone else's experience. Avoid visiting on weekends. Start your day with this.. Opens at 8 30 so be there at like 8 15 and you'll enjoy it much more. Do also visit the Queen Sikrit Textile Museum which is included in the entry fee (500 baht per person).

Beautiful but could do with more organisation

Beautiful place. Worth multiple visits. But the audio tour guide is just a waste of money due to lack of proper landmarks to listen. It needs to be straightforward. We gave up trying after a while and wasted 200 bahts.

a beautiful place to visit every times in Bangkok

Thailand at it's best, so much to explore and see, the visit to the Emerland buddha is a must. ignore the tuk tuk drivers that the grand palace is closed and visit

The Beauty is in the Details

Everywhere you look there are fine details that make this place "Grand". Some parts are free but to see the Jade Buddha and the amazing wall murals and buildings within the inner walls budget 500 Baht pp. It can be very crowded so be patient.

beautiful! one should not miss it

grand palace is one beautiful gigantic piece of art in bangkok. very well maintained and spic and span. every year this palace is restored to keep it good looking for tourists. The detailed architecture of their temples r simply adorable. Its a must see.

Impresive and very crowded

It is one of must see here in Bangkok. The palace itself is very nice, but the temple is goegeous, only too crowded. Take at least an hour of time. If you want audio guide you need a passport or credit card. All wrote about dress code and we saw people in shorts, mini skirts, flip flops... so obviously they aren't so strict. And also they sell water for 20 b inside as someone wrote that there is no water and they also have a station where you can refill your bottle. It is amazing architecture of all buildings. Recommend to see it if xou are in Bangkok.

Great to see on first trip to Bangkok

We really enjoyed our trip to the Grand Palace - the buildings and murals on the wall were all very interesting and full of history. We had not booked in advance but did not have problems getting tickets or access. You are not allowed to wear shorts but there are lots of sellers outside if you need to buy a cover-up. PS If anyone tries to tell you that the Grand Palace is not open because of a Buddhist holiday or that cars are not allowed at the Grand Palace - do not believe them. We had a couple of 'tourist information people" who tried to get us to do a different trip which may have been to their benefit - more than ours! However if you ignore these chancers - then the Grand Palace is worth a visit.

Busy place but worth the patience to see it

The Grand Palace is a must see. We took the water ferry from the Sheraton Orchid Hotel which was very convenient. Put aside several hours to get through it particularly if you are there in peak tourist season. And bring lots of water. It is hot standing int he line ups. It is packed and a bit overwhelming trying to find your way through to see everything. We hired a tour guide at the gates for 500 THB and it was worth it. He was able to get us through to the crowds to the ticket booth and then got us through the main entrance. After that he explained what we were seeing. There is so much to take in. If you don't have a tour guide make sure to take your guide book so you know what you are seeing. Everything is clean and well taken care of. The golden shine of the temples in the sun is breath taking and the detail in the design of the structures and statues is memorizing.

very beautiful place

The place is huge, clean, organized and respectful. i went with a Thai friend. I had a chance to visit during the exhibition about the last king. Not sure if it is still here. You must wear proper cloth, no torn one. Food and drink are given at the entrance when you wait your turn to go inside. the staff is well organized and helps you to get in. Umbrellas are lent against the sun.

Not as interesting as other palaces in Asia but still worth a look around

We got there at opening time and already it was busy with tour groups shouting and flag waving! The palace is interesting - lots of opulent temples and monuments packed into a small space. Not a relaxed visit (like Cambodia's palace) or mind-blowingly beautiful (like Myanmars temples) but still worth seeing

Amazing place!

The Grand Palace is an amazing complex of buildings, temples, pavilions and halls. Even if you are a complete cultural no no this place will astound you. Be prepared for a lot o otherf interested tourists though........

Crowded

I've been to Bangkok many times in the past but this is the first time that I've been to the Grand Palace. It was huge and a beautiful place however it was way too crowded. We were there around 10am and there were lots of other tourist. There were lots of Wats to see and a lot of ornate stuff. It was for me a one time deal like when you've already been there once then you're good. Tips: Bring your own water and food but do not litter. Wear decent clothing (long trousers, no sleeveless and see through blouses, etc)

Too crowded

It is a beautiful place but it was way to crowded for me to really see everything. I guess getting there earlier would have helped and the fact that I walked from Khaosan Road to the palace didn't help. On the day I walked, they were making non Thai visitors go to a separate entrance on the opposite side of the palace from where I was walking from, this added to my walk and I was already tired when I entered. It was so busy I never located the emerald Buddah or reclining Buddah (forget which one is here). Make sure you bring your own water and snacks, very overpriced to buy inside. Make sure you have your passport or they will not let you inside (I learned this the hard way). Make sure you dress appropriately, this is not the beach. Overall, I suppose it is good to see once, but once is enough and I didn't even see what I went there to see.

Not really a hit

Expect a LOT of walking and huge crowd. We had to walk around a block few kilometers before we even reached to gates of the palace. It wasn't really worth it.

Get there early to avoid crowds

Get there early to avoid crowds - EVERYONE must cover up, even men must wear long trousers. It closes earlier then the Wats close by so plan your time. 500thb to enter for tourists.

Rather disappointing, not value for...

<p>Rather disappointing, not value for money, tour of Grand Palace would have been greatly improved by being able to visit inside of it. It was a tour only of the outside and some of its gardens and the guide did not seem that knowledgable and was annoying most of the time</p>

It was good to be there .

normally hotel will be depending on your itinerary if you'll enjoy this or not. If your trip to Thailand does not take you to the north to Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai then you might want to visit this place. It's a standard tourist spot. the place is located nice , definitely it was hot coz i had traveled in the month of oct. i had did many activities nearby hotel, I had passed on the floating markets to visit here, and regret that decision. If i were to return to Bangkok, I'd pass on most of these tourist attractions where we can do more things ..

My husband and I did this tour...

<p>My husband and I did this tour recently and we were very impressed with our English speaking guide, Tanya. We were collected from our hotel and dropped off close to the Palace. Tanya was very knowledgable about the Palace and the surrounding buildings. We did the tour in the afternoon and it was extremely hot, and very crowded and recommend trying to do the tour earlier in the day, if possible.</p>

The palaces and temples were very...

<p>The palaces and temples were very beautiful and the tour guide was informative, although hard to understand at times. It was nice having a guide to tell you about the different temples as well as find you the easiest ways in and out without trying to figure it out ourselves. The downfall was that the tour is said to be 4 hours and it only ended up being about 2.5.</p>

A great tour - very informative, and...

<p>A great tour - very informative, and plenty of time provided for us to really appreciate what we were seeing. Shame about the crowds and the heat, but these things are not within the control of the tour company. Our guide Me Me, or Mi mi? was very personable and knowlegeable. She met us at the planned time and location - could not be faulted.</p>

There were crowds of visitors on the...

<p>There were crowds of visitors on the day. The guide made the tour interesting and she was very knowledgable about the history and the King. January ws possibly not the best month to visit I would suggest later in the year when the weather is cooler.</p>

One of the most amazing sites on...

<p>One of the most amazing sites on earth ! Pick up and ride back to the hotel were right on time. Andy our guide was excellent with good English. The last time I saw the palace was 17 years ago and I noticed a number of changes. Also, the large influx of tourist, mostly Chinese, have greatly swelled the crowds.</p> <p>The beauty of this site makes in the number 1 thing to do when in BKK. Id do it again in a heartbeat even though this was my 3rd time through. This tour was faultless.</p>

Excellent guide and good tour but rated...

<p>Excellent guide and good tour but rated as 4 since main imperial halls closed</p>

Impressed but fierce crowd

An impressive place. There are probably not many tourists who visit Bangkok without stopping by here. This is the reason why the rating is not 5 stars. 20,000 visitors a day puts a lot of pressure. It can be stressful to move around in 38 degree heat in such a throng of people.

the magnificence

visited on a beautiful sunny day, the royal palace in Bangkok is a marvel, like a treasure chest that opens revealing its splendid treasures. full of history, culture, temples, shrines, spirituality and richly decorated with statues depicting the protective spirits and angels of Buddhist culture. very vast, it takes a good half day to visit it properly.

D anno perdere

Un po’ costosetto 500 thb ma assolutamente da non perdere, non solo per il Buddha di smeraldo ma per tutto l’ambiente davvero ampio e bellissimo. Un po’ troppo affollato ovviamente. Suggerimento: andare con maglietta che copra le spalle e gonna o pantaloni che coprano le gambe (non è suff fino a sotto il ginocchio) perché altrimenti sarete costretti ad acquistare i giusti capi di abbigliamento prima di entrare

Da vedere!!

Vale Assolutamente la pena visitarlo. Ricordatevi di portarvi dietro un paio di pantaloni lunghi altrimenti sarete costretti come noi a comprarli in biglietteria (avevamo portato i sarong ma non andavano bene): pagati 200bath/pantalone. Fermatevi ad ammirare l’esmerald Buddha perché sia la sala che il Buddha stesso valgono l’intero prezzo del biglietto.

Una vera bellezza: ,maestoso

Maestoso,nella sua assoluta semplicità.pensare che i suoi mosaici sono fatti da piatti rotti,ti fa capire cosa può nascere dal riciclo.Da visitare assolutamente.

Muito bonito, vale a pena

Lugar muito bonito, muita coisa para ver dentro, bastante cheio, mas vale a pena a viagem. Bom planejar pois, fica bem próximo a diversos outros locais interessantes.