Bangkok

Bangkok’s scale becomes easier to read when the Chao Phraya is treated as a route rather than scenery. The royal precinct, major temples, old trading streets, contemporary districts, and night markets do not form one walkable center. Boats and rail cover distance; short local walks reveal the detail that disappears from a car window.

Keep the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and a river crossing in one old-city day, but do not stack every temple. Use a separate evening for a market or Chinatown and another half-day for a contemporary neighborhood. The ferry between the old royal bank and Wat Arun is both transport and the clearest geographic explanation of the route.

Heat, dress rules, rain, and scams around unofficial ticket sellers require margin. Start exposed sites early, carry water, use official ticket information, and schedule shade. A shorter, respectful temple circuit is more useful than rushing through five compounds.