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We believe that the best way to connect with busy, popular tourist attractions is to look at them from a different perspective! By visiting some of Bangkok’s top tourist attractions with one of our special Travel Guru’s, you will be able to get beneath the first-glance impressions of some of the most interesting and historical sites of the city, and learn about how they have shaped modern Thai culture, including the sub-culture of Sak Yant tattoos and how deeply rooted they are in Thai society! Book the Bangkok Sacred Experience to connect with Thailand on a deeper level, learn local customs, history, culture and discover Bangkok the way only locals know it! All bookings are private, so booking with friends works out to be more cost-effective as you share some of the expenses (such as guide, transport, etc). Discounts are auto-magically applied when you make your reservation.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Meeting Point | A designated point near the flower market (given after reservation) |
| End Point | Near the Massage School at Wat Pho (reclining Buddha temple) |
| Duration | Up to 6-8 hours |
| Physical Level | Moderate – this experience involves short-distance walking around sites in the sun |
| Cultural Rating | Moderate – a good balance of cultural interactions, history and site-seeing |
| Ages | 18+ (younger must be accompanied by an adult – babies 2 years old or younger may join for free) |
| Group Size | Private – Max 6 people per booking |
After joining your guide at the designated meeting point (given to you after making your reservation, you will head off into the city’s top attraction – The Grand Palace! We are arriving right as it opens, though it may still be busy – it is the best time of day to go before it gets too hot out! While most guides will just go over some of the basic site features, we will take you deeper while exploring the ancient murals and their relevance to modern Thai culture. Looking at paintings of the Ramakien (the story of Buddha on which modern Thai culture is based), as well as some hard-to-find paintings of warriors wearing protective yantra designs on their armour – the foundations for modern-day sak yant tattoos which have become popular in recent years!
After visiting the Grand Palace, we will head over to the famous flower market – a must-see destination inside of Bangkok! At the Bangkok flower market (locally known as Pak Khlong Talat) we will experience the hustle and bustle that happens here daily. Flowers are an integral part of Thai culture as they are used for almost every offering made at temples around the country. While in the market, you will get to visit one of the vendors and learn how to make the flower garlands that are given as part of the offerings and get to keep your own to be made as an offering later in the tour!
Once we’re done exploring the flower market, we will take an ‘explorer’s break’ for a delicious local lunch (we can accommodate most food requirements ie vegetarian, gluten-free, etc) to fill up and get our energy levels back up!
From here, we will wander through Bangkok’s amulet market – one of the largest of its kind in Thailand. Hundreds of vendors are selling and trading sacred amulets, said to have the same types of powers that sak yant bamboo tattoos do (though less permanent, of course)!
Finally, we make our way over to Wat Pho – home of Bangkok’s Reclining Buddha! Though there’s a lot more to this temple than just its famous giant Buddha statue. This is also where the original teachings of Thai Massage can be found. We will take you through some of the paintings which is where the original massage masters would train to learn their practice of Thai Massage! We will end our time together at the massage school, where you can optionally choose to partake in one of the most common Thai practices – getting a great massage!
Please note: There is a Dress Code! There is a strict dress code for visiting the Grand Palace being a very sacred site. Visitors must be properly dressed before being allowed entry to the temple. Men must wear long pants and shirts with sleeves – no sleeveless tops. If you’re wearing sandals or flip-flops you must wear socks (in other words, no bare feet when you take off your sandals). Women must be similarly modestly dressed. No see-through clothes, no bare shoulders, knees covered, etc. It is also recommended to avoid wearing bright colours, though less strictly enforced.
The flower market is also pretty wet on the floor, so your sandals/shoes may get a little muddy.
Your sacred experience includes:
– information provided before your experience to educate you and properly prepare you
– a specially trained and licensed English-speaking guide who will facilitate your experience
– transportation during the tour (tuk-tuk, if needed)
– translations with your flower garland instructor (and the flower offering)
– lunch (includes a basic meal and non-alcoholic beverage)
– Entrance Fees to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho
– a special amulet from the amulet market
– Travel Insurance (Compulsory)
– International flights or transportation to/from the itinerary’s start point
– Accommodation in Bangkok (we suggest Agoda for the best hotel rates)
– Alcoholic beverages (not recommended before entering sacred places)
– Transportation (getting to and from the meeting and endpoints)
– Thai Massage at Wat Pho (optional, but not included)
– Gratuities and tips
– Spending Money if you wish to purchase additional souvenirs or items.
We’ve created an interactive map below to help you find your ideal base while exploring Thailand’s capital. You can adjust your dates and group size to compare options from hotels to short-term rentals, across platforms like Agoda, Booking.com, and more. We’ve marked a spot near Sukhumvit’s Asoke intersection — a well-connected hub where the BTS Skytrain and MRT Subway cross. Staying in this area makes getting around Bangkok smooth and stress-free, whether you’re heading to the Grand Palace, the airport, or exploring nearby food stalls, shopping malls, or nightlife spots.
Please double-check the currency displayed, as it may vary depending on your device settings or the website you’re viewing.
Every TRiP that you go on with WSE Travel, we will donate 2% (or $1/day per day, per person – whichever is greater) to an environmental or community-based project in the country you’re visiting. We want to ensure that every guest we help, in turn, helps support and preserve the destination we’re experiencing together as a direct result. We live by an ethos to Travel Responsibly & Impact Positively (TRiP).
For more information on the projects supported by this experience, please visit our Thailand TRIP projects.
All tours, services, and experiences booked through WSE Travel are bound to our Terms and Conditions, which were modeled after most other travel services such as flights, hotels, and other tour operators.
At Where Sidewalks End, your reservation is more than a transaction — it’s a direct contract with local professionals who rely on this work as a primary source of income. As such, we are obligated to honor the livelihoods of our local partners — including guides, Ajarns (masters), and drivers — who dedicate their time exclusively to your experience.
In many of the destinations where we operate, labor protections and fair wage commitments are upheld by local laws — and we are both ethically and contractually required to adhere to them. Once a booking is confirmed, the service providers committed to your experience are financially compensated for reserving their time — even in the event of cancellation. This ensures fair and dignified treatment for all involved in delivering your experience.
All bookings are subject to the following terms:
Your payment will be placed into a Lifetime Deposit (Safety Deposit Box). This can be:
Refunds are not available unless WSE Travel cancels your booking due to reasons beyond your control.
A 50% rebooking fee will apply. This helps offset the compensation obligations to your dedicated team of local guides and service providers, who have reserved their day exclusively for your private tour and may not be able to secure alternate work with us or others on short notice.
The full cost of the tour is retained. As this is a private experience, your local team’s time is fully dedicated to your session. A new team will be hired for any future rebooking.
These policies are a compassionate extension of our official Terms & Conditions, designed to support both our guests and the ethical standards of responsible tourism.
Because life can be unpredictable — and because we are required to uphold our commitments to local partners — all guests must either:
We highly recommend SafetyWing Nomad Insurance — trusted by global travelers for its flexible, affordable coverage and very competitive rates.
Travel insurance can help protect you from financial losses related to:
If you choose to travel without Travel Insurance, you will be required to fill out a Liability Waiver Form at the beginning of your trip.
We deeply appreciate your understanding and support of ethical tourism. Your booking directly sustains local communities and helps preserve cultural traditions in a meaningful and lasting way.
If you have any questions or need help rescheduling, please contact us — we’re always happy to assist.
Rochelle Ryden –
This was a once in a life time experience ! I am still in awe …. the private tour is the way to go. I feel using W S E was a much better choice than trying to go on my own. Our guide was very knowledgeable! He also helped guide us through the rituals allowing us to get the most out of the spiritual side. which is very important to me…. I want to show as much respect as possible. First we went to the amulet market…….The size of it was breathtaking…he even took the time to take me back to the beginning to find the amulet I should have gotten the first time past. the ancient 200+ year old paintings, the history they show is something I will never forget! I am still amazed at how well they they look and the time put in to them. Then we were taken to the flower market …. I do bead work and i can say , It takes a much gentler hand to build the flower offerings than what I do. I have much respect for their gentle caring touch. Being able to give an offering that was made by my own hand adds to the sacred experience, gives it more of a personal touch. I feel closer to myself and will never forget this wonderful time. thank you!
Jeffrey Yarges (verified owner) –
This is an amazing tour! I do not do touristy things as a rule, yet I wanted to see these amazing sights while in Thailand. Choosing this company to guide me through the chaos of tourism was the best choice I could have made. It’s is not a typical “tour” company or tour. Without the expertise of the guide and his extreme knowledge topped with his easy going nature my anxiety disorder would have never let me see what I saw or do what I did. I didn’t have to worry about a thing, just looking and learning. The tour concentrated on the spiritual side of these places and pushed home the importance of it to the Thai culture and their history. Not one question went unanswered, from simple to complex. I learned more on this tour about amulets, Buddhism, Wats, and the Royal family then I ever imagined I would. Making my own offering at the flower market and being lead through the prayer as I made the offering was a once in a life time opportunity that I’m so happy I took. I left the tour with a camera full of pics, a mind full of knowledge, a heart filled with love, and a really cool amulet. I can’t recommend this tour enough!