Bangkok Yai

Bangkok Yai — "Big Bangkok" — contains the most iconic symbol of the old capital: Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn. The district anchors the western bank of the Chao Phraya opposite the Grand Palace complex, maintaining a spiritual and historical gravitas that few Bangkok neighborhoods can match.

The area preserves the atmosphere of old Thonburi, the short-lived capital that preceded modern Bangkok. Narrow lanes wind between temple compounds, traditional houses, and small shopfronts. Tourist traffic concentrates around Wat Arun but quickly disperses into quieter residential streets. Santa Cruz Church and the surrounding Portuguese-descended community add layers to the area's cultural mix.