Dusit

This is the former residence of Phra Raja Jaya Dara Rasmi, the daughter of the Prince of Chiang Mai and a consort of King Rama V. The building was completed in 1909. Now it displays some personal paraphernalia of King Rama V, including oil paintings that are about 100 years old. Other items on show are pottery from all over the world (such as China, Germany and the United Kingdom) and old European oil lamps.

This two-storey wooden building is the first one you encounter if you enter the complex from its northern entrance. It previously was the residence of Queen Savang Vadhana, the grandmother of King Rama V. It now houses photos and models of the royal barges that are used in the beautiful Royal Barge Ceremony. If you want to see the royal barges yourself, you can visit the Royal Barges National Museum in Thonburi.

As King Rama V wanted to modernise Thailand along European lines, he filled up many of the traditional canals and turned them into roads, so horse carriages could be used. It was recorded that 2,698 horse carriages were in use in Bangkok by 1925. These buildings show off 23 royal carriages that have been used since the late 19th century. The museum was opened in 1991 on the 60th birthday of HM Queen Sirikit. It is the only museum where taking pictures is allowed.

Another building that houses a large collection of royal paraphernalia. On display is a royal palanquin with four gables and an ornate roof and palanquins that were used by the ladies of the court.

The former residence of Princess Saisavali Bhiromya, the royal consort of King Chulalongkorn. On display is a large collection of Buddha statues and photographs from the reign of King Chulalongkorn. Gifts HM King Bhumibol received on state visits to other countries can also be seen.

This hall features a multimedia slideshow about the history of the Dusit Palace. It also gives an overview of the different residential halls and their exhibits, so you can more easily decide which ones you want to visit. There's also a collection of pictures showing the Vimanmek Mansion beautifully illuminated at night.

Tamnak Ho is a residence built in 1903 for the wedding of Prince Paribatra Sukhumbandhu, the Prince of Nakhon Sawan and son of King Rama V. It was built on the grounds of the Bang Khun Phrom Palace, but when the Bank of Thailand took over there, the building was moved to the Sukhothai Palace in 1985. Another move occurred in 1998, when HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej dismantled the building and moved it to the Dusit Palace. Now the hall displays pottery from the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods, which were recovered in 1976 from underwater shipwrecks at the bottom of the Gulf of Thailand (off the coast of the provinces of Rayong and Chantaburi). It is believed that these ships were Chinese and Vietnamese trade junks from the 15th to the 18th century.

This hall is a former residence of HM Queen Saovabha and HRH Princess Valaya Alongkorn, who is HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej's aunt. The Princess Mother has also lived here in her childhood. On display are gifts and art objects HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej received on the 50th anniversary of his ascension to throne in 1996.

This used to be the residence of HRH Prince Asdang Dejavudh, a son of King Rama V and Queen Saovabha. The prince lived here until his death in 1924. Now it is a museum that set up a display of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej's oil paintings.

This Renaissance and neo-classical-style building was constructed of Italian marble under the commission of King Rama V in 1906. He intended to use it as a royal reception and assembly hall. The construction was completed in the reign of King Rama VI. The dome of the throne hall houses picturesque frescoes of royal activities undertaken during the reigns of King Rama I to King Rama VI. The building serves as a venue for royal and state ceremonies and was used as the national assembly building before it was moved to the current building behind it. It now houses beautiful arts and crafts made with traditional Thai techniques.

At the site that used to house the royal white elephant stables, since 1988 has been a museum about these extremely rare creatures. They are considered holy animals in Thailand, as a white elephant with six tusks appeared in a dream to Buddha's mother when she conceived her child. This museum tells you all about the history of white elephants in Thailand and the criteria an elephant must meet in order to be considered a "royal white" elephant.

The zoo is an excellent destination for families and children. It is a lush and green zoo with many flowers, trees and ponds. A fun activity is floating on the water with the foot-peddle boats, or riding the small tram, but it costs 60 baht more. There are many playgrounds and picnic areas, as well as some restaurants in case you get hungry. They also have animals, such as giraffes, zebras, deer, hippos, elephants and tigers.

The entrance to Dusit Palace is a gigantic motorway with the statue of King Rama V (Chulalongkorn) riding a stallion right in the centre. It is the first monument dedicated to a Thai king, completed in 1908 and inaugurated by King Rama V himself. The monument was financed by public donations, as the Thai people were grateful for King Rama V's pursuit of modernising the country. Each year on 5 December, the Trooping of the Colours ceremony is held here.

The newest of Bangkok's famous temples, this unique wat was constructed during the reign of King Rama V. It employs European ecclesiastical details, such as stained glass windows, and contains a cloister collection of bronze Buddha images. In the early morning, this is the best place to offer food and daily necessities to monks when they gather in front of the temple.

This temple is known for the so-called Standing Buddha or Big Buddha (Luang Pho To), a 32 m high golden Buddha image. The statue is covered with 24,000 golden mosaics from Italy. The topknot of the Buddha image contains a relic of Lord Buddha brought from Sri Lanka. The temple is worth a visit just for the sake of photographing the Buddha. However, it's worth mentioning that this temple is a regular site on the "gem scam" circuit, so ignore anyone approaching you for a "free" tuk-tuk tour or bringing up the topic of purchasing gems.

The museum building is in the Bang Khum Phrom Palace, a former royal residence of HRH Prince Boriphat Sukhumphan, the 33rd son of King Rama V (Chulalongkorn). After 1932, the palace was used as a governmental office for a period, until 1945 when it became the headquarters of the Bank of Thailand. The Bank of Thailand Museum was established in 1982, accommodating 14 rooms on two floors. The first floor focuses on the history of Thai currency since the first century, while the second floor focuses on the 60 year history of the Bank of Thailand.

This art gallery shows works of some of the hottest upcoming Thai artists. The interior is whiter than white, so you can completely take in the beauty of the magnificent paintings. Some of the artists connected to the gallery are Niti Wattuya, Kamin Lertchaiprasert, and Natee Utarit.

This is a venue for horse races under royal patronage. Races are held every two weeks on Sunday.