Bangkokian Museum

You are far off the beaten path when visiting this old monastery, but it's definitely a sight for those interested in Buddhism. The exact origin of this temple is unknown, but it is believed to have originated from the early Rattanakosin era or late Ayutthaya period. It had several names, but got its permanent name during the reign of King Rama IV, who extensively renovated it and raised its status to a third-grade royal temple. The temple takes up a vast amount of space and has an extensive courtyard. The murals inside the ordination hall show a set of Buddhist pilgrims. The large reclining Buddha is worth seeing. Thai people come over to place small bills of money next to it as they believe it brings good luck.

A beautiful European-style building from the late 19th century with a library, two art galleries, creative workshops and a café. The library has the largest collection of English language books in Bangkok, catering to the many English-speaking expats in the area. The art galleries have paintings, photos, textiles and ceramics on show depending on the exhibition, and many artworks are available for sale. The café (09:00-18:00 daily) has free Wi-Fi.

This is where the 19th-century port of Bangkok used to be. Now it is a crumbling building that needs a lot of renovation to get back into a useful state, but its obvious that this grand colonial-style home was once the pride of the area. It was built in the 1880s and used to levy taxes on traders that moved in and out of Siam. It's not open to the public, but you can walk around and try to grasp the atmosphere of Bangkok in earlier times. It was used in Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love, a great film worth the watch.

The Assumption Cathedral is the main Roman Catholic church of Bangkok. The original building at this place was the brainchild of French missionary Father Pascal in 1809, and completed in 1821. Throughout the second part of the 19th century, the area surrounding the church played an important role for French Christian missionaries arriving in Bangkok. It is near the Oriental Hotel and the French Embassy in an area that still captures somewhat of its French history. The current church dates from the 1910s, when the building was completely reconstructed in a Romanesque style. It was heavily damaged by bombing in World War II, but was restored after extensive repairs. Its rectangular structure and red brick exterior makes it stand out from the dull white surroundings. Its interior is spacious with a high ornate ceiling. Pope John Paul II visited the church in 1984, showing the prominence of the church in the Roman Catholic community of Thailand. The only religious service in English is held Sundays at 10:00.

One of only two Hindu temples in Bangkok, the Sri Mariamman Temple is actually a great experience. It was created in the 1860s by Tamil immigrants, and as with any temple found in India, it is unique, very colourful and ornately detailed. It generally is a busy temple with a constant stream of worshipers lighting incense sticks and plenty of ceremonies going on. Besides Indians, there are also Thai visitors as Buddha images stand side by side Hindu deities inside the temple. As it is the most sacred place for the Indian community in Bangkok, taking pictures inside the temple compound is not allowed.