The second-timer’s guide to Bangkok

From the buzzy rooftop bars and Michelin-starred restaurants to the street food stalls and grand temples, there’s more to Bangkok than you could possibly see in a single trip. So go again, and bypass the tourist attractions you’ve already seen for a much more local side of the city. Below, we’ve rounded up the best things to do in Bangkok for second-time visitors—from an up-and-coming neighborhood full of artsy bars to a royal palace with far fewer crowds—to help you experience even more of this vibrant capital.

On your first trip to Bangkok, you likely partied the night away with other backpackers at the raucous bars lining Khao San Road. Your second time around, take a more sophisticated approach to Bangkok’s nightlife and check out the cool cocktail bars in Chinatown’s Soi Nana alley.

Once a quiet residential area full of rundown shophouses, Soi Nana has become one of Bangkok’s coolest neighborhoods in recent years thanks to an influx of young mixologists and art-loving entrepreneurs. Head to Tep Bar for local herbal whiskey, and Pijiu for craft beers and jazz piano. Also don’t miss the cocktails at Asia Today, which are made with Thai herbs and 13 types of wild-bee honey.

With more than 15,000 vendors, Chatuchak Market is the largest of its kind in the world—and a must-do for first-time visitors to Bangkok. On your second trip, however, take a ferry down the Chao Phraya River to the Wang Lang Market to see where locals go to shop. Rather than tourists, you’ll find hundreds of vendors packed into the market’s narrow, crowded lanes, selling everything from fried teriyaki pork skewers and green papaya salad to fruit smoothies and sticky rice balls. There are also clothes vendors in the roofed area of the market and river-view restaurants upstairs.

Wat Pho (also known as Wat Phra Chetuphon) is one of the most visited Buddhist temples in Bangkok thanks to its 150-foot-long golden statue of a reclining Buddha. Wat Arun, just across the Chao Phraya River, is also quite popular, with its 269-foot-high tower built in the 19th century. But beyond these tourist magnets, Bangkok bustles with hundreds of other religious sites, including Chao Pho Suea (or the Tiger God Shrine) in the city’s old town.

Built during the early 19th century in the Southern Chinese architectural style, the temple houses statues of the Chinese Supreme Being, including the Tiger God, the God of Honesty, the God of Good Fortune, and more. It’s one of the most venerated Chinese shrines in Bangkok, especially during Lunar New Year when the surrounding community comes to worship.

A short walk from the street food stalls, eclectic bars, and lively restaurants of Chinatown lies Bangkok’s lesser-known Little India, brimming with spice shops and Sikh temples. Visit this small neighborhood, centered around the Phahurat Market, to check out the seven-story, golden Gurudwara Siri Guru Singh Sabha temple; browse fabric shops and clothing stores like Rashni Collections; and eat at Royal India, which opened in 1960 and serves samosas, Indian curries, and sweets like rasmalai (cottage cheese balls soaked in thickened, sweetened milk).

The former official residence of several Siamese kings, the Grand Palace is on every traveler’s to-do list their first time in Bangkok. An equally fascinating option for your second trip is the Phaya Thai Palace, constructed in 1909 by King Rama V and home to beautiful Romanesque gardens. The only way to see the interiors is to join a daily guided tour, conducted in Thai, at 9:30 a.m. or 1 p.m., but it’s worth getting inside to explore the palace’s mix of Roman, Gothic, and Neo-Classical architectural styles as well as the colorful frescoes that decorate the walls and ceilings.

Skip the crab omelets at Jay Fai this trip and head to Nai Mong Hoi Thod instead. One of the most popular street food stands in Chinatown, the Michelin Bib Gourmand winner serves fried oysters, crispy mussel omelets, crab fried rice, and more, all made with the most fresh seafood. It can get busy here at lunchtime, but Mr. Mong’s expertly prepared, well-priced food is worth the wait.

Spanning eight stories and more than 2,000 stores, the MBK Center is the preferred place to shop for just about everything. But the Platinum Fashion Mall is a close second, with its hundreds of shops selling cosmetics, beachwear, party gowns, and more. When you tire of shopping, head to the food court for a steaming bowl of tom yum soup from TomYumKing Signature. If you visit on a Saturday, you’ll even find a nighttime food market in front of the mall selling popular Thai dishes like pad thai and khao niaow ma muang (mango sticky rice).

For a more local experience than you’ll get at Damnoen Saduak, take a long boat tour with Uncle Jeab through the canals, or klongs, of Thonburi, an enchanting residential neighborhood west of the Chao Phraya River. You’ll glide down narrow waterways lined with traditional teak houses and stately homes, stopping off to visit fruit farms, orchid gardens, and Buddhist temples that few tourists ever see. Rather than the frenetic city you experienced on your first visit, you’ll discover a much quieter, more serene side of Bangkok.