Senior travel: Bangkok
An easier pace for an older traveller: how many stops fit in a day, which places are step-free, and what the guide says about getting around, medicines and stairs.
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Pace for a day
About 2 stops a day. 5 h out − 45 min rest, divided by an average visit of 90 min (from this city’s guide) + 30 min to move.
Places, easiest access first
- Jim Thompson HouseStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 75 minOne steep staircase up into the house; high door thresholds inside.
- Wat PhoStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 75 minOne to five steps at hall entrances.
- Grand PalaceStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 120 minShort flights of 3–10 steps into halls; no climbs.
Getting around in Bangkok
Bangkok is hard on wheels outside malls and hotels. Pavements are high, broken and blocked by stalls, many crossings are footbridges with stairs, and boats have steps and gaps. MRT, ARL and the newer lines are step-free; the BTS is patchy. Plan door-to-door taxis and mall routes.
- Pavements:
- High kerbs, broken tiles, poles and food stalls; you will often have to use the road edge. The Lumphini park paths and the mall skywalks are the smooth exceptions.
- Lifts at stations:
- All MRT, ARL, Yellow and Pink line stations have lifts. BTS added lifts at most stations, but some have only one side or are out of service (check each station).
- Getting around:
- Metered taxis and ride-hail cars take folded wheelchairs; book a larger car in the app. City buses are mostly high-floor. River boats and piers are not accessible.
- Hotels:
- International chains in Sukhumvit, Silom and the riverside have adapted rooms; ask for photos. Old-city guesthouses often have steps and no lift.
- Toilets:
- Accessible toilets in malls, big hotels and newer rail stations; rare elsewhere.
- Crossings:
- Few signalled crossings with audible signals; drivers rarely stop at zebra crossings. Cross with others or at lights.
Stairs at the hotel areas
- Silom–Sala Daeng: 1 flights up, 1 down, 200 m walk from the stop
- Sukhumvit (Asok–Nana): 1 flights up, 1 down, 250 m walk from the stop
Medicines and health on the ground
The Thailand guide lists no medicine paperwork. Check the official customs page for your medicines.
- Heat:
- All year, worst March–May: shade and AC every 60–90 minutes, electrolytes from 7-Eleven, no noon walks in the old city.
- Dengue:
- Mosquito-borne and present all year, peaking in the rainy season (June–October). Repellent by day; see a doctor for a sudden high fever and avoid ibuprofen until dengue is ruled out.
- Food and water:
- Bottled or filtered water. Street food is generally safe at busy stalls; take care with raw seafood and shellfish in the heat.
- Rabies:
- Street dogs and temple cats: do not pet them. After any bite or scratch go the same day to a hospital or the Thai Red Cross Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute (Rama IV Road) for shots.
- Flood water:
- Avoid wading through storm floods with cuts on your feet (leptospirosis risk); shower afterwards.
More: how much medicine to pack, medicine times across time zones.
Ask your insurer
Age limits and prices differ by policy and the guides do not hold them, so put these to the insurer before you buy.
- What is the oldest age the policy covers, at purchase and on the last day of the trip?
- Does the price or the cover change after a certain age?
- Are existing conditions covered, and what must be declared?
- Does the cover include medical evacuation and trip interruption?
Not medical advice. This page does not know anyone’s health. Ask a doctor before the trip, and carry a list of medicines and conditions.