As of 2026, it seems like parts of Dusit Palace, including Vimanmek Teak Mansion, are still closed to the public for renovation. See the section “Is Dusit Palace currently open to the public?” for more information.

To me, Bangkok’s Dusit Quarter felt very different from other parts of the city, as the broad avenues and pretty parks really set it apart from the noise and bustle that I encountered in most other neighbourhoods.

Some people in my hostel complained about the lack of character of this artificially created district, but I still found it a nice antidote to the more traffic-ridden parts of central Bangkok, and enjoyed my half day exploring Dusit Palace and checking out some temples in the area.

Plus, the people complaining about Dusit were the type who washed their pizza down with a bucket of sangria on Khao San Road the night before, so their view on “authenticity” might be slightly skewed. Read on for the best places to see in this pretty part of town.

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What to See and Do in Dusit

Dusit Palace

Is Dusit Palace Currently Open to Tourists?

Information is a bit scarce on this. As of May 2026, parts of Dusit Palace, including Vimanmek Teak Mansion, seem to still be closed to the public for renovation, and while several websites and newspaper articles state that it’s scheduled to reopen soon, they don’t give a date.

Apparently, you can occasionally still visit the inside of Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, but I couldn’t find any information on which dates. Make sure to check the status before visiting (maybe ask around at your hostel/hotel or the tourist information office).

I’ll leave the rest of the information as it is, in the hope that Dusit Palace will soon again be accessible and to give you a general idea of the place in case you won’t be able to visit this time.

Visiting Dusit Palace

This is the star attraction of the area and arguably the main reason to visit the district. Dusit Palace was built by orders of King Rama V., who was inspired by the palaces and parks of Western Europe, which he had come across during his travels.

Construction was finished in the first decade of the 20th century, and the palace soon became the primary residence of the King, when it replaced the Grand Palace on Ko Rattanakosin. Apart from checking out the interesting architectural features, I found the landscaped palace park a nice place to just hang around for a bit.

Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall

The huge neoclassical Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall was originally built as an audience hall, which explains its showy exterior. You can check out the inside as well, where I really liked the vaulted ceiling, the many slender columns and carved marble features along the walls.

Also make sure to check out the fantastic frescoes inside the dome, which show the previous kings of the Chakri Dynasty. There are also some showcases, which display impressive works of art, including a couple of super detailed golden ship models and some beautifully carved wooden screens.

Something I’d recommend skipping is the pretty useless audioguide, which mostly lists the measurements of the rooms and the numbers of workers who built them and has hardly anything to say about the history or symbolism of the rooms and decorations.

The entrance to the Throne Hall is an extra 50฿ (it’s not included in the general Palace admission), but I found it well worth the price.

Vimanmek Teak Mansion

It’s not quite as showy as the Throne Hall, but I found Vimanmek Teak Mansion even more interesting. This is the actual palace where the kings resided, which was originally constructed on Ko Sichang Island and later transported to Dusit.

My guidebook said that it could only be explored by a guided tour, but I was actually allowed to walk around on my own when I visited, so they might have changed that rule (they definitely weren’t understaffed, as I was the only visitor).

The entire inside is filled with objects that were either collected by Rama V. or given to him as presents on his many diplomatic trips abroad. You’re not allowed to take any pictures here and I had to leave my camera at the security checkpoint, which is why there are no photos of the mansion in this post.

You can easily look up some pictures online, though. Something you should definitely have a closer look at when you’re there is the moat that surrounds the mansion, as I saw some impressively large monitor lizards here.

Other Palace Buildings and Exhibitions

There are lots of smaller buildings on the grounds, which have little exhibitions with everything from photographs taken by the late King Rama IX. to some carriages and the royal cloth collection. There was also a display of some really elaborate clocks, which was probably my favourite.

Another place I liked was the pretty Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall, which was built in a style imitating Moorish architecture, complete with super detailed wooden latticework. It sits directly east of Vimanmek Mansion.

East of the Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall is the White Elephant Museum, which once was used as a stable for the king’s elephants and today contains several artefacts and historical paintings that show the former royal pets.

King Rama V. Statue on Royal Plaza

The appearance of Dusit mainly goes back to the ideas of King Rama V., who ruled the country from 1853 to 1910, and who was inspired by European capitals that he saw on diplomatic visits.

If you come from the direction of central Bangkok, you’ll pass the king’s equestrian statue, but in case you’ll enter the area from any direction other than the south, make sure to circle around to have a look at the figure of the man who shaped Dusit district more than anyone else.

Practicalities

How Much Is the Entrance Fee?

The entrance to Vimanmek Teak Mansion, which is the main palace building, was 100฿ when I visited. This also included many of the smaller buildings with exhibitions around the grounds. If you want to visit the inside of Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall (which you should), it’s another 50฿.

It’s also good to know that the admission to Dusit Palace is free if you have a ticket to Bangkok’s Grand Palace that is no more than a week old.

Is There a Dress Code?

Yes, there is. As with most royal properties in Thailand, you’ll have to wear ‘modest clothing’ to be allowed on the grounds. I didn’t find any current information online, but it’s basically the same for all Royal properties in the country. This is the complete list of prohibited clothes, as noted on the Official Grand Palace Website:

• No sleeveless shirts
• No vests
• No short top
• No see-through tops
• No short hot pants or short pants (including cargo pants)
• No torn pants
• No tight pants
• No bike pants (I think this means spandex pants and the like)
• No mini skirts
• No pants skirts
• No sleeping suit (I wonder how many people have tried wearing these before)

Inside the buildings, you’ll also have to take off your shoes, but there are signs reminding you.

What Else to Know

You’re not allowed to take photographs in most of the palace buildings (which also explains the lack of interior shots in this article). As a matter of fact, I had to lock away my bag, camera, phone, etc. before entering many of the buildings (with a few exceptions).

Wat Benchamabophit

Wat Benchamabophit is arguably the most famous temple in the district. It’s also known as the Marble Temple, because the courtyard and walls are made out of Italian Carrara marble (the kind that was already popular with the Ancient Romans).

Another European-style touch are the stained-glass windows. I also liked the contrast between the rather austere pillars and walls of the central Ubosot (Ordination Hall) and its many-gabled red-and-golden roof.

If the building seems familiar to you, it’s maybe because you’ve seen it on five-baht coins that were minted before 2018. The cloister that runs around the Ubosot contains 52 images of the Buddha in different styles.

The pretty landscaped grounds of the temple are a nice place to relax for a bit (or be interviewed by a bunch of Thai children for a school project, like I was).

Wat Benchamabophit is located south-east of the Dusit Palace grounds at the corner of Sri Ayutthaya Street and Nakhon Phathom Street. There’s no entrance fee and you can check the current opening times here.

Map of Dusit

This map of Dusit District shows all the places I described above.

Practicalities

How to Get to Dusit

There are plenty of ways of reaching Dusit by public transport. One of them would be to take the Express Boat along the Chao Phraya River, where the closest stop is Tha Thewet Pier, from where it’s a ten-minute walk east to Dusit Palace.

The most useful public bus stops are Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall and Wat Benchamabophit. You can check for bus connections from wherever you are in Bangkok on this useful site.

The closest BTS Station is Phaya Thai on the green Sukhumvit Line (which also serves as the western terminus of the Airport Rail Link). From there, you’ll have to get a tuk-tuk or walk north-west along Si Ayutthaya Street for about half an hour.

Where to Stay in Dusit

As it’s a former royal representation district, there are hardly any hotels or guesthouses in Dusit. It is, however, very close to the hostel-laden Banglamphu District to the south-west, which makes a half-day trip from there the best choice. You can check the map below for some options.

Where to Eat in Dusit

Again, options for eating are a bit limited in the area, so your best bet is to walk about 15 minutes south-west into the Banglamphu Neighborhood, where there are plenty of restaurants.

Otherwise, there are a few stalls along the bigger roads surrounding the palace area, which sell snacks and drinks. These are perfectly fine for a quick bite, even if the guy selling me a lemonade told me repeatedly “No Side Effects”, which made me think “The Lady doth protest too much”.

See Also

Bangkok’s Grand Palace, Dusit Palace’s older and more famous big brother

Is Bangkok’s Khao San Road Worth Visiting?