These are some options from the Dusit Princess. I've put approximate travel times by taxi, which you can check with the nurse. Note Friday Saturday and Sunday afternoons and evenings the traffic can be terrible here; thanks to the night market.
Thank you to my good friend Carrie for doing the exploration work!
Please do not attempt these trips until your nurse has agreed! They can be exhausting especially outdoors with high temperatures and humidity!
Always allow yourself Rest days!
Seacom Square - 5-30 minutes by foot
Next to the hotel is the Seacom square. Four floors including a cinema; it is where Thai people go to shop. It has a western flavour in terms of brand names on the ground floor. A large tesco is at the far end selling bottles of water; fresh pastries (the chocolate pastry sticks can be recommended) and clothing (upstairs).
The ground floor is mostly shops and boots the chemist. Some of the shoe shops stock sizes upto 11 (us) or 44 (EU). I wonder who they are catering for...?
The second floor has more boutiques and indoor market stalls selling anything you can imagine.
The third floor has more massage beauty and furniture. And online learning centres
The fourth floor is mostly the cinema complex and places for children
The basement has an electronics market with all sorts of gadgets and widgets
Yes you can get lost in here if you are not walking far... But it gets boring quickly
Night Market - behind Seacom - at least 10 minutes by foot
There is a night market Friday, Saturday and Sunday in buildings behind Seacom Square. About 1000 stalls - food and clothing and vintage good. Vintage is anything before 1970, and of dubious origin. It can be very busy as the Thai people look for bargains and bling. It can be very hot and busy so be prepared
King Rami IX Park - 10 minutes by taxi
This is a beautiful park land not far away which has a lot of Thai visitors. Outdoor yoga and group fitness will have you smiling especially at weekend (no you can't participate - just admire). Whilst you will see some westerners, it is mainly Thai people who enjoy the shady paths, ponds, trees and plants. White Egrets and occasional large iguana (type of lizard) or terrapins. You can walk for hours here so keep an eye on your map and take a neck cushion so that you can sit when you need
Healthland Spa and Clinic - 15 minutes by taxi
This is a chain of clinics which started out from a vegan restaurant and shop. The regular time schedules mean that you don't get a typical "western lounging in a spa" feeling. However the quality is much better than the Dusit Hotel experience. An aromatherapy massage is much easier on the body than a Thai massage.
The Good View Restaurant - 30 minutes by taxi
Overlooking the river you get a large range of Thai foods - and a lot of a Thai customers. Be prepared that the appetizer and main course are likely to be delivered together. But the spicy fluffy catfish was delicious!
Udom Suk BTS station - 20 minutes by taxi
This BRS link can be the gateway into the skyscraper city itself. A single to Siam centre costs about 50 baht (ticket machine) whilst a day pass costs 150 baht (ticket office). The trains are air conditioned a lot so you can catch a chill if you are not careful. There are some food stalls around but it is not really a place to visit... It takes 30 minutes to get to Siam Centre from here.
Hua Mak Airport Link - 15 minutes by taxi
The airport link can be the gateway into the older city, temples and palaces. The Phaya Thai station (end of the line) is about 15 minutes away. The temples and palace are a further 15 minutes by taxi from here.
Note: the links require a lot of stair climbing. There are some escalators and lifts but not always easy to access.
Siam Centre and Siam Paragon - 15 minute taxi plus 30 minutes BTS
This is a large western / Dubai style shopping mall. Famous brand name stalls everywhere and lots of food courts. A large number of tourists as well. Lots to explore, loud, air conditioned and the total opposite of Seacom square. There is an indoor aquarium in the Siam Paragon. A short distance away is the Centre Grand - another shopping mall. Behind that is the Centro Grand with a sky bar on the top floors. Allow 10-15 minutes of walking to get there.
Some say it is easier to take a taxi all the way but traffic can be a nightmare - and unless you are allowed or able to sit for so long it is not always the best way. However evenings can be quicker.
Palace and Wat Pho - 15 minutes taxi plus 20 minutes on train to Phaya Thai plus 20 minutes taxi
The Palace is obviously a must see... For every tourist. Crowded hot is an understatement. Ground I even and lots of steps. Wat Pho is next door and much quieter. The ferry station Than Tien is close by - but climbing onto rocking boats is not forgiving of delicate stitches.
Behind the smelly market there are a couple of amazing riverside restaurants - East Side Story, or Eagles Nest cocktail bar. Access via the backstreets of the market. Not for the faint hearted but good food / views.
The Wat Arun temple is a short ferry across the river from here. The ground is not flat and the temple has very very steep steps - do not attempt them on this trip!
Jim Thompson House - Textiles - 15 minutes taxi + 30 minutes train (Udom Suk - Siam - National Stadium) + 5 minutes walk
The Jim Thompson House is a small oasis of older Thai buildings in the center of the city. Tall bamboo plants shelter the buildings from their ugly skyrise neighbours. You can watch silk being extracted from the caccons of the boiled silk worms. The tour of the six buildings lasts half an hour and is fairly interesting but very busy. Lots of steps to climb - and high thresholds into the rooms, plus barefoot. I.e. if you find stair climbing hard then this is not for you. There is a free shuttle to the National Stadium train station. There is an expensive coffee shop attached to the complex which does some of the better cakes in the city (although Oriental Hotel - Verandaah bar is the best).
Exploring other parts of the city will have to wait. There will always be some lucky people able to do these trips during their recovery. And others who are just able to do a circuit of Seacom Square. This is a recovery time and not a get away holiday - so allow yourself a second trip to Bangkok to explore the city and don't ruin your health by attempting too much.
