Bangkok, beyond the temple selfie.

Dress modestly before you arrive — shoulders and knees covered — so you're not scrambling to cover up at the gate at 6am.

Arrive by 9-10am before the heat and crowds both peak — the market only really runs on weekends.

Start at the alley by Trok San Chao Rong Kueak — the highest concentration of murals in one stretch.

The Deck or Eagle Nest riverside bars let you sit with a drink and watch for the price of what you order, not an entry fee.

Skip dinner beforehand — this is a street-food grazing walk, not a sit-down-meal destination.

The garden alone, mid-afternoon, is one of the quietest green spaces this close to central Siam.

Take the orange-flag river ferry to the Marine Department pier — cheaper and more scenic than a taxi.

Go around 5pm — cooler air, better light, and the path fills with locals cycling and jogging rather than tourists.

Go in the small hours if you can manage it — 2-4am is when the market is at its most alive, not mid-morning.

The view from the Maharaj Pier side, across the water, rivals paying to go inside — especially at sunset.