Welcome to Bangkok; cultural phenomenon, shopping heaven and tourist treasure, one of the most cosmopolitan, contrasting and, above all, compelling of Asian cities. A steamy, pulsating, yet smiling metropolis of more than ten million – intense at first, but addictive as anything. Come find your niche among dazzling temples, hotels of every breed and size, eclectic markets, gleaming palaces, ritzy shopping malls, a famous nightlife and the many things in between.

Enjoy a memorable dinner cruise adrift the Chao Phraya River. Bask in the city's warm, affluent glow at a skyscraping rooftop bar. Experience all the things – tuk-tuk ride, ladyboy show, Muay Thai (kickboxing) match, Thai massage – everyone always comes home talking about.

There are more than 400 wats (or temples) disseminated all around Bangkok but everyone rushes to three most famous ones: Wat Pra Kaew, Wat Arun and Wat Pho. But where do you go after that? What other temples are worth visiting and why? Where are they? There is no way to see them all but we have seen a lot, including the infamous David Beckham Temple (yes, it does really exist), one swallowed by a giant tree and even one that was used for executions!

When coming up with a list of free things to do in Bangkok, we wanted to pick a top ten that included more unusual and rarely thought of free activities and sights, avoiding too many temples and shopping malls. Our list of 10 fun free things to do include things that we enjoy doing in the city and the activities we would recommend to anyone coming to Bangkok on a budget.

One of the things we love most about Bangkok is the fact that travelling around the city is such great value. Buses start at less than 10 baht, and even half an hour in the taxi only costs around 200 baht, so there will be minimal costs incurred, but once you get there you can enjoy the sights and sounds for free as our ten fun things to do cost nothing!