Tours, Should We Book?

[Tuberose]

Hi, we want to visit the grand palace and the floating markets in bangkok and we won't have alot of time so would it be best to book through a tour place like WTS? easier than finding way around etc etc.

Thanks

[rocky]

Bkk is easy to get around if you use the sky train, I do not think you can get to the

Grand Palace on the skytrain or the tube system.

The problem with getting taxis, is them getting you there, I once wasted half a day

being driven around bkk by taxi drivers taking me no where and anywhere. They even

told me the grand palace was closed.........Other times I have picked a taxi told them

where I am trying to get and been taken there within minutes. When I am in BKK

now and wont to get a taxi, I do not get into the first car, but wait for a new taxi (you

can tell by the head lights) In my experience a new taxi gets me there, there are seat

belts and the aircon works. Also to save time if you agree a price with the taxi driver

first, it might be a little more costly but at least the taxi drive will not be driving

around the whole of Thailand wasting your day trying to get the meter up.

To summarise

Look for new taxis

Make sure they can speak some English

Make sure they know where you wont to go

Agree a payment

This should get you to the places you wish in quick time.

I know this doesn’t answer your question, if you are doing any shopping, go to MBK

it is fantastic and not expensive, you could walk around the place for 2 days, 7 floors

high (its big) http://www.mbk-center.com/en/index.asp

[ProfessorFart]

The problem with getting taxis, is them getting you there, I once wasted half a day being driven around bkk by taxi drivers taking me no where and anywhere. They even told me the grand palace was closed.........Other times I have picked a taxi told them where I am trying to get and been taken there within minutes. When I am in BKK now and wont to get a taxi, I do not get into the first car, but wait for a new taxi (you can tell by the head lights) In my experience a new taxi gets me there, there are seat belts and the aircon works. Also to save time if you agree a price with the taxi driver first, it might be a little more costly but at least the taxi drive will not be driving around the whole of Thailand wasting your day trying to get the meter up.

This is not the common experience at all. Most taxis will get you to where you want to go with the minimum of fuss. If any driver refuses to use his meter then get out and find another. There are enough around!! DO NOT haggle for a price. Either insist they use their meters or find another taxi.

If you are stuck for time then taking an organised tour is a perfectly good way to see the sights and get familiar with BKK. It beats the ###### out of wandering aimlessly around a confusing city like BKK.

If you can get to grips with the skytrain (BTS) which is easy that will help your shopping trips more than taxis.

I'd also suggest a trip to Chatuchak weekend market near the Moh Chit skytrain stop to your shopping trip. It's a huge market in the north of the city which is well worth a visit.

[Tuberose]

Thanks guys and especially Rocky for that attachment on mbk.......that is definitely on my itinery.

[rocky]

This is not the common experience at all. Most taxis will get you to where you want to go with the minimum of fuss. If any driver refuses to use his meter then get out and find another. There are enough around!! DO NOT haggle for a price. Either insist they use their meters or find another taxi.

I have been too Bkk many times, In my experience If I get into a taxi and demand the

meter, I am then driven around all day until the meter is high. I only have been taken

in quick time when I have agreed an amount first.

I am not saying that ProfessorFart is wrong, just that is not the experience.

[ZOVOX]

You shouldn't haggle with taxi-drivers because it only encourages them to con tourist - they're called taxi-meter cabs for a reason ! Most taxi-drivers speak litle or no english; in fact, it's the ones that speak english that try to con you more. but i agree that you should get into a reasonably new taxi.

Other good places to shop are pratunam market, wtc for dept stores and gaysorn plaza for designer gear. they are all within walking distance of each other.

if you use the bts, get a day ticket - only 100 baht !

[samran]

how long have you got in Bangers? By a Nancy Chandlers guide to Bangkok which includes an easy to read map and you can do fairly decent self guided tours and see Bangkok easily and cheaply. I'd recommend one day could consist of:

Start your day at the canal boat terminus just near the World Trade Centre. Catch a canal speedboat down to Ratchadamnoen Rd (the final stop on the speed boat). From the speedboat you'll see some of Muslim Bangkok and beautiful old houses along the canals. 10 baht maximum for the trip.

Get off at Ratchadomoen Rd, and walk down towards the Grand Palace. Ignore all touts and Tuk Tuk drivers who approach you with a cheap journey and claims that all the main sights are closed due to a national holiday. This will be about a 20 minute walk

Ratchadomnoen is probably one of the grandest boulevards in Thailand. Take a small detour to Koh San Rd (if you want) and see the backpackert freak show. See the grand palace, the park, go have a massage at the Wat Po, and then walk to the pier just behind Wat Po.

Catch a 5 baht river ferry down to the Oriental hotel Pier, get off there and enjoy a drink by the river at one of the worlds best hotels. Following that, walk up Silom, doing a bit of shopping along the way.

Go back to your hotel after that, chill out. Grab some dinner, then head down to Patpong about 9 or 10 pm to see what there is to see (night markets and 'shows'). To cap off the night, jump into a taxi and head to the Banyan Tree Hotel. Catch the lift to the top floor where you'll get to a very classy rooftop bar called 'vertigo'. Have one or two drinks there and take in the Bangkok panorama with a touch of style.

Edited December 15, 2004 by samran

[stevenuk]

use the skytrain and taxis , get out of the taxis a bit earlier than you need and walk the rest you see sights that arent mentioned in any guides etc

my wife and i went to bkk for the first time last year and used GROOVEY MAP we found them excellent there is one for and one for night all the sights are clearly marked on them as well as which sky train station to use etc

we covered most of bangkok in four days using a groovey map , sure we did get lost on the odd occasion but that was part of the fun

ste

[charles]

If you are going to Grand Palace and other attractions near the river and are staying near the skytrain, then you can take the skytrain to Saphan Taksin (end of the Silom line) which adjoins to Sathorn Riverbus pier. Then take the riverbus up to the Grand Palace at Chang pier. Pretty quick, cheap and above all a great way to see Bangkok. Beats a tour or taxi any day. Also shouldn't get lost as there are plenty of other foreign tourists doing the same thing.

On the subject of taxis, even some of the pleasant, honest taxi drivers may be reluctant to go to the Grand Palace on the meter from such as the Sukhumvit area. It is quite a long way, and with all the traffic jams, one-way streets etc., at many times of the day, it may just not be worth it for them.

Edited December 16, 2004 by charles

[SK1972]

Tuberose......if you are not too familiar with the Bangkok and dont want to be ripped off by the taxis and touts, you can always hire a van with driver(accomodates 7-8) to take you around. It beats the hassle of getting lost, waiting time and etc.

If the tourist attractions are in BKK, the price is THB1,800 for the whole day (usually 9am to 6-7pm) including petrol.

If the tourist attractions are out of BKK, the price is still THB1,800 but petrol is to be borne by the hirer.

I know a very good one, Khun Lek who took my family around and he speaks English. His no is 09 7815648.

And NO, I do not get any commission for this!!

Good Luck!

[Tuberose]

Thanks, that is what i will do, i will ring him when we get to bangkok.(on the 26th/27th dec.

We are staying at The Narai hotel in Silom road so i gather that this is the finish end to what everyone has told me to do hehehe.

The first day i will head to MBK.

Second day we are off to the tiger temple and bridge of the river kwai

third day is when we want to do the touristy stuff so i shall ring your guy and hope he is free...............

then we head to pattaya for 9 nights.

Head back to bangkok the last night as we have an early morning flight the next day.

Thanks again.

Markets will be done at night.