Bangkok

[melv1golf]

HI, i am looking for some info about bangkok, we are travelling to pattaya 9th april, and to escape the water festival there i am thinking of travelling to bangkok for a couple of days, i have been twice before but usually end up wandering aroun aimlessly cos i dont plan it properly, well this year is going to be different. 1st day there is intended for shopping and a good night out, second day there i want to go to the floating market and the bridge over the river kwai, heres where i need your help, i need the name of a reasonable hotel in between the patpong district and the railway station, the name of a good area for shopping, and the best way to visit the market and the river kwai, i would prefer to do the river by train but am not sure if this is possible incorporating the market, all help greatly appreciated

[GucciLittlePiggy]

I lived there for months and did nothing but wander around, mainly from bar to bar. Personally, I'd get a hotel on sukhumvit - I can't stand Patpong - Soi Cowboy is far better and no/less scams. The great thing about bangkok is taxis are so cheap you can stay virtually anywhere. Stay between Patpong and the station if you wish, but there is no need and I'd imagine there's much less choice there.

[tonititan]

Just be aware that if you're coming to Bangkok to escape Songkran, you might still get some of it here. I got soaked a few times. Also, last year on Songkran it seemed like hardly anything was open downtown along Sukhumvit. It felt like a ghost town. Shopping might be a little more difficult. The good thing is that there was virtually no traffic downtown!

[happylarry]

They evacuate Bangkok because all Thai's travel home to their villages for the holiday period. But the ones that still live there will also be playing with water so you will still need to keep your phone and wallet in a poly bag.

As for Kanchanaburi?????????? Are you saying you want to do it in one day?

it is a couple of hours drive to get there and there is so much to do and see around there that its always advisable to spend at least one night there.

Enjoy

HL

[tonititan]

I agree that it's preferable to do Kanchanaburi as an overnight trip. But, it CAN be done in one day if that's really all the time you have. I did a 1-day trip to Kanchanaburi with visitors last month. We hired a taxi driver for the day, and I strongly recommend that option over the train. There are only a couple trains each day, and they can take hours and hours, and they're always delayed. If you're pressed for time (which you will be in one day), a taxi is faster. We went to the bridge over the River Kwai and spent a fair amount of time hanging out and eating lunch there. We also went to several of the bridge/WWII museums. We also rode the train from Kanchanaburi to the end of the line (the direction that is further away from Bangkok). It was scheduled to be a 1.5 hour trip, and it took more like 4 hours...long delay in the train arriving from Bangkok, lots of stops, broken engine, etc. But, we got to see some great scenery along the river. I would do that again, except not go the whole distance and arrange for your driver to pick you up about half way. What we didn't get to do in one day was go to the national park/waterfall, or to some of the sites that were further out of town (like Hellfire Pass, I think). So yes, I agree that one day isn't enough time to see all of the cool things in Kanchanaburi, but if you really want to see the bridge, you can do it.

[melv1golf]

thanks for your advice so far, bearing in mind what people are saying about the place being empty during songkran will i still be able to get a taxi from the airport to pattaya? i land in bangkok on the 10th april, and one other point, i know that april is possibly the hottest month but is it glourious sunshine or just cloudy and humid? once again thanks for your help.

[dddave]

April is hot, Hot, HOT...no way around it! As others have suggested, A hotel around lower Sukhumvit would be best; not necessarily for the proximity to nightlife but also well serviced by the SKYTRAIN (BTS) and SUBWAY (MRT): easily the best way to get around and air conditioned as well.

April is low season so pretty good walk-in deals can be had in most hotels, just book your first night so you are not wandering around lugging bags in the heat.

As for traveling around the historic sites of Bangkok, I would suggest using the Skytrain to SEPHAN TAKSIN pier, then taking the river EXPRESS BOAT to the various sights. The free map available at Skytrain stations also shows the Express boat stops.

A one day trip to Kanchanabury to see the bridge and museum is doable, best done by van arranged by a travel agent.

[tonititan]

A one day trip to Kanchanabury to see the bridge and museum is doable, best done by van arranged by a travel agent.

Oh yeah, I forgot about vans as an option when I talked about train vs. taxi! I agree, an organized van tour is probably your best bet as a first time tourist. I already knew a couple reliable taxi drivers who could speak some English, can speak a little bit of very basic Thai, and knew enough about Kanchanaburi to plan out a trip. But, I think it would be very difficult for you to arrange when you get here. Taking an organized van trip will be much more low-stress, and they'll make sure you make it to all the sights. We looked at a few tours before deciding to go on our own (mainly for flexibility), and they looked pretty good. Just make sure that if you book a "Kanchanaburi tour," it is the type that you want. Some focused on the bridge and museums, while others didn't even go in the city much, but included elephant trekking, bamboo rafting, and other activities instead.