Why Are You Even Here? The Surprising Attitudes of Some Expats in Thailand

[vanbrit548]

In a couple of weeks I will have a family group (about 10 people total) visiting me in Pattaya from the UK and wanted to take them for a day trip to Bangkok. Can anyone recommend a minibus company or tour company that can arrange a custom itinerary for me. I am thinking of an itinerary that includes some or all of the following:

Hotel Pick up jn Pattaya around 6-7AM

Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaeo

Wat Pho, Reclining Buddha, Emerald Buddha

Chao Phraya riverboat trip, Wat Arun

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Chinatown

Return to Pattaya around 6-7 PM

Is this do-able? What are the costs, guided or unguided. Is it better to just hire a minibus and driver for the day? I am familiar with most of the sights so may not need a guide to keep costs down. The group is mainly adults but there will be a couple of small children on the trip.

Many thanks for any suggestions in anticipation.

[tontraveller]

I worked for 10 years as tourleader for my European tourcompany in Thailand..

All the places you mentioned are very familiar to me..

In fact GrandPalace-Wat Prakaew-Emerald Buddha is all the same spot..

From there you walk to Wat Po-Reclining Buddha, same spot behind Grand Palace.

From there you walk to the river and cross this to Wat Arun

Then you make a klong tour and stop at China Town for a walk in that area.

You most forget about Damnoen Saduak, as that is 70 km away from Bangkok.

At midday the market is finished..

But if you insist, you should go straight from Pattaya to Damnern Saduak, but then you can expect not before noon to be back in Bangkok for the other sightseeings...

And late evening back in Pattaya

[vanbrit548]

Thanks for the tip 'tontraveller'. Will skip the floating market then and make it a (slightly) more leisurely day

[tontraveller]

If you really wants something exiting : book a bicycle tour thrue China town, part of that is also crossing Chao Phraya river by boat.. Few foreign owned companies do organise that.

I might recommend REALASIA, you can find them on the web..

Great tour thrue small sois, not the big streets, well organised....

[vanbrit548]

Much appreciated for the tips.