1 week in BKK and looking for interesting sites to visit

[FTB]

Ok I've lived in CNX for 5 years and now have to play the dreaded tourist guide for family friends (2 ladies) coming to visit BKK for one week. What is beyond the normal Wat Arun, Floating market, Grand Palace, Chinatown, and Jim Thompsons house in terms of interesting sites to see. Are there interesting museums that provide information to learn from outlined on the displays? I can get them to all the normal tourist locations but what I'm hoping the posters here can help me with are interesting sights not normally on the tourist agenda, that will introduce them to the culture a bit. Rural locations are fine.

How about Antique shopping? I know they enjoy that but the only locations I know for antiques are the old gals working Sukhumvit .

Thanks in advance?

[AyG]

Penis shrine at Nai Lert Park hotel.

Erawan museum.

Forensic museum.

[Jasun]

Klong Toei Bicycle Tours

The Flower Markets

Ocean World

Siam Niramit Bangkok

Asiatique

[Payboy]

Jatujak weekend market.

[ava15]

Dont forget a strong two hour traditional thai massage.

Baiyoke sky buffet perhaps (thailands tallest building) some great views there at night

[bergen]

An early morning walk through the narrow sois in Chinatown.......

[AyG]

A whole week visiting Bangkok is, in my opinion, too much.

Break things up with a couple of days' side trip to somewhere such as Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi, Hua Hin, Nakhon Pathom, Amphawa, Sam Roi Yot, Khao Yai National Park.

Edited July 25, 2013 by AyG

[breadbin]

Because the op has lived in CNX he thinks, as many others do, that they are Thai experts when all they really know about is bars and being ripped off!!

My advice to the op is hire a Thai tourist guide for a day or two

[realenglish1]

Give them a blast and go to Khao No mountains about 3 hour drive from BKK There you will have monkey mountain and the Bat Caves I think more exciting then Jim Thompsons

[lumply]

Because the op has lived in CNX he thinks, as many others do, that they are Thai experts when all they really know about is bars and being ripped off!!

My advice to the op is hire a Thai tourist guide for a day or two

He is asking for advice which you eventually gave. But not before you made a superfluous remark. You sir, are a moron.

[FTB]

Some very good tidbits suggested by the posters. Thank you kindly for the recommendations. I've been to most of the recommendations but some of them like the Bangkok Forensic Museum and the Fertility shrine are a perfect twist to include on a BKK exploring junket. Thank you also for the reminder to explore China Town early morning by one poster as I'm sure it takes on a completely different character at those hours.

Jasun - From your perspective was the Siam Narawit show and dinner well done and somewhat educational or horribly kitschy?

AyG - Some great suggestions and you're a savior. I have been to the Aphawa market before and enjoyed the ambience in contrast to the Damnoen Saduak market but for the life of me could not remember the name or location. A round of drinks or meal on me if you're in BKK when I get down there for relieving me of my headache trying to remember the spot.

Like you suggest I shall be exploring some outlying areas to break up Bangkok.

Because the op has lived in CNX he thinks, as many others do, that they are Thai experts when all they really know about is bars and being ripped off!!

My advice to the op is hire a Thai tourist guide for a day or two

Breadbin your summation of my character reeks of generalization and assumptions, a scary cocktail. Sadly my experience with tour guides in this country has me concluding they are next to useless. Their knowledge on the sites visited is limited at best and incorrect at times. In my experiences I've been better served travelling by myself and doing background research online of the locations and sites I'm to visit. This method has for me, far surpassed the experiences I have had with local tour guides, both here and in other Southeast Asian countries. The one exception was a quality guide in Khao Yai National Park However if you know of somebody that could raise the stakes in this arena feel free to PM me his number.

[LeeThayer]

Fly them down to Phuket to get ripped off by a taxi to the beach then tell them to hire a jet-ski

[vhartling]

I highly recommend the Khlong Saen Saep Express Boat service to the end of the line and back. (You will need to google it as I am not sure exactly where you can get on.) The 18-kilometre route operates from 5:30am to 8:30pm daily on weekdays and until 7pm on weekends. Prices range from 8 to 20 baht, depending on the distance you travel. It is a great way to get around the city or an enjoyable excursion. The round trip took us about 1.5 hours. I would recommend that you get on and off at a busy pier as the boat only stops for the shortest time possible. It is a bit of a challenge getting on and off and definitely would not be suitable for anyone with mobility issues. There is lots to see as you zip along the canal. On the way back you can get off and explore any areas that caught your attention. While the sights might not be as grand as along the canals off the Chao Phraya River, it is an opportunity to see how regular people of Bangkok live and work. The price is also much more affordable.

I agree with a previous poster on Chinatown. It is truly a unique experience. When the tiny lanes just get to be too much stop for lunch at a dim sum restaurant.

Enjoy your visit.

[DoctorD]

One of my favorite places in Bangkok is Suan Pakkad Palace Museum, on Sri Ayuthaya Road. Beautiful Thai wooden houses and a bit of history.

Pahurat cloth market is also a bit unusual, and near the flower market.

[diggledunc]

How about taking them on the klong boats from Pratunam. They go both ways from there and if you go west you can get off at Bobe market. They'll see the cheap market and travel the way the Thais do. Views not great from the boat though.

[lesinthai]

deleted double post

Edited July 25, 2013 by lesinthai

[lesinthai]

If they're into off-the-beaten-path stuff, Bangkok Walking Adventures are running free trial tours this month and next. Check if the trials match with your visit. www.walkinbangkok.com

[johnnycthedog]

They might enjoy wandering around MBK, Siam Centre & Siam Paragon. They may also want to be titillated with a walk through Patpong and a visit to at least one gogo bar - just to say they've seen it.

Although hard to get to by foot the Royal Barges Museum on the western side of the Chao Phraya River is worth a visit. If they are not "templed out" then a visit the Wat Benchamabophit (Marble Temple) and Golden Mount are worthwhile. Lumpini Park and a serious Thai boxing night out are other suggestions.

China Town is great in the mornings and the tourist trail along the Grand Palace and Wat Po has great food stalls along the side of the river before catching the cross river ferry to Wat Arun.

I think you might find that the heat gets to them a bit and they may enjoy just sitting down in a fan or air conditioned food hall or restaurant and watching the world go by for an hour or two - possibly every day.

Edited July 25, 2013 by johnnycthedog

[thatguy]

You don't give their ages, but if they are reasonably ambulatory, Nong Nooch Gardens is prettier every time I bring folks there. I haven't been to Ko Samet in several years, but there was some decent beach, snorkling, dining at a table in the sand, music. Could be a nice 3 day loop and back to BKK.

[isawasnake]

Museums? Bangkok isn't good with stuff like that. I would go to a Cabaret show. And what about that island in the chao praya river? I have never been, but it could be ok. Thai boxing match?

You will feel like crap after you walk 10 meters in the daytime, so get like one good thing you want to do. Trust me, don't make a list, you will be done with sightseeing here in a day. Eat, drink, maybe club and use it as a base.... this is all BKK is good for. Basically, be thinking of two words when you are here - "air" and "conditioning"... if it has got it, you should do it.

I would go to Chinatown for shopping of any sort.

Edited July 25, 2013 by isawasnake

[hellodolly]

Because the op has lived in CNX he thinks, as many others do, that they are Thai experts when all they really know about is bars and being ripped off!!

My advice to the op is hire a Thai tourist guide for a day or two

He is asking for advice which you eventually gave. But not before you made a superfluous remark. You sir, are a moron.

I think you are giving him credit he dosen't deserve.

How about imbecile.

I have been wondering about the different sights to see. I have been to the old capital on a tour. A bus up look around at some temples and then a nice boat ride back to Bangkok with a meal on the boat. Or Kanochaburi (the river Kwha?) is nice.So are the cemeteries.

Edit

Forgot to mention. With so many things to do and see you might want to suggest they make it a two week trip.

Edited July 25, 2013 by hellodolly

[KuhnPaen]

Ghost temple of Mae Nak at Wat Mahabut.

Forensic Museum at Siriraj hopspital.

"Hell Temple" at Wat Paa Lak Roi in Suphanburi (not far from BKK)--it is a Disney Land/Dante's Inferno theme park.

Mansion 7 haunted house/shopping mall near Hwai Kwang MRT station.

Shrine to serial killer Boonphaeng Heep Lek at Wat Phasee.

At least that's where I take my friends--they are kind of a strange crowd.

[wabear]

Bangkok is pretty hot and humid for those newly arriving. You didn't mention the approximate ages of the ladies in question. I think most are assuming older. If so, start early for outings, leave some afternoons free when the heat is max, for some lounging by the pool, spa, or a long nap.

The express boats are great. Keep in mind the microseconds they give you to get on and off An alternative is the tourist boat with more comfortable boats, English speaking guides on board. Don't miss one of my favorite places, Wat Arun. You can get off at Tha Tien Pier, change to the other dock, and ride across the river. If you are ambitious you can also walk to the Grand Palace and another favorite, Wat Po.

http://www.chaophrayaexpressboat.com/en/tourist/

There are certain places that are especially taxi hell and the area around the Grand Palace is one of them. I hope you have better luck but be prepared to pay extra. The last time I tried, they wanted 5 times the meter fare. Going most of the way by boat is a nice way to avoid some of that.

Someone mentioned hiring a local tour guide which is a good idea if your guests are the museum type. You can also hire an English speaking guide at the Grand Palace. Hiring a car and driver is not that expensive if you want to explore outside the usual tourist areas.

The buffet up the Baiyoke is ok, but it's also taxi hell around there. A more expensive but better alternative is the hotel in Central World. There is an open air bar/restaurant on the 55th floor and an inside restaurant on the 54th floor. If the food is outside your budget, at least go up there for a drink.

http://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/centaragrand/cgcw/restaurant.asp

If you want a good buffet, a Thai friend recommends the Erawan. I thought it was one of the better buffets and fantastic service.

http://bangkok.grand.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/TheDiningRoom.html

Have lunch at the Oriental Hotel. Expensive! but still one of Bangkok's most famous hotels. Sit outside in the shade, have a cold drink, and watch the river traffic go by. You can take a boat there from the Sky Train.

Dinner at Shangri La. They have both inside and outside restaurants on the river with live music. It's easy to get there from the Sky Train and a short walk.

Tons of dinner cruises.

My mom and aunt did the river cruise to Ayuttaya and enjoyed it. It's nice. I suggest taking the boat in the morning and the bus back. They also did the floating market, Rose Garden, coconut farm tour. The Rose Garden puts on a nice Thai cultural show.

Check agoda.com for hotel discounts.

Have them stay near a Skytrain station.

The Asia Hotel is directly connected to a station but the wireless internet sucks:

http://www.asiahotel.co.th/asia_bangkok.htm

One of my favorite places to stay on Silom if you want access to shopping and restaurants. Get a room away from the gay soi next door, the music goes until 4am on the weekends. A room with a bathtub is nice.

http://www.ballys-studio.com/silom/

If you want 5 stars:

http://www.bangkok.grand.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html

If you want near the river, this is a short walk from the Skytrain but a short walk in the rain/heat can ruin a vacation.

http://www.shangri-la.com/bangkok/shangrila/

This one is boat trip to get to the other side of the river from the Shangri La:

http://www.peninsula.com/Bangkok/

[wellred]

Not sure how useful this is but this is my intinerary I've been building up for my upcoming trip. In going to be spending around a week in Bangkok before I go home. I just lifted it directly from Evernote so you will have to excuse the short hand.

Day trip - Samutprakarn - Ancient Siam/Erawan Museum/Crocodile Farm

Day trip - Ayuthya

Day trip - Nakhorn pathom/Buddhamonthon park/Samphran Elephant Park and Zoo

Grand Palace/Wat Po/Wang Lang Market (try moo tod) (Adjacent to Sirirat Hospital. River ferry - Wang Lang Pier)

Wat benchamabophit - River ferry to Tewet Pier then taxi/Skytrain to phaya thai then taxi

Siam Square (Across from Siam Paragon)/MKB/Wat Pathum Wanaram (In between Siam Paragon and CentralWorld)/Erawan Shrine (Outside the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel)/Trimurti Shrine (Outside of CentralWorld)

Klong Toey Market - MRT Klong Toei

Bangkok corrections museum

Eat:

Sudhas Soi 14 Sukhumvit (asoke)

Sunrise Tacos

Firehouse, soi 11

Rosabieng sukhumvit soi 11 walk down from sukhumvut stn 75 yards

Opposite ambassador hotel

Baan Khanitha - 36/1 Sukhumvit 23 Soi Prasan

[wellred]

Ghost temple of Mae Nak at Wat Mahabut.

Forensic Museum at Siriraj hopspital.

"Hell Temple" at Wat Paa Lak Roi in Suphanburi (not far from BKK)--it is a Disney Land/Dante's Inferno theme park.

Mansion 7 haunted house/shopping mall near Hwai Kwang MRT station.

Shrine to serial killer Boonphaeng Heep Lek at Wat Phasee.

At least that's where I take my friends--they are kind of a strange crowd.

I googled that hell garden and all results seem to say its in Korat? Is this the same one you are referring to?

I had planned to see a hell garden too but was going to do the one in Chon Buri - wang Sean suk.

[Kruzon]

Trip Advisor has an excellent user review rating system. Have you thought about a culinary arts Thai cooking school class experience? It is said that: "the best place to learn about a culture is around the dinner table"!

[impulse]

My favorite: Golden Mountain Temple, 5-10 minute walk from Chinatown markets.

Excellent panoramic view of the entire city from a man made hill in the center of town.

20 Baht to climb the stairs, but that may be the foreigner price.

Edited July 25, 2013 by impulse

[Baloo22]

Here are three places that I would recommend to you. You can get fairly close to each of them via the BTS or the MRT.

1. Lumphini Park. Nice park right in the middle of Bangkok. Gardens, plants, ponds, and you may run into a nice Water Monitor Lizard! This is a good one to do early in the morning. Below is a friend I met in Lumphini Park, September 2012.

2. The "Snake Farm" at the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute. Great snake "zoo" indoors and also a number of informative displays with info in both Thai and English. They also do a snake handling show at 2:30 every afternoon Monday through Friday. You want go to the show early to get the best seats down in front.

3. Take them for a boat ride on the Chao Phraya River. You can take the BTS to the Saphan Taksin station and a short walk to the Sathorn Pier. There you can take a "Tourist Boat" (basically it has someone up front telling about the sights on the river in English) up to the Phra Arthit Pier (N13). A short walk from there is the Santichai Prakan Public Park and the Phra Sumen Fort. Also, I ate lunch at the Navalai River Resort's restaurant. As I remember it, decent food, not the cheapest, but not that expensive either. Nice spot right on the river to watch the taxi boats and other river traffic while you have your lunch. Then you can walk out to the pier and take a boat back to Sathorn Pier.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Baloo22

[nosatisfaction]

I highly recommend the Khlong Saen Saep Express Boat service to the end of the line and back. (You will need to google it as I am not sure exactly where you can get on.) The 18-kilometre route operates from 5:30am to 8:30pm daily on weekdays and until 7pm on weekends. Prices range from 8 to 20 baht, depending on the distance you travel. It is a great way to get around the city or an enjoyable excursion. The round trip took us about 1.5 hours. I would recommend that you get on and off at a busy pier as the boat only stops for the shortest time possible. It is a bit of a challenge getting on and off and definitely would not be suitable for anyone with mobility issues. There is lots to see as you zip along the canal. On the way back you can get off and explore any areas that caught your attention. While the sights might not be as grand as along the canals off the Chao Phraya River, it is an opportunity to see how regular people of Bangkok live and work. The price is also much more affordable.

I agree with a previous poster on Chinatown. It is truly a unique experience. When the tiny lanes just get to be too much stop for lunch at a dim sum restaurant.

Enjoy your visit.

Also,maybe interesting, the snakefarm, if I remember correctly Rama 4 Rd.Bangkok

[nosatisfaction]

I highly recommend the Khlong Saen Saep Express Boat service to the end of the line and back. (You will need to google it as I am not sure exactly where you can get on.) The 18-kilometre route operates from 5:30am to 8:30pm daily on weekdays and until 7pm on weekends. Prices range from 8 to 20 baht, depending on the distance you travel. It is a great way to get around the city or an enjoyable excursion. The round trip took us about 1.5 hours. I would recommend that you get on and off at a busy pier as the boat only stops for the shortest time possible. It is a bit of a challenge getting on and off and definitely would not be suitable for anyone with mobility issues. There is lots to see as you zip along the canal. On the way back you can get off and explore any areas that caught your attention. While the sights might not be as grand as along the canals off the Chao Phraya River, it is an opportunity to see how regular people of Bangkok live and work. The price is also much more affordable.

I agree with a previous poster on Chinatown. It is truly a unique experience. When the tiny lanes just get to be too much stop for lunch at a dim sum restaurant.

Enjoy your visit.

Also,maybe interesting, the snakefarm, if I remember correctly Rama 4 Rd.Bangkok

Sorry, I just noticed this was already mentioned in the post just above.