kfl1111

Our family will be going to Bangkok in early June. Family of 4 - 2 parents and 2 daughters, 19 and 22 yrs. old. We will be there for about 4 nights. Any special things to do that we shouldn't miss?

jgg

I would start out by reading some of the many great trip reports recently posted on this site. They will give you great ideas of what to see inside and outside the city as well as recommendations on guides if you are interested. We are headed there in March and frankly, this has been one of the easiest trips for me to plan do to the wealth of information here.

Here are links to some of the trip reports to get you started:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35100411
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35092492 (check out the link to her blog)
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35101885
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35098521
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35096607

Zeer

Get yourself a couple of Bangkok specific guidebooks.

Ones I've found to be very good are the Lonely Planet Bangkok guide and Bangkok A Walking Tour by G. Byrne Bracken.

A Nancy Chandler map would also be helpful if you or your daughters are into shopping. Spending 4 nights in Bangkok would make the investment in at least one guidebook worthwhile.

Gpanda

With 4 nights, you are probably in BKK for 3 days. I suggest you spend 2 days seeing in town sights and one days outside BKK. You might check in with Tong, an excellent guide, to see whether she or a member of her team is available. She can be reached at TourwithTong.com. She has several wonderful outside BKK adventures.

rhkkmk

i suspect shopping will be high on the list, given 3 women in the group...??

home goods: MBK, paragon mall, jim thompson, fashion mall, suan lum nite market on wireless, and thousands of other places...

clothing: paragon mall, mbk, pratnum mkt....jim thompson...

jewelry: thai stone, /sj international

sightseeing: grand palace, wat arun, wat pho, klong tour, jim thompson house, kurik house, prasart museum, v-mek teak palace, suan pakkard palace....

hotels: all riverside hotels....good pool

SirHalberd

When you do choose a hotel, pick one that is close to the Skytrain so you can easily get around the city quick and cheap.

If you get a hotel on one side of town and everything you want to visit is way on the other side of town, and no Skytrain available, you will be wasting time and money on taxi fare. Fortunately taxi cabs are cheap providing you ONLY pay the meter fare. The price would include everyone riding inside the car not per person! ONLY PAY THE METER FARE, BARGAINING THE RIDE WILL COST MORE!

If your stay includes a weekend then you might want to visit the Chatachak market (not late in the day when it is too hot) and see what they have to sell.

Good luck

Maxine19147

There is a Jim Thompson OUTLET !! It was a fun adventure that I thank a fodorite for their suggestion and directions..glad to pass it on..it is located on, Soi 93 Sukhumvit Rd., take the skytrain to the on nut station-end of the line in that direction, you can walk the remaining blocks, make a left on soi 93 and walk down several blocks, you feel like you are not in the right place, you are.. the outlet will be on your left. A large brown sign with the Jim Thompson name on it. You can get a taxi when you leave from their.There is a resaurant on the 5th floor...Have fun!! Wear comfortable shoes !

Kristina

Tell us a little more about you and your family and maybe we can offer more suggestions.
What are your interests? Culture? Shopping? Food?
Have you been before? Is this your first time to Asia?
Will you be going anywhere else in Thailand during this trip?
Where will you be staying (which hotel or part of Bangkok)?

jgg-Thanks for posting the link to my report/blog.