Jedmo68631

Is it possible to get to the Grand Palace In Bangkok without any problems? I am staying at the Century Hotel. also is it better to get a cab rather than the rail?

gearsau

Take a taxi.. Rail does not go there. Alternately, take the rail and then a boat up the river...

rhkkmk

taxi is the easiest....there is no problem....the other way is to take the skytrain to the river and then take a chao payra express boat to the peir across the street from the palace...

plan to spend a couple of hours at least visiting the palace...

Jedmo68631

is the Century Hotel centrally located. I am staying there the first week of November and want to get around. Is it better to book tours or wing it on your own. I am traveling alone.

Kathie

The Century Hotel is in the Victory Monument area, but it's a goodly walk to the Skytrain. So it's not a great location, though not terrible either. Generally, you want to look at access to the skytrain for hotels not located on the river.

Bangkok is an easy city to navigate via public transport. But it looks like you may use more taxis. Taxis are cheap, just make sure the driver turns on the meter. If a driver does not turn on the meter, ask them to turn it on, If they do not, get out of the taxi. Tuk-tuks have no meters and will always be more expensive than taxis. Avoid them. You may find both tuk-tuk and taxi drivers who want to take you to tailor shops or jewelry shops. Say no. If you want tailoring or jewelry, choose a shop on your own or from recommendations here or other travel sites. Get yourself a good guidebook.

I don't like tours, so I avoid them. But if you decide you want a half day or full day tour, you can book one through your hotel.

The Grand Palace/Temple of the Emerald Buddha complex is dazzling and fascinating. Make sure you also visit Wat Po (Reclining Buddha) as it is nearby. Also, Wat Arun is just across the river.

dgunbug

There is a free tour of the Grand Palace in the morning, given in English. Check out the time in advance - it is worth taking, but if you are photo buff, be sure to wander on your own as well. While the tuk tuks may be more money, we loved traveling in them. Just bargain for a flat price ahead of time. It is very helpful to order a Nancy Chandler map ahead of time so that you can organize yourself and figure out where you want to go. Bangkok itself is very easy to do on your own.

crellston

We stayed fro about a week not far from the Victory Monument. Kathie is correct that it is a bit out of the way but only a bit. The skytrain from VM (changing at Siam Square)to Saphin Taksin takes c.20mins. A short walk (i.e. 2 mins)to the boat landing and get on the public boat. It is then a 20 min ride to Wat Po which is very close to the GP . You have the added benefit of a cruise on the river. A ferry across the river will also take you to Wat Arun. If you have time, stop of for a massage at the Wat Po massage school (the one just outside the temple complex rather tahn the massage rooms inside).

kmkrnn

I must add that as you get near to the grand palace some one may approch you ,and say the grand Palace is closed today because of-----(some reason). DO NOT believe them. They want to take you to their jewler, or tailor. Just keep walking to the gates and go in. Even very near the ticket booth someone may try the same ploy. Traveling alone they may single you out. Be firm and enjoy your visit.

simpsonc510

I have made many many trips to Bangkok, and only ONCE did I get 'taken for a ride' in a taxi. And that was when I was leaving the Grand Palace. I purposely walked away from the GP a couple of blocks before selecting my taxi, and he still saw me as a tourist and took me waaaaaay out of my way back to my hotel! I told him to pull over and let me out, once I saw a familiar landmark!!

sandy_b

Yes, someone will tell you the Palace is closed, do not believe them.

And . . . a lot of people will tell you about a great shopping place, today only because it is some kind of holiday, a shop sanctioned by the government so the prices are fair, you can buy there and then double/triple your money by selling back home, it will be called something like "Government Exposition Center" . . . this is a HUGE scam.

Yes, a tuk-tuk or taxi will take you there for pennies (because they get gas coupons for bringing you) . . . no matter who tells you about this/these shops, just say no . . . they are all scams.

Don't say I didn't warn you! (I just got back, had this pulled on me at least 3x.)

Sandy (in Denton)

NeoPatrick

Regarding being told the Palace is closed: I had just read that before going, but they have gotten really clever and I nearly fell for it myself even after reading it's a scam. As I approached the main entrance I passed the staff entrance and a uniformed guy there who would appear to be a guard asked me if I was planning on visiting the palace, then told me "didn't you see the TV? The King is coming here today so the public is not allowed in until just after noon" (it was then about 10) -- he waved his big badge he was wearing around his neck and no he didn't offer a tour, but cleverly started telling me that there were other places near by I could visit on my own and viola, just then a tuk-tuk just happened to come along. Anyway, I listened for awhile almost convinced this was true until the tuk-tuk showed up which he pretended to have no connection to. So I thanked him and headed to the gate with his still insisting it was closed and my saying "well, I guess they will tell me that, won't they?"

When I came out a couple hours later he was still there talking with a younger Australian couple and I walked up and said, "why do you lie about the Palace being closed?" and I turned to the couple and said, "let me guess, he told you it's closed, right? Well it isn't". I since have guessed he isn't a guard at all and the uniform is just part of the scam and he stands near the staff interest acting like he's waving staff people in just to make his scam seem more believable. It was something.

crellston

Neopatrick - That is a terrible story it seems that the scams are getting worse and more sophisticated. Considering this is THE premier tourist site in Thailand it does seem amazing that TAT and or the tourist police don't do more in the area to combat this. Then again, the last time I was conned in Thailand it was by someone in a tourist police uniform!

Smeagol

This EXACT thing happened to my friends - he was dressed like a policeman, i had warned them, they still fell for it as he had a badge, uniform etc!!
An even bigger scam, when they got back to the river taxi stop they were told the river taxis had stopped running and could only get a longtail boat back the the hotel, £40!!
He said to me he knew afterwards it was a scam but they didnt want to get stuck there (and had been hesitant to go to Bangkok at all due to the recent demonstrations!)

Kathie

A few years ago, we were re-visiting Wat Po. As we left the water taxi pier, a man approached and said it was closed. I burst out laughing and he ran away, embarrassed. Another man came up to me and apologized, saying not all Thais are scammers and such people give them a bad reputation.

sunshinememphis

Note you can wear sandals in visiting the Palace. They changed the rules. I went in May and it was HOT HOT HOT. Bring bottled water but there was one place I saw where you can buy some. I took tons of photos and everything was beautiful. They were getting ready for some big bash there in the next few days...

Enjoy! Next up is to visit Wat Pho in November if I can get there. Night market a must to exchange a "watch" that I bought my dad last year. Due to the protesting it was closed in May.

Kathie

sunshine, one has always been able to wear sandals to the Grand Palace/Emerald Buddha complex. The rule was that the sandals had to have a heel strap (no flip flops). Has that changed? There are posted illustrations showing what is/isn't allowed as you buy your tickets to enter the complex.

NeoPatrick

Regarding clothing. I "cleverly" bought a new pair of those lighter-than-air fabric Patagonia pants with zip off legs, thinking they would be great for visiting temples when shorts aren't allowed. I could wear shorts, then just zip on the legs for a temple. But I accidentally left them (along with several shirts) in Xi'an. Well, over and over again, I saw many men in shorts in all the temples -- so that no shorts rule really seems to be gone by the wayside. Our guide in Vietnam has told us that here, shorts are OK if they come nearly to the knee, just no short shorts. The only place I had an issue was the Mother of the Queen's house near Chiang Rai, where they gave me a pair of balloon-like denim drawstring pants to wear over my fairly long shorts.

BKKTours

Rules for shoes have changed. Flipflops are allowed these days.

There are a few days that the palace and temple are really closed. Only on those days the scammmers are correct

For this year:
23 Oct - King Rama 5 day - palace closed afternoon, temple is open
22 Nov - Changing of Buddha costume - palace close afternoon, temple closed all day
5 Dec - Kings birthday - palace and temple closed all day
6 Dec - Kings birthday ceremonies - palace closed all day

Regards,
Michiel