downtown

Hi and thank you in advance for your help. I have leaned on the forum here many times in the past for trips mainly in Europe and have been offered fantastic suggestions and hope this time is no different.
My wife and I both 64 and in decent shape will be visiting family and friends in the Philippines (I am Caucasian and she a Filipina) like we have many times in the past .This time want to start to explore other Asian countries while in that region. I am looking for suggestions on a 6 night itinerary for Thailand. We are planning on flying MNL to BKK (probably PAL) in the 1st or second week in January. From what I can see Grand Palace and temple visit in the Bangkok area and a couple of nights at the beach in Pattaya .Are there any other places to see or things to do with a time frame of 6 nights. Any and all suggestions would be very helpful and much appreciated. Thank you.
Don

MmePerdu

I know it isn’t popular with many to have their visions of seeing a variety of places questioned but with just 6 nights, 5 full days, I’d recommend having a Bangkok city experience. With 5 days you’ll be able to get a decent sense of the city, enjoy what that great city has to offer & not waste the little time you have moving somewhere else & back again. Save the beach for when you have more time than you’re planning this trip. I hear there are some very nice beaches in the Philippines.

crellston

Six nights is barely enough time to scratch the surface. You could spend the whole time in Bangkok which is great for food temples and shopping but it would be a shame not to venture further afield. Personally I wouldn't bother Pattaya. It massively over touristed, lots of tour groups and a large expat community. Deservedly well known for sleaze and its sex industry. There are better, more family/couples oriented beach locations in Thailand but I think you will find the beaches in the Philippines much better.

Staying in Bangkok , I would aim to stay by the river or around Siam Square both areas are convenient for getting around the city. Boats and BTS are my prefered transport option. There is plenty to do and see in Bangkok, enough to fill your entire time. The usual sights are the Grand Palace, Wat Po, Wat Arun all easily reach by riverboat. Loads of museums, Chinatown is worth half a day. A boat ride around the longs of Thonburi to see the old Bangkok. Jim Thompsons House. A day trip Train or boat to Ayuthaya/Bang Pa In is easily done. Chachuchack weekend market is huge and provideds a sensory and shopping overload.

Another thought would be to take an overnight train to Chiang Mai and explore the compact old city, its night markets and a few places out in the surrounding countryside.

Alternatively, you could take a side trip for a night or to to Kanchanaburi , best known for the "Bridge over the River Kwai" . Nice riverside setting , you can even stay on a boat on the river. Avoid weekends when it get packed with partying twenty something Thais.

Bear in mind that if you do change locations you will lose at least half a day in transit which is a big chunk of your time.

downtown

Thanks all for the input given. After careful consideration we will spend 5 nights in Bangkok as a side trip from the Philippines to focus on the city and its nearby sites and keep the beach time for the Philippines.Aside form seeing the main attractions in the city proper we will have 1 full day free to explore outside the city as a day trip. Any suggestions on a free day? Thanks again.

Don

crellston

As suggested in my previous post, Ayuthaya , the ancient capital of Thailand would make a great day trip from the city. Either go by train and hire bikes to get around or hire a tuk tuk for the day when there or take a tour which usually involve a trip on the Chao Praya river part way and a visit to Bang Pa In the old summer palace

downtown

Thank you again for all of your suggestions..we have put this itinerary together based on all the helpful input!

Looking for a suggestion here on our free day in the Bangkok area. Here is our 5 night itinerary
Day 1..Check in Tarawish Hotel
6pm dinner cruise to see all the sights lit up at night ie: Grand Palce,Reclining Budda,Wat Arun,Wat Ratchanatdaram.

Day 2..City Tour,Grand Palce,Temples and Canal Tour ie: Golden Buddha,canal tour,Wat Arun,Wat Pho

Day 3 free day..Looking for suggestions for this day ie:Massage for me and my wife,mall,etc? Any suggestions here would be helpful!

Day 4 Ayutthaya..Bang Pa-In Royal Palace, Wat Panuncheung and Wat Yai Chai Mongkol

Day 5 Pattaya day tour..Herb factory,Noongnooch Garden,Laser Buddha,Sanctuary of Truth,Alcazar Caberet show.Night stay at LK Emerald Beach

Day 6 travel back to Manila

Any tips on what to do for our free day would be very helpful.Thanks!

Don

crellston

You are very welcome downtown.

I am assuming that this is your first visit to Bangkok? If so , I would point out that your plans for your time there seems rushed. Not sure what your "city tour" includes but you could easily spend an entire day visiting the Grand Palace and other temples along the river. The Grand Palace and Wat Po are in close proximity to one another. Wat Arun is on the opposite side of the river. A nice way to see them all , other than a tour is just to get the BTS to Saphin Taksin pier and jump on the river buses up river. Get off at Wat Po explore that and then walk to the Grand Palace and spend a few hours there. Chinatown is nearby and definitely worth a wander the markets are great , especially the fresh flower market (you will see where all the 5* hotels get there mazing flower displays from! I would suggest considering spreading the sites you have on day two over two days.

I have had countless Thai massages and by far the best place is the Wat Po massage school which is to be found in a small side street along the road form Wat Po temple. No frills but cheap and very very good. My advice is to go for the two hour massage. Every time we go to Bangkok (usually en route to somewhere else) I make an immediate bee line for Wat Po massage school. A trip on the river followed by a massage is a fantastic way to get over jet lag and ease the stiffness from the long flight.

The dinner cruise will provide great nighttime views but they are expensive and the food is not that great . The exception being The Oriental Hotels dinner cruise which is exceptional (and very expensive!). Another option could be to have dinner at a nice restaurant and then head to Asiatique a shopping and entertainment complex on the river and book the Calypso Cabaret (ladyboy show). Our nieces were there last week and thoroughly enjoyed it.

For a shopping mall, Century World is huge and easy to get to by BTS.

downtown

Crellston

Thank you again for your very helpful suggestions!

Don

downtown

Thanks again everyone for your help[.As a follow up we spent 5 nights in Bangkok and had an awesome time!..What a fantastic city. Clean, metropolitan yet still finds a way to maintain some old world culture. The day/night markets ,the street food etc. Some highlights :we visited 7 temples,2 palaces. We also did a night cruise on the White Orchid and a daytime longboat on the Chao Phraya.Fantastic street food everywhere.I visit the Philippines most years annually and look forward to returning to Thailand to visit Chang Mai/Rai,Kanchanaburi ,Ko Samui and some other southern beaches..Next year a side trip to Vietnam.Thanks again everyone.

crellston

Good to know you had a great time.