1 mall in Bangkok-which to choose
 

I will be arriving BKK at 9 am and will be taking a taxi to my hotel "Rama Gardens Hotel" (I already know the big downside, it's just for 1 night). They offer freee shuttle service to Downtown.

I plan to check in and then take the shuttle to whereever it goes, hopefully a Skytrain or Subway station, and then travel to a mall. I don't want to buy anything in particular other than a Sim Card, I just want to spend the afternoon in comfort before meeting my group early the next morning to leave for Cambodia.

Which of the many malls would be good just to window shop and get something to eat at? I have no interest whatsoever in high end stores, we have plenty in LA. Maybe crafts or something like that. Just looking to get over jet lag after an 19 hour flight.

Also, what's the best way to get from Chinatown to CHatachuk Weekend Market? I will be at the Grand China Princess.

Thanks,

Lynnie

My choice would be to take the skytrain righ to mbk. Its got good eats, cool stores, lots of foot massage places, sim cards, its not high end at all. Some people love it, others have been once and never want to go back. My wife and I love it for the cool cheap stores, and food court.we usually buy lots of useless crap to bring home to people in the US.

My guess would be that the Rama Gardens shuttle will take you to Central Plaza & Mo Chit Skytrain station, and not all the way in to town.

Based on what you say, Central Plaza may do for you. Otherwise, I'd recommend you head for MBK, which is unlike any mall in LA, I think (I haven't lived there for 15 years).

From the Grand China Princess, take a tuk-tuk to Hualumpong station and then use the subway to get to Kampangphet station. Use the right exit and you'll come up in one corner of the Chatuchak market.

Just to add to what MichaelBKK had to say about taking the subway to the Chatuchak market.

I noted on my July subway trip to the market with a dear Thai friend that we did NOT get off at the station that "sounded like" the weekend market. We got off at the NEXT station, and it WAS, indeed, right inside the market! I'm sure Michael has the right station name... just don't be confused by the one that SOUNDS like it might be the market...

You said you wanted a SIMM card on your adventure to a mall. MBK has loads of them. Soooooo many to pick from...

Plus, another thing about MBK is that it is right across the street (catty-corner) from SIAM Discovery and Siam Center mall, which is then adjacent to Siam Paragon mall. They are all with easy walking distance of one another. You might find the Siam centers to be of interest, especially if you go to MBK first. You'll see both ends of the shopping spectrum, sort of... from MBK to Paragon, and Discovery and Center are sort of in between.

The food court in the basement of Siam Paragon is absolutely awesome!

even though it is somewhat highend, i would head to paragon, or i would stay at rama's pool and just rest...

Siam Paragon is the nicest mall. There are a number of food options. On the 4th (?) floor there is a place to eat, The Orangerie, where you order from a menu that hsa preparation by several different well-known Bangkok restaurants (Blue Elephant for Thai, The Cedars for middle eastern, etc). It's a nice atmosphere from the food court.

What Simpsonc510 is saying is that you don't use the "Chatuchak Park" station to get to Chatuchak Market. The market is next to the park, but it's a long-ish walk from the park's station to the market, while the Kampangphet station is more or less IN the market.

Now Sian Paragon is one mall I actually did like. Any idea if I could go there for a cell phone/sim card rather than MBK?

Gloria, I'm sure you could get a SIM there.

The Paragon is comfortable. Lots of food on the basement level food area. Everything from the simple food court to fast food joints to Tony Roma's and a few other places tucked away. A few Starbucks spread throughout. You can get a sim card at any 7-Eleven. There is a DTAC store on the 3rd or 4th floor of Paragon just below the movie theater and bowling alley.

www.BangkokDentistry.com

P.S. While you are at the Paragon, you might consider visiting Pranali Wellness and Spa to help with recovering from the long flight.
;-)
There is a link to their website here at www.bangkokdentistry.com/page9.html

You probably can get a sim card in one of the hundreds of Seven Eleven Stores all over the place.

7-11 sells prepaid refills, but I don't think they sell Sim cards.

Yep definately MBK. I had a stop over for a day as well and headed to MBK and found it to be pretty cool. Have a great time!! :)

Siam Paragon if you want an excellent food hall and quality goods .The others cannot compare in my view .

But if you want a uniquely Thai experience, then it has to be MBK. (IMO)

I do want an uniquely Bangkok experience, so MBK it is. I may wander over to the Siam Paragon if I'm not too exhausted, but I think a foot massage, a SIM card, a bite to eat and then the Rama pool for the rest of the day sounds fine.

For future reference, yes, you can get a sim card at any 7-11.

www.BangkokDentistry.com

Adrian, no advertising is allowed.

MBK, baby :D

speaking of MBK---i found it interesting that the sheraton krabi is owned by MBK

MBK is the more uniquely Thai experience.

Try the food court on the Sixth Floor, which is where all the locals go. The one on the Fifth Floor is more upscale and is for tourists rather than for locals. very safe to eat on either floor.

Paragon food court is very very upscale and therefore very very expensive (in comparison to the food courts in MBK).

Siam Center, Paragon, etc. are worth a visit, even if you are a mall baby from LA. Some of the stores are different from those in LA malls. Don't miss the Maserati store - just in case you need to pick up a Maserati or two! :)

Shop carefully in Chatuchak Market. A lot of price inflation for tourists.

Enjoy!

MBK is a major property developer. They own several office buildings, hotels and other properties. Although, I think they started out as a flour mill. MBK center is just one of the places they own.

Easy's comment must have posted while I was writing my last reply.

Re Chatuchak - I noticed last time I was there a few weeks ago that many stalls just won't bargain. Period. And they will let you walk away if you don't agree to their price. Take it as a sign of the time.

Another new wrinkle is that t-shirt vendors now want more for larger sizes. I was with someone who wanted to get some souvenir shirts for his staff back home, and the price went from 120 Baht S,M,L to 150 for XL to 200 for XXL. All the stalls were doing this, and again the prices were non-negotiable.

Hi,

I will be back in Bangkok in March. Last time I was there, I went to a Mall like building not very far from the Sky Train and near another more traditional type mall.

The (craft?) mall had lots of Thai crafts (like the pottery from Chaing Mai, neat stainless wear and other items) on the second? (or upper floors) and clothing on the first floor. Namely silk ladies blouses that could be made up over night if they didn't have one to fit. It was my last day so I was out of luck.

I was so turned around at the time I don't know exactly how I got there or the name. This time I want to go first thing and order a blouse or two - the fabrics were so nice.

Does this place ring a bell with any one? Can some one help with name and directions from the Peninsula?

MBK, baby :D

CWN - I suspect you're talking about Naraiphand, the Thai handicrafts center operated by the ministry of industry. It was next to Gaysorn Plaza and across from CentralWorld, but they've now moved to the same building as the Intercontinental hotel.

Take the Skytrain to Chidlom station and you're right there.

Actually, many of their shops have moved to the Amarin building, which is across the street from the Intercontinental. I did some shopping in there in April/May, as they were having their "grand opening" in the Amarin building.

CWN, it's very possible you are talking about the Amarin building as they have always had fabric shops and they will make things for you very quickly.

Amarin is at the Chidlom skytrain staion, and is attached by a walkway. Very easy to get to.

Carol

Thanks Carol and Michael,

It probably was the Naraiphand. It next to or near several different mall areas. I remember that I had to walk a bit to the Sky Rail and had to climb the stairs, my knees were giving me fits!

I don't remember there being alot of material for sale though where may have been. I just remember the fist floor had lots of dealers selling nice clothes and they could make things up to fit in 24 hours.

I will check out the Amarin building and the Intercontinental.

I am so excited to be going back. Just six and a half months to go!

Thanks for the information, I will add it to my growing file.