rulalenzka

I'll be in BKK for a few days, beginning October 30.
I've been before in 1995 but my 74 year old mom has not.

We arrive at 10:45P from tokyo.

•Assuming it's pretty late after customs do you recommend we use the taxis outside, premier taxi or limo service? Can the premier or limo be set up from the States before hand? if not, will there always be rides available at that hour?

How do they all vary in price? Are regular taxis trustworthy? Do you tip? Should the meter be on for the taxi or premier taxi?

•Where do you recommend we find beautiful, reasonably prices scarves? Silk and cotton. Not the same old stuff you see everywhere.

•if we only have time to tour in the city is it worth it to hire Tong as opposed to going ourselves to the key sights?

•Ive seen long table, face, tongue thai, gallery cafe,
Baan Kanitha ,Somboon Seafood and harmonique as recommended restaurtants Any othere? We are staying at the peninsula.

•Lastly, is the nancy chandler map a must if I have a guide book?

Thanks!

Gpanda

You can get a limo at AOT upon arrival.

For 10/30/08, Tong is probably booked, but I'm sure a team member will be available. This will make your time more useful. It will make access for your mom easier as well.

Kathie

As Gpanda says, you can generally get an AOT limo upon arrival. I have been through the airport, though, when I couldn't find an AOT person. I generally book ahead with AAC limo. www.aaclimousine.com For some reason, I usually can't get their form to work, but I email them and they usually get back to me in minutes. The limo services (really a premier taxi, not a stretch) are all set price.

Taxis are fine - BUT - always make sure they turn on the meter. On the very rare occasion when A driver does not want to turn on the meter, I simply get out. I think that has happened to me once in 20+ visits to Bangkok.

If you go to shops with Thai hand made items, you'll find gorgeous scarves. I find the night markets and street markets really don't have unusual or high quality items. Virtually every large shopping center has a series of shops (or a whole floor) with local crafts.

I'm not a fan of using guides in Bangkok. But with your mother, you might find at least a car and driver would be very helpful.

Restaurants: everyone has their favorites. I like to eat Thai (or at least Asian) food when I'm in Bangkok, though a number of regulars here also eat at Italian or French places. Of the ones you list, Long Table is western food, the others are Asian. Some of the ones you list are more upscale (like Face, for instance), some are holes in the wall (Harmonique). Bob, (rhkkmk) has his own restaurant list that he will email you upon request. I agree with Bob on some of the places, not on others (of course). For instance, an old fave of mine where we eat every year, Lemongrass, he doesn't care for.

The Nancy Chandler map is a must IMO. It offers so much more than a guide book. It has probably a hundred restaurant recommendations. I've tried a number of them and always found an interesting place with at least good food. The map itself is very useful. I is NOT to scale, but it gives you a good idea where things are in relation to each other.

derelle

I would take a metered cab instead of AOT. We took AOT to the city and they charged us 1100 BT for a trip that is only 400BT. Regular taxis are fine. Just head outside of the airport and there is a queue for metered taxis.... you shouldn't have a problem. However, you may want to have small bills of Bahts so you can pay for tolls.

Kathie

derelle, you make it sounds as if AOT overcharged you. They did not. 1100 baht is the going rate for a limo. 400 is the approximate rate for a taxi.

Whether to take a taxi or a limo depends on what you want.

Craig

And what you want usually depends on how much luggage you have. The limo services although not real limos provide vehicles with more room.

jcasale

We found it easier to have a limo ordered - we used AAC. It was more expensive than when we came back through Bangkok and took a "public taxi" into town, but since we had just arrived and it was late at night I think we would have gotten taken advantage of if we hadn't had the reservation. We had a hard time figuring out how to get to the public taxis and there were a lot of touts who tried to get is to go with them. Especially with your mom along, I would pay the extra to have someone waiting with a sign.

As for restaurants - we really liked the Mango Tree. Found it by way of our Nancy Chandler map. I can't remember exactly where it is except that it was near Patpong. We had a guide book and the Nancy Chandler map and I thought the map was invaluable. Especially since it was indestructible and easy to carry along.

It's definitely worth having someone take you around. We used Nui who we booked through Tong since she wasn't available. I don't think we could have covered half the ground we did without her. We used public transportation with her and it was perfect.

Enjoy!

rhkkmk

if you have never been to bkk before then i think a limo is essential for your first arrival....cost should be 1100-1300 to the penn....

i too use AAC, but AOT is easy to book in the arrivals lounge area...

if you have a lot of luggage you have to have a limo (which is really a larger sedan, like a mercedes or camry)...taxis are almost all corollas....

taxi would be about 400+ B to the penn

the restaurants at the penn are all excellent....the dim sum in the chinese one is fantastic and eating there is lovely, both at lunch and dinner...

jesters is a real experience...very nouvelle and modern...your mom might not like it....

lord jim across the river at the oriental is fantastic, especially at lunch---res necessary--ask for a window seat...seafood buffet---but a little of everything...no dinner necessary after this...the oriental boat will take you there if you ask nicely...

btw, 10 PM to 1AM is the busy time at the airport---lots going on...also lots of walking for mom, so ask for a wheelchair if you think she might need assistance....think heathrow X 2...

scarfs.....available everywhere---cheap ones need to be looked over carefully before buying...

best places: any jim thompson store including at the penn....almeeta silk on soi 23, sukhumvit rd.....tons of shops in the paragon shopping mall.....shops in river city shopping center---up the river by boat hourly from the penn....shops at the oriental and at OP Place which is right behind the oriental.....

jim thompson main store on suriwong rd is well worth a visit and can include a nice lunch in the cafe....hotel can tell you how to get there...much more to choose from than hotel shops and a cheap good lunch!!!

plan to take it easy day one so as not to ruin the rest of your trip unless you have been in japan for a while....

derelle

kathie,
Maybe that was the going rate using AOT however we saw no difference in the service or car. Both clean and enough room for all our luggage.

We stayed at a premium hotel in Bangkok and they didn't use AOT to take us to the airport so i dont see why it would be necessary to use them.

Kathie

The "limos" are larger cars - Mercedes typically and can handle more luggage. The regular taxis are Corollas. Because I travel with a lot of luggage I do use the limo services. We always bring two emply suitcases filled with bubble wrap for our crafts shopping. If you don't have a lot of luggage or more than two people the taxis are prefectly adequate.

It's certianly not "necessary" to use them. (although I do understand Bob's thoughts about a first-timer arriving at midnight) It's just a matter of preference.

I just wanted to clarify that you hadn't been "taken" or "scammed" by AOT, you purchased a different service from AOT than you would have from a taxi.

Hotels don't use AOT unless you ask them to make a reservation for you. Taxis are available at all hotels. If you opt for a hotel car, you'll get the same kinds of cars the limo services use, typically at 3x - 10x the limo service price.

Sydney_Minibus

I agree, Paragon Shopping Mall is the way to go. You can spend a whole day in that place. It has the best food mall I have ever seen and it will shield your 74 yo mom from the possible Bangkok culture shock. My mom is the same age and she loved it. Make sure you go to the acquarium downstairs and the IMAX on the top level. In the Paragon Mall there is also an upmarket place to buy all things Thai (like scarves etc - it is not cheap but it is very tempting - great place for moms to explore).

I'd also recommend taking your mom on a long boat down the river. Very safe and they will take you for a ride through the canals so you can see how the locals live on the water. Catch a long boat from the wharf at the Shangri-La Hotel.

Rob Gower
Marketing Manager
http://www.minibushiresydney.com.au

Kathie

I wouldn't recommend that anyone spend a whole day in Siam Paragon unless their whole goal was to be in air-conditioned cool! Yes, I've been there. Cheryl buys her glasses from a place in Siam Paragon. And I've eaten at The Orangerie, which was good.

But Siam Paragon is a shopping mall - a very nice shopping mall but a shopping mall nonetheless. My assumption is that people go to Bangkok to experience Bangkok, not insulate themselves from Bangkok.

There are plenty of things to do and see in Bangkok other than visit shopping malls.

TC

We arrived late and had booked AAC prior to arriving. It was very nice to be greated and escorted into the city. I would recommend just for the ease.

I felt the scarves at Jim Thompson were very beautiful.

If you have limited time in BKK, I would highly recommend a guide. We used Tong and saved a ton of time just not getting lost. Her car is very comfortable and she dropped us right at the front gate while her husband parked. The car is air cond and she always has cool drinks and cloths. Worth every cent.

Bought the Nancy C. map, rarely used it.

Mango7

Since your mom is going, go with the limo for sure. The cabs can be well-worn, cramped, and may have poor suspension, among other things. Better to make it comfortable as possible for her because she may be toast after the long flight! Make sure you let her experience a good massage too. Good luck.

DonTopaz

<b>Thank you, Thank you,</b> OP, for one of the best user IDs (spelling maybe notwithstanding) ever.