Craig

Bill - in case you didn't notice, Bangkok is a hub for many other destinations both in Thailand and elsewhere - Cambodia, Laos, Viet Nam, Myanmar, Bali, Bhutan and even India (you should check it out) so it makes sense to spend a few days there before venturing onward. We spent 3 days in Bangkok on our first trip and now I am wondering how we are going to fit in everything that we want to do in the 7 days we will have there in February. We are also going to Cambodia and Laos. We have traveled extensively in the US, Europe, Africa and Central America by the way but Southeast Asia, and especially Thailand has been one of our favorite places. I think you will find that people on this forum that rave about Bangkok HAVE "seen the world at this point" and that is why they do keep coming back.

gbjoce1

That is an old scam about the palace being closed. Fortunately I had read about it on forums like this and was prepared for it. Even so, they were very convincing and I almost fell for it. I think arriving in Bangkok 'cold' can be a shock, I always advise people to see other parts of Thailand first, so you get used to the ways and smells of the country....that way....it comes as less of a shock. I love Bangkok! In future.......do your homework first..........you will find plenty of warnings about such things if you use the travel forums.

Lyndie

Hi bellini-give it a second shot!! It's a dirty polluted old tart but after our 5th visit we've come to love it.

Notch it all up to experience & get out there & enjoy yourself! Have fun!

Guenmai

Bill....yes, many of us who repeat Bangkok annually have been to a lot of other places/continents in the world....over many decades. Plus, many of us also include other stops on the Bangkok trips. I, personally, take more than one overseas vacation a year, so I do other places at other times of the year....like Paris in the spring...when the weather is blazing hot in Southeast Asia, but usually good in Paris and other European cities. Happy Travels!

lcuy

Another one who finds Bangkok a nice stopover on the way to other spots (from Honolulu)...Japan & Bangkok, India & Bangkok, Korea & Bangkok, China & Bangkok, etc.

I have read more trip reports (of other places) by the "Bangkok regulars" than by anyone else here...and their reports cover Africa, Borneo, India, South America, Europe, just to name a few. Hardly day trips from Thailand!!

Gpanda

Bellini-the key to avoid scams in BKK is to say no firmly and repeatedly. I'm there now and have had to get out of two cabs that would not use the meter. Sorry you fell for the tuk tuk scam, but chalk it up to a learning experience. If you're from Oz, I strongly sugggest that you give BKK another try.

Bella_Bluebell

I felt very disorientated the first time I visited Bangkok, although managed to avoid any real problems - other than my friend losing our train tickets and taking out ALL OF HER CASH - £300 WORTH - in the middle of Huampalong station (sorry if I've spelt that wrong) which certainly drew a lot of attention...Many friends I've spoken to about Bangkok have found the second time of visiting they feel much more at ease with their surroundings and that is our experience also.

The first time we went, pre-Skytrain, we stayed on the Sukhumvit Road and went everywhere by taxi (meter only!!). I didn't like it because I could never work out where I was. Since then, we've used Bangkok as a gateway to travel around Asia as BKK flights from London can be great deals. We've always stayed at river hotels since then and used public transport (boats and latterly skytrain) as much as possible - so I know where I am and am in control of where to go. On foot and on public transport, if I don't want to do what someone suggests, I can just say no politely and walk away. I love Bangkok now but it wasn't love at first sight by any means. Now I feel quite settled when I am there - I love it from the moment I arrive at the airport and get that Bangkok smell!!

There are lots of scams though - your experience Bellini has reminded me to draw together a list for our wedding guests coming to Thailand next summer. I am really sorry you have had a bad time though.

Guen - I wonder if there is something about Bangkok and Ghana that go together - my two favourite places too

Smeagol

Bella i had totaly the same experience as you, First visit to BKK nearly 3 years ago i thought it was a smelly hovel and wasn't massivly impressed. Went back with the BF in Nov (because we got that BRILLIANT Eva business class flights deal), stayed by the River and loved it (had the same experience with LA now i LOVE the place) anyway i think BKK is an aquired taste. In fact i am thinking of going back in May on my own for a week long stay, so i can really explore.
How's your trip planning coming on?
Jane

jodo

Craig, RHKKMK, Kathie (and all others)
We are leaving for SEAsia end of February....For awhile there I was posting regularly, trying to get a feel for the trip. Took time off at Christmas....but now we're almost set and have to figure out the last 4 days. Some input would be helpful. Here's the finalized itinerary:
2 1/2 days HCMC with a side trip to Cao Dai religious site (kind of a gattling gun religion which honors everyone from Jesus to JFK)--For those of you wondering why HCMC, we've been to Hanoi already (loved it) and the FF tickets this time land us in Saigon.

6 days Hue/Danang/Hoi An area of Vietnam (anybody have ideas here? This is a return visit, but my husband was exhausted last year and we didn't see much of anything but the elephant at the Victoria Hotel)
3 1/2 days Siem Reap...following Bob's advice and booked Sofitel and Ponheary.

We've been to BKK twice before, and now have to decide whether to return at the end of our trip, see Chiang Mai again, or end with a new adventure. (We have 4 days after Siem Reap---gotta go back to BKK first, I believe) Is the 4 Seasons Chiang Mai worth the experience and cash, and the trip up? It would definately be a splurge at the end of this journey.., and another plane ride before leaving for the states....there are also some "villas" or residences attached to the 4 Seasons that are 1/2 the price, if anybody knows about them. The guest house mentioned on this forum also sounds nice, but I'm allergic to everything that bites, and I'm afraid of the mosquitoes which were mentioned as negatives there.
Finally, there's Luang Prabang. It's a 2 hour puddle jumper ride away, with a 19hour flight home to follow. The word pretzel comes to mind.

Everybody should have this dilemma..4 days to play. All input will be gratefully received. I know alot of this is a matter of choice and interest. At this point, though, we're also looking at the "flow" of the trip, and what would be a cool way to end it.
Thanks,
Joyce

Kathie

I also think staying by the river makes a huge difference. My first trip to Bangkok was 9 days in Bangkok, staying on the river. I loved it immediately! (Obviously, I'm a city person). This was pre-skytrain and pre- expressway (getting to and from the airport took much longer). I do think it makes a difference to feel like you know where you are. I'm always orienting myself to the river or to Sukhumvit to tell me where I am in Bangkok. I've also had good luck with taxis, and probably only once every other trip or so do I have to get out of a taxi because they wouldn't use the meter.

Bella_Bluebell

Hi Jane - trip planning is going very well, thank you for asking. We have a wedding website - if you email me at [email protected] I can email you to give you access.

V best wishes
BB

LA_FadeAway

Hah! Being seasoned Las Vegas visitors, we still got ripped off on our last trip there. We were staying at the convention center Hilton. Our cab took a loop out of the airport to the freeway and then to the Hilton. My husband called him out on the loop and he said it was "faster" that way. It was too late to do anything about it so we just paid our $25 fare. On the way back, via Paradise Rd, it only cost about $13 and it really didn't take any longer. Now, we know that you have to tell the driver in advance that you want to take Paradise and not the freeway. What a scam!

walkinaround

there is nothing wrong with a tuk tuk ride if you bargain ahead of time. they will probably cost more than proper metered, air-conned, safer taxis - even after you bargain to your lowest price. however, most visitors wish to try the tuk tuk and you will be ok if you know how it works.

yes, the "closed" tourist attractions is a very well known thing. we were approached with this scam probably 7 times in one day. we had read all about it and would laugh with the perpetrator...they would say "it's closed" and we would say "ok then let's go shopping for jewelry" laughing all the while...they would laugh and wish us a good day whilst walking away.

actually, my first time in BKK, i was a little defensive and paranoid about scams and aggressive vendors. i was very pleasantly surprised to find that the thais are much more laid back with tourists as compared to, for example, big chinese cities.

lcuy

Cabs don't rip you off in America? Now that is a joke!

A few years back, there were news articles and I think even a 20/20 or similar segment of the pervasive Las Vegas cheating.

In September, I had a Palkis cab pick me up from in from of my hotel in Boston (I thought it was the one they'd called for, and the bellhop thought I'd called on my own) and he turned off his meter halfway thru the trip to the airport. Wanted more than double what my husband had paid for the exact trip the day before. ($30 vs $12.50). I gave him $13 (drat, didn't have coins) and told him that would be all or we'd call a cop to negotiate. He took it.

I took a cab home in and the driver Honolulu "accidently" missed my exit on the freeway and then tried to miss the next one. Again, I gave him what it should have cost.

In Sydney the driver just drove us in circles, saying he couldn't find out B&B, which is next to the HUGE ANA hotel. B&B owners said we'd paid about double the standard rate. Luckily we had his cab number and they reported him.

haroth

oh my! all this handwringing and teeth knashing over $62.50!!!

the operative word anywhere is "...they saw us coming...". yes they see all tourists coming (this includes all over europe), and the least worse that can happen to anyone looking to cheat and take advantage of tourists is a resounding 'NO'. you might have to state this a number of times to rid yourself of a pest.

any tout will always take you to jewelry store that gives the 'best' prices. he then gets a commission. the truest thing you stated was putting diamonds and sapphires in parentheses. you almost never get what you pay for for gems in bkk!

so we all have been taken at one time or another. do your homework next time wherever you go!!!

divediva

we have learned to smile, even chuckle when we are being told little lies by tuk tuk drivers and touts.
you cant blame them for trying...everyone has to make a buck and we americans are a vulnerable lot....

my biggest complaint was the taxi drivers that refused to use the meter. so many on our last trip that we would first request they use the meter before entering...most of our destinations were a long way and should be a good fare...but they would still decline.

finally, we figured out that by using a doorman at a hotel, and there are plenty of hotels in every district...their drivers would gladly/automatically use the meter. in places without nearby hotels, we would make an offer of a good fare and tip if they would agree to the meter and we would tip them as much as the fare for short rides...

bkkmei

I am sorry about all the rip off stories here, and that taxi drivers don't use their meter. Personally, never had a problem (but I look Thai!) but neither has husband (who doesn't!) Guess they can spot expats vs. tourists. I found speaking a little bit of Thai helps a long way in avoiding rip offs and scams...

InSicily06

Tourist or not,I lived in South East Asia for 2 years and am well travelled. And I still didn't enjoy Bangkok v. much. If you have to try that hard to love something is it worth it? It was ok. But have no plans to go back.

Bella_Bluebell

We can't all like the same things - what a boring monotonous world we would live in if we did!

CFW

You know I'm starting to think that a person's feelings about NYC are a good guage of whether you will like BKK. Like NYC it's busy, crowded, dirty (although NY has been cleaned up recently)not particularly beautiful like SF, Paris or other cities, but it has so much to see and do, great variety of restaurants, fabulous shopping, and warm gentle kind friendly people. I guess we were in the minority but in 7 days we only had one experience with a taxi driver who wouldn't use the meter, and we just didn't even get in the taxi. Didn't encounter a single tout, though we had been expecting to and were prepared. Don't know why -- just luck perhaps.