Bangkok didn't do a thing for us & we won't be returning
Feb 28th, 2016, 06:04 PM
#42
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Kathie... ouch!!! Heal well!!
As Julie said, if it had to hppens somewhere, at least it happened where good medical care is avaialable ...and on Kauai!! Hoping you have a good view while you recover.
Julie, thanks agaiin for starting this interesting thread.
As Julie said, if it had to hppens somewhere, at least it happened where good medical care is avaialable ...and on Kauai!! Hoping you have a good view while you recover.
Julie, thanks agaiin for starting this interesting thread.
Feb 28th, 2016, 09:50 PM
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julies - I am not sure how to phrase this without sounding obnoxious, but why did you book a non-refundable hotel in Bangkok, knowing that you were dubious about the city? I saw your previous post where you expressed your doubts about going, and I do applaud you for the courage to visit anyway, but it seems you could have gone elsewhere quite easily, especially after other traveler's opinions gave you some doubts.
On a more positive note, I was quite impressed with the way you put your trip together partly impromptu, and partly planned. You are very courageous travelers.
On a more positive note, I was quite impressed with the way you put your trip together partly impromptu, and partly planned. You are very courageous travelers.
Feb 29th, 2016, 02:46 AM
#46
Kathie - so very sorry to hear about your accident! I wish you the best for a speedy recovery.
julies, thanks again for such a wonderful thread. This is a good example on how to have strong disagreements with one another's interests, tastes, and style of travel, and yet have the discussion remain absolutely civil!
(I hope I don't jinx it now by stating this!)
julies, thanks again for such a wonderful thread. This is a good example on how to have strong disagreements with one another's interests, tastes, and style of travel, and yet have the discussion remain absolutely civil!
(I hope I don't jinx it now by stating this!)
Feb 29th, 2016, 04:32 AM
#48
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CaliforniaLady--
Perhaps you misunderstood me. I said that the city did not call to us and we wouldn't be returning. I did not say that we spent every single second there hating the place.
Our return tickets were out of Bangkok, and we knew that no matter what we wanted to at least see what Bangkok was all about since we'd heard so much about it. Trying to figure out how long to stay, I asked here about the city and many people here told me about some marvelous sightseeing options in Bangkok. I am not disputing that there are some great places to sightsee; I stated that in my trip report.
After adding up the places that might call to us for sightseeing and wanting to give the place a fair shake, I added an additional night to the three I had originally planned. Thus we'd have three full days rather than two to check out Bangkok.
Everyone here pretty much also told me to stay by the river, and the place I found that we wanted to stay is small (only three rooms) and quirky and is not a mega hotel with hundreds of rooms available. I am happy we booked it since the Ibrik where we stayed really is what made Bangkok more enjoyable for us.
This was like any other travel decision one makes. As someone said above, one never knows until one gets there how one will feel about a place. We agree and based the rest of our trip on this concept--not booking way far ahead for precisely this reason. We wanted the flexibility to linger in places we liked and to move on from places we didn't like. But, as a final destination I wanted to have lodging settled ahead of time for Bangkok. I knew we wouldn't be changing our return tickets and lingering so we could add another place or stay longer. The tricky part was guesstimating when to arrive and how many days to stay.
On this trip I used booking.com a lot and found for the countries we visited, much more than any other trips we've taken recently, that cancellation policies for the types of places we are interested in are very stringent and really require a lot of advance notice. I understand policies are set by the lodging and not by booking.com, and perhaps for non-corporate, chain lodgings in this part of the world more stringent policies like this are the norm. In this case (probably the most rigid of our trip), if I did not plan to stay and wanted not to have to pay, I needed to cancel two weeks in advance. At that point we hadn't even figured out the end of our trip yet, and we hadn't had the discussions with some other people we met about Bangkok.
Perhaps you misunderstood me. I said that the city did not call to us and we wouldn't be returning. I did not say that we spent every single second there hating the place.
Our return tickets were out of Bangkok, and we knew that no matter what we wanted to at least see what Bangkok was all about since we'd heard so much about it. Trying to figure out how long to stay, I asked here about the city and many people here told me about some marvelous sightseeing options in Bangkok. I am not disputing that there are some great places to sightsee; I stated that in my trip report.
After adding up the places that might call to us for sightseeing and wanting to give the place a fair shake, I added an additional night to the three I had originally planned. Thus we'd have three full days rather than two to check out Bangkok.
Everyone here pretty much also told me to stay by the river, and the place I found that we wanted to stay is small (only three rooms) and quirky and is not a mega hotel with hundreds of rooms available. I am happy we booked it since the Ibrik where we stayed really is what made Bangkok more enjoyable for us.
This was like any other travel decision one makes. As someone said above, one never knows until one gets there how one will feel about a place. We agree and based the rest of our trip on this concept--not booking way far ahead for precisely this reason. We wanted the flexibility to linger in places we liked and to move on from places we didn't like. But, as a final destination I wanted to have lodging settled ahead of time for Bangkok. I knew we wouldn't be changing our return tickets and lingering so we could add another place or stay longer. The tricky part was guesstimating when to arrive and how many days to stay.
On this trip I used booking.com a lot and found for the countries we visited, much more than any other trips we've taken recently, that cancellation policies for the types of places we are interested in are very stringent and really require a lot of advance notice. I understand policies are set by the lodging and not by booking.com, and perhaps for non-corporate, chain lodgings in this part of the world more stringent policies like this are the norm. In this case (probably the most rigid of our trip), if I did not plan to stay and wanted not to have to pay, I needed to cancel two weeks in advance. At that point we hadn't even figured out the end of our trip yet, and we hadn't had the discussions with some other people we met about Bangkok.
Feb 29th, 2016, 11:33 AM
#49
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What a great topic.
I'm absolutely on both sides of this discussion. There's so much to love about Bangkok -- the broad smiles and warm hearts of so many people; the spirituality that is ingrained in the culture; the amazing smells that waft around every corner; the great hotels and terrific food. And so much to dislike: the traffic, the unrelenting heat, the too-visible air, the military junta that sneers at democracy. My own choice lately has been to visit places that have fewer negatives, while hoping that some of those negatives might change.
Kathie, hope you're much better soon!
I'm absolutely on both sides of this discussion. There's so much to love about Bangkok -- the broad smiles and warm hearts of so many people; the spirituality that is ingrained in the culture; the amazing smells that waft around every corner; the great hotels and terrific food. And so much to dislike: the traffic, the unrelenting heat, the too-visible air, the military junta that sneers at democracy. My own choice lately has been to visit places that have fewer negatives, while hoping that some of those negatives might change.
Kathie, hope you're much better soon!
Mar 1st, 2016, 12:27 PM
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I did not read all the posts but wanted to add my 2cents. My daughter, SIL and grandchildren are now living in Bangkok - so now I have gone twice, and will go again soon, to a place I never planned to visit. Our daughter lives near one of the main BTS stations, Ekamai. We had planned to stay near them for our several week visit but at the last minute I decided to start off our trip near the river. We stayed at Riverside Chatrium and that was such a good decision. Yes, the river is the best part of BKK, IMO, if the purpose of your visit is to see something besides malls or sketch factor.
We loved watching the river traffic from our balcony and taking the public transportation for river outings. We also did a long tail boat ride thru the khlongs which of course was a huge hit with 4 year old grandson. We also did a walking / food tour that started near the BTS pier - also very enjoyable.
I had purchased a "walking tours of Bangkok" book before we arrived and had plans for self guided walking tours. HA! the heat and the crowds put an end to those plans. Even some of the major sights, Grand Palace, we never even tried for the same reasons. We did go to the wat where the giant Buddah is and a flower market along the edge of the river.
On my second visit,using uber, I did visit the Jim Thompson house and really liked that. It was like stepping into the "real" Thailand and was a quiet (but not so cool) oasis.
Now I did love the street food and the massages (Health Land). We did visit one mall at the very end of our first trip - Terminal 21 - and while I am not a shopper, I have to admit, I was impressed. Too much of my sightseeing ended up being from inside a taxi as we crawled along in the never ending traffic jam from h*ll. Altho not very aesthetic, I would think have enjoyed walking around a bit more but even in the more residential neighborhood near my daughter's apartment, most of the Thai residences were hidden behind high walls. I spent alot of time out on her balcony looking around!
When we returned after our first trip, both my husband and I said NEVER again, but a new grandchild has lured me there again, and now again, in a few months.
We loved watching the river traffic from our balcony and taking the public transportation for river outings. We also did a long tail boat ride thru the khlongs which of course was a huge hit with 4 year old grandson. We also did a walking / food tour that started near the BTS pier - also very enjoyable.
I had purchased a "walking tours of Bangkok" book before we arrived and had plans for self guided walking tours. HA! the heat and the crowds put an end to those plans. Even some of the major sights, Grand Palace, we never even tried for the same reasons. We did go to the wat where the giant Buddah is and a flower market along the edge of the river.
On my second visit,using uber, I did visit the Jim Thompson house and really liked that. It was like stepping into the "real" Thailand and was a quiet (but not so cool) oasis.
Now I did love the street food and the massages (Health Land). We did visit one mall at the very end of our first trip - Terminal 21 - and while I am not a shopper, I have to admit, I was impressed. Too much of my sightseeing ended up being from inside a taxi as we crawled along in the never ending traffic jam from h*ll. Altho not very aesthetic, I would think have enjoyed walking around a bit more but even in the more residential neighborhood near my daughter's apartment, most of the Thai residences were hidden behind high walls. I spent alot of time out on her balcony looking around!
When we returned after our first trip, both my husband and I said NEVER again, but a new grandchild has lured me there again, and now again, in a few months.
Mar 1st, 2016, 07:02 PM
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Kathie - Ouch -- Sending healing wishes!
julies - Thanks for the controversy (age old on this board). Always interesting to see the range of opinions.
As far as BKK, I'm in the 'glad I went but won't be rushing back' camp. We are foodies and do love markets, Asian design and shopping for exotic trinkets, but the traffic, pollution, malls -- and scams -- got on our nerves. But for me the big issue in BKK was that it lacked soul and wasn't walkable enough. Would give it another try and include a bike ride if passing through again, but not high on my list.
julies - Thanks for the controversy (age old on this board). Always interesting to see the range of opinions.
As far as BKK, I'm in the 'glad I went but won't be rushing back' camp. We are foodies and do love markets, Asian design and shopping for exotic trinkets, but the traffic, pollution, malls -- and scams -- got on our nerves. But for me the big issue in BKK was that it lacked soul and wasn't walkable enough. Would give it another try and include a bike ride if passing through again, but not high on my list.
Mar 2nd, 2016, 03:48 AM
#55
This thread is fascinating to me. I wish threads like this could be carried out in such a civil manner on other cities. When we went to BKK for the first time 5 years ago, my impression was that everyone loved the city. Very few objective negative repsonses about it. Obviously everyplace has people who love it and others who dont, but that just doenst seem to surface on Fodor's in any meaningful way.
Glad you started the thread, julies!
Glad you started the thread, julies!
Mar 2nd, 2016, 04:13 AM
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Julies - I think our feelings about the places we visit are sometimes determined by where we've gone and what we've experienced beforehand. For me, Bangkok was my first introduction to Asia and I was wowed by it all - the street traffic, tuk tuks, the food, temples, sites and the people. I still long to return one day. But as you see on my own southern India thread, not everyplace wows everyone. Did you enjoy the grand palace and major sites? I hope you didn't miss them because of the heat. Still waiting for the rest of your report!
Kathie - a speedy recovery to you.
Kathie - a speedy recovery to you.
Mar 2nd, 2016, 04:20 AM
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I recently returned from my second 4 day visit to Bangkok which I enjoyed, despite the pollution and traffic (which did not impact us as we took BTS everywhere). I agree that the river is the best part of Bangkok, but I also visited many sights included in guidebooks which I thoroughly enjoyed and found worthwhile.
The key for me is to spend only a few days at a time in Bangkok, and then go elsewhere. I like northern Thailand for the scenery and Chang Mai because it is easily walkable and has very interesting wats and temples. If we were transiting through Bangkok I would return again for a few days, but I would not make Bangkok a sole destination.
The key for me is to spend only a few days at a time in Bangkok, and then go elsewhere. I like northern Thailand for the scenery and Chang Mai because it is easily walkable and has very interesting wats and temples. If we were transiting through Bangkok I would return again for a few days, but I would not make Bangkok a sole destination.
Mar 3rd, 2016, 03:47 AM
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For those thinking of visiting BKK for a first time and wonder if it's their cup of tea here are a few suggestions to make it a more pleasant experience. Time of year to go- try to go in the Nov/Dec/Jan months as weather will be a bit cooler. Hotel- make sure you are within a block of a sky train station or as many have suggested you prefer to stay on the river make sure that hotel has a boat that goes to the sky train.
Tour early in the morning and late afternoon. Mid day heat can be quite exhausting.
You may want to consider hiring a driver for a day or two. This is a great way to explore the many venues BKK has to offer while not wearing you out. We did this on our first visit to BKK and it was great. You ride to each venue in an air conditioned car, with bottled ice water provided and you are dropped off right in front of the venue. It's not expensive and saves time and a lot of energy. Food- I advise staying away from street food- not worth the risk. There are whole threads. On this topic arguing for and against, just my opinion on this one. Tuk Turks- avoid, take taxis if you must but be sure they use the meter. Anyone approaching you on the street with news of a special sale- say no and walk away.
Do not try to do too much in a day, take it slow and easy with plenty of rest stops.
Tour early in the morning and late afternoon. Mid day heat can be quite exhausting.
You may want to consider hiring a driver for a day or two. This is a great way to explore the many venues BKK has to offer while not wearing you out. We did this on our first visit to BKK and it was great. You ride to each venue in an air conditioned car, with bottled ice water provided and you are dropped off right in front of the venue. It's not expensive and saves time and a lot of energy. Food- I advise staying away from street food- not worth the risk. There are whole threads. On this topic arguing for and against, just my opinion on this one. Tuk Turks- avoid, take taxis if you must but be sure they use the meter. Anyone approaching you on the street with news of a special sale- say no and walk away.
Do not try to do too much in a day, take it slow and easy with plenty of rest stops.
Mar 3rd, 2016, 05:17 AM
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Bill has excellent advice.
I rarely use the skytrain because of my mobility issues. I take taxis everywhere, door to door. I arrive fresh and relaxed. nothing worse than arriving at a mall or restaurant dripping in sweat!! It often takes longer in a taxi but you can plan for that, especially if you avoid the normal heavily congested areas: silom rd, sathorn rd at certain times, new road near asiatique and Robinsons, sukhumvit from asoke to soi 2.
I find 2 weeks in Bangkok is never enough time and I am on trip 20.
I rarely use the skytrain because of my mobility issues. I take taxis everywhere, door to door. I arrive fresh and relaxed. nothing worse than arriving at a mall or restaurant dripping in sweat!! It often takes longer in a taxi but you can plan for that, especially if you avoid the normal heavily congested areas: silom rd, sathorn rd at certain times, new road near asiatique and Robinsons, sukhumvit from asoke to soi 2.
I find 2 weeks in Bangkok is never enough time and I am on trip 20.
Mar 3rd, 2016, 05:18 AM
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I'll soon be returning to Bangkok as my sole destination during the hottest month, April. I will have some business mixed in with a lot of pleasure as I return to my favorite city for the 38th time since 2001. I am no longer a tourist and have little desire to do any sight seeing. I do love the shopping and variety of dining options. I have stayed in luxe hotels along the river and "in the city" but now prefer serviced apartments in lower Sukhumvit.
I have oodles of friends, both Thai and expats, and I spend the bulk of my time enjoying their company. I cherish these friendships and consider Bangkok to be my home away from home. Two important birthdays are celebrated in April just 2 days apart, with lively dinners and revelry. Can't wait!
MrsBillT has some very good suggestions for enjoying Bangkok. It can be beastly hot and humid, and especially in April. The weather in December and January can be absolutely glorious! Taxis and the skytrain or subway provide much needed AC! I would add that for a lot of people a nice swimming pool for relaxing and cooling down is a must. Unlike MrsBillT, I enjoy at least one tuk tuk ride per visit to Bangkok. I absolutely avoid the motorcycle taxis!
I get excited about returning just by writing my thoughts about Bangkok on fodors!
I have oodles of friends, both Thai and expats, and I spend the bulk of my time enjoying their company. I cherish these friendships and consider Bangkok to be my home away from home. Two important birthdays are celebrated in April just 2 days apart, with lively dinners and revelry. Can't wait!
MrsBillT has some very good suggestions for enjoying Bangkok. It can be beastly hot and humid, and especially in April. The weather in December and January can be absolutely glorious! Taxis and the skytrain or subway provide much needed AC! I would add that for a lot of people a nice swimming pool for relaxing and cooling down is a must. Unlike MrsBillT, I enjoy at least one tuk tuk ride per visit to Bangkok. I absolutely avoid the motorcycle taxis!
I get excited about returning just by writing my thoughts about Bangkok on fodors!
