Hi all - based on all the great info on this forum, we've booked Ratt for a couple of days in Bangkok. Now, I'd love your help in building our itinerary as I want to be as specific with her as possible. I know these questions are super personal to one’s tastes but would love to know what YOU would choose if it were you... then we'll make our decision off what we hear: So... with each of these activities below, how much time would you allow and why? And do you think we can do all of these things in 2 or 2.5 days? I realize they’re the very touristy things but this is our first time in Bangkok and as we’re living in Asia for the next two years, will definitely be back over to explore other things. And the last day, we have a half day spa treatment to recover from all these activities

-- Tiger reserve (know that this is way out of Bangkok and will probably take the better part of a full day but wondering if we can pair something else after it closer into Bangkok)

-- Flower market (night is best?)

-- Floating market (we'll want to go before all the tours get there but how much time should we allow?)

-- Royal Thai-Handicraft Center

-- Jim Thompson House (including lunch)

-- The Wats (Grand Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Po, Wat with the golden Buddha; am I missing any major ones? No massage for us though)

Thanks everyone!!

I don't think you can do all of that in the alloted time. The Tiger reserve takes a day, the floating market is at best a long half-day, the Grand Palace and Wat Pho deserve half a day, JT House with lunch is about 2 1/2 hours and the Thai Handicraft is as long as you are amused. I would cut out the Floating Market, do the GP and WP in the morning, JT house eat lunch, go on tour. Next day, early morning at Flower Market, Chinatown while you're there, then Thai Handicraft. This will be very busy, but may save you from feeling like a forced march. With Ratt, you may get some added items that fit.

Tiger reserve -- I'd skip it

Flower market -- yes the night is best (at around 11PM) but you could also do it day as part of a klong ride (rent a private boat) that also takes you to wat arun. A klong ride (especially if you are not staying on the river) and wat arun are two must dos in my book for anyone going to bangkok and it's something I continue to do after 18 visits.

-- Floating market -- it should take about an hour and a half or two hours to get there and you should get there by 9AM at the latest. Rent a boat and spend two hours there. You should be back in Bangkok by 1PM
Royal Thai-Handicraft Center -- skip it for another trip. Instead go to the Vianamek Mansion and go to the craft centers there. You can spend about 2-3 hours here touring the mansion, watching the dancers (at 10:30AM) and going to the galleries and craft places.

-- Jim Thompson House (including lunch) -- an absolute must. The docent tour takes about 45 minutes (and you must go on it). Give yourself another 30-45 minutes to see whatever textile exhibit is there and the grounds. Lunch there is very pleasant. You may also want to walk along the klong near the house.

Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha -- get there when it opens to avoid the crowds as much as possible. Spend about 2 hours here -- maybe 3 depending on you.

Wat Po -- 1-2 hours

Marble Temple - 1 hour

I think you will have a very hard time doing all this in 2 or 2.5 days. I'd skip the floating market and focus on the things in Bangkok and definitely add a klong trip and Wat Arun.

I see you're leaving soon which means it will be hot, humid and maybe rainy which means you should plan on doing even less than you think.

Personally, I'd skip the Tiger reserve and the floating market (which I think is very touristy). Grand Palace/Emerald Buddha and Wat Po are an exhausting morning.

The Temple of the Golden Buddha is in Chinatown and you can explore China town at the same time. The Marble Temple is worth an early morning visit to see the monks receiving food from people.

Definitely see the JT House and have lunch (skip the coconut ice cream, though, it has corn and chili peppers!)

The flower market is worth a short stop. I've done it in the early morning before and that was nice.

You won't be able to do it all. Just remember that you'll be back.

IF I were ME and she was HER and the car was a toyota... I wouild not give an itiunuray but go for the adventure.

after some talking she'd probably figure I'm not a typical american tourist.. and she'd take me too some local out of the way places . then eat some stall food. or maybe invite me too some relatives house or something like that...

this has been my experince with guides during my travels. .

i would skip all outside of bkk tours, but this is when you have the best use of ratt, imo....if i were to choose one outside place it would be floating market, which while touristy is a truly amazing sight and well worth a 1/2 day....make it clear to ratt that this is the only, and i mean only thing you want to do...leave about 6:45 from your hotel and you can easily be back by 1 and then do a couple of wats of similar..

my top sites are:

grand palace---2-3 hours
JT house incl lunch--2 hours
wat pho
marble wat---wats can be done in 30 minutes each really if you move along
v-mark palace--2 hours


if you accomplish these sites you will have done well....i personally would not allocate 1/2 day to the spa...maybe 2 hours...

ratt will move you around bkk quickly and in an organized fashion....i would tell her the list of places you want to go in advance and allow her to organize it in the time allotted...she does this well....allow time for breaks and lunch...

i forgot to add a klong tour by long tail boat which you can do on your own for 2-3 hours....some of the best time spent in bkk really

Bob, you obviously aren't a spa person - I'd leave in teh half day spa!

I'd also reduce your spa time a bit unless you are going to a spa that is completely different from one you can fine in your home town. In other words, don't spend half a day at a spa just because it's cheaper than in the states. Go to one where you have a real thai experience.

Of course, if it's very hot and raining it could be a great use of your time.

i didn't mean to skip the spa...i mean to cut it back...have a masseuse come to your room during off hours...if you only have a couple of days in bkk you need to be out and about unless a spa is more important than enjoying a city you may have come 1/2 way around the world to visit????