Bangkok Itinerary ideas - 3 days -- would love your feedback!
 

We'll be staying 4 nights in Bangkok at the start of our trip in January, so we'll have 3 full days for sightseeing. Here is my rough draft, and would love your comments & suggestions(no brutality, please!). We'll be staying at the Centre Point Silom hotel.

Day 1: (Monday, Jan 20)
Tour with Tong: Grand Temple/major wats (include canal tour? anything else?).
**Question: Anything else I should add on to this tour?

Day 2: (Tues, Jan 21)
-Bangkok food tour (http://bangkokfoodtours.com/bang-rak...l-walking-tour). This ends at 1:15pm.
-Jim Thompson house
**Question: Can I do these 2 on the same day?

Day 3: (Wed, Jan 22 & our 25th wedding anniversary!)
-Half day (use Ratt?): floating market/train market
-Chinatown
(-Dinner to be determined; still considering where we'll eat this evening, and authentic, excellent food, and interesting are more important than formal or high end eating)

Day 4: We'll have the morning to explore/shop before we take a 3pm flight to Chiang Mai.

**Questions: Anything else I should see in this brief trip? Are the activities on days 2 & 3 doable as planned?

These are the highlights that seem to be of most immediate interest . The things that I could "sacrifice" if there wasn't enough time would be in order 1) the food tour and 2) the floating market/train market visit. I know there's lots more to do, but can't do it all. Hopefully, we will get back in a few years, but who knows when?

Many thanks for your help!

Paule

they are doable, but... are you flying in from overseas?? if so your first day is best spent with a slower pace... the grand palace alone is a killer as it is so hot there with no escape...

i'd make day 3, day 1 and have a quiet AM and cancel the floating market

Thanks, Bob. I was thinking about canceling the floating market. I think you're right, though - we'll be arriving early afternoon the day before, but day 1 is our first full day. Good advice!

Paule

I agree with Bob. We hope to return to Bangkok someday.

I know Bob absolutely loves Tong, but I wouldn't use her to see the major wats. That is easily done on your own via water taxi, then taxis. You'll have more opportunity to wander and explore and interact with locals if you are on your own.

And I think it is wise to cancel the floating market. Bangkok is a remarkable city, give yourselves time to explore in the city.

I like using a driver/guide in bkk when you are not familiar with the city and your time is short... it prevents wasting time with mistakes, walking the wrong way etc. it also helps in ordering the places in a logical fashion, and avoiding touts and rude taxi drivers (drivers at sightseeing venues).

there is the comfort aspect as well.

I agree with you all- going to the floating market doesn't make sense in the limited time we're in Bangkok.

Whether or not to hire a guide is a question in my mind right now - on one hand, it can be really helpful to have someone provide an overview and orientation to the city, as well as being a personal connection; on the other hand, it can be a little frustrating, especially if you're not in tune with that particular guide for whatever reasons. Having recently visited India, we've had experiences with both types of guides: some were really helpful and added to the total experience, and others that were not, and we would've been happier on our own.

If we don't go to the Grand Temple on Day 1, what would make a good first day visit? I'd like to do something that would give me a sense of where we are -- for instance, if we go to Chinatown, maybe take one of the boats along the river and visit 1 or 2 of the wats.

Otherwise, I'm inclined to do the Bangkok food tour, as it sounds so much fun and a great way to get a "taste" of a part of the city.

Thanks all for the very helpful feedback. I really appreciate it!

Paule

HI Paule, Happy to talk more if you email me your phone #. I think, if I remember, you are going to be jet-lagged. That said, time with Ratt may be the perfect answer, as she is not a tour guide per se, but will happily drive and pick you up as needed, accompanying you and pointing you in the right directions, which is especially useful if you are tired and warm. She will have cold water waiting.

In my many trips to Bangkok, I'm always up very early the first day, the effect of the time zone difference. So for me, going to the Grand Palace/Temple of the Emerald Buddha/Wat Po the first morning would be perfect. The Emerald Buddha is on the grounds of the Grand Palace and Wat Po is in the next block. If you are still up for more, you can ride the tiny ferry across the river and see Wat Arun.

If you feel you will be more comfortable having a driver, that's fine. My point is that you don't need one, but you certainly can have one - just expect to spend a lot of time in traffic.

In the afternoon, do something more restful, maybe get a massage

i'd take it easy in the AM and enjoy a pool and then venture out in the PM for lunch and poking around... like go to jim Thompson house and have a nice lunch there and tour the house and see how you feel after that... MBK is not far for some shopping overload

Many thanks for all your suggestions. So many different perspectives here!

I'm inclined to bite the bullet and go to the Grand Place/Temple on our first day. Like Kathie, we tend to get up early in the morning as a result of jet lag, and it's only later in the day when we're likely to crash. Since we've never been there before, we'll be itching to get out and see some sights.

I'm still debating between going on our own and having a guide but I don't think I'd want to have a driver in this area. Sitting in traffic isn't something I want to do! Tong had the option of using public transport with a guide for this tour and I think that it would be helpul to have someone shepherd us around as we get oriented.

If we then go to the Grand Temple + wats on day 1 would a khlong tour make sense in the afternoon? I also like Kathie's suggesion of getting a massage.

If we don't do the Grand Temple + wats on day 1, I like the suggestion to visit the Jim Thompson house, then go to Chinatown perhaps for dinner?

Virginiafish, I've been looking for your email with your number but it's lost - I would love to speak with you. My email: [email protected]

Bob, much as going to MBK might be entertaining for me, an afternoon shopping would send my poor husband running in the other direction!

And, Bob, I'd love it if you would send me your restaurant list! Many folks here have given it high praise!

Again, thanks for all your thoughts! It's very helpful to have your ideas to consider.

Paule

Paule, don't dismiss MBK so quickly. We aren't shoppers but enjoyed seeing the sheer size of MBK. It's incredible, like nothing I've ever seen. MBK is a quick walk from the Jim Thompson house which we liked much more than I thought we would. Pleasant place for lunch.

We didn't hire guides or drivers in Bangkok. It's easy to get around by yourself and we enjoy setting our own pace. The first morning we headed out for the Grand Palace, following our strategy of seeing the most important sights ASAP. You never know what can happen during a trip and you don't want to miss the highlights due to unanticipated events. We came back to Wat Po and Wat Arun the next morning so we could enjoy them when we were fresh.

Thanks, Marija,
I'll keep this in mind and will incorporate a visit to MBK just to experience it. I think my husband would appreciate it from this perspective, rather than as an excuse to go shopping!

I appreciate your comments about traveling around without guides. We are comfortable in cities and love public transportation, and it looks pretty easy to manage the sights on our own. We do tend to do the "major" sights first as well.

Again, thanks!


Paule

Not a shopper and for me whatever huge mall we went to was just that huge. Didn't really grab me. If I had time to kill I would explore, but otherwise skip.

Jim Thomspon House is a great idea for a jet lagged day. Very much enjoyed our time there.

We ended up touring with one of Tong's guide on what turned out to be our first day.(plane delay caused us to arrive one full day late.). It was totally exhausting. The heat really gets to you and that on top of being jet lagged made for a not wonderful first day in BKK. I appreciated having a driver get us around, but our Guide was not great. Would not take into consideration our jet lag and the heat factor regardless of how often we told him he was moving and talking too fast, too much info. So I would get a driver, but tour on my own with a guide book.

Loved the food tour, but again don't think I would fully appreciate it on our first day. We did a half day food tour. Hope to do another this trip.

Progol, I think we determined we will overlap in BKK and thought we might try to meet up. If you r ok with it, I will email you so we can stay in touch.

Absolutely, yestravel. It would be great if we could meet up! Please feel free to email me.
Paule

[email protected]

I agree with those that are recommending Grand Palace/Temple of Emerald Buddha for Day 1. Take the Chao Phraya Express boat and get off at the Chang pier. Wat Po is nearby. You can walk there after the GP/EB. From Wat Po, depending on how you feel, you can catch the river ferry at the Tha Thien pier to go across the river for Wat Arun. If your hotel has a pool you may consider a pool break in the afternoon when it's hotter.

On Day 3 since it's your anniversary maybe think about a drink in the evening at one of the rooftop bars where you have awesome views. What a great city to celebrate your anniversary!!

We arrive after you. Will be in Bangkok from 1/29 until 2/1 when we take the overnight train to Chiang Mai. Looks like we're following you! We're back in Bangkok from 3/10-3/13, 3/29-4/1 and 4/3-4/5.

Have a great trip.

I will send my list..

don't underestimate what the heat and humidity will do to you..

I have never been in a traffic jam around the sites unless there was a demonstration going on.. traffic problems are in other areas: rama IV, silom, sathorn, and parts of sukhumvit.

going from one place to another in bkk is not all that easy (yes the skytrain is easy, but it does not go to many places you will want to go to). making one small error can send you into a mess and waste precious time, imo.

Bob, thank you for the restaurant list!

Well, now I'm thoroughly confused. I hear what you're saying about the heat/humidity, and will take it slow. That's why (right now, anyway) I'm inclined not to get a guide for the major sites. I think we'd prefer going at our own pace and absorbing what we can.

If we go to Grand Palace/Temple of Emerald Buddha by Chao Phraya Express boat as Chris45 suggests, and then perhaps to Wat Arun, it doesn't sound too bad. Would this particular trip be easier to navigate if we got a driver? It sounds cool to be able to take the boat to GP.

I do like the food tour, though, and am planning to do that.

yes it would be fairly easy to do by boat, BUT: I W O U L D N O T DO IT ON DAY 1...

not sure about getting to and from wat arun by CP boat??

THIS TOURING IS NOT LEISURELY STROLLING AROUND... sorry caps.. it is walking at your pace in grueling heat and humidity with little shelter from it, and getting from one place to another in the same..

ok, take a taxi in between... not so easy--taxis around these sites pray on tourists and charge huge flat fees...drive you to shops you do not want to visit, and LIE...

I don't think you need a guide but a driver like rat would be very beneficial.

its 2-4,000 B well spent..

no more from me on this...

Bob likes to have a driver in Bangkok, I don't. There isn't a right or wrong answer to this, it's a matter of what is right fro YOU.

It is easy to get to the Grand Palace and the wats mentioned via the water taxi. The Chao Praya Express is the tourist boat. Personally, I try to avoid that boat - you have someone on a loud speaker making silly and unnecessary commentary on the room prices at the various riverside hotels. I love the boat ride, I don't need someone commentary. The public water taxis make the same stops. Chris, above, has described it very well. You get off at Chang Pier for the GP/EB, then walk a block for Wat Po. The pier nearest Wat Po, Ta Thien, has a tiny foot ferry across the river to Wat Arun. the signage is good. All you have to know is to ignore people who tell you the wats are closed and they will take you to other ones - and gem shops and tailors. Just laugh.

You want to get to the GP/EB when the gates open at 8:30. This allows you to tour during the "cooler" (read less hot) part of the day.

I have done this routine a number of times, I think every time on the first day I've arrived in Bangkok, it has always gone very smoothly for me. But again, it depends on your comfort level with using public transport. The water taxis are very easy from your serviced apartment.

No, worries Bob, I hear your concerns and am taking them to heart. As we do have time, I'll discuss with my husband and see what feels like it makes most sense to us. It's clear that there are at least / very different approaches to traveling within Bangkok, and I don't yet know what works best for us. Both you, Bob, and you, Kathie, have the advantage of multiple visits to Bangkok to know what works best for each of you, while I, a virgin Bangkok traveler, have yet to learn. But I really do appreciate everyone's input (have I made that clear?). It's incredibly helpful to have different perspectives to make a decision.

Paule

Oops, "at least 2 very different approaches"

Sorry about that

btw, its not too early to book your next flts to bkk...

Lol!

We have been to Bangkok a few times and we like the driver with no guide approach like Ratt. I can't believe I am siding with rhkkmk on this but the heat and humidity in Bangkok are killers and I live in a place with heat and humidity.

Walking up and down lots of stairs in the heat to get to the sky train is not my idea of user friendly public transport. You enter a freezing sky train car dripping wet with sweat and exit to a wall of heat again not my idea of riding in comfort. And the river boats.....well don't open your mouth while riding. You are riding over an open sewer.... nuff said.

There is the traffic factor to consider when hiring a driver but the comfort,the unlimited access to everywhere in Bangkok not only where the rail or river lines go, the pampering, the cold towels and ice cold drinks all outweigh the traffic problems to me. A good driver allows you to accomplish more in a day than you could without one especially if you have a lot you want to do versus using the public transport systems.

Use a driver when you have a lot that you want to accomplish and the public transport if you aren't doing much that day is how we usually do it.

Aloha!

Paule - we concur with kathie. Due to the time change, we are up early on the first day rearing to go. It's a great idea to get out as early as you can to try to avoid the mid day heat. We like to wander without a driver. Like you, we stayed at the center point silom and we loved the location and hotel. The breakfast was especially good. You are only a five minute walk to the river and the monorail. While it can get unbearably hot, part of the fun is wandering the streets to see the local sites. I would definitely do the grand palace on day one. There was a free English tour when we were there - you'll have to check out the times. We also wanted time to just wander the grounds ourselves to take pictures and marvel at our leisure. Wat pho, famous for the reclining Buddha is walking distance away. After visiting both, grab a quick lunch and return to the river to take the ferry across to wat arun. All are incredible and you don't want to miss these highlights. If you are still up to it, hire a boat and take a kong tour in the late afternoon or return to the hotel to rest - or get a massage.

The food tour sounds like a blast and we would love to do that if we return to Bangkok. I personally really enjoyed the day out with tong and loved going to the floating market and railroad market. But one of the things I enjoyed most about the floating market, was the opportunity to try foods that tong bought us. If you do the food tour, you will get that opportunity.

I like the idea of the food tour followed by the Jim Thomson house. Not far from there is the modern mall area which you should see because of the great contrast between old and new. You may welcome a short reprieve from the heat. We are not shoppers so we spent very little time there.

One of the places I really enjoyed spending time in was lampini park where you can watch the local Thai people exercising either early in the morning or late afternoon. You may consider going there early in the morning and then return to the room to get cleaned up. A nice treat and splurge would be to do the buffet lunch at the manderin oriental hotel which is nearby to your hotel. Go to the hotel and take their free water taxi to the opposite bank where they also have a spa (we did not try that out, it i imagine I is quite expensive by Thai standards.

By the way - one of the things we love best is hopping in a tuk tuk and breezing in and out of traffic when we are totally exhausted and no longer want to walk. Hate to be contrary, but you've gotta experience being on the river and seeing the sites along the way! Don't worry - you're not going to drink the water.

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for your input and suggestions!

Current thoughts - yes, a driver for the first day. Hot, sticky and jet lagged does not promise a good first day, so cool & comfortable & air conditioning sound just right. I lean toward doing the Grand Palace + wats on day 1, so I'll see about Ratt for that day.

Day 2 will be the food tour and Jim Thompson house.

I would like to do a Khlong tour. When or how does one do this? Worthwhile? Or are there other boat rides you recommend?

Chri45ny said "On Day 3 since it's your anniversary maybe think about a drink in the evening at one of the rooftop bars where you have awesome views." If you consider this, remember to bring attractive, closed toe shoes. We tried to do this, my daughter and I were wearing nice skirts and tops, but had on basic sandals and they would not let us up.

perfect...

klong tour.... best to go early afternoon... go to taskin pier and there will be people selling rides... ask here about current pricing... you also can go riverside at river city shopping center, next to the Sheraton at the kiosk... take the Sheraton boat from taskin to get there.. easy and perfect to do on your own... only have them stop at the royal barge museum, other stops are a waste.. you want the tour of the thornburi klongs..

Thanks for the advice. Not something I would normally wear on this trip, but I'll bring a pair just for this reason.
Paule

Bookmarking.

re klong tour-we were told the Barge Museum was closed when we got to the pier and it was not true... they were apparently trying to sell something else. beware.

What exactly is a klong tour and where does one find it?

I've been intrigued by this but can't quite get a real picture of what it is. Where does one get it? Where does it go? How long is it? Are there different routes?

Many thanks for the advice!

I'm with Bob on using Ratt as your driver. The energy you save by riding from one venue to the next in an air conditioned taxi with cold towels is well worth it. You will see more, do more and last longer. People who live in ASIA and have the means, use drivers a lot in their day to day affairs.

I've been convinced! I will contact her when I finalize my plans and figure out which day we're doing what.

These hot, humid days in NYC have taught me that the less I walk around on the hot, humid streets, the happier I am!

There are two famous klong tours, one very popular with foreign tourists the other popular with locals. The first link below is the one that most foreign tourist go on as it is near to the city centre where all the river hotels are located. The second one, ot Koh Kret, is very popular with the locals on weekends but require a longer taxi raids to reach the pier.

http://www.bangkok.com/city---cultur...klongstour.htm

http://wikitravel.org/en/Ko_Kret#b

Thanks, Hanuman, it's very helpful to get an idea of what the tours are about.

The second looks fascinating, but we arrive Sunday afternoon. I think the first looks just fine, though for a newbie to Bangkok, and will fit easily into our short visit.

Paule

So the trip is now just over 3 months away and I've been mulling over the Bangkok itinerary, as most of the other pieces of the trip are in place. Here's my current thinking:

Arrival day: Sunday, Jan 19 - midafternoon. We chill out at our hotel, Centre Point, maybe explore the immediate area. Dinner at Tongue Thai.

Day 1 (full day) Monday, Jan 20th. I think we'll probably hire a guide just to orient us and get us around -- not to have detailed explanations of everything, which we can do on our own. We will do the "big sights" on our own, but I thought we would take in the "flavor" of the first day and visit some of the "secondary" sights. My hope is to get a sense of the city without spending a lot of time at any one spot. These are the places I'm thinking of:
-Chinatown/Wat Traimit
-Erawan Shrine
-Golden Mount
-Giant Swing & Temple
-Bowl-making street
-Any good street food or local place
-Khlong tour to artist village/artists house & shadow puppet show at 2PM
-Wat Arun (stop on way back) -- if not too tired

Evening: Depending upon energy, I thought we might go to one of the street markets for dinner (Chinatown or Soi 38) or else go to Soul Food for dinner.
Question: Are there any good evening markets near Centre point Silom?
---------------

Day 2/Tues, Jan 21 (on our own - no guide or driver)
The major sights:
-Grand Palace/Wat Po/Wat Phra Kaew. (travel by ferry)
- Probably a massage (Wat Po or other place)

The rest of the afternoon is unplanned at this point -- suggestions welcome!

Evening: Dinner with Fodorites YT/GT
-------
Day 3: Wed Jan 22 - Big Wedding anniversary!
-BKK Food tour
-Jim Thompson House

Dinner: Gaggan
Sky Bar

Day 4 - We will have morning before we fly out at 3pm to go to Chiang Mai. Not sure what we'll do - probably go to one of the malls to experience it.

Any thoughts of this itinerary?

Thanks,
Paule

Day 1 you should mostly be traveling by water taxi. There is a Chinatown stop. The Erawan Shire is not in the same area as the other places, so cut it - you can see it another day. You'll probably want to take a taxi from Chinatown to the Golden Mount, then on to Wat Suthat and the Giant Swing. Rumor has it that Chote Chitr has re-opened, a hole in the wall place nearby. If you are interested, I'll find a link to my walking directions (it is very hard to find). The bowl-making street is on the other side of the river, so you'll need to take a foot ferry across. You may want to take the foot ferry to Wat Arun (from the Wat Po stop) and take a taxi to the bowl-making street from there.

more later