battlemttravel

Way too often, Bangkok is overlooked but there is of course great food, attractions, culture, massages, shopping, and much more. Also, you can ride a tuk-tuk in Bangkok and that is surely well worth it. What do you think?

Fun Facts about Bangkok:

1. The Chinatown in this city is the largest in the world and over one million ethnic Chinese live there. T

2. The largest solid gold Buddha in the world is located in this Chinatown and is in Wat Traimit.

A great look at Tuk-Tuks in Bangkok:

LancasterLad

I don't think Bangkok is overlooked at all.

But what I do think is that a lot of visitors don't do their pre-visit homework properly, which can often give them almost instant negative vibes.

While a tuk tuk ride can be great fun in Bangkok, taking a few easy precautions are also worth considering.....wear a mouth/nose mask, keep hold of your valuables, don't stick your arm out of the side of the vehicle, agree a final price, don't take a tuk tuk from outside a tourist attraction, insist that a visit to a Gem Shop isn't part of the itinerary, and probably a few more too.

battlemttravel

Yes, glad to hear that Bangkok is not just skipped. And yes, when you are in a Tuk-Tuk you should definitely negotiate the price beforehand and make sure that the price is set. Also, keep your bags secure in the Tuk-Tuk and generally be cautious. Where else have you ridden a tuk-tuk?

LancasterLad

Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi, Chiang Mai, Aranyapraphet, Prachuap Khir Khan, Pnomh Penh, Siem Reap, Kampot, Kep, Battambang, and slight variations of a tuk tuk in other Asian countries.

SirHalberd

In Bangkok ride a tuk-tuk for the fun of it. For regular "get around town" transportation meter taxis are cheaper and safer. Just pay the meter fare! When you pay a flat rate you pay more than the meter fare. Before I get in a Bangkok taxi I give the driver my destination and use the meter. Most will say okay. If not say thanks and get another one of the hundreds of meter taxis cruising by. I avoid parked taxis in front of hotels and malls because they more often want a flat rate. Have coins and small bills for paying taxi drivers.

Tuk-tuks do show up in various scams for Bangkok. Along with long distance bus scams, gem scams, palace closed scams, etc. Google it up!

I like Bangkok. Bangkok is cheaper than many of the better beach areas down south, one reason is cheap city transportation. The Skytrain connects with the Airport Rail Link and with a subway. But the rail service does not run from around midnight to 6 a.m. My preferred hotel location is in an area where I can use the cheap city rail service and have nightlife, malls, restaurants and supermarkets I can walk to.
UrbanRail.Net > Asia > Thailand > Bangkok Metro

For first timers - Bangkok has 2 airports for flight planning. Most long distance overseas flights from N. America, S. America and Europe land at Suvarnabhumi. Although Don Muang Airport does get a few flights from other countries in their neighborhood. Both airports have internal flights. BKK Suvarnabhumi has cheap rail service to the city area.

Have fun.

LancasterLad

SirHalberd.....I think I'd only use the Airport Rail Link [ARL] if I knew exactly where I was going, and was comfortable about getting there once I'd got off the ARL. It's probably best avoided during peak times, with heavy bags, and if you need to connect with the Skytrain, and still have a walk once you've alighted that.

A taxi from the Airport is door-to-door, and you should arrive without having turned into a sweaty heap.

We're comfortable with the ARL, and thought we were being clever the last time we were in Bangkok.

Got the ARL to the last stop [Phaya Thai], which was only 45 baht each. Then we wanted to carry on to our hotel in Banglamphu by taxi. Getting out of Phaya Thai took a few minutes. Then the traffic was manic, with the usual choking car fumes. I flagged down several taxis, all refused to use the meter as the traffic was v.busy. I gave up in the end, and negotiated a fare with a driver.

The taxi stopped at every set of traffic lights, and took almost 45 minutes.

We saved about 100 baht on a direct door-to-door from Airport to hotel.....false economy.

SirHalberd

For Bangkok I only choose hotels close to Skytrain stops. Some of my earlier flights over the years arrived too late for city train rides. Meter taxi available 24 hours a day.

From Suvarnabhumi to Khao San Road area, there is a new cheap bus. (I have never used this bus, I prefer other locations in Bangkok, in particular Nana and Asoke areas.)
https://www.thailandee.com/en/transp...bhumi-khao-san

I have used the Rail Link to Phaya Thai and to the stop just before called Ratchaprorop. From the airport you begin the ride with empty seats. Some tourists who have hotels not on the Skytrain or subway route take a meter taxi from Ratchaprorop. A meter taxi from Ratchaprorop to a hotel I use is about 70 baht on the meter. (There are quite a few hotels near Ratchaprorop for tourists who like shopping opportunities.)

For some young backpacker type tourists on short budgets saving 100 baht is a good deal! Using the cheap Bus S1 from Suvarnabhumi is a good deal too if flight arrival times work out right.

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I have used the Skytrain during rush hour. Yes, it is a tight fit and sometimes you have fight your way on. Keep wallet and passport in a pocket with a button or velcro flap. I use side pockets in my trousers for wallet and passport just in case a pickpocket is around. (Same for any tight bus or train back home, not just Bangkok.)

Have fun.

amyperkins9

I loved Bangkok too! I went to Bangkok, Chan Mai, Ayutthaya and Phuket. For me I personally wish I had spent more time in Bangkok. I was there for just 3 days. And I was in Phuket for 4 days which wasn't really necessary. The only thing that I really enjoyed in Phuket was phi phi island and the Simon Cabaret show. The beaches in Phuket weren't as good as I had expected it to be but going even just for the day tour at phi phi island it was very very worth it. 100% recommend