Floating market
 

Will be in Bangkok for a short time Jan 07 and have booked a tour to see the Floating market and Rose Garden. Can anyone tell me if it will be an intersting drive to these areas? I understand it should take about 2 hours to get there and I would love to see some Thai scenery along the way.
Also which restaurant in the Marriot Resort and Spa is a don't miss?
Thanks to all

sadly to say the drive is quite boring and should last nearer to 1.5 hours....go very early, like leave bkk at 6:30AM...this way you avoid the rush of people who arrive early...if you have booked a bus tour, may i suggest that instead you book a private driver....it won't cost much more...the marriott has drivers...

i hope you like rose garden...we found it very boring....i guess the food there is ok but we ate elsewhere...so little time, so much better ways to use it in bkk...

as to marriott, my favorite as you probably know....the food there is quite expensive comparitively and only so so....we almost always eat out....could i entice you to travel over to behind the oriental hotel---take the marriott boat and then the oriental boat from the same pier....and go to tongue thai....fabulous, moderate in price and delicious... it is located directly behind the hotel...first behind the hotel is OP Place, a small shopping mall and the rest. is directly behind it....

the rice mill is the chinese rest. at marriott and quite good....benni hana (sp) is good if you like japanese steakhouses with the "show"--throwing of knives, etc...

for a simple meal we prefer the thai restaurant out in the marriott mini mall....name: Keaw Saveoy...go out to the mall, turn left and go almost out to the street...it is on ground level (up 5 stairs)...

there is a large buffet everynite out on the waterfront at the marriott...many rave about it...it is the same area as where the breakfast is held...

the marriott breakfast is fantastic...i hope it is included in your room rate, if not try it at least one morning....

we often get pastry from uno in the basement of the main building at marriott...this can be for snack or for breakfast...it is excellent quality...

I agree - the drive to the floating market is not very interesting. I also second the reco for Tongue Thai - easy to get to: take the Marriott boat to Taksin Pier, then the Oriental boat to the hotel. Either walk through or around the Oriental and continue walking up the road away from the river. You will pass OP Place on your left - go left on the next road - Tongue Thai is on your right - you will be directly behind OP Place.

Thanks Ron
Tips on the Marriott is much appreciated, I knew that is a favorite of yours. We are spending our 30th touring Bangkok, Phuket and Hong Kong. I'm afraid we will be pretty jet lagged in Bangkok coming from Toronto so have opted for a couple of mindless tours. We are basically doing our own thing eveywhere else. Thought the temptaion to sit for 2 days around the pool was just to great if I didn't have something planned.
We are really looking forward to this trip as we have never been to Asia. Any other tips would be greatly appreciated.

If you haven't yet paid for the tours, I strongly suggest that you get a driver/guide,e.g., Ratt or Tong, and use their services. Not much more money and way more flexibility.

I also agree the trip to Floating Market is boring. It is not through lush region or quaint towns. The Craft Center right near the Market is also a boring place unless you really are interested in purchasing interesting furniture for shipment back home. The Rose Garden is pleasant enough if it is below 85 degrees then it is maybe worth 1 hour tops. Ratt took us in April 2006 and before that in Sept. 2001 to the Market. One visit will take 5 hours including 2 hours tops at the market. Our second visit seems nothing changed in 5 years, I am not sure why we went back.Leave Bangkok at 8:00AM so get to Market when it is most active (6-12)and you will have from 9:30-11:30 and back by 1:00=1:30 unless you want the touristy Craft Center, that adds 1 hour.Also, in the heat of the day you will be driving back in Ratt's very well air conditioned Corolla.Cost for Ratt will be ~$40-$45USD with petrol. I suggest you use her for the day and when your back in Bangkok have lunch, she will wait or come back when you request, and have her take you shopping until 6-6:30PM. Total cost will be no more than 3000-3300 Baht or ~$85. Also, she tries to get full day travelers (10-11 hours defines a full day). We used her for 4 and 1/2 days ($425 USD with a very good tip) and several days were 11-12 hours with waiting while we ate or got clothing fittings. She only charges petrol on trips more than 10 miles or more out of town and for you that would be the trip to the Floating Market.A substitute for shopping is the Grand Palace but it will be hot but very interesting. Since Ratt is not a licenced guide but knows a ton of info she gives you to one of the better guides at the palace. I think the guide cost us $4-$5/person. They are well informed with excellent English. Ratt's English is o'k. If she would talk slower, we told her often it was not a problem. Besides she is super helpful.

i ahve a restaurant listing is you are interested: [email protected]

just ask and i will send it to you

the jim thompson house is a must visit, imo...

the grand palace of course and across the river the wat arun...

many of us like a klong tour or thornburi....it is via long tail boat...cost about 400-500B per hour...the hotel can arrange for a boat to pick you up at the marriott, just ask the bell captain...he will call for you...allow about 2-3 hours for this...very leisurely...do it in the afternoon....the boat will have a tarp overhead..

again i will say, consider having a car from the hotel or ratt or tong or cherry take you to the floating market...so much more comfortable...

cherry can be reached at:

[email protected]

she is a friend and will treat you right...she is a licensed guide...

personally i would skip rose garden...and yes you will be very tired after a flight from toronto...i plan usually to spend the first day at the pool...

Thank you so much to all who replied. I'm finding everything very helpful. It looks like Tongue Thai is a must! Will we find the heat and humidity in Bangkok quite high in Jan.? I was under the impression that it should be a little better at that time of the year.

bkk is said by many to be the hottest city in the world...not sure if that is true, but 365 days per year it is very hot and humid....dress for it...loose fitting cotton clothing...it will still be very hot....having said that, last year in december they had unusually cool weather so you never know....but plan on it being hot....you would only need a sweater to ward off the a/c

The International Meterological Society stated that BK was the hottest city in the world. Happy Travels!