Grand Palace
Jul 10th, 2008, 07:15 PM
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Grand Palace
First of all, thank you so much for sharing all of your experiences & knowledge of thailand, it has been so helpful as my boyfriend and I plan our upcoming trip (now coming up *very* soon - we leave on Sunday!)
we are traveling on the Amazing Thailand trip with SmarTours and as I mentioned in another post, just finishing up the last few details of our "free time" itinerary.
One of the optional tours we can sign up for with SmarTours is a tour of the Grand Palace (for $35 per person). We had planned to go ahead and sign up for it since we know we want to go there anyways. However, after reading all of your comments I am having second thoughts. Many posts here suggested that the SmarTours version is way overpriced and not worth it when you can easily do the same thing on your own, however some posters made it sound like the Grand Palace was too overwhelming without a guide of some kind. So which of the three options would you recommend? 1. Go on the SmarTours guided tour (our guide for the entire trip is Ms. Ketsara, if that helps at all, I think some other fodorites had her as a guide in years past) 2. Go by ourselves (at 8:30am when they open, ignoring any touts who say otherwise
) and use our many guidebooks as our guide or 3. sign up for some other kind of tour/hire a guide at the palace.
if #3, are there recommendations for where/how to find a guide for the tour?
Thanks very much for your help!
we are traveling on the Amazing Thailand trip with SmarTours and as I mentioned in another post, just finishing up the last few details of our "free time" itinerary.
One of the optional tours we can sign up for with SmarTours is a tour of the Grand Palace (for $35 per person). We had planned to go ahead and sign up for it since we know we want to go there anyways. However, after reading all of your comments I am having second thoughts. Many posts here suggested that the SmarTours version is way overpriced and not worth it when you can easily do the same thing on your own, however some posters made it sound like the Grand Palace was too overwhelming without a guide of some kind. So which of the three options would you recommend? 1. Go on the SmarTours guided tour (our guide for the entire trip is Ms. Ketsara, if that helps at all, I think some other fodorites had her as a guide in years past) 2. Go by ourselves (at 8:30am when they open, ignoring any touts who say otherwise
) and use our many guidebooks as our guide or 3. sign up for some other kind of tour/hire a guide at the palace.if #3, are there recommendations for where/how to find a guide for the tour?
Thanks very much for your help!
Jul 10th, 2008, 08:15 PM
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No question - Smartours is WAY overpriced.
Go to the Grand Palace at 8:30, as you said. Right inside (just after you pay your admission fee) there are official guides. They will usually ask if you want a guide. If you do, say so. It's quite inexpensive, one of the regulars here who lives in Bangkok can probably give you the exact price. Or, you can use one of your many guidebooks. For a first time visitor to Thailand and the Grand Palace, an official guide is probably a good idea.
Go to the Grand Palace at 8:30, as you said. Right inside (just after you pay your admission fee) there are official guides. They will usually ask if you want a guide. If you do, say so. It's quite inexpensive, one of the regulars here who lives in Bangkok can probably give you the exact price. Or, you can use one of your many guidebooks. For a first time visitor to Thailand and the Grand Palace, an official guide is probably a good idea.
Jul 10th, 2008, 08:46 PM
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frankly i like to go and just look...i don't want to clutter my mind with all the facts the first time....hire a guide at the front door to assist you if you want to know the info....don't try to look and read the book at the same time...
enjoy it....for what it is...
the entrance fee has just been raised to about $15....its worth that and more....there is cold water near the exit which you will need...
from there you can walk to wat pho also and you can also take a ride on the chao payra ferry...that will take you to the sky train....just for orientation....exit from the palace, turn to your left and walk to the end...that is where the ferry pier is...
enjoy it....for what it is...
the entrance fee has just been raised to about $15....its worth that and more....there is cold water near the exit which you will need...
from there you can walk to wat pho also and you can also take a ride on the chao payra ferry...that will take you to the sky train....just for orientation....exit from the palace, turn to your left and walk to the end...that is where the ferry pier is...
Jul 10th, 2008, 08:49 PM
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not far from there is the coconut palm restaurant which is a real treat....394/3-5 maharaj rd...tong took us there....its reasonable and very good thai food....probably easy to get a taxi there also...
if you are in a taxi ask him to call for directions: 02 622 2246
also go to the throne hall near to the zoo for the special thai exhibit....you will be the only one in your group to do that
if you are in a taxi ask him to call for directions: 02 622 2246
also go to the throne hall near to the zoo for the special thai exhibit....you will be the only one in your group to do that
Jul 11th, 2008, 04:19 AM
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Bob
I have to say that your suggestion of just going on your own the first time is probably a good one. It took me 11 trips to Bangkok to finally get to the Grand Palace. It was with friends (one was a first-timer to Bangkok) so I went along with them for a look. We were there about an hour, and then walked over to Wat Pho.
I think it would have been good to take the time to read a bit about the place first, and then wander at ease, looking here and there, at whatever was of interest to me. In any case, I was in awe of the beauty of the place!
The second time was with a guide. Slower pace, but not overkill; I'm not a big museum go-er or sight see-er. For me, the best part of travel is "being there" and breathing the air, smelling the smells, tasting the tastes, hearing the sounds, and mingling with the people!
If jclizzzard is like the rest of us, she will want to return to Bangkok and other parts of Thailand and can take more in-depth tours if so desired.
Carol
I have to say that your suggestion of just going on your own the first time is probably a good one. It took me 11 trips to Bangkok to finally get to the Grand Palace. It was with friends (one was a first-timer to Bangkok) so I went along with them for a look. We were there about an hour, and then walked over to Wat Pho.
I think it would have been good to take the time to read a bit about the place first, and then wander at ease, looking here and there, at whatever was of interest to me. In any case, I was in awe of the beauty of the place!
The second time was with a guide. Slower pace, but not overkill; I'm not a big museum go-er or sight see-er. For me, the best part of travel is "being there" and breathing the air, smelling the smells, tasting the tastes, hearing the sounds, and mingling with the people!
If jclizzzard is like the rest of us, she will want to return to Bangkok and other parts of Thailand and can take more in-depth tours if so desired.
Carol
Jul 11th, 2008, 07:42 AM
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part of the question about hiring a guide is related to my boyfriend's experience at the taj mahal in India - his family was hounded constantly by guides waiting around outside, until finally they hired one just to get all the others to back off. he ended up being a great guide and it was worth it, but we wondered if there would be a similar atmosphere here.
we are both museum fans, and I personally tend to enjoy guided tours because I learn so much more than I would on my own. then again, we will have plenty of that during the rest of the trip with our ST guide.
One advantage of doing the tour with ST is that all the transportation is included. How would you recommend getting to the palace from the Victory Monument skytrain station if we go on our own?
I think we will go on our own because the ST trip is in the afternoon and I would rather go early and then have my grand palace ticket for free entry into the other museums we want to see.
as a side note - we will be going on the included tour with ST our first morning (tuesday) to Wat Trimitr, Wat Po, and the White Marble Temple. I think we will go to the Grand Palace on Wednesday morning. We basically have Tuesday afternoon, all of Wednesday, and all of Thursday on our own in Bangkok before we start the drive north.
we are both museum fans, and I personally tend to enjoy guided tours because I learn so much more than I would on my own. then again, we will have plenty of that during the rest of the trip with our ST guide.
One advantage of doing the tour with ST is that all the transportation is included. How would you recommend getting to the palace from the Victory Monument skytrain station if we go on our own?
I think we will go on our own because the ST trip is in the afternoon and I would rather go early and then have my grand palace ticket for free entry into the other museums we want to see.
as a side note - we will be going on the included tour with ST our first morning (tuesday) to Wat Trimitr, Wat Po, and the White Marble Temple. I think we will go to the Grand Palace on Wednesday morning. We basically have Tuesday afternoon, all of Wednesday, and all of Thursday on our own in Bangkok before we start the drive north.
Jul 24th, 2008, 10:15 AM
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I'm finding it hard to believe that any organized tour of Bangkok would not include the Grand Palace, but..having said that, for a lot less than $70 you can hire an excellent English speaking guide for an entire day. As all here will atest the two most recommended are either Tong or Tan. If you do a search of this board you will find contact info for both.
Ooops...just realized that its probably too late to advise the OP, but will post this anyway for others.
Ooops...just realized that its probably too late to advise the OP, but will post this anyway for others.
Jul 24th, 2008, 12:18 PM
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We were in BKK last year (november end) and did not get a guide. When we got to the Grand Palace, there was an official tour (free) that we took. It think there are 2-3 FREE official tours. Ours was the first one in the day - 10 AM.
We bought our tickets (9 am), got in (9:20 am). Just as you enter on the right we saw a desk with a sign: Official tour: 10AM. We asked if we had to pay and the person at the desk said its free. So we had a really amazing tour with a great English speaking guide.
hth.
We bought our tickets (9 am), got in (9:20 am). Just as you enter on the right we saw a desk with a sign: Official tour: 10AM. We asked if we had to pay and the person at the desk said its free. So we had a really amazing tour with a great English speaking guide.
hth.
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