Help! Looking for some advice from the expert Thailand Fodorites about what would be the best use of our time with Tong. Here are the details: Family of 4 with 2 older teens and first time to Bangkok at Christmas time. I have 2 days reserved - one is the day after we first arrive and the 2nd is actually with one of her colleagues on Sat, Jan 2 when we come back to Bangkok. Originally I wanted to do the run around Bangkok for the first day (to get oriented and also because we are staying at the JW Marriott) for one day and then getting out of town for the floating market/tiger temple during the New Year's holiday (also we are staying further out when we come back and it seems as if it would be easier from a traffice perspective). But 1) Tong is only personally available when we first get to Bangkok and 2) she thought that seeing the temples, etc would be more interesting during the festivities (so doing that with her colleague). right now we have it set up with her recommendations, but now I get the feeling that people are not as enthused about the tiger temple. I know that Tong will work with whatever we want, and I am really happy that I was able to reserve the time with her. But I guess I am looking for some opinions - should I change what we are going to do? I think the main problem is that there is not enough time to do everything that I want to do (I have already started telling my husband that we have to come back to Thailand so that we can do/see all of these other things that we won't get to fit in this time and we haven't even been there yet!)
so any thoughts would be much appreciated. sorry, this sounds kind of convoluted.

I hardly qualify as an expert, as I've only been once, but here are my thoughts based on our experiences with Tong last year.

Are you at all interested in her fishing village trip? We did that with her, as well as a day trip to the floating market and tiger temple. We enjoyed both, but the former ranks among my most memorable travel experiences anywhere. It is also an easier day. The floating market/tiger temple trip was a very long day, with a lot of driving time--probably about 7am-9pm, as we hit bad traffic back into Bangkok. I mention this as you've said it is the day after you arrive (from where?). I'm not sure I would have held up for that very well on our first day; for us, it was about three days into our trip (from the US), after we'd adjusted to the time difference, climate, etc.

If this was my trip, I'd probably go to the railroad market and fishing village with Tong on day one (there might even be time for one of the temples in Bangkok afterward?, as I think we were back around 2pm), and the floating market and tiger temple later in the trip. We found getting around in the city to be pretty easy on our own, without any formal orientation.

I hear you on the "not enough time to do everything I want." The good news is you'll have a great and memorable time with Tong, whatever you decide to do.

I would usew Tong on the first day to visit the Fishing Village and Floating Market. This will be a great day and you will get Tong really well. the second day with her staff, I would do the usual BKK stuff.

Here is what I did with Tong on my one day with her.
She met me at the hotel: Sheraton on the river, we headed out of town and stopped for bananas and mangos. Then to the Train Market (what a hoot) and she timed it when a train is due in. Really amazing to see. Then we went to the floating market where she chose different foods for me to try and at was all quite delicious. Then, we were lucky and continued a little more on another section of the river, and just enjoyed floating along the now quiet river through the jungle. After the floating market we went to a wood working shop/store. Then the best to come ........ We went out on a river in a boat toward the sea to see the fisherman's village. On the way we stopped to feed several groups of monkeys (turns out, that is why we stopped for bananas and mangos) Tong absolutely loves those monkeys In the area right where the river meets the sea we went right through a huge flock of birds (probably a type of seagul) We were completely enveloped by these birds, it was awesome. We looked at the fish farms for a while and then stopped to eat our lunch at at special little place on stilts (lunch was pre-ordered and Tong brought it with us in the boat) Then it was time to head back to the car and return to Bangkok, which was about an hour and a half drive. It was an absolutely perfect day for me, Tong was so much fun and have everything extremely well planned and executed. If I could have had another day with her I would probably have done the Tiger temple and activities in that direction. It was a completely full day. I had done the temples and all in the "city" things the day before with another guide. A day with Tong will be unforgettable!

So it sounds like the fishing village - special place is a more worthwhile experience than the tiger temple. I had read so much about the tiger temple in earlier posts that I was really excited (and had gotten my family excited too) about going. But the more recent posts about the tiger temple seem to be more and more concerning - more commercial and exploitative. Can anyone comment about this or the elephant ride/bath? We won't get to go to Chiang Mai this time around.

And thank you to those who have already replied to my question - I think I might change plans, but will talk it over with Tong first.

The day with Tong at the Train market, Floating Market and Fishing Village will be very special for you and your children. It will be magical. You won't want the day to end.

I agree with gpanda and the others. go to the floating market and fishing village with Tong.

me too, its a great day