My husband and I have been travelling in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos for the last 6 weeks and are now in Thailand for only two weeks. We will be in Bangkok for two nights/ 2 full days and would like to hear ideas of highlights there. We are thinking a 1 day cooking class and perhaps a visit to Chinatown and the big shopping center.we are rather temples out. Especially if anyone has done a great cooking class here, we would love to hear about it.
Any advice?

Thanks

I loved Chinatown - great food, even more hustle and bustle than the rest of the city (if that's possible), cheapest foot massages in BKK, some smart bars with a 20s Shanghai vibe, and lots of great photo ops.

Also consider the klongs (canals) for a quieter contrast.

I have a TR for BKK if you click on my ID.

Blue Elephant Cooking School is one of the oldest in the city and runs half and one day courses. I would also check with your own hotel as many can offer cooking classes, either formal or informal, which can be just as good.

A couple of hours on a private long tail boat around the klongs of Thonburi, on the southern banks of the Chayo Praya river provides and insight into another side of Bangkok life

Chinatown is both manic and wonderful. Maybe visit the flower market there, sample som dim sum or roast duck. For a great and original souvenir, seek out the "Monks Bowl Village”

i never niss a visit to Bangkok without a few massages at Wat P.O. massage school, in a side street next to the Wat.

Riding the public river boat from Saphin Taksin to the end of the line is a great way to see the city sight in the relative cool of the river.

Thanks so much RM 67 and Crellston for your advice. This sounds perfect for us.

Crellston - you have helped us a lot of on latest travels. Do you work for / with Fodors?

cheers,
Tanya

A bike tour? There are several companies that offer interesting tours around Bangkok. I did a tour which included Chinatown, biking along canals, and taking a boat ride. A bit long but fun.

Thanks bigchi ! We will consider that. We had not thought of biking in such a big city.

You are very welcome Tany. Happy I could help.

No, I don’t work for or with Fodors - although I am open to offers should the editors read this . We just travel a lot. I forgot to add that klong tours by long tail boat can be picked up from Satorn Pier or virtually any of the main piers along the river.

Thanks again crellston. Good for you that you travel so much. I wonder if you are young or old like us( and young at heart )

If you will be there over the weekend, check out the Chatuchak weekend market. You can get there via the rail system in Bangkok - a lot of fun to walk around.

Thanks donnahelene ,
We were there on the weekend and really enjoyed the market.

Crellston,
We took your advice and did a private long tail boat tour of the longs and loved it. So pleased you suggested it as we had not thought of t before. We also visited Chinatown on Chinese New Years which was chaotic, colorful and fun.

Thanks again,
Tanya

Glad you enjoyed it Tanya.

re the age question; with a screen name hurryGIRL you can’t possibly be old ! age is a state of mind. mine tells me I am still 27, my body has very different ideas!

Crellston,

Funny but my screen name comes from my maiden name” Hurry” but i thought it was a catchy one

I think I am too late but consider having clothing made for you. I brought home almost ten dresses, most of them bespoke. Gorgeous.

Flygirl,- where did you get the clothes made? We had used someone by the Oriental hotel multiple times, but the last time didn't work out so well. Thanks.

Hi

I am trying to remember. I stayed at the Shangri La and I recall my first visit I had the driver drop me off and I walked home afterwards. The seamstress was in a very nice, small, boutique kind of mall and her shop came highly recommended to me by someone on Fodors who dresses very well. I think the Fodorite was Guenmai but now I can't recall for sure.

If you do a search on my name and Bangkok it may come up. I will poke around and see if I can remember it.

That was easy, I was right, my name and Bangkok - search terms. My report was near the top.

It is called Cotton House.

And here is a link about it

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...e-Bangkok.html

Thanks. I've used Cotton House in previous trips. One experience wasn't so good, but other times they were fine. Will give them a visit again next time we are in Bangkok.

Flygirl: Yep, the recommendation was Cotton House and it was from me. I have been having clothing made there for well over a decade and had pieces done on this last trip. I always take in my own fabric although they sell fabric there. But, my fabric is very different from what they carry.

I also had a great outfit (top/skirt) made for the 12-year-old daughter of one of my best friends. I went with the child's measurements and fabric and worked with the design of the outfit and oversaw the process. It came out great and fit perfectly and the child was thrilled when she received it in the mail.

The owner of Cotton House e-mailed me, about a month or so ago, and said to e-mail her before I get back to Bangkok as she is thinking of moving her shop. I have no idea as to where she is thinking of moving it, but I really hope it's in an area with easy access to a sky train station. But, one reason she has stayed where she is currently located is that she mentioned that it's close to the fabric suppliers.

Happy Travels!