hi all, looking for a little advice on how to tackle our first few days in BKK. We arrive at 4pm and then have 2 full days and nights before venturing south. We return for another 3-4 days at the end of our trip.
So, I'm wondering what to fit in those first few days (mostly what makes geographical sense) knowing that we will return so don't have to do it all. We are staying at Sukhimvit Sheraton on the first leg (and on the river for the 2nd). Here are things I have in mind:
Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha,Wat Po (and massage), klong tour. Visit tailor on Sukhimvit (rajwongse) so my bf can get a fitting and SJ Jewelers (for me!). Maybe squeeze in another Wat if it's right by Palace area.
Nighttime-some great meal combined with night market or maybe a walk around Patong.
Jim Thompson if it's feasible, otherwise leave this towards end of trip.

Is this too much for 2 days and what's best way to organize it so we aren't running around the city (what's near each other).
Thanks so much !!

A couple of suggestions, jacqui. SInce you are staying at the Sheraton on Sukhumvit at the beginning, leave the Grand Palace/Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Wat Po for your second stay along the river. It's so easy to get there on the water taxis, don't bother doing on your first stay (even though they are all unmissable).

You'll be tired as you've just arrived (from NY, I thinl), so be nice to yourselves. Maybe get a massage the first evening. Don't try for a fancy dinner the first night.

Visit the tailor first thing on your first full day there. You'll want to call SJ for pick-up sometime on your first or second day - I always get there when it opens at 10:00. Visit the Jim Thompson House during your first stay. Wander around a bit, shop, and eat at some of the fine places on the Sois off Sukhumvit. (Face and Mahanaga are off Sukhumvit).

Slow down - you'll enjoy it more!

thanks kathie! the hardest part of planning is not really having a sense where things are in relation to one another!
Since the major sites seem so accessible for water taxi/on the river, is it not so beneficial to hire a driver for 1/2 a day to get between sites (as has been suggested many times on this board)? Thanks!

Everyone has their own preference on that jacqui. If you ask BillT, he'd say hire a driver. For me, I'd prefer to take the water taxi to the Grand Palace/Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Wat Po since they are all right there together. Then I can take a water taxi back to my hotel for a rest and lunch. Go to those sites as soon as they open (8:00 you can wander the grounds, 8:30 the Emerald Buddha opens), and then directly to Wat Po. As it approaches noon, it gets hotter, and I'd like to be back in air-conditioned comfort for a while at mid-day.

Yes I advocate getting someone like Ratt for a full day- its fairly cheap.
Lets see- you can go around by yourself in unairconditioned boats, or take taxis and hope that they- 1) turn the meter on and 2) know where to go and 3)don't take you for a ride so to speak. In the meantime if you went shopping you will be schlepping those bags around by yourself (up those skytrain stairs), probably get worn out in a few hours and need to head back to the hotel to shower and re-charge or.... by having Ratt you don't need to worry about getting to your venues. Ratt carries an umbrella over you as you walk thereby shielding you from the sun, will carry your bags and keep them in her trunk, and will drop you off in front of the venues and to some extent will explain some history about the places you visit. Also she knows when to go and what to see (like hitting the teak mansion at just the right time so that you catch the Thai dancers that perform only once a day. After each venue you are picked up right in front, given cold bottled water and towels to re-charge walla! You don't need to schlep back to the hotel tired and dragging- you actually see and do more.
Ok to each his own- we choose Ratt.

Bill, by your description, Ratt's the way to go. Looks like she's booked solid the week I'm going though. I see on other threads that some people use her other drivers or Julie's. Do Ratt's other drivers offer same services? Thanks for all the feeback from everyone by the way, it is such a big help.

i wouold not plan to do all that much the first two days...especially day one--not your arrival day but the next one---i would relax....have some swims....walk along sukhumvit....take the skytrain to the river...take a boat ride and maybe do you klong tour...do some mall shopping and have lunch at loft in central chitlom...more relaxing...have some great meals...

then i would pack my final days into to sightseeing....you will be far more relaxed and able to cope with the heat and sights....

Do a search on this forum for Julie's taxi. Bob offers excellent advice about that first day- I would get Julie for a full day (assuming she provides the same level of service) and pack a lot into your day. You can do quite a bit in a full day because you are always resting and recharging in the airconditoned car. Ten minutes in the car, with a towel and a cold bottle of water and you are ready to hit the temples/shops again!

I can't say that the same level of service would be delivered by Ratt's other drivers and based on some of the posts lately there have been some problems with Ratt's other drivers. Also some expected to get Ratt and wound up with one of her other drivers.
I think those that got Ratt in the past were spoiled!!!!
If you think Julie will work out- make sure you insist that it be Julie and not some substitute. Good luck, in any event having a driver at your disposal all day - you will get a lot more sight seeing in and not get so tired.

I used Julie Taxi for my trip to the Prasart. My driver was Emma, and she was excellent. She also took us to an antique store I wanted to visit that is out toward the airport. She is a driver, not a guide. She did not bring us cold water or umbrellas, just just drove - safely and efficiently, calling ahead for directions to the obscure places we wanted to go.

Julie Taxi is a different service from Ratt. And I've not heard of probelms with different drivers from Julie Taxi as we've heard about Ratt.

Julie Taxi sounds good, I guess the cold water and umbrellas aren't realllly necessary! What is Prasart?

Jacqui, read my Bangkok trip report posted a month ago. It's entitled Kathie's Bangkok Trip report. You can also look at photos of the Prasart as well as other phots of our trip (and a number of our trips) at www.marlandc.com

You likely won't have time for it this trip, but it's info for future trips...

Kathie, Do you know the days/hours that Prasart is open? Is it only week-ends? Do they have an e-mail address I can use to make a reservation or do I have to call? Thanks for any info. Also, I found an interesting website for unusual places to visit in BKK and it listed a centre for Khon Mask making and a centre for Thai musical instruments -- both in the area called Bangsue. Looked interesting. Has anyone heard of or visited either of these places?

You have to call and make an appointment ahead of time for the Prasart. Sorry, I don't remember which days they are generally open. The number is in the Nancy Chandler map book, and I had it from someplace else as well. I'm not at home thgis weekend, so I can't look it up. I think someone posted the phone number here recently, so you might try a search.

This is on a Thai Tourism web site for Prasart

Opening Hours: Museum
Thu-Sun 10 am-3 pm
Closed: Mon