jarand

We will spend 2 1/2 days in Bangkok in April as a first leg on a 5 week Thailand and China trip. We arrive in the wee hours of the morning on a Saturday, so we may not be up to an early start that day. Sunday would be our main touring day, and we'd have just a few hours Monday morning before we fly on.

I'd really welcome suggestions to help us plan a schedule that considers the heat. We are 60, and will definitely want to see some of the architecture and cultural sites (ie Wat Pho, Emerald Buddah, Grand Palace...). Beyond that, we're very open. We won't be buying much but we like wandering through markets or malls, river boats, tours, authentic foods, and live entertainment.

We're looking at staying in the riverside area, either the Chatrium Riverside, Anantara, or Shangri-la. Suggestions on those three?

Thanks. I appreciate your help!

KirkLikeCaptain

Hi! Considering location by the river and heat, I would suggest riding a river boat taxi (from the nearby boat launch/BTS Skytrain stop Saphan Taksin?) to see Wat Pho and then walk or hire a Tuk Tuk to take you to the Royal Palace and Wat Phrakaew. When seeing temples, mind the rules on exposed shoulders and shorts. Being Sunday, traffic shouldn't be terrible...or it will because traffic in Bangkok is always terrible...so you can hire a taxi (available ones have red lights in the front window) to drive to see the Jim Thompson House. From there, you can walk to the National Stadium BTS Skytrain station to take the BTS back to Saphan Taksin station and then a Tuk Tuk or taxi back to your hotel. If you feel up to it, from National Stadium, you can also walk to the Bangkok Art and Cultural Center to get out of the heat or walk down Sukhumvit Road to the many high-end malls like Central World to get some food and much needed AC. Good luck!

KirkLikeCaptain

...Also, if you have the whole day Sunday free, I'd suggest hiring a car through your hotel (or hire a taxi driver for the day for maybe 2500 baht) to take you to Ayutthaya. It's an hour North of Bangkok and is an amazing day full of Wat's (Temples) and ancient ruins. Hot but worth the day.

crellston

Of the three places you mention, we have stayed at the Anantara and the Shangri La and both are great choices although, on balance I preferred the Ananatara. It is a little further out than the SL but the 15 minute "commute" by hotel boat to Saphin Taksin pier for the river taxis and sky train is a great way to start and end the day.

The Grand Palace and Wat Po can easily be reached by public boat from Saphin Taksin pier and I would suggest getting an early boat to Ta Tien pier which is close to Wat Po but then getting a cross river ferry to Wat Arun (dawn is a great time!). Ferry back to Ta Tien and then walk along to the Grand Palace for opening ( I think at 8 am) to avoid the crowds and excruciating heat later in the day. Walk back to Wat Po with maybe a massage at the school there. That is probably going to take the best part of the morning.

Maybe then take lunch in Chinatown via the river again getting off at Ratchawong Pier to take a look around the general and flower markets and Wat Traimit, an remarkable temple, but it does house the 5 1/2 ton Golden Buddha. Then head back to the river to rent a boat for a tour of the klongs which generally takes a couple of hours.

It will be very very hot in April, so I think that would be plenty for one day!

needmorevacation

I'm going to be in Bangkok the first week of April and have been doing tons of research. I think I'll be staying at the Shangri-La, for the location mostly. (Looked at the Pen across the river, but their prices have gone up - and SL's down- since the first time I looked)- Next to the pier and a BTS station, so easy to get many places.
Since you mentioned markets, and you'll be there on the weekend, maybe take the BTS to the JJ market.

LancasterLad

You won't enjoy the BTS during the am and pm peak periods. Plan around them.

HappyTrvlr

We highly recommend the ShangriLa. The service was excellwnt and the views from our room on tne concierge floor was magical at night,and so knteresting in tne daytime. Criends were staying at The Peninsula at the time and wished thay were at the ShangriLa with us.

yestravel

We loved the Peninsula, but it is pricey. We got a very good deal during Operation Shutdown 2 years ago. We also stayed at the Chatrium Riverside and its very reasonable and quite nice. We paid ~$100 per night for a 1 bedroom. We had great views up the river and their shuttle to Taksim runs frequently and takes maybe 5 minutes.

The Jim Thompson HOuse is one of my favorite places in BKK. Maybe on Saturday you could take the BTS and visit that. We took the BTS at all hours, rush and non rush and had no problems with it. It's an easy and great way to get around.

simpsonc510

I agree the BTS is the best way to get around! And yes, it gets VERY crowded during rush hours. You can probably squeeze in for standing room. (think of the Tokyo subway with the "pushers" pushing passengers in before the doors close.....)

April is very hot, the hottest month. I'll be there the last two weeks of the month, but staying in a serviced apartment near ASOK BTS station, my preferred area.

MrsBillT

If you go to theJJ weekend market, try to go early in the morning as it gets really hot and humid in the market. Take the subway there instead of the BTS as it puts you right into the market whereas the BTS requires you to walk a few blocks. Take a carry bag for all the stuff you will buy and take cold water along as well. You can buy cold drinks There as well. Bargain for everything but be polite with a smile . Use this method for good results. Buy more than one of things you like. Ask them for the cost of an item. Then on a calculator show them the price you want to pay. For example you see an item that is 100 Baht. You pick up three of them and on your calculator you enter 240 for the three and show the vendor. He/she will take out their calculator and figure out for themselves and if they agree they will shake their head in agreement or display a counter offer. This method works well because you do not announce your price to the vendor thereby keeping the deal quiet so that other customers do not hear it. The vendor is more apt to go along this way. Also it cuts down on any language barrier. I have found that a 15 to 20 percent discount is a good rule of thumb, but of course it varies depending on the cost of the item.