Shari

My husband and I are flying from LAX to Australia. I am not looking forward to the long flight. Recently, we found out that we could break it up by flying to Bangkok and spending two days there. Would this be worth it? What is there to do in Bangkok for two days? Neither one of us has ever been to Asia. Would this be a great first time taste?

Thanks so much!

Zambezi

Do it! Bangkok is a fascinating city full of history and sensuality. You could easily spend a week there, especially if you took day trips. There is the river, first of all, and a ride along it aboard the ferries that the locals ride will give you views of temples and palaces. Then, there are the temples and palaces themselves. You have a wide range of options with regard to accommodations and dining. I would stay along the river, if not at the Oriental or the Peninsula, at, I believe, it's the Marriott, which is right up the river from the Oriental. (Check some of the postings on this site.) Transportation, while hectic, is easily available. ZZ

BillT

I'm not sure that is a good plan- first of all you will be jet lagged for a day or so arriving in BKK. I would just go straight to Australia. BKK is worth a separate trip altogether. You won't get to do much in 2 days especially with the jet lag.

Shari

Thank you. I am hoping I get more responses. I am not worried about jet lag. I am used to racing around countries like a zombie!

Guenmai

I TOTALLY agree with Bill on this one. I live in L.A. County and have flown from L.A. to Australia and quite a few times from L.A. to Bangkok. Bangkok is a fantastic city which I absolutely adore,BUT I would just fly straight to Australia...or...if you go on United...the routing is L.A.-Auckland-Australia. I've done this one as I have friends who live on the South Island of New Zealand and I ususally use one of the free stopovers to get off in Auckland and then fly down and visit them first and then back up to Auckland and on to Australia. You could get off in Auckland and do two days there...which would be very manageable and then fly on to Australia. But, two days in Bangkok would be exhausting. Save Bangkok and Thailand for a separate vacation. Hope this has helped. HAppy Travels!

Shari

Thank you. We are doing Australia and New Zealand already, so Bangkok was the other spot to hit. I think we will wait. We will be in Australia and NZ for a month. I guess I am pushing it a bit.

JannaG

If I were in your shoes, I may just throw in the 2 nights in BKK if it was at the END of my trip. It'd be like a little extra bonus or an unusual epilogue kind of experience. But that's only me

BillT

Shari- you say you are used to jet lag but you also say this is your first trip to Asia- have you flown thru so many time zones before? If not- you may be surprised how much jet lag you will need to deal with.

Guenmai

Plus...you have to deal with the heat of Bangkok. If it doesn't bother you, then OK. I adjust quite quickly to it, but some don't. If you don't, then it will be difficult to rush around in it. The heat will slow you down. Plus what month are you going in? If it's a month when it's cold in New Zealand ( and NZ can get REAL cold)/Australia and then you want to go to HOT Bangkok, then you have to pack two different types of clothing. When I travel to various places, on the same trip, I try keeping them in the same "weather clothing" zones. It's just makes it a lot easier to pack. Happy Travels!

lcuy

I say go for it! I never find jet lag to be a problem heading west...I wait till I get home, then succomb to it!

The key is to make things easy and don't plan too much. Either stay on the river or right by a skytrain station so that transportation will be fast and easy. Use taxis to finish the route when the skystrain doesn't take you all the ways- they are very cheap, especially if you insist that they use their meter. The sky train is waaay faster for the main travel.

You could go to the Grand Palace and Wat Po on one day, making sure you get a massage at the royal massage school on the grounds of Wat Po.

The other day, you could tour the Jim Thompson house and have lunch there, shop at Nari Phand -the government craft store. It's air conditioned, so more relaxing and selection and prices are good.

Have a nice thai dinner after going back for a swim or afternoon nap at your hotel.

The other option is to sign up for a bike tour-- the activity will get your body going and combat the jet lag.

Unless you stay at the Oriental, the trip will cost less than your days in Aus and add a whole different (exciting)element to your trip.

althom1122

I cannot imagine flying all that way, having the opportunity to stop for two days in Bangkok and passing because of jet lag and heat! If you are likely to go back soon, that's one thing. But if not, I can't comprehend how you could possibly miss this opportunity! This is NOT the voice of experience speaking (I haven't been to Thailand), but for that reason alone, if I were you, I'd be salivating for a stop in Bangkok - jet-lagged or not. Good luck with whatever you decide!

laurieco

I would do it. I've flown from NY to Australia on 5 seperate occasions, which is much farther than from LAX. In fact, each time, I've had to go through either LAX or SF, adding another 8-10 hours onto the flight (including layover). Yes, there is some jet lag but I find it's not too bad going, it's far worse when coming home. The shortest time it took me to get to Sydney from NY was 22 hours but it's usually more like 24. Going from LA seems like a breeze to me! As althom said, unless you know you will be going to BKK in the very near future, don't miss this opportunity. You won't see everything in 2 days but you can see some of the highlights and get a feel for this fabulous city. Stay on the river (I prefer the Peninsula) and drink in the views and pulse of BKK. If you can add another night, you wouldn't regret it. This is the best city in the world imho, don't miss it!

Guenmai

If I were in the original poster's position and thought it would be my only chance ever to see Bnagkok, then I'd probably do it. But, if there's a chance...somewhere down life's...hopefully long road to do Bangkok at another time, then I'd do it then. As for the effect of jetlag on one's body, that's totally different from person to person. I can zip to Europe, on vacation,for 5 days and two countries, and then arrive home, sleep 5 hours and then get up and go to work the next morning with few problems. But, I personally have MUCH heavier jetlag flying to and from Southeast Asia. So the original poster will have to figure that one out for herself and what's normal for her body.After all who wants to be wiped out or sick on vacation...then what's the point of a vacation? Happy Travels!

BillT

Guen is right- jet lag to Asia is quite a different story and throw in the heat and humidity of BKK and time of arrival and then departure- I can't really beieve those two days will really be beneficial. My advice again is don't do it- go straight to Australia.

glorialf

I would also go straight to Australia unless you think that you will never get to Thailand if you don't stop now. Thailand is my favorite country in the world and Bangkok one of my favorite cities. But two days there (especially when you are jet lagged for at least one of them) doesn't do it justice. On the other hand, if you want to stop someplace just to veg out and relax for two days, do it and stay at one of the luxury hotels (I prefer the Oriental) on the river. You'll be treated better than you've ever been treated in your life.

althom1122

I can't resist chiming in again.
To say don't do it if maybe at some point in your life you might be able to go again seems to be to be so iffy -and, well, wimpy, wallflower-like! There are no guarantees in life. I say GO FOR IT while you can! Life is very short and I know too many people who have postponed a special life opportunity thinking they might do it later... and then NEVER do it later for one reason or another. How very sad. In my own experience, I tend to regret things I've NOT done much more than things I HAVE done. But it does depend on your own personality. I couldn't stand to miss it! Sure this trip won't do Bangkok justice - but you WILL get a glimpse and isn't a glimpse of Bangkok better than none - or of the hope that maybe you'll get back someday? How adventuresome are you? How eager to see new things? Again, it all depends on your personality. Good luck. (And enjoy Australia whatever you decide to do about Bangkok!)

althom1122

And one more thing - I think part of it depends on your health, age, and energy level. If you're elderly and tire easily, I might have a different take than if you're in your 30s and bursting with energy.
Karen

glorialf

Now the perfect solution in my opinion would be to take 3 days out of your Australia stay, spend 5 days in bangkok and then to to Australia.

hollygirl

I flew to Sydney on United,it left San Francisco at 11PM so we were able to sleep until 7AM, is was so nice. There was no one in the seat next to me and the attendants were wonderful.

I don't think you'll have any problem with that long of a flight if you do leave in the evening.

As another poster sai,d jet lag is bad so maybe not a good idea to lay over for a couple of days and expect a great time. I just needed as couple of days in Sydney to somewhat recover, never did fully, then was able to enjoy myself.

Holly

Guenmai

Althom....as for age, I'm in my 40s and with a very high energy level and have been zipping around the world,alone, annually since I was 17. So, it's nothing "wimpy" to me if I (and others) think it's a not grand idea to do the two days in Bangkok that the original poster is talking about. I personally am not one who can sleep on a plane...period...so I'm up the ENTIRE time of the flight. Plus, I usually leave the day after I have finished my high stress job...so personally for me I'm real wiped out before I leave home and then have to go without hours of sleep and different time zones until I finally see my hotel room bed. Maybe others can get on a flight relaxed and sleep the whole time...more power to them. The original poster knows her own body and her before-departure situation and will of course have to decide for herself. But since she has not been to Southeast Asia,which for me is different than traveling to many other overseas destinations...6:00AM departures etc...then I think it's good that she got other's opinions. The solution to this would be to chop some days off of her month-long trip to N.Z./Australia and give Bangkok five full days. Happy Travels!