cram

My wife and me are preparing a trip to Myanmar, end Oct - mid Nov. We fly into Bangkok at 9:20 and connect to Yangon at 18:00. Similar scenario on the return trip, arriving in Bangkok at 9:15 and travelling on at 18:25. Never been in Bangkok or Thailand. So, what can we do? Does it make sense to try and go into Bangkok, and if yes, can we get rid of luggage, etc in a locker, in between the two flights (no thru-checking of suitcases possible because two separate airline tickets? How long does it take to get into town and to come back to the airport? Or should we simply forget about using our transits and take a day room in the Airport?

Marilyn

Getting into Bangkok is definitely doable. Here is what I suggest:

1. Check your luggage at the left luggage counter at the airport.

2. Get a taxi directly to wherever you want to go. Be sure to tell the taxi you want to go via the express toll road. If there is traffic, this will make a huge difference in your travel time, and the extra cost is only US$1-2.
It shouldn't take any longer than 30-40 minutes to get into Bangkok from the airport.

You should have a good 4-5 hours in town.

My top suggestions for things to see include the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. You might want to read up a little on Bangkok to decide what you want to see or do.

Lyndie

I believe that if you leave the transit area you'll need to pay 500 baht each departure tax when you return for your Yangon flight. This may not worry you. If not you could get a taxi (80 baht) from the departure area upstairs (cheaper taxis) and go to Future Park shopping centre at Rangsit. This is SE Asia's largest shopping centre and we loved it. Thais shop here, not tourists, so we had a great time with not one other tourist in site all afternoon. Great bargains in electronics, phones, CD's, clothes, souvenirs etc. Not as cheap as markets but air conditioned & great cafes, restaurants & bars to relax in. I would save my Wat & Grand Palace visit etc for the return trip as you'll have had a taste of Thailand and maybe be a bit more relaxed than on the way in. You could even take a day room at Asia Airport hotel and have a shower etc. Good luck.

rhkkmk

both of these are good ideas....it largely depends on where you are flying in from...if it is europe or usa you will be quite tired on arrival and may just want to go to someplace like the rama gardens hotel and get a day room: swim and have a decent meal and then return to the airport...
on the reutrn then i would definately go into town and have a nice meal or go to grand palace and/or take a trip on the river or go to MBK for some shopping...

Marilyn

Good point, rhkkmk!

orgy7

sometimes it's not about being tired but smelling/ feeling kind of funky after sitting and not showering for 30 hours in transit, well at least from northeast USA..

the rangsit mall suggestion sounds pretty good.. but the 80 baht price dosn't seem correct rangsit is just a couple of miles north, but maybe the taxi has too go out of it's way do too the fact that exits are far between..

but you should definatly check out the palace..

what ariline are you taking and does it offer free layover. this may make things easier.

cram

We are flying in from Abu Dhabi, UAE, 6 hours flight. So that is not too bad and we should not be too tired. Maybe an easy going programme in town on our transit from the UAE to Myanmar, and something more substantial during the second transit on our way back. City apparently more easily accessible than what I thought. It's also good to know that we can leave our luggage behind in the airport, thks Marilyn for the hint. Thks for all suggestions of sightseeing we can do. I'll buy myself a good guide on Bangkok. We will probably not go to shopping malls, got plenty of that in the UAE.

rhkkmk

you might want to hire a driver/guide...i have used the woman referred to as Ratt....she is very reliable....do a search by her name on fodors....lots has been written about her....she would pick you up at the airport and return you there in time for your flights....

the grand palace would be a good destination as would jim thompson's house....there are several wats to visit as well....

dim sum for a lovely luncheon would be nice at the conrad hotel in its central location (3rd floor restaurant)...

orgy7

what ever ya do be carefull with the trific on the weekdays rush hour starts at 3pm and gets worse by the hour till it's peak at 7pm

Guenmai

I would go straight to the Grand Palace and afterwards take the boat up to the River City Mall...next to the Royal Orchid Hotel...shop...then eat at the Royal Orchid Hotel...the food is quite good there...and then get a taxi from the hotel to go back to the airport. Happy Travels!

Cicerone

1. First check to confirm that you cannot check your luggage all the way through. Just because you are flying different airlines does NOT mean you can't check bags through. When you check in Dubai for the Bangkok flight, show the clerk your ticket for the connecting flight, and he should be able to check your bags through. Not sure what airline you are flying from Bangkok to Yangon, but if there is any chance they have a counter at Dubai airport (or a code share partner that could issue boarding passes), I would go to them and try to get boarding passes for the Bangkok-Yangon portion as well. This will save you a lot of time.

2. If you can't check luggage through, then as soon as you collect your bags, I would try to check in for the Yangon flight. You can usually do this up to 10-18 hours in advance. Call the airline and/or check the website for the Bangkok airport at http://www.airportthai.co.th/airportnew/bia. This will take the pressure off you to get back to the airport and face the check-in line for your flight. (You have to screen your own bags before getting into the check-in area, which can add considerable time if you are not flying business class.)

3. I agree that with your limited time, it may make the most sense to have a driver waiting for you to take you to the Grand Palace or another site of your choice. If you are arriving and departing on a Sunday, you will have much less traffic. Other days, on a good day without an accident, IMO it would take about an hour to get to or from the airport and a point on the river in the vicinity of the Grand Palace. I would also have a ride arranged for the return, perhaps you can pick a hotel as a meeting point. I estimate you have about 5 hours maximum.

4. According to the airport website, if your transit is less than 12 hours, you can get an exemption for the departure tax. Take a look at the website for details.