Bangkok - Day Tours
Discussion
I rented a taxi and driver from Bangkok to the River Kwai and back in a day. It was the trip of a lifetime and I would do it again. Personally I would rather never see Bangkok again, its full of rip off merchants that feed of tourists. lunch on board a boat under the bridge spans was very memorable, along with a walk along the rail line over the bridge. Not far to Burma from there either!
We stayed in Bangkok for 4 days, my advice would not to bother with the day trips but put the money towards a better hotel. We staying in the mandorian oriental which was simply out of this world, not cheap but worth it. We did the day trip to the floating market en route they took us to a coconut farm and some other tourist rubbish ending in a place called the Rose Garden, it was all a waste of time, we ended up getting a cab back to the hotel early!
A great place but they will take any opportunity to try and take you somewhere you don't want to go.
A great place but they will take any opportunity to try and take you somewhere you don't want to go.
Another worth considering is www.spiceroads.com they do bicycle tours all over asia.We have done numerous day trips with them and have booked 3 more for this years trip to Thailand and Cambodia.
Reading the above posts it confirms what I thought from my experience 3 days ago (currently in Koh Samui waiting to have breakfast as I still can't lie in).
We stayed at the metropolitan (next to Banyan Tree) and other than the hotel Bangkok was a massive disappointment and I left wondering if a guided tour would of changed my view. For the day and two halves we were there we spent the morning at the Golden Palace, whilst nice to look at, was a complete tourist trap.
Mr Tuk Tuk took us everywhere but our destination but that let us see more of Bangkok and ride the sky train thingy......lol (wife not impressed)
From all my backpacking mates who said the place was immense I couldn't get past the poverty and dirtiness of the place it was either dodgy shacks or blingy malls neither of which hold much appeal.
We stayed at the metropolitan (next to Banyan Tree) and other than the hotel Bangkok was a massive disappointment and I left wondering if a guided tour would of changed my view. For the day and two halves we were there we spent the morning at the Golden Palace, whilst nice to look at, was a complete tourist trap.
Mr Tuk Tuk took us everywhere but our destination but that let us see more of Bangkok and ride the sky train thingy......lol (wife not impressed)
From all my backpacking mates who said the place was immense I couldn't get past the poverty and dirtiness of the place it was either dodgy shacks or blingy malls neither of which hold much appeal.
Kwai and tiger temple are much easier as an overnighter ...
also if anyone thinking of going next weekend, remember its Songkran, lots of water flying about and traffic worse than the M3 on a UK bank holiday��
funny really, most of my mates do the train from airport to Bk central and straight into soi cowboy, not to be seen for 3 days.... Or longer in some cases....
also if anyone thinking of going next weekend, remember its Songkran, lots of water flying about and traffic worse than the M3 on a UK bank holiday��
funny really, most of my mates do the train from airport to Bk central and straight into soi cowboy, not to be seen for 3 days.... Or longer in some cases....
The trouble with Thailand and Bangkok in particular is that the people offering tours are very formulaic, not helped by the fact everyone who has got hold of a copy of the Lonely Planet guide book wants to do the same thing. Ultimately the operators out there take the path of least resistance and serve up what they are asked for (with varying degrees of finesse).
As has been said already something like a bicycle tour operated by someone with a bit of vision who takes you away from the over crowded tourist traps is the way forward in BKK.
The same is true throughout Thailand. Taxi drivers are all well and good but in general they just drive you to where the crowds go in more comfort than a shared mini bus.
If you are staying overnight one of the most pleasant "U" rated experiences I've had in the city is a night time dinner cruise aboard the wooden rice boat "Manohra" from the Saphan Taksin pier. Manohra dinner cruise.
Thailand is a wonderful place to visit, the problem is 90% of the people who go there never really get to experience the magic because they go to all the wrong places !
Henry
As has been said already something like a bicycle tour operated by someone with a bit of vision who takes you away from the over crowded tourist traps is the way forward in BKK.
The same is true throughout Thailand. Taxi drivers are all well and good but in general they just drive you to where the crowds go in more comfort than a shared mini bus.
If you are staying overnight one of the most pleasant "U" rated experiences I've had in the city is a night time dinner cruise aboard the wooden rice boat "Manohra" from the Saphan Taksin pier. Manohra dinner cruise.
Thailand is a wonderful place to visit, the problem is 90% of the people who go there never really get to experience the magic because they go to all the wrong places !
Henry
OK done the days in Bangkok. Now in Cambodia !
Thanks for the tips here.
We stayed at the Chatrium Riverside which was an excellent hotel. Staff very efficient and invisible. Rooms great. We hired a Van with TourwithTong and did a whole day trip. Visited the Train Market, Floating Market, Tiger Temple, BORK. Long day which gave us a quick trip round the popular sights. Whets the appetite for a more relaxed lengthy visit next time.
Thanks for the tips here.
We stayed at the Chatrium Riverside which was an excellent hotel. Staff very efficient and invisible. Rooms great. We hired a Van with TourwithTong and did a whole day trip. Visited the Train Market, Floating Market, Tiger Temple, BORK. Long day which gave us a quick trip round the popular sights. Whets the appetite for a more relaxed lengthy visit next time.
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