Christmas Eve in Bangkok?

[The Flying Ox]

Flying out to meet the missus in Bali for New Year, but the vagaries of international travel (and the fact that she's moving travelling around while I get to come home and work for a bit) mean that at best I'm going to be landing in Bangkok at 6:30am on Christmas Eve morning, roughly 15 minutes after the cheapest Bangkok - Bali flight for the day takes off. There are others, but I expect them to be well in excess of £200 single by the time I get there.

If it becomes financially astute to stay in Bangkok for the day/night rather than pay the extra and head off later in the day (and I predict it will ) what's the best way to keep myself entertained? Keeping it clean, of course...

[smifffymoto]

I hear canoeing is becoming very popular.

[Nobby Diesel]

Well, the water level could indeed be an issue - even at Christmas. They are talking of 6 weeks for things to return to normal, from when the rain stops.
Hopefully, that will be very soon. It's obviously unseasonably heavy.

In terms of entertaining yourself in Bangkok, there will be loads happening.
No idea of your age or likes/dislikes, but you could try any oth these:-

Khao San Road - backpacker central. there are masses of bars and clubs here. Westerners will be celebrating!!
Sukhumvit Road - there are lots of different areas off the Sukhumvit Road. Take a look down around Soi 11. A few great bars down there - Cheap Charlies for starters. Also try Q Bar.
Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy - more "expected" Bangkok entertainment, for a gentleman travelling alone.
No Hands Restaurant - interesting experience.
Labua @ State Tower - for the view and cocktails. Expensive though.
Eden Club - other end of the spectrum; cross the yellow line if you like.


I would suggest that you get yourself a hotel on Sukhumvit Road, with an outdoor pool. You can relax from the flight, catch some sun (hopefully) and then be ideally placed for an evening out. Skytrain stops all along Sukhumvit. Aim for the area around Soi 11 as a location.
PM me for more, if you want.

[smifffymoto]

I flippantley put the canoeing bit in as we are in Bangkok/Chiang Mai over Christmas.
Each time we go to Thailand something happens,bombs in Siam Centre,red shirts blockading the airport and now this flooding.

[Nobby Diesel]

Smiffy,

I know exactly how you feel.
We go pretty much every year; twice in 4 months coming soon!
We even managed to get starnded for an extra 2 and a half weeks in Samui, by the volcano. It was marvellous!

[havoc]

Nobby Diesel said:

I would suggest that you get yourself a hotel on Sukhumvit Road, with an outdoor pool. You can relax from the flight, catch some sun (hopefully) and then be ideally placed for an evening out. Skytrain stops all along Sukhumvit. Aim for the area around Soi 11 as a location.
PM me for more, if you want.

Good advice. Can't remember where Soi 11 is, but we've stayed twice at the Imperial Queens Park, right by a Skytrain stop and a 30min walk / short taxi from "Cabbages & Condoms" (as you head in towards the river), which is a bit of a tourist institution but actually does pretty decent food too.
If you're on a budget, there's a rest't about 400yds up the road from the IQP on the left hand side, at the entrance to a not-quite side-road. Up a few steps with about 3 small tables out the front to the left of the door. Eaten there both times and it's genuinely-cheap home-cooked Thai food.

If it's a weekend, try a visit to Chatuchak market.
If it's open and you've not been, DO visit the Royal Palace.
Failing that, definitely do a cruise on the Chao Praya (or even just a couple of water-taxis), and visit Wat Arun.

[The Flying Ox]

Thanks for the replies. I should have enough here to keep me out of mischief.

[Kenty]

Found a great hotel when we were there £30 a room and ideal position, recently refurbed and includes breakfast. It's the Loft inn, conveniently near the mass transit railway and only 2 stops from the river and boat taxis - not sure if flood proof though!

[Nobby Diesel]

No water downtown at the moment.