Tips for spending a day in Bangkok

I leave for a nice holiday (Vietnam and Cambodia) next week, and I end up with about 1.5 days in Bangkok, I am staying on the Chao Praya near the River City shopping center. I do have a good guide book, but was wondering what are the absolute must sees in the short time I am there. And what can be avoided?
Or any tips of a good restaurant, I have 2 evenings, and am not afraid to wander out and eat alone.

Thanks in advance.

Don't eat anything... Esp. if its moving..

snakes and spiders and bugs are off my list anyways.

Take the name literally.

As for the tips, I leave that up to your preferences.

You can get a boat from outside the River City into town...which is a nice ride. In the centre, the Royal Palace, with reclining buddha etc, is really amazing and will take up several hours. And you can also do a private boat-trip from the river just down from the Royal Palace (you can walk from there) down several khlongs (canals) which is really interesting, you see some homes of Thai people directly on the water.

Getting a Thai massage in a reputable place (for example the place upstairs in the big shopping centre on Silom Road (near the Hindu temple) is wonderful!

Having coffee and cake in the gardens of the Shangri-La hotel is quite fun, and it's close to the River City complex.

Or a walk around China Town - also easily walkable from River City.

Have a great trip Carm!

EDIT: and while I can't think of a specific restaurant to recommend, there is great food to be had all ove the place, I normally just sit down somewhere I like the look of...including anything off the stands which has been cooked. I normally stop over in Bangkok and have never had any health problems (just don't drink the tap water, but many hotels provide a certain amount of bottled or filtered water free of charge).

No reason why you should be. Just remember to look the right way before you cross the road.

Definitely Royal Palace and definitely a massage. In fact you can get a massage in the palace complex. Two birds, one stone, and all that.

Eating off the food stands is fine. Fruit or meat. Just use the common sense you'd use anywhere else.

If you have time then visit Jim Thompson's House. It's absolutely beautiful.

Also go for a drink at Vertigo, the Banyan Tree Hotel's bar. It's on the rooftop (70+ stories high) and is completely open air - the view over Bangkok is breath-taking and the cocktails fantastic.

Definitely stop at the massage school on the temple grounds mentioned above, and get the herb massage. Take the river boat at least once, and sample as much street food as possible, especially soup stands with huge crowds. If you have a rich travelling companion, you can get incredible food at the China House or the Oriental Hotel, but it's so much more fun to eat on the street!

Check out the emerald buddha, and the giant resting buddha, both worth the stop. Any temple you come across, check it out. Wear shoes that come off easily, and wear a long skirt and bring a shirt with sleeves to save time renting clothing.

Skip the palace and garden & weekend market, all too far away for a day trip. Long boats are cool but you might not have time. Taking the SkyTrain for a quick ride is fun because you can actually see some interesting things, taking a Tuk-Tuk is better for one trip, but do not let them take you anywhere other than exactly where you want to go. Regular cabs or boat are good for everything else.

Actually in the giant mall there (forgot the name), there is a really great bookstore worth a peek in if you're around (there's great soup nearby!), especially if you like cookbooks. Also, hit the red light district at night, it's pretty cool, very active. You can also go at dusk when they're setting up if you want to avoid crowds but see what is to come.

If you're up for some shopping, try Chatuchak Weekend Market (i think it's open until 6 on Sat. & Sun.). It's enormous, plus there's a section where thai designers sell their latest creations. You can get there by taxi, or it's also easy to take the SkyTrain to Mo Chit station & just follow the crowd to the market.

For a relaxing massage that's easy on the wallet, there's a place called "Ruen Nuad." I had an hour-long thai massage that set me back about $8 US. It's on Convent Road, but I don't know the number offhand. Oh, and the staff were really nice, too.

For food, there's a GREAT seafood place called "Rut & Lek" located in Chinatown. It opens at 6PM, and is right on the corner of a very busy intersection at Yaowarat and Soi Texas. You actually eat dinner outside at sit-down tables as the cars whiz by. Totally worth it as the food is really yummy & not expensive, plus they even have an all-picture menu so all you have to do is point at what you want.

Carm! I want to go to Vietnam so badly!!! Lucky you! I hope you will take lots of pictures!

yeah, thanks for that tip, I was reading that this afternoon, so, I have added a few longer skirts to my lpacking list and some nontank tops. Is it acceptable to cover up with a Shawl? I did that in Turkey when visiting the Mosques.

I have also read about the quality of Rubies and Saphires there, I do plan to buy myself something with a ruby. There are some reputable places listed in the travel books, but anybody have any recommendations of a good jewelery shop?

A shawl won't cut it, they'll make you rent. BTW, cleavage and bare arms are both no-nos.

The jewelry there IS amazing. Dress very, very well when you go, and don't accept the first 2 or 3 prices they offer. We didn't shop for jewelry per se so I have no recs for you, but do pick a place before you get there. Maybe ask a good hotel (at least better than asking a cab or tuk-tuk driver).

Oh, also check out the flower market. It's closer to the center of town and is also really worth seeing. It's not really just a flower market, it's everything, and way less touristy than the weekend market.

While you're going round all those places, don't fall for any scams.

Fried insects are not as bad as they sound, they taste mainly of the stuff they were fried in. As do the fried baby frogs.

I am pretty skeptical when it comes to buying jewelery anyways. I am a hard customer to please, and I do tend to stick to the bigger places that the Hotels recommend. I never reply to strangers on the street when they talk to me.
When I travel alone, I tend to have the "Don't fuck with me look" anyways.

Grab a map on arrival at the aiport, they are better than the ones in the city.

Personally I don't like tuk tuks but take one once for fun. Otherwise use the Skytrain.
Take the Skytraun to the river, get a public ferry up the river to the temple with the reclining buddha.
The big place for clothes is ATK, the shopping centre by the central Skytrain junction station.

You can eat at stalls as well, just see where there are lots of locals eating.

Allow PLENTY of time to get to the airport and go with the hotel's shuttle, even if it seems expensive by local standards.

unless you really know what you're talking about I wouldn't buy and precocious or semi-precious stones - it's very easy to think you're getting a bargain and get ripped off.

The ATK centre is great for shopping - you could spend 1.5 days in there alone. Reclining Buddah is probably the first thing you should make time for. I just liked wandering about too - and while they are a bit kitchy, the tuk-tuks are really good fun. You can also get great massages, pedicures, manicures etc really cheaply - ask at your hotel.

As Monkstown has mentioned, make sure you have plenty of time to get to the airport. The roads can be massively busy, even at off-peak times, the airport itself can be very chaotic and don't forget you need to get a visa to leave. We really nearly missed our flight and we'd left loads of time. We were literally running through the airport as they were final calling our names (still managed to make the duty free though...

You'll have a great time...

In an emergency you can take a motorbike taxi to the airport. They don't worry about traffic jams. They also have motorbike emergency medical workers because its no joke having a heart attack and waiting 3 hours for help because the ambulance is stuck in traffic,

Visa? You mean the exit duty/tax of a few hundred baht? I believe that's now included in the price of the ticket, so you don't have to queue up before security to pay it.


They don't worry about anything else either. But a great way to finish an action-packed adventure holiday in Thailand ("Thai Association of Mototaxi Drivers: 80% of our passengers make it to their destination without serious injuries")

Yeah, it was 500 baht but check if it is in the ticket price now. there were four us so we divided up the jobs and I think I queded to pay the tax.

That day was an adventure and a half, blagging our way into the first class check in line, STUPID Swiss people with bad toupés we hate to this day and peroxide Russian prostitutes with thigh high leather boots holding up the security.

Vietnam and Cambodia? Dont go to Sapa via the east route but go through the mountains via Dien Bien Phu. Very interesting trip. Almost no tourists when we were there. Halong Bay is worth seeing.

Cambodia - has to be Angkor Wat. Hire a motorbike to see the temples. Fantastic place.

One of the best restaurants I went to in Bangkok was called cababges and condoms - food great and percentage of your bill goes to promoting safe sex in thailand and you even get a free condom with your bill. Really nice atmosphere in restaurant and you could eat there on your own no problem - I know my friend did when she was there last year.

also if weather is nice then go for a cocktail in the vertigo bar at the banyan tree hotel. Unfortunately when we went there it rained so they closed the outside bar but looks fab.

for thai massage head to the Wat Pho massage school - they have a little place in the grounds of the temple itself but we didnt go there as was soooo busy and hot. We went to the school itself which was lovely and air conditioned and cool and much less busy - also think i have the address for this at home - will try and find it and post later

have a great tailor in Bangkok too - bit more expensive than some but fabrics are much better quality. Was recommended to me by a friend who lived in Bangkok. Although you arent there long its amazing how quickly they can have things ready for first fittings and then will post back home for you.

Thanks for all the tips and insight everyone. I greatly appreciate it.
My departure taxes are all paid up already, was part of the tour packages and having to overnight in Bangkok, so that should be taken care of.

Jeremy- I am not hitting Sapa, but starting a tour in Hanoi and doing the main places- Halong, Hoi An, Danang, Hue, HoChiMin and the towns around there then a few days in Phan Theit. Cambodia in only the Ankor Wat, have 2.5 days there booked with a private guide.

Exit fee was 700 baht this summer, and it was cash only, in person. Line wasn't too bad, but we got there early.

We had seen the Dome bar (sirocco at lebua state tower) and planned to go, vs. the Virtego bar (or both!). Not sure which is better? A cocktail in hand with a skyline view of a major city, doesnt seem bad anywhere.

We're going to Bangkok in 08, and are planning to dine at Cabbage and Condoms, Mahanaga, and/or Blue Elephant cooking school.

Not sure of your style or plan for BKK, but another option is to hire a guide for the day... they can get you in/out and around town with insider info and tips. They can show you where/how to make offerings to the buddha's in the morning, take you on a tuk-tuk ride if desired on your way to the palaces, give you the city/palace/etc history, show you great stands and noodle shops to stop at for some food and just be great company. We've hired someone from Tong's team to take us out to Ayutthaya and the floating market, but I've also read really good reviews about hiring someone for taking people around in town. Prices are really reasonable. They go, do and plan whatever you want. Do a search on tripadvisor BKK forums to find Tong's contact info.

Have fun! We cant wait to visit thailand.

Vertigo is fun for a drink, but avoid the food!

Carm, you might want to check the "departure tax" thing again once you're there, or ask your tour guide/agent. I have been through Bangkok many times (although never though the new airport, and from the comments others have made it is not clear which airport they refer to...I have been told that the new airport is further out, but quicker to reach due to it being directly accessible via the new "motorway"), and the fee I had to pay involve also getting a very specific piece of paper given to you - whether it was called departure or airport tax I am not sure. JUst ask your guide whether it really s included (or sour transfer driver, or in the hotel..they will all know the current regulations).

However - from all the comments here anyone could get nervous about doing this, which is totally unnecessary. For me, even if you have to do this, it was a 5-minute procedure as long as you know about it and don't dawdle. Getting to the airport (albeit the OLD airport) was NEVER a problem -I have been out by taxi, airport shuttle, and more recently on simple public transport -ALL of which have been reliable and punctual. I couldn't recommend which to use, given that I don't have a copy of the bus plan to the new airport...but it's really not a big deal as long as you are aware of your options and don't mess about. I am sure that someone with your travel experience isn't going to run into difficulties. After a few weeks in Vietnam, you are unlikely to find Bangkok airport etc chaotic. I think it's maybe just a shock to peple who go to Asia for the first time, unprepared.

Ah, and since this thread also got onto Vietnam, if you have time for a restaurant in Hanoi, I cannot recommend the "Indochine" highly enough..it was absolutely wonderful, food, service, in an old colonial villa. And not expensive at all. If you do have time and want the address, can dig it up for you.

Those whacky Swiss and their bad toupés... the bane of travellers across the world

You make it sound like we were newbies Ruapahu who'd never travelled further than Ballermann on Majorca before.

We had planned to go to the airport in a normal taxi but then we realised that with luggage etc we wouldn't fit in even 2 taxis as they are fairly "compact".
So we switched to the hotel shuttle, it is is relatively expensive, we paid about EUR 15 per person but I recommend it.
On the way to the airport there had been an accident on an elevated section of the motorway and the traffic wasn't moving.

Luckily, the driver knew his stuff. Took the first exit, drove for ages the "wrong" way but then got us to the airport with about 5 minutes before checking in closed.
We rushed in and split up, soeone getting the tax paid, some people with the luggage etc queueing.
There was only ONE check in desk open and the said Swiss guy was blocking it, rowing with the staff - and the clock was ticking.
We were there on time but there's always that feeling that they might say you are too late.
The hero of the day had a Lufthansa senator card so we blagged out way into the First Class queue as ours didn't move.

That was the old airport, hope to see the new one on the way to Oz next year.

We had great fun haggling for fab bargains at Patpong market. Travelled by Tuktuk which was an experience in itself! The Lemon Tree resturant had fabulous food and was cheap beyond belief! Reclining buddha wellworth a visit as suggested.

Have a great trip Carm!

Hoi An? Then take an extra empty suitcase and get loads of clothes made dead cheap there. Warning there is a particular dress they make there which looks great at first but when you look in the other shops you will see t
hey only make one style and material, so there must be loads of girl
s backpacking round Vietnam bumping into each other wearing exactly the
 same dress!

Hue - we motorbiked there. Nink Binh was the first tiem I ever sat on a motorbike and it was huge fun if a bit risky.

You won't be disappointed by Angkor Wat - it is fantastic. Remember to bike out to the outlying temples where you can buy petrol for your bike at a roadside stall usually in a coke bottle!

@MonksTown - oops, sorry, didn't mean it that way I just noticed several people saying how chaotic it was and just thought to add a voice saying it really isn't a big deal, so as not to unnecessarily worry Carm that it may be a total nightmare.

me worry about anything?

I have transfers to and from the airport, so I am not worried, as it all thru a tour company.

3 more hours of work then I am free.

When you get tired you can try a shopping mall where the locals go, called MBK.
You have great food (foodcourt), massage (cheap cheap) and shopping at one place - all at local prices.
It is just accross Siam sq and very safe

Yeah MBK was the place we meant earlier, you can't miss it at Siam Square Skytrain stop..

Suggest you do it logically, go floor for floor, aisle for aisle.
Make a note of where you see what you like so you can find it again later to actually buy.

Does anyone know how long it takes to get from one airport to the other in Bangkok? It seems that Lufthansa fly into the new airport and Bangkok Air fly out of the other to Ko Samui - or have I understood this wrongly?