So following on from this thread:

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/thailand-and-diving

I have booked the flights and internal flights (Bangkok to Chiang Mai then down to Koh Lanta). What shall we do in Bangkok? We have about 2-3 days there? I have been recommended the floating market. There are thousands of temples so is there is one that is better/more famous than other and hence better to see?

Thanks.

get to the floating market VERY early in the morning. Its heaving by mid morning.

Its a great city to explore at night – street food, elephants, girls with very big hands…

Cruise the streets, theres stuff everywhere, and that lovely Asian smell.

Patpong for wildlife..

Ask mister P

SNaps….I was waiting for those kind of replies!! I am happy cruising around but I wondered if there was something specific to see/do.

Clue’s in teh name innit – at least for your Mrs.

To do…
Wot Poh – the big, HUGE, temple.
Mooch around the markets / city – it really is great to explore.
Street food vendors – we came across sublime (little old dear making vegetraian pancakes followed by condensed milk pancakes, i’ll never forget them – YUM!) and the rank… I’ll also never forget the ‘chicken’ ones we bought… thrown away after first attempt to bite them – same for MrsMM who is 100% more adventurous with food than I!
Thai massage – widely available but there’s a school at Wot Poh – tiny, tiny people who somehow manage to inflict a huge amount of pressure with hands, knees and elbows. It’s close to torture but you feel oh so good thereafter…
Cabbages and Condoms – a restaurant – a charity driven place, – ethos of the founder (given the sex industry there and wider world issues) is that condoms should be as readily available as cabbages… random, but true..
Open minded? – yes its a cliche but a walk around Ping-Pong alley (main street in the red light district) is an eye opener… Walking a little ahead of MrsMM I kept getting accosted and offered allsorts… when I politely declined and mentioned that my good lady was behind me the stock answer ‘No problem – she can watch if she like..’

Avoid
TukTuk’s that pull up and offer you a ride – seems they take you anywhere but where you want to go – often to shops who will not let you leave without paying a lot for next to nothing.
Hustlers – there’s plenty about. Be polite but walk on or, see TukTuk, above…

Enjoy – it’s a great place!

River cruise. Wat Poh.

best things we did: Thai massage teaching session for a few hours

Thai cooking course for a day. (awesome and I still remember how to properly cook a mean red curry or massaman)

floating market:

Those pics of the floating market look cool, I guess you have to get on a boat to get around?

Interestingly someone else had told me about the Tuk Tuk’s today and asid you travel anywhere use the yellow metered taxis. Should be an interesting and awesome holiday.

Same thread then anyone here been to Chiang Mai? any yeahs or nai’s to do there? I even found somewhere we can do a days MTBing at Chiang Mai!!!!

I spent months (years?) in SE Asia and my advice is not to rush around ‘doing stuff’ just to take it all in.

Chaing Mai is in my opinion a lovelier big city option but i digress 😐

Ah Chaing Mai, oop north and hilly.

Bit more scary in the drug department (near the golden triangle see) but more scenic all the same.

Bit less touristy as it’s so far from the South (Bangkok)

Trip down the river on a boat is fun, I went to the Chinese Market I think it was called, great fun absolutley packed. Not good if you dont like crowds. Just loads to see and do on every street. Khao San Road
was miserable IMO

yep went to chiang mai. much more chilled than bangkok.

good for tailors – if youre there for a day or two, get measured up for something nice (but not oriental – youll never wear it again!) and they’ll knock it out for you before you leave. good VFM. I have some linen trousers I still wear regularly. Wish Id got a few more pairs!

We went on to the north to Ang Kang which is a fruit farming project. Got some “mountain biking” in, and got lost in the forest!

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thailand/chiang-mai-province/doi-ang-khang

Not sure when you’re going but the grand palace will be closed, a nice tuktuk driver will be able to take you to some good jewellery and suit shops though instead 😉

I can’t really help with Bangkok as i thought it was a horrible place and got out of it as soon as i could but Chiang mai on the other hand is great. I would return tomorrow if i could. The one thing i would say is a must do in chiang mai is A Thai massage from the inmates at the womens prison. Seriously it was amazing and very surreal at the same time. It’s the cons who are close to finishing their time and are taught a ‘trade’ so they can hopefully find work on the outside.
Have fun

A Thai massage from the inmates at the womens prison

Ah missed that one, maybe next time sounds like my kinda trip 😉

I belive there is an intresting place called Nana! 😉

Rub it.

I went to a snake farm, that was quite fun. Also, make sure you try the red bull when you arrive 😆

Sangsom buckets. Make sure you do one of them too.

I’m not being very helpful.

F@ck i’d fly back tomorrow, actually my favourite areas of any country are the borders. Theres always interesting crazy stuff going on. Lived on the Mekong in Laos for a while, people swimming across with allsorts of illicitness early doors..

Oh try Mekhong whiskey too 😉

Happy dayzz

What to do in Bangkok?….i’d have thought the answer was perfectly obvious.

You’re in one of the sleaziest cities in the world….use your imagination.

Its 20 years since i went to Thailand whilst doing the back packing thing..interesting to see that all the same places i visited are still being recommended. Shame you only have a few days as it takes several days to get your head around Bangkok, by that time you will start to enjoy it..or wont be able to get out of the place fast enough. I loved it, but not really helping you here am i….

Sleazy???? That’s absolute tosh I’m afraid.
Bangkok is my favourite city in the world, so friendly, great food, superb value.
Go to the Grand Palace, then Wat Po next door and get a massage at the school. Then nip up to Tha Tien pier, get the 2baht ferry over to Wat Arun.
For shopping, the MBK centre is great for bargains, and has great food on the 5th & 6th floors (pad Thai 20 baht). Central World is great for upmarket anything, and tailors around the area of the Indra Regent hotel are great.
As mentioned above a visit to the Red Cross snake farm is very interesting, though will have you looking for cobras for the rest of your trip!!
Lumphini Park is nicely chilled, and Siam Square is great for food and shopping.

Chiangmai feels like a small town after being in Bangkok, but is equally fantastic. The mountain biking is great, and a visit to Wat Doi Suthep is essential. Great night Market, and a food court just off it which is so cheap it’s ridiculous.

Always remember to smile, be polite and don’t get angry. Thais only do things that are fun, and will love it if you have a couple of words in the local dialect, as well as using the wai when greeting them.

You’ll have the time of your life!

We didn’t plan to stay in Bangkok long as everyone I had met so far said it was hideous, but wanted to experience a few days myself. Davedodd you have created a great list … mmmmm snake farm not so sure though! I certainly can’t do the prison thing …can’t get Nr head around that! Jewellery spend good I love silver stuff….mmmmm. going to be ace.
Oh why will grand palace be closed? We fly 27 th Nov.

MC,
For jewellery in Bangkok, go to the Gems gallery. Huge place but stunning product, as my wife will verify!!!
In Chiangmai there is a shop called Nova that does exquisite bespoke jewellery at great prices.

The comment about the Grand Palace being closed is Tongue in cheek. You can get tuk tuk drivers who, when you ask to go to the palace, will tell you it’s closed so that they can then offer you an itinerary for no money that will result in you visiting their jewellery or tailor “sponsor”. You can make this work to your advantage if you know it happens, but just walk away and get a taxi meter instead.
We are out there a month before you, and you’re going at probably the best time of year.
Enjoy

Shame you weren’t here a week earlier I would have shown you around a bit, but we are heading off today back to the UK today.

Just realised you are out in the start of cool season. Lovely time to be there

Bangkok – just do the tourist thing if you only have a few days, easiest. Kings Palace, one of the large temples, floating market, look at dirty backpackers on Kao San Road.

But you can do that in a day if you time it right.

Other options are to pop over to Kanchanaburi for the day and see the bridge over the river kwai.

Lumpini Park is nice for a relaxing afternoon/early evening – don’t get off at Lumpini Station, get of at I think Saphan Kwai

Go to Siam Paragon the shopping centre and see how the other half live, fascinating place.

If you want nice Thai food in a a/c place try the Central shopping malls, or any of the larger department store style shops, they generally have nice food courts with good food=, bit more expensive than the street, but if you are nervous about street food they hit the spot.

Travel wise in Bangkok – Skytrain and MRT is ok gets you around. I prefer taxis these days though if I’m off the MRT route/ Skytrain route, not particularly expensive, but can be slow depending on weather and time of day.
I used to travel by bus a lot when I was really needing to get around, but with a baby, never fancied it this time.

It’s really hot and wet just now. So I imagine that the jetlag and the heat/humidty is going to knacker you. Taxis are great when this happens.

If you are up in CHiang Mai and want to explore, hire a car, it might look scary, but you just need to remember that you are going to go where you want to go and push your way in. Always look both ways at a junction or a motorbike might hit you from the wrong direction.

In theory the SRT airport train opens up on Tuesday to take you into central bangkok from the airport, whether or not it does or not is another matter.

Enjoy your trip – if you get stuck or in bother , my email is in my profile.

It’s bloody expensive now there as well.

This is a great day out…

Tiger Temple

You lucky b*stard person Bangkok is one of the world’s great cities. Visit the Golden Temple, take a river bus across the river and visit some of the Wats on the east side(take the public river buses and ignore touts for private cruises). In the evening eat on one of the restaurant boats on the river. Suspend your morals for a bit and visit a few of the clubs in Pat Pong or Nana Plaza. Just looking is OK (even if you’re female) but always buy the girls a drink.

Bangkok hideous? – that really depends on your mindset. It’s not clean, quiet or relaxed – it’s manic, polluted, noisy, chaotic, bladerunner-esque and absolutely wonderful. I love the place – it’s one of my favourite cities anywhere in the world.

Great street food all over the place and good restaurants too.

Things to see –
– Kings Palace and Wat Po are both worth a trip.
– MBK shopping centre is a great experience. (pirated movies and software, a whole floor of mobile phone accessories, top quality knock off designer watches – it’s all there).
– Skytrain makes getting around much easier than it used to be – make the most of it.
– if you want travel to be an experience make sure you take one of the canal boats (long-tail boats on the river are good too but the canal taxi’s are something else). Think truck engine mounted at the back behind the seats at high speed under low bridges (there are some where you have to duck and the driver winds the roof down).
Chinatown is meant to be good for eating out (need to go back myself for that – haven’t fitted it in yet)

One thing that I don’t think anyone has mentioned is Chatuchak market – weekends only but accessible by skytrain. Best place in bangkok to buy souvenirs/handicrafts both tourist tat and what the locals are buying. Good cheap food. Huge ‘animal’ market – everything from domestic cats to endangered species (be careful taking photos as not always appreciated). If you’re in BKK over a weekend don’t miss it.

Floating market’s an odd one – it was a long while ago i went there. Masses of tourists head out on day trips
and as soon as they arrive the atmosphere changes completely. I stayed overnight and was there before they arrived but there was no infrastructure for tourists at all. Could well have changed by now.

Night-time:
PatPong is the old school red light district and it tourist targeted. Soi-Cowboy is where the ‘action’ is now. Both are pretty unpleasant but if you’re there as a couple you’re probably better off at PatPong.

Wow sounds like our 2-3 days isn’t going to be enough! interesting stuff though by the sounds of it! think that’ll be our days filled up. Can’t wait now.

So can anyone recommend any accommodation then in Bangkok?

My favourite thing in Bangkok was to go to a muay Thai match, it was incredible, great atmosphere. There are two big stadiums with fights on alternate nights, we went to lumpini stadium. (buy your beer and snacks form the stalls outside, way cheaper than inside and they let you in and out to the stalls with a stamp on your hand.)

The aquarium under the big shopping centre is very impressive, best one I’ve ever been to. Bot different to the authentic Thai stuff listed but very very good.

Travel by river boat (dead cheap, relaxed and great weay to see the city go by, capture the skiyline in the evening dusk), sky train (not the most convenient, but fast and views of the city) or air-con taxi (govt. regulated fares). Do not go by tuk-tuk.

Go to Wat Arun for th views and chilled out atmosphere (compared to Wat Po etc.).

I’ll have to dig out my notes to remember the names of the random areas that I went to. There was a very good vegatarian restairant/guest house somewhere north of Banglamphu… anyone?

Don’t bother with the Tiger Temple unless you like the idea of captive tigers kept sedated for the tourists…

I enjoyed Chiang Mai more though!

MC,

Depends what you want. We like the Century Park, which is near the Victory Monument skytrain station. The Dusit is good and right by Lumphini. If you want opulence then the Shangrila on the river is regularly voted as a world’s top 10 hotel. You’ll get a room there for less than a Holiday Inn here!!
The Royal Orchid Sheraton is in a great place, and the Intercontinental and Erawan both look superb.
Asia Hotel for cheap and convenient, I could go on and on………..

Accommodation –

I’m not a fan of flash hotels but I’m told you can get bargains if that’s what you want. If you want to go for basic, cheap, clean and bags of character I really liked Suk11

Get a hooker 🙂 .

Sorry that’s all comes to mind when i think of those areas.

All been said above. Really watch out for the con artists though. We nearly fell for the scam ‘the grand palace is closed for a buddhist holiday – come with me’ despite being forewarned. The tuk tuk helpful arriving on cue made us twig it was a scam. Guess what, the palace was open.

It is a shame because up until that point I thought the Thai people were lovely really nice and friendly, after that for the rest of my time in Thailand I was a little suspicious.

The Grand Palace scam they used on us, some important dignatory had died(king’s sister or something) and it was on the news, they weaved this in to their spiel and I’m ashamed to say we fell for it.
Oh well, we loved ripping around in a Tuk Tuk anyway. We didn’t buy anything from the shops they take you to, but just going through the door is enough for them to get free fuel vouchers.

I would say that a tuktuk ride is a must, they are great fun.

Look on last minute hotels, or late rooms or similar.

You can pick up nice boutique hotels for 1,500B.

Problem is that it’s not as cheap as it was now, I think all in my holiday caost about 4k+ inc flights, but no hotels as I stayed in the family home and a friends apartment.

If you can justify the money try one night at a luxury hotel – Banyan Tree is nice.

Quirrel,
How long did you stay for it to be £4k??

That’s what I was going to say we are going for 2 1/2 weeks and it certainly won’t be anywhere near 4k! When I was looking at hotels on Koh Lanta I found a nice one, but the Thai Baht price into currency converter and it came back at £12 a night!!

Does anyone know about paying a tax as you leave the airport? My Dad mentioned it to me today but he couldn’t remember much about it!