BootsnAll Travel Community

Just Wondering if anyones got any tips on travel from KSR area to Rajamangala National Stadium.....

Ive Heard Traffic in and out of the stadium area is a nightmare, am heading over to watch the Asian Cup

Any tips? Bus? Taxis? Ferry? etc

I like Silom most! Very central, market at night, not too far from the river, great massage places, busy and cool.

quote:
Originally posted by burb:
Big johns on Thonglor is nice, I haven't stayed there but it is in a very more realistic (if not high-so) area of Bangkok.



Has anybody else stayed at this hostel, I am booked to stay there for a few days in January - although it looks nice, and sounds good 0- has anyone got any ctual experience advce of this hostel?

Cheers

Hi mandyk,

My girlfriend and i stayed there a few months ago, because a L.P review made it sound cheap and fun.It was cheap, around 200bht for dorm, plus a couple of giveaways , like 1 hour free internet a day.But the computers were very slow and full of bugs.He does serve good food there, but it sometimes comes with sour grapes that you havent ordered.The rest of the staff were great.But big john, i'll be honest, if you just want a roof over your head, that is cheap and safe, it is fine.

But i also like to have a good atmosphere and humour at a hostel, big john wasnt a fun guy at all.He is cranky and short tempered, a grumpy bum!If you ask for some information about something in bkk, he might talk to you, but more likely he will give a short unfrienly response.Several other backpackers there, had formed the same opinion of him.

None of that is a big deal, but the thing that i disliked, was the way he treated the girls that worked for him.I got to know one of them well, she said he was flat out mean to them.We heard him yelling at them, telling them off unfairly and in front of clients,their pay also arrived very late at times, i.e weeks after due.Several of them worked very long hours, and even considering the low rate of pay in bkk, the money was poor.

If you seek to spend your money in a "moral" manner and desire a relaxed fun spirit in a hostel,my suggestion would be, go to the hassle of changing your booking for a place where you might find the good vibes.All the best in thailand, what an amazing place.

If this is your first time in Bangkok, I would really recommend doing the Velo Thailand night ride through Bangkok. The ride meets every night at 6pm, and goes for about 3hours. It costs around $30 if I remember right, and this includes the cost of the bike, a bottle of water, and most importantly your awesome guide. I had a really good time doing this the first night I was in Bangkok and I would recommend it to anybody who wants to see some Bangkok at night.

I went to Thailand this January for the first time and i thought id add my two cents............

if youre not wanting to stay on KS (Kao San).....then try soi raumburtti its just around the corner from KS......about a 2 minute walk so its close enough to sample KS and close to bus station, not far to the river and about 10 minute walk to the grand palace

Places i would recomend are the lampugh inn its wonderful and gets booked up early or try the swasdee smile inn

If you get time go to the weekend market.....chatchucka market(ive spelled it wrong im sure), take a day trip to the river kwai and do the elephant trekking and bamboo raft its good fun.

The lady boys and ping pong shows are funny and worth seeing once for the crack...haha, the is an irish bar in centre of bangkok aswell...........they get everywhere


I spenat 4 days in BK and amused myself, it isnt comparable to the islands but then you cant compare as its a different experince

Hey,
The 'best' area of BKK is a hard question... it really depends on what you are after. I lived there for 3 years and I loved it. It is crazy, noisy, vibrant, exciting and you never know what you'll see going down the street!
As for a place to stay... I agree that for ease of access and avoiding traveller's ghetto, Sukhumvit is the best.
I returned to BKK/Thailand for a while in January, and we stayed there. It is on the Skytrain line (unlike Khao San RD) so it makes it easy to get around. We stayed around Soi 4 and Soi 5.
It is always interesting to go to Khao San Rd, we used to go there occasionally to see what the travellers were up to, but don't think for a minute it has anything to do with Thailand!
As for things to do in BKK: Around Khao San Rd area: Obviously, the Grand Palace is a must see, and Wat Pho (round the corner from Grand Palace) is a great temple too - it has Thai massage too... and is a good contrast to the Palace. From Wat Pho you can head to the river and take a ferry across to Wat Arun - all differnt and all amazing. Definitely make time to wander on the river - there are lots of hop on hop off ferries and there is lots to see. And seeing the citty from the river is completely different!
Also the National Musuem near the Grand Palace is worth a look too, it has all sorts of cool and intersting things.
For Shopping: BKK is fabulous. I love Mahboonkrong shopping center (MBK) it was my second home! The wonderful thing about it is that it is airconditioned! And there are market stalls in some areas where you can bargain, as well as normal stores that have great deals on everything from mobile phones to shoes and clothes snd all sorts. It is at Siam Skytrain station. And just wandering around that area is great. It is where the cool kids hang out... (Jim Thompson's House is there too - worth a visit... very interesting, but DON"T BUY FROM THERE unless you want to pay a lot of money. You can get great Thai silk stuff all over the place, for a tenth of what Jim Thompson charges.
Make sure you are in BKK over a weekend to go to Chatuchak Weekend market. It is immense and amazing! (We lived in walking distance which was wonderful...) You can get pretty much anything you can think of. And the ambience is amazing too. It is at Mo Chit Skytrain station.
There are other great markets too... and after dark almost every large street erupts in night stalls....
Not sure how long you want to spend in BKK, but it is worth it. Let me know if you need more info!
alison

Shanti Lodge is in Thonburi. We loved the place.

www.shantilodge.com

When you have a choice of two almost equal options for hotels - choose the hotel that has easy access to the Skytrain!

The Skytrain can connect you to the most popular areas of Bangkok as well as the subway and the Ekamai bus station. Eventually the Skytrain will connect with the new airport. Right now you can take the Skytrain to the Oh Nut/On Nut Skytrain stop and from there go to the airport for only 35 baht by city bus.

The Skytrain stops running around 11 PM.

The Skytrain is cheap, reliable and fast transportation within Bangkok.

I am now staying in Bangkok. Right now you might know in BKK has so many many things. Actually you can spend 1 month not borring Bangkok. You can touch some feeling of old city heritage around Sanham Luang area, the area of grand palace and old temples. I don't know Bang lumpoo you mention has any thing interesting but if you want to go to Thonburi I advise that you take normal train how can I say the train that stop in every station and then you can see cottange people life style and not so far from BKK. ( If you can accept back pack lifestyle please try. That train I mention has destination at Chumphon you also can take ticket to Hua hin if you want. the cost just 2 or 3 US$. It is very cheap but test difference. this train slow enough to see in details you want.

i don't know if the location suits you but i think http://www.bangkoksuite.com/ is very nice. i stayed there when i was in bangkok.

I like the area behind Khao San Road on the other side of the Wat. It's not as loud as KSR but it ll has a good energy about it.

I think you should consider to stay in Sukhumvit area which is really easy to access to many areas in Bangkok and also there are number of choices of hotels there, shopping departments and also nightlife. Another area, it is Silom area which can lead you to Chao Phraya River which can access to Shangri-La Hotel.

If you really want to try living a Thai lifestyle don't stay around farang infested Sukhumvit. I live near Saphan Kwai BTS and there are hardly any farang here. I live in a brand new condo tower with swimming pool, gym, library, etc. The BTS station and BigC is just a couple blocks away. Hardly anyone speaks English so it will give you a good chance to practice your Thai. The only downside is if you miss the last sky train from Sukhumvit it can be hard to get a taxi who knows this area.

A quick read of the responses on this thread confirms the obvious: Bangkok is a big place, with a million things to see and do -- and almost as many good places to stay. Khao San Road has obvious attractions to the young first-time visitor. Everything you need to get a taste of the city -- tourist information, travel agents, stores, music, food -- is readily available and is relatively cheap.

But boy is it noisy and over-crowded. The area just over the road from the West, or nearest-the-river end of Khao San Road, also referred to in this thread and just behind the temple complex, is a bit like Khao San road 25 years ago, as it is less developed, much quieter, and much less of a hassle. And, it is only two minutes walk from the facilities on Khao San Road itself.

Further along the road that passes between these two sections, Sam Sen, is a superb tiny blues bar with one of the best guitarists in Asia on 'stage' (actually a tiny section of the tiny floor area), five or six nights a week. The bar is called Adhere 13 Blues Bar, and to find it walk to the river/Police Station end (at the west end) of Khao San Road, and turn right towards Rama 8 Bridge. Walk for about three or four minutes until you cross a Klong (canal), and Adhere is about fifty metres past the canal, on the left side of the road. They have live music every night of the week, and it is always worth catching.

First time to BangKok, I get in a midnight. Can anyone tell me the best way to get to Soi Raumburtti? I'm looking to stay there so any hostel recommendations would be great too

Thanks

You will be incredibly dog-tired and disoriented upon arrival, so the thing to do is to take a metered taxi to your destination. Another member recommended the Sawasdee Smile Inn.

I stayed at the hostel Suk 11 off of Sukhumvit Road and really recommend it. It served as my base when I was in and out of Bangkok this past summer. It's close to the skytrain and very accessible to the city.

I personally am not a big fan of Khaosan Road myself. It's a backpacker mecca not a taste of Bangkok or Thai culture. And I found it not as accessible to the rest of the city.

When you visit the Grand Palace, DO NOT FALL FOR A SCAM. Very kind people will tell you that it's closed and it seems like it may be the case because they're standing outside of non-tourist entrances. They suggest getting into Tuk-tuks for a short trip until the palace opens back up. They get kick-backs from the tuk-tuks who will also throw in a shopping visit on the agenda. Keep walking until you get to the main entrance.

I also recommend getting a Thai foot massage...the regular ones can be a little painful. A must see is the JJ Market (also called the Chatuckak Market). It's one of the largest in the world and you can get lost in its mazes.

I also found the restaurant Cabbages and Condoms fun to eat at not to mention crazy decor and your supporting a good cause.


Make sure to stay hydrated because it will be hot. Have a wonderful time!

I'm arriving alone and rather terrified at some point in November at my best calculation (after Croatia and Greece). Someone please tell me something to make me feel like I won't be totally overwhelmed, lost, scammed, or anything else bad....I only plan to spend a couple of days in Bangkok before moving on to other parts.

As others have said, Bangkok is one of the easiest places in the world. It is so easy that some here find it boring or not challenging enough.

As for your arrival, after you clear customs, walk outside the airport on the same level. You will see a large queue of yellow, green, and pink taxis all lined up. Nearby there is a desk with 2 or 3 very friendly helpful Thai women who speak English sitting behind it. Tell them which hotel you are staying at, and they will take good care of you. About $10 and 35-40 minutes later you will arrive at your hotel safe and sound in air conditioned comfort. Honestly, there are few large cities in the US where it is so easy.

A year and a half ago, I started out on my 18 month trip. I passed through Bangkok to get to Chiang Mai where I was to stay for an extended period of time. Coming from NYC, I had no interest in this pulsing city, or so I thought. I arrived on a rainy eve a week after the coupe and was mesmerized. It was awesome. But my ticket was bought so off I went. Months later, I came back through and a Thai friend arranged for me to stay at Khao San Road. The hotel was nice enough and the price right. Six months later, I passed through yet again, and yet again stayed at Khao San Road. This time I hated it. met drunk old creepy men, and hassled non-stop by hawkers. The hotel was still pleasant enough but ugggh, never again. Plus, besides the walking distance to sights, everything else is difficult to get to. I would personally recommend staying near the city train system.