Any Bangkok experts?

[motion]

You guys are always great for advice, so lemme have it.... and keep it clean

Heading to BKK right now for about 42 hours on the ground before returning to Singapore. I'm staying at the Aloft Sukhumvit Soi 11, which from what I understand is a pretty good location.

Besides exploring on foot as much as I can, the only things I have on my list:

Doing the Siam Niramit show on Monday night. Its supposed to be pretty spectacular.

Checking out as many ancient temples as I can

The Grand Palace

The Sky Bar for a drink and the view

I really don't care about shopping or food. Would like to get my wife some silk, but I have no clue what to look for.

[Nickshu]

Have fun there! Sorry I couldn't resist...

[group911@aol.co]

Jump on one or all of the canal water taxis and ride them as far as you can. Great way to see the city.

[livi]

Mitzi Dupree?

[porsche4life]

Have you seen hangover 2? Just do that.

[diverdan]

Lucky guy:

Wish I was headed that way soon.

The train gets you within a mile of your hotel from the airport for just a couple of bucks. Checkout the BTS routes and subway that get you to the Grand Palace and Temples. A great way to get an overview is to take the BTS to the river and then get on one of the taxi boats mentioned and go up river and get the lay of the land and see the sights or get off at places like the Wat Arun. Avoid the tuk tuks as the drivers want to take you shopping so they can get their cut. Sizzler Steak at Silom (Pat Pong) and Siam Center area off great salad bars. I love the old Portuguese area around the Oriental Hotel. Local expats are treated well at the Safari Bar or the Madrid on Pat Pong. Madrid is a lunch place with decent pizza. My favorite is Lumpini Park at 6 a.m. for healthy local flavor with hundres of joggers, Tai Chi, sword dancers, outdoor aerobics classes etc. Your hotel is in the middle of the red light district on Sukhumvit so night life in the bars and sidewalks will offer very interesting, if a bit scruffy walking, but its safe if you are careful in the darker areas and avoid overly aggressive ladyboys. There's good jazz at the Saxophon3 Bar near Victory Monument and on the north side of Lumpin

[cairns]

Jim Thompsons for silk. Even available at the airport. There's so much stuff to do there it's silly- what are your interests? You can spend three days doing the palaces and temples alone. Taking the water taxi up and down the chao phraya is a good idea- the river is the heart of the city IMO. There are flower markets, food markets and every thing in between. given your limited time i would suggest a guide.

[David]

+1 on Jim Thompsons house for silk.

Temple of Dawn across river from the Grand Palace.

Long boat tour at pier near Grand Palace.

Street market in China town at night.

High tea at Mandarin Oriental hotel

Eat dinner at Condom and Cabbage.

Couple's spa at a hotel or nice spa (super cheap compared to US)

[oilcan]

For what it's worth, my m-60 gunner and i visited the city on r&r in 1968.
You may enjoy an hour or so at a local bar known as Happy/Happy. We enjoyed 20 oz libations while checking-out the assets of young ladies behind the glass , while they watched their tv, aimed in our direction. Your wife may not enjoy the visit. You, however, will likely expand your horizins. We had a great time before we had to return to the work at hand.

[Rapewta]

42 hrs...
Get a bus/taxi or any other transportation and go 150 miles south to Pattaya Beach.
I can't convince you but that is what I would do. You will enjoy your short stay a heck of of a lot better going there. Bangkok is dangerous. Pattaya is fun and removed from the hustle of the big city. You won't be dissapointed.

[pc100porsche]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

have you seen hangover 2? Just do that.

+1

[group911@aol.co]

Or you can just stay home and watch tv. Much safer there.
Been to both cities and never felt unsafe in either.

Originally Posted by Rapewta

42 hrs...
Get a bus/taxi or any other transportation and go 150 miles south to Pattaya Beach.
I can't convince you but that is what I would do. You will enjoy your short stay a heck of of a lot better going there. Bangkok is dangerous. Pattaya is fun and removed from the hustle of the big city. You won't be dissapointed.

[motion]

You guys rock. Thanks for the tips and stories. Good stuff

[Jim Richards]

Pattaya Beach was a fun liberty port for us sailors back in the mid-'70s. If it's like that now, I wouldn't think of taking my wife there.

[chuckr]

I've been there many times.... First time was in 1974, Utapao Air Force Base. I was Navy
and we went there lots ! love the place !! Pattaya Beach is fun and nice, probably nicer now !
Really strange place right after the war though. Bangkok is one of my favorite places, beautiful city, would love to go back someday, you lucky ! enjoy !!

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

Pattaya Beach was a fun liberty port for us sailors back in the mid-'70s. If it's like that now, I wouldn't think of taking my wife there.

It has changed a bunch, but there are still some "interesting" parts of town: I was last there in 2003. I stayed at the Royal Cliff Terrace Hotel.

Honestly, the drive from Bangkok to Pattaya is a bit of a hump. I'd stay in the city and enjoy the respite rather than drive: I'd rather land on the back of a Frigate in Sea State Five at night with no horizon than play dodge-car on the way to and from Pattaya again.

All the advice above makes sense to me. I did enjoy the street markets, however, at night.

[Laneco]

The water taxi's are the bomb. Very fun way to see the city as noted above.

Patpong night market is interesting. VERY interesting... For the types of goods you can show your family, stay in the middle. Great bargains, though understand that the "name brand" stuff is almost guaranteed to be knock-off. Fun place to go with alot of vibrant people and a fun energy. The further to the edge of the market you go, the more adventurous it becomes. The vendors will show you flip charts of a very, very different type of market. Honestly thought I was going to die when I realized what the little flip charts were. I thought it was a menu as I did not have my glasses on. Holy Toledo, was I embarrassed - LOL!

Though any large city has rough areas, there was never a place during daylight that I felt unsafe even at the night market.

angela

[911boost]

Some good suggestions here, I was there earlier this year. Was fun, the streets where you are staying undergo a complete change at night. It was surreal and interesting at the same time.

Are they still protesting there? Since I haven't had plans to go I have not kept up with it.

I am actually on my way to India via London right now. The Lufhtansa pilot strike in the EU forced me to rearrange my plans around.

Bill

[WPOZZZ]

Have fun, but don't bring anything back other than your luggage.

[911boost]