Bangkok .... why this cheating … ?? and other Thailand Tourist Trap Tips

Grand Palace
After arriving by taxi at the Grand Palace some ‘helpful’ Thai told us to use another entrance to buy tickets. On our way to that entrance another ‘helpful’ Thai told us the palace was closed between 12.00 and 1.30 pm and it was better to visit some other sights during that time. It was best to take a tuk-tuk (for just 20 baht) for transportation. After a crazy and dangerous ride through the city we came at the first sight (Wat Indraviharn). After our first visit of a Thai temple the tuk-tuk driver took us to a jewellery and a duty free gift shop, but we felt something was wrong and after another stop at a Travel Agency we refused to go further in his tuk-tuk and went back with a taxi to the Grand Palace, which was of course open for visitors.

Vimanmek Palace
On our last day in Thailand we went to the Vimamnek Palace, especially to watch the Thai dancing performances. But at the entrance of the car park of the complex a guard told us we were not allowed to enter the palace in our clothes. We went back with the same taxi to our hotel to change clothes and went back to the palace. In the meantime the meter in the taxi was turned off !!
After paying our tickets we were told the Thai dancing did not take place any longer. And last but not least we saw other visitors during the guided tour through the palace with borrowed clothes from the palace !!

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Alternative: - ignore all these ‘friendly’ Thai people on the streets and near touristy sights;
- just say “no thank you”, walk away and find out yourself what you want to know or do;
- never say it is your first visit to Thailand.

We reached this hill tribe village after our visit of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep by climbing the road, which became very bad after the Phuping Palace. The visit of Doi Pui turned out to be the biggest ‘tourist trap’:
- there was a huge traffic jam on the town square with ‘hundreds’ of songthaews; finding a car park was a problem;
- the village is one big open air market with stalls selling just the average stuff;
- we didn’t see any Hmong people in traditional dress, just one little girl who was demanding money for a picture; or otherwise you have to borrow a costume for a picture;
- we had to pay to take a look at a waterfall, as a matter of fact just a tiny stream falling down a couple of metres from a hill;
- we tried to get into the ‘normal’ village, but didn’t succeed; there was again a ‘museum’ and we had to pay again.

After a tasteful lunch in a local restaurant we returned – rather disappointed – to Chiang Mai.

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At Least Do This: Be aware Doi Pui is a commercialised village and you won't see real hill tribe people.