"Bangkok... More than a stopover" a Bangkok Travel Page by danielribo

Send Photo to a Friend

A desireable Day Time arrival from Australia

The shock to the system...

Arriving into Don Muang Airport after coming from a sedate place like Sydney can be quite a shock. If, like most Australian's, you arrive at night, the arrivals experience into Bangkok adds a huge drain onto what has already been a long and tiring day.

Once taking the seemingly endless walk from the gate to immigration and baggage claim, clearing customs is a relativley easy process. Arrivals are processed speedily and walking through "nothing to declare" proves (thus far) to be a very simple procedure.

Then, it can get a little ugly. All of a sudden you're bombarded with people offering "cheap" transfers or hotels and ever so politley informing you that your arranged hotel is "closed" or "dirty". Safest bet is to smile and walk past, making your way to the public taxi line (which is a very cheap way to get into the city - max 500bht).

I personally prefer to prebook a transfer through a company like Tour East. Nothing beats the feeling of standing in a strange country but seeing a board with your name on it!

Send Photo to a Friend

Morning 1 in Bangkok from the hotel room (Novotel

The New York of the East, minus the price tag

That first night in Bangkok can be a real tempter... Getting to the hotel at midnight, you know you should really get to bed (it's 3am back home!) but the city is calling...You want to go exploring! If you can handle it, force yourself to sleep. It'll be a long day tomorrow.

As you wake the next morning, the view from the window is very different to the night before. The lights of the city are replaced by miles and miles of buildings, multi-story highways and the Skytrain. In case you've forgotten, Bangkok is a place of business as well as pleasure.

Day one is best spent at your own pace, expore, discover and live the biggest city in Thailand, and one of the most influential in all of Asia. The sheer size of Bangkok means that you could never see every corner of it, so pick some places and make your way through them. Dine on the amazing street food, browse through the endless markets, head to the Discovery Centre to remind you what the Western world is like! Venture into the real Armani shop and pick yourself up some designer clothes at very cheap prices.

Better still, visit the Patpong night markets and grab some fake Polo shirts (along with every other possible brand), cheap souvenirs and a Rolex (!) watch. You can spend literally hours in here, just make sure you don't venture into the "adult" venues.

The 24 hour Pratunam market is situated by the intersection of Ratchaprarop and Phetburi (Phetchaburi) roads, very near to the Amari Watergate hotel. If you're after cheap fabric or textiles, this is the place to go.

If shopping is your forte, then Bangkok can keep you occupied for days on end. Remember though, if you're venturing up to Chiang Mai, the markets there are somewhat more pleasant. There's less (read: less!) pushiness and a more relaxed atmosphere. Too long in Bangkok can leave you running at 100mph!

Send Photo to a Friend

Bangkok and Beyond

Bangkok is more than just a shopping haven, it's also one of Asia's biggest history and cultural centre. Take a guided trip to the Grand Palace and Emerald Temples to see the Emerald Buddha (no trip to Bangkok is complete without this one!).

For some history, you can take the day long "Bridge on the River Quai" tour. Here you'll see the replica bridge of the one constructed by POW's during the Japanese invasion of Thailand in WWII, as well as the large grave site where many of the fallen today lay. This is quite a powerful trip, but well worth it (especially for Australian's sharing direct links with WWII)

The Damnern Saduak Floating Market was once a bustling local produce market, however today is dominated by the cheap handicrafts and souvineers which can be found right across Thailand. The locals have been replaced by tourists trying to get a feel for life as a Thai, instead finding themselves surrounded by there own. That said, it's still a fun experience and can be combined with a Rose Garden visit on Tour Easts 1320bht day trip.

The rest of Thailand can be cheaply reached by Air from Bangkok. Discount carrier Air Asia (www.airasia.com) offer very cheap flights to Chiang Mai and Phuket as well as KL and Singapore. The full service Thai Airways Intl have an extensive domestic network, also offering competitive fares, while Bangkok Airways offer "premium" economy products at about the same fare as Thai. An Air Asia flight from Bangkok - Chiang Mai can cost as little as $US20, while Thai or Bangkok Airways fares start at about $US65