1-day in Bangkok - Tour Guide & Itinerary?

[mohicanfan]

Hello - I've been reading all of these helpful message threads and have a long list of tour companies to use when hiring a guide for one day in Bangkok, but I am looking for suggestions on what I should put into my itinerary request.

 

My husband and I will be arriving in Bangkok on Jan 3rd on the Ocean Princess (last stop on the 17 day cruise) and need a pickup at the Unithai port and then full day tour of Bangkok. We will then need an eventual drop-off at our hotel -- The Marriot Resort on the west river bank.

 

On my "itinerary request list" are stops at the Grand Palace, Wat Arun and Wat Pho. Is there anything else I should ask the tour companies to include? I want to see as much as possible in one day. Unfortunately we will not have time to go outside of the city for any other tours like the Bridge over River Kwai and the Tiger Temple or Elephant Trek.

 

Any suggestions for a 1-day tour of Bangkok would be appreciated!

 

Regards,

Meredith, Virginia Beach, VA

[Jade13]

Hello - I've been reading all of these helpful message threads and have a long list of tour companies to use when hiring a guide for one day in Bangkok, but I am looking for suggestions on what I should put into my itinerary request.

 

My husband and I will be arriving in Bangkok on Jan 3rd on the Ocean Princess (last stop on the 17 day cruise) and need a pickup at the Unithai port and then full day tour of Bangkok. We will then need an eventual drop-off at our hotel -- The Marriot Resort on the west river bank.

 

On my "itinerary request list" are stops at the Grand Palace, Wat Arun and Wat Pho. Is there anything else I should ask the tour companies to include? I want to see as much as possible in one day. Unfortunately we will not have time to go outside of the city for any other tours like the Bridge over River Kwai and the Tiger Temple or Elephant Trek.

 

Any suggestions for a 1-day tour of Bangkok would be appreciated!

 

Regards,

Meredith, Virginia Beach, VA

 

My favorite is the Marble temple. There is also a huge teak Palace.

[chipmaster]

Hello - I've been reading all of these helpful message threads and have a long list of tour companies to use when hiring a guide for one day in Bangkok, but I am looking for suggestions on what I should put into my itinerary request.

 

My husband and I will be arriving in Bangkok on Jan 3rd on the Ocean Princess (last stop on the 17 day cruise) and need a pickup at the Unithai port and then full day tour of Bangkok. We will then need an eventual drop-off at our hotel -- The Marriot Resort on the west river bank.

 

On my "itinerary request list" are stops at the Grand Palace, Wat Arun and Wat Pho. Is there anything else I should ask the tour companies to include? I want to see as much as possible in one day. Unfortunately we will not have time to go outside of the city for any other tours like the Bridge over River Kwai and the Tiger Temple or Elephant Trek.

 

Any suggestions for a 1-day tour of Bangkok would be appreciated!

 

Regards,

Meredith, Virginia Beach, VA

 

You got a good list and that is a full day already. Between traffic and giving the grand palace its due I'd find it hard to add more then two things and the palace to a given day. Traffice is a bad affair and that really limits doing much unless they are really close. Unfortunantly the Tiger Temple, Elephant Trek and Kwai are a full day affair and far from Bangkok. Unles you have a second full day those won't work.

 

You might want to add a evening river cruise. I thought that was going to be cheesey but we really enjoyed it.

 

Enjoy Bangkok

[John Bull]

Bangkok traffic? Forget it, take to the river!

 

Grand Palace is a very short walk from the river, Wat Arun is close to it but really isn't terribly worth a visit, but a magnificent sight from the river, esp.at sunset.

 

You've not mentioned the klongs!!!!!! - a maze of little canals off the river - slums to mansions, on stilts or clumps of dry land.

Go by "express" public ferry (pennies) if you want to go native

or a tour boat which then transfers you to a rice barge to sail majestically back past the Grand Palace to River City pier, a short drive from your hotel, all for 750 baht, vaguely $20 pp http://www.thairivercruise.com/s0112/index.php?pgid=0167

A selection of other river tours also on that site, but there's other operators & alternatives

or if you're feeling flush, your own long-tail taxi-boat, about 500 baht per hour.

 

morning Grand Palace then give your guide the rest of the day off, afternoon river/klongs, evening Patong

 

4 ways to travel in Bangkok - river, skytrain, toll motorway (eg to airport), or by road in a tuk-tuk

 

Late evening, you'll be going to Patong market, bars & shows.

I trust :)

 

Amazing city - for the tourist all but Patong geared to "the King's River"

 

John Bull

[janina]

Definately get a hold of Tong with Tourswithtong. She is excellent. She will make the most of your time. Due to an unfortunate plane problems our Beijing trip was cut from 2 days to one before our cruise. Tong gave us an early tour of the flower market, Wat Arun, before any other tourists were there only 2 monks, Wat Pho, the Palace and a canal tour. She will fill in any left over time, with important sites. She is just so knowledgable and friendly. She really made me not hate NorthWest Airlines as much as I was!:)

[Guest sizzzlin sailor]

I haven't noticed mention of the "Golden Buddah." Don't miss it.

 

The Golden Buddah is memorable for many reasons. Start with the fact it is a simply stunning sculpture, and it's really gold! Here are the next two most important:

 

1) The story of the Golden Buddah's re-discovery (in modern times, by the way) is right out of the movies, making it all the more exciting and satisfying to actually lay eyes upon it. Just Google "golden buddah" on the Internet and you'll get the amazing story!

 

2) The Golden Buddah is very accessible. Get out of your car, walk up a couple steps and go around the corner and there it is, right in front of you, not 10 seconds from the street and so close if you lean over you can almost touch it! We found it absolutely breathtaking and utterly unforgettable.

[Klongmaster]

Unfortunately the Golden Buddha is off-limits at the moment and could be a while yet.

They are building a new temple around the Buddha image and the temple is closed to visitors throughout the construction period. Also, it will no longer be as accessible as it was before. Sad that, but change is the way of the world!

[Jade13]

I haven't noticed mention of the "Golden Buddah." Don't miss it.

.

 

I wasn't impressed enough to go back. I don't recall the temple itself being one of the more beautiful ones.

 

I would recommend the marble temple, which was my favorite last time I was there.

[mohicanfan]

Thank you for these great suggestions! I tried Tours with Tong and we started an email dialog but then she never responded after several follow up emails to her. We had agreed on an itinerary but no price...I decided to go with another tour company that another cruiser had recommended, only b/c they were in constant contact with me and could match Tong's itinerary. It is a shame as I heard such great things about Tong's tours!

[sjdnv]

Thank you for these great suggestions! I tried Tours with Tong and we started an email dialog but then she never responded after several follow up emails to her. We had agreed on an itinerary but no price...I decided to go with another tour company that another cruiser had recommended, only b/c they were in constant contact with me and could match Tong's itinerary. It is a shame as I heard such great things about Tong's tours!

HI, could you tell us who you used we have e-mailed Tong and have received a reply but our follow-up e-mails have gone unanswered so i'm looking for another tour company.. thanks

[brandonjordan]

Hello Mohicanfan and others. We are having the same problem with Tong. Could you send me the email address of the Bangkok guide. Adele@sircoconsultants.com. THX

[Molliem]

We'll be in Bangkok for two days before cruise March 1, 2010. Does anyone know of a good local guide from experience and would be recommended? Please advise at molliem@shaw.ca

Many Thanks, Elwin

[mohicanfan]

Hello Mohicanfan and others. We are having the same problem with Tong. Could you send me the email address of the Bangkok guide. Adele@sircoconsultants.com. THX

Hello,

 

Here is the emai address of the tour company we are using: salathaitravel01@aim.com

 

I specified the exact itinerary I wanted, the pickup location from the ship's disembarkation port, which is about an hour away, and they quoted me a total price. I paid about 60% of the total by credit card in advance and wil pay the balance in cash the day of the tour.

 

The tour company has a website:

http://www.salathaitravel.com/

 

Good luck!

[janina]

I had trouble too with tong and followup emails. She is just so busy, but worth the frustration. Write emergency and email her at both yahoo and her gmail, it works.