Bangkok (Laem Chabang) - Thailand - Sun Princess

[segcruisers]

We are a group of 6 people - My husband and myself with our 2 girls (10 and 12) and my parents (70s).

 

 

We are arriving in Laem Chabang in July 2011 and would welcome any suggestions for our day in Bangkok.

[janina]

I would definately hire a private guide to pick you up and return you to the Port. It is not close to Bangkok, and this way you will get to see as much as possible, since a local guide is familiar with the traffic, which can be very congested. We used Tong and she was fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[segcruisers]

I would definately hire a private guide to pick you up and return you to the Port. It is not close to Bangkok, and this way you will get to see as much as possible, since a local guide is familiar with the traffic, which can be very congested. We used Tong and she was fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Would you be able to give me contact details for Tong?

[janina]

Sorry, just checked back. Tongs company is tourwithtong.com...have patience she is very busy, but worth it.:)

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Good luck with your research.

Any tours we have done in Bangkok have been when we have had a stopover on the way to Europe, or stayed a few days, pre cruise in the City. We only did half day tours, but they all turned into full days due to the horrendous traffic.

Laem Chabang is a long motorway drive from Bangkok, and the nearer you get to the City the worse the traffic.

It may be a port where a ships tour could be the way to go, as at least you know the ship will wait for you to get back.

Another spot you could investigate is Pattaya. It is only 20 minutes away from the port at Laem Chabang. I realise it has a "sleazy" reputation, but that is mainly at night and there could be tours you could do around there.

Anything would have to be arranged beforehand as there is nothing at the port , so you would have to have a guide or someone teed up to meet you.

 

 

 

 

[John Bull]

You do need to at least fix up transport to Bangkok in advance, whether that's a full tour or just a one-way transfer.

Bangkok is about 90 minutes, but allow at least 2 hours because of unreliable traffic conditions.

Theres no train, & getting to a bus stop (some distance) is complicated. Your ship is likely to be some distance from the port gate, and taxis at the quayside are in a cartel with taxi-masters grossly over-charging.

 

For a car (up to 3 peope) one-way to Bangkok fixed up at the quayside about 4600 baht, negotiable to about 3600 baht.

The same, but probably a better vehicle, about 2400 baht pre-booked over the 'net. (pre-booked vehicles are not subject to the port cartel & can pick up at the quayside)

The same one-way back to L/C about 1600 baht booked in Bangkok via any hotel etc (they get a commission from the driver)(vehicles dropping off are not subject to the port cartel)

Don't know the prices for a van but the ratio will be the same. I'm none-too-sure whether you can get a van, rather than cars, back to L/C at short notice.

 

On several visits to Bangkok I've found getting around the city using tuk-tuks and river-ferries pretty easy, a whole lot cheaper & much quicker than a car, though 6 by tuk-tuks might get complicated (but you gotta do it once at least :))

 

Be sure to visit the Grand Palace (though it'll probably bore the kids. :p And take water in with you - no food/drink sales inside the grounds).

Not far from the Palace is Chinatown, busy & ecclectic, quite an experience.

 

And take a long-tailed boat ride through the klongs (canals) - as a group of 6 it's much better & very economical to hire your own :cool:, from River City Pier or other locations, around USD30 to 40 for an hour, which is long enough. And you could pick up a boat at, say, River City Pier & get dropped-off at the Grand Palace, saving one land drive.

Or a combined long-tail round the klongs & transfer to a leisurely rice barge (small buffet) for the return to River City Pier, sold seat-on-boat as a package.

 

Because parts of Bangkok (eg Chinatown), and other places on your itinerary, are very crowded can I suggest that you pick out landmark meeting places as you go, in case you get split-up.

 

If you're ported for two days, give very serious consideration to overniting in a Bangkok hotel - inexpensive, a chance to see the nightlife, avoids doubled-up journey times.

 

The Kiwi's suggestion of Pattaya is very much easier, though its a very poor substitute for Bangkok. I rate the evening best - "Walking Street" is very safe, not desperately sleazy (perfectly ok for the kids, though mebbe a bit of an eye-opener :)), and great to wander.

 

John Bull