Jeff’s Bangkok Trip & Tips

I’m pretty sure there have been to many travel and personal blogs about some do’s and don’ts in Bangkok … I’ll join the bandwagon.

• August has the 30’s temperature (in C) and 80’s humidity. It’s effing scorching hot hot hot!!!


• Bringing a bottle of mineral water is always advisable though you can buy one practically anywhere for about 10-20 Baht. The buko juice (20-25 Baht) is a must try! It’s naturally sweet and creamy.


• Tuktuks can be tourist traps! Most drivers would rip you off by charging over 300 Baht for a five to ten-minute ride (with or without traffic).


• If you’re going to any of the floating markets, just enjoy the experience and riding the boat. Don’t shop there – items are usually priced double or triple. You can buy something to eat though.


• Temple visits would definitely be part of everyone’s itinerary. Note that certain temples have appropriate dress codes. The Grand Palace has the most expensive ticket for THB 350. The other temples’ “donation” or ticket prices range from Thb 20 – 50. Others, absolutely FREE!


• If budget is not a major issue, an organized tour will work for you. Tours would normally include hotel pick-up and drop off plus lunch. Although tours can take much of your time than the usual. I personally recommend http://www.city-discovery.com/ in fact me and my friends took the Khlong tour and we experienced the different side of Bangkok via the Chao Phraya River.


• Maps can be confusing at times so it’s also safe to ask for directions from the locals but make sure to ask at least two or three different people to check for consistency. You can get a relatively better English street conversation in Thailand compared to China. Oh btw, get your hotel address written in Thai by the concierge. This may come in handy in directing your cab driver back to your hotel.


• Factor in heavy traffic in your city travels but if you’re used to the Metro Manila scene, you’ll be just fine. You can take the train (BTS - Silom & Sukhumvit lines) on some of your trips.

• Night life ends at 1am. Deal with it.

• Expect long walks when touring sights and nearby temples. One way to ease those tired legs and feet would be the Thai massage. It’s 150-200 per hour on the average but in the shoppers area, it could range from 200 – 400 per hour.


• Although shopping usually comes last in the itinerary (of course you’d prioritize spending on tours and food first right), try to resist buying stuff during your tours since there are places with great bargains. Chatuchak weekend market is number one on the list. Brace yourself here because an entire day is not enough to browse through each and every stall. Pratunam district, Platinum Mall and Suan Lum night bazaar would come in next.

• You can get very affordable tailored clothes and suites (especially in the Pratunam district) and get everything finished in like 9 hours. I think I saw some shops that can give you about 1,000 – 2,000 baht for a complete suit already!


• Don’t be afraid to try the authentic Thai street foods such as the noodles (30-40 baht), pad thai (30 – 45 baht), etc.


• Always ask the taxi driver to use the meter for a more accurate fare.


• Thanon Khao San is the backpackers district. It’s very busy and almost everything is relatively affordable. And mind you, there’s San Mig light and Pale Pilsen here!!! Woohoo!!!

• When Thais say spicy, they mean it! Just enjoy the food.

• Thais are not culturally heavy on tipping for services provided. A little generosity wouldn’t hurt though. They’d be more than appreciative of that gesture.
  If it’s your first time to visit the city try to get as much travel tips from friends who have been there before or better yet, get them to come along with you.



• Try to arrange everything prior to your trip – hotel reservation (google it first and check out the location, reviews, rates, etc), airport transfers, tour package inclusions, etc. But if you’re the adventurous type, I guess you can just hop on the plane and take it from there.

Enjoy Bangkok! I did... and I'd love to come back. =)