General: Bangkok > Reviews > Bluffers Guide to Bangkok

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Value for Money
Shopping
Nightlife
Ease of getting around
Family Friendly

Advantages:	friendly, cheap, buzzing
Disadvantages:	dirty, traffic

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Bangkok is a big culture shock to anyone used to the comforts of the Western world.
You either love it or hate it here; people end up staying two weeks or two hours. I lived in Bangkok for 6 months, so I thought I’d do a bluffers guide to the city. You’ll be a native in no time.
Firstly the Airport. Don Muang International is a pretty modern affair with quick check in and baggage reclaim. The queues at passport control can be bad at times but it’s all about picking the right one. Avoid booths with two officials, as one is usually the YTS trainee. Be cheeky and go to the booth with ASEAN over it. There’s never any queue there as it’s only for passport holders from the surrounding region. Never been turned away yet. Once you’re out in the main terminal ignore the airport limo touts and head to the taximeter rank. Tell the nice lady where your going and let the taxi driver do the rest. Don’t pay over 150baht(about £2) to get into the heart of the city. The driver will ask if you want to use the freeway. Say yes as its quicker, but only pay the toll indicated(40baht).Drivers sometimes like to treble or quadruple this amount. On a good journey into the city it should take you about 30 minutes, a bad journey about three hours. All taxis have air con, but have pvc seats, so no wearing chino’s.
If you’re leaving through Don muang, you’ll have to stump up 500baht for the pleasure. No amount of pleading and begging will help if you can’t come up with the cash, you’ll just miss your flight.

Now onto the city. If you’re lording it up then head for the best hotel in the city. I reckon it’s the Peninsula. This place is swish. Right on the river, it has a sixty-metre pool, space age rooms, amazing restaurants and loads more. Costs around £250 a night though. If your skint then head to the famous Khao San Road area. Place are hit and miss, and there’s around 200 hotels, hostels and guest houses all wanting your custom. I’ve stayed at the Siam hotel there. 100 baht for a decent room with a fan and cold shower. The Lucky hotel across the road is three times the price for the same room, but its always full. Something to do with the 24-hour porno channels in every room I reckon.
Stick to middle of the road places if your not a backpacker or part of the Jet Set.
There’s plenty of places down Sukhumvit Road like the Landmark Hotel. Set you back around £30 a night for five star luxury. Best place to stay around is Siam Square though. Never more than 30 minutes from all the big attractions. Novotel beats everything else in the vicinity at only £20 a night per room!.

Plenty of attractions to keep you going in Bangkok. The weekend market is huge with everything under the sun for sale. The palace is brilliant but don’t forget to wear trousers, have your shoulders covered and a strap on the back of your shoes, otherwise you ain’t getting in. Floating markets are not really worth it, just full of tourist tat.If your there for shopping go to MBK in Siam Square.It will take you eight hours to navigate it. Jim Thompson’s house is ok if you’re into Thai Silk and Teak furniture.
Beware the touts and tuk tuk touts when walking round Bangkok. There just there to con you into buying a naff suit or worthless gems. Tuk tuk drivers get you by promising a trip round the city, visiting all the sights. You’ll visit just one. A tailor.
There are loads of places to get good grub in Bangkok, infact to many to mention. Try not to buy off the street vendors no matter how drunk you are and how much like pork it smells. I’ve had rat before as I thought it was a spare rib. Blamed it on the Maekhong whiskey. A word of warning about Maekhong. Its 80% proof and if you drink a skinful it will kill you. Full of illegal ingredients including speed!.

The nightlife is legendary. Patpong is worth going to just for curiosities sake. It all very tawdry but one hell of an eye opener. There’s a good Irish pub called O Reilly’s there which is well worth visiting. Plenty of Clubs around, most in the posh hotels .Try the ones at the Grand Hyatt, Shang Ri La and the Peninsula.

Have Fun.