Democracy Monument in Bangkok
After spending ten glorious days in Northern Thailand, we flew from Chiang Mai to Bangkok for the last segment of our amazing Thailand trip: three days in Bangkok. And I am going to take this chance to express my disappointment when I compare our experiences with South Asia airports and air carriers to those in the US. Why can't we have a pleasant experience traveling in the US? Why can't US customer service people in airports and airlines provide satisfactory service to their customers? Is it ever going to get better? I don't know, but it saddens me to realize that we have more enjoyable experiences traveling with carriers like China Airlines and AirAsia than we do with Delta and US Airways, and that Bangkok International Airport is way more organized and beautiful than any airport of its size that I've used in the US. Are we ever going to catch up?Okay, now that that's off my chest,I can go on.
We arrived at Bangkok International Airport on the evening of May 27th. We claimed our luggage and proceeded to the exit. And although it is not unique to Bangkok, self proclaimed drivers who were trying to get us in their taxis seemed especially annoying after the peaceful, enjoyable encounters we had with people in Chiang Mai and the north. Until then, the Thai people we came across were very friendly, cheerful, helpful and just so sweet. Imagine our shock when all of these "other" Thai people were shouting prices at us! We bypassed the crowds, and got to the legitimate public taxi counter,where we were assigned a cab that took us to our charming hotel;Phranakorn Nornlen Hotel,which I will write more about in a future post.
The drive from the airport to the hotel was less than charming,it was dark, and we were tired. I was a little worried about traffic and the taxi drivers in Bangkok, as I read some horrifying reports about that. However, I did not find the traffic or driving that bad. Sure, it is a big city with a lot of traffic, but I didn't think it was worse than say Rome, or NYC. We were very pleased by the reception at our hotel, and very touched by the friendliness of the staff. We loved the hotel and our room, and we were very hungry. It was already about eight thirty, so we decided to just walk around the hotel and find a quick bite to eat. Well, that was the first real not so pleasant face that Bangkok showed us. I had no problem eating street food in Chaing Mai,I actually enjoyed it immensely, but these stands that night did not look welcoming at all, nor did the people. Bill grabbed a quick soup dish that he didn't really enjoy, and I grabbed a quick sandwich from the Seven-Eleven next door to the hotel and we called it a night.
Taxis and Tuk Tuks in Bangkok
After a great night sleep, we got up the next morning ready to explore Bangkok. We had a delicious healthy breakfast at the hotel, and set out to the nearby pier to catch the ferry to Rattanakosin;the artificial island by the riverbank, considered to be historic Bangkok, where its famous temples and magnificent Grand Palace stand. Catching the ferry was fairly easy, and we bought our tickets on board. The river in Bangkok,Chao Phraye, is not glamorous at all, but not as bad as some of the other dirty canals across Bangkok,which is known as Venice of the East for its many canals. I don't know if it was the smell of the city, the heat, the harassment we received from tuk tuk drivers, but we didn't have the best day in Bangkok. I was awed by the temples we visited, and was mesmerized by the beauty of the Grand Palace, but couldn't enjoy it as we've enjoyed the "other' Thailand.
Caho Phraye
We found many people we encountered aloof, and some plain rude. Tuk tuk drivers were harassing us to get in their tuk tuks,and they were trying to mislead us by pointing out to an obvious wrong entrance to the Grand Palace, or pointing to the wrong direction for Wat Po. Luckily we had a map, and we knew where we were going, so we didn't really listen to them, but it was just aggravating to say the least. I consider myself a big city person, I am in total love with Rome, and I love visiting NYC, but there is something about Bangkok that just did not agree with us.
Giant Swing
The other two days we spent in Bangkok were far more pleasant than the first one; we spent most of these couple days at the shopping malls in the Siam District. Between MBK and Siam Center, we managed to enjoy Bangkok and do a lot of shopping, good eating, and no sweating. Overall, I'd say our Bangkok visit was successful; its attractions are definitely worth seeing, and the shopping is wonderful:great qualities for cheap prices. My advice to anyone visiting Bangkok: avoid the river and canals as much as possible, don't listen to random people approaching you in Bangkok(enjoy it in Chiang Mai though), don't take a tuk tuk unless the driver seems sane, always make sure the taxi driver is not one of those giving you a deal, but rather have the driver put the meter on, and do yourself a favor and take cabs everywhere,they are very affordable.
Comments (8)
Candi you have offered very good advice. I have never been to this part of the world but find it fascinating. I very much like the aerial view of the tuk tuks. Thank you, as always very informative posts.
Posted by Barb Cabot | July 22, 2009 1:30 AM
Posted on July 22, 2009 01:30
Hi Candi, Bangkok sounds like a city with two sides to it. I'm glad to hear that in the end you did enjoy your time here. And if I am able to one day get to Thailand, thank you for all the great tips about the Taxis.
Those Tuk Tuks almost looks kind of fun but I think in a busy city I would much rather be in a taxi too.
Thank you for sharing so much of your experiences on this trip. It really sounds like you had a wonderful time in Thailand.
Posted by Kathy (Trekcapri) | July 22, 2009 6:42 AM
Posted on July 22, 2009 06:42
LOL, love this advice: "don't take a tuk tuk unless the driver seems sane." For some reason, that cracks me up.
The whole trying to mislead people thing is weird. I bet the big city vibe was kinda shocking after hanging out with the elephants. But I'm glad the shopping was good!
Posted by Annie | July 22, 2009 10:38 AM
Posted on July 22, 2009 10:38
Thanks for posting your honest impressions of Bangkok. We love big cities but hate being pressed and hassled as a tourist. It will not prevent us from visiting Bangkok but it is good to be forewarned.
Posted by marta | July 22, 2009 10:46 AM
Posted on July 22, 2009 10:46
I am NOT a big city girl, so I would probably skip Bangkok and go to the lovely places you visited in Northern Thailand.
As far as big cities go, I DO like Florence a lot, more than Rome or Venice.
Posted by nancyhol | July 23, 2009 2:10 PM
Posted on July 23, 2009 14:10
Excellent advice, Candi. Your perceptions are really interesting and very thoughtful -- it's easy to rave about a city, or write it off, but you explain the good and bad elements very well.
Like Annie, I loved your point about chosing a sane tuk-tuk driver!
Posted by sandrac | July 23, 2009 2:11 PM
Posted on July 23, 2009 14:11
Loved your honest impressions,Candi.Gave me a good feel for a part of the world that is totally unfamiliar to me. Glad that,in the end, you had an enjoyable visit!
Posted by sheri | July 27, 2009 5:46 PM
Posted on July 27, 2009 17:46
I'm really glad you had a better time the second two days in Bangkok. Having people give you the wrong directions is so irritating and seems to serve no purpose. Great tips to remember when visiting Bangkok.
Posted by girasoli | August 10, 2009 3:18 AM
Posted on August 10, 2009 03:18