Bangkok?

[Star Ferry]

I'm headed to Bangkok this weekend.

Any recommendations on places to check out? I was last there in spring 2014. I'm staying at the Sofitel on sukhumvit.

[sickened1]

I always try to stay away from crowded area and traffic whenever I visit Bangkok. Last time I stayed at the Hilton Millennium and the service was pretty good. Good location, free ferry ride to closest BTS Skytrain stations, lots of great local food at the night market right behind the hotel, etc. You can check out some pics from my old thread here:

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=434660

Then across the river you also have the Royal Orchid Sheraton which is ok (personally I prefer Hilton because GM upgraded my room to a suite for free ). I usally only stay in town for a couple of nights and then after that it's off to some islands with white sandy beaches.

Have fun and don't forget to post some pics for us when you get back.

[imperio]

Doesn't sukhumvit just mean 'road'/'street'? Lol.

[Star Ferry]

Muchas gracias Ed ! I did a search for recent topic with "Bangkok" in title, but I think I left out the term "thailand"

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by imperio

Doesn't sukhumvit just mean 'road'/'street'? Lol.

Im not familiar with the direct translation. Colloquially, it describes both a major road and a neighborhood

[sickened1]

Originally Posted by imperio

Doesn't sukhumvit just mean 'road'/'street'? Lol.

Nope, that's the name of the street.

[Pangit]

Originally Posted by imperio

Doesn't sukhumvit just mean 'road'/'street'? Lol.

I think you mean "Soi"

[TheBluePrince]

Sofitel on Suk is a nice place but beware of all the African drug dealers, pimps and ho's who stand right out front of it once it's dark. Generally if you ignore them they'll ignore you. But be alert as the area is rough at night and generally in the middle of the lower Suk red light district that starts at Soi 3 and runs up to Soi 21. DO NOT WEAR A NICE WATCH out around this area at night. Lots of ladyboy pickpockets around here too, give them a wide berth, if they do get close to you they will almost certainly try to dip your pocket.

Important to remember - your hotel is on the odd Soi side between Soi's 13 - 15 BUT the Soi's do not go up equally on either side. By the time you get to about Soi 31 it's only up to Soi 22 on the even side.

Places to visit...i'll ignore all the obvious one's that are generally full to bursting with rude Chinese now anyway....

Check out the Nai Lert family mansion and grounds on Wireless Road, it's walking distance from Suk Sofitel or you can get the BTS to Chitlom and just walk up Wireless Road. I think they do tours on Thurs - Sat, you might be the only person on a tour, it's lovely, quiet and tranquil - http://www.bangkokpost.com/print/872064/

Also worth having a look around the old Swiss Hotel Nai Lert Park and grounds next door which is now closing in a couple of months - another bit of old Bangkok to be lost :(

Take the BTS to Saphin Thaksin and walk down Charoen Krung road to Bangkok Folk Museum - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok_Folk_Museum

Cross over Suk Road from your hotel and walk down Soi 10 to the bottom, there's an elevated walkway along a canal (sorry, smells a bit!) and this takes you through some old neighbourhoods and down to Lumphini Park which is really rather nice. There's also a small public park at the top of Soi 10 that's nice to sit in - check out it's owner Khun Chuwit if you want a taste of how Thai politics and hi-so life really works :) You could stop for afternoon Tea at Chan and Yupa's Tea Rooms about half way down Soi 10 - lovely old house and garden that's now a nice tea shop. Walk around Lumphini park and then out and back up Wireless Road which brings you back to Chitlom.

Again, from your hotel cross over Suk and walk a bit further up to Soi 14 where you'll find this amazing 100 year old Golden Teak house which is now a lovely restaurant and bar -

http://www.hemingwaysbangkok.com/
http://www.bangkok.com/magazine/hemmingways.htm

Alas, this lovely old place is also due to be demolished soon to make way for some awful new condos.

After dinner cross back over Suk and walk past your hotel to Soi 11, then walk down to a place called Zaks that's a kinda old house on the left, the top floor is now the newly moved Checkinn99 which was just recently kicked out of it's 60 year old home (longest running bar and cabaret club in Bangkok) and has settled here. Really fun place with a great band and good crowd. Easy to find more info on fb.

Get the BTS to Phaiya thai and walk down Soi Ayuddya to Suan Pakkad Palace, another lovely old place that you will probably be the only tourists at - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suan_Pakkad_Palace

If you're partial to a nice temple then go the Golden Mount (east to find) and then afterwards have a wander around Yarowat (Chinatown), lots of which will also soon be destroyed, this way to make way for the MRT extension.

Enjoy!

[swatty]

Great tip on Hemingways, ate there a couple of years ago and it was great. Also remember a little Italian place not far from the there, yes Italian, I remember it because it was some of the best Italian food I have ever had. It's about a block away from the Westin hotel on the same side .

[bayerische]

I always stay at the Sheraton Royal Orchid, gets me my own "shangri-la". Away from the hustle of downtown.

[bayerische]

Originally Posted by swatty

Great tip on Hemingways, ate there a couple of years ago and it was great. Also remember a little Italian place not far from the there, yes Italian, I remember it because it was some of the best Italian food I have ever had. It's about a block away from the Westin hotel on the same side .

I think I know the place, and yeah, the food was great! Can't remember the name though.

[TheBluePrince]

The Italian restaurant is probably La Barca, Soi 15 :-)

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by TheBluePrince

Enjoy!

Wow, thank you seems like you are a BKK veteran. I had no idea there were so many good places within walking distance of the hotel

[TheBluePrince]

No probs, just a shame and upsetting that so many of these interesting old places will be gone soon or have been wiped off the map already. One of the best street food scene's in the world was up on Soi 38 that I would have recommended until a couple of months ago, now gone to build some condos instead.

The Thai's are on a mission to make Bangkok just another boring big city full of malls and Starbucks with nothing interesting, different or historical left at all apart from Royal Palaces or Temples.

[Ruud Van Driver]

Steve, you have to go for dinner at a restaurant called Eat Me. It's in Silom and just off Convent Road. We've been a few times now and it's awesome.

Trust me mate, you won't regret it

http://eatmerestaurant.com/

[Carrera911]

From a local (for the last year and a half) I recommend:
1. AsiaTique to riverfront at the evening: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...t-Bangkok.html
2. Good thai restaurant (fancy but not too much) Baan Khanita, recommended in Thonglor: http://www.baan-khanitha.com/
3. If you're into adult nightlife definitely check out Nana Plaza :)

[TheBluePrince]

Hemmingways is now officially closing at the end of October

There goes another great place, usual Asian attitude to anything that is old, just rip it down.

[Chadridv]

So there's no 100% right answer when it comes to food and entertainment in Thailand. There is great stuff to do and eat everywhere and can cost pennies or big bucks.

My home base in Bangkok is around the Soi Thong Lor area (also known as sukhimvit 55). "Soi" means 'road' btw. This is admittedly an expensive location with a great variety of Chinese and Japanese restaurants, as well as quite westernized boutique clothing, accessories, food and desserts. However, if you know where to go you'll find some really amazing authentic local places.

On Soi Thong Lor there is a tiny hole in the wall Singaporean style 'Cow mon Guy' (chicken and rice) restaurant. It actually has the best Cow mon Guy in the city. Order the chicken without the skin for best results (in my opinion). Also don't forget to play around with the table sauces. The 'Morning Glory' there is my favorite vegetable plate. Order a lot and try anything that looks good to you. This place is submerged in an entire neighborhood of of upscale and expensive stuff, but this restaurant offers authentic food at typical Thai prices!
Boon Tong Kiat Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice @ Thonglor
440/5 Soi Sukhumvit 55 (Thonglor), Sukhumvit Rd., North Klongton, Wattana , Bangkok, 10110, Thailand
phone +66 2390 2508

On the corner of Sukhumvit and Ekkamai there is a nice beer garden that is a bit pricey (slightly touristy) but not ridiculous. They have good food, great beer and an awesome environment.
I can't seem to find an official name for the beer garden but everyone seems to simply call it the Ekkamai Beer Garden. If you run into a jam ask anyone where the "Ekkamie BTS Station" is and the beer garden can't be missed. It can easily be identified by its ancient city inspired brick walls and outdoor seating.

Also on Ekkamai within walking distance from the beer garden is a massage spa called "Health Land". It is a little pricey by thai standards but still very cheap for westerners and foreigners. We have been there many times for years and they consistently give excellent thai massage as well as Swedish and a variety of other spa services if you ask for it.
http://www.healthlandspa.com/ekamai.html

I would suggest making a half day of the Thong Lor/Ekamai area especially since it's only a few Sky Train stops away from your hotel.
1- get chicken and rice on Thong Lor.
2- get a 2 hour massages at health land.
3- grab a beer and some food after massages at the ekamie beer garden.
The sky train is located about 100meters from the beer garden so your next stop could be anywhere in the city.

Have fun and post pics!

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by TheBluePrince

Hemmingways is now officially closing at the end of October

There goes another great place, usual Asian attitude to anything that is old, just rip it down.

Sad to hear. Just grabbed a reservation for Sunday night

- "Is that a Thai number??"
-- "No, it's a Hong Kong number"
- "Uh, just please be on time then"
-- "Okay, I promise"

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by Chadridv

I would suggest making a half day of the Thong Lor/Ekamai area especially since it's only a few Sky Train stops away from your hotel.
1- get chicken and rice on Thong Lor.
2- get a 2 hour massages at health land.
3- grab a beer and some food after massages at the ekamie beer garden.
The sky train is located about 100meters from the beer garden so your next stop could be anywhere in the city.

Have fun and post pics!

Thanks Chadri, I'll be sure to post a "Chicken + Rice + Tudor" pic

[Gaijin]

Thailand. Love it. It does each time I go seem to have a harder and meaner edge to it. Like the Thais are sick of tourists and are ready to snap. They tolerate us more than love us it seems and if there is not a baht in it for them they often times go from friendly to indifferent to borderline pissed off.

Sadly, I'm not sure I could live there anymore as I once planned.

[bayerische]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

Thailand. Love it. It does each time I go seem to have a harder and meaner edge to it. Like the Thais are sick of tourists and are ready to snap. They tolerate us more than love us it seems and if there is not a baht in it for them they often times go from friendly to borderline pissed off.

Sadly, I'm not sure I could live there anymore as I once planned.

Can't but agree. The mindset of the Thai's have changed a lot IMHO, since I first visited only 10 years ago.

Taxi's in Bangkok are the worst.

It's crazy though, that it's getting this way. Tourism is one of Thailands biggest sources of income.

[Gaijin]

Yea I hated the taxi roulette you play every time you flag one down. Whether the driver is going to turn the meter on or not , then if you ask him to if he is going to wig out.


Even when staying at the Hilton the taxis provided sometimes by the hotel tried to rip me off.

The constant Thai price and Farang ( foreigner ) price nickel and dimes you constantly and wears you out after a while.

[TheBluePrince]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

Thailand. Love it. It does each time I go seem to have a harder and meaner edge to it. Like the Thais are sick of tourists and are ready to snap. They tolerate us more than love us it seems and if there is not a baht in it for them they often times go from friendly to indifferent to borderline pissed off.

Sadly, I'm not sure I could live there anymore as I once planned.

Sadly completely agree. I'll be there for four months from Jan - May and will see how it goes then but could not live there for longer than prob six months for many reasons.

The current political situation and the impending "Big Event" that can't be talked about could well kick off full scale civil war.

[TheBluePrince]

Originally Posted by bayerische

Can't but agree. The mindset of the Thai's have changed a lot IMHO, since I first visited only 10 years ago.

Taxi's in Bangkok are the worst.

It's crazy though, that it's getting this way. Tourism is one of Thailands biggest sources of income.

The only tourism they care about now is the Chinese because of the numbers. What they're now starting to realise though is that most of these hoards are on cheap package "Zero Dollar" tours orchestrated by Chinese companies using illegal Thai company nominee's and most of the money is going straight back to China. Business like bars, restaurants and all the usual tourist shops and businesses are getting nothing. The Chinese are taken to specific restaurants and outlet shops owned by the Chinese tour companies and mafias through illegal nominee ownership.

After the GFC in 2007/8 the Thai's chased the Indian, Russian and Chinese tourists to replace the rich Western tourists and this is now backfiring on them. TAT keeps going on about "Quality Tourists" but none are coming from the above mentioned countries and few that do come from the West see what an awful state the resorts are in now and don't ever come back.

Som nam na as they say.

[bayerische]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

Yea I hated the taxi roulette you play every time you flag one down. Whether the driver is going to turn the meter on or not , then if you ask him to if he is going to wig out.


Even when staying at the Hilton the taxis provided sometimes by the hotel tried to rip me off.

The constant Thai price and Farang ( foreigner ) price nickel and dimes you constantly and wears you out after a while.

Last time in BKK, our first Taxi driver from the airport refused to put on the meter (funny as the government's stand is that we foreigners should stand our ground on this) well, we jumped out took our luggage walked back to the Taxi stand (where they also tell you to make sure the driver puts the meter on) told them about the situation and said we want a meter taxi. Sure enough another Taxi, and I asked him outside the car "meter?" -Yes. Well once underway he started to negotiate. Even more expansive this time than the last. I told him, about the meter and he put it on. After a minute the meter was at 600Baht. Oh, you who have taken taxis in BKK, know it should perhaps have been 30.

OK, so I ask him what is this, he goes ballistic. Stops in the middle of the highway and is about to evict me, my wife and my mother (almost 70 years old). If it would have been me and my wife we would have exited and walked back. After trying to talk some reason with this man, he caved and started to drive again. We discussed the price, and he threatened us to dump us off in the ghettos beneath the highway. Fun guy! OK, so finally he agrees 700 baht. (Metered price about 400Baht) He then drove about 50-60km/h the whole way. Avoided the toll road. So it took us 2,5Hours! Imagine the stupidity. He lost close to 2 hours work time, just so he could punish us this way.

This and other similar experiences is putting me off. Sad.

[bayerische]

Originally Posted by TheBluePrince

The only tourism they care about now is the Chinese because of the numbers. What they're now starting to realise though is that most of these hoards are on cheap package "Zero Dollar" tours orchestrated by Chinese companies using illegal Thai company nominee's and most of the money is going straight back to China. Business like bars, restaurants and all the usual tourist shops and businesses are getting nothing. The Chinese are taken to specific restaurants and outlet shops owned by the Chinese tour companies and mafias through illegal nominee ownership.

After the GFC in 2007/8 the Thai's chased the Indian, Russian and Chinese tourists to replace the rich Western tourists and this is now backfiring on them. TAT keeps going on about "Quality Tourists" but none are coming from the above mentioned countries and few that do come from the West see what an awful state the resorts are in now and don't ever come back.

Som nam na as they say.

Agree 110%!

[Gaijin]

Originally Posted by bayerische

Last time in BKK, our first Taxi driver from the airport refused to put on the meter (funny as the government's stand is that we foreigners should stand our ground on this) well, we jumped out took our luggage walked back to the Taxi stand (where they also tell you to make sure the driver puts the meter on) told them about the situation and said we want a meter taxi. Sure enough another Taxi, and I asked him outside the car "meter?" -Yes. Well once underway he started to negotiate. Even more expansive this time than the last. I told him, about the meter and he put it on. After a minute the meter was at 600Baht. Oh, you who have taken taxis in BKK, know it should perhaps have been 30.

OK, so I ask him what is this, he goes ballistic. Stops in the middle of the highway and is about to evict me, my wife and my mother (almost 70 years old). If it would have been me and my wife we would have exited and walked back. After trying to talk some reason with this man, he caved and started to drive again. We discussed the price, and he threatened us to dump us off in the ghettos beneath the highway. Fun guy! OK, so finally he agrees 700 baht. (Metered price about 400Baht) He then drove about 50-60km/h the whole way. Avoided the toll road. So it took us 2,5Hours! Imagine the stupidity. He lost close to 2 hours work time, just so he could punish us this way.

This and other similar experiences is putting me off. Sad.

That is just awful.

[Gaijin]

Steve, sorry didn't mean to derail your thread.

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

Steve, sorry didn't mean to derail your thread.

No worries -- I had a few unscrupulous cabbies myself during my last trip to Thailand.

I'm sticking to hotel car, subway/skytrain and old fashioned walking this time