Hi All,

I will be in Bangkok for 4 days as of the 30/12/07. What do you recommend as the must do and see. I will be with my 16 year old daughter so not looki ng for girlie bars or that kind of stuff.

Tours, temples, places of interest, food etc. We will be travelling around after the 4 days in Bangkok. We will also be there for New Year's Eve so any suggestions would be good.

Regards,

Dave

Well, unfortunately you'll be arriving on a Sunday, otherwise I would recommend the big Chatuchak weekend market for shopping, but maybe you can make that on your way home.
If you are completely blank about where to go you should know that visiting the Grand Palace, temple of the Emerald Buddha, is an absolute must for Bangkok visitors!
My advise about New Year would be to avoid the big crowds in the center of Bangkok. There might be too much trouble.
Four days in Bangkok should be plenty to experience the metropol. After that a place of interest might be at least two days in a nice and quiet provincial city like Kanchanaburi two hours (125 km) west of Bangkok. It's the city with the historic places like the Bridge on the River Kwai, the War Cemetary with 7000 headstones of allied soldiers who died during the building of the Death Railway and the Hellfire Pass in World War II. Take a small trip on the railway and enjoy the beautiful landscapes along the river, and enjoy a good and cheap meal at one of the many restaurants by or on the riverside promenade, and make a good bargain at the evening market by the train station.

Book a bike ride through the country side, very interesting and enjoyable, though if you haven't been on a bike for a few years it can get a bit hard on the backside, I did a 40 km ride with a mate, had a guide and a mini bus that follows so that if you get tired of pedalling you can ride in the bus. The sights and the people you meet outside of Bangkok make it one of the most memorable experiences I have had in my travels. Price also included, pick up and drop off at hotel, snacks and lunch. You could stop any point on the way. there are various length trips that you can do. Another thing we did was catch the local "ferry" that goes down the canal/river this was a great experience as well and a cheap way to get around. Shop at Pratunam markets and the Indra arcade your daughter will love it, Enjoy your holiday as Bangkok is a very exciting and interesting place.

take a skytrain to the end of the line (the line that terminates at the river), take a river boat up to the palace, ignore the touts that tell you the palace is closed, and I know you will not regret that day out. Another day I would go shopping to MBK and the Central Department Store - I really think Central has some superb, quality, unique, Thai made goods at reasonable prices. I had been looking for 2 tears to buy some Baan Pee (ornate bronzeware "begging" / "alms" bowls used by monks, but sadly no longer, there is only maker left, I hope they are still going), and then one day I went to Central and bingo. I kind of felt sorry for the shop workers as they had only just set out their display and I bought half of it. Another day Khao San market / road and Chinatown I reckon.

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A couple of suggestions for Bangkok, if you're in2 shopping i highly reccommend the MBK as we stayed in the Hotel attached to it and it was awesome, also there is a mall called the Platinum Fashion Mall, not sure where it is but it is well worth the look, and Big C for cheap, pretty shoes.

something of a cultural nature is a show called Siam Niramit, you book it at your hotel and it is a stage show depicting Thailand's history and spiritual realms - it is awesome, the special effects are something else, there is a man made river on stage where people in boats float on and they have real elephants on stage, also before hand they have a big, lovely buffet dinner. A van comes and picks you up from your hotel to take you there.

Hope this helps

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It's a dangerous business Frodo, going out your door, if you don't keep your feet, there's no telling where you might be swept off to.

Why don't you go to see the Tiger Monks which are near the River Kwai.You are able to touch the tigers and the other animals roam freely it is truly awesome.We hired a driver and went to the River Kwai and to see the Tiger Monks because if you go on a tour it can take too long to go there (stops to pick up other tourists from their hotels along the way). When you have a driver for a day there isn't the crowds and you can stop and start when you want to.Seeing the River Kwai and museum was very touching and to see the burial grounds sent shivers down my spine. You won't be disappointed if you go there and try to get a long tail boat down the river while you're there.

I agree that you really should go to the River Kwai area. We were there last year and the museums are well worth a visit as was the war graves cemetery. Even though I did not know of anyone buried there, just to look at their ages made me all emotional. The care and attention paid to the upkeep is also amazing and shows how all their efforts were appreciated by the Thai people.

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Alison

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It's Better to Burn Out than just to Fade Away!

Get on the BTS somewhere - a day pass with the little book is 100 baht and will give a birds eye view of the city and help with orientation ....

Go to MBK (National Stadium BTS) and head along the overpass and down the stairs to the right toward the small cannal under the bridge and catch the cannal boat (8 baht) to the end and then walk up Golden Mountain.

This is a fun, interesting and colourful 10 minute trip along the klong and then about a 5 - 10 minute walk to the base of the Golden Mountain, followed by a 10 - 15 minute walk to the top to take in the view over Bangkok.

For the trip back get on the boat again but go past the MBK stop and get off at Pratunam and walk back to the left (over the bridge) to the Erawin shrine and then take the covered walk way under the BTS line back to MBK.

That's one day gone .....

Grand Palace for another half day and then just walk around your hotel area until you get lost and get a taxi back .....

Eat in a food court somewhere - or a street side noodle stall ....