What to do in BKK?

[Salusa]

I have an 8 hour slot in between connections at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi.

4:15pm until 1:10am.

Dont really want to hang around airport, so was wondering if had enough time to go into town?

Any suggestions welcome...

[Rush2112]

You should have time to get into town BUT, you could take 30mins clearing immigration in and out so you have lost an hour there. Getting back from Nana or Patpong shouldn't be an issue at 11pm or so, expect to take min 40 mins.

That said, Bangkok is in the rainy season now and it tends to pee down at about 4pm - 6pm most days and the traffic is appalling even by usual Bangkok standards. You could easily be a couple of hours getting into town.

Your 8 hour stop now looks like 4 hours usuable time(!)

Check into the Novotel and have a lie down instead.

Bangkokeasy - you want to add or contradict anything? I was up there earlier this week and Sun/Mon/Tue nights, heavy rain. One hour from Amari Atrium to soi 11 (great tapas place there, behind Cheap Charlies).

[ZFT]

You don’t specify which day but assuming a weekday and landing at 1615 you will hit the rush hour traffic big time at the Din Daeng freeway intersection or get horribly snarled up on Rama IX dependant upon which way your taxi goes.

As Rush2112 say’s, traffic has been unusually bad this week and with check in/immigration times better worse at VTBS unless you are really desperate to get into town, I wouldn’t bother.

[tezzer]

"Getting back from Nana or Patpong " I wonder why these two place are top of the list ??:=

[knobbygb]

Others are right about the traffic, although I've only ever been in the dry 'winter' season.

Not much to do at the airport (although, unlike most others I actually like it - good choice of reasonably priced food and bars etc. and in 6 transits I've never had to queue more than a 5 minutes at immigration)

If you've not been to Thailand or Bangkok before I'd definatley say it's worth the trip into town - even if you just ride in and come straight back! That's gotta be better than sitting in the airport for 3 extra hours. The colours, smells, noise and general heaving mass of humanity are definatley worth the experience - if you like that kind of thing.

Take care which option you use to get downtown. There are taxis and "limousines" outside the terminal which are probably quickest, but on the lower level, and unsignposted, are minibusus that go to several destinations in the centre for a lower price (I seem to remember about 350Baht/7 Euro but don't quote me). My choice option is the local bus service which costs about 80 baht but this goes from the remote 'transport hub' which is off airport and this entails an extra 10 minute (free) transfer at each end of your journey.

The city doesn't have a well defined centre so it might be worth just getting the bus to one of the outer suburbs for a taste of local culture and a quick meal from one of the 1000's of roadside stands. On Nut can be reached in under 30 minutes and from here, a ride into the centre on the BTS skytrain will give you views over the city - the skytrain is worth the ride in itself. Or take the bus via the expressway to the terminus at Victory Monument (also on the skytrain) and just spend an hour walking around the very large, bustling 'roundabout' taking in the atmosphere and buy a few souveniers.

The main tourist 'sight' - the royal palace is quite a distance from the airport bus or the skytrain so may not be easily accessable in the time you have, but it'd be a shame not to take in a bit of the local culture if you have chance and don't mind a bit of stress.

[Rush2112]

Well tezzer, all the other so-called tourist places will be closed by then, if I recall correctly Grand Palace closes 15.30, Suam Lum night bazaar is still open but I hear it's due to close down "soon".

At least at Patpong there is the market for souveniers, fake bags, fake watches, etc. And Nana has the heaving mass of humanity that knobby seems to like :)

Whenever I go back I get an airport pickup from a great service called Julie Taxi - she runs a fleet of semi-independent drivers, some female which is reassuring for lone female travellers, and generally pretty reliable. If one contacted them (either g_oooooooo_gle her or PM me), they would do a package to pick you up, take you whereever, wait while you did it and get you back to the airport.

[Salusa]

Thanks for the heads up chaps,

Traffic aside, I reckon I will head to Patpong for a few cold ones.

Worse case scenario, I miss my flight and spend an extra day:ok:

[Bangkokeasy]

Patpong is certainly possible and for a short transit still takes some beating. May take up to two hours to get there, but it's unpredictable and will be much quicker on the way back. You should be in Patpong by about 7, and should leave again by 10.30pm. That gives you plenty of time for a quick bite and to see the sights. I recommend one of the small French restaurants in Patpong 2, then just trawl the bars for a couple of hours and buy a fake watch or bag as a souvenir. Don't worry if it is raining there, as it adds to the atmosphere in Patpong, which becomes very "Blade runner" when it pours.

The schedule will work and I think is well worth it. That said, I know people who have stopped in transit and have yet to leave!

[Rush2112]

Ah yes, Le Bouchon. Top call mate.