Thailand - 19 hour layover in BKK, what would you do?

flying from BNE -BKK- LHR with 19 hour layover at BKK, Is it worth going into town and what would you do. Flying business so have ability to sleep on plane. What would you do if you? What one thing would you do?:):D

I'd change to an earlier flight.

flying from BNE -BKK- LHR with 19 hour layover at BKK, Is it worth going into town and what would you do. Flying business so have ability to sleep on plane. What would you do if you? What one thing would you do?:):D
Do sisters count as one thing or two?

LOL +1 to InTokyo, however I'd go into the center of town and grab a bit to eat, check out the market maybe

flying from BNE -BKK- LHR with 19 hour layover at BKK, Is it worth going into town and what would you do. Flying business so have ability to sleep on plane. What would you do if you? What one thing would you do?:):D
Do sisters count as one thing or two?

Problem with such activities in BKK is A LOT of underage girls posing as 18+
It's a common problem across the region. Lots of sex traffickers. I'd stay away from "the ladies of the night"

Please continue to follow this thread in the FT Thailand Forum.
Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

Day of week? Time(s) of day? Even exact date as it may be holiday. What kind of things do you like to do?

There have been plenty of similar threads here over the years, many with nearly the full range of suggestions including transportation options, cultural, shopping, eating, massage, etc.

Well, I sure wouldn't want to sit in the airport for 19 hours. But yeah, time of day and day of the week makes a something of a difference. If you've not been to Bangkok before I would probably go see the Grand Palace and Wat Po for sure.

+1 Grand Palace

My one suggestion would be to go to the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall. The crafts on display (using precious metals and gems) are mind blowing, from a beauty, skill and opulence points of view.

It's part of the Teak Palace complex. No shorts allowed (as most of the major Thai sites).

Combine that with one of the million places to eat. If you want to splurge, Breeze is unforgettable - al fresco on the 51st floor. Very pricey but the best meal I had in Thailand. (Second best was a very inexpensive place in Chaing Mai).

My one suggestion would be to go to the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall. The crafts on display (using precious metals and gems) are mind blowing, from a beauty, skill and opulence points of view.


I enjoy the Dusit Palace of Rama V significantly moreso than the Grand Palace. ^

Do sisters count as one thing or two?

We may have to go to the judges for a ruling, but 1 if they're 'Siamese Twins' IMO.

That definition, and the other of "she's my sister", provides considerable scope as I suspect you well know..... ;)

As others have said it depends:

on what time of day/night you are arriving
what really interests you
if you have been to Bangkok before


Personally, I would would do more than one thing if I had 19 hours in Bangkok. So, I will not really answer your question. But, if it were me, I would:


Clear immigration & customs {2 hours}
Have a massage [your choice of naughty or nice] {2 hours}
Have a traditional Thai meal [none of that 'Hi-so' stuff for me] {90 minutes}
Have a haircut, shave, manicure and pedicure {90 minutes}
Have time left over for impromptu activity and misc. travel time {10.5 hours}
Return to airport/check-in/depart {2.5 hours}

Personally, I would would do more than one thing if I had 19 hours in Bangkok. So, I will not really answer your question. But, if it were me, I would:


Clear immigration & customs {2 hours}



Glad I've never been on your flights. 2 hours? Even in the worst of the immigration problems I've never had more than 1hr to curbside.

Glad I've never been on your flights. 2 hours? Even in the worst of the immigration problems I've never had more than 1hr to curbside.

Well, if you take less time go get through then more time in-country. :p

Well, if you take less time go get through then more time in-country. :p

AKA more time to eat.

you do not say when you arrive and if you are getting a hotel etc....

if you arrive around midnight then there is not much to do except eat and party ,
if you arrive in the morning most places open 9-10am , see the sights, go shopping , take the BTS to the last station and turn around and head back ( so you can see how big BKK is )
Go get pampered at a spa or just a haircut, shave, manicure and pedicure as mentioned above ,

19 hours is a long time to plan on doing stuff in Bangkoks heat and traffic !

Soarer

Day of week? Time(s) of day? Even exact date as it may be holiday. What kind of things do you like to do?

There have been plenty of similar threads here over the years, many with nearly the full range of suggestions including transportation options, cultural, shopping, eating, massage, etc.

I arrive at 7pm on January 13 and leave on the 14th at 2 pm.[/I]

you do not say when you arrive and if you are getting a hotel etc....

if you arrive around midnight then there is not much to do except eat and party ,
if you arrive in the morning most places open 9-10am , see the sights, go shopping , take the BTS to the last station and turn around and head back ( so you can see how big BKK is )
Go get pampered at a spa or just a haircut, shave, manicure and pedicure as mentioned above ,

19 hours is a long time to plan on doing stuff in Bangkoks heat and traffic !

Soarer

I arrive at 7 pm and leave at 2 pm the next day. January 13 arrive and 14th leave. also don't know if I am getting hotel, depends on what I can do. my wife is traveling with me.

I arrive at 7 pm and leave at 2 pm the next day. January 13 arrive and 14th leave. also don't know if I am getting hotel, depends on what I can do. my wife is traveling with me.

Dude, you have a overnight through 2PM the next day and you don't know if you're getting a hotel? :eek: My wife is relatively permissive but she'd kill me if I presented this scenario to her.

I think you should start looking at hotels.

Dude, you have a overnight through 2PM the next day and you don't know if you're getting a hotel? :eek: My wife is relatively permissive but she'd kill me if I presented this scenario to her.

I think you should start looking at hotels.

really!!!

What they said!

Definitely leave the airport and, at a minimum, have a nice Thai dinner followed by a good night's sleep at a hotel. If you're more energetic, visit a street market after dinner and get up early and do a little sight-seeing between breakfast and heading for the airport.

Good hotels are relatively inexpensive in BKK so you'd definitely want to get one! 4 seasons, Banyan Tree, Sukothai, Peninsula the list goes on

With a 7pm arrival you could be at the hotel by 9pm, late dinner, drinks.

I arrive at 7 pm and leave at 2 pm the next day. January 13 arrive and 14th leave. also don't know if I am getting hotel, depends on what I can do. my wife is traveling with me.

Get a Hotel very near the BTS , check out the area a little , get something to eat ,

Back to Hotel and sleep to 7-8 am , have breakfast and walk around some ,

You need to head back to the Airport about 11-11:30 am if you are taking a taxi

a decent hotel is only $50 or so.

What about your luggage ?

Soarer
let me add you want the taxi to take the expressway back to the Airport , I think its 70 baht extra in tolls , or you can take the Airport link if you do not have much luggage to drag along

Good hotels are relatively inexpensive in BKK so you'd definitely want to get one! 4 seasons, Banyan Tree, Sukothai, Peninsula the list goes on

With a 7pm arrival you could be at the hotel by 9pm, late dinner, drinks.

I don't think I would count the Banyan Tree, Sukhothai or Pen as "inexpensive. You can spend a fraction of the price of those hotels and get a perfectly nice place to stay.

As others have said it depends:

on what time of day/night you are arriving
what really interests you
if you have been to Bangkok before


Personally, I would would do more than one thing if I had 19 hours in Bangkok. So, I will not really answer your question. But, if it were me, I would:


Clear immigration & customs {2 hours}
Have a massage [your choice of naughty or nice] {2 hours}
Have a traditional Thai meal [none of that 'Hi-so' stuff for me] {90 minutes}
Have a haircut, shave, manicure and pedicure {90 minutes}
Have time left over for impromptu activity and misc. travel time {10.5 hours}
Return to airport/check-in/depart {2.5 hours}


I will definitely do the Thai meal, massage and impromptu activity - thank you for the time break down as that will help with figuring out some of the things I can do.

Get a Hotel very near the BTS , check out the area a little , get something to eat ,

Back to Hotel and sleep to 7-8 am , have breakfast and walk around some ,

You need to head back to the Airport about 11-11:30 am if you are taking a taxi

a decent hotel is only $50 or so.

What about your luggage ?

Soarer
let me add you want the taxi to take the expressway back to the Airport , I think its 70 baht extra in tolls , or you can take the Airport link if you do not have much luggage to drag along

I won't be carrying anything other than one carry on for me and my wife. Thank you

I don't think I would count the Banyan Tree, Sukhothai or Pen as "inexpensive. You can spend a fraction of the price of those hotels and get a perfectly nice place to stay.

And where would you suggest? I want to explore all options, as I won't be there until January 14 2012, but my daughter will be there the week before me.

Glad I've never been on your flights. 2 hours? Even in the worst of the immigration problems I've never had more than 1hr to curbside.

I love the never more than one hour to curbside, I want to see as much as possible in my limited time. Love all the suggestions and hope I get more. Never been to Bangkok, but if this trip perks my interest I will be back.

Good hotels are relatively inexpensive in BKK so you'd definitely want to get one! 4 seasons, Banyan Tree, Sukothai, Peninsula the list goes on

With a 7pm arrival you could be at the hotel by 9pm, late dinner, drinks.

looking at the list online I think I like the Banyan Tree or the Peninsula, now for the wife's input. She will probably want cheaper alternatives b/c only one night, i disagree.

I'm going there also; arriving 2345 on 11/19 and departing 0555 11/21. Was thinking of staying the night of 11/19 at either the Hilton or Conrad...any suggestions as to which to choose? I then have the whole day of 11/20 to sight see before heading to BKK and an airport hotel (cheap!) for the night of 11/20. Any suggestions as to what I should do on 11/20 and which BKK hotel to choose?

I'd rather be at the Conrad - you would rather be at the Hilton. Lotsa epic temples, palaces, museums down by the river you can ferry to (you can do some research on your own). Definitely save 2hrs for a massage which you can get for 200-400B. If you get one at Wat Po it'll cost 2X that, but still worth it. BTW, don't be afraid of street food - it's great. wj

How about suggestions for 5.5 hrs, mid morning to mid afternoon? Never been before. Doable at all?

How about suggestions for 5.5 hrs, mid morning to mid afternoon? Never been before. Doable at all?

That's cutting it really close :eek: You don't say if that's time from official arrival to official departure, but if so, Immigration can easily take half hour or more, and you are supposed to get to the airport a couple of hours before departure.

If you spring for a taxi and traffic isn't bad you may be able to see something, but the airport is to the east of Bangkok, and most of the touristy things are in western part of town. Hopping on the airport train may be fun, as you can see the town from above, and may have time to hop into town to get something to eat.

EmailKid

Are there any big shopping centers near the Airport ?
I think there was a big one planned near Bang Na / Bearing but thats still pretty far away

Soarer

That's cutting it really close :eek: You don't say if that's time from official arrival to official departure, but if so, Immigration can easily take half hour or more, and you are supposed to get to the airport a couple of hours before departure.

If you spring for a taxi and traffic isn't bad you may be able to see something, but the airport is to the east of Bangkok, and most of the touristy things are in western part of town. Hopping on the airport train may be fun, as you can see the town from above, and may have time to hop into town to get something to eat.

EmailKid
That would be enough for me (well, not really, but I got what I got) if it's doable. Wheels down to wheels up is 5.5 hrs.

That would be enough for me (well, not really, but I got what I got) if it's doable. Wheels down to wheels up is 5.5 hrs.

Well, if it were me .... I'm always up for an extra stamp in my passport, but it will cost you the 500 Baht (last I checked 30 Baht to US Dollar) exit fee.

Again, 5.5 wheels down to wheel up is about 3 hours outside the terminal (4 hours if you're feeling lucky), so a taxi can get you to town, or airport train can get you downtown in about half hour, and another half hour to get back. You can walk about, stop at the five story computer place (name escapes me now, I'm sure others or myself will will post the name - BTW there's an A&W inside, good for a draft root beer :) ), get street food (yum), or even sit down to eat.

EmailKid

Well, if it were me .... I'm always up for an extra stamp in my passport, but it will cost you the 500 Baht (last I checked 30 Baht to US Dollar) exit fee.


It's not an exit fee. Officially it's a 'transfer immigration fee' and commonly referred to as a departure tax. And it's 700THB payable when attempting to checkin for the onward flitht/attempting to get through exit immigration.

Well, if it were me .... I'm always up for an extra stamp in my passport, but it will cost you the 500 Baht (last I checked 30 Baht to US Dollar) exit fee.


It's not an exit fee from the airport. :D Officially it's a 'transfer immigration fee' and commonly referred to as a departure tax. And it's 700THB payable when attempting to checkin for the onward flitht/attempting to get through exit immigration.

In the last year it's been overlooked more often than I've needed to pay it. YMMV

mrclshppn, you have a few options.

Spend a little on the room, and go out and spend money in town.
Spend much more on the room, stay in and enjoy the terrific value of 4-5 star Bangkok hotels
Spend a little on the room, and only a little in town.

To show you the variety of room prices in Bangkok, I recommend 2 hotel sites:
http://www.accorhotels.com where Bangkok has 27 hotels listed, and
https://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/index.html which has another 7 hotels
You shouldn't necessarily limit yourself to these hotels, but these sites give a good idea of the broad range of prices in the city.

Let's just talk about the evening.

As for what to do...
Check into your hotel, shower up, put on some long pants (modest Thai dress codes) and then the choices are a plenty...

There are GREAT dinner buffets in the upscale hotels, Dusit, Peninsula, Hilton, Sheraton Grande, ect (the list is almost endless) but at about $50 a person, they are not for everyone.

I like the street food.
Alternatively, every neighbourhood has their local dining spots. Look for ones filled with Thais.
Find a spot by the river, live music and some good local food.

Cocktail lounges in the various hotels in the city often have soft entertainment/singers. But so will another thousand small restaurants across the city.

Another option is SHOPPING MALL FOOD COURTS. Upscale ones like Central on Chit Lom, or Siam Paragon will have atmosphere. But any, literally every mall in Thailand will have good cheap food on one of their floors. Food courts have cash cards which you purchase from a central cashier. Swipe the card at each of the booths that you order food at, and then when finished, return the card to the cashier for a refund of the remaining balance. EASY PEASY.

Street markets shut down late evening, and are good for browsing.

There is no need to hit "red light" areas. There is plenty of evening stuff to keep you busy, if you decide to get out of the hotel.

It's a fairly safe city, as long as you keep your street sense about you.

Late night food stands, noodle shops, beer on the corner watching life buzz passt.

Lots to do in the evening. Who needs to stay in when you're in Bangkok!

I would go to have dinner with my friends.

It's not an exit fee from the airport. :D Officially it's a 'transfer immigration fee' and commonly referred to as a departure tax.

You say potato, I say ..... ;)

EmailKid