Hi Folks,

I'll be in BKK next weekend as well as Thursday and Monday.

Any suggestions on things to do/see?

Suggestions:

--Red Cross Snake Farm

--Rent a boat and go on a canal tour

--Jim Thompson House

--Palace

--Night Bazaar

--Eat at the Seafood Market

--Royal Barge Museum

Was in BKK a week ago.

Some ideas:

If you like to shop, go to the weekend market--lots of goodies. Suggest you get a copy of Nancy Cartwright's great map and notes at your hotel. This should give you some ideas and funny comments on the map.

Definitely have dinner at the Blue Elephant restaurant--rated as having the best Thai food in Bangkok--have your concierge make a reservation. We had a superb meal--three courses and a drink for $55 for two--great food and beautiful presentation in a former British colonial mansion.

Grand Palace is a definite. Also take a ride on the express tourist boat on the Chao Praya river--great ride for about 65 cents.

We also walked in the Lumpini park, went to the night market nearby the park (werent there on the weekend for the weekend market), took taxis and tuk-tuks to get around.

If you have time, consider getting clothes made. We were very pleased with Embassy tailors on Wireless Road, right near the Conrad Bangkok where we were staying.

Have a great stay!

the night market at pat pong is nice cool stuff

don't get fooled by those trying to lurk you in their bar's that rip u off tho

All sounds good. I'll have quite a bit of time so I can probably get most of this in... I'm leaning towards staying at the Conrad.

Guess I'll actually bring a camera on this trip!

- Vertigo (Banyan Tree hotel) or Scirocco (State tower): great bars / spectacular views

- Chatuchak market on Saturday morning: shopping extraordinaire

- Thursday nights at Club Mystique (Sukhumvit Soi 31) are quite good

- Dinner at Bed Supperclub (Sukhumvit Soi 11) could be an interesting experience

- Get a quality Thai massage (e.g. Body Tune - Sukhumvit Soi 24)

- Watch Muay Thai Kick boxing (Lumphini park)

Enjoy!

http://wikitravel.org/en/One_day_in_Bangkok ^

All the ideas you received on the thread sound great. I highly endorse the thai message--wonderful and very cheap--just tell them "soft" if too vigorous.

My husband and I had a wonderful experience at the Conrad. I wrote a long report on the Hilton thread--search for it. I am a Hilton Diamond so I got the wonderful lounge access with all the food. But even without lounge access, the classic rooms are great, location is good--next to a large shopping center with food, banks etc. Taxis very cheap and the skytrain is nearby.

Enjoy!

Thanks for all the great ideas!

It will definately help me make the most of the weekend before moving on to Singapore and Hong Kong.

One question I just found December 5th is a Thai holiday. Does anyone know what it is and what impact it will have on places being open?

Thanks!

You will be in BKK on the most important holiday in the Kingdom (IMHO) - His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's Birthday. I was lucky enough to be in BKK on this date - and stood on the street holding a candle with locals as HM the King rolled by in the yellow bentley (or was it a Rolls) .....

BTW - everything in the country will be CLOSED!

Info Here

An important public holiday is held on 5 December to celebrate the birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest reigning monarch. Known in Thai as 'Wan Chalerm', the occasion is marked by an outpouring of love and reverence by Thai people throughout the kingdom and around the world.

On 5 December, buildings and homes all over the country are elaborately adorned with flags, portraits of His Majesty and bunting, predominantly in the color yellow. Around the Grand Palace and Ratchadamnoen Avenue areas of Bangkok, thousands of vividly colored marigolds decorate the streets. On the evening of the holiday itself, the streets around Ratchadamnoen and Sanam Luang are closed to traffic and thousands of people take to the streets. Spectacular fireworks displays are held and the atmosphere is joyous and festive. The best way to enjoy the atmosphere is to take a bus to the Rattanakosin area, and just stroll along the crowded but traffic-free streets for a truly memorable experience.

lord jim's seafood buffet @ oriental

Don't miss the brand new Paragon Mall in Siam Square. Okay, I still haven't been there, but I am dying to go. It just opened this month I think.

Sorry, unless you are a construction worker you will not be allowed into the Paragon Mall. Judging from what I saw today I'd say they'll be missing the Christmas shopping season by a wide margin.

Monday, 5 December is a National Holiday as mentioned. Much like the Queen's Birthday (12 August) is used a sort of Mother's Day celebration, the King's birthday (he was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts by the way) is a sort of Father's day celebration.

Stores, malls, cinemas, restaurants will be open, pretty much everything except bars, banks, government offices (and museums) and offices.

Thanks for all the ideas!

This will be a great improvement from deciding what to do when I get there.