Hello -any advise/ tips will be appreciated.

We're staying at the Sheraton Orchids on points and were hoping that we can keep ourselves busy until check in at 10AM the next day. We arrive at midnight and would rather not spend more points/ money for the half nite. We wouldn't mind killing 2hrs by getting a massage (innocent ones); eating a long 'dinner'; wandering the night market, floating market; visiting temples in the morning, etc...

We're not sure what time everything closes/ opens, mode of transportation available from midnite to 10AM so tips on these would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

I imagine you will fly from USA,after 24 hours flying you want to spend 10 more wandering around Bangkok? Do yourselves a favour and go to the hotel. Can you imagine the heat in june? I have flown USA-BKK at least 10 in the last 24 months, a few times in Business, and a shower at the PIER, and all the time I went to sleep for a few hours. You will enjoy Bangkok later

I'd pay for the extra night, whether at the RO or elsewhere (which can be incredibly cheap) and enjoy the next day (+ rest of your stay) in Bangkok - instead of the first night. The cost of one night (cheap - but good) hotel will likely be less than the money you'd spend roaming around.

Another vote to just check into a hotel somewhere, even if just to sleep. I usually stay at midrange places in the $30-40 range (used to be more like $20). Quite a few flights arrive into BKK late and there will be plenty of taxis.

There is absolutely nothing to do in Bangkok after about 2am. Unless, since you're at the Royal Orchid Sheraton, you want to find a bench on the riverside and watch the sun come up.

OP, I'm on the same boat as yours. I arrive @ 1:30AM and would rather not spend extra cash just for 4-5 hours. I am RA with IC so I can check in @ 8AM @ IC BKK, but need to find a place to kill some time. BKK airport sucks in this matter...

OP, when are you arriving?

Perhaps a tongue-in-cheek comment, if sincere then a gross mistatement.

There is a plenty to do; drinking, clubbing (after-hours), eating, observing, but unfortunately not a lot of decent massage places open, no night markets (per se), no floating markets to go to, temples in the morning is a possibilty as they are open 24 hours.

Having to lug around bags, even a laptop bag/briefcase, limits mobility/accessibility.

If temporary paid lodging is not an option for you, then I'd say go to your hotel (Royal Orchid Sheraton, Intercontinental, etc.) straight-away and inquire about an early-paid check-in. If not available then leave your bags there and go somewhere (lobby bar, restaurant, coffee shop; local neighborhood) else.

There are some 7x24 establishments: McDonalds, Foodland, internet cafes, restaurants in which you can kill some time.

what day (nite) of the week are you arriving? I second transpac for you to take your things to your hotel and leave them there. If it's Friday or Saturday nite, then go clubbing or drinking in Silom, Sukhumvit, or Khao Sarn. Then, go to after hours club. Others can chime in with specific places. Whereever you go, there should be some late nite street food vendors open after you have enough drinking.

After all that debauchery, you can hit the temples in the morning for some enlighthenment Most temples will open the gates around 5AM for the monks to Bin-Ta-Bart (monks will walk around the neighborhood to let buddhists make merits).

Seriously though, if you are coming in from the US, I would really recommend getting some sleep. If your hotel makes a fuss about wanting full price, I would grab your carry-on, leave your bags at there, and find a cheap hotel for the night.

rgds,
drew

Am I missing something here? Why not just go to directly to the Sheraton Orchids, drop your bags with them and ask them to check you in for the next day. Then go wander around with the suggestions posted by others and enjoy the night life

Nice hotel! I'm tempted to send you to Khao San Road where you can hang out with the tourists, but I'm wondering if it might be a bit too, uh, rustic for you. In your shoes I'd go to the hotel at night and have the concierge hold my bags until I check in. I'd then go to Khao San Road, explore and have a drink. If could keep myself occupied until five in the morning, I'd try to find a monastery or temple to see if any monks are stirring. If not, I'd arrange a room in one of the local guest houses for a pittance.

The hotel's restaurant opens really early so you could have a leisurely breakfast and hang out by the pool. Not far from the hotel there's a little side-street morning market that's quite busy in the pre-dawn hours. That's where I'd be hanging out.

The hotel is also the starting point of some tour companies. Call them to see which tour leaves the earliest; they're a bit pricey (in my opinion), but very well done.

Seriously, you are going to be wiped out after all that flying and it will do your body good to get some restful sleep.

Wouldn't you want to wake up refreshed (somewhat at least) and hit the ground running your first day. And the heat and humidity are gunna be killer. You're going to need your strength.

We're arriving this thursday nite, the 15th, at 11:50pm from the states. The reason we're staying at the Sheraton is because of my points otherwise we're pretty lax about our sleeping arrangement aside from the fact that it needs to be clean.

We plan on heading to the sheraton upon our arrival, dropping our bags at the hotel for storage and checking to see if we can do an early check in. We'll inquire about the early paid check in. To be honest, I'd rather nap during the afternoon (siesta like) because it's too humid to walk. Of course we might be really tired when we arrive, in that case we'll bite the bullet and pay for an extra night but I'm thinking we might be awake enough to save the hotel cost by exploring the city via the restaurants, clubs and the temples for some enlightenment in the early morning.

Another vote for get an extra room night....

After flying in that long there and you are determined to save some cash (there are cheap hotels in thai you know that right) you could arrange an innocent massage but you'll pay extra and it might not be at such an innocent place, the markets will be closed. The clubs will be closed down as well except some after hour places that I'm not sure you'd want to go to as a newbie. Just don't let a taxi driver take you to any club he recommends, get a list from this board of places to go because you don't want to let a driver take you someplace for the most part. Finding transport will NOT be a problem.

Remember, you are landing at midnight, immigration and customs you'll probably breeze through (when I land at that hour lately I breeze through) and traffic will be light so you shouldn't be that long to your hotel but remember the airport is not in the city, it will be a little bit. By that time, most things will be turning in for the night for the week days, weekends that's a different story.

Also are you going during any holiday? If you go during holidays it might be different. Do you know the Thai holidays? You don't mention time of your trip here so if you are planning during a holiday then things are different.

Get. A. Room.

I travel to Thailand from the US frequently. I've done the midnight arrivals, late-morning arrivals, and afternoon arrivals. I've done it in Economy, Business, and First. In all instances, I'm T-I-R-E-D and I just want to check-in to my hotel and relax.

The key to making the jetlag adjustment when arriving from the US in Bangkok at midnight is getting to sleep ASAP and sleeping in the next morning, trying to approximate a regular night's sleep. If you do that, you can quickly adjust. If you try to stay up all night the first night, you'll be destroyed in terms of both exhaustion and jetlag. Your afternoon siestas will be eight hours long. Now, if you want that....

I'm curious about some clubs to go to as well, im arriving to bkk latenight on june 2 and would like to know some good places. you say not to let a taxi driver take you anywhere, well then, where should we go?