Bangkok: A Safe & Economical Intro to Asia!

While we’ve happily traipsed through European cities with no guide, I didn’t feel comfortable with that approach in Asia. Our package included a half-day tour of the city, including visits to Wat Traimit, the temple of the Golden Buddha; Wat Po, the temple of the reclining Buddha and Wat Benchamopit, the marble temple. After a wonderful breakfast buffet at the hotel, we were ready for our 9 a.m. appointment with our guide and several other travelers that we had met the night before on the way in from the airport. The tours that are available through Northwest World Vacations are conducted by Turismo Thai, which is a first class operation running daily excursions originating in Bangkok. They have tour desks in many of the top-name hotels, and, although we had only arranged for the free half-day tour, we subsequently booked additional tours because our experience was so pleasant and this was easy enough to do when we were there. There are enough cruises, dinners, shows, markets, temples and cultural attractions to keep a person busy for a long visit.

Quick Tips:

One of the things that kept this trip so inexpensive was the ability to book direct with an airline-affiliated tour company. This made the entire package less costly than it would have been to simply purchase the flights alone. We, therefore, highly recommend a package deal. In addition to cost, it solves issues such as airport transfers and booking for hotels.

Best Way To Get Around:

It is possible to do a lot in Bangkok without the services of a guide because transportation is very inexpensive. A metered taxi cost us less than an hour with a decent tip. Three-wheeled motorcycle-like contraptions called tuk-tuks could be had for 60 baht per hour – less than .50. (I HAD to take one of these, much to the chagrin of my companions who felt quite unprotected in the sea of larger vehicles that we went through.) Traffic in Bangkok is legendary, but taxis and tuk-tuks have their ways for getting you around. We carried a card from our hotel with directions in Thai, so if all else failed, we could get back to our starting point. (As is often pointed out, you can have a hard time finding a taxi driver who speaks English in many large U.S. cities, too). Do NOT ride in unmetered taxis unless you FIRST negotiate the price.

We knew little about the Royal River Hotel aside from a few pictures and descriptions. It was the least expensive offering among those in the Northwest World Vacations packages, but the location on the river seemed attractive and it appeared to be high quality. As it turned out, we were not disappointed when we arrived in our very fashionably appointed room with a balcony on the top floor overlooking the busy Chao Phraya River.

The food was outstanding. An elegant white-linen dinner buffet on the terrace featured chefs busily grilling small lobsters; fabulous arrays of fruit and flavorful Thai cuisine. A full meal with a couple of delicious Singah beers ran only around $12 per person and this was probably considered high-priced in those parts.

The rooms are very nice, with a full bath and a separate, granite shower that is wonderful. The only knock one might have is that the immediate neighborhood is not particularly interesting -- but taxis are so cheap it doesn''t matter.

The Century Park is an impressive property with a high level of finish, very comfortable guest rooms, very nicely done common areas and an extremely accommodating staff that will make your stay into a great experience. For excellent but not extravagant dining, check out the buffets offered at the Cafe at the Park. Breakfast was included with our room and it was fabulous, but the lunch and dinner offerings are also excellent and costs are comparatively light. We also enjoyed the informal, friendly setting of the Signature Bar on the second floor.

This is a high-rise hotel and guest rooms feature large, bowed windows (none can be opened). Amenities are standard. High-speed Internet is available, but you'll need to call in to the front desk to have a modem installed, which is a bit of hassle. Be sure to ask for the multi-day discount before signing on, since Internet is not especially cheap (749 Thai baht per day, but available at a 50% discount if you ask for it over more than one day.) It's not the speediest system we've run across, but it's certainly serviceable. In-room safes are at no charge and doors are key card system locks. Mini-bar prices aren't too high, considering what is typical of this service.

We would compare the overall property, housekeeping and service standards of the Century Park Hotel to what we would expect at some of Hilton's better properties and we highly recommend it. Because of the cost structure in Bangkok, the rates are much lower than what would be expected at a hotel of this quality in other locations.

Boats are a major means of transportation and we chose to visit the countryside on a tour that found us heading into a network of canals in a long-tail boat in a scene reminiscent of searching for Kurtz in Apocalypse Now. The boats are narrow and if you can imagine a 6-cylinder car engine with a short muffler and then a propeller stuck on the end of the drive shaft, you can understand the noisy propulsion system.

We ended up in a floating marketplace that was very active. Like many stops in the tours, there are people there to sell you things from trinkets on up through tailor-made clothing and high-end furnishings. Prices are negotiable; something that some people find to be interesting and fun, while others find unsettling. The floating market features everything from fresh fruits to clothing. There is a land-based portion of the market where you can work your way through many different types of merchandise.

We felt the best deals to be had involved pewter and certain art/craft type objects. I would not buy "jade" or "gold" in such an environment, since the chances of it being authentic would seem quite slim to me and there are reputable downtown establishments for those who want higher-end jewelry items. There are also a lot of "name-brand" knock-offs for sale in floating markets or from street vendors in Bangkok, too, for that matter.

One quick tip: be careful about the things that you eat or drink. We drank only bottled water or canned soda and never ate food from vendors (no matter how tempting) and we never had a problem. This is something to keep in mind when you are off the beaten path at a floating market!

The Rose Garden is listed as a half-day tour, but it is easily combined with the floating market tour for a full day of activities. A Thai cultural show opens with a Buddhist procession -- complete with an elephant. A series of "acts" includes Thai boxing, the elegant "fingernail dance" and Thai music. While there are many different components to the show, it doesn't last so long that you end up squirming and waiting for it to end, either.

The auditorium is airy and shaded. The very best seats for photos would be up front, but if that is not your concern, I think the best seat in the house would be near the center rear entrance where the ventilation will keep you very comfortable if it happens to be a very warm day.

There is a very nice buffet lunch, but keep in mind that those ornate drinks you will be offered are NOT included in your package price (not a big deal, but something you should know.)

The elephants are a big hit and if you've always wanted your picture taken with one -- or a thick boa constrictor around your neck, for that matter -- it's easily and cheaply accomplished. Really, this is a fun day tour for people of any age, including kids.

Chatuchak weekend market in Bangkok offers an incredible array of items, from clothing, hand-painted ceramics, and food to antiques, jewelry, and pets. Bargaining is important, since the pricing structure anticipates it, and while it is not something many Westerners may be accustomed to, it is part of the sport. The market is huge, as these things go--around 35 acres. There are several "streets" to walk down within the market and then narrow alleys undercover. The market's human traffic count is estimated at more than 200,000 per day, and it can be a very hot and humid place to spend your time, but very interesting, too. In addition to the typical stall sales, you'll find some sellers hawking their wares with the aid of small public address systems or colorful costumes. If you are in Bangkok on a weekend, the Chatuchak market is one place that you don't want to miss. It is very convenient to the Skytrain.

If a person could only visit one site in Bangkok, then the Grand Palace would be the place to choose. It is a large complex of ornate temples, pagadas, pavilions, statues, gardens, and government buildings that has to be the city's number-one tourist stop and perhaps the most reliable place to pick up impressive photos because there is so much to work with. While there are guided tours, it is easy enough to pick up a map with your admission ticket learn about each structure from a guidebook. The Thai royal family no longer resides here, but there are still ceremonial guards and saffron-robed monks to be seen on the grounds, as well as a small army of groundskeepers who keep things looking good. Our favorite photo opportunities include the golden pagada and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, but there are many, many more. Make sure you have a lot of film or plenty of space on your digital card. Any taxi driver can take you there, and cabs are cheap in Bangkok, so save your money and skip the bus tour unless you really need the extra service.

It all started out innocently enough – $1,000 in bump money burning a hole in my pocket, the need to do something really different and the chorus from a pulsating 1984 song from the musical "Chess" that occasionally still plays in my head:

One night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster –

The bars are temples but the pearls ain’t free –

You'll find a god in every golden cloister –

And if you're lucky then the god’s a she –

I can feel an angel sliding up to me.

When we found that for around $775 per person we could get round-trip air from a smaller midwestern airport and stay five nights at the Royal River Hotel in Bangkok with breakfast every morning, airport transfers and a half-day tour, it was a rather compelling case. When our $1,000 in bump money brought it down to less than $450 per person and tens of thousands of frequent flyer miles per person were factored in, it was a done deal because it was a wash on the money side for a travel junkie like me.

Bangkok is a very long trip. We flew to Minneapolis and then boarded a 747 for the flight to Tokyo, which takes more than 11 hours in the air in decent flying conditions. In Tokyo, we boarded a second 747 for the flight to Bangkok, which was another 6.5 hours of flight. All told, it takes more than 24 hours to reach Bangkok from here, with connection time thrown in. With a 12-hour time difference, it is the maximum jet lag possible. On the bright side, we arrived late at night and we were ready to sleep anyway after our long flights, even though it was around high noon of a different day back in Wausau. The Northwest World Vacations representative was waiting at the airport, a wonderfully engaging Thai woman named Pet.

Temples are generally very ornate, but a very simple one ironically houses a golden Buddha weighing an incredible five-and-one half tons. A Thai Buddha is rather trim compared to the more rotund versions found in other parts of Asia and we were able to learn the meanings of various postures and hand gestures that the figures show. In Thailand, young men are expected to spend two years in the military service by the government. They are also expected to spend some amount of time as a Buddhist monk – an obligation that can be carried out at any time in a person’s life and for a period of time that is undetermined. Shaven monks in their saffron-colored robes can be seen everywhere.

Something else that can be found easily in Bangkok are places to shop for bargains. Tailor-made clothing is popular and there are tons of other possibilities for people who want to bring things back from their trip. In general, prices are very reasonable and in many situations, they are also negotiable. Street vendors swarm every time a tour bus stops and that aspect can be a little bothersome until you learn how to say "no" with your posture and bearing.

Much is made of the "Sin City" aspect of Bangkok, but like other destinations we've visited where that reputation exists, Bangkok is what you make of it. There is no need to even come in contact with the prostitution trade, etc., for a casual tourist and we never encountered it during our visit.

All told, we give Bangkok high marks as a very easy, non-intimidating place to visit that is much less costly to experience than many domestic destinations when you time it correctly. You get a lot for your money in Thailand!