This airport, (pronounced "su-wan-na-poom") was home to us for 8 hours during a flight between Hanoi and Phuket. It was relaxing for me but drove my husband up the wall. The repetitive stores displaying the same perfume, make up, bags and trinkets started looking like some a rerun of a horror movie with each end of the terminal looking exactly like the other.
Here is some information and highlights about the airport.
*If you are looking for a place to be pampered, there are spas to massage your feet, shoulders for periods from 15 minutes to an hour. You are led into a large room and seated in wicker chairs among other men or women (sections are separated) and pampered with foot or shoulder rubs.
*The seats are for the most part cold, metal seats, though some seating areas have padded seats, but if you find a seat, hold onto it since there are far more passengers at the terminal than seats.
*Walking through the terminal, there are several beautifully ornate statues that make for great photos.
*Also, there are some very enticing upper scale places to eat – from deli to sushi, some moderately priced and yummy place (we enjoyed Mango Tree for a place to sit and relax with an affordable, tasty meal), and some also moderately priced fast food joints – Burger King and local fast food places.
*Don’t stock up on magazines here if you can help it at all. US magazines that cost $4.99 are imported and marked up to as much as $15.
*If you do decide to leave the terminal for a day in Bangkok, be prepared to pay departure tax - $20 per person. There is still construction (or maybe done by the time of posting) of the train which provides an easy trip from the airport to the city center.
*All in all, this is a pretty big, clean, and shop-packed airport terminal which gives you enough to do for 4 hours MAX!