Holiday Thailand December 2010 / Jan 2011

Donnie

PompeyPete wrote: »

If you do stop for a couple of nights in BKK then the quickest way of getting round the place in by public ferry and BTS Skytrain.
So it makes sense to find accommodation accordingly.
The backpacker area is centered around Khao San Road, which is 5 minutes walk from Pier 13 on the river. The area will be full of young people from all over the world. For a lot of them that's all they'll see of BKK. It's arguably the cheapest spot for accommodation and beer.

You can get the public ferry from Pier 13 down river to Central, which is where you'll connect with the Skytrain. That'll take you to other popular accommodation and touristy areas like Silom, Siam and Sukhumvit. The latter is quite brash and popular with red faced, fat bellied Europeans on the razz! Beer is close to double what you'll pay in the Khao San area. Probably good preparation for Pattaya!!

Phra Athit to Central Pier. SkyTrain station is Saphan Taksin(S6). Done that trip many times. Breakfast on The Verandah at the Mandarin Oriental. Most civilised.

Donnie

Doshwaster wrote: »

Good advice there. Khao San is Backpacker Central and a good area to spend a while hanging out at cheap bars, swapping traveller tales and doing some shopping for supplies - if it's cheap (and usually fake) you can find it there. I wouldn't sleep there though. As long as your budget is more than £20 a night you are far better off on Sukhumvit near the huge shopping malls (though one got burnt out during the recent riots). The MBK mall has to be seen to believed - literally thousands of small stalls selling everything you could imagine and a good foot court on the top(?) floor.

Unless you are desperate for some bangers & mash avoid the plethora of fake 'Oirish and English pubs along Sukhumvit as they are really expensive. The best bars are the holes in the wall where the seats spill over onto the pavement.

Definitely don't agree. Sukhumvit is not the place for travellers. You'll meet no one.

MBK and the malls to which you refer are closest to Silom SkyTrain station. Travellers stay in Soi Kasem San 1 & 2.

As to the Khaosan road area, I agree that I wouldn't stay on the Khaosan Road itself, but further north towards the river. The New Siam 2 is a stalwart choice.