So I have about 5 hours – between approx 7 pm and midnight – between flight in Bangkok. I’d love to be able to go into the city, drive by a temple or two, grab a drink at the Oriental Hotel… Is this at all doable?
Bags? Luggage checked through to final destination? Boarding pass in hand for next flight, or will you need to check-in? If the flight lands at 7, you will still have to exit through immigration which will cut into your time. It will be dark for drive-by sightseeing. I’m conservative and wouldn’t do this personally. Ask the question on the Bangkok forum of Tripadvisor - there are probably those who can advise fully.
Thanks for the Tripadvisor tip - I’ll check. We actually land at 6:15 p,m… and our flight is at 2 am… so if we’re back at the airport by midnight that still gives us those 5 hours. I’ll be traveling with a young woman who’s never been to Asia before, and for whom even such a tiny glimpse of Bangkok would be a thrill.
Yes, you would have time. It takes less than 45 minutes (depending on traffic) from BKK to the Mandarin Oriental. You may have time to even enjoy a short night cruise on the Chao Phraya River. However, getting back to the airport, I would take a taxi from a well-known hotel instead of flagging down a cab on the streets. Make sure you negotiate your fare first.
Thank you so much! Yes, we were planning on a taxi, and I appreciate the night cruise idea.
I agree, the second timeframe you indicated allows some freedom to leave. Taxi scams are very, very, very common in Bankok which is why cbreeze suggests getting one from a hotel. Make certain that the meter is turned on. You could consider hiring a driver to meet you at the airport and be with you for the evening, returning you to the airport when the time comes.
The Taxis at the old Don Muang airport are from known companies, and would think they would be at the big airport as well. Insist on meter use only.
Thai friends took me driving at night in Bangkok past the Grand Palace and temples, and by Democracy Monument. It was beautifully lit up. Have them drive Memorial Bridge and by Wat Arun. Driving Silom Road at night alone would be mind blowing for an Asia neophyte. Heck, you could go to a night market for half an hour. Another hotel idea is the Erawan, which is lovely, and you could visit the Erawan shrine, on the hotel grounds outside.
I would hire a private guide with a car - they are inexpensive. They could meet you in an airport, show you around and drive back in time for the flight. And yes, definitely attend one of the night markets.
Can I change the subject for a moment? My H and I are headed to Bangkok (as well as Hong Kong and Singapore) at the end of October. H has been to Asia before on business, but not had much time to see the sites. I have never been. We are staying in a lovely resort on the river in Bangkok and in Kawloon when in Hong Kong. I’m not sure where our location is in Singapore. We have about 5 days each in Bangkok and Hong Kong and 3 in Singapore. I welcome any suggestions on things we should make sure not to miss on this trip. Thanks for your help!
Have a great trip! So much depends on your interests. “Can’t miss” so much depends on the individual! Random thoughts on some things I’ve learned:
I love the SE Asia temples as opposed to those in HK which I can happily not return to. SA Asia is more a fundamentalist Buddhism while Hk"s combine many elements of Daoism and Chinese folk gods. The ones in Singapore are sort of a mixture of the two in my mind. (very, very simplified explanation of my perception - any experts out there - I know, I know I’m way over simplifying) HK has the Big Buddha with a cable car to the top of a mountain where the statue is- interesting, but I found it highly touristy. I have found the HinduTemples in Singapore very interesting, probably because these are so new to me. The temples - Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, etc were among my first “investigations” as we don’t see many like this in the US (at least I don’t see many)
In HK and Singapre, I love getting out into nature, have not done this in Bangkok. Many interesting hikes/walks around the Peak in HK which are easy to access. If you had more days and were interested, the Geopark in Sai Kung is fascinating, but unless you are geologists, I’d skip on a quick visit. In Singapore, I’ve hiked the Treetops Trail, Labrador Nature Preserve and Southern Ridges getting my fill of equatorial rain forests but loving every minute. Again, I think most people skip these on first visits unless this is a particular interest - I love the change from Midwest USA which was looking for.
Food is different all locations. Personally I dislike that in HK including dim sum. After many attempts and even being taken by residents to Michelin places, I’ve decided to stick with Western fare - but, this is not what most people I talk with experience, they like HK’s restaurants. Thailand and Singapore are more to my liking. In Singapore especially, the hawker markets will give you a great idea of variety of foods without concerns for quality (highly regulated by government) unlike the street fare you find in Bangkok which I am leery of.
Good museums in all locations, but many aren’t into museums so I won’t mention my favorites. Shopping - HK and Singapore especially great if you are into luxury. Markets - different and interesting in all locations. (Must admit I don’t much like markets).
Singapore has a number of family type attractions including a world class zoo. If this interests you. I have enjoyed the Night Safari which is a zoo open after dark. New experience for me and one I’ve repeated and will repeat again. But, other adults without families prefer to stick with more “adult fare”, so again “must see” is highly dependent.
For my first trip to all these locations, I found a combination of library owned travel books and Tripadvisor to be a great help. I looked through the books for spots of potential interest, then checked reviews and general “what to see” articles on TA. People are also very helpful on all those forum boards. It is overwhelming at first, start the research and things become clearer after learning a bit - at least that’s been my experience. I think you will find all to be fascinating places with great variety and distinctively different!
Definitely do the Botanic Gardens in Singapore. They were lovely.
Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore are my favorite places to eat and to shop to an extent. They are a foodie’s heaven. If you haven’t been adventurous in your food choices, these are the places to start. Not only do they have the most glorious native dishes, they also have very good western choices. My H and I love ethnic cuisines.
Hong Kong-- You can read up in tripadvisor and flyertalk (go to forum, then destination, then Hong Kong, or Singapore or Thailand.). It will contain all sorts of information what to see, do and eat. Join a few tours for sights away from downtown (New Territories) and you can explore the city on your own. The MTR (subway) system is fast and clean. You may want to spend half a day in Macau (via hydrofoil) which features legal gambling mainly for Mainland Chinese but there are many older buildings and apartments still standing which Hong Kong has mostly demolished.
Singapore–It’s less crowded than Hong Kong, very modern and very clean. Street foods are not to be missed, again very clean. Shopping is expensive, like Hong Kong. Do a day tour if you like but Singapore public transit is very good and easy to get around.
Bangkok–I don’t know the location of your resort, but I would advise to venture out because Bangkok has so much to see and do. Besides sight seeing (don’t miss floating market which is an hour’s ride away) I like to shop for Thai cotton and silk at Jim Thompson’s. I bought fabrics for clothes as well as for upholstery: chairs, seat cushions, headboards, bedspreads. The fabrics are unique and beautiful. Jewelry is also beautiful and reasonable compared to US. On a separate trip to Thailand without our husbands,my GF and I had to call our husbands at home to tell them if the CC fraud alert calls, tell them yes, they are legitimate charges. Know what you want and know your prices and bargain.
Both my daughter and son spent part of their honeymoon in Thailand and both hired a great recommended private tour guide. PM me if you are interested.
I love local culture and colors which you could find in night markets in all 3 places. As mentioned above, you can eat pretty freely in HK and Singapore, but be careful in Bangkok. I restrained myself from street foods in Bangkok even though they looked very enticing.
I’m assuming you’re arriving at BKK, rather than DMK. Yes, you have enough time to get into the city. WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES. BKK has to be the world’s most annoyingly looooong airport.
The view of the Chao Phraya river from one of the luxury hotels on the riverbank will be nice, but the street life/vibe will be more interesting in town. I usually hang around in the Sukhumvit area. You’ll find plenty to do, see, eat there.
Give yourself a generous amount of time to get through Immigration when you depart, because Bangkok airports can have horrendously long lines.
BANGKOK
- ride the public boat in the khlong (canal) to visit the Jim Thompson House
- ride the public boat on the Chao Phraya River to visit the Grand Palace and Wat Po (huge reclining Buddha). You can get to the boat landing via SkyTrain
-Shop till you drop at Paragon Center-- the gourmet market is eye-popping. Shop at Jim Thompson flagship store. Jewelry shopping on Silom Road jewelry district. - Chatachuk Market on the weekend
- Bicycle tour
- Muay Thai kick boxing match or lady boy transvestite show
- get a massage every day
- eat, eat, eat
- cocktails in a smart high rise hotel with a view
- skip seedy Patpong district
HONG KONG
-funicular trip to Victoria Peak (need clear weather)
- Star Ferry ride across the harbor.
- shopping, eating, repeat many times
- cocktails at Kowloon highrise for spectacular night time view of Hong Kong lights (puts NYC to shame)
SINGAPORE
- nightlife at Clark Quay
- shopping on Orchard Road
- world’s cleanest, most spotless Chinatown
- cocktails at the Raffles Hotel
Traffic in Bangkok these days is very, very heavy. A drive into the city from the airport could take about an hour, and getting around can also be very time-consuming.
The SkyTrain is a faster way to get aroung in congested Bangkok traffic.
To the OP, I was going to say to allow a lot of time for getting back to the airport. But late evening, especially if not on a weekend should be less problematic. But count on nothing! The Sky Train may go to the airport these days. Read up on line as to how to use the Sky Train and figure out fares. It is a very pleasant way to travel and as it is elevated, you can look out on the city.
Showmom, getting out to the countryside in Thailand can be a nice relief from the intense city. There are tours or you can take a train to Ayutthaya, an old capitol destroyed by the Burmese, as well as the Bridge on the River Kwai. Though not as immediately wow as some things in Bangkok, I have always been glad to have seen these parts of the historic past.
Regarding street food in Bangkok, make sure you have a Hepatitis A vaccine (per my microbiologist step mom). I have had a glorious time eating from one end of a Bangkok block to another.
In Hong Kong, walk Lockhart Road on the Peak, which shows the island from various views and there are placards giving information on the cultural and natural history of HK. I am a big fan of hiking Hong Kong, and take the local double decker bus to the top of the peak and walking down can be a break in routine. You can take ferries from near the Hong kong side Star Ferry which will take you to outlying islands. Lamma is a local favorite, and walking from one end to the other and ordering a fish at one of the local seafood restaurants part of the routine.
thank you great lakes mom !
An update: we did it. While standing in an immigration line at the Bangkok airport, we struck up a conversation with a young woman headed to a hostel just off Khao San Road, the lively tourist area. So we shared a cab there, and then invited the young woman to have dinner with us. We ate some delicious street food, drank some yummy fruit drinks, and had a short massage, which my travel companion really appreciated since she has an achy hip. Then we took a cab back to the airport - since it was late (11ish pm) there was little traffic, and we had no problem getting back in time for our flight. My friend enjoyed the experience, and although we can’t say she “saw” much of Bangkok, the Khao San Rd. experience sure beat sitting in an airport lounge.
We had a much longer (more than 12 hours) layover in Beijing, so we booked a private tour through Trip Advisor. A bit pricy ($300 for the two of us) but we had a driver, a guide who spoke excellent English, and the tour included Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, lunch, a quick hutong tour, and the Summer Palace. (We opted for that instead of the Great Wall to cut down on the driving time.)
All in all, what could have been a really terrible itinerary (due to very, very cheap tickets) turned out to be a fun and enriching adventure. Now that I’ve discovered “layover tours” I may do this more often!
Thanks to all for your advice.
Awesome. Thanks for coming back to give us a recap @katliamom