A friend of mine is taking her family to Bangkok at the end of this week. As she has never been there (and I have), we had a long discussion on what they could do there without burning too big a hole in their pockets. Here are some things that we talked about.
Accommodations
Bangkok is rife with hotels and hostels for all kinds of budgets. Since we are looking for cheap but decent accommodations, the best place to stay would be around the Khao San area. This road is arguably the best road in the world. Though some may think that it is not the perfect place for families, I think that during the day, the road is just fine for kids. There is also a proliferation of cheap accommodation around the area. Another option would be near the Pratunam market, where we actually stayed. I do not remember the exact price but the Samram Place is a small, clean hotel which offers good rates, especially if you book online.
Transportation
Getting around in Bangkok is quite easy. They have a lot of different modes of transportation – from cabs to trains to buses. When we were there, we took the BTS, their version of the metro, most of the time. It went through most of the areas we wanted to go to so it worked out well. Buses are very cheap as well but the traffic in Bangkok is horrendous, making the BTS all the more attractive. Cabs are everywhere but naturally, they cost more. Oh, and their tuktuks, or tricycles, should be experienced at least once. However, be prepared to negotiate with the driver even before you get in. Otherwise, you might end up paying a bit more than you should.
(more in the next post)
Photo courtesy of steven.kohus