planetaub
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Smells quite a lot, and not all of it is the Thai food being cooked in the streets, there's too many broken cars putting out bad fumes, mix that with the heat and you're in for some nasty wiffs. We've only spent a day and a half there so far, we've seen a few places, the Khao San road is hectic, I think it where all the travellers head too. We very nearly fell into a tourist gem scam, I think it's because we are too nice to notice when people are taking advantage of us, or maybe we are just too naive. Our tips on travelling around Bangkok so far are: Taxis: Use them to get around. If you book one at a hotel or the airport they will normally give you a flat rate. Those cabs have been green/yellow, the blue/red cabs run on meters and seem to be cheaper. They all seem to have air-con as well, even the old ones. Tuk-Tuks: Do as the LP says and don't get in a Tuk-Tuk. If you really want to go in one, and they are actually quite fun, make sure you negociate a price before hand, 10 or 20 bhats means you will end up somewhere you don't want, probably a gem shop, they aren't any cheaper than the cabs normally. Pick a small driver, if he insists that it is 10bhat threaten to break his arm if he takes you anywhere other than where you want to go, and don't pay him if he does. Buses: Haven't tried one yet, they're supposed to be really good but I couldn't read the signs on the front. Accommodation. Viengtai Hotel. A proper hotel, nice as you would expect but probably not worth the 1750b/night we paid, still if you want a nights comfort and a guaranteed room when you get off the plane it might be and you do get free breakfast. They have got a swimming pool though, quite a nice one as well, it was completely empty when we went. Double aircon room with TV, minibar fridge, full on bathroom with bath and shower Nith Charon Hotel. Not really a hotel but a guesthouse. It's right on the Khao San road so it's quite noisy. I didn't like our room, it was a converted kitchen on the ground floor, but we couldn't be bothered to walk anywhere else and it was only for one night. It wasn't as noisy as I thought, I guess we were back a bit from the road itself, the front rooms must be bad. 360b/night for double with a fan and bathroom, no hot water. Orchid Guesthouse. Nearly next door to the Viengtai Hotel. Looks really nice, it has a nice little restaurant at the entrance and the rooms look small but clean. Ours was right at the front of the building which I thought would be ok because it was four floors up, wrong. It was incredibly noisy, the aircon units for our room and the one next door were on the balcony right outside the window and they made a hell of a noise, as did the thousands of people walking past in the street below, wear earplugs. 550b/night for twin with aircon and (small) bathroom with hot shower. |