Bangkok, Thailand. The land of smiles and very famous for their array of good food. Thus, making Thailand a must see destination here in Southeast Asia with an estimated count of over 35.38 million foreign visitors last 2017 and still increasing every year.
If you are one of those planning visitors or already in Bangkok and needs a little help from the internet to navigate the best foreign exchange rate, how to go from point A to point B, etc. well this post is for you!
Here are some things to know before exploring Bangkok, Thailand.
- Where to get the best exchange rate?
- If you are just getting off the plane and do not have any Thai Baht with you best to exchange only a few dollars just to get you to your destination. I do suggest to locate the Bangkok Airport Link station at the basement level of the Airport. You can get better exchange rates at the booths near the entrance of the station.
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Go to any SUPER RICH 1965 branch for the best exchange rate in Bangkok.
(Note: Check the logo and color orange for the SUPER RICH 1965 branch since there are other SUPER RICH brands for exchange rates.)
For the list of SUPER RICH 1965 branches in across Bangkok, click here.
2. Do I need to buy a sim card to have internet?
- Well, you don’t have to buy a sim card. You can actually rent out a pocket wifi in the Airport but it comes around 200 Baht per day which is not that cheap and you have to give a 2,000 Baht deposit which will be given back to you once you give them back the device.
- If you are only staying in Bangkok for 3 days, I don’t suggest to get a sim card or a pocket wifi since you would probably have internet at the place where you are staying in. But if you are staying for 5 or more days, I do suggest for you to get a sim card which has the unli data.
- I suggest getting the DTAC SIM CARD which has 4G unlimited data for 7 days for only 299 Baht. Check out the DTAC counter at the airport regarding their promos or any DTAC stores located in Malls.
3. How to travel from the Airport to my Hotel?
- If you don’t have a lot of baggage with you, and would like the cheaper alternative. The best option for you is to take the Airport Rail Link from the Suvarnabhumi Airport. The train is open from 6:00 am to 12 midnight everyday and would only cost around 15 Baht to 45 Baht (0.45 USD – 1.35 USD) per person.
I will discuss this in detail in another blog so stay tuned!
(Note: Refer to the RED line for the Airport link stops as seen in the photo below)
- Second Option: Take the Taxi cab which would cost you around 200 Baht to 500 Baht depending on how far you are going. Also there are fees like toll for their express way as well which you will also shoulder. If you are traveling with 2-3 companions taking the taxi is a better option for you.
- Last Option: Book an airport transfer to your hotel. There are various companies in Bangkok that provides private service to and from your hotel to the airport. It’s best to contact the place where you are staying at and get the best price from them.
4. Where should I stay?
Where you stay in Bangkok is key on how you’ll actually enjoy the city. Being able to be near the tourist attractions, convenient for getting food, and very accessible by public transportation are part of the criteria for making a good place to a great one.
Based on my Experience here are parts of Bangkok where you could stay given the criteria of accessibility, convenience, comfort, security, and budget.
- Sukhumvit Road Area. The Sukhumvit Road is the longest in Thailand where most of the Skytrain (BTS) stations are found. Various food stalls are scattered in different Soi (“soi”, meaning street). Walking at night are not scary at all since a lot of tourists are also roaming in this area. Also big malls like Terminal 21 and EmQuartier Shopping mall are also located here.
Budget Friendly Accommodation in Sukhumvit Road Area:
- 3Howww Hostel at Sukhumvit 21
- Jellybean the blocks Hostel
- S Box Suhkumvit Hotel
- Khao San Road Area. Khao San Road is well known as the back packer’s road in Bangkok since a lot of back packing tourists do prefer to stay here because of the night life, and great food around the area. Also, it is kind of near the famous tourist attractions like the Grand palace and Wat Pho. If you like partying the night away and meet new people from different parts of the world you must stay in Khao San. (Disclaimer: Prices in Khao San road maybe a little bit more pricier than the other parts of Bangkok)
Budget Friendly Accommodation in Khao San Road Area:
- Bed Box Khaosan Hostel
- The Printing House Poshtel
- 3Howw Hostel at Khao San
- Buddy Botique Inn
You may also opt to book an AirBnb within these areas, there are a lot of good deals for condo/house rentals. Just book at least a month before your stay in Bangkok since a lot of tourists do prefer AirBnb than staying at hotels in Bangkok.
5. What to wear?
This section refers to dress codes if you plan to go to the temples like Wat Po and Wat Arun, and also if you’re heading to the famous Grand Palace. If you are not in the proper dress code you will not be allowed to enter or you would be fined around 2,000 Baht, so better just wear the appropriate attire.
Note: Don’t worry if you are wearing shorts there are stalls in each temple where you can borrow a sarong for 20-40 Baht.
6. Haggle before you ride.
- Riding the Tuktuk. Before riding the Tuktuk haggle first, some Tuktuk drivers will really give a much higher price for tourists. Better polish your haggling skills before trying out the Tuktuk.
- Riding Taxi Cabs. In some parts of Bangkok, taxi cabs would give you a fix rate rather than using the meter. If this happens, just say no and hail another taxi cab. But if this goes on and on, just haggle with the taxi driver with your best price. Usually go 50-100 Baht lower than what they are actually saying.
7. Afraid to eat at street stalls?
Let’s face it Bangkok is well known for their street food. Every street (“soi”) will always have their own vendors which will give you mouthwatering dishes once you order. I know for some people, eating beside the road is not very ideal so I do have one suggestion for those who are hesitant to eat beside the street.
- Head to Piere 21. Piere 21 is a food court located at the 5th floor of Terminal 21 mall. This food court will surely blow your mind. Locals and foreigners alike comes here to eat well known Thai dishes from Pad thai up to the sweet Thai milk tea. Everything you can imagine already in one place and the good thing about it is, the price is cheaper than the actual food served in the street stalls.
- Siam Paragon Food Hall. Like Piere 21, Siam Paragon Food Hall is also a well known food court in Bangkok, Located at the ground floor of Siam Paragon, it serves a mix of different cuisines from Thai, Japanese, French, etc. The selection is wider with a higher price than Piere 21.
8. Trains are your best travel buddy.
The train system in Bangkok is consisted of MTR (Subway), BTS (Skytrain), and the Airport Link which are very convenient and cheap. The train systems do have interchanges for you to get to point A to point B fast.
Below is the map of the whole Bangkok Train System. It’s nice if you have this on hand. Just print it out and put it in your wallet or bag. (Click here for more info regarding the train system)
9. Simple Thai words.
Know these simple phrases or words.
(Note: In every end of a sentence/ phrase use “Ka” if you are a female, and “Kap” for male)
- Sawadee – Hello
- Khob khun – Thank you
- Chai – Yes
- Mai Chai – No
- Tao Rai – How much
- Aroi – Delicious
- Aroi Mak mak – Very Delicious
- Gai – Chicken
- Nuea – Beef
- Moo – Pork
- Kho tot – Excuse me
10. The trick of pointing.
A lot of Thai today already knows how to converse in English but you may come across someone who only converses in Thai. Be not afraid, if you want to ask or buy something but the vendor only speaks Thai just point using your index finger to the item you want and they will have their calculators ready to put in how much the item is.
Well that’s it! Hope you all find this list useful in your travel to Bangkok, Thailand.
Cheers and Safe Travels!