Backpacking Thailand
Bangkok

"Your Guide to Bangkok --
the Capital of Thailand"

Going backpacking in Thailand?

-- Then I guess your first big stop in Thailand is Bangkok! ;-)

Bangkok is the gateway city for many travelers going backpacking in Southeast Asia, and it`s the city that never sleeps!

In this article you`ll find:

How to Get to Bangkok
Transportation from Bangkok to other cities/towns in Thailand
Where to sleep
Where to eat and relax
Where to party
Where to shop
Activities in Bangkok
Massage and Beauty Salons in Bangkok

Many backpackers spend their time in the Banglamphu area, so that`s the reason you`re going to read a lot about
Khao San Road (KSR) and Soi Rambutri (SR) in this article (I`ll be using these abbreviations).

Well, for starters I love Bangkok.

There`s something about it that I can`t explain.

The city is lively and chaotic at the same time. I`m used to big cities, so I actually find it safe and relaxing walking down the streets of Banglamphu and Siam Square.

But you might not feel the same way. So in my opinion, it`s a city you`ll either love or hate...

On a side note, things to watch out for in the big cities like Bangkok:

The traffic
Theft
Pushy touts on KSR, SR and Siam Square
Overpriced shopping (I suggest you shop around for prices as variations in prices occur a lot)
Tuk-Tuk and taxi scams

What`s a Tuk-Tuk?

Imagine a small carriage attached to a motorcycle. It`s the public transport you`ll find in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.

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How to Get to Bangkok

By air: All international flights land and depart at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Suvarnabhumi is in the province of Samut Prakan, and is located 29 km from Bangkok town.

This is how you get to Bangkok town from the airport:

Your cheapest option: Public Bus
Price: 35 B
These are the routes I know about:
No. 549: Suvarnabhumi Airport –- Minburi
No. 550: Suvarnabhumi Airport –- Happy Land
No. 551: Suvarnabhumi Airport –- Victory Monument (Expressway)
No. 552: Suvarnabhumi Airport –- Bangna (On Nut BTS Station)
Take the Airport Express bus to Bangkok downtown
It should cost around 150 B. It operates from 5.30 am to midnight, and the express buses serve 4 different routes.
These are the routes:
AE 1: Suvarnabhumi Airport-Surawong Rd.-Silom Rd. Bus stops: Phetburi Soi 30, Central World Plaza, (BTS) Ratchadamri Station, Lumpini Park, Sala Daeng (on Rama 4 Rd.), Montien Hotel, Tawana Ramada Hotel, Plaza Hotel, Surawong Soi Kamjai Lamsuri, Charoen Krung Soi 47/1, Loet Sin Hospital, Central Silom, Silom Soi 26, Narai Hotel (Silom Soi 18), Sofitel Hotel (Silom Soi 12), Bangkok Bank (Silom Soi 6),(BTS) Sala Daeng Station
AE 2: Suvarnabhumi Airport-Khao San Rd. Bus stops: Phetburi Soi 30, Platinum Fashion Mall, Phetburi soi 20, Phetburi Soi 10, Uruphong, Saphan Khao, Thai Airways (Lan Luang), Wat Ratchanadda, Democracy Monument, Royal Hotel, National Theatre, Phra Athit Rd., Phra Sumen, Khao San Rd.
AE 3: Suvarnabhumi Airport-Sukhumvit (Nana) Bus stops: Sukhumvit Soi 52-50, Phra Khanong Market, Eastern Bus Terminal, Sukhumvit Soi 38, Sukhumvit Soi 34, Sukhumvit Soi 24, Sukhumvit Soi 20, Sukhumvit Soi 18, Sukhumvit Soi 10 (Bangkok Bank), Sukhumvit Soi 6, Sukhumvit Soi 2, Central Chit Lom, Central World Plaza, Phetburi Soi 25, Phetburi Soi 35, Soi Nana
AE 4: Suvarnabhumi Airport-Hua Lamphong Railway Station Bus stops: Victory Monument, Soi Rangnam, 99 Hotel, (BTS) Phaya Thai Station, Department of Livestock, (BTS) Ratchathewi Station, Siam Discovery Centre, Ma Boon Khrong (MBK), Chulalongkorn University, Mandarin Hotel, Bangkok Centre Hotel, Hua Lamphong Railway Station
Phone: +66 (0) 2134 2443, 2134 8030
Where: Located at Level 1, near doorway 8.
Take a taxi
The last time I took a taxi from Suvarnabhumi (Oct 2007), the touts wanted 700 B. We got so scammed...! So ignore the persistent touts at the arrival gate -- keep walking!
If you take the metered taxis, you don't need to pay more than 300-400 B. But expect to pay 50 B surcharge because the taxis have to pass the tollway.

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From Bangkok to Other Towns/Cities in Thailand

From Bangkok to Northern/Northeastern Thailand:

By large VIP-buses: To get to the Northern cities, most backpackers buy a ticket at travel agencies located on Khao San Road or Soi Rambuttri. When we took this type of bus from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, it took 10 hours and the ride itself was effortless. I had leg room, and arrived in one piece. I couldn't ask for more!
Otherwise you can choose to take a long-distance bus from the Mo Chit Bus Terminal, near Chatuchak Market. Either take the skytrain to Mo Chit, or take a bus #512 from Democracy Monument.
At Mo Chit Bus Terminal, you can take buses to Chiang Khong (if crossing the border to Huay Xai in Laos), Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Sukhotai, Mae Sot, Mae Hong Son etc.
By train: Take the overnight train to Chiang Mai. They serve food and drinks on the train, but to save money, bring your own supplies.
Here's the train timetable (opens in a new window)
By air: If you don't have much time, you can take the airplane (Air Asia) to Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai.

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From Bangkok to Southern Thailand:

By ordinary bus: Buses for Southern Thailand leave the "new" Southern Bus Terminal. Whether you're going to Surat Thani (to get to Koh Pga Ngan, Koh Samui), Kanchanaburi, Krabi, Phang Nga, Ranong, Petchaburi etc., you have to go to this bus terminal.
To get to the Southern Bus Terminal, take the #511 bus from Phra Pinklao Bridge.
By VIP-bus: You can buy a ticket for Surat Thani at the travel agencies located on Khao San Road or Soi Rambuttri.
By train:
You can also take the train to Chumphon or Surat Thani. As far as I know, there's no direct line to Krabi. So an option is to take a train to Surat Thani, then grab a bus to Krabi.
Take a look at this timetable (opens in a new window)
By bus to Krabi: An evening bus leaves the Southern Bus Terminal.
Phone: 02) 435-1199, 435-5061

From Bangkok to Eastern Thailand (like, if you're going to Cambodia):

By bus: To get to the Eastern towns of Thailand, take a bus from the Eastern Bus Terminal. Buses to Trat (if you want to go to Koh Chang), leave this terminal (takes about 6 hours).
By train: Take the train to Aranyaprathet -- the Thai border town by Cambodia. I took the train FROM Aranyaprathet to Bangkok (but I reckon it's the same train) and it cost around 50 B (Dec 2007).
Here's the timetable for the Eastern Line.

TIP!

You should calculate more than enough with time to get to the bus terminals in Bangkok.

Remember that there's traffic chaos almost every hour of the day in Bangkok.

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Let`s begin with important places to know about:

Tourist Police Phone nr: 1155
Bangkok Christian Hospital or Bumrumgrad Hospital (English-speaking staff).
A pharmacy on SR, and I saw two pharmacies on KSR.
Immigration office on Soi Suan Plu, South Sathorn Road.
Phone number: (02) 287-3101-10.
Office hours:
Monday to Friday: 9 - 12, then 13 - 16.30.
Saturdays: 9 - 12.
ATM on SR, right outside 7-11. Otherwise, ATMs are located everywhere in Bangkok.
Post office at the end of Thanon Rambutri. I sent two packages to Norway, and they arrived in one piece! A
5 kg package via airplane cost me around 2450 B, and arrived after 2-3 weeks. While a 12 kg package via boat cost me 2900 B. It arrived 1.5 - 2 months later (these prices are from January 2008)
You can get internet access everywhere on SR and KSR.