Khao San Road - Bangkok

[saafend_seagull]

- its illegal for taxi driver to not put meter on
- tuk tuks get 200 baht for every shop they take you to, even if you buy nothing, they are paid with petrol coupons
- soi 10 or 11 the road with superbed club has a lot of bars, all london prices, just spent a whole week on that road, easy to find some girls there who are genuine

 

[Captain Sensible]

Correct advice, skytrain or underground is the easiest and less stressful way to get about and incidentally there are new laws now regarding being f***ed about by taxi drivers

Hope they abide by the new laws, I'll find out next month.

I stay on Sukhumvit when I visit, it's just a shame the bts sky train doesn't go all the way into Khao San. Think you can connect with underground but I'm not sure how far that goes. Funny thing, I always laugh when passing through Asoke station. 'the next station is Ars ole' always tickles my childish humour.

 

[Ernest]

Hope they abide by the new laws, I'll find out next month.

I stay on Sukhumvit when I visit, it's just a shame the bts sky train doesn't go all the way into Khao San. Think you can connect with underground but I'm not sure how far that goes. Funny thing, I always laugh when passing through Asoke station. 'the next station is Ars ole' always tickles my childish humour.

Chitlom or Shit lom as the driver pronounced it always tickled me

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Thanks all was amazed so many replies. Will look properly in morning as just popped back for 20 mins with couple beers to check work emails :/

Street food and couple wanders today plus caught up on sleep. Off out for massage and couple beers but will be quiet one tonight, then look into 'better' nights out next couple in BKK.

Plan is getting less and less commercial....... BKK (3 days) - Koh Samui (6) - Koh Tao (2/3) - Hua Hin (2/3) - Ayutthaya (2/3 days) spread over 17/18 days then hopefully return next summer for 6 weeks and do favourite plus Chang Mai, Surin/Issan and then hopefully Cambodia (Angkhor), Laos etc.

Already realised my one big backpack was way too much to bring lol, easy to carry but clothes and bags etc. so cheap. I'm staying half decent places but plenty signs for £3 a night rooms since got here! Massive main course well under a quid and Thai my favourite but whether will be after 3 weeks not sure 5555

Not doing much in the way of lady stuff in BKK but may dabble other places Fairly newly single guy 29 so...... but then am avoiding Pattaya like the plague

And have a 'good girl' contact to meet tomorrow evening anyway for dinner think we said MBK mall? Friend of a friend's gf chatted to direct for while on FB so hopefully safe!!!

Oh and seen ladyboys but keeping well clear thanks all the same!

 

[OSRGull]

- its illegal for taxi driver to not put meter on
- tuk tuks get 200 baht for every shop they take you to, even if you buy nothing, they are paid with petrol coupons
- soi 10 or 11 the road with superbed club has a lot of bars, all london prices, just spent a whole week on that road, easy to find some girls there who are genuinely men

Corrected

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Yeah train etc. not great to Khao San but I'll try the river ferries in the morning, off out

heard the bed club place worth a look so may do tomorrow or day after

 

[saafend_seagull]

Superbed is about 10 quid to get in and 4 quid a drink. Q bar is full of 'working girls' after rich men, about 100 metres from superbed but still a decent place and some genuine girls in there!

 

[Hockley Blues]

1. Eat street food. Lots of it.
2. Don't trust a word any Tuc Tuc driver says.

 

[kemptown seagull]

And if a Thai girl ever asks for lights off then double check downstairs as I got a nasty surprise one evening

 

[cornish seagull]

Just arrived in the backpacker pit that is Khao San Road. Got 3 days before I explore 'Real Thailand'. Got a great tip from a user on hotel (Rikka Inn) but looking for any other tips in the area or BKK generally. Bars, restaurants, clubs, landmarks (royal palace and a couple of wats planned already) etc.

Thanks NSC

You must go to Koh samui. Took family there in August and loved it. Kids went to 'full moon party* and survived!!!

 

[Captain Sensible]

Thanks all was amazed so many replies. Will look properly in morning as just popped back for 20 mins with couple beers to check work emails :/

Street food and couple wanders today plus caught up on sleep. Off out for massage and couple beers but will be quiet one tonight, then look into 'better' nights out next couple in BKK.

Plan is getting less and less commercial....... BKK (3 days) - Koh Samui (6) - Koh Tao (2/3) - Hua Hin (2/3) - Ayutthaya (2/3 days) spread over 17/18 days then hopefully return next summer for 6 weeks and do favourite plus Chang Mai, Surin/Issan and then hopefully Cambodia (Angkhor), Laos etc.

Already realised my one big backpack was way too much to bring lol, easy to carry but clothes and bags etc. so cheap. I'm staying half decent places but plenty signs for £3 a night rooms since got here! Massive main course well under a quid and Thai my favourite but whether will be after 3 weeks not sure 5555

Not doing much in the way of lady stuff in BKK but may dabble other places Fairly newly single guy 29 so...... but then am avoiding Pattaya like the plague

And have a 'good girl' contact to meet tomorrow evening anyway for dinner think we said MBK mall? Friend of a friend's gf chatted to direct for while on FB so hopefully safe!!!

Oh and seen ladyboys but keeping well clear thanks all the same!

Have a think about Koh Lanta, it's so lovely and so so quiet. MBK is a large mall which has alot of fakes sold on the top 4 floors. Thought MBK was more of a KFC and Subway type of place. But might have a nice restaurant. At least you can get a 5ft BHAFC badge sticker for your car bonet in there!
Enjoy your travels mate, have a few Mai Tai's for us.

 

[fork me]

Good tip about the tuk tuks. Best to take a taxi, it's safer but beware taxis that rank up around Khao San road will try to charge you a set fair. Never accept their price, insist on using the meter, it is cheaper. If they refuse, which they probably will, just walk along the road and flag a taxi down. They will normally stop and use the meter.

I had a load of taxi drivers all offering me set fairs outside Soi Cowboy one night, I said loaudly that I'd get into the first taxi to agree to use the meter and a young lad stepped up and said I will. I actually paid him double what was on the meter and it was still about 20% of the cheapest "set fair offer".

 

[fork me]

Meters are turned off after about 10pm. If you insist on Meters after that you won't be going very far.

I always managed to find a driver that would use the meter after 10. There are a few honest ones out there.

 

[Starry]

koh tao is brilliant. just bought a villa on the top of the hill over looking the beach. we live in singapore so it's an easy long weekend get away for us.

thongpats is the best place to go for food, on the road up from the harbour, left hand side. the backpacker bars and cafes are nice enough but the best food and fun are at the places further along nearer the harbour.

are you going to do your diving? or done it? not much to koh tao if you aren't. davy jones locker is the best dive school by a long shot. watch out for the dive schools touting for your business on the boat over, some are a much better deal than others.

and i have always, always found taxi drivers who will use the meter in bkk after 10pm. never once taken a taxi there without the meter when we have asked for it.

 

[Captain Sensible]

I always managed to find a driver that would use the meter after 10. There are a few honest ones out there.

Seems alot of you hunt out meters at night instead of going with the hordes of off duty cabbies that gather around nightspots. Well done to you (honestly). I find it very hard when leaving a bar or club at 2am and alot worse for wear, to find a metered cabbie a few streets away. It's just easier to haggle a price, and get it one. What happens is off duties and some that are not off, gather at the enterances to Patpong/khao San/Soi Cowboy bed supper club etc. They then turn meters off and haggle for the price of the destination you are going to. This is always in the late evening. I'm sure you can walk a few streets away and flag a taxi down, whether he'll put the meter on is another matter, it also depends which direction you are going in. I take my hat off to those of you that take a meter to save yourself a couple if quid. But like I said, late on, too many Singa's and Mai Tai's and I get in the nearest taxi and haggle. Whatever floats your boat.

 

[perth seagull]

Not doing much in the way of lady stuff in BKK but may dabble other places Fairly newly single guy 29 so...... but then am avoiding Pattaya like the plague

Why?

 

[folkestonesgull]

Koh Lanta is awesome, though I don't think much of the diving in Thailand compared to Indonesia or Borneo...too much overfishing. Chang Mai is cool too, we went on a 3 day mountain bike trek north from there a couple of years ago..good time. Have a baby now so harder to do such things, though friends who live in Singapore have invited us out next Easter so we may make it to Thailand for a few days

 

[Essan128]

Have a think about Koh Lanta, it's so lovely and so so quiet. MBK is a large mall which has alot of fakes sold on the top 4 floors. Thought MBK was more of a KFC and Subway type of place. But might have a nice restaurant. At least you can get a 5ft BHAFC badge sticker for your car bonet in there!
Enjoy your travels mate, have a few Mai Tai's for us.

Is this true?!!!
I would like one if it is. I wouldn't put it on my car though, just wouldn't look right on a Honda City.

Very rarely go to MBK but I'm going into Bangkok on Saturday, so might take a look.

 

[sydney]

Why?

eggsakerry.......bangers is the place to get stuck right in ....innit...

 

[Bwian]

Is this true?!!!
I would like one if it is. I wouldn't put it on my car though, just wouldn't look right on a Honda City.

Very rarely go to MBK but I'm going into Bangkok on Saturday, so might take a look.

Sounds really tacky-let me know so I can buy one in January.