Organized Tours in and Around Bangkok

[Marie]

Some sightseers find it more practical to arrange their own tours, suited to their own interests, schedules, lifestyles, and budgets. But others like to patronize ready-made trips offered by tour operators, citing reasons of convenience and feeling of security. Apparently, both types of tours have their own advantages and disadvantages.

During my visit to Thailand last month I was able to collect lists of organized tours which you may find useful. Most hotels have tour operators, but it is also easy to find travel agencies all over town who offer these services. These trips normally include transport, English speaking guides, and entrance to the sites ( unless specified). They may last for half-day or full day. I noticed that their prices do not differ substantially. They will also provide you with other details, including pick up time from your hotel. Please take note that they all emanate from Bangkok.

Tours Price (adult)

Morning Canal Tour - B650
Morning Canal+ Grand Palace+ Emerald Buddha - 1300
Morning Canal +Wat Arun - 1100
Wat Trimit +Wat Pho+ +Ben - 650
Grand Palace +Emerald Budhha - 800
Grand Palace+Emeral Budhha+Wat Arun - - 1100
GP+Emerald+Trimit+Pho+Arun+Vimanmek- 2800
Ancient Siam- 1000
Safari World (with lunch) - 1200
Dream World (with lunch) - 900
Crocodile Farm ( Sampran) - 800
Rose Garden - 900
Ayutthaya-by van (witj lunch)- 1400
Ayutthaya, by bus and boat (with lunch) - 1700
Pattaya Coral Island (with lunch) by normal boat - 1500
Pattaya Beach & Mini Siam (with lunch) - 1300
Damnern Floating Market- 700
Damnern +Elephant ride - 1400
Damnern +Rose Garden (with lunch) - 1200
Damnern +Crocodile Farm (with lunch - 1200
Damnern +Croc.Farm+Rose Garden (with lunch) - 1800
Damnern+Riv.Kwai+Tiger Temple (w lunch) - 2200
River Kwai +Train +Tiger Temple(w lunch) - 2500
River Kwai+Train +Trekking+Tig.Temp. (lunch) - 2800
Jim Thomson's House + Suan Pakkard Palace - 1300
Rice Barge Boat - 750
Dinner Cruise - 1,200

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Daytrips from Suvarnabhumi Airport

[Richard Barrow]

Do they include admission prices. I think Sampran is like 500 baht each. And the tour is 800 baht. If you are alone then it is good value for money. To rent a taxi would cost you 1,200 baht for the day. Bus is obviously cheaper. But the tour would be door to door. Less hassle.

[Betti]

usually, these tours take a de-tour to a "gem factory", don't they?

[Khun Don]

usually, these tours take a de-tour to a "gem factory", don't they?

ALWAYS in my experience!
Some tour guides even have the nerve to tell you it is a free bonus gift from the tour company!

[Marie]

Do they include admission prices. I think Sampran is like 500 baht each. And the tour is 800 baht. If you are alone then it is good value for money. To rent a taxi would cost you 1,200 baht for the day. Bus is obviously cheaper. But the tour would be door to door. Less hassle.

It is not indicated that admission fee is not included, and so I assume it is. And yes, it is door to door. Sometimes if the group is big (like more than 10 pax), there are two vans which will pick up the pax from different directions-to save on time- and then they will meet in one location and only one vehicle will take the passengers to the intended destination.

usually, these tours take a de-tour to a "gem factory", don't they?

I have joined about six of these tours and they all ended up in a gem or leather or furniture factory. However, you are free not to enter the factory. You will be then assigned another vehicle which will deliver you, and other passengers of other tour groups, to your hotel. I noticed, though, that most passengers go inside the factory if only to sip the free drink offered by the factory or to use the rest room.

[Richard Barrow]

I did a tour like that in Chiang Mai once when I flew there instead of driving. The diversions were actually welcome and interesting. But I guess if you do three different tours on three different days it would be a bit annoying to keep going to the same kind of factories and workshops.

[Khun Don]

I did a tour like that in Chiang Mai once when I flew there instead of driving. The diversions were actually welcome and interesting. But I guess if you do three different tours on three different days it would be a bit annoying to keep going to the same kind of factories and workshops.

Chiang Mai has the problem solved-you can do a tour of nothing but workshops-at Sam Kamphaeng.
However, the odd trip to the same Elephant paper factory still gets slipped in on a couple of tours.
(My experience in CM & BKK is based on included tours on package holidays)

[Betti]

I did a couple of daytrips in Chiang Mai when I first visited Thailand, also later with my family, signed up friends for daytrips, never any workshop or factory visits. tuktuk drivers seem to be into the business, though.

[David_Loves_Ubonwan]

I have done a couple of these organised tours and will probably do so again in the future. But one thing to beware of is passengers that can't get up in the morning... Last tour we did was Coconut Farm +Damnern +Croc.Farm & Elephant Show +Snake show +Rose Garden +Gem Factory and in the morning the tour guide decided to wait more than 90 minutes at a hotel for a family to get up and then eventually left without them. The rather full day was then very busy as we were moved on from one place to another.

(The tour guide was also quite rude to my wife all day and two elderly English ladies resident in Hong Kong emailed me after to say they had lodged a complaint about him.)

David

[Khun Don]

90 mins wait??? -10 mins tops on all tours I have been on!