My itinerary - please help

[munchkin2618]

Hi, I need help to know if my itinerary is feasible.

The Grand Palace
Wat Pho
Wat Arun
Vivamek Mansion
Jim Thompson
Siam Niramit

I'm wondering how I could get to Vivamek from Wat Arun. They said it is best to go there by taxi. What about Jim Thompson from Vivamek Mansion?

Thanks.

[David_Loves_Ubonwan]

Hi, I need help to know if my itinerary is feasible.

The Grand Palace
Wat Pho
Wat Arun
Vivamek Mansion
Jim Thompson
Siam Niramit

I'm wondering how I could get to Vivamek from Wat Arun. They said it is best to go there by taxi. What about Jim Thompson from Vivamek Mansion?

Thanks.

Do you mean all in one day? If I go Grand Palace I spend a whole afternoon there.

David

[munchkin2618]

Really? the whole day? W O W!

[munchkin2618]

I'm planning to see all I mentioned in a day. =( I only have 3 days in Bangkok and I already alloted 1 day for shopping.

[David_Loves_Ubonwan]

Really? the whole day? W O W!

If I go somewhere I like to see it, not just tick it off a list and say I've been there.

David

[yy]

All these places you mentioned operate approximately from 8am to 4.30pm, which leaves you with 7.5 hours after taking out 1 hr for lunch. In BKK's traffic (ok, I guess you may be doing the about 15mins brisk walk each way for Grand Palace to Wat Pho to Tha Tien Pier (for crossing the 2 mins boat ride to Wat Arun), it will easily eat up at least 1hr in total of your taxi transport time when you do need a ride. That leaves you with 6.5 hrs for pure sight-seeing. At Grand Palace, it is quite the norm to be queuing up 30mins in the sun just to get to the cashier, and another 10 to 15mins wait in the queue to get in with the tix (cos it is so popular). 6hrs divided by 6 places = 1 hr at each place. Sounds like you may need to forfeit the very popular Thai foot and/or body massage at Wat Pho (which is at least 1hr for each). Or perhaps you never intend to go for it. As I calculate and type, I feel like I am running a marathon already!

Unless you are shopping at Chatuchak and the shopping centres, there are quite a few nice local cum tourist night markets e.g. at khao San Rd etc, not to mention the tourisy ones, so perhaps you may like to consider shelving some of the shopping time for sightseeing instead e.g. perhaps Wat Arun, Wat Pho and Wat Phra Kaew (the Grand Palace) in one day, because with luck, you can do a 1hr Klong tour as well since it is in the same vicinity (e.g. Tha Chang Pier is walkable from Wat Phra Kaew - 20mins straightforward walk with nice street shopping along the way too). All without compromising your quality of sights and smells. There's a local night market for teenaged fashion clothes etc (not many tourists so you won't get cut-throat prices like at Pa Pong night market etc) just 20mins walk from Wat Pho, just opposite the wholesale flower market (Paklong Talat). Can't remember its name, but you won't miss the night shopping open-air market if you say Paklong Talat to a local unless you go on a Monday (when it's closed)

Then the other three locations in another day. With night time for more shopping.

[guava]

Hi, I need help to know if my itinerary is feasible.

The Grand Palace
Wat Pho
Wat Arun
Vivamek Mansion
Jim Thompson
Siam Niramit

I'm wondering how I could get to Vivamek from Wat Arun. They said it is best to go there by taxi. What about Jim Thompson from Vivamek Mansion?

Thanks.

I really don't think that you should attempt all that in one day. Although you can feasibly visit the first 3 on the same day as they are quite close to each other. You could start at The Grand Palace, around the corner to Wat Arun, and then hop over the river on a ferry to visit Wat Arun. As David has said, The Grand Palace can easily take up a whole afternoon, and although your entrance fee will include tickets for Vimanmek Mansion I would leave this for another day (although it is really worth visiting).

You could go to Siam Niramit on the same evening or the evening before (great show)
.
.

[munchkin2618]

I guess you are right. Hmmm... I'll have to think about revising my itinerary then.

Thanks.

[Betti]

good luck with your shopping, that seems to be the main priority.

(Wat Arun is across the river from the Grand palace. there is a regular passenger ferry costing something like 5 baht. if you are unlucky, water taxis make you pay 500 for the same crossing. careful there. take the ferry back and catch a regular taxi to wherever you want to go next. see, I just saved you quite a bit you could spend on your shopping.)