Going to Bangkok in May but havent found the right hotel to stay, appreciate it if you can tell me how much/ night? You book online/ from Agoda? Thanks!

looking for hotel to BKK in May, went to agoda.com and tempted to make booking because the rooms are very limited for hotels area shopping/ BTS area. I saw 'Free Cancellation' option, is it really free or comes with hidden charges?

I'm afraid if I keep contemplating, I won't find any budget hotel (<RM150 per nite) to stay.

Will be traveling to BKK on 16-20 May (5D4N) for the first time in a group of 4-6. More for food hunting, shopping & photography, a little bit of sight-seeing. I've been reading this forum for more than a month but still unsure whether my intineraries are okay or not. Experienced travelers please comment a bit, thanks.

16/5 (Thu)
2.45pm - Arrived at DMK Airport
4.30pm - check in Bangkok City Hotel (nearest to BTS Rachathewi)
5:30pm - Dinner @ Som Tam Nua
6:30pm - Siam Square & MBK
7.00pm - Mango Tango & other food hunting
10.00pm - back to hotel

Unsure & need advice
1. 5.30-6.00pm in Som Tan Nua will it be too packed and long queue?

17/5(Fri)
8.00am - Hotel breakfast
9.00am - Pratunam market, Platinum Mall, Central World Plaza, Big C
1.00pm - Lunch @ pink shirt chicken rice
5.00pm - Terminal 21
6.00pm - Dinner @ MK Steamboat Restaurant
10.00pm - back to hotel

18/5 (Sat)
8.00am - Taling Chan floating market
10.00am - Grand Palace, Wat Po, Wat Arun
2.30pm - Go to buy ticket (Calypso @ Wax museum/ Ocean World) from Mama Tour in Khaosan Road
3.30pm - Chinatown day market, birdnest
5.30pm - Green shirt T&K Seafood
6.30pm - Asiatique Riverfront
8.15pm - Calypso Cabaret show
9.30pm - continue Asiatique Riverfront - shopping & food hunting
11.00pm - back to hotel

Unsure & need advice:
1. Buying ticket from Mama Tour - will be given a 'real' ticket or just a voucher that I have to claim ticket at the counter?
2. Is it easy to buy food (lunch) around Grand Palace/ Wat Po/ Wat Arun?
3. Is Chinatown day market open on Saturday?
4. What is the earliest time I can dine in T&K Seafood? [thinking of having an early dinner to catch the express boat early to Asiatique for dusk scenery photo-taking]

19/5 (Sun)
8.00am - Or-tor-kor market & breakfast
10.00am - Chatuchak & lunch
6.00pm - dinner @ Somboon seafood

Unsure & need advice:
1. Which somboon branch is more accessible from Chatuchak (BTS Mochit or MRT Kamphaengphet)
2. Any suggestion (night market/ shopping mall) near the recommended Somboon seafood branch?

20/5 (Mon)
8.00am - Hotel breakfast
9.15am - check out and leave luggage at concierge
10.00am - Siam Paragon
11.00am - Lunch - Shabushi Japanese buffet @ Siam Center
12.30pm - Wax museum @ Siam Discovery
2.15pm - back to hotel
2.45pm - taxi to airport
6.30pm - Depart from BKK to LCCT

Unsure and need advice:
1. Due to limited time, I can only choose either Wax museum or Siam Ocean World. How many hours will be spend in the museum/ Ocean World in general?

Other doubts in general:
1. I'm not sure whether my itinerary is too packed or too leisure.
2. Which of the above sights/ mall do not allow camera/ photo-taking.
3. RM2000 for 2 persons (excluding hotel payment) is enough?
4. Where to buy/ which carrier for SIM card? Just for emergency calling/ SMS and GPS for location if lost direction.

Appreciate your time & reply.

This post has been edited by cactuscch: Apr 22 2013, 08:50 PM

My initial plan for Siam Square/ MBK is from 6.30pm-10pm. I can just push it later to 7.00pm-10pm. Thanks.

Good idea. I saw people go to 'healthland' for massage? Any good shop for foot massage? Usually this shop open until what time?




This post has been edited by cactuscch: Apr 22 2013, 09:25 PM

sorry for the confusion, I meant 9am-5pm in Pratunam, Platinum, Central World & Big C with a lunch break at 1pm. Since I'm going for 'low-end' shopping, I think I'll spend most of the time in Platinum mall & just a quick window shopping in Central World/ Big C. I saw some comment that Platinum shops are not 'really' open yet at 9am, I am thinking to pay Pratunam a visit first, and then return to Platinum at 10am.

What's nice in Platinum mall food court?

This post has been edited by cactuscch: Apr 22 2013, 10:26 PM

Your trip sounds interesting & lots of shopping. I'm going on mid May too. Appreciate it if you can clarify some of my queries.

1. You contact Mama Tour early in Malaysia or contact them when you arrived in BKK? Do you pay in their Khaosan road shop first or pay only when they fetch you up at the hotel? After the tour, MamaTour sent you back to hotel or Khaosan road? Can ask them to drop at the nearest skytrain station or express boat pier?

2. I plan to visit pratunam market & Platinum Mall as early as possible. When are they open? Pratunam market minimum must buy 3 to get wholesale price?

3. Plan to have steamboat buffet at MK Restaurant too. Is there a set buffet @ about THB 300?

Quite worried after hearing you said metered taxi is very hard to find.

Thanks.

This post has been edited by cactuscch: Apr 24 2013, 09:22 PM

thanks.now I have a better idea what to do.

Hi all, I checked my gmail today and was greeted by a great news from AirAsia. I clicked the link and I saw this.

20kg baggage allowance for RM35
(normal price is 20kg baggage allowance for RM40)

Promo until 5th May, check your email too!

yes, this link

can anybody tell me whether these items can be brought into Malaysia in checked in baggage?
Dried longan, dried fruits, chicken floss, dried meat (pork).

This post has been edited by cactuscch: May 2 2013, 03:55 PM

I tried and there is no way to individually select baggage purchase for ONE WAY. Both ways are compulsory to buy baggage. Since I will go BKK with hand carry luggage only, cheaper to buy at normal price.

May 2013 price fr. Mama Tour:-
THB600 for Calypso show - got voucher.
THB650 for Ocean World (+ glass bottom boat + 5D cinema) (no fish spa) - got voucher (queue at the 'tour agent' line to exchange for real ticket)

If bring children less than 120cm (can't quite remember), price is THB600 for Ocean World.