Laem Chabang Port Thailand

Does anyone know if there is anything worth seeing by private tour that's outside of Bangkok and closer to the Port?

Does anyone know if there is anything worth seeing by private tour that's outside of Bangkok and closer to the Port?

The port at Laem Chabang is only a 20 minute taxi ride from the resort town of Pattaya.

As the Kiwi's answer, Pattaya is close & easy. It has a reputation, particularly in the evenings. Walking Street is the place to avoid (or to head for :D). I've also heard of countryside trips & elephant rides near Pattaya, but I've no info.

Or, north of Bangkok, up-river, and about 1.5 to 2 hrs from L/C, consider the Summer Palace at Bang-Pa In and, ten minutes from there, the ancient capital of Ayutthaya. Not that I've ever been to Siem Reap, but Ayutthaya is a junior version of what I'd expect at Siem Reap.

http://www.bangkoksite.com/Folder109/BangPaIn1.htm

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/576/gallery/

We travelled by car from Laem Chabang to the Summer Palace to meet up with a coach tour (that originated in Bangkok), continued to Ayutthaya, then cruised the river down to Bangkok, where we overnited. A great day.

JB :)

We have only one day in port. Arrival 7am and departure 7pm. I've seen picutes of Ayutthaya and love the idea of the ruins but am a little nervous of the time frame. Have to make it back to the ship with time to spare.

We have only one day in port. Arrival 7am and departure 7pm. I've seen picutes of Ayutthaya and love the idea of the ruins but am a little nervous of the time frame. Have to make it back to the ship with time to spare.

The Summer Palace is about 100 miles from L/C' date=' nearly all fast divided highway. Google says 2 hours, it took us mebbe 1hr 40 by car.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Route+7&daddr=Ban+Len,+Phra+Nakhon+Si+Ayutthaya,+Thailand+(%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%99)&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=13.688688,100.794067&spn=2.108033,3.092651&sll=13.725847,100.675228&sspn=2.107698,3.092651&geocode=FVjfxwAd6qIDBg%3BFScs2QAdD7b-BSFAzxwXJoYphA&vpsrc=6&doflg=ptm&mra=pd&t=m&z=8

The sights of Ayutthaya (there are several stops) are all within about 10 mins of the Summer Palace & each-other.

So if you were off the ship at say 7.30am, and headed back about 3.30 (giving yourself three hrs to return instead of the expected two, before a back-on-board of 6.30pm) you'd have six hours to divide between the Palace & Ayutthaya. And that's more than enough.

90 mins at the Palace, mebbe 30 mins driving around, 4 hours to divide between about 3 stops.

But you need to fix up transport in advance - a cartel controls the taxis plying for hire at the pier & they charge heavy money for variable standards of vehicle & driver.

We know - cos we hadn't pre-booked, thinking we'd get a better deal on-the-spot :rolleyes:

There's plenty of good companies on the internet, you could do with a company/driver that knows the patch. Mebbe even a guide. The cartel has no control over pre-booked cars.

[b']JB[/b] :)

we need to know HOW to get to Bangkok after we DISembark in Laem Chabang , we don't have the time to do a 3 day ship land tour after..

I rang Princess RES. to book transfers and 1 night in Bangkok after the cruise( we want to fly home next day), but they only have a 3 day tour with transfers??

we need to know HOW to get to Bangkok after we DISembark in Laem Chabang , we don't have the time to do a 3 day ship land tour after..

I rang Princess RES. to book transfers and 1 night in Bangkok after the cruise( we want to fly home next day), but they only have a 3 day tour with transfers??

Have you tried CC sister website www.tripadvisor.com with regards to transfers.

Tour companies taht are often recommended here on CC at

http://www.tourwithtong.com/

http://www.bangkokdaytour.com/index_files/Tours.htm

http://www.bangkokdaytours.com/

Ron

we need to know HOW to get to Bangkok after we DISembark in Laem Chabang , we don't have the time to do a 3 day ship land tour after..

I rang Princess RES. to book transfers and 1 night in Bangkok after the cruise( we want to fly home next day), but they only have a 3 day tour with transfers??

Fixing your own transfer/s & hotel may be a bit of a pain, but with the consolation that it'll be a whole lot cheaper & more personalised.:)

There is no train service, and the bus option is full of complications even for those without luggage. By road is the only sensible way to go.

Can't recommend a transfer supplier cos we foolishly didn't use one.:(

I can only recommend, as my first post, that you do fix up in advance or you will be held to ransom by the taxi cartel at the pier. For a simple one-way to the city centre, expect to pay the cartel in excess of 4500 baht, but expect to pre-book a reputable supplier at about 2200 to 2600 baht for a good vehicle & driver. These prices for a smallish car, suitable for 3 or for 2 with luggage. Larger cars or transfers from pier to airport will cost more.

If you stay over in the city centre, you'll need another transfer next day to the airport. Cheapest & simplest if you ask the hotel to book for you when you're there.

As a very vague ball-park figure, it should cost well under 1000 baht.

Hotels in Bangkok are cheap, either in the city or at the airport, and the international hotels in all price ranges are clean, modern & well-equipped.

By the river is pleasant, and (within its obvious route limitations) the river is a cheap, fun & traffic-free way to travel within the city.

JB :)

thanks guys, that a big help:)

we need to know HOW to get to Bangkok after we DISembark in Laem Chabang , we don't have the time to do a 3 day ship land tour after..

I rang Princess RES. to book transfers and 1 night in Bangkok after the cruise( we want to fly home next day), but they only have a 3 day tour with transfers??

We used Bangkok day tours for 2 days. They are used to Laem Chabang.

They were fine

It is included on their website. They were flexible. I'm sure they would organize a 1 day tour , hotel, and airport transfer.

http://www.bangkokdaytours.com/index.asp

We had a pre cruise stay in Bangkok and our TA booked our transfers with Pacific World. They met us at the airport, and took us to the hotel. We did our own thing for 2 days in Bangkok , as we had been there before, but had we wanted tours they would have arranged them for us. They then arrived promptly at the time arranged for the transfer from the hotel to Laem Chabang for the 2 hour trip down there. For both trips we had a driver , and an english speaking guide.

I did get the feeling that the guide was not usual, as she kept asking us questions about what we wanted, so it could have been some sort of industry survey.

We prepaid the transfers with our TA at home , so it was all done on vouchers.

I forget the cost for the transfers, but recall thinking at the time that it was well under the Princess charge.

http://www.pacificworld.com/thailand/

As the above poster says, do have something/someone booked to meet you at the port .

We used Bangkok day tours for 2 days. They are used to Laem Chabang.

They were fine

It is included on their website. They were flexible. I'm sure they would organize a 1 day tour , hotel, and airport transfer.

http://www.bangkokdaytours.com/index.asp

we really just want to be picked up at the port and taken to the airport..or a hotel of our choosing for overnight if we HAVE TO, ( have yet to research flight times)

..not wanting a tour.

I looked at BANGKOK DAYTOURS earlier today, and there was nothing on their site to indicate

a simple transfer from the port to airport/hotel

we really just want to be picked up at the port and taken to the airport..or a hotel of our choosing for overnight if we HAVE TO, ( have yet to research flight times)

..not wanting a tour.

I looked at BANGKOK DAYTOURS earlier today, and there was nothing on their site to indicate

a simple transfer from the port to airport/hotel

e-mail them. They will have something for you. Many people have warned against trying to get a taxi at the port. Or try Viatour

we really just want to be picked up at the port and taken to the airport..or a hotel of our choosing for overnight if we HAVE TO, ( have yet to research flight times)

..not wanting a tour.

I looked at BANGKOK DAYTOURS earlier today, and there was nothing on their site to indicate

a simple transfer from the port to airport/hotel

Do a Google search using "bangkok transfers laem chabang hotel airport". It will bring up numerous transfer services for you.

The Summer Palace is about 100 miles from L/C, nearly all fast divided highway. Google says 2 hours, it took us mebbe 1hr 40 by car.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Route+7&daddr=Ban+Len,+Phra+Nakhon+Si+Ayutthaya,+Thailand+(%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%99)&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=13.688688,100.794067&spn=2.108033,3.092651&sll=13.725847,100.675228&sspn=2.107698,3.092651&geocode=FVjfxwAd6qIDBg%3BFScs2QAdD7b-BSFAzxwXJoYphA&vpsrc=6&doflg=ptm&mra=pd&t=m&z=8

The sights of Ayutthaya (there are several stops) are all within about 10 mins of the Summer Palace & each-other.

So if you were off the ship at say 7.30am, and headed back about 3.30 (giving yourself three hrs to return instead of the expected two, before a back-on-board of 6.30pm) you'd have six hours to divide between the Palace & Ayutthaya. And that's more than enough.

90 mins at the Palace, mebbe 30 mins driving around, 4 hours to divide between about 3 stops.

 

But you need to fix up transport in advance - a cartel controls the taxis plying for hire at the pier & they charge heavy money for variable standards of vehicle & driver.

We know - cos we hadn't pre-booked, thinking we'd get a better deal on-the-spot :rolleyes:

There's plenty of good companies on the internet, you could do with a company/driver that knows the patch. Mebbe even a guide. The cartel has no control over pre-booked cars.

 

JB :)

I'm confused, if it takes 2 hours to get Bangkok and Ayutthaya is north of there, how did you make it in just under 2 hours?

I'm confused' date=' if it takes 2 hours to get Bangkok and Ayutthaya is north of there, how did you make it in just under 2 hours?[/quote']

 

I wondered that as well.

We had a 3 day stopover in Bangkok once, not cruise related that time , and did a day tour to Ayutthaya and the Summer Palace. It took all day and on the return trip , the traffic was so heavy, that once back in the City we were gridlocked, and many got out of the bus and walked back to their hotels.

 

 

I'm confused' date=' if it takes 2 hours to get Bangkok and Ayutthaya is north of there, how did you make it in just under 2 hours?[/quote']

 

You are basically looking at a triangle.

Bangkok bottom left, Bang-Pa In / Ayutthaya top left, L/C bottom right.

Although the route goes close to Bangkok, you head N/W before you hit the city & its traffic. 24 miles greater distance, but no city streets or log-jams.

The Kiwi's problem was the city traffic.

Which is why we preferred to use the river express ferries or tuk-tuks in the city.:)

 

L/C to Bangkok is 84 miles, googlemaps says 1 hr 40. But city traffic can get incredibly congested, and posters wisely suggest that for a return to you should allow 2.5 hrs. We did it in 90 mins, and were back on board with an hour to spare.

 

L/C to Bang-Pa In is 108 miles, googlemaps says 2 hrs 10 mins, we did it in something under 2 hrs. :)

We set off at 07.30 to meet a tour coach due at Bang-Pa In at 09.30, the saving grace being that if we were delayed, the tour was staying there for an hour and we could even catch it up ten minutes down the road in Ayutthaya. As it turned out we experienced no delays & had to hang around in the Summer Palace car/coach park to wait for the coach.

Of course, we didn't return to L/C from Bang-Pa In/Ayutthaya. But although there isn't the city traffic to contend with, again you need a margin for delays & I suggested giving yourself 3 hrs.

 

I'm confident in my timings but, as I said, you'd have more than enough time at Bang-Pa In & Ayutthaya. So if your driver (who of course will know the traffic conditions better than I) felt you ought to allow a bigger margin, that wouldn't be a rush.:)

Since your focus is on Ayuttaya, it would make sense to go there first, spend as much time as you wish, then spend the remaining time at Bang-Pa In. The summer palace pavilions & grounds are beautiful & interesting, but it was all built /re-built in the late 19th Century so may not interest you as much as the ancient capital.

 

JB :)