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Should we include Thailand as a precruise stay.


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We are cruising from Singapore Feb./2019 and trying to decide whether to spend a couple of days pre-cruise in Thailand. If so, where? Bangkok or south, maybe Phuket?

Any Suggestions - experiences you may have.

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Well worth a few days.:)

 

Bangkok for sight-seeing. Grand Palace, Wat Arun & other temples, day-trip by coach & riverboat to Ayuttaya http://www.grandpearlcruise.com/en/route-program/ayutthaya-round-trip.html ,

long-tail boat ride thro the klongs, Chinatown, markets, nightlife

 

Phuket more for a traditional beach break - very touristy but lots to see and do.

Including a boat ride thro Phang Nga Bay - check out Googleimages, some similarities to Halong Bay (is that on your cruise itinerary?) .

 

 

JB :)

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Did you use this company?

 

 

Yes. Long-established & very obliging.

 

Their tour starts with a round of hotel pick-ups in Bangkok from about 7am & coach drive to the first stop, the summer palace at Bang-Pa In near Ayutthaya, arriving 9am.

But we cruised into Laem Chabang, so fixed our own transport from Laem Chabang to meet the coach at Bang-Pa In. They'd reserved our seats on the coach, even though we didn't pay in advance.

Guided tour around the Summer Palace (a selection of pavilions in beautiful grounds), then 3 stops in Ayuttaya (the ancient capital of Siam), then to the river to join the boat & cruise down the river into the city - by far the best way to enter Bangkok. Excellent buffet lunch & afternoon tea on the boat, ending at River City Pier in the heart of Bangkok.

A super day.

 

JB :)

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Yes. Long-established & very obliging.

 

Their tour starts with a round of hotel pick-ups in Bangkok from about 7am & coach drive to the first stop, the summer palace at Bang-Pa In near Ayutthaya, arriving 9am.

But we cruised into Laem Chabang, so fixed our own transport from Laem Chabang to meet the coach at Bang-Pa In. They'd reserved our seats on the coach, even though we didn't pay in advance.

Guided tour around the Summer Palace (a selection of pavilions in beautiful grounds), then 3 stops in Ayuttaya (the ancient capital of Siam), then to the river to join the boat & cruise down the river into the city - by far the best way to enter Bangkok. Excellent buffet lunch & afternoon tea on the boat, ending at River City Pier in the heart of Bangkok.

A super day.

 

JB :)

 

Thank you!

 

Got it bookmarked.

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We have spent four winters in Thailand. We find Bangkok to be a fascinating city. As for Phuket....we typically avoid it in favor of islands to the south. It really depends on what you are looking for and how long you wish to stay. You could also head north to Chiang Mai for a few days or even fly into Angkor Wat for a few days. Air travel is inexpensive.

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Yes. Long-established & very obliging.

 

Their tour starts with a round of hotel pick-ups in Bangkok from about 7am & coach drive to the first stop, the summer palace at Bang-Pa In near Ayutthaya, arriving 9am.

But we cruised into Laem Chabang, so fixed our own transport from Laem Chabang to meet the coach at Bang-Pa In. They'd reserved our seats on the coach, even though we didn't pay in advance.

Guided tour around the Summer Palace (a selection of pavilions in beautiful grounds), then 3 stops in Ayuttaya (the ancient capital of Siam), then to the river to join the boat & cruise down the river into the city - by far the best way to enter Bangkok. Excellent buffet lunch & afternoon tea on the boat, ending at River City Pier in the heart of Bangkok.

A super day.

 

JB :)

 

Can you recommend a tour of Bangkok and of the River Kwai? We only have 3-1/2 days, so I don't know if we can do all of them.

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Can you recommend a tour of Bangkok and of the River Kwai? We only have 3-1/2 days, so I don't know if we can do all of them.

 

We passed on the River Kwai.

IIRC, we were told that it started on the west side of the city, it was quite a long ride to get there, the bridge you're taken to is about 20 miles from the original, and there were plenty of criticisms that it was promoted as a tacky tourist destination rather than as an infamous WW2 "Death Railway". Think "Auschwitz as a theme park :eek:."

 

But all of this is very second-hand - as I said, we passed on it.

 

Probably you'll find plenty of reviews on TripAdvisor

 

JB :)

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Can you recommend a tour of Bangkok and of the River Kwai? We only have 3-1/2 days, so I don't know if we can do all of them.

 

Touring Bangkok (car and driver) can be frustrating because of the traffic congestion. We now prefer to use the river boats and the Skytrain to get around. Having said that, the one time we had a car and driver plus a guide it was very efficient as soon as we were heading for the exit of a temple or palace our guide called the driver who was there waiting with cold towels - what a luxury.

In the past we have used Tong http://tourwithtong.com/index.htm to plan our trips - River Kwai, Death Railway, Floating Market, Railway Market etc. Our tours went like clockwork.

One time we spent 3 days in Bangkok then flew down to Phuket for 4 nights (Thai Airways) and then flew on to Singapore (Air Asia) to pick up a cruise. As others have said air travel in Asia is cheap and efficient and easy to book online.

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We went to River Kwai on our own. I would not bother if you only have 3.5 days. It is a fairly long, and uneventful trip by rail. Not much there really. A museum, a bridge (not at the sight of the original). We certainly would not go back. There are more interesting ways to spend a day if you are in Bangkok.

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Touring Bangkok (car and driver) can be frustrating because of the traffic congestion. We now prefer to use the river boats and the Skytrain to get around. Having said that, the one time we had a car and driver plus a guide it was very efficient as soon as we were heading for the exit of a temple or palace our guide called the driver who was there waiting with cold towels - what a luxury.

In the past we have used Tong http://tourwithtong.com/index.htm to plan our trips - River Kwai, Death Railway, Floating Market, Railway Market etc. Our tours went like clockwork.

One time we spent 3 days in Bangkok then flew down to Phuket for 4 nights (Thai Airways) and then flew on to Singapore (Air Asia) to pick up a cruise. As others have said air travel in Asia is cheap and efficient and easy to book online.

 

Thanks for the info. It seems that the River Kwai tour is not being recommended. Do you also find that it is not worth the trip?

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Thanks for the info. It seems that the River Kwai tour is not being recommended. Do you also find that it is not worth the trip?

We enjoyed our trip Kanchanaburi. The bridge is not the original but it was built in WWII and still bears the scars of allied bombing. The Jeath Museum, although small is informative and the war cemetery very poignant.

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