10-Hour Layover at Bangkok. Suvarnabhumi Airport - What to Do?

iChaseYou on 26/11/2014 - 23:14
Last edited 26/11/2014 - 23:27

Dear fellow Ozbargainers,

I note that there is another thread to do with a DAY stopover https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/160592.

I arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 10:20PM and need to be there again by 8:00AM.

I don't think I need a visa to go out of the airport but would like ideas on what to do / where to go.

I am not familiar with Thailand at all and am travelling alone - I know nothing about streets, CBD etc.

Question is what would you do! (I'm ready to stay up all night as it might be the only chance I get to stay in Thailand for a few years).

Thank you for your assistance.

IChaseYou.

Travel

Comments

  • retiredfeline on 26/11/2014 - 23:24
    +1

    Er, 1020 PM to 0800 AM is 9 hours and 40 minutes, not 14 hours.

  • iChaseYou on 26/11/2014 - 23:27

    Thank you greenpossum.

    Afraid that I have trusted my Travel Agent a little bit too much to do my own math. Guess my time has been cut shorter but still would appreciate ideas nonetheless.

    Are shops even opened at this late a time? It will be a Wednesday night / Thursday morning.

  • retiredfeline on 26/11/2014 - 23:50

    Well I haven't been out that late in Bangkok before, but I imagine there will be night spots where you can spend some time (and money). Is it really your scene though? Is it that important to you to have "done" Bangkok that way and not visited Bangkok during the day? Only you can answer those questions. Thailand is not that far away and surely there will be OzBargains to go there sooner or later.

  • iChaseYou on 27/11/2014 - 00:55

    Thanks for your response! I study full time and work part time and rarely get the chance to travel. Just want to make the most of it while i'm there :)

  • davohatcher on 27/11/2014 - 01:52
    +2

    If you are traveling on a Australian Passport you will not need a Visa.

    To be honest at that time i would just get a hotel near to the airport, or if you at-least want to say you have visited Bangkok just get the Airport Rail Link from Suvarnabhumi straight into BKK.

    If you rarely travel and have no idea or understanding of Bangkok, its not really a city i suggest you roam in the middle of the night, and the BTS & MRT stop just after midnight.

    MBK Center, Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Silom Complex Shopping Malls will be closed before you arrive.

    You can really only experience the night version of Bangkok at the time you arrive and depart.. I suggest a visit to the red-light district, im not meaning anything sexually but hey you could do that aswell lol. Even just having a drink in Patpong (One of the Red-light Districts) while browsing the night market there.

    Or exploring Khao San Road trying the street food vendors and shops and having a few drinks.

    Check out the Grand Palace (from the outside obviously not open) lit up over night then finish up taking the ferry up/down the Chao Phraya River and watch sunrise at Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) then go back to the Airport Rail link to get to Suvarnabhumi Airport. (Sleep on the plane)

    Please be aware of Taxi/Tuk Tuk and other common travel scams found throughout Bangkok,Thailand & Asia and don't carry your valuables around all night if you choose to roam Bangkok in the middle of the night. Better safe then sorry.

    Not sure what else you could really do in BKK overnight. Sorry i cannot be more of assistance.

  • iChaseYou on 27/11/2014 - 07:48

    Thanks davo! Exactly what I was after.

    I hope I know how to catch the Airport rail link!

    Wanted to go to some labua sky bar or whatever just to experience.
    Definitely will have to find a way to get to Khao San road as I am into street food :)

    Thanks re valuables, i know about theft etc cheers!

  • Islund on 27/11/2014 - 10:25
    +1

    aaah - don't you just love a happy ending…..

  • Zen on 27/11/2014 - 10:45
    +2

    You'll be arriving quite late at night, I'd suggest storing your luggage at the airport and come out with nothing more than your essential phone/wallet.

    Change $100 AUD at the airport, that should be enough to get you through the night if you're careful.

    Dress nice (jeans/pants with closed shoes and a casual shirt or nice tee, don't wear singlet, boardies and thongs) if you wanna check out chic places like Lebua Sky Bar.

    There should still be some massage places open at that time of the night, if I was you I'll go for at least an hour or two to relax and recharge especially being on a long flight before I start venturing around town.

    Other night spots to check out:
    http://www.bangkok.com/shopping-market/patpong-night-market.…
    http://www.bangkok.com/area-khao-san-road/sights-and-attract…

    Public transport such as BTS and MRT stops at midnight, just take a metered taxi around and watch the meter.

    Use something like this to get an estimate on fare - http://www.worldtaximeter.com/bangkok - it should't vary anymore than 10% to 20% of quoted price and if you feel that the taxi is dodgy just calmly stop him, pay the fare, hop off and flag for another one.

    Don't bother if they refuse to run the meter (especially if they know you are desperate to make it to the airport) as there's enough legit taxi's around that will want your business.

  • jrad0 on 27/11/2014 - 12:36
    +1

    May I add from recently returning from Bangkok (I am also planning on possibly moving there) that everything in Khao san and surrounds is closing at 2am under martial law. You will need to get out of the airport as quick as you can if you want to visit Lebua and Khao san road (about 15-20min taxi ride apart without traffic) before this shutdown time. I assume that Patpong, soi cowboy etc will be closed by then too. There are no nightclubs that will be open past 2am and no food vendors.

    The only place in Thailand that is going all hours 24/7 is Pattaya (beach side red light town 1500thb taxi one way from suvanbhumi airport and 1.5 hour drive). Walking street isn't so bad, plenty of pubs, eating, fish spas, I think massages too and partying (non visible working girl clubs include The Pier, Insomnia and Lucifers) etc going on there non stop all night. You wont have a problem getting back to Suvanabhumi by getting any ute with the two rows of seats in the back (song taew) to assist you with getting the "taxi mafia" to take you back. Just don't walk onto the beach at night. Plenty of foreigner tourist police around walking street who can help you as well.

    Unfortunately you are limited in Bangkok during those hours otherwise I could recommend you a list of things to do like I mentioned in the post you linked above. Good luck.

    *edit unless you wanna hang out at a 7-11 in Bangkok which are 24 hours but legally can't sell you any booze after midnight.

  • iChaseYou on 27/11/2014 - 12:55

    Wow - thank you Ozbargain community.

    I will definitely summarise all your points into a notepad and bring it with me.

    Thank you jrad0 for your great information, and zen.

    All your inputs are sincerely appreciated and (hopefully) will have a good time.

    • jrad0 on 28/11/2014 - 10:21
      +1

      All the best. Had a quick look for you and looks like the Sky Bar at Lebua is open until 1am (http://www.lebua.com/sky-bar) so you could be in luck. Drinks there are expensive as to be expected. Note that you cannot take luggage to the skybar, but you may be able to store it in the lobby while you go up.

      You may also be able to make it to Health Land Pradit Manutham (fot taxis it is near "town in town" area) as they close at midnight and are on the way into the city from Suvanabhumi. (http://www.healthlandspa.com/home.html). May only be able to fit in a foot massage but Health Land is the best I have ever tried, and the prices are very reasonable ($8 1 hour foot massage or $17 for 2 hour thai massage).

      After that though, might be worth to head back to the airport as there won't be much going on after 2am like I mentioned apart from a few stragglers hanging around at Khao San Road, but could be worth a look if you've never seen the place!

      Good luck. Make sure you have the addresses of those places written down!

      • iChaseYou on 28/11/2014 - 16:56

        Thanks jrad0, your comments are of great assistance.

        I wonder what to do with my luggage? I don't plan to bring much - in case of thefts / armed robberies etc. Perhaps just put it all as check-in luggage :)

        Anyhow - thanks again mate. At the moment it looks like I will:

        1. Grab a foot massage, hopefully will not end up at the happy ending massage places accidentally (depending on whether I have eaten on the plane or not).
          2.I want to try authentic pad thai and curries :D - street food aswell!
        2. Lebua sky bar if before 1pm
        3. Soi cowboy - just for the sake of knowing what it is like!
        4. Khao San Road - whatever is on that road

        Don't want to do much shopping, just the experience =)

        Cheerios!

  • singlemalt72 on 04/12/2014 - 13:34

    I'd be straight off to a good massage place - Happy ending type if you are into that, but you are better off going somewhere legit for a Proper Thai Massage.

    I can suggest the Avana Hotel on Bangna-Trat Road, probably only 20 minutes by taxi from the airport - a few hundred baht plus tolls. A 1 hour massage will probably cost 200 baht for an hour (6-odd bucks) and tip the masseuse about the same.

    At this time of night you will find a lot of the Taxi drivers think they are F1 drivers on the open motorways - they probably want to deliver you quick so they can hunt for another fare. If they drive too fast for your liking then just tell them to slow down.

    Make sure they turn on the meter as soon as you leave - it is located below the car radio, and is often obscured by things hanging in front of it so that you can't see if it's going or not.

    Another idea is to negotiate with a driver for his services for the night - if he has half decent english you could pay a set rate for him to take you on a tour of the city and drop you back at the airport - A taxi for 3 or so hours, off the meter should cost less than 1000 baht.

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