grand palace visit

will be visiting in april 2007, and just wondered is it easier to vist on our own, or to book a guide.(have tong booked for previous day, so could book for next day)

any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated

we will be staying at the holiday inn, silom

tia

grand palace visit

Its very easy to visit the Grand Palace on your own. One the best ways to get there is by the local ferry. Take the skytrain to the end of the Silom line and then walk about 2 minutes to the river. Grab the boat the locals get as it is more interesting, (dont buy ticket at kiosk buy on board, 11 baht last year).

When you are walking up to the Palace DO NOT believe anyone who tells you that the palace is closed (they are very convincing) as they will try and convince you to get in a tuk tuk and will end up a jewellery store etc etc and the palace will not be closed.

You can hire a guide at the palace to show you around, personally we have been a couple of times and always been quite happy to wander about by ourselves, but thats a personal choice. Your entrance fee also includes entry to the Teak Mansion (only on the same day) which is a short cab ride away.

Enjoy!

grand palace visit

Hi

I agree with Mole that you can do on your own. There is an audio guide for you to hire. The cost is 200 Baht/2 hours. There are many language available.

For the Teak Wook Mansion (Vimanmek Mansion), now the ticket is valid 7 days for the day of purchase (before is 30 days).

There is a dress code for visiting the Grand Palace as below:

1. Shorts, mini-skirts, short skirts, tight fitting trousers, as well as tights can not be worn as outer garments.

2. See-through shirts and blouses, as well as culotters or quarter length trousers can not be worn.

3. Sleeveless shirts or vests can not be worn as outer garments.

4. Sandles (without ankle or heel straps) can not be worn.

5. All shirt sleeves, whether long or short, can not be rolled up.

6. Sweat shirts and sweat pants, wind-cheaters, pajamas and fisherman trousers can not be worn.

There will be 3 important days in April that you can not go there because there will be close for a royal ceremony. Normally, it is on 2,6 and 15 April. You have to check it before you go because some days of these 3 days may be open only in the afternoon.

You can find more information from this site:

http://www.palaces.thai.net/day/index_gp.htm

I think Holiday Silom, you can take a cab to the Saphan Taksin Pier. It will take no morn than 10 mins to get there. Then take a taxi boat (now 13 Baht for the express boat).

Celine

We were there in late October and had a guide who added a lot of interesting tidbits, but I think the advice from the previous two posters is excellent ( especially the dress code and potential scams), and it can be done on your own. We did the Wat Po temple on our own. We stayed in the Sheraton Royal Orchid and took the local boat back to the hotel which was fun.

Whether to do it on your own or to get a knolwedgable depends on what you%26#39;re trying to glean from the experience. I went there with Tong and found the details facinating. She also was able to steer us through it in a way where everything made sense, knew the shady spots to sit for a bit and talk, etc.

Learning about the history is one thing and you can get that from a book, if it%26#39;s accurate, but there%26#39;s something about weaving that history into the culture that makes it all more meaningful and renders a better understanding of the place you are visiting and the people you are meeting.

Personally I would go with a good guide. My 2 cents.

Fisherman Trousers ? Pajamas ?

What the %*#^ !

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