 | Bangkok Tours - unscheduled shopping stops Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 16 |  |
A tour which has optional extras that you don't take - can have you left stranded at the side of the road.
My husband was dead keen to visit the Tiger Temple, near Kanchanaburi - and we found it relatively difficult to find a tour which went there. Thought we had jackpotted somewhat when we found one that encompassed River Kwai and tain ride plus tigers. However, we did not know that there were additional things which were juggled from the same vehicle. We were left at the side of the road near a swimming spot while others went off for elephant rides - and left there for over 90 minutes. Other stops and collections later, we were dropped off at the tigers. The day was much longer than needed.
Just check all of the options on the tour, and check how the itinerary is arranged around the various choices.
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This encounter happen on the way to the Grand Palace. We arrived infront one of the entrance to the Palace and was told that we can't go in due to a ceremony happening in there. the person who inform us is appratently a local tour guide standing beside the entrance.
Since we were already there, she recommended us to take a tour with the tuk tuk to visit some other tourist spot around the area. As soon as we agree and aboard the tuk tuk, we were taken for a ride to palces we weren't expecting - jewel shop, carpet shop and suit shop. Basically the reason this tuk tuk bring u to these shop is just to get his free ' gasoline'
~sigh~
1. Ignore the tour guide recommendation and try some other entrance.
2. If aboard the tuk tuk - just get down on the very 1st shop that's not right for you and make your own way back yourself.
Talk to some local Vt : ) Leave a Comment
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Enjoyed the many reasonable prices backpacker group day tours from Bangkok. But almost all will end up at a gem outlet for an hour or so before sending me back to my drop off points. If you are protest, you will be told that these outlets subsidized the tours or it is requirement by the Thailand Tourism Board.
Whatever the reasons, just accept this as part of the package although time is precious. If you are in a hurry, just get a cab back. Otherwise, enjoy the aircondition after a hot day of tour, any free refreshment provided and check out the prices without buying. No one will be foreced to buy anything, we usually do not as our form of protest.
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Scenario
First time visitors to the Grand Palace will be filled with awed until some license guide will approach you and say that in order to get around the Grand Palace ..."you need a guide."
Solution
You can rent a "self audio tape recorder guide.
If you really need extensive explanation of the Grand Palace, you may need a guide.
HOWEVER, you can rent a "self-audio tape recorder guide" for free adjacent to the ticketing counter.
Just provide your credit card details (as a securitiy for the recorder) and off you go ....on your self guide of the Grand Palace.
Its fun in a way coz you can re"start" the sections if its going too fast for you Leave a Comment
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In Bangkok they´ll try to 'trap' you with a guided tour of the city with its temples and at the end then take you to some kind of shop or business to buy something.
However, I would recommend it! (So, it´s not really a trap ;-) ) On a (private!) tour of Bangkok guided by a local you´ll learn a lot of interesting things you won´t otherwise, especially about buddhism and its traditions, plus you don´t have to buy anything. So go for it! Leave a Comment
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We went on an organised tour with Tour East to the Grand Palace and luckily we were the only people on the tour. Anyway, on the way back to the hotel, the guide stopped the minibus at a jewellery store, the world's largest, where we were treated very, very well and given a personalised guided tour - only catch - we were expected to buy something. The tour operators certainly know how to look after their friends, if you know what I mean!! Leave a Comment
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Almost all the tours somehow manage a stopover at a Jewellery Factory with the idea that you'll go home a few gems richer (and lotsa $ poorer!)Being 10,I really wasn't too keen,although the tour of the factory was just a tad bit interesting. Leave a Comment
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Jewellery Factories - I have been on several day tours around different parts of Bangkok, and the operators are quite knowledgeable and friendly - and the tours very reasonably priced. However, at around 3pm they always have an obligatory trip to a jewellery factory. Personally I find it totally boring. I would not buy anything there, unless you really know what you are getting. Tit kind of puts a bad spin on the whole day, as you get lots of high pressure salespeople trying to sell you something you don't want. So if you are going on a tour, just ask them whether they are going to any factories, as you may be able to go straight back to the hotel pool instead.
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Be aware of people trying to help you out. If you are approached by a local offering you very cheap transportion or personal tours.... don't take it. Just smile and say "no", and keep walking.
If you go with them, you will end up on a shopping tours that will get you frustrated and waste your valuable vacation time.
It happened to me, and it was very uncomfortable and frustrating. Had to laugh it off and continue with our vacation. Leave a Comment
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I don't know whether this should be regarded as a tourist trap. First we supposed to go floating market in the morning. This tour is supposed to cost 850baht including afternoon rose garden. However, the tour guide will say that there is a lot of time in between and will take us to elephant ride and snake farm for 700baht extra. Actually, there is a tour inside the agency which cost 950baht total for all this (A 600baht extra per person!!!). It is hard to say no since the whole group seemed to be ignorant of the matter and all agree to go.
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