Getting around Bangkok is certainly not an easy task for those who, having just arrived in the City of Angels, intend to extricate on their own through the streets, alleys or channels of this endless metropolis. Reaching a temple, the Royal Palace or a market can be a waste of time and money in transportation for those who, in their travel itinerary, have decided to devote only a few days to visit the capital of Thailand.

Added to this is often the frustration of sometimes feeling cheated by some unscrupulous taxi driver who, in order to take a hapless tourist to places where they get a modest commission, do not hesitate to invent ‘white lies’ to get their unfair profit.

Yet, getting around Bangkok is not so hard if you have a general idea of how to move and if you follow some small but useful tips: first, the city is well served by a modern and efficient railway network, both underground and elevated, that is constantly growing, linking together the commercial areas. Furthermore an unknown number of taxi (mostly legal) patrol the streets of Bangkok day and night in search for passengers. Motorcycle taxis, boats and the famous tuk tuk complete the panorama of the city transportation, making Bangkok a city almost easy to get around in.

Over the course of a month spent in Bangkok, Asianitinerary.com has experienced the various means of transport and has learned a few tricks in order to extricate between the twists and turns of public transportation. Here we willingly share this with our readers:

Mototaxis waiting for passengers

Getting around Bangkok with mototaxi: Motorcycle taxis are the most used means of transportation by the Thais for short trips. They are normally used to reach main arterial roads, urban rail lines stops and not too far away places, though not infrequently they also venture further afield. In each area of the city, you can find groups of scooters waiting in strategic corners whose drivers, duly licensed, wear colored and labeled coats with a number written in Western characters on the front and in Thai characters on the back. The fare starts from a minimum of 20 baht (about half a Euro) for closer destinations and increases based on the distance.

Without doubt they are the best way to get around during rush hours thanks to their ability to take advantage of every little space available. The compliance of the rules does not seem to be one of their best qualities though: they rarely have a helmet for the passenger, do not hesitate to go against the traffic or to circulate on the sidewalks, and some of them negotiate the spaces that come their way with a little too much ease. They seem to enjoy a certain tolerance from the traffic police and a certain amount of attention from car drivers. Although they sometimes tend to charge foreigners a higher rate than Thais, in general they are honest, especially since prices are shown on a billboard ‘clearly’ exposed in the Thai language in their service areas.

A passing taxi meter. Note on the right side the red light indicating that is is free

Getting around Bangkok with taxis: one square meter of space in which to sit comfortably, the heat outside that seems not to exist thanks to the air conditioning while outside the city traffic is rampant in its orderly disorder, make the taxi-meter the most comfortable means of transport in Bangkok as well as one of the cheapest. This if the driver is worthy to operate the meter, since the starting fee is 35 baht (less than a euro) and it increases gradually of a few baht on a basis of kilometers and time. Despite this, it is precisely the taxi that usually creates some problems for the passenger who does not know the rules. Getting around Bangkok, I noticed two kinds of taxis, two philosophies working opposite ways and in stark contrast to each other.

On the one hand there are the taxi drivers who wait for customers outside tourist centers of importance – hotels, night bazaars, monuments. These, relying on the fact that tourists may not be aware of the rules, instead of using the mandatory meter, offer a fixed rate that is generally at least double the real fare. Those who politely asks the use of the meter are equally politely refused the ride with unlikely excuses that the unsuspecting customer accepts as true.

The other downside of this category of taxi drivers is represented by the tendency to want to take customers to places of their choice, trying not to comply with your request justifying their alternative proposals arguing, for example, that “your destination is closed, but I can take you to another place that is worth visiting”. Nothing alarming, mind you, but if you accept their proposal you might find yourself in a jewelry store, not necessarily of good quality, where the driver will be rewarded with a commission while you will be punished with a useless waste of time.

The best behavior to be adopted is a polite rejection of the taxi driver offer, walk a few tens of meters away and wait on the roadside one of the many passing taxi that normally are much more fair: these are noted for a red light on the left side of the windscreen showing them as ‘free’. These usually activate the meter without much hesitation at the time of departure, taking you to your destination without complications or alternative proposals.

A tip: their level of English is very low, so the chances of misunderstandings are actually plausible. To eliminate any possibility of misunderstanding, it might be helpful to have someone to write the name and address of your destination in Thai language. If you want to return to your hotel, it is advisable to bring with you a business card of the hotel where you are staying, where name and address are usually also written in the Thai language.

A local tuk tuk waiting outside a big store

Getting around Bangkok with tuk tuk: The tuk tuk is certainly Bangkok’s most characteristic means of transport, a kind of motorized tricycle reminiscent of Ape Piaggio. Open on all sides, it provide a pleasant feeling of ventilation along the way; however, with the increase of city traffic, the feeling of ventilation has become a little less enjoyable due to the fumes of the exhausts around you.

Tuk tuks are not metered, so the price needs bargaining; the fares will usually be greater than those of taxi-meter. If we add to this the smog and the often unorthodox driving style, the tuk tuk is not suitable for long journeys. At the same time, tuk tuks are one of the characteristic elements of the city and should be tried at least once. The advice  is to try the experience with a very short ride, perhaps in an area in the heart of Bangkok not yet served by the most modern urban railway lines, for the pleasure of tasting this aspect of Bangkok that seems destined to disappear over the time. The tuk tuk are in fact, in my opinion (unless there is a change of trend) more and more destined to lose the confrontation with taxis, both for the behavior of their drivers who often look for extra profits (commissions and inflated fares), and for their much lower comfort.

The post GETTING AROUND BANGKOK – TRANSPORTATION ON THE ROAD appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

A muslim inhabitant of Krabi Town

Early morning in Krabi Town. I patiently await the departure of a longtail boat under a pavilion in the Chao Fa old pier amongst locals Muslim. Women wear veils and chatter animatedly. Men laboriously load longtail boats that will head to the islands off the Krabi coast with merchandise from the city: ice, meat, onions, bottled beverages, fruits and vegetables, and all kind of goods from the morning market…

The sun is already heating the air while I am whisked away from town. From the boat, Khao Phanom Bencha, Krabi highest mountain, is clearly visible and has a single puffy cloud towering above it. The waters of the estuary of the Krabi River are calm, the perfect day for a tour of the mangroves; boats from the other direction are full of people from the islands who commute daily to town for shopping, working or simply socializing

Longtail boats used to transport people and motorbikes to/from Koh Klang and Krabi Town

It is for this and for several other reasons that I love Krabi. The town in itself might not be a particularly attractive one in the conventional sense, but it is a real rough diamond that tourists use as a base for visiting the major attractions in the Krabi Province, and save time, hassle and money. This picturesque city is usually a transport hub for travelers on their way to places such as Ao Nang, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi and other destinations in the South of Thailand. The main bus station is located here, and you will undoubtedly pass through Krabi Town on your way to anywhere you want to go in the province. It is a charming town, with a more ‘local’ feel to it than the tourist areas. There are good restaurants and bars, but they might not be as obvious to come across. The accommodation in Krabi will be cheaper, as will the food, especially if you eat at the food markets. The people are genuinely friendly and helpful and with the new addition of maps located on prominent stands along the pavement, it is easier to find your bearings. The best way to explore the town is to just walk and see what you can find. Sooner or later, I always seem to end up back where I started.

At the Koh Klang market

In the town itself there aren’t a lot of activities apart from shopping and eating. You can take longtail boats from Chao Fa pier to do some sightseeing along the river; navigating upriver the boat will take you through the impressive mangrove forests and you will come to Khao Kanab Nam. Very much the symbol of Krabi, the two towering peaks of Khao Kanab Nam are part of a national conservation area of 4 million square meters home to different species of fish, monkeys and birds. These two dog-ear shaped rocks, about 100 meters high, are separated by the Krabi River and form the town’s most prominent landmark. Skeletons of human descent were discovered in Krabi, dating back some 43,000 years, making them some of the oldest ever found. Get off the boat and climb the towers via a staircase for some truly spectacular views. These are caves that are worth exploring, with their impressive stalactite formations.

Khao Kanab Nam, symbol of Krabi Town

If you are up for shopping, there are loads of interesting places to spend a few Thai Baht; take some time out and wander aimlessly throughout the smaller side streets (Soi) off Maharaj central road and you will be amazed at what you may come across. Traditional, handmade jewelry and crafts, beautiful silk garments tailor made for you, gems, pottery, antiques, wonderful wooden furniture and plants can all be found here, usually in a non descript shop with the craftsperson working away. Soi 8 off Maharaj Road is now designated as a pedestrian walking street during 5 to 10 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The zone is called Walking Street, a great place for local premium quality local products such as souvenirs, food and beverage, herbal products, antiques plus many more, as well as for some local music.

Chao Fa night food stalls

Visitors take advantage of Krabi’s fantastic night and day markets at various sites around the town and indulge in the magnificent views to be enjoyed from the riverbanks. Eating places are everywhere and are open day and night. Some of the best authentic Thai food can be found at the local food markets. Chao Fa Pier night food market is a good bet, as well as the larger night markets that take over whole streets from dusk. This is the best ‘fast food’ you will ever have, and is usually served at the same time you take your seat. Try a few things and remember they will be cooked the local way, spicy! If you are missing the flavor of your home country and need a little comfort food, there are a few restaurants in the town that offer western food. Italian restaurants are particularly good. These are usually owned and run by ex pats so the food is excellent. During the day, there are plenty of noodles and chicken stalls on street corners to keep you going throughout the day, as well as food chains like KFC, Dairy Queen and Dunkin Donuts all located in the Vogue Department Store, the only one in the city center. If you have a craving for some ice cream, pay a visit to Swenson’s, located here as well!

Krabi by night

And if you are going out by night, around the Maharaj Road are some well-known places for some late night fun and games in the town. Expect loud music, DJ’s and good times fuelled by lots of local whiskey. Elsewhere, the nightlife scene here is relatively subdued. There is more of an open-air restaurant vibe to the place. You will see small groups of locals gathered outside small grocery stores, sharing bottles of the local beer and playing checkers with bottle caps; you will see couples, backpackers and families here and there is a relaxed atmosphere around the place.

FACTFILE

HISTORY: Pronounced ‘Gra-bee’, this small town is located 900 kilometers and 90 minutes by air from Bangkok. There are 132 pristine and untouched islands of all shapes and sizes surrounding Krabi. Historically speaking, at the start of the Rattanakosin period, about 200 years ago, when the Thai capital was finally settled at Bangkok, elephants roamed wild in the Krabi area and an elephant kraal was established in Krabi by order of the then Rajah and Governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat, which was by then a part of the Thai Kingdom. He sent his vizier, the Phra Palad, to oversee the task of ensuring a regular supply of elephants for the larger town. So many emigrated in the steps of the Phra Palad and settled down here that soon Krabi had a large community divided in three different boroughs: Pakasai, Klong Pon, and Pak Lao.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON THE HISTORY OF KRABI

THE NAME: As for the origins of the name Krabi, two legends co-exist; according to one of them, Krabi would derive from the name of the local tree Lumphi. The Malay and Chinese merchants pronounced it incorrectly Ka-lu-bi or Kho-lo-bi, which finally turned the name into Krabi.

SLEEPOVER: Krabi is pleasant enough to spend a night or two. Most accommodations are located alongside Chaofa Road, a prolongation of the old Chaofa Pier. Hotels range from simple and inexpensive guesthouses to nice boutique-like resorts. There is also a choice of hotels in the city center along Maharat Road and also on the riverside near the Thara Park area.

HEALTH: If you fall ill whilst in Krabi, the local Krabi Hospital is not far from the town center – 075 611202, 611210, 611220. The closest international hospital is in Phuket – some 2 to 3 hours drive away. Ruam Phaet private clinic in Talat Kao is a good alternative. If your problem is not an emergency you can walk into any of the pharmacies you will find everywhere and they can offer free advice and even dispense prescription medication.

INFO: The main post office in Krabi is to be found on Uttarakit, near the police station. From Monday to Saturday the post office is open from 8.30am to 15.30pm. Tel: 075 611050. Emergency services include Police 075 611222 or 191, Fire brigade 075 611111 or 199, and Search & Rescue 075 622581.

TRAVEL: The new bus station from where you can get cheap transportation to most of the rest of Thailand is located in Thalat Kao, about 4 km outside the centre, any tuk tuk driver will know the way (say satanee rot bus). Also, the local sowngthaew pick-up busses (basically a covered pick-up truck with 2 long benches at the back) continually roam the town, beeping their horns; raise your hand to stop them anywhere you are. Krabi International Airport is at a few km from town, on the way out of Talat Kao, past BigC and Tesco Lotus Shopping Malls. The airport bus leaves Ao Nang Beach and passes in Krabi Town every hour or so.

The post Krabi Town – City Tales appeared first on Asian Itinerary.