Sorry to hear you are having problems contacting this guide. Like you, I have no time for people or businesses who do not respond to attempts to contact them. No matter how busy they may, or may not be, there is no excuse. It is, quite simply bad business practice and bad manners.

Do you really need a guide for Bangkok? A good guide book, Nancy Chandlers excellent map and a BTS map will get you to most of the major sites. Taxis are plentiful, although slow. The river taxis are great for riverside location and the breeze provides welcome respite from the heat. The Sky trains also have air on albeit sometimes icy cold! Most people get used to the heat after a day or two. A car is not generally the best way to get around Bangkok.

The train market is easily reached by BTS. We combined it with a ride into the country by train and then a bike ride around some villages which was great fun. We used http://www.absoluteexplorer.com/

Some other ideas -

http://www.fodors.com/world/asia/thailand/bangkok/sights-nam_alpha:a.html

I agree with crellston that a guide is unnecessary for Bangkok. And that you are better off avoiding cars or taxis whenever possible as the traffic is truly awful. Bangkok is not my favorite city partly because of the traffic, the pollution, and the heat and humidity, there are many other places in Asia that I prefer. However, there are definitely sights worth seeing.

A good guidebook, a good map, and an awareness of the local scams are all you need. Do make use of the river boats whenever possible. You can also take a day trip (your hotel should be able to arrange it) to Ayutthaya - bus up and boat back.

I'm another person who recommends no guide for Bangkok. I use the Skytrain, water taxis and an occasional taxi to get around town. We are from Seattle, so not really heat acclimated, but we do fine in Bangkok. Limit your walking as much as possible to early morning, be aware of where there is shade, and where there is air conditioning.

I'm also not a fan of the floating market. I consider it a tourist trap, though most of those who go with Tong seem to like it.

With just four days in Bangkok, I'd spend them all in the city.

I agree with the above about using the Skytrain and a guidebook to get around Bangkok. We used a guide for one full day out of town, going to the Prasart Museum and the floating market. It was a very long , but worthwhile day. I loved the floating market, not for the goods being sold, which for the most part are tourist junk, but for the many photo ops, and the experience of seeing it. We used a driver named Ratt, who others on this board have also used, and we were more than satisfied. Unfortunately, I do not have a contact number for her, but if you ask on this board specifically for her contact info, maybe someone will answer and have that for you.

We have used Ratt with success in Bangkok. Very personable and reliable. You can get in touch with her through her website

http://www.ratservice.com/

Aloha!

As Havaiian, we used Ratt. She is a driver, but knows well Bangkok, her English is good and she is a very nice person. We were happy to have it with us, it was very nice to have all the time a car with A/C, to go directly to all the places we wanted to visit, etc.
We contacted her by mail and together made a plan of what we want to visit each day (we had her with us for two days).

Thank you all. We are from LA and also not used to the heat but will have spent two weeks in Cambodia and Vietnam so should have aclimated. My DH Is not as flexible as I am and likes to know exactly where he is going where as I do not mind getting lost. We have had some communication with the guide and selected the tours but now r not getting response to final plans which is frustrating.

Thanks for the info on RATT and I guess I will contact her. I did buy the Nancy Chandler map and it is great

Don't give up on tong. While she is very busy and does not respond to emails as one would hope, she does come through and a day spent with her is a wonderful experience. While you could go to the floating market on your own, if you go with tong, she will introduce you to foods that you would never have sampled on your own. The railroad market, feeding the monkeys, and a ride through the mud flats were all great fun and lunch out on the water was very pleasant.

Touring Bangkok on your own is really very simple. Bangkok is one if my favorite cities and it is easy to get around. The food is delicious.

Have fun.

are you using tourwithtong@yahoo.com

Rhkkmk regarding e-mail yes I am using the yahoo account. I finally got something on Facebook saying to call her, but that does not make sense as how do you know when she is there. Then I finally received a "response " today from message sent Jan 10 that says use g-mail as yahoo does not work. So confusing. What e-mail do you use as you seem to get responses. I assume the g-mail is tourswithtong@gmail.com

no "s" on tour...

i use yahoo

Go with Ratt- she is the one, the original- accept no substitutes. Remember its not that you need a guide but a driver in Bangkok. Yes you can get around without one but having a driver gets you around in a lot more comfort.

tong has now told me to use both the

tourwithtong@yahoo.com

and


tourwithtong@gmail.com

addresses when addressing her as she says she is having trouble with yahoo.

"having a driver gets you around in a lot more comfort."

Provided you don't mind sitting around in traffic jams.

Even though we've been to Bangkok often enough to get around on our own, we love going out with Nook Tourguide. She is an excellent guide and a nice person. Her email is cnnchinlawan@hotmail.com. She is also active on facebook as Nook Tourguide.

We did the train market trip with her using a car and driver and for a trip outside of the city, that's the way to go. However for tours within the city, we prefer to use public transportation or taxi as it helps orient us when using the same when we're on our own.

One of the best parts of the train market trip was Nook walking us through and helping us sample from the myriad food stalls in that area. See http://www.se-asiatravel.com/thailand/bangkok/mae-klong-market-train-market/ for additional info and a video link of a train market trip

Ratt usually knows how to get around the traffic so that was not a problem on our first trip

with a driver we have not been in any traffic clog that last more than 5 minutes... they know how to escape...

taxis, yes tons of traffic jams

As for the heat, I don't know when you're going, but I'm from L.A. and depending on the time of year, the heat isn't that much different. Yes, it can be more humid in BKK than in L.A. depending on the time of year, but I haven't found it a major problem. However, I've been going in November, December, January, August, and the last week in March. The last week in March was the most humid, but I survived it and I was out walking the entire time and using the skytrain for a whole week.

I say study the Nancy Chandler map, use the skytrain, and hire Ratt. I did once hire Tong for one day. It was a Christmas gift to a friend flying from Denmark to meet me for vacation in Bangkok as I wasn't going to freezing Denmark for vacation in December. So, we agreed to meet in Bangkok for 3 weeks. But, I used Tong to take us out of Bangkok to areas difficult to get to and then when we got back to Bangkok, we did a couple of Bangkok things like the Reclining Buddha and I needed to get to the alley where the monk, alms bowls are hand made and also needed to get to a particular hardware store to buy pintos.

Happy Travels!

Buying and studying the map ahead of time helped us tremendously. I believe the map can be purchased on amazon.

Had difficulty with Tong, too. After three months of sporadic responses via two email addresses and facebook, we booked with Wandee@wandeetours.com. Tours and prices are comparable, she was recommended on cruise critic, and she responded immediately and has done so since the start!

So I finally connected with Tong, but she indicated that she is no longer actually doing the touring herself. Have any of you worked with anyone else in her agency. It seems that she is the special person and without her it really does not matter as long as you use one of the many guides suggested here. I just looked on Wandee's web site and she too does the fishing area and the monkey's.

We only have 3 1/2 days and want at least one day to just go shopping and do some wandering. Does it make sense to skip the floating market, train market etc. and do the tigers and elephants? Also what experience have you had with the weekend market?

I'd skip the floating market, but of course there are those who like it. I did it way back in January of 1999, as I booked a day-tour for it while in Bangkok as it was cheap to do it that way. The bridge over the River Kwai and lunch were also included in the tour. But, I had more time in Bangkok than you will have.

As for the train market, Tong drove us there and we waited for the train to pass and then back into the car. We didn't spend much time there. Then we went off to a temple and after that to the Benjarong factory. Then it was back to Bangkok where we went to the Reclining Buddha, the monk-bowl place, and the hardware store. Earlier that day, we had also gone to a temple in Bangkok and watched people give alms to the monks.

As for the weekend market, I'd suggest that you get there really early in the morning and take a hand fan or two as it's pretty suffocating in those stalls. My Thai friend and I have zipped up there twice, but we were done shopping and heading out of there by noon time.

As for tigers and elephants, not my thing so I can't help you there. Smiles.

Depending on your personality, I think that one advantage of using a driver over a guide might be that you can make a list of exactly where you want to go and what you want to see and then have the driver stick to it. I personally prefer that system, but others prefer more commentary and possibly added places by guides that might not have been previously discussed.

Happy Travels!

Hi,

I was having the same problem until I called. Tong explained she had a problem with her computer. You should be using the tourwithtong@gmail.com instead of her yahoo address. Giving her a call might help as well, but make sure you find out what time it is in Bangkok when you call. I called her late at night (my daughter lives in Seoul so we are used to staying up late to call) and she told me that a lot of people call her at 2 or 3 in the morning. She is quite charming and we are looking forward to working with her company.

The weekend market is an amazing array of items for sale. And as guenmai said, it gets very hot inside those stalls, so I also try to be in and out by noon.

In 30 trips to Bangkok, I have yet to hire a driver OR a tour guide. I have never been to the floating market or train market or the fishing village, etc. I have met Tong, however, and she is a very special person, for sure. But she is not the only tour guide in BKK, if you think you do need a guide, and not just a driver.

One of my favorite things to do is to take a longtail boat into the smaller canals that are across the river from the location(s) of the Oriental and Royal Orchid Sheraton. You can hire a boat at the Taksin pier. It is interesting to see life along the water's edge. And you don't need to leave BKK to do this tour.

we have met several of her guides and they all are very nice... we got to spend some time with nina last fall and we especially liked her

I know several people liked her guy Jerry as well.

We toured with Jerry and then Daeng (through Tong) about 2 weeks ago. They were both very good and we recommend them.

Easy to tour Bangkok on your own. But we wish we had gone out of town with Tong (didn't work out because of a brief illness - will have to go back!)

In case anyone is considering the fishing village or the train market, here are some short videos made by filmmaker friends who are traveling around the world. They have reported that the adventures with Tong were among the absolute highlights of their trip:

Monkeys: http://www.ayeartothink.com/2012/12/look-at-that-monkey-jump/

Train: http://www.ayeartothink.com/2012/11/the-risky-market/

Well I finally figured out the secret of communicating with Tong. Have insomnia and e-mail at 3:00 am. We are now set and have sent our deposit for two days of touring. I thank everyone for your assistance with this.

I still have some adjusting to do and will be back for more advice

Hi Bangkok is an amazing city and one that my partner and I enjoy. In our experience hiring a Guide does add value,smooths out the bumps and saves us precious holiday time. The floating market is really for tourists,colourful but not real. The evening weekend market at Amphawa is much more fun and is full of Thai having a great night out some nice eating places too The fishing village tour is huge fun for all ages,kids would especially enjoy and take knowledge back with them.if you are not too temples out consider the twin temples in Kanchanaburi, wat tham. Koa Noi sue and wat tham sua try googling really lovely place to visit a and can be bolted onto a bridge visit and some elephant riding.
We have hired Wandee a few times www.wandeetours.com and never been disappointed with her service and she is good company too. Prices seem competitive and I think fair value. Enjoy yourselves fabulous place,great foods,shopping

I'm headed to Bangkok in April, and will try to book a last minute tour with either Ratt or Tong. Do both speak good English?

I guess that's not the correct way to put it. I should say, do both speak English well?!?

I am looking into going to BKK and possibly Chang Mai. My wife now cant do stairs do to knee issues. I wish input in regards to guide/driver or both to maximize time and save my wife's legs. RAT-web site has names of what seem to be males not this 'RAT' person. What is her name? Having a guide may help expediate the touring to get more things in efficiently? Wish some details regarding both what to ask these various tour 'companies', Thinking of staying along the river; theBTS wish to know if this involves a lot of stairs; since this would be prohibitive for my wife. Interested in an out of town visit to the ancient capital; this weekend market also seems worthwhile. just need more advise on these things. Thinking of a total of 6 nights in thiland; maybe fly from nyc to tapei, return with an extra day in tapei.