Where to Eat , Things to Avoid and some really useful tips for your trip to bangkok

Where to Eat in Bangkok?

Bangkok is a city full of Amazing food options and a three hundred day trip to Bangkok you couldn’t eat at all the great spots the city has to offer. Here is a short list of places we try and make it to every trip to Bangkok that you should check out on your 3 days in Bangkok.

Baan Somtom – Translated mean “house” of the papaya salad, and as you could imagine this place serves up the Thai classic in a ton of different tasty ways. Papaya salad may sound fruity and sweet, but not papaya salad. The salad is made from unripened green papayas and seasoned with some serious heat. It’s best to order a few plates with a group and share, there is so much good stuff to try its best-enjoyed family style. Isan and Thai food, average plate cost: 45-100 baht. Located at 9/1 Si Wiang Rd Sathorn; Open daily 10a.m.-10p.m.

Thip Samai – Considered by many as the best Pad Thai in all of Bangkok, this restaurant consistently has a line down the street and it’s good. Allow 15-25 minutes to get a table most nights. As you wait you can watch them making plate after plate of Pad Thai so the wait goes by pretty quick. Located at: 313 Th Maha Chai | Banglamphu, Bangkok, Thailand Open: 5pm-2am

25 degrees – This is one for the homesick traveler, or if you need a break from Thai food, but after only 3 days in Bangkok I would find that hard to imagine. However, this is one of our favorite boutique burger chains and is a must for us every time in Bangkok. This is one of only 4 and the only non-US location. They serve up some amazing burgers with all the premium toppings. Cost: 330 baht for a burger, 80 baht for fries. Daily lunch specials and happy hour deals make it more affordable. Located in the bottom of the Pullman hotel at 188 SILOM ROAD and open 24 hours.

Visit During Thai New Year- For one of the craziest and unique festivals in the world plan your visit April 13-15th to take part in the Songkran festival. Locals and tourists wash away last years sins in the world’s largest squirt gun fight.

Tips to Make the Most out of Your 3 Days in Bangkok:

- Buy a one day BTS pass to save time and money. On days where you will be using the rail system to get around a lot the BTS one day pass makes sense and you won’t have to buy a ticket every time you ride. Tickets are valid only for that day, not for 24 hours. The trains stop running at 11:45 pm, so if you are staying out later plan to take a taxi back.

- Use ATMs at the airport or inside a secure location. ATMs can become tampered with and they can then give your information to criminals to get access to your cash. Avoid using ATMs out in the open or non-secure locations. Plan your transactions because the ATM fees are quite high at 180 Baht charged at the terminal, plus whatever your bank charges. If you can a Charles Schwab debit card is great for travel, it has no international fees, and they refund any ATMs fees. This has saved us hundreds of dollars over the course of our round-the-world trip.

- Eat at restaurants and street stalls away from the main tourist sites. The places around the main stops are often overpriced and lower quality food. They simply try and maximize profits from tourists. You will have a much better experience dining at places further away. Don’t shy away from the street food stalls either, they can cook up some of the best food in Thailand.

- Head to the weekend market: If you are in town on the weekend head to the Chatuchak Market for a fun and crazy shopping experience. This market is massive, it’s one of the world’s largest weekend market and you likely have never been to a bigger market than this one. Get lost and explore the market for a morning or afternoon. Food, souvenirs, and everything you could ever want, and some stuff you probably don’t can all be found here.

- Don’t always trust online map addresses – We have run into many issues with addresses list on google maps or trip advisor that is just incorrect. Always verify with a second source before navigating to the address or better yet ask them at your hotel to confirm where the place is. Streets in Bangkok can be tricky the way they are named, it’s best to ask rather than be in the completely wrong part of the city.

Things to Avoid in Bangkok :

Don’t waste your precious time in Bangkok, beware of the common scams

- The ‘it’s closed’ scam: The most common scam in Bangkok is that a Tuk Tuk Driver or someone working with a driver will tell you whatever you want to go to is closed. Some stories are very believable, but as soon as someone says the word ‘closed’ you need to remember they are probably trying to pull something when it comes to transport.

- The Cheap Tuk Tuk ride scam: Riding in a Tuk Tuk is not the cheapest way to get around, often it will cost much more than a taxi. When a Tuk Tuk prices sound too good to be true, it is. If you are quoted a fare of 10 or 20 baht they are going to drive you around to a bunch of shops that they get a commission from before you get to your destination. If you only have 3 days in Bangkok you have lots to see and don’t have time for these games. If you are quoted a price that’s too good to be true, don’t take that ride, they will waste your time.

- Pants Scams: Respect the local culture and come prepared to the Grand Palace and the temples of Bangkok. To enter the many of the main important sites in Bangkok, you need to have your legs and shoulders covered. You can rent pants and shirt from the office at the Grand Palace, pants are 30baht and shirts are free to borrow. However, it takes time and it’s a hassle to rent the clothes so it’s best just to dress properly when leaving the hotel. There are many people outside the temples and Grand Palace that will tell you what you’re wearing is wrong and will try and sell you overpriced items. I have seen some vendors try to act as official people and tell you can’t enter and direct you toward a vendor selling clothes which they probably work with.

- Khao San road scams and theft: This is the largest tourist section of town and where many people go to drink and party, and where there is a large concentration of people with money there will be scammers and thieves. The best bet is to carry only enough cash for the night here and avoid bringing valuables. Also, avoid using the ATMs on this street, they are all outside and can easily be tampered with. Generally, Thailand and Bangkok are very safe, but if there is an area to be cautious in the city it would be on Khao San Road (nothing violent, just petty theft, but still not fun).