Bangkok or Hongkong

I forgot to mention the arrival day .. its 22nd Jan and its a Sunday
.. are Hongkong and Bangkok as crowded on Sundays as on weekdays?

Sunday is 'Filippina day' in HK, a hundred thousand or so Filippinas
picknicking in Central/TST/Victoria Park. Other than that there won't
be that much difference.

BKK will be exactly the same as always. Traffic might be a little
lighter though, come to think of it.

Are
some of these attractions closed on Sundays .. Or do these cities have
some special events on Sundays?

Dunno if the royal palace in BKK is open on Sundays. I would think it
is, but I'm not sure. In HK, as I said, Filippina Day of course.

I am more interested in going to Bagkok and want to see "The Grand
Palace" .. read so many good reviews about it. Would it be possible to
see Grand Palace on Sunday in the amount of time I have in the city?

It would be possible, yes, but it might be a little stressing to make
it back to the airport in time. But yes, it would be possible if you
really, really want to do it.

Will I have time left to see anything else?

Probably not,

Does it make more sense to
take a city tour in Bangkok?

In my opinion, given your very limited time and Thai organisation at
times , no.

I understand that its very easy to get around in Hongkong but the
reason I am not very interested in going to Hongkong is because I have
lived in the US for 3 years. And am not sure how different Hongkong is
from the US?
Am I wrong in thinking this way?

I haven't been to the US but I would think it IS very different.

So, if you really want to see BKK, you can, but I still think
time-wise, you'd get a lot more out of a visit to HK. It would be a
lot less stressing too. If you don't get off the beaten track in HK
(like visiting Lantau or something), you can get to the airport within
45 minutes to one hour from wherever you are.

As I said in another post, I dearly love both cities; am merely
advising HK because of time/practical considerations.


Kris

By the time you get through immigration (arrival and departure) and
travel time to and from central Bangkok, you have about five-hours in
Bangkok. That's enough time to see the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaeo and
Wat Po/Reclining Buddha.

If its Sunday...I say go to the Chaktuchak market...forget the fancy
sites. Spend about 3 hours there, then get a 2 hour traditional massage
and then get a taxi right back to the airport with goodies and relaxation.

"Ruchika" wrote in message
om...
Kris wrote in message
. ..
I forgot to mention the arrival day .. its 22nd Jan and its a Sunday
.. are Hongkong and Bangkok as crowded on Sundays as on weekdays? Are
some of these attractions closed on Sundays .. Or do these cities have
some special events on Sundays?
I am more interested in going to Bagkok and want to see "The Grand
Palace" .. read so many good reviews about it. Would it be possible to
see Grand Palace on Sunday in the amount of time I have in the city?
Will I have time left to see anything else? Does it make more sense to
take a city tour in Bangkok?
************************************************** *********

This makes all the difference, as Bangkok is much quieter trafficwise on
Sundays especially in the morning. IMO you would have plenty of time to
visit the Grand Palace, and even have a 30 minute traditional Thai massage
at Wat Pho, the temple of the reclining Buddha right next door. I would get
a taxi from the public taxi counter outside the airport arrivals hall
straight to the Grand Palace and leave to go back to the airport around
5.30. On the way back most taxi drivers will ask you for a fixed price to
the airport rather than using the meter.

January the 22nd.?............. Are you talking about January 2005???

Sandy
Huay Khwaang
Bangkok

I've barely scratched the surface of Bangkok and have seen even less
of Hong Kong, but I agree with your concern that Hong Kong, while
quite different from the US, is far more westernized than Bangkok.
Given that you have 11 hours in Bangkok, and there's no rush hour on
Sunday (I know, it's always rush hour in Bangkok), you'll probably end
up with at least 6 hours in town. That's enough for the Royal Palace,
a great meal, and a couple of hours wandering around.

You would certainly have a fine time in Hong Kong as well. I'm sure
there are plenty of non-westernized places there that I just don't
know about. But as long as you don't mind the chaos of Bangkok, I
think it'll be more interesting, and it's definitely doable.

Do check the hours -- according to my (old) guidebook, the palace is
open on Sundays but closed (daily) from 11:30am-1pm.

Bruce

Hong Kong is really great in winters. It almost has a feel of an English
town.

Summers, however, is worse than anywhere else in the Far East.






"Sandy Cruden" wrote in message
...

"Kris" wrote in message
...
Again, definately Hong Kong. Flight arrival time is perfect. In BKK
you'll spend most of your time stuck in traffic that time of day.

In Hong Kong you'll have passed immigration at 7:00 am, boarded the
Airport Express at 7:10 am, arrive in Central at 7:55 am, sip a coffee

Very poetic...


"mush97" wrote in message
...
Hong Kong is really great in winters. It almost has a feel of an English
town.

"mush97" wrote in message
...
Very poetic...


About as far from the truth as possible.


"mush97" wrote in message
...
Hong Kong is really great in winters. It almost has a feel of an
English
town.

"mush97" wrote in message
...
Hong Kong is really great in winters. It almost has a feel of an English
town.


one more reason NOT to go there

another reason is that people are very frustrated there.


The question shouldn't be
Bangkok or Hongkong
but
Bangkok or Shanghai

"mush97" wrote in message
...
Hong Kong is really great in winters. It almost has a feel of an English
town.


one more reason NOT to go there

another reason is that people are very frustrated there.


The question shouldn't be
Bangkok or Hongkong
but
Bangkok or Shanghai

"Dieter Aaaa" Dieter wrote in message
...

"mush97" wrote in message
...
Hong Kong is really great in winters. It almost has a feel of an
English
town.


one more reason NOT to go there

another reason is that people are very frustrated there.


Frustrated? About what?


The question shouldn't be
Bangkok or Hongkong
but
Bangkok or Shanghai