MadStockBroker Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 Not sure if this should be in travel or accomodation..... However I was looking into these converted rice barges that offer 2 day (one night) trips up to Ayutthaya. I thought they seemed a good idea for visitors from back home. You pick up the boat down by the Oriental Hotel, sail past the grand palace and arrive at Wat Bang Na for sunset cocktails. Thai dinner and overnight on board. Next day see some monks then head to Royal Summer Palace, lunch on board boat then guided tour of all the sights in Ayuttaya. Private car return back to Bangkok. Leave at lunchtime and arrive back in town by 5pm the next day. Perfect I thought.... until I was told the price...... ranging from $650 to $800 !!!!!! I realise that it is a "luxury" trip and all, but that seems very expensive for a day and a half trip. Anyone done this or got any other suggestions for a tourist friendly trip to Ayuttaya. Thanks, MSB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 i doubt you will find anybody on this board, who will admit in public that he wasted so much money for such a modest trip! incredible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo_bill Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 Samak, if you stay for example in one of the Author's suites at the Oriental , you save about 100 USD/night booking this trip. So it might be just an excuse for the cheap charlies to escape for a day. Bbill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 [color:"green"] Anyone done this or got any other suggestions for a tourist friendly trip to Ayuttaya. [/color] I took the Ayuttaya day trip out of the Shangri-La hotel. I believe it cost 1600 Baht. The trip up to Ayuttaya is by VIP bus. The guide was knowledgeable and spoke excellent English. From Ayuttaya the bus takes you to the summer palace where you meet up with the boat. The lunch buffet is very good with a variety of western and Thai foods. Drinks are expensive. We won the "race" with the Oriental boat back to Bangkok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted April 11, 2003 Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 i know the oriental prices well and have booked in several guests there. you could even offer me 50% discount on above tour and i wouldn't take it. but of course many oriental guests think, as more expensive somethin is, as better it must be. that's why there are always so many touts in the area... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo_bill Posted April 11, 2003 Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 samak, the Oriental has never offered any of this kind overnight excursion , only day trips upstream. Since early last year they share the Shangri-La steamer because the Oriental Queen sunk last year. " as more xpensive something is , the better it must be ". In by far most of all cases this statement is nothing but true. Concerning the Oriental area there are certainly the most expensive jewellers and antique dealers and I could let you share some stories about how honest and worth the money they are. A high price might be a lot less fraudulent than a bargain in soi xyz. Last, recalling the previous 12 months I have been plenty of times in the area and not been approached by a single tout except the tuktuk drivers and maybe two black africans. Probably that is because I look too cheap :: . Bbill, updating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lazyphil Posted April 11, 2003 Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 On my first trip to los on a package/'adventure' trip I went on a converted rice barge trip, pretty basic it was just ten of us sleeping on mats on the deck (pretty cramped, with some foxy Aussie backpackers!), food cooked in a very tight kitchin area. The barge was towed by a tug, started at Nakhon Sawan (I think?) and ended at Ayuttaya. I think it was two nights (maybe three?), not sure of the price, but the whole 4 weeks in los/Malaysia was under £1000, so not alot , it was alot of fun, not as fun as what I discovered in bkk though!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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