The ultimate Bangkok tuk tuk tour experience
A favourite mode of transport amongst travellers and locals alike, here's how you can have the ultimate Bangkok tuk tuk tour (or Samlor) experience - without falling prey to any tourist scams.
Ah, tuk tuks.
Chances are when you think of Thailand you’ve probably conjured up images of this iconic little motorbike/rickshaw hybrid zipping between cars at the speed of light.
Colourful, fast, and with a smattering of thrill-seeking they just scream adventure (which we love!).
Sadly though, with popular tourist attractions also comes popular tourist scams, and in recent years the humble tuk tuk has become infamous as a trap for unsuspecting travellers.
Wanting to sample some of the craziness of Bangkok’s busy streets but definitely not wanting to get caught up in a scam of our own, we “tuk” to the road with Urban Adventures to have all the Bangkok tuk tuk fun minus the crooked deals.
Here’s what our Bangkok tuk tuk tour was like - and keep reading to the end for our personal Bangkok recommendations!
THE ULTIMATE BANGKOK TUK TUK TOUR WITH URBAN ADVENTURES
We meet our guide, Gof, and at 8:30am she’s already spritely and raring to go. She waves out the door of the hotel at three lime-green tuk tuks idling down the street.
They roar to life at her call and stop right before us in what seems perfect race-car starting grid format. This is what squad goals are made of.
“These are our tuk tuks for the day, two travellers per driver.” She smiles at the group before adding that our first stop is just five minutes away. After a quick warning to keep our bags between our legs to avoid any thrifty fingers that might pull up alongside us, we’re set. All aboard!
Our driver is the taller of the group, and he beams a warm smile at us as we move towards our vehicle. As we clamber aboard he quickly spins in his seat, extending a hand to cover the roof above to ensure we don’t have any undue concussions today.
The tuk tuk — his pride and joy — is adorned with trinkets of Buddha, images of King Rama IX, and welcome messages. We even have ‘air-con’ in our open-air ride: a fan in front of us whirring to life to prevent any steamy Bangkok air hanging around too long.
Before long, we’re darting in and out of traffic on the manic streets of Bangkok. First stop is Phra Sumeru Fortress, which has already blown our minds early in the game considering we didn’t even know an ancient fortress existed in Bangkok.
Standing guard over the northern Khao San road area of the Chao Phraya river (or ‘River of Kings’), the fortress was built by King Rama I in 1783 and is one of only two left standing from the original 14.
Once a vital and imposing defence structure, today the fortress is a public park where visitors can hide out from the chaos of Bangkok’s streets and enjoy the calm leafy shade instead. As we pass by, a group of high school art students busily sketch away quietly, images of the fortress and river coming to life before our eyes.
Climbing back in our tuk tuk, our driver grins at us in the rear view mirror before taking off for the Amulet Market. Despite his careful handling, our motto for the day is ‘hold on tight.’
Wrapping our hands around the safety strap hanging from the roof, we can’t help feeling like we’re in a more fun version of a car chase as we zip quickly between buses and around bends.
In the blink of an eye, we come to a halt outside the Amulet Market, Thailand’s oldest and largest bazaar for small, spiritual talismans. We wind our way through the maze of amulets, charms, sculptures, and local medicines, watching as shop owners inspect their wares through magnifying glasses.
Gof explains that most Thai people believe wearing a Buddha image amulet (or one of a highly-respected monk) brings protection to the wearer, and she stops to point out different versions along the way.
She opens her own wallet to show us a Buddha amulet on a colourful cord; “I bought this from here,” she says. “It brings me good fortune!”
A small Buddha image isn’t enough for us today and before long we’re back on our tuk tuks and pulling up at the gates of Wat Pho, famous for its giant reclining Buddha (and crowds!).
The term ‘giant’ isn’t used lightly here either — at 46 metres long the image is almost as long as an Olympic swimming pool, and towers over us at an impressive 15 metres high.
Before long we’re climbing back into our little green squad cars and racing off to Little India.
Walking through dizzying alleyways, the colours of marigold garlands, bright textiles, and ornaments are a feast for our eyes, while wafts of incense float under our noses. After a while Gof asks if we’re hungry. We nod. We’re always hungry.
Grinning, she announces that she knows where the best samosas in all of Bangkok are, before adding in a whisper, “you haven’t done Little India right until you’ve had these.”
Following her gaze to the end of a nearby laneway, we discover a lady making our favourite tasty fried pockets fresh in front of our eyes. They smell like heaven, and she’s won our samosa-loving hearts over. We’ll take five!
After a few brief stops, we’re climbing into our tuk tuks for the last time. Our final destination is the Golden Mount, with splendid views overlooking the city.
But first there are 318 steps to tackle — which Gof apologises profusely for and to make up for it, she encourages us to ring the prayer bells and gongs along the way for good luck.
Collective sighs turn to wonder as we reach the lookout. Up here, the chaos and hustle of Bangkok seems to melt away in the steamy afternoon as this mega city rolls out before our eyes.
It feels like we’re in the very middle of Bangkok, a fact that’s confirmed when Gof points out a coordinate marker on the ground declaring the official centre of Bangkok.
It feels like the perfect way to finish our tour for the day; standing in the heart of the city after enjoying a morning riding in its most beloved means of transport.
Have you taken a Bangkok tuk tuk tour before? What was your experience like? Tell us in the comments below!
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WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE A BANGKOK TUK TUK TOUR
There’s no transport more ubiquitous to Bangkok than the colourful three-wheeled moto-rickshaw puttering along the busy city streets. Also known as Samlor, the zippy tuk tuks were once used by all of Bangkok’s residents before its other modes of transport, like the BTS, MTR, and taxis.
While jumping in a tuk tuk can be a wonderful way to explore this bustling metropolis, unfortunately over recent years their popularity with tourists has meant that a rise in tuk tuk scams and unscrupulous drivers has become pretty commonplace.
Here are a few common tuk tuk scams to watch out for:
Tuk tuk (and taxi drivers) may either refuse to turn on the meter, or claim it doesn’t work and instead demand a pre-set fare. Driving without the meter is, in fact, illegal.
The ‘kick back’ scheme, where the driver makes commission off delivering you to specific places rather than the fare they could make. The most common is the driver will inform you the shop you’re heading to is expensive and he knows a cheaper place / the temple or attraction you’re heading to is closed, but there’s a different place nearby / your hotel is closed or bad, but they know a better option, or that he can take you to a great tailor / jeweler / restaurant for a bargain (read: hideously expensive) price.
Long detours to increase their metered fare
For these reasons, we’d suggest jumping aboard an organised tuk tuk tour to enjoy the very best of tuk tuk transport, without having to deal with the stress of being taken to a million overpriced tourist trap stores or on long-winded rides to up the meter fare.
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BOOK YOUR OWN BANGKOK TUK TUK TOUR
We explored Bangkok by tuk tuk on this Urban Adventures' Tuk Tuk half-day tour, which takes you to some of Bangkok's highlights, including: the Phra Sumeru Fortress, Amulet Market, Wat Po, Little India, and then up to the Golden Mount for panoramic views.
You're accompanied by an English-speaking Thai guide the whole time, and it's the perfect way to get a feel for the zippy little three-wheelers, without having the hassle of bartering or scams.
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HOW TO GET TO BANGKOK
Looking for cheap flights to Bangkok? Check out SkyScanner for the best airfare deals now
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WHERE TO STAY IN BANGKOK
Like all major cities, Bangkok has a vast selection of accommodation options, with something to suit every budget and traveller. Below, we’ve listed a few centrally-located, clean and comfortable recommendations for you to rest your head in!
HOTELS
There's one thing Bangkok isn't short on, and that's beautiful hotel accommodation. We recommend:
RIVA SURYA BANGKOK | The elegant and comfortable Riva Surya hotel is on the riverbank, just five-minutes walk from the infamous Khao San road. The river ferry station is nearby so you can easily visit the Royal Palace too.
BOOK | Riva Surya Bangkok
OLD CAPITAL BIKE INN | A former heritage home transformed into one of Bangkok’s most beautiful boutique hotels, decorated with heirloom teak and porcelain pieces and showcasing plenty of Thai history. Includes breakfast, and is only 15-minutes from Khao San Road.
BOOK | Old Capital Bike Inn
HOSTELS
If you're a backpacker looking for a budget hostel, Bangkok definitely won't let you down. The Khao San road area is a known backpacker hangout, but there are also much quieter, chilled out options all over the city. Here are a few we recommend:
SIAMAZE HOSTEL | Has plenty of room options from mixed or female-only dorms right through to private family rooms with en suites. Free breakfast, free cooking classes on Mondays, set outside the city centre (and therefore more quiet!).
BOOK | Siamaze Hostel
ONCE AGAIN HOSTEL | Fresh, clean hostel with rooftop terrace and a free buffet breakfast. Has plenty of dorm options and is also right in the heart of the old town of Bangkok
BOOK | Once Again Hostel
Search Hostelworld for your perfect Bangkok hostel here
AIRBNB
Bangkok was actually our first foray in the world of Airbnb'ing, and we've never looked back. For about the same price as a hotel room, you can live like a local in a local area, and really get under the skin of the destination you're in.
This is the airbnb apartment we stayed in, or search for other - then use our code to get yourself £28 off your first booking!
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TRAVEL INSURANCE | STAY SAFE IN THAILAND
Whatever you do, don’t travel through Thailand without travel insurance, even if you’re the most experienced traveller.
Whether it be a hiking injury, car accident, theft, or lost baggage, things can go wrong in Italy, and insurance is your only way of mitigating the issues!
BUY | Click here to get the best travel insurance deals with World Nomads
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TRAVEL INSURANCE | Don’t leave home without travel insurance (seriously, don’t!). Click here to get the best deals with World Nomads, our trusted travel insurance provider
PHOTOGRAPHY | Love our photography? Wondering what gear we use to get all of our photos around the world? Click here to view our detailed photography gear guide, as well as our top travel photography tips!
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL | Responsible travel is important. REALLY IMPORTANT. Learn our top responsible travel tips to help you, your family and friends travel more consciously around the globe
ECO FRIENDLY PACKING ESSENTIALS | Don’t leave home without our favourite eco-friendly travel essentials
Been to Bangkok? Share your Bangkok tuktuk tour stories in the comments below!
DISCOVER MORE OF ASIA WITH THESE TRAVEL GUIDES
We were hosted by Urban Adventures on this tour, but as always, our thoughts and opinions are all our own. This post originally appeared on the Urban Adventures blog
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