3 challenging ways to experience the real Bangkok

by Paphada Apimonton · Published November 2, 2013 · Updated August 4, 2015

There are numerous ways of transportation to roam around Bangkok city – from the standard, safe, clean and traffic jam free sky train (BTS) and sub-way (MRT) to something more private and more tailored like taximeter. Though there are more ways to travel around the city to get a closer look of Bangkok and to see how locals actually travel in their daily lives.

However, these transports require some set of skills and a fearless-heart for the commuters to survive on board! Here are three challenging ways to experience the real Bangkok.

Tuk Tuk Taxi

Thai Tuk Tuk

Tuk Tuk or an auto trishaw is both common and symbolic transport in Thailand. You can see little Tuk Tuk at almost every souvenir shops across Thailand, selling them as keepsakes.

This ride is cute, fast, authentic and offer a great access to Bangkok town where sometimes roads and streets tend to be small. It is surely fun to ride in this three-wheeler, Why? Because you will feel like riding a motorcycle but not actually on it.

The sound of the engine is very thrilling and the way the driver rides this auto thrishaw will probably take your breath away! And when we said take your breath away, we really mean it!

Yes it is very fascinating but most of the drivers rode Tuk Tuk as if they rode horses. So you can imagine how it is going to be when you are actually on this auto Trishaw but felt as if you were on a horse!

: Thai Tuk Tuk

: Easy to find in the old town

Even it sounds very daredevil to try this ride, we can tell you it is worth trying it because, even for me until these days, I still feel excited every time I get a chance to ride on a Tuk Tuk. The warm breeze, sights of pedestrians and street vendors passing by always fascinated me.

How does Tuk Tuk work?

Even Tuk Tuk is a taxi , there is no meter so you won’t have a proper price schedule. What you have to do is to negotiate with the driver to get a mutual price then hop on the wheel. Prices usually start from 20 THB, but mostly an average price will fall around 60 to 80 THB – this largely depends on the distance and the area of service.

: Negotiating the price

: Using it to full capacity

: A more relaxed drive

Warning!

Be careful with your belongings while you are on the Tuk Tuk – it is open-aired so anything can happen.
Better settle the price before hopping on the ride.
Do not let the driver take you out of the route – they tend to bring you to other tourist-trapped places so they will get commission.

Tips

Try it for a short ride
Choose the route that you are familiar with so that you can avoid overpriced fees.
Bargain the price is possible and recommended.

Motor cycle Taxi

Motorcycle taxi

The second ride is the most popular transportation in Thailand: the motorcycle taxi!

It is fast and it is cheap! The horrible traffic jam in Bangkok and a poorly planned road system made motorcycle taxi the king of the road.

Thai people and expats in Bangkok know this ride and are very familiar with it. It helps you get from one place to another in no time. This is because the motorcycle taxi can avoid traffic jam and take shortcuts or even ride on the path walk just to bring you to the place on time.

Okay we know that doesn’t sound right to most of you but again you will never know how hard to get from one block to just around the corner without the help of the motorcycle taxi. Again even with the word “taxi” it doesn’t mean the bike has some meter attached to the ride. But the good news is it has some standards that you can follow.

How to recognise which bike is taxi?

You can recognise them by their vests. These motorcycle taxi guys will wear orange vest with number at the back and they will gather in group around corner of the streets or at the beginning of the street waiting for customers.

: Waiting for passengers

: On duty

: With their orange vest uniforms

How is the rate?

Normally they will have a price rate post somewhere at their service point but most of the times it is in Thai language, and just in some places like in the tourist or business areas they might have it in English language. What you should do is to ask them first how much is going to be from point A to point B – this is to avoid the confusion as well as the overpriced ride.

Tips

Excellent to use the service during peak hour
If you lost, these guys can provide you the best direction for free!

Tricycle Taxi

: Classic ride – Tricycle

This is the most genuine way of travelling in the city. You will feel as if you were count or countess having someone rode tricycle around the city for you. Although this ride is a lot safer than the other two I mentioned before, it is also a lot slower.

The Tricycle taxi allows you to absorb the atmosphere and get a local touch so this ride is really suitable for those who love to blend in and observe locals’ lives. It might not be as exciting as the other two rides but it is still very challenging if you have to ride one.

Most of the tricycle taxis are very old, and when I said old I meant both the ride and the rider… So that makes it very challenging to ride on one. Plus it is not so comfortable to sit on the ride that much as because it has very limited space. Anyway I still recommend you to try.

Where can I find one?

Normally the tricycle is not being used as a main transport in the city anymore. However, you can still find one around historic areas, old town and piers. There will be some of them left for service. Again, you will have to negotiate for the price before hop on it – up to now you should know basic rules of these local taxis without meter.