After spending three weeks traveling around Thailand with toddlers, here’s some transportation tips you need to know before heading there .
Before heading to Thailand, I researched a lot about all the must-see places but when I got there, I realized we had no clue about how to get around. After experiencing everything, I decided to share what I learned about the transportation so that it could help y’all get situated faster, especially it you’re traveling with kids.
Before heading right into details here’s a quick summary of our route; We started our three week vacation in Bangkok. After a few days in the city, we flew to Koh Samui for some fun in the sun. From Koh Samui we ferried to Koh Phangan and then visited Koh Tao. Finally, we ferried our way back to Koh Samui and took a one hour flight to our final destination in Thailand, Phuket. For the most part we used our baby carriers but also had our stroller available for when ever necessary. Now that I briefly explained our voyage, let’s jump right into our Thailand travel experience.
In Bangkok we used the Grab App for taxi rides whenever necessary. Its basically Uber in Thailand and our price range was anywhere between 80 baht to 230 baht. That’s less than US$10 for long card rides and you have the option to pay with a card via the app or pay in cash.
It’s not expensive at all and the drivers already know were you’re going prior to picking you up. The downside is that there’s a lot of traffic in Bangkok(and Phuket) and Grab drivers aren’t available everywhere. A lot of times, I wasn’t able to successfully book a Grab at all. The app worked slow but worked with my basic international data plan on T-mobile.
When Grab didn’t work, we waved down taxi drivers on the street but most (more like all) didn’t speak English so we had to show them on maps our final destination. They all had meters so we didn’t have to gamble our fare. The only downside was that we were often denied rides because some cab drivers did not want to drive in the direction we were headed.
Best advice is to keep trying different cabs and show them on maps where you want to go. At one point, I even started my GPS on my phone in English and handed it to the driver. DO NOT get into any cab with a driver that asks you how much you want to pay, you’ll pay way less in a metered taxi.
Tuk-tuks
I recommend taking a tuk-tuk at least once during your stay in Thailand but don’t make it your main source of transportation. Tuk-tuks do not have meters and no matter how much you gamble with the driver, they are way over priced.
When ever I searched all possible ways to reaching my destination, the Grab app would give me an estimate cab fare and comparing that to the tuk-tuk driver’s fare, the tuk tuks were always charging double the amount.
For example: we took our one and only tuk-tuk from the Grand Palace to the Wat Pho Temple of the Golden Buddha which is literally a 10 min walk and it was 100 baht. This could have easily been 30 baht in a metered cab but we did it anyway for the experience. FYI parents there are no seat belts in tuks-tuks and it does not have a extra room to store a stroller.
We like to travel smart and just because it’s cost us in USD almost nothing, doesn’t mean we’re going to act like we’re rich. We would much rather live like the locals and spend as they would on basic amenities like transportation. By not spending like there’s no tomorrow, we can afford to travel more often.
Water Taxis
Water taxi are another popular form of transportation in Bangkok . With only 20 baht you can travel far along the Chayo Praya River. We rode the ferry with the orange flag because it was the most frequently available and stopped at every pier.
It was very simple to use, we just informed the ticket clerk where we were headed to and they directed us to the right ferry entrance.
While on the ferry, I recommend paying close attention to the stops or stalk your location on maps and count the number of piers until your stop. The ferry moves quickly and only stops for a few moments at each pier.
We got to see the Wat Arun temple from the boat on our way to the market. Due to exhaustion and jet lag we weren’t able to go this important and popular Buddhist temple of Bangkok but we’re glad we got to see it so close and for free.
Lory tip: I do not recommend using a stroller for traveling in water taxis or anything boat related because it most likely will not fit and most of the time we had to jump on and off an unstable boat quickly.
Bangkok’s Trains
In the end, we learned that the train is the best option for transportation in Bangkok. Its fast, air conditioned, skips traffic and its the cheapest route.
To purchase an access card all you have to do is walk up to the metro counter, let the clerk know what stop you’re getting off at, and pay the fixed train price. Every clerk we encountered spoke English and it was a smooth transition.
Make sure you keep your metro card because you’ll need to insert it in the turnstile to exit the station. The train took us to all major areas in the city and there’s elevators so it is very stroller friendly.
Again, I used google maps on my phone to point me to the stop I needed to get off at on the train. Your best bet is to book a hotel or air near the BTS train station for easy access and don’t worry its not rowdy like the NYC subway.
Ferry to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan & Koh Tao.
In the Gulf of Thailand there are three large and beautiful islands we wanted to visit; Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. Each island has a unique character, beautiful beaches, fun acitivities, night life and are easily connected by ferry.
From Bangkok, we bought a cheap one way domestic flight on Bangkok Airways to Koh Samui and from there we used the ferry boat to get to the other islands. The photo above is a fisherman’s boat. I was too busy boarding to snap a photo of the actual boat we traveled on okurrr 😂👌. We booked all our ferry tickets online here because they were cheaper and it was great to see our time options prior to arriving at the pier.
The ramps on the ferries are not made for double strollers or wheelchair so we had to lift the stroller over the railing (obviously without the babies inside) to get it on board. We also could have closed the stroller but we had all our bags to also carry the babies and a stroller during the entire boarding process. The employees were very friendly and helpful so the process was effortless.
We had the option of sitting inside the boat or on the upper deck but the trips were a short duration so we just enjoyed the ocean view near the exit. The ferry has air conditioning, life vest at every seat, and they even sell snacks and drinks on board. There’s no WiFi and my T-mobile service barely worked so you’ll have to do something more productive with your mind during that ride 😂.
Important: We learned that once you arrive at any of the piers on the island, if you continue to walk passed all the taxi drivers hassling you for a ride, towards the exit of the pier, there’s a group of van drivers that only charge $100-150baht/person (lap child not included) to take you to your stay.
You shared the taxi van with other travelers and the driver drops each person off at their desired location. It beats paying the fixed mafia prices that can go as high as $600 baht for a 15 min. private cab ride. This option is also available at the airports, so don’t hesitate to ask around. Just note that if you have a lot of baggage with you they might charge you more or tell you that there aren’t any vans available.
Scooter Cruising
The Islands & Phuket- We rented a scooter to explore the islands and it was the best decision ever. Yes I thought it was crazy and freaked out about getting into an accident but unlike the city, there’s not that many cars on the islands. Everyone rides a scooter (even with their kids with no helmet) and its pretty relax. We just cruised slowly on the side of the road and were extra careful driving.
You can rent a scooter pretty much anywhere, it cost us around $8/day in cash and we had to leave our passport in exchange for the scooter. They also provided us with baby helmets which was a must for us. The babies love it and the rides actually put them to sleep in like 2 minutes 🤣.
In Koh Tao, we were able to save money by visiting all tourist locations on our own. This worked best for us because we were able to take as little or as much time as we wanted at each location and plan our day with the twins accordingly.
In Phukett we cruised on scooter to the highest viewpoints in Karon beach, fed elephants at a couple of trekking sites, peeped at the Big Buddha and drove by Patong, Karon, and Kata Beach.
And yes, you’re supposed to have an international license but I only saw a police check point in Phukett. I’m not supporting breaking the law, just letting you know what we experienced 😎. They also drive in the opposite side of the roads which can be a bit confusing at first. In all, we were able to have more freedom on the scooter and explore more for less.
Throughout our trip we mainly used our baby carriers which became hot and tiring at times. Nevertheless, I was glad to have the stroller available when needed.
Final tips:
- Its best to start your day early to avoid the daily heat wave.
- If you rent a scooter, wear a helmet even if no one else does.
- When lost, find a young Thai, they will most likely know English.
- Baby carriers are your best friend
- Strollers are great for temple tours, dinners, malls, and beaches.
- Purchase the local sim card for internet service AT THE AIRPORT (we were fine with our slow but active T-mobile service)
- Stay hydrated and even if you get lost take it as an adventure and don’t stress it.
Let me know if you have any questions or concerns in the comment section below and if you liked the tips please share it with your friends. There’s no better feeling than helping others, until next post ✌😊.
My post are solely my opinion and experiences, everyone has the right to choose their own path towards happiness.