early arrival advice needed

[tomjones]

Curious to know what you'd do and get some advice. I arrive in BKK at 4:30 am. At that unholy hour I want to minimize all hassles and make it as easy as possible. Problem is that I have zero experience arriving in the am.

 

Do a lot of flights arrive at this time / Will customs be crowded? Thinking of buying fast track if crowded.

 

Also at 5 am would you book a taxi to Pattaya or take a bus? I'm obviously not in a hurry and don't mind the bus at all but I read that first bus is at 8 am. Does anyone know if there is an earlier one? Not in the mood to sit around for 2+ hours waiting for bus if I can avoid. ...

 

thanks in advance

[SlowlyMan]

Fastest option book a car and bangkok flight service

[Ron Rat]

Shouldn't be too busy. I hope your hotel has early check in. Definitely a taxi pickup. Should be in patts in 90  minutes at that time. 

[davidge]

Where are you staying?

 

Contact them and ask for early check-in. Worth paying a few hundred baht to get straight into the room.

 

Book a taxi with one of the companies recommended on here eg Nam or Ann.

 

Impossible to tell at the airport. There are a lot of flights scheduled for early morning but don't know how many staff they have on?

 

I like to make travelling as easy as possible so would book meet & greet.

[hioctane]

Unless you want to get another night there is no rush. Get some money. Eat some breakfast and wait for the 8am bus

[tomjones]

Thanks guys for the thoughtful replies - appreciate it. So it seems there is no clear right or wrong way and since I'm in Thailand I'll just do what seems to work best there- 100% wing it! I rarely stick to the plan but even less so in Thailand. Lol

 

I mean, I'll paint with broad strokes and have the hotel set up and some baht in my pocket but the rest I'll make up as I go with the flow

 

I've time so if I'm not tired I'll just wait for the bus, if I run into hassles I'll throw baht at it and book a taxi. money is freedom and in Pattaya that means a lot of choices- hehehe

 

Thanks again

[westie1]

Thanks guys for the thoughtful replies - appreciate it. So it seems there is no clear right or wrong way and since I'm in Thailand I'll just do what seems to work best there- 100% wing it! I rarely stick to the plan but even less so in Thailand. Lol

I mean, I'll paint with broad strokes and have the hotel set up and some baht in my pocket but the rest I'll make up as I go with the flow

I've time so if I'm not tired I'll just wait for the bus, if I run into hassles I'll throw baht at it and book a taxi. money is freedom and in Pattaya that means a lot of choices- hehehe

Thanks again

Look up taxis on the forum. A few good ones.

Personally, I wouldn't waste a few hours in the airport, when you could be in patts.

Money is freedom BUT time is precious...

If early check in is not possible, you could always leave your luggage in the hotel and head out for stroll and early brekkie. That would be around 07.00

[Luv2Phuket]

The one time I took the Bell bus was when I had an early arrival.  I only had to spend a little over an hour waiting at the airport, but even that sucked to me!

 

I would do a taxi service like Nam, Meow, Tan, Ann's, etc. -- many discussed in this thread: http://www.pattaya-addicts.com/forum/topic/258475-taxilimo-services-%E2%80%93-women-owned-operated-recommended/?hl=taxi

 

Years ago, I had an early a.m. arrival on planned to spend that first day/night in Bangkok.  As davidge suggests, I contacted the hotel and they said "no pomplum" checking in early.  Got a quick nap in and was still out an about before noon.

[hotkey]

Just on this topic. My flight arrives from Aust at 1am.

 

I looked at transit hotel or closeby but they are pretty expensive and I figure by the time I get thru half the night is gone. I'd like to get to patts as I only have 7 days rather than stay in BKK.

 

Any thoughts on this situation? I'm staying at Areca and they don't usually budge on an early check in bf 2pm. Otherwise they charge a full night.

 

Do you travel down straight away or hang around the airport for a meal; get down to patts for breakfast; get a massage; swim and check in later to save a night. etc maybe spend that on a ST at Soi 6!! Any thoughts appreciated.

 

Cheers.

[Candy77]

Since you will be in Pattaya the best thing to do is head for Pattaya right away. Yes at this time taxi is the only option available. But you'll save more time than you think compared to waiting for the 8 am bus. You'll beat the crazy traffic and will reach Pattaya by 7 max. Instead if you start at 8 on a bad day you may not reach there even by 1. Once in Patts, drop your luggage at your hotel and head for a nice early breakfast. The Telephone Bar in Soi Batman open really early at around 9:30. They got a really cozy atmosphere so chill out there. The girls there would mostly reach only by 11 so you can kill some time over coffee and then start getting dirty.

[Harvey707]

Get down Pattaya early leave bags in reception and straight down the Beach sorted ! Wander back up at check in time normally midday

[Tarl]

Just on this topic. My flight arrives from Aust at 1am.

I looked at transit hotel or closeby but they are pretty expensive and I figure by the time I get thru half the night is gone. I'd like to get to patts as I only have 7 days rather than stay in BKK.

Any thoughts on this situation? I'm staying at Areca and they don't usually budge on an early check in bf 2pm. Otherwise they charge a full night.

Do you travel down straight away or hang around the airport for a meal; get down to patts for breakfast; get a massage; swim and check in later to save a night. etc maybe spend that on a ST at Soi 6!! Any thoughts appreciated.

Cheers.

 

I would grab a taxi and book a night somewhere like the Rockhouse in LK Metro which is open 24 hours from memory and not expensive. Gives you a decent room till 2pm and the option of just grtting in and crashing to be fresh for your first day or grabbing a girl for a st lt and then resting till you check in at Areca. Massage places at soi honey will be open and a few hundred metres from your room which is where I would go before sleeping.

[hotkey]

ok; great - thanks for the suggestions... I'll head down straight away!  cheers

[passport220]

I show the first bus leaving for Pats is at 7am: http://airportpattayabus.com/suvarnabhumi-airport-pattaya-bus-schedule-timetable

 

That said, in your situation, I would book one of the competing hotels near the BKK airport that offer a room + round trip transfer to/from the airport for less than $20 usd (You need to look down the list of available rooms and be your you select one that includes the transfer).

 

Get a room, shower, check out at noon refreshed and then make your way to back to the airport to catch the bus and arrive at normal check-in time for your Patts hotel.

 

Here is and example of this type of hotel: http://www.agoda.com/airy-resort-suvarnabhumi-airport/hotel/bangkok-th.html?checkin=2016-04-14&los=1&adults=1&rooms=1&cid=-1&searchrequestid=ec92f9a7-d9b3-4a61-8a29-c64a1788a81f

[Luv2Phuket]

Just on this topic. My flight arrives from Aust at 1am.

 

I looked at transit hotel or closeby but they are pretty expensive and I figure by the time I get thru half the night is gone. I'd like to get to patts as I only have 7 days rather than stay in BKK.

 

Any thoughts on this situation? I'm staying at Areca and they don't usually budge on an early check in bf 2pm. Otherwise they charge a full night.

 

Do you travel down straight away or hang around the airport for a meal; get down to patts for breakfast; get a massage; swim and check in later to save a night. etc maybe spend that on a ST at Soi 6!! Any thoughts appreciated.

 

Cheers.

 

I consider your situation a "late" arrival, not an "early" one.

 

In any event, I would set up a taxi and head straight to Pattaya.  Traffic shouldn't be bad, so, if you clear immigration quickly, you may be there before 3 a.m.  Drop your bags and head straight to some discos and you may be able to find a ST (although I must admit that I am not a fan of discos).

 

I would book Areca for that first night, too.  Can't blame them for not offering a "deal" on the first night -- if you're there by 3 a.m., you're getting in before quite a few BMs will be headed home from the bars!  555

 

Even if you just decide to sleep in, you'll be settled in your room and ready to hit the ground running later in the morning.  The amount of money you save by staying somewhere else for the first night just doesn't seem worth it to me, but I hate packing/unpacking/re-packing/etc.

[hotkey]

Ok. Thanks for the suggestions. I have a few months to work out! Cheers.

[Kurt Belyeu]

JP bar will just be getting into full swing at 8am.. head to walking street and get your drink on..

[Encora]

Since you will be in Pattaya the best thing to do is head for Pattaya right away. Yes at this time taxi is the only option available. But you'll save more time than you think compared to waiting for the 8 am bus. You'll beat the crazy traffic and will reach Pattaya by 7 max. Instead if you start at 8 on a bad day you may not reach there even by 1. Once in Patts, drop your luggage at your hotel and head for a nice early breakfast. The Telephone Bar in Soi Batman open really early at around 9:30. They got a really cozy atmosphere so chill out there. The girls there would mostly reach only by 11 so you can kill some time over coffee and then start getting dirty.

Nonsense. They open at 9.00, and when I got there at 9.15 recently there were already five girls there. Plenty of choice....