Riding in a Tuk-Tuk in Thailand
06/04/2010
We all heard about the political turmoil in Thailand these days. But have you ever heard of the word tuk-tuk?
Tuk-tuks are a popular mode of transportation in most Asian countries (South-East Asia, India, Philippines, Bangladesh and Shri Lanka). It’s basically a three-wheeler motorised vehicle that has a cabin in the back where a maximum of 3-4 passengers can fit. In the streets of Bangkok, the tuk-tuk is used as urban transportation- similar to a taxi.
Advantages
- You can easily flag one down, hop in it and you’ll be wandering the streets of Bangkok in no time. Do however make sure to negotiate the price prior to getting in the tuk-tuk.
- You’ll avoid the major traffic jams in the city.
Disadvantages
- During the ride, you’ll be inhaling all the polluted air (mainly fumes from cars and buses in front of your tuk-tuk)
- If it rains, you’ll get wet.
- The motor is loud.
Riding a tuk-tuk is definitely a must when backpacking Asia. It’s part of their culture, thus part of your experience! You can ride it from one place to another for the sake of riding it but if you’re planning on traveling longer distances, stick to a metered taxi. Good luck!
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tuk tuks are a nice and cheap way of exploring bkk!
Agreed! As long as you’re not stuck behing a bus, you’re fine!
We’ve just leave BKK last week. My husband is carzy about Tuk Tuk. It’s fun riding in it.
You forgot to mention the various scams they try and pull
Yes, you’re right! But for a minute there, I actually forgot about the scams they tried to pull