Private Tour: Bangkok's Grand Palace Complex and Wat Phra Kaew

Bangkok, Thailand

This half-day private sightseeing tour in Bangkok is a must for anyone visiting Thailand's capital city. On this private tour you will have the opportunity to explore the complex, which houses a number of attractions including Wat Phra Keow (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in the company of a local Thai guide.

Built in traditional Thai architecture mixed with European designs, The Grand Palace complex, once the official home for the Kings of Siam, is unquestionably one of the Thailand's major tourist highlights. The King still uses the Grand Palace for certain ceremonial occasions and the regal flavor within its enormous royal grounds is still evident. During the tour you will visit the Royal Funeral Hall and the Royal Coronation Hall.

The main centerpiece of the complex however is the 45 centimeter Emerald Buddha. Carved from just one piece of Jade it is the holiest and most revered religious object in Thailand. The Emerald Buddha is housed within Wat Phra Keow, which is a very ornately decorated building whose roof tiles reach up into the sky.

USD $43.46

Review by: Klaus P	February 2012
very good

Review by: Jan A	January 2012
Guide was very helpful and eager to make sure we had a great time.

Review by: Jason W	October 2011
Amazing to see the detail on the statues. Tour guide looked after us well and gave plenty of info.

Review by: Stephan B	October 2011
!!! Dont do that tour! The tour guide runs with you in an hour thru temple and palace to then bring you to a diamond outlet - typical tourist stuff - where they try to sell you glass as diamonds.(!)

Review by: Georgine M	August 2011
Great venue and tour

Review by: Joanne A	July 2011
This was my second time to the Grand Palace, but the first time for my son, who loved the visit. We were collected on time in a nice car. Our Guide was very knowledgeable and it was very interesting learning about the history of the Palace. I've given this tour 4 stars as afterward, we were dropped off at a gem factory/store which I couldn't remember whether this was included in the trip as I'd looked at so many different tours. Note: Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew are in the same place. Definitely worth doing.

Review by: Jane J, United Kingdom	May 2010
Very interesting!

Review by: Anonymous, United Kingdom	May 2010
Interesting first insight into Thai culture. The guide was excellent giving good commentry on the way to the Palace. The Grand Palace itself is definately worth visiting and we were given plenty of time to view the various areas within the grounds.

Review by: Marcia P, United States of America	April 2010
Guide left message, arrived right on time. Private tour was great, guide quite knowledgeable, helpful, polite.

Review by: Stephen N, United Kingdom	March 2010
Although this is something that is a 'must do' in Bangkok. My advice is 'don't do it with a hangover from the night before'! We enjoyed the trip, our guide was well informed, witty and spoke excellent English. I would not hesitate in recommending this trip.

Review by: Graham J	February 2010
Guide was very knowledgeable and informative. However, could do without lengthy trip to gem centre at end of tour even though we said we were not interested several times.

Review by: Colin J	January 2010
Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew are the same location.

Review by: Daniel N, Germany	November 2009
The Grand Palace is a must see in Bangkok. The guide give us a lot of historical information.

Review by: Leon F, United Kingdom	September 2009
We only had two days in Bangkok, not nearly enough! So I decided to take a couple of tours. The trip up river was great, as was this private tour. Picked up on time from our hotel, heaps of information provided and a very helpful guide who dropped us off at a different destination from our hotel. A great way to go!

Review by: Anonymous	September 2009
We only had two days in Bangkok, not nearly enough! So I decided to take a couple of tours. The trip up river was great, as was this private tour. Picked up on time from our hotel, heaps of information provided and a very helpful guide who dropped us off at a different destination from our hotel. A great way to go!

Review by: Anonymous, United States of America	June 2009
The tour was a bit short, certainly not a half day- but worth doing.

Review by: Anonymous, Canada	April 2009
Excellent tour guide.

Review by: Duncan E, Australia	February 2009
A must see for anyone first time in Bangkok. Thailand has so much history and culture. The guided tour makes it very interesting.

Review by: Eryl U, Australia	January 2009
Guide was great, knew everything, as they all seem to in Asia. When tour was over, he and the driver said they had no tours in the arvo and they could take us for the rest of the day free, and they did. It was one of our best days in Bangkok in 5 visits, service PLUS.

Review by: Jennifer T	September 2008
The tour was certainly private with only people on this tour being my wife and I. The guide was very informative and spoke very good English.

Review by: Anonymous	June 2008
Bangkok can be a little daunting to navigate for first time visitors. If you have limited time in Bangkok, as we did, a private car and guide is a good way to see and hear about the incredible Grand Palace and Temple complex and see some other city sites and get some cultural and historical insights along the way. Unless you're hankering to buy some jewelery, keep politely but firmly declining the visit to a jewelry outlet that may be offered as "a standard part of the tour". Just ask to be dropped off at one of the big shopping malls near your hotel and shop for what you want at your leisure.

Review by: Wendy C, Australia	March 2008
The tour guide was very knowledgeable and funny. She offered to take pictures for us everywhere. We had a great time. Private tour is the way to go.

Review by: Falah A, Jordan	February 2008
A must see, very good guide.

Review by: Ranil I	January 2008
The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew were absolutely magnificent. No complaints there. However, our tour guide was perhaps a little too old and unfit to be taking a tour that involved a lot of walking. Her explanations were pretty good once when we asked questions, but I really got the impression that she really couldn't be bothered. After visiting the Palace grounds, we were taken to a very large gem store where quite high-pressure selling tactics were used. We made it a point not to buy anything, as we were NOT told that this would be part of the tour prior to booking or at the time of pick-up. So I guess you could say that we have mixed feelings about this particular tour.

Review by: Robert R, United States of America	December 2007
Outstanding!

Review by: Stuart R	November 2007
An amazing experience and we loved it. The guide was extremely knowledgeable and taking a private tour means that you don't have to wait around for people coming back to the bus thus making most of our time at the Palace. Thoroughly recommended.

Review by: Linda D, Australia	August 2007
This trip was mainly fantastic thanks to the guide. He was great and told us so much about the palace, Buddha, and everything, really. He sat in the back of the van and explained a lot about the Thai culture. It was great. The pickup was prompt, and we were in a new van. Getting the private tour is a must.

Review by: Stephen B	May 2007
We had a wonderful tour guide who was so informative. We took our time and really enjoyed the sights. On our private tour, we pretty much set our own pace, within reason, which made it most enjoyable for my older Uncle. In a group, I don't think we would have gotten as much out of it because there is only so much time to move several people around.

Review by: Brock T, United States of America	February 2007
Great!

Review by: BROCK T	February 2007
Great!

Review by: Verna K W	December 2006
Extremely good and knowledgeable guide. The Grand Palace is definitely a must see.

Review by: Anonymous	August 2006
This tour was very good.