Right, taking the taxi is much, much better than taking the tuktuk for so many reasons! So let me count the ways.
- Taxis are way cheaper
- Taxis are more comfortable
- Taxis will keep you fresh as they have air-conditioning
- Taxis will keep your face and hair clean from air pollution
- Taxis will keep you in zen state, away from the traffic noise
- Taxis are obviously better for longer distances
So I suggest that you only take the tuktuk if:
- You just want the (cultural) experience
- Your destination is just a block away and you do not want to subject yourself to walking under the smog and the heat of the day
My parents were like, ‘Tuktuk? Kadaghan ana sa ato-a uy.’ (We have so many of that at home.)
For Filipinos, tuktuks are really nothing special because we have hundreds and thousands of these mini rides scattered all over the island archipelago. They are sometimes an eyesore and can be a menace on the streets, so please forgive us for the lack of excitement.
However, after visiting the Grand Palace we were caught in a dilemma. Our next destination is the Reclining Buddha which is just a block away. I could get there in a fast 15-minute walk, but not my parents, well at least not my mobility challenged mom. It is also very humid and sweltering hot on the streets, so I was not too sure of walking really. Not wanting to inconvenience the parents any longer, I flagged down a tuktuk and tried my bargaining skills with the driver.
I cannot remember how much we paid. We just want to get off the hot streets fast. So yeah, we were kind of forced to take the tuktuk ride, out of necessity really.
The ride lasted only 2 minutes and this video managed to take 36 seconds of it =)
Travel Period: November 2015
Destination: Bangkok, Thailand
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Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)