The Princess shore excursion was adequate. It was well organized. This is a big Asia city with lots of smog and traffic but some absolutely beautiful temples and palaces. Due to our early arrival into Bangkok, we had an overnight. We chose to take the free shuttle into Pattaya and experience the "cabaret" show Tiffany's. It is a once in a lifetime experience and very unique. I found the endless bars with young prostitutes very disturbing.
We hired a private guide. It was a 90 min drive into the center of the city but the drive takes you through life in small town Vietnam which is fascinating to watch from the comfort of an air conditioned car. Our driver would stop at any spot we wanted to take a closer look at which is a huge advantage over the bus tours.
The city is very clean, very busy with great activities and shopping. We navigated very easily throughout the town and had a great time. Taking the tram to Victoria Peak was a highlight.
This was a very interesting city. The Atomic Bomb museum is disturbing but I feel we all have a responsibility to visit the museum. It is interesting to note that there is not an anit-American emphasis in the museum just a emphasis on peace. There is no mention of Pearl Harbor anywhere in the museum. Glover Gardens was quite beautiful to visit.
More 
