Koh Phangan, June 2008

Weather, what to expect?
We really needed a holiday so we decided to risk it and go to Koh Phangan in June. It is not really the best time to go to the islands but since we got soaked during our last visit, in January 2007, we thought it couldn't be worse anyhow. And guess what? It wasn't! The weather was much better actually. During our first few days on the island we saw quite some clouds, but afterwards we experienced loads of sunshine for most of our days.
Prior to booking our flights we had checked the weather forecasts for June and it seemed that June was actually the best out-of-season month. There is a dip in rainfall in between 2 monsoons according to Lonely Planet's When to Go pages. Another useful source of information is the Thai Meteorological Department web site, but don't be fooled by the icons published on the weather forecast web sites. The most reliable sources are actually the locals and expats. We checked Camille's Samui Weather blog quite often and got in contact with Scottish expat Ray, living and working on Koh Phangan, and Steve who runs the, initially in French, Phangan Guide web site. They all said June should be fine ... and it was :-)

PLACES TO STAY:
It wasn't exactly our first time on the island, so we decided to stay in Haad Rin for just a few days only. We have both outgrown the FMP scene, so we needed to select a second Place to Stay on the island. In order to choose the next location/beach where we could stay I asked for some feedback on TripAdvisor and Twitter. Steve and Ray came back with some suggestions and it seemed that their suggestions "overlapped" greatly and that the North-West of the island would offer what we were looking for.

North West:
Steve really knows the island and his suggestions were really excellent. We ended up with the following shortlist:
Sunset Cove and Blue Ocean Garden on Ao Chao Phao beach and Cookies Salad Resort and Salad Hut on Haad Salad beach, they all looked great! We ended up chosing for Sunset Cove because Salad Hut was fully booked, Blue Ocean Garden didn't have a pool and Cookies Salad Resort was unfortunately suffering from noise from a nearby construction site (new resort).
We didn't regret our choice at all! Sunset Cove was just amazing! When we initially booked we were told the front row bungalows were all fully booked, but when we got there we were fortunate to be able to upgrade to a front row bungalow due to a cancellation.


It is really difficult to explain what makes Sunset Cove such a great place. There is just something about the atmosphere at Sunset Cove. The staff is very friendly, smiley and super efficient but in a very chilled way. Management makes itself unnoticeable but is constantly there to accommodate its guests. You take a plunge in the pool at night and the lights in the pool will go on without anybody saying anything. You are strawling on the front deck at night and again the lights will go on (no IR sensors, just people caring).


When coconuts need chopping down because of the obvious risk they pose, the coconuts are being sliced open and offered to the guests as a free drink/snack ... just a nice attention.



I lost my sunglasses while staying at Sunset Cove and I asked if I could put up a note at the reception area. I just scribbled something on a piece of paper and 5 minutes later when I went back to reception they had printed an A4 sheet and had placed it in a very visible spot. I thought they were going to show my own note, but no ... they exceeded my expectations, again!


Also, when you order a drink, staff will bring it to your bungalow, the pool, etc without needing to ask for your room number. Nobody ever asked for our room number when we had a drink or food, but all the bills were 100% correct at the end of our stay. We were a little worried about this at first, so we took some notes just to make sure. We shouldn't have it seems, because everything was billed correctly.
The bungalows looked good and were actually very functional. I especially appreciated the bathroom that could be cooled down by leaving the door to the room open (with aircon on). The shower was outdoors, which is great, but having the rest of the bathroom inside actually makes it more comfortable. Also the extra little frontroom at the entrance of the bungalow is separate from the bedroom and contains a fridge, TV and DVD player and is cooled down by a fan. This setup works really well actually. The deco of the bungalows is not the most trendy or modern you will have ever seen, but this should not be an issue at all.
The pool at Sunset Cove is the socialising hotspot and the infinity-setup of it works really well.


Food and drinks at Sunset Cove are good but if you fancy a change of scenery one evening, you can just walk to Blue Ocean Garden's La Dolce Vita restaurant for some Mediterranean fusion food.
Another added advantage of staying at Sunset Cove is that Ao Chao Phao beach is easily accessible from Thong Sala and you can get around pretty easily on a scooter. Once you go more up North, the roads become really tricky. There is a lot of construction and road works going on which makes some beaches more difficult to access.
Sunset Cove is nr 1 on TripAdvisor, and it is well deserved.


While staying at Sunset Cove we went to check out the nearby beaches and other places we considered staying at some point. This is when we realised that Ao Chao Phao beach is actually very accessible and a good "basecamp" if you want to explore other parts of the island.
One evening a group of us went to Haad Salad beach for some drinks at Cookies Resort and food at Salad Hut. Cookies Resort is a nice place, with great owners, but unfortunately the nearby construction of a big resort is causing some daytime noise hinderance. Not what you want on your relaxing holiday! Currently Cookies is not easily accessible, even on a scooter it can be quite tricky but this might change once the road works and nearby resort are finalised. Give it another 6 months and make sure to check the TripAdvisor forums or Phangan Guide. Once these issues are resolved Cookies will be a great Place to Stay. And it currently is a great place anyway for some evening drinks or food with a panoramic view of the beach. Cocktails are really good!
Salad Hut looked really nice, but it had a more family with kids kind of feel to it when we saw it daytime. So it might be less appropriate for a romantic getaway, but this could just be a biased view based on a one-off. The food at Salad Hut really did live up to the expectations and its reputation ... it was great!
Mandalai on Chaloklum Bay is a weird one. Amidst a fishing village you have this trendy looking hotel and bar, but it just doesn't seem to make sense. Go and check it out for a "feature", but be aware that it is smaller than it looks on their web site and you don't exactly get idyllic surroundings with it.



Haad Rin:
We stayed in Haad Rin a few times in the past and I must say I really like Sarikantang. In my eyes this is the best place to stay when you want to be near the "action" but at the same time be able to escape the madness. Sarikantang itself offers really nice accommodation and has a fantastic Spa (hoovering above the beach). Last time we stayed at Sarikantang, we were not impressed by the food but this issue had now been solved. The staff is very friendly, smiley and efficient but unfortunately the expansion of Sarikantang and the need for more staff and procedures has also caused it to lose a bit of its family-ran business feel. It now feels like a well-oiled machine, but that also means it loses the human touch element a little. E.g. you need to pay a deposit (not physically but billed to your room) for your key, you need to pay a deposit for every DVD you borrow, restaurant staff is being motivated by an "employee of the month" bonus, ...
Don't get me wrong these are minor issues and I would certainly go back, because I still believe this is the best place when staying in Haad Rin. Also, Sarikantang organises a free transfer from the ferry on arrival.
Make sure to ask for the masterplan map (a jpeg floorplan of the resort, the URL has moved unfortunately so I can't link to it) before booking accommodation. Previously we stayed in Deluxe First Row bungalows (numbers 24 or 26 are the best options).


This time we opted for a more recent bungalow of the Seaview Deluxe type (nr 59) which had nice deco but the indoor bathroom still wasn't indoor enough to just leave the sliding doors open in order to cool it down with the bedroom aircon. This bungalow was ok, but we still prefered the bungalow type we stayed in previously.




PLACES TO EAT & DRINK:

North West:
Well I mentioned them already, but here you go again: Sunset Cove's restaurant, La Dolce Vita at Blue Ocean Garden, Salad Hut's restaurant and Cookies Salad's restaurant.

Haad Rin:
I'll keep this one really short: Emotion of Sushi! You don't expect fine dining or trendy eateries in Haad Rin, but this place manages to offer something different in Haad Rin. Upstairs is where you have sushi in a nice chilled Zen environment and downstairs you have a lounge bar that serves really good cocktails. It seems this place has now been consistently serving great sushi for almost 4 years and the expat lady who owns and manages it does a great job.
You find Emotions of Sushi near Haad Rin beach, on what is called Seagarden Road (one of the side streets of the main street that runs parallel with the beach).


REMARKS & TIPS:
> Koh Phangan is definitely going up-market. It now is more difficult to book the most expensive rooms at resorts, they seem to go first.
> In general, the web sites of hotels and resorts have drastically improved in just 18 months. Most hotels and resorts now have really slick looking web sites that load much faster than they used to.
> Social media are really efficient when planning holidays, because, er ... their social ;-) TripAdvisor is a great tool and when I posted a question on Twitter, I got some really interesting feedback from Ray Nimmo who actually has his own IT/Web Design company in Thong Sala and who currently is developping Phangan Google Map.
> Make sure to also check out Phanganguide.com, because the amount of information is amazing and Steve has a good reputation for taking care of his customers.
> Scooters ... hmmm, be careful! Ray had warned me about this, but on our night out from Ao Chao Phao to Haad Salad we decided to take our scooter anyhow. On the way back, just oustide of Haad Salad, we got chased by stray dogs and needed to swirve in order to avoid road works. We managed to avoid both the dogs and the road works, but when we finally got back to Sunset Cove we said "never again!". A scooter might be ok for bopping about daytime and for short distances, but at night when its pitch black just get a taxi!

For more information and Tips for Starters for Thailand, please visit my previous posts.

Bangkok June 2008

Our latest Thailand holiday in June 2008 was quite an impulsive booking. The previous months had been quite hectic so we decided to treat ourselves to a Thailand holiday when my girlfriend stumbled across some reasonably priced Singapore Airlines tickets from Manchester to Bangkok, with only a short stop-over in Singapore. £530 to fly with Singapore Airlines really was a good deal and June being low season in Thailand, we would be able to book good value for money accommodation.
However, we did experience some major trouble trying to book the tickets online with Singapore Airlines. The online booking module just didn't work and when calling customer services we were told "you can only book this tickets via the web site" ... which didn't work!
Fortunately, I remembered that a colleague at work had spoken highly of Trailfinders and someone at the sports club I am going to had also mentioned Trailfinders for booking his flights, so we decided to give them a try. If the online module from Singapore Airlines didn't work, maybe that Trailfinders would have access to the actual booking system? I spoke to a lady at Trailfinders and I explained which tickets I was after. She was very helpful and came up with some options, but not the particular flights we were after. I was slightly disappointed and I ended the call with "thanks for your help, we will have a look at the other options". A couple of minutes after having hung up, the phone rang and it was Trailfinders. The lady we had spoken to previously had actually found the tickets in a special promo section under duo-tickets (or partner-tickets) and had asked the technical supervisor what the last phone number was that had called her so she could ring us back. A few minutes later our flights were booked and we ended up paying only a fraction more (between £10 and £15) than the prices mentioned on the Singapore Airlines web site. We were really impressed with Trailfinders and decided we might use their services again in the future, because you can easily spend an entire day browsing the web to find good value flights.


So, 10th of June we departed from Manchester and having checked in online, we enjoyed the fastest long haul check-in ever. Singapore Airlines provided excellent service, video on-demand and a constant flow of drinks. This would have been an excellent flight if it wasn't for the screaming kids. No sleep and a serious jetlag later we landed in Bangkok on a Sunday morning. It only took took a short taxi ride to get to our hotel on Soi 29, off Sukhumvit Road. We had booked Legacy Suites for the rooms, the location and the swimming pool. Value for money seemed good so we decided to give this hotel a try. First impressions on arrival were really good. Nice looking lobby, friendly and efficient staff, we were allowed an early check-in and received a free upgrade to a Legacy Suite (maybe because we had another booking with them 2 weeks later?). So far, all good! When we got to the room, we were nicely surprised. It was huge! A kitchen, living room, bed room, 2 Samsung lcd TVs and really nice bathroom (with Grohe fittings). Unfortunately the trouble started when we jumped in bed for a rest... the lights just didn't switch off. The domotics system was going completely mental and there was no relation between switches and light bulbs anymore. 3 hours and a horde of technicians later the problem was finally solved and we could have a nap. It was 3pm by this point and the early check-in had been completely waisted by this point ... and so were we.


Legacy Suites Review:
We had only booked 2 initial nights in Bangkok, before setting off to Koh Phangan. On our way back we stayed at Legacy Suites for 4 nights time, so we spent 6 nights in total at Legacy Suites.

Let's start with the positives:
Very modern, fully equipped spacious rooms. Excellent value for money.
Modern, spacious lobby.
Free Wi-Fi in public spaces.
Knowledgeable, polite and friendly efficient staff.
When you need a taxi, the hotel's staff always manages to find you one in the shortest time possible and when booked via the hotel you never need to negotiate for the taxi driver to put on the meter.
Location is quite good on Soi 29, in between 2 Skytrain (BTS) stations. Just off Sukkhumvit but really peaceful to Bangkok standards (once in the room, I said "listen ... you can't hear anything").
The pool looks good and is big enough for a swim, but it could do with a clean early morning, every morning. The sun loungers are new, comfortable and the hotel provides towels.

The negatives:
The "electrics" seemed to be a problem during both our stays. On our first stay the domotics system in our room didn't work, causing the lights to stay on at all times. On our next stay there were problems with the elevators, so we had to take the service elevator to get from our room to the ground floor.
Musty smell in the bathroom (in a Legacy Suite).
Attention to detail when dusting and cleaning the rooms. DVD player shelf was heavily laden with dust during first stay (in a Legacy Suite) and the rug was badly stained during our second stay. We are not neurotic about stuff like this but it is just a shame really because the rooms look really good.
In order to go to the swimming pool you need to go through the lobby, which sometimes feels a bit weird when you are dressed in shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops amongst other guests in suits (this is probably more of an issue for women).
The little things: very modern toilets in the lobby but nothing to actually dry your hands, 2 Samsung LCD TVs and a DVD player but no DVDs you can borrow, always items missing in the mini bar (which you have to notify reception about in order to avoid being charged), fully equipped kitchen but no towel or cloth (if guests can keep the kitchen more tidy there is less work for cleaning staff), the condom pack on the list of items in the room makes it sound like a seedy hotel while it isn't at all, confusion about the Free Wi-Fi by one member of staff, who pretended we needed to pay for it (happened only once I must admit)
During our stay there was extra refurbishing work in other rooms going on, causing quite some noise ... but they scheduled it well and this was unavoidable really.
No room service nor available snacks or drinks when at the pool, which makes sense for serviced apartments. You might be able to get some Japanese food from the restaurant but no easy snack or quick sandwich.
Breakfast ... don't bother! It took 4 attempts to get fried eggs that were actually well done (without being fussy) and we suspect that it actually was a lady serving the food that went in the kitchen to actually get the job done. By the time the eggs were ok (9:45am) there was no bacon left and we had to ask for knives, coffee cups, butter and bread because after 9:30am things seem to "slow down". We stayed 6 nights and had breakfast twice. But we never considered this a problem really. In Bangkok you only have to walk a few yards to find food anyhow.
The Japanese restaurant that is part of Legacy Suites and where breakfast is served, is quite pricey really (just check the price of a Singha beer). However, this restaurant must be doing something right because they were doing very well every evening. Mainly Japanese people ate there and I guess you would be ready to pay a premium if the food is really good and you actually know what you are ordering ;-)
Overall I would say that this place seems to suffer from an identity crisis "Am I a hotel or serviced apartments?"

Conclusion:
Would we stay at Legacy Suites again? Not sure really ... they are competing in a price bracket where by paying a little more you can get the full 4/5 star treatment (when shopping around). We would for example consider the Marriott Resort & Spa on the river for our next stay, being fully aware that the rooms would probably not compare.
It depends what you are looking for really?
If you are looking for spacious modern rooms and will be self-catering, then Legacy Suites is perfect.
If you want the luxury of a nice breakfast, room service, snacks and drinks at the pool, an international bar and restaurant, then Legacy Suites isn't for you.
Legacy Suites' management could turn these serviced apartments into something VERY good by paying more attention to detail and deciding whether they want to run a hotel or serviced apartments. If they would just forget about the breakfast (but put some essentials in the fridge for the guests on arrival), completely go for the serviced apartments approach and slightly reduce the price this would result in a really good differentiated offering.


Bangkok, Tips for Starters:
I described many Tips in my previous Thailand post, but would just like to add a few...
Unfortunately I wasn't able to find the magazine Farang, Untamed Travel anymore but luckily the magazine Bangkok 101 tells you everything you need to know when in Bangkok. You can find this magazine in most of the better book shops.
Dress well and pay less! It struck me that when you replace your traveler T-shirt with a shirt, and shorts with a pair of decent jeans, you all of a sudden find yourself paying only 10B at the fruit stalls, instead of 20B, and when buying a Frappucino you get a loyalty card "buy 5, get 1 free". So basically, look like an expat instead of a traveler and you might find you end up paying less. Another advantage is that you won't get hassled by the con-men trying to get you into a gem-shop ... a classic! When your tuk-tuk ride in Bangkok is ridiculously cheap, there is a catch!
When taking the Public Taxis at the new airport, do not accept anything else than "meter"! The public taxis at the airport are quite well regulated, but on this occasion one of them tried to rip us off ... when we asked him to put the meter on he said "oh no, 450B because big bags". He probably didn't realise this wasn't our first time in Bangkok and we actually know what the ride should cost, so we decided to get out of his car and take our bags back to the public taxi desk. The supervisor handled the situation really well and we got back into another taxi a few moments later. The same supervisor had a chat with that taxi driver ... don't know what they exactly said but the supervisor described him as "bad man" afterwards. This is quite exceptional actually and it was the first time that a taxi driver refused to put on his meter at the airport. In the city centre however this might be a bit more of a struggle and some taxi drivers will refuse to take you somewhere if the destination is a bit of a nightmare to get to or doesn't make up for their time. You can get really stuck in Bangkok traffic, so I do understand that some taxi drivers must be struggling with the increasing petrol prices. We made sure to always leave a decent tip to the taxi driver!

Going Out in Bangkok:
Please also have a look at my previous Thailand post.
If you want a night out in Bangkok, especially when you are staying near Sukkhumvit Road, you can start of with a few drinks at Cheap Charlies...


From there continue to Bed Supperclub on Soi 11 (700B to get in, but you get 2 drinks for free). Just make sure you have your passport with you, because you won't get in without it. In Bed Supperclub's main white room the music was excellent and Bed seems to draw in a nice crowd. We went on a Saturday and the DJ was playing some really groovy tunes. The sound quality in there is really good actually and they don't push the volume up too loud, which makes it more enjoyable in my eyes ... or ears in this case.


Places to Eat and Drink:
We didn't try many new places, but we ended up eating at Fuji quite often. The Fuji chain of Japanese restaurants can be found in the shopping malls, which sounds a bit naf but the food was really good actually. We were lucky enough to be close to Emporium, which is my favourite shopping mall, and Fuji became our "sushi pitstop" on many occasions.

If you want something different there are many impressive rooftop restaurants and bars in Bangkok, such as the Vertigo Grill & Moon Bar, Sky Bar at The Dome, 360 Lounge at the Hilton Millennium, ...
Dining river cruises can offer an alternative experience, but make sure to compare the different options available. The converted rice barges such as Manhora offer the coolest experience I would think. I believe this type of boat was shown on Five Travel's Rough Guide to Bangkok.


Places to Stay:
Well, obviously Legacy Suites is an add-on in comparison to previous posts.
A colleague recommended the Marriott Resort & Spa in Bangkok (on the river) and I must say this sounds like a tempting option. It has the added advantage of the Manhora Dining Cruises leaving from the pier at this hotel.
Bill2p on TripAdvisor recommended several "character" hotels in Bangkok and they all looked pretty amazing (click here for the TripAdvisor post).

I will soon post "From Bangkok to Koh Phangan" and "Koh Phangan June 2008".

In the meantime, please have a look at my Picasaweb albums for Thailand (new and old)

Cambridge City Trip, February 2007

I spent a few days in Cambridge and have compiled some information that might be useful to people who enjoy their food and wine, or just chilling out in a bar.


Intro:
Cambridge is oozing cultural heritage!


If you have time for a walk in the city I would suggest entering the city from the North through Magdalene Street (see junction with Northampton Street, Castle Street and Chesterton Lane).
From Magdalene Street, go over the bridge and continue on Sidney Street or take right for St Johns Street. From here, just wander on through the maze of little streets and enjoy the atmosphere.

Cambridge does have a very academic (even religious) feel to it, but lacks the youthful energy you would expect from a student city ... well it even seems to lack the youth really ;-)
On arrival make sure to pick up a free Explorer Magazine at your hotel or the nearest bar who offers them. Not only will you have an overview of everything going on in the city, but you will even find some vouchers for a free bottle of wine or a reduction at many restaurants. Also make sure to tear out the map that is printed in this magazine!


Places to Stay:
Having stayed in one hotel, I can only comment on Arundel House Hotel (Chesterton Road).
The location is ideal and when staying in a front room with bay windows you do get to enjoy quite a nice view on Jesus Green park.


The hotel however feels a bit dated and even though the restaurant is being described as contemporary, this statement must have been made a few decades ago.
For business people this hotel might not be ideal because they don't allow laptops nor mobile phones in bar & restaurant. Another major disadvantage is the total lack of Internet connectivity in this hotel.
On the plus-side everything is impeccably clean, the location is spot on and the service is friendly and efficient.




Places to Eat/Drink:
Since I was staying just at the northern outskirts of the city I often ended up eating (and having a drink) in the more "touristy" part.
On Bridge Street you will find many restaurants that are part of a chain. Chez Gerard has recently undergone a face lift and offers decent food in a nice contemporary deco, but Café Rouge seems to be a safer bet. The food is not spectacular but is consistently good and the atmosphere inside is quite charming. Service is friendly and efficient and all of this translates in the restaurant being packed every night while the surrounding places seem to be begging for customers. In the same area you will find Galleria which to my understanding will only be worth your money during summer days, if you can sit on the balcony that literally hangs over the river. Edwinns restaurant does look very good when walking past it, but the place doesn't seem to draw a crowd and when doing some more research about this place the reviews are very mixed.
Although being a bar, B Bar is my favourite place in Cambridge. A nice venue, with a warm friendly atmosphere, that offers a decent wine selection and bar food that is way better than one would expect. Daytime this place is nice to have a coffee and afterwork it is ideal for a drink, a snack (the sharing plates are really good) or a proper meal. The place has a loungy feel to it and you feel like you could spend the entire day here. Since it is quite big, it however isn't the most romantic place for a "tête à tête" dinner.

While being in Cambridge I did quite some research and asked some locals about the best places for food.
Le Gros Franck (read as The Fat Frank) has a really good reputation and is a place I would definitely like to go to on my next visit.
De Luca Cucina & Bar seems to provide amongst the best cocktails in the city and is supposedly a really nice place for an aperitif drink and some antipasti. The food, service and atmosphere seem to enjoy an overall excellent reputation. Another place that is certainly worth visiting!
Loch Fyne Fish Restaurant and Oyster Bar has recently undergone a little face lift. It had quite a good reputation but please check on www.localsecrets.com for recent updates because reviews are mixed nowadays.
Dojo isn't situated in the most cosy spot of the city but seems to offer a good and tasty selection of Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese and Thai food.

This list is obviously not exhaustive and doesn't include Michelin star restaurants nor the really posh expensive restaurants like Midsummer House .
The restaurants mentioned above are not "cheap" (except for Dojo) but they won't cost you a week's salary either ;-)
If you want to save a few quid when going for food, make sure to register with www.localsecrets.com and print the online vouchers that are available for many of the places mentioned.

FREE WiFi:
Since I was staying in a hotel without Internet connectivity I went on a quest for free wifi!
I wanted to find some "loungy" bars that offer free wifi, in order not to end up in a typical "Internet shop/café" where the background "music" consists out of keyboards being hammered.
It took me quite a while, but finally I managed to find a couple of places where you can enjoy sipping an espresso while checking your mails.
Ta Bouche, opposite to B Bar, offers free wifi (BT) and quite a nice venue with a friendly atmosphere. The food looked really good but the day I went for lunch an overly noisy bunch spoiled my appetite ... how can just 6 people make so much noise? I have no idea why some people think they need to scream at each other instead of talking!? The wifi signal of Ta Bouche reaches B Bar, but you will still need the wifi wep password from Ta Bouche.
The Box Tree is anther loungy contemporary place that offers free wifi, but it's location isn't particularly great next to Grafton Shopping Centre.
The Fountain Inn pub also offers free wifi (Tiscali).
De Luca Cucina & Bar also has free wifi.

So far my travel report on Cambridge ... Just some extra pics underneath to give you a feel for the city






More pics can be viewed on my Picasa Web Album:

Cambridge_2007

THAILAND December 2006, January 2007

Off we went on December 25th with Emirates.
The main advantage of flying out on Christmas day was the price of the tickets, the taxi however was obviously more expensive. We had hoped for a relaxed flight, assuming most people wouldn't want to travel that day ... well, we were wrong! The queue at check-in was huge and the Boeing 777 was absolutely packed.
I however was impressed by the service and facilities on board. The in-flight entertainment system was amazing.
A short stop-over in Dubai, changing planes and Bangkok finally felt in reach.

BANGKOK:
Suffering from jetlag we landed at Bangkok's new stunning airport. Once we picked up our luggage we went to get a taxi and this is where we figured out you need to go one level lower than the floor you seem to be automatically guided to. When you just follow the flow getting out of the terminal you get to the limousine services that charge 800 Bath. If you go down one level you can take a public taxi that will cost you approximately 300 Bath to go to the city centre.
So, we jumped in a taxi, told him to take the toll road (prepare some money for the driver, because he will ask you to pay at the toll booth) and 20 minutes later we arrived at Swiss Park Hotel on Sukhumvit Road. This hotel offers good value for money and the staff is friendly and efficient. But, next to the hotel a new skyscraper is being built and construction work goes on all day and night > 24h/day!!! When booking a room, make sure to ask for pool side (room numbers ending on 2,3 or 4 are the safest bet). Don't allow for anything else because it is impossible to sleep or relax when you have Bob the Builder on Red Bull going on a frenzy.
For me it was the first time I had a pool when staying in Bangkok and it was great! Chilling out at the pool is a nice way of coping with Bangkok's chaos.
Unfortunately the combination of jet-lag, constant air-con and the heavy air pollution turned out to be a perfect recipe for throat-nose-ear infections.

On our way back from the islands we also stayed at Swiss Park Hotel for the last two days. Since we came back from Koh Phangan earlier than expected we needed another hotel for a couple of days. My partner managed to find us Zenith hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 3. Now this hotel was definitely in another league. The lobby and restaurant are really nice but try to get one of the refurbished rooms. The main asset of this hotel however is it's large Sky Pool on the upper floor of the hotel. This makes the hotel quite unique.



The neighbourhood isn't particularly great but it is very close to Nana BTS station on Sukhumvit.
We were also looking at other hotels in Bangkok and two really seemed to jump out of the crowd. The Davis Bangkok seems absolutely stunning and Napa Place seems to offer something different, but it's prices have just gone up and I think it will have trouble competing with luxury hotels that offer swimming pools and larger rooms.

On previous Thailand holidays I used to stay in Old Bangkok, just north of the Banglamphu area. Guest houses like Shanti Lodge and Sri Ayuttaya (behind the national library) offer a nice alternative when looking for a place close enough to the old city centre but far enough to be a bit more chilled. Shanti Lodge has a more hippie new age vibe to it, while Sri Ayuttaya offers decent rooms that will be more quiet.

Remark:
The difference between old and new Bangkok is huge. When staying near Khao San Road, being mainly surrounded by other travellers one could think that in order to fit in you need to be wearing rags, dreadlocks and a couple of henna tattoos. A trip to the Thai shopping malls will quickly open your eyes and make you realise that the local youth is very trendy and fashionable. Compare this to the crowd you find near Khao San and you soon put things in perspective.

TIPS for starters:
Farang Untamed Travel is a must buy magazine when you arrive in Thailand. In this magazine you will find an extensive overview of things to do plus restaurants, bars and clubs in Bangkok. You also get much useful information about the islands. 99 Bath well spent if you ask me ;-)
Get a Nancy Chandler Map of Bangkok. These colourful maps are extremely useful.
When booking hotels www.sawadee.com is the best online booking site around. It is fast, reliable, offers great service and you pay less than booking direct.
When wandering near Khao San Road, try to pick up a Khaosaner magazine for the info and map inside.
When going clubbing, you will need your passport as ID ... it's not a matter of age. Even Keith Richards wouldn't get in without his passport ;-)
Get a Thai SIM card and you will save a lot of money on your text messages and calls. You can pick a Starter Kit from Happy for 199 Bath (check for the "Ready for International Calls" mention).
For continental flights (and even international flights in SE Asia) Bangkok Airways provides the best experience considering it's fares are very reasonable. It is easy to book online with Bangkok Airways and the level of flexibility and service you get is truly amazing. If Bangkok Airways flies to your destination, just fly with them and you won't be disappointed.

Things to do near Sukhumvit Road:
Try the Sky Train or also called BTS, you can't miss it and it is worth giving it a try. It also is a nice way to cool down when the temperatures are soaring, because of the aircon inside. Jump off at Siam, and check out the shopping malls. Paragon is the newest most exclusive one where you can actually buy a Ferrari if you would want to seriously splash out. MBK (Mah Boon Krong) however offers more "realistic" goods at normal/local prices and is just one Sky Train stop further along the road, National Stadium, or within walking distance of the BTS Siam station.

Things to in Bangkok (not near Sukhumvit Road):
Lumpini Park is a nice getaway from the constant noise and pollution and is easily reached by Sky Train.
Go to the Chatuchak Weekend Market (see Nancy Chandler map).
Also visit Suan Lum Night Bazaar (Nancy Chandler maps are available) to guide you around. This night market is situated next to Lumpini Park.
When staying in the older part of Bangkok you can easily visit the Grand Palace, all the different Wats (temples) such as the temple of the Lying Buddha, the temple of the Emerald Buddha and many more. The Grand Palace is definitely worth visiting.

Places to Eat/Drink near Sukhumvit Road:
Cheap Charlie's (from Sukhumvit Road take Soi11 and after approx. 250m you will find a little street and Cheap Charlie's to your left) is a relaxed place to have a couple of drinks to start the evening. It's rather a shack with some chairs and tables but it offers a nice atmosphere and obviously cheap drinks.
Check out Suk 11 just around the corner from Cheap Charlie's, this guest house offers a very different feel than the other places on and near Sukhumvit Road. But you won't have the luxury of a pool ;-)
Very close to Swiss Park Hotel on Soi 11, posh restaurant Zanzibar offers fantastic food, a nice surrounding and a live band that mostly plays jazzy tunes. Food was really excellent when we went but it came with a price tag. The more upscale places will charge you VAT and service charge, while the "smaller" places don't.
Restaurants Cabbages & Condoms and Crepes & Co are two popular spots on Soi12.
The shopping malls offer a good selection of restaurants. In MBK you will find a variety of really nice Japanese restaurants, like Kobune. I even had to ask for a doggy bag because I couldn't finish the huge sushi plate I ordered ;-)
If you fancy a good coffee, have a look near Asok BTS station next to Sheraton Grande. You can see a Boots chemists (part of a shopping complex) and at the top of the stairs there is a little coffee stall that offers really good value for money. The coffees are cheap but really good actually, especially when compared to other strange brews I tried in Bangkok that also were labeled "coffee".

Places to Eat/Drink in Bangkok (not near Sukhumvit):
Near Khao San, on Phra Arthit Road you will find a stretch of little bars and restaurants. The furthest one down the road, called Hemlock, served very nice food in a very nice atmosphere and with excellent jazzy music in the background. The difference in price with eating at a more upmarket place near Sukhumvit is huge. At Hemlock you can have really nice food at very affordable prices.
Having a drink on Khao San Road will never feel like an exclusive luxury happening but a place like Silk Bar definitely has a more upmarket feel to it. On Rambuttri Road, parallel with Khao San, Cinnamon Bar also offers a very different look&feel from what one would expect in this area. Definitely worth a visit.
Wok masterchef Ken Hom's favourite restaurant in Bangkok seems to be Ban Klang Nam, a floating seafood restaurant on the Chao Praya river. We tried to get there but the taxi drivers were asking a ridiculous amount of money to drive us there.
If you want to impress your partner with a fab place to have a drink, definitely try Sky Bar on the 64th floor of State Tower but don't trip over when you get your bill.

Clubs in Bangkok:
The most popular clubs in Bangkok still seem to be Q Bar and Bed Supperclub both on Soi 11, with the latter being the most trendy. But we must emphasize that these clubs are the most popular when considering a mixed crowd of locals, expats and travellers. I was however completely blown away by the stretch of superclubs at RCA/Rachada (BlockD). These places seem to cater mainly for locals but even midweek there is such a buzz it is frankly impressive. Clubs Flix and Slim look very trendy and are packed every night. Hip-Hop seems pretty big nowadays with the local youth and Slim mainly caters for the Hip-Hop crowd. Flix however mainly plays house music and according to my girlfriend this place has to the most funky women's toilets ever. In front of these clubs you will find an impressive amount of tuned cars all nicely aligned, giving the entire scene a Fast & Furious-feel.


KOH LANTA:
After having spent 4 days in Bangkok we flew out with NokAir. Unfortunately none of the budget airlines seemed to be flying on Krabi at that time. So we had to fly to Trang, a central travel hub in South Thailand. Trang isn't particularly funky, but it is just a functional stop-over on your way to another destination.
Remark: In the past, Bangkok Airways used to fly on Krabi and they even had flights from Krabi to Samui. This was the ideal island hopping solution because it easily got you from one side of the peninsula to the other. NokAir has recently (15th Jan 2007) opened up a new route flying from Bangkok to Krabi, something that was only available through Thai Airways in 2006. You can still get from one side of the peninsula to the other side by using Bangkok Airways' flights from Phuket to Samui.

Arriving at Trang's airport isn't a particularly exhilarating experience. We got our luggage and rushed to KK Tour & Travel because calling them from the airport, we were told that the busses were packed and it was very busy to get to Koh Lanta.KK Tour & Travel has several daily air-con vans between Trang and Koh Lanta but with it being 30 December, many people wanted to travel to the islands.
We fortunately managed to get on a crowded mini bus and off we went for a bus ride of hell. Obviously the trip will take you double the time that was mentioned, it will be packed with screaming kids, but the frustration you accumulate during this drive is the worst thing. Whenever the driver stopped, he got out of the bus, had a cigarette but left everyone stuck inside. On the first ferry he managed to park the mini bus in such a way we couldn't get out and waiting for the second ferry he got out again, lit a cigarette and was having a walk in the fresh air while we were again stuck inside. When the bus wasn't driving the temperatures inside were soaring and I started to lose it. Seemingly nobody could actually open the door of the minibus from the inside and all windows had been closed off using metal wire (probably in order to optimise the air-con). We eventually managed to get out for some air but our mind was made up: No more mini bus rides from hell!!!

When we finally arrived on Koh Lanta, we were dropped at Ban Sala Dan (north of the island). Trying to avoid the overly pushy taxi drivers, we went to have a drink in a nearby hotel and we called our resort, Kantiang Bay View. 30 minutes later a pick up truck showed up and we had a free ride to our resort.
It must be said, Koh Lanta doesn't make a great first impression. The beaches look very nice, but the "backyard" is a huge mess. The tsunami aftermath is still very visible and once you leave your resort you will stumble upon debris and waste. The little dodgy shops near the resort look terrible and are far from being "inviting".
On arrival at the resort nobody welcomed us, we just were entitled a "follow him" in order to be led to our rooms. So again, not a fantastic first impression. This was quite a shock! When compared to islands like Samui and Phangan, Lanta doesn't score very high on the "friendly welcome" scale.
The rooms were not great and the bungalows were packed close together. We were both tired from all the travelling and our first feeling on arrival was far from good.
So in the evening we decided we would try and leave one day earlier than expected and avoid mini buses to get to our next destination, Koh Phangan.

Luckily we had indeed picked the best beach of the island and on the same beach you also find the Same Same But Different restaurant, which offers a very nice setting on the beach.
We soon found out the food at our own resort was actually very good too. The restaurant offers a nice setting right on the beach.



The Why Not Bar, ran by super-cool-dude sea gipsies, was a fab place to have a drink in the evening and was on the same premises, making it ideal for a late night drink.







For New Year's eve the staff of the Why Not Bar had set up a bar on the beach and we had a fantastic New Year on the beach! By the way ... a tip from my girlfriend: try the Pina Colada with fresh coconut milk!






Slowly this place started to grow on us. The beach was absolutely fabulous, the food was excellent and the bar on the premises was a really cool place with excellent drinks and good music.





We rented a scooter and drove around the island. This indeed confirmed that Ao Kantiang is probably the best beach on the island but it also confirmed the island hasn't that much too offer.


In Ban Sala Dan (the "capital" of the island and main entry and exit point to the island) we were even stopped by the police because we weren't wearing any helmets. The police had set up a barrage and all westerners that were driving scooters without wearing helmets were pulled over. It took us some negotiation and we even ended up calling our resort. Someone from the resort was close-by and he popped by to help us out ... we managed to drive off without needing to pay a fine. Needless to say our appreciation for the resort we were staying at grew throughout our stay.

After 6 days it was time to leave and head for Koh Phangan. Definitely avoiding the mini buses we took a boat to Phuket (stop-over at Phi Phi), a taxi from the pier to Phuket's airport and we managed to get on an earlier flight to Samui, thanks to Bangkok Airways' flexible and friendly staff.


Conclusion:
Koh Lanta left us with mixed feelings. It doesn't have the warm friendliness of many other Thai islands, nor does it have particularly spectacular scenery.
I think we were very lucky to have stayed on Ao Kantiang at Kantiang Bay View Resort. We ended up really enjoying our stay and the positives were definitely outweighing the negatives.
I however don't understand why the prices for scooters, rooms, etc are so much higher than on Koh Phangan, that isn't linked to the mainland and doesn't have an airport neither. Is it the nearby Koh Phi Phi that has made this island the next to best island if you can't stay on Phi Phi and thus boosting the prices? (e.g. a scooter on Lanta will cost you 300 Bath while on Phangan it will cost you 200 Bath, the bungalow we were staying cost us 2000 Bath while on Phangan our much more impressive bungalow cost us the same 2000 Bath)
Out of curiousity I went to ask for prices at nearby resorts on Ao Kantiang, such as Baan Laanta Resort & Spa and I don't even want to know about Pimalai Resort. Well, the place we were staying seemed to be bargain on this island.
The big resorts and the prices doesn't make sense to me. Why would one want to go to an overpriced resort on an island that actually hasn't that much to offer and that is difficult to reach? I'm all for islands that are not overly developed , but this island didn't have the charm of an unspoiled island nor did it have the infrastructure of "bigger" islands like Samui.
The island is of course struggling with the tsunami aftermath and it is amazing at which pace everything has been rebuilt. Local authorities have now created Tsunami escape routes and safe areas, which are well indicated all along the island's risk zones. One can try to imagine the impact the tsunami has had on daily life and on the people affected by the loss of family and friends, but I don't think we can grasp the scale of it. When I say Koh Lanta isn't the most welcoming smiling place, I am aware of the fact that such a statement is easy for me to make when at the same time it must be really difficult for the locals to keep up a brave or smiling face after the traumas they have experienced. They went straight back to providing services to travellers, seeking good times, after having been through such a traumatic experience themselves. By the way, you now notice that many private houses are being built on hills and definitely not near the beach anymore.





KOH PHANGAN:
So we landed on Samui and from this charming little airport we took an overpriced taxi to Big Buddha Pier. We had to wait for the ferry leaving at 4PM and taking us to Haad Rin. On arrival at Samui airport we were seriously disappointed by the weather. It was heavily overcast and it looked like it would stay like that for a long time.



While waiting for the ferry we asked another traveller who had been on the island for a while about the weather and he said it had been very sunny for the last 7 days but that it just went clouded today. We felt better hearing this and hoped for more sunshine the next days. We came from a sunny island after all!
On our arrival at Haad Rin, I called our resort, Sarikantang, and they came to pick us up straight away. I had stayed at this place in 2005 and they still remembered me. We received a really friendly welcome and the place hadn't lost any of it's charm. The bungalows had even been "improved" with a mini fridge, TV and DVD player. But this resulted in the bungalows becoming more expensive in the process.
We were staying in a really nice beach front bungalow with open air bathroom. It all looked fabulous.
The staff is amazingly friendly and will go to distances to help you out in any way they can. This place is being ran very professionally with great care for personalised service with a smile.




My girlfriend treated herself to an afternoon at the Spa of the resort. The setting was absolutely great, she enjoyed it very much and she was showing off her baby-soft-skin afterwards :-) My skin felt like sandpaper compared to hers ;-)
My only negative comment about Sarikantang would be the food and the restaurant deco. I remembered this place as providing excellent food, but on this occasion I was mostly disappointed by it. The entire resort looks absolutely charming but the restaurant could do with a bit of a make-over in order to have the same feel as the rest of the place.



So far the good news. The bad news was that the rain was pouring down ... ALL day and night! So, we were staying in a fabulous resort on a fantastic beach but the weather was absolutely lousy! Watching DVD's and trying to make ourselves comfy wasn't our idea of a beach holiday. One evening I even went out on a scooter, in the rain, to Mr K ("Chicken corner", near Cactus) to get some take away food for a DVD night... not the ideal scenario, but you try to make the best of the situation. By the way, Mr K does some really nice food and does excellent "luxury" sandwiches. It's not the most cosy place to have food, but ideal for take away.

The next day we checked the weather forecasts and it was looking pretty grim. Rain, clouds and stormy weather for the next 6 days ... Haad Rin had in the meantime become a collection of big puddles and felt deserted. Very strange because only a few days ago the place was buzzing with the Full Moon Party. We asked a local expat shop keeper and she confirmed that the weather was too extreme for the season. We knew that Koh Phangan could experience some rain in January (more likely than the other side of the peninsula), but normally you don't get constant rain for a week.
So, we needed a solution! Since there were no flights anymore from Samui to Krabi (Bangkok Airways had them in the past, but canceled the route) it would take us too much time and effort to get back to the other side of the peninsula, plus we still had a flight booked from Samui back to Bangkok. The solution: returning to Bangkok earlier than initially planned! We contacted Bangkok Airways and just about managed to arrange for an earlier flight to Bangkok. Everybody was fleeing the islands because of the weather, so there were huge stand-by lists at the Samui airport.
My girlfriend found us a great hotel on www.sawadee.com and so we were unfortunately leaving Koh Phangan after just a couple of days.


TIPS for starters:
On arrival at Koh Phangan and even at the ferry on Koh Samui you can find handy little magazines like Go Phangan (formerly known as Phangan.info) and Phangan Explorer.
Don't drink an overload of "buckets" (local party drink) and jump on a scooter. The mix of alcohol and concentrated Thai-style Red Bull will diminish your perception of how drunk you really are.
Wear flip-flops on the beach! Especially on the party beaches broken glass and cigarette buds often cause injuries.
When going to the Full Moon Party, don't take any valuables with you. Pickpockets will target digital cameras, money, etc. Avoid carrying bags and if you need a wallet, physically attach it to your clothes, or yourself, with some wire or a chain. Boozed out travellers are an easy prey! Try not to leave any valuables in your room neither, rather ask reception if they have a safe. FMP night is an ideal time for burglars to break into guesthouses because most of them are deserted anyhow.


Places to Stay (or not to stay in some cases):
My favourite resort when staying in Haad Rin, still is Sarikantang. It is very well located on a fantastic beach, Haad Seekantang, offering a relaxed getaway from the party beach while being very close-by at the same time.
Next to Sarikantang you will find Coco Hut, which also offers nice beach front bungalows that are very nicely spread out on the beach. The view from the deck is absolutely stunning but to my feeling you get better value for money at Sarikantang. When I stayed there, Coco Hut had a less friendly feel to it, it felt more like a "holiday factory" but maybe other people will experience this differently.




If you want to experience a different Koh Phangan, the beaches Ao Thong Nai Pan Yai & Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi at the North-East of the island offer a nice alternative. These two beaches offer a more secluded feel and are ideal if you are looking for something neither too busy nor too isolated. You will need a pick-up to get there, or go by boat. The road towards these beaches goes straight through some rain forest and is absolutely fantastic. I wouldn't suggest to try it with a scooter because the monsoon regularly reshapes this road into something you'd rather tackle with a 4-wheel vehicle.


On Ao Thong Nai Pan Yai, Dolphin is definitely a guest house with a rich ambience, set amidst jungle grounds that are right on the beach. It is run by a Kiwi-Thai couple and they turned this place into something great, with a bar that offers really cool loungy sitting decks.



Only problem is they don't do bookings, so you might find yourself ending up next doors at White Sand Resort, which actually isn't a bad deal neither. Even though it lacks the atmosphere you find at Dolphin it provides with large clean airy bungalows in a nice setting perpendicular to the beach.




The other beach, Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi, has a different feel than it's big brother "Yai". It has a hippie-feel to it, but I personally think it is all a bit more ramshackle. I tried staying at Baan Panburi, but the beach bungalow I was led to was absolutely not up to standard. This place heavily relies on a Lonely Planet quote from years ago for their advertising. I wasn't impressed at all by this place and I left 15minutes after getting there. I ended up at Thong Naipan Beach Resort & Spa, which wasn't fab neither but at least it offered better value for money at the time I went. When looking at the prices now, I am amazed how much they went up ... I remember paying 800 Bath in March 2005.

Places to Eat/Drink:
When staying in Haad Rin there is a multitude of places to have a drink or some food.
The Shell offers good Italian food in a nice setting, that feels a bit more chilled than most places in Haad Rin.
Om Ganesh is located right at the ferry in Haad Rin and has undergone some major refurbishment over the last few years. It offers good Indian food at reasonable prices.
Nira's Bakery offers good pastries and coffees but they come with a higher price tag.
A couple of more recent places offer a more upscale dining experience. Kinera has recently opened and it's warm dark red interiour sets it apart from the other places on the Haad Rin beach strip. The cuisine is mediterranean with an extra Italian touch. Emotion of Sushi offers decent sushi and cocktails in a loungy place.
If you feel like having a drink or you want the party vibe in the evening, just walk down to sunrise beach from "Chicken Corner" (Mr K) and once you reach the beach you can have your pick. Cactus is a popular place but there are so many bars to choose from.
When staying at Ao Thong Nai Pan Yai, Dolphin is the best place to have a drink. As a lounge bar this is as good as it gets. On this beach most bars are part of the guest houses or resorts.
At the other side on Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi you can find a couple of extra bars like the Jungle Bar, Rasta Bar and Outlaw Bar.
Seesha Bar on Chaloklum offers a completely different experience. I haven't been there myself but just have a look at their site www.sheesha-bar.com.



KOH SAMUI:
I never really went to Samui on purpose. I got stuck there at one occasion and ended up staying at P. Chaweng Guest House. A French expat, running a bar on Samui, recommended this place to me and he even went in to negotiate a better price. I think it only cost me 400 Bath for a nice clean room with air-con, tv and a mini fridge. It was great! I was really tired and this place was ideal to actually have a nice sleep and relax a little. It is not a funky place to stay but just offers really good value for money. I ended up staying an extra night because I really enjoyed having a decent quiet room.
Chaweng however didn't impress me at all. It felt like one big tourist-trap stretch of bars, shops and restaurants.
The next day I rented a scooter and went on a discovery ride around the island. Luckily not all of Samui has the same feel as Chaweng and you can still find some nice beaches that aren't too busy. Some of the resorts I saw on the island looked really great.
I don't understand why, but the taxis on the island are so overpriced compared to the rest of Thailand. Last time we were at Samui airport we had a few hours to kill and I thought it would be nice to go have a drink at nearby Billabong Surf Club on Bophut beach, but the taxis were charging such ridiculous prices we just stayed at the airport.
If I would ever end up on Koh Samui for a few days again, I think I would stay at Gecko. This place seems to offer nice bungalows with a trendy feel to them.

So far my Thai Blog ... I hope this information will prove useful.

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