Koh Chang lies just off Trat in eastern Thailand and close to the Cambodian border. It is part of a range of 52 islands that are off the coast of Trat, like a string of sparkling jewels. The island is 30km long and 14km wide, but most of the resorts are along the west side of the island and getting around is quite simple. Koh Chang has a much more intimate feel than Phuket in my opinion.

Reaching Koh Chang is quite easy from Bangkok. I would recommend taking the bus, it is comfortable and cheap and doesn’t take too long at all. You can get the bus almost every hour from 6:00am until midnight at the Ekamai Bus Terminal which is located at the Ekamai section of Sukhumvit Road which is easily accessible by the BTS Skytrain.

Round trip tickets cost 456 baht (US $13) and one way tickets are 241 baht (US $7) on first class air conditioned busses. The trip takes about 5 hours and the busses are definitely comfortable enough to sleep on.

Once you arrive at Trat you’ll have to take a shared taxi from the bus station because it is located about 1km outside town. The cost is just 40 baht to the pier. Please note that after 5:00pm you may need to rent a private taxi which will cost you 300 baht so it is in your interests to arrive early.

Ferries depart from the pier about every hour during the high season (Nov – Apr) from 6:00am until 7:00pm. The ferry costs just 50 baht per person and takes around 30 minutes. Once you land on Koh Chang you will be able to get a songthaew to anywhere on the island. Please note that when returning from Koh Chang there are no Songthaew available to Trat after 6:00pm and you could get stranded at the pier. Make your plans accordingly.

You can find very detailed information at Koh-Chang.com

The atmosphere on Koh Chang is very relaxed and laid back and both Golf and I like it a lot. I’ll be posting photos from our last trip there later as well as more detailed information about places we’ve stayed, eaten and partied.

Is there anyone else out there that has been to Koh Chang and has something to share with us? I would love to hear your stories.

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Haad Yao (literally Long Beach) is the type of beach that postcards are made from. The kilometer long beach is wide and slightly curving, giving perfect vistas and fringed with tropical foliage, making it what some consider the “perfect” beach. While it has developed some over the years, it has mostly retained the original natural surroundings and beauty as well as the laid back feeling that has made it so popular with visitors since its discovery.

Because Haad Yao has become popular with a wide variety of travelers you are able to find the same variety of accommodations. Everything from cheap budget bungalows to luxury villas are available for rent, making Haad Yao a diverse and vibrant community during the high season. It also means you’ll be able to find a nice variety of great restaurants on the beach as well as in many of the hotels. Three good choices are Long Bay Resort, Haad Yao Bayview Resort and Haad Yao See Through Resort.

While night time is much quieter than Haad Rin beach, you can still find nighttime activities. There are numerous beachside bars, including the famous Eagle Pub, which has been built right into the rocks on the southern tip of Haad Yao. The pub includes great drinks, a wonderful steakhouse and an in house DJ playing some great tunes. If you’re still craving a huge party, Haad Rin is just a short ride away so you can have your quiet time on Haad Yao and still party the night away if you prefer.

Those looking for something to do during the day other than lying on the beach (which isn’t a bad pastime at all!) can find many activities around Haad Yao. The west and south coasts of Phangan are surrounded by coral reefs rich with diverse marine life. Diving and snorkeling are a great way to immerse yourself in the marine life and there are a variety of operators offering half and full day diving and snorkeling trips, either around Phangan or around nearby islands like Koh Ma, which is part of one of Thailand’s National Marine Parks.

In addition to diving you’ll find loads of great trails to hike through the tropical jungle and since the island is fairly mountainous you will likely get a pretty good workout. There are also waterfalls to visit such as Wang Sai and a fresh water lake called Laem Son, which is a short trip away and has giant rope swings over the lake which are a blast!

So, don’t think that the only reason to come to Koh Phangan is the Full Moon Party. The island still has quiet retreats and natural beauty for all to enjoy.

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The traffic in Bangkok is the stuff that legends are made of. Imagine waking up at 4am so you can be off to the office by 5am and arrive near 6am and then wait for 2 hours because your office doesn’t open until 8am. This is commonplace in Bangkok as is the fleets of cars lining up outside schools as early as 5:30am with bleary eyed mothers watching over their seemingly still sleeping children. Anything to avoid the rush or rather the gridlock of rush hour.

Rode tid mak mak the Thai’s will tell you. It means “traffic is bad, very bad”, but that is normal for Bangkok. I once came out to Silom Road at 1:30 in the morning to see taxi’s lined up in both directions as far as the eye could see. What city has grid lock at 1:30am? And what looked like a short trip from Khao San Road to our hotel across the bridge in the Pinklao district regularly took up to an hour after 1:00am. Just a few miles and on the outer perimeter of Bangkok to be sure, but still a major undertaking at any hour of the day or night.

And yet even so Thai’s continue to buy cars because they are status symbols. The Thai government has a 100-300% tariff on auto’s which means a Toyota Corolla (or something similar) will cost up to $35,000. It hasn’t stopped car buying in the least. I can tell how important they are to Thai’s especially younger Thai’s as a status symbol by listening to Golf and her friends. Even though the public transport in Bangkok is faster and so much cheaper they all want the status that a car exudes.

Personally I would rather spend $0.25 to get across town on a bus (scary) or ferry or the Bangkok BTS or even spring a whole $3.00 for a taxi, but I think I will end up falling prey to the need to increase our status when we move back to Thailand. I may even end up driving the beast, but I don’t think I will have the same patience that the Thai’s have on the road. Maybe I need to cultivate the mai bpen rai attitude so common in Thailand. Why have a stroke over something you can’t change? Rode tid mak mak. Mai bpen rai…

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Calling a songthaew is quite simple, actually the same as calling a taxi. You simply wait by the side of the road until you see one coming and then gesture for it to stop by holding out your hand with the palm down. In some towns the songthaews actually follow a regular route and there are set stops for them (Chiang Mai and Pattaya come to mind).

You will find that the songthaews can operate differently in different towns. In Pattaya, where the songthaews follow regular routes, all you need to do is jump in once the songthaew has stopped and then ring the buzzer in the back when you’re ready to get off. Fares can vary as well from town to town so it is often a good idea in most towns to ask about the fare before entering the songthaew. It can also be a good idea to ask about your destination to make sure the songthaew is going that way. If not, the driver will shake his (or her) head and drive on. Simply wait at the same spot for the next songthaew to come along which will likely be within minutes.

Fares for the songthaew are usually in the range of 10-20 baht, although prices can be significantly higher in tourist locations. Even a short trip could cost you 40 baht or more in places like Samui. While some people like to complain about this rise in prices I like to remember that 20 baht is only US$0.50 so it’s really not that big a deal and certainly nothing to get upset about. The fact is that the drivers are running a business and they will charge whatever the market (you and me) will bear. Capitalism at its best even in the Far East.

If you happen to see a parked songthaew you can often charter it just like a taxi to take you wherever you need to go. Because you are the only passenger the price will be higher than normal though. Expect to pay around 100 baht or so. You can even charter some songthaews for a half day or entire day, just negotiate the price with the driver and pay at the end of the day. Great if you have a large party of people. And don’t worry if you can’t speak Thai, most drivers have some English skills and often the combination of their limited English and sign language will be enough to come to an agreement.

One word of warning about the songthaew – it can be dangerous depending on your driver. Some drivers drink while driving the songthaew and some tend to drive very fast since the amount they can make is often dependant on how quickly they can make a circuit of their route. Golf was actually thrown out of the back of a songthaew when she was 15. The driver was speeding and he hit a bump while making a turn. The combination of the bump, the speed and the turn threw her up into the air and right out the back of the songthaew.

I still recommend that you use the songthaew to get around as it is quite cheap and in most cases is safe as long as you have your wits about you. If the driver is visibly intoxicated take a pass, but otherwise you should be fine.

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Getting to Koh Phangan from Bangkok

I’m sure many if not most of you will be interested in how to get to Koh Phangan from Thailand’s capital city of Bangkok. As the hub of transportation for Thailand it’s a logical place to begin your travels through the Kingdom.

Obviously the quickest way to get to Koh Phangan from Bangkok is going to be by air. You have two choices here, either fly to Surat Thani and take the boat from there or fly to Koh Samui and take the boat from there. The quickest method is to fly to Koh Samui as the boat from there to Phangan is only 90 minutes or so. Ferries from Surat Thani will take in the neighborhood of 4 hours.

If you plan on taking the quickest route then you can fly to Koh Samui with either Bangkok Airways or Thai Airways. I personally recommend Bangkok Airways as the prices are 60-70% less than Thai Airways. Off season flights are as low as THB3600. Once you land in Samui stop by the limosine counter to get your boat and bus tickets for Koh Phangan.

Those preferring to fly to Surat Thani can get there flying with Thai Airways or Air Asia, again the price for Thai Airways is 30-40% higher so unless you have some reason to fly with them I would choose Air Asia. Also take note that when booking air tickets during the high season (November-March) it is recommended that you book several weeks in advance.

If you are looking for a cheaper way to get to Koh Phangan and don’t mind taking a bit longer then a bus is a great way to go. Busses for southern Thailand destinations leave from Sai Tai Mai bus station (Borom Rachachonnanee Rd, Bang Bamru, Bang Phlat, Bangkok, 10700) each night at 19:30 and cost THB895. The trip takes about 12 hours and you can also get the boat tickets when purchasing your bus ticket. Thailand’s long haul buses are pretty comfortable and you might even want to take a sweater because they really crank up the AC!

Another inexpensive way to get to Koh Phangan from Bangkok is by train leaving from the Hua Lumphong station several times a night. Purchase a combination ticket for onward bus and ferry travel to get you to Phangan early the next day. Cost for the train is THB519 for 1st class A/C and THB248 for 2nd class A/C. You can get time tables and rates from the State Railway website.

Boat Schedules for Travel To Koh Phangan

KPG = Koh Phangan / KS = Koh Samui / KT = Koh Tao / ST = Surat Thani

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Now you can find full moon parties on other islands throughout Thailand for sure, but none of them even come close to what has become the world famous quintessential beach party on Koh Phangan. It is believed that the party started sometime in the late 1980′s (1988 or 1989) as someone’s birthday party and was so great that they started coming back each month to party again. Slowly the party grew as more travelers heard about it until today when it has become a virtual city of party people each full moon.

You really can’t imagine what it’s like without experiencing it yourself. Haad Rin beach is now home to 10 different sound systems pumping out all kinds of music from techno to drum beat to rave and everything else you can think of. People fueled by vodka and Red Bull buckets (a combination of Red Bull, Coke and vodka or whiskey), among other things, dance on the beach from sunset until sunrise and even after. Everyone is friendly and happy and it is like no other vibe you’ve ever experienced.

Of course the popularity of the Full Moon Party can make it difficult to find a room on Koh Phangan, so I would suggest getting there a few days before the full moon. It will be fine because the Full Moon Party usually gets started a few days before the full moon anyway. I have more detailed instructions on the post Getting to Koh Phangan including air travel, buses, trains and ferry schedules. You can find a great list of Koh Phangan hotels at Hotels.com or alternatively find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor.

Full Moon Party Dates 2010

• Wednesday 28, July
• Wednesday 25, August
• Thursday 23, September
• Saturday 23, October
• Sunday 21, November
• Tuesday 21, December
• Saturday 25, December
• Friday 31, December

Full Moon Party Dates 2011

• Wednesday 19, January
• Friday 18, February
• Saturday 19, March
• Monday 18, April
• Tuesday 17, May
• Wednesday 15, June
• Friday 15, July
• Saturday 13, August
• Monday 12, September
• Tuesday 11, October
• Thursday 10, November
• Saturday 10, December
• Sunday 25, December
• Saturday 31, December

And don’t forget to stay safe while you’re partying. Follow these common safety rules for the Full Moon Party and you’ll have a much better time.

Enjoy the Full Moon Party Safely

1. Take a copy of your passport with you, and keep original passport in your hotel’s safe.
2. Take the hotel’s business card to contact them in case of emergency.
3. Don’t take bags with you, it’s likely you’ll lose them.
4. Take enough pocket money and keep it in 2-3 different pockets. It’s about 2,000-5,000 Baht.
5. Wear shoes to protect your feet from broken bottles.
6. Set a time and place to meet up with your friends, you WILL lose them in the huge scale noise and partying going on.
7. If you don’t want to be jailed, avoid bringing drugs to the party

There now you have the info to get there and you have the party dates. Don’t be like Golf and myself. We’ve wanted to go to the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan for several years and every time we’ve been in Thailand we’ve missed it be a few days one way or another. Ahhhhh…well it gives us another reason to keep coming back to Thailand.

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Take a look at Nevada which has over 30 licensed brothels. And what about prostitution in New York, Los Angeles, Moscow, Seoul and even Bangkok itself. There are much larger numbers of prostitutes and in some places it is just as open as Pattaya.

Since the Thai’s don’t put the same negative connotation on prostitution that westerners do it is much more open. Don’t get me wrong, upper class Thai’s will still frown on prostitutes and will view them as second class citizens, but they also acknowledge the reality of the situation and the fact that prostitution has and will always exist. They know what pigs men are

There is no doubt that Pattaya was developed due to the sex trade, maintained because of the sex trade, and prospers today because of the sex trade. It is likely that billions are spent annually in Thailand on sex and all of the related tourist dollars spent on hotels, food, drinks, condoms, gifts, taxis etc.

But Pattaya can be more than just sex. You can go windsurfing, parasailing, bungy jumping, horse-riding, Go-Karting, shooting, scuba diving, waterskiing, snorkeling, sailing, jet-skiing and bowling. Or you can play snooker, golf, badminton, tennis or squash. You can even race Formula 3 cars at the Prince Bira International Circuit which is located on the outskirts of town.

Pattaya is also by far the most westernized place in Thailand and you are just as likely to hear English or German on the streets as you are Thai. Most of the signs include both Thai and English, something you won’t find even in Bangkok. English language newspapers, books and magazines are easy to find and many of the bar owners in Pattaya are farang.

No, Pattaya probably isn’t the largest brothel in the world although it is the cheapest and that is the draw for many. That combined with the ease of obtaining any kind of sexual favor has made Pattaya a kind of legend among sex tourists and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Thailand would need to crack down on prostitution there as well as in Bangkok and Phuket and there is just too much money to be lost from the millions of sex tourists that come to Thailand each year.

If you are easily offended by seeing blatant sex for sale, fat old men with young girls or transvestites (katooey) then leave Pattaya off your tour agenda. But don’t expect it to change because Pattaya is what it is. Love it or hate Pattaya is there to stay.

BTW – I haven’t been to Pattaya yet, although Golf has. Seems a very interesting place for people watching. I do want to get there sometime if for no other reason than to see Tiffany’s Show. If you’ve been to Pattaya we’d love to hear about it, leave a comment.

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And now, even before Thailand tourism has recovered from the PAD demonstrations, we’ve had the red shirt takeover of many parts of Bangkok, just recently ended when red shirt leaders surrendered to the authorities. Yet the aftermath of that surrender, with several dozen buildings, including the huge Central World mall, the Thailand stock exchange and various print and television media outlets being set afire, has probably caused more harm than the entire 8 week standoff.

Thailand’s Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij has recently said that the red shirt protest have had a “disastrous” effect of Thai tourism. He goes on to say that tourism makes up 6% of Thailand’s GDP, but employs roughly 15-20% of the Thai workforce. He anticipates that the troubles in Bangkok will result in an impact on GDP of 0.3-0.5% and says that “we expect the formal Q1 (first quarter) figure to be in two digits” for 2010.

Well certainly first quarter numbers will be good Khun Chatikavanij, with all due respect the protests didn’t begin until near the end of the first quarter. What I am much more interested in seeing is the results for the other 3 quarters of 2010. Let’s face it; the destruction of a shopping center that accounts for 7 billion baht in sales annually and employs over 1000 people is no small thing. Coupled with the fact that most tourists, even tourists to Thailand, book their trips anywhere from 3-12 months in advance and I think we will see more than a 0.3-0.5% reduction in GDP.

People may have short memories, but Thailand tourism was still recovering from the 2008 airport takeover and this will put tourism in the Kingdom back another step. Since I don’t believe that all is as peaceful and settles as we would be led to believe it’s possible that more turmoil could be forthcoming, further dampening the flow of tourists into Thailand.

Many people note that troubles in Bangkok do not necessarily impact tourism in the islands and I heartily disagree with that sentiment. The protest and rioting in Bangkok will affect all areas of Thailand as they are all tied together in the tourists mind. As an example look at the impact of the swine flu on Mexican tourism. Even though there were no reported cases of swine flu on the Yucatan Penninsula and all confirmed cases were in Mexico City, some 1800km (1100 miles) from the Yucatan, there was a significant drop in tourism all along the Yucatan from Cancun to Cozumel to Playa del Carmen. People simply knew that swine flu was in Mexico and that was enough for them to cancel travel to ANY part of Mexico.

Overall tourism in Mexico fell an estimated 11.4% in 2009. Additionally, unemployment rose to the highest levels since 2000 when records were first kept. Mexico derives 8% of its GDP from tourism, pretty much on par with Thailand’s reported 6% figure.

Mexico’s example certainly doesn’t bode well for the Thailand tourism sector in 2010 and with 15-20% of the workforce employed in tourism who knows what kind of unemployment will be seen. Additionally, I wonder if that figure includes support services such as restaurants, bars and shopping venues? I seriously doubt that it does. What is the total impact when all of the ancillary services and business are considered?

Luckily the Thai’s are very resourceful and will rebound from this set back I’m sure. Family structures are still in place and helping each other, whether financially or through other means, is still a commonplace practice in Thailand. Worst case scenario for many is that they will move back home to their parents or grandparents farms. It may not be glamorous, but at least they won’t starve. And eventually the tourists will return to enjoy some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the world as well as some of the most beautiful people in the world.

I know some of my readers live in tourist destinations such as Krabi, Ko Phangan, Chiang Mai and Phuket and I’d love to hear your take on what tourism was like this past high season and what it looks like now. Please leave comments below to help us get a better picture of what’s happening on the ground.

Photo credits: flickr.com users friskodude and jo.sau.

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Over the past months several people have asked about seeing pictures of Golf and I and I have been simply directing them to the Thai Brides page which has several photos of the two of us from our wedding. Last week I did that and realized that those pictures are now over 3 years old and you guys deserve some updated pics!

So, here are some much more recent photos taken on our October 2009 trip to Playa del Carmen Mexico. Not sure if any of you have ever been there, but if you ever decide to visit Mexico I would HIGHLY recommend Playa as a relaxing and fun destination.

Since this isn’t really a post about Playa I’ll just quickly let you know that it is on the Caribbean side of Mexico, about 45 minutes south of Cancun, right across from Cozumel. It’s more of a family destination than a party town like Cancun, but still has it’s share of bars (especially on their Walking Street).

Since this is where we spent most of our time, here’s the beach club we used in Playa, called Mamita’s. The first photo is the beach and the second is from the restaurant right off the beach. The really nice thing is the waiters come right out to the beach chairs so you can have lunch and a beer or margarita literally feet from the sea with your toes stuck firmly in the sand.

(You can see bigger versions of each picture by clicking on it – RECOMMENDED)

Here’s two photos of Golf and I, the first is on our way to the beach (you can see it was hot in Playa, even Golf is sweating a bit). The second is the compulsory picture with Senor Frog.

Playa is on the Yucatan Penninsula in Mexico and is well known for many Mayan ruins, such as Chitzen Itza and the one we visited called Tulum. Tulum was a major port for the Mayans and was first mentioned by the Spanish in 1518. The ruins are some of the best preserved coastal Mayan ruins in Mexico.

Finally I want to include some foodie pics. I know you guys there in Thailand are NOT gonna get great Mexican food like this, so try not to drool too much. The food in Playa is as good as it gets and is pretty darn cheap too if you get outside the tourist areas. Plus, most places run a happy hour from like 6-8pm and have 2 for 1 specials that work out to about US$1 a beer. Needless to say A LOT of cold beer was used to wash down the fabulous Mexican food!

The first picture is the guy making tacos al pastor at El Fogon (awesome restaurant!) Tacos al pastor for less than a dollar, awesome arrachara and the best red bean soup I have ever had! We ate there probably 5-6 times and the food was always great and our bill was never more than US$15. The second pic is our second favorite place called El Oasis. The shrimp (and the fish) tacos are to die for! I don’t think the pics do the tacos justice so you’ll have to take my word for it. They also server them with a tamarind sauce and habenero sauce that make them both sweet and super spicy…YUM! We stopped by here after happy hour or at the end of the night quite a few times.

And here are some BBQ prawns we had on the beach and I mean actually on the beach feet from the ocean. Not quite as big as the tiger prawns in Thailand, but still sweet and tender and delicious. And the last shot is Golf and I enjoying one of our many meals at El Fogon.

Hope you guys enjoyed the pictures and the quick Playa del Carmen trip report. Golf and I loved it there and when possible will be going back again. Like I said it is a family atmosphere there and I don’t think taking a baby will prove troublesome. Plus the plane ride is a quick 4 1/2 hours from here compared to the 18+ hour ride to Thailand. Of course Thailand still has our hearts, but this gem in Mexico is a good alternative!

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De Moc Hotel
Price: From US$34 (includes breakfast)
Address: 78 Prajatipatai Rd., Pra Nakorn, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Phone: 66-2-282-2833
No visit to Bangkok is complete without at least swinging by Khao San Road. This so called backpackers ghetto is a riot of noise, color and personality and is not to be missed in my opinion. Loads of pubs, clubs and restaurants in the area along with great people watching make Khao San a must. To be close to the action you’ll want to stay nearby (but not too close if you want to avoid the noise) and De Moc Hotel fills this role perfectly. It’s close and cheap and the rooms are clean and the staff helpful and friendly. It’s also close to famous tourist spots such as the Grand Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Temple of Dawn, Marble Temple and the Golden Teak Palace.
Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about Hotel De Moc

Baiyoke Sky Hotel
Price: From US$53
Address: 222 Rajprarop Rd, Rajthavee, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Phone: 66-2-656-3000
The Baiyoke Sky Hotel is located right in the heart of Bangkok and is unique as being the tallest hotel in Bangkok. Visit the Sky Bar and observation deck for some of the most amazing views of Bangkok ever. Even if you’re not staying at the hotel it’s worth it to stop by the Sky Bar for the view alone.
Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about Baiyoke Sky Hotel

Swiss Lodge Hotel
Price: From US$65 (includes breakfast)
Address: 3 Convent Road, Silom, Bangkok, Thailand
Phone: 66-2-233-5345
This small boutique hotel is located on Convent Road, just minutes from BNH Hospital and Silom Road. I like it for the close proximity to the Pat Pong night market and Sala Daeng BTS station. Since it is removed from Silom a bit it is still quiet and peaceful…an oasis from the heat and bustle of Bangkok.
Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about Swiss Lodge Hotel

Rembrandt Hotel
Price: From US$65 (includes breakfast)
Address: 19 Sukhumvit Soi 18, Sukhumvit Road Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Phone: 66-2-261-7100
This 4 star hotel is located right in the heart of Sukhumvit making it convenient to everything that area has to offer. Enjoy the good sized rooms, friendly staff and great location.
Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about Rembrandt Hotel

Adelphi Suites Hotel
Price: From US$74 (includes breakfast)
Address: 6 Sukhumvit Soi 8, Bangkok, 10110, Thailand
Phone: 66-2-617-5100
We stayed here on our last trip to Bangkok and I was honestly blown away considering the location and price of the hotel. First off it’s a small boutique hotel which we like. The location is outstanding, just a couple blocks off Sukhumvit and a 90 second walk to the Nana Plaza BTS station. We loved the roof pool, but thought the gym was a bit small (but adequate). The staff were all friendly and the rooms were quite large including refrigerator, stove and washing machine. Definitely recommended.
Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about Adelphi Suites Hotel

Shanghai Mansion
Price: From US$76 (includes breakfast)
Address: 479-481 Yaowaraj Road, Samphanthawong Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Phone: 66-2-678-0101
If Chinatown and Chinese style is what you’re interested in then stay in the heart at the Shanghai Mansion. Décor is early 20th century Chinese and is so faithful you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped back in time the minute you step foot in the lobby. Added to the wonderful detail of the décor and furnishings is the attention to detail and attentiveness of the staff making this a top choice for Bangkok accommodations.
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Siam City Hotel
Price: From US$98 (includes breakfast)
Address: 477 Si Ayuthaya Rd Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Phone: 66-2-247-0123
The central location of the Siam City Hotel makes access to shopping at MBK and Siam Paragon a breeze as well as giving easy access to many of Bangkok’s famous temples and palaces via the Skytrain. Rooms are spacious by Bangkok standards and are tastefully decorated in a traditional Asian style making them cozy and warm. The pool is also a treat and coming back to cool off from the heat of the city is quite welcoming.
Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about Siam City Hotel

The Pan Pacific Hotel
Price: US$158
Address: 952 Rama IV Rd, Suriyawongse Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Phone: 66-2-632-9000
While the Pan Pacific sees mostly Asian travelers and businessmen, its central location makes it a great place to stay. Easy access to the business district, shopping and the Silom (Pat Pong) night market are all good reasons to choose the Pan Pacific.
Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about The Pan Pacific Hotel

Shangri-La Hotel
Price: From US$163
Address: 89 Soi Wat Suan Plu, New Road Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Phone: 66-2-236-7777
Another riverside hotel in the heart of the Sathorn Rd. business district, the Shangri-La has been voted one of the top ten hotels in the world by travel sites and magazines consistently year after year. The level of service, the spacious and tastefully decorated rooms and the atmosphere make the Shangri-La a haven within Bangkok and well worth trying.
Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about Shangri-La Hotel

Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit
Price: From US$178
Address: 250 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Phone: 66-2-649-8888
In addition to its prime location on Sukhumvit Road, the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit offers a connected bridge right to the Skytrain, amazing pool and gardens, award winning restaurants, a high tech fitness center and one of the newest hip clubs in Bangkok – BarSu. It is known throughout Asia as one of the top business and luxury hotels and you can be sure that you won’t be disappointed by your stay here. Honestly you might feel so pampered that you won’t even want to leave the hotel.
Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit

Peninsula Hotel
Price: From US$296
Address: 333 Charoennakorn Road, Klongsan, Bangkok, Thailand
Phone: 66-2-861-2888
This jewel along the banks of the Chao Phraya River has won numerous awards and rightly so. This 5 star hotel definitely lives up to the name. The level of service is world class, the views from many of the rooms of Bangkok over the Chao Phraya can be amazing and the surrounding grounds and gardens are just lovely. While some of the rooms may be a bit small the quality of the furnishings makes up for this. The Peninsula also has several excellent restaurants o try, however be warned that they are a bit pricey.
Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about Peninsula Hotel

Oriental Hotel
Price: From US$389 (includes breakfast)
Address: 48 Oriental Avenue , Bangkok, Thailand 10500
Phone: 66-2-659-9000
I don’t think that any discussion of Bangkok Hotels would be complete without including the Oriental. This is the very first hotel I stayed in when I arrived in Bangkok in 1997 so it holds a special place for me. Granted the price is high, but how often do you stay at one of the top hotels in all the world. Each room has its own personal butler and the rooms themselves are comtemporary, bright, airy and spacious. If you’re a foodie then you’re also in for a treat at the Oriental as they have 9 different restaurants and all of them are outstanding. Whether it’s La Normandie for classical French fare, Lord Jim’s for seafood or Sala Rim Naam for Thai food and classical Thai dancers you are guaranteed to have a glorious meal. Finally, don’t miss the Bamboo bar which has a great ambiance and is perfect for a dink before or after dinner or to start the evening.
Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about Oriental Hotel

So there you have it, 12 great hotels in Bangkok with prices ranging from $34-389 a night. They are located all over the city too so there should be one that fits both your price range and location needs. Obviously this is just a small sampling of ALL the hotels in Bangkok, but I think it is a pretty darn good sampling. If you’ve stayed at any of these hotels I’d love to hear about your experiences below. Or if you have any ideas for another hotel in Bangkok you think is excellent let me know about that as well.

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• Choosing Thailand Hotels for Songkran
• Swiss Lodge Bangkok Boutique Hotel Bangkok Thailand
• SD Avenue Hotel Review Bangkok Thailand
• Shopping Outside Bangkok | Really Great Bargains!
• Thailand Best Beach Hotels and Resorts

So, Golf and I are planning our next trip to Thailand for Songkran 2009 and I’ve been doing lots of research on hotels in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket. You know there are hundreds of hotels in each of the three locations ranging in price from $10 to over $1000 per night! While it can be a bit overwhelming initially, we know what we need so that helps narrow things down a bit.

Usually in Bangkok we stay at the SD Avenue Hotel, but this time we’re looking for a more central location and the SD Avenue is all the way out in Pinklao which makes for lots of long taxi/boat/bus rides.

Rather than put all of my thoughts into one post I’m going to spend some time looking at each of the short listed hotels and will then let you know our final decision and why we’ve chosen to stay in each of the hotels. And of course you’ll get the follow up posts in May 2009 to let you know our experiences and whether or not we made good choices (I certainly hope so).

Our choices in each of the three places are going to be based primarily on the following considerations:

Location: This is the key to our decision. Especially in Bangkok it is good to be as close to where you need to be as possible. This is true to a smaller extent in Chiang Mai. Phuket presents a different picture as our location decision will be mostly driven by the various beaches.

Price: Unfortunately I haven’t become rich yet from Thailand Musings so I need to keep things within budget. While my budget might not be your budget, I believe my choices provide good value for the money. If you’re looking for the cheapest places to stay then no need to read on as we are not going to be traveling on a shoestring budget. Think of us as more like flashpackers.

Room Amenities: The size of the room and access to Wi-Fi are the most important considerations here, but I can tell you that room amenities are a very distant 3^rd place compared to price and location.

That’s about it. I know some of you may be concerned with other facilities and amenities like swimming pools, restaurants, room service and the like, but I’ve found that I rarely use any of these and they certainly aren’t enough to make or break a booking decision for me. Though I will say that in some cases they may make sense and I will certainly include them in my reviews they are my very last considerations when looking at hotels.

So, here is the short list for each location:

Bangkok (Pratunam/Siam area) – Grand Centre Point Rachadamri Hotel, Pathumwan Princess Hotel, Pullman Bangkok King Power Hotel

Bangkok (Sukhumvit area) – Grand Millenium Sukhumvit Hotel, President Solitaire Hotel, Adelphi Suites Hotel

Chiang Mai – Imperial Mae Ping Hotel, Chiang Mai Orchid Hotel

Phuket (Patong Beach) – Millenium Resort, Patong Merlin Hotel, Impiana Phuket Cabana Resort & Spa

Phuket (Karon/Kata Beach) – Katathani Phuket Beach Resort, Mom Tri’s Villa Royale Hotel, Centara Villas Phuket

In the next few weeks I’ll let you know what I’ve found out about each of the hotels and which one’s we’ve decided to book. In the meantime if you have any experience with any of the hotels I’m going to discuss or any suggestions for other hotels we would all be happy to have your comments.

Check out these similar posts:

• Hilton Celebrates Songkran in Thailand
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I know many of you have probably watched this weeks financial news with a sinking feeling in your stomach. The good news is that Thailand is still there and it’s just as cheap as ever. In fact, for us Americans it looks like the dollar has rebounded a bit against the baht so your trip will be even a bit cheaper.

To help cheer us all I’ve put together this collection of Thailand photos. Maybe you can’t be there physically, but this can at least help you to be there mentally and hopefully will put some cheer into everyones weekend.

Each set is from a different location, see if you can guess the location of each. And no fair hovering over the pictures to see the titles!

Thailand Picture Set #1

Thailand Picture Set #2

Thailand Picture Set #3

Thailand Picture Set #4

Hope you all enjoyed the Thailand pictures and have a great weekend!

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Looks like an online poll by Travel + Leisure magazine voted Bangkok as the top city in the world for vacation travel. The Galapagos were voted the top island in the world for travelers. Last year the winners were Florence, Italy and Bali, Indonesia.

This is the first time that Bangkok has grabbed the title for top vacation city in the world and it’s about time. All of us that have been there know the charms of the Big Mango. About time the rest of the world discovered it too.

Hopefully this will helps Thailand‘s flagging tourism industry which has been notably weaker this year, probably due to increasing travel costs coupled with the strong Thai baht. I for one have been happily watching the baht weaken over the past month, although even at 33.75 baht to the dollar it’s no bargain. I’ll be glad to see levels back around the 40 baht to the dollar range. :>)

Surprisingly, none of Thailand‘s islands made it to the top 10 world wide although Phuket was #2 in Asia beating out Penang Malaysia, but losing out to Bali, Indonesia. I would have thought at least one of the hundreds of Thai islands would have been in the top 10 considering the crystal clear waters and great snorkeling and diving in the Andaman Sea islands. Well, maybe next year.

In the top 20 hotel spas the Four Seasons Spa in Chiang Mai came in #2 with the only spa beating it out being the Wickaninnish Inn Tofino, Vancouver Island, Canada which I’ve never even heard of. I haven’t been to the Four Seasons in Chiang Mai yet, but it’s definitely on the list and if the service is even close to the Four Seasons Tokyo (where I have stayed) then I know it will be a great place to stay. Rounding out the top 20 for Thailand was The Oriental Bangkok at #12, which should come as no surprise to any of you who have stayed there. Even if you can’t afford the room rates I highly recommend the riverside dinner buffet which was outstanding last time I ate there.

Good to see Bangkok and Thailand represented in these top lists from Travel+Leisure magazine. Can you think of any other areas or hotels from Thailand that should have been included? I for one would have liked to see Koh Phi Phi on the list simply for it’s amazing scenery if nothing else.

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One of the best places to experience Songkran in Thailand is in Chiang Mai, featuring Lanna Thai style celebrations throughout this northern capital of Thailand. Songkran in Chiang Mai is celebrated on a grand scale with a flavor uniquely and entirely its own, attracting visitors from far and wide.

For 2008 the Songkran Thai New Year festivities in Chiang Mai are scheduled for April 13-15. However you’ll find merry making and sanook throughout the city for most of the month of April. Festivities will be held at temples, in the vicinity of the city’s gates and around the city moat.

One of the highlights of the festival is the ‘Songkran Beauty Queen Procession’ that takes place on Songkran Day itself – April 13. Here you will see Thai girls in traditional Lanna costume vying for the title of Miss Songkran. Meanwhile, many other events leading up to the main attraction are spread over several days and it is here that the visitor gets to see various aspects of Chiang Mai, first hand, — its culture, cuisine, arts and crafts, as well as the friendly people.

Devout Buddhists visit the temple for merit-making and to listen to sermons. Lustral water is sprinkled on sacred Buddha images, such as the Phra Buddha Sihing image, and also poured over the hands of monks in a gesture of reverence. Donations are also made to the temple. Enjoy traditional Thai cultural performances held in the temple ground.

Highlights of the Chiang Mai Songkran festival will include:

• Lanna Thai cultural performances and folk games
• Sand-stupa building contest
• Songkran water-splashing
• Phra Buddha Sihing procession
• Buddha images bathing ritual
• Merit-making activities and presentation of offerings to Buddhist monks
• The release of fish and birds in observance of ancient Buddhist merit-making customs
• ‘Rod nam dum hua’ bathing rituals as a gesture of respect to elderly relatives and other respected individuals

For more information contact the Tourism Authority of Thailand Northern Office : Region 1 (Chiang Mai)
Tel: +66 (0) 5324 8604 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +66 (0) 5324 8604      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +66 (0) 5324 8604      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, (0) 5324 8607

If you need a hotel in Chiang Mai check out the low rates at Agoda.com

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Some of you have probably visited Nana Plaza in Bangkok or have at least read my post regarding the history and future of Nana Plaza. Well in that post I told you about the declining business in Nana Plaza last year and continuing into this year. It seems that the major owners in Nana Plaza have decided to protect themselves by diversifying.

Looks like Nana will be spreading out and opening a new location in Phuket Thailand. They are calling it Nana Plaza Patong and as you may have guessed it will be located in the heart of the Patong Beach nightlife area.

The owners of this new, fully covered entertainment complex have secured a government registered lease in this newly sanctioned entertainment zone in Patong. As you can see from the map below the Nana Plaza area is pretty small compared to the entire entertainment zone, so I wonder what else will be going there – casino’s anyone?

Phuket and Patong specifically is the logical place for an entertainment complex of this nature and it makes me wonder what it will do for tourism in Phuket. Certainly there will be a large number of tourists coming in that may never have made it to Phuket without this incentive. And if Pattaya is any indication not all of the new comers will be of the best variety. Will this drive the family vacationers to other areas of Phuket?

It does look like this is being planned out and will be a serious investment for some. If you’re interested in owning a bar in Phuket this may be a good opportunity to invest, however remember this is Thailand so don’t put anything in that you’re not willing to lose.

The group running the entertainment complex promises help for everything from the lease process through day to day operations to marketing for the new Nana Plaza Patong. They also claim to be planning a massive marketing campaign worldwide.

You will benefit from massive marketing of the plaza all over the world via the internet and a huge presence all over the island with billboards, T-shirts, baseball caps, a radio show and much more.

There is no indication when this will be opening, but I’ll be keeping my ears open. For those of you that love the nightlife this should be a great place to vacation in Thailand and for those of you that just like the occasional “unique” experience I think it’s gonna be much better than the current offerings. Time will tell, but I for one will be interested in seeing Nana Plaza Patong once it’s up and running.

Considering the current nightlife situation in Thailand do you think this is a good idea? Will an entertainment complex like this make Phuket a more attractive or less attractive destination?

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