Beyond Bangkok
North
Ayutthaya
A 90-minute drive north of Bangkok brings you to the ancient city of Ayutthaya - pronounced eye-YOU-teeuh - which was the Thai capital for 417 years before it was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767. Up until that time it was a bustling metropolis attracting both European and Asian traders. Its population grew to more than a million, double that of London at the time, and many of its inhabitants used the waterways that surrounded the city for homes and transport.
The city was established by Prince Ramathibodi of U-Thong, on an island formed by the confluence of the Lopburi, Pa Sak, and Chao Phraya rivers. Today the rivers provide an ideal spot from which to view the city. After the vicious attack the city became a ghost town. The inhabitants were either killed or taken away as slaves.
Today it stands as an historic landmark with little to show for its glorious past except for shreds of ancient temples and museums, which tell the lengthy history of a city ruled by 33 different kings since its inception in 1350. It is just 75 kilometers north of Bangkok, which makes it an easy day-trip by road, rail or boat.
By Bus
Direct air conditioned buses leave Bangkok every half-hour from the Northern bus terminal on Phaholyothin Road (tel. 02537 8055) from 5:30am until 7:30pm.
By Train
Trains leave Bangkok's Hualampong station (tel. 0223 0710) every hour from 6:40am until 10pm.
- AUTHOR'S NOTE: The journey from Bangkok to Ayutthaya by bus or train is about 90 minutes.
By Boat
There are no public boats making trips here, but you can book an excursion with one of the following companies:
Oriental Queen (tel. 02236 0400) leaves at 8am from the Oriental Hotel; 1,800 Baht.
River Sun Cruise (tel. 02266 9125) departs at the same time from the River City Shopping complex; 1,500 Baht.
Horizon Cruise (tel. 02266 8164) departs the Shangri-La hotel and costs 1,490 Baht.
The Chao Phraya Express Boat (tel. 02222 5330) has a Sunday tour that starts at 8am from Maharat Pier and costs 300 Baht.
Mit Chao Phraya Express Boat (tel. 02225 6179) has a similar Sunday trip starting at the Tha Chang Pier at 8:30am; 300 Baht.
If you want to spend two days and a night on the trip, Manohra Cruises operates a luxury trip from the Marriott Resort Hotel (tel. 02476 0021), that costs over 6,000 Baht. Another operator, Mekhala (tel. 02256 7168), has a similar trip, which departs from pier in Soi Charoen Nakhon 59 and costs between 5,000 and 6,000 Baht depending upon the accommodation. An interesting and inexpensive option is the Rice-Barge Cruise.
Ayutthaya is one of those places that is famous for what it was, not what it is now or will be in the future. Once you've wandered around the remains and taken a boat trip, there's not a lot to do here. It makes a pleasant break from the buzz of Bangkok, but we found that after a few hours we wanted to go back to the Thailand of today.
Best accommodation, should you want to spend more time studying the history, is at the Krungsri River Hotel, Pa-Sak River Bank, tel. 03524 4333, fax 03524 3777, $. Plenty of things to do after sightseeing, including a bowling center, swimming pool, snooker club, and fitness center. The 200-room complex also has a pub, restaurant, cafeteria and karaoke lounge. The hotel is on the eastern side of the Pridi Damrong Bridge and not too far from the railway station.
Museums
The city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 and attracts historians and temple lovers as a result. The Ayutthaya Historical Study Center on Rochana Road is a national research institute devoted to the study of Ayutthaya. The center is also responsible for Ayutthaya's history museum, Chai Sam Phraya National Museum. Both the center and museum are open Wednesday through Sunday from 9am until 4pm; admission 40 Baht for both.
Temples & Palaces
Ayutthaya is a temple-lover's dream come true. Although most were destroyed during the 1767 attack, many have been rebuilt over the years. Most of the city's treasures and gold were taken by the Burmese, but surprisingly, during the rebuilding of some of the temples, treasures were found buried underground and are now on display, either on-site, at the Chai Sam Phraya museum (see above) or at the National Museum in Bangkok.
Today there are a dozen temples to visit, all spectacular in their way. One that did survive the Burmese attack was Wat Phra Meru, which has an impressive carved wooden ceiling, and an 18-foot-high Ayutthaya-style Buddha image that is covered in gold leaf.
The Viharn Phra Mongkol Bophit temple was originally built in 1610 and rebuilt in 1956. Its giant Buddha, one of the biggest in Thailand, spent 200 years in the open air before a new home was built. This is a favorite area for festivals (see below), and the adjoining park provides the perfect rest areas for locals and tourists. Look for elephants that provide rides around the park.
- AUTHOR'S NOTE: Based on our observations, elephant-riding here seems a popular pastime with camera-clutching Japanese visitors.
If you want to take a break from the tour of temples take a look at the Chankasem Palace, originally built during the reign of King Maha Thammaraja, the 17th Ayutthayan monarch. Destroyed in the 1767 attack, it remained a ruin until King Mongkut rebuilt it about 100 years later for his use during occasional visits to Ayutthaya.
One of the attractions that used to bring the royal family here was the rounding up of the wild elephants. The large enclosure, the elephant kraal, is made up of massive teak logs and provides an unusual photo opportunity although the last use of the kraal for capturing elephants was in May 1903 during King Chulalongkorn's reign.
- AUTHOR'S NOTE: One item that caught us by surprise was the large Roman Catholic Church of St. Joseph, which looked out of place among the numerous temples.
Festivals
January
Bang Sai Arts and Crafts Fair: This annual week-long fair held at the end of January showcases products from all districts of Ayutthaya province and is part of the Queen's Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques (SUPPORT) project to promote local products and handwork. In addition to the exhibitions and displays of crafts, there are numerous performances of folk music and dancing.
April
Songkran: The Thai New Year festival is celebrated in grand style here in Ayutthaya, with the main celebrations on April 13 taking place in front of the giant Buddha, Viharn Phra Mongkol Bophut.
November
Bang Sai Loi Krathong (Festival of Lights) & International Boat Racing: This festival takes place all over Thailand. Here, the highlight occurs in front of the Chantakasem National Museum. In addition to the setting adrift of little candlelit boats under the full moon, there are exhibits of local handiwork, street parties and boat racing.
December
World Heritage Site Festival: To commemorate its designation as a World Heritage Site in 1991 by UNESCO, Ayutthaya holds a week-long celebration before Christmas with numerous events, including a sound-and-light show highlighting the city ruins, fireworks, exhibitions and parades.
Bang Sai
By Bus
Buses leave from the Northern Bus Terminal on Bangkok's Phaholyothin Road every 30 minutes between 5:30am and 6pm. Tickets are 25 Baht by air conditioned bus, and 17 Baht by ordinary buses.
By Car
If you are driving north from Bangkok, take the Bang Sai-Sam Khok road, which branches off before the Bang Pa-In Intersection.
By Boat
Many of the boat services mentioned earlier in the section on Ayutthaya stop at the pier in Bang Sai.
The Royal Folk Arts & Crafts Center at Bang Sai: In an effort to keep traditional Thai crafts as a major cottage industry, the Queen established this arts and crafts center, pictured above, in 1976. Today it thrives. And it is not just tourists who support the center; crowds of Thais make their way here on weekends to take advantage of the shopping opportunities and to enjoy the attractions.
The workshops and parks are spread out over 14 acres alongside the Chao Phraya River, some 30 kilometers north of Bangkok. Best time to visit is mid-week when it is less crowded.
Starting point to tour the center is the museum shop, where a full range of handicrafts are displayed. There are also galleries of art and ceramics. The workshops where the items are produced are inland, away from the river, and many of them have demonstrations on how the various products are made. Items you can buy and see produced include furniture, sculpture, Thai dolls, basketry, wooden carvings, masks, artificial flowers and hand-woven silk and cotton products. Apart from the handicrafts there are gardens to enjoy as well as aviaries and an aquarium. The center is part of the SUPPORT project, designed not only to foster the Thai handicraft industry but also to train those in need of employment. For more information, 03536 6092.
The center is open daily from 8:30am until 4:30pm, but there are no demonstrations on Monday. Admission is 20 Baht.
West
Kanchanaburi
The city of Kanchanaburi, 150 kilometers west of Bangkok, is a lively picturesque spot best known as the home of the Bridge on the River Kwai; it's a pleasant drive from Bangkok on a good scenic highway. Kanchanaburi Province is full of wonderful vistas, probably the best waterfalls in Thailand, and endless lakes, jungles and its fair share of temples and golf courses.
By Bus
There are services throughout the day from Bangkok's Sai Tai Mai Southern Bus Terminal on Boromratchchonnani Road, tel. 02435 1200. First-class fare is 86 Baht, and the journey takes two hours.
By Car
Driving time from Bangkok is around two hours on a good, surfaced road. The easiest route is on Highway 4 (the Phetkasem Highway) via Nakhon Chaisi, Nakhon Pathom, Ban Pong, Tha Maka and Tha Muang.
By Train
There is limited service from Bangkok with just two trains a day. However there are numerous day-excursions from Bangkok and it may be worth checking with a tour operator or with the Thonburi Station, tel. 02411-3102, where the services originate. First-class, one-way tickets cost 123 Baht, second-class 64 Baht and third-class 28 Baht.
Similar excursions are offered by Thai Focus, and tickets can be purchased on the Internet at www.thaifocus.com.
There are numerous combinations of ways to get around. For detailed information visit one of the tour operators in town who organize long and short trips around the area.
Kanchanaburi province has a good road system, which enables you to traverse the jungle in relative ease and has also enabled several jungle-style resorts to open. The province - noted for its numerous sugar plantations - also has great areas for fishing and hiking. If you're driving there is a spectacular journey towards the with Myanmar, following the same course as the "railway from hell," a route that put this province on the tourism map.
The Bridge on the River Kwai
The main reason we headed out here, along with millions of others each year, was to see the infamous bridge. The bridge itself is disappointing, but the history of the place makes a visit here a moving and memorable experience. As you stroll among the graves of those who died here, still and serene, it is hard to imagine the barbaric and cruel scenes of the 1940s.
The first thing you have to realize is that Pierre Boulle's book about the construction of the Thailand-to-Burma railway was a novel, not an historical document (you can read more in the Death Railway section). When David Lean's blockbuster movie was released in 1957, further changes were made to make the film more entertaining than factual. And the film was not made here in Thailand, but in Sri Lanka.
The most surprising thing is that there never was a bridge over the River Kwai. Boulle (who also wrote Planet of the Apes) made the assumption that the railway crossed the Kwai since it followed its path for so long. The railway actually crossed the Mae Klong River.
This fact really did not matter until the tourists started arriving in droves after the movie's release. The sleepy town was transformed almost overnight. And the Thais quickly solved the problem. The Mae Klong, where it passes under the bridge, was renamed the Kwai Yai (the big Kwai), which then flows into the Kwai Noi (the original little Kwai).
The prisoners actually built two bridges. Neither of them are anything like the massive bamboo-and-wood structure shown in the movie. The one you see today, a rather squat unimpressive bridge with concrete piers and steel spans, is much like it was in the 1940s. The steel spans were brought from Java by the Japanese; some of those were destroyed by allied bombing and replaced after the war. Records show that the prisoners completed a wooden bridge in February1943 but the Japanese, concerned about its strength, replaced it with the steel bridge a few months later.
You can't get this close to the bridge without making a crossing. Despite warnings of its dangers, tourists do it every day, most of them whistling Colonel Bogey, the wartime song made famous by the film. If you do make the crossing, watch out for the trains. They do cross slowly and there are several escape spots on the bridge where you can step aside as the train passes.
And Colonel Bogey? That part is authentic and the march was probably sung, rather than whistled, a great deal during those horrific days. It was composed by Lieutenant F.J. Ricketts (1881-1945) who was director of music for the Royal Marines at Plymouth in southwest England. The music was first published in 1914 when the military frowned upon its officers having any outside professional pursuits, so he used the pseudonym Kenneth Alford.
A Railway Excursion
For some extreme scenery, the train ride beyond the River Kwai Bridge station to the end of the line at Nam Tok is a must-see journey. It takes about two hours, and will take you down the Kwai Noi valley over the impressive Wampo Viaduct, the scary trestle bridge that clings to the rock face. Few of the POWs who helped construct this bridge lived to tell the tale. Your thoughts here have to be that it has stood like this for 60 years and surely can handle a couple more crossings.
The rest of the journey is very scenic, without the scary bits, and the tiny stations on the route are bedecked with flowers. The journey can be done there and back in a day; you can organize a taxi out and ride the train back, or vice versa. Train schedules are not always adhered to, and a telephone call to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) office, 03451 1200, is advisable. Their office is south of the bus station, which is on the south side of Kanchanaburi.
Beyond Nam Tok on the disused section of the railway is Konyu Cutting, named Hellfire Pass by the POWs because of the torchlight that illuminated it during the nighttime construction. Here the Australians have cleared a five-kilometer stretch of track as a memorial to those who died. There are ample places where you can walk along the disused track bed and imagine the hardship that the workers endured.
Museums
There are three museums in the town dedicated to the death railway. The one we found most interesting is the newest, opened in 2003, the Thailand Burma Railway Center (tel. 03451 0067, www.tbrconline.com), which is alongside the main cemetery. Here you learn why the railway was so important to the Japanese and get a grim insight into how the prisoners lived and died. The story of the railroad is enhanced by accounts of what happened after the war and what is happening today to remember those who died. The center is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Admission 60 Baht.
- AUTHOR'S NOTE: Curators of the center, Hugh Cope and Rod Beattie, admit to having an ironic problem. They have an incredible amount of information on those who died building the Thailand-Burma railway but very little on those who survived.
There may be lots of things about the book and the film that are not historically accurate. But that is not so important. What is important is that without them the world's attention would not have been focused on the death railway. The tale of a small bridge opened our eyes to a very sad saga. The bridge here at Kanchanaburi was one of 688 constructed along the railway. Do you know the names of any of the others?
Kanchanaburi's other museums are the JEATH Museum, which is three kilometers south of the main railway station and open daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm, admission 30 Baht; and the World War II Museum, which is close to the bridge and opens daily from 8am to 6pm, admission 30 Baht. The JEATH museum (the letters JEATH represent the first letter of Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland, the countries who lost soldiers during the railway construction) is filled with World War II memorabilia, including frightening sketches some of the prisoners made of the various forms of torture they endured. The World War II museum is a bit like a Robinson's department store, with such a wide range of items on view. Although there are numerous exhibits about the death railway you can also view pictures of Miss Thailand from the 1930s as well as portraits of the museum founders. Probably one of the most important items is a glass tomb containing the remains of some of the Asian laborers, who are often not as well remembered as the allied POWs. You'll find more about the Railway from Hell in the Trains of Thailand chapter.
Festivals
April
The Thai New Year: The Songkran festival in April has an added dimension here. TheBan Nong Khao Fair, held at the same time, promoting the traditions and cultures of village life with demonstrations of handicrafts as well as a beauty-queen contest and some local theatrical performances. It is also a time when the locals perform the Yoei Dance, a 500-year-old folk play with lots of dancing, hand-clapping, drum-banging and colorful costumes.
November
Boat & Raft Festival: You can't be this close to a famous river without having a festival of races and water sports. This event takes place early in November near the Khun Phan Dam.
River Kwai Bridge Week: This annual event at the end of November, sponsored by the Kanchanaburi Provincial Authority, commemorates the death railway with a fair that includes a light-and-sound show, stalls selling local handicrafts, and historical and archaeological exhibitions.
Shopping
You'll find all the typical Thai souvenirs and handicrafts available at the spots where tourists gather, both on the main street and near the bridge. As might be expected, postcards and books about the bridge are big sellers. One local specialty worth considering are the Thai blue sapphires, which are mined in Kanchanaburi's Bo Phloi district, as are topaz and onyx.
National Parks
There are two major national parks in Kanchanaburi: The Thungyai National Park, claimed to be the most unspoiled jungle park in Thailand and covering more than 600,000 hectares along the Myanmar ; and the Erawan National Park, 65 kilometers northwest of Kanchanaburi city, which is home to the Erawan falls the seven tiered waterfall that appears in Thailand promotions almost as often as temples.
Most of Thailand's national parks charge a modest entrance fee - the highest we've paid is 200 Baht for car and passengers - and the most helpful Website we've found for researching the parks is ww.amazing-thailand.com/parks.
Golf
Mission Hills Golf Club, 27/7 Moo 7 Thambol Pang-Thru Amphur Thamuang, Kanchanaburi, tel. 03464 4147, www.golfmissionhills.com. Claimed to be one of the best courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, this 18-hole, par 72, 6,364-yard course attracts players from Bangkok, just an hour-and-45-minute drive, as well as those from Kanchanaburi province. Luxury lakeside lodges are available if you want to stay overnight. Visitor green fees: 1,200 Baht for weekdays and 1,900 on weekends.
Evergreen Hills Golf Club & Resort, 152 Moo 2 Rangsali, Thamuang, Kanchanaburi, tel. 03465 7094, www.evergreenhillsgolfclub.com. This club has a 72-room resort nestled in one the province's jungle-covered valleys, which attracts visitors who want to stay overnight and play more than one round. This 6,879-yard 18-hole par 72 course caters to golfers of all levels. Visitor green fees: 800 Baht for weekdays and 1,200 for weekends.
Nichigo Resort & Country Club, 106 Moo 4, Thambol Wangdong, Kanchanaburi, tel. 03451 8518, fax 03451 3334, www.nichigoresortcc.com. The 27 holes of golf are just part of this country-club complex, set between the mountainous with Myanmar and the River Kwai. Many of the 100 rooms and suites have views of the three 36-par nine-hole courses. Visitor green fees: 1,000 Baht for weekdays and 1,500 for weekends.
ACCOMMODATIONS PRICE SCALE
Indicates rates charged per night during high-season for a double room, including breakfast and all service charges. Prices vary according to the exchange rate between the US dollar and Thai Baht. Most hotels offer discounts from their published rack rates during low season. All those listed accept major credit cards; rooms have direct-dial telephones and private bathrooms.
$ Under $50
$$ $51 to $100
$$$ $101 to $175
$$$$ Over $175
The Felix River Kwai, on the river across from the Bridge over the River Kwai train station, tel. 03451 5061, fax 03451 5095, www.felixriverkwai.co.th, $$$. The Felix occupies a prime location just north of the bridge and has the best accommodation in the area. Most expensive rooms have a view of the river, and you can walk down to the bridge, albeit the wrong side from the station, in a couple of minutes. The rooms are large and well equipped and there are two swimming pools and a choice of restaurants.
Duen Shine Resort, close to the Felix, tel. 03465 3345, fax 03645 3346, $$. Similar standard but slightly cheaper than the Felix and you do get a choice of cottage, hotel room or raft house, an upmarket version of what you'll find elsewhere on the river. Nice gardens, with a swimming pool and very acceptable restaurant.
River Kwai Hotel, 284/3 Thanon Sang Chuto, tel. 03451 3348, fax 03451 1269, $. The best hotel in the town center, a fair distance from the river but it is close to the restaurants and shops. The hotel has a nightclub and swimming pool.
Pavilion Rim Kwai Resort, 79/2 Moo 4, Ladya-Erawan Road, tel. 03451 3800, fax 03451 5774, www.pavilionhotels.com, $$. This 194-room resort is set in the heart of River Kwai valley, midway between Kanchanaburi and the Erawan National Park. Rates for the fully equipped and nicely decorated rooms run from 3,100 Baht for a superior room up to 5,900 Baht for the prestigious two-bedroom pavilion-suite bungalows. If you don't get to visit the nearby famed Erawan Waterfall you can enjoy a miniature version in one of the hotel's two swimming pools. It's a 30-minute drive back to the infamous bridge. There are Pavilion hotels and resorts at Phuket, Krabi and Songkhla.
Comsaed River Kwai Resort, 18/9 Moo 5, Ladya, tel. 03463 1443, fax 03458 9094, www.comsaedriverkwai.com, $$. If you don't mind being 19 kilometers out of town, then this award-winning resort is the place to stay. The 91-room complex offers a range of accommodation with luxury rooms, suites or one- or two-bedroom villas, all with views of the River Kwai. The villas have fully equipped kitchens if you want to cook for yourself, and there is an excellent restaurant. Opened in 1994, the Comsaed has a good spa and is set in very pleasant gardens. This is luxury in the countryside within a 20-minute drive to downtown.
There are many fine spots offering the best of Thai and Chinese cuisine. Needless to say, most local menus feature freshly caught fish from the river. Most popular dining areas are the Song Kwae Road waterfront area and the riverside restaurants.
South
Hua Hin
Hua Hin, a two-and-a-half-hour drive south from Bangkok, is Thailand's oldest seaside resort and in some ways remains a regal and charming place to stay. It does not have the sex trade that has smothered Pattaya or the overdevelopment that threatens Phuket. Twenty minutes' drive along the coast to the north is Cha-am, an enjoyable resort not yet as extensive as Hua Hin.
We were disappointed when we first arrived in Hua Hin. It was far more developed than we had realized. Because of all the buildings, many of them high-rise hotels, it is difficult to see the beach unless you happen to be in one of the hotels.
Hua Hin
In some ways we were reminded of Miami Beach and the vast expanse of Collins Avenue, where you can only assume there is a beach and an ocean beyond the maze of concrete structures. And when we did get to see the beach we were let down again. These beaches may be nice by European standards but they are certainly nothing special in Thailand. Better than Pattaya perhaps, but nothing compared to the wonderful white, powdery sand farther south.
Hua Hin's development is not dissimilar to that of south Florida. The town was transformed from a sleepy fishing village in the 1920s when a railway station was built (as, in Florida, Henry Flagler built the railroad to Palm Beach), thus enabling the northern elite to reach their winter palaces in style. The railway line was followed by a summer palace for King Rama VII. He found it the ideal escape from Bangkok, and when he set up here the capital's high society followed. It didn't take long for the aristocratic visitors to discover nearby Cha-am and subtly develop that area as well.
THE LOCAL PERIODICAL
Hua Hin has its own English magazine, the Hua Hin Observer. It's been publishing for over 10 years and now it has a Website that is updated monthly showing local events and anything you need to know about the area, www.observergroup.net.
Hua Hin has more than a few points in its favor. It's a great retreat from the snarl and smog of Bangkok, within a pleasant two-and-a-half-hour drive. And the facilities, once you get here, are second to none. Golfers think they're in links heaven, with seven championship courses within easy reach. And the choice of luxury resorts and spas is only matched by those available in Phuket. We found several instances where prices for luxury accommodation were lower than in Phuket. Getting more for your Baht is always a big plus.
The royal family did not select Hua Hin as a summer holiday retreat just because of its closeness to the capital. The area has the distinction of being one of the coolest and driest parts of the country during the summer. From May to October is considered the low season, and there is substantial rain, most of it falling in September. High season begins in November and extends to April when the weather is at its best.
By Train
There are a dozen trains daily from Bangkok to Hua Hin. Some are slow third-class-only trains, so beware. The 7:45am departure is an express with second-class air conditioned carriages, which arrives in Hua Hin at 11am. The cost is 302 Baht. There's another express at 2:45pm that makes a stop at Hua Hin at 6:30pm on its way to the with Malaysia. Departures at the time of writing are from Hualampong Station on Rama IV Road near Chinatown. Tickets can be purchased up to 90 days in advance at any Bangkok station. The advance ticket office at Hualampong Station is open every day from 7am to 4pm, tel. 02223 0341, 02223 7010 or 02223 7020. If you want to avoid the wait, Bangkok travel agents will arrange tickets and charge 100 Baht for providing the service. The station office in Hua Hin is on Damnoenkasem Road, tel. 03251 1073.
By Air
Bangkok Airways, www.bangkokair.com, has daily flights from the capital utilizing the turbo-prop Franco-Italian ATR-72. Flight time is 40 minutes. The Bangkok Airways office in Hua Hin is on Phetchkasem Road, tel. 03251 2083.
Guests at the two Evason Hua Hin resorts have their own express shuttle from Bangkok. The service was created by Evason in partnership with airline operator SGA Airlines. They operate a 12-passenger Cessna 208B Caravan aircraft fitted with plush leather seating. The operation is designed to grow with demand, but initial flights were timed to connect with international arrivals to and from Europe, with daily departures from Bangkok at 8am, ll:30am, 3:30pm and 6:30pm. Flights depart Hua Hin at 9:30am, 1pm, 4:30pm and 8pm. Round-trip airfare is 5,200 Baht. Reservations, tel. 03261 8200. The airport is five kilometers north of the town, and taxis are always available when flights arrive.
By Bus
Air conditioned buses leave Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal, Sai Tai Mai, on Boromratchchonnani Road, tel. 2435 1200, every 30 minutes between 5am and 10pm for Hua Hin. Advance reservations are not required. Travel time is three hours and costs about the same as the train. The bus terminal in Hua Hin is at the Siripetchkasem Hotel on Srasong Road, tel. 03251 1654. There are also overnight buses to other cities in southern Thailand. Most leave Hua Hin before midnight. Among the places served are Phuket, Ko Samui and Hat Yai.
Some of the major hotel chains do offer a mini-bus service between their properties in Bangkok and Hua Hin.
By Taxi
If you prefer going it on your own, some taxis will bring you to Hua Hin from Bangkok. It's quick - about two-and-a-half hours if you don't stop. Arrange the price before you leave, or ask the hotel concierge to do it for you. Expect to pay about 2,500 Baht.
Tourist police 24-hour hotline tel. 1699
Tourist police office:
Thanon Damern Kasem tel. 03251 5995
Hua Han Police:
Thanon Damern Kasem tel. 03251 1027
Tourist information
Hua Hin tel. 03253 2433
Cha-am tel. 03247 1005
Thonburi Hua Hin Hospital:
17/155 Thanon Phetchkasem tel. 03252 0900
San Paulo Private Hospital:
222 Thanon Phetchkasem tel. 03253 2576
Thonburi Cha-am Hospital:
Narathip Road tel. 03243 3903
Main post office, Damnoenkasem Road
near the Phetchkasem intersection tel. 03251 1350
Rental-car agencies do a good business in Hua Hin for those wanting to get out and explore the surrounding countryside. Most hotel reception desks can arrange car rentals, or you can call Avis, tel. 03251 2021, or Budget, tel. 03251 4220. There are also cars for hire from stands on Damnoenkasem Road. Prices there may be lower. Check to see you have insurance. A small vehicle will cost about 1,000 Baht per day.
You'll find lots of motorcycles for rent around town. Be warned about lack of insurance and be sure and wear a crash helmet if you can't resist the temptation. Expect to pay 200 Baht for the dubious pleasure.
Tuk-tuks, motorcycle taxis, and trishaws are readily available in both Hua Hin and Cha-am. Cost of a trip between the two areas will be up to 200 Baht.
Festivals & Events
June
Jazz Festival: Annual event taking place at the beginning of June, which attracts more people - players and spectators - each year. The festival is normally held over a three-day Friday to Sunday period. Main performances are held each night on the Red Cross Stage and the Beach Stage. Petchkaseam Road up to the railway station becomes Jazz Alley and a venue for more performances. The main stage performances finish at midnight on Friday and Saturday and 10pm on Sundays but the music continues elsewhere until the wee hours. Performers, and spectators, come from around the globe.
September
Hua Hin's biggest annual event has to be elephant polo, a five-day extravaganza held in mid-September that is gaining worldwide notoriety since its inception in 2000. There are numerous lighthearted matches followed by a serious tournament that brings players from around the world. It's held at the Pradiphat Pine Forest at Suan Son, south of Hua Hin, with headquarters at the Anantara Resort & Spa, where a gala dinner is held on one of the evenings.
In addition to the fun matches, there is a parade of elephants and competitors and an exhibition match before the actual tournament begins. The mallets used are two meters long - it varies somewhat according to the height of the elephant - but the ball is the same size as the one used in regular polo. Played according to World Elephant Polo Association rules, the Thai tournament is played with three elephants per team on a pitch one-third the size of a standard polo field. A game is comprised of two seven-minute chukkas.
Money is raised from the gala dinner's charity auction where unusual prizes, like being a hot-air-balloon pilot or driving the world's best sports cars, bring in large amounts of money. The event raises millions of Baht for the National Elephant Institute, which cares for old animals and retired mahouts (elephant trainers). There is no charge for watching the tournament.
The finals are normally held on a Sunday, an all-day affair that is highlighted by a jazz brunch. Attendees at the event usually include members of the National Elephant Institute's elephant orchestra making a jumbo noise, and the paintbrush-wielding elephants, whose artwork regularly sells at the charity auction for up to $800. Tickets for the gala dinner and the jazz brunch are available from the Anantara Resort & Spa, tel. 03252 0250. In previous years the tickets cost 4,500 and 800 Baht respectively, plus service and taxes. The resort has special packages for the tournament week, as do other hotels in the area.
The Royal Palaces
There are two palaces in the area well worth a visit. The elder of the two is Maruekkhathayawan Palace, 14 kilometers north of Hua Hin. This was built in 1924 as a holiday home for King Rama VI who is credited with much of the design incorporated in the residence. The palace is made entirely of teak with lots of long walkways and open rooms. Sadly the king did not spend a great deal of time here; he died in 1925. The palace is open to the public every day from 8am to 4pm.
The second palace, Klai Kangwong, is the present royal family's summer palace and can only be visited when they are not in residence. This was built by King Rama VII in 1926, and has a Spanish flair. The Maruekkhathayawan palace, by comparison, is in a Victorian style. Klai Kangwon translates to "far from worries," which is what King Rama VII wanted when he stayed here. The most historic event to occur at the palace was when the change was made from absolute monarchy to the present constitutional monarchy. The king was in residence when news came from Bangkok of the takeover by the People's Party. To avoid any possible bloodshed the king accepted the news and returned to the capital as the first king under the new system. Unfortunately there is nothing to see in the palace that marks the event. The present king has made great use of the palace and it has been his headquarters when initiating development projects. When the royal family is not in residence, the palace is open from 9am to 4pm. Phetchkasem Beach Road, tel. 03251 1155, fax 03251 0979. There is a 20-Baht admission charge.
Massage
All the walking around the stores and stalls downtown plays havoc with the feet. There is nothing like an hour-long Thai foot-massage to ease the pains and strains of shopping. We found an excellent parlor at 182/9 Naresdamri Road. The Elephant Thai Massage, tel. 03253 3455, offers the complete range of massage and beauty salon services at prices a fraction of what you'd pay in a hotel spa. Our foot massage cost 300 Baht and a full two-hour Thai massage costs 400 Baht. Quality operators perform in a very pleasant environment.
Golf
There are now seven world-class golf courses within easy reach of Hua Hin. It's become a major attraction for the area. So important is it that most courses include free pick-up from area hotels in their green fees. And if they don't there's a good chance that your hotel will provide a similar service.
Royal Hua Hin Golf Course, Damnoenkasem Road near the Hua Hin Railway Station, tel. 03251 2475. We start with this one since it was the first championship golf course in Thailand. (The Gymkhana Club in Chiang Mai was founded earlier but what they have hardly qualifies as championship.) The course - 18 holes, 6,678 yards, par 72 - was designed by a Mr. O.A. Robins, a Scottish railway engineer, and opened in 1924. Be warned there are lots of trees, which attract many a ball, and the heavy grass fairways keep the ball from running on. Because of its location and historic interest this is very popular course so be sure and call for a tee time. Play starts at 6am when it is relatively cool. Green fees for visitors: 1,200 Baht.
Springfield Royal Country Club, 193 Huay-Sai Nua, Phetchkasem Road, Cha-am, tel. 03247 1303. Quality course that was designed by Jack Nicklaus in 1993, and he left his trademark with good use of bunkers and water hazards. The setting, clubhouse and practice facilities are all superb. The course, an 18-hole par 72, playing over 7,000 yards, is a 25-minute drive north from Hua Hin. Green fees for visitors: 2,500 Baht.
Palm Hills Resort & Country Club, 1444 Phetchkasem Road, Cha-am, tel. 03252 0800, fax 03252 0820. Palm Hills is a little closer to Hua Hin than Springfield and was opened two years earlier, in 1991. Designed by another American, Max Wexler, the course is part of a 650-acre resort that boasts tennis, badminton and squash courts. There is a gymnasium and a swimming pool for those who would rather dive than hit divots into the air. The course has introduced a package price of 2,000 Baht per person, good on any day of the week, which includes green fees, caddy and round-trip transfers to any hotel in the area. Didn't bring your clubs? You can rent a set for 350 Baht.
Palm Hills is a scenic resort among rolling hills and jagged escarpments. Coastal views from parts of the course are truly spectacular. The 18 holes are arranged in two halves, which are separated by the clubhouse with its Thai-style architecture coupled with American-style facilities. Most of the course enjoys gentle terrain but be prepared for the tenth hole, where the tee shot is at the side of a very large limestone mountain.
Hua Hin Seoul Country Club, formerly the Milford, 174 Moo 1, Prnomparn. Pranburi, www.golfhuahin.com/seoul. Hua Hin Seoul Country Club offers a pleasant change from the longer championship courses, with fantastic sea views. This 18-hole, 6,614-yard par 72 was designed by Robert McFarland and opened in 1992, and is a 20-minute drive south of Hua Hin. It is not an easy course. The front nine holes, with their strikingly raised tees, are the major challenge. The weekday 1,600 Baht package includes green fees, caddy and transfers from local hotels. The price increases by 200 Baht on weekends and public holidays.
Majestic Creek Country Club, 164 Moo 4 Tambol Tabtai. The 30-minute drive inland to this course is almost as enjoyable as playing golf. The road heads towards the with Myanmar and passes through small Thai farms that produce bananas, mangos, sugar cane and pineapples. It's an interesting insight into rural living before you arrive at the 18-hole, 6,961 yard, par 72 that was designed by local architect Sukitti Klangvisai and opened in 1993. Majestic offers superb holes in an exciting layout beneath the mountains. There are a lot of natural hazards to watch out for as well as numerous man-made ones. It's a challenging course, starting with the first hole par-four with its dog-leg corners. Most good Thai course import grasses for fairways and greens. Here they have used the indigenous zoysia grass to good effect. There is 2,000-Baht-per-person package, which includes transport to and from area hotels, green fees and caddy. The rate applies seven days a week.
Imperial Lake View Hotel & Golf Club, 79 Moo 4, Tambol Sampraya, Cha-am, tel. 032 45 6233, fax 03245 6235. A total of 27 holes here to test your skill. The older 18 holes, par 72, cover 6,915 yards while the nine-holes, known as the desert course, is a par 9 measuring 3,417 yards. Designer Roger Packard had adventure in mind when he created these courses, where many of the greens are hidden from the tees.
The clubhouse is part of a 75-room hotel complex, which offers quality amenities such as a swimming pool that overlooks the 18th green. There are also tennis courts, for those who brought rackets instead of clubs. Lake View has an any-day-of-the-week 2,000 Baht package.
Sawang Resort Golf Club, 99 Moo 2, Sapang. Kaoyoi. Petchaburi. This is another course incorporating a hotel; it is the farthest from Hua Hin of the clubs we have listed. It takes about an hour driving north on the road to Bangkok to reach this course, which is set in a private valley surrounded by freshwater lakes. The 18-hole, 6,959-yard par 72 course was designed by Isao Ikatsumata and opened 1993. In addition to the driving range there are chipping greens, a putting green and a pro shop all designed to help improve your game. The club has a 1,400-Baht package deal for weekday players. The price includes green fees, caddy and round-trip transportation to area hotels. Clubs are available for rent starting from 450 Baht.
Water Sports
Hua Hin Water-Sports Center on Takiab Beach, tel. 01857 4328, fax 03252 1014, offers what it terms the ultimate water sports package with 15 minutes on a personal watercraft, 15 minutes waterskiing, 10 minutes whirling around in a doughnut, 30 minutes on a banana boat followed by an hour-long boat ride. They also include body boarding, beach volleyball, a barbecue lunch and use of beach chairs and umbrellas. When we called for a price we were told they were still working that out. However we did get some prices: A one-hour boat trip was 600 Baht and a two-hour island excursion cost 1,000 Baht and included fresh coconut water and a tropical fruit platter. A four-hour fishing trip, including a packed lunch, fishing equipment and bait was available for 5,000 Baht with additional hours charged at 800 Baht. The company offers free pick-up and drop-off from Hua Hin hotels.
Windsurfing is a popular pastime both in Hua Hin and Cha-am. Best times are in the early summer during the Southwest monsoon when the wind is side-shore and in the winter, during the Northeast monsoon when the wind is side-on shore. Wind strength is usually a few knots stronger here than in Pattaya, a major spot for windsurfers, except from July to October when Pattaya is better. Big plus for Hua Hin is the cleaner water. Main center for surfers is next to the Cha-am Regent resort where there is a small club with board storage facilities and a restaurant. The Windsurfing Association of Thailand occasionally organizes fun board races on this beach. Boards can be rented at several resorts, including the Royal Village in Hua Hin, the Regent in Cha-am and Club Aldiana in Pranburi.
- AUTHOR'S TIP: If you want a break from the beach or pool, there is a reasonably priced and well-kept go-cart track near the airport.
ACCOMMODATIONS PRICE SCALE
Indicates rates charged per night during high-season for a double room, including breakfast and all service charges. Prices vary according to the exchange rate between the US dollar and Thai Baht. Most hotels offer discounts from their published rack rates during low season. All those listed accept major credit cards; rooms have direct-dial telephones and private bathrooms.
$ Under $50
$$ $51 to $100
$$$ $101 to $175
$$$$ Over $175
The only place to stay here in 1923 was the Railway Hotel, built by Prince Purachatra, a son of King Rama V, when he was in charge of the State Railway, and completed after the Southern Railroad was built linking Bangkok with Malaysia. Bangkok's elite filled the hotel, an elegant Victorian building with formal gardens, and enormous rooms with appropriate décor of the period. It is still a wonderful place to stay.
With the hotel in great demand, bungalows sprang up along the beaches and other members of the royal family built retreats. A golf course was started that claims to be the first in Thailand, something the Gymkhana Club in Chiang Mai would dispute.
Although modern hotels have filled the waterfront, the area still retains a regal air. It still is a fishing village in part, with excellent seafood restaurants where you can sit and gaze out to sea (trying to avoid the lights of the concrete jungle farther along the bay).
Driving around the countryside can be a rewarding experience. Heading inland towards the with Myanmar will give you a true insight into Thai-style agriculture. Within minutes you can be in a tropical wonderland of rubber trees and banana, pineapple or mango plantations. Then there are the scenic coastal routes to explore.
Back in Hua Hin there are quiet quaint streets - and a couple of bar alleys that aren't quite so quiet - where you can meander safely, and a night-market that isn't as frantic as those in the capital.
Many farangs have decided to retire here; others have invested in bars or guesthouses. The Thais accept that with gratitude rather than seeing it as an intrusion. It gives the area a more stable and international feeling. It's the sort of place that you can come back to, that improves the more you try it. Maybe our initial disappointment was ill-founded. We'll know better after another visit or two.
We have not limited our listings to Hua Hin but have included the resorts of Cha-am to the north and Pranburi to the south. There are now more than 100 places to stay in the area. If you don't want the luxury - and expense - of a full-service hotel, there are numerous guesthouses that offer basic rooms at low prices. The price guide is for a double room, with breakfast and taxes included, in the high season. Over the Christmas and New Year Holiday most resorts require you purchase their gala dinners.
Hotel Sofitel Central Hua Hin, 1 Damnoenkasem Road, tel. 03251 2021, fax 03251 1014, www.sofitel.com, $$$$. This is the first in our list since this is where it all began. The oldest and most famous hotel in Hua Hin the Sofitel was formerly the Railway Hotel, built in 1924 by the Southern Railway. It retains its Victorian charm despite all its modern facilities. Sip afternoon tea in the Museum or wander in the 40 acres of gardens amid well-manicured topiary. It is amazingly quiet considering the crowds and street vendors beyond the hotel walls. Depending on the season, expect to pay from 5,000 to 7,100 Baht for one of the gorgeous high-ceilinged rooms. The resort is right on the beach and has three swimming pools, two putting greens, tennis courts and a snooker room.
The Evason Hua Hin, 9 Parknampran Beach, tel. 03263 2111, www.evasonhuahin.com, $$$$. Wonderful choice of accommodation is offered at this five-star resort in Pranburi, a 20-minute drive south of Hua Hin. In addition to 61 rooms, the Evason has suites, studios, and even villas with private pools and gardens. Prices range from 4,800 Baht per night up to 12,000 Baht for a villa with a pool. Breakfast, 450 Baht per person, is extra. Most rooms have open-style bathrooms, which create more space and light.
Families with children are well accommodated. There are suites with interconnecting rooms, and the resort has a professionally managed Kids Club, where younger visitors can spend the entire day enjoying special meals and adventure games in addition to the normal seaside activities. Great spa, fitness center and shops.
Chiva Som, 73/4 Phetchkasem Road, tel. 03253 6536, fax 03251 1154, www.chivasom.net, $$$$. This is one of the world's top spas, with 15 treatment rooms offering everything from massages to body reshaping, aromatherapy and reflexology. Set amid seven acres of seafront gardens just south of Hua Hin, the resort only has 37 bungalows and rooms, with the staff outnumbering guests by four-to-one. Two pools - one inside, the other by the beach - saunas and steam rooms insure that the spa lives up to its name, Chiva Som, which translates to Haven of Life. All-inclusive packages, including meals (these are special, since the spa has its own organic gardens north of town) and a variety of treatments, start at around $300 a day, per person. Perhaps this is not the place to bring the entire family.
Evason Hideaway & Six Senses Spa at Hua Hin, 9/22 Moo 5 Parknampran Beach, Pranburi, tel. 03261 8200, fax 03261 8201, www.evasonhideaways.com, $$$$. This is one of the newest and most expensive resorts in Hua Hin, with just 55 villas, each with its own infinity pool. Lowest prices we've seen start at 11,000 Baht +++. The villas are lavishly furnished, have outdoor bathrooms and private gardens that are surrounded by a brick wall for greater privacy. There is a highly rated Just Kids club and a choice of fine dining. The resort is managed by Six Senses Resorts & Spas, which also owns and operates the Soneva Fushi Resort and Soneva Gili Resort in the Maldives.
- DID YOU KNOW? Most traditional Thai homes have an outdoor sala - a covered open-air structure set in a quiet corner of a garden - where one can lie on a raffia mat, relax, meditate or even receive a massage. Emphasis is on peace and quiet rather than comfort, unless you feel at ease on a hard wooden floor. Hotels with spas and wellness centers often copy this tradition.
Marriott Resort & Spa, 107/1 Phetchkasem Beach Road, tel. 03251 1881, fax 03251 2422, www.marriott.com/HHQMC, $$$$. A favorite spot for families and golfers, this luxury resort with stunning Thai architecture has 220 rooms that face either the sea, the pool or landscaped tropical gardens. Sports facilities include volleyball and tennis courts, windsurfing, parasailing and waterskiing. The outdoor fitness center is a classic Thai sala, which overlooks the pools and beach. Good restaurants and excellent spa. It's a 10-minute walk to the center of Hua Hin, either along the road or the beach. We have seen $99-per-night specials, but they excluded taxes and service charges, which when added brought the total to over $120. Great place to spend your Marriott rewards points, or earn more. We stayed here when the hotel was full and finding a spot near the swimming pool was a problem.
Aleenta Resort Hua Hin, 183 Moo 4, Parknampran, Pranburi, $$$$. At the southern end of Pranburi beach, a 30-minute drive south of Hua Hin, this lavish resort has incredible views out over the beach to the sea in one direction and to the mountains in the other. The name Aleenta comes from the ancient Sanskrit and means "a rewarding life." There is an assortment of accommodation and everything faces the sea. Some of the 10 luxury suites, all with private decks and beautiful views, have their own plunge pools. There is a private villa, which can accommodate six people; the rate includes a housekeeper and chef. The beach in front of the resort faces east and stretches for five kilometers, making it ideal for jogging or long walks. There is a freshwater infinity pool on the second floor of the Clubhouse. The resort has plenty of bicycles for guests who want to explore the surrounding countryside. The spa offers a combination of Thai and Swedish therapies. You can dine in your suite or at the open-air restaurant, or enjoy a beach barbecue. The restaurant is open to non-residents for lunch and dinner but you have to make a reservation. Prices range from 7,000 Baht for the garden suite up to 16,000 Baht for the Palm Villa.
Dusit Resort Hua Hin (formerly the Dusit Resort & Polo Club), 1349 Phetchkasem Road, Cha-am, tel. 03252 0009, fax 03252 0296, www.huahin.dusit.com, $$$$. All 300 well-equipped rooms and suites at this five-star resort have private balconies overlooking either the sea or splendid gardens. It boasts one of the largest swimming pools in Thailand and a full range of land- and water sports. There are tennis and squash courts, fitness center, horseback riding track and the Palm Hills Golf Club is right across the street. There are five restaurants and four bars - two of them with live music. The resort opened the biggest convention hall in the area in mid-2005 at a cost of $4 million. The ballroom can accommodate up to 1,500 guests. Banquet facilities can accommodate 850 diners and there is theater-style seating for 1,200. There is a low-season special of $125 per night, plus taxes and service charge, which includes an elaborate buffet breakfast, fruit, flowers and a half-hour spa treatment as well as discounts on food and drinks. For an additional $100 a night you can upgrade to a suite.
Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa, 33 Naresdamri Road, tel. 03251 1612, fax 03251 1135, www.hilton.com, $$$$ There had to be one high rise to hit central Hua Hin and this is it. It towers somewhat unpleasantly over the town and seafront but provides the most spectacular views for hotel guests. There are 296 rooms including 41 suites along with every possible facility including a spectacular pool. Look for packages that include a spa treatment and breakfast. To get the best deals, around $150 per night per couple, you have to stay a minimum of seven nights and book a week in advance, in which case this hotel turns from a $$$$ to a $$$.
Anantara Resort & Spa, 43/1 Phetchkasem Beach Road, tel. 03252 0250, fax 03252 0259, www.anantara.com, $$$. Set in 14 acres of landscaped gardens, the Anantara has 162 rooms and suites, each with a balcony overlooking either the gardens or the beach. Rates vary widely depending on accommodation and time of year. A garden-view room costs 5,000 Baht and goes to 7,500 over the Christmas holidays. The one-bedroom suites cost as much as 16,500 Baht for that same holiday period. Great beachfront location, free-form swimming pool and sumptuous spa. The Anantara hosts the annual elephant-polo tournament. For more information about this wonderful contest look under Festivals & Events.
Praseban Resort, 173 Moo 4 Parknampran, Pranburi, tel. 03263 0590, fax 03263 0589, www.prasebanresort.com, $$$. A very new, very small and very special resort with just 14 delightfully decorated suites and villas, all with sea view and private balcony, and just steps away from the sea. The mini-resort is at the southern end of Pranburi, 30 kilometers south of Hua Hin. Internet rates start at an all-inclusive 4,000 Baht for a weekday night climbing to 7,500 Baht for a weekend night in a suite. They also have several well-priced packages. For 14,900 Baht two people can enjoy three nights in a Sawanya Villa, daily American breakfast, a candlelight dinner and an 80-minute session of aromatherapy. Despite its size the resort offers a choice of dining. There is the Kanang Sari Restaurant on the deck open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with Thai and international dishes and the Praseban Seafood Terrace for candlelit dinners specializing in locally caught seafood.
Hua Hin Grand Hotel & Plaza, 222/2 Phetchkasem Road, tel. 03251 1391, $$. This is a reasonably priced hotel that has numerous eating spots all with different themes, including Japanese and European. If you can't find what you want among them there is a 24-hour coffee shop. This high-rise hotel with 168 rooms and suites has a fitness center, swimming pool, snooker club, beer garden, karaoke lounge and a discotheque.
Regent Cha-am Beach Resort, 849/21 Phetchkasem Road, Cha-am , tel. 03245 1240, fax 03247 1491, www.regent-chaam.com, $$. This is the biggest property we've found in the area with a total of 650 rooms, suites and cottages. The resort is 20 kilometers out of Hua Hin and is made up of a low-rise hotel, a three-story Mediterranean-style complex and - the latest addition - the Regent cottages, thatch-roofed villas with beach views, which will take you out of our $$ category. With all this accommodation there are numerous facilities including a shopping arcade, three swimming pools, fitness center, putting green and mini-golf and well as water sports on the beach. The restaurants offer Chinese, French, Italian and Thai cuisine.
Peony Hotel, 172/4 Naresdamri Road, tel. 03253 3491, fax 03253 2599, www.peonyhotel.com, $$. This is a new small economy hotel seeking business from families and golfers and within easy walking distance of the beach, shops and restaurants. All rooms are fully equipped and have balconies overlooking the pool. The restaurant is in front of the hotel and is open from 7am to 11pm with an international menu. Breakfast baskets are available for golfers who want to get to the courses for an early tee time. Some courses are open from 6am. A variety of room sizes are designed for families. Rates range from 1,500 Baht for a double up to 3,000 for a two-bedroom suite. The hotel has a total of 34 rooms and its own pro shop, and offers discounts to some of the area golf courses.
Ban Duangkaew Resort, 83/158 Soi Talay 12, Takiab Road, 03251 5307, fax 03251 5532, $. Pleasant mini-village of Thai cottages set amid trees and gardens, with pool and access to the beach. Over the Christmas holidays the resort slips out of the $ category when rates go to 3,400 Baht a night. Out-of-season promotions give free nights for stay over six nights.
The Long Beach Inn, Phu Noi, tel. 03255 9068, Canada 604-937-3121, $. An intimate guesthouse, designed in Canada, and set in the tiny fishing village of Phu Noi, a 30-minute drive south from Hua Hin. The inn is close to the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park and the eight-kilometer-long beach at Dolphin Bay is a three-minute walk away. The package rate of i30 a day includes breakfast. There's a café, bar and swimming pool. The inn can arrange a local fishing charter to Monkey Island or book a dinner cruise in nearby Parknampran. The Thai and Canadian hosts even offer a pickup service from your hotel in Bangkok.
Fu-Lay Guest House, 110/1 Naresdamri Road, tel. 03251 3670, $. The location on a jetty make this guesthouse with well-kept air conditioned rooms and nice bathrooms, a pleasant and inexpensive place to stay.
The Dougherty Home, 263/72 Soi Jamjuree, off Phetchkasem Road, tel. 03253 2715, fax 03253 2297, $. You'll get an American and Thai welcome at this guesthouse, which is a five-minute walk from the beach. Spacious rooms, all with air conditioning and cable TV. There's a restaurant and swimming pool.
Royal Beach Guest House, 113/12-13 Phetchkasem Road, tel. 03253 2210, $. Close to the beach and one kilometer from the town center, all rooms come with air conditioning, cable TV and video. The guesthouse has a bar, swimming pool and coffee shop.
PP Villa, 11 Damnoenkasem Road, tel. 03253 3785, fax 03251 1216, $. A small, friendly hotel that is close to the beach, and a bargain at under $30 a night. All 33 rooms have balconies, and there is a pool and cozy restaurant.
All Nations, 10/1 Deachanuchit Road, tel. 0 3251 2747, fax 03253 0474, $. If you want something neat, clean and cheap, and are prepared to share a bathroom, this may be the place for you. Best of the 12 rooms goes for 600 Baht a night and comes with air conditioning and TV. All rooms have balconies and the upper back rooms have panoramic views of the sea and mountains. During Songkran, the Thai New Year, there is a 50% surcharge on all rooms, a common practice. The bar is popular with the local ex-pat farangs and the restaurant offers both Thai and Western dishes. All Nations set up the first cyber café in Hua Hin, and a movie is shown every night around 7:30pm.
One thing is for sure - you don't need to go hungry in Hua Hin. You can spend a lot of money in the hotel restaurants, or dine on the beach and enjoy the area's specialty, fresh seafood, for a fraction of what you'll pay in those establishments. We have kept our listings brief just to give you an idea of what is available. All the restaurants are very inexpensive by Western standards.
Between the time we write this and when you read it a dozen more eateries will have opened up or changed hands or closed down. It's a similar story with the bars. Businesses changing hands seems to be more prevalent in Hua Hin. It could be that some ex-pats come here and get disenchanted. Thailand is a great place to vacation but not as much fun when you have to work hard for little return.
From our wanderings we doubt any Michelin stars will be placed here but it is a fun place to eat, especially at the seafood eateries along the water. The Ketsarin Restaurant is a good example; they serve European food too. Satukarn Square is the place to go if you want variety. The best authentic Thai restaurants are on Naebkehard Road - Baan Hua Hin and Sara Janes are two that are recommended - and if you want Thai at silly prices go to the night-market and see what the street hawkers are cooking up.
Buffalo Bill's @ Fisherman's Wharf, 8 Chomsin Road, tel. 03253 0087. If you can handle a full English breakfast, you will not find a better place than this. The first time we ate here it was because of a convenient parking spot. We were so impressed with the eggs Benedict that we returned to try other early-morning meals, and we were not disappointed. Succulent ham and the best bacon we've eaten in Thailand. The restaurant is down by the fishing pier and is open all day. We never found time to sample a lunch or dinner but will on our next visit. Fair prices and friendly service insure this place will still be in business.
The Bali-Thai Restaurant, Soi Tanawit, between Satukarn Square and Hua Hin Shopping Center and the night-market. Yes, it is a bit touristy with its nightly show, but everyone we saw here was smiling. And it wasn't just the staff. Open every day from 5pm until midnight. The Delights of Asia three-course dinner is a bargain at 180 Baht, not including drinks, taxes and service. The cuisine is a mixture of Thai and Asian, much the same as the show. Great place to bring the family and spend less than you would back home at McDonalds. There is a sister operation in Cha-am on Soi Tanawit, tel. 03253 6442.
Sunshine Restaurant, 130/5 Naresdamri Road, tel. 03253 2475, fax 03253 2602. This is a European restaurant, German bakery, a delicatessen, Internet café and you can reserve a Budget rental car. And it's hard to find, even though it's across from the Hilton Hotel. Stand in front of the Beautiful Optic Shop and look to the right; that small entrance is where you are headed. Great place if you want a break from noodles and tiny little red bits in your food. The garden restaurant features European cuisine with great steaks. There are Thai dishes as well. Check out the menu before you go at www.sunshine-restaurant.com. Their delicatessen shop has Thai-made German sausages, imported cheeses and hams. They advertise European bean coffee but where that is grown we do not know. And don't forget while you're dining or checking your e-mail you can rent a car. Open every day of the year from 9am until 10:30pm.
And here are some others - all inexpensive - that come with recommendations: Amadeus Restaurant, 23 Naresdamri Road, tel. 03253 0489, Austrian, as you would expect; Koo on the Beach, at the junction of the Fishing Pier Road and Naresdamri Road, tel. 03251 4625, trendy Thai with great views and service; Meekaruna Seafood, 26/1 Naresdamri Road, tel. 03251 1932, a smaller, family-run Thai restaurant overlooking the fishing pier and with very personal service; Taj Mahal, 31/1 Naresdamri Road, tel. 03251 6615, Indian at its best; Ban Nong Kae, Phetchkasem Road, opposite Nirvana Retreat, where the Thais go to eat; Itsara, 7 Napkehard Street, tel. 03253 0514, in a 1920s seaside home, good choice of fish and meat dishes, where the most expensive main courses are less than 300 Baht.
Hua Hin is not renowned for its nightlife but there is plenty going on, although it may seem a little tame after Bangkok, Pattaya or Patong Beach.
- You won't find any go-go bars, yet the girls associated with those establishments do exist in Hua Hin if you know where to look.
Most visitors are so well catered to in their hotels that few venture out after dinner. However, if you want to sample Hua Hin's nightlife we suggest you head for Soi BintaBaht. This street is the home of Jungle Juice and All Nations - both popular with local farangs - and a dozen other bars. Other places worth a visit are Johnny Walkers - good when the barbecue is going; The Ship - great juke box; and the London Lounge, popular with longtime residents. For pool players, try the U-Turn, El Toro or Bamboo Grove. Billy's Bar, in the bazaar area, is more of a sports bar, with a pool table.
If you want the disco scene you need go into the City Beach Hotel where Star Planet operates, or to the Grand Hotel where you'll find Stepz. Opposite the City Beach Hotel is the Admirals Pub, more British than Thai, and the place to go if you'd rather drink than dance. The towering Hilton Hotel has a striking bar with live music and a good selection of beers, homegrown and imported. If you're with the family and just want somewhere to have a quiet drink, try the Mai Tai, a pleasant outside spot next to the Hilton.
Most bars close between 1am and 2am depending on trade and local law officers. One that seems to be open the latest is the Nice n' Easy, which is small but still manages to squeeze in a pool table. Prices on Soi BintaBaht: Expect to pay less than 100 Baht for a beer and up to 300 Baht for something stronger.
We were surprised and delighted when two Thai friends invited us to spend a weekend in their home at Hua Hin. We had seen how the rich and famous luxuriate in wondrous spas and how the poor eke out a living from the hillside or dwell on the banks of unpleasantly polluted canals. But now we had the chance to see how normal middle-class Thai families lived, and it was a fascinating experience that made us even more eager to spend more time living in the kingdom of silk and smiles.
Our Hosts
The family lives in a two-bedroom brick home just a couple of blocks inland from Hua Hin's plush waterfront hotels. The home is a typical modern structure that you see in new housing developments throughout the country.
Husband Tong works as a tour-bus driver, and his wife is an executive at the local hospital. They have a 10-year-old son who spoke English almost as well as his parents. We had been invited for Children's Day, when the neighborhood was staging a street party. The following day was to be another celebration when monks were coming to bless the neighborhood.
Preparations
Children's Day in Thailand is akin to Three Kings Day in Spain, when parties are held and the young ones all get gifts. When we arrived the street had already been blocked to traffic. A large stage was being erected at one end of the road and chairs and tables were spread across the carriageway. Fish were slowly cooking on a large barbecue and at the street-sides, under the shade of what looked like sea-grape trees, the ladies of the neighborhood were all busy preparing cauldrons of food. Judging by the aromas, a mighty amount of those tiny little red bits was being used.
As the preparations continued we took a stroll and watched an unusual game on a nearby playing field. It looked like volleyball but the players, all teenage boys, did not use their hands, just heads and feet. It took great agility. We learned later that this was the favorite Asian game of takraw.
On our return the party was underway and we were introduced to the neighbors. Nobody except our hosts spoke English, but the welcome smiles we got were genuine. These people were truly pleased to be entertaining farangs. The president of the homeowners association made a brief speech and then ushered us to sit with him at the center table. He said he spoke English and was a retired headmaster. And that's about all the English we understood. He continued to chatter on but it was a complete blur. We would have a better chance of understanding a Glaswegian on a Saturday night after the pubs have closed than making sense of what we were hearing. Still, we smiled, and he smiled and the food began to arrive.
There were all kinds of seafood, chunks of the barbecued fish, rice and noodles and things we did not recognize but ate and enjoyed. Somebody was looking after us because nothing we had was to hot to handle.
Out of nowhere another farang, a German, who spoke no English, was introduced to us, and the Thais wrongly assumed we would be able to communicate with him. We just smiled at each other and agreed the whole party is very good. Ya, good, very good. We learned later that he was about to take a Thai wife, a daughter of one of the neighbors, and we are invited to return for that celebration.
The Celebrations
Meanwhile the show began on the newly erected stage, complete with a high-tech sound-and-light system. The children were the first to appear with displays of dancing, both modern and the traditional Thai where hands move to fantastic angles. This was followed by a comic fashion show presented by the really young ones. All the neighborhood children got to perform in the show and all were rewarded with prizes at the end.
Numerous speakers followed, who we discovered are local politicians who visit street parties such as this to get the attention of the voters. But this neighborhood has introduced a rule that keeps their numbers to a minimum: anyone who speaks has to finish with a karaoke solo. That proved an amusing break.
Meanwhile the food kept coming, and the bottles of whiskey were replenished. The men were the only ones drinking the whisky. The women appeared content with tea, soft drinks and the occasional beer.
Once all the speeches were over and the children's performances completed the neighbors took it in turns to perform karaoke. The whole event was a cross between a Spanish fiesta and an English street party of bygone years. The most remarkable part was how welcome everyone made us. We felt like family visiting for the weekend, not intruding foreigners. It was long past midnight when we made our way to bed (remembering to remove our shoes as we entered the house).
- AUTHOR'S NOTE: We were given the boy's bedroom; this was air conditioned, but as in most Thai homes there was no hot water. The reasoning is that because it is always hot you shower or bathe to cool down and clean yourself. So you do it with cold water. Try telling that to the farangs in the hotels down the street.
The Second Day
I woke early just as the sun was rising and walked out onto the street. Tong and his neighbors were busy cleaning the area in preparation for the day's celebrations, when the monks would come to the neighborhood. A large tent was erected to house the holy men and once again the women were busily preparing another feast. Nobody appeared to be affected by last night's festivities although the children were a little late on parade. When they did appear they were playing and boasting about the gifts they'd received, and too busy to notice the preparations going on around them.
The Blessing
When the men in the saffron robes arrived, the neighbors took their seats in front of the shaded tent and the holy men began chanting. Their performance was almost hypnotic and it continued for a long, long time. It was a very soothing sound, and from what I was told the words of the chant are equivalent to the Christian Ten Commandments. It takes years to learn the words, which are in the ancient Pali language, and never once does a monk make a mistake. A single thread of cotton was run from one side of the monks' tent around the homes and back to the tent. It was the area within the cotton that received the blessings.
The ceremony complete, it was time to eat. Custom has it that the monks eat first, much to the dismay of the children. We sat outside Tong's home and dish after dish was brought to us to try. I remember one dish that sounded terrible but was very tasty - it was boiled fish roe. There were all kinds of dumplings and pork dishes and some unexpected sweet courses. This breakfast went on for several hours while the children played on the street. When we first arrived they had looked at us as oddities, but now they accepted us and smiled as we struggled to consume more food.
The Community
The camaraderie of the neighborhood is common in Thai villages. The people look out for each other and accept with gratitude whatever they have, without resenting others having more.
Tong and his wife have, we estimate, a combined income of around $10,000 a year, and they consider themselves well blessed. They rarely eat at home. Eating at neighborhood restaurants is so cheap - the family of three normally eats for less than 100 Baht - and with both working odd hours there isn't time for cooking at home. Tong takes care of all the housework, which is not the norm, to give his wife free time with their son when she gets through with her job. When there is work, Tong works seven days a week, sometimes more than 12 hours a day. Their living expenses are ridiculously low by western standards. Their monthly utility bills total little more than 200 or 300 Baht. They don't have a land-line telephone, which is expensive to them, but both have cell phones, which are incredibly cheap to buy and operate.
They observe all the Buddhist traditions and are frequent visitors to their local temple. They spend a lot of time taking care of older people, not only family members, but elderly people who are on their own.
A Temple Visit
During our stay we visited the local temple with the family. They make a point of a special temple visit when a family member celebrates a birthday. Before going we made a market stop and purchased a variety of fruit and flowers, which were presented to a monk. We sat around him while a prayer was chanted then we all received a sprinkling of water from a brush the monk waved above us.
A Reminder
Our next visit was the most incredible of all. The family makes it part of any birthday celebration to buy a casket at the local temple for some unfortunate who has died penniless. For 300 Baht a coffin and shrouds are bought, blessed and placed in readiness for the next pauper. The surrounding walls of the temple were covered in horrific pictures of accident victims, mostly from motorcycle accidents, who had been recipients of the donated coffins. It was a very grim reminder of the dangers of motorcycle-riding throughout the kingdom.
- Perhaps if more people viewed this sort of pictures their driving practices would be less risky. The family seemed unshaken by the awful photographs. Perhaps they have come to accept it as tragic part of Thai life, but it is something we will not forget.
Past & Future
Like most middle-class Thais, our friends never take a Western-style vacation. If they have a day or two without work, they'll visit their families, who are scattered throughout Thailand. Both of them come from rural areas and very humble beginnings. Their childhood homes were in bamboo huts amid rubber plantations and close to rice paddies, and the modest concrete home with running water is considered a great luxury. Their main concern is the future of their son. Schooling in most of Thailand is excellent, and it's free. Their dreams are that he will eventually go on to university and be a major player in the Thailand of tomorrow. And that is dream that most people in the world share.
Pattaya
Pattaya nightlife
Pattaya, 147 kilometers southeast of Bangkok on the eastern side of the Gulf of Thailand, had a totally different origin from that of Hua Hin, across the Gulf. The staid and regal resort of Hua Hin began its life as a popular beach venue favored by the Thai royal family. Pattaya, on the other hand began its transition from a sleepy village to what it is today back in the late ‘50s, with the arrival of several truckloads of American GIs who were seeking some serious R&R away from their military duties.
The elite of Thailand followed the royals to Hua Hin. It was folk of a different ilk who followed the US servicemen to Pattaya. Not surprisingly, the prostitutes, pimps, pill pushers and pornography purveyors moved in as more and more US soldiers discovered that Pattaya was the place to party. Today the original strip where it all began still exists but the once-sleepy village around it has expanded into a metropolis, complete with hotels, resorts and theme parks, catering not only to footloose males looking for companionship but to families looking for fun on their annual beach vacation.
In the daytime
Pattaya has become one of Asia's major playgrounds. It has the buzz and brashness of Bangkok with the added advantage of being on the beach. Laid back and quiet it isn't. There is the occasional oasis of solitude but Pattaya is brimming with activity around the clock. It is open in all seasons with every kind of attraction.
Pattaya surrounds three separate bays. In the center is Pattaya Beach, where it all began, and everything still happens there. To the north is Naklua Bay, quietest of the trio; and to the south, with its string of oceanfront high rises, is Jomtien Beach, famous for its windsurfing.
There is a large expatriate community here. Those we have spoken to love living here, not because of the seedy side of life that surrounds them, but because of the infrastructure that tourism has created. They've turned a blind eye to the sex trade and enjoy wonderful medical services, great shopping and quality restaurants.
THE PATTAYA MAIL
Pattaya has its own English-language newspaper, the Pattaya Mail, which is available every Friday; if you want to keep abreast of local events you can browse the Internet edition at www.pattayamail.com. The newspaper began in 1993 and is widely read by the large ex-pat population that has set up home in the area. The last issue I saw had some exciting pictures of the Chonburi buffalo races, an event that has been taking place each October for over 130 years. The Mail's main office: 370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, tel. 03841 1240, fax 03842 7596.
Pattaya city has been administered under a special independent system since 1978. It has a status comparable to a municipality and is separately administered by a mayor who is responsible for making policies, organizing public services, and supervising all employees of Pattaya city administration. Other developing areas, particularly Ko Chang, are hoping to be afforded a similar status.
The population of Pattaya in 2003 was said to be 92,878. Surprisingly there is a lower percentage of Buddhists (80%) than the national average. Muslims account for 16% of the population and Christians make up the other 4%. Not surprising are the statistics that 90% of the labor force is involved in tourism and the city has no native products.
Pattaya and its environs enjoy three seasons: It's hot and humid from March to May, hot with the addition of lots of rain from June to October and cooler and clearer from November to February.
By Air
Pattaya is served by U-Tapao Airport, which is south of the city. Bangkok Airways, www.bangkokair.com, has regular service here from points throughout Thailand. The Qantas-backed no-frills airline Jetstar Asia has daily flights between Singapore and Pattaya, www.jetstarasia.com.
By Bus
Air conditioned coaches regularly depart from Ekkami, the Eastern Bus Terminal, tel. 02391 2504, and also from Mo Chit, the Northern Bus Terminal throughout the day. There are also minibuses that go directly from Bangkok Airport, tel. 02535 1111. Fares from Ekkami for the 136-kilometer, 2½-hour journey start at 66 Baht. Fares are similar from other departure points.
By Train
The State Railway of Thailand offers one daily service departing Bangkok's Hualampong Station at 6:55am, tel. 02621 8701. The trip takes over three hours. First-class fare for the 155-kilometer journey is 140 Baht, second-class is 72 Baht and third-class is 31 Baht.
By Car
From Bangkok it is a two-and-a-half-hour journey on the Bangna-Trat Highway, via Bang Pakong, Chonburi and Sri Racha. A new motorway signposted for Pattaya and Rayong bypasses Chonburi and saves a few minutes on the journey.
By Bus
Pattaya City has introduced a new bus service to help visitors get around the resort city. The service consists of three color-coded lines - green, red and yellow - which cover the main streets of Pattaya, Naklua and Jomtien. Bus stops are also color-coded to make it easier to identify the routes. Each line has a fixed clockwise and counter-clockwise route, for a total of six, served by three air conditioned buses per route, from 6:00am til 2:00am. All routes begin at the Big C supermarket on Sukhumvit Road, Pattaya.
A 30-Baht one-way ticket can be used on any of the routes. Day passes are also available; a one-day pass is 90 Baht, three-day is 180 Baht and a one-month pass is 900 Baht. The service is operated by Pattaya Beach Bus Co., Ltd., in a joint venture with the state-run Office of SME Promotion, tel. 03875 7340.
By Car
Rental cars are readily available but, as everywhere else in Thailand, beware of the lower-priced Jeeps you'll find along Beach Road; some may not have insurance. These are the rental agencies we can recommend.
ARC, 389/114 Moo 5, Sukhumvit Road, tel. 03842 0252.
Avis, Dusit Resort on Beach Road, tel. 03836 1627, fax 02254 6718.
Budget, 331/1 Moo 6, Sukhumvit Road, tel. 03872 6185, fax 03872 6362.
Pattaya Car Rent Center, 437/157 Soi Yodsak, tel. 03842 0863, fax 03842 0863.
PP Car Rent, 193/156 Rungland Village, South Pattaya, tel. 03842 6552.
VIA, 215/15-18 2nd Road, opposite the Royal Garden Plaza, tel. 03842 6242, fax 03842 6243.
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) tel. 03842 8750
Tourist Police tel. 03842 9371 or 1699
Police station tel. 191
Pattaya police tel. 03842 0802
Banglamung tel. 03822 1800
Highway police tel. 03839 2021
Fire brigade tel. 199
Pattaya International Hospital tel. 03842 8374
Bangkok Pattaya Hospital tel. 03825 9911
Temples
There are two temples in the area worth seeing. Wat Yan Sangwararam, 12 kilometers south of Pattaya (three kilometers from Nong Nooch gardens) is a collection of temples built around a lake in the styles of various dynasties and nations including Thai, Burmese, Indian and Chinese. Meditation courses are available here at 6am and 6pm. Nearby is the Wihan Sian building, which houses Chinese art objects and antiques. The second temple is Wat Chaimongkol on South Pattaya Road, whose standing Buddha image, named Buddha Chaimongkol, is thought to have been made 350 years ago.
Museums & Attractions
Bottle Art Museum: 100 meters south of the bus station on Sukhumvit Road at Km. 145, tel. 03842 2957. An unusual one-man show with some 300 bottles containing models of world sights and transportation. The one man is Dutchman Peter Bedelais who has spent most of his life putting art into bottles - everything from Thai temples to Dutch windmills. He's on hand to show you how it's done. Open daily from 10am to 10pm. Admission 100 Baht.
Nong Nooch Orchid Village: A couple of hours spent here is well worth the 15-kilometer drive out from the city. The tropical gardens are a delight, with emphasis on the orchid house. But what brings the crowds is the Thai cultural show. A visit here helps you get to know a little more about life in the kingdom. There are displays of Thai boxing, Thai dancing and an elephant show all mixed with an assortment of ceremonies and rituals. There are 500 acres to explore, and the easiest way to visit is buy a morning or afternoon tour from any hotel in town. Pick-up times are around 8:30am and 1:30pm, depending where you're located. Total cost for the trip is 550 Baht. If you come on your own there are three 90-minute shows daily at 10:15am, 2pm and 3:45pm.
Traditional Thai dancers
Ripley's Believe It Or Not: Located in the Royal Garden Shopping Plaza on Pattaya Beach Road, tel. 03871 0294. Open daily from 10am to midnight. Admission: 280 Baht. This weird collection of over 300 intriguing examples of the world's oddities includes everything from sharks to masks, and from tools of torture to models of the world's smallest and largest men. Adjoining amusement arcade has high-tech cars and the latest video games.
World Gems Collection, 98 Moo 6, North Pattaya Road, Naklua, tel. 03837 1222. Every tourist town in Thailand has its gem factory but this one, just five minutes north of town, is the best for showmanship; it's a visit the whole family can enjoy. And it's free, provided you're not tempted to purchase. But that's not easy when you see the selection. The approach is more like a theme park (without turnstiles) than an overgrown jewelry store. After the customary free drinks and "where you from" greeting it's a train ride in a tunnel, with stops along the way showing the mining and processing of gemstones, all very Disney-like with animated characters and informative soundtrack, in English. Then you get to see the craftsmen at work before emerging into the vast sales area, where temptation to purchase is hard to resist. Whether prices are better than downtown we can't tell but the trip out here is worthwhile even if you might pay more. Taxi or bus rides to the collection are free from any area hotel.
Mini Siam, Sukhumvit Highway at Km. 143, tel. 03842 1628. This is an amazing model village featuring many great Thai landmarks, which makes it a popular spot for Thai tourists. Among the Thai models is the Bridge over the River Kwai, the Democracy Monument and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Europeans aren't forgotten, with models of the Eiffel Tower, the leaning tower of Pisa and London's Tower Bridge. All the models are at a scale of 1-to-25. Open daily from 7am to 10pm.
Animal Shows
Alangkarn, Sukhumvit Road Km. 155, Jomtien, tel. 03825 6000, www.alangkarnthailand.com. If you've wondered why the Thai people think so highly of elephants you'll get a better understanding if you attend this mega show, a recent addition to the attractions of Pattaya. In days of yore elephants were crucial in Thailand's military victories, and today these battles are recreated on the giant stage here. The attraction is similar to the FantaSea show in Phuket. The theater has everything from laser to water spectacles and can seat 2,000. (The adjoining restaurant can seat half that number.) This is full evening of entertainment with some culture, gorgeous girls, and handicrafts thrown in for good measure.
Alangkarn
Sri Racha Tiger Zoo, 341 Moo 3, Highway 7 Km. 20, Sri Racha, tel. 03829 6556, fax 03829 6559, www.tigerzoo.com. This popular tourist stop 30 kilometers north of Pattaya was forced to close its doors for several weeks at the end of 2004 when 83 tigers at the zoo either died or were culled after becoming infected with bird flu. The tigers were found to have been fed raw chicken carcasses infected with avian influenza. The incident attracted worldwide publicity, but at the time of writing the zoo was reopened and reported that things were back to normal. Despite their loss, the zoo claims to have the largest number of Bengal tigers in captivity. In addition to the tigers there are numerous attractions, including a circus, which can accommodate more than 1,500 visitors daily, women wrestling alligators, pig-racing contests, and a variety of animals, from camels to crocodiles, thousands of them, which create ideal photo opportunities. There is also a "happy family" exhibit where a tiger, a pig and a dog coexist. The zoo is open every day from 8am to 6pm. Admission 250 Baht, children 150 Baht.
Pattaya Elephant Village, tel. 03842 8648. Phonprapha Nimit Road, six kilometers northeast of Pattaya off Highway 3 at Km. 145. There's a one-hour elephant show every afternoon at 2:30pm when the mighty beasts show how they work in the jungle and play football for fun. Admission to the show is 400 Baht or you can take a 90-minute trek for 700 Baht. There is also a rafting option.
Festivals
Pattaya celebrates all the traditional Thai festivals but, as expected, does have some of its own and variations on the national celebrations.
April
Thai New Year: After all the Songkran festivals are finished elsewhere Pattaya City holds its annual Wan Lai festival on April 19 with lots of processions and dousing one another with water. Friends tell us that each year an ever-increasing number of farangs take part.
Pattaya Festival: Normally held in April following the New Year celebrations, and designed to promote tourism. This is when the Miss Pattaya Beauty pageant is held, and floats covered in floral displays traverse the streets. Lots of activities along the beaches with water-sports and sandcastle-building competitions. Arts and crafts are exhibited and sold, and there are numerous cultural performances. The whole thing culminates with a massive firework show on the beach.
October
Chonburi Buffalo Races: A little out of town perhaps, but the beach brigade make the journey to join in the fun in October as Thai farmers show off their buffalos in races and also contests where man takes on the beasts of burden in battles of fun. There are beauty contests and local vendors provide a wonderful array of food stalls.
Shopping
You'll find shops and stalls throughout the Pattaya area. There are three major malls including a large Central Festival, a Tesco Lotus and a Big C. To give you an idea of the shopping size of the area, there are a total of 77 7-Eleven stores. Along the beachfront and in the side alleys there is the normal array of tourist trinkets, and don't think you can hide from shopping by sitting on the beach. Pattaya and the other beach areas are noted for the vast number of vendors who ply their wares along the sand. You are more likely to find the better stores, fashionable boutiques and clothes shops with ready-to-wear garments in the main street of Central and South Pattaya. The major hotels have shopping arcades where prices might be a little higher and it's not so comfortable to bargain.
Bargain Hunting
We did some shopping one day at Big C, the Thai subsidiary of the French supermarket chain Carrefour. We were moving into a partially furnished apartment so our purchases were a little strange but it will give an idea of the bargain prices. We spent a total of 640 Baht at today's exchange rates that was $15.71, or i12.11. And this is what we bought: A two-slice electric toaster, nine quarts of drinking water, two liters of Coca Cola (the real thing), two coconuts, two ceramic coffee mugs, a large packet of Oriental spiced potato chips, a liter of purple carrot-and-grape juice, a packet of sliced green mango that came with a bag of sugar, peppers and salt for dipping, three small cartons of chocolate milk and a bag of hot-and-sour pickled mustard. Also included in our purchases were a variety of good-quality plastic storage jars, three ice trays and several plastic glasses. Many of the items bought are not normally found in your local Winn Dixie.
Recreational Activities
Windsurfing & Sailing
Pattaya is Thailand's capital for windsurfers. Top event of the year is in December when the town hosts the Siam Cup. Best months for action are March-April and July-August. Jomtien Beach, a 10-minute drive from the center of Pattaya, is the main hub for action. Equipment can be rented at Amara Sailing Center, Club Loong Chat, and the Starboard Club. All three are on Jomtien. Another popular spot for windsurfers is Tabsai, 30 kilometers north of Pattaya on the road from Bangkok, where the water is generally calmer.
Diving
There are dozens of dive sites along the coast and the nearby islands. Two of the most popular sites are wreck dives. One is off the coast of Pattaya Beach, the Khram Wreck; the second, a good deal farther south near Ko Lam, is the Hardeep Wreck. The Khram is a man-made reef created by a 200-foot World-War-II US Navy vessel that was deliberately sunk by the Thai Navy in 2003. The keel sits at 30 meters below the surface and the top of the wreck just 15 meters below. The site is already yielding some coral and attracting a full range of fish, and is recommended for more experienced divers.
The Hardeep Wreck, also more suited to experienced divers, is the remains of a Thai coastal freighter sunk during World War II. Maximum depth is 26 meters. The vessel's power plant was deliberately removed to allow access to the engine room, and it is possible to swim the entire length of the coral-encrusted hull. Full range of fish to view including turtles, stingrays and puffer fish.
Aquanauts Dive Center has two offices. The main office - 437/17 Moo 6, Soi Yodsak, Beach Road, Pattaya, tel. 03836 1724, fax 03841 2097, www.aquanautsdive.com - is 100 meters from the beach on Soi Yodsak, between Pattaya Central Road and Pattaya North Road and open from 8am to 6pm. The second office, open from 11am to 9:30pm, is at Montana Court, tel. 03871 0727, fax 038710-727, close to the beach on Pattayaland Soi 1 near the heart of Pattaya's nightlife area, just north of the Pattaya pier.
Ihtiander, 280/1 Beach Road, South Pattaya, tel. 03871 0208, fax 03871 0208, www.ihtiander.com. This organization claims to be the only combined scuba-diving and meditation center in the world, devoted to introducing and helping its clients explore the mysteries of the underwater world and their inner being at the same time. For a decade the company has been teaching diving and meditation in the waters around Thailand, and operates dive centers in both Pattaya and Ko Chang. The company has two dive boats, the larger of which is equipped to handle live-aboard cruises. If you are not up to the meditation diving, the company organizes a full range of courses, starting with snorkeling for beginners.
Golf
There are 15 international-standard courses within 40 minutes of Pattaya. We have listed five here and you'll find more in the Rayong section.
Laem Chabang International Country Club, 106/8 Moo 4, Bueng, Sri Racha, tel. 03837 2273, fax 03837 2275, www.laemchabanggolf.com. This 27-hole course - each of the nines is a par 36 - was designed by Jack Nicklaus, and many think it is one of Thailand's best courses. The three courses - lake, mountain and valley - are linked to an upmarket lodge. Check the Internet for package deals. Visitor green fees: Weekend, 2,500 Baht.
Pattaya Country Club and Resort, Km. 30 Highway 331, Tambon Kaomaikiew, Banglamung, tel. 03842 3718, www.thailandgolfparadise.com/pattaya. About 25 kilometers inland from Pattaya, this 18-hole, par 72 course plays over 6,341 yards. The course, opened in 1994, attracts a lot of players from Bangkok since it's only a 90-minute drive from the capital. Wide fairways and slightly hilly terrain make it a popular course with beginners as well as more seasoned players. There is a small hotel with a swimming pool and the club house offers a full-service restaurant. Visitor green fees: Weekend 1,410 Baht and weekdays 840 Baht.
Phoenix Golf & Country Club, Km. 158 Sukhumvit Road, Huai Yai, Banglamung, tel. 03823 9391, fax 03823 9402, www.thailandgolfparadise.com/phoenix. Three nine-hole courses - ocean, lakes and mountains - designed by Denis Griffiths and opened in 1993. Great scenery and landscaping, with the lakes course being the most challenging. Swimming pool, tennis courts and restaurant are all within the club grounds. Visitor green fees: Weekend 1,800 Baht and weekdays 1,000 Baht.
Plutaluang Navy Golf Course, Moo 6, Sattahip District, tel. 02466 1180, fax 03870 1843, www.thailandgolfparadise.com/plutaluang. This older course with 36 holes was designed by the Royal Thai Navy, who took full advantage of the Chonburi Province hills to make this a challenging course. The clubhouse is in the center of the four nine-holes and serves both Thai and Western food in its restaurant. Well priced considering the quality of the course. Visitor green fees: Weekend 750 Baht and weekdays 450 Baht.
The Rayong Green Valley Country Club, 23 Moo 7, Ban Chang, tel. 03889 3838, fax 03889 3845, www.thailandgolfparadise.com/rayonggreen. Hilly terrain is the attraction of this 18-hole, par 72, 7,131-yard course designed by Peter W. Thomson and opened in 1992. Other attractions here are the large clubhouse, polo club and equestrian track. Visitor green fees: Weekends 1,200 Baht and weekdays 1,000 Baht.
The Offshore Islands
There are numerous islands offshore from Pattaya well worth visiting for their fine beaches and coral. The area is renowned for sailing and you'll find dozens of yachts cruising or racing around the islands. Pattaya and the surrounding area have numerous world-class marinas as well as anchorages for smaller vessels.
The promenade pier at South Pattaya is where you'll find a boat to take you to the various islands. Large boats can carry up to 200 passengers, and the much faster speedboats carry about a dozen. Expect to pay up to 1,500 Baht if you select one of the more distant islands. Travel time can be up to two hours, depending on the boat and the island.
Ko Lan, eight kilometers from the shore, is ideal for divers and has an abundance of coral; but if you prefer not to go over the side you can take a glass-bottom boat to view the underwater scenery. Most of the boats dock at Ta Waen Beach, situated on the northern end of the island and dotted with stalls and bars. There are several other smaller less crowded beaches on the island. Waterskis, parasails and personal watercraft are available for hire. The island tends to get busy at weekends with lots of visitors from Bangkok.
Quieter and smaller is Ko Krok with just one small sandy beach on the east of the island. The island has an abundance of coral heads ideal for snorkeling.
Farther west is the Ko Pai group of islands, which includes Ko Pai and Ko Leum. These islands also offer good swimming and several good opportunities for snorkeling or scuba diving. Since they are a little farther out - some 13 kilometers from shore - these islands tend to attract fewer visitors.
Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa, 218/2 Moo 10, Beach Road, tel. 03841 2120, fax 03842 9926, www.marriott.com, $$$$. All the luxury you expect in a Thai Marriott, this 10-story resort has 286 rooms and seven suites set in wonderful gardens. You can retreat from the nearby bustle of entertainment and shopping to the elegance and calm of the resort, which has a 2,000-square-meter spa and fitness center, numerous bars and restaurants, swimming pool, and rooms to suit the businessman determined to work or families on vacation. Special Internet rates for advance purchases can save you money. The hotel, with high-speed Internet access in every room, is equipped to handle large groups and seminars.
Sugar Hut Resort, 391/18 Moo 10 Tappraya Road, Pattaya, tel. 03825 1686, fax 03836 4186, $$$$. Not directly on the beach, but this resort - a five-minute drive to Pattaya Town on the way to Jomtien Beach - is probably one of the best places to stay in the area. The Sugar Hut has 28 authentic Thai-style villas and eight Thai houses sitting around three swimming pools in luxuriant tropical gardens. Everything is top quality including the special indoor/outdoor bathrooms. Expect to pay over $150 a night for the pleasure of staying here. The Sugar Hut Restaurant is highly recommended too.
Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya, 429 Moo 9, Pattaya Beach, tel. 03842 8755, fax 03842 1673, $$$$. Big and brash, and fits in perfectly with the Pattaya scene. The 320 rooms have loud décor with lots of rock-star pictures and blue or orange carpets. Full in-room entertainment centers with wall-mounted televisions, and in case you forget where you are all the bed linens come with the Hard Rock logo. Pattaya's largest swimming pool is here, of course, along with a Hard Rock Café on the beachfront. Also on the nine-acre site is a 280-seat restaurant with show kitchens serving Japanese, Mediterranean, Thai and Chinese cuisines, a deli counter, E-Bar (Internet café), banquet facilities that accommodate 380, Lil' Rock club for kids, gym, spa and massage salon, and a sand island for pool activities. A word to the wise: The word "peaceful" does not appear in their promotional materials.
Amari Orchid Resort, 240 Moo 5 Beach Road, tel. 03842 8161, fax 03842 8165, www.amari.com, $$$. Set in 10 acres of tropical gardens at the quieter northern end of Pattaya's crescent-shaped bay, the 236-room Amari is equipped for conferences and banquets but is a popular spot for a quieter vacation. The resort has its own shopping arcade, a pleasing swimming pool and two restaurants, plus the new free-standing Mantra restaurant. Internet rates, particularly its all-inclusive packages, keep it out of the $$$$ category.
Dusit Resort Pattaya Beach, 240/2 Pattaya Beach Road, North Pattaya, tel. 03842 5611, fax 03825 0496, www.dusit.com, $$$. This resort, with all of its 464 quality rooms and suites having private balconies with sea views, has its own beach at the more exclusive northern end of Pattaya Beach amid the numerous concrete high-rises. There's a choice of dining with three separate restaurants, two swimming pools, three tennis courts and a fitness center and spa. And it's only a 10-minute walk to the center of activity in Pattaya.
Royal Cliff Beach Resort, 353 Pratamnak Road, Pattaya, tel. 03825 0421, fax 03825 0511, www.royalcliff.com, $$. This is a group of four stylish hotels in one mega-resort set on 64 acres of parkland on a quiet headland overlooking the sea. There is something to suit everyone, with 12 different types of rooms, and we have seen Internet rates as low as $85. Best value for money is the 527-room Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, at the heart of the resort, with accommodation geared towards the package holiday-maker.
Royal Cliff Terrace, which opened in 1973, was the original hotel within the resort. The 88 rooms here are in a low-rise building tucked into the cliff face and facing the sea; they are designed for families and honeymooners.
The Royal Cliff Grand, which opened in 1992, is for the conference and incentive market and boasts an atrium lobby with uninterrupted views of the outlying islands.
Top of the quartet is the 85-room all-suites Royal Wing & Spa where the prices soar along with the service and room facilities.
If you stay anywhere within the resort you have a large array of attractions. If you don't enjoy the private beach there are five swimming pools, six tennis courts, 10 restaurants, four bars, three ballrooms and 15 meeting rooms. The complex also has its own catamaran for cruising the islands around the Gulf, shops, a clinic and all the executive services. And if you want to experience the nightlife in Pattaya, that is a five-minute drive away.
Asia Pattaya Beach Hotel, 325 Moo 12 Pratamnak Road, South Pattaya, tel. 03825 0491, fax 03825 0496, www.asiahotel.co.th, $. Another large hotel with 314 rooms, well priced, three kilometers south of Pattaya on a cliff overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. The well-equipped rooms are all the same size, the only difference is the views either to the ocean or hillside. You pay more to see the sea. In addition there are some suites and executive rooms with more space. There are three bars and three restaurants, and a nine-hole golf course. In addition to the swimming pool there is a tennis court and snooker room. At night there is a disco, or you can walk to town along the beachfront in ten minutes or take a five-minute taxi ride. Want a change from hotel dining? There are several small restaurants near the hotel entrance.
- A large well-stocked aquarium greets you in the lobby of the Asia Pattaya Beach Hotel.
Cholchan Pattaya Resort, 19 Moo 1, Pattaya, Banglamung, tel. 03870 2777, 03870 2778, $. Another large resort - this one has 550 rooms - with a great beachfront location, just a short courtesy-bus ride to the center of town. And well priced, with rooms as low as $38. The Cholchan caters to both business and leisure travelers with the full range of bars and a restaurant with traditional Western meals as well as Asian delicacies. The resort sits in 10 acres of great gardens, with swimming pool, tennis and squash courts, driving range, massage and business center, and operates a children's club on weekends. They can hold meetings for 1,000 people, too.
Rayong
Once you leave Pattaya and head south along Highway 3 the road takes you close to the Sattahip Thai naval base and the U-Tapao Airport, which is also a military installation but is used for commercial flights. The airport was an important one for the US military during the Vietnam War and not surprisingly still gets visited by vets.
Rayong is the capital of Rayong Province, a 3,500-square-kilometer area with 100 kilometers of coastline, somewhat neglected as a tourist destination. The town is more of a staging area for its offshore islands, predominately Ko Samet, or a spot to stop if you're traveling farther east to Ko Chang in the National Marine Park. It is a popular area for Thais since it is less than 200 kilometers from Bangkok. The province has the full range of terrain including mountains, rolling hills, pleasant beaches and fertile plains, on which grow some of the country's finest fruit.
One of the province's claims to fame is that it produces most of the country's fish sauce, the condiment that replaces salt in most Thai cooking. It is also well known for its shrimp paste, dried prawns and dried squid. You'll find good displays of these items at any of the Rayong markets. Reed mats are another local specialty. They can be found at the markets too along with other items made from reeds, including hats and bags.
Best time to visit is from November until February when it is least likely to rain.
By Bus
Air conditioned buses leave every 40 minutes from Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal on Sukhumvit Road, 02391 2504. Cost for the 182-kilometer journey is 85 Baht; it takes about 3½ hours.
By Car
Driving from Bangkok should take about three hours on Hughway 3 (Sukhumvit Road).
By Taxi
The fare for the three-hour ride should be in the 2,000-Baht range; be sure to negotiate the price before you leave Bangkok.
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBER
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) tel. 03865 5420
Attractions
Sri Muang Park: Located in the center of town behind the city hall. The most prominent feature is the Buddhist shrine with the lengthy name of Ho Phra Phut Tha, which is built over an artificial lake. The park has lots of trees and flowers, a small zoo, a basketball court and a takraw court.
The Sobha Botanical Gardens: There is a combination of homes and gardens here, just three kilometers from the ferry pier at Ban Phe. The gardens claim to have amassed one of the biggest collections of plants and trees in Thailand. They also have acquired three homes, each one over 100 years old, which are decorated and furnished with items of yesteryear.
Lotus Crystal: Seeking a different sort of Thai souvenir? The Lotus Crystal Company on Highway 3375, 30 kilometers northeast of Rayong, opens its doors to visitors daily except Sunday from 8am to 5pm, to show the wide variety of the crystal products it produces. 161 Moo 6, Nikorn Soi 4, Highway 3375, Nikornpattana Bankhai, tel. 03863 6372.
Suphattra Land: Opposite Ban Mab Tong School in the Bankhai district about 18 kilometers from Rayong Town. This is a colorful, modern working fruit orchard and botanical garden, with electric trams to show visitors around. Main products grown here are mangosteens, durians and rambutans.
Golf
Eastern Star Golf Resort, 24/5 Moo 3, Ban Chang, tel. 03863 0410, fax 03863 0418, www.thailandgolfparadise.com/easternstar. Challenging links-style 18-hole course just west of Rayong playing over 7,134 yards on an area that was once a coconut grove. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the course is part of a larger complex that includes a tennis court and swimming pool, and a restaurant that offers a choice of Thai, European and Japanese cuisine. Weekend visitor green fees: 1,250 Baht.
Great Lake Golf & Country Club, 77 Moo 5, Off Highway 36, Bangkok-Rayong Road, Mab Yang, tel. and fax 03862 2630, www.thailandgolfparadise.com/greatlake. Nick Faldo designed this excellent course on the banks of the Dok Krai Reservoir, a half-hour north of Rayong. In addition to the reservoir hazard Faldo managed to incorporate 120 bunkers into the 6,807-yard course. Weekend visitor green fees: 1,320 Baht.
Festivals
May
Rayong Fruit Fair: Held at the end of May each year to promote the area's produce, which includes some of the kingdom's best fruits, notably rambutans, mangosteens and the dreaded delicious durians.
Why dreaded? We've been in a couple of hotels where there are signs forbidding you to bring the fruit into the room because of the stench it can cause.
The fair has its share of contests and exhibitions and brightly colored floats, decorated with fruit, compete for prizes.
June
Sunthon Phu Day: Sunthon Phu is considered to have been one of Thailand's foremost poets and, since he hailed from Rayong, the people mark his birthday, June 26, with numerous events, including poetry writing, art involving scenes from the poet's works, and a car cavalcade. Sunthon Phu's work dates from the early Rattanakosin Period, which began in 1782 when Rama I became king (he was the first monarch of the current Chakri royal dynasty). Best known of his poems is the epic romance Phra Aphai Mani. In 1986, UNESCO named him as a Person of International Literary Distinction.
November
The Robing of the Phra Chedi Klang Nam: This traditional fair coincides with the national Loi Krathong Fesitval, when Thais launch small decorated floats into the water. The ceremony takes place at Wat Pak Nam in Rayong's Mueang district. In addition to the religious activities there is a variety of entertainment, lots of food stalls and boat racing.
December
The Red Cross Fair: Annual event held during the New Year holiday from December 28 until January 3, featuring exhibitions promoting the province, as well as a variety of shows and entertainment for young and old.
Rayong Resort, 186 Laem Tarn, Ban Phe, tel. 03865 1000, fax 03865 1007, www.rayongresort.com, $$$. Older, larger resort with 169 rooms split in three sections, the main, smaller cape wing and 10 beach rooms. Its location on Cape Laem Tarn with great views to Ko Samet and loads of activities, especially for younger ones, makes this a pleasant break from the bustle of Pattaya, an hour's drive north. Good package deals are available from its Website and it's worth paying the extra for one of the rooms on the beach.
- The Rayong Resort offers a sunset cruise around Ko Samet.
Purimas Beach Hotel, 34 Payoon-Namrin Road, Bangchang, tel. 03863 0382, fax 03863 0380, www.purimas.com, $$$. Upmarket resort with a spa, on the beach about seven kilometers before the town of Rayong if you're driving along Highway 3 from Pattaya. All the 79 suites have great sea views and are completely equipped. Top-quality spa operated by Sothys of Paris. Large pool, fitness center and beauty salon and a choice of restaurants. Rack rates are close to 6,000 Baht for a regular suite and 11,000 for the deluxe version but we have seen rates half this price on the Internet.
After you leave Rayong, head east towards Chanthaburi; the turnoff to Ban Phe and the ferry pier for Ko Samet will be on your right. If you haven't had a chance to buy any local products or produce you'll find plenty of opportunity around the pier.
Ko Samet used to be called the "island of crushed crystal," since so many of its beaches sparkled. It's a place that has suffered somewhat from overuse but it still remains popular with tourists, particularly younger Thais eager to escape from Bangkok. The ferry crossing from Ban Phe takes 40 minutes, operates from 6am to 5pm and costs 30 Baht. Most of the accommodation is along the beaches on the island's east coast. Since the island, which is six kilometers long and very skinny in parts, is designated a national park, you get to pay a 200-Baht admission fee. The national park visitor center, police headquarters (such as they are), and health clinic are near the ferry dock.
Where to Stay & Eat
Amid the 30 or so places of accommodation on Ko Samet we have selected three properties that can be considered luxury at an affordable price. They are related and share the same Website, which makes comparing them easier. The first two are on the island's much quieter western shore, on Prao Beach, which is a wonderful place to view the sunsets, and the third is on Sai Kaew Beach, on the northeast shore of the island. The Website they share is www.aopraoresort.com.
Le Vimarn Cottages & Spa, Ao Prao, tel. 03864 4105, fax 03864 4099. Presently the best place to stay on the island. The 17 deluxe thatched-roofed cottages are set on stilts amid tall trees on a slope that leads down to the beach. They are simply but elegantly furnished with all the mod cons you'd find on the mainland. Several packages available: A two-night stay here in the honeymoon cottage - including spa treatments, dinner, and transfers to and from the mainland by ferry - costs 26,800 Baht.
Ao Prao Resort, sharing the same beach as Le Vimarn, tel. 03864 4100, fax 03864 4099. Larger than its neighboring resort with 52 rooms, this is happy a mix of rooms, bungalows, and suites. The resort is less expensive than La Vimarn. The two-night package here could be yours for less than 10,000 Baht. Ao Prao does have large luxury family suites with two bedrooms as well as executive suites that offer great views of the bay - even if you're sitting in the bathtub. The Seaview Restaurant at the water's edge offers both Thai and Western cuisine.
Sai Kaew Beach Resort, On Sai Kaew beach across the island from the two previous resorts, tel. 03864 4193, fax 03864 4194. There's more activity on this side of the island and you'll pay less. The package here runs at under 9,000 Baht. We've mentioned spa packages but the Website has other options, including a diving package. There are 40 rooms here, all having large windows so you get great views of the tropical gardens or the beach even when you're in bed. The Rim Talay Restaurant caters to both Western and Thai tastes.
Klaeng
This town, capital of the province of the same name, makes an ideal rural stopping place if you are driving from Bangkok to Trat. It has a pleasant beach resort, is quieter and less expensive than the big-time palaces of Pattaya, and the town is close to the Khao Chamao National Park (see below), noted for its eight-level waterfall.
By Bus
Air conditioned buses leave from Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal on Sukhumvit Road. There are 10 departures daily, between 5am and 10pm. The trip takes just over three hours, and the fare is 85 Baht.
By Car
The trip from Bangkok on Highway 3 (Sukhumvit Road) takes under three hours. Once clear of the turnoff for Ban Phe ferry, Klaeng is the next major spot on the road to Chanthaburi.
This is the closest town to Khao Chamao National Park. It is well organized for visitors with several nature trails, a campsite, bungalows for rent, and a food mart and visitor center.
To get here you drive seven kilometers east from Klaeng along Highway 3 to the junction with route 3377, where you turn left (you're now heading north) and continue to Nam Sai village. Here you turn right and drive one kilometer to the park headquarters. The park, which spreads into both Rayong and Chanthaburi provinces, has several waterfalls to visit in addition to the famous eight-level one, and the forest is crammed with an enormous collection of plant life. Another park, Khao Wong National Park, less than 20 kilometers from Khao Chamao, is noted for its numerous caves, streams and strange rock formations.
Novotel Coralia Rim Pae, 4/5 Moo 3, Pae Klaeng, Kram Road, Klaeng, tel. 03864 8008, fax 03864 8431, www.novotel.com, $$. This beachfront resort with 189 rooms is 35 kilometers from Rayong and 80 kilometers from Chanthaburi. Rooms booked on the hotel Website cost 2,200 Baht ++ and breakfast is an additional 290 Baht. The rooms are fully equipped, and there are two restaurants, a swimming pool and a karaoke bar.
Chanthaburi
Our drive along Highway 3 brings us to the fascinating, bustling ancient town of Chanthaburi, the provincial capital of an area that is steeped in history and famous for its gems. If you want to see gemstone trading, try to arrange your visit to be here on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday morning. The main area for gems is Si Chan Road, where tables are rented out by the hour for sellers and buyers to swap cash for gems.
In earlier times most of the stones that were traded here were locally mined, but today most of the gems are imported. On these weekend mornings, traders come from Bangkok and meet with the local merchants. The area is full of gem shops and factories where stones are cut, polished and mounted into jewelry. The lapidaries of Chanthaburi are rated as among the world's best. If you know gem stones, then this is probably a good place to buy them. But you need to know what you're doing. We've heard lots of stories of how glass and plain rocks can be treated, heated and presented as passable gems.
Thailand's main cities are full of grand jewelry emporiums, where you first see craftsmen hunched over benches blending sparkling gems with precious metals. Moments later you glide into lavish, brightly illuminated showrooms stocked with shiny creations that can cost anything from a few dollars to millions. The sales force, resplendent in dark suits and fluent in most modern languages, descend armed with calculators that convert the Baht price tags into every imaginable currency. They know every birthstone, the right gems for every anniversary, and they have a natural talent to know a genuine buyer from a curious visitor who is content to leave with a business card. Several executives at these super stores told us that their basic training was here in Chanthaburi, and the best artisans came from here too.
Aside from the gems, a major attraction of Chanthaburi is the amazing mix of cultures and people that the area has attracted. Back in the 1850s, with stories rife that the hills were alive with rubies and sapphires, Cambodians, Chinese and Burmese moved here. They were joined later by refugees from Vietnam escaping from religious persecution. The French occupied the city for over a decade at the end of the 19th century when they rebuilt the Catholic cathedral. The population of the province is estimated at about a half-million. Annual average temperature for the province is a balmy 28.13 degrees Celsius.
By Bus
Air conditioned buses leave every 30 minutes from Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal, tel. 02391 2504. The fare is 106 Baht, the 106-kilometer journey takes about four hours.
By Car
It's under four hours total driving time from Bangkok on Highway 3 (Sukhumvit Road).
Attractions
King Taksin Monument: King Taksin was the monarch who expelled the Burmese from Thailand after they had destroyed the ancient capital of Ayutthaya in 1767. Chanthaburi was the last Burmese stronghold. A bronze statue of the king on horseback was erected here in 1893. It is in the city park on Thaluang Road, opposite the old governor's office.
Catholic Cathedral: The Church of the Immaculate Conception is said to be the most beautiful Catholic church in Asia and the largest Christian church in Thailand. The cathedral was rebuilt by the French during the time they occupied Chanthaburi; that work was completed in 1909. The church contains some intricate stained glass and several exceptional murals. There has been a church on this site since a small missionary chapel was built here in 1711.
Festivals
Chanthaburi Fruit Fair: This annual event in mid-May allows the city and the province to show off their produce - notably durian, mangosteens, and rambutans - when it is in its peak condition. In addition to selling produce from the orchards the province uses the fair for lots of cultural displays, as well as promoting local handicrafts.
Maneechan Resort & Sport Club, 110 Moo 11, Plubpla, tel. 03934 3777, $$. Good family hotel with 72 pleasant rooms and it is part of the city's largest sports club, which includes a large swimming pool, fully equipped gym, fitness center and tennis courts. Popular with Thais; not everyone here speaks English. There is a massage service, and for shoppers it is a short walk to Robinson Department Store. Internet rates run between 2,500 Baht and 3,500 Baht.
K.P. Grand Hotel, 35/200-201 Theerat Road, tel. 03932 3201, www.chanthaburi-hotel.com, $$. There are 202 well-appointed rooms at this 18-story hotel, reasonably priced at 1,600 Baht, although the very large (105-square-meter) executive suite has a rack rate of 8,000 Baht. Choice of dining: the upmarket Sky Room Restaurant, noted for its creative European, cooking is on the 18th floor. Closer to ground level is the Mei-san Restaurant, which offers good Chinese cuisine. Nice swimming pool and fitness center and, as you would expect, a Thai massage service is available.
Caribou Highland Hotel, Chawana-Uthids Road, tel. 03932 3431, fax 03932 1584, www.caribou-hotel.com, $. Probably the best value in town. The 112 standard rooms, well equipped, sell for 990 Baht a night; the larger junior suites cost 1,600 Baht; and the two-bedroom grand suite on the seventh floor, with great views of the city, sells for 4,000 Baht a night. The prices include breakfast. Bargain prices too at the hotel's Sunflower Chinese Restaurant on the second floor, which is open from 6am until midnight. There is an international lunch buffet three times a week for 90 Baht and on Friday nights the buffet dinner costs 120 Baht per person.
- The Caribou Highland Hotel Website has two movies, one about the hotel and the other about the city. One snag - the commentary is in Thai.
New Travel Lodge Hotel, 14/5 M 3 Raksachamoon Road, tel. 03930 1888, fax 03930 1555 $. Well-priced rooms, all selling at less than 2,000 Baht a night, considering the facilities and bright décor. If you're driving, you'll appreciate the spacious guarded car park, and the pleasant swimming pool is a plus.
Chanthaburi Riverside, 69 Moo 9, Chanthanimit Road, tel. 03931 1726, $. Very basic small hotel where you can get a room for under $6. Breakfast not included. The only reason we list it is that it has a great location overlooking the River Chanthaburi and within shouting distance of the gem shops. What you save here can be spent on a few more rubies or sapphires.
Trat
Trat, the fourth-smallest province in Thailand with a population of less than a quarter of a million people, is more a place you pass through rather than stop in. It is best known as the gateway to the islands of the National Marine Park, including Ko Chang, Ko Laoya, Ko Mak and Ko Kood. Departure point for those is at Laem Ngob, which is 17 kilometers south of the town of Trat, the provincial capital.
The eastern part of the province is separated from Cambodia by the Buntud Mountains, and the River Weru separates it in the west from Chanthaburi.
The town of Trat, 70 kilometers east of Chanthaburi, is also the last major place to get supplies if you're heading south to the with Cambodia.
Dock at Trat
The new Trat Airport, belonging to Bangkok Airways (tel. 03957 9767), is 35 kilometers northwest of the city, and looks like a carbon copy of the airline's facility at Ko Samui. Most passengers are destined for the islands but, with demand growing, the airline says it will add services and probably other destinations.
There are a dozen guesthouses in Trat offering basic accommodation, several restaurants and a handful of souvenir shops, and a well frequented KFC. Topping the list of places to stay is the Trat Hotel on Soi Thanacharoen, tel. 03951 2233, with a variety of riime; air conditioned doubles from 400 to 600 Baht. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has an office here, at 100 Moo 1, tel. 03959 7255, tattrat@tat.or.th.
Festivals
Trat Memorial Day: Annual event celebrated on March 23, the day the province returned to Thai sovereignty after the French occupation. The celebrations are held at the provincial town hall.
Trat Fruit Fair: Held at the end of May or beginning of June and featuring exhibitions and displays of agricultural produce from the region. Lots of contests about who grew the biggest and best.
National Marine Park Islands
The islands in the marine park include Ko Chang, Ko Laoya, Ko Mak and Ko Kood.
Ko Chang and its surrounding 50 smaller islands are poised to become the next Phuket of Thailand. That's the way some politicians view it, including the Prime Minister. Others fear that this group of islands, which were designated as a National Marine Park back in 1982 in the hope of preserving their natural beauty, will be ruined by new development in much the same way that befell the Phi Phi islands.
- DID YOU KNOW? The word chang means elephant in Thai, though the big beasts never roamed here - until now, when elephant trekking is one of the options afforded visitors. It's possible the name came as a result of the island's shape but to us it looks more like a tortoise with a hat on.
Probably the most important part of the island's history took place offshore in an area near Salak Petch beach known as the Naval Battle Ground, or Boriwaen Yutthanavee. It was here, during the time the French held colonies in Southeast Asia, that the French and Thai navies clashed and on January 17, 1941, the Royal Thai Navy's ship Thonburi was sunk. The wreck has become a popular dive site. And every year the people of Trat Province remember the attack by holding memorial services and floating garlands out to sea to honor those who died. A museum with an exhibition of naval history has been built on the mainland at Laem Ngob Beach.
Geography
The national marine park area spreads over 650 square kilometers off the Ngob Headland of Trat Province, which s on Cambodia. The islands have been a favorite spot for Thai holidaymakers and a few nature-loving foreigners. The last published figures showed that only 118,000 people visited the islands in the year 2003. By comparison, two million people visited Phuket in the first six months of 2004.
Tourism
The area got a boost in tourism when the tsunami hit Phuket and its surroundings. Some of those who switched resorts told us later that they were impressed with Ko Chang but felt it had yet to reach the international standards of other major Thai resort areas.
Until the big resorts opened for business, the only accommodation that was available on the islands was basic bamboo huts. Most of them offered a mattress on the floor - beds put you in a higher price bracket - and power was only available at certain times of the day when the generator ran. Today it is still possible to get a room for under 100 Baht but it is very basic living, and one needs a tough skin to withstand the mosquito and sand-fly bites.
Ko Chang is the major island in the marine park, and the second-largest in Thailand - Phuket is the largest, and Samui the third - at 30 kilometers in length from north to south and 8 kilometers across at its widest point. The island is covered in dense virgin rain forest and skirted by white sand beaches, the best of which are on the island's west coast.
The two biggest communities on Ko Chang are Ban Salak Petch and Ban Long Than, both on the south end of the island. Most of the islanders are fishermen, and Salak Petch is the perfect harbor for boats; this is where you'll find all the piers with ferry services to other islands in the archipelago, as well as to Laem Ngob on the mainland.
It still lacks many modern conveniences, but they are coming. The new airport on the mainland at Trat (see above), built by Bangkok Airways, and the good superhighway from Bangkok, 360 kilometers away, make getting here easier. The airport, which is a 15-minute drive from the ferry terminal, has service to Bangkok, Phuket and Samui. A new telecom system has been installed and this has prompted the opening of several Internet cafés on the island. There are small medical clinics on the island but the closest hospital is at Trat. Plans are also underway to link up the island's road so it will be possible to make a circular tour.
The government has also announced several development programs for the island, which include a yacht marina, an area set aside for boat racing and an expansive undersea aquarium. Critics claim that the aquarium project is not worthwhile since the water is not clear enough to support such a scheme.
Before the current growth of tourism, the main industry here was fishing; to supplement their meager incomes the islanders are adapt at fruit farming as well as tapping the rubber trees for their sap.
Cars, jeeps and motorcycles are available for rent on Ko Chang to explore the coastal regions of the islands. And there are plenty of inexpensive restaurants and bars scattered around.
Ko Chang beach resort
Attractions
Away from the resorts, the main attractions on Chang are fishing, diving and snorkeling. Or you can go hiking in the rain forests and find the two multi-level waterfalls where you can swim in the fresh, cool pools below. The flora and fauna awaiting the intrepid trekker are spectacular. It's possible to see more than 70 species of birds, as well as wild boar, monkeys and barking deer.
The most important shrine on the island is the Chao Po Ko Chang (which translates to godfather of Ko Chang), a Chinese-style temple in the north of the island, where two giant elephant statues guard the entrance. The local people, the Khon Kard, have sought guidance here for generations. They tell wonderful stories of how answered prayers have saved the people, and the island, from disaster.
Where to Stay & Eat
Amari Emerald Cove Resort, 88/8 Moo 4, Klong Prao Beach, tel. 03955 2000, fax 03955 2001, www.amari.com, $$$. This was the first luxury chain resort to open on Ko Chang. It was in full swing for the 2004-2005 Christmas and New Year holidays. It is one of the largest resorts on the Chang Islands, with 165 rooms and suites. Amari went for quality with all its accommodation having fine-looking solid wood furniture and modern Thai décor. The rooms have great views of either the cove or nearby mountains. Guests have a choice of three restaurants, one with an outdoor terrace, as well as two bars. The resort has a 50-meter pool, a rarity in the archipelago, a Jacuzzi, a children's pool and a scuba diving center. There is also the Sivara Spa and a fitness room. High-season Internet rates started at $136 +++ for the deluxe rooms with suites costing as much as $400 a night.
Ramayana Koh Chang Resort, 19/9 Moo 4, Klong Prao beach. Bangkok sales office, tel. 02261 6364, fax 02261 6367, www.ramayana-kohchang.com, $$$. Elegant new luxury resort set inland amid the island's finest gardens. The 64 fully equipped rooms and suites all have private patios and are beautifully furnished. The resort has its own beach where it maintains a club with a sundeck terrace, and provides an hourly minibus service to get you there and back; a scuba and snorkeling center, a snack bar and traditional Thai massages are available at the resort. There is a swimming pool and several restaurants. Complimentary shuttle services are provided to the Bang Bao fishing village as well as to the island's pier. There's an upmarket spa at the resort as well as a library and Internet center. An elaborate buffet breakfast is provided at the Sritandorn Restaurant from sunrise until 11:30am. Room rates start at 5,000 Baht for the room and go as high as 12,000 Baht for the two-bedroom family suites. The resort does offer several attractive package deals on its Website.
Aiyapura Resort & Spa, 29 Moo 3, Klong Son Beach, tel. and fax 03955 5118, www.aiyapura.com, $$$. A large leaf-shaped infinity swimming pool with a swim-up bar is a focal point for this upmarket resort, which has 77 rooms, including villas and suites - all equipped with in-room tea and coffee making facilities. There are three restaurants and there has been an emphasis on things Thai in décor and design. The decks have been constructed with the kingdom's teak and the umbrellas that adorn the area came from Chiang Mai. Rates, which include breakfast and taxes, vary from a low-season standard room at 4,200 Baht to 14,000 Baht for the honeymoon suite in high season. The resort has one of the best spas on the island, where you can expect to pay 3,000 Baht for a two-hour session. There's a nightly barbecue (750 Baht) or a set dinner (650 Baht).
KC Grande Resort, 1/1 Moo 4, Ban Had Sai Khao, tel. 01833 1010, fax 01939 5857, www.kcresortkohchang.com, $$. This popular inexpensive resort on White Sand Beach (Had Sai Khao) has undergone some major improvements to its 50 beachside bungalows, and its new lobby, which has facilities including a room for Internet access, safe deposit boxes and a coffee corner where you can drink as much as you want as long as you want. The resort is within walking distance of the busy settlement that White Sand Beach has become with its numerous stalls, bars, restaurants, the police booth and clinic. The main street also houses Ko Chang's only two ATMs. Rates range from 1,700 Baht for the older standard bungalows in low season, to 4,100 Baht for the more modern beachfront bungalows in high season. The prices include breakfast and taxes. The resort's Beach Café is open all day and has become a favorite spot for its fresh grilled seafood.
Banpu Ko Chang Hotel, 9/11 Moo 4, White Sand Beach, tel. 01863 7314, www.banpuresort.com, $$. A pleasant, well-priced private resort where you have a choice of bungalow location. For those in groups and looking for fun and frolic, the bungalows around the lake are the place to be. If it's peace and quiet you seek then the bungalows near the sea are the ones to book. Each of the chalets have been hand-crafted with local woods and ceramic tiles and are surround by tropical gardens. The resort has a spa and swimming pool, and the views from the property are inspiring. All the accommodation comes fully equipped; expect to pay 3,400 Baht a night for the best chalets.
Sea View Resort & Spa, 10/2 Moo 4, Kai Bae Beach, tel. 03938 2279, fax 03955 1153, www.seaviewkohchang.com, $$. It's the location on a cliff near the viewpoint at the southern end of Kai Bae Beach that attracts visitors to this well-established resort. Inexpensive for most of the accommodation (as low as 1,200 Baht for a standard cottage in low season, June to September) although the best suite does sell for 14,000 Baht in high season, from October to May. Those rates include taxes and breakfast. Nice beach and comfortable, not luxurious, accommodation makes it a great value.
Barali Beach Resort, 77 Moo 4, Klong Prao Beach, tel. 03955 1238, fax 03955 1239, $$. Reasonably priced new, larger beachfront resort with all the Asian-style villas well equipped with TVs, stereo and minibar. Great location for sunset-watching on the west coast of the island. Two pools, the smaller one for children, coffee shop, lobby lounge and room service. There is a mangrove canal nearby and the resort rents out canoes so you can paddle your way through it. Rates for a deluxe villa start at 2,400 Baht and top price is 7,800 Baht for a junior suite villa over the Christmas period.
Ko Chang Grand Lagoona, tel. 03950 1605, fax 03950 1067, www.grandlagoona.com, $$. This resort gets the prize for the oddest assortment of accommodation, ranging from a room on a seven-deck floating hotel to quaint floating chalets or pleasant Lanna-style hillside villas.
- The Lanna Kingdom was the original name of an area of northern Thailand; Lanna-style is the architectural tradition of that area.
The resort is spread over 400 rais which, it claims, makes it the biggest resort on Ko Chang (the rai, a unit of land measurement, is difficult to convert, so we will take their word for it). This place has as it name implies, a large lagoon as well as a white sand beach, streams and an area of tropical rain forest. The resort's unusual floating hotel, the Galaxy, is built on an old wooden barge; you can stay here for 4,500 Baht on weekdays or 5,500 Baht on weekend nights. The Galaxy has 125 rooms and a banqueting room to handle 200 diners; weekday prices here are 1,500 Baht. If you want to stay on dry land, the homes on the hill sell for 4,500 Baht week nights and 6,500 Baht at weekends. Focal point here is the bathrooms have a transparent roof so you can stargaze while you shower.
There are in fact three small islands, Ko Laoya Nai, Ko Laoya Klang and Ko Laoya Nok. The islands are close to the southern tip of Ko Chang and noted for wonderful coral heads and fine white beaches. There is a bridge that links Laoya Klang to Laoya Nai. There is only one resort here, Laoya Resort, tel. 02673 0966, fax 02211 9656. They offer an all-inclusive three-day, two-night package for 5,000 Baht per person, which includes the return boat trip between Laem Ngob ferry and the resort, the accommodation, and six set meals. The resort boasts 24-hour uninterrupted electricity, and all rooms have air conditioning and TV. There's not a lot to do here but fish, swim, sail and snorkel.
This island, off the south coast of Ko Chang, has long been inhabited by farmers and fishermen, and was once occupied by the French. It only covers 15 square kilometers but is full of rubber tree and coconut plantations and noted for its fine beaches. The first tourists began coming here in 1974 when some bungalows for tourists were built at Ban Ao Nid on the east of the island. Poor communications and transport halted further development until 1987, when small basic resorts were built on some of the island's beach areas. Today there are close to a dozen different places to stay, most of them very basic, but it has become the most popular of the small islands in the marine park.
Getting Here
The ferry from Laem Ngob to Ko Mak leaves the mainland every day at 3pm and returns every morning at 8am. The crossing takes three hours.
Where to Stay
Koh Mak Resort, tel. 03950 1013, fax 03950 1013, www.geocities.com/kohmaak. The 28 bungalows, some air conditioned, that comprise this resort are on Suan Yai beach on the western side of this island, facing the tiny island of Ko Kham, with a distant view of Ko Chang and Ko Wai. There is a diving school, and dives are arranged for nearby sites. Most are suitable for students, though more experienced divers can go down as far as 30 meters. The restaurant offers good Thai food but says its cook will attempt western dishes. The resort offers all kinds of boat rentals, archery and windsurfing lessons and operates a small post office with Internet and regular phone connections. There is a convenience store, pool table and a library. The type-B bungalow with air conditioning costs 4,200 Baht for a three-day, two-night stay. The price includes the boat transfer, six meals and a snorkeling trip.
Cococape, Koh Mak, www.koh-chang.com/kohmakcococape. The best bet here of the 28 bungalows is the Laguna Cottage that comes with a private bathroom and air conditioning for 2,800 Baht a night. The thatched-roof wooden cottages sit on stilts and are scattered neatly along a nice beach that is bounded by coconut palms. The resort has bikes, boats, kayaks and fishing tackle to rent and offers help in learning windsurfing, kite-surfing and archery. There is a speed-boat available for hire that can take you to the neighboring islands including Ko Rayang, Ko Wai, Ko Kood and the three Laoya islands.
Ko Kood is the second-largest island in the National Marine Park, the fourth-largest in Thailand, and the farthest from the Trat coast. Its resorts are a little more upmarket than on most of the other marine park islands, but they are still well priced even if you have to travel a little farther to reach them. The terrain consists mostly of hills covered in wild vegetation sloping down to wonderful beaches. There are also some breathtaking coral reefs offshore. Perhaps the most important visitor here was King Rama V who came to see the Klong Chao waterfall.
Until the resorts came the few villagers depended on fishing and farming. At last count only 1,500 were considered residents on the island, which covers 130 square kilometers.
Getting Here
Ferries depart either from Ao Thammachat or Ko Chang Center Point landings, from 7:30m to 4:30pm. Private boat charters can be arranged at the Laem Ngob landing or in advance at Ko Chang Center Point, tel. 03953 8055.
Where to Stay & Eat
Some of the resorts close during the off-season and many are fully booked way in advance during the most popular season, which is from early November until the end of February.
Ko Kood Island Resort, Moo 6, Yai Kerd Beach, tel. Bangkok reservations tel. 02211 9656. E-mail koodlaguna@thai-tour.com. The resort on Yai Kerd Bay, the northernmost part of the island, offers the choice of two areas to stay. The more expensive Ban Klang Nam has 20 sturdy wood-finished cottages built over the shallow sea. A two-night, three-day package costs 4,350 Baht per person and includes the accommodation, nine meals, and boat transfers to the mainland. The second choice is Ban Cherng Kao, where each of the eight cottages can accommodate up to seven persons. Per-person package cost for these is 3,600 Baht.
Ko Kood Laguna, www.kokoodlaguna.com. There are five different accommodation types at different locations, depending on the size of your party and how much comfort you want. There's no swimming pool; the resort says the sea is a better alternative and it has powerboats to rent for skiing or a sport-fishing boat for day- or night-trolling. The good-looking Seaside cottage costs 4,300 Baht per night/per person if you stay for two nights, and thereafter 1,000 Baht per night/per person. That price includes air conditioning, TV and refrigerator, round-trip transfers to the mainland by speedboat and four meals a day. There is 24-hour power but the air conditioners are only turned on between 6pm and 7am - just when you most need them.
Koh Kood Cabana, Tapow Beach, tel. Bangkok reservations 02211 9656, e-mail kohkoodcabana@thai-tour.com. Situated on the west coast of the island at Tapow Beach, claiming to be the most beautiful beach on Ko Kood, and close to the Klong Chao waterfall this resort has the facilities to handle groups up to 200. Ko Kood Cabana offers a good variety of accommodation. These are the single- or double-occupancy bungalows; the larger ones can house from six to 12 people. All bungalows have their own bathrooms and all face the beach. A VIP room here with air conditioning costs 3,200 (plus 7% VAT) Baht per day and includes four meals a day, a trip to the Klong Chao waterfall, round-trip transfer to the mainland by speed boat.