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While travelling in Thailand, my wife and I cajoled each other into embarking on a retreat in a Buddhist monastery. The overnight train from Bangkok took us Suan Mokkh Hermitage where, after registration of £30, we entered into ten days of practising yoga (never done before); meditation (never attempted); receiving instructions in Buddhist philosophy (never chased spiritual guidance) and in mindfulness (ask my wife!) All in total silence. It was truly the most challenging, thought-provoking, difficult, weird and ultimately rewarding experience I've had and I came out the most balanced, relaxed and healthy-looking I can recall - but nonetheless dying for a beer. A very small step on the road to enlightenment. Two years on and I'm still carrying a large chunk of that time around with me.
www.suanmokkh-idh.org
Suan Mokkh International Dhamma Hermitage, Chaiya, near Surat Thani, Thailand. Retreats commence the first Sunday of every month.
Google map: bit.ly/yiGZTi
Press floor 64 in the State Tower in Bangkok and get transported onto a rooftop bar with a sultry jazz singer to your left, a luminous blue bar to your right and 360 degree views of the steaming city below. Step down the twinkling, sweeping staircase make your way past the beautiful people to the cocktail bar and believe it - you are living the dream :-)
State Tower, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
+66 2 624 9555
Google map: bit.ly/tdxvcL
For authentic, good value and delicious food, head to the top floor of the Chiang Mai Airport Plaza. There's an excellent food court where you can get light meals freshly cooked for 30-50 THB ($1-$2) in addition to a range of quality restaurants which are very popular with the locals. Most tourists eat around the night bazaar or downtown but the food is more authentic and it's much better value where the locals eat - at the Airport Plaza.
www.centralplaza.co.th
Pa Daet, Mueang Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
Google map: bit.ly/oh3g2c
The most beautiful beach in Koh Phangan. A perfect place for people who look for quiet and peace. The beach is isolated from the rest of the island, but you can get there easily by longtail boat.
I spent one summer from university living in the Thai countryside, right on the Burma border with the Karen people. A team of us was there to help the village build a clean water supply system so clean water could be pumped into the village for the first time. It was an experience I will never forget. If you are looking for a volunteer abroad opportunity for a summer or gap year ... look no further.
www.karenhilltribes.org.uk/
+44 (0)1904 612829
Great little renovated Chinese shophouse with warm wood paneling inside. Cool vibe and menu includes lots of great veg dishes and hard-to-find ingredients such as quinoa. Not to be missed.
sevenspoonsbkk.wordpress.com/
211/8 Chakkrapatipong Road, Bangkok 10100
+66 2 628 4588
Google map: bit.ly/paQMTP
Mo Ko Surin National Park covers an area of around 140km2 located 55km from the Thai mainland. It contains the Surin Islands and surrounding waters – of the total area, 80% is sea. There is a brilliant campsite on one of the islands. Our tent (sheets etc provided) was pitched on the edge of a pretty small white-sand beach and provided great views – turquoise blue sea in the day and beautiful sunsets in the evening.
The co-op run restaurant by the campsite is a great place to chill out, meet people and enjoy locally caught/grown fish and veggies. You can go snorkelling off the beach and explore the baby shark-filled mangroves. Staying at the campsite also allows you to go out snorkelling from longtail boats during the day rather than the bigger boats the day trippers use.
Mu Ko Surin National Park is fantastic for snorkelling, with pristine reefs, mangroves and crystal clear waters. We saw sharks (small and large), sea turtles and loads of beautiful reef fish, coral and plants. The park is stunningly beautiful and so far has been well protected by the government by limiting the number of day trippers and campers.
You can book trips from Khao Lak on the mainland.
www.surin-islands.com/
Google map: bit.ly/mNOu1c
I spent two nights at the Siam Classic in Bangkok and couldn’t find fault with this stylish hostel. Handily, it’s located at Hua Lamphong (one end of the metro line), just five minutes from Bangkok Central Station and also on the edge of the old town.
For 4,500 Thai baht (about £9) I had a cosy, clean and sweet-smelling single room with free Wifi and a simple breakfast (egg and toast) in the morning. The shared showers were strong and hot and there was a lovely roof terrace - perfect for chilling out away from the city noise. There are also banks opposite and a launderette just round the corner.
I went on the recommendation of a friend who’d formed such a bond with the owners that they’d let him store some of his luggage while he went away for a month. While I’m obviously not guaranteeing they’ll provide this service for all their guests, hopefully this indicates what nice folk the guys at the Siam Classic are.
www.siamclassic-hostel.com/index.php
+6626396363
Google map: bit.ly/end42K
Five minutes from Hua Lamphong metro station
It is easy to shop til you drop in Bangkok but it can be an overwhelming experience in the heat, with the number of people on the streets and the choice on offer. Siam Paragon is a very modern high-end mall with all the designer labels and a big department store if you have big bucks to spend. It is actually worth visiting just for the fantastic open-plan food level with a huge choice of eateries including sushi, burgers, pizza, bakery and some very cheap Thai meals in the food court canteen which looked popular with locals. The supermarket seems pretty expensive though perhaps catering more to wealthy expats with money to burn on brands they recognise.
Opposite this mall is the Siam Center which has more high street clothes shops.
The Suan Lum night bazaar (nearest station Lumphini) has a great atmosphere with open-air bars and live music, definitely for tourists not locals but you can haggle and there are some good quality stalls and little boutiques run by small local designers and artists among the tat and souvenirs so you can find some unusual crafts and clothes. You can also get a foot massage or a fish spa and get a good cheap meal in the central food court. The night market at Patpong is not as seedy as you might think but only really sells the tourist tat like logo T-shirts and fake watches. You will be offered entry to a ping-pong show several times but the touts don’t hassle you much and there is nothing offensive on the street it’s all behind closed doors so you might just see a glimpse of a girl in a bikini. There are a couple of good shops offering the better standard of copy if you’re in the market for a fake handbag but they’re fairly arrogant about the value of their merchandise and start negotiations at inflated prices so it can be hard to make them budge enough to really get a real deal.
The main market experience in Bangkok is undoubtedly Chatuchak (also called JJ’s) which is only on at weekends. You can get the Skytrain to Mo Chit or use the Metro. It is an amazing sight to behold and hard work on a hot day but there is so much to see and Thai families come for a day out so it’s not just for tourists. There are plenty of weird and wonderful things to buy and eat. The fresh coconut icecream is delicious! Another place you can buy anything and everything but with aircon is MBK which is a huge shopping centre not far from the others at Siam but in a very different style. It is set over seven enormous floors and is more like an indoor market with hundreds of small shops and stalls and although you can get a map to help you navigate it would still be easy to lose track of time or the will to live if you’re not a hardcore bargain hunter. If you want to get round a few of these shopping areas, it is definitely worth getting to grips with the Skytrain system to avoid the traffic but the taxis outside the rush hour are fairly cheap as long as you make sure they use the meter which some drivers refuse to and quote a set rate upfront.
Siam Paragon
www.siamparagon.co.th
991/1 Rama 1 Road Pathumwan Bangkok 10330 Thailand
+66(0)2 6901000
Google map: bit.ly/fov4tQ
MBK
www.mbk-center.co.th/
MBK Center, 444 Phayathai Rd., Patumwan, Bangkok
+66-2620-9000
Google map: bit.ly/fDpj4A
We paid 1400 Baht each (£28) for the full day countryside tour. Our tour guide Piu was sweet and friendly with good English but a bit shy and we would have liked her to talk and explain more along the way without waiting for us to ask questions. We boarded the train in Bangkok after a quick look round a local market to kill time and picked up our bikes at the other end which were in need of a good service but did the job. No helmets are provided. We were never cycling for more than 20 minutes at a time with frequent stops to look at local herbs and plants, try fried bananas from a foodstall and look at a temple. There were bottles of cold water provided and refreshing chilled wet wipes. We didn’t see another tourist all day which made a nice change but we didn’t have much chance to interact with the villagers we came across and expect they are very used to seeing Westerners on bikes as the same route is used every day. We had a lovely home-cooked lunch in a Thai house but ate separately from the family. We went on a Saturday so missed out on visiting a local school which was a shame but some local kids still came up to talk to us. It is a long day but if you tot it up, 3-4 hours in total is spent waiting at the station and then on the train which does feel a bit of a waste of time. In hindsight having travelled to other parts of Thailand and Cambodia this now seems on the expensive side for a day trip bearing in mind what you get for your money but you are helping the local economy and also paying for the privilege of an experience you would be hard pushed to do independently. If you are on a city break for a few days and want to do something different and get out into rural Thailand it is ideal but if you are travelling further afield for example to Chiang Mai then you will find far more lush countryside as around Bangkok the landscape is flat and full of paddy fields.
As holidaymakers rather than backpackers, we decided to get the overnight sleeper train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai instead of flying, more for a different experience than to save money. We got the 1935 train which arrives at 0945 and as First Class with a private berth was full, we got tickets for the open-plan Second Class carriage costing 841 Baht each (about £17). You book two seats that face each other in a booth with a table then later in the evening a guy comes round and converts both those seats into a lower bunk made up with a sheet and blankets then pulls down another bed which is stored in an overhead locker and has a ladder to get up there but no window. They will ask at the station which combination you want and it is worth booking one up/one down so that you have your own curtained off area on one side of the corridor and can both sit on the lower level together if you are not ready to go to sleep when they turn the lights out. A woman comes round shortly after departure with a menu and you can order dinner. We paid 150 Baht and got soup, main course with rice and fresh pineapple slices. It is all lukewarm and in plastic bowls with clingfilm over so not exactly gourmet cuisine but felt like part of the experience washed down with a bottle of cold beer. You can also order breakfast but we took croissants with us. It is not warm on the train so take a fleece and it rattles along the tracks so earplugs would be a good idea. We didn’t sleep well with the noise and fairly cramped conditions. The shared bathroom is basic with a hole in the ground for a toilet. We were glad we had booked a flight onto our next destination as it’s a long, fairly uncomfortable journey but felt like an adventure!
This is an upmarket backpackers guesthouse popular with all ages. We paid £13 a night for a double room with aircon, ensuite, TV, fridge, free wifi and a small balcony with views towards the mountains behind. The house has character with murals on the walls and quirky decor. Our room was very spacious and homely. The bathroom was wetroom style and fairly dated and well-used but clean with a good hot shower. It is in a very central location but set back from the busy street so feels like a welcome retreat. There is also a huge roof terrace with sunloungers and a four poster bed where you can chill out. Staff are friendly and helpful and don’t push tours and trips but do offer both. They also own a massage shop across the road which is very cheap and a really relaxing environment with experienced trained masseuses. I paid 150 Baht (£3) for a head, shoulders, neck and back massage but was given this pyjama outfit to wear and had my whole body worked on for a full hour and came out floating on air! The room rate doesn’t include breakfast but there is a café next to a small swimming pool on the ground floor. Thai food was good and better value and taste than the Western menu. We actually went just along the road to another café for breakfast run by a lovely tiny lady called Eing who makes the most amazing banana pancakes!
www.awanahouse.com/english/home.htm
+66(0)53 419005
7 Ratchadamnoen Road, Lane 1, Thapae Gate, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
We had booked a day trip online in the UK and paid a deposit with the total settled on the day. It cost £50 each but was worth every penny and genuinely does help sustain the charity. You can also walk into their office to book in Chiang Mai and organise a day trip or stay for longer as a volunteer which looked really tempting when you see the location and the accommodation. This is a great way of seeing Thailand’s elephants while learning more about their history and current conservation projects as opposed to seeing them begging in the street or hauling tourists around and doing tricks. The day trip was very well organised with structure but also allowed time to relax and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and incredible view of elephants wandering around the surrounding landscape. You are picked up from your hotel and the drive takes about 1h15 from Chiang Mai and you watch a video about the park en route. You get right up close to the elephants who all have names and stories. Visitors can feed them fruit then go into the river and wash them which turns into a big water fight! There are lots of opportunities for taking photos and the tour guides who really seem to care about the animals can answer any questions. The reality of the plight of some of Thailand’s elephants is made clear in an interesting if at times distressing documentary and the hope is that visitors will help spread the word. There is a fantastic fresh buffet lunch as well as free tea, coffee and water during the day and snacks in the afternoon. I would highly recommend the experience to anyone who loves elephants or wants to experience ecotourism at its best.
www.elephantnaturepark.org/
209/2 Sridornchai Road, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
+66(0)53 818754
Google map: bit.ly/h5pItu
We paid 700 Baht (£14) for a four-hour evening class from 4.30pm which is plenty of time and doubles up as your evening meal. The school is based in the centre of town and you walk to a local market to look around and learn about ingredients such as herbs and vegetables. It feels as if you are cooking in someone’s home as it is very informal and also not a modern building with immaculate surroundings so don’t expect spotless new classroom facilities but there is enough equipment to go round so you’re always involved. Our session was split into two groups of about eight students. We were given an apron but a word of warning, wear socks as you remove your shoes on entering the house and hot oil splashing out of a wok hurts when it lands on your bare feet! Health and safety is perhaps not the main priority as you are given a big knife to work with and aren’t ever told to wash your hands before handling the fresh ingredients so I just made sure to pop to the sink between courses. We each chose which four dishes to cook from the menu and my husband and I chose different options to give us a wider repertoire and more to taste although you are given a good colour cookbook with all the recipes anyway. We made starters of spring rolls and fish cakes, a soup, a stir fry and a curry including fresh paste. You each make a portion for one then return to the dining table after making each course and eat together with the group which is sociable and gives you the chance to try other dishes. Some of the prep is done in advance by the staff but you still chop vegetables and herbs and learn how to assemble each dish following step-by-step instructions from the tutor. It is easy and really just cooking-by-numbers and requires no skill or experience. The teachers are doing a job and obviously run through the same process repeatedly so it’s not a labour of love and they don’t have an obvious passion for food or desire to share more knowledge about the dishes but it is a fun activity more than a serious learning exercise. We hope the authentic ingredients are available to buy in the UK so that we can recreate the Thai meal and show off to friends and family. The food did taste delicious and the class was an enjoyable way to spend an evening.
11 Rajadamnern Rd. Soi 5, Muang Chiang Mai 50200
+66(0)81-0265644
www.cookinthai.com/
Google map: bit.ly/g3Oa6s
This is a small resort overlooking the sea with white-washed villas set around gardens and a tiny but attractive pool. It isn’t as polished perhaps as some of the bigger corporate hotels but that is part of its charm. There are various villa types and prices but none are basic boring hotel rooms and they range from about £35-65 per night. They are minimalist in design but with quirky touches and individual character. All the rooms are named after starsigns and we stayed in Taurus which had real wow factor with huge floor to ceiling windows and a private roof deck and we also had a couple of nights in Libra which was a cosy seaview and had a balcony, small lounge area and a massive bathroom which was half inside half outside so you could shower in the sunshine or under the stars! The rooms have a flatscreen TV and DVD player and wifi is available but charged at around £2 an hour with pay-as-you-go cards at reception. The staff are friendly especially a girl called Moi and they can organise trips and tickets but don’t pressure with you any sales patter. They also looked after our luggage when we went away to Koh Mak for a couple of nights and arranged a breakfast box when we had to leave early to catch a flight. The restaurant is slightly more expensive than others in the area but offers a good menu and a lovely location on the water’s edge where you can hang out in hammocks or sit at tables. A good buffet breakfast is also served here and included in the room rates. Warapura is good value for money as it offers a little luxury without charging a fortune. The resort isn’t directly on the beach but you can take a kayak out or walk along the road and reach Lonely Beach in ten minutes. We were pleasantly surprised and impressed with the area which we knew was popular with backpackers staying in basic bungalows. Despite having a reputation for wild parties, the atmosphere was really chilled and laidback with a slightly scruffy hippy feel and plenty of cafes and bars to suit everyone.
www.warapuraresort.com/
4/3 Moo 1 Koh Chang, Tahi Koh Chang, Trat, Thailand 23170
+6639558123
We spotted this restaurant driving past one evening and were very impressed with the authentic tasting Italian food. So many of the tourist restaurants offer the same boring menu and you can tire of Thai food and look forward to other flavours so this really satisfied that craving. The menu includes woodfired pizzas and home-made pasta plus desserts which can be hard to come by apart from fresh fruit so instead you can indulge in tiramisu, ice cream, pannacotta and chocolate cake. Delicious with friendly service and reasonable prices. Main courses are £5-7 which is pricey for the area but worth the extra money for the quality of ingredients and standard of cooking.
Kai Bae Beach
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10150123439150542
We flew into Trat having booked a hotel on Koh Chang hoping to find out once we got there how to make the transfer as it wasn’t one of the posh resorts who send a van to pick you up. It couldn’t have been more straightforward as there was a desk at the airport where you could book one ticket at a fixed fee that included an air-conditioned minibus to take you to the port and onto the ferry then drop you at the door of your hotel on the island. It seemed to be a monopoly as there were no other options available. Tickets were 470 Baht one way or 800 Baht return. It took an hour to reach Koh Chang then the journey time depends on how far along the coast you are staying. If you are arriving in Trat by bus, you can get shared taxis and minibuses to the port then board as a foot passenger and pick up another shared ride on the other side.
Lub D is a funky well-located well-appointed hotel in Silom district. The staff are young and hip with fair English and a helpful manner; the hotel is new and very clean; the other visitors are varied and well-travelled. Nice European breakfast, great bathrooms, free 24 hour internet, all very clean and secure. Email them if you want to stay seven nights or more, they'll do you a bespoke rate (I saved 33% with a single email this way). A local market with many fresh cheap eats is three streets away. You'll pay 500 baht taxi from the airport at 3am including tolls and tip; Lub D will email you a taxi map in Thai when you confirm your booking making it so easy. Note that some tour bookings can be achieved more cheaply from travel agent on Silom especially if there are two of you - we saved 250 Bt each on the floating market this way.
4 Decho Road, Suriya Wong, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
+66(0)26124999
silom.lubd.com/
Google map: bit.ly/hwtYAu
It's an amazing outdoor vegetarian cafe in the grounds of a beautiful temple in Chaing Mai. The name "Pan Pan" means "a thousand varieties" as the people who run it also have an organic farm and seed bank where they grow the produce for the cafe. The food is always delicious and fresh and the menu is pretty innovative with a Thai herb salad and a fried flower salad (tempura style) and they make their own tofu which is two tone black and white coloured by black and white sesame seeds. The food is very resaonable about 50 Baht (1 pound) a dish. They also have great smoothies and herbal drinks. It's open during the day but closed in the evening.
In the grounds of Suan Dok temple on Suthep road. Go into the temple grounds through the main entrance and passed the main temple building and it's in an courtyard area under a large tree in an area behind a building with a sign "Monk chat".
Google map: bit.ly/gQxrZ5
The central night market of world heritage site Ayutthaya is a wonderful friendly place for all the family. Wander among the many steaming food stalls picking your dish from the bizarrely exotic (stir-fried frogs) to the ubiquitous and downright delicious (pad thai) then settle on a table by the river taking in the stunning views of some of the many lit up temple ruins that you may have walked around in the earlier searing heat. This is a calmer, easier and more atmospheric way to see them! You can catch a boat from here to take you around the 'island' to see many more ruins at night. If you have children with you (as I did) finish the night off (or use as a 'if you eat all your food bribe) letting them join the local kids with a crazy bounce on the popular inflatable slide - while allowing Mum a chance to shop in the many cheap clothes stalls.
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