The essence of the Pattaya Move On scheme is the possibility of foreign tourists arriving at the Pattaya resort from countries with a low incidence of Covid-19 and who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with a certified vaccine. At the same time, it is planned to establish a maximum vaccine validity period of no more than 12 months from the date of the last injection. Children under 12 years old will be able to come to Pattaya without any additional conditions, but they will have to stay with their parents at all times. And children between the ages of 12 and 18 will need to provide a negative Covid-19 certificate based on a test taken no later than 72 hours before departure to Thailand.

The second rule, causing the maximum number of questions, is the place of residence of foreign tourists. It is assumed that they will only be required to reside in the Sattahip and Bang Lamung districts. In this case, we are talking about a limited list of hotels that will have a SHA (Safety and Health Administration) certificate. For 7 days, foreigners will be able to participate in a limited number of activities, the list of which will include a visit to the beach and some other activities permitted by local authorities. On the fifth day of stay in Pattaya, every foreigner will be required to take a new test for Covid-19. If the test result is negative, foreigners will be able to visit other areas of the province from the 7th day of their stay in the country until the end of the vacation.

An important element of the plan is the mass vaccination of local residents, which should reach 70% by October 2021. Currently, the vaccination rate in Thailand is not very high, but from June 7, it is planned to accelerate the rate of vaccination many times over. According to the plan, this requires the use of about 900 thousand doses of the vaccine. Another condition for the approval of the Pattaya Move On plan is the success of a similar plan for receiving foreign tourists in Phuket. On this tropical island, the tourist season is planned to open from July 1, so in 3 months it will be possible to draw the necessary conclusions about the effectiveness of such a plan and make some adjustments.

Covid-19 Vaccination Center in Pattaya

It should be noted that this plan is not final and can be changed at any time (which has already happened several times since the beginning of the pandemic). Also, such important questions as the movement of tourists remained unanswered. For example, will foreigners be transported from airports by special transport or will they get there on their own? Will foreigners who own real estate in Pattaya be able to stay in their own apartments for 7 days or will they also be required to stay in hotels? Finally, the list of events and places that foreign tourists will be able to visit during the first 7 days in the Kingdom is not clear.

In most of the thematic forums, foreigners were disappointed with the current plan. According to the authorities, the Pattaya Move On plan will eliminate the mandatory quarantine for foreigners. But in fact, foreigners will not be able to use the hotel search at the best price and will be required to stay in special hotels from a limited list. And, most importantly, foreigners are convinced that the cost of these hotels will be as high as the price of expensive hotels for a 14-day quarantine at present. In addition, it is not yet clear whether tourists will be able to move freely or will be limited to visiting the beach and hotel grounds. In the latter case, it is very strange to talk about the abolition of quarantine, because we are not talking about any freedom of movement and choice of place of residence.

Finally, the likelihood of new outbreaks of infection after the arrival of thousands of workers from remote provinces in Pattaya, who will certainly come to the resort after its opening for mass tourism, is a serious concern. If such workers are found to be unvaccinated, this will greatly reduce the overall vaccination rate in Pattaya. And with the next outbreak of the virus, strict quarantine measures may be introduced again for everyone, including tourists. Do you like the current Pattaya Move On plan or do you find it too strict and unacceptable for foreigners? Write in the comments.

The post To Pattaya without quarantine from October 2021 first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

Despite the fact that the news is clearly positive for all those who have long missed Thailand and dream of returning to this country for a vacation or long stay, it should be understood that such plans may not come true. Firstly, the Thai authorities had previously announced a decrease in quarantine to 7 days, but after a few days they canceled this decision. Secondly, the rate of vaccination in Thailand is currently not overwhelming and only a few million people received the first dose of the vaccine, while the kingdom is home to almost 70 million people. It should be noted that until recent months in Thailand there was a very favorable situation with Covid-19 and only in April the country was covered by a new wave of the epidemic.

Thai dancers in national dress and face shields

According to the plan of the authorities in the provinces open for tourism, about 70% of local residents should be vaccinated. The mass vaccination is planned from July 2021, when a large shipment of vaccines from Western manufacturers will arrive in Thailand and the mass production of some vaccines will begin in Thailand. AstraZeneca, Sinovac and Johnson & Johnson are currently approved for use in the Kingdom of Thailand. Negotiations are underway to supply Thailand with Sputnik-V and Pfizer vaccines. Another positive factor for the abolition of mandatory quarantine will be a successful experiment on the island of Phuket, which is going to open to tourists from July 2021.

Currently, all arriving in the country are required to undergo a mandatory 2-week quarantine in special hotels, the cost of which is very high even for wealthy foreigners. In addition, even if the test results for Covid-19 are negative, those arriving in the country must stay in the hotel room for at least 1 week and only after 1 week they are allowed to leave the room and stay on the territory of the hotel, subject to all safety measures and social distancing. All this does not contribute to the popularity of holidays in Thailand, and after the introduction of such a rule in 2020, only a few thousand people agreed to come to Thailand with such restrictions. The rest could only remember Thailand and watch live webcams of Ko Samui or other resorts.

Thailand hotels and rested beaches await tourists

The Thai authorities hope that the opening of the country to tourists in October 2021 will revive the tourism industry in the Kingdom, which is in deep crisis after the outbreak of the pandemic and the closure of borders. At the same time, everyone understands that in the coming years, even with positive trends, it will be very difficult to achieve the indicators of 2019. It was a record-breaking year for Thailand, with nearly 40 million tourists visiting the country and they spended over $ 61 billion in the country. If the planned activities are successfully implemented, about 3.5 million tourists will be able to visit Thailand by the end of 2021. Do you believe that quarantine will be canceled this year?

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The situation faced by Thai hotels and guest houses is critical at the moment. Marisa Sukosolnunphakdee, who is the head of the Thai Hoteliers Association, shared statistics and prospects for the Kingdom’s hospitality industry. At the beginning of May 2021, hotel occupancy is only 5% of the total room stock. This means that on average there are 19 vacant rooms per occupied hotel room.

Despite the start of vaccinations in Thailand, the hotel occupancy situation is getting worse every month. So, compared to March, the number of guests in hotels decreased by 30% and now this is the worst indicator in several decades. It should be noted that only a small number of large hotels continue to operate, while most small hotels have been completely closed since last summer. Also closed most of the hotels that in the past specialized in foreign tourists.

Abandoned hotel in Thailand (Koh Samui)

Ms. Marisa Sukosolnunphakdee expressed the hope that the situation will return to normal no earlier than 2023, that is, in the current and next years, there is no hope for a radical improvement in the situation. In this regard, the Thai Hoteliers Association has asked the government to provide funds to support the hotel business. The money is required to pay interest on loans, to pay salaries to the small number of staff who continue to maintain the buildings and grounds of the hotels.

There is another big problem that cannot be solved quickly and without large financial investments. The fact is that closed hotels in Thailand very quickly fall into a depressing state: the territory is dilapidated, the colors on the facades fade, furniture and walls become unusable from high humidity in the rooms. Pools that are no longer cleaned and treated with disinfectants quickly lose their original appearance, and tiles in pools without water crack and fall off.

Pools deteriorate in a few months without cleaning and disinfection.

As a result, even the abolition of quarantine does not guarantee that hotels will immediately be ready to receive tourists who have missed Thailand for many months. In this situation, there can be only one positive fact for tourists: after the end of the pandemic, many hotels will be restored and become more comfortable and modern. We can only hope that this will not take many years to wait, and this fall everyone will have the opportunity to visit Thailand without the need to collect a large number of certificates and without mandatory quarantine in hotels.

The post The hotel business crisis in Thailand first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

Of course, it is not difficult to find flower delivery services in Bangkok on the Internet. Search engines offer dozens of local and international flower delivery services. But I was unpleasantly surprised by the cost of the bouquets, which turned out to be much higher than I expected. I am not a wealthy person and I always try to choose goods and services with the best value for money, so for several hours I looked and compared all the options available.

The highest prices were found for international flower delivery services. Probably due to the presence of intermediaries and high advertising costs. A bouquet of 12 red roses, which I wanted to order for the anniversary of my acquaintance with a Thai girl, was priced from 2090 to 2693 THB. At the same time, some bouquets were made of small roses, and when choosing larger flowers, the cost became even higher. And about half of the options found did not include the cost of flower delivery in Bangkok. And this is an additional 150-300 THB.

Gallery of bouquets on the flower delivery site Flowers-Bangkok (photo from the store’s website)

The only option that stood out favorably from the others I found at the local flower shop Flowers-Bangkok.com. This store offered a bouquet of 12 roses for just THB 1,680 and included free shipping in the city. According to the description, Flowers-Bangkok uses large premium roses with long stems to create the bouquet. Since the price seemed to me very attractive (compared to other stores), I began to carefully study the reviews. The bouquet of 12 roses was in the bestseller category and all the reviews were positive.

After a short correspondence with the managers (I wrote to e-mail in English and received answers in the same language), I decided and ordered a bouquet of 12 roses for my girlfriend. I was assured of safety by the fact that the store accepts Paypal and in case of any problems I could dispute the payment and return the entire amount. It’s worth noting here that I was counting on free shipping in Bangkok as stated on the store’s website. But it turned out that the area where my girlfriend lives and works (near Don Muang Airport) belongs to the suburbs of Bangkok and I was forced to pay +149 THB for delivery.

So my advice is this: choose girls who live or work in the central areas of the city :). In my case, the distance from the store to the place of delivery exceeded 30 km, so the flower delivery cost was quite adequate. The total cost of the bouquet with delivery turned out to be 1,829 THB and this is in any case a lower price than the other options I studied. The quoted price also included a greeting card with my message, which I added during checkout. The process was simple and required me to provide my name and email address, as well as the delivery address and recipient’s phone number. By the way, most international flower deliveries charge an additional fee for the greeting card.

Lovely bouquet for my lovely girlfriend in Bangkok

During checkout you can choose a delivery date (there is delivery on the same day when ordering before 15:00) and a convenient time for delivery. Ferrero Rocher chocolate could be added to the bouquet, but in my case it was superfluous (the girl doesn’t like it). If we talk about the bouquet, the girl was delighted. The flowers were really fresh and large, and the bouquet looked very expensive and solid. I don’t know what I would get when choosing a bouquet for 2600 THB in other stores, but I don’t think I could get a better result. By the way, this photo was sent to me from the store before sending it to the recipient. In fact, the bouquet is larger than it appears in this photo.

After successful delivery, I received an email from the store with a 6% discount coupon for my next order. Since I was completely satisfied with the service and the result, I will definitely use Flowers-Bangkok’s services in the future and such a discount will be a pleasant bonus. To make my review as objective as possible, I can point out a small drawback of the Flowers-Bangkok flower delivery service. Unfortunately, they only deliver bouquets and gifts in Bangkok and the nearest neighboring provinces. Therefore, I could not send flowers to my another good friend who lives in Phuket.

Also, some may not like the choice of flowers: the store specializes in large roses, but the choice of other flowers is limited. In the shop page I saw only gerberas, sunflowers and bouquets of some small inflorescences, the names of which I did not remember. On the other hand, roses are the most popular flowers. And I am sure that many men prefer to order roses for their beloved Thai girls or wives. Therefore, I can safely recommend the flower delivery service in Bangkok Flowers-Bangkok to get the maximum result at the lowest price.

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The law that regulates the rights and obligations of drivers, passengers and pedestrians in Thailand has been in force since 1979 and is called the Ground Traffic Law. Since September 2020, all traffic violations have been divided according to their severity into 4 large groups.

The first group of violations, the fine for which is only 200 THB, included driving a vehicle (including a motorbike) without a driver’s license (including when the driver has a valid driver’s license, but cannot present it to a traffic police officer). In fact, this is great news for foreigners who use rented motorbikes in Thailand, but do not have an international driver’s license or Thai driving license. Until now, such a violation was considered more rude and ended with the need to pay a fine of 500 THB.

The second group of traffic violations in Thailand included: creating obstacles on the road and reckless driving. The fine for such violations is 400 THB, regardless of the type of vehicle. Another 100 THB more will need to be paid for exceeding the speed limit in settlements and outside them, for driving a vehicle without state registration or established license plates, for non-observance of road markings and road signs, for using a mobile phone without additional equipment (hands free). Also, 500 THB is assessed for driving at a red traffic light, not giving an advantage on the road to an ambulance, for parking a vehicle in the wrong place or leaving a vehicle in such a way that it obstructs the movement of other road users or pedestrians.

Traffic Police Mobile Post in Pattaya (Thailand)

The maximum amount of the fine is 1000 THB. It is intended for drivers who drive vehicles carrying dangerous objects or explosives without special identification marks. Also, a fine of 1000 THB will have to be paid by drivers of vehicles that are a source of increased noise or smoke. Finally, unscrupulous taxi services (for example, not taking a client to the final destination of the route or using a deliberately longer route in order to increase the cost of the service) were included in the same category.

Thus, the new fines are now clearly spelled out in the legislation and it is hoped that the Thai traffic police will use only these fixed fines. Unfortunately, I have found no information on the amount of the fine for riding motorbikes and motorcycles without a helmet. And in any case, I recommend not to relax with the reduction in the penalty for driving without a driver’s license. After all, the absence of a helmet can significantly increase the amount of the fine, and driving while intoxicated can generally lead not only to a fine, but also to criminal liability and problems with visiting Thailand in the future. Good luck on the road!

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I’ll note right away that if your child is very small, then like in all other resorts of the world without exception, the kid will have to entertain either on his own or you need use special animators for small children. If the children in Pattaya are a bit older, i.e. age of three years or more, then you should not worry about relaxing with kids in this resort at all. Moreover, in all of Thailand there is no other resort where the issue of relaxing with children would be thought out as carefully as in Pattaya.

Holidays with children in Pattaya: visiting excursions

The excursion program in Pattaya can be envied by many other popular world resorts, especially since many such excursions not only allow you to look at exotic animals, fish, butterflies, birds, but also become witnesses of fascinating theatrical performances and performances in which all kinds of animals are involved. Going to Pattaya with your kids, you can be sure that they will like the performances of elephants playing football and basketball, like giraffes and little cubs, which your kids can not only stroke, but also hold on your lap, feeding milk from a bottle.

Children of a slightly older age are likely to be interested in shows with snakes and crocodile shows, a visit to the butterfly park and an orchid park, a visit to the Pattaya dolphinarium and the oceanarium, which contains interesting inhabitants of the deep sea. In order not to repeat myself, in this article I will not describe where and what is described above: in more detail you can read about this in a separate article, “The Best Excursions in Pattaya: Description and Prices”. I can only add that you can save up to 60% of your money on entry tickets, excursions and transportation in Pattaya and other countries of the world if you use the Klook service and order everything online in your first language.

Pattaya has many shows with animal for children

In addition, there are a number of excursions that may be of interest to both kids and adults. For example, an excursion to the Kwai River, which includes such interesting places for children as swimming in the crystal clear Erawan waterfall with exotic fish and rafting in special vests along the river (for children from 5 years old). Children in Pattaya can also be taken to the grandiose Safari World Zoo in the vicinity of the Thai capital, the tiger zoo in Siracha (Siracha Tiger Zoo), the Khao Kheo Open Zoo and other interesting places in the vicinity of Pattaya and Bangkok.

To Pattaya with a child: adventures parks

Almost all children in Pattaya will certainly beg you to visit one of the amusement parks that they are likely to hear about from other children vacationing with you in one of the family hotels in Pattaya. With the amusement parks in Pattaya, everything is also in order, more precisely not in Pattaya itself, but closer to Bangkok, but even small children can endure the hour and a half bus ride, not to mention the older children. Going on vacation with kids to Pattaya, you should be prepared for the fact that you have to take them to the Dream World, which is rightly called the Asian Disneyland.

In addition to the attractions for children of all ages (and adults too), this park constantly hosts performances for the youngest, theatrical parades with the participation of cartoon characters, performances of stuntmen, dynamic scenes from real action movies, etc. Discounted Dream World tickets can also be bought at Klook. By the way, in the vicinity of Bangkok there is another amusement park called Siam Park Adventure.

This park is known for its huge water zone, one of the largest swimming pools with artificial waves in the world, as well as attractions that are designed more for older children, so if you are going to Pattaya with a child older than 10-12 years old and you want to not only entertain him, but also to get vivid impressions for yourself, I advise you to choose this particular park. Whatever recreation park you choose, I advise you either to go there yourself and as early as possible, or choose excursions where you are guaranteed a greater amount of time to visit the parks, because most likely the children will not want to return to Pattaya, until they will finish watching everything and tryed every rides.

Large amusement parks are located near Bangkok

If the bus crossings do not attract you or are poorly tolerated by your children, there is an alternative option with attractions that has already been appreciated by many children in Pattaya and their parents. I immediately warn you that despite the lack of the need to move to another city, you won’t save much, because the attractions in the Pattaya Royal Garden Plaza shopping center are the most modern, so they are not cheap. However, when buying tickets for the whole family through Klook service, you can save a lot of money. In this article, you can clarify the location of the Royal Garden Plaza shopping center in Pattaya, find out the cost of tickets and get an idea of ​​the attractions there.

Water Parks for kids in Pattaya

In cases where you do not want to spend the whole day visiting any excursions and want to spend as much time as possible in the sun by the water, it makes sense to visit the water park in Pattaya, located on the territory of the Pattaya Park Hotel. Entrance to the water park is paid for everyone, including tourists living in the hotel, but it is very democratic and is only 60 baht for children (growth below 1 meter) and 100 baht for adults. The water park is known for its high water slides as well as a large ring-shaped pool.

The territory of the water park is well ennobled, and in addition to the slides and pools on the territory there are a sauna, a jacuzzi, a fitness center, jogging paths, a diving center and other entertainments. As a result, both adults and children can relax there and use their health benefits. If rest with children in Pattaya has already tired you a little and you just want to relax a bit from them, sunbathe and swim – the water park of Pattaya Park Hotel is a great place for this. While the children frolic on the water slides, you can sunbathe and relax under the umbrellas on the sun loungers by the pool, drinking Thai beer or chilled soft drinks in Thailand, tasty and healthy.

If you are going to Pattaya with children and want to visit real modern water parks in the Pattaya area, I recommend the ultra-modern Ramayana water park for this, which was opened in April 2016. This water park is located just 15 km from Pattaya and amazes with its grand size, a set of water slides, as well as other water attractions for adults and kids in Pattaya. Of course, its cost is much higher than the cost of Pattaya Park water park, but it should be borne in mind that huge amounts of money are invested in the object and the result at the exit is impressive.

A big advantage of the Ramayana water park in Pattaya is the relatively small number of visitors. For this reason, there are almost no queues on the water slides and you can use them as often as you want. An alternative to the Ramayana water park is Pattaya’s second major water park – Cartoon Network. It was built before, but is still an interesting holiday destination for children and adults. You can also buy entrance tickets to both water parks with a good discount using the international service Klook.

Beach holidays with children in Pattaya

If you live away from the sea, rivers or lakes suitable for swimming, your kids in Pattaya will be very happy to have the opportunity to swim in the warm sea and play on the beach of soft sand with other children under the warm sun of Thailand. Since the sea in Pattaya itself cannot boast of the highest transparency and cleanliness, it is better to relax with children not in the city itself, but on the coral island of Koh Lan, nearest to it, where the conditions are much better: there is no city noise, more warm and clean water and etc. In addition, you can get from Pattaya to Koh Lan island by ferry for only 30 baht per person one way, which is less than $ 1.

This is not the only way to get to the island. If you want to slightly reduce the travel time, you can buy tickets for 150 baht (round trip) and get to Koh Lan by a large boat, which immediately goes to the excellent Samae Beach. Finally, there are high-speed speedboats that will take you to any of the island’s beaches for 300 baht. Read more about this in the article “How to quickly get to Koh Lan Island from Pattaya.” The truth is that on a child’s speedboats it can be rocked, which is not very useful during a vacation, therefore, when choosing this option, individual characteristics of the child should be taken into account.

Pattaya and Koh Lan have many good beaches for children

It should be noted that the island of Koh Lan is not uninhabited and secluded and there are really a lot of people there. But even at the peak of the season there are always plenty of free places, because many beaches of the island of Koh Lan have over 500 and more meters, and such beaches on the island, despite its not too large size, are many. Given the fact that many people come to the island for just a few hours, the best time to relax there is in the morning and after five in the evening, when most tourists leave the island. The latter circumstance allows us to think about not just relaxing with children on this island in the midst of, but also arranging for ourselves a long vacation in a hotel on the island of Koh Lan, which has many advantages.

If you do not want or do not have the opportunity to leave the city during your holidays with children in Pattaya even to visit a nearby island, good quality entertainment can also be found in the city. Earlier, I did not recommend going to Pattaya with a child to the central beach, since there is murky water and very noisy (a busy street nearby), however, after reconstruction in 2019-2020, the beach became several times wider and the water can be quite clean, especially in northern part of this beach. Therefore, a vacation with not the smallest children in Pattaya there may also be normal. But for young children, it is better to choose beaches in the north or in the south of Pattaya, because on the Central Beach there is now great depth already a few meters from the coast and there can be big waves.

In the article “All Pattaya Beaches: Overview and Detailed Description” you can find out the location and main features of each of them, their main advantages and some disadvantages. Ultimately, this should help to choose the most suitable for families with children in Pattaya hotel. Many of the resort’s beaches are not so bad in reality, as you can read about it on the Internet, and almost every one of them has a standard set of necessary beach activities that all children in Pattaya will be happy with. However, I still advise at least once to go to Koh Lan Island, because you will get your own idea of ​​the differences between city and island beaches only by visiting both of them. Just remember that you need to sunbathe in Thailand correctly, otherwise your vacation will be ruined.

To Pattaya with a kids: which hotel to choose

Going on vacation with your kids to Pattaya, you must take care of a suitable hotel in advance. Many hot tours, which can be purchased shortly before departure, do not at all correspond to a family vacation with children, because their location in the city center and the absence of their own territory greatly complicates the vacation, especially for parents of children in Pattaya. To understand where it is better to relax with children in Pattaya, I advise you to read the article “Which area in Pattaya to choose for living and relaxing” by clicking on the link.

The best choice for a family holiday would be hotels that have their own territory with a landscaped garden and pool (with a children’s section). As a rule, this ensures that in addition to you and your children, the hotel will also have other couples with children, with whom your children will be interested to play together, which will allow you to take a break from them. To be guaranteed to settle in a good hotel with a swimming pool and its own territory, you should take care of finding it in advance. To do this, you can either book a pre-arranged tour, or book a hotel yourself, using the list of the best family hotels in Pattaya.

Holidays with children in Pattaya: precautions

When planning to relax in Pattaya with a child, it should be remembered that children have less immunity and stamina than adults, so when you relax in hot countries, including Thailand, you should be careful about their health. Ultimately, this will save you from many problems and allow you not to spend precious days of rest on the treatment of completely unnecessary diseases and the consequences of improper rest. By the way, I advise adults and especially children to take out travel insurance abroad, which in many cases allows you to feel more secure, because according to the “law of meanness” all kinds of troubles happen to those who do not have such insurance.

If we talk about other precautions, be sure to take care of the availability of medicines that can be useful for your children in Pattaya and you doubt that you can buy them in Thailand. In general, I advise you to read the article “What medicines to take to Thailand”, which will allow you to collect a balanced and not too heavy first-aid kit, and also warn against possible problems at the border when transporting certain medications.

I think it’s not even worth reminding that for most of the year children in Pattaya will be hot, because Thailand is a country of eternal summer. Therefore, children’s clothing should be light and breathable. The ideal option is to bring along clothes made from natural cotton and linen. By the way, all kinds of cotton t-shirts can be bought in Pattaya at ridiculous prices, so you should not get a lot of them from home. Details about what clothes, shoes and other useful things should be taken with you on vacation can be found in the article “What to take to Thailand for relaxation,” so I will not dwell on this issue.

The issue of food while relaxing with children in Pattaya is one of the most important. Even in the process of choosing a hotel, I advise you to clarify the issue of the presence of European cuisine familiar to children. I think in 95% of cases the answer will be yes, but it never hurts to check. Of course, you should not deprive children of the opportunity to try real Thai cuisine, whose dishes with not too many spices are tasty, nutritious and healthy.

Just do not let the children eat a lot of everything at once, because in this case you will not be able to understand what exactly the child’s body is not quite willing to accept (if this suddenly happens). By the way, this also applies to the fruits of Thailand, many of which do not mix well with each other, so it is better not to try many new species at once. If you are resting in Pattaya with a child, carefully monitor that he drinks plenty of water and other liquids, which will protect him from dehydration under the hot sun.

Going on vacation to Pattaya with young children, there is no need to purchase a large number of baby food, diapers and wet wipes – all this is easy to find both in large stores in the city and in many small stores in Thailand, for example, in the SevenEleven network. I hope this article gave you the necessary answers to questions about relaxing with children in Pattaya and now you know for sure that you can and should go to Pattaya with your kids, because children in Pattaya will certainly find interesting entertainment for themselves. And after reading this article and other articles on this site, you will help them with this. I wish you a pleasant and memorable vacation in Pattaya with your kids

The post Holidays with Kids in Pattaya – Useful Tips first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

Best kayaking spots on Koh Chang

If you come to Koh Chang island and want to take a sea trip on a kayak, you can be sure that even on the smallest beaches, which have at least 1-2 hotels, you will find such a service as renting a plastic kayak for an hour, 4 hours or all day. And if your hotel on the island of Koh Chang is located on one of the popular beaches with developed infrastructure, then you will certainly find kayak rents every 100 meters of the beach. In other words, in Koh Chang has no problem finding a kayak for a sea trip.

But if you want to take an interesting walk to the uninhabited islands, and not just go kayaking along the shore of Koh Chang island by sea, then the best option is to rent a kayak on the beaches of Kai Bay or Lonely Beach. Kayaking in the southern part of Koh Chang, where there is also a group of islands, can also be interesting. But very few tourists get to that part of the island, and several times I took a kayak trip from Kai Bay beach, so I can tell you about such a sea adventure in detail and based on personal experience.

Kayaking on Koh Chang – sea trip map

On the map above, you can see the coastline of Koh Chang Island and the beaches of Kai Bay and Lonely Beach. You can also see a group of uninhabited islands, which are indicated by numbers from 1 to 4. As you can see, it is most convenient to rent a kayak in the southern part of Kai Bay beach or from the northern part of Lonely beach (marked in yellow on the map). In these cases, you will have to spend less time and effort to get to all the islands, spend some time there and return the kayak to the rental point on time, without overpaying for extra hours.

The cost of renting a kayak on Koh Chang

To rent a kayak on Koh Chang, you do not need to fill out an agreement and leave your signature, but in most cases you will have to leave a deposit. It can be a sum of money or your passport. In such cases, I prefer the idea of a cash deposit, especially since the amount is not too high and amounts to 1000 THB. The standard kayak rental prices for Koh Chang Island are:

★ 100 THB per hour

★ 300 THB in half a day (4 hours)

★ 500 THB per day (8 hours)

The price is for renting the entire kayak, while kayaks are most often 2 or 3 seater. For example, the first time I rode a kayak to the islands with two friends, and each of us paid 100 baht for 4 hours. And the second time I was alone and paid 300 baht for a double kayak for the same time. It should be noted that I did not see full-fledged triple kayaks on Koh Chang. As a rule, on the beaches you can find plastic kayaks for three passengers, but with two double-sided oars and two full places. The third place in the central part of the kayak is not very convenient and is more suitable for a child than for an adult.

Kayaking on Koh Chang – places to visit

Ko Yuak Island

Before going on a kayak boat trip, I recommend buying plain white bread for toast at any 7Eleven or Tesco Lotus Express store (you can find all of these stores in the Kai Bae beach area). This product comes in handy when visiting Ko Yuak Island (No. 1 on the map). Depending on the direction of the waves and their height, you will need to spend 40 minutes to 1 hour on the way to the island (about 3 km). A feature of this island is a small sandy beach on the east coast (which is closest to Koh Chang), clear water of emerald color and a huge number of bright striped fish.

View of the small beach of Ko Yuak (far away – Koh Chang)

It is for feeding fish that I advise you to take white bread in the store, because this is an unforgettable experience – feeding fish directly from your hands! In the morning, you can sunbathe on the beach, but closer to noon and in the afternoon time the sun hides behind the high coast of Ko Yuak Island. In addition to relaxing on a small beach with swings, swimming in the clear water and feeding fish on the island of Ko Yuak, there is nothing to do. You can try to climb the rocks island, but the jungle is very dense and there can be poisonous snakes, so entertainment can be dangerous. After all, there is not always a speedboat with tourists on the beach, on which you could quickly get to the shore to get medical help.

Hand feeding fish on the island of Ko Yuak

Ko Pli island

The second island you can visit during a kayak boat trip is called Ko Pli. It is the smallest island, but it is located very close to Ko Yuak and may be interesting to visit. Its main feature is the coast in the northern part, where it is most convenient to moor in a kayak. Small beach covered with a thick layer of dead corals. Because of this, while walking along the coast, an interesting sound is created. There is a small shady meadow where you can have a picnic (please do not leave trash after yourself). But you cannot completely to be alone there, because From time to time, other kayaks will moor to the island. It is impossible to approach to other sides of Ko Pli due to sheer smooth cliffs and reefs (from the open sea side).

Coral coast of Koh Pli island near Koh Chang

Ko Man Nok island

The third island you can visit is called Ko Man Nok. This island is about 2 times larger than the island of Koh Pli, but you can also carefully moor on one side only. In other places, the shores of this rocky island are too high and formed by not very high, but steep cliffs. I did not go ashore on Ko Man Nok, but I saw that even during a high tide, there was the opportunity to carefully go down into the water near the shore and pull the kayak to land. I think there’s nothing to do on Ko Man Nok either, but if you are kayaking with your soulmate, you can have a little picnic. The main thing is to carefully look under your feet so as not to meet with poisonous snakes or scolopendras.

Ko Man Nai island

This island (No. 4 on the map) is located closest to Koh Chang, and you can visit it even as part of a 1-hour kayak rental. The size of the island almost coincides with the island No. 1 (Ko Yuak), but for a number of reasons this island may be the most interesting to visit. From the sea side in the rocks there are several grottoes where you can see many large crabs. The water in the grottoes has a bright blue color, which in combination with light cliffs makes such grottoes very picturesque (you will definitely get beautiful photos). It’s difficult to land on a kayak and go ashore in this part of the island because of = high rocks and reefs in the water. The reef area on the map is marked in red and you must sail very carefully so as not to damage the kayak or oars. And at low tide due to the shallow depth, you won’t be able to swim at all near this part of Ko Man Nai.

Beautiful grottoes on the west side of Ko Man Nai

But in the north-eastern part of the island is the most picturesque beach, which you will see during a boat trip on a kayak on Koh Chang. The beach has a length of more than 50 meters and consists of fine sand. This makes it easy to moor in a kayak and get a good rest. On the beach, tall coconut palms grow and the relief of the island in this part is more or less flat. There is only one drawback at the beach – a shallow depth. It is very important to choose the tide time for visiting Koh Man Nai when you get the most out of swimming here. During low tide, the water level drops rapidly and during swimming you can scratch your knees against stones in the water. Most of the stones are small in size and rounded in shape, but there are also sharp stones, contact with which will be unpleasant.

The island of Ko Man Nok is convenient to visit last, because the distance to the coast is only about 600 meters. At the same time, the distance to the nearest stretches of Kai bae and Lonely beach is approximately the same, approximately 700-800 meters. This means that you can overcome this distance on a kayak in 20 minutes without any problems. In other words, you can stay on Ko Man Nai for as long as your kayak rental time allows. And then go to Koh Chang 25-30 minutes before the end of the lease (the nearest rental points can be reached in 15-20 minutes).

Picturesque Coconut Beach of Koh Man Nai Island

Tips Before Kayaking on Koh Chang

As with any outdoor vacation in Thailand during daylight hours, be sure to use sunscreen (even in cloudy weather). At the same time, even when using a cream or spray with a protection factor of 50+, you need to reuse the cream every hour. Read more about this in the article “How to sunbathe in Thailand correctly.” I also recommend using hats and glasses that will help you avoid heat stroke and help keep your eyesight.

As I mentioned above, to visit the island of Ko Yuak it is better to grab white bread (the usual price is 35 baht or 20 baht for half). ALWAYS take water with you, at least a liter for each (with a tour duration of 4 hours). On the islands there are no high cliffs with waterfalls and springs, so it will not be possible to replenish the supply of water. While working with oars, you will spend a lot of energy, which will need to be replenished with food. Bring something tasty and high-calorie with you (also take a garbage bag, as there are no garbage containers on the islands).

Dangers during a kayak sea trip in Koh Chang

When going out on the open sea, be sure to use the life vest that you will receive at the point of rental of the kayak. Make sure the vest is properly worn and fastened. While driving on a kayak, it is better to be in a sitting position and not swing the kayak. For this, it is also important to work the paddle evenly on the right and left sides of the kayak. Speedboats and yachts that sail near your kayak are a danger. Large motor boats create a high wave, which can cause the kayak to roll over. In fact, a kayak should not drown, and you, being in a life jacket, also. But it’s better to deploy the kayak perpendicular to the big wave and wait until wave passes under you.

Reef Zone of Ko Man Nai (Koh Chang)

The design of kayaks allow ensure that water can easily penetrate under your “fifth point”. To protect your clothes and phone from sea water, I recommend using a special sealed bag. I was kayaking in swimming trunks, and my things and clothes were in the OCEAN Pack – a yellow sealed bag. You can order it online or buy in Thailand. Sealed compartments in the kayak can also be used. During my first trip in a triple kayak I kept clothes in such, but in a double kayak such a sealed compartment seemed to me very uncomfortable.

Use extreme caution when using a kayak near the islands. As I wrote above, the shores of uninhabited islands near Koh Chang are 90% rocky, while sharp stones are in the water off the coast. Therefore, when maneuvering around such islands, move in a kayak slowly and carefully so as not to pierce the bottom of your boat against another sharp stone. Remember that a kayak, even with a few passengers, can easily be thrown by a wave. For this reason, try to keep a distance of several meters from the rocks. And while approaching the rocky shores, it is better to carefully descend into the water and pull the kayak ashore. Also, be careful with plastic oars – they can break when actively pushing away from stones in the water or the bottom.

Thus, a kayak sea trip on the island of Koh Chang is actually an interesting active entertainment that will appeal to both adults and children (accompanied by parents). This is one of the good ways to have fun and interestingly spend several hours on Koh Chang, see beautiful places and feed bright sea fish with your hands. I hope the information on this page will be useful to you and you can be well prepared for your swim and enjoy the safe and interesting kayaking around the islands near Koh Chang. Have a nice trip!

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Left luggage location at Bangkok Airport

Until 2019, there were 2 luggage lockers at the Bangkok airport, which you could find on the 2nd and 4th floors of the airport under the sign LEFT LUGGAGE. But in 2020, both left-luggage offices operate under a new brand: Bellugg Left Luggage (see photo). The first left-luggage office is located on the 2nd floor of the airport, not far from the escalator and exit No. 4. This is the arrivals area, so I advise you to use the left-luggage office on the 4th floor, because it is there that you will check in for the return flight and it is in the departure zone that buses from resorts, taxis from Bangkok and taxi transfer to Bangkok airport arrive.

Luggage storage at Suvarnabhumi Airport (4th floor)

Finding a luggage room in the departure area (4th floor) is not difficult. It is located in the area between gates 7 and 8. Having entered one of these gates, you must cross the airport building, i.e. walk past the check-in desks in zones P and Q. Another landmark is one of the huge statues of a demon with a sword from Ramayana, behind which you should notice the signature sign of the luggage storage and the Bellugg logo in the form of an elephant with a suitcase.

Bellugg Left Luggage lockers work hours – around the clock and seven days a week (24/7).

Luggage Storage Rates at Suvarnabhumi Airport

Depending on the size of your backpack, bag or suitcase, you will have to pay a different amount for storage. As you can see in the photo, the cheapest price to store things is up to 55 centimeters (or 22 inches) in size. The first day of storage of your luggage, the size of which does not exceed this limit, will cost you 100 Thai baht (about 3.1 USD). After the end of the first day, a 12-hour tariffication starts, and for each next 12 hours of storage you will be required to pay 50 THB. A bit more expensive storage a luggage, the size of which is in the range from 22 to 28 inches (from 55 to 71 cm). The first day costs 120 THB, and for the storage of each next 12 hours you will be required to pay 60 THB.

Baggage storage fares at Bangkok Airport

Finally, for storage of baggage that is larger than 28 inches (71 cm), you will be required to pay 150 THB for the first day of storage and 75 THB for each subsequent 12 hours of storage. Payment for luggage storage is not made immediately, but at the time of baggage claim, so do not forget to leave the right amount of money. For some reason, in February 2020, you could only pay in cash, but perhaps by the time you use these service at the Bangkok airport, the option to pay by credit card will already be added.

How is luggage checked in for storage

The luggage check-in process at Suvarnabhumi Airport is very simple. There are tablets in the service room with which you enter all the necessary information: your name, country, email address, phone number and, most importantly, passport number. To receive baggage, you will need to show not only a printed receipt with a QR code of your baggage, but also the passport that you specified during the registration process. In the photo below, you can see how the receipt for luggage for storage looks like. I left my main backpack and suitcase in the luggage room, so I had to pay 100 + 120 THB for the first day, although my things were stored for only 7 hours (the departure from Bangkok was at 2 a.m. and I decided to spend time after my eviction from the condo in Pattaya in Bangkok).

Tablets for filling in luggage owner details

What can not be stored at Bangkok Airport

There is a list of things that are forbidden to be left in the luggage storage of Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. Firstly, these are fruits like durian, which have a persistent unpleasant odor. This category also includes food products that can deteriorate during storage and smell unpleasant. Secondly, it is forbidden to leave weapons, ammunition and explosives in the storage room – for obvious reasons. For some reason, sharp objects like scissors and knives, including folding ones, have been added to this category.

Bans and restrictions for left luggage to the baggage room

Thirdly, it is forbidden to leave valuable items, money, expensive jewelry and consumer electronics in the form of laptops, cameras, phones, tablets, etc. The same category includes alcoholic beverages and glassware. I think you can leave it, but as always: the left-luggage office is not responsible for the safety of this kind of thing. Finally, it is forbidden to take luggage to the storage room, in which there are representatives of the fauna – animals and birds. Thus, there is a whole list that significantly limits the use of lockers at Bangkok Airport.

However, as often happens, the severity of the rules is compensated by the non-bindingness of their implementation. For example, in my luggage there were a lot of fruits, alcohol and several knives. However, none of this was forbidden to be left, although the entire baggage was checked with a scanner. Perhaps because I immediately said that I would pick up my things the same day. On the other hand, if you just flew to Bangkok and want to leave your belongings for a long time, you probably will not have any fruits, no alcohol, or other items that are forbidden to be left in the storage room.

Receipt for Bellugg Left Luggage

Thus, luggage storage at the Bangkok airport is a convenient service, but the cost of storage is not low, especially when used for a long time. And if your trip to Thailand lasts for two weeks, then the minimum fee for storing one piece of baggage will be 1400 THB (45 USD). Accordingly, if you flew for a month travel, then luggage storage will cost 3000-3600 THB (or 90-115 USD). This is not a small amount of money, and in some cases it is more reasonable to leave things in the country of departure (if the fee for luggage storage at your airport is lower) or even use old clothes and shoes, which will not be a pity to throw away after arriving in Bangkok.

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The construction of the second terminal at Utapao Airport is part of a large-scale state program for the development of the Eastern Economic Corridor. At the same time, Utapo Airport will become the main airport in the eastern part of the country. In the coming years, this airport, which serves two cities at once – Pattaya and Rayong – will have to be connected to two Bangkok airports using the high-speed railway. After the construction of the new terminal, Utapao Airport should attract even more local and foreign airlines, which will be able to operate regular and charter flights here.

Second Passenger Terminal at Utapao Airport (Pattaya)

Currently, flights from Utapao are made by 15 airlines, which perform a total of about 40 flights on 33 routes daily. It should be noted that even before the commissioning of the second terminal, Utapao Airport was able to significantly increase passenger traffic in just a few years. If in 2015 this airport served about 180 thousand passengers, then for 11 months of 2019, 2 million passengers used the airport. Given the beginning of the high season, the airport director is optimistic about the figure of 2.5 million people by the end of this year. At the same time, airport services can serve up to 1,500 passengers per hour.

It is hoped that with the development of the Utapao airport, inexpensive transport will also appear, with the help of which it will be possible to get to Pattaya and from Pattaya to Utapao Airport. For example, regular buses or minibuses. Because at the present time it is still much easier and cheaper to get from Pattaya to Bangkok airport, although it is located much further.

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Sai Kaew beach (Blue Lagoon) – general information

Sai Kaew beach is not accidentally called the Military beach. Once an USA army base was located here, and today the place is taken by the Thai army. In particular, not far from the beach is the Royal Thai Navy School. As a result, there is access control, and the beach is open to visitors only until 18:00 (with some exceptions). It is the military that keeps the beach clean and tidy, so this beach should remain a place for a long time without large hotels and too developed infrastructure, which does not make it worse. In general, there is everything that is required during a vacation on the beach, and the closed territory has its advantages. For example, annoying merchants and food peddlers do not go along the beach.

Blue Lagoon Beach (Sai Kaew beach) in the morning (tide)

A feature of the beach is its location on the peninsula between the green hills that form the lagoon. Such an arrangement makes the beach picturesque and to some extent protects from large waves. Visually, the Sai Kaew beach in Pattaya resembles some of the beaches of Phuket: width, vegetation and landscapes. The length of the beach is small – its length slightly exceeds 400 meters, but due to not too many visitors there is enough space for everyone. Before visiting the Sai Kaew beach, I saw his photos on the Internet, but during my visit (2019) the sand was not as white as I was in the video in the photo. Rather, it is light yellow, but this color of sand goes well with the azure water in the Blue Lagoon.

Even in cloudy weather, the water on the Sai Kaew Beach has a nice color.

There was a high tide during my visit, and the width of the beach was not too big. Also, because of this, already 10 meters from the coast there was a great depth (more than 2 meters). Swimming areas on the Sai Kaew beach are fenced with buoys, located not very far from the coast. The best place for swimming is the central and left parts of the Blue Lagoon beach. There is a more gentle entrance to the water and there are no stones in the water. During my visit, some work was carried out on the right side of the beach using a bulldozer, so I personally could not evaluate the beach in that area. In the central part of the beach there is a beautiful sign with the name Sai Kaew beach and two points with heavy machine guns directed towards the sea.

The central part of Sai Kaew beach – beach machine guns

Separately, it should be told about the transparency and color of water on the Sai Kaew beach in Pattaya. I was a little unlucky with the weather, and most of the day in the sky was cloudy. However, even without a bright sun, the water had a pleasant azure color. Of course, in bright sunny weather, the beach looks brighter and more beautiful, because the color of the water is very dependent on the sun’s rays and the color of the sand (on the Sai Kaew beach it is light sand). The transparency of the water was also very good. Perhaps the water is not as crystal clear as on the island of Koh Lan. But it is much more transparent than on the city beaches of Pattaya. And even for this reason alone, it is worth visiting the Sai Kaew beach at least once.

Sai Kaew beach has many flowers and beautiful trees.

In addition to clear water, the Blue Lagoon or Sai Kaew beach is a place with a very beautiful territory. There are a large number of flowers, paths for pedestrians, benches. Closer to the central part on the right there are special compositions, next to which you can get beautiful photos. For example, a bench and a flower frame in the form of a heart around, etc. I recommend a walk in this area after 3 p.m, before returning from the beach. At this time, the number of visitors to the Sai Kaew beachh is rapidly decreasing and no one bothers to enjoy the walk.

After 14-30 the number of visitors on the Military Beach has significantly decreased

Sai Kaew Beach – Infrastructure

I did not see classic beach umbrellas on the Sai Kaew beach, but this is not a drawback. Deciduous trees grow on almost the entire perimeter of the coastline, the crown of which protects vacationers from sunlight. If you prefer to be in direct sunlight and sunbathe – you will also find several open areas. In addition, there are many small gazebos with tables. Under the roofs of the gazebos you can also find a shadow, relax and eat your food.

Beach bed and the life ring can be rented very cheaply

There are also no plastic loungers on the beach, but in the central part of the Sai Kaew beach there is a rental point for small wooden deck chairs and other beach equipment. You can rent a beach bed for as little as 30 THB (1 USD), while you can choose your own place to relax in any part of the beach. In the same place where sun loungers are issued, you can pay for other equipment and entertainment:

Kayak rental – 100 THB (3.3 USD) per hour (+ deposit THB 100):

Rent a beach mat – 20 THB per day (+ deposit THB 100):

Rent a life ring – 10 THB (0.33 USD) per hour (+ deposit THB 100):

Riding a banana boat – 600 THB (20 USD) in 30 minutes or 1200 THB (40 USD) per hour;

Jet ski – 1000 THB (33 USD) in 15 minutes or 1500 THB in 30 minutes.

The cost of dishes in one of the cafes on Sai Kaew beach in Pattaya

No one will remain hungry on the Sai Kaew beach, because the local cafes offer a wide selection of dishes and drinks. The main part of the cafe is located to the right of the main entrance to the beach. There you will find a number of cafes with Thai dishes, seafood, freshly squeezed juices, ice cream, fruit necks, snacks and cocktails. Nearby there are outdoor tables overlooking the beach. Further to the right there is a large cafe with tables under the roof. To the left of the entrance there is also an indoor cafe where coffee lovers can enjoy a latte, cappuccino or other type of coffee.

Freshly squeezed juices and cocktails on Sai Kaew beach – from 40 THB

To the left in the far part of the Military Beach there is also a cafe with a very large selection of dishes from 60 THB (2 USD) for a portion of a hot dish. In some establishments, the names of dishes are indicated only in Thai, but there are also those where English and Chinese names are added. Even if you don’t know some indicated languages, large photographs of all dishes will always help you choose what you want. To the right of the entrance there is a small souvenir shop where you can buy T-shirts, caps and other accessories with the Sai Kaew beach logo.

Outdoor shower and toilets at Sai Kaew beach (Military Beach)

On the right and left sides of the beach there are free showers (open) and toilets. Toilets are made in Thai style, so there is no toilet paper in them, only a hygienic shower. On the beach you can find a massage parlor (Thai massage), as well as a special smoking area (smoking is strictly prohibited on the beach!). Walking along the beach, you can see small wooden bungalows. These houses are for rent (from 1000 THB (33 USD) per day) and only persons living in the bungalow can stay on the beach after 18:00 and enjoy the sunset on the Sai Kaew beach.

Sai Kaew beach – warning about allowed time on the beach

Sai Kaew beach in Pattaya – how to get

The easiest way to visit the Sai Kaew beach (Blue Laggoon) as part of an organized excursion from Pattaya. You can easily find offers on the Internet for 300-350 THB per person. Such an excursion includes a transfer from the hotel or condo to the beach, an entrance ticket to the beach and a return transfer to the hotel or condo. Given that the cost of admission is 100 THB for adults (and 50 THB for children), round-trip fares cost 100 + 100 = 200 THB. This is a good deal, because the cost of a taxi ride even in one direction is much higher (the distance from the center of Pattaya to the Sai Kaew beach is about 30 km).

The driver shows the time of departure from the beach and the minibus number

The advantage of an organized tour is that you do not need to worry about the availability of documents proving your identity (passport, ID or driver’s license). You just ride in an air-conditioned minibus and don’t worry about a few roadblocks, about buying tickets and making passes. In my case, the bus driver simply asked the passengers to line up when we arrived at the parking lot near the beach. After that, he photographed everyone and asked not to linger and be ready to leave the beach at 16:00. This is almost the standard tour time – from 08:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Considering the travel time, I arrived at the beach at 09:20, and I returned to the condo in Pattaya after 17:00.

The route from Pattaya to the Military beach (Sai Kaew beach) on the map

A trip to Sai Kaew beach on your own is a little more complicated, but everything is feasible. As you can see on the map, the main part of the route passes along Sukhumvit Road – the main street of Thailand. The route runs along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand and the cheapest way to do it is on a white passenger pickup truck that travel along Sukhumvit. Be sure to check with the driver if he is ride near turning onto Sai Kaew beach (some began to drive only to the Ambassador City Jomtien hotel and this is sad). Right before the right turn (to the beach) there is an elevated pedestrian crossing through Sukhumvit.

Turn right onto Sai Kaew beach from Sukhumvit Road

From turning to the beach directly to the Blue Lagoon, more than 7.5 kilometers and several checkpoints. If you are going to use a motorbike taxi from turning to the beach, or if you were traveling to Sai Kaew beach on a rented motorbike, you must present a passport or other identity document in a special booth based on which you will be issued a pass to the beach. A small booth is located near the turn to the beach, and after another 60 meters there is a barrier where you must present the pass. Next, you should go several mimutes straight ahead and turn left at the fork in the road (there is a road sign). Continue on the narrow road and after a few minutes you will find yourself in a parking lot, next to which there is a building with a ticket office.

To visit the Sai Kaew beach in Pattaya you need to buy a ticket at the box office

After purchasing tickets, you must leave your car or motobike in the parking lot and take a free passenger pick-up to the beach. The winding road to the beach passes through the green hills and sometimes you can see wild monkeys on the road. The return trip should be done in the same order. When you leave the territory of the military base, do not forget to pick up your passport or other document that you left at the entrance. Thus, an independent trip to the Sai Kaew beach is also possible, but without a rented transport it is easier and cheaper to use a ready-made day excursion.

Sai Kaew beach  – my video review

In the end I will add that during my visit to the Sai Kaew beach there were most of the Russian-speaking visitors. At the same time, in my opinion, about 70% of visitors are people of retirement age and children. Because of this, the Blue Lagoon beach was somewhat noisy. In general, the Sai Kaew beach made a good impression and someday I want to visit it again (during sunny weather). Also keep in mind that this place is popular with locals. On weekends and holidays, they massively visit Sai Kaew beach (Military Beach) in Pattaya and arrange noisy picnics there, so it is better to visit the Blue Lagoon on weekdays. Have a nice rest!

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About 2.5 million tourists visit Samui Island annually, of which 60% are foreigners. This is not a very big figure, because Phuket Island, which is comparable in size, annually receives more than 5 times more tourists. But it is tourists who bring more than 63% of all revenues of the province of Surat Thani, which includes the islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. Therefore, local authorities and representatives of the business community are interested in several times more tourists on the island. And the construction of a bridge that would connect Koh Samui to the mainland would make the island more popular.

Bridge to Koh Samui – new project of 2019

The main problem that hinders the development of tourism on the island is the transport problem. Currently, Koh Samui piers receive ferries from several ferry companies and the number of daily ferries is not very large. And at night, you can get to the island only using a special boat. All this makes the path to Koh Samui more expensive and takes tourists too much time. Koh Samui has its own airport, but it is private. Therefore, the Bangkok Airways airline, which is the owner of the Koh Samui airport, has monopolized flights to the island and the cost of flights is very high.

The chief physician of the local island hospital also advocates the construction of a bridge between Koh Samui and the mainland. Currently, if necessary, to deliver the patient to the mainland, ferries to Koh Samui are used for emergency care. On average, 1 patient needs urgent delivery to the mainland daily. With the help of ferries, this is difficult to do and the transportation of each patient takes several additional hours. And at night, due to strong waves in the Gulf of Thailand, such transportation may not be possible at all. When using a conventional road bridge, the delivery time of patients to the mainland would be only 15-20 minutes.

Bridge to Koh Samui – project of 2012 with tunnel

In the 2019 layout shown, the bridge between Koh Samui and the mainland includes a road, pedestrian paths and bicycle paths. It should be noted that 7 years ago, the idea of building a bridge on Koh Samui was also discussed. The first project was more complex and included an underwater tunnel between the mainland and the small island of Koh Tan (Ko Katen), which would ensure the unhindered movement of ferries and cargo ships between Koh Samui and the mainland (see picture).

Currently, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports does not give official comments on the possible construction of a bridge on Koh Samui. The issue will be thoroughly and comprehensively considered in the coming months, and only after that the more reliable information will become known to the press. At the same time, the implementation of such a large project in any case will take at least several years. This means that we can get from Koh Samui to Krabi or get from Phuket to Koh Samui as before – using ferries. Have a nice rest!

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Hotel S44ROOM – Location in Bangkok

S44ROOM Hotel has a very good location in Bangkok. It is located on Sukhumvit 44 Alley. It is just 120 meters from BTS SkyTrain Station Phra Khanong. You can get here from Phaya Thai BTS Station (where trains from Suvarnabhumi Airport arrive) for 44 THB (1.5 USD). At the same time, you have to drive 10 stations and this will take you only 18-20 minutes. The proximity of the hotel from the BTS SkyTrain station makes it easy to get from the hotel door to the metro station in just 2 minutes and go to any area of ​​the city and not be afraid of traffic jams.

S44ROOM Hotel – how to get from BTS station

And if you buy a day pass on SkyTrain at a discount, then quick trips around the city will bring you real pleasure and will save time and money. The second feature of the S44ROOM hotel’s location is the proximity of the East Ekkamai Bus Terminal in Bangkok. To get to this bus terminal from the door of the hotel, you need only 7-8 minutes. And you should not use public transport or taxis for this, because the hotel is located just 650 meters from the BTS Ekkamai station, next to which is the bus terminal of the same name.

It is very important that the Ekkamai Bus Terminal and S44ROM Hotel are located on one side of Sukhumvit Road and you do not need to use elevated pedestrian crossings (it’s a “big pleasure” when you have a backpack on your back and a heavy suitcase in your hands). In the picture below, the arrows indicate the Ekkamai bus station and the S44ROOM hotel (the picture is clickable).

S44 Room – distance from Ekkamai Bus Terminal is about 650 meters

Hotel Features and Room Overview S44ROOM

Hotel S44ROOM (link to the smart search for available rooms in this hotel at the best price) is a new city hotel, since it was opened in 2018. Behind a large glass door there is a lounge with a reception desk and comfortable soft chairs. A little further is another hall with chairs, a soft sofa, a dining table and chairs. Given that the rooms do not have a large table, you can have breakfast, lunch or dinner in the lobby. There is also a microwave where you can reheat cooked food. This is a small hotel and has only 14 rooms, so the hall was always quiet and calm. At that time, due to the small number of rooms on the dates you have chosen, there may not be rooms available.

At S44ROOM you can book rooms of various classes: standard rooms, rooms with a balcony and family rooms. All of them are decorated in light (almost white) colors and therefore the rooms seem clean and spacious. I stayed in a 2-bed room with a balcony and I had pleasant memories of being there. The room had everything you need: a wide and comfortable bed, quiet air conditioning, a large LCD TV, a large refrigerator, a wardrobe with hangers, a mirror with a small table and 1 chair. A safe with a combination lock and a small drawer with a lock are fixed in the cabinet. And in the table drawer was hidden hair dryer.

Room with balcony at S44ROOM Hotel in Bangkok

Each room at S44ROOM has its own bathroom with toilet, sink and shower. At the same time, the shower has a special tap for washing feet, and the shower area is separated from the toilet by a partition. The room was equipped with a balcony overlooking a quiet courtyard, so the room was quiet at any time. The price of the stay included drinking water (2 bottles of 0.5 liters), 2 bags of instant coffee, 2 bags of tea and several bags of sugar. An electric kettle and cups are provided for making hot drinks in the room. There were also 2 glass glasses for cold drinks or water.

Infrastructure near the hotel S44ROOM

The Sukhumvit Road area is one of Bangkok’s busiest areas. Therefore, along this street there are a large number of shopping centers. For example, Terminal 21 at a BTS Nana station or Tesco Lotus at a nearby BTS On Nut station. The nearest 7Eleven store is located 4-5 minutes from the hotel (towards the city center, just under the elevated pedestrian crossing). Another mini supermarket is open around the clock on the opposite side of the S44ROOM from Sukhumvit Road. Look for the pink Max Valu sign under the platform area of ​​Phra Khanong Station. Several ATMs are also located there.

Shop for cheap food at Phra Khanong Station (entrance marked with arrow)

If you want to buy ready-made meals for breakfast or lunch inexpensively, there is a TOPS Daily store near the other exit from BTS Phra Khanong Station. This store has a large selection of simple, ready-made meals that can be reheated in the microwave right in the store or in the S44ROOM’s lobby. For anyone interested, see the assortment and prices in a short video review of the hotel. The store entrance is almost under the escalator leading to the FITNESS 24 SEVEN gym. Store Hours – from 06:00 to 24:00.

Video review of the S44ROOM Hotel

My impressions of the S44ROOM hotel in Bangkok

I stayed at the S44ROOM hotel for two nights and can give this hotel 9/10 points. In various reservation systems, the hotel also has a rating from 8.5 to 9 points out of 10. The main advantage is its excellent location 2 minutes from the overground metro, clean and quiet rooms, new furniture and the availability of some nice bonuses (hot drinks for self-catering in the room). Friendly staff worked at the hotel during my stay. I arrived at the hotel at 10:30 in the morning and left my suitcase and backpack at the reception without any problems and went for a walk around the city. Perhaps someone needs information: the hotel is allowed to bring guests. I lived with my Thai girlfriend and she did not need to leave an ID at the reception.

Of the shortcomings, I can only note that the floor in the shower area is made at the floor level in the toilet. Because of this, part of the water did not drain into the drain hole and a small puddle formed at the entrance to the bathroom. It is possible that this is the problem of my number and in other rooms this is not. If it speaks about the price of this three-star hotel, then it is very adequate for such a good location and condition of the rooms. I recommend this hotel to all categories of travelers and plan to stay there for a few nights during my next visit to Bangkok.

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How to get to the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya

The Sanctuary  of Truth is located on the shores of the Gulf of Thailand in the northern part of Pattaya.

Address: 206/2 หมู่ ที่ 5 ถนน Pattaya-Naklua, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand.

The working hours of the Sanctuary of Truth: from 08:00 to 18:00 (8 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

You can visit the Sanctuary of Truth on your own (without an excursion). To do this, you must go to North Pattaya (Naklua District). The easiest way to use local passenger pickups, the route of which runs along Pattyaya Nalkua Street. For 10-20 Thai baht (depending on the place of landing) you must drive to Na Kluea 12 Alley and go along this street without turning anywhere (see map below).

How to get to Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya easy (click to enlarge)

The indicated street makes several bends and along the way you will see wasteland and even a small dump on the left. There are signs to the temple along the way. You can also use the navigator on your smartphone so as not to make a mistake on the route. Move on the right side of the road. There are no sidewalks in many streets of Pattaya, so be careful. If you look at the map of Pattaya, you might think that there is a great distance from Naklua Rd to the temple. But in fact, the high white wall and the entrance gate to the territory of the Sanctuary of Truth are much closer. You will see them without any problems in 6-8 minutes on foot from Pattaya Naklua.

Entrance gate to the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya on Na Kluea 12 Alley and the Family Mart store opposite

One of the landmarks is the Family Mart store, which is located almost opposite the entrance gate. By the way, if you want to save money, you can buy water or food in this store (there is a cafe and restaurant in the temple, but the cost of dishes and drinks is not the lowest). You can also use a taxi from Pattaya Naklua Rd (40-50 THB per person). From the famous roundabout with dolphins to the Sanctuary of Truth can be reached by taxi motobike for 70-90 THB. From most areas of Pattaya can be reached by taxi for 200-500 THB. The taxi option does not make sense in terms of economy (it’s cheaper to book a tour that includes a transfer from the hotel to the temple and back to the hotel).

Route to the Sanctuary of Truth on an interactive Google map

Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya – features

The construction of the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya was started in 1981 at the expense of Thai millionaire Lek Viriyapan and is still ongoing by his son (the businessman himself died in 2000). Construction is expected to be completed in 2025. At the same time, the Sanctuary of Truth, which is entirely built of precious wood and will always require ongoing restoration. A feature of construction is that all the connections of the parts to each other are made using wooden dowels without the use of nails. This applies both directly to the walls and roofs of the temple, as well as all internal decorations, and statues. You can see in the temple nails that are not completely clogged and must be removed before the official completion of construction.

After checking the tickets, you should go down to the main territory of the Sanctuary of Truth

The Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya has a height of 105 meters and is the largest wooden temple in Thailand and the second tallest in the world. Only the Tianning Pagoda in China has a more impressive height (153 meters). Even if you have not been to Pattaya or Thailand, you must have seen the Sanctuary of Truth in a photo on the Internet or on TV. This is really a very beautiful temple, the enormous size of which can be estimated only nearby or being inside. For example, I swam on the beach near the Temple and saw it at a distance of about 100 meters, but still did not think that it was so big and tall.

The Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya needs constant restoration

The Sanctuary of Truth is not a traditional Buddhist temple or an exclusively religious building in general. According to the plan of Lek Viriyapan, the temple was originally built as a cultural attraction, which should show an oriental view of our world from the point of view of 4 cultures at once: Thai, Khmer, Hindu and Chinese. Therefore, while maintaining the overall architectural style, you may notice some differences on the facades of the temple. And inside the temple you will visit 4 large halls, each of which is dedicated to the 4 indicated cultures and philosophies of life (mainly Hindu and Buddhist).

The Chinese Hall of the Sanctuary of Truth is easily recognizable by octagonal columns

For example, in the Indian hall you can find statues of the gods of the 4 elements: water, earth, fire and wind. You can easily identify the Chinese hall by octagonal columns and bas-reliefs with naked women (although you will see them almost everywhere). In the remaining parts of the Sanctuary of Truth, the columns have a more traditional appearance. By the way, all columns are made of solid trunks of centuries-old trees and decorated with carvings. Each centimeter of the temple is the result of many hours of work by Thai masters, who still continue to work on the territory of the temple. The oldest tree from which a large column was carved and in front of which a small altar with gifts is more than 700 years old.

Altar in the center of the Sanctuary of Truth and columns of centuries-old trees

In the Thai room, you can see large statues of avatars, each of which is dedicated to a specific day of the week. There you can use special tables to calculate your day of the week (although using a smartphone is easier to do). And the main attraction of the Khmer Hall are the statues of the family – a wife with her husband and their three children. There is a ritual that promotes the conception of a child. To do this, you need to rub the child’s hand (you will recognize the right place by shine). By the way, you can ask for a child not only for yourself, but also for other people. And for the health of parents, you should rub the knee of the husband or wife.

Statues of family with children in the Khmer part of the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya

Only in the central part of the Sanctuary of Truth there are several altars where you can pray or just think in silence about life. In general, each element and statue in the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya carries a certain semantic load and there are no random elements that fulfill only a decorative role. But it is not easy for a not specialist to understand all eastern religions and rituals. Therefore, if you want to not just look at the beautiful temple inside and out and take beautiful photos or videos, I advise you to use the services of guides (there are inside the temple, including English or other languages speaking ones).

View from one of the viewpoint to the Sanctuary of Truth (Pattaya)

The cost of visiting the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya

The standard price for admission to the Sanctuary of Truth is THB 500 when purchased at the box office. The standard price for a child ticket is 250 THB. If you do not want to get from your hotel to the Sanctuary of Truth and then back on your own, you can book a tour for 600-700 THB (possibly even with a guide). But if you want to save as much as possible, buy entrance tickets to the Sanctuary of Truth online here (the price can be shown in the currency of your country). As a rule, you can buy an entrance ticket for adults for 385 THB (or at a discount of 23%). And the price of children’s entrance tickets is only 180 THB when buying online (28% discount). You can show the voucher received after payment by e-mail (on a smartphone screen or in paper form) at the box office of the Sanctuary of Truth and get a paper entrance ticket for access to the territory. In the same way, you can buy online at a discount other entertainment available on the territory of the Sanctuary of Truth (about them in the next section).

Over 50 thousand people booked this excursion at a discount

Other attractions in the Sanctuary of Truth (Pattaya)

The entrance ticket to the Sanctuary of Truth includes not only access to the temple territory and inside the building, but also viewing a national Thai show. It includes traditional dances (performed by men and women in Thai national clothes) and a classic sword fight of two fighters. Such performances are usually held twice a day: at 11:30 in the morning and at 15:30. The performances are not very long and you can watch it once. After the show, you can take a picture with the artists (you should give a small tips).

On the territory of the Sanctuary of Truth you can ride an elephant and horses

At the ticket office of the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya, and when buying entrance tickets online, you can add some other entertainment. The most popular are horseback riding on special routes, riding in an old horse-drawn cart, riding an elephant, riding a quad bike, a boat trip along the Gulf of Thailand in the area of ​​the Sanctuary of Truth (you can take beautiful photos on the background of the building). As in the case of entrance tickets, buying online through the Klook service (link to the Sanctuary of Truth) makes it possible to save money (the price difference is especially noticeable when buying entrance tickets for several people). You can choose options that include one or more additional entertainment that is available on your date.

Tips Before Visiting Pattaya Sanctuary of Truth

Despite the fact that the Sanctuary of Truth is not a traditional temple (religious building), there are altars inside and many Thais come to the temple to pray. Therefore, a rule has recently been introduced whereby visitors must adhere to a dress code. Your clothes at the entrance to the temple should cover your shoulders and knees, and the neckline of the girls should not be too open. Somewhere in the territory there is a special cape to rent, but it is better to immediately come in appropriate clothing. Also during the tour you should be in a construction helmet. It is issued at the point immediately after the descent along the wooden steps to the territory of the temple. Throughout the temple it is forbidden to smoke and use quadrocopters (drones) for video shooting.

Wear a hard hat when visiting the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya (Thailand)

I spent about 1.5 hours visiting the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya and it was enough for me. At the same time, I spent about 50 minutes inside the temple, took a lot of photos and shot a video. I arrived at the Temple after 16:30 and did not have time to watch the show. Also, I did not buy additional entertainment and did not go to a cafe on the territory. If you read this article, you have some idea what to expect outside and inside the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya. I went somewhat unprepared and only after that I read about what I saw inside the Temple and what I could pay attention to.

If I went to the Sanctuary of Truth again, I would do it at about 15:00 to have time to watch the show, see the Sanctuary of Truth under various lighting levels, take more time to walk around a beautiful area that exceeds 10 hectares (there are beautiful bridges and several viewing platforms). If I were not alone, I would use the services of a guide, because much of the inside of the temple remained incomprehensible to me. When visiting with children, you can spend some time examining the animals at the local mini-zoo. There are horses, ponies, goats, etc. in it. And, of course, I would save on entry tickets and buy from online.

Statues at the place of fulfillment of desires in the Temple of Truth

A wish-fulfillment ritual in the Temple of Truth (Pattaya)

Near the entrance to the Temple of Truth (from the sea), there are two large wooden statues that hold a wooden crossbar on their shoulders. A bell and a large gong are suspended on the crossbar. And in the hands of statues are special mallets. with which you can hit the bell and gong. On the Internet you can find outdated information that the ritual of fulfilling desires consists of three stages. 1) You need to hit three times on the metal triangle (in order to wake the Buddha). 2) You need to hit the bell three times (to clear your karma). 3) It is necessary to make a wish and hit the gong three times with a large hammer (at this moment you must imagine how your desire is being fulfilled).

During my visit to the Temple of Truth, I noticed that the statues were moved to another place and on the wooden crossbar there are only two objects: a bell and a gong. Accordingly, if you also do not see the iron triangle, the ritual of the fulfillment of desires should immediately begin with blows on the bell. Probably, due to the large number of visitors, the Buddha cannot fall asleep and you no longer need to wake him up. You can see the location of the statue with the gong in this video, which is posted below.

I hope the information about the Sanctuary of Truth was useful for you and now during your vacation in Pattaya you can go to this amazing place by buying a ticket at the lowest price and with an idea of how much time you need to visit, how easy and cheap to get to The Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya and what additional entertainment you can find there. Have a good rest and interesting visit!

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Transfer Bangkok – Koh Kood

This is probably the easiest and fastest way to get to Koh Kood from Bangkok without worries. Transfer Bangkok – Koh Kood consists of three stages. The first one – is moving from Bangkok in a comfortable minibus to the ferry pier in the province of Trat. The second stage is a ferry to Koh Kood on a modern speed catamaran. The third stage is delivery to the door of your hotel on the island of Koh Kood by local taxi. All connections are guaranteed and you don’t have to worry about being late for the ferry. Koh Kood Island is the farthest Thai island on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand. Therefore, the whole journey from Bangkok to Koh Kood takes 7-8 hours (depending on the departure time).

As a rule, there are three transfers daily from two transport companies. The first option is offered by Boonsiri. The first branded minibus of this company leaves Bangkok at 05:00 in the morning and allows you to arrive at Koh Kood at noon. Boonsiri’s second minibus is more suitable for those who prefer to sleep longer in Bangkok. In this case, the minibus leaves from Bangkok at 07:30 in the morning and allows you to arrive on Koh Kood island until 16:00. The transfer fee does not depend on the departure time from Bangkok and is 900 THB. This price includes water and snacks. The current transfer schedule, its cost and availability for your dates, you can always on the website of the smart search for transport in Asia (link to the desired route, English version of the service).

Minibus pick-up point in Bangkok to Koh Kood

The Boonsiri minibus boarding point in Bangkok is The Street Hostel, located on 62 Ta Nee Road (see map). You will receive the detailed coordinates of the landing point in the voucher after payment. This street is located in the historical district of Bangkok, in the area of ​​the famous Khao San Rd. Given that there are no underground or surface metro stations in this area of ​​the city, it is easiest to spend the night somewhere nearby. I could recommend the same The Street Hostel for the night before the transfer, but it is very popular and it is not easy to reserve places in this hostel. At the same time, there are always many other options for budget housing in the area and with the help of a smart hotels search  you can always choose the best option.

Comfortable high-speed catamaran to Koh Kood

The second transport company is called SuperJet and allows you to get from Bangkok to the island of Koh Kood for the same price – 900 THB. At the same time, the landing place on the minibus is Victory Monument Square (southeast corner). On the one hand, this place has good transport accessibility thanks to the nearby BTS SkyTrain station. But since the minibus from Bangkok leaves at 05:00 in the morning, and you must arrive at the pick-up point earlier, you can’t use the SkyTrain because it doesn’t work at night. As a result, you must either use a taxi or spend the night in the Victory Monument area. By the way, in my previous article Santiphap Park in Bangkok I just gave links to good hotels, because this park is located 5 minutes walk.

SuperJet minibus boarding point to Koh Kood Island

The rest of the transfer is very similar to the previous one: a minibus to the pier in the province of Trat, a 45-minute ferry ride to Koh Kood island and a taxi to the hotel door. All connections on the route are guaranteed and you will arrive at your hotel on the island at 13:30 (the best time to check into your room). This option has only one drawback – it is very popular and there are no empty seats for many dates. Therefore, when using the smart search for transport in Asia, you can only see an option from Boonsiri (for a trip from Koh Mak Island to Bangkok for some reason there is no such problem).

How to get from Koh Kood to Bangkok (2 options)

Getting to Bangkok with Koh Kood is also easy. For this you can use return transfers from Boonsiri and Superjet. In the first case, your path will also consist of three stages and will not cause problems. A taxi will pick you up from any hotel on the island of Koh Kood and take you to the pier of this island. Next, you will make your way to the mainland pier on a high-speed catamaran. Finally, the Boonsiri minibus takes you to the Khao San Road area in Bangkok. If you wish, you can leave the bus along the way if it passes by the area of ​​interest to you in the capital. The transfer fee of Koh Kood Bangkok is also 900 THB. At the same time, the departure time from the hotel on the island of Koh Kood is at 08:00 and 10:00, and the duration of the trip is 8-9 hours.

Cabin of SuperJet speed ferry to Koh Kood Island

The second option to get to Bangkok from the island of Koh Kood is to use a transfer from SuperJet. This option also includes a taxi from the hotel, a ferry to the mainland pier and a minibus to Bangkok. But there are differences: not a catamaran is used, but the proprietary SuperJet high-speed ferry. Despite its large size, the ferry is very modern and has a high speed. Due to this, the transfer duration is also 8 hours. This option has an advantage: in Bangkok you will be delivered to Victory Monument. Nearby there is the BTS SkyTrain underground station of the same name. About 750 meters away is Phaya Thai BTS Station, from which City Line trains leave for Suvarnabhumi Airport. The cost is the same – 900 THB, and you can check the availability of seats using the smart search for transport in Asia (link to the Koh Kood – Bangkok route).

Thus, you can use several transfers daily from Bangkok to Koh Kood and back. Alternatives include a trip from Bangkok to Koh Chang and the use of local boats to travel to Koh Kood. The option is more complex and more long in time. You can also try to get to the city of Trat, use local transport to the pier on the mainland and buy a ferry ticket at the pier. Given that a regular ferry ticket costs 500 THB one way and does not include taxi transfers to the hotel (+100 THB per person), the option is complicated and disadvantageous. Enjoy your trip and have a good rest on Koh Kood.

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Santiphap Park – location in Bangkok

Santiphap Park is located in the Victory Monument BTS SkyTrain station area. The distance from the exit from the BTS station is just over 500 meters, so you can easily walk to the park in 5-7 minutes. On the Bangkok map below, you can see that there are two ways to get to Santiphap Park from BTS Station. A simpler option is the one marked with blue dots on the map (along Rang Nam Alley). The area of ​​the park is only 8 acres. At the same time, the park has the shape of a very narrow rectangle with sides of 420 and 90 meters.

Location of Santiphap park in Bangkok (and way from BTS station)

Features of Santiphap Park in Bangkok

Santiphap park in translation from Thai means Peace Park. It was opened to visitors in August 1998 and quickly became a favorite vacation spot for locals. As noted above, the park has a small area. But the space for walking is even more limited by several artificial reservoirs in various parts of the park. In one of the ponds you can see a bronze sculpture of a dove with an olive branch in its beak. It is a world-famous symbol of peace. Also at the entrance to the park you can see several quotes from the famous pacifist, philosopher and Buddhist monk Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.

Santiphap Park Hours in Bangkok (park closed at night)

The park is open daily from 05:00 a.m. to 21:00 p.m. Entrance is free for everyone, but there are restrictions. Santiphap Park is a place free of smoking and drinking alcohol. It is also forbidden to ride a bicycle and roller skates, walk animals and feed pigeons. The main visitors to the park are local residents who prefer to play sports on simulators and run in the morning and evening hours. Since there are many cheap and expensive hotels near Santiphap Park, you can also see foreigners in the park.

Exercise machines and horizontal bars are located not in one point of the park, but in several places around the perimeter. The length of the track for running in a circle is about 700 meters. In the central zone there are playgrounds that are more suitable for middle-aged children (not the smallest). These are various hills, ladders, bridges, etc. A large number of benches are located around the perimeter of the park and in the hot time of day they often remain free. At 18:00, free aerobics classes are held in the park for everyone (45 minutes in Thai, but everything is clear). You can find in Santiphap Park free toilets as well as many trash cans.

The 700 meter track around the park is good for running

Locals use Santiphap Park not only as a place for playing sports, but also as a resting place. Many people come with their products and have picnics on the lawn, near artificial ponds or among trees. Moreover, in the area a huge number of 7Eleven shops and picnic products can be bought on the way to the park and not taken from home. Santiphap Park is in very good condition as It is constantly attended by workers who monitor the order (mow the grass, remove fallen leaves, water the flowers and add new plants). For security and to maintain order, surveillance cameras are installed at various points in the park.

In the morning hours in the park there is a lot of shade and not too hot

I stayed at the small but inexpensive and comfortable Platinum Villa Hotel, which is located just a few minutes walk from Santiphap Park. But next to the park there are other hotels with a good price and a high rating of guests. For example, the Picnic Hotel is located to the right of the park, and three hotels with a rating higher than 8/10 border on the left at the park: Le Tada Residence Hotel, Le Tada Park View hotel and Royal View Resort. You can check the best hotel prices for your dates using the links.

Video review of Santiphap Park in Bangkok

Thus, Santiphap Park is a good place to relax in sports if you live in hotels near the BTS Victory Monument station or if you have free time in the city in this area. For example, when you want to visit the observation deck of the Baiyoke Sky Hotel before sunset and you need to spend about 1-2 hours before climbing to this high-rise. I hope my short overview of the park was useful to you and now you know exactly what you can expect from Santiphap Park in Bangkok. Have a nice rest!

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Transfer Bangkok – Koh Lanta

The direct distance between the capital of Thailand and the island of Koh Lanta in the Andaman Sea is about 700 km. However, due to the lack of an airport on the island, you cannot overcome this distance with an airplane. This means that when traveling from Bangkok to Koh Lanta, you must use several types of transport and make transfers on the route. Sometimes it’s not easy to plan your movements correctly, given the fact that vehicles may be late. Therefore, in Thailand it is more convenient to use transfers, which include all stages of the route. The most important advantage of such transfers is guaranteed connections. This means that you buy one ticket and get a guarantee of delivery immediately to the end point of the route.

As I wrote above, the island of Koh Lanta is not a very popular destination, so today you can find only one transfer per day on the route Bangkok – Koh Lanta. Using the transport search service in Asia (link to the English version and the desired route), you can check the availability of seats for the date you need. You can also see that the offer includes four stages: 2 moving by big bus + moving by minibus + passenger ferry to Koh Lanta. Due to the large distance and a sufficiently large area that you must overcome by sea, the trip cannot be called too short. The total duration of a trip from Bangkok to Koh Lanta is about 18 hours. At the same time, the cost of moving is 1250 THB (or 40 USD at the current rate).

Special transfer from Bangkok to Koh Lanta (3 modes of transport)

The departure point for a large bus from Bangkok is Hua Lamphong Main Station. The landing point is located in the square in front of the station building. You can always find the map fragment and the exact coordinates of the bus boarding point in the voucher that you receive by email after paying for the transfer (see the example with Phuket in the photo). The service recommends arriving at the boarding place 30 minutes before the departure of the bus. In practice, delays sometimes occur and the bus arrives late in 10-30 minutes. This is not always pleasant, but it’s not worth worrying, because in any case, you must arrive on Koh Lanta on time. And your journey by bus will be shorter.

Departure after sunset and expect a bus on the street is not too hot. You can spend this time eating, as Near the station there are many cafes and street points with food. The large Paradive Travel bus, which takes passengers from Bangkok to Surat Thani, is not very new, but still comfortable enough for a long trip. I advise you to take a warm sweater or light jacket to the salon, as it can be cold at night due to the working air conditioner. Some experienced tourists take thick paper and scotch tape into Thai buses, which can be used to seal ducts over the seat.

Map and coordinates of the bus boarding point (example)

At the small bus station in the city of Surat Thani, you must change the bus and do the next leg to the city of Krabi with another large bus. To ensure that none of the passengers get lost and continue their journey in the right direction, bright stickers on clothes are used (from it do not leave marks after removal). By the end of the journey, you will have several such stickers on your clothes, because in Krabi you must again change the large bus to a minibus and make a short stretch of the way to the ferry pier. There you will board a ferry that takes you directly to the pier of Koh Lanta. Between several modes of transport there is free time, sometimes lasting more than an hour. As a rule, in places of transplant there is an opportunity to buy snacks and drinks.

The above method to get from Bangkok to Koh Lanta only seems complicated. In fact, logistics has been tested many times and such a transfer has been used for many years. The main thing is not to panic and try to trust the drivers and employees of the transport company, and they will already do everything to deliver you to the island on time. To get from the main pier of Koh Lanta (in the northern part of the island) to your hotel, you can use passenger pickups. You should focus on the price of 100 baht per person for delivery to the main beaches on the west coast of Koh Lanta.

From Bangkok to Koh Lanta – flight + minibus

The second way to get from Bangkok to Koh Lanta is by plane + minibus. In this case, you must separately purchase a ticket from Bangkok to Krabi, and then use a special minibus to the island. Here you can read how cheap and fast it is to get from Bangkok to Krabi. Considering that the cost of airplanes to Krabi when buying tickets early can be very low (for example, I flew on a morning flight for 620 THB), this option allows not only saving time, but also money.

Minibuses to Koh Lanta leave from the bus station in Krabi and from Krabi Airport. At the same time, there are many buses every day and if your plane arrives early and your bus leaves for Koh Lanta in a few hours, you can leave in the nearest minibus of this transport company without extra pay if there are free seats there. Travel from the bus station costs 359 THB, and from the airport – 500 THB. It is very important that the minibus not only takes you to the island of Koh Lanta, but takes you to the door of your hotel on this island.

Minibus options from Krabi Airport and Bus Station

If before you travel to Koh Lanta you want to spend a few days in Ao Nang or on the Railay Peninsula, you can use another transfer option – from any hotel in Ao Nang or Krabi to Koh Lanta. The cost of such a trip, which includes a taxi to the pier from the hotel and a ferry to Koh Lanta – 550 THB. The trip takes about 3 hours. This option does not include delivery to the hotel in Koh Lanta, so the total cost will be higher.

From Bangkok to Koh Lanta – the cheapest way

The cheapest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Lanta is to use a bus and minibus. In this case, you must purchase the cheapest ticket to night bus from Bangkok, which arrives in Krabi in the morning. The best option – buses from the southern bus station in Bangkok to Krabi, which depart at 17:30 or 19:30. These buses cost less than 750 THB and arrive in Krabi at 06:30 and 08:30 respectively. The rest of the way to the hotel on Koh Lanta, you can do on buses for 359 THB, which I wrote about above. In total, your journey will take less time than a ready transfer from Bangkok and will cost about 1100 THB. But there is a negative point: you will probably use a taxi to the South Bus Station in Bangkok (250-300 THB), which is located very far from the city center (in the southwestern part of the capital) and near which there are no BTS or MRT stations.

Thus, you have a choice of several options that allow you to get from Bangkok to Koh Lanta and further to your hotel on this island (which is easiest to find at the best price using the smart hotel search). At the same time, each has its advantages and disadvantages in terms of price, number of transfers and travel time. You can decide which method you prefer and use it for your trip to Koh Lanta and back. I wish you a pleasant trip and a good rest!

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Thus, from the beginning of 2020, the cost of a tourist package per day will be limited to specific amounts, depending on the region. The cheapest vacation in Thailand on a package tour will cost residents of Southeast Asia – from 800 THB per day. A slightly higher minimum price is set for residents of other Asian countries – 1000 THB. Less fortunate were residents of other countries of the world for whom the minimum tour package price per day was set at 1,500 THB per day (or 50 USD at the current rate). It is very important to note that the indicated price does not include the cost of air tickets to Thailand and from Thailand.

Thus, a two-week trip to Thailand for residents of Europe, Australia, the USA, Canada, Latin America and other non-Asian countries will cost about 700 USD, excluding the cost of the flight. In recent years, with the help of the service for searching for last-minute trips, you could easily find a ticket for about 70 thousand rubles for two for 2 weeks in Thailand. Those. The cost of the tour for each of the tourists began from 550-600 USD and, most importantly, this price included a round-trip flight. From all this we can conclude that holidays in Thailand will become more expensive and the number of foreign tourists in the kingdom will decrease even more.

As of 10 months of 2019, the number of tourists who rested in Thailand on a package tour has already decreased by more than 4% compared to the same period last year. However, the decline in tourists from different countries was uneven. For example, the largest outflow of tourists came from the Republic of Korea – more than 10%. The number of tourists from China has also significantly decreased – by more than 3%. Given that Chinese tourists occupy a dominant position among all foreigners in Thailand, the figure is very significant. Also, more than 4% decreased the number of tourists from Japan. At the same time, the flow of tourists from India increased by more than 5% and this is more and more noticeable in Thai resorts.

In the article Why is Thailand expensive – main reasons I already wrote that holidays in this Kingdom are becoming more expensive for a number of reasons and many foreigners consider cheaper and closer countries for their holidays. Therefore, a new initiative of the authorities, on the one hand, will allow to raise the level of service in the country (in theory), but on the other hand it can lead to an even greater decrease in the number of tourists (and the bankruptcy of a large part of small business). What will actually happen and whether foreign tour operators will find opportunities to circumvent the new ban and reduce the cost of tours – we will find out very soon. At the same time, tips on cheap holidays in Thailand are still relevant and can save a lot of money in the Land of Smiles!

The post Thailand introduces a minimum daily price for a tour package first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

1. Refuse to stay in expensive hotels

Unlike Egypt, Turkey, the Maldives or Mexico, in Thailand hotels, rarely does anyone spend most of their vacation. After breakfast, you will most likely go to the beach, go on an interesting excursion for the whole day or just walk around the resort. In the evening, you will go to the night market or cafe. Hotels in Thailand traditionally offer only breakfast (and not always), so most tourists use the hotel only for the sleeping, changing clothes, taking a shower and storing a suitcase or backpack. Nobody argues that living in a 5 star hotel on the first line of the sea is very nice, but the cost of such hotels is often 200-600 USD per day. At the same time, for 200 USD in Thailand you will easily find an excellent room in a 3-star hotel and this money is not enough for a day’s stay, but for a week.

An example of a hotel in Pattaya with a rating of 9 from10 and at a low price

The cost of the same hotel room may vary significantly depending on the booking system (Agoda, Booking, Trip, Hotels and dozens of others). Therefore, I always use a smart hotel search, which compares all market offers and gives the best price at the time of the search. In Pattaya and Phuket you can easily find good hotels with prices up to 20 USD per day. The main thing is to pay attention to the hotel rating in order to immediately weed out hotels with bad reviews. And if you want to save even more, you can stay in 2-star hotels for 14-18 USD per day. In fact, the classification of hotels in Thailand is somewhat arbitrary and I advise you to pay attention not to the number of stars (and not even to the photo in the search results), but to the price and rating of guests.

An example of a hotel in Pattaya with excellent reviews, price and near the beach

During the search, I always choose hotels with a rating of 7.5 / 10 and higher and always these were very good options for my money, sometimes even with a pool and breakfast. If we talk about saving money on a hotel, then I won’t even take into account cool network hotels for 200-600 USD per day (if you read this article I doubt that you consider them too). Therefore, for example, take the average hotel near the center for 1200 THB (40 USD). If you find a good hotel for 20-25 USD, then each day of your stay will save you up to 15-20 USD. And this is really an easy way to save on a vacation in Thailand without compromising the quality of your vacation.

2. Check hotel location on map

Before booking a hotel (or buying a last-minute tour to Thailand), I recommend checking the area in which a particular hotel is located. Cafes and shops you will surely find in any area of ​​Thai resorts. You can check their availability even during a virtual walk around the desired area using Google Street View. But if your hotel too far away from the beach or from the central part of the resort can lead to additional transport costs. Especially when the Songthaew route (in Pattaya) does not go near your hotel or in Phuket, where there is no inexpensive local transport at all. Therefore, all other things being equal, choose hotels closer to the center and the beach.

An example of a hotel with good price, good rating and in a good location

Even more: in practice, I was convinced that the good location of the hotel is much more important than the price. After all, a short trip to a motorcycle taxi will cost from 40 to 60 baht per passenger (in Thailand, it is customary to pay separately for each passenger by motorcycle taxi, even when you ride a motorcycle together). Those, if you want to quickly getting together to a pier, to a beach or to any shopping center, then each trip in Pattaya will cost you an average of 100 THB (3.3 USD), and in Phuket it is even more expensive. But later you will need to return to the hotel back. And such trips for various purposes may require several per day.

Good hotel with low price and high rating, but far from the beach and entertainment

I like to walk and it’s not a problem for me to walk 2-3 kilometers one way, but even it can be difficult for me to do this several times a day in the heat or in the rain. Therefore, if a hotel in a good location costs 3-5 USD more than a similar hotel far from the places you will visit every day, it makes sense to choose a hotel with a good location and save money on holidays in Thailand. For calculation, we take a hotel in a good location for 25 USD per day and a hotel for 20 USD far from the center. For two round trips on a motorcycle taxi per day, you will pay an average of 400 THB or 13 USD. And the average savings will be 8 USD per day. If you use a taxi in Phuket, the savings can even amount to tens of USD every day, because even for a short trip they often require 300 THB or more.

3. Use local transport or motobike

This way to save while relaxing in Pattaya is much like the previous one. Regardless of which area of ​​Pattaya or which beach of Phuket you live in, you will certainly need to make trips to other areas of these resorts. And the cheapest way to do this is with local transport. The most favorable situation for saving money in Pattaya. City passenger pickups (songthaew) from morning to night allow you to travel long distances in just 10-20 THB. Even in the case of several transfers on the route, you rarely need to pay more than 30 THB (1 USD). The main thing is to choose a hotel near one of the routes and you will not face high transportation costs. And daily you can spend on local transport only 100-120 THB (up to 4 USD) for two. When using a taxi or motorbike taxi in Pattaya, you would have spent 400 THB (or 13.3 USD) for similar city transfers.

Passenger pickups for 10 THB – an inexpensive way to travel in Pattaya

The situation in Phuket is more complicated, but even on this Thai island there are large open passenger buses. Such buses do not run very often, but compared to the cost of a local taxi, this is a very cheap transport. The main problem of such buses is travel time and illogical routes. For example, to get from the Patong beach area to the neighboring Karon beach with white crisp sand, you must initially get a bus for 30 THB to Phuket Town, then change the bus and get to Karon Beach for the same 30 THB. As a result, a round trip will cost 120 THB for two (4 USD). And, unfortunately, more than 2 hours on the road. Using a taxi can save time, but you will pay around 700 THB or 23 USD.

Blue open buses in Phuket – the only cheap transportation

You can save on a taxi in Phuket, but for this you have to find travel companions and divide the cost of the trip for all passengers. Then a trip between the beaches can cost as little as 100 THB per person. In other words, you can save on transport even with active travel around the resorts and the amount of daily savings can reach 10 USD and more. Renting a motorbike is also a good way to save on transport, but you need to take into account possible risks and it is better not to take a motorbike without driving experience, especially in Phuket and Pattaya. If you have the right category in your driver licence (A), then with an average rental price of 200 THB per day – only one trip of an average duration already pays for the rental price.

4. Savings on currency exchange and ATMs

Most foreigners arrive in Thailand not with Thai money, but with bank cards or the currency of another country. When it comes to US dollars, always remember that the best exchange rate for banknotes in denominations of 50 and 100 USD, and for banknotes with a lower denomination, the exchange rate will be lower. For Euro banknotes there is no such restriction on face values. If you brought cash to Thailand, it is best to make the first exchange at the airport. Only not in the arrivals area, where the bank kiosks have a very unfavorable exchange rate, but on the ground floor of Suvarnabhumi Airport.

About how to change currency in Bangkok (and the airport and not only), I wrote in a separate article: “Currency exchange in Bangkok – The best points in Bangkok”. I advise you to familiarize yourself with this information, because it actually will help you save money. If you are relaxing in Pattaya, it is best to exchange currency, especially USD, at the T.T. exchange network. Currency Exchange (corporate color – yellow). Due to the popularity of these exchangers, competitors began to open in Pattaya with a similar name and logos, but with a less favorable exchange rate. In Phuket, you can also find many exchange offices, the rate at which may be different. Therefore, it is better to spend a little time and check the current exchange rate in 3-5 kiosks and choose the most profitable for you.

At exchange offices T.T. Currency Exchange is almost always the best exchange rate in Pattaya

With bank cards, the situation is more complicated. With cashless payment of hotels, transport in Thailand or online purchase of excursions there are no problems. But, despite the rapid transformation of Thailand into a developed country, many many people and sllers prefer to use cache and it is difficult to do without cash money even in large cities, including Bangkok. For example, in 7Eleven stores you can use the card to pay only when purchasing goods worth more than 300 THB and only MasterCard. There are many ATMs in Thailand, but this country is also known for its high level of ATM and bank card fraud. Therefore, some western banks may block operations on your card after spending transactions in Thailand. It will be possible to solve this problem by calling, but it’s better to check with the bank’s support service about this possibility even before the trip.

You must remember that in Thailand there is no longer the possibility of withdrawing cash from ATMs without a commission. And for each cash withdrawal operation, Thai banks charge 150-200 THB. You can save on this if you will not use an ATM, but contact the bank branch and ask a living employee to give you cash from your card. Of course, for this you will need to have a passport with a name that matches the name of the card holder. There are times when a bank employee for some reason does not want to give you cash and points with his hand at a nearby ATM. Then you must either ask him again to provide the service (only without raising the vote), or use the services of another bank.

Bangla Road on Patong beach have more than 10 exchangers with different rates

5. Reasonable savings on food and drink in Thailand

Thailand can offer dozens of delicious dishes, many of which are not spicy at all and have no unpleasant odor. Therefore, I still cannot understand why, during a 2-3-week vacation in Thailand, many foreigners prefer to visit their national cafes and restaurants and order the usual pizza or hamburgers there. I have nothing against these dishes, but why pay for them so expensive in Thailand, when in a couple of weeks you will cook or buy them at home many times cheaper (more often and tastier). To save on food in Thailand, try Thai food. Moreover, there are many secrets on how to do it cheaply. You will find detailed information on the page 12 Ways to Save Money on Food in Thailand. Why pay about 250-400 THB by pizza when you can order Pad Thai with chicken or shrimp for 50-80 THB or buy other Thai dishes at a similar price.

Delicious, inexpensive, and wholesome Thai food is a good way to save money

In Thailand, it is very important to choose not only dishes, but also the place of purchase or ordering food. For example, buying food and drinks on the beach is not the best way to save. You can buy plain rice with chicken or shrimp in an outdoor cafe across the road from the beach for 60-80 THB. But if you order the same dish on the beach, then cook 150 THB. And if you also choose the time of purchase, then instead of 300-400 THB per day per person, you can eat well for 5-6 USD per day. Saving for two person per day turns out from 10 to 15 USD. The easiest way to save on alcohol in Thailand is to abandon it and consume fresh local juices and fruits. But I understand that not everyone is ready for such a step. Therefore, I can only advise you to drink local alcohol – from beer to strong. In fact, alcohol in Thailand and Thai beer (detailed information with prices on the links) are of good quality, and you will always find a variety of whiskey, rum or beer that you like.

It is more profitable to buy both Thai and imported alcoholic beverages in hypermarkets

For example, I prefer Sang Som rum (4.5 USD per 0.3l bottle in hypermarkets). And it’s hard to choose your favorite beer from a variety of beers for a number of reasons. But all beer brands are produced on modern equipment and, often, by well-known world beer concerns under local brands. Imported beer costs about 30-50% more. The average tourist drinks a few bottles a day, so the savings can be noticeable. Moreover, if you want to save money, do not order beer on the beach, but buy it in advance at the store, even in the evening (alcohol sales in Thailand are limited in the daytime). For example: a bottle of beer (1 pint), which costs about 55-60 THB in a store, will be sold to you for 100 THB on the beach. As with food, the cheapest alcohol can be bought in hypermarkets. But even there, imported alcohol is expensive (about 2-2.5 times more expensive than Duty Free stores). Please, remember: you can enter only 1 liter of strong alcohol per adult person to Thailand (for exceeding – a very large fine (up to 500 USD) and confiscation of the entire volume).

6. Buy excursions and entry tickets at the best prices.

If you come to Thailand on a package tour and want to visit some interesting places in this country, it is better not to buy excursions from the hotel guide of your tour operator. In general, only the lazy did not write about it and did not tell. But if such guides still exist and continue to sell tours at very high prices, their business is still relevant. Everyone spends money as he wants, but if you want to save money on entertainment and excursions in Thailand, it is better to buy excursions not at the hotel, but book online. After all, it is important to understand here that on some excursions the presence of an English-speaking guide (or a guide speaking your other native language) is not necessary at all. Who cares who takes you to a military beach in Pattaya or to some tiger zoo and then takes you? And never buy “unique goods” on a sightseeing tour if you agreed to it.

Excursions in Thailand are better to buy online with discounts (the picture is clickable)

By the way, if you flew to Thailand on your own, you can also buy excursions, if only for the reason that it is often more profitable to visit some locations on your own. For example, I’m interested in excursions, the cost of which almost coincides with the cost of the admission ticket of the place where me will be taken and brought. It turns out a good saving on transport (especially when there is no cheap local transport). As a rule, excursions are limited in time, but I move quickly and usually manage to see everything that I planned to see. But there are interesting places in Thailand that are more profitable to visit on their own, without an excursion. On average, for two weeks of vacation in Thailand, you buy 2 not very expensive excursions or discounted tickets on the Internet. To do this, I recommend using the proven Klook service (link to the English version in the direction of Thailand), then the savings can be 30-50 USD per pair. If you plan to attend excursions and paid attractions more often, you will save even more money in Thailand under this expense item.

7. Ask for a discount in the markets

Thailand is not Egypt and the prices of goods and services were not initially overstated at times. However, a reasonable discount when buying souvenirs, clothes, shoes, beach towels, hats and other things is always appropriate. Unless, of course, we are talking about buying in the markets and in small stalls. A bargain will be especially successful if you buy not one thing, but several identical or similar ones. Beach vendors are very good at dropping the price, but the point here is rather that even after a big discount their goods will be more expensive than in the markets. Very successful is a bargain with taxi drivers, including a motorbike taxi.

Bargaining when buying food in Thailand is not accepted

It should be remembered that always and everywhere in Thailand you need to bargain correctly. You should not neglect the product, because seler know that for some reason you want to buy it. And your bargaining will always be more successful if you do it positively and with a smile. In Thailand, it is not customary to bargain when buying food and drinks, because most dishes have a fixed price and do not change for many years. It is also not accepted to bargain in massage parlors. Quite the contrary: it is recommended to tip the masseuse, because this is their main income.

How much money can you save in Thailand?

If we summarize and calculate the possible savings in Thailand with the proper planning of your trip, we get the following results per week for two in USD (for calculation I will take the minimum savings).

Hotel stay: 15 * 7 = 105 USD

Savings in transport due to choosing a hotel in the right place: 8 * 7 = 56 USD

Savings on transport during the holidays: 10 * 7 = 70 USD

Saving on food: 10 * 7 = 70 USD

Savings on excursions and entrance tickets: 30 USD

Thus, even without taking into account the savings on alcohol (I did not take them into account, because not everyone drinks alcohol), without taking into account discounts in the markets and without taking into account savings from a competent currency exchange, you can save more than 300 USD per Week. Considering that the average vacation time in Thailand is 14 days, the amount can be doubled and get 600-700 USD savings. This amount is already comparable to the cost of a regular ticket from most countries to Thailand and back. Even more. Sometimes, when you use smart search for airline tickets, you can even buy tickets for two persons to Thailand and back for similar money.

If you fly for 3 weeks or a month (my favorite vacation time in Thailand), you can save about 1000-1200 USD only by following the simple money saving rules described in the article. Also you can save on washing clothes, at hotels as a result of night transfers between resorts, etc. I would also like to add that each of your new trips to Thailand may cost you less than the previous one. And not because you need to visit fewer excursions (In Thailand a lot of interesting places will always be found), but simply because you will have personal experience and your secrets of saving during your vacation. If you can already share useful ideas, write about it in the comments. All a good vacation in Thailand at a reasonable price!

The post How to travel in Thailand cheap – best tips! first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

Distance Pattaya – Hua Hin

Both resort cities are located in the northern part of the Gulf of Thailand, however, on different sides of Bangkok. As a result, the distance by the land between these cities is more than three times higher than the direct distance on the map. And this makes it somewhat difficult to move from Pattaya to Hua Hin, but mainly when using road transport – buses and taxis. But the use of sea transport – high-speed ferries – fully reduces both the distance and the trip time. More details about each type of transport are below on the page.

Pattaya – Hua Hin – distance and location on the map of Thailand

Bus from Pattaya to Hua Hin – schedule and prices

Traditionally for Thailand, the most budgetary way to move between cities is a regular bus. The Pattaya-Hua Hin route is no exception. Today, there is only one bus in each direction, but the bus schedule is very convenient. As always, you can see the current schedule and availability seats in a bus on your dates in advance using the transport search service in Asia. The bus leaves from Pattaya at 11:00 in the morning and arrives in Hua Hin at 17:00. This means that if you wish, you can swim in the morning in Pattaya and slowly check out of the hotel. And after arriving in Hua Hin, even before sunset, get to your hotel and, possibly, also visit the beach.

The cost of a VIP-24 class bus ride (with soft wide seats) is 510 THB (about 17 USD). The duration of the trip is indicative and, as a rule, the bus arrives in Hua Hin ahead of schedule. Please note that the bus leaves from Pattaya North Bus Station, and arrives at the New Bus Terminal in Hua Hin. This terminal is located near the city airport. To get to your hotel, you must additionally use local transport (pickup), which will cost 100-200 THB depending on the distance (bargaining is always appropriate). The return trip can be done in the same way (you can order a transfer to the bus station in almost any hotel).

VIP-24 bus from Pattaya to Hua Hin and back

Hotels in Hua Hin are quite good and there are many inexpensive options for those who want to save money. And if you want a 5-star resort on the first line, these offers are also available in Hua Hin and the resort town of Cha Am, which is located about 15 km north of the bus station. Using this direct link to Hua Hin hotels, you can find a large number of hotels costing up to 15-35 USD per day. Some of these hotels and guesthouses are located on the first line and these are really attractive offers.

How to get from Pattaya to Hua Hin by ferry

As I noted above, the duration of the trip from Pattaya to Hua Hin by bus is no more than 6 hours (usually less). However, there is a much faster and more interesting way to get to Hua Hin from Pattaya, or to make such a journey in the opposite direction. We are talking about modern ferries, which daily make sea voyages between these cities. If you had a rest in Pattaya and visited the main city pier – Bali Hai pier, you probably saw the necessary ferry there. In this case, we are not talking about old ferries with open decks that take tourists to Koh Larn and which cover a distance of 8 km in 45 minutes.

Modern closed ferries with soft seats run from Pattaya to Hua Hin and back. And these are actually high-speed ferries, because they cover a distance of about 110 km in just 2 hours. The ferry schedule from Pattaya to Hua Hin and back is as follows:

Pattaya to Hua Hin Ferry: 13:00 (01:00 p.m.)

Hua Hin to Pattaya Ferry: 15:45 (03:45 p.m.)

As you can see, the return trip is somewhat longer in duration due to the direction of rotation of our planet. And the ferry that departs at 15:45 from Hua Hin arrives at the Bali Hai pier in Pattaya at 18:00. A ferry from Pattaya arrives at the main city pier of Hua Hin city, which is located in the southern part of the city, next to a very picturesque rock. Since the arrival time is standard, you will not have problems with local transport to get to the hotel in any part of Hua Hin. The return transfer from the hotel to the pier is also not a problem.

Hua Hin to Pattaya Ferry at Hua Hin Pier

The cost of the high-speed ferry Pattaya-Hua Hin and the ferry Hua Hin-Pattaya is 1250 THB (about 41 USD), and this is about 2.5 times higher than the cost of a bus ticket. In general, a sea trip can be very attractive if you are willing to pay more for it than a trip on a VIP bus. But if speed is your priority, then there is no faster way to get from Pattaya to Hua Hin (you can order a helicopter, but this service is many times more expensive).

Taxi from Pattaya to Hua Hin – when is it profitable

You can order a taxi transfer from Pattaya to Hua Hin and back using the transport search in Asia or find a taxi directly in Pattaya. The cost of a trip to Hua Hin from Pattaya will be around 3300-3500 THB. It’s not cheap when it comes to one passenger. But if you divide the cost of the trip by 3-4 passengers, then the price for each of them will be quite adequate (from 850 THB). After all, a taxi transfer is a trip from hotel to hotel at no extra charge. While using a ferry or bus you have to pay extra for a trip to the bus station or to the pier, and then from the bus station or pier to the hotel in the second city. A taxi ride takes about 4-5 hours.

Also do not forget that you can always use various types of transport to travel from Patatya to Hua Hin and back. For example, you can go from Pattaya by high-speed ferry or taxi, and for the return trip use the VIP bus (or vice versa). Such a scheme will make your trip more original and memorable. I hope the information on this page was useful for you and now you can easily plan your vacation in Thailand with a vacation in Pattaya and Hua Hin. Have a nice trip!

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The first reason for the decline in interest in Thailand from Western tourists was a noticeable strengthening of the Thai baht to the Euro and the US dollar. Today, for one USD, tourists receive only 30 THB. Over the past few years, the Thai baht has strengthened by more than 15% against the US dollar (over the past year alone, this figure has exceeded 6%). A similar situation is with respect to the European currency, the exchange rate of which has fallen even more. Despite the relative price stability in Thailand, the general standard of living in the country has grown in recent years and this could not but lead to an increase in prices for certain types of goods and services.

Strengthen of Thai Baht – USD to THB weekly chart

Most of all in Thailand, the services of 5-star hotels, which are most attractive to western tourists, have risen in price. So, the average cost of 5-star resorts located on the first line of the sea on the islands of Phuket and Koh Samui increased to 500 USD per day for a standard room with breakfast. Even when using the smart hotel search, the price of accommodation may be higher than the prices of similar rooms in the sea resorts of Greece, Italy and Spain. And US residents can find luxury all-inclusive hotels in Mexico at a lower price. Moreover, these countries are located only in 1-2 hours of flight, while to Thailand you need to make a long flight.

In winter, more and more Europeans choose ski resorts in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. Such a vacation, always considered elite, still turns out to be cheaper than a vacation in Thailand. And the average cost of the best resort hotels in Egypt and Turkey in general is 150-200 dollars lower. As a result, even a short 7-day vacation in these countries saves a significant amount of money. In current time a lot of expensive hotels in Thailand, who believed in the endless increase in the number of tourists to Thailand, are currently unable to fill half the number of rooms, but do not want to reduce prices.

Centara Grand Beach Resort – hotel on the first line with an inflated price tag

The second reason that negatively affected the number of European tourists in Thailand is the country’s rapid development. The rapid development of the economy and the main island resorts led to the fact that they lost their identity and turned into places of mass recreation, another developed Asian country. A large-scale survey of European tourists showed that many of them still fly to Phuket and Koh Samui, but prefer to go further on the quiet and calm islands of the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.

Many Europeans even admitted that this is their last visit to Thailand and in the future they plan to travel to other countries of the region: Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, which over the past few years has become the main competitor of Thailand in the SEA region. It is this country that offers a comparable level of comfort in hotels, boasts a large number of picturesque and distinctive regions, a level of security and much lower prices for hotels, souvenirs, transportation, food and entertainment.

Another Phuket hotel on the first line with an inflated price tag

The third reason for the decline in Thailand’s popularity among western tourists was the rapid growth in the number of Asian tourists, primarily from China and India. Tourists from China have long reached the first place among the guests of the Kingdom of Smiles. As a result, the local tourism infrastructure is increasingly adapting to the interests and preferences of the Chinese (sometimes to the detriment of citizens of other countries). Not without reason, Europeans consider Chinese tourists to be too noisy and not very comfortable neighbors on the beaches and in hotels.

The Ministry of Tourism of Thailand is aware of the problems observed in the industry and is trying to find new ways to attract foreign tourists, including through the next cancellation of fees for visa fees for citizens of individual countries. At the same time, one of the main reasons – the strengthening of the Thai baht, still can not be solved. But this not only affects the cost of leisure in the country, but also becomes one of the most important factors in the onset of a recession in the country. This year alone, Thailand has closed hundreds of large enterprises and factories, investors are rapidly cutting investment and withdrawing capital from Thailand.

Crowds of Chinese tourists – this is not what Europeans expect from a vacation in Thailand

I am also very saddened by the strengthening of the Thai baht, because only this factor makes rest more expensive by about 10%. Probably, I love Thailand too much to soon change it to some other country. Moreover, I have never lived in expensive 5-star hotels in Thailand’s island resorts. With Hotellook, I can still find inexpensive decent 2-3-star hotels, in modern apartments you can still live for bonuses (for free), and a flight to Thailand in any case will be cheaper than to any other Asian country, especially when there is an opportunity Find an airline ticket at the best price through a smart airline search. And when you are not traveling to Thailand for the first time, you can always spend less than during your first trip.

And how do you feel about the fact that holidays in Thailand have become much more expensive? Will you continue to come to this country or try to find another paradise on our planet?

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In the article How to get to Bangkok from Suvarnabhumi airport I already described the advantage of trains from Bangkok airport to the center of Bangkok. It was about buying a special token at the airport for 45 THB. That method is still relevant, but not without flaws. Today it is possible to buy a train ticket online from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok. This method is not only more convenient for passengers, but also allows you to save. You can buy a train ticket online with Klook. This service is used by all experienced tourists to save not only on transport, but also on entertainment, because entrance tickets and excursions purchased through Klook are always sold at a pleasant discount.

This is what Klook at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport looks like.

If we are talking about a train from Bangkok airport to the city, then Klook allows you to buy a ticket for only 40 THB instead of 45 THB when buying a token through a machine at the airport. This is actually the most affordable way, but saving 5 THB is not the main point. When you descend to the lower level of Suvarnabhumi Airport, you will surely come across a large line to the token vending machine. Especially if you arrived in the daytime, when every hour the airport receives several dozen aircraft.

Buying a train ticket online can save you time. Such a scheme works as follows. Initially, registration for the Klook service is required. It is very simple and you only need to provide an email address and come up with a password. The address is needed in order to receive your electronic ticket (voucher) after paid. On this page (link to the English version of website, but you can choose a different language if necessary), you select the desired date (1), the desired direction (2) and the number of passengers (3). Next, click on the “Book Now” button and choose a payment method convenient for you (see the screenshot).

Buying a Train Ticket from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok

After you pay for the ticket, you will receive a voucher with a QR code on your email. You can print the voucher, but you can just save it on your mobile phone. After arriving in Bangkok, you go down to level “B” at the airport (you should go down along the escalators and blue signs “Train to City.” By the way, this is where you can find currency exchange points with the best exchange rate, because in the arrivals area the VERY disadvantageous rate. Read more about this on the page Currency exchange in Bangkok – The best points in Bangkok. At the Klook company counter you show a voucher (printed or on the phone). A Klook representative quickly scans your unique QR code and issues a small paper ticket for a train to Bangkok. the diagram below you can in go Klook rack location at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Unlike a token that you can buy at a vending machine for 45 baht, you should not use an automatic turnstile to enter the station. You just show the ticket to the ARL (Airport Rail Link) employee and it opens the door to the station at the airport. In the same way, you give your ticket at the exit at the Phaya Thai station in Bangkok and go out into the city (or go to the BTS Phaya Thai station). If you plan to live in Bangkok near the MRT (Bangkok Subway), then you can take the blue ARL train from the airport only to Makkasan Station and go to the MRT line.

Location of Klook rack at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

In fact, this is the best way to get from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok cheaply and not lose time in traffic jams. I also remind you that you can use the Kiwitaxi transfer from airport for trips to Bangkok or Pattaya at a fixed price (on the highway without traffic jams). It is also possible to buy a return ticket to Suvarnabhumi Airport from Bangkok. You can exchange a ticket voucher at the Klook counter in the Siam Center at BTS Siam Station.

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Way from Phuket to Koh Phangan on the map

From Phuket to Phangan – flight + ferry

The easiest option is a direct flight between the islands, in this case it is impossible due to the lack of an airport on the island of Phangan. Therefore, if you want to take advantage of domestic flights in Thailand, you will have to initially choose a flight to Koh Samui (which is about 10 km from Koh Phangan), and then travel by local transport or taxi to one of Koh Samui piers, and use a ferry or catamaran to Phangan Island. The disadvantage of this option is the high cost of the flight, because the airport on Koh Samui is owned by Bangkok Airways and low cost airlines do not fly there.

As a result, the cost of the flight Phuket-Samui is about 75-100 USD (2300-3000 THB). Next, you need to take a taxi to the Samui ferry piers and pay extra for the ferry to Koh Phangan. The nearest pier is Bangrak, which is located in the northern part of the island, near the main local landmark – the statue of the Big Buddha. In the article How to get from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan – schedule and fares, I already described this route in detail, so I won’t repeat myself. I can only add that you can use the transportation in Asia search and buy a ready-made transfer, including a flight from Phuket to Koh Samui, a minibus to the pier and a ferry to Koh Phangan. All connections are guaranteed, but because of the expensive flight, this option is not budgetary and you may notice that it is unexpectedly long in time due to the long wait at the airport.

Best Price to flight from Phuket to Koh Phangan (Jetradar)

It turns out that it is easier to buy separately through Jetradar the cheapest ticket from Phuket to Koh Samui (see screenshot) and then travel on your own, without wasting time waiting. Another plus in favor of such an independent trip is the ability to choose a pier on Koh Phangan. For example, if you plan to take part in the Full Moon Party- the famous open air disco in Phangan, you can get from Samui Airport to Bangrak Pier and then use the boat directly to Haad Rin Beach on Koh Phangan. Ferries arrive in the opposite part of Phangan (Tong Sala pier) and you will need extra time and money to get to Haad Rin. That is, under the best of circumstances, your journey from Phuket to Phangan will take only about 3 hours.

Transfer Phuket – Koh Phangan – convenient and cheap

A much more interesting option from the point of view of costs – ready-made transfers between Phuket and Phangan Island. Since the island of Phuket is connected to the mainland by a road bridge, the Phuket-Phangan transfer includes a bus transfer to the ferry pier in Surat Thani province, and then a ferry or a large catamaran to Koh Phangan. Using the transport search service in Asia (link to the finished route) you can see that the transfer price starts from 550 THB, and this is 6-8 times cheaper than the flight option. All transfer options include morning departure from Phuket. This is no accident, because the ferries to Koh Phangan operate only during the day. There are also options for transfer to Phangan from Phuket Airport.

Transfer Phuket – Koh Phangan includes a bus + ferry ride

An important advantage of some options is the ability to pick you up at any hotel of the three popular beaches of Phuket – Patong, Karon and Kata. This means that you do not need to get to the bus stations in Phuket Town on your own, because this path is not entirely simple, especially in the morning hours. The cost of transfer at the same time increases by 50-200 THB. If you still want to save a little, you can try to get to the bus terminal number 2 in Phuket Town on your own for 30 baht, using my instructions. But keep in mind that you will have to leave the hotel very early and it will actually be difficult to get cheaply to Phuket Bus Terminal 2 by 08:00 in the morning.

Please note that various carriers operate on the route, including the Samui ferry companies directly: Seatran Discovery and Lomprayah. The former use older ferries in which you can be on deck during the sea route to Phangan or inside an air-conditioned room with rows of soft seats. Lomprayah uses newer high-speed catamarans, which have only one drawback: some passengers may feel motion sickness due to the speed of movement along the waves. If you are prone to motion sickness, do not forget to buy special pills. I also advise you not to forget to pick up your things from the luggage compartment of the bus before boarding a ferry or catamaran.

Cheapest transfer Phuket to Koh Phangan from Phantip

Phantip, a transport company, is also partnering with Seatran Discovery, whose ferries are more likely to make an additional stop on Koh Samui. However, the travel time for different carriers is almost the same and you should be prepared for the fact that on the road from Phuket to Phangan you will spend almost all of the daylight hours and arrive on the island at best after 17:00 in the evening. The only option that allows you to arrive on the island 1.5 hours before sunset and in daylight to get to the hotel in Phangan is the morning transfer from Phantip (at 08:00 from Bus Terminal No. 2). If you are not alone, then this is a good option, because the cost of a taxi to the bus station can be offset by the lowest transfer cost Phuket-Phangan (550 THB)

In this case, I do not consider the option of renting a car, even if you can find very good prices for car rental in Phuket. I hope the information on this page was interesting and useful for you and now you know what options are available to get from Phuket to Koh Phangan, what are their advantages and disadvantages. Also, you can always check the relevance of the schedule indicated in the article and the cost for the date you need, using the transportation in Asia search and planning all your transfers and flights during your holidays in Thailand.

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A visit to the Legend Siam park in just a few hours will allow you to easily get information about the past of Thailand and the present days of this Asian country. The park’s director general during the park’s opening ceremony admitted that there was initially a plan to create another Thai national style water park in the vicinity of Pattaya. However, marketing research unexpectedly showed that Western tourists are more interested in meditation and spiritual practices, and many tourists from China are more interested in the Thai culture. Therefore, the plans were changed and now anyone can find in the park a wide range of cultural entertainments and master the art of meditation.

Entrance gate to Legend Siam Park in Pattaya

Entrance to the park takes place through a giant gate, which guards by a huge statues of demons from Ramayana. Then visitors get into the first zone of the Legend Siam theme park, called the “Siam Village”. In this area of ​​the park you can get acquainted with the history of ancient Siam and see with your own eyes the significant architectural monuments of that time. Also here is represented the life of the people of ancient Siam and objects of culture of that time. For example, in this zone there are buildings from the time of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya – the ancient capital of Siam. And one of the main objects is the elephant Erawan and the statue of the deity Indra on his back. Also in the Siamese village a grand parade of elephants is held.

Statue of an elephant Erawan in the Legend Siam park (Pattaya)

The second zone of the Legend Siam park is called Araya Thai. There is also a large number of recreated ancient temples, including from Ayutthaya. This area of ​​the park has a traditional floating market and a market with a large selection of local produce and Thai fruits. The highlight of this part of the park is the selection of products and souvenirs from all 77 provinces of present-day Thailand. However, this is not just another large market or open-air museum. Widely used modern technology and special effects. You will see interesting scenes recreated using 3D technology, and you can also take part in interactive entertainment (some of which will definitely cause an adrenaline rush in the blood). Here you will see the reconstruction of the battles, including sword fighting and hand-to-hand combat with stuntmen, explosions and other special effects.

Entertainment area and houses of Ayutthaya in Legend Siam Park

The third zone of Legend Siam park is called Bhumi Pan Din and details the revolution in agriculture, authored by the late King Rama IX. It immediately details the achievements of modern Thailand and the development of the Thai economy. Tourists who are interested in local spiritual life can find out more about this in the Bhumi Pan Din area. An interesting feature of the park is the opportunity to visit in a national Thai costume. Currently, there are about 5 thousand costumes, and the planned attendance of Legend Siam Park is up to 20 thousand daily during the high season in Pattaya.

Temples of Ancient Siam in the Legend Siam Park (Pattaya)

The construction of the park cost investors 4 billion baht (more than 130 million USD). Currently, a simple admission ticket will cost only 350 THB. You can pre-pay for transportation by cpecial train, boats, buffet and some carousels, which are available only for a fee. In any case, even a simple admission ticket allows you to see a lot and it’s better to plan a full day to visit the Legend Siam Park, because in 5-6 hours you can only get around it without watching the show, food and other entertainments. Have a nice rest!

Location of Legend Siam Park on the map:

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Why e-cigarettes are banned in Thailand

Vapes are included in the list of items that are prohibited from being brought into Thailand. In addition, in the territory of this country there are no own manufacturers of electronic cigarettes and special liquids for them. Therefore, the use of such devices is also prohibited and law enforcement officers may have natural questions about where you got your electronic cigarette and what kind of smoking fluid you use.

The Thai government is concerned about the health of its citizens, and the effects of using electronic cigarettes on human health have not yet been studied. Despite the fact that many consider this type of smoking to be completely safe, there are other points of view. In particular, the presence of carcinogens in vapes, which contribute to the development of cancer, has already been proven. And after the latest events in the United States, where the use of electronic cigarettes in the fall of 2019 led to the development of a new, unexplored death disease in people, the control over the use of electronic cigarettes in Thailand has become even more stringent.

Another reason for the ban on electronic cigarettes in Thailand (like hookahs) is the lack of a law that regulates the circulation and use of these devices. Therefore, liquids for electronic cigarettes and special tobacco for hookahs in Thailand belong to the category of unhealthy goods and are equated to light narcotic substances. Advertising and official sale of such goods is completely prohibited. In Thailand, anti-tobacco laws have been tightened (for example, smoking is prohibited on beaches in Thailand). And the use of electronic cigarettes, according to local authorities, promotes this unhealthy habit and violates the rights of other persons.

It is believed that one of the reasons for the ban on electronic cigarettes in Thailand is the interest of the state in maintaining a monopoly on the production of tobacco products. The excise tax on cigarettes in Thailand is very high and this is one of the ways to replenish the budget and the royal treasury. Therefore, the authorities simply do not want electronic cigarettes in Thailand to compete with classic cigarettes. After all, as I wrote earlier, in this country there is no own manufacturer of electronic cigarettes and liquids for them. And this means that there is no one to tax on the production and sale of this kind of goods.

Finally, another reason for the ban on electronic cigarettes in Thailand is the country’s stringent drug laws. During the use of electronic cigarettes or hookah, various kinds of narcotic substances and harmful toxins can be added to the liquid or tobacco. To some extent, this makes sense, because many tourists during their holidays in Thailand risk their health and freedom when they try to relax even more with the help of marijuana or other, more powerful narcotic substances.

What conclusion can be made? When you go to Thailand, it is better not to bring an electronic cigarette and liquid for it. By doing so, you will protect yourself from a possible large fine, legal costs, deportation with a ban on visiting Thailand in the future and, in the worst case situation, many years in prison. And if such a ban does not become an incentive for you to completely quit smoking, you can always buy regular Thai cigarettes and smoke them in places allowed for this. Have a nice and healthy vacation in Thailand!

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1. Warm weather

Despite the fact that I was born in the snowy winter before Christmas and in the center of Europe, I always loved the warm summer weather. And I could divide my whole life into periods of 3 months of summer and 9 months of expectation of next summer. And Thailand is a country of eternal summer, where it is never cold, there is no snow and frost. This means that at any time of the year you can go in shorts and a T-shirt (unless you are traveling in the mountains in northern Thailand). Maybe January in Thailand will seem little bit cold to someone, but not to me.

Warm weather all year round is one of the reasons to visit Thailand.

Of course, the hot season and the rainy season in Thailand are also not the most comfortable period for traveling. But the length of daylight in this country allows you to fully enjoy your vacation in the morning and after early sunset, when the temperature becomes comfortable. And the rainy season is observed in different regions of Thailand in different months. This allows you to plan your comfortable stay in the Kingdom of Smiles at any time of the year.

2. Tasty, wholesome and not expensive food

You can probably try Thai food even in your city, but real Thai food is only available in Thailand. Each time I get a vivid impression of the new Thai dishes. I admit honestly: I would not eat some of these dishes for the second time in my life (and not only because of the amount of chili peppers). But there are Thai dishes that I could actually eat every day. Even taking into account the fact that the taste of the same dish may differ depending on the particular cook. Most Thai dishes surprisingly harmoniously combine sweet, bitter and sour tastes. In addition, cooks in Thailand use a wide variety of spices and herbs, the name of which I can only guess.

Thailand has access to the waters of two oceans, so the availability of fresh and inexpensive seafood has a positive effect on the diversity of the local menu and its usefulness for the body. I really love sea fish and large shrimps. In Thailand, you can eat fish and shrimp cooked in various ways, as often as you want. Thailand is a country in the tropics, so the variety of local fruits is simply amazing. As well as the rich taste of some of the usual fruits. I am sure that you will try some exotic fruits only once, for new experience. But the local aromatic and juicy mangoes, the sweetest pineapples in the world and other fruits will be one of the reasons why you want to return to Thailand again.

Delicious, inexpensive and wholesome food is the reason to love Thailand

It is very important that the food in Thailand is not only tasty and healthy, but also very affordable. And when I say affordable, it means more than just a low price. In Thailand, a real cult of street food. Few people cook for themselves daily, even in small villages, because it’s easier, faster and cheaper to buy ready-made meals from street vendors. Street food brings people together and erases many cultural and social differences between Thais from different walks of life, between Thais and foreigners. Where else can you spend only 2 USD for a large plate of fried noodles with chicken or buy 6 skewers of chicken for the money?

At the same time, the taste of street food will be no worse than for similar Thai dishes in expensive restaurants. Such, by the way, in Thailand are also available in large quantities. Thai food is available at almost any time of the day, especially in Bangkok and the resorts. It doesn’t matter if you went out to eat at 5 p.m, at 1 a.m. or 5 a.m. in the morning – you will surely find street food in Thailand. It is very important that in addition to Thai dishes, you can always find establishments with European food, Japanese, Chinese and Indian food. There are also many halal establishments.

3. Locals

The people of Thailand are very nice persons. They give the impression of happy and optimistic people who are always ready to help. It is no coincidence that Thailand is called the Land of Smiles, because Thais are really very welcoming and smiling. I noticed that even representatives of professions that are associated with hard physical labor, basically remain very positive. There is an opinion that the Thai smile is no longer sincere at the resorts, but this is only partially true. Thais really feel your sincerity, and if you treat them with respect, they will reciprocate.

In addition, Thais have a good memory. Therefore, even in tourist places, they remember the regular customers of their shops, massage parlors and bars. And they are even more friendly to such clients. I really like that most Thais are very honest people. Of course, some tourism workers cannot resist the temptation to make easy money by deceiving an inexperienced foreigner, but this is rather an exception to the rule (to avoid this, read “The main methods of fraud in Thailand”). Perhaps it is Buddhism and faith in karma that is the reason for such honesty, although other world religions teach to do the same…

A few years ago I was very struck by one case. On the way to the pier in Pattaya, I bought sunscreen at 7Eleven. And in order to get change by banknotes only, I added a few coins. But the seller made a mistake in the calculations and instead of 380 THB gave me only 80 THB. I remembered about this on the ferry to Koh Lan. I didn’t even dream of getting my money back, because I didn’t even remember the exact location of the 7Eleven store (they are found on Second Road every 50-100 meters). Moreover, I was not sure that I could prove something to the seller, even if I saw him. Therefore, I was very surprised when the same seller ran out of the store and handed me the money with an apology, when I just passed next this shop by 6 hours after the morning purchase!

4. Sea and Thai beaches

If you like the sea and beaches just like me, you should definitely visit Thailand. Even in popular and mass resorts you can find great beaches where you can spend most of your vacation. But if you want to find the best beaches with crystal clear water and coconut palms on the shore – you have to go to one of the islands. You can find great beaches even on Koh Chang, Phuket and Koh Samui. Most of the beaches there are still in good condition and not much affected by human intervention. Despite the fact that very near there is the most modern infrastructure.

Picturesque and calm beaches – the reason I love Thailand

And the beaches on small tropical islands in southern Thailand are perfect for those who want to relax in a natural paradise and away from noisy resorts. Holidays in Thailand several times and visiting various resorts of this country, you will surely find that very favorite beach, which you will definitely want to return to. I know that many people love the ocean. But in the ocean there are usually big waves and colder water. Therefore, I prefer the sea – warm and relatively calm. But if you are a fan of big waves for surfing – in Thailand there are such places. Personally, I really love Thailand because of the small number of tourists on the beaches (when compared with European resorts).

5. Excellent logistics

Thailand is a country with well-developed transport logistics – domestic and international. Internal logistics makes the country very convenient for travel. Between most major cities in the country there are flights that allow you to get there and back from Bangkok in a very short time – just over an hour. In addition, such flights are usually operated by numerous local low cost airlines, so your trip will be not only fast, but also inexpensive.

And wherever airplanes don’t fly, you will always find buses, from ordinary ones with air conditioning, to VIP buses with comfortable wide seats. You can usually use night buses for long journeys. This saves you time and allows you to save on overnight at the hotel. Also, internal logistics includes a large number of transfers between resorts, ferry services, and railways. And with the help of website of transport in Asia, you can find ready-made options from point A to point B, even when it comes to islands, and you must use several types of transport. It’s comfortable!

6. Thai nature

The nature of Thailand is very diverse. The country has a rich fauna and flora. Until now, a large territory of Thailand is occupied by the jungle, walks along which are enjoyable, even when it comes to the special trails of naturalists. In addition to the warm seas and white sand beaches that I wrote about earlier, I really like coconut palm plantations, which for some reason always cheer me up. Coconut palms on beaches have the same effect. The great advantage of Thailand is the presence on the mainland and islands of mountains and cliffs, some of which are located in the sea. All this makes the country very picturesque.

Many palm trees and other tropical plants are the reason to love Thailand

If we are talking about the nature of Thailand, I cannot help but recall the numerous large and small waterfalls in the jungle, each of which has its own unique look. At the same time, you can visit some waterfalls all alone, when no one disturb to enjoy the sound of falling water and the sound of the surrounding jungle. You can enjoy walking along special paths and paths above the ground in national parks, visit lakes and do river rafting, look into the mysterious caves and take a walk through the forest with thousand-year-old trees, improve your health in healing hot springs, etc.

7. Low prices and choice

Thailand cannot be called a very cheap country. The standard of living of local residents has grown significantly in recent years, so the cost of some goods and services has also increased. At the same time, for many years you can get a number of goods and services in Thailand at exactly the same price. First of all, this applies to Thai street food, the cost of local and long-distance transport, entrance tickets to national parks and main attractions, renting motorbikes, etc. Similar prices for many years remain at local souvenirs, clothes, fruits. The cost of hotel accommodation has increased slightly, but with smart search through Hotellook you can always find a great hotel at a low price. Also, the value of land and real estate in Thailand has risen very noticeably, but for many foreigners this does not matter. In general, inflation in Thailand over the past 5 years was only 3% and this is a very good result for the economy.

Low prices and the choice – the advantage of Thailand!

If you are resting in Thailand for the first time, you will always pay slightly more than the second and subsequent visits to this country. Not even because you will try a lot of new things for yourself, but from a lack of experience. I love Thailand for giving me a wide choice of how I can spend my next day or another vacation. You decide how much money you want or you can spend on food, on a hotel or apartment, on city or intercity transport. At the same time, Thailand still allows you to live very cheaply, because you can fully eat for 5-10 USD per day, live in the city center or on the beach for 15 USD (price for a separate room or bungalow, not a bed in a 10-bed hostel room) , independently move around the country on a rented motorbike for 60-80 USD per month, etc.

At the same time, you have the opportunity to live in a luxury hotel, visit expensive restaurants and sky bars, rent yachts and expensive sports cars. In other words, regardless of your financial capabilities, you can fully relax in Thailand and get maximum pleasure and comfort for your money. And you always have a chance to save money when such a need arises. For example, you can save a lot on food if you know 12 ways to do this. Thai Baht is one of the most stable currencies in the world. For example, in 2019, the Thai baht strengthened against the USD by more than 5% and this is a record high for all world currencies. Of course, this makes vacationing in Thailand a bit more expensive for foreigners. But Thai money. that you didn’t spend during your vacation, they will certainly not be destroyed by inflation and you can spend them on your next trip.

Great shopping in Thailand is one of the reasons to visit this country.

8. Variety

Thailand is a big country that you cannot see completely even in 1-2 months. Each region has significant differences from the others, so while traveling in Thailand you can discover more and more new places, and it never bothers. You can enjoy the view of sheer cliffs in the province of Krabi, enjoy the coconut beaches on Koh Samui, Koh Chang or Koh Phangan, visit Isan, a huge region in eastern Thailand, where are not one foreigner you can see in a week, but find many ancient temple complexes . You can visit northern Thailand, with its temples, the country’s highest waterfalls and hill tribes. You might be interested in Southern Thailand, where Thai Muslims live, very kind and not like the others. In Thailand, there are about 15 large islands and more than a 100 small ones. Despite the similarities, each Thai island has something unique. Moreover, the islands are located in different seas and oceans, have different flora and underwater world.

Warm weather all year round is one of the reasons to visit Thailand.

You can get lost for several days in the bustling Bangkok, which at first glance seems like a noisy and uncomfortable city, but which in reality is very comfortable for living. Even the capital of Thailand can please you with variety, because you can visit beautiful parks, including the world’s largest Park Museum Siam Ancient in the suburbs of Bangkok. You can spend many days visiting ancient temples and palaces, original museums, and enjoy traveling by high-speed river transport. But there is still the largest Chinatown in the world, the Indian Quarter, the original Bang Cachao district in Bangkok. When you think that you have seen everything in Thailand, somewhere around the corner, something new and unknown will surely open up for you. And for that, I also really love Thailand.

9. Shopping

Thailand is a real paradise for shoppers. Here you can find products of almost all international brands, as well as many really unique Thai things. Therefore, when I once again go to Thailand, I take only the most necessary things into my suitcase. Sometimes I even fly to Thailand with one backpack, and already during the rest I buy a suitcase in order to place all my purchases in it: souvenirs, clothes, shoes, some useful things for the home, etc. Shopping in Thailand will be pleasure not just for only gold credit card holders, but also budget travelers. Indeed, in addition to branded boutiques and super modern shopping centers in every major city of the country and at resorts, you can find dozens of markets.

Good shopping is one of the reasons for loving Thailand

And if you flew to Thailand and don’t want to waste a lot of time visiting markets and shopping centers, you can just visit just one of the biggest shop. For example, it has become a tradition for me to visit the Big-C hypermarket in Bangkok or Pattaya on the first day after arriving in Thailand. There I buy everything I need for relaxation: T-shirts, shorts, shoes, cosmetics, breakfast products, etc. It is very convenient that you can pay for all this at one box office. Thailand has a large selection of souvenirs, and even after many trips you will always find something new and interesting to please your friends and family.

10. Nightlife

The daylight hours in Thailand are not very long, and from mid-autumn to mid-spring, when the best time to travel to Thailand comes, the sun sets at around 18:00. But this does not mean at all that life in Thai resorts also falls asleep until the morning. Quite the contrary: after sunset, nightlife begins, which is even more lively and fun than daytime. Neon lights are lit everywhere, beach restaurants and nightclubs open. And the many bars, which usually start working in the afternoon, are filled with a noisy and cheerful audience.

A vibrant nightlife is one of the reasons to love Thailand.

I know people who come to Thailand solely for the nightlife of Pattaya or Phuket. They can afford to go to the beach once every three weeks, but every night until morning they hang out at popular nightclubs. Personally, I prefer a more active daytime vacation, but during a holiday in Thailand it is difficult to resist night walks in popular places and meeting friends. If you like this entertainment option, then the vibrant nightlife is another reason to visit Thailand. And also in Thailand you can visit the largest night discos – the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan.

I am not trying to idealize Thailand, because each of you will definitely not like something in this country. And in a new article, “The Disadvantages of Thailand – Why Not Love Thailand,” I will try to talk about them too. Immediately, I wrote only about ten reasons why I love Thailand. But in fact, there are many more such reasons. This Thai healing massage, and trips on a motorbike along picturesque roads, funny monkeys, huge and cute elephants, local holidays, very cute and sensual local girls, amazing sunsets and many other reasons. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in it, but I can confidently call Thailand the best country to travel and my most beloved country!

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CONTENTS OF ARTICLE ( links for quick navigation)

• Flights from Bangkok to Chiang Rai (from 580 THB)

• How to get to Chiang Rai from Bangkok by train

• Buses from Bangkok to Chiang Rai

• How to get from Bangkok to Chiang Rai by car

Flights from Bangkok to Chiang Rai  (from 580 THB or 18 USD)

Unlike some other destinations for traveling in Thailand, in the case of Chiang Rai, an airplane is an excellent choice for covering a distance of almost 700 km. This is due to the fact that low-cost airlines have access to the Chiang Rai international airport, offering one-way flights from Bangkok Don Muang Airport for only 18 USD or 584 THB. You can check the actual tariffs for the dates you need by yourself using this direct link to the Bangkok – Chiang Rai direction.

You should also know that this is one of the rare cases when searching for airline tickets on the official websites of Thai airlines may be preferable. For example, I found a flight ticket for Thai Lion Air for 525 THB, while the cost of a ticket for the same flight in a Transportation in Asia service was 584 THB. But this rule does not always apply, so check both options. Also, Thai Air Asia and NOK Air airlines operate flights from Bangkok to Chiang Rai.

Airfare is sometimes lower on the airline’s website.

When you purchase tickets in advance, you can get from Bangkok to Chiang Rai not only quickly – the flight takes about 1 hour 15 minutes – but also cheap: 500-600 THB for a one-way flight. Sometimes it’s cheaper than using a VIP bus, especially if you don’t have bulky luggage. Still, most low-cost airlines have a drawback: transporting a big suitcase by plane can lead to additional costs, which may be higher than the cost of the ticket.

If there are no cheap flight tickets left for the dates you choose to visit Chiang Rai, you can check the option of flying from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, where there are usually even more low-cost flights, for example, from Lion Air, which has established itself only with the best price flights, and the novelty and cleanliness of their aircraft. Read more about this in the article “How to get to Chiang Mai from Bangkok: methods and prices.”

You can find very cheap flight to Chian Rai with farang.12go.asia

I’ll note right away that it’s easy to get from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai by buses running between these cities, which run regularly once per hour or an hour and a half (depending on the time of day). For the price of such a 180-km trip, it will cost about $ 6 (185 baht) on an air-conditioned bus of the 1st class. Airplanes between the cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai do not fly. You can, of course, find flights at an unreasonable price with a change in Bangkok, but what’s the point :). International airport of Chiang Rai is located about 8 km from the city, and information about transport can be obtained in the article “Chiang Rai Airport: a detailed overview”.

How to get to Chiang Rai from Bangkok by train

There are no direct trains from the Thai capital to Chiang Rai due to the lack of railway lines laid there. Therefore, train lovers will be forced to choose one of two combined options of the “train + bus” type. The first option is to get from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, and from there already take the above mentioned buses to Chiang Mai. The train journey from Bangkok to Chiang Mai takes about 11 hours. It will take another 3-3.5 hours to find the right bus and get to Chiang Rai on it.

The second option takes a little less time: a train ride from Bangkok to Lampang (about 9 hours on the way), and then a bus transfer to Chiang Rai (about 2 hours on the way). As you can see, the options are not the fastest, but perhaps the cheapest of all, especially when choosing budget places in a train. It also makes sense to consider this option for those who do not want to make local flights and do not tolerate long bus trips: for many, spending the night in a lying position in a train compartment is much more pleasant. The return transfer from Chiang Rai to Bangkok using the train and bus is also possible – everything is similar, but in the opposite order.

Bus from Bangkok to Chiang Rai – good option for save money in night time

Buses from Bangkok to Chiang Rai

If you want to get to Chiang Rai from Bangkok by bus, you should remember that all the northern direction in the country is served by bus companies that operate flights from the North Bus Station in Bangkok (the overview and schedule can be found here). There are both morning and evening (night) buses, which are in transit from about 11 to 13 hours. The number of night buses is greater, but this is understandable: it not only saves tourists time (and working time for locals), but also saves on hotel accommodation, because you can also get some sleep in a bus chair, especially if you choose VIP bus.

Despite the availability of cheap second-class buses with fans instead of air conditioners in the cabin, this is not the most convenient option. It can be hot in such buses even at night, they make more stops, and there are few places for legs, especially if you are taller than average. Better to pay a little more and choose a first class bus with air conditioning at a price from 645 THB. And even better – a VIP bus with comfortable wide seats, rugs and included in the fare water and snacks. The cost of VIP buses is approximately 900-1100 THB, depending on the chosen bus company.

Bus from Bangkok to Chiang Rai (all night in a way)

You must remember that there are several bus terminals in Chiang Rai, and buses from Bangkok can arrive not only in the center, but also on the outskirts of the city. However, getting from one bus station to the second is not difficult and not expensive: there are regular songthaews (pickups, tuk-tuks) between the terminals, which cost 20 baht per person. In the article “Bus Stations in Chiang Rai: Overview and Bus Schedules” you can get more specific information, including about buses that allow you to get from Chiang Rai to Bangkok.

How to get from Bangkok to Chiang Rai by car

Due to the sufficiently large distance between cities, using a taxi is neither economically nor temporally rational: the costs are much higher than using buses and even airplanes, and it takes a lot of time to travel. Therefore, the use of a car in order to get to Chiang Rai from Bangkok, rather means renting this type of transport to visit not only Chiang Rai and the surrounding area, but also other cities of Northern Thailand and settlements and interesting places located along the way from Bangkok to it.

Night VIP bus to Chian Rai from Bangkok – yoг can sleep well in your way

The optimal route for such an independent trip will help to lay a navigator that today is in almost every smartphone, or the Google Maps service. And to rent a car at the best price, EconomyBookings will always help, which compares the cost of similar cars in the best rental offices, thereby allowing you to save a lot on travel, especially if the car is taken for several days.

Also, the choice of large rental offices that are presented in the EconomyBookings service is convenient because you do not have to return the rented car at the same city, where the rental was made. This allows, if there is such a desire, to return the car in Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai, even if you started a rental in Bangkok. In the same way, you can rent a car in northern Thailand and return it to your car rental office in Bangkok after your trip.

I remind you that the article was discuss the ways to get to Chiang Rai from Bangkok and back. Information about the ways to get to Chiang Rai from other cities in Thailand will be posted a little later on a separate page.

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Keereeta Resort & Spa – location and how to get

In most hotel reservation systems, Keereeta Resort & Spa is listed as a hotel located in the area of ​​the most popular beach on the island of Koh Chang – White Sand beach. In fact (and this is very clearly visible on the map of the island), the Keereeta Resort and Spa is located in the area of ​​the Pearl beach. This small beach is located next to the White Sand beach, but not within walking distance. I also want to immediately note that the location of the hotel on maps in reservation systems may not be indicated correctly. If you are moving from the side of White Sand beach (from north to south), then the Keereeta Resort & Spa is located on the right side of the main island road, i.e. on the sea side, not across the road.

Location of Keereeta Resort and Spa in Koh Chang (map)

To get from the main island pier on Koh Chang to Keereeta Resort & Spa you can use ordinary island taxis (passenger pickups) that pick up passengers right at the exit of the pier. The standard price for a trip from the pier to Keereeta is 70 THB (a little over 2 USD). You can immediately warn the driver by telling him the name of the hotel, or say that you will use the call to stop. Due to the fact that a passenger pickup along the way can turn off from the main road to side lanes to deliver your fellow travelers to their hotel, it’s difficult to say the exact time on the way. But in time it should not take more than 20-25 minutes.

Your main landmarks near the hotel are two supermarkets. On the right in the direction of travel will be Tesco Lotus, and after about 200 meters, the Keereeta Resort & Spa Hotel itself. The facade is located a little further from the road, the guideline may be a dark green sign of the hotel. At the same time, almost across the road from Keereeta Resort & Spa (50 meters) is my favorite Thai Big C supermarket (on an elevation to the left of the road). If you used the Mango Travel or Travel Mart transfer from Bangkok to Koh Chang or transfer from Pattaya to Koh Chang, a trip from the pier to the hotel of Keereeta Resort and Spa will be free (included in the transfer price).

Koh Chang Pearl Beach – 5-minute walk to Keereeta Resort and Spa

Keereeta Resort & Spa is not located on the first line from the sea and does not have its own beach. Initially, this may seem like a flaw, but in reality there is no problem. Near the hotel there is an asphalt road towards the sea, on which it is very easy to walk to the beach in 4-5 minutes. It should be noted that the Pearl Beach is very clear water, but the beach itself is not very good for swimming, because it is not sandy, but rocky. Therefore, it is better to visit other beaches of Koh Chang Island for swimming, especially White Sand beach is almost nearby. But for walking Pearl Beach is a nice place (see the video for the link). This is a very quiet place and there are few tourists there – everyone is swimming in the hotel pools. Beautiful round stones rattle underfoot while walking, there are shady trees, and in the northern part of the beach there are picturesque rocks in the water, from where an unusually beautiful panorama of the island of Koh Chang opens (see photo). This place is especially beautiful at sunset.

If you rented a motorbike, then the road to the central part of White Sand beach takes about 4-5 minutes. A similar time is required to travel from Keereeta Resort & Spa to the indicated beach by taxi. If we talk about the cost of the trip, then the drivers of a local taxi (passenger pickup) want from 40 to 50 THB per person for a one-way trip. This is not very cheap when compared with the prices for transport in Pattaya, but several times cheaper than a taxi in Phuket. Of course, if possible, it is better to rent a motorbike, because its cost will pay off in just one round trip (if you are with friend, girlfriend or boyfriend), and besides you can visit all the viewing platforms of the island and the best beaches on a motorbike. By the way, now you can rent a motorbike on Koh Chang online – at a good price and even without a passport deposit (requires a copy + a small cash deposit).

Koh Chang Pearl Beach – 5-minute walk from Keereeta Resort and Spa

Keereeta Resort & Spa – Hotel Description

The main distinguishing feature of the boutique hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa is the small number of rooms, their size and original design. Despite its small territory, the hotel has a very comfortable atmosphere. And the spacious pool of Keereeta Resort & Spa can be envied even by many expensive 4-5 star hotels. The reception desk is located directly from the entrance to the hotel, behind a stone gate not far from the road, and the rooms themselves are in buildings around the pool. Most of the hotel rooms are deluxe and have access to the pool or view from the private balcony to the pool. The rooms are very spacious and have an original design. Since this is a boutique hotel, the Keereeta Resort & Spa does not have the same rooms and I can only describe the room in which I personally stayed.

My room was on the second floor, in a building by the road. On the way to the territory you should pass by a decorative reservoir with large live fish. You need to climb the stone stairs, the entrance to the room through wooden sliding doors. This room has a balcony with a beautiful view of the hotel pool. The balcony has a wooden table and chairs. Also from the balcony you can see the sea at some distance. The room has designer wooden furniture (cabinets, a table, wooden ladders), mattresses for sitting on the floor, a large mirror in a wicker frame, a spacious bathroom with an original dark wood bathtub (I think it is more suitable for a shower than for a bath) . As it should be in a 3-star hotel, the room has air conditioning, a refrigerator and a TV. Other rooms feature beautiful wicker furniture.

Short video review of a room at Keereeta Resort & Spa

(video playback will start directly from the hotel review)

Advantages and disadvantages of Keereeta Resort & Spa

The undoubted advantage of Keereeta Resort & Spa is the low cost of deluxe rooms compared to other hotels. For my dates in the given price category there were no other three-star hotels with a high rating and a pool. We were pleased with the spacious rooms (I saw other rooms only in the photo) and the original design (basically everything was made of natural materials: wood, stone). Bathrooms with a stone wall, an artificial waterfall and a wooden bathtub also look very original. The advantages also include a small number of rooms in the hotel and a very large pool (3 times larger than the pool in the good At Mind Executive Suites in Bangkok, where I have stayed before and which has dozens of times more rooms). Despite the fact that there is no sandy beach nearby, there will be no problems with swimming, as Hotel Kirita Resort has good transport accessibility (the hotel is right on the main road) and you can get by island taxi to any beach on Koh Chang.

Near the hotel (along the road) there are small cafes where you can order your favorite Thai (and European) cuisine for on-site or take-away. And if you want to save money, then in the minute availability there are two popular supermarkets with the lowest prices for food and alcohol in Thailand – Tesco Lotus and Big C. The hotel staff is polite and helpful, left the most pleasant impression. If necessary, they will help you find a taxi, rent a motobike, book a tour, etc. In general, a pleasant hotel for little money, but not without flaws, about which a little lower.

A small number of rooms in the hotel often leads to the fact that there are no available rooms for the selected dates. Especially if you want to book a hotel for the coming days or today for today. For example, it was for this reason that I lived there only one day – the next day I had to check out from the Keereeta Resort & Spa hotel because my room was booked in advance by other travelers. And my girlfriend and me moved to another hotel on Koh Chang – Penny’s Resort (a detailed overview of this hotel on a separate page). By the way, you can compare the cost of living at the Keereeta Resort & Spa hotel in all popular booking systems using the hotel’s widget above.

Of the shortcomings (specifically in my issue) I also want to note the following points:

– Old TV. In 2018 and especially in 2020, a TV with a small diagonal and not with a flat screen looks very unusual.

– The safe in my room was, but it was small and was not fixed in the closet. Those, you could be picked up it and carried along with the contents.

– The air conditioning was quiet, but the room was a bit noisy because of the door, which is close to the road (the rooms on the other side of the pool should be quieter).

– Unusual small sink made of metal. In the photo of other rooms in the hotel, I saw that there are classic white ceramic sinks.

Keereeta Resort and Spa courtyard and pool after sunset

– Unevenly painted walls (in my room). To be honest, initially it seemed to me that the walls looked very old because of this color. But later I realized that this was done on purpose, so to speak, the design sophistication of Keereeta Resort & Spa. So it is rather a matter of taste.

– Old chairs and a table on the balcony. I do not think that in reality the table and chairs are very old, but the tropical rains and the sun quickly worsened the look of this furniture in the open air. It would be nice if the hotel owners found quite a bit of money and applied a new coat of varnish to this furniture or replaced it.

In principle, there is nothing more to complain about, especially considering the cost of a deluxe room in this hotel. As I wrote above, all rooms are different from each other, so if possible, carefully look at the photo or, if possible, ask the staff to look at all available numbers before checking in). Specifically, I rated my number at 8 points out of 10 in terms of price / quality ratio. I would be glad if my review of the Keereeta Resort & Spa hotel is useful to someone in the process of choosing a hotel on Koh Chang. Enjoy your stay and relax on the island.

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1. Street food instead of restaurants

The street food industry in Thailand is so widely developed that literally every tenth resident of this country somehow takes part in this business. If you want to save on food in Thailand – street cafes, mini markets and mobile hawker stalls – your choice. Speaking of street cafes, I mean traditional cafes for local residents, not street cafes for foreigners in resorts. Cafe for locals is easy to distinguish by a simple interior (often plastic tables and chairs) and a small selection of simple dishes. Often on the tables there may be jugs with drinking water, and next to the cooking place there is a container with ice.

These three dishes cost less than 100 THB (Bangkok street cafe)

On mini-markets, usually prepared dishes of chicken, pork, beef, fish and seafood, as well as many soups in large containers. And, of course, local residents dine in institutions for local residents. To find such places, you don’t need to visit any areas remote from tourist places, because you can find street cafes even in the side streets on Walking Street in Pattaya, on Bangla Road in Phuket and next to Nana Plaza (Soi 4 ​​Sukhumvit) in Bangkok. And mobile hawker stalls are generally found everywhere in Thailand and you can buy meat and fish dishes, traditional salads, soups and many types of BBQ.

Mobile hawker stalls with bbq – an opportunity to buy meat dishes cheaply

As for prices, small skewers of chicken on skewers (satay) usually sell from 10 THB, pork skewers from 20 THB, a large piece of chicken on a bamboo skewer – 50-60 THB, a plate of delicious Pad Thai fried noodles – from 50 THB. Spicy papaya salad (Som Tam) from 30 THB. Prices are for tourist destinations, and if you move further away from them, the cost of dishes will be even lower. For example, I spent several days in Bangkok (the good and affordable At Mind Executive Suites) and ate at street cafes on Sukhumvit Road. I took fried rice with chicken and vegetables or Pad Thai with chicken, and my girlfriend a spicy salad or something else from meat and vegetables. For this food and 2 bottles of drinking water, we rarely paid more than 110 THB (3.5 USD). Delicious Thai fruits are also better to buy in mini markets outside of tourist places or at supermarket sales (more on this below).

Mobile stall, where you can buy delicious Pad Thai for 60 THB

2. Refuse food on the beaches

Buying food at beach cafes and from merchants who walk along the beach and offer you to buy fish, shrimp, fruits, BBQ and drinks is very convenient. You get the opportunity to get food right on the spot, but you pay too much for it. Therefore, if you want to save on food – you have to abandon the purchase of food on the beach. Surely on the way to the beach you will pass a grocery store where you can buy food and drinks at a good price. I recommend having breakfast in a Thai cafe before visiting the beach, and the next time you can get a good meal after leaving the beach. Do you remember that spending too much time on the beach is bad for your health and you know, how to sunbathe in Thailand correctly?

3. Cook for yourself

You may find this advice somewhat strange. Not only in large cities of the country, but also in small Thai villages, many people almost never cook for themselves and their families. It is often really cheaper to buy inexpensive street food. But my long trips to Thailand have proved that self-cooking does save a lot of time and money. Of course, if you live in a standard hotel room, the possibility of cooking is very limited. But if you prefer to live in private apartments, as I do with Airbnb (here you can get a bonus of 41 USD for registration in this app), then you will have a full kitchen. This means that in addition to the microwave oven, you will have a gas or electric stove, often a toaster, a set of dishes (at least a pot and frying pan), plates and cutlery.

Cooking in your own kitchen is always an economical option.

It is not at all necessary to cook for yourself three times a day and spend the precious time of your vacation at sea on cooking. But you can always cook a simple breakfast for yourself and your family using products from 7Eleven or Thai supermarkets Tesco Lotus, Big C or Macro. For example, I often cook omelet with sausages or chicken for breakfast, adding fresh vegetables to it. It turns out quickly and very inexpensively. It is very convenient that in Thailand you can buy raw eggs not only in 10 pieces, but also in packages of 2, 4 or 6 eggs. I also sometimes indulge myself with french fries, which in cafes and markets in Thailand are usually not very cheap (a portion costs from 50 THB, while in the supermarket you can buy 1 kg of frozen french fries for 60-70 THB , and this is about 5 servings.

Another option for a delicious and inexpensive breakfast prepared by yourself

4. Ready meals at 7Eleven and Family Mart

You will find these two chains of convenience stores in all Thai cities and large villages. And if we are talking about Thai resorts, then these shops are often located every 50-200 meters. The advantage of shops is that in addition to products, classic snacks and bottled drinks, you can buy ready-made portioned dishes there. As a rule, these are dishes based on rice or noodles with the addition of various types of meat, fish and seafood. Not all of them are equally tasty and healthy: some are too spicy and have a strange taste due to the use of exotic spices and herbs. But there are dishes that I personally really like and that I could eat every day.

My favorite 7Eleven dish – is rice with crab and egg. Tasty and satisfying

For example, I really like fried rice with crab and egg. This dish could be packed in round or rectangular plates, but it is always very fresh and tasty. The composition of the dish includes natural crab meat, not crab sticks (as you might think). The cost of one portion is 40-45 THB, while the store cashier will warm up the dish for free in the microwave and add a disposable spoon and fork. I also really like the taste of scrambled eggs with shrimps (peeled). This dish costs even less, about 35 THB (a little over 1 USD). Still sometimes I buy rice with fish, but this dish is suitable only for those who like spicy food. But I don’t like ready-made pork dishes in 7Eleven, because instead of meat there is minced meat and a lot of unpleasant spices. Also at 7Eleven you can cook a burger, warm up ready-made sandwiches with fillings, make instant soup, etc.

The result of going to the night market and products from 7Eleven

5. Cooked Food at Supermarkets Big C and Tesco Lotus

Big C is my favorite Thailand supermarket chain, not least because of the wide selection of ready-made meals. Every morning after the opening of large Big C supermarkets, you will find many prepared portioned dishes in disposable containers. These are rice dishes, and fish, and spaghetti with additives, and stuffed omelettes, and much more. The cost is very affordable for everyone! You can use the microwave to warm up the food or ask a store employee to help you with this. A very important advantage of supermarkets is the ability to cook fresh fish right in front of you. This service is FREE and you pay only for fish, and not for the cooking process. I advise you to pay attention that the cost of fish and seafood can be indicated both per unit and per 100 grams or 1 kilogram. The situation is similar in a many Tesco Lotus supermarkets.

Omelette with sausage from Big C- 25% off in the evening time

6. Evening discounts in supermarkets

In Thailand, it is not customary to re-stick labels and change production dates on products (deceive customers). Large supermarkets try to sell all finished products on the day of manufacture. To do this, a big sale is held in the evening. You can find small tables with packs of prepared food right at the entrance to the supermarket. After 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. (depending on the particular supermarket), yellow price tags with a new price are pasted on the packages with ready-made food. Usually the initial discount is 25% of the original price. But if after an hour the goods remained unsold, the store employees again paste new price tags with an even lower price (50% discount).

Some Price Labels is Yellow – Big C Evening Sale

You can find discounted products, first of all, in the culinary department. You are waiting for fried fish, rice dishes, omelettes, noodles, pieces of pork or chicken, boiled eggs with salads, sushi sets, etc. In the bakery department you will find bread, rolls, donuts and other flour products. It is very profitable to come to supermarkets in the evening for fruit. You can find many fruit plates with sliced ​​fruit at a good price. Most often, sold at a discount are chopped watermelons, pineapples, ripe papaya, mangoes, dragon fruit, jackfruit, and fruit platter. I often buy packaged clusters of large grapes.

Tesco Lotus Evening Sale – 50% off

You can often find drinks at discounted prices. For example, I bought my favorite chocolate milk in large bottles several times. The discount in this case was due to the fact that several days remained before the expiration date. I hope you understand how profitable it is to visit Big C supermarkets in Thailand in the evening. Unfortunately, the choice of my favorite dishes is not always available there, and by the end of the first hour of the sale, the assortment may narrow significantly, so it is better to come to the beginning of the sale.

7. Thai buffets – a feast for the belly

Sometimes in Thailand you want to not only satisfy your hunger, but also try a lot of varied food. In such cases, I recommend visiting Thai buffets called mookata (self cook BBQ buffet). The essence of such institutions is as follows: you pay a fixed amount of money and cook for yourself on an individual grill pan in the center of the table. The grill pan is universal: the top is suitable for frying meat, and in the container around the perimeter you can simultaneously cook a delicious soup. At the same time, you can pick up various types of meat, vegetables, herbs, noodles, etc. without restrictions. There is also something like a buffet with ready-made dishes (french fries, pasta, rice, salads, fruit slices, desserts, pastries, etc.). Sometimes for large fish and seafood you must use a large common roasting pan (BBQ) and periodically turn the fish over so that it does not burn on the coals.

Mookata grill pan in unlimited thai buffet. Eat as much as you like

As you probably already understood, this is the best way to fill your stomach and have fun at the same time, because cooking in such establishments is very exciting. And if something doesn’t work out for you, employees of the establishment will always come to the rescue and show how best to cook this or that dish. The cost of visiting this kind of Thai buffets starts from 150 THB, but in the largest and most popular buffets it can be 199-249 THB. The disadvantage of this type of institution is the need to pay for drinks separately. Also keep in mind that in some buffets you have to eat everything you have gained (if you ruined a lot of food and didn’t eat half of it, you will have to pay a small fine).

In addition to the classic street buffet, which I talked about, in Thailand there are specialized buffets. The cost of visiting the latter is usually higher and can reach up to 1000 THB, especially when it comes to seafood buffets. More often such buffets are located in the area of ​​popular beaches and are designed for tourists. Some hotel’s buffets specialize in breakfasts. The cost of visiting in such cases is often 99-150 THB, but the choice of dishes is not too large. Finally, you can find interesting buffets in large shopping centers. Often in such establishments, visit times may be limited. For example, in the popular network of Japanese buffets, you can eat any dish in any quantity, but within 1 hour, for 300-350 THB.

8. Carefully check the menu in cafes and restaurants

In some Thai cafes and restaurants, the cost of dishes on the menu can be indicated without taxes and fees. As a result, the bill for dinner can be significantly higher than you originally expected. Therefore, carefully study the menu before ordering: at the bottom of each page in small print it can be indicated that prices are without service tax (+ 10%) and VAT (+ 7%). In fact, I came across this only once on the island of Samui, but now I always check the menu. On the Internet you can also find information about cases when before the order tourists are shown one menu, and after billing – another, with higher prices. To protect yourself from this kind of fraud, you can take a picture of the menu before ordering or shoot it on video.

In markets, prices are usually indicated for all fish; in restaurants, for 100g.

When checking the menu, pay attention to the serving size. In some fish restaurants and cafes with seafood, it is customary to indicate the cost per 100 grams. Those. if you ordered a large fish that weighs 400-500 grams, then you will have to pay 4-5 times more. Usually the menu indicates that the price is per 100 grams. But if in doubt, you can always ask the seller or waiter how much all the fish or lobster will cost. The cost per 100 grams is often written on the shelves in the form of boats with ice, which are located along the sidewalks in Thai resorts.

Give Up Western Fast Food

Fast food restaurants are not very popular in Thailand, and you rarely see a large line in Thai McDonalds. Due to the great popularity of street food and the low prices of products in the open-air stores, western fast food is not very popular. For Thais it is expensive and not very tasty, but for tourists it may not be very interesting. Moreover, the cost of ready meals in and KFC, Burger King or McDonalds is about 1.5 times more expensive than the average cost of dishes in Thai cafes. It was really very strange and unusual, but several times I was the only visitor to McDonalds in the evening in Pattaya when I bought ice cream there.

Eating western fast food restaurants is expensive and not very healthy

Choose Thai Restaurants

Resting in Thailand and wanting to save on food, it is better to order Thai dishes and generally choose Thai cafes. This is due to the fact that such establishments use local products. But Italian pizzerias or steakhouses can use imported semi-finished products, which is why your score will be two to three times higher than in a Thai restaurant. This rule is noticeable even on french fries, which costs 70-100 THB in a cafe for a not very large portion, because made from imported frozen potatoes. For the same reason, you will have to refuse to visit such famous chain cafes as Hard Rock and Hooters.

My most expensive breakfast for 740 THB. Expensive because the hotel restaurant

How to save on water in Thailand

Thailand is located in the tropics and it is a country of eternal summer. Therefore, even in the winter months, you will consume a lot of drinking water and drinks daily. Drinking tap water in Thailand is not recommended. And the minimum cost of 0.5 liters of bottled water is 6-7 THB in 7Eleven stores or 10 THB in cafes and restaurants. Locals often sell the same bottles on the street (in ice containers) at 15 THB. It’s a bit more profitable to buy bottles of water with a volume of 1.5 liters (from 20 THB) and large bottles of 5 liters (from 30 THB) in stores. But this is not the most profitable option. Even more profitable is to buy packages of 12-20 bottles in supermarkets, but this is not the most convenient option for an ordinary tourist. Thais and experienced tourists prefer to buy water in special vending machines with water.

In 7Eleven often promotions – 2 bottles of a drink for the price of one

Drinking water is sold for bottling to your own bottles. Just drop the coins and use your bottles. The cost of 1 liter of water in water vending machines ranges from 0.5 THB in areas without tourists and up to 2 THB in popular tourist places. But the most popular price is 1 THB for 1 liter of water. You can read more about this on the page “Drinking water in Thailand.” By simply comparing prices, you can calculate the approximate savings on water in cases when you buy it in water vending machines and when in stores. Unfortunately, it is not always convenient to carry water with you during your holidays in Thailand, even when you use a good backpack for traveling. Therefore, I prefer to use bottled water for use in a condo (for making tea) and I can take small bottles with me to the beach that are pre-chilled in the refrigerator.

Saving on alcohol

Many tourists can not imagine their holidays in Thailand without drinking Thai alcohol and Thai beer. Therefore, I will tell you how you can save on this item of expenditure. Strong alcohol in Thailand is best purchased in supermarkets, where prices are much lower. This can be seen even on small bottles. For example, you can buy my favorite Thai rum in 7Eleven stores for 155 THB (0.3l), while the same bottle in Big C or Tesco Lotus will cost 139 THB. The difference is only 16 THB per bottle and it’s not worth it to go to the supermarket specifically for 1 bottle (transport will cost more). But if in any case you will drink alcohol, you can buy it in advance while visiting the supermarket.

It is more profitable to buy both Thai and imported alcoholic beverages in hypermarkets

The situation is similar with Thai beer. It is most beneficial to purchase local brands in hypermarkets, especially in packages of 6-12 cans or bottles. Even in Family Mart and 7 Eleven, you can find mini packs of 2 cans or bottles that cost less than 2 bottles separately. Imported beers are more expensive in shops and bars, so if you want to save money, choose local beers. When visiting the bars, you can save by ordering draft beer instead of bottled beer. In the evening (until 22:00) in many bars and night clubs you can buy Thai beer at a special low price (happy hour), which is slightly higher than in the store. Often such conditions and for the purchase of low alcohol cocktails.

Using all of the above travel tips, you can save a significant amount of money while relaxing in Thailand. And saving on food does not mean that you should go hungry, spend half a day by the stove or refuse to visit cafes and restaurants. If you will be use in practice at least part of the knowledge gained here, and you can save money even when traveling to Thailand alone. And if you are traveling in a large company or family, the savings will be even more noticeable and enjoyable. Have a good rest and enjoy your meal!

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First of all, the article deals with transfers by minibuses. Despite the fact that the transfer of Pattaya – Koh Chang is not the most budgetary way to get to the island, it is recommended by all experienced travelers who once convinced of its advantages. A very small overpayment for the specified transfer compared to other methods described at the end of this article and also allowing you to get to Koh Chang from Pattaya and back, is completely compensated by the convenience and simplicity.

Today in Pattaya it is easy to find many tourist offices that are happy to sell you a shuttle service to Koh Chang Island, but not everywhere the prices are the same and you can pay 400 THB or 1200 THB for the same way. This is due to the fact that not all sellers and transport companies themselves deliver passengers along the Pattaya – Koh Chang route: many are only intermediaries. As a result, the transfer cost for customers of such companies will often be higher than for tourists who turned directly to the transfer organizers.

CONTENTS OF ARTICLE ( links for quick navigation)

• Transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang by Mango Travel
  

• Transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang by 35 Group Pattaya

• Minibus transfer Koh Chang – Pattaya from 35 Group Pattaya
  

• Why transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang is more convenient than a big bus
  

Transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang by Mango Travel

This way to get from Pattaya to Koh Chang appeared in July 2018 and is popular with tourists who prefer to get to Koh Chang Island from Pattaya quickly and without additional transfers. The essence of this proposal is delivery from hotel to hotel. At the same time, your move to Koh Chang consists of three stages:

one). A minibus picks you up at Pattaya Hotel and takes you to the pier in Trat Province.

2). You overcome the water section of the route by big ferry to Koh Chang.

3). You again take your place in the minibus, and it takes you to the hotel on the island of Koh Chang.

You can order a transfer from Manga Travel on the Transportation in Asia website. In this case, you do not need to visit the company office in Pattaya and spend your time and money on it. Payment is possible using Paypal and bank cards. The transfer price includes a ferry ticket. However, there are some restrictions regarding the location of hotels in Pattaya and Koh Chang. In Pattaya, a free shuttle service includes the entire southern part of the city (Jomtien and Na Jomtien areas), all of central Pattaya and the Cholchan area in North Pattaya.

Salon of minibus Mango Travel – transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang

At the same time, the company does not take tourists whose hotels are located on Sukhumvit Road. Free shipping to Koh Chang is available for hotels located on the beaches of White Sand beach, Klong Prao beach, Kai Bae beach, Lonely beach and Bailan beach. Those, this is almost the entire western coast of Koh Chang, where 90% of all hotels are located. The price also includes the carriage of one baggage per passenger. Before the trip, you must print a voucher that was sent by e-mail after paying for the transfer.

The trip from Pattaya to Koh Chang takes about 6 hours, but in reality, the trip to the island may take longer. The collection of tourists in Pattaya hotels begins at 7:00 in the morning, and the departure from the city is usually around 07:40. During the trip, there are 1-2 stops at the gas station, where tourists can visit the free toilets and buy something in shops and cafes. The minibus includes 14 passenger seats and is equipped with air conditioning (it is better to use a light jacket if you do not tolerate chilled air.

The cost of a Pattaya – Koh Chang transfer from Mango Travel at the time of this writing is 990 THB. At first glance, this is not very cheap, especially if you are not traveling alone. For example, you can order an individual transfer by car for 3500-4000 THB for 4 people. The cost for each passenger will be approximately the same. And comfort and speed are higher. But if you compare with other offers of transfers by minibuses, then the option can be considered.

Minibus of Mango Travel at Koh Chang island pier

You can easily find transfers for 500-600 THB from Pattaya to the pier in the province of Trat, but then you must additionally pay a ferry ticket (+80 THB) and a pick-up taxi to the desired beach (from 50 to 150 THB in day time, but maybe more expensive in the evening time). It turns out that instead of 500-600 THB, the cost of your trip increases to 700-900 THB, which is not much cheaper than the transfer price. Plus, you may have to go some way on foot to the hotel from the main road on the your beach.

In other words, I recommend choosing a transfer from Mango Travel in cases when you want to receive a full transfer from hotel to hotel without additional transfers and communication with local taxi drivers. If you want to save money, especially when you are not traveling alone, I recommend using the following option, which I always use myself.

Transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang by 35 Group Pattaya

The company with the best prices today and an excellent reputation is 35 Group Pattaya, whose office is located on the third street in Pattaya, near the intersection with South Street. If you go from the beginning of Walking Street along South Street, you need to go through several small intersections, i.e. Third Street is not the next intersection after Second Street, as many people think, but much further, but I always walked without problems. Your landmark – a traffic light at a more big intersection than the previous ones and a small repair of motorbikes in front of it, located in the building on the right in the direction of travel (although it is useless to describe establishments and signs in Pattaya, as everything is changing rapidly).

At this intersection, turn left and go through several buildings until you see a 4-storey pink building with balconies, again on the left side of the corresponding sign (see photo) and a glass door. By the way, on road signs the street is designated as Pattaya Tai (Latin alphabet). In order not to look for an office for a long time in reality in the conditions of the hot Thai sun, I recommend that you first look at your path using Google Street View. Before entering the office you should take off your shoes (you will see a lot of shoes in front of the door and remember this).

35 Group Pattaya office under a yellow corporate sign

At the office of the transport company you will be asked which island you want to order the transfer to (Pattaya – Koh Chang), the date and time of departure you need. You must also provide the name of your hotel and its address in Pattaya. If your hotel is small and little-known, take a business card with the address at the reception so that the driver will definitely find you before driving to Koh Chang). Also it will not be a problem if you prefer to live in private apartments in Pattaya, as I do with Airbnb (here you can get a gift of 43 USD for registration in this service). You will also need to leave a phone number for communication in Thailand. You are probably using mobile communications in Thailand and this will not be a problem either.

35 Group Pattaya operates three flights on the Pattaya – Koh Chang route per day: at 07:00 and 09:00 in the morning and at 13:00. The transfer price from Pattaya to Koh Chang from 2013 to the present is only 400 baht, while the indicated price includes a ticket for the ferry Trat – Koh Chang (which costs 80 baht when buying separately). If you plan to return from Koh Chang to Pattaya (and not to Bangkok, for example), I advise you to immediately book a ticket in the opposite direction, i.e. transfer from Koh Chang to Pattaya. Previously, this way you could save another 100 baht, because a round-trip transfer until the end of 2017 cost 700 THB). Since 2018, the cost of a round-trip transfer has been 800 THB. The return ticket can be taken with an open date (tell the girl in the office that you need an “open ticket”). With the return transfer, there are some nuances that are described in the next section.

This is what the 35 Group Pattaya VIP minibus looks like inside and out

After paying for tickets, you will not need to take any action in order to get from Pattaya to Koh Chang. Just expect a minibus at the right time in the right place (the girl in the office will write to you in advance on paper what time the minibus will pick you up at the hotel or condo). At the appointed time, you will be picked up and taken by Toyota’s comfortable VIP minibus to the pier in the area of ​​Trat, where ferries depart for Koh Chang. Near the pier there is a small office of 35 Group Pattaya, whose employee will give you ferry tickets to Koh Chang. Ferry ticket to Koh Chang – red. If you paid a return transfer to Pattaya, make sure that you received a return ferry ticket from Koh Chang Island (green).

Next you must go to a small waiting room and wait for the nearest ferry to the island. In fine weather, you can see the island from the mainland. A ferry takes you to Koh Chang in about 30 minutes. There is a cafe on the passenger deck and you can take a free Ko Chang card. The Koh Chang ferry pier is located on the east side of the island, and most hotels and beaches are on the west. Therefore, you may have to use a songthaew (passenger taxi pickup). To the nearest Koh Chang beach, the description of which is given in a separate article – White Sand Beach – the trip will cost 50-60 baht, to Kai Bae Beach and Lonely beach – 100-150 baht (depending on the time of day and the total number of passengers in a pickup truck).

When ordering a transfer from Pattaya to Koh Chang, you can pay for shipping directly to a specific hotel on the island. Of course, it will cost more, about 600 THB one way or about 1200 THB for a trip in both directions. but for some, the option will seem convenient, especially if you managed to save a lot by using the hotel search and price comparison form in various reservation systems, which is located a little lower. Please note: the reputation of 35 Group Pattaya is really very good, therefore it is increasingly necessary to book a Pattaya – Koh Chang transfer in advance. I myself was faced with a situation where I had to postpone the trip to Koh Chang for one day due to the lack of free seats in the minibus. Therefore, if you want to guaranteedly leave for Koh Chang Island from Pattaya cheaply – book a transfer in advance.

Minibus transfer Koh Chang – Pattaya from 35 Group Pattaya

If you ordered a return transfer, be sure to ask the employee of the 35 Group Pattaya company, which will meet you upon arrival at the pier, for a return ticket for the ferry. For some reason, she immediately refused to give such a receipt to me and I had to demand more insistently, indicating that there was a ticket with an open date back. If the return transfer was originally ordered for a specific date, you just arrive a few hours before leaving for Pattaya to the island pier, exchange the ticket receipt and go to the ferry.

But if the return transfer is Koh Chang – Pattaya with an open date, you should definitely call the company office two days before the planned departure from the island and reserve a place in the minibus. If this is not done, there may be no free seats on the bus and you will have to look for other options for returning to Pattaya and overpay for it. A small clarification: by phone, employees only speak Thai and English (as in the company’s offices). You will need to indicate the number of the transfer agreement, date and departure time from ferry pier on mainland to Pattaya.

Ferry tickets (round trip) and 35 Group Pattaya voucher

An exchange of a ticket receipt is made in the window at the entrance to the pier on the island (before departure to the mainland). You can get to the pier in the same way as when arriving on the island – using songthaew. By the way, it is better to arrive at the pier in advance so as not to be late for your return transfer. Having arrived by ferry to Trat (Natural Bay Pier), you must again contact the office of the 35 Group Pattaya company, next whose doors buses leave and show your ticket. Often, at the same time, a bright sticker with the name of the company will be glued to your T-shirt so that you do not get lost.

If the minibus of the company arrived at your chosen time, and there was no place for you in it, you should not panic and curse, “losing face.” Another minibus will arrive soon and you will definitely be taken to the hotel in Pattaya from where you were originally taken. On the way there and back, the minibus must make stops at the gas station, where you must leave the bus for a few minutes. You can just stretch your legs, or you can have a bite to eat with local food, eat fruit or go to the 7/11 store (not at all gas stations) and buy Thai soft drinks or thai beer there. Just don’t mix up minibuses, there are usually a lot of them and all white. Therefore, pay attention to the name of the company (in the photo highlighted with a yellow marker) and remember fellow travelers.

White VIP minibuses and drivers 35 Group Pattaya

Why transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang is more convenient than a big bus

More accessible at first glance ways are regular buses passing through Pattaya to Trat. Their cost is about 200-250 THB. It would seem that the amount is almost two times less than the cost of an organized transfer to the island of Koh Chang in the Gulf of Thailand. However, if you add 80 THB per ferry ticket to this amount, you already get about 300 THB. Plus, you need to get from the hotel to the North Bus Station in Pattaya or Sukhumvit Highway (10-20 THB for a songthaew or much more by taxi), find a suitable bus (and this is also not easy if you use the Sukhumvit highway passing through Sukhkumvit through Pattaya, which you need to stop yourself or ask the locals to do this, also for a small fee).

In addition, from Trat city itself it will be necessary to independently get to one of the ferry berths, using for this local songthaew, which will again cost you about 50 baht. In other words, the amount is similar, plus or minus 30 baht, while there are much more difficulties, especially if there are problems with English or Thai. If you book a transfer in both directions, then this method is not only the fastest, but also the cheapest and the method with regular buses cannot compete at all.

Also remember that a trip of about 270 km in length on a VIP minibus with comfortable leather seats will in any case be faster in time and more convenient than on a regular intercity bus that goes to Trat for about six hours with many stops. Decide which way to get from Pattaya to Koh Chang is more convenient, anyway. I wish you a successful and comfortable trip!

The post How to get from Pattaya to Koh Chang first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

Currency Exchange at Bangkok Airport (Suvarnabhumi)

Most foreigners arrives to Bangkok’s main airport – Suvarnabhumi. And immediately after passport control you are met by numerous currency exchange points. You can check all of them and make sure that the exchange rate is the same everywhere. A lot of tourists iun this situation begin to change the currency, because cash is needed to pay for the first purchases in Thailand (water or Thai beer in 7Eleven or Family Mart stores at the airport, food in the food courts, taxi, train or bus to the center of Bangkok or to Pattaya.

Currency exchange rate at the arrivals area of Suvarnabhumi Airport

However, this is the main trap for tourists. The exchange rate at these exchange points is very disadvantageous for foreigners. And the notification that “no commission” at these exchange points sounds like a joke. In order not to be unfounded, I will give specific examples. In the photo you can see the exchange rates in the arrivals area of Suvarnabhumi Airport on 11/18/2018. The list of currencies is very large (in the photo only the first part of the list), but for an example I will take the most popular world currencies – USD, EURO and GBR.

So, for 1 USD you will receive 31.05 THB, for 1 EURO you will receive 34.82 THB, and for 1 GBR (British Pound) you will be given 39.36 THB. In reality, this is a bad, very bad exchange rate and even at the worst exchange points in Thai resorts you will find a more favorable exchange rate. But while you are at the Bangkok airport, you have the best solution: currency exchange points on the ground floor of the airport. To do this, you must follow the blue signs to Train to City and go down several escalators. On the lower (basement) floor of Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport you will find a number of exchange offices with a good exchange rate.

Currency exchange rate on the ground floor of Suvarnabhumi Airport

As in the arrivals area, the exchange rate at all exchange points is the same or very similar. However, this is actually the best rate not only at the airport, but also one of the best in all of Thailand (with the exception of several exchange points in the center of Bangkok). Therefore, I advise you to change the currency to Thai cash only here (at least for the next few days). There are also no additional fees at these exchange points, so you make the exchange at the rate indicated on the bulletin board. Above on the page you can see two photos with currency exchange rates on the same day, 11/18/2018. In order for you to better see the difference in the exchange rate, I will give a few examples.

If you exchange 100 USD in the arrivals area, you will receive 3105 THB. And on the ground floor of the airport for the same 100 USD you get 3270 THB. Simple calculations show that the difference is 165 THB (more than 5 USD). This amount is enough for a train ride from the airport and back for two people. And this difference is only 100 USD. When you relax in Thailand together, you can exchange 500 USD on the lower floor of Suvanapum Airport and receive 25 USD more than when exchanging the same amount in the arrival area. And this amount is already enough to pay a decent hotel in Bangkok or in the resorts of Thailand.

VASU EXCHANGE – the best exchange office in Bangkok

Especially if you use the smart search from Hotellook and pre-compare the cost of rooms immediately in all the main hotel reservation systems. A similar situation with other currencies. The difference for every 100 Euro is 228 THB (6.15 EURO), and for every 100 GBR – 244 THB (more than 6 pounds). With all other currencies the situation is identical. Of course, exchange rates are constantly changing and at the time of your arrival in Thailand they will be different. But you can be sure that the difference between the courses in the arrivals area and in the train departure area to Bangkok will always be very noticeable. Therefore, use this opportunity and exchange money in the right place!

Best Currency Exchange in Bangkok (in the city)

Often there are situations when you need to make a currency exchange directly in Bangkok city. In the central areas of the capital of Thailand, you can see many street currency exchange points, a large number of banks. Currency exchange points can also be found in Bangkok’s malls. However, not everywhere the course will be the same and good for you. I advise you to pay attention not to traditional banking or hotel currency exchange points, but to network and independent exchange points. They are located in various areas of Bangkok and have different modes of operation.

Currency Exchange Rates at VASU EXCHANGE (Bangkok)

As a rule, the most favorable exchange rate in Bangkok is not offered by banks, but by several specialized companies with branches in various areas of the Thai capital. For your convenience, I will post information on the location of such currency exchange points in Bangkok and their opening hours. Always remember that you must have a passport for currency exchange in Thailand (photocopies are often enough at resorts or you can persuade a cashier to exchange money without a passport).

VASU EXCHANGE – the best exchange office in Bangkok

This exchange office is located in the area of ​​the Nana Station BTS Skytrain. This is the business center of the Sukhumvit district in Bangkok and nearby there are many hotels of various price categories. During my stay in Bangkok, I usually choose this area and visited the VASU EXCHANGE exchange office several times. According to my many years of observations, this exchange office offers the highest purchase rates for USD, so if you want to change a large amount of money, choose it. The EURO rate is also good, but the GBR exchange rate is not the most profitable. It is an independent exchange point and has no other branches in Bangkok.

Address: Sukhumvit Soi 7/1.
Opening hours: Monday-Friday from 09:00 to 18:00, Saturday from 09:00 to 17:00.
Closed: Sunday
The current exchange rate is always on the official website.

Location of VASU EXCHANGE currency exchange in Bangkok

The exchange office is located on the ground floor of the building, located at the intersection of Sukhumvit Rd and 7/1 lane. If you arrived at the Nana station by train, you must go down via exit number 1. There you can easily find the building you need: on the brown facade are large gold letters VASU EXCHANGE and Chinese characters. This currency exchange in Bangkok is very popular and there may be a queue inside, especially immediately after opening in the morning. Currency exchange is somewhat intricate: the first employee will check for a passport and make a photocopy of it. After that, you will receive an electronic queue ticket with a currency exchange number.

Super Rich Thailand – The Best Exchange offices Network

This oldest network of currency exchange points in Bangkok has been operating for over 50 years and includes a head office and 14 branches in the city. Most branches offer a not very profitable exchange rate, the same as in traditional Thai banks. But there are branches of Super Rich Thailand with a very interesting course. In most exchange offices you have the opportunity to exchange 35-40 types of currencies for Thai Baht (including travelers checks). The brand color of the network is green. Below on the page I have listed three branches of SuperRich Bangkok with the best exchange rates.

Currency exchange rate in the SuperRich Thailand network (Bangkok)

Super Rich Thailand – Head Office at Soi Rajdamri 1

Address: 45 Rajdamri 1 Rajdamri Rd. Lumpini Patumwan Bangkok 10330
Opening hours: Monday-Friday from 09:00 to 18:00, Saturday and holidays from 09:30 to 17:00.
Closed: Sunday
Location on the map:

Currency exchange office SuperRich Thailand – Soi Rajdamri 1

Super Rich Thailand – Branch Office at Vibhavadi 22

Address: 18/4 Vibhavadi 22 Vibhavadi – Rangsit Rd. Chompon Chatuchak Bangkok 10900
Opening hours: Monday-Friday from 10:00 to 17:00, Saturday and holidays from 10:00 to 16:00.
Closed: Sunday
Location on the map:

Currency exchange SuperRich Thailand – Vibhavadi 22

Super Rich Thailand – Jewelry Trade Center

Address: 919 1 Si Lom, Khwaeng Silom, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500 Jewelry Trade Center, 3rd Floor, Bangkok Fashion Outlet zone
Opening hours: Monday-Friday from 10:00 to 18:30, Saturday and holidays from 10:00 to 17:00.
Closed: Sunday
Location on the map:

SuperRich Thailand Currency Exchange – Jewelry Trade Center

SuperRich 1965 – the biggest network of exchange points in Bangkok

The largest network of currency exchange points in Bangkok, which has been operating since 1965. Currently, in various areas of Bangkok, you can find about 40 branches. The corporate color of the SuperRich 1965 is orange, so you will notice the stalls of this network from afar. On the official website of the company, you can choose any of the branches and see the current exchange rate and all currencies that you can change. Please note that the course is not the same everywhere. For example, at the time of this writing, the best exchange rate was 30.68 THB for 1 USD (Silom district), while the worst was 30.53 THB for 1 USD (at most metro stations, large hypermarkets and shopping centers).

Difference in exchange rates depending on the location of the SuperRich 1695 office

In other words, not in every ofice of SuperRich 1965 currency exchange you will find the best exchange rate and it makes sense to initially choose the right branch. To see the current exchange rate, I advise you to visit the official website of SuperRich 1965 and choose the nearest currency exchange office of this company with a favorable rate. And to see the actual location of the currency exchange in the city, I advise you to go down to the bottom side of the official website and select it from the list. After it you will see map of bangkok with selected currency exchange office, which will be marked with a marker.

Sia Money Exchange in Bangkok – exchange rates

SIA Money Exchange

This company allows you to make a currency exchange in Bangkok at one of the best rates in the city. You can trust SIA MONEY EXCHANGE, because this company has been operating in the market for more than 30 years and is part of Golden Wall Travel Service Co. Having visited the main office of SIA MONEY EXCHANGE, you have the opportunity to exchange about 30 currencies (including travelers checks) for Thai cash. This currency exchange office is convenient to use if you live in Bangkok in the Makassan area (between Ratchaprarop and Makassan stations at the Bangkok Airport Railway Link).

Address: 1091 / 156-7 Soi Petchburi 33, New Petchburi Road, Makkasan, Rajthevee, Bangkok 10400
Opening hours: Monday-Saturday and holidays from 09:00 to 18:00.
Closed: Sunday
The current exchange rate is always on the official website.
Location on the map:

Sia Money Exchange in Bangkok – the location of the currency exchange office on the map

Thus, you can use the networks and private currency exchange offices located on the ground floor of Suvarnabhumi Airport and in various areas of the city for currency exchange in Bangkok. Of course, if you want to exchange only 50 or 100 USD or GBR, it does not make sense to go to the other end of the city to the best exchange point, because the difference will not pay off your expenses for city transport or taxi  service in Bangkok. But if you live near exchange offices with a good exchange rate, it makes sense to contact them and save, therefore, your money. And, as you probably already understood from this article, it’s better not to change money in the arrival area of ​​Suvarnabhumi airport, where the most unprofitable rate for all currencies.

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In order to receive a voucher from Etihad for free accommodation in Abu Dhabi hotels, you must complete the TWO CONDITIONS:

Condition number 1. You must purchase a ticket with a 2-day stop in Abu Dhabi on the Etihad Airways official website. To receive a voucher for free accommodation in hotels, the duration of the transfer should allow you to spend two nights in the UAE. Those. This is a regular ticket with a long transfer. Given that most of the routes of this airline to Asia, Africa, Europe and America in any case suggest a stop in Abu Dhabi, with this condition should not be a problem. To select such a flight, click on the link and select the item: Multiple destinations / Stopovers.

How to book a flight with stopover (Etihad Airways) – click to enlarge

After that, on the page that opens, choose flights in such a way that the first flight is to Abu Dhabi, and the second – from Abu Dhabi to the next airport. In this case, the return flight, you can choose direct, even if tis flight also implies a mandatory stop in Abu Dhabi. (see screenshot). If you have another airport on the route – you can click on the Add Another Flight button and enter the required data. If you want to flight to one way, you don’t need add a return ticket at all, it will not affect the possibility of getting a free hotel.

Multi-city booking with stopover – Etihad Airways website (click to enlarge)

Condition number 2. You must book and pay for a flight with a 2-day stop in Abu Dhabi no later than March 1, 2020. And your journey must be completed before March 31, 2020. If the trip takes place later than 31.03.2020, you can receive a second night at the hotel from Etihad Airways, and you must pay for the first one yourself (from 44 USD per night). The exception is first class flight tickets for which this promotion is perpetual.

Five star hotels in Abu Dhabi – you can stay for free in any of them!

How to choose a free hotel in Abu Dhabi

After you have booked and paid for your ticket on the Etihad Airways website with a stop in Abu Dhabi, you can follow this link to a selection of free hotels. A total of about 60 hotels are available, of which most hotels are categories of 4 and 5 stars. After clicking on the link, you will see a standard search form at the top of the page. You must select the city of Abu Dhabi and enter the dates of your 2-day stop. By default, you get 2-person toll-free numbers, but you can choose more guests (in this case the number of available hotels may be reduced).

Date Selection Form for booking free hotels in Abu Dhabi

Next you have to click on the Search Hotels button. A new page will open and you will see that the Etihad Airways special promotional code has worked (see screenshot). Now you have to choose any of the available hotels. You can see that in the column Per Night costs 0 USD. This confirms that accommodation in all available hotels will be free for you. Do not try to choose 3 or more nights – in this case hotels will not be available. For your convenience, at the top left there is a map of the city, which shows the location of hotels You can choose both city hotels and those located on the seashore (Persian Gulf).

Promotional code from Etihad Airways for free accommodation in Abu Dhabi

How To Book Free Hotel In Abu Dhabi

After you have chosen a hotel (before that you can click on the Choose a Room button to read reviews and view a hotel photo), on the hotel’s page you should click the Book This button. Next, the Etihad Holidays page opens and you will need to fill in a few fields. You can see a sample fill in the screenshot. Be sure to enter a valid email address to which you will receive a booking confirmation. Phone is indicated for emergency communication. In this form it is not necessary to indicate the data of the person who will make the trip.

Booking a hotel in Abu Dhabi – filling in the contact details

In the right sidebar you can see the real cost of living in the hotel. In my case, this is 371 USD for 2 nights. The price may vary and usually it is lower in the evening (it was 455 USD in the morning in my case). Agree, it is not every day you can get such a gift! Remember the real cost of your booking. I will write the reason for this later in this article. After filling in all the fields, you should click on the Continue button. Now you have to fill in the data of exactly those people who will make the flight and stay at the hotel. Everything is simple there: enter the name, surname, nationality and number of your account in the Etihad Guest loyalty program. The fourth field is optional. Click Continue button.

Filling in data about each passenger and hotel’s guest

The next form to fill out is flight information. The top line – PNR No – is the 6-digit number of your e-ticket. You will receive it after booking and paying for the flight. Next, you should select the city from which you arrived, the flight number and time of arrival in Abu Dhabi (note the time in 12-digit format). The next line is the city to which you will fly further from Abu Dhabi, the number of this flight and the time of departure.

Flight booking information form

The last form you need to fill out is information about your payment card. You must write the cardholder’s name, card number, 3-digit secret code (you will find it on the back of the card, next to the owner’s signature) and select the card’s expiration date (it should not end earlier than the time you stop in Abu Dhabi) . Now it remains to put a 2 tick at the bottom of the page about accepting the terms of the promotion and click Book Now. After Etihad Airways has checked all your flight information with a 2-day stopover, you will receive a voucher for free accommodation at the selected hotel for two nights (to the specified email address).

Payment details for booking free hotels in Abu-Dhabi

Surely you have a legitimate question: why do you have to provide credit card details if the hotel stay is completely free? The answer is very simple: if for some reason you do not appear at the hotel (for example, if you refuse to travel), you will have to pay the full cost of living in the selected hotel. Remember, I advised to remember the real price of the hotel? It will really hurt and offensive if you have to pay a lot of money and not live in a hotel. Therefore, I advise you to book a free hotel a few weeks before the flight. When you are 99% sure that your journey will take place. During the selection of the hotel, you can also choose varaints with free cancellation 2-3 days before the day of travel.

Free 4 star Abu Dhabi hotels are also a good option with a good location.

Additional Information

Before booking a ticket with a two-day stop in Abu Dhabi, make sure that you have the right to visit the United Arab Emirates without a visa or in advance take care to obtain a visa of this country. I also remind you that all passengers of Etihad Airways have the opportunity to reach the city center on the free shuttle bus company. You can reserve a seat on the Etihad Airways website (you need to specify the last name and PNR number of the ticket reservation). There is a possibility of free transfer to Dubai and Al Ain and back from these cities. Also, the airport has a regular bus that takes you from the airport to the city center for only 1.5-2.5 USD.

I advise you to register with Etihad loyalty program after purchasing a ticket. This registration is free and takes only a few minutes. All members of the Etihad loyalty program receive bonus miles for each flight on Etihad Airways flights, during their stay at a number of hotels, when shopping at retail stores, etc. The advantage of being a member of the Etihad Airways loyalty program is the ability to spend your bonus miles like cash. To do this, you can order a virtual or physical VISA card on the website and exchange bonus miles for real money.

I hope after reading this detailed instruction you have no questions about how you can use the gift from Etihad and spend 2 nights in one of the luxury hotels in Abu Dhabi for free! Enjoy your vacation in Abu Dhabi and the UAE and safe flights!

The post Free 2 night stopover in best Abu-Dhabi Hotels first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

The main feature of the Golden Mount temple in Bangkok

The first temple at the site of the current temple Wat Saket was built during the heyday of the Ayutthaya kingdom, and the current name was given during the reign of King Rama I. And the temple was given its current appearance during the reign of Rama III, when a high artificial hill was built in Bangkok with a temple and golden chedi on top. It was in the first half of the 19th century that Wat Saket got its second name – the Temple of the Golden Mountain. Bangkok is located in the floodplain of the Chao Phraya River with a very flat terrain. Therefore, the artificial hill on which the golden chedi is located is still unique for the city. A temple of Wat Saket for a long time was the tallest building in the Thai capital (before the construction of the temple of Wat Arun).

View of Bangkok from the top of the Golden Mount temple

How to get to the Temple of the Golden Mountain in Bangkok

Since Golden Mount Temple is located in the eastern part of the historical district of Bangkok, you cannot use the ground or underground place of the capital to quickly get directly to the entrance to the territory of this temple. Therefore, you will have to choose one of several combined options, which are described below.

1). BTS SkyTrain + passenger boat on the Golden Mount line

In this case, you must use Bangkok’s BTS SkyTrain to get to National Stadium Station (Silom Line) or to Ratchathewi Station (on Sukhumvit Line). After that, you need to go about 300 meters to the north or south, respectively, and use the passenger boat, which moves in a westerly direction from the pier of Hua Chang (Sapan Hua Chang). To go by boat you need 4 stops. A good landmark is the temple of Wat Saket itself (whose golden peak will be visible on the left while moving). The interval of the movement of boats is about 20 minutes.

Way from BTS SkyTrain stations to Golden Mount temple

Boats move very quickly, so you will not lose much time to overcome the distance of 3 kilometers. In this case, you will have to pay 10 THB per 1 passenger fare (approximately 0.3 USD). Tickets are purchased directly from the conductor on the boat, to which you must inform the destination point (you can just say Wat Saket or Golden Mount Temple). In no case do not be afraid of such an original way of getting around the city: everything is perfectly organized and time tested. Every day only about 60 thousand passengers use this channel. You can also use a similar boat in the opposite direction.

2) Walking distance from the Royal Palace or Wat Pho temple in Bangkok

This is the path I used during video recording. The distance from the main entrance to the temple of Wat Pho to the entrance to the Golden Mount Temple is about 2.5 km, i.e. you can walk about half an hour without any problems. The main thing is not to do it in the hottest time of the day, or, in extreme cases, to carry a small supply of drinking water. By the way, the best route lies through another attraction of Bangkok – Giant swings. In my video, they were under reconstruction and closed with a net, but at the moment the restoration work has been completed, and you have the opportunity to see this swing in all its glory. Similarly, you can walk from the National Stadium Metro Station to Wat Saket Temple (I was returning from the temple in this way and spent about half an hour on the road).

3) Walking distance from Khao San Rd in Bangkok

If you chose the famous Khao San Road as your place to live in Bangkok, it will be even easier to get to the Golden Mount. The distance to this temple to the beginning of Khao San street is about 1 km (or 1.5 km if the hotel is farthest part of Ksaosan Rd from the temple). This means that you can easily get to Wat Saket in about 15-20 minutes on foot. Of course, it is better to use the navigator, since getting lost in Bangkok is not difficult.

Way from Khaosan Rd to Golden Mount temple

4) How to get to Wat Saket by taxi in Bangkok

Of course, you can get to Wat Saket from Bangkok by taxi from any area of ​​this city. Just remember that Bangkok is a huge Asian metropolis and traffic jams are not uncommon, but a regular phenomenon, especially in the morning, lunch and evening on weekdays). In general, taxi service in Bangkok are cheap, and in some cases using this type of transport is even cheaper than the subway lines, especially if you are not one passenger. But due to the fact that you will pay not only kilometers, but also idle time in traffic jams, the cost may increase several times.Therefore, if you do not want to overpay a lot during rush hour, it is better to get to the nearest BTS or MRT stations and only the last part of the way is to overcome by taxi or motorcycle taxi.

5) How to get to Golden Mount Temple by tuk-tuk

This option may be cheaper than a taxi, but because of possible attempts to deceive by the owners of this transport, I would not recommend using this transport. By tradition, tuk-tuk drivers are either called an unrealistically high price for their services, or the cost will be small, but you will be asked to visit at a store (or even a few) so that the tuk-tuk driver will receive a bonus from the owners of such stores. You are not obliged to buy anything in these stores, but you will lose a lot of time, which for me personally during the rest is the main value.

Opening hours and cost of visiting Golden Mount in Bangkok

When planning to visit Wat Saket, you must remember that the temple’s operating time is limited and you can see this interesting temple from 08:00 am to 19:00 pm (previously worked from 07:30 to 17:30 and you can still find outdated information in the Internet). At the same time, it does not make sense to come immediately before closing, because at that time it is already dark in Bangkok. Entrance to the temple territory is free, but at the same time you must purchase an entrance ticket to climb to the top, where the most interesting is located. The entrance ticket costs 20 THB, and the ticket office is located at the beginning of the steps to the hill.

Ticket office of Wat Saket temple in Bangkok (ticket costs 20 THB)

What is interesting in the Temple of the Golden Mount Temple in Bangkok

Getting into the territory of the temple complex, you should move to the right along the buildings and cafes. There are signs with arrows to Golden Mount Temple, so getting lost is difficult. If you don’t know the right way, just go where the Thais go. Below there are machines for the sale of drinking water, and to the right under shady canopies along the road are benches. In this place you can relax, because cool create special devices that spray cold water vapor. After a couple of minutes, you will see a ticket office on the left, where you can buy an entrance ticket, and right behind the cashier office – red steps up.

On the stairs to the top of the Golden Mount Temple are many who want to take a photo

To go upstairs, you must overcome 318 steps, but this path cannot be called difficult. The steps are very low and wide, so even children can go upstairs without any problems. Immediately I warn you that the descent from the mountain is made by another staircase, so if you want to take photos as a keepsake, do it right away while climbing up. Along the way, you are waiting for artificial waterfalls, many interesting sculptures of people and animals, ancient shady trees with branches hanging above the stairs. In the first part of the climb, you will also pass through the areas where artificial fog was created. As you climb up the monotonous prayers of Buddhist monks grow louder.

Stairs to the upper temple of Golden Mount (the eponymous cafe on the right)

A little further there will be Golden Mount cafe, then a large platform with a seating area with a lot of bells around the perimeter, which you can ring one by one (according to rumors, this will bring you good luck and health). During the ascent you can also find a free toilet. In the final stage of climbing stairs you can already admire the panorama of Bangkok, as well as temple buildings located at the foot of the hill. At the top is the entrance to the inside of the temple. At the same time there are information signs near the entrance that warn you that you should not take off your shoes. The inscriptions are made graphically, in Thai, in English and in Chinese. But some people still leave their shoes at the entrance and wander around the temple barefoot.

Golden and emerald figures of Buddha in the Wat Saket temple

Inside there are many altars with statues, among which is a lying golden Buddha and several emerald Buddha statues. A lot of gold jewelry and fresh flowers. You can also make a donation and buy a bronze sheet or buy a card for memory. Somewhat surprisingly, but inside the temple stands a range of freezers with a large selection of ice cream. Prices are higher than 7Eleven, but this is understandable, taking into account the location and manual delivery to the top. The main shrine of the Temple of the Golden Mountain is a piece of Buddha’s ashes, which was brought from India. It is located in a golden sarcophagus in the central part of the temple. I could not go there because there was a queue of Thais. To climb to the shrine, you must overcome a few steps and enter the niche. This should be done barefoot and observing all the rules of decency adopted in Buddhism.

The main shrine of the Temple of the Golden Mountain in Bangkok is a piece of Buddha’s ashes

Along the perimeter of the entire temple there are wooden windows through which a magnificent panoramic view of the city opens. In front of some windows there are wooden benches where you can sit and admire Bangkok. The idyll is somewhat spoiled by the draft and the cool wind, because the temple is located very high above the ground level. In addition, the room has several powerful air conditioners. It is the wind and drafts that create an almost non-stop and melodic ringing of bells in the form of leaves that are fixed above the windows.

Golden Chedi on top of the Golden Mount Temple

The temple has a flat roof, on which a giant golden chedi was erected (a bell-shaped stupa with a stepped base and a high sharp spire). The exit to the top is carried out along the steps from the inside of the temple through a narrow passage in one of the walls, which I did not immediately notice and wanted to go down, but I remembered in time that I still not saw the golden chedi. Above there is a better view of Bangkok, and you can see the giant swings, the Grand Royal Palace, and many skyscrapers in various parts of this Asian metropolis. The golden chedi is surrounded by a gold chain, for which it is forbidden to enter. During some holidays in Thailand, the stupa may be decorated with a red cloth, but at the time of my visit it was golden, only in the lower part there was a wide strip of yellow fabric.

Statues, figures and waterfalls on the way up to the Wat Saket Temple in Bangkok

To leave the observation deck with a golden stupa, you must descend down a narrow staircase (at the opposite end of the platform) and exit the temple on the mountain through the same entrance through which you entered. The stairs down will be different (to the right of the exit from the temple). On the way down you will see other statues and sculptures. In my opinion, the way down is not as picturesque as the steps up, but there are several interesting objects. By the way, at the bottom (near the ticket office) there is a Golden Mount layout, during the inspection of which you can understand, why the separate stairs up to the mountain and down do not overlap.

Video from my visit to the Temple of the Golden Mountain in Bangkok

(video starts from the entrance to the territory of Golden Mount)

For me personally, it took 40 minutes to visit the temple, but I didn’t linger much anywhere, because I was going to return there again. Therefore, I advice plan for about 1 hour in order to slowly watch all interesting objects, take a photos in beautiful places on the way up and on the top viewpoint, slowly eat ice cream, etc. If you want to visit the temple in the evening, it is better to come after 17-00 to meet the sunset on the top of the Temple of the Golden Mountain and see how this temple looks with artificial light. Have a good time at Wat Saket – Golden Mount Temple in Bangkok.

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Location of Wat Pho in Bangkok, how to get there

The Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho) is located on the island of Rattanakosin in the historical part of Bangkok, in close proximity to the Grand Royal Palace. Currently, the concept of “island” is very conditional, because only a small channel separates this part of the city from the others, which are also separated from each other by numerous clong (channels). If you live in Bangkok in the area of ​​the most famous tourist street Khaosan (Khaosan Rd), you can get to Wat Pho on foot in 25-30 minutes with not very fast pace. This is a clean and beautiful area of ​​the Thai capital, with normal sidewalks, so the walk is interesting and not tiring.

If you live in other parts of Bangkok, then getting to Wat Pho is a bit more difficult. You can not use the subway (overhead and underground) to quickly get to the temple of the Reclining Buddha, so you should use the river or road. With a taxi, everything is simple, it is not expensive in Bangkok, but due to traffic jams you can lose a lot of time. To use the river tram, the easiest way to get to the main pier is Sathorn near the Taksin Bridge. To do this, use the Silom branch of the Bangkok Skytrain and get off at Saphan Taksin station along the train. When you come down from the elevated platform of the metro, you will find a pier for river trams at the base of the bridge. Read more about this in a separate article “Bangkok River Transport – Routes and Prices”.

The location of the temple of Wat Pho in the historic district of Bangkok

I advise you to use river trams with an orange flag – a compromise between speed and price (15 THB per person). You should get off at pier number 8 Tha Tien, which is the closest to the temple of Wat Pho. But if during your trip to Bangkok, this pier will still be under reconstruction (which has been going on for several years), then you should get off at the next pier No. 9 – Tha Chang. This pier is located near the Grand Palace, which tourists often visit at the same time as the temple of Wat Pho. Coming from the pier, you have to turn right and move along the palace wall to the Wat Pho temple (you can use the navigator on your smartphone). On the map, the temple of Wat Pho is indicated by a red arrow.

Statue of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho) in Bangkok

Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn (this is the full name of the temple of Wat Pho) is called the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. You can find information that it is in the temple of Wat Pho that the largest statue of the Reclining Buddha is located in the world. And when you see a huge golden statue 46 meters long and 15 meters high, it is easy to believe. However, in reality in Thailand there is a slightly larger (50 meters long) statue of the Reclining Buddha – in the province of Ang Thong. In addition, another statue of the Reclining Buddha is being erected in the Thai province of Saraburi, its length is 209 meters, which is 4.5 times more than the statue in the Wat Pho temple. It is this statue, comparable in height to the 9-storey building, will be the largest in the world.

The scheme of the temple of Wat Pho in Bangkok

Not everyone knows that the Temple of the Reclining Buddha is not only a beautiful building with white columns (viharn) with a golden statue of a waiting Nirvana Buddha inside. Below on the page is a diagram of the temple complex Wat Pho. In the lower right corner, the number 1 designates the temple directly with the Reclining Buddha (Viharn Phranorn), and you can see that in addition to this temple there are many other interesting buildings of various sizes and purposes in the complex. Therefore, you will need to spend at least 1 hour just to quickly get around all the open areas of the temple complex and visit the main buildings. For a more thorough study of the temple you may need much more time.

The scheme of the temple of Wat Pho in Bangkok (clickable image)

The main buildings of Wat Pho temple

The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is that huge gilded statue, against which everyone wants to take a selfie photo and is forced to stand in line for this. Unfortunately, it is difficult to see the whole statue entirely because of the many columns and this can be done at the head and feet of the Buddha. I was a little unlucky and the access to the feet was closed due to reconstruction (end of 2017). But in any case, the statue is striking in its size. Be sure to pay attention to the feet – the pattern is made of nacre, which is poured on the light of various colors. I also noticed that few tourists pay attention to the design of the walls and columns, but they are very beautiful. On the outer walls you can see interesting scenes from the Ramayana and original gold ornaments.

View of the statue of the Reclining Buddha from the side of the feet (Wat Pho, Bangkok)

All internal space is divided into two parts. As a rule, you enter the temple from the side of the head of the Buddha and move along his body towards the legs. Then you exit the temple and re-enter through the other doors, moving along the back of the Buddha. It is there that everyone understands where the constant sound of coins comes from. There are 108 bronze bowls along the entire aisle, into which visitors of the temple alternately throw small coins. You can exchange money right there, but you can’t get change from large banknotes; in advance, save yourself with small banknotes of 20 baht per person or coins. If you believe that this will improve your karma and help your wishes come true (which you need to make when you throw coins), then you can do it.

Golden Buddha statue in Phra Ubosot (Wat Pho, Bangkok)

Phra Ubosot is the main building of the temple with a hall in which Buddhist services are held. There is also the main shrine of the temple – a large golden statue of Buddha under a golden umbrella. The walls in the building are also decorated with golden patterns and scenes from the ancient Indian epic Ramayana. During a visit to Phra Ubosot and Wat Pho, do not forget about the rules of conduct, which will be discussed below. In the scheme, Phra Ubosot is labeled with the number 18.

Around Phra Ubosot are galleries and 4 viharnas – the northern, southern, western and eastern (in the diagram marked with numbers 17,15,16 and 14). There are also small courtyards with Buddha statues and Chinese pagodas. At first glance it seems that all the buildings and statues are the same, but in reality it is not. In general, on the territory of the complex there are more than 1000 gilded Buddha statues, which are brought from different regions of the country. And in these galleries, you can see 400 statues. But if you have little time, you can not inspect all the courtyards, since in general they are made symmetrically and you can a cursory inspection of one of them.

42 meter stupas in honor of 4 first kings of the Chakri dynasty

Throughout the entire complex of Wat Pho, you can count 95 stupas (chedi), of which 4 are dedicated to kings and the rest to members of the royal family. The 4 highest stupas with the stepped base are those of the first kings of the Chakri dynasty – Rama I, Rama II, Rama III and Rama IV. All 4 stupas have a height of 42 meters, so they are visible from any part of the temple complex. The oldest of the big stupas is decorated with green mosaic, and the newest is blue. Around large stupas there are also galleries with gilded statues of a standing Buddha under the roof. Please note that the roofs are very low and you can accidentally hit your head (I did not avoid this).

Phra Mandop is another big stupa that I was not able to visit because of the reconstruction. There is a rich temple library with valuable ancient manuscripts. In the diagram of Wat Pho, you can see this building at number 13.

400 gilded statues of Buddha in the central part of the temple of Wat Pho

The school of Thai massage and traditional Thai medicine is indicated in the diagram at number 20. Not everyone knows, but traditional Thai massage originated in the territory of the temple of Wat Pho. By the way, that is why in the temple you will find sculptures dedicated to this massage. Nowadays, anyone can take a 5-day course and learn the basic principles of Thai massage. And if you are just tired of the temple excursion, then you can get Thai massage from professional masseurs directly at the temple. You will have to pay 420 THB for an hour-long classic Thai massage or foot massage, or 260 THB for half an hour.

Chinese statues on the territory of the temple of Wat Pho

Chinese statues. Walking through the grounds of the temple of Wat Pho, you will see many gray stone statues of various sizes. These statues are of Chinese origin and were previously used on ships for ballast. Currently, the statues look very harmonious in a Thai temple, and you probably want to take a couple of photos on their background.

In some ways, the territory of the temple of Wat Pho is a beautiful park. There are benches, ponds, artificial waterfall, beautifully trimmed trees and shrubs. Therefore, just walking in the park is very interesting. There is also a part of the temple, closed to tourists, in which the monks’ cells and some service temple rooms are located. Of course, on the territory there are toilets and souvenir shops.

Beautiful artificial waterfall in the territory of Wat Pho temple

Practical information about Temple of the Reclining Buddha

Opening hours of the temple Wat Pho: every day from 08:30 to 18:30 (8:30 am – 06:30 pm)

Entrance fee for foreigners: 100 THB. Before visiting the temple, I read on the Internet that the change at the box office is not issued and you need to have the necessary amount. But during my time, people received change from 500 THB banknotes without problems, so the information for 2018 was not confirmed.

The official address of the Wat Pho temple: 2 Sanamchai Road, Grand Palace Subdistrict, Pranakorn District, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand. The entrance gate to the temple complex is located on the street Maha Rat Rd, so it is better to immediately go here. This is a long street that runs along the river past the walls of the Grand Royal Palace.

The official website of Wat Pho (link to the English version). The site has the opportunity to see 360-degree images of the entire temple and individual rooms.

The rules of visiting Wat Pho in Bangkok

– When you decide to go to the temple of Wat Pho, make sure in advance that your clothes comply with a strict dress code. Your clothes should cover your shoulders, chest, abdomen, back, legs above the knees. The rule applies to men and women. I visited the temple in denim shorts to the knees and a ordinary T-shirt, missed without any problems.

– On the territory of the temple complex, you can walk in shoes, but before entering the building with the Reclining Buddha you must take off your shoes. As a rule, before entering there are containers with free plastic bags in which you can put your shoes and carry them with you. You must also take off your shoes before entering Phra Ubozot. For this you can find special containers near the entrance.

Make sure your clothes comply with the rules before purchasing a ticket to Wat Pho temple

– In all religious buildings, it is forbidden to speak loudly, laugh, behave provocatively. It is better to turn on the silent mode on the smartphone and not use the flash when photographing inside the temple buildings.

– According to Buddhist customs, women are not allowed to touch the statues of the Buddha, as well as Buddhist monks.

– When you sit, your legs should not be stretched towards the statue or image of the Buddha (according to the rules, the feet should be folded under your body). Also allowed to sit in the lotus position.

– Do not sit on the stupas and do not try to climb on them – this can cause serious problems for you!

– You can not step on the rapids during the passage of doorways. This is not officially prohibited, but according to Buddhist beliefs, can bring failure.

Tips before visiting Wat Pho

A cursory examination of the Wat Pho temple takes at least one hour, but many tourists spend several hours on the temple complex, even without visiting a Thai massage. Therefore, in advance, stock up on drinking water, because on the territory of the temple it can be hot even in the morning and evening, when there are a minimum of tourists in the temple. The entrance ticket to the temple includes two tear-off coupons. The first you give at the entrance, and the second allows you to get a small bottle of drinking water for free a little further into the temple. The bottle is small – 350 ml, so it will not last long.

A bottle of drinking water is included in the price of a ticket to Wat Pho

The temple complex of Wat Pho is close to other sights of Bangkok – the Grand Royal Palace, Temple of the Morning Dawn (Wat Arun). Also nearby are the Giant Swings and the Wat Saket (Golden Mount Temple). Therefore, many tourists want to visit all these attractions in one day. Theoretically this is possible, but it is better to do it on different days. First, you may not have enough time, even if you started the tour in the morning. And secondly, you quickly get tired and can not see the beauty of these structures. Keep in mind that it takes an average of 1 hour to inspect each of the three temples named, plus the travel time. And to inspect the Grand Palace, you need to allocate at least 4-5 hours.

Should you go to Wat Pho in Bankgok at all? In my opinion, definitely worth it. After all, this is not just an ordinary temple complex in Thailand, but the main royal temple of the country. The most important historical events in the life of Thailand took place in the Wat Pho temple, including the coronation of Rama I, the founder of the ruling Chakri dynasty to this day. In addition, this is just a very beautiful place with a unique atmosphere. And the cost of admission is only 100 THB, or about 3 USD at the rate. For me personally, Wat Pho in Bangkok is the place that I want to visit again and see everything that I could not see earlier because of lack of time. Enjoy yiur visit!

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Location of Max Hotel in Pattaya, how to get there

Ma`x Hotel is located in the central part of the resort, on the Soi Post Office side street, which is easier to find as Soi 13/2. This lane is located between the Beach Rd and the Second Rd. The location is very good, because in 2-3 minutes walk from the hotel is located the central beach of Pattaya, which after the completion of the reconstruction should be a good place for a beach holiday. Below on the page is a fragment of the map of Pattaya, on which the location of the Max Hotel is marked. As you can see, Soi 13/2 Lane is located between two shopping centers – Royal Garden Plaza and Mike Shopping Mall. Therefore, this hotel is within walking distance of the famous Walking Street (less than 10 minutes walk) and the LK Metro area (also about 10 minutes walk).

Location of Max Hotel on Pattaya Map

To get to the Max Hotel is not difficult from the two main bus stations in Pattaya. If you arrive at Pattaya North Bus Station, the easiest way is to use local passenger pick-ups. Right at the exit from the territory of this bus station you will be offered to get to the hotel for 50 baht per person, including your baggage (if you have one). This is a good price, and you should be brought directly to the entrance of the Max Hotel. Among the shortcomings, you can only note that in the pickup there will be 8-10 people, and your hotel will not necessarily be first on the list, i.e. You can spend up to 1 hour on such a transfer. There is a faster option that is suitable for travelers without bulky luggage.

Initially, you need to use a motorbike taxi in Pattaya, and get there to the “crossroads with dolphins” (the road ring at the end of Pattaya North Street, where the bus station is located). A good reference point is the largest and newest shopping center in Pattaya – Tereminal 21. At the left of the intersection is the terminus of route pickups, which continue along the Beach Road. Leave immediately on Soi 13/2 – a lane between the restaurants Pizza Hut and McDonalds. The trip will cost 60 baht (50 per motorbike + 10 per pickup). Then you should go a few tens of meters along the 13 / 2.Max Lane Hotel located on the north side of the lane (on the left) in a building with a light green facade and a brown canopy. Above the alley you can see a large billboard “Max Hotel and Italian Restaurant”

Entrance to the Max Hotel restaurant (hotel reception desk on the right)

If you come to the southern bus station of Pattaya from Suvarnabhumi airport, then the way to the hotel will be even easier and faster. You have to cross the road in front of this small bus station and stop any passenger pickup (songthaew) that is moving to central Pattaya. The cost of the trip is 10 THB per person (there are cases when during rush hour you may be required to pay 20 baht (10 + 10) if you have a large suitcase with you). Then you go direct to Soi 13/2. You need to leave car after the transport passes the shopping center Royal Garden Plaza (it will be on the left as you go, and a big red plane on the facade of the building will be a good reference point). Then you should go a few tens of meters along the 13/2 lane, while the hotel will be on the right.

Overview of the Max Hotel in Pattaya

Max Hotel can be called a classic city hotel in central Pattaya. The hotel is located in a 5-storey building, which has an Italian restaurant on the ground floor, pool tables and a reception desk (to the right of the entrance). Since I booked the hotel in advance, check-in at the hotel was very fast. Upon check-in, I had to make a deposit of 500 THB for using a magnetic card, which serves as a key in this hotel. The deposit was returned to me in full at the time of check out.

Max Hotel Restaurant Bar and stairs to hotel rooms

Rooms are located on floors 2,3, 4 and 5, which can be reached via stairs or a modern elevator. I lived on the 3rd floor and preferred to use the steps. I really liked the interior design of the halls on the floors, which is made in the Oriental style. The decoration materials used wood and stone, there are paintings and bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the Ramayana (and, perhaps, the Kama Sutra). Also present is carved wooden furniture. Not very bright lights and warm colors contribute to creating an even greater romantic mood in the hotel. When booking a non-smoking room, the smell of cigarettes was not feel.

Bed in standard room Max Hotel (Pattaya)

I stayed in a standard Max Hotel room, which had a wide and comfortable bed, a TV (small but flat-screen TV), air conditioning, a refrigerator, a wardrobe with a built-in safe and plastic hangers, a ceiling fan. From the furniture there were also bedside tables, a small table, a soft chair and a large mirror on the wall. The room had a window, but the view of the wall of the neighboring building was not very picturesque and I preferred closed curtains. In the superior rooms, the view from the window is much more interesting. The room is decorated with carved wooden elements, a two-level ceiling with built-in lights gave the room a more respectable look.

Separately, we should talk about the bathroom Max Hotel in Pattaya. Despite the fact that this is a cheap hotel of 2 stars category, its bathroom looks quite solid. Partly this contributes to the decoration of the walls with light marble tiles. In the bathroom you will find a large sink on a chrome stand, a modern toilet and a shower stall with plastic doors. In fact, even in the more expensive hotels in Pattaya (and other cities in Thailand), a shower stall is not standard on the bathroom. As a rule, a shower in Thai hotels is simply fenced off by a concrete partition from the toilet area, and sometimes it is not fenced at all. Also in the room were soap, shampoo and shower gel. All this makes me put the bathroom Max Hotel highest rating.

Bathroom in Max Hotel (Pattaya)

What you can find close to Max Hotel in Pattaya

If you do not want to eat in the Italian restaurant Max Hotel, you can always buy inexpensive street food directly in Soi 13/2. Restaurants such as Pizza Hut, Burger King, McDonalds, Thai and Indian restaurants are within walking distance. Nearby there are massage parlors (not all of them actually specialize in massage), bars (including the famous The Pump Station bar), Miami A Go-Go club, Pattaya post office (I sent Christmas cards from this post office), exchanges currencies with a good exchange rate for Beach Rd and Second Rd.

Directly on Soi 13/2, there is a 24-hour Family Mart network store (closer to Beach Road), and on the corner of Soi 13/2 and Second Road is the 7Eleven store. Also on the side street you will find several tourist offices, a visa center and a pharmacy. In general, the transport accessibility of Max Hotel allows you to quickly and inexpensively get to almost any point of the resort. Max Hotel has its own laundry, but I only stayed for one day and did not use this service.

The cost of living in Max Hotel (Pattaya)

I booked this hotel on the day of check in using Hotellook smart search (direct link to the hotel) and got a very good price – 573 THB (or 17.6 USD at the exchange rate at that time). If you want to check in to the hotel without prior booking, then you will pay 700 THB for a standard room or 850 THB for a superior room. Of course, subject to availability room: the hotel is very popular, especially during the high tourist season in Thailand. For example, I could not move into the Max Hotel in December 2018, just because of the lack of available rooms on the dates I needed.

The cost of staying at the Max Hotel without online booking

In other words, I advise you to book this hotel in advance, but with a good price (below 700 THB for a standard room). If you are interested in the possibility of having a wire to the guest room, then right at the front desk it is stated that you can spend 2 girls in the room for free, and for a third you will have to pay an extra 300 THB. At the same time, girls must have an ID card with them. For an extra THB 400, you can extend your stay at the hotel until the evening. According to numerous reviews, you can leave your belongings at the Max Hotel after check-out, and luggage storage will be free.

My impressions of staying at the Max Hotel

Given the low price, Max Hotel is a very good option for staying in Pattaya. Despite the presence of a number of entertainment facilities in the immediate vicinity of the hotel, external noise does not interfere with sleep, i.e. the rooms remain quiet. I recommend this hotel for those travelers and tourists who prefer to spend a minimum amount of time at the hotel, but for whom comfort, a stylish interior, availability of all necessary infrastructure and transport accessibility at any time of the day is important. Max Hotel in Pattaya really looks better than its price and is one of the best hotels in terms of price / quality ratio.

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Krabi webcams – what can you see?

The province of Krabi is not only and not so much a piece of the mainland of Thailand in the south-west of this country, but many large and small tropical islands in the Andaman Sea. These islands are also decorated with giant limestone cliffs, and you can see some of the most popular islands of Krabi province using online webcams. For example, you can see in real time the famous Maya Bay, in which the cult adventure film “The Beach” was filmed, and which leaves no one indifferent even when viewing a webcam. By the way, this bay is periodically closed to the public, and at such moments you can see it only with the help of a webcam located there.

You can also see in real time the famous island of Poda, which is surrounded from almost all sides by beautiful white sand beaches and next to which there is a vertically standing rock in the water, which has become one of the symbols of Thailand. The most beautiful places of the province on the mainland of Krabi were not ignored. For example, wide beaches in Nopparat Thara and one of the best beaches not only in Thailand, but also in the world, which is called Phra Nang beach and is located on the Railay peninsula near the resort village of Ao Nang.

Despite the fact that most Thais and foreigners prefer to relax on the magnificent beaches of Krabi province, there are other attractions in the region that are not located on the coast. For example, here you can find a special nature trail through mangroves, hot springs and places for walks along the river. Some of these objects are already available today for viewing with the help of Krabi live webcams, and some will be added soon. Also in the collection of webcams, you will find several man-made objects, which are also a symbol of the province and its main city – Krabi Town. At the resorts of Krabi, you can watch magnificent sunsets over the sea, and individual webcams allow you to do this in real time.

The weather is important in the travel planning process. Unfortunately, the weather forecast on television or on the Internet will never be 100% reliable. Especially when it comes to Thailand or any other country in the tropics. In addition, from the weather forecast you can get information about the temperature and possible precipitation, but you will not get information about the state of the waves at sea, the number of people resting on the beaches, etc. Only Krabi live webcams allow you to see how things are actually in the resorts and islands of this province. It is much easier and faster to see for yourself what you are interested in in real time than to read reviews and numerous weather forecasts.

How and when to watch Krabi webcams

To make live viewing of the most interesting locations of Krabi province more comfortable, all the cameras are placed on separate pages. It also allows you to speed up the loading of images from webcams and reduce the waiting time before playback starts. If you want to view a single Krabi webcam in real time, simply go to it using the link in the list of webcams below. And if you want to see each of the cameras, you can open any and then quickly open the next one in the list with one arrow above the camera playback window.

By tradition, under each of the cameras there is a description of the place where it is located. This description may be brief or more detailed, but in any case, after reading it, you will know exactly which beach, island or landmark you see on the screen in real time. Since the time in Thailand may differ from the time in your time zone, I advise you to pay attention to the timer, which is usually located at the bottom of the webcam playback window. In addition to the current time, there is also marked the current date in Thailand. During the maintenance of webcams, you may not be shown an online image, but a picture from the past.

Due to the fact that most Krabi webcams are located on the islands and beaches of this province, do not forget about the time of day in Thailand. Most beaches do not have bright night lighting, so don’t be surprised when you want to watch Krabi’s webcams at night, you’ll only see a black screen and perhaps a few distant lights from ships at sea. A more favorable situation with urban webcams in Krabi, but I am sure that they will not be as popular as the cameras overlooking the main attractions of the province. So bookmark the page and enjoy the best views of Krabi province in real time mode at the best time for this. Enjoy watching!

LIST OF THE BEST LIVE WEBCAMS KRABI (THAILAND)

Live webcam Phra Nang Beach (Krabi, Thailand)

Phra Nang Beach in Krabi province is often included in the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that the online webcam from this beach is very popular all over the world. Ao Phra Nang beach (Pranang beach) is located in the southern part of the Railay peninsula and is surrounded by high inaccessible cliffs. You can get here either by boat or along a narrow path from the nearby East Railay Beach (which can also be reached only by water). In addition to the high scenic cliffs on both sides of Phra Nang Beachh, you can see another rock in the sea, near the beach. It is this rock on Phra Nang Beach that is the main symbol of Krabi province in Thailand. In fact, there are even 2 rocks in the sea near Phra Nang Beach, but the distance between them is less than 10 meters, so from all points of the beach it seems that the rocks are interconnected.

Webcam in Maya Bay (Phi Phi Leh, Krabi)

This new webcam is located on the uninhabited Thai island of Phi Phi Ley (Phi Phi Leh), which is located in Krabi province. Thanks to this, we can see in real time one of the main attractions of this province and one of the symbols of all of Thailand – Maya Bay. This is an amazingly beautiful bay, which is a small lagoon with emerald colored water. High steep cliffs, partially covered with tropical greenery, surround Maya Bay from three sides and, thus, protect this bay from Andaman Sea waves. The bay received world fame after the release of the movie “The Beach”, in which Leonardo DiCaprio starred. This Krabi webcam on Phi Phi Leh is located almost on the beach of white sand, so we can admire this beautiful place at any time of the year.

The main beach of Poda Island – Krabi live webcam

This original webcam is located on one of the most beautiful islands of Krabi province – Koh Poda. The island is located about 7 kilometers from the mainland and the easiest way to get here by boat from the resort village of Ao Nang. Poda Island is one of the symbols of Thailand and another hallmark of Krabi province. Surely you have seen a lot of Thai photos, which depict a very beautiful white sand beach and a very high rock in the water off the coast. This is the landscape you can now see in real time with the help of a new webcam on the island of Poda in Thailand. Online camera is located in the northern part of the island, almost on the territory of a sandy beach. The sand here is so white that in the middle of a sunny day it can make the eyes a little blind.

Live webcam Krabi – the beach on the Poda island

The second webcam on the Koh Poda (or Poda Island) allows you to see one of the side beaches that are almost as beautiful as the main beach on the north shore. The only difference is that there is no that highest rock in the water, which makes the northern beach of the island of Poda so popular and world famous. On the other hand, there are far fewer tourists on this beach even at the height of the day, when numerous tourists come to the island of Poda from the mainland and other islands of Krabi province in Thailand. Another distinctive feature of all the beaches on the eastern and southeastern coast of the island of Poda is a smaller depth compared to the beach in the northern part. This is due to the presence of a coral reef, the size of which exceeds the size of the island.

Nopparat Thara Beach in Krabi – live webcam

With this webcam in the province of Krabi (Thailand) we can see Nopparat Thara beach in real time. This is the second most popular beach near the resort of Ao Nang, and its length is about 3 kilometers. This webcam is located in the northwestern part of Nopparat Thara beach, which is the most remote from the resort of Ao Nang. Getting here on foot from Ao Nang is more difficult, but there are many cheap hotels here. In addition, it is in this part Nopparat Tara beach is the most beautiful, because a group of small islands is located nearby. On weekends and holidays, not only tourists but also locals relax on the beach. As you can see with this webcam, Nopparat Tara beach, even during the high tourist season, is a very quiet place and there are not many tourists here.

Tha Pom Klong Song Nam – Krabi live webcam

Another Krabi province webcam is in a national park called Tha Pom Klong Song Nam. The main feature of this natural park is the original ecosystem, which for hundreds of years was formed under the influence of sea and fresh water. It is not by chance that the name of the national park is translated from Thai as “Channel of two waters”. You can visit this place, which is located about 20 kilometers north of Ao Nang resort in Krabi, or see one of the sections of the ecological trail using this webcam in real time. Since the national park is located in the area of ​​mangrove swamps on the coast of Krabi province, you can move there only by special wooden paths that are raised above the water level.

Krabi live webcam – Black Crab monument and Khao Khanap

The original Krabi webcam, which allows you to see three points of interest in real time. In this case, it is not about resort villages or islands of the province, but directly about the main city of the province – Krabi Town. The first two sights are man-made and you can see them in the near plan. These are big eagles on pillars and a giant black crab on the pedestal a little further. These sculptures symbolize the abundance of Krabi province, and numerous tourists are always trying to make a selfie photos for the memory on the background of beautiful sculptures. The monument to the black crab consists of one main figure and three additional ones. In the center is a huge black crab, and around it are three smaller crab.

P.S. More Krabi webcams will be added soon!

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Location of Penny’s Resort in Koh Chang

One of the main advantages of Penny’s Resort is its location on the first sea line. One important fact should be noted here: in all hotel search and reservation systems it is indicated that Penny’s Resort is located on White Sand beach (main and the most popular beach of the island). In reality, Penny’s Resort is located on the territory of Pearl beach, which has significant differences from almost all other beaches on the island. On a separate page “Pearl beach on Koh Chang” you can learn more about the features of this beach, its advantages and disadvantages and see photos and videos.

Location of Penny’s Resort on Pearl beach (Koh Chang)

The main island road is located about 350 meters in a straight line from the sea. If you getting from Koh Chang Pier to Penny’s Resort in a passenger pickup, you will pay THB 70 per person for delivery to the hotel door. This is the standard price for hotels in this area of ​​the island. To reach the road, you must exit the hotel and walk about 100 meters along the sea along the road and turn right. After 400 meters there will be the main island road and, very importantly, the Big-C supermarket. On the main road, you can easily stop a pick-up taxi and drive 50 THB per person to the White Sand Beach beach if necessary.

Review of Penny’s Resort (Koh Chang)

The entire territory of the hotel can be divided into two parts: to the right and left of the access road. On the right is the reception desk, an open-air restaurant overlooking the sea and the pool, bungalows around the pool. On the left side of the road is another group of bungalows with small terraces. There is you can find the rooms of the class Superior, where I lived. By the way, for me personally it was in some way a surprise that the more expensive superior rooms are located farther from the sea and the pool than standard bungalows with a lower price. There are also large family bungalows with higher prices near the pool.

Penny’s Resort pool and sea view

The territory of the hotel on the first line is not very big, but very picturesque. Already near Reception, you can admire Penny’s Resort’s blue swimming pool, which offers direct views of the Gulf of Thailand. As a result, the hotel looks much more expensive than it is in reality. As a rule, on Koh Chang almost all hotels with a swimming pool on the seashore are 4-5 star hotels with prices ranging from 60-100 USD per day (Penny’s Resort costs at least two times less).

Around the pool you will find a sufficient amount of plastic and modern wooden loungers. Also, lounge chairs, concrete tables and benches are located in the area behind the pool, next to the sea. The pool has a special non-deep compartment for children. The sea near the hotel is not very deep, but you need to go into the water carefully, there are slippery round stones. Stones are also found in water, but because of the very good transparency of the water, they are clearly visible from afar, especially in calm weather. Near the pool there is an outdoor shower.

Lunch for two at the Penny’s Resort (700 THB)

Penny’s Resort’s restaurant is located under the roof at the Reception counter and serves traditional Thai and European dishes. My girlfriend and me visited the restaurant once: the service is very good, nice view of the sea and the pool, everything was beautiful and tasty. Prices are not the lowest and it is cheaper to eat in ordinary cafes, but I advise you to visit at least once. For example, in the photo you can see our lunch for two (meals and drinks), for which 700 THB or 33 USD were paid (the amount includes small tips). About 100 meters from the hotel, right by the road, there is an inexpensive Thai cafe.

Penny’s Resort has rental motorbikes, which are mainly used by hotel guests. During our holiday, only 2 models were available – with a 110 and 125 cm cube engine. By tradition, I rented a Honda Click 125i. It was not exactly a new bike, but it was in good condition, although there were scratches and chips on the body. As in the case of a restaurant, the rental price of motorbikes is higher than at rental locations on the main island road. I rented a motorbike for 250 THB per day, a model with a 110 cm cube engine cost 200 THB per day. If you want to rent for more than 1-2 days, you can save money and easily find a new Honda Click 125i motorbike for 200 THB (if you are interested, write in the comments, i will advise the checked place). Parking for motorbikes is located near the reception, next to there is parking for cars.

Motorbikes in the parking lot at Penny’s Resort at night

Overview of Penny’s Resort’s Superior Rooms

Due to the low price, the hotel enjoys high popularity and for our dates only 1 superior room (Superior) was available, which I booked. Especially since before that we lived at the Keereeta Resort and Spa (link to my review), which was within walking distance from Penny’s Resort. As noted earlier, the superior rooms are located across the street from the Reception building and the restaurant (in fact, this is not a big public road, but way to the hotel, almost a dead end). To reach the bungalow, you should go along a beautiful path among trees, trimmed shrubs and flowers.

Each superior room has a private terrace with a wooden table and chairs. My friend and I used them for drying towels and swimming accessories, as well as for eating in the evening. We did not see mosquitoes, but on the walls there were quite a few small geckos that destroy all unwanted insects. Superior rooms have an area of 30 m² / 323 ft² (the standard ones are just a bit smaller – 28 m² / 301 ft²). Each terrace is equipped with individual lighting. Beautiful lighting is available in the entire hotel territory.

King size bed (Penny’s Resort Superior room)

In the superior rooms you will find a standard set of furniture: a comfortable king-size bed, a bedside table, a table and a chair near a large mirror, a built-in wardrobe with hangers. There was also a TV stand, in which a small refrigerator was installed, and a towel hanger. All rooms at Penny’s Resort are equipped with modern, quiet air-conditioning, and the windows have light-proof soft blinds. The bathroom has a modern plumbing and instantaneous water heater. At the same time, the shower zone is separated from the toilet by a high partition, which is not always the standard solution for Thailand.

Advantages and disadvantages of Penny’s Resort

Actually, I really enjoyed staying at Penny’s Resort. This hotel really looks more expensive than it really is. Very quiet and beautiful place, first line, beautiful swimming pool with panoramic sea views, well-groomed area, very polite staff with good knowledge of correct English, the possibility of renting a motorbike at the hotel, proximity to Big-C supermarkets and Tesco Lotus.

Penny’s Resort Superior Bungalows and area around

Among the shortcomings, I can point out the lack of a sandy beach (although for me this is not essential), the need to go to White Sand beach for entertainment (who is interested in bars), higher prices for food in the hotel restaurant compared to regular cafes and higher rental prices motorbike. By cons with some stretch can be attributed to the old TV with a small screen (not LCD). I can also note the lack of hard surface on the road to the hotel (last 20 meters), which is why you should move slowly and carefully on the motorbike. Of course, the last two drawbacks can already be eliminated at the time of your stay.

Summing up, I can confidently recommend Penny’s Resort Hotel for those who do not need noisy parties and a sandy beach within walking distance. Those. this place is more likely for those who come to enjoy peace and tranquility, to admire the beautiful sunsets and relax by the pool. And all the disadvantages are easily solved by renting a motorbike (it is possible at a hotel or any other place) and fast moving to shopping centers, sandy beaches, noisy bars and beach parties. To find the minimum cost of living in this hotel, I recommend using the smart Hotellook search (direct link to the hotel), where options from all popular booking systems (Booking, Agoda, ZenHotels, etc.) are presented. Enjoy your stay at Penny’s Resort Koh Chang!

P.S. A video review of the hotel will be added later.

 
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According to a ministry of health report, marijuana or cannabis have proven to be highly effective in treating and preventing a number of diseases and physical conditions of the body. In particular, marijuana helps in the treatment of epilepsy, muscle stiffness, peripheral neuropathy, etc. The legalization of medical marijuana in recent years has been observed in an increasing number of developed countries. Therefore, the Kingdom of Thailand is not going to be away from such a global and progressive process, while the NLA is going to take active measures for government control of cannabis after its reclassification into a medical drug.

Speaking at a press conference, Wicha Mahakun, who holds the position of head of the Anti-Corruption Fund of Thailand, outlined three conditions for the legalization of marijuana. First, it is required to pass a new law in the shortest possible time, which will cease to classify marijuana and kratom (a Thai plant with opioid properties and used in traditional medicine) as drugs, but will be recognized as a medicine, the circulation of which in the country will be under the control of the authorities. Secondly, it is necessary to create in advance an obstacle to the formation of a monopoly in the medical marijuana market. Thirdly, the new legislation should provide that not only cannabis extract can be used for medicinal purposes, but the whole plant as well.

To the question of all journalists: “Will the use of marijuana in Thailand for recreational purposes be legalized?”, the representatives of the National Assembly replied that this question could be considered later, but is not currently being considered. Thus, by the end of 2018 in Thailand it may be officially allowed to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, as has already been done in several other countries.

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Who might be interested in visiting Phimai Historical Park

A trip to Angkor Wat in Cambodia is a very popular excursion from Thailand. This excursion to the neighboring country is very interesting, usually takes several days, while it is expensive and a bit tedious. This is due to the long distance, the need to obtain a Cambodian visa at the border, a change of transport, etc. And for citizens of those countries who also need a visa to visit Thailand, the costs increase even more due to the need to pay for the re-entry permit stamp in Thailand or to issue a double entry visa. Therefore, a visit to the temple complex Phimai Historical Park in Thailand is a good alternative to a trip to Cambodia.

First of all, we are talking about big savings, because Phimai Historical Park is located in Thailand and you do not have to pay for a visa to a neighboring country. In addition, transportation within Thailand is several times cheaper than a trip to Cambodia. Yes, tickets to Phimai Historical Park are very cheap – 12 times cheaper than tickets to Angkor Wat. Of course, many, in any case, will want to see exactly the ancient Cambodian temples, try the “happy pizza” in Cambodia, etc. But if you are just bored with a vacation in Pattaya, there is a good opportunity to diversify your vacation and visit Phimai Historical Park in Isan – the northeast region of Thailand.

The territory of Phimai Historical Park is very beautiful and clean.

Location of Phimai Historical Park

The ancient temple complex Phimai Historical Park is located in the city of Phimai, which in turn is located in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima. This Thai province is the “gateway” to the large agricultural region – Isan, which differs significantly from the rest of Thailand with its cuisine, architecture and culture (other folk costumes, Isan dialect of Thai, etc.). Residents of northeastern provinces even differ from residents of central, northern, and southern Thailand with even darker skin. Therefore, a trip here to some extent is a trip to “another Thailand”. Virtually the entire Isan region is located on the Korat Plateau and have area more larger than England and Wales combined.

The center of the province of Nakhonratchasima (Nakhon Ratchasima) is the city of the same name, which was previously called Korat. By the way, this province is home to the Korat cat breed. These green-eyed cats with gray-blue fur symbolize wealth and success. Therefore, they are given to newlyweds and used in religious ceremonies by Buddhist monks. The distance from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima is 260 km, and from Pattaya – a little more than 320 km. The cost of a trip by minibus from Bangkok is 250 THB, and the journey time is only 3 hours. The schedule can be viewed at the link Bangkok – Nakhon Ratchasima (cheap buses at the bottom of the search results). Minibuses from Pattaya also cost 250 baht, and the journey time is 4 hours by minibus or 5 hours by a large intercity bus.

Nakhon Ratchasima to Phimai – way on the map

Phimai Town, which houses the Phimai Historical Park temple complex, is located about 60 km from Nakhon Ratchasima. Therefore, you should further use local transport from the bus terminal or use a taxi. Also, you can always rent a car in Thailand or rent a motorbike online. Personally, my friend and I used a motorbike to visit Phimai Historical Park, the journey time from Nakhon Ratchasima was about 1.5 hours. The roads in Thailand are very good, especially since most of the way to the city of Phimai runs along the one of largest highway in Thailand (road number 2), which connects Bangkok with Laos and runs through the entire north-eastern part of the country.

Above on the page is added a map with the route we traveled to Phimai Historical Park from Nakhon Ratchasima. As you can see, the path runs along the road number 2 (about 50 km) and another 10 km should be taken along the road number 206. The route is not difficult and difficult to get lost. Especially if you use Google Maps or other navigator. Of course, as always on the roads of Thailand, be careful, especially when you ride a motorbike near the trucks (it is important not to get into the “blind zone” of the truck driver. You should go backwards in the reverse order. During the way you have the opportunity to see rice fields where famous Jasmine rice is grown, which is exported from Thailand to many countries of the world.

Opening hours and ticket prices at Phimai Historical Park

Since the temple complex is open daily from 07:00 am to 6:00 pm, you can not worry too much about the fact that Phimai Historical Park can be closed during daylight hours. The exceptions are some national holidays in Thailand, when the opening hours of park can be limited. The entrance fee to the park is 100 THB per person (just over 3 USD or just over 2.5 Euro). If you visit Phimai Historical Park with a resident of Thailand, then you will have to pay only 20 THB for the entrance ticket. Near the entrance to the historical park there is a small parking. There is not much space, but you can park your motorbike without any problems. In this case, parking is free.

My review of Phimai Historical Park

Immediately, I note that I really liked this ancient temple complex. A trip to the city of Phimai was one of the most vivid impressions of my visit to the province of Nakhon Ratchasima. Among the advantages of this historic park can be noted a small number of visitors. This allows you to see all the temple buildings and the park in relative silence. A very interesting fact: during three days in the city of Nakhonratchasima, I saw only three foreigners and it was on my last evening there, at the bus terminal. But in the Phimai Historical Park there were more foreigners. There were both independent tourists and a small group of tour guides. I think that a temple complex with more zeal of local authorities may be interested in a much larger number of foreigners, most of whom are not even aware of this city.

If we talk about the state of the temple complex, then I have mixed impressions. It is evident that the Thais have already done a lot of work to restore the temples, but to give the buildings their original appearance will never work. At the same time, the complex of temples is very interesting for inspection. Personally, I was impressed by the symmetry with which temples and walls were built around them. The central tower, symbolizing the sacred Mount Meru in the center of the universe, is also well preserved. But the side towers are preserved worse, but one of them still gives an idea of ​​how the temple looked during the years of construction.

Main tower in Phimai Historical park (Nakhon Ratchasima)

The entrances and exits to most temples are strictly on one line, so you can walk from the beginning to the end of the temple complex in a straight line. But if you are a lover of architecture, you can explore the side corridors of the temples too. Inside the temples you will not find a large number of statues or other decorative ornaments. But carved columns and decorative stone carving are present. In general, each of the temples is similar to the next in size and architecture. Laterite (base) and sandstone (exterior) served as the main building materials for the temples. At the same time in the construction used sandstone of various kinds. While walking around the temples you can see that red sandstone is partially used. And the main sanctuary, in which there is a statue of the Buddha, is made of white sandstone.

On the territory of the temple complex Phimai Historical Park there are ponds and benches, beautiful trees and lawns. At the same time, beauty and order are everywhere; there was no rubbish during my visit. Below on the page a short video about my visit to the historical park at the end of November is added. The video starts from the moment you arrive at the temple complex, but if someone wants to see the way to Phimai Historical Park from Nakhon Ratchasima, you can play the video from the beginning.

At the end of this review, I want to note the fact that my friend and I had 1 hour to explore the temples. At the same time, about half an hour we just sat on the territory (first we ate fruit on the lawn under the tree, and at the end we just relaxed on the bench before returning to Nakhon Ratchasima. Phimai Historical Park is a very interesting place to visit, and if you have free time during rest time in Thailand, and the beaches or nightlife have already bored you a little, I advise you to visit the province of Nakhon Ratchasima and see with your own eyes an amazing and ancient temple complex – Phimai Historical Park. Enjoy your trip!

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CONTENTS OF ARTICLE ( links for quick navigation)

• Location of Unixx South Pattaya

• Common infrastructure of Unixx South Pattaya

• Review of one bedroom apartment in Unixx South Pattaya

• Review studio-room in Unixx South Pattaya

• Cost of living in Unixx South Pattaya (rental price)

• How to rent an apartment in Unixx South Pattaya cheaply or for free
  

• My impressions and conclusions

Location of Unixx South Pattaya

This is perhaps one of the main advantages of Unixx Condominium. As you can understand by the name of this residential complex, it is located in southern Pattaya. And if it is more exact – that in area near to the main pier of a resort – Bali Hai. If you were in Pattaya, you probably saw the Unixx Condo from a distance or close, because it is huge 45-story building and it’s simply not possible to see other such buildings there. The residential complex of Unixx South Pattaya is located about 10 minutes walk from the Bali Hai pier and the famous Walking Street, which also begins (or ends) next to the pier. This means that you can get to the pier on foot and save on taxi.

Also, the location of Unixx South Pattaya is convenient because one of the main routes of tuk-tuks in Pattaya passes nearby. If you need to get to the condominium in the daytime, you can drive almost to the entrance to the residential complex on a public tuk-tuk (songthaew), which rides south along Beach Road and Walking Street, and north from the Jomtien beach area. In my videos, I showed the place where you need to stop the transport in order to go as little as possible. At night or when you are interested in traveling in the opposite direction (from the condominium to the north or south of the resort), you need walk about 3 minutes to stop and on the road any passenger pickup that moves in the direction you need.

Location of Unixx South Pattaya on the map of the resort

At night with cheap transport the situation is a bit more complicated, but you can at least spend the night in nightclubs on Walking Street or play pool in the area of ​​this street, and after that it’s easy to get to your room This is especially true if you run out of pocket money and you can not use mototaxi or taxi in Pattaya. Of course, there are some nuances. For example, in the evening time on the road from the pier to the condominium there are many buses with Chinese tourists, who before that had fun in floating restaurants near the pier. And on the sides of the road are parked a lot of the same buses, and there are no sidewalks as such. In addition, after heavy rain, part of the street may be flooded. Especially often this happens in the trestle area.

On the other hand, it is not necessary to go the shortest way and you can always use the neighboring one, where road traffic is not so active and your path will be longer only for a few minutes. But it is better to use the services of mototaxi. This will cost from 60 baht during the day (from any area of ​​Walking Street) and not more than 100 THB at night. If you are not alone, but together, then the cost of day and night should not exceed 120 and 160 baht for two person. And for 200 baht you will be taken to the entrance door to the Unixx Condo from anywhere in central Pattaya (with a successful bid and from the north or Jomtien too). For example, I traveled from Unixx to Third Street in Pattaya for bye tickets to Koh Chang and paid for a trip in both directions 160 THB. Also at night from 7Eleven near the pier to the entrance door to the condo in just 30 THB.

Finally, i can not fail to mention the fact that all residents of Unixx Condo have the opportunity to get to the resort center for free. To do this, you can use a special passenger pickup truck, which is sent from Unixx strictly according to the schedule to the main shopping centers of the resort 5 times a day. Also, the great advantage of this condominium is its location next to the Pratamnak Hill. Firstly, it is the main green zone in the center of Pattaya. Secondly, this is an excellent place for morning or evening jogs (there is a special route around the hill). There is also an outdoor gym area (if you do not have enough of those that are available in the residential complex and are free for residents).

Transport schedule from Unixx South Pattaya

Thirdly, it is place of several important attractions in Pattaya – a viewing platform near the radio station and the Buddha Hill with a huge statue and a beautiful staircase. Finally, the location and height of the complex allow one to admire the main bay of Pattaya and the coast in South Pattaya from the rooms or from the viewing platforms of the condominium. But, perhaps, it is better to talk about this directly in the next chapter of my review of Unixx South Pattaya.

Common infrastructure of Unixx South Pattaya

Like any other modern multi-apartment residential complex with a private area, Unixx South Pattaya allows you to have a good rest even without having to visit the resort’s beaches (if you can replace the sea with a pool). There are just two large swimming pools with sun loungers. The main pool is located in the garden and has a good size for swimming, as well as several attractions. For example, in the pool there is a climbing wall (three ascents with varying degrees of difficulty), a water slide for children and adults and even a area with a Jacuzzi, which is generally uncommon for Pattaya. Also around the perimeter of the pool are water jets, which with a powerful water flow make an excellent back massage. And at night (after sunset) the pool has a beautiful multi-colored illumination.

The second pool is located above the ground level and is a quieter resting place. This does not mean that the main pool is overloaded with tenants. With these words, I just wanted to clarify that my girlfriend and I were the only visitors to the second pool, which also has good dimensions for swimming. Next to each pool there are showers and toilets, comfortable sun loungers and beautiful trees – palm trees and plumeria (they are also frangipani – trees practically without leaves, but with beautiful and very tasty smelling flowers that are the symbol of all Asia).

In the residential complex Unixx South Pattaya there is a well equipped gym with modern exercise equipment, a sauna, parking for private transport or rented, laundry on the fifth floor (not free, but inexpensive, self-service). There is a children’s playground with swings, stairs, sandpits, etc. You can use high-speed elevators Unixx South Pattaya only if you have a special magnetic card, which should be touch to the reader before selecting the floor you need. This, as well as 24-hour security and many video cameras guarantee the security of the tenant and guests of the residential complex. By the way, the employees of the condo are very polite and smiling. Especially memorable was the guard opening the door in his cap, each time giving a military greeting.

As I already wrote, Unixx South Pattaya is a very high residential complex, approximately 45 floors. At the same time on the 37th and 41st floors you can visit open observation platforms. It is not just a place to look down on the resort, but also full-fledged places for rest. And sky parks these places of rest were called not by chance. The territory is not too big, but there are natural lawns, trees, bushes and a gazebo with soft seat bags. I think, it is not even worth mentioning that some of the best species in all of Pattaya are opening from those viewing platforms. In this case, I personally liked the view from the observation deck on the 37th floor. From it opens the best view of the central bay in Pattaya. The spectacle is excellent at any time of the day!

Review of one bedroom apartment in Unixx South Pattaya

It so happened that I originally lived in an apartment on the 12th floor with one bedroom. In fact, this is a two-room apartment in which one of the living rooms is combined with the kitchen. Since the design of all studios and apartments can be completely different (thanks to Thai designers), it does not make sense to describe specific apartments. But the layout of all apartments with one bedroom is approximately the same and usually differs only in the location of the kitchen. Also, the layout can be not only the same as in my case, but also a mirror (when the bedroom is not to the right of the entrance, but to the left). Also, the dining area can be either separated by some decorative elements, or not.

In any case, one-bedroom apartments have enough space for living and sleeping several people. In my case, the bedroom had a large bed, and in the living room a soft leather sofa. The kitchen is equipped with a modern hob and microwave. A refrigerator and a large Toshiba TV are also available by default in each apartment. I really liked the spacious and bright bathroom. A neat washbasin with a ClickClack system, a comfortable toilet and a spacious shower enclosure with a normal and rain shower. Most of the one bedroom apartments have a private balcony with a table and chairs. There, on the balcony, the outdoor part of the air conditioning system is installed.

In my case, the indoor units of the air conditioner were installed both in the bedroom and in the studio and could work separately from each other. The bedroom has a built-in wardrobe with a safe. The window in the bedroom is smaller than in the studio room, where it is almost the entire wall from floor to ceiling. But the bed was very comfortable and wide. If you like to fall asleep under the sound of a TV, I want to note that in my case the second TV on the wall in the bedroom was not, but in a number of similar apartments it is available. Better to see once than hear a hundred times. Therefore, I propose to see a short video review of the apartment on the 12th floor (video playback will begin immediately with a review of the room).

Video overview of 1-bedroom apartment in Unixx South Pattaya

Review studio-room in Unixx South Pattaya

As the name implies, the second type of accommodation in Unixx South Pattaya involves accommodation in a regular studio – a living room with its own kitchen. In my case it was a studio room on the 34th floor with a similar view from the window, but thanks to the location of about 60 meters above, the view from the window was generally stunning. Especially since the bed is located next to the panoramic window on the whole wall and could if you want all day and all night to enjoy an excellent view of the Pattaya Bay and most of central and North Pattaya from high. Before settling in this studio, I was going to go to the observation deck at the radio station to do a time-lapse video of the sunset and dawn, but in the end it turned out to be done without getting out of bed.

As in the previous case, the room is equipped with a similar kitchen with a microwave and an induction hob, a kettle and a fridge. The room also had a table and two chairs, air conditioning and the same bathroom as in a one-bedroom apartment. Since there is only one room in the studio, a flat TV hangs directly on the wall in front of the bed. Perhaps the main disadvantage of the studio in comparison with the previous version of residence is the lack of a balcony where one could sit outdoors at a table and hang a swimming trunks or a wet towel. In some ways, the situation was corrected by a special clothes dryer, available in the studio. The condoninium has high-speed Internet (Wi-Fi), almost always free. Below is a video fragment with an overview of the studio apartment on the 34th floor.

Video overview of studio apartment in Unixx South Pattaya

(The video is mounted and will be added later)

Cost of living in Unixx South Pattaya (rental price)

Since most apartments and studios in the Unixx residential complex are owned by private individuals, the best way to rent a studio or an apartment with one or two bedrooms (such apartments also can be available) – is a using special rental services from the owners. Also a small number of apartments can be found on Booking.com, but there is a very early reservation and prices may be too high. If we talk about the average price for short-term rent, it is 20-30 USD per day for the whole apartment. Given that you can live there even three or four (in rooms with a separate bedroom), it turns out cheaper than a bad hostel per person. At the same time you get the opportunity to live in a very prestigious residential complex with swimming pools and almost in the center of Pattaya.

Not all apartments in Unixx have this view from the window, as it was in my cases. On the other hand, the view of Jomtien beach or Pratamnak hill with temples and a large Buddha statue is very interesting. And the cost of such apartments is often lower than the cost of apartments overlooking the central beach in Pattaya. After all, great photos can be made from viewing points on the roof! In the complex, a lot of apartments are rented and the cost of some exceeds 50-60 USD per day, but you will always find more affordable options, especially with early booking. And knowing some nuances and using the bonuses correctly, you can even live in Unixx South Pattaya almost for free.

How to rent an apartment in Unixx South Pattaya cheaply or for free

I booked an apartment and a studio in Unixx Condo with the help of AirBNB. Surely, many have heard about this service search and booking of housing from owners and, perhaps, already used the services of this authoritative international service. If you do not have an AirBNB registration, then I have good news. By registering with this link, you will receive a nice cash bonus on your first booking. Depending on the country, this amount is from 25 USD to 40 euros. In addition, after receiving the bonus, you can also invite friends and acquaintances and give them a similar bonus. And most importantly, you will receive bonuses for the first booking of your guests.

The amount of AirBNB bonus often changes in the direction of decrease, so I advise you not to lose time and make the registration as soon as possible. Bonuses accumulate on your bonus account, and you can live abroad paying for the apartments with this money. In the case of apartments with a separate bedroom, I did so, paying the first 4.5 days of accommodation bonus of $ 122. My first day in the studio-room, I also paid a bonus of $ 22, and for the remaining days I had to pay with my money. In December 2017, the cost of “my” studio was about 30 USD per day, but now thanks to high ratings the owner of the studio (Chinese woman) has increased the cost of living to 48 USD per day. When searching for apartments in Unixx Condo with AirBNB you can see that the price for similar rooms can vary greatly depending on the time of year and the owner of the accommodation.

The difference in the final price for a month rent and 27 nights

In addition, the feature of the service is the availability of discounts for long-term apartment rental. This makes a long lease much more profitable than a daily one. Discounts are often up to 25% for a stay of 7 days or more and up to 60% for a stay for a month. This allows you to stay for a week at a price of five days, and the payment of a month of residence is often more profitable than paying for 20 days or even 2 weeks. In addition, long-term accommodation allows you to reduce the total cost of living at the expense of cleaning fees. This item is often included in compulsory services and has a fixed cost for each owner, regardless of whether you rent for one day or for a month. In the picture for an example, two screenshots on which you can see how the size of the discount affects the cost of living. As a rule, the discount for a week is 10-25%. but still the amount per month (ie from 28 days and above) шт any case is less than rent for three weeks or even 27 days.

My impressions and conclusions

I really liked the Unixx South Pattaya condominium and it was one of my best placements at this resort. After I lived in ordinary hotels too, I lacked the degree of freedom that a separate apartment can provide. And I did not rent once again in this residential complex only for the reason that New Year holidays were approaching and there were no more vacant apartments at a price that was acceptable to me. When i will hoosing options for staying in Pattaya on the next trip to Thailand, I definitely consider the possibility of living in Unixx South Pattaya. The room with a separate bedroom seemed to me more convenient (because of the balcony, more richer equipment and other small things, but it depends more on the owner). On the other hand, when living alone or couple, even in the studio, there is enough space and I remember my travel to Pattaya not least thanks to the view from the window for a million dollars.

In other words, I come to the conclusion that ideally I would like to have a room with a separate bedroom (as more comfortable), but located closer to the top of the building and overlooking the central beach in Pattaya. And all this at a reasonable price up to 25-30 USD per day for a long stay. And my most important fear is that because of the large size of the condominium there will always be too many people, like at the station, did not come true. There was no queue at the elevators, there were enough sun loungers by the pools, etc. Of course, I want to live in other residential complexes with panoramic pools on the roof, but they are usually much more expensive and it will be a completely different story. I hope my review of Unixx South Pattaya with photos and videos was useful for you, as well as information on how to live in this residential complex of Pattaya with the maximum level of comfort at the lowest price. Have a nice rest!

The post Overview of the UNIXX South Pattaya Condominium first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

According to the Pattaya Police Department, foreign nationals will be fined 1,000 THB (about USD 31) for driving vehicles in Pattaya without the necessary documents. These documents include: a passport (or ID card), an international driver’s license (with the required category) and a national driving license. Clarifies that these documents are not just necessary to be available (for example, to lie in the hotel safe), but should be with you while driving a car or motobike. Thai citizens will also be fined if there is no driver’s license, but the amount of the penalty will be less and at the moment it is not yet definitively determined.

However, this is not all innovations. Vehicles (cars and motorbikes) will be confiscated on site and delivered to a special parking lot. In this case, the arrested vehicle can be returned only by the real owner (for example, a rental office). And the rental company will also pay a fine of 2000 THB. Of course, first of all, the new rules will lead to difficulties for the rental of motobikes, because it was difficult to rent a car without an appropriate driver’s license and before the introduction of new rules. At the same time, money in Thailand solves many issues and it is quite possible that rental offices will simply require an additional cash deposit (in the amount of 2000 THB) from every foreigner who wants to rent a car in Thailand or a motorbike without the necessary documents.

As a reason for the tightening of the rules, local authorities have called the ever-increasing number of accidents and road accidents in Pattaya, which are caused by tourists. It is foreigners without the necessary knowledge of local traffic rules and without practical experience that often become the culprits of an accident. In addition, there is information on the increase in the number of crimes that foreigners commit on vehicles rented in Pattaya. Thus, renting a vehicle in Pattaya will become more difficult for foreigners. And one more way out of this situation will be obtaining a Thai driver’s license, which a foreigner can receive even during temporary residence in Pattaya or in another city in Thailand.

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The new sand is already placed on a 100-meter stretch in the northern part of the Central beach in Pattaya and its color really quickly became bright under the influence of sunlight. Therefore, contractors promise to complete the renovation of the beach for three months – until the end of August 2018. Currently, sand from the island of Koh Rang Qian (it is located about 10 km west of Ko Lan) is delivered to the coast of the resort by special barges and is used as needed. By the way, you can see the central beach in Pattaya in real time with the help of one of the live webcams in Pattaya..

The width of the Сentral beach in Pattaya is constantly shrinking

The main reason why local authorities began to renovate the Central Beach is its gradual washing out by sea waves. To illustrate this process more clearly, it is enough to mention a few figures. In the middle of the last century, when Pattaya was not yet a popular resort, the width of the central beach of Pattaya was more than 35 meters. And in our days in many places the width of this same beach does not exceed 5 meters. If the authorities refused to reconstruct, then in about five years the beach would completely disappear.

In addition to directly placing new sand, special geotextile nets will be installed in the water area of ​​the beach, which will hold sand. If everything that has been planned will be implemented and the funding will be received in full, the central beach of Pattaya in the northern part will be increased to 35 meters in width. It is also planned to pour a 15-meter strip of sand along the beach below the water level. With positive experience, it is planned that a similar reconstruction in the future will be carried out in other parts of the beach in central Pattaya.

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How to get cheap from Phuket Town to the beaches of the island

Due to the fact that local authorities have not been able to defeat the “taxi mafia” of Phuket for many years, even after the military has come to power in the country, there is still no cheap public transport available for passengers on the island. Cheap to get to the beaches of Phuket from the city center can only be on the songthaew – large and very old buses of blue color. In general, by buses such transportation can be called with a stretch: in fact it is a truck with a separate cabin and a separate passenger compartment, in which along the sides there are two benches (often in the center there is one additional). There are no windows and doors in the passenger compartment, so there is no air conditioner.

During the trip, you can breathe fresh air (especially when the exhaust from the ancient motor of this transport blows the wind not in the direction of passengers). It’s good that there is a roof in the transport that protects against rain and sun. By the way, on the roof there is a special platform where large-sized luggage can be fixed. Appearance of such transport you can see in the photo below. Blue-colored buses travel along the routes between Phuket Town and the beaches of the island, and similar pink buses – between bus terminals No. 1 (old Phuket bus station) and No. 2 (Phuket’s new bus station).

Salon of a large blue bus from Phuket Town to Patong Beach

The real problem for budget travelers is that there is no cheap bus route between the beaches of Phuket. This means that it is cheap to get from Patong Beach to Karon or Kata Beach, only with a transfer to Phuket Town. Given the fact that the passenger buses in Phuket are not moving very fast (in order to collect more passengers), they make many stops on the route and depart from the final stops not exactly according to the schedule (every half hour), and when the minimum number of passengers is typed, the trip between the indicated ones beaches can take 2.5-3 hours. With the fact that by taxi or when renting a car in Phuket it can be done in 15-20 minutes, and even on foot you can walk faster than on such buses with a transfer in the city.

Big passenger songthaew from Phuket Town to the beaches of the island do not depart from any bus station, but from Ranong Road, which is located next to the Phuket Old City. Those, blue “buses” simply park along Ranong Street and wait for passengers. The main landmarks of the place from where cheap buses go to the beaches are Phuket Town Central Market and the Suriyadej Traffic Circled round area. It is this object or directly Ranong Street that I recommend to use in the navigator on the smartphone while searching for the bus departure point. As a rule, buses for each of the directions are parked in approximately the same places all thr time, so that they are easier to find for local residents and for tourists.

Place in Phuket Town for boarding to cheap buses to beaches

For example, the closest thing to the circular movement you will find is big blue bus to Kamala beach. And if you walk about 150 meters along this street, you will see a blue bus to Patong Beach. A little further will have to pass in order to find an inexpensive bus to the beaches of Karon and Kata. By the way, a good reference point for bus parking to Patong, Karon and Kata beaches is the 7Eleven store on Ranong Road. If you go from the side of the ring traffic, the store will be about 180 meters to the right (the store sign is placed high above the street level). On the left, there will be a sign of the Thai military bank (TMB), as shown in the screenshot.

If you have any problems finding the right bus – just ask the locals or the drivers of the other blue buses. Just do not ask taxi drivers who in their own interests can convince you that there are no cheap buses to the beaches. By the way, routes on most blue buses are written in Thai and are duplicated in English. The easiest way to see the name of the route is from the side in the roof area and on the windshield, but sometimes there is a sign at the back. Since the Blue Route Songthaew from Phuket Town is slow moving, the trip to the beaches rarely lasts less than an hour. Therefore, you can go to 7Eleven before the trip and buy some food and drinks for yourself.

Large blue bus to Patong Beach from Phuket Town (front view)

The fare on buses is often indicated on the sides of the vehicle and in the front of the passenger compartment, on the cab. The cost is fixed and does not depend on what distance you are going to drive. For example, a trip from Phuket Town to Patong Beach always costs 30 Thai Baht (THB), which is slightly less than 1 USD as of 2018. Payment can be made in several ways. Sometimes there is a conductor, who take the money immediately at the entrance. Sometimes the conductor collects the board during the stop already during the trip (for example, when bus left outside Phuket Town). Also, there are cases when the fare is collected directly by the driver during a stop in the middle of the route. If you need go out from transport, you need push to the special call in any part of the route. Only it is better not to do it during a steep climb on the serpentine.

How to get to the beaches of Phuket from bus stations # 1 and # 2

Almost all intercity buses in Thailand arrive at the new bus station of Phuket (Bus Terminal 2), which is located outside the city limits. Therefore, all those tourists who first arrive on the island by land transport are very surprised when they do not find direct cheap buses to the beaches. Of course, the easiest way is to take a taxi to the right beach right on the new bus station. But this is very expensive option. Therefore, there is a more complicated way, but it is much more budgetary. It consists in a trip to the beaches on those oldest blue bus-trucks. But the problem is that you still need to get to big buses, and do it on foot because of the long distance is very difficult, especially when the sun shines brightly or it rains, and you have a heavy backpack or suitcase.

Therefore, in cases where you want to save money or just like to travel colorful local life, I recommend the following option: get to the old bus station in Phuket (Bus Station 1 or Bus Terminal 1), and from there get to Ranong Road, where the parking of inexpensive buses to the beaches of Phuket. Perhaps you already searched on the Internet information about cheap transport between the bus stations of Phuket and you were recommended to use city blue passenger pickups, that drive along a wide street directly next to Bus Terminal 2 in Phuket. The fare on this transport is 20 THB. The option has the right to life, but there are some problems.

The road next to Bus Terminal 2, where you can wait for the city tuk-tuk for 20 baht

First, you most likely do not know the Thai language to read the name of the route or ask about the destination of the driver or other passengers. Secondly, such city pickups do not travel very often and you can get a sunstroke, until you wait for this transport. Personally, I at one time waited a very long time for a pickup truck on the road nearby new bus station and generally began to doubt that there are such. And when in 20 minutes I finally saw the right combination (and I need one that goes from right to left, if I stand with my back to Bus Terminal 2 in Phuket), there were no empty seats and I had to stay on the outer step. With one hand I held on to the rail, and the second tried to track the route in smartphone.

As a result, I had to leave the transport somewhere in the middle of the route to the old bus station, because I was not sure that I would get there at all until the parking of cheap buses to the beaches, and on the phone navigator saw that my pick-up turned to the side. Further I had to get to the destination through the Phuket Old town and vegetable markets. Maybe you are more lucky and you can immediately stop the necessary urban passenger pickup that will take you straight to Ranong Road or the old bus station, but just in case I described my adventures so that you had an idea of ​​the possible difficulties and chose a simpler option that I used during the trip in the opposite direction.

Pink city bus between bus terminals in Phuket Town

In order not to waste time waiting for the right passenger pickup on the road, I recommend using a pink bus directly to Bus Terminal 2. There are many buses and platforms at the new Phuket bus station, so do not waste time searching immediately and go to the platform number 12. Typically, there are waiting for the departure of 1-2 small pink buses that carry passengers between the old and new bus terminals. The appearance of buses you can see in the photo. As a rule, the fare is 15 THB and is paid to the conductor when boarding. The journey takes about 20-25 minutes, depending on the time of day and the traffic situation.

After reaching the bus terminal number 1, it remains to get to Ranong Road and make a landing in a large blue bus to the beach you want. The following is a fragment of the map of Phuket Town with the route between Bus Terminal 1 (the final point on the right) and the bus stop to the beaches of Phuket. As you can see, the distance is about 1300 meters, which you will pass in 15-20 minutes, depending on the weight of your things and traffic signals. The easiest way is to move most of the route along Phangnga Road (a long horizontal section on the map). This is not a very wide street, but with sidewalks and pedestrian crossings.

The route from the Phuket bus station 1 to the buses to the beaches of the island

If you plan leave Phuket by bus, you will also have to get to the new bus terminal (Bus Terminal 2) with a transfer in Phuket Town (if, of course, you want to save money). When traveling to Phuket Town from the beaches of the island, you will be disembarked from a large blue bus next to the Suriyadej Traffic Circled – a small square with a circular traffic, about which I wrote above. Next, you need to get to Bus Station 1 (Bus Terminal 1) and from there cheaply get to the new bus station number 2 and take a bus to Bangkok or another city in Thailand. By the way, in order to purchase a bus ticket in advance without visiting the bus station, I recommend using the international transportation service in Asia (I bought a ticket from Phuket to Bangkok).

Also I remind you that if you decide to get from Phuket airport to Phuket Town by bus, you will also be taken to Bus Station 1 (old bus station) for 90-100 THB (depending on the type of bus). Next, you will either need to use the variant described on this page with large blue buses to make cheap trips to popular beaches or use minibuses. Perhaps the second option will even be preferable in terms of comfort and speed, and the price is quite adequate – 50 THB per person in one direction. In this case, you do not need to waste time searching for bus parking, because air-conditioned minibuses are sent directly from the Bus Terminal 1 platform in Phuket.

Minibus between Phuket’s old bus station and Patong Beach

Minibuses depart every hour both ways. The first such bus leaves from the bus station at 07:00 in the morning, and the last – at 18:00. At the same time, the first minibus from Patong Beach leaves at 06:00 in the morning, and the last bus to Phuket Town at 17:00. Unfortunately, if you need not a Patong but another beach in Phuket, you will have to use a big blue bus. If you do not want to use such not very simple at first glance ways to get to the beaches of Phuket from Phuket Town, you can rent a car in Phuket or book a cpecial car transfer. The latter option is especially relevant when you arrive in Phuket in the evening or at night, when there is no cheap transport to the beaches at all.

I hope that the information on this page was useful for you and now you know how to get from Phuket Town to the beaches of the island and do it as quickly and cheaply as possible. A separate article will provide information on how to quickly get from Patong Beach to Phuket Town. I wish you pleasant and safe trips and rest in Phuket!

The post How to get from Phuket Town to Patong, Karon, Kata and other beaches first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

Lemongrass Hotel Patong – location and how to get

Hotel Lemongrass is located in the southern part of Patong. It does not belong to the category of hotels located on the first line from the beach, but there are very few such on Patong. The distance to the southern part of Patong Beach is about 800 meters from the hotel. This distance is easily overcome in less than 10 minutes. At the same time, a slight inclination of the relief allows you to reach the sea faster than back. If you use the navigator during your travels, you may need the satellite coordinates of Lemongrass Hotel Patong and the official address in Phuket: Sirirat Rd, Kathu, Amphoe Kathu, Chang Wat Phuket 83150.

7°52’52.28″N
98°17’38.52″E

In the above location there are several significant advantages. Firstly, a lot of infrastructure facilities are located nearby, and the prices for goods and services are lower than directly at the sea (more on this a little later). Secondly, the facade of the hotel overlooks the road, which you will use in any case, when driving to the most popular beaches of Phuket – Karon and Kata. And this means that you can save a lot of time and money for such trips. Thirdly, it is in the southern part of Patong that the final stop of cheap passengers songthaew is located, with which you can get to Phuket Town after eviction from the hotel or visit the large hypermarkets in the administrative center of the island.

If you need to get to the Lemongrass Hotel Patong from Phuket Airport, the easiest way is to take advantage of a special minibus from the airport (not the expensive local taxi), which will take you to Patong Beach for only 180-200 THB (about 6 USD). On a separate page, you can read more about how to get cheap from Phuket airport to popular beaches. Again, the advantage of the Lemongrass Hotel Patong in this situation is that it is located directly on the road that minibuses travel from Patong Beach to Karon and beyond. If you arrive at the airport at night, when there is no cheap transport, you can use the services of a car transfer (all conditions are stipulated in advance (in your language) and the driver meets you at the airport with a sign.The same way can be used also when you arrived to Krabi airport, but are going to rest to Phuket.

If you traveled to Phuket by land or by water, you will probably have to use either a local taxi (which is unreasonably expensive in Phuket), or use a slightly more complicated route with a transfer to Phuket Town. This way is very cheap, but it can cause some questions, because of ignorance of certain nuances. To prevent this from happening, I recommend you to read the information on the page “How to get from Phuket Town to the beaches of Phuket cheap”. Personally, I used the latter option, because I came to Phuket on an overnight bus from the province of Nakonratchasima and initially encountered some difficulties, which are not written on the Internet.

How to get to Lemongrass Hotel Patong, Phuket (area map clickable)

Sometimes buses from airport or from Phuket Town leave all passengers near the shopping center of Jungceylon. In this case, you will have to get to the hotel or on foot (for free), or use mototaxi (if you are without a big suitcase), or a classic taxi in Phuket (the most expensive option). Distance from the Lemongrass Hotel Patong to the main shopping center in the area of ​​Patong Beach – Jung Ceylon (aka Jungseylon) is about 1.8 km along the road, of which about 0.6 km is a circumvention of this shopping center. This means that on foot to get to the hotel from here it will take about 20 minutes. The route is marked on the map in red line.

The simplest way is to bypass the shopping center and get off at Phangmueang Street. This is the third and last large street that goes parallel to the sea (hereinafter only a strip of residential areas and mountains). After walking along the street for about 15 minutes, you will see the hotel Lemnorgras on the right. He will be in the second building behind a large intersection with a traffic light, after which the street Phangmueang goes to Sirirat Rd. The landmark of this six-story hotel with balconies on the facade and with a bar-restaurant on the ground floor can be its sign – green letters Lemongrass above the entrance (at night the sign glows bright neon light). And after going a little further, in the same building, you will find the online store Family Mart (to the left of the hotel in the photo). At the entrance to the hotel there are many plants in tubs, including aromatic herb lemongrass – a popular condiment and tea in Asia.

Facade of Lemongrass Hotel Patong in Phuket (Thailand)

Moving from the shopping center of Jungceylon (which also houses the Big-C Extra supermarket) during the day, it is better to stick to the right side of the street. So you will be partially protected from sunlight and will be able to mark for yourself points with inexpensive Thai massage and a cafe with normal prices (not only thaifood). An alternative route from the Jungseylon shopping center is a walk along Patong Beach to its southern tip. To do this, you need that from shopping center to go down to the beach (about 400 meters), then walk along the embankment about 900 meters and at a small roundabout turn left and walk about 800 meters to the hotel. The route is marked on the map in blue.

Overview of Lemongrass Hotel Patong – Standard and Superior Rooms

In the hotel Lemongrass in Phuket, only 16 rooms, so it can not be called a major – buses with crowds of bustling tourists will not be here. The main guests are individual travelers who prefer comfort for reasonable money. Reception is located to the left of the entrance to the hotel, and the bar is on the right. On the perimeter and near the entrance to the building there are tables, and in the central part there are comfortable sofas where you can relax a little. The process of settling into a room is very fast. The form only requires you to write an e-mail address and sign. Plus, the hotel employee will make a photocopy of your passport. By the way, the staff is very friendly and welcoming. During the eviction, I was helped to print a ticket reservation for a bus to Bangkok (I ordered an inexpensive VIP bus through a service of transport in Asia).

You can go to your room either on the stairs or in the cockpit of a modern but not very fast elevator. Initially, in the booking process, I indicated in the preferences “No smoking room” and “High floor”, so I was settled on the fifth floor in the Deluxe room (in some booking systems the room is classified as Superior). At a price it was somewhat more expensive than the rooms of the Standard class, but at the same time had the advantage of a window on the whole wall with a view of the mountains and the balcony. The interior of the hotel is made in Thai style, everything was clean and stylish. Pleasantly pleased with a very wide bed with a wooden decoration, colorful night lamps by the bed and dark wooden furniture.

A distinctive feature of the improved room of the Lemongrass Hotel Patong was a bathroom with a transparent glass partition, which can be closed with a curtain (to the right of the bed in the photo). In my room 502 in the bathroom were installed dispensers with shower gel and shampoo, there was a shower cap. The bed is really wide, the bed linen is beautiful and clean, the pillows are comfortable. The room has amenities such as hairdryer, TV, small refrigerator, wardrobe with normal hangers, quiet air conditioning, mirror, lots of electrical outlets. Separately, I want to note the presence of an electric kettle and bags with tea, instant coffee and sugar for free. Of course, the room had clean glasses for water and cups. A small overview can be seen in the video below (when you start the video you will immediately start to look at the Deluxe Room at Lemongrass Hotel Patong.

Overview of the Superior Room # 502 at the Lemongrass Hotel (Phuket)

(video review is mounted)

In order not to repeat, almost everything written above applies to the room 504, to which I moved to later and which belongs to the “Standard” class. The main differences are that the standard room has a smaller area (minus 20-25%). The bed in the standard room also has a smaller width, and the layout of the room is completely different. The most important difference of the standard room was the absence of a window and a balcony. In other things it was all the same stylish room in Thai style. And the size of the bathroom in the standard room was even greater than in the superior hotel room. In addition, instead of stationary dispensers of gel and shampoo, small branded bottles were provided. As in the case with the improved number, there was a kettle with a set of tea and coffee and two bottles of drinking water of 0.5 liters.

Both rooms of Lemongrass Hotel Patong were very cozy and comfortable and it was a pleasure to live in them. In this case, each of the rooms has its advantages and some disadvantages. For example, someone may not like a little noise from the road or from the rain in a room with a window, but it’s hard to argue that the view from such hotel room to the mountains is very beautiful. Standard room is quieter and external sounds in the room almost do not penetrate. But if you want to see the weather in Phuket live, you will have to go down to the first floor and go outside. Or open a website with Phuket webcams in real time and find a camera from the beach you are interested in in Phuket. A video review of the standard Lemongrass Hotel Patong can be found in the video below.

Overview of the Standart Room # 504 at the Lemongrass Hotel (Phuket)

(video review is mounted)

Infrastructure next door to Lemongrass Hotel Patong

I already mentioned in this review that the hotel is located very well. Nearby there is a large number of massage parlors, cafes, restaurants of various cuisines around the world, motorbike rental offices with a large selection of motobikes for rent in Phuket and a lot of tour desks. In front of the hotel there is a small parking lot for motobikes, which I used without problems. By the way, I did not manage to rent motobike in Phuket online without a passport guarantee, because this must be done at least three days before arrival on the island. In the area of ​​the hotel there is a large number of exchangers where you can change your currency (USD, Euro, etc.) to THB (Thai baht). At the same time, exchange rates can differ, so it’s better not to change in the first exchanger, but to look at exchange rates in several and choose the most profitable for you.

One of the main advantages of the Lemongrass Hotel Patong is the nearby Malin Plaza market. First of all, it is a food market and a seafood market, but in the back there is a good selection of inexpensive clothes, shoes, suitcases, swimsuits and other things that can be useful during a holiday in Thailand. If we talk about the prices of ready-made meals, they really pleased me. It was here that I found traditional pancakes with a banana for 40 THB (this price is standard for Pattaya or Bangkok, but low for Phuket), french fries, barbecue from various types of meat and fish, fruits, vegetables, fruit cocktails, etc.

I liked big deep-fried shrimps, and even in the Malin Plaza market you can find a barbecue made from crocodile meat at a price of just 60 THB (less than 2 USD). I recommend you try it, it’s very tasty. Finally, if you are a fan of fresh fish, then you can independently choose any fresh fish from the counter and it will be cooked right before your eyes. A small video review of this market and the cost of popular dishes can be viewed on a separate page. Also close to the hotel are the most popular in Thailand network stores Family Mart (in the same building as the hotel) and 7Eleven (about 100 meters south from the hotel Lemongrass).

The cost of living in Lemongrass Hotel Patong

Like many other hotels in Thailand, Lemongrass Hotel Patong is among the hotels that are advantageous to book through the Internet, and not be populated at the reception without prior booking. I personally came across the fact that the cost on the Internet was significantly lower than at the reception desk. Unfortunately, I had an unpleasant situation with a bank card and I had to block it. As a result, the cost of a standard room when paying at the hotel was higher than the price of an improved room when booking online. Also, I noticed that the cost of rooms in the Lemongrass Hotel Patong hotel may differ when using different hotel reservation systems. Therefore, I recommend checking the current prices for accommodation right in all popular reservation systems using the widget located on the page of this hotel or use hotels search engine with best prices.

The second distinctive feature of the cost of living in a hotel is seasonality. For example, at the beginning of the high season (end of November) I paid about 1000 THB per night. If you check the price of the rooms of the hotel Lemongrass as of April, then you can notice a significant difference in price. The screenshots below show the cost of the hotel per day when booking approximately one week before arrival. This is the price of an improved room with free cancellation (!) And payment upon check-in at the hotel. Those. Comparing the facts, it can be noted that the cost of living at the beginning of a hot season (even during the Thai New Year holidays) is almost two times lower than I paid during the high season. But earlier booking also allows you to save, because the cost of accommodation at the end of November when booking in April is 720 THB for a standard room and 855 THB for an improved room.

During my long trip to Thailand in November-December 2017, I lived in various hotels. At the same time Lemongrass Hotel Patong without any doubt, I can recommend to all those who prefer to relax comfortably and inexpensively. I think this hotel is a good choice for those who prefer to live in Phuket nearby Patong night life district, and in the daytime prefers to visit the cleaner and more beautiful beaches of the island, which are easy affordable if you use a rented motobike or car rental in Phuket. If for you the cleanliness of the beach is not important and you are ready to spend all time on Patong and at the same time you are going to have fun every evening in the area of ​​clubs and discos on Bangla Road, you can find other accommodation options in Phuket – near the places of noisy parties and to the beach Patong. Have a nice and comfortable stay in Phuket!

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The new Bangkok-Bang Plu Ta Luang train (the name of the final railway station in the Sattahip area) will carry passengers in a test mode for six months – from March 17 to the end of September 2018. In the future, a conclusion will be made about the expediency of this railway route. Unfortunately, at the first stage this train is a “weekend train” and will carry passengers only on Saturday and Sunday. Currently, the train timetable is the following: departure from Bangkok at 06:45 am, and the train should arrive at 09:50 on the final station Ban Plu Ta Luang. The return journey begins at 15:50 to arrive at 18:55 at the central Hua Lamphong railway station in Bangkok.

The fare on the train between the first and last stations is 170 THB one way. At the same time the train is equipped with air conditioning, but it is not a express train. Therefore, while the train is moving between Bangkok and Ban Plu Ta Luang, there are several stops. However, such stops are justified, because they are located in the area popular facilities for foreign tourists and local residents. For example, the train stops at Si Racha (where a famous tiger zoo is located), in North Pattaya, in the vicinity of Nong Nooch Park and Pattaya Floating Market, in Wat Yan Sang Wararam (the famous temple of Wat Yan). At the indicated stops of the train passengers, an inexpensive public transport will already be waiting, which will deliver directly to the nearest attractions and to the train departing station in the opposite direction.

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It is assumed that the fee for visiting Koh Larn will be charged from every tourist who has arrived to the island. All the funds raised in this way will be used to improve the infrastructure and clean up Ko Larn from the heaps of rubbish that remain after a daily visit to the island by thousands of tourists. A few years ago, when the number of daily tourists on Koh Larn was much smaller, most of the garbage was exported to the mainland for recycling. At the present time in the central part of the island a large garbage dump is organized, which is rapidly expanding and spreading unpleasant smells. If you already visited the island of Koh Larn and used public transport for a trip from Naban Pier to Samaye Beach or Thien Beach , you could saw this landfill and could feel an unpleasant smell.

Garbage dump on the island of Koh Larn – a source of unpleasant odors in the center of the island

Representatives of the Pattaya City Council intend to levy from 20 to 100 THB a person per visit to Koh Larn. This is the amount of fees for visiting a number of islands in the southern part of the country, located in the waters of the Andaman Sea. But in this issue there are some nuances that distinguish Ko Larn from other islands of the country with a paid visit. The islands of Phi Phi, the Similan Islands, the island of Poda and a number of other islands are national parks, while the island of Ko Larn does not have this status. Therefore, there is an opinion that charging for visiting Koh Larn will have a negative impact on attracting tourists to Pattaya, because the city beaches are far from ideal and only on Ko Larn island you can find clean beaches with perfectly clear and transparent water. In particular, the Mayor of Pattaya adheres to this opinion.

As a result of the last discussion, it was decided to form an ad hoc committee, which will study the issue in depth. Based on the received data, it will be correctly concluded, that will have a more detrimental effect for tourism: charging fees for visiting Koh Larn Island or further deterioration of the ecological situation on the island due to the inability to recycle all debris and interruptions to water supply. If in the end the fee for visiting the island is established, Ko Larn will cease to depend on the city budget of Pattaya and will become almost self-sustaining. What do you think about the fee for visiting Koh Larn? Write your thoughts on this in the comments.

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CONTENTS OF ARTICLE ( you can click on the link for quick transition)

• How not to burn skin in the sun in Thailand

• What includes the right tan in Thailand

• What to do when you got sunburn in Thailand

How not to burn skin in the sun in Thailand

The main danger of the sun in Thailand is that its activity in the country is so high that almost any time of the year you can get serious sunburn even during cloudy weather and rainy season in Thailand. Many of the tourists believe that the sun hidden behind the clouds is not at all dangerous for them and they stop using sunscreen even if they always use it during beach trips. This is the main mistake: ultraviolet rays easily penetrate through the clouds, so you can burn your skin almost as much as in sunny weather, especially near water.

The following recommendations for the right tan in Thailand are especially important to follow, immediately after you arrive in the country, especially if you have been sunbathing almost a year ago or less, but your skin is white enough and poorly protected from the sun. When you stay in Thailand, you should always use sunscreen with the degree of protection that is recommended for your skin type and condition of sunburn. People with very light skin should initially use protective creams or sprays with a higher degree of protection, for example, 50+. And vice versa: people with dark skin or light skin, which is well preserved tan from the previous rest, you can use the means for protection from the sun with a degree of protection of not less than 20+.

Many tourists after a few days of rest in Thailand with the use of sunscreens notice that their tan is not as good as those who rest on the neighboring sun loungers. As a rule, as a result, a crazy thought appears in the brain: “If I will continue use protective creams, until the end of thai rest I will not get the required degree of sunburn and return home pale.” As a result, many completely refuse the creams and as a result, by the evening they discover that their skin is unpleasantly reddened, and even light touches to it cause painful sensations.

Do not spend a lot of hours on the beach during the first days of holiday in Thailand

In reality, you just have to accept the fact that maybe your skin will never become the same color as the skin of tourists from Italy, Spain and the United States. Therefore, instead of sunbathing, it is better to find for yourself a good sunscreen with the effect of enhancing the tan, which at the same time protects you from the harmful effects of sunlight and will sooner achieve a smooth and beautiful sunburn. In order to tan in Thailand correctly, you need to apply the cream on the skin about half an hour before going out, but in any case, it’s better late, than never.

All owners of light skin should remember that the optimal time for sunburn for them is till 10:00 in the morning and from 15:00 until sunset in the evening. This time period also better to choose for tanning in general for all those who want to get tan after a long break, regardless of the type of skin. However, such a schedule is difficult to observe, resting in Pattaya and getting from Pattaya to Koh Larn by the ferry or boat just in time, when the sun becomes too active and leaving the island soon after solar activity becomes optimal for sunburn.

In this situation, you should be careful not to be exposed to sunlight for 5-6 hours in a row. It is better to take sunbaths dosed, for example, being in the sun for 15 minutes and resting in the shade after this for at least half an hour. In this case, the shadow should be normal, and not a beach umbrella on the first line from the sea, where you are also exposed to sun rays (not direct ones, but reflected ones). Do not forget that after bathing in the sea, sunscreen should be applied repeatedly, even if the instructions to it say that the cream is not washed off with water. In the following days, the time spent in the sun can be gradually increased.

The fastest skin burn from the sun can be obtained near the water

If you relax on one of the islands of the country or on the city beaches of Pattaya, sunbathing in Thailand is correctly somewhat easier. It is better to spend several hours with maximum sun activity in your hotel or to do shopping at this time, good in Phuket and in Pattaya for this all conditions are created, and after lunch again return to the beach. The most extreme option – in the early days not to visit beaches at all, but to take short sunbaths by the pool at the hotel. The truth is not always in the hotel can be a swimming pool, especially if you have independently booked a hotel in Thailand and your budget is limited.

In addition, many people, including myself, will never agree to the replacement of the sea by the pool, no matter how good it is. But I personally know people who rested in Pattaya for 12 days and only twice visited the beach, and all the rest of the time they rest near the pool at the hotel. Wherever you are sunbathing, always drink as much liquid as possible. Just do not take an example from the Thais themselves, which add a large amount of ice to Thailand’s soft drinks: lying on a bed for a couple of days with a sore throat and fever is no less unpleasant than with sunburn.

What includes the right tan in Thailand

The right tan in Thailand includes not only protecting the skin from burns. Always remember that your hair also needs protection, because the scorching Thai sun spoils them, making them dry and brittle. To protect your hair, use a hat, bandana or cap that can simultaneously be stylish beach accessories. In addition, recently a lot of lines of special cosmetics for hair with UV-filters appeared, which, according to the manufacturers, also protect hair from sunlight. Also take care of your own lips: the usual hygienic lipstick should save them from cracking.

The right tan in Thailand includes eye and hair protection

All owners of the eyes of light colors (blue, green, blue or gray) should take care of their protection from sunlight. In this case, one should not expect that the glasses purchased for $ 5 will reliably protect your eyes from the bright Thai sun. Vision is the most important and most valuable of all the senses, so saving on your own eyes is more expensive. I advise you to buy special glasses with UV-filters, as evidenced by a special marking applied directly to the glass or to the arches of such glasses. If you are the owner of dark eyes, then in this matter you were more lucky, because they are much less susceptible to the sun.

Sunbathing in Thailand is right, when you uses certain foods that help preserve moisture in the skin and improve its color when sunbathing. First of all, we are talking about the use of citrus fruits and juices from these fruits, as well as other fruits of Thailand and vegetables with a high content of vitamin C. Only not the juices that are sold everywhere in Thai stores in the form of nectars and reconstituted from juice concentrates with chemical additives, but freshly squeezed, preferably directly with you.

A good remedy for dehydration is lime juice, a small amount of which can be added to ordinary drinking water. Earlier, I repeatedly read that the substances contained in beer contribute to a more beautiful shade of tan and generally accelerate it. Really I not sure in it, but i know that sometimes t is very difficult to refusefrom a bottle of cold Thai beer of on the beach, although beer speeds up the withdrawal of liquid from the body.

To take sun baths in Thailand correctly and get a beautiful tan, you should abandon the classic felting on beach beds, because even a constant change of position does not guarantee that the tan will lie flat on all parts of the body. The best choice will be to participate in active beach activities – playing with the ball, with a plate, or just a long run on the beach, preferably morning and evening. In other words, you must constantly be in motion and watch that your body is not facing the sun with only one side.

What to do when you got sunburn in Thailand

Compliance with the above rules will allow you to get tan in Thailand correctly, but if the trouble for any reason has occurred and youк skin was burned, you must immediately take a number of steps that will eliminate the effects of sunburn as soon as possible and reduce pain. If there is a suspicion of sunburn, you need to hide from the sun as soon as possible and take a cold, fresh shower, carefully washing off the sea salt from the burnt skin.

Wrong tan in Thailand leads to redness of skin and pain

Many tourists after receiving sunburn mistakenly believe that being in seawater in shallow water facilitates their position. In reality, this is not entirely true, because the skin is a universal human shell that protects it from most bacteria and viruses, and damage to the skin, this protective barrier, can lead to the fact that any dangerous infection can enter the body. Therefore, no matter how sad it may sound, it’s better to refuse from further sunbathing and beach entertainment in general for a few days.

In the article “What medicines to take to Thailand,” I already wrote that Panthenol is an effective and proven remedy for burns, which are available in several forms and allow accelerating the process of skin regeneration after burns. Aloe vera gel also has a good effect, which in Thailand can be purchased almost everywhere, from small shops to large supermarkets and markets. This gel also contributes to the early regeneration of the skin, and also creates a pleasant cooling effect, which significantly reduces the pain from sunburn.

Finally, you can use to rub the body with natural coconut oil in Thailand, which generally has many useful properties. By the way, you can use coconut oil in the process of sunbathing, because it promotes a more even tan and a beautiful shade of tanned skin. Just remember that the protective properties of coconut oil do not allow you to completely do without the use of sunscreen, although such recommendations can be found on some sites for tourists.

Aloe vera gel and natural coconut oil will reduce pain after sunburn

If the resulting sunburn is not so strong that any touch to the skin causes a strong attack of pain, it makes sense to order a special massage in one of the Thai massage parlors, which is called “After sun” massage. This massage is based on gentle rubbing into the skin of special gels that relieve pain and moisturize it. While in the hotel, you can apply a towel, soaked in cold, fresh water, to the burnt areas of the body. What can not be done with burns, it is to use alcohol-containing solutions, including cosmetic products made with the use of alcohol.

After receiving abundant sunburn by the evening, most people get fever, and many begin to shiver. In this case, you must take an effective antipyretic. In any case, even when there is no fever, use as many liquids as possible for burns. Timely and proper care for the scorched skin will allow the next day to get rid of most of the painful sensations. Most likely, the skin will begin to climb, but you should still have time to improve your tan and i hope later you will sunbathe in Thailand correctly.

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In particular, instead of the immigration form No. 6, which has been used for many years, electronic data of passport of foreigners and biometric data will be used. To do this, all checkpoints will be equipped with new passport scanners and fingerprint scanners. This will allow in live mode bring in a common database of all foreigners at the time of their arrival in the country and monitor the implementation of immigration legislation (term stay in the country, the visa, etc.). The Thai authorities understand that control only at the borders does not allow to fully control the presence of foreigners in the country. For example, there are data that at the beginning of 2018 there are approximately 8,000 foreigners illegally in the country and their identification among law-abiding tourists is a difficult matter.

Therefore, on the initiative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a new procedure for informing about the accommodation of foreigners in hotels, guest houses, apartments, etc. will operate. Owners (or employees) of these establishments will be required to store and transfer data about customers to the nearest immigration office or police station. Later these data will be entered in the common base of foreigners in the country. Thus, the relevant authorities will be able to quickly find individuals who have violated migration laws and do not want to leave Thailand after the visa or stamp has expired for a temporary stay in the country. Surely, the new rules will not be able to find all the violators of the country’s migration legislation without exception, however, the new order will obviously complicate the lives of the latter – it will significantly reduce the number of safe places and ultimately lead to deportation and large fines for overstay in Thailand.

It is to be hoped that such total control over foreigners will really allow to make rest in Thailand even safer and will not lead to negative consequences. Also, it remains unclear how the new legislation will be respected by the owners of houses and apartments in Thai resorts, where we can rent accommodation through a popular service with bonuses AirBNB or other similar services.

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Keereeta Resort & Spa – location and how to get

In most hotel reservation systems, Keereeta Resort & Spa is listed as a hotel located in the area of ​​the most popular beach on the island of Koh Chang – White Sand beach. In fact (and this is very clearly seen on the island map), the Keereeta Resort hotel is located in the Pearl beach area. This small beach is located next to the White Sand beach, but not in walking distance. Also I want to note at once that the location of the hotel on maps in reservation systems can be indicated not true. If you are driving from the White Sand beach (from the north to the south), the Keereeta Resort & Spa is located to the right of the main island road, i.e. on the side of the sea, and not across the road.

To get from the main island pier to Koh Chang to Keereeta Resort & Spa it is possible on ordinary island taxis (passenger pick-ups), which dial passengers right at the exit from the pier. The standard cost of the trip from the pier to the hotel of Keereeta Resort is 70 THB (just over 2 USD per person). You can immediately warn the driver by telling him the name of the hotel, or say that you will use the call to stop. Due to the fact that a passenger pick-up along the way can turn from the main road to the alleys to deliver your fellow travelers to their hotel, the exact time on the way is difficult to say. But it time it should not take more than 20-25 minutes.

The location of the Keereeta Resort and Spa (Koh Chang)

Your main landmarks near the hotel are two supermarkets. On the right side from road will be Tesco Lotus, and after about 200 meters and directly hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa. The facade is located slightly further from the road, the guide can be a dark green hotel sign. Almost across the road from the Keereeta Resort & Spa (50 meters away) is my favorite Thai supermarket, Big C (on the hill, to the left of the road).

Hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa is not located on the first line from the sea and has no own beach. Initially, this may seem like a flaw, but in reality there is no problem. Near the hotel there is an asphalted road towards the sea, along which it is very easy to walk to the beach in 5 minutes. Here it should be noted that the beach Pearl Beach is very clear water, but the beach itself is not very good for swimming, because it is not sandy, but rocky. Therefore it is better to visit other beaches of the island of Koh Chang for swimming, especially the White Sand beach is almost there. But for a walk Pearl Beach a nice place (see the video on the link). This is a very quiet place and there are few tourists – everyone swims in the hotel pools. Beautiful round stones rattling underfoot while walking, there are shady trees, and in the northern part of the beach there are picturesque rocks in the water, from which an unusually beautiful panorama of Koh Chang Island opens (see photo). Particularly beautiful is the place at sunset.

If you rent a motobike, then the road to the central part of White Sand beach takes about 4-5 minutes. The same time is required for a trip from the Keereeta Resort & Spa to the specified beach by taxi. Speaking about the cost of the trip, the drivers of the local taxi (passenger pickup) want from 40 to 50 THB per person per trip in one direction. This is not very cheap when compared to the prices for transport in Pattaya, but several times cheaper than a taxi in Phuket. Of course, if possible, it is better to rent a motorbike, because you can save a lot of money, and with using to motobike you can visit all the observation platforms of the island and the best beaches. By the way, now you can rent motobike on Koh Chang online – at a good price and even without a passport security deposit (you need a copy + a small cash deposit).

Keereeta Resort & Spa – Hotel description

The main distinguishing feature of the boutique hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa is a small number of rooms, their size and original design. Despite the small territory, the hotel is very cozy atmosphere. At the same time, many expensive 4-5 star hotels can envy the spacious pool of the Keereeta Resort & Spa. The reception desk is located directly from the entrance to the hotel grounds, behind the stone gates near the road, and the rooms themselves – in the buildings around the pool. Most rooms of the hotel belong to the class “Deluxe” and have access to the pool or view from the private balcony to the pool. The rooms are very spacious and have an original design. Since this is a boutique hotel, Keereeta Resort & Spa does not have the same rooms and I can only describe the room in which I personally stayed.

My room was on the second floor, in a building by the road. On the way to the territory you should pass by a decorative pond with large live fish. It is necessary to climb up the stone stairs, entrance to the room through wooden sliding doors. The room has a balcony with a beautiful view of the hotel’s swimming pool. The balcony has a wooden table and chairs. Also from the balcony you can see the sea at some distance. The room has designer wooden furniture (wardrobes, table, wooden steps), mattresses for sitting on the floor, a large mirror in a wicker frame, a spacious bathroom with an original bath of dark wood (I think it is more suitable for showering than for bathing) . As it should be in every 3 star hotel, the room has air conditioning, a fridge and a TV. Other rooms of the hotel have beautiful wicker furniture.

Short video review of the hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa

(video will be added later)

Advantages and disadvantages of Keereeta Resort & Spa

The undoubted advantage of Keereeta Resort & Spa is the low cost of deluxe rooms compared to other hotels. On my dates in the given price category, there were no other three-star hotels, with high rating and with a swimming pool. Pleased with spacious rooms (other rooms i saw only in the photo) and the original design (basically everything is made of natural materials: wood, stone). Also very original bathrooms look like with a stone wall, an artificial waterfall and a wooden bath. The advantages include also a small number of rooms in the hotel and a very large swimming pool (3 times more than the pool in a good hotel At Mind Executive Suites in Bangkok, where I lived earlier and in which there are dozens of times more rooms). Despite the fact that there is no sandy beach nearby, there will not be any problems with bathing, because the Keereeta Resort hotel has good transport accessibility (the hotel is right at the main road) and can be reached by an island taxi to any beach in Koh Chang.

The territory at the Keereeta Resort and Spa after sunset

Near the hotel (along the road) there are small cafes where you can order your favorite Thai (and European) cuisine for on-site eating or for take your food away to hotel. And if you want to save, in a minute walk availability there are two popular supermarkets with the lowest prices for food and alcohol in Thailand – Tesco Lotus and Big C. The hotel staff was courteous, left the most pleasant impression. If necessary, they can help you find a taxi, rent a motobike, book an excursion, etc. In general, a pleasant hotel for little money, but not devoid of shortcomings, about which just below.

A small number of rooms in the hotel often leads to the fact that for the selected dates there are no available rooms. Especially if you want to book a hotel for the coming days or today for today. For example, it is for this reason that I lived there only one day – the next day I had to leave the hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa. My room was booked in advance by other travelers. And I moved with my girlfriend to another hotel in Koh Chang – Penny’s Resort (a detailed review of the hotel will be added to the site later). By the way, you can compare the cost of living in the hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa immediately in all popular reservation systems with the help of the hotel widget located below.

Of the shortcomings (specifically in my room) also want to note such points:

– Old TV. In 2018, a TV with a small diagonal and not a flat screen looks very unusual.

– The safe in my room was, but it was small and was not fixed in the closet. Those. it could be taken in hand and carried along with the contents.

– The air-conditioning was quiet, but the room was somewhat noisy due to the door that is close to the road (rooms on the other side of the pool should be quieter).

– An unaccustomed small shell, made of metal. On the photo of other rooms in the hotel I saw that there are classic white ceramic sinks.

– Unevenly painted walls (in my room). To be honest, initially it seemed to me that the walls look very old due to such coloring. But later I realized that this was done specifically, so to speak, the special design of Keereeta Resort & Spa. So really the is not disadvantage.

– Old chairs and table on the balcony. I do not think that in reality the table and chairs are very old, but the tropical rains and the sun quickly worsened the appearance of this furniture in the open air. It would be nice if the owners of the hotel found a bit of money and put a new layer of varnish on this furniture or replaced it.

More, in principle, there is nothing to complain about, especially considering the cost of deluxe room at this hotel. As I wrote above, all the rooms are different from each other, so if possible, carefully see the photo or, if possible, ask the staff to see all available numbers before settling). Specifically, I rated my number in 8 points out of 10 for the price/quality ratio. I would be happy if my review of the hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa is useful to someone in the process of choosing a hotel in Koh Chang. Enjoy your stay and rest on the tropical island!

The post Hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa (Koh Chang island) – overview and feedback! first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

Rice noodles Pad Thai

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Pad Thai in Thailand – the main types

When ordering this dish in Thailand, you will most likely be asked what kind of Pad-Thai noodles you prefer? Usually you can choice of Pad Thai with chicken, shrimp, pork and other kinds of meat. The most popular species are Pad Thai with chicken and shrimp. It is these two species that you will easily find in all the sea resorts of the country, and in the Thai outback and in the northern regions of the country for natural reasons is more popular is the Pad Thai with the chicken. There are a lot of recipes for cooking this noodle, and each cook has his own little secrets, making this dish unique. Like most other Thai dishes, Pad Thai consists of a large number of ingredients that can be divided into basic (rice noodles, meat or seafood, eggs, special sauce) and auxiliary ones, such as vegetables and greens, as well as tofu bean curd and green lime.

One of the variants of Pad Thai on the island of Koh Chang – with carrots

As a result, the absence of one of the auxiliary ingredients has practically no effect on the overall taste of the finished dish. For example, many people consider tofu to be obligatory in Pad Thai noodles, but Thai people do not always add it to this dish. In my experience, in about half the cases Pad Thai is cooked without tofu and I can not say that the dish is becoming less tasty. Also in different parts of the country, it was necessary to try Pad Thai with a different set of vegetables (for example, with cabbage, carrots, young bean pods). By the way, thinly sliced ​​white cabbage can replace sprouted bean sprouts in this dish.

Not a typical recipe for Pad Thai – with broccoli and peas pods

Pad Thai noodles – prices in Thailand

Since Pad Thai does not belong to a gourmet dish, the cost of this noodle is available for any category of travelers to Thailand. In 2017-2018, the minimum cost of Pad Thai noodles is 50-60 THB (no more than 2 USD) when buying in mobile makashnitsa or in markets, and 80-120 THB when ordering Pad Thai in a cafe or restaurant. Naturally, we are talking about the cost of this dish at popular resorts in Thailand. In poor regions of the country (northeastern part of Thailand, known as Isan) you can find Pad Thai for 30-40 THB. For example, in the city of Nakhonratchasima (the center of the same province), I ordered this dish for 30 THB, although it seemed to me that the meat in it was slightly less than in Pattaya or in Phuket. It should also be noted that Pad Thai with shrimp can cost 10-20 THB more expensive than the same dish with chicken.

Pad Thai in Pattaya for takeout – packed with special container

When ordering noodles you may be asked: are you going to eat Pad Thai directly in the cafe, or want you to take this dish with you. In the first case you get your order on a plate and will be offered metal cutlery or chopsticks. And in the second – they will pack the prepared dish in a special container made of foamed plastic, which helps to keep the dish warm before using it. At the same time the cost of Pad Thai noodles does not depend on the place of consumption. Those. a disposable container, a plastic fork and a spoon, a napkin (not always) and a plastic bag into which all this fits, are issued free of charge and without a reminder. Also toppings are free: peanuts, a mixture of peppers, microscopic dried shrimps, etc. As a rule, you choose toppings yourself and sprinkle them with the ready-made dish before use or packing in a container.

The easiest recipe of Pad Thai for home cooking

Many lovers of Asian cuisine during their holidays in Thailand are accustomed to simple, but delicious dishes of this country, including Pad Thai. Therefore, after returning to their homeland, they begin to miss about fragrant fried noodles and in this situation there are two ways out. The first is visiting a Thai restaurant in your city. Unfortunately, these are not everywhere, and the cost of Pad Thai noodles in them is several times higher than in Thailand. The second option is to prepare Pad Thai at home. This requires only the presence of the necessary components, about 15 minutes of free time and the knowledge of a simple recipe. Below is a simple recipe for Pad Thai, which my Thai friend taught me. As I wrote earlier, there are a lot of recipes, so this is only one of the possible options, but in my opinion the easiest.

Pad Thai sauce + peanuts (you can buy in Thailand or in your big supermarket)

Immediately I warn that I do not bother making a special Pad Thai sauce based on tamarind paste and other ingredients that are not always easy to find in Europe. Therefore, in the process of making Pad Thai, I simply add the ready-made Pad Thai sauce. It can be purchased both directly in Thailand, and in a large supermarket of your city (in the departments of Asian food). Above, the photo shows the Pad Thai sauce, which I bought in Thailand for 28 THB (0.86 USD). In the package directly a special dark sauce based on tamarind with spices, as well as a bag of crushed peanuts, which you need use for sprinkle the prepared dish. Rice noodles also bought in a supermarket in Thailand, where it costs several times cheaper than in Europe.

Flat rice noodle from Thailand. Packaging for 2-3 servings

So, for cooking Pad Thai noodle with chicken at home, I use:

– chicken fillet (100-150 grams per serving);

– garlic (one large denticle per serving);

– chicken eggs (one per serving);

– vegetable oil (2-3 tablespoons);

– flat rice noodles (150-200 grams);

– sauce for Pad Thai (1 pack);

– green onions (several feathers);

– half lime per serving (can be replaced with lemon or lemon juice).

– Wok (a wide frying pan with high walls).

Process of cooking Pad Thai with chicken

On the photo, ingredients for cooking three portions. When I was preparing a photo report, there were no sprouted bean sprouts on sale and I forgot to buy a green onion, so Pad Thai turned out without them, but it is better to add these ingredients if possible at the end of cooking. Since the amount of rice noodles and sauce is calculated for 2 portions, and I cooked for three, i am added more meat (500 grams) to Pad Thai.

1. Chicken fillet cut into thin slices. It’s easier to do this when the meat is a little chilled in the freezer. For a change, sometimes you can cut the meat like a straw.

Chicken fillet, cut into thin pieces for Pad Thai

2. Put rice noodles in warm water for 10-12 minutes. This is convenient to do just before the preparation of the dish, i.e. before proceeding to roasting garlic and meat).

Before preparing Pad Thai, the noodles should be soaked for 10 minutes

3. In the wok (or usual wide frying pan with high walls) pour 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and warm it.

4. Crush the cloves of garlic with a flat side of the knife and cut into several pieces. Add garlic to a skillet and fry over low heat.

Roasting garlic for cooking Pad Thai at home

5. Fry the meat until ready (choose the degree of roasting yourself, to your taste). During frying meat, you can increase the flame (if you use a gas stove). If you do not like meat fried well done, you can proceed to the next stage of cooking with 90% of the degree of required cooking.

Chicken meat for Pad Thai is fried with garlic until cooked

6. Shift the meat aside (on the side of the frying pan) and alternately break eggs (one per serving). Eggs fry with constant stirring to get something like crumbly omelet.

Eggs for Pad Thai you need fried with constant stirring

7. Connect all the ingredients in the wok, stir and add the soaked rice noodles. The latter should not be too soft, but too hard – the exact time should be selected by experience. Thais sometimes soak dry noodles in cold water, but with me this way noodles turned hard, so I lower them for 10 minutes in warm water, closer to hot – 60-70 degrees Celsius).

Soaked rice noodles for Pad Thai – soft, but elastic

8. Next, mix the noodles with the other ingredients in the wok and add the ready-made sauce for Pad Thai. Mix everything for a uniform distribution of ingredients.

Dark sauce based on tamarind – the basis of the taste of Pad Thai

9. Add feathers of green onions (cut into fragments of dina 3-5 cm) and sprouted bean sprouts. It is also possible at this stage (instead of sprouts) to add thinly sliced cabbage and carrots. Stir everything and in a minute the dish is ready.

After cooking, Pad Thai should be sprinkled with nuts and use lemon juice

10. Distribute Pad Thai on your plates. Sprinkle with peanuts on top. Decorate the dish with half of green lime or pour lemon juice (to taste). In Thailand, there were variants decorated with pieces of fresh cucumber. You can eat Pad Thai with using a fork or chopsticks. When you eat Pad Thai, it will not be bad if you have Thai beer – tasty and inexpensive.

What better use for cooking Pad Thai at home

Earlier I used an ordinary wide frying pan for making a Pad Thai, but it was not very convenient: the volume of the dish is great, and it’s better to mix all the components of Pad Thai well noodles in a special frying pan. Later I bought a wok in the supermarket Big C in Pattaya. In general, such frying pans cost 600-800 THB, but often there are special promotions and wok with good quality can be purchased inexpensively. For example, in December 2017 I bought a non-stick wok for just 199 THB (about 6 USD). By the way, in the same store there were several models of the same diameter and at the same price (including metal ones, without protective coatings). I watched such frying pans on AliExpress and even found a model that is very similar to mine. But the prices in China are very high, about 50 USD with delivery and higher. By the way, Big C is a very large network in Thailand, so similar wok were on sale at a similar price in Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Chang. Therefore, if you have an empty seat in your suitcase, you can buy inexpensive wok in Thailand and cook Pad Thai at home. Bon Appetit!

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CONTENTS OF ARTICLE ( you can click on the link for quick transition)

• Features of the road between Chiang Mai and Pai

• From Chiang Mai to Pai and back by minibus

• Location of the bus terminal in Chiang Mai

• Location of bus station in Pai

• How to get to Pai from Chiang Mai in rented transport

Features of the road between Chiang Mai and Pai

The direct distance between Pai and Chiang Mai is about 85 kilometers, but the distance along the shortest road between the city centers is about 150 km. This is due to the fact that the highway number 1095 is one of the most winding roads in the world. For example, between the cities of Chiang Mai and Pai, you must overcome 762 turns (on the road, even the corresponding pointer is there). At the same time mountain serpentines make up only half of the route, and in the remaining part it is an ordinary Thai route, along which it is possible to move at a speed of up to 100 km / h. Therefore, all those who want to quickly get to Pai from Chiang Mai, should understand that the road in any case will take about three hours, and sometimes more.

A large number of turns on the road from Chiang Mai to Pai is accompanied by frequent ascent and descent. All this not only slows down the movement, but also makes such a trip not very comfortable for people with weak vestibular apparatuses. If you can be are shaken in a car, on a bus or boat, it is better to take a special pill beforehand from motion sickness in advance. Then the road will bring you only positive emotions, because in many places there are special observation platforms, from which an unforgettable view of the green mountains opens. And even a simple bus ride will allow you from the window to admire the bright nature of northern Thailand and the picturesque mountains.

A typical landscape when traveling from Chiang Mai to Pye along serpentine

One of the features of traveling to Pai is the lack of direct transport to this city from the popular resort areas of the country, with the exception of the city of Chiang Mai. And even if you found an excursion from Bangkok or Pattaya to Pai, you have to make a transfer to Chiang Mai. The route that connects Pai and Chiang Mai is often called Chiang Mai-Mahongshon (a city on the border of Thailand and Myanmar). At the same time, the town of Pai is located approximately in the middle of the route, so that regular buses can be passing, and it is often impossible to buy tickets for them in a few days. But there are routes directly from Chiang Mai to Pai and back, because this small town enjoys increasing popularity with foreign tourists. By the way, on the page From Bangkok to Chiang Mai – transport, schedule and fares! you can find out how you can get to Chiang Mai from the capital of Thailand and back.

From Chiang Mai to Pai and back by minibus

The easiest way to purchase tickets for minibuses between Chiang Mai and Pai is to use the service of transport in Asia. The link will open the English version of the service and the Chiang Mai-Pai route. To see the timetable of the minibus company Prem Prach and the cost of the trip for your date, change it in the search bar (at the top of the page). There you can choose the number of passengers you need. During the high season (autumn-winter), 10-12 minibuses are sent daily between cities. In this case, the first minibus departs from Chiang Mai at dawn, and the last – before sunset (most of the way will be done in the dark). Also you may notice that the timetable shows the time on the road for more than 4 hours (usually 4 hours and 20 minutes). In reality, a minibus overcomes the distance between cities faster, in about 3.5 hours (with a sanitary stop in the middle of the route lasting 10-15 minutes).

But the travel time can really be more than 4 hours during the rainy season, when due to a large number of turns, descents and ascents, the speed of the minibus drops, because it is unsafe to drive quickly in the mountains on a wet road. Although even on bright sunny days on the road 1095 there are many sections where minibus moves at a speed of 20-30 km / h and can not accelerate faster. If you are looking for a minibus schedule from Pai City to Chiang Mai, you can see them on this direct link to the route. There you can buy a ticket online, which can be relevant during the high season. The cost of minivans at the beginning of 2018 is 195 THB or 6 USD per person. Because of the fact that on the way back, slopes prevail, i. The minibus is moving downward rather than climbing the mountains, the return trip from Pai to Chiang Mai usually takes less time.

Location of the bus terminal in Chiang Mai

The minibuses of Prem Pracha company between Chiang Mai and Pai depart and arrive in places convenient for tourists – in the area of ​​the central bus stations (although in the case of the city of Pai this definition may not be entirely appropriate). If you purchased an online ticket and want to quickly find a landing to the desired minibus, you need a new bus station in Chiangmai – Chiangmai Arcade Bus Station. It is located across the street from the Chiangmai Bus Terminal 3 to Soi Kaeo Nawarat 5. You can see the location of the bus station on the city map by clicking on the departure point on the search page (in the figure below is marked with a yellow marker). Get here from anywhere in Chiang Mai will not be difficult on local transport.

Clicking on the point of departure (in the figure marked in yellow) you can see it on the map

The bus terminal is large, so to save time on finding the point of landing in a minibus, follow the far part of the bus terminal. The entrance to the transport company’s office is located outside the building, in the area between the bus platforms No. 12 and No. 13. As a rule, there are always branded red-white minibuses nearby, and the office itself is marked by a large signboard Prempracha Transport (red logo and black letters on a white background). Landing on the minibus Chiang Mai – Pai is carried out from the platform number 13. If you purchased a ticket for a minibus online, you need to show the printout in the office. At the same time in ofice you can get give a ticket of the usual type, which must be presented during the landing in a minibus.

Ticket office of Prempracha in Chiang Mai Bus Terminal

Since the direction is popular, you can find other local bus companies that also deliver passengers from Chiang Mai to Pai. The prices for the trip will be almost similar, and if you do not want to purchase a ticket for a minibus or a large bus in advance, you can, if you have free time, to research prices and choose the option you like. Travel time will also be comparable due to a difficult route, and a trip on a large bus can take even more time. Currently, you can purchase tickets for the Chiang Mai-Pai bus and for back way online only in the manner described above. In any case, during the trip from Chiang Mai to Pai and back, use seat belts in a minibus and hold tight on the corners of the road.

Location of bus station in Pai

Since the population of the city of Pai is about 2500 people, and the number of bus routes is limited, there can not be a classical large bus terminal in the city. Therefore, most transport companies bring passengers to their corporate offices. The company Prempracha Transport, whose office is located in the central part of Pai city, is also an exception. It is located at Rural Road Mae Hong Son 4024, Wiang Tai, Mae Hong Son 58130. In fact, this is a small square near which the company’s ticket office is located. Find this small bus station is not difficult, because it is located on the local Walking Street. Nearby there are a large number of bars, cafes, a night market, inexpensive guesthouses and a 7Eleven store.

Ticket office of Prempracha Transport Co in Pai

A good landmark is the company’s indexes of the transport company, made in red and white. On the same information boards, located on both sides of the site with buses, it says “Pai Bus Station”, so finding a place is not difficult. Opposite the ticket office there is a small kiosk of Kasikorn Bank with an ATM. To hide from the sun or rain on this mini bus station is almost nowhere, so it’s better to spend time before landing in a minibus to Chiang Mai in one of the local bars or inexpensive cafes with Thai food.

How to get to Pai from Chiang Mai in rented transport

Despite the low cost of traveling by minibus from Chiang Mai to Pai, many travelers prefer to use a rented car or motorbike for a trip between cities. Connectedly this is with their desire to get the maximum degree of freedom in the journey and visit all the main attractions in the vicinity of Pai (waterfalls, hot springs, mountain viewpoints, strawberry farms, etc.). After all, even during a trip on a winding road to Pai there are very beautiful places where many would like to stay for a while (make a beautiful photo or video).

You can find small bus station in Pai in Walking Street area

Since renting a car in Pai is not very good, it’s better to rent a car in Chiang Mai, using the Rentalcars service to find the best price, where you can find all rental offices in the city and you can rent a car at the best price (you conclude a rental agreement on your native language). As a rule, the widest offer of cars for rent is presented at the airport of Chiang Mai. There and the lowest prices, sometimes 1.5 times lower than renting a similar car in the city center. Therefore, if you want to rent a car online in Chiang Mai cheap, it is better to do it at the airport, even if you came to Chiang Mai by train or bus. The trip to the airport will not be too tiring and expensive, because the international airport of Chiang Mai is located within the city – just three kilometers from the center.

While driving on the road №1095, observe the speed limit and try to drive on the left side of the road, without leaving on the oncoming lane (especially at corners). And to more easily cope with long lifts and descents, it is better to rent a car with an automatic transmission. Also, it will not be superfluous to fill the fuel tank with as much fuel as you need for a trip to Pai and back, as well as trips to natural attractions in the vicinity of Pai. Well, of course, it is better, with other things being equal, to choose rental offices with a minimum level of deductibles (for more details, see the “Car rental Phuket – fares, advices, best places” page).

As for renting a motorbike in Chiang Mai, then this also has no problems. Like everywhere in Thailand, there are a lot of motorbike rental offices in the city. The cost is about 150 baht (5 USD) per day and above. As I repeatedly advised, try to find an office in which you do not need use your passport like a deposit. Especially if you want to go on motorbike from Chiang Mai to Pai (without a passport, settling in a hotel may be impossible). There is a possibility to rent motobike in Chiang Mai online. The cost also starts from 5 USD per day, and the original passport is not required. In addition, you can often cancel your reservation without penalty for 48 hours before the date of rental (for example, if a trip to Pai or even to Chiang Mai for any reason was canceled).

If for you the most important thing in the trip is comfort and safety, you can order a taxi transfer from Chiang Mai to Pai. The option is not the most budgetary, but if you travel not alone and with a lot of things, you can comfortably get directly from Chiang Mai airport to your hotel in Pai city or order a similar transfer in the opposite direction and get from Pai to the airport doors in Chiang Mai . I wish you pleasant and safe trips!

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