After spending time in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, we wanted to go south and have some time to relax at the beach. We decided to go to Phuket after we found a great deal on Travelzoo (like Groupon, but more travel oriented ) for a place to stay called The Village at Coconut Island, but more about that in the next post. I love that everywhere you go in Thailand is only a short flight away, if you choose to fly! When we landed at Phuket Airport it was nice that our voucher included roundtrip airport transfers, so we didn't have to arrange and pay for them on our own. In the car we enjoyed bottles of water and chatting with the driver while looking at maps of Phuket. You can see in the map below that Maphrao (Coconut) Island is on the right, about halfway up the map. The airport is quite north, so there was a bit of a drive. You must take a water taxi from the Royal Phuket Marina to Koh Maphrao where the hotel/resort is located. I had over-romanticized the idea of being away from the main Phuket crowd and being able to relax and explore this little island while also having that option to take a boat back to the mainland to explore there as well. More on that later. Waiting for the Water Taxi
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A Popular SouvenirA hugely popular thing to do in Thailand is have custom clothing made. Tailors are densely populated in the big cities of Bangkok and Chiang Mai leaving you with a lot of homework to do in advance to pick a good one or if you aren't picky, the convenience of them being everywhere. My husband had planned to get a suit in Chiang Mai and had researched topped reviewed tailors before our arrival. The top tailors were so busy that many times we were not even acknowledged when we entered and even when we stood around for 10 minutes or more. Totally understandable that they were swamped. With so many other options, we decided why not spread it around a little, right?! I'm glad we did. Our Choice & Perks of Bespoke ClothingDon't Be Afraid Of The Street Massages!In Chiang Mai you will see massage opportunities EVERYWHERE! They range from a chair on the sidewalk to upscale spas. Don't feel like you have to break the bank or spend a whole day at a spa to enjoy a massage while you're here. In fact, almost anyone could squeeze a massage in during their day, This massage cost only about $3 USD for a 30 minute foot and leg massage. For $3 you could also enjoy a back and shoulder massage for 30 minutes. Of course there were longer and more pricey packages, but we didn't have time and didn't want to commit to one place. So many places to go and masseuses to try!?! Don't be mislead when you see these Thai ladies-- they are STRONG! I legit got a bruise on my one leg from one of these ladies- haha!! But I'm telling you my legs felt so good after that!! Also, feel free to tell them if they are being too strong for your taste. I just wanted to power through at full strength. With street food all around, it's easy to grab a bite and get a foot massage. You may also want to do some studying or browsing on your phone or tablet. But ideally, if you can spare the half hour without multitasking: Just relax and enjoy! Shady Massage Places To AvoidHere in the US, at times you see a sign that says "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service" meaning that you need to be fully dressed to enter the establishment.
But here in Thailand, that's not always the case. ;) At this restaurant located in the Old City, Cooking Love, shoes are not permitted. So leave them at the door and come on in for a meal!
Cooking schools and classes are an awesome activity to add to your travels. It's a fun way to connect with the people you are traveling with and you will undoubtedly meet some characters at the other chopping blocks.
These classes enable you to learn about the food culture of the place you are visiting, see and use local ingredients, and go home with a super-full belly! And the best part is... you don't have to do the dishes!!!! (hopefully ;) ) These classes can range from fancy schools with upscale kitchen setups to right in a local's home kitchen. Chiang Mai has a ton of options for cooking classes and we decided to go with Thai Farm Cooking School. What You Can CookIf you want a great location, the Duangtawan Hotel may be for you! It is primely positioned to be in the center of the action - Chiang Mai's Night Bazaar. This is a hugely famous shopping area of Chiang Mai and really all of Thailand and it's not to be missed. Getting There From The AirportThe hotel has a shuttle service you can request or you can get a taxi. I would recommend a taxi - cheaper! RoomsDuangtawan Hotel has different rooms and rates and it seems that a lot of this has to do with what floor you are on. We chose a room on the 20th floor. It had an amazing view. (see photo above). The curtains just kept pulling back and back and the window was immense and glorious. There was a desk by the window - what a great backdrop to get some work done or make some FaceTime calls back home. Our room had a large bed, two nightstands, a small round table and chairs, a TV stand/drawers/refrigerator, a vanity with two drawers, a comfy bench seat, another bench, a closet with hanging room and place to leave your luggage as well as a safe. The bathroom was equipped with a glass stand up shower as well as a soaking tub, hair dryer, and some toiletries. I really enjoyed the style in our room as it has some lovely Lisu fabric accents. Very cool! Feeling like a VIP in the Horizon LoungeWhile there are a number of options for traveling longer distances in Thailand, when we went up to Chiang Mai we opted to fly on Thai Airways. It's true that there were some nominally cheaper flights on other airlines, and there is always the sleeper train, but to be honest... I just wasn't feeling that this time. What Does It Cost?The flight between Bangkok and Chiang Mai is just over an hour and we booked "early saver" seats at 1320 baht per passenger including taxes. That's about $35 USD. Not too shabby! There's Free Food?!I wouldn't want anyone to forget these little personalities! What cuties we saw in Bangkok!!
(and yes, the last one is actually not a cat. But an adorable little puppy!!) #catsofbangkok #rainingcatsanddogs Traffic in Bangkok is bad. However there are times when it makes more sense to take a taxi than another method. For example: Sometimes it's just convenience because you're not located close to a BTS stop or a Pier etc, or maybe your end destination isn't close to any stop. Because the rate is determined by the meter, it can be more economical for multiple people sharing the taxi than each paying their way on public transport. There are any number of reasons you may choose to use a taxi in Bangkok. So here are just a couple of things I learned along the way. Getting a Taxi at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi AirportActually, this could not be more simple. Step One: Walk outside to Taxi area Step Two: Push Button and Receive Slip Step Three: Proceed to designated Taxi About The SlipThe slip gives you some key information. It tells you which taxi you are going to (lane number) and details about the taxi and driver. There is contact information for the airport and Ministry of Transport. In the event of any issue you have, you can now reference this conveniently for any information you would need to report. Maybe you just forgot something in the taxi. This will help you track it down. Only Go By The Meter!!Taxis are regulated by their meters in the city of Bangkok. If a taxi driver wants to give you a rate to get to a certain place, probably he is trying to rip you off. Besides, how do you even know what a good rate is? :-( #noobstruggles So when you go to get into a taxi ask them if the meter is working. If they say no... Get your butt out of there. Don't worry, you'll catch another taxi. Airport Taxi DriversAn airport taxi driver will add 50 baht onto whatever the meter says. Don't get all up in arms. They aren't trying to scam you. This is a regulation by the Ministry of Transport and is actually noted on your slip from the airport, at the bottom. Take a Picture - It Will Last LongerAt the front passenger side of each taxi is the information about the taxi, driver, numbers, etc. Although sometimes the driver does NOT look like the one in the picture at all.. Hmm... Anyhow. It's a good idea to take a picture of that and/or the taxi number on the door. Again, this is just a precaution incase there is an incident or (hopefully the more likely thing) you forget something in a Taxi. How Much Did It Cost?We took a taxi from the Suvarnabhumi airport at1:40 am. The taxi was from the airport to the Ideo Mobi condo Sukhumvit 81. Cost 217 baht on meter + 50 baht for airport taxi driver for a total of 267 baht, or about $7.50 USD Depending on the route you take, its about 30-38 kilometers according to Google. Great deal! ;-)
The Chao Phraya (แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา) River is a huge river that runs through Thailand, including Bangkok. Don't you love it when a city is situated on water?
Naturally, you have options for transportation via the river. In many cases, the River may provide a most convenient spot for you to reach your destination with ease. For your convenience, I will link to the official BTS and Chao Phraya Express Boat web pages to highlight some useful pages for planning your trip. We took the BTS from Onnut station (สถานีอ่อนนุช) to Siam (สถานีสยาม) where we transferred to Silom Line (สายสีลม) and got off a few stops later at Saphan Taksin. (สถานีสะพานตากสิน) This station is nicely situated at the Pier where you can catch the Chao Phraya Express Boat or Tourist Boat as well as hire other boats, perhaps a longtail to take you to the floating market. Ticketing - Express Boat
There are several different lines you can take that run different routes and at different times.
Local Line (no flag): 8/10/12 baht Orange Flag Boat: 14 baht Green Flag Boat: 10/12/19/31 baht Yellow Flag Boat: 19/29 baht Of course the prices vary depending on how far you are traveling, which stop you get off at. Ticketing - Tourist Boat
Most likely, this is what you are hear to know read up on.
The tourist boat is a lovely provision!! It leaves from Sathorn Pier every 30 minutes starting at 9:30. A ticket costs 130 baht ( about $3.65 USD) for unlimited rides all day. Much like the BTS day pass, there is a lot of comfort in knowing you have unlimited rides when you are new to the area and just learning how to get around. Once you get your travel streamlined then you can save more by purchasing individual fares. But for tourists visiting for a short time, it's a lovely option! Ticketing - Where To Buy
* Sathorn Pier (Central Pier)
* Phra Arthit Pier * BTS Siam Station * BTS Taksin Station Sights As You Sail
Busy as we all area, multitasking is a must.
And travel, unfortunately, is often too short. We have too many places to go, things to see, foods to try, culture to take in (Side Note: Overplanning is BAD. We'll talk about that later ;) )... The River Boats are a great way to multitask. While you get to your next adventure for the day, you can enjoy the sights of the Chao Praya rushing through Bangkok. Take the time to look around and appreciate the color, the architecture, and the people around you. Why Not?!
If you're not in a rush, why not hop off at a stop you have never been to before? Or why not stay on to one of the very last stops. See what you find!
At The End Of Your Adventure
You may be tired, after hopping on and off all day, trying not to miss the boat and land in the river.
(Yes, that almost happened to me) But even as the darkness surrounds you, the twinkling of city lights and boats dancing on the river could hardly be more beautiful. Have Time For One Last Ride? Hang On Tight and Push Play! <3
Tomorrow is Taxi Tuesday! See ya then for a couple of Taxi Tuesday Travel Tips ;-p
Have a great day! |