Date: Sun, Nov 1, 1998 3:07 PST
Hello all,
I have expanded my website again. This time I added a page about Lopburi,
mainly about the remains from the time of King Narai. This was an interesting
period in Thai history, because King Narai was actively seeking contact with
the West. It was also the time of Constantin Phaulcon. Want to know more?
Take a look! You are most welcome!
Furthermore I added a few FAQ's, I added a new "experience", I expanded my
links and I uploaded the new "Picture of the Month" for November.
As I am about to go to Thailand for one month, the next update cannot be
expected before the second half of December, but I will bring lots of new
pictures with me, so it should be worthwhile to take another look in December.
Hope you all enjoy the pages.
Regards,
Ren Hasekamp Visit my website at
http://www.hasekamp.demon.nl
------ GG'S TIPS --------
BANGKOK
Stay at Shanti Lodge ("Thewet & National Library Area") - food is great
(in any case stay near the river, try to avoid Khao San Rd.)
Do lunch at the Oriental Hotel's Thai restaurant--$15 buffet of gourmet Thai
food. Get a massage at Wat Pho's school of massage.
Use Water taxis whenever possible.
If you arrive late at night to BKK, stay one night at The Royal Hotel (air
cond, modern, a bit cramped)
Phitsanulok:
- A base from which to visit region, especially Sukhothai, an ancient
capital/archaeological site
- Can fly from Chiang Mai to BKK or take sleeper train.
Stay at Phitsanulok youth hostel, neat place, clean, cool folks
Ko Samui:
- Mat Lang Resort, northeast of Chaweng
- Khao Yai National Park -- alternative to Chiang Mai
Subject: Bangkok hotels
From: Ariel Zeitlin <102215.2246@CompuServe.COM>
Hi, everyone who took me up on my offer to recommend Bangkok hotels. I did
review them for Frommer's guidebook but that was 2 years ago and obviously
there have been many changes. So double-check.
Unless you have business in the new part of town or are rampantly into the
bar girl scene, stay along the river--the fastest way to travel to the older,
cooler neighborhoods & temples. A lot depends on how much you want to
pay:
In Banglamphu, the backpacker's district uptown, I liked the New Siam Guest
house which has a nice restaurant attached, some rooms with private showers
and even a few with aircon. As I recall the ones without aircon were $16
at that time. Down river are the legendary hotels on the Conde Nast Traveler
list of 10 best in the world: the Oriental, the Shangri-La and the Royal
Orchid Sheraton. I keep reading about how there are deals there now for like
$110 a night, which is certainly great value. The Swan is a budget hotel
with a pool near the Oriental etc. It was closed for renovations during both
my visits but people really like it. The kitschy Royal, which is in between
the Oriental and Banglamphu, near the National Museum.
By the way, one more piece of advice: do splurge on a taxi from the official
taxi counter at the airport. You will have been traveling for about 24 hours
and it's less than $20. Have a great trip!
Ariel Zeitlin
Journalist
arielz@compuserve.com
P.S. You can find my articles about tailoring in Bangkok and Thai
massage in Bangkok on the Conde Nast site, epicurious.
Whatever you do DO NOT STAY AT THE ORIENTAL, unless you really WANT to listen
to a bunch of Americans complain over breakfast, and like being overcharged
for terrible service. Much better to stay at the businessmen's hotels either
on the river, or in the city. Cheaper, more luxurious, better service. Far
better. --Anonymous
Subject: Re: Bangkok hotels
Date: Tue, Nov 3, 1998 15:38 PST
Like the kitschy Royal (right on Sanam Luang and a block from Wat Po), but
it's $40 USD now. Can't stand most of Banglamphu, find most of the places
to be a very poor value. You can do amazingly well in Chinatown . . . a semi
luxe place for about $18 USD w/breakfast . . . it's thriving 24 hours on
the street and there's always food. Not my favorite, but some like the Siam
Square area and the White Lodge. If you're staying a long time, I know a
great incredibly clean place, w/pool in a residential area near the airport
for about $8. If you don't mind a dorm (like college dorm, not a Khaosan
Rd. dorm) atmosphere, the YWCA on Sathorn also has a pool (the YMCA is
expensive). Near Lumpini, most cheap places a la Malaysian traffic in women.
Not ideal. And, of course, there are many good deals on Sukhumvit, but I
find it too far out of the center of town. (Haven't been there in a while
but the Mermaid Guest house used to be nice . . . and Rex Hotel further out.)
And, absolutely, if you're lucky enough to stay at the Oriental . . . if
you use a Bangkok travel agent you can get it for about $140, depending on
the season . . . do it! Yes, it's all wealthy foreigners, but it's also a
passage to another time. For other swank hotels The Regent and The Sukothai
are the classiest (if price is no object).
The White Lodge is not bad, while not luxury. a/c and hot water and a quiet
place, near all shopping centres and my favorite shopping place, the MBK
(great food market upstairs). 400-500 B only, the other hotels in the same
street have similar prices.
The only disadvantage: In the evening there is not much to do. Standing in
the Hard Rock cafe is no fun at all and most other places close around 10-11
pm.
Subject: Re: Bangkok hotels
Date: Wed, Nov 11, 1998 18:38 PST
Just returned from Bangkok where I stayed for three nights at the Riverview
Guest house. It's a five minute walk upstream from the Sheraton Royal Orchid
which makes it convenient to a lot of boat tours. My room, which didn't have
a view of the river, was 690 baht a night. The 8th floor restaurant has
respectable, cheap food and a wonderful view of the Chao Phraya River. The
Guest House is off Songwad Rd. 768 Soi Panurangsi. I had to persevere with
several different tuk tuk drivers to find it. The Riverside is in a neighborhood
of machine repair shops. In the beginning, the neighborhood seemed intimidating,
but eventually I found that I really liked walking back to the hotel past
the shops and kids and the non-touristy feel to it. The roads near the Riverside
are alleys and you have to continually jump out of the way of the scooters.
You can catch river taxis at the nearby Harbor Dept. which means you don't
even have to walk as far as the Royal Orchid ferry landing. The rooms are
large with private baths and come with or without air con. They're a little
dirty but not too bad.
Relative to airport taxis, you should be able to get a meter taxi for under
$10 from the airport to the river. Go upstairs to the departure floor and
catch a cab which has just dumped off some other folks. Insist of the meter
being used. You pay the tolls on the expressway (around 80 Baht), but it's
worth the time saved and you're still at the river for under ten bucks.
One last tip. If you're staying on the river and want to go to the weekend
market, take the water taxi to the Bang Pho or Kiek Kai landings and then
take a taxi. You'll save money and avoid the downtown traffic jams. The market
is definitely worth it. I bought a dong son drum copy in Vientiane after
bargaining from $350 down to 225 and was embarrassed to see even bigger drums
at the Bangkok weekend market with a first price of 6000 baht ($160). The
market also has all of the textiles which I hunted down in Luang Phrabang.
Subject: Recommended Bangkok Riverside Restaurants
Wang Nah (also written Wang Nar) is a Chinese run place just under the Thonburi
bridge on the edge of Banglamphu. The food is sensational. You want river
view, you got river view. If you sit right by the water, you can have free
diesel fumes with your Kang Phet. They do a wide range of Chinese and Thai
dishes, and the prices are very reasonable.
Subject: Re: Rayong/Ko Samet, Thailand?
From: Jackie
I went to Ko Samet in Sep. It is a good alternative to Pattaya for swimming
and watersports. But it is no Phuket or Ko Samui.
Subject: Re: Thai Islands- Ko Lan, Ko Mak, Been there?
From: "joe"
I was at Ko Lan two weeks ago. Don't pay for Ko Lan tour. Just go to pier
and pay 20 Baht for one-way trip (another 20 Baht to return.) and 20 Baht
each way for taxi to main beach; other beaches are available. Glass-bottom
boats have narrow (~seven or eight inches by several feet long) sections.
Water was fairly clean. Lots of people on beach. Cost per person runs 15
- 20 Baht (probably about minimum) to 50 Baht or more. Was quoted 50 Baht
per person and settled for 25 Baht each for about 12 - 15 minute boat ride.
Some, but not a lot of anemones visible, coral rather dull, fish population
down from what I expected. Too many people on main beach. Suggest possibly
an alternate beach, which we didn't visit. Daughters were not favorably
impressed.
Joe
Subject: Re: Detailed Maps of Thailand
From: abc
If you are in Bangkok, major bookstores should have the Thailand highway
map, which comes in book form. If you are really keen, go to the Grom Pan-tee,
the government Map Department (pan-tee means map) which is among a group
of government buildings east of the Sanam Luang. I'm sorry I don't have the
address; I navigate by dead reckoning to get there :-), but you could ask
around. They have everything down to 1:63,000 maps of most areas, though
not all may be in print at any given time. The maps are not expensive, and
they have a big key map on the wall you can order from. BH
Subject: Re: Tips for treks in Chiang Mai
Johnny Boy Treks are good
Subject: Re: Chiang Mai
From: "Jeff"
I have been dealing with Randy at All Thailand Experience: allthai@infothai.com
about planning a trip in the north. I suggest you write him and ask him to
give you a quote as well as suggestions. And yes, he is able to make train
reservations for you.
Subject: Re: Chiang Mai
From: Anonymous
We stayed at the Westin last year, and it was cheap cheap cheap, but had
all the luxuries. It's a short drive to Doi Suthep and the elephant camps
(don't go to the first one up the mountain, do the second, smaller one) from
the city, and then you don't miss all the great stuff Chiang Mai has to offer.
--Anonymous
Subject: Chiang Mai Travel Tips
From: "Mark"
Date: Sun, Nov 8, 1998 8:00 PST
I just returned from Chiang Mai. The mountains are beautiful, but so far
our of town that you can not easily get to the city to enjoy its sites,
restaurants, and the night bazaar. I would only stay there if I wanted a
completely restful vacation.
In contrast to staying at the Westin or one of the other large hotels, I
enjoyed staying at a riverside teak house called the River Ping Palace. It
has four-post beds in the rooms (with mosquito netting!), mini-bars, and
A/C. It is a bit "rustic", but I enjoyed the experience of staying in this
traditional Thai-style building which was one of the highlights of my two-week
trip. The rate I got for a small room was 700 Baht per night (about $19 USD),
continental breakfast included. The place is far enough out of the center
of the city to be away from all of the traffic, but is a cheap tuk tuk ride
(30-50 Baht) into the city. I had no problems getting tuk tuks any time of
the day or night. The restaurant on the premises, "Once Upon a Time", is
actually quite good and offers outdoor riverside tables. The place is out
toward the Westin, but closer in and not across the River Ping as is the
Westin. By the way, tuk tuks should never cost you more than 60 Baht, even
if you are going from the furthest point outside of the city to the furthest
point on the other side of the city---unless you are stranded and there is
no competition.
By all means, go to the elephant show, but do so at the first, larger camp
outside of the city (Mae Sa Camp?). The show was fantastic, with the elephants
doing everything imaginable (which I won't go into here as the element of
surprise is part of the enjoyment). I went riding at the second camp, but
only because they were sold out at the first camp. I enjoyed my ride, but
got to see nothing much of interest in 1/2 hour. The hour-long ride takes
you into the woods I understand. In contrast, the ride at the first camp
takes you immediately into a forested area. I have no idea why anyone would
recommend the second camp over the first.
For the elephant camp or other tours, go to one of the agencies with a table
on the street or at least shop around. The hotels will try to rip you off.
I was quoted from 1500-1800 Baht for my 1/2 day tour of the elephant camp,
the falls, and the orchid and butterfly farm at the hotels. In contrast,
I paid 400 Baht for a private car and guide just for myself to one of the
street agencies!
If you plan to do much night bazaar shopping, start your negotiations at
about 1/3 of their initial asking price with the goal being about paying
1/2 of what they ask. (This is just a general rule of thumb.) The game here
is that they will come down so slowly that you will lose patience with the
negotiations and jump up quickly. (After all, hour for hour your time is
worth more Baht to you than theirs is to them.) REMEMBER TO SMILE. This is
extemely important because this is a game to them which can be enjoyable
to both parties involved. The Thais respond very well to smiles and playful
bargaining and will even laugh about the obvious gamesmanship involved in
the process if you do so as well. Looking or acting disgusted at their asking
prices will not get you nearly so far and makes their jobs less enjoyable.
Use the "walk away" liberally. If they call after you to come back, you know
they want to make the sale and you probably are offering too much already
and should shop around to get a better idea of what things really cost. (I
made the mistake of buying a watch from the first vendor I went to and paid
three times too much for it!)
For silver, better deals can be had at the bazaar than at the "factories"
where they are very stubborn about the prices because competition is not
as nearby.
If you want to stay close to the night bazaar in a larger hotel, I strongly
recommend the Royal Princess where a travel companion of mine stayed. She
had a beautiful eighth floor room with a bit of a view, huge breakfast buffet
included, for 1400 Baht. The service was impeccable (you may never have to
touch the door to enter or exit as a doorman is always present). You can
easily bring your prized purchases back to your room and go back for more.
Good Thai food can be found everywhere except the dinner at the Cultural
Center. My food was cold and my friend's pre-ordered vegetarian meal was
not served to her (although we made no fuss about it as she was feeling ill
and not at all hungry). Although the dancing was interesting, many of the
performers looked as if they didn't want to be there. It was also a very
touristy affair where they performed 1/2 of the show in one location and
the herded you down to another location through a gauntlet of vendor tables
for the second half. You return through the same route on the way out so
they can maximize their opportunity to get your Baht. In balance, I would
go again to see the performers, but it is a very close call!
I strongly recommend the Whole Foods (?) restaurant. They have both Thai
and Indian cuisine, vegetarian and non-vegetarian. EVERYTHING we ordered
there was delicious. The Italian restaurant Piccola Roma was also quite good,
but very expensive. I would only go there if not concerned about the cost
(otherwise you will not be able to enjoy the meal!).
Finally, enjoy yourself. Chiang Mai is a wonderful place to which I would
unhesitatingly return and even stay for a year or so if I could.
Mark