Click on the property name to view the listing on Airbnb, and take note of the date of stay. The property would have probably changed since then!

Green Oasis in Casablanca, Morocco

Date of stay: October 2011

Our first Airbnb experience! It’s a gorgeous house — one of those kinds that you see in magazines, and it looks exactly like it. We were unable to meet Christina, our host, but she made sure that we were taken care of.

Eleanna’s in Mykonos, Greece

Date of stay: October 2013

A cozy room in the center of Chora, the center of Mykonos. There were three of us staying in this space, and it was a good fit for us. There is a small kitchenette so we were able to prepare meals while we were there.

Semi-one Bedroom apartment in Bangkok, Thailand

Date of stay: October 2015

Booked this when I attended the Travel Blogger Exchange in Bangkok, which was held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The room is quite big, spacious for one or two people staying there.

Highlight ideal location studio in Taipei, Taiwan

Date of stay: November 2017

An apartment inside a mid-rise building in Zhongshan. Roomy for two, but can feel cramped if there are more of you in the room. It’s walking distance to the Huangshan 1916 Creative Park, which was the main purpose of our trip.

Central Park Modern Suite in Melbourne, Australia

Date of stay: May 2019

A private room inside a high rise condominium right smack in the middle of the Melbourne CBD. The host lives in the other room, and we have access to the kitchen and was able to put stuff in the fridge. Our room also has an ensuite toilet, and its own TV.

Have you tried staying at an Airbnb property yet? You can get $20 off your first qualified booking if you sign up using my invite code!

Buffet Breakfast at Next2

Next2 Cafe is on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, where guests can have their buffet breakfast. They are also open for lunch and dinner, and an ala carte menu is also available.

Cereals, dried fruits, nuts, and cheeses


The Asian food stations

If you have a weird craving or want to try natto, here’s your chance

The breakfast buffet offers a varied selection of breakfast fare. No matter what diet you’re following, and whether you’re in the mood for a hearty breakfast or something light, there’s something for you at Next2.

Here are some of the dishes you can try at Next2:

Fresh greens and smoked salmon

Different kinds of cereals and milk

Noodle soup with your choice of noodles and toppings

Veggies and lots of meat

Cheese, crackers, fruits, and nuts

Dimsum and fried noodles. If you see their shrimp dimsum, go for it! It’s sooo good!

Room Service

On my first evening at Shangri-La, I was too full from my afternoon snacks and enjoying watching the boats from my balcony, that I just opted for room service.

For dinner, I ordered the French onion soup, and a magherita pizza from Angelini’s, the hotel’s Italian restaurant. My meal arrived in less than 30 minutes, with a beautiful place setting. The soup was also contained in a thermos to keep it warm.

It was a great and comfortable dinner, and I found out later on that it was too heavy. I called room service again to request for some containers for my leftover pizza, and I was so happy that they have something ready for such occasions.

Pink Afternoon Tea

Shangri-La Hotel’s afternoon tea is really good, so when I was preparing for my trip, I knew that this is something I need to do while in Bangkok. I invited my friend Mica, who was also in town to share this meal with me, because I know from experience that it can be too much for one person.

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Lobby Lounge offered a special Pink Afternoon Tea. Everything included in the set are pink. So cute!

The afternoon tea set comes with both savory and sweet treats, one pot of Dilmah tea (or coffee), and a mocktail.

Chocolate Boutique

In the Lobby Lounge is the Chocolate Boutique where you can buy different kinds of chocolates made in house, as well as order decadent cakes and signature beverages.

This is the best thing ever! It was so good, but also so rich that I can only eat a small portion each time I open it. This huge bar lasted me a week!

If you can only order one thing at the boutique, let it be the Homemade Fudge. It is the best, most chocolatey thing ever! If you love chocolate, you must try this!

Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok
89 Soi Wat Suan Plu, New Road
Bangrak, Bangkok, 10500, Thailand
Website: www.shangri-la.com/bangkok/shangrila

Location

The Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok is located at the banks of the Chao Phraya River. On my first visit to Bangkok, I was enthralled by the busy activity in the river — while it’s not the prettiest river to look at, I love how the locals use the river as part of their daily commute. It’s a river that’s teeming with life.

Though I often stayed in places away from the river, I love going there and riding the river express to Khao San Road or to visit the temples. I suppose as someone who lives in the city where the river is underutilized, this is somewhat a novelty that I indulge in when I travel.

It was my first time to stay in Bangrak, and right after checking in, I was eager to explore the area, specially after reading that there’s a great restaurant that serves duck nearby. The area behind the hotel has plenty of shops that caters to the needs of the locals, rather than the tourists, and restaurant and food stalls frequented by office workers. It wasn’t a posh neighborhood, and the main road is really very busy, so you get a real feel of the local vibe.

Transportation to and from the hotel

For first timers to Bangkok, the hotel’s location by the river is ideal: it is right next to the Saphan Taksin BTS station, and within comfortable walking distance to the Sathorn Pier, which is the central pier of the Chao Phraya River Express boats.

The proximity to the BTS station means that you can conveniently go to the city center via the SkyTrain, while the pier means that The Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Po, Wat Arun, and Chinatown are just one boat ride away.

One note about the BTS though: there is no elevator going down to the ground level (at least, not near the Shangri-La exit), so if you took the train from the airport, you’ll have to lug your bags down the stairs. Also, it’s the Krungthep wing that is nearest to the BTS, so if you are staying at the Shangri-La Wing and are just about to check-in, they can arrange to have their tuk-tuk bring you to the Shangri-La Wing lobby. It was a really nice way to experience riding the tuk-tuk in Bangkok without having to worry about getting charged an exorbitant amount for a short ride.

If you’d rather take the taxi though, the concierge can arrange for a taxi to come pick you up at the lobby. I was told that the hotel has its fleet of taxis, which means you won’t have to wait long for a ride. When a car comes, whether it’s a taxi or an Uber, the bellboys would talk to the driver to make sure that they know where your destination is. It’s a simple gesture that I really appreciate.

Deluxe Balcony Room

My room was a Deluxe Balcony Room on the 20th floor. Like all my previous rooms at the Shangri-La, it was spacious, has everything I needed for the short stay, and have a very luxurious bed.

The bathroom, as always, was equally spacious, with a separate shower and tub. The shower stall has both the hand-held shower nozzle, which I prefer, and the overhead rain shower head, which others like, so it’s a victory for both camps.

In this room, however, my favorite is the balcony. I had a beautiful, unobstructed view of the river and the surrounding Bangkok skyline. I can see the sun as it rose from the horizon, and had a glimpse of the splash of colors in the sky as it sets. I spent hours just sitting out at the balcony, munching on fruits and fudge as I watch the busy river traffic below. There was even a constant breeze, so it was pretty pleasant sitting outside.

Horizon Club and the Krungthep Wing

The Horizon Club rooms of the Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok is from the 21st floor up in the Shangri-La Wing. Guests staying in these rooms have access to the Horizon Club Lounge, and have the option to have their breakfast there. They can also enjoy whole day access to the lounge, and evening cocktails and canapes.

The Horizon Club Lounge

All the rooms and suites in the Krungthep Wing have a river view balcony, and guests have access to the exclusive Riverside Lounge, and enjoy complimentary breakfast, afternoon high tea, early evening cocktails, and refreshing beverages all throughout the day, whether at the lounge or by the poolside.

Krungthep Wing Room

Shangri-La Hotels recently launched their Love Journey Deals where you can enjoy up to 40% off the published rates for certain months of the year. I checked the rates, and you can get a room in the Krungthep Wing for THB4,000+ per night, which is a pretty great deal! This is a limited online offer: you can get this rate only until November 11, 2015!

Coming up: Dining at Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok

Direct flights vs. Transiting in Bangkok

Cebu Pacific flies direct to Phuket from Manila, but operates only twice or thrice a week. It’s okay if you are looking to only spend the weekend in the island, but it didn’t work for my schedule. What I did was to book Manila-Bangkok, and Phuket-Manila during one of their seat sales (bought tickets in November, flew June). The Phuket-Manila flight is around midnight, which is great, because it gives you one full day to spend at the beach.

There are a number of domestic airlines that can bring me from Bangkok to Phuket, but I went with Bangkok Airways because their flight arrival is the closest to the arrival of my brother’s flight from Singapore.

Transit at Suvarnabhumi Airport

Another reason why I booked with Bangkok Airways is that they fly from Suvarnabhumi Airport. Some flights operate from Don Mueang, which about 30-40 minutes away.

The airport is huge, but does not offer as much in the way of entertainment like Changi Airport (is it unfair to compare any airport with the magnificence that is Changi?). There are, however, plenty of places to get food. You won’t go hungry in Suvarnabhumi. While many of the food options carry that airport price tag, you can head down to the ground level where the airport employees go to eat. The Magic Wok is a small food court that serve the usual Thai food court fare. There are noodles, rice meals, drinks, and of course, fresh fruits. It’s not the best Thai food, nor is it the cheapest, but compared to the prices at other places in the airport, you will not be going over budget here.

If you can, fly Bangkok Airways

I have flown with Bangkok Airways back in 2009, and I was looking forward to flying with them again. I booked my ticket through their website, and I was so happy that it was so straightforward: the prices that was displayed is the same price that I paid at check out. For the Bangkok-Phuket flight, I paid THB 2,000.

All passengers of Bangkok Airways can use their lounge. In the lounge, they can rest in comfortable seats, charge their gadgets, use the free wifi, enjoy some snacks, and drink coffee or tea.

A full meal was served during the one-hour flight. The chicken dish was reminiscent of Afritada, but the pannacotta for dessert was divine. I still remember the yummy green curry they served on my flight to Luang Prabang in 2009.

Rent a villa

Many hotels and resorts, and even property brokers offer private villas for rent. Consider this as an option if you are traveling as a group for a relaxing holiday. Our pool villa at Angsana Laguna Phuket was great, and we really enjoyed the peace and quiet.

There’s more to Phuket than Patong

Patong is where everything is: the long stretch of white sand beach, the cheap accommodations, the shops, the night market. But that also mean it’s where everybody else is. If you’re not into the party scene and the crowds, there are other beaches all around Phuket that may be more to your liking.

What public transport?

While reading about Phuket, I gathered that public transportation in the island is practically non-existent. There is the airport bus, that can greatly help your budget when getting into town, and there are also songtheaws that go from town to town, but their frequency can be unreliable. If you want to go around, you can either rent a motorbike (a popular option for backpackers), or rent a car. Taxis are also available, but they will be charging a fixed price.

Our transport from and to the airport was arranged through Angsana. When we went to Patong, we booked a van through PhuketShuttle.com. I made the reservation through their website form the night before we needed the van, and they got back to me the following morning. We booked a van for five hours, and it cost us about THB 2,000 from Bang Tao to Patong, and back to Bang Tao. The service was very good. My brother dropped his wallet inside the van, and it only took a phone call to their hotline and the van was back to where we were dropped off.

For the social media addicts, wifi is available in all of their vans.

Night markets in Phuket

Because of the hot and humid weather, most markets set up shop late in the afternoon when the temperature starts going down. In Bang Tao, there is a nightly food market right near the turnoff heading into the Laguna Complex. They seem to take a break every Sunday though, since they weren’t there the one time we ventured out to check them out.

It’s the same in Patong. Many shops selling clothes are open the whole day, but more open up when the sun goes down.

Want to get away from the crowds in Patong? Head to the very end of the beach, following the road the leads to Bang Tao. The beach is full of huge boulders, but it’s quiet. At night, street hawkers set up shop on the sidewalk, and is frequented by the locals.

Cheap eats at Banzaan Market

As a popular tourist destination, eating out in Phuket can get very expensive. If you want to try some local cuisine without breaking the bank, head to the Banzaan Fresh Market. It’s a wet market on the first floor, and you can buy fresh seafood, meat, poultry, fruits, and vegetables. Head up to the second floor food court and pick a stall that can cook your goodies. They will ask you how you want them cooked, or you can ask them for suggestions. They will give you a price for your order, and you will be given a slip with the amount that you need to pay at the counter.

Free shuttle from Restaurants

Since transport is a bit of an issue in Phuket, many restaurants offer free pick up and drop off for customers. They usually give their numbers in advertisements, but you can ask the concierge in your hotel to contact them for you.

Lunch at Tawai

Mango and sticky rice for dessert at Tawai

I did this on my last day in Phuket. My brother and his family has already left for Singapore, so I was on my own. I wanted to head out Angsana for lunch, but was too lazy to walk, so I asked the concierge for their restaurant recommendations. They recommended Tawai, a restaurant that offers cooking lessons, located in Bang Tao, just outside of the Laguna Complex.

A Toyota Fortuner came to pick me up and dropped me at the restaurant. I had my lunch, and after paying the bill, the same car drove me back to the resort.

Opt for a private tour with Phuket Alternative Tours

If you’re traveling solo or with a friend, it’s more economical to join a tour group. However, if there are four or more in your group, consider taking a private tour.

Captain Mark operates the Phuket Sail Tours, and also offer alternative tours using the local long tail boats or a speedboat. We went for the alternative tour of Phan Nga Bay. The beauty of the private tour is that we can move at our own pace, and not have to think about whether we are inconveniencing other people nor get pissed if we got stuck with an annoying person in the tour group.

The tour is also the complete package: transportation is provided that took us to Ao Po and back to Angsana, snacks and drinks were provided in the boat, lunch is also pre-arranged, and they even had dry bags for us to use. Our last stop in the tour was to a small beach. We arrived just as another group was leaving, so we had the beach to ourselves. They had picnic mats on the sand for those who prefer to laze about, instead of taking a dip.

The snacks served were fresh fruits and chicken skewers. Our lunch was very filling and really yummy. Drinks are also plentiful, and there was a selection of sodas, canned coffee, and cold water.

The private tour is priced for six passengers. If there are six of you in the group, the cost per person is comparable to the price you would pay if you are joining a group tour.

Last chance for Thai food at the Thai Airways Restaurant

Dinner at Thai Airways Restaurant

Since my flight leaves in the evening, I had to research about places to eat at the Phuket Airport. The popular choice was the Thai Airways Restaurant on the second floor of the airport. Lucky for me, I was dropped off at the domestic terminal, so I only had a short walk to the escalator. It is nondescript, and frankly, doesn’t look too promising, but the food is good, serving size is good, and price is not too bad.

Those are my tips for Phuket. For those who’ve been there several times, what advice can you give to first time visitors?

If you’ve been reading my blog long enough, you know that I travel for lesser reasons than that. In the next seat sale (which was about a week after our conversation), I booked my flights.

Laguna Phuket

The Angsana Hotel is located in the Laguna Complex, an area in Bang Tao, along with other resorts like the Banyan Tree, Dusit Thani, and the Outrigger Resorts. It is also the venue for the annual Phuket International Marathon.

If you are staying at a resort in Laguna Phuket, and have arranged for an airport shuttle, you can wait at their lounge located right outside the international arrivals gate.

Laguna Phuket is huge. Regular shuttles between the resorts are available, both on land and in the lagoon. Shuttles are also required to get to the Laguna gate, and to get to our villa.

Villa

Our villa is located in Laguna Fairways. This is about a 5-minute drive from the resort lobby, and is about 2 kilometers away. You’ll have to get through the guard at the gate to enter the small community of villas.

As the name suggests, the villas are practically in the golf course. The villa’s backyard only has a small picket fence that separates it from the green. Not once during our five-days stay at Angsana did we get any golf balls in our patio or in the pool.

The villa is huge. It is listed as good for 6 people, but you can actually host a party for 20 people, and it would still feel comfortable. There’s a garage, which is great if you rented a car (public transport in Phuket is practically non-existent). There are bikes, however, which you can use to get around Laguna, if you’re so inclined.

Upon entry, the door to the kitchen is immediately to your right, followed by the door to the downstairs toilet.

The living area has a huge flat screen TV with digital cable signal, and some comfy sofas. There’s a huge open area behind it, which only has a working desk and a day bed on the opposite side of the room. Right after the desk is the dining table, which can fit 6 people.

The dining area opens out to the patio, which also has a table that can accommodate 6, a gazebo with a fan and some cushions, the pool, and four lounge chairs.

Rooms

The villa has three rooms on the second floor: the master’s suite, a bedroom with a queen bed, and a bedroom with twin beds. All rooms have their own balconies, but only the master’s bedroom has patio furniture for watching the golfers or the sunset.

All the rooms have its own closet, personal safe, TVs, vanity, and side tables. The master suite, however, has a huge walk-in closet, and an ensuite toilet and bath. There are two sinks, and a separate shower stall and bath tub.

The beds are heavenly, and with the window shades down, it’s all too easy to oversleep and miss your alarm in the morning.

The second toilet that is shared by the two rooms only has a shower, toilet, and one sink. Bottles of water are available and restocked daily. There are mounds of towels available in all the bathrooms (the downstair toilets has the huge beach towels for swimming), along with toiletries. Instead of using small bottles, Angsana Laguna Phuket uses custom-made ceramic containers for their shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, and hand wash.

Kitchen

The kitchen is fully equipped and spacious enough that even if there are three of you inside, you are not intruding in each other’s space. There is an induction stove, a microwave, and even an oven. There is also a toaster and a coffee maker.

Crockery and cutleries are also on hand, as well as cooking utensils. Even the dishwashing soap is provided. There are two complimentary 2-liter bottles of water, along with other items for the mini bar.

Resort Facilities

The resort proper itself is huge. Just walking to the breakfast restaurant every morning seems like a warm up. The highlight of the resort is its huge pool. In one area, it has a “beach” area, with sand if you don’t feel like taking a dip in the sea. There is also a net for those who want to play volleyball while in the water. The pool winds through the resort, so you can pretty much go from one end to the other without having to get out of the water.

If you love swimming, the resort also have rooms that is right by the pool, so you can just slip out to the water as soon as you wake up.

Angsana Laguna Phuket Resort is right at Bang Tao beach, which is a pretty quiet beach on the western side of Phuket island. Several lounge chairs are available right on the shore for the guests of the resort.

There is also a gym, a gift shop, children’s playground, a spa, and non-motorized water sport equipment.

Breakfast

Breakfast for all the guests is at the Market Place. It baffles me though, that for such a a huge resort, the breakfast place is so small. On our first morning there, we were very early, so there’s only a handful of people inside the restaurant. On our second morning, however, we were there about an hour later, and just as we were tucking in, the line outside has started to form.

The selection is all right — a good mix of local dishes and international breakfast fare. They do have an impressive selection of fruits.

Guests staying in the apartments and villas has the option to have their breakfast at the Bodega & Grill. The Bodega & Grill offers plated entrees, and a small buffet selection. There’s not as much variety, but they do have smoked salmon, sushi rolls, and a variety of cheeses.

Restaurant

There are seven restaurants and cafes inside Angsana Phuket, but we were only able to eat at Bodega & Grill. After a morning of swimming in the pool beside the restaurant, we decided to just stay there for lunch. They offer Western fare, we were quite happy with the pizza, pasta, and deserts we ordered.

If you want to try out the restaurants in the other Laguna resorts, you can take the free shuttle, dine there, and charge it to your room or villa in Angsana.

All in all…

Staying at the Angsana Laguna Phuket Resort was a great introduction to Phuket. I’m beginning to develop an aversion to crowds, and I prefer my beaches to be quiet, so staying at Bang Tao was a good choice. It’s a lot pricier than Patong, but if you’re looking to indulge yourself with a relaxing holiday, you can’t go wrong with Angsana Laguna Phuket Hotel.

If you’re traveling as a group, look into staying in the villa, as it gives you privacy and your own space for better bonding. Angsana is also near the starting and finish line of the Laguna Phuket Marathon, so if you’re running, this is a good place to stay, if you want to mix some holiday with your run.

Get the best rates

Sayuri with Treeson, Ren, Ringo, Kyoko, and Loki

Seven years later, my interest in dolls and toys have waned, but my thirst for travel still remain. I do not regret getting into to toy collecting, because it was through that hobby that I found friends who love travel as much as I do.

This trip to Bangkok was prompted by a casual conversation about Thai food. While Cla and I were fondly reminiscing about the great street food we’ve had, Khursten was frustrated because on her first and only trip to the country, she had two bouts of food poisoning. We encouraged her to try it again, with us guiding her to our favorite Bangkok haunts.

Plane fares were quickly searched, checking all possible airlines that can give us the best price. We chanced upon a good deal on Christmas day, and that night, we all gave ourselves an extra gift for the season.

I became a solo traveler because it can be a huge pain waiting for people to join you for a trip. Though I like the freedom solo travel brings, I also enjoy getting to spend time with friends and sharing the experience. I’m so happy that I found people who share the same passion, and would agree to go places for the silliest reasons.

And with the silliest people. Ohai, Prez David.

Anonymous model wants to remain anonymous

Suvarnabhumi International Airport is huge, but despite its size, it’s virtually impossible to get lost because there are plenty of signs to point you to the right direction. As soon as we exit the arrival hall, we only had to look a couple of times to see signs to the Airport Link station. Located at the airport’s basement, this station serves both the Express and City lines of the SARL. There’s a ticket booth right in the middle of the huge station, the right side for tickets on the City line, the left for the Express.

The Suvarnabhumi Airport Express serves only two stations: the airport and Makkasan, which connects you to Bangkok’s MRT system. The train is similar to that of Hong Kong’s and Kuala Lumpur’s airport express trains: comfortable plush seats with racks for your luggage. The ride takes only 15 minutes and costs THB 100 (THB 150 starting January 1, 2011).

Inside the Suvarnabhumi Airport Link Express Train

The Suvarnabhumi Airport City Line terminates at Phaya Thai, stopping at 6 stations, including Makkasan. The train for this line is similar to the BTS, and as stated in the article above, can get crowded during peak hours. The ride from Phaya Thai to Suvarnabhumi takes 30 minutes and costs THB 15 (THB 45 starting January 1, 2011).

Cla and I rode the Express line when we arrived on Friday night. We were staying at Old Charm Guesthouse, which happens to be just one station away from Phaya Thai, so taking the train would be our best airport transfer option. The ride to Makkasan was smooth and fast. The train’s waiting time was longer than the entire ride. We alighted at Makkasan, and were impressed at how the train station looked like an extension of the Suvarnabhumi airport. On the ground level, check-in counters are waiting for future airlines to set up shop. The City Line station is at the 3rd floor of the station. Since the Express line terminates at Makkasan, we had to transfer to go all the way to Phaya Thai (at no additional cost). The ride from Makkasan to Phayathai on the City Line only took about 5 minutes, even with the stop at Rajprarop Station.

I took the City Line all the way back to the airport on my last day. From the Old Charm, I rode the BTS from Ratchatewi to Phaya Thai, going out through Exit 5 of the Phaya Thai station to connect to the Airport Link station. I queue up to buy a ticket, and was surprised that a trip to Suvarnabhumi would only cost me THB 15. Definitely the cheapest I’ve ever paid for airport transfer. Though the distance between Phaya Thai, Rajprarop and Makkasan were covered in 2 minutes or less, the stations gets farther apart past Makkasan. The ride took only 30 minutes, as promised.

Waiting for the City Line train at the Makkasan station

As written in the CNNGo article, the airport link be cheap and fast, but it can pose some inconvenient problems for some travelers. This option is not really recommended for those traveling with plenty of luggage if you’re taking the City Line. There are no lifts in the City Line’s stations, only escalators. There’s also that added inconvenience if you’re connecting via the BTS or MRT, since they usually don’t have lifts either.

Still, the Bangkok Airport Link is a very much welcome addition to Thailand’s extensive rail line. For solo travelers like me, this is currently the best option for traveling to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Fernando Gonzalez, Rafael Nadal, Juan Martin del Potro and Ernests Gulbis at the PTT Thailand Open 2010

Unfortunately, similar to last year, we weren’t able to watch Rafa play tennis in Bangkok. Last year, Nadal had to pull out of the competition because of his injury. Things are turning out much better this year: he’s in top form, winning the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open. Rafa was already in Thailand when we arrived last Friday night, but he was still vacationing in Hua Hin, a popular weekend haven for Thais just 5 hour’s drive from Bangkok. According to reports from the Thai newspapers, Rafa won’t be playing until September 30, when Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will formally open the tournament.

Nadal or no Nadal, Cla and I headed to the Impact Arena. The Qualifier round has started, and we were just in time to watch her favorite Tennis Twitterer, Dmitry Tursunov playing against Marinko Matosevic. While Cla is a huge tennis fan, I’m just in it for the Fedal. Still, it was a pretty interesting experience feeling the buzz and excitement of the people walking around the grounds making their way to the arena to watch the players or milling around hoping to catch a glimpse of their tennis idols.

We bought tickets to watch the game, THB 300 for the highest balcony. Whenever I chance upon tennis tournaments on TV, I always wonder if the people sitting at the very top of the bleachers are still able to see the players. I was surprised when we went inside that the arena isn’t all that big, even with two tennis courts. While the view from Section G wasn’t the best, Dmitry and Marinko weren’t tiny specks running to and fro either. Since it was just the Qualifier, the arena was practically empty. I’m guessing that as the Main Draw start, people will start trickling in, specially if it’s Rafa playing.

How can you not buy that shirt?

Dmitry won after two tie breaks, and as the two tennis players walk off the court, Cla and I were out of our seats and went back to exploring the grounds. As expected, there’s a number of booths selling tennis and other sports apparel and equipment. What caught our attention though was this booth selling souvenir t-shirts. White shirts with a very simple “I &heart; Nadal” was all it took to get us pulling out our wallets and handing over hard earned cash.

Outside the arena, Cla and I (and Prez David) had a blast taking pictures with the player’s standees. We know it’s absolutely silly, posing with cardboard cut outs, but that made it so much more fun than it should be. As soon as we stopped snapping pictures, a teenage girl took her place beside cardboard Rafa to have her picture taken.

While it seemed like this was another failed attempt at watching Rafael Nadal play in the Thailand Open, the trip was still one of the most fun I’ve taken in 2010. In every failure lies a lesson to be learned. We learned that it’d be better if we arrive on Thursday and catch the games on Friday or Saturday for the Main Draw, Quarter Finals and Semi Finals. Next year, we’ll perfect you, Thailand Open 2011.

Impact Arena

Going to Bangkok this week and interested to watch the Thailand Open? Daily game schedule are posted on the PTT Thailand open website, while tickets can be bought online at Thai Ticket Major. You can also buy tickets on site. Watch out for scalpers though!

The Impact Arena is located in the Nonthaburi province of Thailand. The easiest way to get there is to ride the BTS Skytrain to Mo Chit station then ride the Impact Link shuttle. From the BTS, go down Exit 4. When you reach street level, make a U-turn and continue walking until you pass a gate that leads to a huge parking lot. Look for the Impact Link stop (I think it’s Number 1 — best to ask around as all the signs are in Thai). There’s a shuttle every 30 minutes. The drive to Impact takes approximately 30 minutes and costs THB 30 each. You will be dropped off in front of Impact Challenger. Just cross the street to the Impact Exhibition Hall then walk to the right to get to the Impact Arena.

I &heart; Nadal!

Love Nadal? Get a chance to win this I &heart; Nadal shirt! It comes with a matching pin and Thailand Open 2010 postcards featuring Rafael Nadal, Juan Martin del Potro and Ernests Gulbis. All you need to do is post a comment with your answer to this question: Who is your favorite tennis player of all time? Contest will run from September 28 – October 3, 2010. Winner will be picked through a random drawing through Random.org’s Randomizer. This contest is open to Philippine residents only.

Bangkok has gone back to normal. Save for the gutted buildings, there were no signs that this was a city that has been paralyzed by the red shirts a month ago. The malls are open again, the BTS taking people from one end of the city to another.

I originally planned to stay for the weekend, but when Air Asia had their zero-fare sale, the June 27 departure was cheaper than June 26. Of course, whatever amount I saved on the airfare and accommodation was used up to buy a several cute things, including the most awesome wedding gift for a friend *evil laugh*

I know of three more people who was at Bangkok the same time that I was, and all our updates were the same: shopping in BKK is simply the best. Bangkok is well on their way to economic recovery, I see.

Watch out for this sign on Soi 38

The Sukhumvit area is called the embassy row — almost all of the embassies are located there (including the Philippine embassy). It’s also said that Sukhumvit is where backpackers go when they tire of Khao San Road. Sukhumvit is a very quiet neighborhood, and you can walk for a kilometer without anybody asking you if you want to go on a tuktuk ride or buy a fake Rolex. Though Sukhumvit is not exactly a central station, the BTS run along the main road, so it’s easy to get around without having to deal with Bangkok’s infamous traffic jams.

HI Sukhumvit is located in Sukhumvit Soi 38, a street of the main Sukhumvit road. It’s actually tucked in a smaller street, just 100 meters from the entrance of the street. The nearest BTS station is Thong Lo.

Room 205

The hostel has five floors, the fifth being the roof deck, where there’s a common lounge room, sun beds and the laundry facilities. The rooms range from female and mixed dorms, single and double rooms, and rooms with ensuite toilet and bath. There is no elevator in the hostel, so be sure that you can comfortably carry your luggage up a flight of stairs if you’re staying here. Each floor has a shared toilet and shower. The housekeeping staff are always around ensuring that the toilet is kept clean and there’s toilet paper available.

During my first stay at HI Sukhumvit, I booked a single room. Due to the guest extending his stay, they gave me a double room for the price of the single room. The room was big enough for two people without bumping to each other. The bed was comfortable and the pillows were soft and fluffy. There was a clothes rack for drying wet towels or clothes and a small dresser for your toiletries. There’s also a side table and a lamp, which is great if you’re going to read before sleeping.

Rooftop lounge area

The second time I stayed there, I stayed for one night in a 4-bed dorm room that I shared with the tennis girls. It’s roughly the same size of the double room, with two bunk beds and four people. The beds are comfortable enough, but I’m glad that the pillows are the same soft and fluffy kind as they have in the double rooms.

One of the things you may not like about HI Sukhumvit is the aircon policy. There was a note at the door saying that air conditioning is only available between 6pm to 11am. The aircon is not centralized, so I’m not sure if they really monitor the usage of the air conditioning in every room. This can be terribly inconvenient if you’re staying the whole day at the hostel, but if you’re going to be out the whole day sightseeing and shopping, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Get a tan in the middle of the city

Wi-fi internet is available to guests for free THB100 for the entire duration of your stay. In the website, they said that wi-fi is only available on the ground floor, but from experience, the signal can reach up to certain rooms on the 3rd floor (the rooms on the left side of the stairs as you come up). I was able to access the internet on my rooms at the 2nd and 3rd floor (though signal is sometimes choppy and I had to resort to put my laptop on the floor for optimal signal strength), but I wasn’t able to get any signal on our dorm room on the 3rd floor. There are also desktop computers you can use if you don’t have a laptop, but they charge for usage. They turn off the Internet at midnight though, so better keep that in mind if you need go online.

On the ground floor, there’s a dining table where you can have your meals or work on your laptop. There’s a small area with a collection of books that other travelers have left and a variety of magazines and board games. There’s also a cable tv, and an outside seating area where you can smoke. Also on the ground floor is a small room under the stairs where you can leave your luggage before check-in or after check-out, and a kitchen where you can prepare and cook your meals. There’s also a huge map of Thailand and Bangkok to help you plan your trip within the country. There are also suggested itineraries, and the reception can help you book tours to popular tourist attractions around Bangkok.

Sukhumvit Soi 38 nightly food market

What endeared us the most with HI Sukhumvit was the nightly food market. Every day at 5pm, hawkers would set up their stalls along Sukhumvit Soi 38 and cook up some of the best Thai food at very cheap prices. The food served here aren’t the type that is made for tourists; these are Thai food cooked for Thais. Though HI Sukhumvit is just down the street, majority of the people who eat here are Thais who live and work near the area. Ming, my Thai friend who lives in Bangkok, says that after a long night of dancing and drinking at the clubs, Soi 38 is where Thailand’s partyphiles go. Everything that we ate at Sukhumvit Soi 38’s night market was good, but our favorite was the pad thai from the stall with the long lines (it’s at the first corner from Sukhumvit, on the right side of the road) and the mango with sticky rice on the opposite side of the road.

The high rating and glowing recommendations that HI-Sukhumvit has been getting were well deserved. The hostel is not perfect – it’s not wheelchair friendly, the reception is only open from 7am to 12 midnight, the aircon policy. However, it has a lot to offer that makes up for its shortcomings. Will I stay in HI Sukhumvit again? Definitely.

Hostelling International Sukhumvit
23, Soi Sukhumvit 38, Phra Khanong, Khlong Toei,
Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2391 9338 to 9
Fax: +66 (0) 2391 9339
E-mail: info@hisukhumvit.com
Website: www.hisukhumvit.com

I’ve no trips until the end of the month, so in order to have something to blog about, I’ll be writing reviews of accommodations, airlines and services that I’ve used in my travels last year. I figured now’s the time to do it, as people are making plans for their trips in the coming months. I hope you find these posts useful

This was my second stay at Shambara. I stayed there before, on my first trip to Thailand in 2006. Not a lot has changed: there are still only 9 rooms, the bathroom is still shared, footwear is still strictly not allowed inside, and it’s still always full.

Room 3

Shambara’s biggest appeal is its location: it’s in an alley off Khao San Road. If you’ve been to Bangkok or have researched about the city, you’d know that KSR is the backpacker’s hub. This is where most of the young and first time backpackers go to stay in Bangkok, because everything a traveler needs is in Khao San Road. Cheap accommodation? Check. Clothes and accessories? Check. Bootleg CDs and DVDs? Check. Foreign exchange and ATMs? Check. Pharmacy and convenience stores? Check. Travel agents offering cheap tour packages to Thailand’s islands and beaches? Check. Restaurants and bars serving Western food and cheap booze? Check. Thai street food? Check. McDonald’s, Starbucks and Apple Store? Check, check, check!

Basically, if you want to meet other backpackers and party until sun up, you go to Khao San Road. Of course, the problem with party places is that it can get really noisy at night, which is bad if you need to get some sleep for your early flight to Krabi. That’s where Shambara is at an advantage. Since it’s in an alley, KSR is close enough that you’re literally just a few steps away from the party, yet far enough not to hear it in your room.

Shambara’s common area

Another great thing about staying in Khao San Road is that it’s near some of the main tourist attractions of Bangkok: The Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), Wat Po (Temple of the Reclining Buddha) and Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn). The first three are just one bus ride away, while Wat Arun requires a ferry ride across the Chao Phraya River. For me, that’s another appeal of staying at Khao San: the Chao Phraya River express. When I’m feeling cheap and not too lazy to walk to the ferry stop, I’d take the river express down to Sathorn station, where I board the BTS going to the malls. Though it’s much easier and the route’s much direct if I take a cab, I like the novelty of riding the ferry down the river. Also, I don’t have to deal with the terrible Bangkok traffic.

Oh wait, I’m supposed to be writing about Shambara. The room I got on my last trip was so identical to the room I stayed in before. Actually, I think it IS the same room I had before: single room with aircon. As I said in my previous review, the room is just right for one person. There’s enough room for my mess, and I love that there was a small side table for my phones, medicine and bottled water (I was sick when I stayed there last June). There was a narrow ladder-like thing for hanging clothes and an electrical socket for electronics.

Save for that missing jalousie panel on my window, the room was still the same shape as the last time I slept there. Surprisingly, after 3 years, Shambara still looks and feel the same. I love it. There are places that seemed so different and depressing after just a year, so it was great to find out that Shambara has kept the quality of their boutique hostel.

Al fresco dining at Shambara

Since I stayed longer last June, I was able to try eating at Shambara’s restaurant. They had an outdoor and indoor dining area. While al fresco dining seemed like such a quaint idea in the late afternoon or in the evening when there’s mood lighting, there are mosquito and other insects that come from the trees and plants. They put mosquito coils, but if your blood’s really tasty to them bloodsuckers, be sure to slather a healthy amount of repellent before heading there for dinner. The food was good, though not spectacular. It’s pretty pricey, specially since there are plenty of cheaper and better alternatives in Bangkok. If you love pulp though, I suggest you try their fresh orange juice. It’s like 90% pulp, 10% juice.

If you want to stay in the Khao San Road area, I highly recommend staying at Shambara. However, if you ask me where to stay in Bangkok without specifying a locale, I would recommend a different place.

Edited January 19, 2010 (forgot to write about Shambara’s services)

Shambara advertises that they have wi-fi in the guesthouse. When I was there, however, I was told the hostel’s Internet was in the fritz, therefore no-wifi for the guests. It was just as well, because it turns out, there’s an additional fee for wi-fi access (and only for a limited time).

They also offer a laundry service — THB 150 for a load of laundry. I find that this is too pricey, specially if you don’t have that many clothes. Better to take your laundry to the laundry shops.

Shambara Boutique Hostel and Restaurant
138 Khao San Road
Bangkok
+66-2-282-7968
+66-1-839-5155
+66-1-828-2970
Website: www.shambarabangkok.com

This trip is expensive, compared to my month-long trip back in June spanning five countries. However, it still came out cheaper than the budget I drew up when I was still planning for the trip. And this is the moment when I admit that I really cannot be a hardcore backpacker (that sounds sooo wrong). Haggling will never be my forte, and I will splurge whenever I can. And I will never stop buying doll clothes and books.

Shopping aside, the biggest expense in this trip was my 4-day stay at the Sunway Hotel in Georgetown. I needed to work during those four days, so I splurged on a hotel to ensure that I have a stable Internet connection. Ironically, the Internet at the guesthouse where I transfered to was much better. Hmp.

Pretty but overpriced airport food

I am leaving Bangkok today, alone once more. The girls took the red eye flight from Bangkok to Manila last night, giving them one whole day to spend in Bangkok and just enough time to shower before heading to work.

Yesterday was epic. Among the four of us, Cla was the only first timer in Bangkok, and she wasn’t in the mood for temple-hopping. That leaves the tennis and the shopping, and since Nadal pulled out, we were all for dollie shopping.

We woke up relatively early, and since they already packed their bags the night before, we took our time getting ready. We did not have breakfast at the hostel; instead we went up to the rooftop to take pictures of our dolls. Of course, what’s a trip with dollie friend without taking time to take photos of our toys? Like me, Rotch and Rael brought Pinky Street dolls — Makoto (The Girl Who Leapt through Time) and Pucci (Kira Kira DS Game). Cla brought her pink Baby Treeson and Addie, a Dal. As always, I have Sayuri (Sumire) with me, along with Caine (Range Murata).

Group pic! In the instax: Rael, me, Rotch and Cla

After checking out of HI-Sukhumvit, we headed to MBK for brunch, and for the girls to leave their bags before we head out for some major shopping. Our main destination was Chatuchak, to go back to the doll stores we stumbled upon last Saturday and to look for the shop we initially set out to find (but didn’t because I forgot to check the address of the store). However, we knew Chatuchak would be too hot during the early afternoon, so we arranged our itinerary so it would be our last stop before heading back to MBK.

We headed to Chinatown first. I took them to the doll shop I discovered last June, and Cla went crazy buying stuff that we don’t easily get in Manila. I already had my fill of this store from my last trip, and I was content to just stand back and watch them shop. I was actually saving my money for the stores in Chatuchak. From Chinatown, we headed back to the city center by taxi. The great thing about traveling with a group is that you get to split the cost of the taxi. Depending on the time of day, it is much cheaper to travel by taxi in Bangkok if you’re traveling with friends. Taking the BTS Skytrain from Thong Lor (where the hostel is) to National Stadium (where MBK is) would have cost us 30 baht each. The same distance cost 73 baht in light traffic in the taxi, and when divided by four, only cost us 17.50 baht each.

Shooting with Instax at HI-Sukhumvit’s rooftop

We had the taxi driver take us to Central World, where Rotch bought her Liverpool training bag. We savored the airconditioning inside the mall, and took advantage of the clean restrooms. We had some cool drinks at the central food hall before heading back out to the street. We walked to the Siam BTS station, where we took the train to Morchit. It was past 3 o’clock in the afternoon when we arrived at Chatuchak, and it was still pretty hot and very crowded. We pretty much cut through the huge weekend market to get to the Chatuchak Plaza, where the doll store is. Armed with our Chatuchak map and the address of the store, we found Monae Glow without much problem. They had two stores in Zone A, Soi 7, right across each other. One is where most of the doll accessories are sold, the other where the actual dolls are on display and for sale, along with more clothes and their area for making custom dolls. The prices in the shops at Chatuchak are more expensive than in Chinatown, but they offer more choices, more brands and generally better clothes.

After paying for the clothes, we continued walking down Soi 7 until we emerged in the street fronting the JJ Mall. We entered the mall, going up to the 2nd floor where the Bambino shop is. Aside from selling rare and regular release Pullips, Dals and Taeyangs, they also sell Momokos, J-dolls and Obitsu bodies, a great replacement body for doll’s stock bodies. What’s great about these stores in Chatuchak is that they are run by collectors, so they really know their dolls and they know which clothes sell, and which clothes fit a particular doll. We left the mall satisfied, and walked back to the Chatucak weekend market for some souvenir shopping. It was past 5 o’clock already, and the sun was setting. It wasn’t as hot as when we arrived, making the walk back to the train station much more pleasant. Rotch, Rael and Cla ended up shopping again, this time for human clothes. We were all impressed by the range of clothing found at the market, and they all walked off with a shirt or two.

Because sometimes, you just have to do the touristy stuff. Forget Ronald McDonald, it’s Geoffrey the Giraffe for me.

We were quiet in the train back to the city, all of us exhausted. They had one more shopping to do at MBK, for Thai snacks to give to family and friends in Manila. Another round of packing was done, rearranging their things to fit everything into their bags. We had one last dinner together at the MBK food court, with Rotch and Cla facing one of the many TV scattered around the food court, engrossed with the football game. It seems they weren’t the only fans around — when Arsenal scored a goal, one section of the food court let out a loud cheer.

At 8 o’clock, we parted ways. Them walking to the taxi stand, me back to the BTS. I had one last stop before heading back to the hostel — Kinokuniya at Siam Paragon. After years of refusing to read The Beach by Alex Garland, I finally gave in and picked up a copy. It was ironic because throughout my travels, I’ve been seeing this book in stores and hostels, but when I wanted to buy it, there weren’t any copies in Manila. I’ve already started reading the book last night and I was quickly engrossed. The story started in Bangkok, and it was rather fitting that I also started reading it in Bangkok.

Waiting for the next flight out

Richard, the main character of the book left Bangkok almost as soon as he arrived, and it felt the same for us in this trip. He left Bangkok in search for a beach. And I’m… well, I’m just leaving.

P.S. Thank you British Airways first class lounge for leaving your wi-fi unsecured.

We love our toys so much, we take them with us when we travel. That’s my Sayuri and Caine with Cla‘s Addie and Baby Treeson and Rotch‘s Makoto.

Mind you, Bangkok isn’t an expensive place to travel in. In fact, it’s quite cheap. Public transport in Bangkok is pretty efficient, and if you opt to take a taxi, the fare isn’t all that expensive, especially if you’re traveling with a group.

Good food is plentiful in Thailand, and for as low as 50 baht, you can get a plate of the best pad thai with 5 plump shrimp. For 30 baht more, you can get a plate of 10 chicken satay. For dessert, how about a plate of the most amazing mango and sticky rice for only 60 baht?

What pwns us in Bangkok is the shopping. Many would rave about the cheap clothes and accessories in Bangkok, but for Rotch, Cla and I, it’s all about the dolls. Last June, I stumbled upon dollie heaven in Yaowarat (Chinatown). This time, we found utopia in Chatuchak Mall.

Super realistic looking doll shoes for Taeyangs. They’re pretty expensive, but they’re very detailed.

It was funny, really. We headed out to this huge weekend market and surrounding shopping areas, without any clue as to where this dolly shop that Cla was able to find on Flickr. With Rotch leading the way, we went through the weekend market to the Chatuchak Plaza and eventually into Chatuchak Mall, where we found this store specializing in Pullips, Dals and Taeyangs — a rarity in a city so enamored with Blythe.

With mouths agape, we looked over their collection, many of which are rares that we only read about online, never seen in person. Right next to the store is another shop specializing in different doll accessories. There are clothes not only for Blythes, but also for Pullips, Dals and Taeyangs as well. There are even Momokos for sale for a fraction of the cost, and even a Ru Paul doll (99% plastic, 1% woman).

Best mango and sticky rice ever! This is from the stall in Sukhumvit Soi 38’s night market.

Tomorrow we’re going on another mission. I’m taking the girls to Chinatown, to that store with doll clothes (though the selection isn’t as huge, the price is lower there), and we’re headed back to Chatuchak to look for the store we initially intended to visit.

Bangkok may have pwned our budget, but if it’s anything to do with dollies, we welcome this pwnage.

For five days and four nights in a major city, this is a pretty cheap trip.