february-2011

international adventures
The famous
Giant Swing
BANGKOK
THAILAND
Bangkok is intense. It’s
addictive as a travel
destination and has enough
shopping, food, nightlife and
culture to bring you back. The
huge variety it always off ers
cheaply is a great draw.
MYANMAR
Andaman Sea
Phuket
LAOS
THAILAND
Bangkok
FROM THE AIRPORT
CAMBODIA
VIETNAM
MALAYSIA
CBD 30km from Suvarnabhumi
International Airport
Travel time Around 40 mins by car
Taxi Abt THB300 (S$12.70)
Airport Express Costs THB150
(S$6.35) and takes about an hour
ON THE GO
1. BTS Skytrain and underground
MRT Will get you to all the major
points in Bangkok.
2. Tuk-tuk Exhilarating but best for
short distances only.
3. Taxi Readily available. Always ask
politely to have the meter switched
on and a small tip will always be
greatly appreciated.
96 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2011
NICOLA CHILTON
Regional director
of public relations,
Thailand,
Four Seasons
Hotel Bangkok
Great place for dinner: Don’t
miss drinks or dinner at Sirocco
— an open-air restaurant and
bar located on the 63rd fl oor of
one of the city’s tallest buildings,
with spectacular views across
the entire city and the Chao
Phraya River. I guarantee you’ll
be feeling as if you’re on top of
the world.
Best breakfast: Sunday Brunch
at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok.
What could be better than
sitting out in the courtyard and
dining at all four of the Four
Seasons’ restaurants at once?
Thai, Italian, Japanese, seafood,
breakfast items, foie gras, freefl
ow sparkling wine — the list
goes on. Reservations are a
must — try and book at least a
week in advance.
Best buy for under S$50: A
foot massage. It’s not something
you can take with you, but it’s
defi nitely something you’ll
enjoy. It’s cheap and available on
practically every street corner
— perfect for when you’ve been
sightseeing or shopping all day.
Urban Retreat is a chain of good,
clean spas that off ers a range
of treatments, with a 60-minute
foot massage costing around
THB350 (S$14.82).
Insider’s tip: Try getting off the
beaten track and out onto the
water — hire a longtail boat to
take you on a tour of the khlongs
(canals) on the Thonburi side of
the river, the opposite bank to
the Grand Palace. You’ll be able
to see children playing in the
water, women selling noodles
from tiny boats, and coconut
palms. It’s a really great way
to catch a glimpse of a very
diff erent Bangkok.
PHUKET
THAILAND
Providing a nice contrast to
the capital Bangkok, Phuket is
a beach-lover’s paradise, and
defi nitely a great place to slow
down and lap up the island life
of the locals — with stunning
scenery to boot.
MYANMAR
Andaman Sea
Phuket
LAOS
THAILAND
Bangkok
CAMBODIA
VIETNAM
MALAYSIA
FROM THE AIRPORT
Patong Beach 32km from Phuket
International Airport
Travel time Patong Beach is around
45 mins by car
Taxi Abt THB400 (S$16.93).
Shuttle Bus Every 30 mins at
THB52 (S$2.20) and takes about
an hour
ON THE GO
1. Motorbikes A cheap and
convenient way to explore all the
tiny lanes around the beach – but
drive with care!
2. Tuk-tuk Exhilarating but best for
short distances only.
3. Hired car Really the only way
to go beyond the city. If you want
to enjoy the scenery while on the
move, hiring a driver too only costs
a little more.
A lovely
Phuket sunset
KASIDEJ
PREECHANOND
Resident manager, La
Flora Resort & Spa
For history: Visit a rubber tree
farm. Rubber trees cover 33% of
Phuket’s land area. The fi rst tree
was planted in 1889 in Trang.
The method of tapping the
rubber trees, where an incision
is made on the tree’s trunk and
a small cup is used to collect the
sap, has remained unchanged
to this day.
Must-eat: Before you leave
Phuket, you have to try the
original fried noodles, called pad
mee phuket thaley, which are
yellow noodles stir-fried with
prawns, calamari, egg, beans
and lastly, roasted chilli paste.
Best idea for a family outing:
A fun thing to try is visiting the
Khao Lak Elephant Camp, near
the Khao Lak National Park,
for trekking trips on elephants
through the rainforest.
Insider’s tip: If you don’t like
crowds, get away from the
them and make your way to
Poseidon Beach, a wonderful
and secluded beach in southern
Khao Lak. You’ll be able to enjoy
great swimming, intriguing
rocky outcrops and stunning
sunsets — all of which make this
a special treat in the area. There
are a couple of local restaurants
on the beach that will provide
you with things like a chair,
umbrella and refreshments.
Most unusual thing to do:
You can try hiring a local guide
to take you to Moken Village, at
the north of Khao Lak, which
is where sea gypsies live from
June to October when they are
land-bound. This fascinating
group of people have their own
culture, and even speak their
own language too.