november-2010

international adventures
Bustling Khao
San Road
BANGKOK
THAILAND
Thailand is a fascinating
country with beautiful
landscapes and
spectacular monuments.
Its capital, the “City of
Angels”, bustles with the
energy and colour of a
metropolis that never rests.
MYANMAR
Andaman
Sea
LAOS
THAILAND
MALAYSIA
FROM THE AIRPORT
CBD 30km from Suvarnabhumi
International Airport
Travel time Around 40 mins
by car
106 NOVEMBER 2010
Gulf
of
Tonkin
Bangkok
CAMBODIA
Gulf
of
Thailand VIETNAM
Taxi Approx THB300 (AU$10.21)
Airport Express THB150
(AU$5.10); takes around 60 mins
ON THE GO
1. BTS Skytrain and MRT These
two train systems travel over- and
underground to get you to all the
major points in Bangkok.
2. Tuk-tuk This method of transport
offers an exhilarating ride around
the streets, but is best for short
distances only.
3. Taxi Cabs are usually readily
available, but always ask the driver
politely to have the meter switched
on. A small tip is also always
appreciated as a nice gesture.
BEK VAN VLIET
PR coordinator,
Agoda.com
Tourist survival tips: Always
make sure the cab meter is on.
Cabs parked outside tourist spots
will charge a minimum of 100
baht, so it’s always better to hail a
moving one from the street. Also,
avoid “gem tours” completely.
Best buys for under AU$50: At
Chatuchak market, you can easily
buy several items of clothing, lunch
and an hour-long massage for this
much. Massages are around 350
baht (AU$12) an hour — you can’t
say no to such prices.
Favourite local festival:
Songkran. The city shuts down
during this three-day New Year
festival in mid-April. Silom Road
and Khao San Road are closed to
traffi c for “water play”, which is
basically wearing a Hawaiian shirt
and throwing water at people.
Best places to hang out
with the locals: Thong Lor,
Ekkamai and Ari are upmarket
Thai hangouts with lots of cool
restaurants, shops and bars.
Rachatewi and Rachada are also
popular. For an extreme local
experience, Ramkhamhaeng
markets, restaurants and The Mall
Department Store are as “urban
Thai” as you can get.
Local recreational activity to
watch: Takraw, in which a rattan
ball is kicked over a net, volleyballstyle.
Games can break out
anywhere — in supermarket car
parks, under fl yovers, in parks, on
back streets — in short, anywhere
there’s a fl at surface!
Must-eats: All of Thai cuisine
consists of must-eats (except
the dried squid). However, my
top favourites are: kao niaow
mamuang (mango sticky rice),
tom yum goong (spicy prawn
soup), som tum (papaya salad)
and larb moo (minced pork salad).
A spectacular
sunset over the
Andaman Sea
PHUKET
THAILAND
VISA REQUIREMENTS: Passengers are advised to make themselves
familiar with the relevant visa requirements for international travel.
Visa requirements may differ between countries.
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
MALAYSIA
LAOS
THAILAND
Gulf
of
Thailand
CAMBODIA
FROM THE AIRPORT
Patong Beach 32km from Phuket
International Airport
Travel time Patong Beach is
around 45 mins by car
Taxi Approx THB400 (AU$13.61)
Shuttle bus Every 30 mins at
THB52 (AU$1.77); takes about
60mins
Gulf
of
Tonkin
VIETNAM
ON THE GO
1. Motorbike A cheap and
convenient way to explore all the
tiny lanes around the beach — but
drive with care!
2. Tuk-tuk This method of transport
offers an exhilarating ride, but is
best for short distances only.
3. Car hire Really the only way to go
beyond the city. If you want to enjoy
the scenery while on the move,
hiring a driver as well only costs a
little more.
MARK HEHIR
General manager,
Anantara
Phuket Villas
Local delicacies: Kanohm jin
phuket, a noodle that is often
compared to spaghetti, is served
with a spicy curry sauce, the
original made from fi sh. It’s usually
eaten as breakfast, and comes
with a range of fresh vegetables
and boiled eggs. It’s often found
with the fried pastry, pah tong go,
and curried fi sh mousse called hor
mohk, both of which are very tasty.
You can fi nd this in Phuket Town on
Tungka Road.
Best place to hang out with
the locals: One of the many local
beaches with wonderful national
parks — such as Sirinath National
Park, which covers 90km². There
you’ll fi nd great sunbathing,
swimming and picnic areas, and
see the locals enjoying their own
patch of paradise!
Best idea for a family outing:
Elephant trekking and looking at
gibbons. Catch a glimpse of rare
birds soaring overhead and watch
the forest come to life during a
morning elephant trek through
the island’s jungles. Observe the
endearing relationship between the
mahout (elephant caretaker) and
the elephant.
Most unusual thing to do: Go
on a canoe expedition with John
Gray to the limestone cliffs and
turquoise waters of Phang Nga Bay.
Spend the afternoon exploring the
sea caves and limestone islets by
canoe. At dusk, set adrift fl oating
candle krathongs as the sun dips
beneath the watery horizon. Then
tuck into a ravishing Thai seafood
buffet dinner under the stars.
The breathtaking fi nale would
be a moonlight canoe trip into a
hong glistening with the luminous
phosphorescence of fi refl ies.
I love Phuket because: Of its
rich and colourful history, and
varied marine life.
Bangkok photo: Greg Elms/ Lonelyplanet Images