One of the aims of this Thailand trip of mine is to try and visit the top 15 islands this beautiful country has to offer, and we are pretty much on track to do that by the time we leave for good in August.

Koh Mak was the next on the list and it is by far the best we experienced so far.

Read more

Reflections is a little pinkish ‘Art Hotel’ with only 30 rooms located in Soi Ari. What’s so interesting about it? Well, each of the 30 rooms has been individually and uniquely designed, from Post-Industrial to Art Deco, by well known Thai and international artists to accommodate and satisfy art lovers.

Hungry? Don’t have to look very far. The Reflections restaurant is just a couple of steps away from the hotel. It serves absolutely delicious Thai and Japanese dishes at rather low prices ranging between 60 to 250 bahts. The hotel also has an outdoor pool and a funky bar for you to chill after the sunset. If you fancy a little tour somewhere, you can check out the tour desk.

To get there, it’s pretty easy. Just hop on the next BTS, get off at the Ari Station, and walk toward the Sapan Kwai Station. You should turn left into Soi Ari (Phaholyothin 7) and walk down a little further. Once you see the extremely bright pink building, just turn left and you’re there! If you’re not quite sure of how to get there or have any question, just call (66) 2-270-3344.

Having visited the place myself last Wednesday, I would just have to say that it’s a place that you should visit at least once. You’ll just fall completely in love with this cute and charming hotel.

Whilst Bangkok has everything a city dweller needs, it’s good to escape every now and then and experience the other parts this country has to offer. The benefit of living in Bangkok is that you are only a short distance from some of the most amazing beaches in the world.

© DC 2006
Read more

dropped by noriega’s on friday night. painfully sat through a band called krung thep marathon, enjoyed lucy suicide, and was there specifically to watch brand new sunset. who are always amazing with their incredible energy. and pretty much walked out when salad were playing.

brand new sunset are playing again tomorrow, oct 26, wednesday at Spoon (G/Fl U Chia LIang Building, Rama 4) from 6.30pm onwards. it’s actually brand new sunset’s new album “realistice” launch. the eastbound downer boys will also be playing. looking forward to see familiar faces there tomorrow night. 100 baht entrance or free with cd purchase.

Around this time every year, the area in front (or is it the side?) of Central World Plaza becomes occupied by a collection of beer gardens. Beer must have seasonal supply issues because the price is much higher than your average 7-11 pricing.

It may not look like it, but on weekends these beer gardens are jam-packed to the brim with people who have too much money on their hands. For obvious reasons, I’m intensely jealous of these people.

Anyway, I was in the area so I took snapshots of the gardens.
Read more

I love Bangkok at night. I like the dark, I like the empty streets. I read Stuart’s account of his early morning wandering and realized how much I miss all those things that he sees. Every other nights, I used to sneak downstairs after midnight and just drive off. I would go browse the night bazaar at Lumpini Garden, or drop by an chill at a friend’s internet cafe. But most often, I go get my stomach filled. It became a habit and Bangkok doesn’t quite discourage it with all the great food you can find after sunset.

Top of the list is chicken rice at Pratu Nam. This place is on Petchburi road, under the overhead bridge (the one closest to Central World Plaza). I’ll tell you, the chicken rice here is the best you can get! Soft & juicy chicken, flavourful rice, tasty sauce. But the best bit has to be the soup. I don’t know what they put in there, hopefully not pod, but it is just wonderful. Chicken rice is not a complicated dish, but when you make it right, it can be really really good. The place is clean too, which is not something you cab say about many other great food in the city.

It is always full from mid day to closing time (4am), and especially so at my favorite time around 2am. You can have great chicken rice in a place full of people on the way home from clubbing. My friends never said no to that. ;) If you see waitresses in pink uniform, you have come to the right place.