Read more about our room at Rest Detail Hua Hin here!

Inspired by the “Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil.” adage, Rest Detail Hotel is rated as one of the best hotels in Hua Hin. The hotel’s location is just lovely and quiet but near the action.

It offers free shuttle bus services several times a day, providing easy access to tourist spots in the city, including shopping malls, markets, and night markets. We always got a tuk-tuk or taxi back for about 200 baht whenever we missed the schedule.

Rest Detail Hotel appears modern – with a touch of minimalism. The lobby is dominated by swaths of crisp white and unexpected pops of bright color.

These marvelously crafted water features are changing the look of every corner and cranny of the hotel.

reading corner for hotel guests

Rest Collections is offering a range of locally made products found throughout the resort make perfect souvenirs and gifts. Remember those beautiful iPod pouch, key pouch and even beach dress found in our room?

Hotel guests can also take a dip at the stunning pool while enjoying panoramic views of the Gulf of Siam.

Breakfasts is served at Rest Gastro, offering buffet overflowing with fresh fruit and vegetables from the hotel’s hydroponic garden. The breakfast selection was awesome; we especially love those Thai coffee, char kuey with pandan kaya, freshly squeezed fruit juice and pad thai!

Each morning after breakfast, we would take a walk around the resort in our most comfy pair of flip flops.

We also took a peep at the Pool Village. Featuring 65 square meters of spacious interiors, the Pool Village offers the ultimate privacy.  Each of the 12 units literally has the swimming pool at their doorstep together with double sun lounges built out over the pool. Sounds like another good choice, apart from our stunning Rest Horizon room.

Opening on to the main pool and out to the Gulf, Rest Scene restaurant serves up flavorful Thai and Mediterranean favorites. Did I mention that we had the best FRESH coconut and rack of lamb here? Coconut water was so naturally sweet and refreshing and the taste was just unforgettable! With just the right ratio of fat to lean, the beautifully presented rack of lamb was so delicious! The lamb has a delightful crunchy crust encircling a juicy interior. So good!

Rest Detail Hua Hin, we’ll be back!

Having spent two nights at Rest Detail Hua Hin,  we both left feeling uplifted and totally rejuvenated. Overlooking the Gulf of Siam, the Rest Detail Hotel is a very small hotel with only 52 rooms. However, size does not really matter as we don’t think we can praise this hotel enough. It offers guests a perfect respite from the outside world. In keeping with its name and playful logo of the “three wise monkeys”, every detail is anticipated to ensure you truly surrender to the charms of this tropical seaside resort. A true testament to RDH’s logo “you rest, we take care of the details”

Rest Detail Hua Hin is excellent in every respect. We loved the relaxed atmosphere and all the little attention to details. We were served with complimentary drinks and wrist band upon checking in.

room 141

cute rotating sign board

beautiful key and card holder

Even our smiling hotel staff was cladded in a beautiful custome. We were being told that the hotel has an in house graphic + interior designer. Some of these pretty knick knacks such as ipod pouch, key holder, etc can be purchased at the souvenir shop downstairs.

Our Rest Horizon Room is located on the fourth floor with 65 square meters of spacious interiors, enjoy uninterrupted sea views and total privacy. While tasteful interiors and a deep soak tub are featured indoors, an oversize daybed and a relaxing Jacuzzi await on the terrace.

Our bed was massive and comes with three types of pillow – orthopaedic, feather or memory foam.

Our room is equipped with Wifi, iPod dock (iPod available from reception and loaded with many gorgeous holiday tunes) and LCD tv with DVD player (DVD for rent at reception).

tropical fruits platter (complimentary)

The balcony with a day bed was my favourite place to sit and read, while KampungBoy enjoys his jacuzzi bath.

The private jacuzzi on the spacious balcony enjoys a breathtaking view of the Gulf of Thailand.

It was very sweet of the hotel staff to send in some freshly cut fruits every afternoon.

As we got back to our room in the evening, there’s a beautiful jar filled with sweets on a tray

The large bathroom had a separate bath, shower and toilet.

huge bathtub = love

shower gel and shampoo with nice aroma scent

two types of bath salt

The hotel is also very thoughtful in providing flip flops, beach wear and beach bag.

RDH bracelet + complimentary sweets

beautiful beach bag

beach dress for her and fisherman pants for him

mini-bar and refrigerator

Our room in the evening was equally stunning, especially with illuminated ceiling with LED backlit.

With work and our hectic lifestyle, we have not being doing this for a very long time – relax and watch a DVD on the LCD TV in the evening.

All in all, Rest Detail Hua Hin is a lovely hotel where nothing was too much trouble. The room was awesome, the hotel staffs were so accommodating and I especially love all the small little touches that is lacking in a lot of chain hotels.

Rest Detail Hua Hin
19/119 Soi Hua Hin 19
Tambol Hua Hin, Amphur Hua Hin
Prachuabkhirikhan 77110 THAILAND
Phone: +66 (0) 32 547 733
http://www.restdetailhotel.com/

Upon checking into our beautiful resort, we hired a cab to Sofitel Centara. It is a classic colonial-era Railway hotel that has occupied an idyllic spot on Hua Hin beach front for almost a century. Sofitel Centara is well known for its colonial style architecture and topiary gardens full of bushes shaped like animals.

Our main purpose was to do afternoon tea at “The Museum”, a beautiful tea room which features the many histories of the old Railway Hotel. ‘The Museum’ is overlooking the gardens within the main hotel and another at the other side of the lounge area overlooking the topiary garden. As we studied the vintage black and white photos and various old ornaments in The Museum, we felt as if we were being transported back to the 19th century.

The afternoon tea menu is typical. We indulged in a beautifully arranged three-tier English afternoon tea (480 baht per pax) set with freshly baked scones, bite size sandwiches, tiny cakes and pastries. The tea or coffee was presented in delicate china sets. We were also served by a couple of charming Thai ladies dressed in silk Thai trouser-pants and fine lace blouses.

Sofitel’s afternoon tea starts at 15.00 and lasts until 17.00. We took a leisurely stroll around the hotel grounds after that. I have been fascinated by topiary gardens for years and in here, we got a sense of Sofitel’s passion for British colonial-era gentile country life.

What a beautiful evening (in a thick British accent)! Sofitel Centara is the place to go if you are planning a trip to Hua Hin. The fabulous ambience and great friendly services more than make up for the decent/average food, making it an excellent overall experience.

The Museum
Sofitel Centara Grand Resort & Villas,
1 Damnernkasem Road,
Hua Hin 77110, Thailand
Tel: (+66) 32512021
Email: reservation@sofitel.co.th

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

Happy 2012 to our dear readers! Have your got your holiday plans ready for the year? Well, we already have two places in mind for the first half of year 2012! If Bangkok is one of your holiday destination this year, why not consider making a 3D2N trip to Hua Hin?

Hua Hin is unlike any other beach resort in Thailand. There’s no all-night action of cabarets and discos, neither there’s any tourist crowds, traffic or anything for that matter. It is a quaint seaside resort city which is very popular among Bangkok residents as well as a small group of Japanese, Korean, Hong Konger and Taiwanese tourists. It is well known as a rainy season retreat and is closely associated with the Thai royalty. In 1926, King Rama VII built the Klai Kangwon (Far From Worries) Palace on the beach a few km north of the Railway Hotel and this palace is still frequently used by the Royal Family. The Hua Hin railway station is also frequently visited by the Thai royalties. There’s even a Royal Waiting Room in it!

Situated about 200 kms from Bangkok, there are a few ways to get to Hua Hin:

Bus:

From Bangkok Southern terminal every 40 minutes from early until late, about THB 160 each way, journey time about 3 hrs 15 minutes

Pros and Cons: Cheap, comfortable and relatively faster; but the location of Bangkok Southern Terminal is not convenient.

Train:

Fares vary depending on type of train and class. Journey time from around 4 hrs to 5 hrs. Most have 2nd class air conditioned some also 1st Class.

kampungboycitygal’s comment: Cheap (around 100 baht); but the trains go very slowly getting away from Bangkok so 2 1/2 hour road time to Hua Hin stretches to 5 or 6 on the train.

Air:

As of 2010, there is no scheduled air service between Bangkok and Hua Hin. Charter jets and helicopters are available if you are in a hurry and have lots of money. Hua Hin Airport is also convenient for Cha-am.

kampungboycitygal’s comment: Fast, comfortable and convenient; but we don’t have the money to charter a jet.

Taxis:

Easily available, journey time about 3 hours, fares range from THB 1,600 onwards.

kampungboycitygal’s comment: Fast, comfortable and convenient; but 1600-2000 baht is still a steep price to pay for 2 pax.

Limousines:

Easily available from airport and city, fares range from about THB 2,850 upwards, and more comfortable than normal taxis. Large sedans and min-vans available.

kampungboycitygal’s comment: Fast, comfortable and convenient; but 3000 baht is still a steep price to pay for 2 pax.

Hotel Transfers:

Some hotels / hotel groups such as Hyatt and Dusit have regular transfers between their Bangkok and Hua Hin properties, either large sedans or luxury mini-vans.

Shared Mini Vans:

This option is available from most any travel agency in Bangkok, but must be booked ahead. It’s one of the most cost effective ways to get to Hua Hin. One way fares usually cost no more than THB 500. The trip takes a little over 3 hours, depending on your place in the pick up or drop off queue.

kampungboycitygal’s comment: Cheap, convenient to board (Victory Monument BTS) and relatively faster (2.5 hours); but seating can be very tight and there’s no luggage storage space available.

Information from Trip Advisor

To board a minibus, proceed to Century Shopping Mall (Victory Monument BTS). Cost is 180 baht, limited baggage. You might be asked to buy extra seat if you have a lot of luggage. If you’re traveling light, it’s a great way to go.

The Hua Hin vans board in the alleyway next to Century Movie Plaza close to the stairs at the southern end of Victory Monument BTS station. From the skytrain station, take the walkway towards south, descend the staircase on the east side to street level. The minibus area is next to the stairs. Look for a small table with “Cha Am, Hua Hin” written in English to buy your ticket. There’s service to Pattaya as well.

The mini van departs every 30 minutes, or when the van is full (~15 pax).

Our mini van stops near the Clock Tower. From there, we took a 2-3 minutes walk to Hua Hin Tourist Information Centre.

The friendly staff provided us with a range of information. They even helped us to call up our resort to arrange for pick up!

Can’t wait to explore Hua Hin!

ADS

Are you proud of your music taste? Let your callers listen to the songs that you like! Download the coolest hits from the biggest stars and entertain your callers. Now you can join the Call Me Tone-A-thon and get as many Call Me Tones as you like! Give them variety and let your callers hear a different song every time they buzz you. You can even ask your friends to join in the Call Me Tone-A-Thon and see who has the biggest Call Me Tones collection (or whose collection is more awesome)!

You are also in a chance to win up to RM7000 daily cash prize! Every day one lucky Call Me Tones subscriber will win cash worth anywhere from RM2000 to RM7000! New clothes, flashy sneakers, the latest smartphone and even a grand prize of Volkswagen Polo!

How to join? From 14th December 2011 until 12th January 2012, you can either:

Type CAR and send it to 22222

When you perform either one of the above, you’ll get 2 Call Me Tones and will be charged RM5.00. That’s ONLY RM5 for 2 Call Me Tones for 1 month! (normal price would be RM12!). You can then redeem your Call Me Tones at www.thecube.my. To qualify for the cash Daily Prize, you need to send at least 3 SMS-es to 22222 and purchase 6 Call Me Tones at RM15.00 from 12am until 11.59pm of each day.

So hurry and join the Call Me Tone-A-Thon and be on your way to getting awesome songs on your mobile as well as winning fantastic prizes!

It is a good place to dig for cheap treasures; I found piles of leather goods, handbags and dresses galore here. If Platinum Mall is the best place to shop during day time, then Siam Square is sure to bag the best night time shopping spot award. If you have plenty time to kill , walk through Soi 1 – Soi 7 and visit the myriad of shops and boutiques selling local designer-label apparel, jewelry or photography gear.

Siam Square – the “Shinjuku” of Bangkok

loafers…drools…

Pro Shop at Soi 5 sells real leather sandals and high heels. I bought a pair of soft leather heel for ~ 850 baht (RM 85) which I thought is a pretty good bargain!

vintag-y bags…

Soi 3 is a good place to hunt for wedding gowns and wedding souvenirs.

There are also some designer clothing boutiques with better quality pieces and higher pricing.

The street stalls provides great fun for bargain shopping.

199 baht only?!!

I love these handmade kitties too! You can actually personalise it by hanging one’s initials on the neck chain. Can someone please get it for me at Siam Square?

That’s how we spent most of our Thai Bahts in Day 1 itself. Oh and don’t forget to complete your awesome shopping experiences with a good dinner at Som Tam Nua, Siam Square Soi 5!

Siam Square
Getting here: Directly opposite MBK or Siam BTS (exit 2,3,4)

Be prepared to queue, especially during peak hours. This horrible scene greeted us as we stepped out from the restaurant with a swollen stomach and satisfied grin.

Cha Yen (Thai Ice Tea, 40 baht)

It was super refreshing on a hot summer day!

Dipping sauces

There will be no prizes given for guessing what is Som Tam Nua’s forte. They probably have more than a dozen of som tam varieties and we picked the preserved egg version (baht 65). It was very spicy, salty, sour and just a bit of sweet taste; unlike the street’s version which is sweeter. The ingredients given were of good quality and very fresh. We can’t stop nibbling on it; even though we were snuffling and sweating like mad!

Tomsep Kadook On Moo soup (North East Style Spicy Soup with Pork Bone, baht 97) is an Issan-style sour and spicy Tom Yam soup. I like the addition of pork ribs, which gave a sweet definition to the soup. Thumbs up!

Beating KFC hands down, the Fried Chicken (baht 98) here was really addictive! Served in a basket, it came sprinkled with crispy fried chopped garlic and fresh spring onion. The batter was really crispy and the meat was so juicy! We can’t help but to order a second serving.

Grilled Pork Neck (baht 98). These pork collar slices was moist and tender; with a delicate, sweet taste that lends itself to all sort of flavours. Great to eat together with the dipping sauces too! The next time you are here, remember to order Khao Niau, an Issan traditional sticky rice in bamboo baskets.

Oh and a little tip for our dear readers: if you are not sure on what to order, ask for the English menu and order everything with the star sign.

Address:
392/14 Soi Siam Square 5, Rama 1 Road, Bangkok
+66 (0) 22 51 4880
Hours/Times: Open daily, 10:45 a.m.-9.30 p.m.

Sawadeeka! We have some good news for you dear readers! Flood waters have been receding steadily and that most streets in Bangkok should be dry by mid December. As cleanup operations were in full swing, our travel blog posts follow suit.

Stairway to mezzanine floor

This is the second installment of our review on Hansar Bangkok, the No. 1 rated Bangkok hotel by Trip Advisor. We took some time to explore and room amenities and hotel facilities.

Make your way up the grand staircase to Executive Club Floor, Hansar’s own innovative reinvention of the club floor and all guests have free access to it.

Hansar Executive Club Floor

Imagine sinking yourself into these soft coach and surf the web with iMac.

The various paintings and artworks show the hotel’s appreciation of art.

Breakfast is served at Eve, a starlet restaurant of Hansar Bangkok headed by executive chef Chatree. It also serves sophisticated French cuisine made of the freshest-possible ingredients every evening.

Breakfast is served at this picturesque restaurant with al fresco & indoor dining.

In the warm weather, there’s nothing better than dining outdoors amidst the lush greenery.

picture source: Hansar Bangkok

Tea

Coffee

Ala carte menu

The breakfast spread may not be most extensive, but quality trumps quantity here.

Assorted pastries

Honey, dripping from honey comb

Local delights

Hotel guests can opt to take a break at the sky-bound infinity-edge swimming pool and Jacuzzi on the eighth floor.

The gym is one of the best, with first class facilities such as these tread mill with LCD Tv.

Luxsa Spa

“LUXSA” comes from the Sanskrit language and translates as “Healing – health through water”.

It was a waste that we didn’t get to use our 40% off spa voucher during our stay there. There’s always next time, I believe.

We also took a stroll at Hansar Bangkok’s Sky Terrace.

It is the city’s newest outdoor rooftop events space, with a private outdoor deck overlooking the city and indoor bar and reception

All in all, Hansar Bangkok is a perfect hotspot for guests who love boutique hotels with a personal touch, and desire a different out-of-the-ordinary experience when staying in Bangkok.

HANSAR BANGKOK

Add : 3 Soi Mahadlekluang 2, Rajdamri Road, Bangkok 10330
Getting here : Exit the BTS Ratchadamri BTS Station at Exit #4 and turn right on 3 Soi Mahadlekluang 2
Tel : +66 2209 1234
F +66 2209 1212
E-mail : reservations@hansarbangkok.com
Website : http://www.hansarbangkok.com/

ADVERTORIAL:

iPhone 4S is finally coming to Malaysia’s shore! It is the most amazing iPhone so far, and with Celcom, you get the best and widest network coverage in the country! What sets the iPhone 4s from iPhone 4 is the:

-All-new 8-megapixel camera & optics: high res pictures woots!
-Dual-core A5 processor: faster speed woots!
-iCloud: store music, photos, documents and push wirelessly to all my devices! woots!

Apart from the triple woots, there’s also Siri – your own PA. Check out all the cool things Siri can do in this video!

Be a proud owner of the iPhone 4S. Just pre-register at www.celcom.com.my/iphone to get an exclusive invite to Celcom’s Official Launch happening on 16 Dec, at La Bodega, Bangsar Shopping Centre KL. Pre-registration is open from 9 Dec – 13 Dec and pre-registered customers can enjoy priority queue at the launch!

Beyond the actual physical room and property, service makes a big difference to our hotel experience : a smile of recognition, a sincere greeting of “sawadeekap” and the willingness to go more than the extra miles for you. One such genuine and sincere hotel is Hansar Bangkok.

Hansar Bangkok is a small, luxury hotel located on the pristine surroundings of Ratchadamri. Who says that size does matter when you win your guests’ heart with great services?

Attached to the iconic architectural condominium block, Hansar Bangkok offers 94 units of suites with contemporary design and expansive spaces; namely the studio suites, urban suites, edge suites, vertical suites and loft suites.

Upon arrival, we were ushered to the check-in area at mezzanine floor and the check-in was done swiftly within minutes.

Hansar Bangkok is also listed under SLH that features 520 small, exclusive hotel with its own unique character and charm in the world. We joined the club last year (for free) to be entitled for perks such as free upgrades, free breakfast and late check-outs.

We were brought into our upgraded suite and were greeted by a unique interior garden wall alive with tropical greenery. The hotel staff showed us around the room and tried his best in explaining on the amenities available.

We were also given discount vouchers to spa, lounge bar and Hansar Bangkok signature restaurants – Boca and Eve.

Our 71sqm suite was amazing, tasteful and charming with the clever use of sliding doors and mirrors. The suite’s separate living area includes a fully outfitted workspace equipped with wi-fi, plush couch for lounging when the work is done, and a 32-inch flatscreen TV, DVD player and iPod docking station.

Sliding doors give way to the bedroom, with a luxurious king-sized bed with superb quality linen that was beyond comfort. We basically dozed off in a jiffy and woke up the next morning feeling all recharged. Spotted was another flat screen TV in the room so there is no need to fight for our favourite TV show. Leading off from the bedroom, the expansive bathroom features double sinks, a decadent rainshower and free-standing terrazzo bathtub.

The hotel’s attention to details can be seen at every nook and corner – free Wifi, fruit platter that got refilled every evening, a small refrigerator filled with FREE snacks and drinks (beer, sparkling water, juices, etc), and some good books placed at the desk for guests’ reading pleasure.

We recheck-in to Hansar Bangkok after spending two wonderful days at Hua Hin. We were allocated to the Studio Suite this time. Encompassing a spacious 59sqm, the suites include an intuitively designed workspace corner as well as an integrated kitchenette and dining area. It was smaller than the Urban Suite, but equally stunning was the ultra comfortable king-sized bed and spacious bathroom outfitted with double sinks set in custom- made stone, rain showers and a separate terrazzo bathtub for indulgent soaks after a long day in the city. It is a versatile room type that is suited for business travelers, leisure travelers and long term guests.

Having spent 3 nights at Hansar Bangkok, we have to say that it is well worth the No. 1 ranking at Trip Advisor. There really is nothing to pick fault with. The rooms were excellent, all reservations include Daily Breakfast, Free Wifi, Complimentary Minibar replenished daily, Newspaper and Hansar’s unbeatable service. All in all I would not hesitate in returning here again and indeed I probably will do so.

Look out for our next post as we will feature on the hotel facilities, surroundings and gastronomy experiences.

HANSAR BANGKOK
Add : 3 Soi Mahadlekluang 2, Rajdamri Road, Bangkok 10330
Getting here : Exit the BTS Ratchadamri BTS Station at Exit #4 and turn right on 3 Soi Mahadlekluang 2
Tel : +66 2209 1234
F +66 2209 1212
E-mail : reservations@hansarbangkok.com
Website : http://www.hansarbangkok.com/

There are three easy ways to get to Bangkok city:

1.Limousine (fare starts from 950 baht for distance of >30-35 km)
click here for map of Limousine Service Counter and Fare Table

2. Public Taxi (fare charged according to the distance traveled plus a fee of THB 50 for the driver, ~500 baht)
click here for map of Taxi Service Counter

3. Airport Rail Link
i.   SA City Line – The line makes 6 stops before reaching Phaya Thai station within 30 minutes (runs every 15 minutes). Fare is 15-45 baht.
ii.  SA Express Line – Runs directly from Suvarnabhumi Station to Makkasan Station without stops. A journey takes about 15 minutes (runs every 20 minutes). One way ticket 90 baht, round trip ticket 150 baht
iii. New SA Express Line – New SA Express runs directly without stops from Suvarnabhumi Station to Phyathai Station twithin 18 minutes (runs every hour starting from June 1st, 2011).

Click here for ARL time table and route map.

ARL is by far the fastest way to get into the city, especially during rush hour. We took the escalator down to basement two, bought a ticket to Phaya Tahai station (45 baht) and off we go!

We opted for the slightly slower City Line that stops at all stations. The cabin is new and clean with plenty of space to store luggages.

The ride to Phaya Thai takes about 30 minutes from the airport. Once alighted, we walked through a short pathway to Phaya Thai BTS station.

Getting Around Bangkok:

1. BTS Skytrain & MRT

You’ll have to buy a new ticket at the BTS station as it is running under a different operator. Coins are essential to purchase Skytrain tickets from vending machines. ares range from 15 to 40 baht depending on your destination. Some stations haves single touchscreen machine that will accept 20, 50 and 100 baht notes. If you do not have coins, queue for change from the staff at the booth.

To avoid the hassle of scrambling for coins,  purchase a rechargeable stored-value card with a minimal value of 100 baht, with a 30 baht refundable deposit and a 30 baht non-refundable card cost. Day pass is also available at 120 baht per day if you are moving around a lot in 24 hours.

click to enlarge

We bought a single journey ticket (25 baht) to Ratchadamri Station to get to Hansar Bangkok.

We were impressed by the modern, well maintained and punctual BTS Skytrains.

The trains run daily between 6.00am and 12.00midnight with frequent services in the day and an increase in frequency during rush hour. Most of the time, we waited for only 2 – 3 minutes for the next train to arrive.

Bangkok traffic is the worst traffic you will ever see and if you ever get stuck. So it is advisable to take the BTS Skytrains or MRT during rush hours.

2. Metered Taxi

We usually take a cab early in the morning (before 9 am) or after a long day of shopping (after 9pm). The hailing fee is 35 baht and there are no surcharges (except from the airport), even at night.

It is so cheap to hail a cab when the traffic is smooth; somehow the meter jumps at a slower pace compared to Malaysia taxis. Our cab fare usually costs less than 100 baht.

3. Tuk Tuk

We were warned to avoid tuk tuks like plague. However, if you really have to take a tuk tuk, always agree on a price before entering the tuk tuk and insist on your original intended destination. If they claim that your intended destination is closed for the day and offer to take you to other nearby tourist spots, do not give in!

There are a lot of tuk tuk scams that you should be aware of. Read more about 8 things travelers should watch out for in Bangkok here

*10 Baht = RM 1

Sawadeeka(p)! We just came back from the ‘Land of Smiles’ and it turned out to be one of the most amazing holiday ever! Bangkok is bustling and busy, as usual. We also took a 3D2N trip to Hua Hin, Thailand’s royal beach resort which is 2.5 hours drive away from Bangkok.

Thailand never cease to amaze us. Thais are extremely friendly and soft spoken (with the exception of tuk tuk drivers), shopping is VERY good and cheap, authentic thai food are aplenty. Let me tempt you with the following pictures!

Day 1

Our flight from KUL to BKK took approximately 2 hours. Do note that Thailand is one hour behind Malaysia, so yay as we earned an extra hour to shop. From Suvarnabhumi Airport, there are three ways to get to Bangkok City Centre – AOT Limousine (~1000-1500 baht), Public Taxi (~450-500 baht) and Airport Rail Link (from 15 baht).

Since there were only the two of us, we chose to take the Airport Rail Link, City Line. The City Line will make eight stops across the capital, ending at Phaya Thai (45 baht). One can choose to take the Express Line, which is a 15-minute non-stop journey between Makkasan and Suvarnabhumi Airport and the fare is 150 baht per trip. I will elaborate more on our coming detailed posts, so stay tune!

Checked into Hansar Bangkok, 2 minutes walk from Ratchadamri BTS Station.

Got upgraded from Studio Suite to Urban Suite! *squeals*

They are running a low season promotion from 4500 baht in September and October. Including breakfast, nightly cocktails, free minibar and wifi. Our stay was excellent! No wonder they are voted as the No. 1 Hotel in Bangkok by Trip Advisor!

Hansar Bangkok
3 Soi Mahadlekluang 2,
Rajdamri Road,
Bangkok 10330
Tel : +66 2209 1234
Website: http://www.hansarbangkok.com/
Getting Here: exit the BTS Ratchadamri BTS Station at Exit #4 and turn right on 3 Soi Mahadlekluang 2

From Hansar Bangkok, we took a 5 minutes stroll to Erawan Shrine to offer prayers. We wished for good weather throughout our trip and our prayers have been answered. It never rained (ok, only slight drizzle in one evening) and all our pictures turned out nice.

Erawan Shrine
Next to Grand Hyatt Erawan
Getting Here: Chitlom BTS exit 6

Shopping @ Siam Square

Siam Square is definitely my favourite shopping spot in Bangkok (Platinum Mall comes second). It is the place where youngsters meet and all chic and hip things happen.

Siam Square
Getting here: Directly opposite MBK or Siam BTS (exit 2,3,4)

Dinner at Som Tam Nua, Soi 5. They serve one of the best Isaan food in town but please be there early to avoid the notorious long queue during peak hours.

Som Tam Nua
392/14 Siam Square Soi 5
Tel : +66 2251 4880
Open: 10.45am-9.30pm daily.
Getting Here: Siam BTS exit 4, look for soi (alley) 5 and walk in all the way.

Day 2

After a fulfilling breakfast at Hansar Bangkok, we proceeded to Century Shopping Mall (Victory Monument BTS) and boarded a minivan to Hua Hin. The fare is 180 baht per person, and the journey took approximately 2.5 hours. The mini van departs every 30 minutes, or when the van is full (~15 pax). One can also take train from Hua Lamphong train station or bus from Southern Bus Terminal. Will elaborate more on that in our subsequent posts.

Checked into Rest Detail Hotel Hua Hin. Their tagline: You Rest and Leave the Details to Us. I likey!

Such gorgeous view from our Rest Horizon room. It comes equipped with a private jacuzzi tub overlooking the sea!

I really like their amazing attention to details – bracelet as souvenirs for guests, Ipod equipped with lounge and jazzy tunes for loan, amazing dvd collection, free evening snacks sent to our room everyday, kaftan dress and fisherman pants for guests going to beach, etc.

I wish I can stay here forever…

Rest Detail Hotel
19/119 Soi Hua Hin 19
Tambol Hua Hin, Amphur Hua Hin
Prachuabkhirikhan 77110 THAILAND
Tel: +66 3254 7733
Website: http://www.restdetailhotel.com/

Afternoon tea at The Museum, Sofitel Hua Hin. The colonial style afternoon tea room resembles a small museum of artifacts from the long history of the Sofitel, which was originally the Railway Hotel.

The Museum
Sofitel Hua Hin
1 Damnernkasem Road
77110 HUA HIN
Tel: (+66) 32512021
Email: reservation@sofitel.co.th

Hua Hin Railway Station, one of the oldest railway station in Thailand that comes with a Royal Waiting Room.

The train station was built in the same architecture style as Marukhathaiyawan Palace and this is an attraction that one should never miss.

Dinner at this famous Thai seafood and sukiyaki restaurant.

A sukiyaki set for two is only 120 baht and our order of crabs with tang hoon is only 150 baht. Fried rice or pad thai is only 30 baht each, Thai Ice Tea is 10 baht and pork satay is only 3 baht each! A very satisfying and affordable dinner!

Thai Seafood & Sukiyaki Restaurant
Getting Here: At the intersection of Naeb Kehad Rd. & Dechanuchit Rd., the first alley opposite the night market entrance.

We took a stroll along Hua Hin night market after dinner. Bought some knick knacks and souvenirs here too.

Day 3

Hua Hin Hills Vineyard is one of the highlight of our trip to Hua Hin. We took their shuttle bus to HHH (30 baht per person, one way) and the journey took about 40 minutes. The bus departs from Market Village Mall, Hua Hin at 10am and 2pm daily. Reservation is a must as the maximum capacity per trip is only 10 pax.

What a sight to behold! This particular place with the right soil condition and right climate is suitable for grape growing.

Had a light lunch here, with wine pairing (450 baht per person). There are a lot of ala carte activities for visitors such as elephant riding, jeep tour, bicycle renting, etc.

Hua Hin Hills Vineyard
1 Moo 9, Baan Khork Chang Patana,
Nong Plup, Hua Hin.
Email: info@huahinhillsvineyard.com
Website: http://huahinhillsvineyard.com

HHH’s shuttle bus sent us back to town by 2pm. We took a tuk tuk to Plearn Wan, the first eco vintage village in Thailand. It is extremely popular among the locals; and it seems tourists never knew about this place. Everything from the signboard to the menu is in Thai, so we have to make use of our limbs and facial expressions.

Such a cutesy place to camwhore! And entrance is FOC!

Plearn Wan (Hua Hin Eco Vintage Village)
located between Hua Hin soi 38 and 40, directly opposite Klai Klangwon Village.

Dinner at Rest Scene, a pool side restaurant in our hotel. I miss the rack of lamb already!

Day 4

We chartered a cab to Marukhathaiyawan Palace (Palace of Love and Hope (600 baht two way), 20 minutes away from Hua Hin.

The summer seaside palace, often referred to as “the palace of love and hope” is located midway between Cha-am and Hua Hin. It was built in 1923 under the royal command of King Rama VI using golden teakwood from the demolished Hat Chao Samran Palace. An Italian architect designed the palace with a dazzling composition of verandahs and latticework in regal proportions.

It is rated as one of the must visit attraction in Hua Hin. Entrance is 60 baht per person and rental of cover cloth is FOC for those who wear shorts, mini skirt and sleeveless.

Marukhathaiyawan Palace
Open daily from 8am to 4pm, closes on Wednesday.

Took a mini van back to Bangkok and alighted near the Victory Monument Station. We walked over to the Victory Monument Market for some ‘down to earth’ shopping. Sunglasses for only 39 baht? OMG! And our fish ball noodles lunch costs only 70 bath! It is a local market, so be prepared to use sign languages like what we did.

Checked into Hansar Bangkok again, and registered ourselves for a Thai Cooking Class.

We had so much fun cooking and eating our own masterpiece – padthai, green curry and tom yum goong.

Shopping at MBK mall, the only thing worth buying are ladies handbags @ 199 baht each. Had dinner at the famous MBK food court (6th floor). Food was nothing to shout except for the unassuming looking mango sticky rice (80 baht). It was really really good!

MBK
444 Phayathai Rd., Patumwan, Bangkok.
Getting Here: BTS national stadium station

Round 2 shopping at Central World, bought a lot of Thai brand lingeries such as Sabina, Ann Bra and BSC. VAT refund is eligible here too. Supper at Coffee Beans by Dao, a very famous cake house with 5 branches across Bangkok.

Coffee Bean by Dao
Level 2 Central World Bangkok

Day 5

Full day of shopping at Platinum Fashion Mall! They now have a new wing (zone 3) with focuses on bags, shoes and leather wear.

Lunch at Kaiton Kao Man Kai, the famous pink shirt chicken rice. Could not believe that our lunch costs only 62 baht!

Pink Shirt Chicken Rice
Petchburi Soi 30
Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 2252 6325
Open daily from 5:30am-3pm, 6pm-3am.

Dinner at one of the random grill fish stall outside Central World.

Pratunam Grill Fish
coming out from the Isetan exit of Central World, walking towards Platinum Shopping Mall

Went to Sirocco Bar at Lebua State tower for that “top of the world experience”.

dress code is applicable here: no shorts and open toe shoes for guys.

Located 65 floors above the intersection of Silom and Charoen Krung Roads and overlooking the Chao Phraya river, Sirocco’s view of Bangkok is nothing less than spectacular.

Since they filmed the Hangover II here, hence I suggest ordering their special Hangovertini if you’re here.

Sirocco
1055 Silom Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Tel: +66 2624 9555
Open daily from 6.00 pm – 1.00 am daily, weather permitting

Day 6

Time to pack and head home! Look at our hauls from Bangkok! Well, not exactly ours…

knick knacks from Hua Hin.

Remember to claim your VAT refund at the airport!

Leaf Dessert
2 Elgin Street, SOHO, Central
中環蘇豪伊利近街2號
Opens daily from 12:30pm – 00:30am
Tel: +852-2544 3795
Openrice Page here

Sing Heung Yuen
2 Mee Lun St (near Gough St), Central,
Opens daily from 8am-5:30pm.
Tel: +852 2544 8368
Openrice Page here

If you are interested in doing the same, refer to HK Tramway’s official webpage here. Another page that I found useful is this website where you can follow the tram route to explore some of the best Hong Kong’s culture and culinary experiences recommended by local celebrity Craig Au Yong.

WANCHAI

We began our journey at Wan Chai, which has evolved from a fishing village into the most famous district in Hong Kong. We took a stroll along the open-air stalls in the Tai Yuen Street Market, where the locals do their daily marketing here. It was followed by a brief visit to the Blue House, a preserved Grade-I heritage site that is home to a community museum and a handful of long-time residents.

Wan Chai Post Office

It was built in 1915 and now a resource centre. The letter pigeon holes are still preserved.

We seek out for a bright blue building as we alighted at Queen’s Road East.

It is known as Blue House (藍屋) and was built before the war as a community medical centre.

After the 1920s, it was converted into a four-storey residential building, then in the 50s and 60s, Kung Fu master Wong Fei Hung’s student, Lam Sai Wing, and his nephew launched their Kung Fu studio here.

Now the Blue house is home to the Wan Chai Livelihood Museum where visitors can experience the old-time living quarters of the locals.

The Blue House is also one of the few remaining examples of Tong Lau of the balcony type in Hong Kong and is classified as Grade I historic building.

Information source: here & here

Another Tong Lau , the Yellow House, which sits on Hing Wan Street behind the ‘Blue House’ of Stone Nullah Lane.

outside Wan Chai market

Discover the hustle and bustle, sights and sounds of Wan Chai’s street market.

We also dropped by the famed local toy street, Tai Yuen Street. Lined on each side of the street are some toy shops but we were not too interested. We were distracted by these pretty fresh (and artificial) flowers and ended up at a local boutique shop eventually.

Our Wan Chai trail ended with a light breakfast at Honolulu, a 40 years old establishment in Wanchai that serves up typical Cha Chan Teng fare. It is also a place where you can find people from all walks of life itching their scratch for milk tea, toasts and pork chop rice. Read more about the flaky crust egg tart (酥皮蛋撻) that boasts of 192 layers from our previous post.

How do you like my Hong Kong “Heritage Trail”? Central trail and Sheung Wan trail coming up next!

We started our morning early and got to Duck Shing Ho to get some famous egg roll. It was around 9.45 am and  we spotted a long queue formed outside already! My friend told me that normally the egg rolls are sold out by noon! Remember to call and make a reservation to avoid disappointment.

德成號 Duck Shing Ho
北角渣華道64號地下
G/F., 64 Java Raod, North Point
Tel: 2570 5529/2571 5049
Opening Hour: Mon to Sat 930am to 700pm
Open Rice page here

By the time we queued and waited for our turn and finally got ourselves 9 big boxes of egg rolls, it was 1030am! We proceeded the street next door to Fung Shing, a Shunde restaurant specialises in Shunde cuisine and some good ol’ traditional dim sum.

Stir Fried Fresh Milk with Egg Whites, Shrimp and Pine Nuts 大良炒鲜奶 is one of their specialties but Fung Shing is only offering dim sum for the morning session.

Yum Cha (literally means ‘drink tea’) is a ‘must try’ dining experience in HK, so here we are. I think that this place is much less chaotic than their famous counterpart Tim Ho Wan and Lin Heung Lao.

So instead of having carts of dim sum pushed around, they gave us a menu/card on which we would fill out indicating the items you want. Fung Shing is also running a promotion on all small and medium sized dim sum – HKD 12 (RM 4.80) per portion. That’s even cheaper than some of the dim sum restaurants here in KL!

Fung Shing is filled with local people having dim sums, so it’s definitely a good sign for me.

We had quite a variety of dim sum; so let me rank them from best to good to mediocre.

Ma Lai Kou 马来糕. The best that one could ever get – warm, light, fluffy and not too sweet.

Char Siu Pastry 叉烧酥. A tender, buttery pastry holds the sweet, succulent cha siu filling.

Beancurd Roll with Superior Soup 高汤鲜竹卷

Har Gao 虾饺.

Fen Guo 粉果.

Siu Mai 烧卖

Steamed Milk Pudding – Yi Shun’s version is far better.

鳳城酒家 Fung Shing Restaurant
G/F & 1/F, Goldfield Mansion, 62-68 Java Road, North Point
Branches: Tsim Tsa Tsui, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, etc
Open Rice page here.

Our eating spree did not stop here! We took the tram to King’s Road just for some crunchy version of Egg Puff Waffle aka Gai Dan Zai (北角雞蛋仔)!

Photos of celebrating trying their gai dan zai and magazine article featuring them were plastered all over the place.

Cispy on the outside and hollow inside, the gai dan zai (HKD 15) is filled with wonderful eggy aroma. It was great fun to snap the little balls one by one and pop it into our mouths.

View Larger Map
勁辣派甜甜掌門(北角雞蛋仔)
北角英皇道492號
492 King’s Road, North Point
Branches: Tsim Tsa Tsui, Wan Chai, etc
Open Rice page here

That concludes our last day in HK ;(

If you like my HK travel posts, remember to click on my 2009 trip and 2010 trip.

Duddell Street in Central, Hong Kong is famous for its four gas-powered street lamps. These street lamps are still powered by town gas. And to get to Starbucks “Bong Sutt”, one has to climb those flight of stairs. Duddell Street Steps and Gas Lamps are declared monuments of Hong Kong.

antique gas-operated street lamps

view from the steps

As we pushed through the door to Starbucks, we were instantly attracted by the meticulous attention to details  – the old school blinds, the dusty old fans, folding chairs, birdcages, small tiled floors, old radios, old-school electric switches, adapters and the likes.

The drinks menu is basically the same, but Starbucks has incorporate some cha-chan-teng favourites such as egg tarts and polo buns. Yes, you can have your egg tarts with with a tall cup of Frappuccino!

merchandises for sale

Let’s take a nostalgic walk down memory lane at Starbucks Duddell Street!

Starbucks + Bing Sutt
Shop M2, Mezzanine Floor
Baskerville House
13 Duddell Street, Central

Shopping is an integral part of travel so we just have to make our way to Tsim Tsa Tsui to indulge in some retail therapy. With Harbour City, Heritage 1881, SOGO and the many retailers along Peking Road, Nathan Road and Cameron Road all located within a radius of few hundred meters, Tsim Tsa Tsui is truly a shopper’s paradise.

sexy car wash?

Harbour City

Harbour City is the biggest shopping mall in Hong Kong. Having to learn our painful lesson of spending way too much time and moolah in there last year; I tried to avoid the mall like the plague. With my favourite food hall City Super and various other mid range clothing lines in there,  I raise my hand in the pledge that shopping in Harbour City can be dangerous.

And so we made a detour to Heritage 1881, a Former Marine Police Headquarters that has recently been rejuvenated and re-integrated as a high-end shopping site.

Heritage 1881 is such a beautiful place to spend a cool day walking around and not buying anything, simply because I can’t afford anything from these big name – Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Piaget, etc.

The building is designed to a unique Victorian Colonial architectural style so it is a good place to cam-whore!

K11 mall

After walking for about 2 hours or so, we found a place to rest our weary feet – Paul Lafayet at K11 mall.

Having only opened its doors in February 2010, Paul Lafayet by Tony Younes has enjoyed great success and popularity. Known as THE place to go for French pastries, Paul Lafayet takes pride in their creations – they use only high quality of imported ingredients with no artificial flavourings or preservatives.

The window displays with all the beautiful colorful cakes and macarons had an instant appeal. It was so enticing that we press our nose against the glass eagerly, we picked our dessert selection for the day.

Creme Brulee is also one of their best-sellers that one shouldn’t miss. Upon placing order, the staff caramelised it with a blowtorch in front of us. The Creme Brulee with perfect caramelized top was so smooth, rich and creamy! Oh I love creme brulee and I love how they made it with real vanilla beans, not vanilla essence!You can actually bring home the clay ramekin too. But for whatever weird reason it is, we did not!

Chocolate Blueberry Dome came next. Layered with blueberry, chocolate mousse and thin sponge cake and coated with a chocolate shell, it was out of this world! I love the sweet and tangy combination that blueberries add to the cake, very refreshing!

*All their cakes are priced at HK$40 per piece and macarons at HK$15 per piece.

We by tradition pare the coffee with the end of our lovely meal (if that counts as meal). =)

Paul Lafayet Patisserie Francaise
Website : http://www.paullafayet.com/
Address : G23, G/F, K11, 18 Hanoi Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Branch : G13, G/F, Windsor House, 311 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 3586 9621/ 3586 9631, 3421 1982
Opens daily from 1230 noon to 11pm

When in Hong Kong, one thing you must not miss is the beautiful Hong Kong night view. Take a tram up to the peak or go to the Avenue of Stars located along the Victoria Harbour waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui. More than 100 actors – both living and dead – were honored along the Avenue of Stars.

One can enjoy A Symphony of Lights along the Avenue of Stars every night at 8pm. This spectacular multimedia show, named the world’s largest permanent light and sound show by Guinness World Records, combines lights and narration while featuring more than 40 buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour. The facades of buildings are decked out in lights that, at the flick of a switch, glow in a myriad of colours depicting Hong Kong’s dynamic pulse. The show lasted for about 10 minutes and it was spectacular!

One of the perks of traveling to Hong Kong late last year is that it coincides with the BIG SOGO SALES! Longchamp le pliage handbag for RM 230, CK jeans for RM 250, SK II skin care at 30% off and many many more! The shopping can be very rewarding and exciting if you manage to beat the crowd, which we did!

Hui Lao Shan’s mango dessert for supper

Our haul of the day =)