Tag: thailand travels 23

kids in the pool

Lanta Cottage Hotel

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Accommodation: Lanta Cottage Hotel

It is located at Sala Dan, Koh Lanta District, Krabi 81150 Thailand. We had our first getaway here after the travel ban was lifted. Businesses had just started to open, and the entire place felt like it had just woke up from a keep slumber. Going into Lanta Cottage, you’ll see untrimmed plants, dried leaves all over the place, padlocked sheds, and dusty receiving/canteen area.

Room

Nothing fancy about the room, it’s air conditioned and pretty spacious. There’s a mini kitchenette with sink. Plates and utensils are also provided. It’s a family room with one double bed and a bunk bed. Both are pretty hard on the back. But at least they’re not rickety. Please take a look at Lanta Cottage in the video at 4.25.

  • Other room amenities include a flat screen TV, a fridge, a wooden wardrobe, and towels.
  • Complimentaries are the usual coffee and tea, bottled water, and toiletries.

Bathroom

I’m personally not so fond of the bathroom. It is large but the design is not so well-thought of. The toilet is placed very near the wall that you won’t be able to sit well. The bidette spray is placed at the left side of the toilet cramped up in between the toilet and the wall. It’s just way too uncomfortable. It’s not so clean too.

WIFI Connection

Wifi connection is important these days more than ever. Due to the pandemic, several jobs have transitioned online. And we are one of them. However, to our great dismay, this hotel’s Wifi connection had been severed by the provider. We didn’t want to complain thinking it might be an aftermath of the lockdown.

The Pool

Pool is life for our children. They love to hang out by the pool, and have been trying to learn swimming. This hotel’s pool is one of its strength. Kid’s pool is 2.5ft deep, pretty safe even for toddlers. Adult’s pool is 4.5ft deep. Although, not so clean, but we’ve seen worst than it.

Breakfast

Lanta cottage has restaurant area, but didn’t offer breakfast during this time. So we ended up eating in a restaurant overlooking the Bamboo beach.

Parking Lot

There was no designated parking area. Cars can be parked on any vacant lot any where around the hotel area.

Clientele

Lanta Cottage may be preferred by families or group of friends who prefer to cook or bring their own food. And it could also be a nice choice those who opt for a budget-friendly accomodation.

Price

We booked Lanta Cottage for a little over 60USD, definitely cheap. If you don’t mind a few inconveniences here and there, then, it’s a good choice.

Although it wasn’t what I expected, we were just thankful to be out of the house and enjoy the outdoor. We hope Lanta Cottage can bounced back to its feet.

Hotels with Swimming Pool

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geysers by the road

Geysers by the Road in Northern Thailand

Posted on by Ms. Elle

geysers by the road
Geysers by the Road in Northern Thailand

Looking at these geysers by the road in Northern Thailand as cars pass by is but incredible!

Wiang Pa Pao is a district southwest of Chiang Rai, and a common stop-over for buses, vans, and private cars traveling to and fro. Chiang Mai is a three hour drive from Chiang Rai, and so this stop-over is definitely a welcome one. And why not! Wiang Pa Pao’s geysers are awesome.

Any one who’s passing by will definitely give this place a second look after all, it’s free. Definitely a budget Thailand travel! From a distance you could already see random white steam patches against the greens as you travel up and down the hills. If you’re new to the place, these would seem like smoke as if someone’s burning something except that it doesn’t dissipate in the air.

Innovation

What we like about Wiang Pa Pao, is that they actually took advantage of these wonders without ruining it. They’ve paved the surrounding ground and constructed a fence around it. They also built satellite pools where people could dip their aching legs. It has become a great tourist attraction of the place and consequently a decent source of income. And we believe the entire length of the road that stretches from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai was so design having the geysers in mind.

Source of Income

As mentioned, these geysers by the road have attracted so many tourists. Thus increasing the district’s revenue. Here, you’ll find restaurants, souvenir shops, Seven Eleven, Accommodations, and even jewellery shops. Some locals sell hard-boiled eggs cooked in one of the pools. Water’s temperature is at 98 degrees celsius. Really hot!

Foot Spa

The place has at least 3 to 4 pools where you could dip your feet or legs. The water is so warm! It took us a while to get used to the temperature before we enjoyed the dip. A lot of people enjoyed it too, and really took their time while chatting with friends and munching on some tropical fruits.

Is it a great place to visit?

Absolutely!! One, the place is free. It requires no money whatsoever to enjoy this rare phenomenon called geyser. Second, the foot spa is relaxing and refreshing and you get to do this amidst the trees around. The geysers are by the road, so accessible. You need not hike hundreds of kilometers into the mountain just to see one. Lastly, it would be a great financial help for the people of Wiang Pa Pao who so graciously share nature at no so much cost.

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singha park chiang rai

Singha Park Chiang Rai: A Must Visit

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Boon Rawd Farm, famously known as Singha Park, sits a few kilometers away from the center of Chiang Rai. It is less than 10-minute drive from the White Temple. Singha Park Chiang Rai is one of the visited attractions in the city. Aside from it’s vastness and beauty, going in and exploring the place is free of admission.

Singha Park/ Boon Rawd Farm/  บุญรอดฟาร์ม.

It is a vast open land with so many beautiful attractions.  A giant effigy of a Lion (Singha in Thai) greets visitors at the entrance with numerous variety of colorful flowers prettily landscaped behind. There’s a designated place for parking. Cars are allowed during low seasons. There are however two means of going around the park,  biking and by trams. There are different types of bikes for rent -mountain bikes, grandma’s bike,  and double bikes at 120 baht an hour.  Trams are scheduled at regular intervals and it cost 1.67 USD (50 THB) per child and 3.34 USD (100 THB) for adult. This takes tourists around the park and stops at the park’s destinations.

Telephone: 091 576 0374

Opens: 9.00 am to 5:00 pm from Saturday to Sunday

Attractions in Singha Park

  1. Flower Park. Different species of beautiful, colorful flowers are displayed here for at least a week or two and mostly during the first two weeks of January. The flowers were totally breathtaking.  The park is quite big that a couple of hours, which was the only time we had, is definitely not enough to leisurely roam around. And I suggest that you fully charge your mobile phones and cameras before coming,  The place is so amazing you can’t stop clicking.  I would certainly go back as I have not really fully enjoyed the place due to lack of time. I’d also make it sure that I have the appropriate camera. The photos I’ve taken of the flowers and the place are not great due to again lack of time and limited battery life.  In fact there were several attractions I haven’t photographed.  
  2. Swan Lake. Next stop is the swan lake. From the name itself this huge lake has plenty of white swan, and giant coy fish. Children could feed them through bamboo tubes that piped the sides of the lake. And just recently (as of November 2019) at the opposite side of swan lake is a large effigy of a rat made from hay.
  3. Tea Plantation follows. Here, you’ll see vast field of tea plants, such a pleasant sight of well-contoured greens. There’s a tiny station around here that sells tea powder. They also got customs and baskets tourists could use to take photos with.
  4. Zoo. Watusi cattle and short-legged horses are the main attractions in this part of the park.
  5. Strawberry farm. During the winter season that is from December to February, strawberry is aplenty. They are big and sweet in this part of Thailand.
  6. Mushroom and Herbs. As of 2019, they have develop a certain variety of mushroom (please see video). They also have variety of herbs like rosemary, thyme, basil, and many more.
  7. Zipline. Oh yes, I guess one of the highlights! We Zipline for the First Time, Made the More-Than-24 Hour Car Drive Worthwhile! This is the last stop of the tour. This place has a very nice restaurant that opens until the night. They also sell their own-made ice cream, the Boon Rawd Ice Cream. The zipline has a separate fee of 10 USD (300 THB). Aside from the zipline, they also offer other activities like wall climbing, biking, and survival trail.

Here’s a short video clip of the rock climbing activity in SIngha Park.

There you go folks. Hope you’ll have a great time there.

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swimming pool at Phutara lanta resort

Phutara Lanta Resort Koh Lanta Krabi

Posted on by Ms. Elle

 

Accomodation: Phutara Lanta Resort. The best family hotel we have gone to so far.

Location: 693 Moo 2, Saladan,  Koh Lanta Krabi 81150 Thailand
☎: +66980307182

 

Room: We stayed in one of the Two-Bedroom Luxury Poolside Suites on the second floor of a two-storey  duplex building.  The rooms are huge,  in fact the management allows a maximum of 4 adults and 2 children. It is super clean, tidy,  and well insulated; noise is inaudible even between the two bedrooms in the suite. It is well ventilated with separate air conditioning system for each bedroom.  There are several windows if you opt for fresh air, and a nice patio obscured by trees and vegetation in front. This lovely suite has several lighting options to choose from, big built-in closet,  two flat screen TVs, large wall mounted mirror,  lovely big bathroom, and a mini kitchen equipped with cupboards and standard sized sink. The huge king-sized bed is placed on a sturdy wooden built-in platform,  so the bed sits  firmly on it without rickety or creaking sound which was one of the weaknesses of Nadivana Serviced Apartments in Aonang Krabi.

Amenities: The usual room amenities are available like fridge,  hairdryer,  toiletries, electric kettle, and complimentary stuff;  tea,  coffee, and bottled water. But what really got me was the mini kitchen with sink and cupboards. This is the best family hotel we have gone to so far. It makes all the mommy stuff easy and comfortable.

Pool is big and clean. There’s a proper kid pool, 60 cm deep,  perfect for toddlers and young children.  The adult pool is 130 to 160 cm. deep,  perfect for not so good swimmer like us.😊 The pool is well maintained, we had a great time!

swimming pool at Phutara lanta resort

 

Wifi connection is excellent. We did pretty much everything; movie and video streaming, blogging, online games,  social media engagement. Hatzanda and Lanta Riviera Villa just lost the first spot of the strongest WiFi connection as Phutara’s Wifi connection is awesome. No glitch,  the connection was strong everywhere in the hotel premises and I mean every where. Even in the pool area and the parking lot the connection was great.

Restaurant is located at the second floor of the management building. It is small but clean, and has a nice view of the pool on one side and the lush greeneries on the other. Heavy wooden tables and chairs surround a dainty counter where food are served.

Food. The complimentary breakfast is basic, nothing fancy (like Wake Up Hotel in Aonang Krabi),  but tasty which includes fried rice,  stir-fry noodles,  sliced bread,  eggs,  pancakes,  iced tea, orange juice,  and brewed coffee. Food is freshly cooked,  nothing was re-cooked. They also serve lunch and dinner with varied menus like Indian,  Mexican,  European,  Thai,  Pizzas,  and Steaks. We were told that since it was low season, when we came, they won’t be serving dinner. It was not a problem for us but this may not sit well with other visitors.

Resort ground is elevated a few feet from road level, so one could actually get a pretty good view of Klong Khong beach from a far. It is studded with tall trees, flowers,  and tables and benches.  The ground is tidy, mowed, and flowers are trimmed. A good place to hang out for late afternoon tea or coffee, or have a nice read.

Parking is available onsite.  One in front of the hotel with camera and another behind (no CCTV cam).

Services. Phutara’s staff are friendly,  considerate, and they speak English. So communication is not a problem.

Price: $143 for two nights

Overall: 4.5/5 rating

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nadivana serviced apartments

Hotel Review: Nadivana Serviced Apartments

Posted on by Ryan

Location. 159 Moo 4, Ao Nang Muang
Krabi, Muang Krabi 81180 Thailand
☎ 011 66 75 661 358

big pool in nadivana serviced apartment
Hotel Review: Nadivana Serviced Apartments

Room. The room we stayed in was pretty spacious and clean with a huge wall mirror, and a bunk bed which our kids loved so much. In reality though, Summer and Derick used the lower bunk only, as the upper bunk was way too near the air-conditioning. The bed was soft, but shaky. It’s a bed with wheels, wheels that couldn’t be locked, so it’s super unstationary. Pillows were tiny and uncomfortable, the kind that gives you a stiff neck but they’re clean though, which is super important for an asthmatic family like us. There were two dainty lampshades and a huge photo frame of Nopparat beach on the wall. The huge flatscreen TV had several cable channels which we enjoyed as well. The bathroom waa big and clean except for those icky smudges on the black-tiled walls. Other things we appreciate about the bathroom was the big mirror in front of the big sink and having a number of towel rails/holders. We love the vibrant looking, marble bathroom floor of The Lakehouse better though.

Other amenities in the room include several hangers, fridge with beverages (for sale), complementary bottled water, electric pot, safe box, two comfortable, sturdy, plastic chairs, toiletries but without shampoo, weird!

two kids in the swimming pool at nadivana serviced apartment
Hotel Review: Nadivana Serviced Apartments

Amenities

The Pool- adults and kids, both are huge! The pool for adults has a bar that allows swimmers to enjoy their drinks while in the water. Next to it is the kids pool, a proper kids pool, not a jacuzzi/kids pool type. It has a teeny weeny slide that adds to the fun. The pool is awesome! Water is a bit murky but not as murky as the Lakehouse Ko Yo Guesthouse during our stay there. Our kids enjoyed chilling out by the pool and had the time of their life!

WiFi is excellent! No glitch at all. The connection is even faster than Hatzanda Lanta Resort and Lanta Riviera Villa Resortwhich we ranked number 1 in our list prior. We were able to open and stream pretty much everything we thought of watching, in the room and even at the pool side.

Restaurant is located at the main building. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, eating outside is better. There’s a nice restaurant which serves great food at a local price just a few meters away, Sakeereen Halal Food.

Food. We opted for breakfast and paid extra $16 for it. Thinking that Nadivana is a big company, we were expecting a good breakfast on our first morning. However we were disappointed big time! The complimentary buffet includes toasted bread, steamed ham and tiny hotdogs which were re-cooked the following morning, cereals, khaw phat (fried rice) which has nonexistent meat and thinly sliced veggies. Eggs are available upon request but you to pay extra.
We had an excellent breakfast experience at Rimlay Park Resort, a relatively small accomodation. Breakfast there was truly a treat.
Anyway, the complimentary buffet breakfast is Nadivana’s weakest link.

Resort ground is wide with the pool occupying the main central portion of the main ground. Behind is where the deluxe quad rooms are situated facing a vast grassland (not a garden) where one could be visited by cows and/or snakes. Yaas snakes! I saw one (on our first morning) slithered into a bushy part of the main building. But don’t worry they have got this silicon cover attached at the foot of the door to keep snakes, frogs, and bugs from coming in through the gap.

Parking. There were no proper onsite parking for those staying in the deluxe quad rooms. They have got a few spaces right in front of the reception/restaurant area but this however is a long way from where our room was, anyway, it’s full the whole time. So we had to park on the grassy vacant lot near our room. We didn’t mind it really, the hiccup was, our car tire got punctured by a nail or metal screw.

Services
The room is serviced everyday and complimentary items are replenished too. The ladies at the reception were friendly, accommodating, and they could communicate in English pretty well.

Clientele

A great choice for those who come in groups of 4 or more.

Price

We stayed at the deluxe quad room for three nights with breakfast, for $178 (5,543.00 baht). Booked at bookingdotcom (https://www.booking.com/s/27_8/b84f891f)

Over-all

If you’re tolerant enough of small nuisances like having the water sprayer on the left side of the toilet, off road parking, possible snake sighting especially if you’re staying in one of the deluxe quad rooms then posh-looking Nadivana Serviced Apartments is a good choice. I strongly suggest however to opt-out breakfast!

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