Living the Dream in Thailand

In this new series for TTT, Kristie Kellahan speaks to ex-pats 'living the dream' in Thailand. First up, Chiang Mai's 'Burger King'!


Who: James Choi, 31

Where: Chiang Mai

Why: To realise his dream of owning a restaurant, James moved to Chiang Mai. He opened The White Plate Cafe in the JJ Market area, currently ranked number 1 on Tripadvisor’s list of Chiang Mai restaurants.

When: James first came to Thailand on holiday at the end of 2011. He said he felt an instant pull to the lovely northern city of Chiang Mai, no doubt influenced by a blossoming romance with his now-partner, Pye. In March 2013 he made the permanent move, and two months later The White Plate Cafe opened its doors. It was an instant success, serving the best burgers in town, according to many. Popular burgers include the Sweet Mango & Beef, the Thai Chicken Satay, and the Beef burger, made with NZ ribeye beef and NZ cheddar.

Life Before Thailand: James, a Korean-Kiwi, lived in Auckland where he was a highly-driven consultant for companies including Deloitte and Ernst & Young. He had worked part-time in Auckland restaurants while at university and knew his way around a kitchen. “I’d always dreamed of having my own restaurant one day and Thailand is the perfect place to test it out,” he says. “It’s fun, we’re learning and if we make a bit of money as well, that’s even better.”

Biggest culture shock: “The work ethics here are a bit different so I had to adjust because I am someone who can’t sit still, whereas Thais take a more relaxed approach,” he says.

Biggest challenge: James says it was no easy task navigating the bureaucracy to arrange visas, work permits and business licences. “I’d say just be patient and persevere until you get the right answers,” he says. “I had to do about five or six trips to Immigration before we sorted it out but we got there in the end. Just find solutions and make it work.”

Favourite Chiang Mai hangouts: James and Pye live in the trendy Nimmanhaemin area, chock-full of bars, cafes and restaurants. He rates The Larder, a new cafe opened by a Thai couple who had worked in Sydney restaurants for years. For cocktails and live music, James gives the thumbs-up to Warm Up Cafe.

Best thing about living in Thailand: “I like everything here and it’s been a lot of fun getting to know Chiang Mai,” James says. “There is a great expat community of creative types who have chosen to live here and who enjoy good food.” 
Chiang Mai’s central position in Asia and its international airport has also made it a handy base from which to explore the region: already James has visited Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, and will soon travel to Japan.

Plans for the future: With burger lovers begging James to open an outpost of The White Plate in the Nimman area, expect to see big things from this enterprising foodie.

Bangkok's Best Rooftop Bars

Now that the protests in Bangkok have died down somewhat, we can concentrate on what’s really important - boozing! Here are some of my favourite places to drink in the City of Angels ... with a view!


Vertigo and Moon Bar, Banyan Tree Hotel:
Perched 61 floors above the streets of Sathorn and bathed in a sexy blue light, this restaurant and rooftop bar is still one of the hottest tickets in town. No roof and glass walls give the impression that there’s nothing between you and plummeting to certain death; it’s a little like hovering in a spaceship, with amazing 360 degree views. Cocktail prices are as sky-high as the venue, but with views like this, who cares?
Banyan Tree Bangkok, 21/100 South Sathorn Road, Sathorn.

Tel: +66 (0)2 679 1200
http://www.banyantree.com/en/bangkok/experience_the_resort/dining/vertigo_and_moon_bar

Sky Bar, Lebua State Tower:
Star of the (otherwise atrocious) Hangover Part II, Sky Bar offers an undeniably breathtaking view of the city and the lazy Chao Phraya River. Hugely popular and always crowded with standing-room only, this isn’t the most relaxed place to have a quiet drink, but it’s worth the trip up 63 floors just to gaze in wonder at the far-reaching views. And yes, there is a drink named after the movie which made it famous: the Hangovertini. 

The Dome at Lebua, Silom Road, Bangrak.

Tel: +66 (0)2 624 9555
http://www.lebua.com/sky-bar

Octave Rooftop Bar:
Occupying three levels, from Floor 45 up in the Marriott Hotel in Sukhumvit, and with plenty of seating, this is a far more relaxed option for watching the sun setting through a jungle of skyscrapers. Each level has a different mood, with the top-level offering a 360 degree rooftop with a party atmosphere. This is one of Bangkok’s newest bars, and it’s certainly making a splash.
Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit, 2 Sukhumvit Soi 57, Bangkok 

Tel: +66 (0)2 7970000
http://www.marriott.com/hotel-restaurants/bkkms-bangkok-marriott-hotel-sukhumvit/octave-bar-and-lounge/5428678/home-page.mi

Cloud 47:
Bangkok’s newest rooftop bar is located on top of an office block, not far from the popular Patpong girly-bar zone. It’s a little hard to find, but cheap drinks, yummy snacks and great, airy views make it worth the effort. Enormous in scale, you are also pretty much guaranteed a seat, which is always a bonus. Covering three levels, the bar is divided into two areas: an all-white circular bar where bands perform, and and area with a two-storey wine cellar with a wine list of over 500 labels.
47th Floor, United Center Building, 323, Silom Rd, Silom.

Red Sky, Centara Grand at CentralWorld:
With a central, convenient location right in the heart of the shopping district and eye-popping vistas from the 55th floor, Red Sky remains a perennial favourite with locals and tourists alike. An ever-changing light show provides unusual photo-opportunities, and the indoor area provides shelter in case of rain. The perfect place to soak in all Bangkok has to offer after a day’s hard shopping.
55th floor of the Centara Grand, Central World 

Tel: +66 (0) 2100 1234
http://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/redsky/

Smoke on the Water: Nakhon Phanom's Fire Boat Festival

Regular contributor John Borthwick heads north to the Mekong River to witness a fiery nighttime flotilla.


Somewhere out there across the black tide of the Mekong River is Laos. There’s a full moon rising, but not much else to see. "Be patient," says my friend as we wait, along with thousands of others, on this riverbank at Nakhon Phanom in northeastern Thailand.

Upriver I spot something glowing — blazing. Something huge. With hypnotic slowness, the apparition drifts into view. It is a low boat, perhaps 50 metres long, supporting a 20-metre high flaming image composed of (I am told) 19,999 small lanterns depicting Thailand’s king and queen and a phoenix-like Garuda bird.

The huge vessel drifts past like a fiery ghost. Another boat of equal intricacy follows, then another. In Thai these are known as rua fai, but English approximations like "illuminated boats" or "fire boats" do no justice to these spectacular artistic conflagrations.

A fire boat on the Mekong

The original rua fai were small candle-lit rafts that carried flowers, incense and a little money to other villages downstream. The flame symbolised burning away the previous year's suffering while petitioning the deities for good weather and prosperity.

Thailand's tourist authorities saw the potential of the fire boats, if super-sized, as the focus of a major festival or Nakhon Phanom, 735 km northeast of Bangkok. The Lai Rua Fai (or Illuminated Boat Procession) Festival, held on the full moon of the 11th lunar month (late October—early November), heralds the end of both Buddhist Lent and the rainy season, and the beginning of the harvest. As Nakhon Phanom's major event of the year it sees Thais flooding in from Bangkok and across Isaan for parades, ceremonies and musical performances. The town population of around 40,000 people almost doubles during the festival.

Having been blessed by monks, we watch a large street parade of wax model Buddhist temples (that don't melt in the midday heat even though we spectators almost do) as well as dragon boat races by day and fireworks by night. And then comes the main event, the parade of fiery boats.

Street parade, Nakhon Phanom

Little drummer boys, Nakhon Phanom

The boats, painstakingly constructed for months by local communities, burn in brief glory. Having passed by us, they come ashore downstream to expire like dying swans. Next morning they will be just a burnt-out fleet of bare hulls, each supporting a billboard-sized framework and up to 30,000 smoldering little kerosene lanterns.

The fireboats, 13 in all, drift past us like images by an Oriental J.W.M. Turner, lighting the Mekong night with their fiery tableaux — of Garuda, Ganesh and Naga serpents, not to mention motor cars and more royals. Some years ago one boat caught fire and the evening's entertainment was enhanced by the sight of the crew leaping for their lives into the river.

Deep-water Solo + Sailing in Krabi

Award-winning travel writer Louise Southerden makes a splash while rock climbing in Krabi, southern Thailand.

“This is not cliff-jumping. We know the difference. We are climbers.” So says a sign outside a climbing school advertising “deep-water solo” trips in Tonsai, one of two beaches on Krabi’s Railay peninsula, the one where serious climbers hang out. I’m staying at the other, more touristy beach, Railay, where the distinction between cliff-jumping and deep-water soloing leaps right over my head – and inspires me to a deep-water soloing day trip myself.

Karst cliffs and longtail boats at Tonsai Beach

What is deep-water soloing?

In a nutshell: the lovechild of bouldering (climbing low to the ground with a crash-pad on the ground in case of a fall) and free soloing (the art of climbing without ropes). In other words: a way to enjoy the freedom of climbing without ropes and not die if you fall – because you climb over deep water. So the sea (or river or lake) is your crash-pad.

DWS, as it’s also called, has been growing in popularity all over the world since the mid-1990s, so it was only a matter of time before Krabi started doing deep-water solo day trips for visiting climbers – and, increasingly, anyone. That’s one of the beauties of it: no climbing experience is necessary.

I’d just finished a 3-day climbing course in Railay and had a few extra days up my sleeve, so the chance to combine my new love of climbing and my first love, being in the sea, was too good to pass up, particularly when I found out you could do it from a sailing boat instead of a noisy longtail. Trips leave Railay beach around high tide, to maximise water depth; it’s 10am when eight of us, all deep-water solo virgins, meet on Railay West beach and climb into a longtail for the short trip to the 36-foot yacht, lying at anchor just offshore.

Before we know it, our skipper, Pet, has given the order to his two crew to hoist the sails and we’re gliding across a glittering sea between Krabi’s karst islands towards our destination, Koh Poda. This is worth the trip cost alone, and everyone is in high spirits, lounging on the deck under the tropical sun.

Sailing to Koh Poda

An hour later, we’re there: anchoring beside a high limestone wall that rises straight up out of the sea. “Ready to climb?” Pet says. “Yeah!” we say, though there are ripples of nervous anticipation as we prepare to do what none of us has done before.

It feels strange stripping down to a bikini (boardshorts for the boys), slipping on a pair of climbing shoes (which are provided) and stepping into an inflatable zodiac, which takes us over to the nearest wall, where we climb up a 2-metre rope ladder that spans the undercut gap between rock and sea (this is the most strenuous part of DWS, hauling yourself up bamboo rungs as the ladder writhes in the waves made by passing longtails).

Climbing without a harness or rope really is liberating. There’s no chalk either (it would turn into a claggy paste on immersion in water), but hanging on to the rock with wet hands isn’t hard, mainly because these are easy climbs, with big holds and ledges to stand on, and the rock is sharp.

Side by side, we explore the wall, staying low or climbing as high as we dare, shouting when we’re about to jump/fall, to make sure there’s no one in the water below. The higher you go, of course, the harder the water gets. Up to 10 metres is considered fairly safe; any higher and the sea can feel like concrete. The secret to avoiding injury, Pet had told us, is to keep your arms by your sides and your feet together when you hit the water. Good to know…

How low can you stay?

The climbing is fun, until I rediscover my aversion to – and fear of – jumping from high places. So after my last jump/fall, from a personal-best height of five metres, I retire to the bench – the deck of the yacht. It turns out that DWS is the best kind of spectator sport. The participants are in plain sight, like butterflies pinned to a corkboard. You’re close to the action (so close you can sometimes get splashed when climbers fall into the water). And because you’ve tried it yourself, you know how brave they are for climbing higher than you dare.

When a couple of longtails full of backpackers arrive, the wall becomes colourfully crowded. There are girls in teeny bikinis, handsome Latin boys standing on rock ledges like Greek gods, guys with tattoos and topknots, even a woman in a fluoro lifejacket.

Count the climbers!

Most impressive are two Thai climbing guides, barefoot and dressed in long-sleeved shirts and track pants, who step out of a sit-on-top kayak at the base of the wall and climb, Spiderman-like, up and up, even swinging from one arm 10 metres above the Andaman Sea. When one jumps, he’s so high it takes him four seconds to hit the water. The other carefully down-climbs all the way back to his waiting sea kayak. That’s deep-water soloing with style: when you don’t even get wet.

After a quick lunch back on the boat – fried rice and cold beers – there’s time to go snorkeling and to sea kayak to a nearby beach, before we have to head back to Railay. I think I understand the Tonsai attitude to DWS better now. Climbing is one thing. Cliff-jumping really is another. And deep-water soloing is something else.

The Hot Rock inflatable at Koh Poda

How to do it: Krabi is a one-hour flight south-west of Bangkok, see Bangkok Airways. Hot Rock climbing school in Railay offers deep-water solo trips aboard a 36-foot yacht, for 1000 baht – so you get to do some sailing, kayaking (to a nearby beach) and snorkeling in addition to deep-water soloing.


Check out Louise’s new multi-touch ebook, Adventures on Earth, now available on iTunes.

Thailand's Most Romantic Hotels

Valentine’s Day is upon us ... when lovers’ thoughts turn to hearts and roses and chocolates and all that mushy nonsense. Thailand, of course, is an incredibly romantic destination, a favourite of honeymooners and those looking for ... well, a bit of action.

Here are my picks for five of Thailand’s most romantic places to stay:

The Siam Hotel, Bangkok:
I want my lover to spoil me, and because only the best will do, this is where I demand to stay whilst in Bangkok. Massive, stylish guest suites, with cloud-like beds, free-standing pod bathtubs, and the services of an attentive butler - more champagne, my friend! Exquisitely decorated with the personal antique collection of hotel owner and local celebrity Krissada Sukusol Clapp, this lovely hotel has a tranquil riverside location, well away from the chaos of the shopping precincts. www.thesiamhotel.com

Banyan Tree Koh Samui:
If you’re going to stay in a luxurious villa, with direct access off the bedroom to a private infinity pool overlooking the bay, you may as well have fun ... and use it in the manner for which it was intended. Nuff said. Enjoy your honeymoon! www.banyantree.com/samui

Anantara Rasanada Koh Phangan:
Oh my, what a view! Blinding white sand, turquoise water, coconut palms - tropical bliss. Drag yourself away from the king-size bed in your massive Ocean Garden Pool Suite - go on - and plonk down on the day bed next to your private plunge pool. Oh, and you might want to enjoy a glass of that complimentary booze while you’re at it. Truly a place blessed by nature, where the full moon brings out the romantic beast in us all .... http://phangan-rasananda.anantara.com/

Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort:
This is a different sort of romance ... misty views of the Mekong River and beyond to Laos and Burma, the distant trumpet of an elephant, and the tranquility of a jungle setting. This was the very first place I visited in Thailand, and it’s made an indelible impression on me. Insanely beautiful, culturally stimulating and undeniably romantic. http://goldentriangle.anantara.com/

Phutawan Raft House, Cheow Lan Lake, Khao Sok National Park
Who said you have to spend bucketloads of cash to have a romantic weekend? Here, it’s all about the simple life - a thatched roof over your head, a mattress to sleep on, waterfront views to die for, and the sweaty embrace of the your loved one. Step out in the morning straight into the lake, a pastel mirror as the sun rises over limestone karst peaks; then do nothing. Just sit and stare at that view. And listen to the gibbons, singing their own love song of freedom. Heaven. www.phutawanrafthouse.com

Koh Samet - Paradise Near Enough

Regular contributor John Borthwick escapes to little Koh Samed, the closest resort island to Bangkok.


At around 200 kilometres from Bangkok you might expect Koh Samed to be over-paved and full of ravers. On the contrary, this predominantly jungle-clad island still has clean, tranquil beaches and, during the week at least, a lowkey booze scene.

Koh Samed (aka Koh Samet) was once known as Vast Jewel Island, a safe anchorage for sailors. In the 19th century its beauty was the inspiration for Thailand's best-loved romantic poet, Sunthorn Phu, whose tale of a lovesick mermaid and an exiled prince is commemorated in the colourful statues of the two lovers on Hat Sai Kaew.

Statues at Hat Sai Kaew

Hat Sai Kaew (“glass sand beach”) on the northeast of the island is Samed’s longest and most popular shore, an 800-metre strand of fine white sands, restaurants and bungalow hotels. From here, beaches loop down the east coast like links in a silica chain that become increasingly pristine — and decreasingly busy — the farther south you go.

Wongduan Beach

Ao Cho beach

Among the island’s virtues are its woeful roads — their washboard ruts successfully repel invaders who otherwise would over-run the place in coaches, limos and tuk-tuks. To get around, visitors either ride in songthaew pick-up trucks or hire light motorcycles or quad bikes. Having explored Samed by land you might want a different perspective. Boat excursions include snorkelling, fishing or just cruising around the island. The marine life and coral here aren’t Andaman-class but there are plenty of intro dives, night dives and certification courses.

Although this narrow, 13-sq km island in the Gulf is part of a Maritime National Park, that hasn’t stopped Thai developers building tourist facilities along its best beachfronts — the controversial paradox of public land becoming privately “owned”. Accommodation ranges from ageing bungalows to new spa resorts, and plenty in between. Rates rise according to the season (mid-October to March being more expensive). Due to Samed’s proximity to Bangkok and Pattaya, weekend rooms are in demand, so make your reservations in advance.

Tip: book a package for your first few nights accommodation on Samed that includes transport from BKK/Pattaya to Ban Phe public wharf (not to Ban Phe town), the ferry hop to Na Dan (Samed’s only village) and transfer to your resort. You’ll cut out the transport hucksters, hassles and several long waits.

In general, there’s gloriously little of note to do on Samed but eat, drink, read and be lazy. Post-sunset, look out on a dark horizon that’s hung with the carnival lights of squid boats and consider that, although the term “island paradise” — anywhere — is just a marketing crock, sometimes Koh Samed can feel like Paradise Near Enough.

Fire dance at Khlong Chao. Pics: John Borthwick

Getting there: A three-hour drive from Bangkok (or one hour from Pattaya) to Ban Phe wharf in Rayong Province, then a seven-kilometre ferry to the island. National Park entrance fee (mandatory) is 400 baht for foreigners, 40 baht for Thais.

Boutique Hotels in Chiang Mai

If you’re looking for a stylish hotel in Chiang Mai, there’s no shortage of choice! I am often asked for recommendations - here are a few of my favourites:

Tamarind Village
Located in the heart of the walled city on Rachedamneon Rd (Walking Street), Tamarind is an enticing oasis and a refuge of tranquility. Accessed from the street via an avenue of bamboo, it is built around an ancient tamarind tree, with a cluster of low-rise white-washed buildings with clay-tiled roofs resembling a traditional Lanna village. An open-air reception area overlooks a shimmering pool where children splash and adults sprawl lazily on sun lounges or dine in the Ruen Tamarind Restaurant. Rooms are small but exquisite, with simple modern furnishings draped with rich, locally sourced textiles. The hotel also doubles as gallery space, with its corridors featuring works by local artists.
www.tamarindvillage.com

Anantara Chiang Mai Resort & Spa
The much-beloved Chedi hotel has recently become an Anantara, a company with a reputation for snaffling the best locations. And this property has it all - a lovely riverside setting, impeccable styling, and great accessibility to Chiang Mai’s vibrant cafe and nightlife scene. Its pool area is simply to die for; while its 84 rooms and suits all feature a river-facing balcony where guests can watch traditional fishing boats drift by. The 90-year-old colonial British consulate building now houses a restaurant service Indian and South-East Asian cuisine; and of course, it also serves high tea!
www.chiang-mai.anantara.com

Dusit D2
This hip, urbane hotel is located right in the heart of the action of the Night Bazaar just off Chang Klang Rd. Everything about this place just makes me smile, from its spacious, funky lobby with oversized vases filled with fruit to its welcome drinks in silly, wobble-bottomed glasses. Clean lines and simple, functional design maximises space in its small guest suites; and amusing touches like silk bed balls and a nightly gift box with goodies such as fortune cookies are a sweet touch. Even the staff here are cool suspenders and Converse, they are always helpful, smiley and prepared to go the extra mile for guests. Don’t miss their daily ‘change-of-shift’ ritual - a flash-mob style choreographed dance to Cole Porter’s ‘Delovely’. 
www.dusit.com

Ping Nakara Boutique Hotel & Spa
With just 19 rooms, this intimate, elegant boutique hotel wears a mantle of exclusivity. Built in traditional colonial style, it features white fretwork and a tranquil courtyard centred around a sparkling pool. Rooms are decorated with hand-crafted furniture, with accessories reflecting colonial traditions, while a formulated fragrance made from local herbs and plants wafts around the corridors, enlivening the senses.
www.pingnakara.com

137 Pillars House
Although I haven’t stayed in or inspected this property, it is receiving rave reviews and seems like the place to be seen in Chiang Mai. Built around a restored 1889 teak house once belonging to the East Borneo Company, it features 30 villas in a veritable botanic garden of rare northern plant species. Each spacious suite features colonial-style furniture and decor, with vintage-tiled verandahs providing a cool and tranquil place to relax and soak in the ambience.
www.snhcollection.com/137pillarshouse