Tam Coc – A Nice Getaway from the Hustle and Bustle of Hanoi
If you’re staying in Hanoi for a little while, you’re going to be craving for some wide-open green space. Luckily, Vietnam still has a lot of natural unspoiled scenery in Southeast Asia. And you’ll find that little slice of heaven at Tam Coc’s Ngo Dong River.
Tam Coc is located about 2 and 1/2 hours drive from Hanoi’s old quarters. It’s typically packaged in a tour with a visit to Vietnam’s ancient capital Hoa Lu.
Our little tour group and our tour guide upfront…
Our tour package costs around $40 and includes a buffet lunch, as well as all entrance fees including a bicycle rental so you can explore the countryside of Ninh Binh province where Tam Coc is located.
Tam Coc is a popular side trip destination from Hanoi VietnamLots of waiting rafts ready for tourists…Even though you’re in the middle of nowhere many locals try to push souvenirs sold from their boats…
Ngo Dong River – Tam Coc’s Claim to Fame
Tam Coc in Vietnamese means 3 caves in which local boat guides take tourists through and under 3 grottos from the meandering Ngo Dong River.
The Ngo Dong River passes through rice paddies with a breathtaking view of cascading limestones where wild goats roam.
Each raft is guided by a local with two tourists to a boat. It’s quite a romantic ride along a gentle river with my wife. But…
One of the 3 cave grottos ahead…Lots of limestone mountains…Sailing through the Ngo River is like traveling back through time…Can you spot the wild mountain goat?…Many tourists going up and down the Ngo Dong River…Besides the rice paddies plenty of duck farms along Ngo Dong River too…
I can’t find how long Ngo Dong River is but as I recall the the entire raft ride along the river lasted about 35 to 45 minutes. It was August at the time it was really hot. Be sure to take along an umbrella, a hat, and sunscreen as the temperature hits 90° Fahrenheit.
Locals selling souvenirs and drinks on the boats seem a bit too aggressive…At the end of the river you will find many locals hawking souvenirs in boats…
One Thing That Bothered Me on the Tam Coc Tour…
It’s nice to get on a boat and have a nice quiet ride along such magnificent views. So one thing that ruined the experience is the overly aggressive locals selling souvenirs. And since I had no control of the boat my local guide hung around waiting for us to purchase something.
And when we didn’t buy from them our guide rowed the boat over to a small little patch of tall grass and started showing us pictures of her kids and asking us to buy some trinket souvenirs. Talk about feeling uncomfortable.
I could’ve waited out the sales tactics but my wife caved in and bought some small coin purses and a couple of postcards.
I can understand that they work hard with low salaries. And I would tip them regardless. But they don’t know that. I’m not surprised at all that many tourists choose not to tip at all. So these row boats/guides are desperate to get as much money as they can.
All row boat/guides at Tam Coc row boats with their feet…
But they row these boats with their legs. It’s amazing how these guides can grip the boat oars with their feet. That “feat” (pun intended) in itself deserves some sort of gratuity in itself.
About 10 minutes before heading back to the wharf our row boat guide asked us for a tip. Now you’d think buying some souvenirs from her was enough. And I was planning to tip her anyway. So I just gave her $ 5 USD, which is pretty much a small price to pay.
Overall a Wonderful Experience at Tam Coc
Tam Coc is a place you should visit and a good day trip from Hanoi. You can get a tour of Tam Coc from any tour agency in Hanoi. I don’t recommend getting a Tam Coc tour package from your hotel though because they usually charge a little higher.
A nice trip down Ngo Dong River at Tam Coc…
What’s Included in a Tam Coc Tour
Hoa Lu – Visit Vietnam’s ancient capital Hoa Lu where a temple was built to honor Dinh Bo Linh, the first emperor of Vietnam. There isn’t much to see at Hoa Lu but you get a good sense of Vietnam’s medieval history as well as plenty of picture opportunities.
Tam Coc – A tour guide takes you down the Ngo Dong River passing rice paddies as far as the eye can see and limestone mountains and cliffs as high as the sky.
Ninh Binh Province – Take a guided bike tour through rice fields and explore the beauty of Ninh Binh’s countryside.
There are tons of tour agencies located all over the Old Quarters of Hanoi and expect to pay about $30USD to $40USD per person. A lunch is included and on our particular tour, there was a lunch buffet.
It wasn’t the best Vietnamese food but it will fill you up.
Hotel Capitol – A Nice Budget Hotel in Bukit Bintang
Recently I booked a few nights at Hotel Capitol in Kuala Lumpur to make this review. Usually I stay over at the nearby Sky Hotel Bukit Bintang but I passed by Hotel Capitol many times. This time I decided to stay at Hotel Capitol so I could check it out and share my thoughts here.
Also while I was checking room rates I saw Hotel Capitol was charging about $60USD a night including taxes on Agoda. So I figured why not check it out for a couple of nights. As it wasn’t that expensive at the time.
Hotel Capitol is listed as a 3 star hotel but there’s no gym or swimming pool. Which is not unusual for budget hotels around Kuala Lumpur.
Hotel Capitol Location
If you want to be in the heart of shopping centers with good mix of Malay, Chinese, Middle Eastern and Indian foods, Bukit Bintang will not disappoint you.
Hotel Capitol is located on Jalan Bulan 1, just several minutes walk from the main drag of Jalan Bukit Bintang. It’s about a 5 minute walk from Imbi KL Monorail station.
I never bothered taking a taxi to any hotel I’ve stayed in Bukit Bintang. I’ve always used the KL Monorail system because it’s easy and cheap from KL Sentral station.
If you are not familiar with the area, the best way to find Hotel Capitol is to locate Low Yat Plaza, a popular electronics mall in Bukit Bintang. Low Yat Plaza is directly right across from the hotel.
What’s Nearby
As I already mentioned there are many restaurants near Hotel Capitol especially shopping centers:
Jalan Alor – This very popular street food area is a 5 minute walk from Hotel Capitol and opens during the evening hours. Although Jalan Alor is popular I suggest checking out other restaurants especially local Indian food centers.
Fahrenheit Shopping Center – A shopping center brand name and loca Malay shops as well.
Pavilion Shopping Mall – The is KL’s premier luxury shopping center.
Lot 10 – Not a great selection of shops at Lot 10. But there is a very good food court in the basement level.
Sungwei Plaza – This humongous shopping center is particularly popular with the locals. It’s kind of like the MBK shopping center in Bangkok. You can find a lot of knock off and counterfeit items inside Sungwei Plaza.
Berjaya Times Square – Of all the shopping centers the Berjaya Times Square is the most popular particularly with the locals and foreign tourists. There’s even a small amusement park inside.
Hotel Capitol Kuala Lumpur Review
Hotel Capitol is not a big hotel with 235 rooms. When I made my booking via Agoda I requested a non smoking room on a high floor. If you can’t stand the stench of cigarettes you best ask for a non-smoking room because in Malaysia a lot of people smoke.
For the first night I had to stay at a smoking room though because there were no non-smoking rooms available when I checked in. Luckily the next day one was available so hotel reception helped me make a room change.
A million dollar view for budget room price at Hotel Capitol…
I specifically requested a high room because I’ve read that you can get a really nice city view of Kuala Lumpur, especially the magnificently lit up Petronas Twin Towers.
And I got a room on the 11th floor which I was happy to find out that the entire floor has non smoking rooms. So you don’t really need to get a room that high up.
Still A Good Budget Hotel in Kuala Lumpur
Hotel Capitol was built in 1997. So it’s an old hotel and it really shows on the room carpets. I am not aware if the hotel has gone through any major renovations but I certainly do see certain repairs and upgrades, at least in the rooms I’ve been in.
I do have a gripe which is I found a few old stains on the bed sheets. I’ve been to many budget hotels in Asia and it’s one thing you just learn to expect.
I have seen some photos of Hotel Capitol’s premium and bigger rooms but those cost 4 times the price of a superior room. To me I can’t justify paying that much for a 3 star hotel.
But if you’re traveling alone and you just need a good clean(ish) hotel to sleep in with many excellent nearby restaurants, shopping and train stations Hotel Capitol is a recommended budget hotel in Bukit Bintang.
For discounts and and to read current guests reviews for Hotel Capitol Kuala Lumpur click here.
I’ve always wanted to add airline comparisons and reviews to this blog. But I’ve always been flying Korean Air with a stop over in Seoul. So this time around I wanted to try another airline. And Air China was the one I chose to review for my flight from New York to Bangkok.
Air China has been aggressively cutting air fare prices in order to compete. I paid $800USD for my Air China tickets while Korean Air had air fares costing $1300USD. That’s 37.5% more and a convincing reason to give Air China a go.
Now if you check around reviews about Air China like I did you’ll see a lot of unfavorable remarks and experiences from passengers. And I have to admit I was a bit worried about flying Air China. Plus I love Korean Air and I know their in-flight services and quality is hard to top.
The total flight time not including layover on Air China is about 19 hours. Korean Air total flight time is about 18 1/2 hours. But both planes fly different routes.
I was determined to go on Air China with an open mind and give a fair review despite all the bad comments I’ve come across.
JFK or EWK
At Newark International, plenty of staff to help check in at Air China…
Air China flies out of JFK in New York City and EWK in Newark, New Jersey. Since I live in NYC it would’ve been more convenient to fly out of JFK. However, I only get one hour to connect to my Bangkok flight at Beijing International.
While flying out from EWK I get five hours to connect to my Bangkok flight at Beijing International. It’s a no brainer, EWK was a better option because I get plenty of time to connect.
Air China uses the older twin engine Boeing 777-200ER for their EWK to PEK route. While when I used Korean Air I was on board a 4 engine Boeing A380, which is a lot newer. But again, I’m going to keep an open mind.
Getting Ready to Leave NYC Again…
I got to EWK with four hours to spare until my flight departs. Air China’s check in counter was already open. I wanted to get there early to get those emergency exit row seats. These seats are worth gold to me and I call them the poor man’s first class seats. The flight duration was 14 hours straight to China. So that extra leg room is going to come in handy.
Poor man’s first class seats at Air China…
I didn’t know if Air China would charge me for those seats or whether they provided them exclusively to Star Alliance members which I am not a member of. But I was so happy to find out those seats were available free of charge. Remember, emergency exit rows are based on first come first served. Which is why I always get my ass on the check in line as soon as I can.
The check in agent got me an emergency exit row aisle seat and believe me I was so relieved I could get one. The Boeing 777-300ER has a 3-3-3 seat configuration. On my particular flight it wasn’t packed so the middle exit row seat was empty so I had space to prop and charge my iPad and iPhone.
A lot of Chinese movies, no surprise, but still a decent selection to pass time…
The Air China seats are the same width as the Korean Air A380. Although on the Korean Air A380 you can put your seat back a tiny bit more at 33 to 34 pitch.
But I could already tell that this particular plane was older. The floor carpeting looked worn. But at least everything looked clean. According to this article Boeing 777-200ERs were built in the late 90’s and none will be built anymore.
The Food
Sliced beef scallion over rice, some fruit and a salad with sliced ham…
If you’ve been following this blog you know how much I love to eat. And I found Korean Air’s in-flight meals tasty. Air China however… not so much. They can do much better. At least I think so. When it comes to food I’m not biased at all.
On Korean Air there are always snacks around in the galley area you can raid like honey roasted peanuts, pretzels and crackers. You can also order Cups of Noodles when you got the inflight munchies on a Korean Air flight. And Korean Air economy hot meals are better and flavorful, even for airplane food.
All the bread you can eat on an Air China flight…
For snacks, Air China had bread rolls. Cold, hard, bread. They can do better than that. Some would argue for $800USD what could I expect? I would expect something better than bread.
But lucky I was sleepy most of the time and the flight was relatively smooth. So I slept through most of my hunger and before I knew it there were 4 hours left to go before we hit Beijing Airport and another meal service was beginning.
I’m was trying very hard to remember what that meal was. Really, I’m not joking…
By this time I wasn’t expecting to be wowed by another meal. But I was just curious as to see what was available. And honestly I can’t remember what I picked. At least the Oreo cookie tasted good.
I have to admit I was famished and really looking forward to hitting the food courts or restaurants at Beijing International.
Air China In-Flight Service
There’s nothing to complain about regarding service. The flight attendants did their jobs and seemed friendly enough when they came around offering drinks. Although Korean Air flight attendants came around more frequently with trays of water and fruit juices for passengers.
I also noticed while the the seat belt sign is still on due to turbulence or during pre-landing passengers are still allowed to use the bathroom. On Korean Air, flight attendants are quite strict on their flights. If the seat belt light is on passengers are required to remain seated. That’s just an observation.
Air China’s EWK to PEK flight route passes the north pole region…
At Beijing International Airport (PEK)
The plane arrived on time at Beijing International Airport. Because I disembarked on the tarmac to get on the bus that takes passengers to the terminal, it was a significant moment. Because it’s the first time ever I stepped foot on mother land China. I really should be traveling more around China.
My first breath of air in Mother China…
Anyways I was starving and I was looking for the passenger terminal hoping to find some serious good eats. Heck, for some reason I had this strong urge for a Double Whopper at Burger Kings.
Much to my surprise Beijing International did not have a lot of restaurants. I asked a young lady at the information desk and she said there’s no Burger King. Not even a McDonalds. There was a Pizza Hut which I do like.
Beijing International Airport had these nice lounge chairs. But after spending 14 hours on a plane I didn’t want to sit…
I was really surprised Beijing International did not have a whole lot of dining options. When I fly with Korean Air and have a layover in Incheon Airport it’s like a small city decked full of restaurants.
Flying from PEK to BKK
After a quick bite at Pizza Hut and some much needed iced latté at Starbucks I went over to the gate to wait for my flight and to find out if there is an emergency exit row seat available.
Not a whole lot of international food choices in PEK airport but at least its got a Starbucks…
Beijing International is a big airport and when I finally got to the gate I asked an Air China staff if there were any emergency exit row seats available. I asked in English because I can’t speak a lick of Mandarin. The Air China staff said there were none. I think there was a bit of lost in translation going on. Because she didn’t even check the computer. And she seemed a bit rude too.
Anyways, there was no point to get all upset about it. The flight to BKK was empty. And there were empty emergency exit row seats available and I was free to move into one. I pretty much slept the whole 5 hours and skipped the in-flight meal.
The Verdict
Even though I went in to make this comparison review between Air China and Korean Air with an open mind, deep down I knew already Korean Air is the better airline hands down.
A Korean Air B747 used for long haul flights…
That doesn’t mean I think Air China sucks. I would fly them again when the price is right as I really think they are a good alternative. Most importantly I got to Thailand in one piece and on time. And I saved some cash which is always good.
New Thai Tourist Visa that Allows You to Stay in Thailand for 6 to 9 Months
The ThaiMultiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV) allows foreign tourists to stay in Thailand for 6 months. But you can stretch your time in Thailand up to 9 months if properly used. I’ll explain more about that later. It is a new category of visas introduced in November 2015.
First I’ll explain why I got the METV instead of the usual double entry Thai tourist visa. Because both allow visitors to stay in Thailand up to 6 months. And you will learn what the differences are between Thai Tourist Visa and the Multiple Entry Tourist Visa.
How I Used to Stayed in Thailand for 6 Months Using the Double Entry Tourist Visa
Since I am a US citizen and NYC resident I always apply in person for a tourist visa at the NYC Thai Consulate General located on 52nd Street 3rd Avenue.
For many years I have been entering Thailand using a double entry tourist visa which allowed me to stay in the country up to 6 months maximum.
Each entry I got 60 days. When those 60 days are over you are allowed to extend your stay for 30 days. Since I got double entry I can extend two times for a total of 60 days.
After 90 days I had to exit the country and do a border run by land or air. I usually go by air. I am too old to be cooped up in a speeding van on a visa border run driven by a guy with nothing to lose. And when I return to Thailand for the second entry I get a fresh 60 days and a “Used” stamp on my old visa.
Here’s a breakdown of the old double entry Thai Tourist Visa
Each entry fee cost $40USD so for me I paid $80USD for 2 entries. The cost of 30 days extension is 1900THB and you can apply for one at Bangkok’s Immigration Office located in Changwaettana, Bangkok.
As of November 2015, double and triple entry Thai tourists visas are discontinued.
That’s how I stayed in Thailand for 6 months before.
Today, the Thai Multiple Entry Tourist Visa has essentially eliminated and phased out the double and triple entry tourists visas. Which means from now on, if you want to stay in Thailand for 6 to 9 months you’ll need to get the new METV.
That said, single entry Thai tourist visas are still available for $40USD fee at the NYC Thai Consulate General.
You can find this document on NYC Thai consulate general’s website.
Applying For Thai Multiple Entry Visas at the NYC Thai Consulate General
One of the benefits of living in NYC besides the awesome Pizza and Gray’s Papaya hot dogs is that I have the convenience of applying for whichever country (except for North Korea, not that I want to go there) I need tourists Visas easily.
For Thailand I simply make my way to the New York Thai Consulate General, drop of my Visa application and supporting documents in the morning and pick up the next day afternoon time:
NYC Thai Consulate Visa Service Hours:
Monday to Friday (closed on weekends)
Submission: 9am to 12pm
Pick Up: 1:30pm to 4pm (next day)
Bear in mind the NYC Thai Consulate office is closed on both major US and Thai holidays so check their calendar on http://www.thaicgny.com/ to make sure they are open the days you plan to go submit your application as well as passport pick up.
It is very important to mention that the METV can not be obtained by doing border runs. METV are only issued from the home country of the applicant.
This is just one way the Thai government is cracking the whip against foreigners who have been abusing back to back tourist visas in order to work in the country longer illegally by doing the border run shuffle.
As a reminder, even METV holders are prohibited from working in Thailand.
What You’ll Need to Apply for METV Including Required Documentations in NYC
Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. permanent resident.
A passport or travel document valid for at least 6 months.
A filled out visa application form. Be sure to fill out the section asking where you will be staying. Here is the link to download a Thai visa application.
2 passport sized photos, 2 inches x 2 inches.
For non-US citizens you must provide one copy of U.S. permanent resident alien card or a copy of valid US visa with employment verification. If you have a US student visa you should provide a letter proving full-time student status.
One copy recent bank statement showing you have adequate funds a minimum of $7000USD. Could be checking account or savings account.
An employment verification letter.
One copy each of airplane ticket and hotel reservation.
$200USD visa fee either cash or US money order. This fee is non-refundable even if your visa application is denied.
In the past few years, Thailand has been tightening up on immigration policy. While in Thailand almost once every month or so I would read about down and out foreigners living on the streets of Bangkok or inside a teepee in some secluded beach. And those are the ones spotted on the news.
As a result changes were made in Thai consulates and embassies around the world to carefully vet potential foreign visitors before they set foot in Thailand.
Inside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thai Consulate visa office full of disgruntled foreign tourists…
I started noticing this a few years ago when I went to the Thai consulate office in Kuala Lumpur for the very first time to apply for a Thai tourist visa.
I could see and hear a lot of pissed off foreign tourists when they were told to supply more documents such as a bank statement copy, hotel reservation or a ticket out of Thailand. I’m guessing a lot of people got caught off guard. But then again the Thai Consulate in Kuala Lumpur has always had a reputation for denying visa applications for insufficient documentation.
But for me all I supplied was my entry/exit airfare ticket out of Thailand. I think every visa officer has different ways of sizing up an applicant. Because they do have the authority to ask for whatever proof reasonable as clearly written inside the consulate office (I wish I took a picture of the sign).
Getting Tourist Visas Today Has Changed Even in NYC Thai Consulate Office
For years I have been getting a double entry tourist visa in NYC. I usually just bring my application, passport photos and my flight itinerary. That was it.
However just recently, while handing in my application for the multiple entry tourist visa I was politely asked to provide a bank statement. It was not a problem at all but at the moment I did not have a copy.
I pretty much opted in for electronic statements on all my financial accounts so my banks don’t have to send paper statements anymore. Just doing my part on saving trees.
The friendly visa officer asked me which bank I use and I told him. He pointed out the nearest branch where I could request a statement print out. So I went and returned with my statement and handed everything back to him again.
He checked my documents again and was satisfied. I paid my $200USD fee and was handed a receipt. It was simple and painless.
Royal Thai Consulate General New York, 351 East 52nd Street New York, NY 10022
I have to admit I was a little caught off guard too. But he only asked for a bank statement just to make sure I met the minimum required cash amount of $7000USD. Which is one of the requirements when applying for METV.
He could’ve asked me for a letter of employment verification too but didn’t. But I guess when he saw that I filled in the application that I was self employed that was sufficient enough. Or maybe he just saw that I was old and concluded I didn’t have to work anymore.
But it’s more likely because they have seen me before and recognize me. The Thai consulate in NYC is a small office and every year I’ve gone back there I have never had to stand in long lines. And I always got my passport with a newly minted visa back the next business day.
From my experience the visa officers inside the NYC Thai consulate are always super nice and friendly. Whatever questions about the METV I had they took their time to answer. I must’ve been inside speaking with the visa officer for 5 minutes without another visa seeking applicant coming in.
But I”ll be prepared for next time and have all my required documents ready when asked from now on.
If you can not apply in person or reside in the following states listed below you can mail your visa application and include the required documents, passport photos and fees. It will take about 10 days to process including shipping time. For more information take a look at NYC Thai Consulate website on how to apply via mail.
The NYC Thai Consulate General Handles Mail-in-Visa Application Processes for:
New York
New Jersey
Connecticut
Rhode Island
Massachusetts
Maine
Vermont
Pennsylvania
Ohio
New Hampshire
My new Thai multiple entry tourist visa (METV)…
How the METV Works
The one major difference between my new Multiple Entry Tourist Visa and old double entry tourist visa is that I can travel in and out of Thailand within a 6 month period as much as I want. Which was never possible with a traditional double entry visa.
Because I live in NYC and know that the NYC Thai Consulate has a fast reliable visa process turn around, I can go in a few days before my scheduled flight to drop off and then pick up my passport the next business day.
“The METV is unique in that it allows visitors to travel in and out of Thailand as much as they wish within the visas maximum 6 months stay.”
It’s important to know that your visa is active the day it was printed and placed on your passport. So if you apply for your METV 2 weeks before your scheduled flight then you’ve just lost 2 weeks in Thailand.
As you can see on my visa the issue date is May 26, 2016. And note that the enter before date is November 25, 2016 which is the expiration date. That’s six months in total.
Every time I exit Thailand and return I will get a stamp on my passport for another 60 days as long as it is before the expiration date, which in my case is November 25, 2016.
This means that I can plan a small trip to Hong Kong on November 20th and return on November 24 before the expiration date then I can get another 60 days with an option to extend another 30 days more at Bangkok immigration office for 1900THB.
Under the METV if You’re in Thailand 90 Days Consecutively…
Keep in mind that every consecutive90 days stayed in Thailand, METV holders are still required to exit Thailand.Which was the same rule as the now defunct double entry tourist visa.
For example once you’ve stayed in Thailand for 60 days you can go to the nearest immigration office and apply for a 30 day extension. After those 30 days are up this means you’ve been in Thailand for a total of 90 days. Which means you must exit the country to do a visa run.
Upon return to Thailand, as long as it’s before the METV expiration date, you will get a fresh 60 day passport stamp.
Thailand is a wonderful country. I can’t blame anyone for wanting to stay there for as long as possible…
Love it or Hate it the METV is Here to Stay
I’ve been reading around the inter-web about the Thai multiple entry tourist visa. Seems like there are many hates and complaints about the new METV. It could be the stricter documentation requirements.
To me, I don’t really have a problem with it at all. Because Thais have to jump through bigger hurdles and requirements just to get a tourist visa to my home country USA.
Vacationing and living in Thailand is wonderful. It’s a great jump off point for visiting even more countries!
Thailand wants tourists too. It is not in the country’s best interest to discourage foreigners from visiting. Just get the right visa, present the right documents and you’re on your way to an unforgettable time in Thailand.
Affordable Resort Right on Chaweng Noi Beach, Koh Samui
I have stayed at the Impiana Resort several times over in Koh Samui. It’s one the nicest affordable 4 star resorts along the southern stretch of Chaweng Beach. And in my opinion Chaweng is one of the best beaches on Samui. By booking a hotel at Impiana Koh Samui you won’t need to go pay for a tour to get to another beach. Because the beach right outside of the Impiana is very beautiful already.
For this trip my wife and I purchased some promotional hotel vouchers for the Impiana Resort Chaweng at a special tourist promotion event at the Queens Sirikit Convention held twice a year.
From Don Meung airport to Nakhon Si Thammarat airport…
We got a pretty good deal. It was a 2 night 3 day package that included a free set dinner for 2 and free transfer to either the Samui airport or the ferry port. The free hotel transfer in itself was worth at least 1000THB. For this trip we flew on Air Asia to Si Thammarat airport, took the 1 hour bus ride to Raja Ferry Port and took a 45 minute ferry boat ride to Koh Samui. When you book a ticket on Air Asia you get an option to add on island transfer for a fee.
Leaving Rajah Port on a ferry boat to Samui island…
Breakfast was included but because we purchased the special voucher we also got 10% off on all meals including drinks purchased on resort.
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of all for purchasing this special promotion is the free hotel transfer. And if we took a direct flight to Samui’s airport a driver from Impiana will pick us up from there. But since we were arriving from the ferry port the driver met us there instead. All we had to do was call the resort up right when we left the port.
As I mentioned I’ve been to Impiana before and on this trip this was my second time. The first time I went was about 6 years ago. And it definitely looked different from the last time I went.
The hotel lobby is open air and spacious…
Checking in was a cinch and the staff were very friendly and helpful. We presented our voucher and they were expecting us because you have to call them up and let them know which days we were arriving.
The hotel grounds was nice and well kept. It’s a small resort with superior rooms in the back, deluxe rooms in the middle with views of the beach. But there are ranch style cottages which are closer to the beach. Maybe next time we’ll go for the cottage styled rooms.
Not sure why I wasn’t holding the camera straight…
There are only two floors for the deluxe rooms but ours was located on the second. I wish we could’ve gotten a room on the first. Deluxe rooms on first floor had a balcony with a door that led directly onto the hotel grounds near the pool.
While our room on the second floor we just had to walk back a bit. Since our superior room was a bit back at the end we had a limited view of the beach. But most important to us was the room was clean, modern and comfortable. Though a bit small at 23 square meters.
This was my wife’s first trip to Samui and she was eager to check out the beach. So we quickly changed and headed out over to the beach right in front of the Impiana Resort.
And wow, the water was just as clear and beautiful as it was 6 years ago. Swimming in it was like a privilege. I’m 6 feet tall and eve up to my chest my feet was still visible through the water. My wife was just as overjoyed. She’s been to a couple of beaches closer to Bangkok like over in Koh Samet.
Crystal clear waters, soft side just right outside Impiana Resort…
Really folks Chaweng beach should be your first choice if you want to stay at a resort closest to some of the clearest waters in all of Thailand.
During our first night for dinner we used our prix fix menu coupon and the food was quite nice. In the evenings there is a buy 1 get one 1 free deal for mixed drinks. It was as good as any time to order up some Mai Tais.
Lightning storms make a pretty show. And the Mai Tai were really tasty…
Impiana Resort Chaweng is a nice hotel with very friendly and helpful staff. It’s not that expensive if you can locate some good deals online especially off season which are the months of May and June. But even then knowing that Chaweng beach is gorgeous I really do believe Impiana Resort Chaweng is simply one of the best valued 4 star hotel in Koh Samui I’ve reviewed.
Leave a Reply