Jul 10, 2015 |
Or Tor Kor Market (ตลาด อ.ต.ก.) – A Durian Aficionado’s Heaven
I’m going to put it out there right now that I’m not a huge fan of Durian, the so called “King” of all fruits. I’ll eat it a little of it just to satisfy my wife’s fruitless attempts to convert me to a durian lover. I don’t go bananas over it like most durian fanatics do. You’re probably wondering why you should go on reading this?
Because I know there are a lot of people who love this fragrant pungent fruit. So I’ve asked friends, friends of friends and associates where they go for the finest most rank smelling durian in Bangkok, regardless of season.
And the majority tell me they head to Or Tor Gor, a popular farmers market where Thais with cash go to get their durian fix. It won’t be cheap. But if you love durian more than I love a juicy ribeye steak than something tells me you won’t mind spending some cold hard Baht.
Aor Tor Kor Market next to Kamphaeng Phet MRT station exit #3
Or Tor Gor is a popular and easy to reach market that is still off the tourists’ grid even though it’s a measly 200 meters from the southern entrance of Chatuchak Weekend Market. And JJ Mall is about 400 meters away near the western entrance of Chatuchak. So there are quite a few spots to visit in a day if you’re in the area.
#3 Station entrance/exit nearest Aor Tor Gow Market. Notice the no durian allowed sign?
This wet/dry/food market is well known to Thais with cash and can buy the best and freshest fruits year round. But there’s more to this place than high quality fruit including the best durian found in Bangkok. Aor Tor Kor has a food court with a wide variety of familiar Thai favorites and classics such as som tom, grilled giant prawns and many other prepared foods you can take back to your hotel room.
In Thailand, it could be a lot cheaper to buy food and take home than cooking…
But do remember that hotels don’t allow guests to bring in durian. Even BTS and MRT stations have a strict no stinky fruit policy. If they see you carrying a fresh bag of durian they will deny you entrance. And the guards do check, particularly at the Kamphaeng Phet MRT station near the market.
Forget the potato chips and junk food, plenty of healthy nuts can be purchased at Or Tor Gor…
It’s all about the Durian Baby
There are at least 6 or 8 shops that sell durian year round inside the market. However, the best time to indulge and buy with decent prices is around the months of July and August. Although the official season for durian in Thailand runs from late months of April through September.
Durian farmers will tell you quality durian is a fickle fruit to grow and harvest. The weather and time including a host of other factors play a major role on taste and quality. And Or Tor Kor market vendors only select the best or have connections with farmers that keep their special stock because they know they can sell their higher quality durian at a higher than normal market rate price.
Normally at Or Tor Kor When the Fruit is in Season You Can Find Two Popular Varieties of Durian:
Monthong and Kanyao durian varieties are very popular now…
1. Monthong (หมอนทอง)
In Thai this variety of durian is translated as “Golden Pillow” because it’s quite big and fluffy. The outer husk is huge with spikes so big you can use it to do some serious damage when used in a bar fight. The Monthong name is known as the largest producer of durian with many of its prized fruits coming from prime farming real estate south of Thailand close to Malaysia. Which is another Southeast Asian nation famous for its durian production.
2. Kanyao (ก้านยาว)
Kanyao is a smaller variety of durian with smaller spikes but you’d still better be cautious when handling it. Its name translates to “Long Stem” in Thai though by the time it reaches the vendors in Or Tor Kor the stem is trimmed down for easier handling. Though you will see many vendors leave the stems on just for show and decoration.
If you stick a gun to my head and forced me to choose one of the two kinds of durian I would prefer Kanyao. It’s sweeter, kind of like pineapple but without the sour acidic taste. Some would say it taste like super ripe mangosteen. But even then I still limit myself a small piece just to appease my wonderful wife.
Vendors won’t hesitate to give prospecting customers a taste of their durian. So don’t hesitate to ask for a piece they are very willing to oblige.
As of writing, a durian vendor that we always go to charged 240THB for 80 grams, about 3 pieces of Kanyao durian. I can’t remember off hand how much the Monthong variety cost but I believe it was a bit more expensive because the pieces were larger. Prices fluctuate due to availability and season. Off season you can expect to pay 25% to 40% higher.
Wife buying some Kanyao durian. You can see the long stemmed durian in the background…
Or Tor Kor is open everyday from around 6am to 7pm. Though some shops close earlier. It all depends how much stock they have left. They carry a lot of seasonal items that normally don’t grow in Thailand such as cherry or strawberries from the USA to prized and super expensive cantaloupe imported from Japan and Korea.
Or Tor Gor vendors take great care in cleaning and presenting their goods to customers…
Ever buy a bag of mangosteens and rambutan and find it with a nest of ants? Or Tor Gor vendors know their customers have discerning taste. So not only do they carry fruits from the finest farms they also pretty it up and by that I mean they try to get rid of pests that could cause an insect infestation at a customers’ home.
If you’re reading this and it’s still July then this is the prime time to stuff your gut on durian in Bangkok, and Or Tor Kor is the best place to buy it. You can also find high quality durian at the Emporium Supermarket inside Siam Paragon Mall, but they charge much more. Also, while at Or Tor Kor, don’t forget to check out their rockin’ food court!
Jun 26, 2015 |
Not Same Same in Thailand…
Whenever I head back home and come across friends I have not seen in a long while they ask me, “Is it cheaper living in Thailand?”. It’s hard to answer that question without giving an example. So my example is the sandwich. Simple and easy to make.
But in a nutshell my answer is it really depends. If you can eat like the locals the answer is a resounding yes. If you eat like the way you eat back in the US then the answer is no. Let’s take the good ol’ sandwich for example and look at the prices.
When I was a kid one of the first things I ever made to eat on my own is a sandwich. There’s not a huge learning curve so it’s right up my alley. Ham, cheese, a heavy slather of mayo between two slices of Wonder Bread. And there’s a 98% chance that whoever reads this and is from the USA made the same too.
According to the Smithsonian every day 50% of Americans consume some form of a sandwich. And that sounds about right. Putting together a sandwich in the US is economical. Packing a sandwich for lunch to work is just one of the best ways to save money. And finding a grocery store with all sorts of cold cuts and cheese is easy peasy too back home in US.
It’s kinda like that too in Thailand. Though there are a few surprises or shall we call it sticker price shock…
Sandwich Ingredients and Costs
Whole wheat bread from Yamazaki 55THB (8 Slices)…
I always buy bread from Yamazki bakery. You can find them just about everywhere there is a Tops Supermarket. A bag of 8 slices cost 55THB, nearly $2USD. I like this style of bread because it taste good. But most importantly, it is not loaded with preservatives. You’ll find a expiration date right on the bag which is 3 days from date of purchase. But I find that if you stick it in the fridge it’ll last an extra 2 to 3 days.
There is a certain brand of cheaper whole wheat bread you can buy in most major supermarkets and convenience stores such as 7-Eleven. I don’t buy the cheap stuff because it lasts about two to three weeks. There’s just something sinister about bread that takes that long to go moldy.
Good ol’ Oscar Meyer Ham or Bologne…
Every supermarket in Thailand has some sort of deli/cold cuts department today. The better ones are mainly located inside supermarkets with many expats or foreigners nearby. The best cold cut department I’ve ever seen is at the Emporium Supermarket in the basement level of Siam Paragon Mall.
But I don’t live anywhere near there so I purchase packaged Oscar Meyer ham near the deli section of a local Tops Supermarket at Central Ladprao.
Normally a 6oz. (170 grams) package of Oscar Meyer ham cost 164THB ($4.86USD). 170 grams is about 10 slices of ham. Yes, that is expensive right? And it doesn’t get any cheaper if you buy local produced ham.
Local ham is even more expensive too…
Swiss Chalet is a Thai brand of ham that is of good quality and sometimes I buy it when it goes on sale. Normally, it costs 98THB ($2.90USD) for 6 slices of ham, 200 grams.
Back in NYC near my local Key Food Supermarket I pay $4.99USD for 453 grams of quality ham. Right about now you must be thinking this can’t get any worse right?? Wait for it…
Your sandwich cheese options…
Allowrie is a Thai dairy company and their cheese is comparable to packaged Kraft Cheese back in the states. A pack of 12 slices cost 139THB ($4.13USD). In the US I stay away from the packaged sliced cheese and buy right from the deli counter.
Back in the US I know I can buy a whole pound of good quality American cheese for $4USD.
Imported swiss cheese ain’t cheap in Thailand…
Even though you’ll find a wide variety of block cheeses mostly from Europe and USA it’s expensive. Even the lower quality package cheeses have crazy prices. 10 slices of cheddar cheese from the Netherlands cost about $8USD.
In general dairy products are expensive in Thailand. Butter and in this case cheese are not common items found in the fridge as it is in most countries.
Mayo ain’t cheap in Thailand…
Condiments
Mayo, the glue that holds the sandwich together, is expensive as well. A 443ml Kraft Mayonnaise jar cost $3USD. That’s a small bottle and the way I use it would last me 8 sandwiches. I rather just make my own these days using Alton Brown’s mayo recipe. Eggs and oil which are essential in a mayo recipe is very affordable in Thailand.
99THB for a small bottle of mustard…
Sometimes I like to switch out mayo for mustard. But mustard is also a bit pricey. Luckily for my taste a little bit of mustard goes a long way. 340g of French’s Mustard cost $3USD.
Tomato and lettuce are affordable but not exactly cheap either. And it doesn’t help that I’m a bit picky about the raw vegetables I buy. You can save a bit of money purchasing vegetables for sandwiches at local Thai wet markets instead of supermarkets. But if you don’t live near one it could be a bit inconvenient. Also I find that vegetables in supermarkets are cleaner and better quality.
In general, it’s cheaper to eat Thai food outside then it is to cook Thai food at home. And also consider you don’t need to prep the ingredients and wash dishes afterwards. So you save time too.
A large bag of chips cost about the same in USA, about $3USD a bag…
However, for the sandwich, it’s actually cheaper to make at home than it is to buy it outside. There are many shops that sell pre-made sandwiches. You can buy a ham and cheese between two pieces of white bread for $1.75USD. But if you make your own sandwich at home it could cost you about $1USD but with lettuce and tomato.
I do miss the days I could make myself a hero sandwich, with a few inches of stacked ham and turkey with cheddar cheese and the works. Sadly here in Thailand, you don’t really have that choice. Hell, I can’t even find turkey cold cuts.
Granted a lot of the ingredients I buy for my sandwiches are all imported I can still tell you locally produced ham and cheese are not cheap and nearly the same price as imported.
You won’t run out of food options on the streets of Bangkok…
But there’s plenty of cheap Thai food all around where I live and travel often. I can get a small entree with rice for about $1.30USD to $1.60USD. Though I usually double my order because I can eat a lot. Even noodles I would order 2 bowls.
This tasty bowl of fishball with egg noodle and soup cost about $1.20USD…
It is still possible to live off of $10USD a day on food, assuming you’re only eating Thai.
So there it is. Familiar foods that we can readily and easily prepare back home can be expensive to make here in Thailand. Don’t get me started on cereal. A box of shredded wheats cost $8USD here but I remember back in NYC it cost about $5USD.
And there are no Costcos or BJ Wholesale Clubs here. Man, I miss those places.
Jun 8, 2015 |
Not Cheap and Far From Hua Hin
I know a lot of people who love Hua Hin but want to stay somewhere really quiet and out of the way. I’m not saying Hua Hin is noisy and congested like Bangkok because it’s not.
However, Pa Prai Villa at the Plantation is about a 35 minute drive from Hua Hin’s City Center. Which means if you choose to stay at Pa Prai you’re going to be surrounded by nature and lots of it. And it’s a decent option to stay there as jump point for a road trip to Khao Sam Roi Yod.
Pa Prai Villa is surrounded by a pineapple farm and hills…
Pa Prai is located on top of a hill, overlooking a massive pineapple farm near the front of the property. You can see just a little bit of the ocean ahead plus more hills. Behind the property is another hill. There is nothing around Pa Prai Villa. No 7-Elevens or any kind of shops at all. It’s pretty much a desolate location save for a few private homes.
Swimming pool and ahead is small guests reception area…
One big tip is if you choose to stay at Pa Prai Villa Plantation be sure to drop by convenience store and load up on snacks if you’ll be there for a little while.
Finding Pa Prai Villa can be a little difficult. There are signs along the road but not a lot. And if I wasn’t so familiar with the area I wouldn’t have found this place at all I think. As I mentioned this hotel is on top of a hill with partially paved roads.
When we did find the hotel there was a little slight difficulty getting in. There is a long narrow lane that leads down to the hotel reception area. We got halfway down and a pick up truck appeared right in front of us. It was a Mexican standoff as the other driver didn’t want to reverse and neither did I. Cooler heads prevailed and my wife just told me to back out.
I originally booked a deluxe room, but was upgraded to penthouse…
When we parked it was apparent there was a wedding taking place that night. The pool area had flowers, chairs and tables placed all around. A woman who appeared to be a wedding planner was running around checking things and giving workers instructions.
The hotel grounds is not that big so it was interesting to see how all the wedding set up would turn out.
Usually a room upgrade is a good thing… usually…
I had booked a deluxe room which flanked the swimming pool. But because there’s a wedding taking place during the night so they upgraded us to a penthouse. All the deluxe rooms are located on the ground level where the wedding would take place. So it would be noisy and that’s the reason why we got upgraded to the second floor penthouse suites. Score! Sweeeettttttt! Yahoooooo! But no.
There are only two penthouses at the Pa Prai Villa and we were given the Moree Suites. We were stoked. When we were first shown the room our jaws dropped. It was a huge massive living room. The master bedroom was located upstair and when we looked it we were floored. It’s a beautiful spacious room.
But after checking out the toilet we noticed a very distinct funk. It smelled like a massive turd backup except there were no turd in the toilet. And the longer we stayed there the more foul the smell got. It was really bad and becoming unbearable.
Kiri Suites at Pa Prai Villa with full kitchen…
So we told reception about the problem and they sent someone up to check it out. When the guy came he too noticed the problem. We told them we want to move and the hotel staff obliged without hesitation. They gave us keys to the other penthouse, the Kiri Suites.
Perfect space if you’ve got a lot of people but there’s only one bedroom…
Kiri Suites is a bit smaller than Moree but still big. Though the bedroom was much bigger and so was the bathroom with a full size jacuzzi. But that weird funk that was such a huge problem at Moree Suites was still present but not as bad. But we put up with it as best as we could and we knew the hotel staff felt sorry too.
My wife and I really appreciated the hotel staff, it’s not there fault and they did what they could to make up happy.
Huge bedroom at Kiri Suites…
But there was still another problem. I decided to give the jacuzzi a try. I filled it up with hot water and tried to start the jacuzzi but no bubbles. The controls were pretty simple and straightforward. I felt like calling up downstairs and ask them if it worked or not but did not bother. I didn’t mind a nice soak in hot water anyway.
Nice large bathroom but there was still a funny smell…
About 45 minutes later I got out and the tub started to drain the water. And sometime while watching television with my wife a huge pool of water ended up on the floor. As far as I could tell it came from the repair vent for the jacuzzi. So we called downstairs and a couple of guys came up to check it out. They took off the repair panel and the whole area underneath the jacuzzi was full of water.
So the guys gathered a bunch of towels and mopped up the water. That was it. There was nothing else they could do since it was night time. And I wasn’t planning on taking another dip anyway. Lucky my wife prefers showers.
But the wedding was starting and we could see it all from the balcony that overlooked the swimming pool area. It was a bit noisy and the festivities went on until about 1am but we weren’t complaining. It was nice to experience another happy couples wedding. After all we just got married earlier that same year.
No buffets at Pa Prai Villa only set menus…
After waking up in the morning it’s time to check out what’s for breakfast. I wasn’t surprise to see that Pa Prai Villa does not have a breakfast buffet setup. They don’t get a lot of guests and if they cooked up too much food it’ll probably end up in the trash.
Even with the big wedding party there were plenty of seats left for guests. I ordered their American breakfast set of scrambled eggs and bacon. And my wife ordered the Thai breakfast set which was rice porridge with pork. There’s also plenty of bread, cereal, granola, yogurt and fruit to go around too.
Nice little area to sit and relax near the swimming pool…
There’s nothing else around the area so if you’re not heading out it’s probably best to fill up. Though I do know Pa Prai has has a lunch menu. But to be honest, it’s probably best to simply drive out and find a restaurant. There are many near the beach about a 20 minute drive away.
The Good and The Bad
What I like about Pa Prai Villa is it’s really private and secluded. Needless to say, you need to have a car. Or I suppose if you choose to stay there you can have a driver drop you off and pick you back up when you check out. There are many private car services for hire in Hua Hin.
And the bad… well, it’s secluded. There is nothing else in the immediate area but sand, rocks and a dirt road. I walked around a bit to take a look and saw nothing of interest. I know when people think of Hua Hin they think of beaches. So if that’s what you want Pa Prai isn’t the place you’d want to stay.
Another negative about Pa Prai is I believe it’s overpriced. They charge more then a hotel right in Hua Hin’s city center charges. I paid about $80USD for a deluxe room. However, while doing some current price checking for this post I noticed they have 50% discounts. $40USD sounds about right for their deluxe rooms
There are Pool Villa’s on the property too. My wife and I saw them going through the driveway. I took a quick glance and saw that the villa’s had private small private swimming pools. There are about 8 or so villas.
If we ever do decide to stay at Pa Prai again in the in the future I’ll probably book the 1 bedroom pool villas as long as I can find a good deal.
Read guests’ reviews and find discounts for Pa Prai Villa at the Plantation. (Note: On Agoda.com this hotel is rated at 4 stars. Personally I think it’s more of a 2 star hotel.)
Jun 6, 2015 |
Jun 1, 2015 |
Talad Liab Duan – Night Market by the Highway (ตลาดเรียบด่วนรามอินทรา)
There’s just something about the chill atmosphere of a night market in Bangkok that is so soothing. I’m not a big shopper for all sorts of knick knacks. But just walking through stalls and stalls of things that I don’t need but still love to look at is just simply – fun.
Talad Liab Duan is a very popular market for the locals because prices for clothes, toys, make up, fashion accessories and even knock off luxury items are affordable for the locals. Of all the times I’ve been there I don’t see a lot of tourists. I’m pretty much the only idiot with a camera. You can also find second hand camera equipment too.
Be prepared for the crowds of locals on weekends…
Talad Liab Duan in Thai ตลาดเรียบด่วนรามอินทรา means night market by the highway or expressway. As you’d guessed it, this particular night market get its name from the adjacent highway.
This very popular local hotspot is open every day but doesn’t start to get busy during the evening times and closes around or after midnight. Because every vendor inside pretty much make up their own hours. If a certain stall is quiet with no customers they’ll close early. If a restaurant runs out of main ingredients they’ll close early as well.
Highway Steak & Pasta – A decent restaurant for pork chops but haven’t tried their beef steaks yet…
Speaking about food – and when is it not a good time to talk about food? All the restaurants are located under one aluminum roof covered building. You can find all sorts of Thai classics from egg or rice noodles with chicken feet in a spicy broth to fried hot dogs and tofu skin. Barbecued squid, Chinese dim sum and buns and foods from Isaan are represented. It’s pure food bliss.
160THB for 8oz. grilled pork chop with some spaghetti and fries. Not bad at all…
For this night however we opted for some pork chops over at Highway Steak and Pasta. This place was packed full of customers too. I was salivating waiting for a seat and some poor guy who was sitting down caught me eyeing his pork chop while we waited for a table.
There are many hawker style food vendors and I even saw a small shop with a mookata setup though I don’t think they do buffet style. It looked more like an a la carte type joint.
This area also has a handful of pubs and bar establishments nearby and I’m guessing those close around 1am or perhaps later into the night. Seems like a very popular watering hole for Thai teens. There was even a pub with a live band playing.
Any time is a good time for waffles…
And yes there are loads of places to get your dessert fixes from ice cream to ice shakes to shaved ice desserts.
Prepared chicken feet ready to be served on top noodles… drools…
So what kind of stuff can you find in Talad Liab Duan night market?
They’ve got a little of almost everything. There’s even a small petting zoo with sheep. You’ll find mostly knock off items though from watches, handbags and clothes. There’s even a place selling well used heavy construction tools (hmm I wonder from where), used car stereos and used boots that are still in decent condition. I’m guessing this could be a place where thieves offload their “wares”.
In these types of outdoor markets you may find antiques. But you really have to know what you’re looking at though because today I know there are many things that are made to look older then they really are. I saw many old lamps and trinkets as well as toys. There is even a section on old movie posters and commercial signage. But I can’t tell if they were made decades ago or a few days ago. You can always ask but since I wasn’t interested I never bothered to ask. This is probably a place you want to go to find things to sell on eBay.
Otsuka Tiger Sneakers… Quite sure those aren’t genuine…
Aside from all the dubious items there are small makeshift nail salons and handmade arts and graphic t-shirts from starving artists. You’ll see that a lot of the vendors selling fashion items and accessories are young entrepreneurs, out there working under hot lights to make an honest living. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Thailand.
Hey! I made an artsy fartsy photo without realizing it…
All the restaurants at Talad Liab Duan open on weekends…
WHEN TO GO AND HOW TO GET THERE
As one of Bangkok’s most popular night market, it is open daily, though things don’t start becoming lively around 6pm or 7pm. Because most of the vendors probably have day jobs elsewhere or finished with school for the day. Also it’s cooler in the evenings when the sun starts going down.
Talad Liab Duan night market is most likely not anywhere near where your hotel is. There are no MRT or BTS stations nearby. Not even close. So the best way to get there is by taxi. I don’t recommend going there even if you’ve rented a car. There is no parking at all unless you arrive there early on. My wife and I always take a taxi.
And don’t worry there are plenty of taxis in the area waiting in the area or passing by. So you’re not going to have a problem at all getting back to your hotel.
My wife slapped me when she saw me take this photo. I swear it was completely innocent…
I estimate that it will cost roughly around 150THB by taxi (with no traffic) if you’re staying at a hotel in the Sukhumvit/Pratunam area. Show the driver this ตลาดเรียบด่วนรามอินทรา or the map above. Talad Liab Duan is one of the most famous night markets in Bangkok so any taxi driver should be able to find it without no problems.
There are plenty of night markets in Bangkok that is probably closer to where ever you’re staying. But if you want to roam around some place where you can count the amount of tourists on your hands then Talad Liab Duan will satisfy your adventurous instinct.
Many fashion accessories geared towards the ladies…
Be prepared, the ground where the vendors make shop are not paved so there’s plenty of sand and gravel. And there are public toilets but you’d have to pay a couple of Baht to use them.
If you’re a frequent visitor to Bangkok and have already been to a lot of night markets but seeking something different – Talad Liab Duan is a must visit.
May 31, 2015 |
Recently my wife and I went over for a little getaway over at Koh Samet. The first island I went to since I first got back State side. And I must say after freezing my butt for a few months in NYC, thawing my ass out on nice soft sand of Koh Samet was mighty nice. Here’s a quick guide on getting to Koh Samet for a refresher.
This time we chose to stay at the 3.5 star rated Vongdeuan Resort. It is situated on the southern crescent tip of Vongduean beach. They claim to be the second biggest resort on Samet and maybe they are. For me, it was the low season and the price was just about right for what I was willing to pay for a place to stay close to the beach.
Ao Vongdeuan (Ao means beach in Thai) is quite a nice stretch of beach…
I booked 3 nights which cost me around $93USD per night. But I booked a beach house villa which wasn’t exactly on the beach but near enough. Though it is one of three cottage type rooms just yards away from it. Otherwise if you book the other room types it’s a bit further inland but the rates are cheaper. My wife and I are beach bums so getting a place closest to the beach for us was a top priority.
Also remember upon check you have to leave a 1000THB deposit. Remember to get a receipt. Once you check out you must present that receipt to get your deposit back so remember to keep that piece of paper in a safe place.
One of the Thai style houses at Vongdeuan Resort…
And I think one of the best features of Vongdeuan Resort is that all the rooms are small little houses. They have modern cottages and Thai style houses with nice terrace space to sit outside. And that’s great because every guests has their own space to stretch out and relax.
Our villa was about 40 square meters including bathroom…
As I mentioned I booked a beach house villa. There are only 2 of these types of villas so if you want to stay in one you probably have to book in advance. I made my reservation about a month beforehand without knowing there were so few so I got lucky I suppose. But then again it was the low season.
A quick tip: If you’re lucky enough to book a beach villa when you check in ask for B1, you’ll get a better view of the beach from your terrace or window. I stayed in B2 which was behind B1 which was close but had lesser view of the beach. Might as well get the villa with a better view – after all it’s the same price.
Forgot to take photos of the bathroom which was spacious and clean too…
And the room was clean though the mattress was just a tad bit hard for my taste. But that didn’t matter because after a full day of sightseeing and eating I could sleep on a bed of rocks like a baby.
Ao Vongdeuan is one of the nicest beaches on Koh Samet. The sand is very soft and the water is clean and clear like most of the beaches on the island. You’re not going to find a problem getting something to eat nearly every resort has a restaurant serving Thai and Western food.
Sometimes you just feel like a pork chop…
My wife and I sampled a bit of both. And according to her the Thai food is not so great. And we have tried several Thai dishes at several other resorts on Vongdeuan beach except Vongdeuan Resort. But to me the Western style food which I had a lot of was not so bad but the prices are not cheap.
Fresh fried fish with tamarind sauce. This was one of the best Thai dish we had on the beach…
I had some pizza and burgers over at Tom’s Pizza which wasn’t too bad. But again, it’s not cheap as is most food served on the beach is expensive. That pork chop dish pictured about cost me 450THB about $13.50USD based on current exchange rate.
You can find cheaper food but you have to get out of the resort area which requires renting a scooter which cost 500THB a day at a vendor near Vongdeuan Resort or you get out to the road and flag down a passing songthaew (truck taxi).
Breakfast served at an outdoor setting from 7am until 10:30am…
Breakfast is included in the rate so I guess if you’re on sort of a budget you can save some money there. But you’ll be eating the same stuff over and over as they don’t change their buffet breakfast choices at all. Not that I’m complaining. I pretty much eat the same stuff every morning in Bangkok anyways.
The Good and the Bad
I like Vongdeuan Resort because I really enjoyed my stay. Now I’m not really too picky about anywhere I stay as long as it’s clean. And it is. However one night there was a power outage twice. That might be out of the resort’s responsibility so no big problem. But of all the times I’ve been to Samet this was the first I’ve ever experienced.
A nice lady at the reception desk. Wish more of the resort staff were like her…
However, to me the resort staff, not all of course, though a few my wife and I have come across could perhaps just be a little more polite. We’re not asking anyway to kiss our asses or bend over backwards. But at least look alive and cheer up when speaking to guests. This didn’t just occur once but a couple of times in separate days.
Be sure to hold onto your ticket. They’ll collect your ticket on the ferry boat…
This skiff will take you to a ferry boat off shore…
Vongdeuan Resort offers guests free pick up from Ban Phe pier and drop off on the waters of Vongduean beach. So don’t wear your best pant and shoes, you’ll get wet up to possibly your knees. Off course they’ll get as near to the beach as possible and they’ll carry your bags too.
A big ferry boat with plenty of seats back to Ban Phe pier…
They’ll also take you back to the Ban Phe pier the same way too after check out. Which is always why it’s good to find a hotel that provides free ferry boat transport and there are quite a few in Koh Samet that do. But there is a schedule so keep that in mind.
Vongdeuan Resort Ferry Pick Up and Drop Off Schedule (as of May 2015)
- From Ban Phe Pier: 10:00am and 1:30PM
- From Vongdeuan Resort to Ban Phe Pier: 8:30am and 11:30am
Note that even though the ferry boat is scheduled to leave Vongduean Resort at 8:30am and 11:30am because they load guests’ luggage first there could be 30 minute or longer delay.
I like Vongdeuan Resort. I don’t have any major complaints about it at all and according to most reviews they are popular. As for the resort staff it’s not a big deal at all either. Who’s knows maybe they’re just tired. Though there are plenty of other resorts to check out on Koh Samet that I am interested in checking out when I go back.
Read reviews and find discounts for Vongdeuan Resort in Koh Samet.
