So I made this shortly escaping trip to Bangkok while the weather in Saigon is having me and everyone grilled. I haven't really been here for 3 years, and although I've always wanted to travel to other provinces such as the North (where
Chiang Mai and
Chiang Rai completely stole my heart 3 years ago), Northeast and the rest of West coast (Surin beach), my budget of time is just enough to get around Bangkok and to Koh Samed, an island in neighbour province Rayong.
For this reason, I'll briefly note my 5-day journal via the combination of details and pictures.
Day 1: Reached Bangkok around 11:30 PM after 1 hour of flight. A long working day costs me 100% energy, so the first thing I did was to fill up my stomach with the best Hainan chicken rice also located in Chidlom and only 5-min walk from my apartment. It costs only 40 Baht for a small box and 60 Baht for medium. I take the 60 Baht one to go, in which chicken is a little bit topped up. My friend's boyfriend meanwhile treats me with an amazing mocktail made from his limited bottled coconut, pandan leaves, and mints. This perfect combo completely eases my heavy depletion.
Day 2: The top priority of this trip is to complete my shopping list at IKEA. Not many people know this fact: IKEA store is not available in Vietnam so whenever my expat friends need a mass interior shopping, they only go to Index Living Mall (which also not as good as the original one in Bangkok). I could have totally shopped at many local home living style stores in Saigon but, please blame me for being a super duper huge IKEA's fan. Everything I need for my upcoming home could only be found in IKEA, the best Scandinavian-styled supplying store in the world. The journey to Mega Bangna where IKEA locates at is not complicated as reviewed at all (or lucky me). Just follow the Sukhumvit BTS line to Udomsuk station, exit at Gate 5 and line up for the free shuttle bus arriving every 30 mins (both Mega Bangna and IKEA), maybe I'm lucky enough to catch the IKEA bus without waiting a single second. It eventually stops at the entrance of the mall and I have to take the inner walk about 5 mins to reach IKEA. Not complicated at all.
Since I'm hungry so I spend half an hour to try IKEA's restaurant food, the first time after 7 years with hot dog and coke at Aussie IKEA Rhodes. Food is affordable, okay to eat, the vegetable balls with spicy Thai sauce is richer in taste. My stomach is filled up and ready to explore IKEA for more than 4 hours.
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| MUJI - one of my most favourite grocery brands |
Day 3: Waking up after a long deep sleep is the best thing I could ever do to myself. Since the IKEA day once again consumes all of my energy, my feet are completely unresponsive. So it is perfect for me to have an ultimate breakfast with full of Thai food and beverage at random food court in Central Embassy (shopping mall is not my favourite spot, just a time-saver), then indulging myself with Onsen a.k.a. Japanese public hot spring and Thai body massage at Yunomori, where I totally get lost in a mixture of modern-vintage minimalistic design. Its service is exquisite with very friendly and well-trained staffs (regular traveler will not be surprised). The only difference from original Japanese Onsen is, guests don't have to take all the clothes off, a disposable bikini is attached with your electric key after you checked in. But still, many female guests go naked so no worries if you're half or 100% dressed down ;) The onsen mapping is the first thing everyone needs to look at since it clearly demonstrates how to onsen step-by-step. I only remember the first step, to take a good shower before stepping on any jet bath. Phones and camera are not allowed, bye-bye social life.
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Ultimate breakfast at random foot court (Eat Thai) in Central Embassy.
Deep fried oyster with eggs with spicy and sour sauce, Moo Ping (chargrilled pork with sticky rice), Thai soup with noodles and deep fried fish cake and Thai milk tea |
Since mobile phone is not allowed, I think it's better to borrow Google several images of the interiors which are just inviting enough to prevent everyone from everything stressful out there.
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| Stunning entrance |
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| Step 1: Have a great wash |
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| Female Bath Jets |
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| Private bathtub among Zen garden |
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Post On-sen: Vitamin boost
I forgot to mention about this adorable coffee shop with super delicious beverage options |
Came back home at 4:00 PM, it's quite late to get to Koh Samed as the last ferry ends at 6:15 PM. After 1.5hrs drive, we book a speed boat which costs us 1600 Baht / 4 persons. We rent a really good Zoomer X motorbike, 300 Baht per day, full gasoline included (normally 350 Baht, no reason for the discount :D), it takes us about 6 mins to reach the Tub-Tim resort, following the private jungle path with zero people around (hmm scary!). After getting our own room, my French friend suggests us for a quick warm-up drink a bar next door and explains, French usually have a quick drink (normally contain alcohol), before dinner. The quick drink eventually makes us more eager to eat, that's why our table is filled with enough dishes for 8 people. Food is not pricey, and just amazing (I recommend Thai grilled chicken satay and Isan char-grilled beef), service is excellent but we have to wait for a little as there are so many guests from in-house and other resorts as well (the restaurant owned by Samed Villa resort, right next to our Tub-Tim).
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| Nature-friendly restaurant owned by Samed Villa Resorts |
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Hanging bamboo lamps
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| Good meal brings us smiles |
We set round 3 at NAGA Bar which is also nearby (8 min walk) but personally, I'm not into this place as it's too boom-boom to me. I prefer Finale'Bar that I'm going to write about on the next day.
Day 4: Free breakfast buffet is still there at 10:15 AM (5 mins after we wake up). This time tells us we're late for the swimming activity so we quickly finish our breakfast and then go swimming at the next-door coast. To be honest, the front beach of our resort is not that appealing especially in the rain season, while next-door beachside gives us transparently clear water to swim and creamy-powdery sand to lie down for a tan. The distance is just 500 meters away but it takes nearly 20 mins to walk due to some rocky shorelines and jungle paths.
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| Our bungalow by the beach |
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| Neighbours |
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| Wake up with this morning view |
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| Tiny path to breakfast restaurant, hide and seek as short play time |
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| Gorgeous shoreline leading to the another gorgeous next door beach |
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Post-swimming Brunch
Chargrilled chicken drumsticks with sticky rice and spicy-sour dipping sauce, yummy Som Tam and pandan coconut.
Heaven on earth. |
We walk back to Samed Villa again and waste our afternoon with a beachside massage. What is better than lying down on a wood chair, getting your body completely head-to-toe restored by Thai skillful therapists in a breezy afternoon, with the enduring sound of waves and leaves?
Picture? I really did enjoy that I really forgot to take pics!
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| Post-massage: My long time favourite: ROTI with Nutella & Cheddar Cheese flavour. |
As mentioned on the previous day, I spent the second night at Finale'Bar, about 3 kilometers away from our resort. Its capacity is enough for more than hundred people, most of seats and tables are beach-friendly, some people have a great submerge while alcohol is wired into their mind (not sure it's a good thing). Great drinks, reasonable price and well blend of trendy music.
Imagine: lying on comfy beanbags, blending ourselves with dope music playing next to endless waves and below the starry sky with floating clouds (I used Skyview app to catch the shape of star sign and they are even shown on my friends' faces, how interesting this game is!)
Day 5: Driving to the private beach, within 10mins drive makes the really big difference on the quality: extremely clear water and white powdery sand. It belongs to Bamboo resort and there are only 2-3 couples at the noon time. We could even spend entire life here.
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| Just not ready to leave the beach life |
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| Signature Thailand Bay beaches, silky creamy sand, and clear water |
We reached Bangkok at 9:30 PM and had a great experience at multi-top-awards and CNN recognised sushi restaurant MUGENDAI. Pricey, but valued.
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| Beautiful sunset at 6:15 PM, the last ferry |
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| Signature foie gras sushi |
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| Must try: Ecstasy Rolls with Matsuzaka beef rolled in flame-grilled foie gras with Teriyaki sauce |
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| Chef's picks: Assorted 5 kinds of seafood (everyday dissimilar) |
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| No such word to describe this consecutive streetlight view |
Day 6: Spending the rest of time in Central Embassy for a quick breakfast at my old favourite cafe Dean & Deluca and sumptuous dessert at Audrey Cafe.
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| Dean and Deluca breakfast set: Traditional Carbonara with bacon, Parmesan Parmigiano, organic egg yolk and house-made Tagliolini (Sun-dried tomatoes are stolen from my hubby's Egg Benedict dish) |
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Magnificent Thai tea crepe cake at Audrey Cafe
Its sauce is just irresistible! |
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| 10 out of 10 for this super spacious city view from the clear glass |
Saying goodbye is never easy. My 5 days without papers, contracts, computers have ended and hopefully, I'll make another escape in the next one month.
Thank you for your reading time =)
