Phuket Weather 16,17 and 18 August 2013

Once again a beautiful week end, we haven't seen any rain and even only few clouds. Wind was nothing or just weak with small waves.

Kata Beach on 18 August 2013

This has been so far best week in August, condition could always change and suddenly in august so enjoy the moment. For tours out to Phi Phi anyway we suggest to take only recommended companies that limit number of people on the speed boat, so in case of change in conditions will always be safe and comfortable to make the trip.

Best solution is the Phi Phi Premium tour , transfers are on a comfortable 40 meters steel boat that have VIP saloon on the upper deck, best way to get to Phi Phi island, then enjoy a speed boat ride around the islands, snorkeling at more quiet Bamboo and Mosquito islands and lunch at the resort with set menu served on table.

Bangkok Tourist Information

Bangkok Travel guide & Tourist Information

Sitting midway between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator, Bangkok is a major Asian travel and business hub as well as the capital and centre of political, spiritual and cultural focus for Thailand.

Featuring both old-world charm and modern convenience, at times served up in an apparently chaotic manner Bangkok is a massive sensory assault, visitors are immediately confronted by the heat, the pollution and the irrepressible smile that accompanies many Thais.

Bangkok Is the only truly Asian Big City within South East Asia, the development of all the other major cities within the region was controlled by out side influences - colonialism. Thailand is the only country within South East Asia that was not under the yoke of the British, French, Spanish or Dutch, you can also include the two main Chinese cities in the region - Hong Kong (British) and Macau (Portuguese).  Because of this Bangkok has developed quite differently to to the other large cities, less homogeneous an more individual.

The Capital city of Thailand was moved to it's current location after the 1767 sacking of Ayutthaya, the then capital of Thailand. In 1782 King Rama I moved the capital across the Chao Phrya river to Bang Makawk (olive plum riverbank). Upon completion of the Royal Palace, temples and other buildings which made up the capital the city was given it's new name - ‘Krungthep mahanakhon amonratanakosin mahintara ayuthaya mahadilok popnopparat ratchathani burirom udomratchaniwet mahasathan amonpiman avatansathit sakkathattiya witsanukamprasit’ a rough translation of this is ‘Great City of Angels, the Repository of Divine Gems, the Great Land Unconquerable, the Grand and Prominent Realm, the Royal and Delightful Capital City full of Nine Noble Gems, the Highest Royal Dwelling and Grand Palace, the Divine Shelter and Living Place of Reincarnated Spirits’

Visting merchants continued to call the city  by the locations original name of Bang Makok which in time was abbreviated to Bangkok, Thai people generally refer to the city as Krung Thep (City of Angels)

How to Get There and Around

The most common way of getting to Bangkok is by air. Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi (pronounced Suwanapoom) Airport is a major international transit hub which connects Asia and Australia with Europe and Arabia and has direct flight from all over Europe as well as Australia, China, Japan and Korea and the Indian sub-continent. Domestic flights from all over Thailand are split between Suvarnabhumi Airport and the former international airport Don Muang. Most of the country can be reached from Bangkok by air using budget airlines, the full service national carrier Thai also flys to most domestic destinations

If you are coming to Bangkok from within Thailand an alternative to air travel are the Bus and Train services. There are three Bus stations on the Outskirts of Bangkok, the northern Bus station (Mo Chit) serves the North -East (Isaan) and the North (Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai), the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai) serves Eastern Thailand (Pattaya, Koh Samet and the Cambodian border) and the New Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai) which links Bangkok with southern Thailand (Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui and the Malaysian border. Trains also provide a link between Bangkok and the rest of Thailand but the network is quite old and quite limited compared to the Bus network.

By far the easiest way to move around Bangkok is the public transit network consisting of the BTS Skytrain, the MRT Metro and the ART (Airport Rail Link) using these you can get around most of central Bangkok quickly and quite cheaply. Another useful an inexpensive way to get around is the Chao Phraya Express boat which travel up and down the river through Bangkok.

Taxis and tuk tuks which should be a convenient way to get to exactly where you want to go but due to the massive volume of traffic plying through Bangkok's streets it can often be slower than walking, if taking a taxi use a Taxi-Meter and insist he uses the meter, for short journeys a tuk tuk can be fun, but with the street level pollution, heat and noise the fun factor soon wears off. There is also a very comprehensive and confusing local bus service, unfortunately the bus stop have no more information than the numbers of the bus stopping there (no listed destination in thai or english). If you use this make sure you know exactly which colour and number bus you need (buses of the same number but a different colour can have different routes!)

When to Travel to Bangkok and the Climate

Bangkok is a year round destination but the best time to visit is November through to February when it is dry but thanks to the North-East monsoon has cool breezes which keep the temperatures more tolerable. March through to May is also dry but with little wind the temperature starts to rise. June to October is the monsoon season with the majority of rain coming in august and September which often leads to flooding in October, a good month to avoid unless you want to capture some different images of Thailand

Throughout the year the day time temperature is around or above 30 C with the night-time temperature never dropping lower than 21 C.

Where to stay

Bangkok is an ever expanding city and accordingly it has accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets spread all over the city. Everything from five star hotels to backpacker hostels including guesthouses, B&Bs and apartments. Easy Day Thailands Bangkok Hotel Selection

Sukhumvit

This area is on the BTS skytrain line with easy access to the city. This exclusive district is popular with expats and Bangkok's upper classes and is filled with quality hotels, restaurants and night clubs. This area is also home to Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza two of Bangkok's more notorious night spots.

Sukhumvit is relatively close to Suvarnabhumi airport (40 minutes by taxi) aa well as a number of popular attractions such as the Erawan monument, Ancient city and the Crocodile farm.

China Town
At the heart of the historic city of Bangkok this area is a maze of old shop houses, narrow streets, markets and temples. Being the centre of the Chinese community this area also has a lot of gold shops.

During the Chinese New Year the area is filled with parades and dragon dances.

Being close to the river and many major temples this is a popular place to stay for people looking for something a bit different.

Silom
By day this is Bangkok's conservative financial and business district, but at night these two quiet streets transform into the massive and bustling Patpong night market surrounded by loads of theme bars offering a range of sex shows. This area has easy access to the BTS skytrain and the main railway station.

Pratunam

This is Bangkok's garment district with hundreds of fashion stores selling both wholesale and retail. As well as clothes this is a great place to buy electronics at the Panthip Plaza. The streets are lined with markets stalls and street food is everywhere.

Riverside

This area is about 1 hour from the international airport but gives easy access to the Grand Palace, Wat Arun and Wat Po temples. Hotels on the west bank have shuttle boats to take you across the river. This area is also very convenient for tours to Katchanaburi and the River Kwai.

Siam Square

This more modern part of Bangkok is a shopping heaven with many glitzy shopping malls such as Central World, Gaysorn Plaza and the MBK shopping mall. With the skytain intersection here this is the nearest thing Bangkok has to a city centre.

Khao San Road

Just on the northern edge of of “Old Bangkok” Khao San road is Thailand original backpacker hub with a plethora of budget hotels hostels and guesthouses. Khao San road and the neighbouring Banglamphu markets provide everything a backpacker is looking for. Being close to the Chao Phrya river it's quite convenient for most of Bangkoks tourist attractions. There's no skytrain here but plenty of tuk tuks and taxis.

Things to Do and Sightseeing

Being an old, yet at the same time a modern city there is a huge number of things to do and see here.

With a huge number of massive shopping malls, markets and street stalls selling almost anything Bangkok is a shoppers paradise.

Wat Po in Bangkok is the home of Thai Massage, this is very popular with the locals as well as tourists so there are many inexpensive massage shops in every shopping centre and on many streets.

As for sightseeing there is so much to see here that one visit will never be enough, a great way to start would be a river cruise which is an expensive way of seeing many of the more famous attractions of Bangkok. Bangkok is full of Thailands cultural heritage, with the royal palace and a huge number of buddhist temples. But if you head a short way out of Bangkok there is even more. Within the distance of a day trip is the bridge over the river Kwai and the Tiger temple as well as the floating market in Samut Songkram. Alittle closer on the outskirts of Bangkok are the Ancient City (Muang Boran), the Erawan Museum and the Bangkok Crocdile farm – all well worth a visit.

Bangkok Pro and Cons

To have an Easy Holiday we believe it is important to say what we think is good and what we think is not so good about Bangkok. So this is what we think you should know.

Not So Good -  The massive number of vehicles on the road in Bangkok, either passing through,  bringing goods and people into or out of the city or circulating around the city's road network means that there is often heavy congestion and long waits in traffic.
All these vehicles as well as industry in Bangkok has led, as in many big cities, to fairly high pollution levels and a permanent smog cloud over the city.
Because of it's location in the tropics Bangkok is always going to be a hot place but with it's mass of concrete buildings and it's smog blanket Bangkok can become stiflingly hot and humid.  Due to this most shopping and eating areas are air-conditioned leading to the vicious circle of energy use - energy production - pollution

Prices - Being both economically and physically the centre of Thailand everything comes through Bangkok, this means that the prices here are as low or lower than any of the other tourist destinations in the country.  Bangkok has everything, if you're on a tight budget you can find low cost accommodation and plenty of good cheap food, if you want to live the life of luxury Bangkok can provide this too - at a price.

Shopping - Bangkok has over 150 shopping malls, including two of the 50 largest in the world, add to this the hundreds of weekly and daily markets and street stalls then this city is truly a shoppers paradise. The shopping malls carry everything from clothes and sporting goods to electronics and jewellery with many thing in between that you didn't realise you wanted, until now!  Some of the malls and markets specialise in electronics or clothes but many have a truly eclectic mix of shops and stalls, and the food outlets are often strategically placed to entice the unwary shopper.

Good - With the addition of the BTS Skytrain and the Airport Rail Link to the already excellent metro Bangkok's public transport system has removed the need for road travel.  Add to the train systems the very useful river ferry network and if you really need to the mindbogglingly complex but very efficient bus service everywhere in the City is in easy reach at quite low prices.
Not only is Bangkok the political and commercial capital of Thailand it is also the major repository of the Nations history and culture.  there is so much to see here that even after two or three visits you would still would not have seen all that Bangkok has to offer.

Racha Yai Island - Phuket holiday

Have you heard other people rave about the picturesque beaches on Racha Yai but have no idea of how to get there? Have you tried to find out how to get to Racha Yai but had no success? People have mentioned that there are speed boats that make the trip multiple times a day, but you can't find out how to book them?

There is no public ferry service to the Racha yai, the only way to get there is in a private speedboat, diving boat or fishing boat. The three hotels on the Island run their own speedboat service, once or twice per day.

If you want to make the trip to the island, only 24 km south from Chalong Pier, let us know and we can arrange for a speed boat to this beautiful island.

Visit Racha Yai with Easy Day Thailand's Premium Racha Island Tour 

When to Travel to Racha Yai and the Climate

Racha yai Island is just a short trip south of Phuket so is subject to the same weather and seasons.
Like Phuket, Racha Yai is a year round destination with temperatures generally staying within the 25-35 C range.  November through to April is the dry season with what wind there is coming normally from the North east.  The Monsoon season is May to October, the monsoon winds come from the South West often bringing rain showers with them.
As Racha Yai has West, North and East facing beaches there is always a calm, protected beach available.
For Scuba Diving around the Island the monsoon season is the best time as the better dive sites are on the east coast and are protected from the wind at this time.

Where to stay and Beaches

The habitable area of the Island is fairly small and unlike some other local islands development has been limited.

Raya Island can be divided into four main areas, Batok bay (also known as bungalow bay), Siam bay, East Coast and the centre.

Batok Bay is west facing so during the dry season is the arrival point for all people coming to the Island and consequently it is also the busiest of the beaches.  Like all all the beaches on Racha Yai this is a beach of fine white coral sand which stretches he whole width of the  bay between the two rock and boulder ridges projecting out to sea.

Siam Bay is a  five minute walk from Batok bay and is North facing, this 900 metre long white sand beach is backed by a coconut grove, the bay itself is huge with long rocky ridges making up the sides of the bay.  The western ridge has a bamboo constructed bar hanging from it a little way out from the beach.

The area of the eastern side of the Island that is accessible is split into bays, each with a small beach, though they have the same white sand as the other beaches these have a lot more small  rocks and stones on them. The largest of the three beaches is in the central Ter bay, the smallest, and at high tide non-existent beach is to the north in Lar Bay and the most southern of the three in in Konkare bay nestled below a large headland which is where one of the Islands resorts is built. There is a track leading past all these beaches which continues north to Siam Bay or you can take the main track through the centre of the island

The centre of the Island was originally where the few locals lived and is now home to two bungalow resorts and restaurants.  This is also the home of the Island other industry - Coconuts, the centre parts of the nut are normally sold locally but the husk is exported all over the world to make mats and brushes.

There are two types of accommodation on the island - Hotel Resorts (3) and Budget Bungalow resorts (4)

Hotels
The Racha - this high class, high price resort is set on Batok Beach
The Rayaburi Resort is set in the 75 acre coconut grove just behind Siam Beach
Ban Raya Resort is the oldest of the three hotels on the Island and developed from a small bungalow resort to it's current form set on the headland above Konkare bay

Bungalows
Raya Bungalow resort is the oldest  set of bungalows on the Island, set on a rocky promontory on the north side of Batok bay these are the bungalows that caused the common English name for this bay.

Raya Seaview resort is a small group of Bungalows nestled among the rocks at the western end of Siam beach.
Raya Garden Resort and Raya Father Resort are in the centre of the Island next door to each other.

Getting Around
The main form of transport on the island is walking, though there is a tractor pulled trailer that crosses the island and with the two new high end resorts on the Island there is a growing number of golf buggies for transporting their customers. For those not wanting to walk motorcycles and ATV's are available for rent and for the more eco-minded and less lazy mountain bikes are also available to rent.

Things to Do and Sightseeing
This is a small island, the main activity is on the beaches, there is plenty of good snorkelling places, especially between the bays on the east coast but also from Batok and Siam bays. Racha Yai Diving is also a popular activity on the island. There are some dive centres on the island where you can do your course or sign up for a dive if already qualified.
There are also a number of small tracks ideal for exploring by mountain bike or ATV

Racha Yai Pro and Cons

To have an Easy Holiday we believe it is important to say what we think is good and what we think is not so good about Racha Yai. So this is what we think you should know.

Not So Good - getting there can be a bit of an effort as there is no public ferry or transfer service, take away the stress and let us organise your transfer.

Prices - Racha Yai is a tiny Island, everything except coconuts has to be brought in by boat, electricity has to be generated on the island so prices in the mini-mart can be quite high, restaurants and hotels are comparable to Patong on both price and quality.

Shopping - There are a few mini-marts mostly attached to the resorts offering those things you forgot to bring at suitably exorbitant prices. Drinks and snacks can also be found in these mini markets.  There are a limited number of restaurants on the island but no limit in scope, everything from basic Thai/European fare to gourmet seafood is available.

Good - Even when the hotel and bungalow resorts are busy it is still easy to find your own space away from crowds of people, there is still plenty of space on the island and long may it stay that way

Do it Differently

For a different approach, how about an two day overnight private charter on the MV Sai Mai. Head out to the island at your own pace and visit the best parts of the island for snorkelling or diving, you can head inland anytime you like.

Interested? Let us know... !

Easy Day Thailand can book and organize your stay at all our recommended hotels and resorts, arrange activities and more. Just send us an email now 

Phuket weather 13 and 14 August 2013

Two beautiful days with just a bit of rain on Tuesday evening that last for about one hour. The Tropical Cyclone Utor, at the moment moving to the South China Sea, doesn't affect weather in Phuket.

On boat off Phuket Island in August 2013

Was a great day to be on boat and dive at Racha Noi, crystal clear water, white sand bottom and sun makes this Island, south of Phuket, perfect for snorkeling. Not so many boats are going to this beautiful place that often is unknown to those that travel to Phuket since many years. best way to enjoy Racha Noi is a boat private charter.

Racha Noi Island - Banana Bay

Forecast say that good weather will stay for all week, with wind getting a bit stronger but nothing serious, still during August weather can quickly change making any forecast wrong. Stay informed, don't play with waves and be careful about red flags on the beaches.

Can see from these pictures taken on the way to Racha Noi on 13th August morning.

Passing Racah Yai on the way to Racha Noi

Then during afternoon wind increased a bit and took clouds to Phuket with heavy rain for one hour, welcome to the tropics.

South of Phuket - afternoon 13 August 2013

MV Sai Mai - Private Diving Liveaboard Cruise to Similan Islands, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock - Day 1

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5-6

I joined this cruise because even though I did several tours and dives in the Southern Andaman Sea I never managed to properly visit Similan Islands and the few others north of them.

As confirmed the driver came to pick me up at my house on time in early afternoon and then we moved towards Phuket Airport to pick up Stefano and Giovanni who were scheduled to land soon, ready to go directly on board upon arrival.

With us was also Jason, a nice guy, diving instructor like me but with several years of experience diving in Similan area. He was an addition to me in order to make the most of this beautiful archipelago and to give the best experience to our guests.

After few minutes of wait finally Stefano and Giovanni, the guys (father and son) who chartered the boat showed up with their luggage. After a handshake and some conversation I quickly realized that we would get along nicely, something not always granted when you spend several days in confined spaces of a boat.

Since we had to wait a few hours before the boat was ready as it just came back from a previous cruise, we decided to take some time stopping on the way to Khao Lak at a place called Cafe 360° View Point which offers a very nice view on the northern side of Phuket Island and later we had dinner and a couple of beers on Khao Lak beach. Between beers and chatting it quickly came the time to finally get on board and set sail.

MV Sai Mai Liveaboard

I always loved cruising at night time, with the lights of the fishing boats weakly breaking the darkness beyond the horizon, between the absolute silence of the flat sea and the gentle breeze my mind clears and starts flying. I could abandon myself to this peace for hours but in this case was better to be considerate and go down to the cabin to get some sleep in order to be well rested for the dives coming next morning.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5-6

Phuket weather 12 August 2013 - Thailand Public Holiday

First of all today is one of most important Thailand Public Holidays, it is HM The Queen Birthday. Business, government offices and banks are close for one day to allow people to participate to events and pay respect to HM Queen of Thailand Sirikit.

Long Life The Queen

Weather in Phuket during this special day was good in the morning, then strong wind gusts announced the afternoon storms that washed Phuket Town and the West Coast.

During this day you need always be ready for rain so get a dry bag, very useful in the era of electronics and a rain poncho, this will make sure that with a good mood all will be right during your stay.

Rain coats shops in Phuket Town

Don't forget the many things Phuket offers during raining days, enjoy spas, museums and private city and island tour for shopping and sightseeing. Bars and venues will be closed on 12 August when it is prohibited sell alcohol, the ban start at 00:00 on 12 August and end at 5:00 hrs on 13 August.

Phuket Weather 10 and 11 August 2013

The week end started with rain in the night between Friday and Saturday and went like this until Sunday before noon when then clouds made space to a beautiful Sun that stayed out for all day. Everyone enjoyed soon beaches and water sports.

Floating pool at Phuket Wake Park

Phuket Wake Park

Sunday started as Saturday was and sunshine raise temperature, during the morning some isolated rain made the perfect tropical day when rain alternate with sun, raising humidity level and perception of hot air. The from late afternoon large and thick clouds arrived from West and soon was raining and it still going.

Red Flag at Kamala Beach on 10 August 2013

Always keep in mind that red flags are out to the beach to warn people that rips currents are still there and dangerous, specially in August.

Phuket Weather 8 and 9 August 2013

Once again weather has changed and we had more sun than expected. On the 8th was a good day and rain came only at night. Then this morning sunshine,, hot and really nice day until late afternoon.

Patong Beach

Then for a moment was "all in one", sun shine and rain with a big storm at horizon that washed everything for 30 minutes, then back to normal and quiet.

Storm from Patong Beach

This is the time when roads are most dangerous just wet and slippery, drive careful and eventually stop and wait for rain to pass over,  enjoying some food or a drink and the local life that slows down when weather isn't good. if you are on holidays don't need to rush some where so why risk an accident when can enjoy rain.

Another special thing today, tonight the Moon will raise and is end of Ramadan, Muslim people have completed the long fasting month.

Phuket weather 4, 5,6 and 7 August 2013

First week of August it is exactly what can expect during this month in Phuket. Difficult to make forecast, weather is changing day by day and even during same day.

August is unstable so can start a day with sunshine and then move from the hotel for a tour few kilometers to end up in heavy rain. On other side don't get depressed if in early morning water falls from sky without leaving space between drops, could change soon or be sunny on the islands offshore.

Sea Dragon at Karon Beach Phuket

So if you have decided to holiday in Phuket in August expect a bit of crazy weather, floods and great sun shine days. Just enjoy and always be on safe side,

Specially with weather like this it is important to book private tours that give more flexibility, so plans, itineraries and schedule can be changed at last minute. Following as much as possible what you would prefer. Rely to company that cancel their trips when isn't safe to run them just to go anyway because they have took too many bookings.

Heavy rain coming from Andaman Sea

Try to avoid speed boat trips, specially the cheapest ones, would be very uncomfortable to be on a tiny boat packed in a rough sea and heavy rain.

Now is most dangerous time to swim from beaches as rip currents are strong, so book an hotel with all facilities, swimming and spa, bear attraction and shopping centers.

Few tips can make a great holiday even when weather isn't best feature of the moment.

Ask us and we will happy to give you all advises to enjoy your stay.

Phuket Weather 3 August 2013

Another gloomy day in paradise, at least even though the sky has been covered by thick clouds all day it almost didn't rain except for a short shower in late afternoon, good for those who went out on Day Trips.

In the morning I went to have a look at the guys enjoying wake boarding at Phuket Wake Park in Kathu. This can be a nice fun-loaded alternative during these rainy days, since you are going to get wet anyway!

Guy jumping at Phuket Wake Park

In the afternoon I went to Karon and took some pictures on the beach. After these stormy days of course the sea got quite rough on shore, so I take again the chance to tell to be very careful and avoid swimming in these conditions especially in Karon and Kata beach, because the rip currents can put in danger also good swimmers.

Phuket Weather 1 and 2 August 2013

Two days of almost continuous heavy rain, with just few hours breaks. Temperature cooled off quite a bit which is not too bad for us who live with 30+ C all year round, it actually helps to sleep very well!

Here below the gloomy view I had when I opened the front door this morning, clouds were very low on the jungle in Kathu

According to forecasts from Thai Meteorological Department the situation should remain like this for the whole weekend and hopefully get better from Monday, have to wait for the big storm covering South East Asia to pass, as you see from the image below.

Today in the afternoon rain finally stopped for a while so I got the chance for a quick visit at Bang Wad Reservoir to check the water level in the basin. Of course after all this rain I found it quite full, can have a look at the picture from June for comparison.

It's not the luckiest week to be in Phuket, however there are plenty of opportunities to spend your time even if you don't dare joining some of day tours which anyway are usually still enjoyable even on rainy days. In the day time you can think about some shopping or cinema in the big malls like Jungceylon (Patong) or Central Festival (Phuket Town), while for the evening you could enjoy some of the popular and entertaining shows like Fantasea, Siam Niramit and Simon Cabaret.

           

This is the reason why we recommend to stay in Patong during the green season, so you'll always have something to do also in case of rainy days. Can find some suggestions for Patong Hotels.

Weather in Phuket, Thailand in July 2013

July months saw as normal less wind and just some rain. When big tropical storms formed in the South China Sea we had stronger wind and rain, but this happen only few days and never for a long period.

As for statistic was a good month and always we suggest as a good time to visit Phuket

Coral Island late afternoon

July 2013

• 29, 30 and 31 July 2013
• 27 and 28 July 2013 
• 26 July 2013
• 25 July 2013 
• 24 July 2013 
• 23 July 2013 
• 22 July 2013 
• 19,20 and21 July 2013
• 18 July 2013 
• 17 July 2013 
• 15 and 16 July 2013 
• 13 and 14 July 2013
• 10, 11 and 12 July 2013 
• 8 and 9 July 2013 
• 6 and 7 July 2013
• 4 and 5 July 2013 
• 3 July 2013 
• 2 July 2013 
• 1 July 2013

For more about weather in Phuket all see Easy Day Thailand weather reports

Bangkok Rail link train from Suvarnabhumi Airport

Today for first time I have tried the Rail link train from Suvarnabhumi Airport to thecity center. We have already covered this topic, however it is important to keep the information updated and add some new tips.

All the details about this great service that started in 2012 can be seen on our previous post about the new train to get from and to Suvarnabhumi Airport,

The service is absolutely the best way to get from the airport but even more importantly it is the best way to get from Bangkok city center to Suvarnabhumi Airport, when people arrive in Bangkok there is not really any rush to get to the hotel, it is booked and it is there, it won't go away. So if traffic is jammed it will be just a waste of valuable holiday time but at the same time the opportunity to see real Bangkok form the car windows and take few pictures.

The real problem is when people are trapped in the traffic on the way to the airport, the flight won't wait for you. Here the train between Bangkok and the airport is the best solution. Direct, no traffic jams, runs every hour, every half hour for some lines, from 6:00 am to midnight, it is comfortable and very easy to use. It arrives right inside the airport. It is safe and in case of any emergency the airport knows about it and can handle the situation.

From Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok city center with the Rail Link Train

Once you have got your luggage to the exit look for the signs to Floor B (basement), follow the signs, also there are a lot of signs for the train link itself. Once arrived on floor B, after the coffee bar there is a huge area with the Thailand Railways logo, everything is automatic and easy, however it is better to check with the information counter which line is the best solution for you.

There are three options from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok downtown

Phaya Thai Express - for me the best, even if the most expensive, directly from the terminal to Phaya Thai Station. This station is part of Bangkok's mass transport system and is the connection point with BTS the sky train, so easily in few minutes by foot and escalator you will pass from the Rail Link system to the Sky Train system that has two lines and connects to Bangkok's main center. The station is very close to Siam Plaza that is also the exchange station between the two sky train lines.

Distance is 28 Km from airport terminal to station
Travel time an amazing 17 minutes
Opening time from 6:00 till 24:00 hrs
Frequency every 60 minutes
First train from Suvarnabhumi Airport at 6:30 hrs, last depart at 23:30 hrs
Price just 90 Thai Baht per person per way

Makkasan Express -for those that stay in hotels in Sukumvith area or like to start their stay in Bangkok with shopping at the famous Pratunam (water gate) market, where you can find any kind of merchandise at incredibly cheap prices. It is a little over half the distance to Phaya thai, the express option skips all the other stops between Suvarnabhumi Airport and the Bangkok City Air Terminal (BCAT). That is what has been created at Makkasan Station, here you can also do flight check in. The station is the connection point with Bangkok Subway or MRTA, The subway runs more in a North/South direction while the Sky Train East/West.

Distance is 20 Km from airport terminal to station
Travel time 15 minutes
Opening time from 6:00 till 24:00 hrs
Frequency every 30 minutes
First train from Suvarnabhumi Airport at 6:00 hrs, last depart at 23:30 hrs
Price just 50 Thai Baht per person per way

City Line - same kind of train, clean, modern, comfortable and with aircon. This service stops at eight stations on it's way, including the two above, really depends where your hotel is or if you have a specific destination. Also for those not in a rush, like to save the penny or as me that didn't understand which train to take and the automatic ticket machines only issue tickets for this service. The City Line Train is also very useful to move in a cheap and comfortable manner in Bangkok as it serves areas that are not covered by Subway or Sky Trains. This service is the Commuters favorite one, not only because it is cheap but because it stops in many areas.

The eight stations from airport to town are:
- Lat Krabang - where you can connect with  the railway system (SRT) Eastern Line
- Ban Thap Chong - close to the motorway and another SRT Eastern Line station
- Hua Mak - near the motor way and SRT Eastern Line station
- Ramkhamhaeng - best for the Ramkhamhaeng University in Bangkok, largest open University in Thailand.
- Makkasan - here is Bangkok City Air Terminal, where can do the check in directly
- Ratchapraop - if you like shopping and like to see the huge wholesale market of Pratunam this is your station.
- Phaya Thai - the terminal, from here you can go everywhere in Bangkok, so if you are not sure which station is better for your hotel. just get here and you will easily find the way to the hotel.

Distance is 28 Km from airport terminal to last station (Phaya Thai)
Travel time 30 minutes
Opening time from 6:00 till 24:00 hrs
Frequency every 60 minutes
First train from Suvarnabhumi Airport at 6:00 hrs, last depart at 23:00 hrs
Price  depends which station you like to go so from 15 Thai Baht to 35 Thai Baht

From Bangkok city center to Suvarnabhumi Airport with the Rail Link Train

To make your way to the airport the Rail Link is best solution, you will be sure about the time you will reach the airport with no doubts. No fears of getting trapped in Bangkok's infamous traffic, in a comfortable and relaxing way you will be inside the airport and at a cheap price.

To get back to the airport I think best are the two express lines, less then 20 minutes, which gives you more time to spend seeing Bangkok. 

How to make the tickets

At every station there are automatic machines that sell tickets, simply insert the money (coins or banknotes) and the machine will return your change and token (a plastic coin).
Next to the machine there is a map, this shows you a line with the station names, check which direction you have to take and look at the two digit number in the circle, that is the price to pay. Follow the easy instructions.

Remember that tickets office are just there to change big bills into coins and to sell Express line tickets.

Whichever train you take it is surely much better than taxis and traffic.

Sky train and traffic

More on tours in Thailand at www.easydaythailand.com

Phuket Weather 29, 30 and 31 July 2013

With July we close third month of Easy Day Thailand weather reports, the months saw as normal less wind and just some rain. There has been some storm but only for two or three days. Overall sea was calm.

Relax Bay - Karon Phuket

Last three days of July we had alternation of Sun and clouds, yesterday all day large dark clouds keep forming in the sky, sometime short but intense rain falls. This morning though would have rain all day, but by midday sun was shining and when I left to Bangkok from the airport windows can see the blue sky and wonder full sea.

Sea View from the windows

Arrived in Bangkok was raining, during late afternoon wind was blowing bit stronger and wiped the tick clouds away, still very hot and humid.

About the sea don't forget that Summer is best time for diving in Phuket, water is clear, less people underwater, can combine best hotels deals with diving packages and enjoy this wonderful activity.

Phuket weather 27 and 28 July 2013

Last weekend in July was very enjoyable with sunshine all Saturday and very good weather despite some clouds on Sunday. As usual for July no rain but today bit more humidity the past few days, overall hot.

Dawn at Kathu

Sea is flat and wind is down, today we run our second sunset cruise and dinner on MV Sai Mai. As from expectation was a very pleasant late afternoon out at sea, wind was a bit stronger then morning but we found a great location behind Coral Island where enjoy snorkeling and then dinner.

Sunset from Coral Island

Coral island

Phi Phi Islands Tour - Speedboat to Phi Phi & Koh Kai

For my second trip to Phi Phi in just over a week I thought I really might have a problem with the weather, there had been rain and strong winds the day before and on arrival at Port Island Hopper on Koh Siray I was told there were 2 metre waves. Fortunately that didn't turn out to be the case and though there was a little bit of swell it was actually a fairly flat day.

The day started with the pick up and transfer into and through Phuket town and over the short bridge on to Koh Siray on Phuket east coast and then a short drive to Port Island Hopper, the tour operators private jetty. When we arrived we were checked of on a list and given a coloured sticker indicating which tour we were on, and then were were shown where we could get fresh coffee.

After all the mini-vans had arrived all those for the Phi Phi and Koh Kai tour were called over to map hanging on the wall and our guide explained the order of the day, as the waves were expected to get bigger as the day went on we would be going to Phi Phi Island first followed by a late lunch on Koh Yao before finishing the day on Koh Kai.

Then off we trooped along the Plastic floating jetty, as there were almost 30 people on the tour we had been assigned to their largest boat which is able to take 45 people and has three large engine, this means we had plenty of space on the boat.

The 40 minute ride was suddenly eventful when one of the customers fainted, the guide and one of the other guests, who it turns out is a trainee nurse, were very quickly on the spot and the problem was solved, after a few minutes checking whether he was OK to continue the tour we found out he had been ill for a few days and was dehydrated, so with a bottle of water and some fruit he declared himself fit to continue.

Due to this incident the tour guide, very wisely, altered our itinerary slightly visiting Bamboo Island so that those that needed to could have a 45 minute rest on the beach.  Bamboo island is a small island with a very wide beach, inland is an area of rain forest which has a small campsite and restaurant.
Back out the beach a number of people were in the water snorkelling and raving about the numbers of fish.

Fairly soon it was time to get back onto the speedboat and head to Mosquito Island, the boat moored just of the beach and the water here was very shallow and crystal clear.  Back at the port before we left fish food had been offered for sale and many people were now using this to attract the Sergeant Majors and Rabbit fish, them one of the boat crew started throwing in banana to add to the chaos.  all the time the boat's videographer was taking shots of everybody being mobbed by the fish.

Next stop was around on the south side of Phi Phi Don, Monkey Beach. As the tide was high there was

very little of the beach there but the trees around it were lined with the longtail macaques which give the beach it's name.  It is said  that the ancestors of these monkeys were taken to Phi Phi to work picking coconuts and that when tourism started and the coconut plantations closed the monkeys were released and have become wild, personally I'm not sure if this is true as normally short tailed macaques are used for coconut harvesting - but who knows?

From Monkey beach we headed south over a stretch of open water to Phi Phi Lae, once we had reached the Island we started touring around the east side visiting Viking Cave, Pi Le Cove and Losamah bay before coming around the southern tip and back up the west side and into Maya bay.  The boat pulled up onto Maya Beach, we were quite lucky, there were only 5 other boats on the beach - virtually empty compared to a high season day.

Once on the beach we had an hour to relax, go swimming or explore.
Last time I had been on Maya beach at was almost 10 years previously, at that time there was nothing on the island, now there is a visitors centre and a park rangers camp as well as a toilet block and a restaurant.  Before the only way to the other side was a small hole in a rock wall that led through to Losamah bay, now a walkway has been  built leading to a set of steps which you can climb onto from the water of Losamah bay, this way you can get onto the Island in all weather.

After a bit of time lounging on the beach it was time to head back towards Phuket and stop at Koh Yao for lunch. It was another 40 minute ride and the sea was starting to get a little bit rougher, nothing too bad but a few people were making use of the free plastic bags.

We pulled onto the empty beach on Koh Yao and headed to the private restaurant for our meal. The menu today was sweet and sour chicken, Green Curry, Tom yam gung, chicken and seafood kebabs and stir fried vegetables with rice and noodles.

After having plenty of time to let the food go down and enjoy the view we headed to our last stop at Koh Kai Nok, by this time everybody was quite tired so most people just settled into a beach chair and relaxed, a few  people ventured into the water for some more snorkelling.  The guide told us this island was given it's name because from above it looks like a fried egg (the island is a large rock covered in rain forest surrounded by a wide beach). After about 30 minutes we reboarded the speedboat for the last time and headed back to Phuket, in about ten minutes we were back at the jetty and into the mini-vans for our ride home.

This Phi Phi Speedboat trip is a fun and active day out getting close to all the sights, great in calm seas but only go in rough weather if you have a strong stomach.

Phuket Weather 26 July 2013

Another nice sunny day, and hopefully this weather will be stable for the weekend. Also wind calmed down and waves on shore are much smaller than last week, very good to enjoy a swim but still being careful about rip currents that could be present even with quieter sea conditions.

Many people are afraid to find only rainy days if they come to Phuket during low season but truth is that most days are like today, sunny with some harmless clouds passing by. Another positive note is that the popular beaches like Patong are much more enjoyable than during high season because they are not overcrowded, and do not forget that during low season all hotels are much cheaper.

Kayaking day trip from Koh Samui to Angthong Marine Park

Kayaking in Angthong Marine Park

Last month I was in Koh Samui and while there I went on an excellent day tour to the Angthong Marine National Park. I am happy to recommend this tour to anyone interested in a high quality tour from Koh Samui. There are several different tours running daily from Koh Samui, most of them are speedboat tours and they are a good way to see Angthong. The tour that I went on, though, was a slow boat tour that focused on kayaking around the islands and caves of Angthong. 

The boat took a leisurely 90 minutes to reach Angthong where we moored in the north of the marine park. On the journey we had breakfast and our guide briefed us on the day's itinerary. There were about 30 guests on board, a mix of nationalities. About half the passengers were German speakers so we were divided in to team English speakers and team Deutsche speakers.  In the morning the German speaking group would kayak first while the English speakers snorkeled and in the afternoon roles would be reversed. 

The snorkeling was ok but nothing to write home about. The water is not as clear as Koh Tao although the reefs look healthy. The corals were also very shallow and a few people returned to the boat with cuts and scrapes. I would recommend Koh Tao above Angthong for a snorkeling day trip. 

Kayaking in Angthong Marine Park

The kayaking on the other hand was very nice, the rock ledges, tunnels and caverns are beautiful. Kayaking was done in pairs, as I was travelling solo I was coupled with Jasmine from the US of A. We chatted away pleasantly as we got to grips with our paddling. She took the front and me the back so most of my photos feature the back of her head :) Our group of kayaks followed our kayaking guide like ducklings following mother duck. By the time we were back on board it was lunchtime. 

Lunch was served as we cruised south through the park to the Emerald lake. I was amazed as we traveled through the park how few other boats there were around. This must be one of the most beautiful places in the World and no one is there to see it. I was there just before Koh Samui's high season so I'm sure it gets busier but still, compared with tourist numbers in Phuket it's very quiet. Our tour guide told us that he makes a special effort to avoid the other tour boats. Because it's quite a small operation they have the flexibility to change the itinerary as required. For example we arrived at the Emerald Lake just as the morning tours were leaving but before the afternoon tours arrived so we got to the top view point alone.

The Emerald lake

When we arrived back down at the beach after visiting the lake we found that our kayaks were waiting for us on the beach and the boat had moved off further south so we paddled off down the coast to meet up with it there. By the time we were back at the boat it was 3pm and time to head back to Koh Samui. Some people sun bathed, other slept or chatted among themselves. All in all a very pleasant day.

Kayaks in Angthong marine park

Relaxing on the cruise home

For more information about Koh Samui tours and things to do please see out website: Easy Day Koh Samui

More on tours in Thailand at www.easydaythailand.com

Phuket Weather 25 July 2013

Weather got quickly to a stable situation and all day was a wonderful time to enjoy any kind of activities.

Traitrang Beach - Patong

Blue sky all day, no wind, rain or anything could bother during an holiday in Phuket.

There is always something to be aware of and this time is sunburn, after few days of bad weather everyone want to get on the beach and many like sun bathing, be carefull as air is very clear and sun is strong, so even if you feel cool and comfortable could arrive back at hotel red and burning.
have one minute fun about it

Best cure for sun burn is Aloe Vera gel, this will cool down your skin temperature, re hydrate it and will allow you too sleep well, then be careful next day.

Tritrang Beach - view to North

Day trip from Samui to Koh Tao - inspection June 2013

We moved this article to our New Easy day Thailand Blog.

>> Samui Snorkeling Tour to Koh Tao