Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Easy Day Thailand Office Blessing

New Easy Day Thailand Office in Kathu, Phuket
New Easy Day Office
These are very exciting times at Easy Day Thailand, having just had a very successful high season, the company is expanding to such an extent that now we need bigger and more convenient offices from which to operate.

These new offices are located in the Kathu district of Phuket.

The Easy Day team, before they became Easy Day, were already friends, and with together with a single dream of implementing a business plan where by creating the finest Tourist Operation Phuket has ever seen.

With many years’ experience behind them already in the industry, all that was needed was a plan to bring this talented team together on a daily basis.

Quote from the Easy Day Team:
“We knew we could provide a better service than what was available and that's what we now do.”
Monk Blessing Ceremonie
Blessing Ceremony
So on Saturday May 10th 2014 marked a pivotal day in the history of this great company. The new offices in Kathu were prepared for a very special visit from the local Temple. Nine Monks came to bless the buildings (Tam Boon), the business and the staff that work here at Easy day.

What is a Tam Boon
The Tam Boon Ceremony is of vital importance in Thai culture, Thai’s believe that if there is no Tam Boon ceremony conducted, then that the new property will only ever have bad luck.

Tam Boon Ceremonies are traditionally held in the morning time and require nine Thai Buddhist Monks to conduct the proceedings. A meal must be given to the Monks once the ceremony is complete, however, the Tam Boon must finish before 11am.
Monk Blessing Ceremonie

Allowing the monks enough time to finish their meal before Midday is very important as midday is the moment the fasting begins for them. The monks are forbidden to eat anything else from this time and for the rest of the day, until the following morning.

A lot of hard work went into preparing the Easy Day offices for the Tam Boon and everything was pretty much set up the day before. There were nine cushions and nine mats placed down on the floor ready for the ceremony, a pair for each monk. The mat being for the monks to sit on whilst performing the ceremony and the cushions are for each monk to lean against.

Monk Blessing Ceremonie - FoodThe Easy Day Team prepared a sumptuous Thai cuisine feast fit for a king, with many of the more traditional Thai delicacies being prepared. All this must be done the day before the Merit Making, with only the finishing touches being made on the actual morning of the ceremony.

Each monk also has to have a candle, a small garland of flowers and incense. Offerings were also bought for each monk to take back to the temple included gifts like food, new monk's robes, candles, laundry detergent, even light bulbs and matches; all things that they need for everyday life.
Buffet Lunch for the guests
Plenty of food

Once the ceremony was over, the Monks were served their food while all the staff, customers and agents and other guests waited quietly by.

Traditionally, Monks always eat first and no one else should eat until they have finished their meal and departed back to the temple.

So once they had left everyone else was able to sit around and enjoy the wonderful food that had been prepared. It was a wonderful and enlightening experience for all of us involved and one that will hopefully serve our company well in the future.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who was involved and to all those that shared this wonderful moment with us and we look forward to working with you all in the future.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Chiang Mai Brief & Easy - 3 Days 2 Nights

Like a short visit Chiang Mai, however not much too much time on tours? Than our 3 days / 2 nights Chiang Mai Package is just right for you. Tours to Chiang Mai Highlights plus plenty of time to explore the old town of Chiang Mai. 

Day 1:   Meet & greet at Chaing Mai airport
(your flight should arrive before 11.00 a.m.)
Doi Suthep Temple, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Doi Suthep Temple
  • Transfer to the hotel in Chiang Mai
  • Pick up at the hotel for Sightseeing Tour (13.00-13.30)
  • Doi Suthep Temple & Hmong Village
    Visit to Doi Suthep Temple, which is place of worship dates back to the year 1383 when the first Chedi was built. It is an important pilgrimage spot for the devout and is sacred site to many Thai people where visitors can climb 309 steps to reach the pagodas on top of the hill. In the top of the hill, enjoy spectacular views of Chiang Mai City and its surroundings from the top of this mountain, where the panoramic view and local culture can be enjoyed. 
  • Visit to Hmong Hill Tribe Village
    The village is known for their colorful costumes tradition and is located on the boundaries of the Doi  Suthep - Pui National Park. Explore a quaint and picturesque hill-tribe village set in an attractive hillside spot. Discover their culture and history through their evidence at the museum.
  • 17.00 Return to your hotel for a free evening

Day 2:  
Elephant Work Camp, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Elephant Work Camp
  • Breakfast at your hotel
  • 07.30-08.00 a.m. Pick up at the hotel
  • Visit at the famous Elephant Work Camp
    Enjoya fabulous performance of elephants, the symbol of Thailand. Delight in a wide range of demonstrations like elephant training techniques, bathing, traditional roundup methods, and elephant game. Visit to Elephants’ Nursery  &  Art Exhibition, which is acknowledged as “the most expensive painting by a group of elephants” by Guinness World Records. Experience with 30 mins elephant ride into the jungle. Then, visit an Orchid Farm with more than 50 different varieties of gorgeous orchid blooms in a dazzling array of colors.
  • 11.30 a.m. Return to the hotel for free afternoon
Day 3:
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Transfer to the Chiang Mai airport for flight to your next destination. 
  3 Days / 2 nights package Summer Season package 
(Price valid for stays up to 31 October 2014)
Price per person 3,900 Thai Baht (Min 2 person)
For Info & Booking don't hesitate to ask Your Easy Day Thailand Team


Package Includes:
  • 2 night accommodation in Superior Room at Imm Thaphae Hotel in Downtown Chiang Mai with daily breakfast (based on twin sharing occupancy)
  • Private airport transfers
  • Tours ins air condition van with driver and English speaking guide
  • Admission fees as indicated in the program
  • Meals as indicated in the program (2 breakfast)
  • Drinking water and refreshing towel in the van during the journey
  • Travel accident insurance

Package Excludes:
  • International and Domestic Air Tickets
  • Meals (lunch and dinner)
  • Optional or other tour than mentioned in the program
  • Drinks, souvenir and laundry etc
  • Tipping (not compulsory)
More Chiang Mai Tour packages by Easy Day Thailand:
  •  5 Days / 4 Nights Tour - Package with accommodation exploring the Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai Provinces in Northern Thailand

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Easy Day Chiang Mai / Chiang Rai Package tour

5 Days and 4 Nights Package tour with accommodation exploring the famous Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai Provinces in Northern Thailand.
  
Day 1: Arrival - Chiang Mai
  • Meet and greet at Chiang Mai Airport
  • Visit Doi Suthep Temple
  • Transfer to check in at Wangburapa Grand Hotel Chiang Mai
  • Overnight in Deluxe Room

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai
Day 2: Chiang Mai – Tha Ton
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Chiang Dao Elephant Safari private tour; see elephant show, take elephant ride to lisu village, take smooth bamboo raft
  • Lunch en route
  • Chiang Dao Cave
  • Continue to Tha Ton Village to visit Wat Tha Ton to see view of Mae Kok River
  • Transfer to check in at the hotel
  • Overnight at Tha Ton Mae Kok River Village Resort 
Chiang Dao Elephant Training Center - Chiang Dao - Chiang Mai - Thailand
Chiang Dao Elephant Training Center

Day 3: Tha Ton – Chiang Rai

  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Depart to Chiang Rai by river. You will take a long tail boat along Mae Kok River (approx. 3-4 hour). Along the way, make stop to visit Karen Raumit Village
  • Lunch, upon arrival in Chiang Rai
  • Transfer to check in at the Chiang Rai Nak Nakara Hotel Overnight at Executive Deluxe Room
Long Necked Karen, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand
Long Necked Karen

Day 4: Chiang Rai – Chiang Mai (L)

  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Visit Chiang Saen Ancient City
  • Golden Triangle
  • House of Opium Museum
  • Lunch
  • Return to Chiang Mai by drive (approx. 3 hours)
  • check in at Chiang Mai Wangburapa Grand Hotel
  • Overnight at Deluxe Room

Chiang Saen Ancient City, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chiang Saen Ancient City
Day 5: Departure from Chiang Mai

  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • After check out transfer from hotel to Chiang Mai Airport
5 Days / 4 nights package Summer Season package 
(Price valid for stays up to 30 September 2014)
Price per person 22,800 Thai Baht (Min 2 person)

For Info & Booking don't hesitate to ask Your Easy Day Thailand Team



Package Includes:
  • Accommodation with daily breakfast as mentioned in itinerary
  • Private air-condition van for tours & transfers
  • English speaking Guide
  • Tour as mentioned in itinerary
  • Meal as mentioned in itinerary
  • Drinking water (2 bottles per person per day
  • Accident Insurance

Package Excludes:
  • Air Tickets
  • Visa fee
  • Optional tours & meals other than mentioned in itinerary
  • Drinks, souvenirs and laundry
  • Tip (not compulsory)
  • whatever isn't mentioned in the itinerary


Friday, April 18, 2014

Phuket Heritage Tour


Falling in love with Phuket again......

Getting more quiet in the office this week so I decided to go with our tour guide “Bee” and check out our new tour which we will organize for our customer to see enchanted Phuket old town, “Phuket Heritage Private Tour”

We were planing to meet at the Chinese temple to follow the tour program that we've set and to avoid long walk at the end of the tour but since we wanted to start early and breakfast is my important meal of the day we decided to meet at Roti place on Thalang
road.
Local food "Khao Yam"
Khao Yam (Rice Salad)
After breakfast we started our route here. Before today I thought I was a queen of Thalang road since I came here quiet often buying my crafting stuff, fabrics and many times just come here for a cup of coffee and sitting for hours with my favourite book but it turned out that I know nothing about this place and thanks to guide Bee who is very knowledgeable and told me all stories and history that I wanted to know.

The buildings here are unique and you could see different cultures through them. We stop at one of the house which open as Tour information so tourists can see how the building look like from the inside.

Phuket town old building
Old Building
We continued walking, Bee kept answering my questions while we walked, same time I tried to take as many pictures as possible and it was amazing that on this road you can find so many different kind of store (ribbon, fabrics, fishing net, hardware store, gold, etc.) and most of them are family business which been passing through generations. Then Bee take me to old Chinese herb shop which been running by same family since 1917. I like the smell in the shop and get to have a little chat with nice old man the owner and also bought some herb medicine home.



 Our next stop is “ Phuket Thai Hua Museum”  which for me it's very interesting museum with many exhibition rooms and short movies that telling history of the connection between Phuket and China.

Thaihua was the first Chinese-language school in Phuket which still running but school had moved to Vichit Songkram road and turned this building into the museum with two floors full of knowledge and history in this charming and well maintenance Sino-Portuguese building. I could have stayed for the hold day if not because we still have a few more places to visit so I decided that I will be back again with my daughter and we can learn Phuket history together.


 It didn't feel like much walking we've done but we started to feel Phuket sun, however it was perfect time to go to the local fresh market since the busiest time is in early morning so even though it was getting hot but not too crowded.


If you like to buy some Thai spices back home this market is just perfect! You can also find all different kind of curry paste, fresh vegetables and fruits, Thai snacks, fresh juices, etc.

Then from the market we walked up to Ranong road to one of the biggest Chinese shrine in Phuket town “Jui Tui shrine”

It very fascinating to be in these colorful buildings and see all displays of Chinese gods, they even play Chinese music in the background. For Thai people it is in our mind that you have to be calm and dress politely when you are in the temple. I don't really know much about Chinese shrine so I was following Bee who seem to know exactly what she was doing and there was also apattern to walk in which they put number on each door so you can follow. Bee and I also tried “Fortune stick” which what you have to do is to sit, hold the box of fortune sticks in your palm, make a wish to Chinese gods then shake the box until one of the stick fall off and there will be the number on the stick that will lead you to pick up same number of the paper which will tell you roughly what your life would be like in your near future and if you get good one you should keep that paper but if it not good then you leave it at the shrine, my was good so I keep it.

Lunch time! Bee ask what I would like to eat and since we are now doing Phuket Heritage tour why don't we just eat something that goes with our tour, something that represent Phuket so we agree on having Hokien noodle and Bee know the best place in town for it.

Bee walked me to “Ko Yoon” restaurant which according to Bee and the sign in front apparently it is the best Hokien noodle in town, I had seafood noodle soup and Bee had one with pork. It was really tasty and for me it was best Hokien noodle I've ever tried
and since they running restaurant in their house there was nothing like sitting in restaurant so don't expect any luxury just eat your best noodle and enjoy looking at picture frames of family members at the same time.

After lunch we were suppose to go to Khao To Sae or Monkey hill for last stop of our Phuket heritage tour for our customers to visit viewpoint and see Phuket town from the top view and see some monkey but since we've been there many times already and I have to go back to the office we decided to end our tour after lunch.

It had been a really fun day for me and definitely coming back with friends and family to show them this charming old Phuket town.

If like to experience this Phuket private tour  in old town see the details and prices here

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Weather Update for 7th April /13th April



Phuket this weeks braces itself for the Thai New year celebrations of Songkran. This is the water festival that unites an entire country. really for the children but if you come to see, you will soon notice that the bigger children enjoy it too.



Phuket is very busy this week what with the New Year celebrations and the Bike week!

Latest Weather

Monday 7th April: Max Temp 34 - min Temp 24 degrees hardly any breezes and some passing cloud cover. Slightly cooler during the late evening time

Tuesday 8th April: Max Temp 33 – Min temp 24 Passing clouds early morning clear skies for  the rest of the day Later on in the day Some thundery showers.Cooled us down a little

Wednesday 9th April: Top Temp 35 degrees down to 24 late night, fog in the early morning leading to some thundery shower then more prolonged rain later in the later day.

Thursday 10th April: Max Temp 32 degrees down to 24 degrees. Much cooler today due to the recent rain. It is a welcome break form the heat but you can feel it building back up during the day.

Also this week is the start of Phuket Bike Week festival with bikes coming form all over Asia.
The bike week last around a week with many parties, shows and competitions. Well worth a trip out to Patong but take a water pistol weapon if you are going over the Songkran period.

Friday 11th April Max Temp 32 degrees, and a low of 24 the weather has started to settle again after a couple of rainy days, the humidity is up due to the rain. Today we went to Racha Yai Snorkeling a wonderful days adventure, ideal for the kids to only 25 minutes in a speedboat from Phuket's Chalong port . See below for more details…

Saturday 12th April: Max Temp 35 degrees and lows of 24 degrees feels a lot colder due to all the water being fired from water pistols, what a great time of year this really is. Quite a bit of rain this week, well Songkran  started today and that mean the rains are coming as this festival gives thanks to the Gods for water. 

Because of the recent hot weather I think many people are looking forward to a cooler Phuket. Today is the biggest water fight in history every street corner gangs of children and adults waiting in ambush ready to soak any passerby. 

Sunday 13th April: Max Temp 31 high going down to a milder 25 in the evening. Today the water fighting continues with insurgents appearing just close to our house, I think they have ice cold water. Not to self next year buy a bigger water-pistol.

Racha Yai Island (Koh Raya Yai) is located 23km south of Phuket island and makes a perfect daytrip from Phuket for snorkeling, swimming and just relaxing on tranquil white sand beaches. Come along enjoy with your family and friends one of the finest and most beautiful islands you will find anywhere in the world

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Song Kran Water Festival 2014


Songkran in Phuket is one of the most exciting times of the year, and is enjoyed by the entire country as it celebrates the Thai New Year. The year on the Thai calendar will be 2557. Here in Phuket the celebrations will begin on the 13th of April and end on the 15th April.

Songkran festival is a time when Thai people take time out from their busy schedules and taking time off work and school to celebrate, visit relations, go to their local temples and offer merits and give arms to monks. Also the young show their respect to their elders, by pouring scented water onto their hands and saying prayers for them.

Songkran is believed to have been taken and adapted from the Sankranti hindu festival. Although the Thai calendar, much like many calendars of Asia uses a luni-solar calendar where the date is calculated on a solar basis, the actual word Songkran is derived from the Sanskit (Sankranta) which actually means “move or change” like at this time of year when the sun moves between Aries and Pisces.

Traditionally celebrated as the Thai New Year for hundreds of Years, Songkran is welcomed up and down the entire country. Reaching as far north as the Cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai to way down in the South of the country like Phuket, Krabi, Satun and Hat Yai.

The New Year festival has really taken off in the tourist areas too. As the holiday makers,
Songkran Water Festival Phuket backpackers and Expats enjoy this most spectacular time of year, and enjoy reveling in different cultural celebrations. The Songkran Water festival is a must see for all those who come to Thailand, for this is one time of year that the whole country stops and parties.

If you are lucky enough to be in Thailand during the festival then Phuket is a great place to celebrate. The festival will usually start when the children wake up with gentle water throwing in the small towns and villages of Phuket; it is a great time for the children to enjoy. As the day progress and the adults start to stir, this is when its gets a little more technical.

There are no real staged water fights per say, but you can find mass brawls all over the island. Patong is a real opener, and if you happen to find yourself in Patong then make sure you have a decent weapon (water pistol), available from most small shopping outlets, supermarkets and such like.

On Soi Bangla (main walking street in Patong) there will be a cross fire as people drink merrily
and run from bar to bar soaking each other wet through. It is a great party atmosphere and even the police and fire brigade join in the hilarity. It is, if you have never seen it, a fantastic time to be in Phuket.

Even minding your own business and just walking down the street you are not safe from a drenching. There are situated on every street corner firing squads, all ready to take any dry passerby out. Be wary here because these guys have been known to buy huge chunks of ice and the water is so cold, that you will get a sudden icy cold watery shock.




Be very careful driving a motorbike during the festival water will be thrown at you.

  • Buy a dry bag from any dive shop to protect your valuables: phone, camera etc…

  • Waterproof cameras are available at dive shops

  • Do not wear jewelry or any expensive clothing it will get destroyed

  • It’s all good humored fun! Don’t fight it go with it!

  • And above all have fun and please take care.