Travel, Holiday and Vacation Reviews and Photos from Bars, Restaurants, Hotels, Resorts and Destinations around the World.
Mairood Pier
In March 2009 Moun, some friends and I traveled to Mairood Fisherman’s Village in Thailand‘s Trat Province. After a Visarun to the Asia Had Lek boarder between Thailand and Cambodia we visit some friends who work here in this traditional Thai village. The sleepy village is direct over a River who runs into the Gulf of Thailand. Nearly everybody lives here in Mairoot from the fishing. A good Choice for Tourists and Backpacker is the Mairood Resort which is direct in the center of the piervillage next to Klong Yai Town. Here are not that much possibilities to stay (Guest Houses, Hotels…) because the tourism is really low here in Mairoot. We traveled by Minibus from Had Lek to the small fisherman village and our friend picked us up to his traditional Thai house where he lives with his Mother and his Girlfriend.
Thai Kitchen
We bring our bags to the cosy home and walked to a small Thai Restaurant and eat traditional Thai Noodle Soup with Chicken. After we visit Nop’s sister and eat some sun dried and fried squit on a terrace over the river. After we go back to Nop’s and Jing’s home. We bought some Chang & Leo Beers in a small supermarket on the pier and cooked a very delicious Sea Food BBQ with shrimp’s, fish, shells and crab’s.
Sun dried Squit
On the next morning we woke up early because the Fisher boats drove next to our room. A nice feeling to wake up over a river in a House over the water. We walked at long the big pier to a taxi which brought us back to Trat the State Capital of Thailand’s Province in the south east. In Trad Town which is about sixty kilometers from Mairoot we had Breakfast at the day Central Market. Than we took a Mini Van to the pier where the Ferry to Koh Chang leaves. At 9 o’clock we arrived at Big Elk Bungalows on the Klong Prao Beach. We took a shower and changed clothes before we went to the Kheeri Phet Waterfall on Ko Chang in Thailand.
A House in Mangroves
It was a realy nice Travel Trip to Mairood in Thailand. The local Thai people are really friendly and helpful. The tourism is nearly zero, just some Backpackers and Tourists who like quiet holiday getting lost here on vacations at the Mairood Resort. It’s nice to see the all day life of the Thai Fisherman’s here in this cosy village in South East Asia. I can recommend Mairood as a Travel Destination for Backpackers who like to see a traditional village in Thailand direct on the Beach. For Accomendation, Informations and Maps of Mairood look in your Travel guide or contact a TAT office in Trat.
Kheeri Phet Waterfall
At the morning of the 19th of March 2009, Moun, some friends from Germany and I traveled to the Nam Tok Kheeri Phet Waterfall on Koh Chang’s east coast.We started at Big Elk Bungalows at Klong Prao Beach and drive with the motorbike around Koh Chang in Thailand‘s Trat Province to Salak Phet where the Keeri Peet Waterfall is located. On the way to the Waterfall on Ko Changs East Coast is full of beautiful tropical landscapes, the road runs mostly next to the Gulf of Thailand which allows nice Panoramic Views to the Mainland and some small Islands of the Trat Province. If you are lucky you will see some Orchid blooms and many colorful Butterfly’s. The best time to watch the Namtok Kheeri Phet Waterfall is between April and October in the Rain season. When we traveled there was just a bit of the fresh Jungle Water which is perfect for refreshment after the 1.2 km walk trough the Jungle to this Waterfall in South East Asia. The entry fee for Thailand’s National Park Mu Ko Chang was free. The Nam Tok Keeri Phet is one of my favorites Waterfalls on Chang Island. The water runs down in a small but deep Jungle Pool between the Asian tight Jungle on the Island in the Gulf, just some Backpackers, Tourists and Traveler getting lost on this beautiful nature place, this promise a quiet afternoon picnic on a tropical culisse in Thailand.
Durian Fruit
Joy Cottage Ko Chang
Joy Cottage Restaurant is located on the north end on the main road at Lonely Beach on Koh Chang. The Thai style Restaurant, Pub and Bar offer Draft Chang Beer, Homemade Pizza, fresh Bread and fresh Fruit Shakes in a nice atmosphere. At evening a solo artist play guitar and sing Blues, Rock n Roll and Reggae Live Songs and invite Tourists and Backpackers to Jam Sessions. The Joy Cottage Guest House on Koh Chang in Thailand offer as well simple Backpacker Rooms for a good traveler price. At Daytime some traveler Chill, read a book or share tips to Travel Tours around Thailand and Southeast Asia. Joy Restaurant at Lonely Beach on Ko Chang is a good place for people from around the world who want to relax at holidays and meet travelers from many destinations and friendly locals from Thailand. This is a nice easy going Bar and Guest House on the Backpacker Village on Koh Chang in Thailand.
Tree House Lonely Beach
The TreeHouse is located on the north end of Lonely Beach on the tropical Island Koh Chang. In daytime many Backpackers and Travelers sitting and chill here by a fresh Fruit Shake or a Thai dish from the Menu which offer Thailand and Western Food. The backpacker Pub offer many times Live Music played by a Thai Band. The Band plays Reggae, Rock n Roll and Thai Music. Nearly every evening is here Bucket Party with Chang Beers and Shisha Water pipes. Many Traveler and Tourists come to meet other people from around the World. Here at TreeHouse you can book Travel Tours and Scuba Dives around Ko Chang in Thailand. Treehouse is one of the most popular Backpacker, traveler and Tourists Pub’s here in the small village Lonely Beach on Koh Chang. The atmosphere here is very unique. A lot of stones on the ground and a wooden crazy construction create a mix of Caribbean-beach-flair and a Mad-Max-endtime-feeling every Ko Chang-traveller has to feel. And if there´s no music don´t be mad. It will start soon and till then the nice sound of thousand little waves directly under the Tree House will entertain you…
Humphead Parrotfish Perhentian Island
My first step to a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) Professional was for sure my Snorkeling experience on the Caribbean Sea in the Years 2004 (Punta Cana Dom Rep) and 2005 (Mexico Yucatan). We rent us some Snorkel gear from our Hotel and explored the colorful marine underwater world. It was amazing! In this time I said: why scuba diving? During Snorkeling you can see a lot! But since my first Thailand Trip to Patong Beach on Phuket I know it better. At the Scuba Cat Scuba Diving school I did my first PADI license, the Open Water Diver. My first dive experience was theories in a classroom. After three of the five Open Water chapters my Scuba Instructor did some Dive Skills with me in the Swimming Pool. On the second day of this Dive Course I did the last two Scuba chapters and after I did my first Dive in the open Andaman Sea at the Dive site Crystal Bay next to Patong Bay. A incredible feeling to breeze the first time underwater. From the first breath it becomes a hobby. The 3th day of the Open Water Padi Diving Course I did three Open water dives at Bungalow Bay, Banana Bay and Home Run Bay at Racha Yai near Phuket. After the end exam I was ready for Fun Dives and a part of the PADI family. My first Fun Diving was on Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand on my Thailand Travel Tour 2006 with Marius. The Dive Boat bring us to follow Dive sites: Ao Ceuk and Rocky Bay. The Scuba Shack Dive team on Koh Tao was friendly and very helpful for a beginner like me.
Coral at Koh Chang
In April 2006 I did the next step on the Padi education system: the Advanced Open Water. The second license I did with a Diving Center on Koh Chang in the Gulf of Thailand. My first of the five Dives on my Advanced Open Water was the Peak Performance Buoyancy Dive at Koh Wai in the Marine National Park on Ko Chang. On this Dive I did some scuba skills to control my buoyancy under water with my BCD and my breath. The second dive during my Padi Advanced Open Water Diver I did with my Instructor at Koh Klum, here we train how to Navigate with a compass and on natural thinks like corals or rocks underwater. The thirst Dive was a Deep dive on Koh Chang Pinnacle on about 30 meters for 44 minutes. The visibility was very good and it was till now my nicest Dive on the Pinnacles on Koh Chang Island in Southeast Asia. Number four of the Advanced training Dives was at Koh Yak Lek where I learn how to make good Pictures with a underwater digital camera. On the same evening I did my first Night Dive at Hin Luk Bat. A nice experience on my way to a Padi Divemaster. The next Day I was helping by an Underwater Cleanup as a fresh Advanced Scuba Diver. We clean the region around Koh Wai in the Gulf of Thailand. After my Southeast Asia Travel tour true Peninsular (Malaysia), Singapore and Bali i did two more Fun Dives on Koh Chang at Hin Luk Bat and Hin Rap (names of the Dive Sites).
Manta Ray Bali
In Mai 2007 I did the first Fundives out of Thailand. At Langkawi in Malaysia I dove at the Shark Point and the Coral Garden Divesite witch is dominated by beautiful soft corals. Here on this beautiful tropical Island I choose the East Marine Scuba Center. The highlight was for sure the mass of Black Tip Reef Sharks in the National Park of Malaysia. The next Station on my Travel plan was Pulau Perhentian in the South China Sea. Here on this Paradise Archipelago I hit five times the water with Spice Divers. I like this Scuba school because of the great location direct on the beach. On Pehentian Island I had my first Diving experience I will never forget: round about 40 to 50 Humphead Parrotfishes was swimming around us and eat corals. As well I did here my first Wreck Dive on the Sugar Wreck. My favorite’s site here on Perhentian was the Temple of the Sea and the Iron Cape. From Malaysias Capital Kuala Lumpur i was flying with Air Asia to Bali in Indonesia. On Bali I was five times in the Water of the Indian Ocean and the Bali Sea. My first one was at the Manta Point Dive Site near Nusa Penida. Here we saw six Manta Rays, Amazing! Number two and three was at Chrystal Bay and Blue Lagoon where we saw a lot of colorful reef life. The last two dives in Indonesia on this Travel Tour I did on the Liberty Wreck next to Tulamben Beach.
Wreckdive @ Tulamben
Two month later in July 07 I traveled by bus from Koh Chang to Phi Phi Island. In Thailand‘s Marine National Park at Koh Pi Pi I did two Fun Dives with South Siam Divers Scuba Center. We was at the Bida Nok and Bida Nai Dive Sites near Phi Phi Leh. My highlights while scuba diving on this tropical Islands in Thailand was a leopard Shark, a Turtle and many schools of fishes. The water temperature here in the Andaman Sea was 28 C, perfect for tropical diving. After two more Fun Dives at Koh Chang in the Gulf of Thailand I Start my Rescue Diver and Padi Divemaster Training on Ko Chang Island with a Dive Center on Klong Prao Beach. On my Internship I did about 100 Dives in the 30 degrees warm water in southeast Thailand. The education was realy good. I learned many thinks about Scuba Diving, Equitment, Underwater Navigation, Marine Life, how to handle Divers in a leader position, how to help a Diver who had a accident and many many more thinks what I need in my job as a Divemaster. In December I get my certification as a Padi Rescue Diver, the Divemaster I finished at the 17th of January 2008. My last skill was the snorkel Test where I get a snorkel in my mouth and drank a bottle of SangSom Thai Rum out of the Snorkel. After we start in the front of the Padi Dive Center with Chang Beer Round’s till I and nearly every Diver was drunken like hell. A hard Scuba Skill on the way to my Divemaster Card! My favorite Dive Sites around Koh Chang in Thailand are Hin Luk Bat witch is a nice Reef, Hin Raap, Blueberry Hill, Koh Chang Pinnacles and Koh Yak a bit south of Ko Chang in Thailand’s Marine National Park of the Ko Chang Archipelago. Since I finish my Padi Divemaster I worked till December 08 on the beautiful tropical Island Koh Chang. In the beginning of December I had a Motorbike accident, so till right now I’m not allowed to go diving. So soon as possible I will be back in the tropical water of the Gulf of Thailand but now the high season on Ko Chang is finish already so i will wait to next season for leading divers in the warm waters of Thailand. The water around Chang Island are between 27 and 31 degrees, the best time for diving is from November till February where the visibilities can be up to 25 meters.
For more informations about Scuba Diving in Thailand read the Lonely Planet Diving and Snorkeling witch you can order online here from this page. For more travel tips you can read the Reports of the destinations or read the Lonely Planet South East Asia. If you want to see some more Scuba Dive Pictures click here.
In 2008 my Wife and I was for a short Travel Tour in north Thailand to travel Chiang Mai and visit a friend at Pai in Thailand’s Mae Hong Son Province. We start on Koh Chang Tropical Island with a Taxi to the Pier at the north of the Island in the Gulf of Thailand. From Trat we took a Bus to Bangkok from were we took the Nighttrain to Chiang Mai. The Train Start at about 10 o´clock in the evening and arrived at Chiang Mai Railway Station at 12 o’clock noon on the next day. From the Train Station we took a Taxi to our Hotel “Winner Inn”. In Chiang Mai our highlight was the Doi Inthanon national park. After some Days at Thailand‘s 2nd biggest City in the North we Travel by Taxi to a TAT office to catch a Minivan to Pai in Southeast Asia. The turn from CM to Pai took us about three hours. We arrived at the Bus Terminal at Pai City and walked to the Guest House “breeze of Pai” which we found in the Lonely Planet Travel Book for Thailand.
A new bridge in Pai
After some days in the small village in the Mae Hong Son Province we Travel by Bus back to Chiang Mai. The Minibus bring us direct to the Airport from where we had a Air Asia flight to Thailands Capital Bangkok. From the new International Airport in BKK we took a Taxi to reach the last ferry back to Koh Chang Island. From the Ferry we enjoyed the nice view to the rising Sun behind the hills of Southeast Asia‘s Elephant Island. In the evening we arrived by taxi our Bungalow at Big Elk Steak House. This was my first Travel Trip to Thailand’s North, the landscapes at Pai and the Mountains at Chiang Mai with evergreen Jungle are incredible. It was for sure not my last trip to the north of the Kingdom of Thailand.
Sunset on Ko Chang
Find Hotels in Thailand
Sea Breeze Bungalows
At the south end of Kai Bae Beach next to Mochaccino Cafe are the Sea Breeze Bungalow accommodation. The Hotel offer clean furnitured rooms with Air Condition and Hot Shower for a good price. The staff Team from this two rows Guest House Park on Koh Chang Island are friendly and helpful for Travel Tips and Tour Booking around Ko Chang. To the Gulf of Thailand it´s round about 100 meter, so easy to reach by foot. Just pass the street and turn left at Papa’s Bakery, the next possibility you can turn right and than you come direct to Kai Bae Beach and to the warm tropical Sea. At Sea Breeze Bungalows in Kai Bae on Koh Chang there are some options of room types. All Rooms have a King sice Bed, TV, Fridge, Air-Con and a hot shower but the smaller ones are a bit cheaper than the bigger rooms. Sea Breeze accommodation are a good options for traveler, Backpacker and Tourists on holiday’s who like a bit comfort for cheap money. Nearly every Room have a big window for enough light inside the big rooms. For more Information about Accommodation at Kai Bae Beach on Koh Chang in Thailand take a look in your Lonely Planet Travel Guide or contact a booking office on Ko Chang Island.
Job 2 Do @ Ting Tong
On the 8th of March 2009 I was with some friends on a Concert of Thailand‘s most popular Reggae Band Job to Do at Ting Tong bar at the Ting Tong Bar in Lonely Beach on Koh Chang. We arrived at about nine o’clock at Ting Tong Bar, at about 10 o’clock the Thai Reggae Band Job 2 Do start to play. The sound and the organization was perfect and at the Bar on Lonely Beach on Koh Chang Island was enough space for the mix of Thais and Farang. Job 2 Do is as well my favorite Roots Reggae Band here in Thailand, I like the sound of Job to Do which remember a bit on the Bob Marley Sound. The most lyrics are in Thai language but some songs are in English. The Band play till late at night and the Ting Tong Bar offer Beers to refresh. It was a nice concert in a great Reggae location under Coconut Palms and with tropical temperatures, perfect for a event like this. The ticket price was 100 Thai Baht so round about 2 €. I don’t will miss this evening with my girlfriend, good friends and nice Live Music in Beach atmosphere at Ting Tong Bar Lonely Beach on Koh Chang in Thailand.
Melaka
About 150 kilo meter south of Kuala Lumpur is Malakka Town. The big city in Peninsular have round about 650.000 habitats and the Centre is dominated of buildings from the English colonists, Dutch Traders and Potuguese seafarers. I have bin in Melaka on my Southeast Asia Travel Tour in 2007. In Melaka are many Houses of God from many religious like the Church of St. Peter, Christ Church, Kampung Kling Mosque, Sri Poyatha Venayagar Moorthi Temple and many more. I spent two days at the Tony’s Guest House on my Travel way from Singapore to KL, the Capital of Malaysia. I Arrived over Johor Baru by Bus from South East Asia‘s city State between Peninsular Malaysia and Indonesia. For Travel Timetables look inside your Lonely Planet Travel Guide. My Highlight in Melaka was the historical Town Square and Bukit ST Paul which are the oldest Dutch buildings in far east. Now are the Historical, Ethnographic and Literature Museums inside.
A Local from Melakka
The locals are friendly and helpful like everywhere in Peninsular. Special thanks to the owners from Tony’s Guest House for good Travel Tips and insider information about Melaka. An other highlight is the huge Mahkota Parade Shopping Complex close to the Sungai Melaka. In the Northeast of Melakka is a colorful Chinese Cemetry on the Bukit China Hill. From this City in Malaysia’s Peninsular are a lot of International Travel options. From the Batu Berendam Airport for example you have many options to come into the Air Asia Net to explore Southeast Asia. If you are on Budget Tour you have the choice of Public Bus or Traveling by Train to many Destinations in Peninsular, Thailand and Singapore. From Melakka Hourbor two different kind of Jetty ferry’s leaving to Indonesia. But for this connection you need a Visa in Advanced. For more information and Travel options ask in the local TAT Travel Agencies or read your Lonely Planet for Southeast Asia or Malaysia.
A historical Ruin
I enjoyed my trip to this historical town in Malaysia. The people are very friendly and Melaka offer a lot sights for Tourists, Backpackers and Travelers. It’s perfect for a Travel stop up to Kuala Lumpur and the Shopping Center offer good possibilities to buy Souvenirs and other stuff like original Watches from high class brands much cheaper than in Europe. At the Center you can be shure that it isn’t a cheap copy how you will find on many places in Southeast Asia.
