My Thailand Blog by Richard Barrow

Over recent years, the administration in Pattaya have been trying to clean up their image and to promote the city to be more of a family destination for foreign tourists. So, I presume that they were happy with the opening of Pattaya Floating Market about two years ago.

I first went last year and everything back then, including all of the purpose built buildings, looked brand new.  But, this time everything looked more weather worn and also more authentic at the same time. It is starting to look like an old and genuine floating market.

The famous market in Thailand is of course at Damnoern Saduak. However, even though the boats and vendors there make a good picture, the back drop of souvenir shops and corrugated iron is not that pretty. Which is why I now highly recommend Pattaya Floating Market.

In addition, if you look closely at the buildings, you will realize that they all have different styles. That is because they come from the four regions of Thailand. Another difference with Damnoern Saduak is that the products on sale here are actually good quality and you won’t find a row of shops selling the same thing. The prices are reasonable too.

One of the new features since my last visit is a zipline across the lake. For only 100 baht, you can fly across the lake on this line and back again. During the day, they also have cultural shows around the market which are free. If you don’t want to walk around the market you can join boat tours which cost 400 baht per boat. These take up to four people which then works out at 100 baht per person.

The market is open every day and there are no admission fees. Monday to Thursday it is open until 9 p.m. and Friday to Sunday open until 10 p.m. The peak time for visitors is from 4 p.m. when it starts to get cooler. Our visit was during the morning and we found plenty of shade. The market is on Sukhumwit Road just south of Pattaya City. It is certainly worth a visit the next time you are in Pattaya.

- Posted from my iPhone

Tourists in Bangkok have the Rose Garden while Pattaya tourists have Nong Nooch, a short distance to the south of the city. The tropical gardens are set in 652 acres and have literally thousands of different species of plants. With the orchids alone there are 670 different species. There is a lot to see and take in during just one visit. So I wasn’t surprised to see that they also have a resort where you can stay the night and get free admission included.

The botanical gardens, first started by Mrs Nong Nuch in 1980, are believed to be the biggest of it’s kind in Southeast Asia. Preservation and research is certainly very important to them and they have dedicated classrooms for visiting schools. However, the gardens are not just about flowers as there ar two shows that you can also watch. These are a Thai Cultural Show and an Elephant Show.

You could easily spend a day here as you can also do elephant riding or get around on a bicycle or even paddle boats. You can join tram tours of the garden or take a stroll on the skywalk. Entrance to the gardens cost 400 baht. For Thai people it is 100 baht for the gardens or 200 baht if they want to see the show as well. I did enjoy the show, but it is much the same as what I have seen several time at the Rose Garden. They do have a zoo as well though we didn’t have time on this trip. But, from memory, it was a bit depressing to see how the animals are caged. Nong Nuch is good if you are interested in flowers, but don’t go for the animals alone.

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Flight of the Gibbon is a relatively new tourist attraction which is about halfway between Bangkok and Pattaya. We travelled there yesterday with the TAT and the trip from Pattaya took less than one hour. It is actually inside Khao Kieow Open Zoo which I have done as easy day trips from Bangkok before.

Flight of the Gibbon is open to people of all ages, although there is a weight limit of 130 kilos. As you can see from these pictures, you also mustn’t be scared of heights. This rainforest adventure in a nature reserve involves zip-lining from one tree-top to the next.

When it comes to heights I guess I am just as scared as the next person. Maybe a little more so which was why I was a little apprehensive in joining this adventure. However, safety is of the greatest importance to them and you are always attached to a line. Before you start, they also run through safety precautions.

The first zip line wasn’t so long so it gives you a chance to get used to it. After the third or fourth jump most people start to fly above the treetops with their arms stretched out. A truly exhilarating experience. Though I must admit I tried not to look down! The longest zip line was the last one which was 300 meters long.

At the end of the course, which takes 2-3 hours, you have to rappel down to base camp where we started. This was probably even more scary. However, you do get used to it and I think if I do it again then I wouldn’t be so nervous. Flight of the Gibbon also has a course in Chiang Mai. The standard price is 2,999 baht. I highly recommend that you do a tree-top adventure. In Chiang Mai, they have a rival called Jungle Flight which has had some good reviews from people that I know. Maybe next time I will try them.

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During the evening of the first day of our media trip to Pattaya we were invited to see a performance at the Tuxedo Magic Theatre. It was billed as “the first magic theater of Thailand that presents world-standard magic shows”. I was of course a bit skeptical about that and also at the same time not keen on going to see a kid’s magic show. I didn’t know anything about it as the theatre has only been open two years. So, no expectations.

To be completely honest I was bowled over by the whole performance. It was one of the best magic shows that I have ever seen. Mr. Tuxedo, seen above, performed many tricks and illusions that completely overwhelmed me. I found myself laughing and clapping many times. So often we found ourselves asking “How did they do that?”.

The magic theater is on North Pattaya Road in Naklua. Tickets are 450 baht for adults (250 baht for Thai) and 225 baht for children under 120 cms.

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One of the latest tourist attractions in Pattaya is the Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks. It can be found in the Royal Garden Plaza on Beach Road. You may already be familiar with “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” which is owned by the same company.

The wax museum has only been opened a year in Pattaya, but there are four other branches around the world. The name “Tussaud” is obviously the same as the famous wax museum in London called Madame Tussaud’s. But they are not copying the name. Louis is apparently her great-grandson.

I first heard about this wax museum in October 2009 when it hit the international headlines. To advertise the new museum, a giant billboard was put up with a picture of Hitler and the words in Thai “Hitler is not Dead”. After complaints by both the German and Israeli embassies the billboard was quickly covered up. But by that time, everyone knew about the new wax museum and the work of the PR company was done.

The wax museum has 68 international and Thai celebrities. This includes 8 Thai models (like Paradorn and Tata Young), 20 Asian models (such as Bruce Lee) and 40 international models (like David Beckham, Britney Spears and Barack Obama).

To be honest I was a little disappointed with the quality of the images. They weren’t very lifelike. Can you guess who this wax model is supposed to depict? I asked that question on twitter and only a few people correctly said that it is Princess Diana. I also think that the ticket price at 580 baht is too much. Though it is possible to get a cheaper deal if you buy it as a package.

Thailand has another wax museum in Nakhon Pathom called Thai Human Imagery Museum. This is excellent and the models very lifelike. A branch of Madame Tussaud’s will also be opening in Bangkok in December 2010. I will be going to visit shortly after that.

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At the moment I am in Pattaya on a 3 day media trip with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). We are product testing some new attractions as well as some places that won the Thailand Tourism Awards this year. The hotel where we are staying is the Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa. It is on Beach Road.

This is the room where I will be staying for the next two nights. As you can see, it is beautifully designed and is also very comfortable. The hotel is right next door to Royal Garden Plaza and a short walk to the beach. The hotel won the Thailand Tourism Award this year for the second time for “City Accommodation with more than 80 rooms, Eastern Region”.

The room has the now common flatscreen TV and also a DVD player. However, I was surprised to find this coffeemaker which was a nice touch. Though I think a normal kettle would have been sufficient. There is also a network cable for Broadband Internet but this is quite expensive. However, the lobby area has free WiFi. My room has a private verandah and is only a dozen steps away from the pool.

The room price of 7,600 baht per night is obviously more than my normal budget. So, I must thank the TAT for inviting me to stay here.

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One of the most impressive temples in Chiang Mai is Wat Chedi Luang. It is the largest chedi in Chiang Mai and is located in the center of the city.

The original chedi, which dates back to 1481 A.D., was 98 meters high and 54 meters wide. It must have been a very amazing sight at that time. Unfortunately, the structure collapsed during an earthquake in 1545.

A good reason for foreign tourists to go to Wat Chedi Luang is the Monk Chat Program. As the name suggests, you can come and chat with monks about anything. For example Thai culture or their way of life. At the same time the monks get a chance to practice their English. This program is open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

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Thailand has had panda fever ever since the birth of Lin Ping at Chiang Mai Zoo in May 2009. They even have a 24 hour reality show so people can watch from home. This is a picture that I took of Chuang Chuang, the father.

The queues to see the pandas used to be very long. Fortunately this morning we were able to go straight in. The temperature inside is a comfortable 15 Celsius. They have built an ice dome for them next door but at the moment only the tourist section is ready.

The area where the mother and daughter pandas stay is quite large. Maybe too big and dark if you want to take a picture with a mobile phone. You are also not allowed to take a picture with flash for obvious reasons.

This is a picture of Lin Ping who is now one and a half years old. She is more active than her mother and was climbing up and down a lot. Under the agreement with China, any panda cub born abroad must be returned to China within two years. I think Thailand is trying to extend this but we have to think of the welfare of the panda.

The father panda, Chuang Chuang, is kept in a separate area. Here it is lighter and you can also get closer to observe his habits. Entrance to Chiang Mai Zoo is 520/390 baht (290/190 baht for Thai people). For the panda enclosure you have to pay another 100 baht (50 baht for Thai people). The snow dome is also extra at 150/100 baht for both foreigner and Thai.

- Posted from my iPhone

These are some pictures that I took with my iPhone of the floating lanterns during the Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai. Truly a wonderful sight and an experience I won’t forget any day soon.

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On the list of “must-see” attractions in Chiang Mai is definitely this temple on top of Doi Suthep. It is a famous landmark about 15 kilometers from the town and 3,520 feet above sea level. The temple dates back to 1383 A.D.

As you can see, we were really lucky with the weather during our visit as we had some wonderfully blue skies. From the car park you have the option of climbing 290 steps to the top or taking a cable car for 20 baht. We took the second option though on my first two visits I walked up the steps.

Foreign tourists have to pay a 30 baht entrance fee though it is free for Thai people. The argument is that the Thais will be buying lotuses and incense sticks in order to make merit. Fair enough as it is a really beautiful place. There are also some spectacular views of Chiang Mai. That is, if you don’t go on one of Chiang Mai’s infamous hazy days when you won’t see a lot.

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Thailand is starting to be world famous for it’s spas which are being promoted as “wellness tourism”. The number of hotels and resorts with spa packages are increasing all the time.

On the second day of our TAT media trip in Chiang Mai we were brought to The Oasis Spa which apparently has a good reputation among spas in Thailand. They also have branches in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya. It is a shame that the words “Thai” and “Massage” have negative connotations. There is nothing sleazy about the experience at all. Unless, of course, you go to Patpong.

I’ve never had a massage at a spa in Thailand before. It’s never been my kind of thing. However, as is was a specially arranged visit for the media I felt obliged to try it out. They put me down for the Aroma Hot Oil Massage which costs 1,350 baht. To be honest I was a bit nervous about this but at the same time willing to try something new.

I was taken to a room where the lovely Thai lady told me to take a shower first and then change into disposable underwear. I then laid face down on this massage table and she worked her magic for about an hour. Of course the blinds on the window were pulled down during the massage session.

I must admit that I felt really relaxed and calm after this hot oil massage. It turned out better than I thought. I can highly recommend an experience like this if you are going to Thailand on holiday. As for whether I would ever go to a spa again, I don’t think so.

I wish to thank The Oasis Spa Chiang Mai for giving me a complimentary massage and also to the TAT for “forcing” me to have my first massage at a spa. I am glad that I did it.

- Posted from my iPhone