Lookeast May 2014

LIFESTYLE

HOTELS

DINING

NIGHTLIFE

SHOPPING

EVENTS

PERSONALITIES

ART

CULTURE

SPAS

Fashion

EST. 1971

M AY I S S N 0 8 5 7 - 1 1 3 9

TRAVEL

MAY 2014

SAMUI

Why Go, What to See, What to Do

Sleep, Eat, and Play in M AY 2 0 1 4 VO L . 4 3 N O. 5

SINGAPORE YASOTHON’S ROCKET FESTIVAL Interview with AOT’s GM, Rawewan Netrakavesna

Luxury Lifestyle Health Retreats

www.lookeastmagazine.com

thb100

WHAT'S INSIDE MAY

MAY 2014 CALENDAR

6 What’s On 46 Hotel Deals 62 Spa Deals 72 Dining Specials 76 Bar Specials

TRAVEL

14 Tours 14 Culture: Bun Bang Fai: Yasothon’s Rocket Festival Features: 16 Driving the Mekong 18 Singapore: Sleep, Eat, Play in the Garden Lion City Checking In: 24 St. Regis Singapore 26 ESCAPE Hua Hin 28 Hansar Pranburi 30 Tongsai Bay, Koh Samui 32 My Favorite Place: By David Lyman 34 Cover story: Koh Samui Taking the High Road on Koh Samui 38 Mini Guide 42 Lookeast’s Picks of the Month 48 Travel News

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28

30

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LIFESTYLE

The Hedonist: 50 Luxury Lifestyle Health Retreats 54 Thai Craftology Personalities: 58 Garuda Indonesia’s GM: Sudiarto Sugito 60 AOT’s GM: Raweewan Nearakavesana

WINE&DINE

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Lookeast | WHAT'S INSIDE

68

Restaurants: 64 Lady Brett 66 The Garment 68 661 Silom Bars: 70 Sabroso Mexican Tapas Bar 78 The Oenophile: Dom Pérignon, The Legend

THE BEST THING IN LIFE beachfront breaks on Samui Island.

Time to decide what kind of holiday you would like on Samui. A ďŹ ve-star resort in the heart of Chaweng? Or possibly you would prefer an imitate resort on the southern tip of the island.

Maybe you have a romantic break in mind, in which case a private pool villa would be ideal.

We have all three styles, with one thing in common - they are all set directly on one of the island’s beautiful beaches. With Centara, the best of Samui is waiting to be discovered.

E: csbr@chr.co.th

E: csv@chr.co.th

Discover our BEST Rate Guarantee at www.centara.co.th

E: cbs@chr.co.th

EDITORIAL EDITOR'S NOTE EST. 1971

travel

Luxury Redefined

I

Photo by Alisa Hubert Apparel by Club 21/Calvin Klein Hair and makeup by Usani Korsoongsak Lighting by Thanyarat Phumpaka

recently saw a double rainbow in the outdoor rain shower of my bathroom in Koh Chang. I looked up and found myself surrounded by jungle trees while the birds sang and the sun shone down on my head as I revived with the cool water. And I thought, “This is luxury.”

In this issue of Lookeast, we welcome you to “The Hedonist,” a new section where we will explore the concept of luxury from both the perspective of those products that excel due to their quality materials and craft, and from the attitude expressed in the words of the 1997 award-winning Mastercard “Priceless” advertising campaign: “There are some things money can’t buy.”

Whether we go on a lifestyle health retreat, drink Dom Pérignon, take a drive along the Mekong River, or spend a holiday in an infinity edge pool at Koh Samui— our featured destination this month, together with Singapore—in May we will take you places and continue showing you Thailand’s regions, festivals, and newest hotels, restaurants, and bars. We also interviewed the GMs at Airports of Thailand and Garuda Indonesia to understand trends in the travel sector.

Hope you enjoy the ride!

Anita Zaror Editor-in-Chief

Publisher Sid Sehgal sid@thesehgalgroup.com Editor-in-Chief Anita Zaror editor@lookeastmagazine.com Editorial Assistant Coco Lavender edassistant@lookeastmagazine.com Editorial Consultant Melanie Blake Art Director Jarmmaree Janjaturonrasamee Photographer Alisa Hubert Production Director Apichart Boontid Marketing Executive Ankita Malhotra ankita@thesehgalgroup.com PR Consultant Earth Saisawang Executive Assistant to Chairman Acharin Suthisawad acharin@thesehgalgroup.com Executive Assistant to CEO Panitkan Apiratanapimonchai panitkan@thesehgalgroup.com President Ravi Sehgal Group Publishing Director Asha Narula Sehgal

CONTRIBUTORS

FRONT COVER Conrad Koh Samui

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Lookeast | EDITORIAL

Executive Director Gaurav Sehgal

ALISA HUBERT

GIULIO SAVERINO

EST. 1971

● Alexander Eeckhout (Restaurants) ● Brian Curtin (Design) ● Daniel Remon, CEO at Fitcorp Global Group (Wellness) ● Dave Stamboulis, travel writer and professional photographer (Travel) ● David Lyman, Chairman and Chief Values Officer at Tilleke & Gibbins (My Favorite Place) ● Federico Brandi (Restaurants) ● Giulio Saverino (Founder and director of wine at Wine n’ About, and sommelier at 661 Silom) ● Harold Stephens (Travel) ● Laurence Civil (Travel and restaurants) ● Lucie Barke (Restaurants) ● Maia Kara (Hotels) ● Percy Roxas (Travel) ● Utku Tansug (Restaurants)

is published monthly by:

DAVE STAMBOULIS

LUCIE BARKE

FEDERICO BRANDI

LAURENCE CIVIL

DANIEL REMON

HAROLD STEPHENS

Advertising & Media Consultants Co., Ltd. Richmond Office Building 18th floor 75/65 Sukhumvit Soi 26, Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110, Thailand Tel: + 66 2 204 2982 Fax: + 66 2 204 2984 Email: info@lookeastmagazine.com Web: www.lookeastmagazine.com Views and opinions expressed by individual writers and contributors in the articles herein, do not necessarily reflect those of Lookeast magazine or of Advertising Media Consultants Co., Ltd. All prices are correct at the time of going to press, but are subject to change.

Reproduction in whole or part without written consent from Lookeast is strictly forbidden.

WHAT'S ON MAY

EVENT REVIEW

The St. Regis Bangkok recently unrivalled dining experience with the illustrious and world-renowned one Michelin starred Chef Stéphane Carbone, who brought his fine cuisine to VIU.

Stéphane Carbone is not one of those exuberant, capricious and forceful chefs. He is driven by simplicity to enhance flavors.

“We had this great tradition of Sunday family lunches with my grandmother. My passion of cuisine started at that time, being very young, with my family and especially my grandmother who educated me on the true meaning of fresh produce, whether they originated from the garden or the different regions of France. This is where I learnt the taste and the passion for cooking,” he said.

“I love exploring the distinctive regional ingredients and mixing local produce from Lyon or Bresse, where I learnt to cook, to Normandy where I settled down in 2003, or Calabria where my Italian parents and grandparents are from.”

Stéphane Carbone’s philosophy is to offer cuisine that is easy to understand and one that his diners can find a connection with.

All his recipes are created with the intent of enhancing ingredients and flavors rather than transforming them.

For reservations at VIU contact 02 207 7777, fb.bangkok@stregis.com

The St. Regis Bangkok

Michelin Stars Illuminated The St. Regis Bangkok

Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok

Compassion

A Decadent Afternoon Affair with Rubin Singer

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Robin Schroeter

What: Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok presents a decadent afternoon affair with one of Hollywood’s favorite fashion designers, Rubin Singer, in collaboration with Citibank, N.A. Rubin Singer will present his Serpent Queen collection in person at a Charity Afternoon Tea Fashion Show, featuring new creations prepared by pastry chef Stephane Calvet, coupled with a glass of Louis Roederer Champagne, and a selection of Dilmah Private Reserve teas. A portion of the proceeds of the charity fashion show will be donated to the Community Children Fund Foundation in Thailand under the Royal Patronage of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

When: May 7 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.; fashion show starts at 3:30 p.m.

Where: Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok (●155 Rajadamri Road, Bangkok) How much: THB 1,500 net per person More info: 02 126 8866 ext. 1235/6

What: Compassion is a tragic comedy about a young demon, Rachel. She gets summoned by three other demons to kill “The One” demon slayer. To their disappointment, she is everything but the fierce big demon they expected.

Determined to prove them wrong and prove herself, she goes out to kill the Demon Slayer. It is about her journey from hell to earth, about love, hate and everything that it means to be human.

Directed by Robin Schroeter.

When: May 22–26, May 29–31, and June 1–2 June, at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Crescent Moon Space (●Pridi Banomyong Institute Thonglor) How much: Starts at THB 380 More info: 099 179 5731

Lookeast | WHAT'S ON

Live Band and Saxophonist Tewan

Engagement Fair 2014

Handcrafted Culinary Creativity

What: The Mandarin Oriental Shop is celebrating the opening of its latest boutique at Gaysorn Plaza (Ground Floor), one of Bangkok’s most exclusive high-end shopping malls.

Under the innovative leadership of master chocolatier and executive pastry chef, Claus Olsen, the new shop—the fourth in the Thai capital—it offers freshly baked products including classic favorites such as artisanal breads, cakes, Danish pastries, croissants, cookies, and an all-new range of hand-crafted gourmet chocolate, macarons, and signature Baumkuchen (German layer cake).

When: Daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: Ground floor, Gaysorn Plaza How much: Varies More info: 02 656 2118, mobkk-shopgaysorn@mohg.com

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Lookeast | WHAT'S ON

Mandarin Oriental Hotel

What: An exquisite highlighting Oriental Residence Bangkok’s luxurious engagement spaces and services, including chances to win free stays and exclusive offerings only during the fair. Partner showcases from Teerak Studio, iPen Photo services, Viriya wedding invitations and favors, and many more.

For more information kindly call 02 125 9000 extension 9081 When: May 24–25 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: Oriental Residence Bangkok (●110 Wireless Road, Bangkok) How much: Free More info: 02 125 9000 extension 9081

What: Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok presents the Sun Light live band performing nightly at River Barge and Pier 28, in a combination of jazz, pop, and old classics, with saxophonist Tewan Sapsanyakorn.

When: Every Friday night from 7 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.

Where: River Barge and Pier 28 (●Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok) How much: Varies More info: 0 2307 8888 ext. 1923, riverbarge.chrb@chatrium.com

ThaiCraft

What: The Okura Prestige Bangkok invites couples to the 2014 Wedding Showcase. Couples will receive an impressive list of complimentary benefits when making a confirmed booking of an engagement or wedding party celebration with the hotel.

When: May 18 Where: The Okura Prestige Bangkok How much: Free More info: 02 687 9000, www.okurabangkok.com

The Okura Prestige Bangkok

Wedding Showcase Event

Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok

WHAT'S ON MAY

ThaiCraft Fair

What: High-quality handcrafted products gathered from over 50 village artisan groups all over Thailand including décor, furnishings, gifts, toys, accessories, bags, baskets, textiles, personal care products, and more, will be on sale at the ThaiCraft FunShop.

When: May 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: The Jasmine Executive Suites Hotel (●Basement Floor, 23 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok, Asok BTS station, Sukhumvit MRT station) How much: Varies More info: www.thaicraft.org, www.facebook.com/ThaiCraft.org

Soak up the view From its stunning cliff top location featuring spacious pool villas on stilts with unparalleled views of the ocean, Banyan Tree Samui at Lamai Beach invites you into its Sanctuary for the Senses.

For more information, call +66 77 915 333 or email reservaions-samui@banyntree.com.

99/9 Moo 4, Maret, Samui, Surat Thani 84310, Thailand

banyantree.com

CentralFestival Samui is Open!

Samui Regatta

CentralFestival Samui

WHAT'S ON MAY

Samui Regatta

What: Visit the recently opened CentralFestival Samui, CPN’s 24th shopping center project in Thailand, a THB 3.1 billion retail project with a total gross floor area of 90,000 square metes on a land plot spanning 37 rai. It is ideally situated on the best location along Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui, which is considered the main business area of the island. CentralFestival Samui offers products and services that the meet the same standard as those offered at Central shopping malls in Bangkok. The products and services offered will respond well to the lifestyle needs of families and young people as well as tourists. Over 400 brands are available there.

When: Ongoing Where: CentralFestival Samui, Koh Samui How much: Varies More info: www.cpn.co.th

Novotel Hua Hin Cha am Beach Resort and Spa

OR'S EDITIC K P

New Fusion at Novotel Hua Hin

What: Novotel Hua Hin Cha am Beach Resort and Spa recently launched its restaurant and bar, TAi, with a Black and White Asian Extravaganza-themed party.

The menu is based on a combination of Asian ingredients with French style and technique. TAi offers a wide selection of Asian-inspired favorites and Japanese sushi and tempura, as well as cocktails, premium spirits, and more.

When: Ongoing Where: Novotel Hua Hin Cha Am Beach Resort and Spa (●854/2, Burirom Road, Cha-am, Hua Hin) How much: Varies More info: 032 708 300, www.novotelhuahin.com

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Lookeast | WHAT'S ON

Fitness Retreat

Epikurean Hotels & Lifestyle

What: The 13th annual Samui Regatta is set to take from the island’s most popular beach, Chaweng Beach. Samui Regatta is headquartered at Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui and attracts over 40 boats and more than 500 sailors of 30 different nationalities each year. Tickets to the 5-star Gala Dinner at Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui on the final night are highly sought-after.

When: May 25–31 Where: Chaweng Beach How much: Free to watch More info: www.samuiregatta.com

What: Redefine your life with Epikurean Hotels & Lifestyle’s recently launched lifestyle health retreats. Focus on getting your fitness to a new level, acquire new skills, fine-tune your body, and learn training programs that provide you the most benefit. Whether you want to work on cardiovascular fitness, physical strength, sports specific fitness or body toning, your goals will be the priority for the trainers during your retreat.

When: May 16 to October Where: Parama Koh Chang (●8/4 M.3, Baan Check Bae, T. Koh Chang Tai A. Ko Chang, Trat) How much: Starts at THB 16,500 for two nights in shared room, inclusive of transfers, meals, fitness kit, physical education guided activities, seminars, guidebook, spa treatments, and boat cruise More info: www.paramakohchang.com

TRAVEL TOURS

THINGS TO DO IN BANGKOK From trying street food to discovering the most sacred or trendiest places, the City of Angels will have something for you

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or a city with so much to offer, how can you pick just seven things to do during a visit to Bangkok? Indeed, there are 101 things a visitor can do in the city, but here are our recommendations, based on a brainstorming by a team consisting of both old hands and newcomers, of veteran travelers and enthusiastic greenhorns.

Street Food at Yaowaraj

Yaowaraj is the main artery of Bangkok’s Chinatown. While this area is hardly on top of the foreign visitor’s Bangkok to-do lists, locals love this area of their city, especially in the evening when the gigantic neon signs are truly alluring, and the streets are filled with food stalls, carts, and makeshift restaurants offering various goods and delicacies.

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Lookeast | TRAVEL

If you like Chinese food, try to find Soi Phadung Dao (Soi Texas) for the city’s best selection of Chinese restaurants. If you’re not that squeamish, just on a tight budget, or simply willing to try what the locals do, take a seat in one of the numerous street restaurants and enjoy a meal for no more than THB 50.

To get there take a boat from Saphan Taksin and get off at the Talingchan Pier.

Haggling at Chatuchak

A must on the mainstream Bangkok itinerary, Chatuchak is a weekend market where you can buy just about anything.

Said to be one of the world’s largest weekend markets, it covers an area of 27 acres and is divided into 27 sections. It contains more than 15,000 booths selling goods from all over Thailand.

The market is popular among both locals and foreign visitors, and an estimated 200,000 visitors go to Chatuchak on weekends. Many say goods there are sold at a bargain local prices (not tourist prices), but in fact there may be other places where prices are cheaper.

Still, for a tourist who does not know Bangkok much, nothing compares to Chatuchak shopping. It’s the mother of all weekend markets in Thailand. Many vendors actually come from local factories, and you can buy antique wood carvings, clay handicrafts, local souvenirs from every parts of Thailand, Buddhist amulets, wooden furniture, hand made decorated flowers, plant, ceramics, Thai Benjarong, Chinese wares, garden plants, trendy fashions, silk, hilltribe outfits, and much, much more. There are also restaurants and eateries for those who want to take a break from shopping.

To get there take the BTS skytrain to Mo Chit station.

Malling for Arts and Shopping

Bangkok’s fame as a shopping haven is quite justified. With the proliferation of new trendy, plush mega malls within easy to reach of tourist areas, shopping in Bangkok has become an all the more

appealing proposition. Two of the major shopping venues that rank high as tourist favorites are CentralWorld, on Ratchaprasong District, and Mah Boon Kong (MBK), on Phaya Thai Road.

CentralWorld is on the heart of the city’s major tourist hub, where other glitzy shopping malls and five-star hotels are also located, and it has a direct access to the skytrain via a connecting sky bridge.

Dubbed a lifestyle-shopping destination of Bangkok, it is great even for just taking a break from the Bangkok heat. Both chic international brands and top-flight Thai brands are represented here, along with many other kinds of shops and stores. The mall also boasts a wide range of eateries, and there’s a cinema complex on the seventh floor. CentralWorld regularly holds events and exhibits that add to the pleasure of a day out there.

Also, don’t forget to check out Gaysorn Plaza, Erawan Shopping Mall, Amarin Plaza, Central Chidlom, Siam Center, and Siam Paragon—all along the skytrain route.

MBK is very tourist-oriented and, indeed, it can be crowded day in and day out, especially during the peak season of tourists. There’s a dedicated Thai arts and crafts section, aside from the department store, as well as sections devoted to computers, cell phones, and other electronic gadgets. There’s a cinema complex as well and a number of restaurants to complete the “malling” experience. Some say the prices of goods here are more inexpensive compared to other major malls on the route, but it really depends on what you are buying.

These shopping centers can be reached via the BTS skytrain, for example, CentralWorld via Chidlom station; Siam Paragon via Siam Square station; and MBK via the National Stadium station.

Get Trendy in Thonglor

The saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Well, when in Bangkok, go where the Bangkokians go for dining, drinking, shopping, and sheer fun. And where is it today, but in Thonglor?

Thonglor, more officially Sukhumvit Soi 55, is the new hip street for entertainment that young Thai professionals and the city’s chic crowd,

including discerning expats and tourists, are increasingly being attracted to. Once simply known as Bangkok’s “Beverly Hills” of sorts—meaning the place where a great many well-placed, high-heeled people live—Thonglor today (and, by extension, Ekkamai) has become a veritable trueblue entertainment hub with restaurants, stores, bar, and clubs. Often described as hip, trendy, or chic, Thonglor has been proliferating since the 1990s.

The main access to Thonglor, if you’re a visitor, is by the BTS skytrain (Thonglor station), but many streets from main Sukhumvit Road actually cut through it.

Chill Out in Fabled Khao Sarn

Who hasn’t heard of Khao San Road?

This famous destination for travelers and budget tourists is like an icon in the world’s backpacker culture, that it is even said that missing Khao Sarn on a trip to Bangkok is akin to missing the Eiffel Tower on a trip to Paris.

This short street in Bangkok’s Banglamphu area, dubbed “The Place to Disappear” by American journalist Susan Orlean, offers relatively cheap accommodation (hotels and guesthouses), restaurants, pubs, clubs, shops selling all kinds of night bazaar items, travel agents, and so on. It’s quite near the city’s major tourist landmarks (the Grand Palace is just one kilometer away), and it is said that you can arrange your entire Asian trip from here.

“Khaosan” translates as “milled rice” and, indeed, the street was a former major rice market. It has become a popular chillout place among local residents in recent years, and especially among young Thais, probably because it is close to Silpakorn and Thammasat universities.

One Thai writer has described Khaosan as “a short road that has the longest dream in the world.”

Cruising the Night Away Along the Chao Phraya

Bangkok at night certainly dazzles, but nowhere is this more spectacular than from a river cruise along the Chao Phraya River.

Imagine watching those shimmering temples, glistening skyscrapers, not to mention a rich stream of nocturnal traffic

that greets the eye from all corners, while you wine and dine in luxurious surroundings.

Rivers and canals have always been vital forms of communication for Thais, and the Chao Phraya is especially central to the kingdom’s history. It was on this river that Bangkokians first settled before gradually spreading into the core of the country. Traces of this past history can be seen in the varying architectural landmarks along the river. Also, visitors can still get a glimpse of the Thais’ traditional riverine lifestyle, even though Bangkok has become an ultra modern city. The river pulses with many river cruises that offer not only magnificent views but also delectable Thai food, topnotch service, and sometimes even great live music. Whether you book the Grand Pearl Cruise, the Ayutthaya Rice Barge Dinner Cruise, Chao Phraya Dinner Cruise, Bangkok Marriott’s Manohra Dinner Cruise, Shangri-La’s Horizon Cruise, or any other cruise for that matter, you are sure to enjoy the trip.

Tourists can book such a river cruise through travel agents or rent a boat at Tha Chang (●02 225 6179, 02 623 6169), a pier near the Grand Palace, or Tha Si Phraya (●02 235 3108) near River City Shopping Complex.

Simple Temple Trek: Wat Suthat

One of Thailand’s six most important temples, Wat Suthat is at the center of Rattanakosin Island. If you plan to visit only one Thai temple during your visit, and you have seen the Grand Palace already, this is a great alternative.

This temple has the longest ubosot in Thailand (72 meters), and boasts temple murals painted by artisans in the reign of King Rama III. The principal Buddha image is named Phra Puttatri Lokachet and is cast in alloy in the Subduing Mara position. The murals at the Phra Viharn Luang, copied from the Wat Mongkolpobhit in Ayutthaya, are considered by many to be the most beautiful artwork of the Rattanakosin period. The temple is also adjacent to what is called the “Giant Swing,” a relic of the kingdom’s early Brahmin beliefs. It’s located on Bamrung Muang Road.

MAY 2014 | 13

TRAVEL CULTURE

LIGHTING UP THE SKY Bun Bang Fai: Yasothon’s rocket festival

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Lookeast | TRAVEL

biggest and certainly loudest celebrations, Bun Bang Fai, otherwise known as the Rocket Festival.

Bun Bang Fai is celebrated throughout Isan, in northeastern Thailand, as well as in Laos, but it is Yasothon which hosts the biggest party . The festival is a two-day event held on the weekend to ensure that city folks from around the country can go up to enjoy the festivities. The party actually gets going on Friday night, when there are epic “mor lam” country folk music competitions, with plenty of lao kao (rice wine) drinking and traditional

dancing to boot.

Come Saturday morning, there are street processions featuring musicians, dancers, and traditional costumes aplenty.

There are local beauty contests, and food vendors set up market stalls throughout the procession areas. Dozens of floats are paraded throughout the city, many of them bearing large ornamental rockets.

And floats with bawdry phallic symbols, an homage to the fact that Bun Bang Fai is also a pagan fertility festival dating back to pre-Buddhist times, and it is not only fertile crops that the villagers are hoping for.

Dave Stamboulis

T

he beginning of May is the time in Thailand where everyone is desperately praying for rain.

In Bangkok, this is probably because everyone has been parched and heated beyond anything they can take, and since Songkran is over, about the only way to beat the heat is via the icebox. However up in the northeast, May marks the time when farmers begin to get ready for the planting season, and the foremost thing on their minds is the need for an optimal rainy season to ensure healthy and abundant crops. Thus they host one of the country’s

by Dave Stamboulis

Dave Stamboulis

Getting to Yasothon

Dave Stamboulis

The most convenient way to get to Yasothon is by first going to Ubon Ratchathani, which is a 100 kilometers from Yasothon by bus. Nok Air, Air Asia, and Thai Airways all fly several times daily to Ubon. Thai Railways also has sleeper trains and a regular day service from Bangkok to Ubon, and express bus company Nakhon Chai Air has comfortable first-class buses running the route. It takes about an hour and a half from Ubon to Yasothon by local bus.

Dave Stamboulis

Sunday is the main event everyone waits for, and hundreds of locals take out their arsenals. The rockets used for Bun Bang Fai are made out of bamboo, long trunks which have been hollowed out like those that are used for smoking, with PVC casings put around them these days to help reduce the risk of injury or errant explosion. Portions of black gunpowder are densely packed into the rockets, a fuse is attached, and the missiles are then ready for launching. The rockets are wheeled out to the large Phaya Thaen Park, where they are prepared to head skyward. When the gunpowder is lit, the rockets hiss, whistle and, with an explosion of smoke, they are released into the air. The idea is that they will go high into the sky and awaken the gods of rain, who will shower the farmers with prosperity in the form of a bountiful rainy season.

There are various awards given to the rockets, which are divided into small, medium, and then the epic “Lan” rockets, which are around ten meters long and packed with 120 kilograms of gunpowder!

The rockets compete against each other to see which can get the highest, travel the farthest, as well as which one creates the most beautiful smoke plume and vapor trail. Needless to say, the large rockets can be extremely dangerous, especially if anything should go wrong upon takeoff.

There is a tradition at Bung Ban Fai of throwing participants whose rockets fizzle out at the start into a puddle of mud, which is usually seen as a bit of teasing and good-natured joking. However, another reason for this is that, in case of failure, a dumping in the mud also serves as a safety precaution (think cool and wet) in case the rocket launcher has been burned.

The recent Australian-Lao film “The Rocket,” Australia’s submission for Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards, is all about a Bun Bang Fai festival in Laos, and shows just how much a part of local tradition it remains and how important a Bun Bang Fai celebration is to the local community. As Thailand continues to expand, develop, and change at a pace far faster than a flying rocket, upcountry festivals like this are a great way to experience traditional Thailand at its best, with a combination of great hospitality, fun, and a continuation of ritual all set against the backdrop of one great party.

Rocket launch

Colorful bamboo rocket

The Yasothon Bun Bang Fai Festival will take place May 10–11, 2014 For more information, contact the TAT tourism office in Ubon Ratchathani (●045 243770)

MAY 2014 | 15

Lookeast's Archive

TRAVEL FEATURE

DRIVING THE MEKONG Unveiling Thailand’s major river, from the Friendship Highway all the way to Laos.

T

here’s an expression, you can’t see the forest for the trees. I think it’s much the same with the Mekong River. You can’t really see the river when you’re aboard a boat or on a raft. All you see is water. The real way to see the river is to view it from land, to drive along it by car. That’s what I believed, and then people began saying that’s impossible. Roads don’t follow along the Mekong.

I don’t know about the roads in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, but I can now vouch for the roads in Thailand. There are roads, unmarked back roads mostly, that follow close to the river. How certain am I? I rented a car from AVIS and covered near a 1,000 kilometers along the river.

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Lookeast | TRAVEL

by Harold Stephens

I discovered there are not only roads that follow the river, but there’s also a whole field of discovery waiting the adventurer driver. A drive along the Mekong will prove it.

After reaching Nong Khai on the Mekong, via the Friendship Highway, and turning northeast to follow the flow of the river, I discovered the maps I had were useless. A map doesn’t mater. There was little chance of getting lost if we kept the river to the left, and followed any road or trail no matter how small it was, just so it flowed in the general direction of the river, downstream.

The road from Nong Khai turns to the northeast before turning south. The Mekong winds and twists in every which

way. At the Mutmee Guesthouse where I stayed in Nong Khai, I was told that Phnom Phisai, at the 46-kilometer mark, is a village with a strange phenomenon. People come from all around the countryside to see fireballs rise up from the river and lift skyward. It occurs at night, once a year during full moon. Some say the fireballs are nagas, and others with more scientific minds say they are ethylene gas. And there are those who say they are manmade, to fool the public.

There were no fireballs when I arrived, but I did find a fine view of the Mekong. It appeared a big as a lake, void of activity. No boats, not a ferry, not a fishing craft.

With farmlands bordering the river, irrigation is not a problem; fields are lush

Mason Florence

and green. As it was the season for planting, farmers and their families were out in the paddies, knee-deep in water planting rice.

Unaccustomed to visitors, they looked up and waved when I stopped to take photographs.

The foliage is so dense along the river that the trees overhang the road made it appear at times I was driving through a tunnel. The villages I came across were genuine Thai communities: no cars, no 711s, and where kids turned roadways into playing fields.

At the 123-kilometer mark I reached Paksan, and another magnificent view of river. The traffic now was of a different sort, and quite heavy—chickens on the road.

The surface of roads away from the river was mostly concrete, but at times even they turned to gravel. Some were elevated, high above the flood plain.

At Ban Hat the road followed so close to the river that one slight turn of the wheel and I would have landed in it. I stopped often to admire the scenery and take photographs. A few kilometers later the Mekong made a vast curve from the northeast to the southeast, separating this remote corner of Thailand from Laos, and led to Nakhon Phanom, a busy riverside town with a clock tower with writing in Vietnamese. One of our guidebooks in this case was helpful. It mentioned that 20,000 Laotians came across the river and settled in the area in the 1960s. They brought with them not only their writing but a miniature replica of their Triumphal Monument as well—the monument like the one in Vientiane—and placed it smack in the middle of town. When you view the monument from a distance, you swear you are in Vientiane.

The town has a promenade along the river that offers a sweeping view of the Mekong. Across the river on the Laotian side, there is a striking background far in the distance, a limestone rock formation that looks like crouching dragons on the horizon.

I spent the night in a small hotel in town, and early the next morning set out to locate a house some six kilometers from town. But this was no ordinary house. It was the house where Ho Chi Minh, the former president of Vietnam, once lived.

Although the house is a new tourist destination, it apparently sees few tourists.

It’s a bit far off the track, but certainly

worth a visit if you’re interested in history.

A dirt road runs for a hundred meters to the house. In the yard are trees with signs noting that Ho Chi Minh planted this coconut tree here and that caramboia tree over there. From a plaque out front you learn than the Vietnamese leader used the house as his residence between 1923 and1929.

It wasn’t long after leaving Ho Chi Minh’s house that I rounded a bend, looking for the river, when I came suddenly upon a bolder the size of a building, marked Rock Ahong Temple. I drove through the grounds, bewildered at the largest rock garden imaginable. There were neither attendants nor anyone else to explain this amazing gigantic rock garden.

My next surprise appeared to be a Roman coliseum, except instead of marble it was constructed of red stone blocks like those in Khmer temples. Maybe it isn’t as large as a coliseum, but it seemed to be. Above the entrance embossed in gold letters was the name “Our Lady of the Martyrs of Thailand Shrine.”

As I traveled further south, the terrain became hillier and rice fields gave way

to a forest area. By afternoon I reached Mukdahan, a town with immigration and customs facilities where travelers can cross the Mekong to Savannakhet on the Laotian east bank.

My biggest adventure was still ahead, like the icing on a cake. It was in the Khong Jiam district, where the Mum River flows into the Mekong. They call the place Pha Taem Cave, but it really isn’t a cave at all.

It’s a sheer cliff with a towering overhang.

Pha Taem is the biggest prehistoric rockpainting site in Thailand. A 500-meter trail descends from the cliff edge to the base. It was here, 3,000 to 4,000 years ago, when Rome was still an outpost of Macedonia, that prehistoric man once tread. And when you look up at the wall of the cliff, you see where early man left his mark.

A kilometer or two down river from the cliff, the Mekong River turns sharply to the east and enters Laos, no longer the boundary between Thailand and Laos.

The river turned east, and I turned west, and made my way back to Bangkok, filled with my own private thoughts. What a remarkable drive!

MAY 2014 | 17

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) Thailand

TRAVEL FEATURE

Marina Bay Sands

SLEEP, EAT, PLAY IN THE GARDEN LION CITY All you need to know to make the most out of Singapore by sleeping like a star and eating like a local.

by Laurence Civil

L

ocated one degree north of the equator, the Republic of Singapore consists of 63 islands, with the main one being known as Singapore Island. Since 1996 Singapore has been realizing its vision to become a Garden City by creating a city in a garden. The English name Singapore is derived from the Malay word “Singapura,” which means Lion City, hence the origin of the republic’s nickname.

Due to its geographical location, Singapore is one of the world’s major commercial hubs and its fourth biggest financial center; it has one of the five busiest ports; the third highest per capita income in the world; and is internationally highly regarded for her education, healthcare, government transparency, and economic competitiveness. One of Singapore’s more recent wealth accolades was being recognized as the world’s most expensive city, but that was more in the context of property prices. Let us show you how even a tourist on a budget can have fun in Singapore.

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Sleep Like a Star

We have selected four places for you to rest your head that reflect the qualities that define Singapore’s character: ● Raffles Singapore (●1 Beach Road, Singapore, +65 6337 1886, singapore@raffles.com) Having opened the Eastern & Oriental in Penang, the Armenian Sarkies brothers took over an old 10-bedroom bungalow on the corner of Beach and Bras Basah roads and opened Raffles on December 1, 1887, and named it after Singapore’s founder Sir Stamford Raffles. Joseph Conrad, then the a seaman plying the Eastern seas, was believed to be one of their earliest guests; on a round-the-world trip, the young Rudyard Kipling dined at the hotel and wrote the immortal words “Feed at Raffles.” In 1899, the familiar main building was completed and boasted to be the first place in Singapore with electric lights, fans, and a French chef.

The Singapore Sling was created

before 1915 by Ngiam Tong Boon, a Hainanese bartender, as a long drink masked to look like a fruit punch because at that time women weren’t meant to be seen drinking alcohol in public. It’s said you haven’t visited Singapore if you haven’t had a Singapore Sling at Raffle’s Long Bar.

In 1987 the Singapore government recognized the hotel as National Monument, and a stay here gives guests the chance to enjoy the feel of Singapore’s colonial past. ● Hotel Fort Canning (●11 Canning Walk, Singapore, +65 6559 6770, contact@hfcsingapore.com) Fort Canning Park is one of Singapore’s most historic landmarks. In the Golden Age it was where the Malay kings ruled from its peak overlooking the island. The military building, in which the hotel is, was built in 1926 as the administration building of the British Far East Command HQ. After independence, in 1965, the building was taken over by the Singapore Armed Forces;

High... Hideaway

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort 208/66 Moo 4, Maret, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84310 Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 77-960-555 Fax: +66 (0) 77-960-055 Email: info@silavadeeresort.com, rsvn@silavadeeresort.com www.silavadeeresort.com

in 1970, it was used by the Singapore Command & Staff College (SCSC); and in 1976, the SCSC moved out of the building.

It remained unoccupied until 1995, where it housed Fort Canning Country Club.

In November 2002, the present owners took over the premises and launched a premium members-only town club called The Legends Fort Canning Park. The restored heritage building reopened in July 2011 as Hotel Fort Canning, along with the stunning Glass House. The conservation building was styled by award-winning DP Architects. A unique feature is that the former terraces were encased in picture windows to be the bathrooms, with a standalone bathtub center stage, offering panoramic views of the park or city skyline. Staying here offers a unique stay in an exquisite former British military building. ● Parkroyal on Pickering (●3 Upper Pickering Street, Singapore, +65 6809 8888, www.parkroyalhotels.com) Centrally located between Chinatown and the Singapore River, Parkroyal on Pickering is a few minutes’ walk from Clarke Quay MRT and comfortable walking distance from both Clarke and Boat Quay’s nightlife. Designed by the awardwinning architectural firm, WOHA, this was Singapore’s first hotel-in-a-garden: the initial step forward to achieving the national vision of a city-in-a-garden.

The hotel’s foliage robe mirrors the green area of Hong Lim Park. And being green has both environmental and practical benefits: 15,000 square meters of lofty four-story tall sky-gardens, reflecting pools, waterfalls, planter terraces, and cascading vertical greenery all reduce energy consumption for cooling guests.

The roof terraces offer a lush landscaped recreational area for guests, while insulation the upper story of the building from direct heat gain. Lush tropical foliage accounts for more than two hundred percent of the hotel’s total land area, unprecedented numbers in a built-up city center. Its careful design has created the right balance for a resort-style hotel in an urban setting. ● Marina Bay Sands (●10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore, +65 6688 8868, www.marinabaysands.com)

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Raffles Singapore

TRAVEL FEATURE

Raffles Singapore

Marina Bay Sands was one of two winning proposals for Singapore’s first integrated resorts (hotels with casinos for those sensitive to gambling), the other being the Resorts World Sentosa, which incorporates Universal Studios Theme Park. Singapore has no problem with foreigners gambling; they just try to dissuade locals from entering the gaming floor by charging SGD 100.

Marina Bay Sands was developed by Las Vegas Sands (LVS). Costing USD 5.7 billion, it is the world’s most expensive building. Opened in 2010, the complex is home to a hotel, convention and exhibition facilities, theatres, entertainment venues, retailers, and restaurants. For tourists, a stay here isn’t complete without a Facebook selfie in the pool, with the Singapore skyline—Singapore’s answer to Dubai’s Burj Al Arab—in the background.

Moshe Safdie’s design was inspired by the form of a deck of cards although the more cynical refer to it dismissively as “Titanic in the Sky.” Love it or hate it, Marina Bay Sands is an icon of Singapore’s modern tourism.

Eat Like a Local

To get insight into how locals eat, we invited Caleb Leong Yeowan, a graduation year fashion design student at Lasalle College of the Arts, to share his recommendations: ● Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant (●201 Keppel Road, Singapore, Tel +65 6272 8822/8988)

Walking distance from Vivocity and St. James Power Station, it has become a favorite spot for a multi-generation family gathering. The vast array of dim sum options that is only available in the day, is delicately created and monitored by their Hong Kong Master Chef, Chef Chan Sung Og. ● Timbre @ The Arts House (●1 Old Parliament Lane 01–04, Singapore, +65 6336 3386) Situated along the Singapore River, opposite the bustling Boat Quay area, Timbre offers Western cuisine inspired by the Asian palate. Their half-and-half pizza allows guests to create their own pizzas with two flavors from the menu. A personal recommendation is roasted duck pizza, with the sweetness of the tender duck meat balanced by the saltiness of the hoisin sauce; try it with Hawaiian BBQ on the other half. Timbre is an advocate in supporting the Singapore’s arts scene by only hiring local bands. ● Food for Thought @ National Museum of Singapore (●93 Stamford Road 01–04/05, Singapore) A new wing added on to the existing colonial architecture shows how the past and present can co-exist in a similar space, and like the architecture, the menu is a unique fusion of old and new. Try their crispy (curry flavored) chicken cutlet, served with equally spicy chili fries;

The Singapore Sling

Eating at Best ● Restaurant Andre (●41 Bukhit Pasoh Road, Singapore, +65 6534 8880, www.restaurantandre.com)

The popular chili crab

Asian-flavored man tou (their take on the gourmet burger/sandwiches) like the spicy braised pork belly, or sambal prawn & spice ikan bilis; or their pancakes with no maple syrup, Malay kwehs, and desserts. ● Ding Tai Fung (●Full listing at www.dintaifung.com.sg) A Taiwanese franchise offering affordably priced savory Chinese cuisine. Despite the number of outlets, they aim to offer consistent quality of food and service. Their signature xiao long bao can be seen from making to plating with a minimum of 18 folds. A family-friendly restaurant—expect to queue early for a table at lunchtime. ● Ya Kun Kaya and Toast (●Full listing at www.yakun.com)

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Their menu remains unchanged from the first store at Telok Ayer Basin. While others toast bread, they remain loyal to the tradition of grilling it, while spreading a layer of their famous kaya: salty butter, plus two half-boiled eggs (still slightly runny to mid) with a dash of pepper and a few drops of dark soya stirred together to create a liquid. Ya Kun also serves a variation of fragrant coffee and tea. If you have fallen in love with the kaya, you can also get yourself a bottle to take home. ● Spize @ River Valley (●409 River Valley Road, Singapore, +65 6734 9194) Just a stone’s throw from Clarke Quay, the menu at Spize is reflects Singapore’s multiethnic cuisine. From a simple Chinese

Should you fancy a culinary indulgence, maybe consider recently awarded 6th place in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants—the highest-placed restaurant in Singapore. The key characteristics of Taiwan-born Andre Chiang’s gastronomy are: unique, texture, memory, pure, terroir, salt, south, and artisan. Through his dishes, Chiang explores the role these characteristics play in his food, and in gastronomy as a whole, whether it be in the grilled Taiwanese baby corn for “artisan”; lobster, potato gnocchi, and caviar for “texture”; or foie gras jelly with truffles for “memory”. Each dish could equally come under the name “simple,” with none containing more than a handful of ingredients in order not to drown each other out. Accompanying wines are of the natural variety and have been sourced from little-known artisanal vineyards. dish of baby kailan with oyster sauce, or a Malay mee goreng. If you crave Indian, you can choose from a range of prata from the normal plain to a sweet dessert prata or a tissue prata! Or perhaps just regular burger and chips, or a selection tangy, spicy Thai food.

Raffles Singapore

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) Thailand

TRAVEL FEATURE

st

St. Regis Singapore

HOTELS CHECKING IN

Penthouse Executive Deluxe Room

The Sought-After Address Home to one of the finest private art collections in Asia, the St. Regis Singapore is not just another grand Singaporean hotel. Here’s why.

T

he discerning traveler arriving into Singapore would have prebooked one of the Continental Flying Spur Bentley motorcars from the St. Regis’ fleet to speed them effortlessly to the hotel.

As the car pulls to a stop there, is a barely audible click as the passenger’s door is opened, and the guest is graciously welcomed to the St. Regis Singapore (●29 Tanglin Road, Singapore, +65 6506 6818, www.stregis.com/Singapore) before being escorted directly to their room to complete a minimal check-in.

It’s at this point that the guest is introduced to their personal butler, who

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by Laurence Civil is ever present when needed, and who becomes invisible when appropriate. It’s this bespoke service—unique in Singapore to the St. Regis—which makes the stay very special. No matter which of the 299 luxuriously appointed rooms and suites a guest may have chosen, they are guaranteed a flawless stay experience.

Designed by internationally acclaimed architects WATG, and with interiors

by Wilson Associates, the interior is sublime. Their bathrooms are very special: decorated in French marble, and what makes the difference are the majestic freestanding bathtub and separate jet massage shower, and the TV installed as part of the

mirror and generous double basin.

The original bloody mary was created in the legendary King Cole Bar of the St. Regis New York, and with time the cocktail has become embedded in the St. Regis’ DNA, with each hotel worldwide creating its signature version based on local flavors. Here, it’s the chili padi mary, inspired by the myriad of influences found in Singaporean culture, at the crossroads of Asia. A combination of lemongrass, chili padi, and ginger give this cocktail a distinctive spiciness that reflects Singapore’s eclectic cuisine. It’s served in the Astor Bar—named after the St. Regis’ founder, John Jacob Astor IV—and it

Specialty Suite Living Room

Astor Bar

exudes the sophistication and elegance that makes this the choice venue of the influential and well heeled.

This is not just another grand Singaporean hotel: it remains faithful to the founders’ vision that the stay has to be special. It should be a place where gentlemen—and to be politically correct today, where ladies too—and their families could feel as comfortable as they would as guests in a private home.

Taking its cue from New York, the St. Regis Singapore houses one of the finest private art collections in Asia. More than a hundred original paintings and sculptures from famous artists such as Colombian artist Fernando Botero, French painter Marc Chagall, American architect Frank Gehry, Chinese modern painter Gu Gan, as well as pioneering Singaporean artists Chen Wen Hsi and Georgette Chan, all carefully selected to enhance the graceful elegance of the hotel’s interior.

The culinary portfolio is in the same

St. Regis Singapore

Specialty Suite Writing Desk

style. The divinely elegant Brasseries Les Saveurs, the hotel’s signature restaurant, with the perfect view looking out through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the lush tropical garden and sparkling fountains. The wealth of natural daylight changes the mood due the time of the sun. Decorated with hand-cut crystal chandeliers and stunningly beautiful floral decorations, the dining room epitomizes European elegance. The fare is a modern interpretation of classic French cuisine.

For hors d’oevres, try foie gras poêle, pan-seared duck foie gras with the traditional green apple and rhubarb compote; Sauternes reduction with brioche toast; or perhaps bouillabaisse façcon les saveurs, fisherman’s seafood stew slowly simmered with fennel and saffron.

Or for a special epicurean moment, indulge your taste buds with homard thermidor, Boston lobster flamed with cognac, mushroom béchamel with gratinée gruyère; alternatively, there is filet mignon

sauce au poivre, grilled beef tenderloin served with truffled mashed potatoes, tiny green beans, and peppercorn sauce. And don’t forget the Australian prime rib carved tableside from the trolley. The restaurant also has a cellar of the finest wines to match the fare.

The afternoon tea was inspired by Caroline Astor, wife of the founder of St. Regis, and is now an important ritual at the St. Regis DNA. Afternoon tea is an English three-course meal starting with finger sandwiches, then scones with clotted cream and homemade jam, finishing with cake and pastries. The sandwich course of The Grand Astor Afternoon is presented on a three-tier silver stand. The precisely cut sandwiches are filled with sliced tomato and cucumber, smoked salmon with dill cream, oven-roasted chicken with chicken, and creamy egg with chives. From the scones bar, guests can select from pesto and Parmesan, blackcurrant and lemon pistachio, and cranberry and Perigord black summer truffles complemented by such delights as rhubarb and vanilla, passion fruit and mango, and apricot and thyme seasonal homemade jams, and of course the obligatory clotted cream.

The St. Regis Singapore has a uniquely palatial residential yet comfortable ambience where the guest feels at home.

MAY 2014 | 25

Sansiri

HOTELS CHECKING IN

The Red Coral Restaurant & Lantern Bar

Five Reasons to ESCAPE to Hua Hin At Sansiri’s newest hotel, ESCAPE Hua Hin, age-old tradition coexists with modern-day comfort.

Prawn satay

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Cinnamon Beach Caipirisma

Sansiri

by Coco Lavender

Five Drinks You Can’t Miss

● Escape Delight: A mix of strawberry, pineapple, and a generous pour of Cuban rum. Served frozen. ● Sweetest Guy: An absolute treat for those with a sweet tooth: vanilla-flavored vodka blended with Oreo cookies and banana liqueur. A true dessert in the form of a drink. Served frozen. ● Red Coral: Named after the restaurant, the carefully concocted Red Coral consists of premium Havana Club 7 Años rum shaken with Fragata preserves and Thai basil leaves, and a hint of vanilla. ● Cinnamon Beach Caipirisma: The staff’s favorite drink, made with cinnamon powder with brown sugar. A cocktail that is hard to resist once you have experienced its sweet bite. Served strong. ● Piña Colada: Yet another rum classic that was tweaked with the addition of sweet coconut liqueur. The ideal companion for a sunny day. Served frozen.

Sun room

The lobby

H

ua Hin has been regarded as one of Thailand’s foremost seaside destinations for decades. What once was a small fishing village has evolved into a first-rate tropical resort town that charms visitors the world over. Today, Hua Hin is both a popular destination for families looking for a relaxing vacation and a hip seaside spot that attracts tourists, shoppers, and food lovers.

Sansiri has decided to enter the hotel business with the launch of “ESCAPE, Hotel Collection by Sansiri.” Khao Yai and Hua Hin are the first two locations chosen to pioneer this concept of mid-scale design hotels and resorts.

Designed under the concept “Heritage Fishing Village of Thailand,” ESCAPE Hua Hin (●25/2 Petchakasem Road, Hua Hin, 032 519 061, www.escape-hotel.com) reminds guests of the small fishing village Hua Hin was over 100 years ago, although with modern-day comforts.

The Red Coral Restaurant & Lantern Bar incorporates bright colors, also reminiscent of a lively fishing village. The restaurant and bar sit directly beside the hotel’s expansive swimming pool, evoking a relaxing waterfront atmosphere that echoes the tranquillity of the nearby ocean.

Red Coral offers a fine selection of Thai and international dishes, as well as signature cocktails created by Thailand’s famed bartender and mixologist Niks Anuman-Rajadhon, owner of the internationally renowned Vice Versa bartending company. Each of these drinks was inspired by Hua Hin’s charming characteristics, complementing the ESCAPE Hua Hin experience with tastes that will linger in your mind long after you check out.

Sansiri

Five Dishes You Must Try

● ESCAPE grilled pork: Served sizzling hot with a flavorful sauce ● Fresh prawn somtam: Hot and spicy papaya salad with fresh prawns ● Sea bass steak: Served with a garlic lemon and caper sauce ● Australian tenderloin steak: Imported premium beef steak with pepper sauce ● Prawn satay: Fresh prawns barbecued with coconut sauce

Ice Cream with Alcohol, Anyone? Choose from These Five

● Sangria: Red wine, cinnamon, red wine, brandy (sorbet) ● Pomme De La Passion: Apple, passion fruit, brandy (sorbet) ● Pear Bellini: Pear, sage, Champagne (sorbet) ● Irresistible Earl Grey: Earl Grey, dark chocolate, butterscotch, gin ● White Chocolate Cassis: White chocolate, blueberry, gin, crème de cassis Developed in line with the underlying concept of “Symphony of Harmony,” the ESCAPE Hotel Collection by Sansiri aspires to impress guests through all of their five senses: ● Sight ● Taste ● Smell ● Sound ● Touch MAY 2014 | 27

Hansar Pranburi

HOTELS CHECKING IN

The swimming pool

Hidden Gem of Pranburi Located on a secluded beach, Hansar Pranburi is one of those places that you want to visit quickly before they get too popular.

by Maia Kara

A

The facade

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local legend says that once upon a time, giant Mong Li and his wife lived on the western coast of the Gulf of Thailand, and they had a beautiful daughter. The father promised his daughter’s hand in marriage to the emperor of China, while his wife betrothed her to Chao Lai. On the day of the wedding ceremony, both men arrived to Mong Li’s house. The giant was furious and, in rage, cut his daughter into two halves. One of the beautiful daughter’s halves turned into legendary Nom Sao island. And, deeply in sorrow, Chao Lai turned himself into a hill facing Sam Roi Yot beach.

The newest addition to Hansar Hotels & Resorts collection, Hansar Pranburi (●Sam Roi Yot sub-district, Ban Sam Roi Yot, Prachuap, Khiri Khan, 02 209 1234, www.hansarpranburi.com), is nestled against 300 peaks of the Sam Roi Yot National Park, facing a 900-meter stretch of private beach, protected at the back by verdant mountain. Originally built as a vacation house by a British gentlemen, the property was recently acquired by Hansar and transformed into a

The Bay Restaurant and Monkey Bar

Room with a view of Nom Sao island

Honeymoon Suite

Area next to the pool

17-room boutique resort. After a three-hour drive—which can conveniently be arranged

by Hansar in a minivan—from bustling Bangkok, you can be in this secluded piece of paradise that has not yet been invaded by tourists.

Out of the resort’s 17 rooms, nine are beachfront villas and, eight are two-story bungalows, each type with something different. While the villa’s top-floor houses the Honeymoon Suite, which features an outdoor Jacuzzi and open views of the sea, the upper-story bungalows all have private sky terraces. White dominates the interior and exterior architecture of the building, with walls molded to resemble the waves of the sea, or traces left by the wind on the sand. Hence, the building seems to be a natural continuation of the beach. Hansar Pranburi embraced the Hansar philosophy of “offering genuine, personalized, unpretentious service in the tradition of Thai hospitality, tailored to each guest’s needs.” The hotel offers additional perks

such as free Wi-Fi, in-suite mini bar and snacks replenished daily, fresh fruits, bottled water, and full service breakfast at no cost to guests.

After a day out exploring the wonders of the Sam Roi Yot National Park, it is nice to unwind at the 25-meter infinity edge salted swimming pool that offers beautiful vistas of the beach. Or indulge in one of the signature treatments from LUXSA Spa, which are available in-room or at the beach.

Due to its secluded location, Hansar Pranburi is perfect for a romantic getaway.

Or dream bigger: rent the whole resort for a perfect wedding at the beach. Whatever activity (or food craving) you have in mind, the hotel’s staff will arrange it for you.

The hotel offers a boat ride around the legendary islands of Sam Roi Yot National Park, which is highly recommended. And a visit to Phraya Nakhon Cave—where you’ll be able to walk the paths that kings Rama V, Rama VII and Rama IX also

took—is a must. Kayaking to the nearest islands followed by a short trek to explore the surroundings will amuse some, while others looking forward to rekindle romance would most likely opt for a romantic walk by the beach at sunset, followed by a luxury picnic dinner.

The menu of Hansar Pranburi’s Bay restaurant offers Thai and international classics, with a choice of various local seafood dishes. The menu was designed by Hansar Group’s Executive Chef, Charles Christaens, and the Monkey Bar features Hansar’s most popular cocktails with a twist.

Hansar Pranburi, the newest property in the area, opened its doors to its first guests right before Songkran. It stands out due to its exquisite design, prime beach location, and attentive service. If you are looking for a relaxing holiday in a natural paradise, hurry up and check out this property by taking advantage of its opening promotional prices. As for me, I look forward to going back soon.

MAY 2014 | 29

HOTELS CHECKING IN

xxx

Seafront Pool Villa

Free-form Pool

Island Life at its Best The Tongsai Bay is one of the most innovative resorts of Koh Samui.

Here’s why.

T

he first time you approach The Tongsai Bay (●84 Moo 5, Bo Phut, Ko Samui, 077 245 480, www.tongsaibay.co.th), a sense of serendipity washes over you for you are suddenly aware that you are about to enter an extraordinary world.

It is not only because this resort is truly secluded from the rest of the frenzy of development of Samui, with its 200-meter long private beach near pristine in its isolation. It is not only because the sea is free to sing its songs without a background blare of motorized water vehicles. It is xxx the resort’s 25 acres have not just because

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been landscaped in ways that allow nature to reign verdant and supreme around the inviting architecture of its suites, cottages and villas.

It is all of this and much more.

One can say that The Tongsai Bay is both the oldest and most innovative resort on Samui. For centuries, fish, coconuts and rubber were the island’s mainstay.

Its tropical jungle terrain knew no road until the early 1970s. In the 1980s, lured

by Samui’s spectacular scenery and laidback lifestyle, travelers began to arrive in growing numbers and tourism began its ascent into the dominant industry it is

today. One of those visitors was Chairman Akorn Hontrakool of The Imperial Group, leading hotel chain, who was captivated by the dream of building Tongsai Bay.

Seeing far into the future, he not only commissioned the development of the island’s first five-star property, but chose to base its foundation on preserving the very nature into which it was placed. Thus The Tongsai Bay has always been committed to working with, and for, the environment.

And while today the resort lies only ten minutes from both the international airport and the bustling town of Chaweng Beach, even after over a quarter century The

Po-Lad Beach Bistro

water, read that long-awaited novel on a chaise longue, paddle or hike, or not do anything at all and simply breathe the sea air and be in the moment, there really is something for each guest at The Tongsai Bay.

With such inviting surroundings, accommodations, and facilities, it is not surprising that many of those who come to stay at Tongsai Bay are return guests, both from Thailand and abroad. And then there are those couples who come here to get married, for the resort is expert at arranging gorgeous and memorable weddings, both western and Thai style, on the beach or indoors, intimate or for up to 100 guests. Of course the newlyweds are already on site for the honeymoon...

To celebrate not only weddings but any festive occasion or simply a holiday at the beach, the cooking at The Tongsai Bay reflects the care and attention to detail that discerning diners are accustomed to. The resort’s chefs are noted for their expertise and creativity in the kitchens. Thai cuisine as it should be, traditional and suffused with herbs, spices and garden freshness, is on the menu at Chef Chom’s Thai Restaurant, while Po-Lad Beach Bistro & Bar serve western, Chinese and Thai dishes that accent sea and land in gourmet fusion.

Yet there is another venue for the variety of culinary indulgences that are offered: in the privacy of your own accommodation, with a chef presiding over the creation of

your meal whether poolside, indoors by candlelight, or on your terrace under the stars.

Days and nights at The Tongsai Bay are meant to be savored.

And when, too soon, the time comes for you to leave this idyllic haven, there is a comforting thought to take along. Perhaps you too will return.

The Tongsai Bay

Tongsai Bay is still secluded, a unique idyll hidden away from the traffic and noises of progress.

Built with respect for the natural inclinations of the land, the grounds of the resort offer a quasi-paradise of carefully preserved and cultivated vegetation. A myriad of blooms, luxuriant trees, and a peaceful lily pond color the palette of landward views. Every turn on the path offers new horticultural pleasures. Part of it is edible, too, for an enormous organic herb and vegetable garden provides the freshest ingredients for the resort’s inspired kitchens. Recycling and composting are also essential aspects of respecting the property. Indeed, The Tongsai Bay is the initiator of the Green Project set up to urge those on the island to be aware of and support the delicate balance among flora and fauna. After all, even an island paradise needs helping hands to maintain its glory.

But of course it is the water and serene seaside that are the other star attractions of any stay at Tongsai Bay. The resort is meticulous in keeping its private beach clean so that your steps are soft upon the sand; your eyes and mind are free to consider the horizon. Or you might choose to watch sea meet sky while you enjoy a characterful cocktail on one of the restaurant terraces or from your own balcony or deck. There is too an intriguing choice of poolsides from which to gaze at the Gulf of Thailand—at sea level or halfway up the hillside, Adults Only for the latter. Then, of course, there are the villas with private pools...

As if all this weren’t already more than enough for a brilliant island stay, the resort offers guests an array of activities.

Kayaks, Hobie Cats, windsurfers, and snorkeling equipment are available as the weather permits. Closer to shore, foremost on the to-do list is the Prana Spa, set amidst the greenery, where well-being and pampering go hand in hand. For the more actively inclined, there is a hillside tennis court with such a stunning view of the bay that you might miss a ball or two, or three. A fitness room is there for those who prefer indoor exercise, and for those who like a more creative approach, Thai cooking classes with master chefs present a different type of hands-on experience.

Then, too, tours of the island itself are on offer. So whether you want to float in the

The Tongsai Bay

ADVERTORIAL

McGuigan Cottage

The McGuigan Cottage is closest to the ocean and boasts a spellbinding panorama of Tongsai Bay. On its terrace, in addition to the signature "bath with a view", a private pool and a gazebo with netting are there to let you experience dreaming under the stars, lulled by the sounds of the sea.

The Tongsai Bay was among the winners in the Romance category in the 2014 Travelers' Choice awards.

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David Lyman

TRAVEL MY FAVORITE PLACE

MY HOUSE OF THE RAINFOREST Located in Nichada Thani, the property was designed to blend with the surrounding tropical environment.

I

by David Lyman

was fortunate to have been brought to Thailand as a child back in May 1949 by my parents, who took up the practice of law here. In July 1951 they purchased the law firm of Tilleke & Gibbins. After completing law school in San Francisco, California, and learning the basics of the practice for two years in neighboring Oakland, I returned to Thailand in August 1967 to join my parents at Tilleke & Gibbins, where I have remained ever since.

Having decided to make Thailand my home and having lived in rented homes for many years after my return, in the mid1980s I decided it was time to build my own home on the land that is now Nichada Thani.

From the beginning, the house was conceived to look as if it had been dropped into the middle of a rainforest in this tropical paradise. The house was to exude the feel of a lived-in, comfortable, inviting, relaxing home for our family, guests and pets, blending with a natural tropical environment. It is a large, open residence.

This design both gives the impression of spaciousness and is meant to encourage airflow. The house is built around a central atrium garden and set in a tropical rainforest that surrounds it on all sides and is viewable from all rooms. More than

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200 species of trees, shrubs, and plants are represented in the rainforest. The house was designed to be inviting for entertaining on a large scale, to be cool and environmentally friendly, and to require low maintenance while using as little as possible of endangered species as building materials.

The sound of running water can be heard cascading down small waterfalls flowing across nine ponds meandering through the rainforest outside (our great, gray-green Limpopo River), and three more ponds on the floor of the indoor atrium. Our house of the rainforest is indeed a respite from the concrete jungle of urban life in Bangkok.

My house of the rainforest is far and above my favorite place in the entire world. I love to sit on the veranda in the mornings and just gaze at the green life of the trees and plants, listen to the birdsong and the rushing water of the stream, and watch the squirrels and lizards scampering through the trees and among the plants while enjoying the company of our dogs. Yes, being a rainforest we are visited by the occasional snake, but they do not linger, and our elephants come down from Ayutthaya once a year in January to visit with our guests at our annual garden party.

Tips for Traveling in Thailand Must-do: Get out and see what Thailand has to offer Don’t do: Don’t harbor a closed mind Must-see: What is left of the great forests and natural flora and fauna beauty of Thailand Eat and drink at: Fantastic restaurants that abound for all palates and pocketbooks—from street food and open markets, to plain and fancy restaurants serving cuisines from around the world.

TRAVEL COVER STORY

Bliss by the Beach

Sun-kissed Samui remains a top lure for global travelers, whether they are on pure pleasure pursuit, a romantic rendezvous, an eco-tourism escape, a sports-oriented trip, or a health and medical holiday.

Dave Stamboulis

by Percy Roxas

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K

oh Samui continues to surge in popularity among global travelers despite the reverse in Bangkok, where the political stalemate is ongoing. And the figures support it. Hotel occupancy for Koh Samui—as well as for other top southern Thai destinations such as Phuket and Krabi—has been 98 percent on average, and rising, say Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) records for the first quarter alone.

Indeed, through the years, Samui has been keeping its promise of an unforgettable Asian holiday on a sunkissed tropical island hideaway. “A gorgeous island on the Gulf of Thailand—it doesn’t get any better than this,” says one international travel award-giving body, after recently giving Koh Samui a nod as one of Asia’s top island destinations.

And a trip to the island seems to promise even better and better indeed.

While the beaches and the islands are still the island’s premier draw, Samui definitely has more to offer. More than just pristine beaches and islands and ultra-luxurious resorts and tourist services, Samui has been enhancing its attractions nonstop by increasing the number of activities visitors can enjoy, and developing the facilities for them to experience.

Formerly known as “Coconut Island,” Samui now offers a great deal more than watching monkeys, harvesting coconuts, learning Thai boxing or cooking, or even just doing yoga and relaxing in a range of lovely spas. There is something for you in Samui, whether you are on a health and medical holiday, an eco-tourism escape, a romantic rendezvous, a community-based journey, a sports-oriented trip, or are just in pursuit of pure pleasure.

The island promotes all these options while still enjoining all to help preserve and conserve its natural beauty and resources. Samui operates as a “green” island.

Banyan Tree Samui

More Events and Activities

The island especially beckons those energetic types who seek sporting action and thrills. This May, the island is ready to roar to life with events such as the 6th Samui Bike Week from May 2 to 3 (Bophut), the Samui Regatta held May 25

to 31 (Chaweng), the Samui Beach-Bike Festival on May 24 and 25 (Lamai), and the Cancer Care Run on May 31 (Nathon).

These are but a few of the activities on offer as the island’s tourism authorities continue to pump up sports and adventure activities to attract even more tourists to this fun island.

Let us not forget that Samui is just minutes from Koh Phangan, famous for its Full Moon parties, and Koh Tao, the diver’s paradise. These islands also organize their own sports and adventure activities.

Activities are not confined to sports.

In fact, the island just wrapped up the Samui Fine Dining Festival, during which discerning visitors experienced a broad range of culinary delights prepared by some of the world’s best chefs in some of the island’s best restaurants. Similar activities can be found on the island’s full-year calendar.

Amorous Rendezvous

Samui is an ideal setting for a romantic escape, and there is a delightful mix of activities and world-class dining, with the perfect combination of sea, sun, and sand that makes the island a desirable destination for anyone, especially couples.

Those planning a memorable wedding, honeymoon or anniversary celebration, or those who just want to enjoy a romantic getaway, can stay at some of the world’s most romantic resorts, such as Anantara Lawana Resort & Spa, which won the title “Asia’s Most Romantic Resort” at the 2013 World Travel Awards.

But it is not the only resort here that offers luxury accommodation and personalized activities for vacations à deux.

This year, for example, several Samui hotels and resorts have been nominated for the “Best Hotel” category by Travel + Leisure magazine’s “World’s Best” awards and by other award-giving bodies. These include the Conrad Koh Samui and Renaissance Koh Samui Resort and Spa.

Indulgent Spas and Wellness Oases Many Samui hotels do more than just create a perfect backdrop for dream weddings and blissful honeymoons. And Samui’s better beaches are lined with

MAY 2014 | 35

resorts and hotels that pamper, such as Kamalaya, which was nominated in the Best Spa category. Nearly each hotel is a spa destination in its own right, including the Silavadee Resort, Amari Palm Reef Samui, and Centara Grand Beach Resort & Spa on Chaweng, the island’s most popular beach.

One need not explore deeper to see that the island teems with spa, health and wellness facilities. While most highlight the world-famous Thai massage treatments, others specialize in cosmetic solutions, detox and de-stressing treatments; still others focus on helping the average Joe and Jane meet whatever their health requirements are.

And of course, just being on any of the lovely beaches, enjoying the clear blue sea and skies under a canopy of swaying coconut and palm trees is relaxing on its own.

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Beaches and Islands

Chaweng Beach’s beautiful long beach, approximately seven kilometers long, has been the talk of the world for years, attracting young travelers and families alike while remaining good value for money. The beach is very relaxing but noticeably more touristy during the high season with its concentration of restaurants, bars, souvenir shops and of course, fast food, and convenience stores— the greatest on Samui. But it’s still the beach to be if you want to show off that you have been to Samui. It’s where the action is, and modern travelers will love that hotels here, like the Library, are becoming more modern, hipper, and trendier by the day.

Lamai is comparatively tamer than Chaweng, especially as far as nightlife is concerned. And while the beach here is

Tourism Authority of Thailand

Lookeast's Archive

TRAVEL COVER STORY

a bit rougher and the water deeper, it’s an excellent location for swimming and beachcombing. It’s also great for walking as it is not as large as Chaweng. The strangely shaped rock formations of Hinta-Hinyai— perhaps Samui’s most photographed landmark—are located at the southern end of Lamai. Many family holidaymakers stay in Lamai, in hotels such as the Banyan Tree Samui.

But an increasing number of family holidaymakers tend to gravitate towards the Bophut Beach area, especially in Fisherman’s Village where a large concentration of tourist facilities and many great restaurants have proliferated.

Bophut’s atmosphere comes from the preservation of old houses and traditional fishing village life even in the midst of touristic development.

For those whose idea of fun is something like enjoying breathtaking sunsets, Lipa Noi—which was a quiet fishing village until a few years ago—is perfect. It fact, it was probably because of the gorgeous sunsets that Lipa Noi Beach was chosen as the perfect setting for the tranquil and plush comforts of hotels such as Nikki Beach Hotel.

Of course, mention must be given to other beaches, which are quieter and more subdued, perfect for those in search of peace and tranquility: Mae Rim, Choeng Mon, and the many less developed beaches elsewhere on the island.

Samui, a fun island to visit—now more than ever!

Choengmon Beach, Koh Samui, Thailand

Spice Zone Beach Restaurant Nestled in a beautiful tropical garden on the beachfront, Spice Zone Beach Restuarant welcomes you to the world of finest Thai Cuisine, fresh seafood and delectable international dishes.

Open daily:

06:30-23:30 hrs.

Ciccio Pizzeria Experience the finest signature Italian cuisine and variety of pizza selection with signature dough ready to be served right from a wood fired oven.

Open daily:

15:00-23:00 hrs.

Samui Sailor Grill & Restaurant At Samui Sailor Grill & Restaurant, a world of fresh seafood and authentic Thai & international dishes await for your memorable dining experience.

Open daily: 15:00-23:00 hrs.

To public beach Bank of Ayudhya

Choengmon Beach, Koh Samui +66 7742 8700 E-mail : rsvn_msv@muangsamui.com www.muangsamui.com

Dave Stamboulis

TRAVEL COVER STORY

Ang Thong National Marine Park

Koh Samui Mini Guide From romantic getaways and pampering retreats, to being a great spot for jumping off to a popular Full Moon Party celebrated nearby, Samui offers a bit of everything.

I

t may be well developed and at times overpriced, but Koh Samui is still known as Thailand’s premier island retreat. Set just off the coast of Surat Thani province, in the Gulf of Thailand, Samui blends a great mix of lavish resorts, top-notch restaurants, and gorgeous wellness spas with some of the country’s nicest beaches and lush jungle scenery.

Night and day, Samui offers plenty to do and is noted for its romantic getaways and pampering retreats. While it may no longer be the untouched backpacker haven it became known as in the 1970s, Thailand’s third largest island still knows how to please and really comes into its own

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By Dave Stamboulis during the hot summer months, when the gulf waters are at their most emerald and inviting.

Why Go

Koh Samui offers a bit of everything, making it a good choice for a vacation with options. The island is quite large, with most of the action happening at Chaweng and Lamai beaches. Chaweng has boutique shopping, fast food outlets, and nonstop nightlife, and it is chock-a-block with resorts for just about every budget. Lamai is also very built up but with a slightly better beach. If you want something quieter, opt for Mae Rim, Choeng Mon,

or Bophut beaches on the north coast, or else try some of the very tiny beaches like Tong Krut on the less developed south side. From jet skiing to snorkeling or just lying in the sun, Samui has it all. It is also a great spot for jumping off to nearby Koh Phangan and its famous Full Moon Party, or to divers’ haven, Koh Tao.

What to See

Other than swimming and basking in the sun, Samui does offer a few excursions.

Most tourists at some point make their way to the Hin Ta and Hin Yai (grandfather and grandmother) Rocks, near Lamai beach, a pair of large stone formations

The Samui Institute of Thai Culinary Arts, SITCA (●www.sitca.net), proves that people don’t come to Samui just for sun and sand; SITCA offers in-depth cooking classes or intensive courses for the more serious. Diving is also possible on Samui, with trips out to the nearby Sail Rock or else farther toward Koh Tao offered. The Dive Academy (●Bandara Resort, Bophut, 081 086 6214, www. thediveacademysamui.com) can get you underwater.

Dave Stamboulis

Eating and Drinking

Conrad Koh Samui

Conrad Koh Samui

What to Do

The most beautiful spot on Samui actually isn’t on the island itself, but in Ang Thong National Marine Park (●www.dnp. go.th), a collection of 42 jungle-clad islands which are undeveloped and offer some great kayaking, exploring, and beautiful beach combing. The highlight here is the Talay Nay (inland sea), a sinkhole lagoon formed by the land collapsing into underground tunnels and cave systems, with beautiful emerald green water, reachable by a fantastic 45-minute trek up through limestone pinnacles. SeaTran Discovery (●www.seatranferry.com) runs all-inclusive day trips out to the islands.

The Tongsai Bay

that resemble male and female genitalia and are worth a photo op and a laugh.

The Na Muang 1 waterfall has a pool for swimming in and is Samui’s tallest, with water cascading down 30 meters over rocks. The Secret Buddha Garden located up on top of the Tar Nim Waterfall peak offers the most spectacular views out over Samui along with a great collection of Buddhist folklore statues set in a lovely garden. Water buffalo fighting is a Samui island tradition that is well worth checking out. Unlike in the Spanish version, bullfighting, the buffaloes don’t die and nobody gets hurt. There is no fixed calendar, but locals will know when the next bout is.

Just about every cuisine is served on Samui. For authentic Royal Thai cuisine at affordable prices, Chef Chom’s Thai Restaurant (●84 Moo 5, Bophut, 077 245 480) in the Tongsai Bay Resort is unmatched. For classical Italian with romantic views, Olivio’s (●154 Moo 2, Chaweng Beach, 077 231 500), in the Baan Haad Ngam Resort, is run by an Italian master chef and has fantastic seafood and pastas. The Coco China House (●147/4 Moo 2, Chaweng Beach, 077 230 140) serves traditional Cantonese cuisine and such favorites as the amusing Monk Jumps Over the Wall, a stew named for its aphrodisiacs such as deer horn and sharks fin. For after-dinner and latenight partying, the long running Reggae Pub (●Soi Reggae, Chaweng Beach, 077 422 331), Samui’s shrine to Bob Marley, features an open-air dance palace with live music and a very social scene.

Swimming pool at The Tongsai Bay

MAY 2014 | 39

TRAVEL COVER STORY

Chaweng beach

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that specializes in yoga, detox, and spa programs. On Samui’s quiet south side, the Conrad Koh Samui (●49/8-9 Moo 4, Hillcrest Road,Taling-Ngam, 077 915 888, www.conradkohsamuiresort.com) sits on 25 acres, with 80 pool villas gazing out west into the sunset with nothing to disturb you for miles.

How to Get There

Koh Samui can be reached by various options. Thai Airways (●www. thaiairways.com) and Bangkok Airways (●www.bangkokair.com) both fly in to Samui Airport several times daily. By train, Samui is reachable by taking an overnight sleeper to Surat Thani, and then connecting bus, which goes on the car ferry across to Nathon Pier on the island. Buses make the overnight trip to Surat from Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal, and also connect to the bus/ferry combos once down south.

There are also catamaran ferries and speedboats departing from the mainland as far north as Chumphon.

Accommodation in Koh Samui

Tourism Authority of Thailand

Samui features some of the most opulent sleeps you will find on the planet. Choose from the likes of renowned resort architect Bill Bensley’s Four Seasons Koh Samui (●219 Moo 5, Angthong, 077 243 000, www.fourseasons.com/kohsamui) where hillside villas front Koh Samui’s finest private beach, or perhaps the elegant The Tongsai Bay (●84 Moo 5, Bophut, 077 245 480, www.tongsaibay.co.th). With two freshwater swimming pools and its own private beach, not to mention plunge pool villas, the Tongsai is one of Samui’s oldest and still most pampering resorts. Also hidden away up in this northeast corner of the island, the Six Senses Samui (●9/10 Moo 5, Baan Plai Laem, Bophut, 077 245 678, www.sixsenses.com/resorts/samui/ destination) has an amazing infinity pool and private villas with awe-inspiring views out to sea. Also up north is the Absolute Sanctuary (●88 Moo 5, Choeng Mon, 077 601 190, www.absolutesanctuary. com), a Moroccan-themed boutique resort

Tourism Authority of Thailand

Sleeping

TRAVEL LOOKEAST’S PICKS OF THE MONTH private pool villas with one, two, or three bedrooms, the award-wining restaurant and spa, and a daily complimentary shuttle boat service to a nearby island.

Royal Muang Samui Villas and Suites (●13/1 Moo 2, Chaweng Beach, Bophut, Koh Samui, 077 429 700, www. muangsamui.com/msmvillas) Centrally located on Choengmon beach, surrounded by tropical greenery and azure water, the superb location makes this Muang Samui Villas and Suites the choice for the perfect holiday at Choengmon beach.

Hat Lamai, Koh Samui

PLACES TO STAY IN KOH SAMUI Amari Palm Reef Koh Samui (●Chaweng Beach, Samui 84320, 077 300 306–309, www.amari.com/palmreef) Set on the white sands of Koh Samui’s popular Chaweng Beach, overlooking the glittering waters of the Gulf of Thailand, all rooms and suites at this laid-back island resort are elegantly designed and spacious enough for couples, families, and friends.

Banyan Tree Samui (●99/9 Moo 4 Maret, Koh Samui, 077 915 333, www.banyantree.com/en/samui) The paradise island famous for its sapphire waters and white beaches offers a combination of pampering and tranquility at Banyan Tree Samui. Overlooking the scenic Lamai Bay, the resort is nestled in a series of cascading terraces on a private hill cove on the southeastern coast.

winning deluxe resort offers first-class Thai hospitality. Recently refurbished, it features 203 rooms, meeting facilities with extensive beachfront and landscaped gardens.

Centara Villas Samui (CSV) (●111 Moo 2, Maret, Natien Beach, 077 424 020–021, www.centarahotelsresorts.com/ centara/csv/index.asp) Located on the southern tip of Koh Samui, near the traditional fishing village of Hua Tanon. With its own private frontage on Natien Beach, in a setting of abundant green foliage, Centara Villas Samui cascades down a hillside to the fine white sand of the Gulf of Thailand.

Beach Republic (●176/34 Moo 4, Tambon Maret, Lamai Beach, Koh Samui, 077 458 100, www. beachrepublic.com) Conceived by British real estate developer and investor Tim Dean-Smith, Beach Republic brings the chic cosmopolitan beach lifestyle experience to Koh Samui.

The resort comprises The Residences, Ocean Club, and Asian Fusion Spa.

Centra Coconut Beach Resort Samui (CBS) (●114/1 Moo 4, T. Taling Ngam, Samui, 077 334 069–070, www. centarahotelsresorts.com) Nestled amidst luxuriant natural surroundings, Centra Coconut Beach Resort Samui offers a variety of holiday experiences with a choice of a comfortable stay in rooms overlooking the pool, with direct pool access, or, for greater comfort, in villas situated steps away from the beachfront pool and the resort’s beach.

Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui (CSBR) (●38/2 Moo 3, Borpud, Chaweng Beach, Samui, 077 230 500, www. centarahotelsresorts.com/centaragrand/ csbr/index.asp) Located along Chaweng Beach, this award-

Conrad Koh Samui Resort & Spa (●49/8-9 Moo 4, Hillcrest Road, T. Taling Ngam, A. Koh Samui, 077 915 888, www. conradkohsamui.com) Situated on the southwestern tip of Koh Samui, the resort offers majestic sunset views over the Gulf of Thailand. It features

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OZO Chaweng Samui (●Chaweng Beach, Bophut, Surathani, 077 334 300, www.ozohotels.com/chawengsamui) Located on Chaweng Beach Road, OZO Samui offers a beachfront setting, trendy rooms, modern technology, and essential services and facilities. Just 15 minutes from the international airport and a short stroll to central Chaweng, it’s close enough to feel the buzz yet far enough to get away from it all.

Renaissance Koh Samui Resort & Spa (●208/1 Moo 4, T. Maret, Laem Nan Beach, Koh Samui, 077 429 300, www. renaissancekohsamui.com) A delightful hideaway setting overlooking the glittering Gulf of Siam, with cascading lush tropical gardens, secluded villas, a spa, and a beach to watch a unique sunset from.

A good place to embrace nature and enjoy a romantic escape.

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort (●208/66 Moo 4, Maret, Koh Samui, 077 960 555, www.silavadeeresort.com) Silavadee Pool Spa Resort is located on Laem Nan Beach, between Chaweng Beach and Lamai Beach. Beautiful granite boulders enclose a private and secluded beach, with some of the best snorkeling on Koh Samui.

The Tongsai Bay (●84 Moo 5, Bophut, Koh Samui, 077 245 480, www.tongsaibay.co.th) Set amidst lush tropical gardens on a hillside overlooking a secluded bay, The Tongsai Bay comprises 83 suites, cottages, and villas. All rooms offer ocean views and spacious terraces, enabling guests to enjoy their natural surroundings.

TRAVEL HOTEL DEALS

Presidential Package

What: Pamper yourself with the Presidential Package at Hotel de la Paix, Cha Am Beach, including two consecutive nights accommodation in a Pool Villa, with breakfast for two people; nightly sunset cocktails and canapés on the beach; one-time Romantic private cabana beach BBQ for two people; one-time 90-minute Mochachino Energizing Scrub with Aromatic Massage for two people, and more. Rate starts at THB 30,500 net, and is applicable Sunday thru Friday. Overnight stay on Saturday or public holiday has a surcharge of THB 2,500 THB per package.

When: From now until September 30 Where: Hotel de la Paix, Cha Am Beach, Hua Hin More info: 032 709 555, book@hoteldelapaixhh.com

Perfect Honeymoon Escape

What: Enjoy four-nights accommodation in a luxurious Lagoon Access Room with daily buffet breakfast for 2 people, sparkling wine and an in-room floral bath, a romantic 3-course dinner, an afternoon tea ritual for two people per stay, 90-minute Shine Massage for 2 people per stay, late check-out until 4 p.m., and more for THB 59,999 net per room for a fournights stay.

When: From now until October 31 Where: Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa More info: 032 708000, www.sheraton.com/huahin

We Are Family

What: The Okura Prestige Bangkok introduces a new accommodation package for families which include free

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LOOKEAST | TRAVEL

PERFECT HONEYMOON ESCAPE

entrance Siam Ocean World, as well as accommodation in a Premier Club or Deluxe Suite, international buffet breakfast, two complimentary BTS day passes for adults, unlimited access to the hotel’s Club Lounge with exclusive benefits, and more. We are Family package prices start at THB 10,200 per night.

When: From now until December 10 Where: The Okura Prestige Bangkok More info: 02 687 9000, www.okurabangkok.com

The James Suckling Wine Experience at Soneva Kiri

What: Wine lovers from Asia and beyond will convene at Soneva Kiri Koh Kood, for a long weekend of sipping, savoring, and learning at the table of Hong Kong-based wine expert, James Suckling. The cost for a Bayview Pool Villa Suite is USD 3,600 net per person (THB 117,000 net); USD 4,400 net per person (THB 143,000 net) for a Cliff Pool Villa Suite; USD 5,200 net per person (THB 169,000 net) for an Ocean Front Pool Villa Suite. There is a USD 1,300 net (THB 42,250 net) surcharge for

WE ARE FAMILY

an additional person participating in the event and staying in the same suite. Cost for extension nights starts at USD 900 net (THB 29,250 net) When: May 30 to June 1 Where: Soneva Kiri Koh Kood More info: 039 619 800, www.soneva.com

Family Fun Package

What: Villa Maroc Resort in Pranburi is offering the exciting “Family Fun Package!” starting at THB 22,000 net per night in a One Bedroom Villa; or you may pay just a little more to upgrade your stay to a two-bedroom villa for all bookings with a minimum of two consecutive nights' stay.

This special rate is available for two adults with a maximum of two children (12 years and below), including breakfast, an inroom DVD movie with popcorn and French fries, and a mini BBQ set menu at the end of the joyful day.

When: From now until May 31 Where: Villa Maroc Resort Pranburi More info: 032 630 771, www.villamarocresort.com

Weekend Package at Amari Phuket

What: Amari Phuket is launching a threeday, two-night Weekend Package available for Superior Ocean Facing Rooms, Superior Ocean View Rooms, and Deluxe Ocean View Rooms with an inclusive daily buffet breakfast. The package also includes round-trip airport transfer, free in room Wi-Fi Internet access, one Italian set dinner, and a 20% discount on food and beverage. The package starts from THB 10,350+++.

When: From now until June 30 Where: Amari Phuket More info: 076 340 106–14 ext. 8033 and 8034, www.amari.com/phuket

Amari Phuket

PRESIDENTIAL PACKAGE

TRAVEL HOTEL DEALS

JAMES SUCKLING WINE EXPERIENCE

Buy One, Get One Free at Sala Khao Yai

What: Sala khaoyai is offering a Pool Villa Midweek Special Offer Purchase: book one night in a sala pool villa or pool villa suite and receive a second night free. Deluxe Rooms Midweek Special Offer Purchase: book one night in a deluxe or deluxe balcony room and receive 50 percent discount on your second night.

Contact stay@salakhaoyai.com for information or reservation

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FAMILY FUN PACKAGE

When: From now until September 30, for stays between Sunday and Friday, excluding national and substitute holidays Where: Sala Khao Yai More info: www.salakhaoyai.com

Thai Residents Special Package at Chatrium Hotel

What: Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok, located on the banks of Chao Phraya River

THAI RESIDENTS SPECIAL

at the city’s cultural and historical hub, is now offering a special package for Thai Residents and expatriates who are working in Thailand, starting from THB 3,181++ per room per night, in the Grand Room-City View with balcony.

When: From now until October 30 Where: Chatrium Hotel Riverside, Bangkok More info: www.chatrium.com

The Peninsula Hotels Introduces New Interactive Website

The Peninsula Hotels’ (●www.peninsula.com) new experiential website aims to tell a deeper story about the brand and its unique properties, offering an immersive, rich and dynamic digital experience that is captivating and visually impactful with extensive use of videos and photography. Launched in English, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, and also French (to mark the opening of The Peninsula Paris on August 1, 2014) with additional languages to follow, the adaptive design provides a consistent experience across desktop and tablet, with an optimized mobile version coming shortly.

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Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading operator of hotels, is to have its first hotel in Laos in 2017 with the opening of the luxurious five-star Centara Grand Hotel Vientiane. Located in the downtown district of the Laotian capital of Vientiane, the hotel will be designed to a French colonial style, and Centara will manage the property under a management contract. The hotel is owned by a well-known Laotian company and is being developed under an investment of THB 1.5 billion (USD 46.2 million).

Prime is Voted “Best Steakhouse” Thailand’s Best Restaurant Awards 2014

Dirk De Cuyper, General Manager, alongside the management team of Millennium Hilton Bangkok and 102.5 FM GET Divas DJ Salinee Panyarachun, congratulate PRIME on recently receiving a Thailand’s Best Restaurants Award 2014 for being the “Best Steakhouse.” Around 500 guests attended the awards ceremony, and were given the opportunity to sample signature dishes such as roasted Prime rib from Australia, crab cake, and traditional vanilla crème brûlée, prepared by chef Sethasak Anavachasuk, Chef De Cuisine at PRIME.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Hansar Samui was the proud recipient of the 2014 World Luxury Spa Award for Best Luxury Resort Spa in the Continent of Asia. The World Luxury Spa Hotel Awards give recognition to the industry, setting benchmarks in quality, innovation and service for spas around the world.

Established as the world’s leading awards initiative for luxury spas, the Luxury Spa Awards attract the attention of global spagoers and industry experts. “We are very proud to accept this prestigious recognition for LUXSA Spa which is a tribute to the Ms Kantima, our Spa Manager and her wonderful team,” said Indra Budiman, CEO of Hansar Hotels and Resorts.

Centara Moves Into Laos With Five-star Grand Hotel in Downtown Vientiane

Millennium Hilton Bangkok

Hansar Samui Wins World Luxury Spa Award for Best Luxury Resort Spa in Asia

Centara Hotels & Resorts

Hansar Samui

TRAVEL NEWS

Starwood Preferred Guest Treats Newlyweds to a Free Honeymoon Bali, Samui, Fiji, or the Maldives – luxury and romance await at one of these coveted honeymoon destinations!

Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), the award-winning loyalty program of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced a campaign that will allow wedding couples and honeymooners to treat themselves to the trip of a lifetime. For every wedding booked at participating Starwood hotels and resorts in Asia Pacific, SPG will reward couples with Starpoints redeemable for their honeymoons at any Starwood property in the world. The offer is valid for weddings booked from March 10 to July 1, 2014. Weddings are required to be hosted by March 1, 2015.

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LIFESTYLE THE HEDONIST

LUXURY LIFESTYLE HEALTH RETREATS They will teach you about nutrition, movement, and recovery, and will retrain your mind for the healthy change you’ve been longing for, with five-star service.

Epikurean Hotels & Lifestyle

by Daniel Remon CEO, Fitcorp Global Group

Parama Koh Chang

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here is growing concern about and an increasing global trend toward health and wellness retreats as a solution for those looking for an improved quality of life, health, and performance across the board. And there is no better way than a retreat to integrate a healthful learning experience with an opportunity to travel the world in style and luxury.

A “health retreat” can be an opportunity to learn, to improve one’s health, and to develop new strategies that can be implemented into daily life instantly. This leads to transformational life-enhancing opportunities gained in the context of experiencing new cultures and culinary delights. They are aimed at those who are looking for real-life tools, education, and knowledge they can apply immediately, and can contribute to a positive change in lifestyle.

But for permanent long-term success and lifestyle changes, retreats must include an educational component of change. Without this, they are simply healthy holidays.

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Are You a Candidate for a Lifestyle Health Retreat?

I’ve been coaching and helping athletes and people seeking solutions to health issues for 20 years. Some are very driven, successful individuals, always striving to gain greater knowledge, with the clear understanding that a healthy body and mind equate to greater success and happiness. And then there are those who have reached a certain level of professional success and, in order to do so, they have neglected their health in previous years. These driven individuals also know the importance of learning the “how to” process, and to work with professionals to develop specific plans of action, strategies, and smart short- and long-term goals.

If you are now turning to health as a way to be happy, live longer, contribute more to those around you—your friends, family, children—and also are planning on living longer, without disease or medication, and to dramatically improve your level of happiness in life, you are a candidate for a lifestyle health retreat.

LIFESTYLE THE HEDONIST

Start your day at 7 a.m. with a workout at the pier

How to Choose the Right Retreat for You

Of the many options available to health seekers—detox retreats, yoga retreats, high-end wellness resorts, and so on—few focus on the actual education of lifestyle change, action planning, and positive behavior. Travelers will invest and participate in a detox retreat, cleanse, relax, lose some kilograms, all of which are positive. However, what will they do when they return home? Usually they will fall back into old habits, putting the weight back on, plus more, only to find themselves back in the same place they were 12 months before.

So some retreats tend to just offer a service, and focus on the “now” rather than on what clients can do when they get back to normal life at home.

The education must cover the four essential elements of nutrition, movement, recovery … and the mind: to help retrain it, eliminate negative language, overcome negative mental states, push through obstacles, build affirmations, and take control of the mind to empower long-term and successful change. Choose a retreat that offers this.

Why Invest in a Luxury Health Retreat?

The term “luxury” simply defines comfort. The entire process of travel is an experience that we all look forward to. What better way to immerse yourself in an environment than to take advantage of five-star service, beautiful surroundings, and an attentive staff to really enjoy your retreat? This also ensures that we can provide the best quality food, nutrition, and meals to help guests achieve their potential during their stay. Expertise and professionalism go hand in hand, and we find that those looking to invest a little bit more are also much more committed to the change process.

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Epikurean Hotels & Lifestyle

Spa at Parama Koh Chang

Epikurean Hotels & Lifestyle

The Parama Ko Chang Experience

Parama Koh Chang (●www. paramakohchang.com) by Epikurean Lifestyle recently launched its lifestyle health retreats, carried out on the premises of this beachfront resort located on the southeastern (read: quieter) side of the island, surrounded by the jungle forests and waterfalls, and close to the mangroves.

The retreats feature at least four to six hours a day of activity, and the same amount of leisure time to spend by the swimming pool, getting a massage at the spa, doing homework, or enjoying as you would on a typical relaxing holiday—except with no cocktails at sunset, as healthy (Paleo) food is a very important component of the retreat.

A typical day in one of these retreats start at 7 a.m. with a workout at the pier, followed by a trek on Parama’s private island (a white sandy beach just a five-minute boat ride away), and breakfast back at the hotel. Theory classes, a choice of oil or Thai massage, and interval training around sunset and a healthy dinner under the stars are also part of the program, which can be done in either two or seven nights.

Did you know?

Health retreats have been around since the nineties. Perhaps known as health spas, the spa concept has gained worldwide recognition from the health spas of Europe to the modern-day retreats such as Chiva Som, here in Thailand. New concepts have been introduced focusing on the inner self, overall wellness, and general health.

The lifestyle health retreats organized by Fitcorp (●www. lhretreats.com) include detailed assessments, individual and group coaching, daily casual workshops, and seminars on essential topics such as nutrition, movement, energy management, and recovery. The company currently runs retreats on health/wellness, fitness/adventure, and weight loss/detox, and diabetes management in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bali, Maldives, India, and Vietnam.

VANA BELLE, KOH SAMUI Nested in a stunning cove overlooking the Gulf of Siam, our beachfront haven is a perfect gateaway to unique and authentic experiences.

LIFE IS A COLLECTION OF EXPERIENCES LET US BE YOUR GUIDE theluxurycollection.com/vanabelle

©2011–2012 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Preferred Guest, SPG, The Luxury Collection and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.

LIFESTYLE THE HEDONIST

THAI CRAFTOLOGY This is how, by combining them with technology, contemporary Thai designers are taking craft traditions and local materials to the next level.

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ndustrialization, we have been told, destroys artisanal craft; craft is rooted in continuity and tradition, while art thrives on innovation; craft is supplementary to utilitarian design; utilitarianism defines design; and each possess different aesthetic values. And so on. But while each category possesses individual legacies and ideologies, they also share methods and materials.

Understanding this is useful for unsettling strict categorical distinctions in order to explore their arbitrary and artificial enforcement.

The designers of Slow Hand Design’s Thai Craftology fully embrace experiments with industrial processes and new technology, advancing an earlier period in Thailand when local work was restricted to original equipment manufacturing (OEM). Since the innovations of the Thai companies Yothaka and Ayodhya in the mid-nineties, contemporary Thai designers have proved themselves adept at fusing craft traditions and local materials with cultural interest and new means of

Korakot’s dynamic, shell-like forms, for example, re-figured the structural dynamics of a room, and are derived from his father’s skill in traditional bamboostructure kite making.

Dots Design Studio challenged a purist approach to materials and products, experimenting with metals, woods, fiberglass and plastic beyond their given limitations and typical contexts. The results were pleasantly jarring: their Plywood Steel Bike, with its beautifully turned wooden handlebars and seats, indeed reflected a sense of Thai-ness in the gentle insistence on the continuing presence of tradition.

Slow Hand Design

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production. The materials these designers use, such as bamboo and hyacinth, carry layered significance. Thailand is a rich source for natural materials and indigenous skills which can be seen across an array of products and objects, both elite and popular, and functional and otherwise.

These aspects are to be found throughout the selection of Thai designers curated by Eggarat Wongcharit, one of Thailand’s most eminent designers, for Superstudio Piu during the Salone Internazionale del Mobile (Milan Furniture Fair), celebrated April 8–13, 2014. Here, for example, streamlined aesthetics were offset by the sculptural beauty of carved wood. Modernist minimalism was dappled with rich color, natural forms contrasted with geometric shapes, and intricate details were woven through the ambitious manipulation of space. These designers also gave popular motifs and colors a contemporary finesse, and small aspects of design were rendered with magisterial treatment.

Slow Hand Design

by Brian Curtin

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LIFESTYLE THE HEDONIST

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Qualy and Srinlim avowed a sense of the famous Thai humor and love of frivolity. The cultural background of these designers ensured that they had no fear of the appeal of the delightful; and both drew on strongly coded elements from Thai culture. For Qualy, this was the lotus flower, among other symbols, and for Srinlim, the Likay operettas where the colors and patterns of costumes and stage settings were always vivid.

Slow Hand Design

Slow Hand Design

Anon Pairot brought a wide range of forms and materials to furniture and lighting design. Anchored by a strong awareness of classic craft production, he turned, twisted, and dissolved conventional space. The sculptural sensibility of the pieces was particularly emphasized by a great sense of the objects as unique rather than manufactured.

Designers are required to be at the forefront of green considerations; and Bangkok is a demanding but inspiring city in this respect. Labrador used feather, paper, and other natural materials for bags, notebooks, and folders that claimed a strong urban feel, a soft geometry that bespoke a contemporary modernism; or the past re-engineered for the present.

Thai Craftology essentially opened out these coded, interpretative aspects so that we can perceive the evolution of cultural forms and consider their place in genealogies, be they national, cultural, historical, or social. This gave the works a particular sense of contemporaneity: in shifting and changing their relationships to tradition, they didn’t entirely abandon tradition, but rather asked us to see it afresh.

Slow Hand Design

Slow Hand Design

Slow Hand Design

Thinkk Studio employed a minimalist vernacular for furniture that possessed a familiar domestic appeal. The clean lines and geometric shapes recalled some of the greatest designers of the past 100 or so years, but here the implications of a cool, cerebral aesthetic were countered by the aura of warmth and comfort.

Alisa Hubert

LIFESTYLE PERSONALITIES

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SUDIARTO SUGITO:

“As a foreign business operating in Thailand, there is nothing we can do about the uncertainties caused by the political situation.”

Garuda Indonesia’s GM for Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia talks about his job and Indonesia’s marvels.

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reviously based at the head office in Jakarta, Sudiarto Sugito, Garuda Indonesia’s general manager for Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, moved to Bangkok 6 months ago to take up his new position at the height of the political protests. Not exactly the best of times to move here, yet he remains excited by the challenges he faces in this market.

“I am focused on business travel between Bangkok and Jakarta,” he says. “On this route we have an equal split between the number of Thai and Indonesian passengers travelling. No matter what happens, this sector of the market has no choice than to keep going despite the uncertainties caused by the political situation.”

“My job is first to promote Indonesia as the destination,” he says, “then the route network offered by Garuda Indonesia.

We currently operate three round-trip flights daily between Jakarta and Bangkok, operating the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which has business and economy classes on board. We had planned to introduced a fourth round-trip flight between the two cities, but that has been put on hold as we wait for the situation in Bangkok to stabilize.”

“As a foreign business operating in Thailand,” he continues, “there is nothing we can do about the uncertainties caused by the political situation. It’s completely beyond our control. Luckily, we have seen only a 3 percent decline in inbound business. What I have noticed is that on arrival, passengers are either heading straight to the beach or the mountains, and few are choosing to stay in Bangkok.

Business is not as good as it was in

by Laurence Civil 2013—everyone is suffering. Something we have to live with; it will pass. Bangkok remains a significant regional hub, and Suvarnabhumi is an efficient airport to fly in and out of with minimum hassle.”

“On a personal level,” he adds, “I have been posted to many of our destinations around the region, but I enjoy living in Bangkok because of the similarity of food, culture, and business environment to that of my hometown, Jakarta. Being here feels like I am back in Indonesia. I do have to go back once or twice a month on business for strategy update meeting, which I find most effective when conducted face to face with my colleagues; the line of communication is much clearer.”

To drive more business, Garuda Indonesia (●www.garuda-indonesia. com) is offering special prices through its website for flights booked a month in advance; once booked, flights cannot be changed. They are also working very closely with corporate clients who have their own dedicated check-in line at the airport, and with travel agents with a historical loyalty to Indonesia.

“Our two countries are tropical and depend on commodity trade to strengthen their economies,” he says. Both countries are main producers of agricultural products such as rice, corn, peanuts, tropical fruits, vegetables, fishery products, etc. In this decade, a position as a food producer becomes very important in the world. To celebrate 60 years of international relations between us, the Indonesian Thai Chamber of Commerce was officially established on June 19, 2013.”

“With Jakarta as the gateway to Indonesia,” he says, “the other two routes most popular with passengers flying out

of Bangkok are Denpasar, the capital city of the tropical holiday island of Bali, with 11 round-trip flights a day out of Jakarta; and Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city. But Indonesia has a lot more to offer.

The country is an archipelago of 16,777 islands with a diverse range of tourist destinations that have so much more to offer than the three most famous places— such as the island of Lombok. Part of my job of promoting Indonesia is to show the diversity of my country. I hope that when people think of Indonesia, it will be synonymous with Garuda. We also offer through services to Australia, with Brisbane being the most recent addition to our Australasian route network. Looking at the other end of the global network, we are planning to re-introduce flights to London in September as an extension of the Jakarta–Amsterdam service.

Garuda’s ticket office at Lumpini Tower is open Monday to Friday and is a short walk from Lumpini MRT, but the way passengers are communicating with the airline has changed. Today’s tech-savvy traveller is booking and changing travel arrangements online. Hence, travelling with Garuda has become a paperless experience, from making the reservation through payment and issuing of the ticket.

The advantage of checking in online is that when you get to the airport, you can just join the baggage drop-off line, reducing the amount of time spent standing in line.

Garuda Indonesian Airlines looks forward to welcoming passengers in Bangkok aboard soon, to show them the diverse tourist opportunities that Indonesia has to offer.

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LIFESTYLE PERSONALITIES

RAWEWAN NETRAKAVESNA:

“Running Suvarnabhumi Isn’t Just About Business—We Are the Gateway for Tourism”

by Laurence Civil

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AOT

With a firm hand, AOT’s new GM is putting a female touch on the largest airport operation in the country.

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AOT

at peak times, between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Restrooms and a rest area with refreshments are available.

“After nine months in office, we managed to convince the airlines to move their ticketing counters to the sixth floor to give more much-needed space back to the passengers on the departure concourse,” she says. “I am the fifth general manager, and finally it happened.”

“My term of duty ends in September,” she adds. “I am a hyperactive, a childless widow. To do nothing would bore me. I like to be clear and quick in the way I work. I would like to drop to four days a week, just eight hours a day. Running Suvarnabhumi isn’t just about business—we are the gateway for tourism.

“I have enjoyed my last year working here, I enjoy work. I am flexible and negotiate to find solutions.

“People need to learn from their mistakes. The second time they make the same mistake, I give them a yellow card. If you make the same mistake three times, don’t expect to stay on my team.

“I had glass panels put in my office door so that I can see out, and my team can see in. My door, my phone, and even online chat are open as are all lines of communication.”

AOT

he was born at Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base. Her father was a fighter pilot, and she spent her childhood surrounded by planes. After graduation she had ambitions of being an airhostess, but friends of her father’s saw opportunities in the building of the passenger terminal, Bangkok’s first civilian airport. Rawewan Netrakavesna was a pioneer in the transfer of flight operations from the Royal Thai Air Force to the newly formed Airports Authority of Thailand (AOT).

Thirty-five years ago, her first job at Don Muang was working with a small team of young women at the information desk and handling VIPs. Today she is general manager of Suvarnabhumi International Airport, a 24/7 operation that employs100,000 people.

“Before taking up this role I was general manager of Chiang Mai International Airport, and the first woman to be appointed to the role,” she says. “For me that was the perfect job: 18-hour flight operations job, shutting down overnight. I was happy. I loved being in the north, and that was where I graduated. When my bosses asked if I would be interested in being nominated for this role, I said no. Leave me where I am, and I will get you five million passengers using Chiang Mai international Airport. I achieved what I promised, so they moved me here—a job I never expected that I would be doing.”

“While in Chiang Mai, I realized that the gray airport building needed green areas to make it more pleasing to the passenger,” she says. “We won awards based on the airport ambience. When I arrived at Suvarnabhumi, I felt the ambiance here needed to be the same type of thing. It may be because I am a woman, but I wanted to bring a different way of looking at life at the airport. Fresh-cut flowers, while attractive, would be too static. I wanted something living, and the horizontal wall gave back more floor space while creating more oxygen and a better quality of life.

The vertical gardens are in three locations around the passenger terminal, 89 square meters at Gate 1, and 47 square meters at both gates 3 and 8. The vertical garden wall is made up of a series of small plant-holding drawers which can be easily changed. The mood reflects special events through the year, such as Valentine’s Day, Loy Krathong, Christmas, and New Year’s. The color theme of the leaves is changed every four months.

“It’s not an essential part of the airport operation,” she says.

“I see it as our ethical responsibility, and I hope that others in AOT will share my way of thinking.”

“Cycling has become a popular sport in Thailand,” she explains. “The chairman of the board of AOT asked me to address the issue of creating a cycling lane on the site of the former access road, which was used in the construction of the airport but is no longer used. I handed the project to our engineering departments.

Their research—drawn from the ‘Guide to Bikeways, Pavement, Design, Construction and Maintenance for South Australia’— discovered the ideal surface was a combination of rubber composite with asphalt.

“The track is 23.5 kilometers long, 4.8 meters wide, built at a cost of THB 28.5 million. It’s open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., free of charge. We colored the track green to increase visibility, as there is no means of electricity in the area. During the week, we receive an average of 200 cyclists a day, and this increases to 2,000 on weekends and public holidays, with as many as 1,200 on the track

MAY 2014 | 61

LIFESTYLE SPA DEALS

SUMMER SENSATION PACKAGE

Summer Sensation Package

What: Enjoy a 120-minute harmonizing spa journey at The Spa, which combines a 60-minute body massage relaxation with citrus aromatherapy essential oil and a 60-minute healing facial therapy to nourish and hydrate the skin, including a complimentary young coconut.

When: Daily from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., from now until June 30 Where: The Spa (●Ambassador Hotel Bangkok, 171 Sukhumvit 11, Bangkok) How much: THB 1,900 net per person More info: 02 254 0444 ext. 1254, spabkk@amtel.co.th, www.amtel.co.th

So Raining Promotion

What: Sofitel So Bangkok’s So SPA welcomes the rainy season with So Raining Promotion, including private aromatic steam, body cleansing, and coconut oil massage. Receive a complimentary bottle of Pluie de Pétales de Fleurs d'Oranger worth of THB 2,200.

When: Daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., until May 31 Where: So SPA (●Sofitel So Bangkok) How much: THB 3,900 net per person (normal price THB 7,100 net per person) More info: 02 624 0000, H6835-TH2@Sofitel.com

Mango Sticky Rice Body Scrub for Free

What: Experience a mango sticky rice body scrub for free (one hour) with the purchase of any two-hour signature massage. Choose from King of Oasis, Queen of Oasis, two-hour Oasis Four Hand

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SO RAINING PROMOTION

Massage, three-hour Siamese Therapeutic Wisdom Treatment, or The Voyage of Golden Lanna Treatment.

When: From now until May 31 Where: At every Oasis Spa (●www.oasisspa.net) How much: Free for one-hour long body scrub (worth THB 1,500++) More info: Bangkok 02 262 2122, Chiang Mai 053 920 111, Phuket 076 337 777, Pattaya 038 364 070

Three-Hour Face and Body Sensation

What: Relax under the skillful hands of eforea: spa at Hilton’s therapist who will begin the face and body treatment with a body exfoliation therapy using a cleansing Thai tamarind scrub followed by the meditation massage and their signature customized cleansing facial treatment.

When: Ongoing Where: eforea: spa at Hilton (●Hilton Pattaya, 333/101 Moo 9, Nong Prue, Pattaya) How much: THB 6,400 net per person and THB 12,000 net per couple.

More info: 038 253 000, pattaya.info@ hilton.com, www.eforeaspa.com

Trio of Holistic Healing Treatments

What: Try one or all of the holistic healing treatments at Soneva Kiri’s Six Sense: The “Ayurvedic Wellness” includes spa treatments, yoga, and meditation; “Sleep Well & De-Stress,” spa treatments, personalized yoga, and meditation sessions; and “Weight Loss,” detox treatments and Yogic intestinal cleanses.

MINDSCAPE

When: From now until October 31 Where: Six Senses Spa (●Soneva Kiri, 110 Moo 4, Koh Kood, Trat) How much: Starts at USD 5,100 (includes accommodation, flights from Bangkok, meals, and treatments) More info: 039 619 800, reservations-kiri@soneva.com

Mindscape

What: In this therapy from the creator of Memory Therapy—brand new to omroom—you'll learn how to achieve your dreams and goals, consult with your inner voice and open your heart to unlimited possibilities through mental coaching.

When: Daily Where: omroom (●8F Alma Link Building 25, Soi Chidlom, BTS Chidlom, exit 5) How much: THB 1,500 More info: 02 655 6282, www.omroom.net

Three-Hour Face and Body Sensation

What: Relax under the skillful hands of o eforea: spa at Hilton’s therapist who will begin the face and body treatment with a body exfoliation therapy using a cleansing Thai tamarind scrub followed by the meditation massage and their signature customized cleansing facial treatment.

When: Ongoing Where: eforea: spa at Hilton (●Hilton Pattaya, 333/101 Moo 9, Nong Prue, Pattaya) How much: THB 6,400 net per person and THB 12,000 net per couple.

More info: 038 253 000, pattaya.info@hilton.com, www.eforeaspa.com

Lady Brett

WINE&DINE RESTAURANTS

View of the bar and the DJ

COMFORT FOOD WITH A HINT OF NOSTALGIA Recently opened Lady Brett would pleasantly surprise Hemingway himself.

eminiscent of a twenties-style New York tavern, Lady Brett (●149, Sathorn Soi 12, Silom, Bangkok, 02 635 0405, www. ladybrett.com) is named after an Ernest Hemingway character. For those of you who haven’t read “The Sun Also Rises,” Lady Brett is the femme fatale and the woman around whom the story revolves.

The intimate restaurant is a short walk away from Chong Nonsi BTS station, there’s room for thirty-five, and reserving in advance is recommended.

I don’t know if Papa ever went to Bangkok, but I’m sure he would be satisfied with the cocktails being served at Lady Brett. Refreshing and simple, the drinks borrow their taste from a few high quality ingredients and homemade syrups. The Stormandy (THB 330), a French take on the classic Dark ’n’ Stormy, has only Calvados, homemade ginger beer, and lime in it, but the spiciness of the ginger combined with the apple flavor of the Calvados makes for a great combination.

The Green Street (THB 330) is as simple

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and delivers an herby punch thanks to the use of Chartreuse, gin, and a fresh delicate mint.

Sourcing the right and quality ingredients is important to the owners.

They work together with local suppliers and go out of their way even for the organic eggs that come from Thailand’s northern hill tribes. The beef they use is called ku, and is a crossbreed between a Thai breed and the renowned Japanese kobe.

They try to source locally and organically as much as possible, but some of their produce is imported and rightly so. For the giant scallops carpaccio (THB 420), Hokkaido scallops are used. The scallops are seared and dressed with heated argan oil, thus cooking them slightly but still allowing enough room for the raw and natural taste of the scallop itself.

Although every plate coming out of the kitchen looks appetizing, one of the owners tells me it’s not about dazzling the customers with over-promising presentations, and more about comfort food and feeling at ease. Putting that into

House-made fettuccine bolognese

Lady Brett

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by Alexander Eeckhout

practice, he invites me to pick up the bone and use my hands to get the best part of the meat of the finished pork chop from the BBQ pork chop and belly dish (THB 555). Roasted in a Spanish Josper oven—apparently there are only three in Thailand—the pork chop and belly are tender, succulent, and combined with a tangy sauce. When the house-made fettuccine bolognese (THB 390) arrives, I am pleasantly surprised when I’m told that the pasta is made in-house, as many other things are (do try their garlic bread).

But when they told me they use lamb, beef, and pork for the dish, I’m a little worried that this one might be overkill. My first bite proves me wrong as I taste that creamy, comforting bolognese flavor.

Rich desserts are mandatory when it comes to comfort food. The banana cream pie (THB 225) with whipped mascarpone and homemade malted chocolate ice cream is a delicious stop somewhere between a banana split and tiramisu. Combined with an in-house roasted and ground Ethiopian coffee, accompanied by aromatic (and again, homemade) biscotti, it makes for a great finale.

To get the night started, you can pop upstairs to cocktail bar U.N.C.L.E., owned by the same people, where superb cocktails and quality alcoholic beverages can be found.

Stormandy

WINE&DINE RESTAURANTS

DRESSING FRENCH CLASSICS IN A WHOLE NEW LOOK Here’s what The Garment restaurant is cooking before introducing molecular gastronomy to its menu.

The Garment

by Lucie Barke

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fter studying at Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney and in Bangkok, and working at La Normandie restaurant in Bangkok, chef Kittichet Thirapongpattana (aka Eiam) and two others chefs opened the doors of their restaurant, The Garment (●311/1 Soi Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra 24, New Sathorn Road, Chongnonsi, Yannawa, Bangkok, 02 674 2128, www.thegarmentrestaurant.com), on February 9.

It was truly an honor to taste their cuisine and to meet Eiam, a young, talented and passionate chef. All of the

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dishes presented were not only beautifully and interestingly plated, but they also demonstrated the finesse of the grandest gastronomic establishments. His modern cuisine, inspired by French classics, is very well executed and the ingredients are cooked to perfection.

The balance of textures and flavors of the chaud-froid of roudie, duck foie gras, seaweed skin, and grape sauce is surprising. On one side of the plate a foie gras in terrine form, fresh and well seasoned; on the other, a fresh pan-fried foie gras, lightly invigorated by the sugar of the grape sauce.

When in France, you have to eat duck.

And when in Bangkok, The Garment’s delightful roasted duck breast, chocolate ganache, chestnut, and mandarin napoleon pan jus will take away the craving. The bitterness of that chocolate ganache and the moist duck meat marry perfectly, while the combination melts in the mouth. This dish is accompanied by a garden of little crunchy vegetables on a bed of puree; the presentation, in Chef Heston Blumenthal’s style.

Next came the roasted Murraylands premium lamb saddle in pepper crust, and confit lamb loin. Not salivating yet? The name is as attractive as the dish where, once again, the meat was perfectly cooked and the seasoning well balanced.

And what to say about the dessert … it was as delicious as unique. The Walk in the Forest—dehydrated chocolate mousse, roasted sand flour, short bread mushroom, and hay ice cream—is a pleasant gastronomic surprise. All your senses will awaken as you recognize the taste of the dehydrated mousse, but not the texture.

Wine is tastefully conserved in a cellar that is visible to clients, while whiskey lovers can choose from 11 varieties proposed on the drinks list.

It certainly adds value that chef Eiam works only with fresh produce, and his menu will change seasonally. He also promised us that molecular gastronomy will soon be making an appearance on The Garment’s menu. Stay hungry!

661 Silom

WINE&DINE RESTAURANTS

MEET & MEAT Either at 661 Silom’s outdoor or indoor bar, Dom Pérignon Champagne Lounge, or steakhouse restaurant, you’ll be surprised one way or the other.

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by Utku Tansug

ext to Silom Road’s hustle and bustle lies the Baan Silom courtyard, surrounded by a number of restaurants and cafés. With an inviting outdoor bar, the recently opened 661 Silom (●661, Baan Silom Building 3, Room A3, B3, Silom Road Silom, Bangkok, 02 266 8661, www.661silom.com) immediately catches the attention of the discerning urban dweller.

Start your evening by enjoying some people-watching from the courtyard, and choose from among a varied selection of signature cocktails, such as Eden’s Garden or the good old mojito, but made “the 661 way.” If you are there between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., your early arrival will be awarded with an extra drink each time you order one.

“Meet” constitutes the initial theme by which 661 Silom invites its commensals to gather around one of its spaces on the ground level. Opposite to the outdoor bar, there is an identical indoor version.

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Choosing a corner that matches your mood is easier than choosing among its select gourmet bites, however. The Meet menu involves a unique—often courageous— blend of meat or fish with assorted sauces.

How do the marinated prawns wrapped in Chinese noodles served with plum chili jam sauce sound? Or the roasted duck spring roll with hoisin sauce, and the beef satay with peanut sauce and cucumber salsa served on top of a baguette?

The menu offers modern European food with a smart and delicate Thai touch from by Chef McDang. As each bite stands elegantly on the platter as the masterpiece of a craftsman, one can easily sense the pleasure of exquisite dining.

To really treat yourself, check the glorious Dom Pérignon Champagne Lounge, also located on the ground floor.

The champagne glass chandelier replete with 201 champagne glasses creates the perfect exclusive ambience in which to sip a glass of Dom Pérignon vintage or rosé.

After fulfilling the mission of the

restaurant’s first theme—and having “met” your friends—you will want to go up the stairs to the upscale steak house on the first floor, bound in Italian-produced leather, and trimmed in a deep wood. Welcome to the “Meat” section of 661 Silom’s “Meet&Meat” duality! Here you can have a trip around the world enjoying some of the best food specialties and beef cuts.

Start with a burrata, creamy Italian mozzarella, with Spanish jamón ibérico, and try the Kobe-Gyu, the Japanese delicacy beef seared on a single side.

611 Silom is rightfully ambitious when it comes to meat. The very best beef from prime beef-producing areas of Argentina, Spain, Japan, and France comes to your table under a variety of names such as flank, rump, or brisket, depending on which cut you prefer. Probably the most interesting side dish is the mashed potatoes, which has a potential to overshadow the steak itself. The secret lies in a full hour of hand-whipping to achieve its creamy, addictive texture and taste.

Although a visit to 661 Silom is better experienced when embracing the whole Meet&Meat concept, each of the restaurant’s components can nonetheless be enjoyed separately and promises to surprise you in a particular way.

WINE&DINE RESTAURANTS

Sabroso Mexican Tapas & Bar

Arroz con leche

Sabroso nachos

SABROSO AND AUTHENTIC Tasty, genuine Mexican dishes off the usual foodie grid, at Sabroso.

by Federico Brandi

B

Sabroso Mexican Tapas & Bar

Taquitos

Bar area

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eing an expat, sometimes I unconsciously believe that Bangkok is just what lies around the Skytrain and the subway lines. Luckily, there are always new openings that make me realize there is much more to explore when it comes to food in this gigantic city, just off more wellknown intersections.

My last discovery is a Mexican restaurant named Sabroso Mexican Tapas & Bar (●Tree Square, Inthra Phon Rd, Bangkok, 02 935 6800, www. sabrosomex.com). Located deep in Lad Prao—precisely at the Tree Square, a restaurant and bar area in Inthra Phon Road, Wang Thonglang— it is around 20 minutes by taxi from the Lad Prao MRT station.

Jorge, the owner, is a Mexican with a heart-warming smile and a welcoming attitude. Architect by profession, musician by skills, and chef by vocation, Jorge has been living in Thailand for 14 years now, following what started as a holiday and become a change of life. He decided to open his restaurant in this area because mainly Thai people populate it, and it is

more chill than the Sukhumvit area.

The restaurant is cozy and inviting, decorated with Mexican knickknacks and painted with warm colors. In the corner they prepare cocktails and sangria, both available by the glass (THB 130) or in oneliter jugs (THB 600).

All the dishes at Sabroso are genuinely Mexican—and not the usual Tex-Mex we are used to finding—and they are available as main dishes or in a tapas version. A welcome dip set is given to all guests, offering homemade corn chips and three dips: spicy tomato sauce, chili paste, and a mix of fresh chopped tomatoes. My suggestion is to try also the guacamole and chips (THB 150), made with fresh avocados that will melt in your mouth.

It was hard to choose a main course because everything in the menu sounds so good, so we finally asked Jorge’s suggestion … and we were not disappointed. The taquitos—three small tacos—served with pork (THB 120) were magnificent. The corn tortilla was soft, and the meat well cooked.

A note: most of the dishes are available in vegetarian versions.

My favorite was the vegetarian enchiladas (THB 150) made with tortillas stuffed with vegetables and topped with cheese, served with frijoles refritos, or refried beans that are thick in texture, and rice.

Sabroso’s strengths are the authenticity of the dishes and the freshness of its ingredients, which makes the difference compared to most of the Mexican restaurants I’ve tried in Bangkok.

Moreover, it is Thai-friendly, since Jorge wants to share his culture with a country that has given him so much.

This is an invitation to step out of your comfort zone, to explore a new area of Bangkok, and to enjoy a lunch or dinner at this genuine Mexican restaurant, where the friendly owner will make you want to go back again.

WINE&DINE DINING SPECIALS

Hot Pot Feast at the Eatery

What: Spoil your palate with hot pot delicacies, high quality seafood and fresh vegetables, boiled in The Eatery’s delicious broths. The extensive menu of their hot pot items includes; meat and seafood (prawns, squid, beef slice, pork slice, fish ball, and salmon), vegetables (asparagus, white lettuce, mushrooms, broccoli, spring onion, carrot, celery, and baby corn), and condiments (dipping sauces, tofu, egg noodles, green noodles, garlic, and chili).

When: Daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Where: The Eatery (●Lobby Level, Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, Sukhumvit 15) How much: Start at THB 800 net for two people More info: www.fourpointsbangkoksukhumvit.com

Vietnamese Sausage at Thien Duong

What: Thien Duong offers a special range of dishes featuring delicious giò la, otherwise known as Vietnamese sausage.

Other dishes include baked Vietnamese pork roll in good King Henry leaves, and steamed Vietnamese ravioli filled with pork roll.

When: From now until May 31 Where: Thien Duong (●Dusit Thani Bangkok) How much: Starts at THB 250++ More info: 02 200 9000

Mango Mania at La Pâtisserie

What: Chef Sebastiaan Hoogewerf, pastry chef at The Okura Prestige Bangkok has created new delicacies for the hotel’s retail bakery outlet La Pâtisserie for the upcoming mango season in Thailand. New

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LOOKEAST | WINE & DINE

MANGO MANIA AT LA PÂTISSERIE

items for sale during May include mango cheesecake, tango cake, macaroons, choux cream, and trifle verrine.

When: Daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, and 8 a.mm to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, from now until May 31 Where: La Pâtisserie (●The Okura Prestige Bangkok) How much: Starts at THB 120 More info: 02 687 9000, fb@okurabangkok.com

Saturday Seafood BBQ Night

What: Chill in style with extensive seafood choices, sushi selections, a BBQ station, homemade ice cream, and much more, at Dalah Restaurant’s seafood BBQ night.

When: Every Saturday from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Where: Dalah Restaurant (●9/22 Moo 5 Paknampran, Pranburi) How much: THB 1,100 net per adult

HANSAR SAMUI

More info: 032 909 900 ext. 3214

Hansar Samui’s New Seasonal Chef’s Table Menu

What: The Chef’s Table at Hansar Samui’s beachfront H-Bistro caters for eight to 20 diners. The latest seasonal menu of Canadian chef Stephen Jean Dion features seared French soulard foie gras, butterpoached Brittany lobster, Alaskan king crab ravioli, and other delicacies, made with fresh vegetables from the hotel’s own organic garden, as well as international wines and Champagne.

When: From now until December 31 Where: H-Bistro (●Hansar Samui) How much: Chef’s Table THB 3,555 plus tax; with wine pairing THB 5,555 plus tax More info: 077 245 511, reservation@hansarsamui.com

Five-Course Old Recipes Set Menu What: Throughout May, visit Park Society to experience old French cuisine with dishes like tiger prawns Macedoine, Lorraine vol au vont, sole Meuniere, and beef Bourguignon with an amazing view overlooking Bangkok’s skyline When: From now until May 31 Where: Park Society (●Sofitel So Bangkok) How much: Five courses at THB 2,999++ per person More info: 02 624 0000, H6835-FB5@Sofitel.com

Sofitel So Bangkok

HOT POT FEAST AT THE EATERY

a r a k a N g n Pi

el & Spa t o H e u q i t u o B

I

n the early 1900s Chiang Mai was at the centre of a thriving teak industry. Foreign managers oversaw logging concessions throughout the forests of Northern Thailand.

With the help of local labour and hardy elephants they performed their arduous and dangerous work, extracting teak logs and floating them downstream for grading and sale.

Today the teak wallahs are gone. But the river and forestry station remain, and the relaxed ambiance of Chiang Mai city is just as enticing as ever. The Ping Nakara takes inspiration from these times past with an intimate hotel built in the elegant colonial style of the period.

Star rating: 5 Star Boutique Hotel Address: 135/9 Charoenprathet Road, T. Changklan, A. Muang, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand Hotel phone: +66 53 252 999 Hotel fax: +66 53 252 111 Website: www.pingnakara.com Contact e-mail: reservations@pingnakara.com, info@pingnakara.com

The hotel’s graceful gingerbread architecture is accented by hand-carved fretwork and creates a cool and restful environment. Throughout the nineteen rooms you’ll find thoughtful use of natural materials and a distinctive yet practical style. This sophisticated design is matched by relaxed yet professional service, providing a welcoming retreat for the traveler.

So please visit us when you’re in Chiang Mai. Enjoy the serenity of the veranda next to the pool, curl up with a book in our library, or unwind with a drink in the rotunda.

Whatever your preference, we’re sure you’ll enjoy this return to elegance.

WINE&DINE DINING SPECIALS

What: Hilton Pattaya launched the Oyster & Bubble promotion at Horizon restaurant and bar. Savor a perfect match of Fines de Claire oysters and sparkling wine while taking in panoramic sea views of Pattaya Bay at this rooftop restaurant and bar.

When: Daily from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Where: Horizon (●Level 34, Hilton Pattaya) How much: Set of six oysters with two glasses of sparkling wine (THB 1,350); set of a dozen of oysters with two glasses of sparkling wine (THB 1,950 net).

More info: 038 253 000, bkkhp.pattaya.horizon@hilton.com

Dinner Buffet at Orchid Café

What: Enjoy a feast of appetizers and desserts at Orchid Café’s new dinner buffet.

When: Every evening from Sunday to Thursday Where: Orchid Café (●Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, 250 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok) How much: Dinner buffet THB 750++ per person More info: 02 649 8355, dining.sgs@luxurycollection.com

OR'S EDITIC P K

Dinner With Chris Irving at The District

What: Coming from Gordon Ramsay Group in London, chef Chris Irving is visiting Bangkok as a guest chef at The District Grill Room & Bar. During his first time ever in Asia, he has designed a menu including grilled yellowfin tuna, espresso braised beef short rib, Tomahawk steak, and—his grandmother’s famous—apple tarte tatin, among other. Chris Irving has had the honor of cooking for HM Queen Elizabeth II, while working at Petrus Pourhouse Accolades in London; he is a trusted chef and consultant to the Spanish royal family, and was responsible for the menu creation, set up, and execution of service for Gordon Ramsay.

When: Daily until May 24, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Where: The District Grill Room & Bar (●Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit, 2 Soi Sukhumvit 57, Bangkok) How much: Varies More info: 02 797 0130

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LOOKEAST | WINE & DINE

Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit

What: Discover traditional Japanese selections with over twenty dishes at the unlimited Japanese Appetizer All-You-CanEat, available both for lunch and dinner. Some dishes include: miso shiru (soy bean paste soup), edamame (boiled soy beans), hiyashi wakame (Japanese wakame seaweed), shishamo (grilled smelt fish), tekka maki (red meat tuna), cha soba (chilled green tea noodles), stamina kaki ponzu (chilled oyster Ponzu), and many more.

When: Ongoing, every Friday Where: Kacho Restaurant (● 37th floor, The Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel) How much: Lunch at THB 399 net per person (food only); dinner at THB 499 net per person (food only); special beer price at only THB 60 net.

More info: 02 261 9000 ext. 5111, www.queensparkdining.com

Oyster & Bubble Promotion at Horizon

Hilton Pattaya

T.K.I.F. Thanks Kacho it’s Friday

The Essence of Charm Peonies in voluptuous bloom, exquisitely fragile.

Flirtations with the juicy bite or red apple and The opulence of jasmine, rose and gillyflower.

Mingling with the sensuality of soft, blush suede.

Luxurious and seductive.

The fragrance is a matter of sensation; you have to feel it, just as you feel a piece of fabric in your hands.

Christine Nagel Master Perfumer for Peony & Blush Suede

THE PEONY & BLUSH SUEDE COLLECTION Cologne 30ml 2,400 THB Cologne 100ml 4,450 THB Body & Hand Wash 250ml 2,150 THB Body Crème 175ml 3,200 THB Home Candle 200g 2,750 THB

Jo Malone London Boutique Paragon Department Store 0.2610.7755 Central Chidlom 0.2655.7247 Central Ladprao 0.2937.1772 and The Emporium 09.0880.9618 For stockist information visit jomalone.co.th

Sofitel So Bangkok

Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok

WINE&DINE BAR SPECIALS

Hi-So Ladies’ Night

Mojito Moments

What: Every Wednesday, cheers to midweek with Ladies’ Night at HI-SO. All ladies receive one free glass of Chandon to kick off the evening. Cocktails and bottles at special prices.

When: Every Wednesday from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Where: Sofitel So Bangkok (●2 North Sathorn Road, Bangkok) How much: Varies More info: 02 624 0000, h6835-fb5@sofitel.com

What: amBar is offering a deal on the classic mojito drink, originated in Cuba, plus four new twists: Classic Mojito, Ginger Mojito, Strawberry Mojito, Coffee Mojito, and Lemongrass Mojito When: Daily during May Where: amBar rooftop (●Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, Sukhumvit 15, Bangkok) How much: THB 300 for two glasses More info: 02 309 3201, fbadmin.sukhumvit15@fourpoints.com

What: Ladies, get your friends together and meet at Cellar 11 to enjoy European Bistro cuisine every Tuesday for Ladies Night, where you will be pampered with free-flow red and white wines.

When: Every Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Where: Cellar 11 Wine Bar & Bistro (●71/1 Soi Sukhumvit 11, Bangkok) How much: Free-flow wine free for ladies More info: 02 255 5833–35, www.cellar11.com

What: Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam launches its outdoor wine bar with a selection of white, red, and sparkling wines such as Belleville Shiraz, Belleville Chardonnay, Jacob’s Creek sparkling wine, Jacob’s Creek Moscato white, Jacob’s Creek Moscato rosé, Jacob’s Creek Shiraz, Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay, among other.

When: Daily from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., from until May 31 Where: Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam (●220 Petchaburi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 02 160 7100, www.novotelbangkokplatinum.com) How much: Starts at THB 140 More info: 02 160 7100 ext. 8702

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Lookeast | wine & dine

Amari Phuket

Outdoor Wine Bar

Ocean Bangkok

Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam

Ladies Night Free-Flow Wines at Cellar 11

Happy Hours at Samutr Bar

What: Amari Phuket introduces the allnew Samutr Bar offering daily happy hour for all beverages, except wine and coffee.

When: Daily from 5–7 p.m. and 9–11 p.m.

Where: Samutr Bar (●Amari Phuket, 2 Muen-ngern Road, Patong Beach, Kathu, Phuket) How much: Varies More info: 076 340 106 ext. 8048

Social Wednesday at Ocean Bangkok

What: Wednesday night is social at Ocean Bangkok. Play games, win prizes, and socialize while enjoying the happy hour.

When: Every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: Ocean Bangkok, at Livingstones Urban Boutique Resort (●7 Sukhumvit Soi 33, Bangkok) How much: Varies More info: 02 630 4000, www.oceanbangkok.com

WINE&DINE THE OENOPHILE

Dom Pérignon THE LEGEND

O

nce upon a time there was a monk named Dom Pérignon who accidentally discovered the benefits of bottling the wine before completing the fermentation.

He was heard declaring, “Come quickly!

I’m drinking stars.”

We don’t know if this story is true, but he is credited with the invention of sparkling champagne, which didn’t become the dominant style of Champagne until the middle of the 19th century.

Dom Pierre Pérignon was a French Benedictine monk who, irrespective of the truth of this story, made important contributions to the production and quality of wine in an era when the region’s wines were predominantly still red. The famous Champagne Dom Pérignon, the prestige cuvée of Moët & Chandon, is named after

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Wine n’ About

by Giulio Saverino Founder and director of wine at Wine n’ About, and sommelier at 661 Silom

him, and the remains of the monastery where he spent his adult life are now the property of that winery.

During Pérignon’s era, the in-bottle refermentation that gives sparkling wine its sparkle was an enormous problem for winemakers. During the autumn, when the weather cooled off, refermentation would keep fermentable sugars from being converted into alcohol. If the wine was bottled in this state, it became a bomb. When the weather warmed, the sleeping yeast roused the sugars and began generating carbon dioxide in a buildup of gas that would at best push the cork out of the bottle and at worst, explode, starting a chain reaction.

Dom Pérignon set a series of rules to avoid this refermentation.

The Dom Pérignon’s style—intense,

full-bodied, and hedonistic—is distinctive.

While some in Champagne seem to strive to make wines that won’t get noticed, Dom Pérignon tries to stand out.

While many houses use blending to try to make more or less the same wine every year, Dom Pérignon is vintage only.

Each vintage wine is created from the best grape grown in one single year, in order to reinvent itself by interpreting the unique character of the seasons.

Dom Pérignon is secretive about production numbers, but the total number of bottles is said to be in the millions per vintage, compared with a few hundred thousand for, say, a big Bordeaux chateau.

Nonetheless, Moët & Chandon owns virtually all of the vineyards from which Dom Pérignon is sourced—a luxury in Champagne, where many of the big houses buy grapes from outside suppliers, giving them less control over quality.

I personally consider these as the best vintages: 2004, 2002, 1996, 1990, 1985, 1982, and 1976.

The best way to appreciate the rich, complex flavors and aromas is to use standard wine glasses or signature Dom Pérignon glasses, not narrow Champagne flutes. Flutes, which emphasize the bubbles over the flavors, are fine for non-vintage Champagnes.

With an exquisite taste and a history dating back to the Benedictine monks of 1668 and Pierre Pérignon, the father of Champagne, Dom Pérignon, is revered as one of the world’s finest Champagnes.

Within 661 Silom (●661 Baan Silom Building 3, Room A3, B3, Silom Road Silom, Bangkok, 02 266 8661, www.661silom.com) resides the Dom Pérignon Lounge, which is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. We wanted to create something exclusive … and nothing is more exclusive and unique than Dom Pérignon.

Thanks to our partnership with Dom Pérignon, guests can enjoy a glass or a bottle of Dom Pérignon at unbeatable prices, as well as enjoy rare Dom Pérignon vintages, such as the 1976.

Wine n’ About (●www.wineandabout. com) is a new digital magazine where both newbies and veterans can learn about, discover, and enjoy wines.

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We create perfect apparel for gentlemen. In order to avoid disappointment, we ask you please note the following: Our house does not promise any cheap, unrealistic package deals. Only the best value for money. Dare to prove us wrong!

We are located directly across the Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok. Just ask the staff for directions.

117-121 New Rd., Bangrak 44 (Beside Shangri-La Hotel), Bangkok 10500, Thailand.

Tel: +662 237 3229, +662 237 3216 Fax: +662 236 4459 Mobile: +668 1837 9807 E-mail: ts@alexsfashion.com/ alex@alexsfashion.com Visit us at http://www.alexsfasion.com

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