by Amber H. | Mar 30, 2017 | Luxury, Southeast Asia, Thailand
We spend a lot of time getting massages. It is one of the prime benefits of living in Southeast Asia, and one of the things we miss when we are eating our way around Europe. We’ve enjoyed half-day couples spa treatments at our favorite Bangkok spa. But, more than anything, we are popping into Dahra in Bangkok for a foot massage, or often a Thai massage. We rarely, though, go for a Thai yoga massage. What Is a Thai Massage The massages that most people are used to experiencing in the Western world include oil and long, strong strokes. That is certainly not a Thai massage. Thai massage is more, well, interactive. When I receive a Thai massage, first they offer me an outfit to change into. Eric often leaves his own t-shirt on as the massage shirts are usually way too small. We lay down on cushions on the floor, and the Thai massage begins. There is a lot of squeezing and kneading, along with a lot of interactive stretching and pulling. It is not uncommon to feel like a pretzel. The Thai massage therapist ends up straddling, or sometimes even standing, on top of the guest. A well-trained Thai massage therapist will ask whether the guest wants their massage soft, medium, or hard. I used to always ask for hard. Perhaps I thought that if I asked for anything less than a hard massage I would not be getting my money’s worth. After several really good Thai massages at Dahra Spa in Bangkok, though, I realized it was time to start requesting medium. Either way, at the end of a...
by Amber H. | Mar 23, 2017 | Accommodations, Luxury, Southeast Asia, Thailand
About a year ago, I was excited to settle down into our new life living in Bangkok. We had our little apartment, a group of friends, and a city full to explore. After almost 18 months, though, I needed a break from the big city. Big time. I needed rest, relaxation, quiet, and a little romance on Mai Khao Beach. Where is Mai Khao Beach I love Bangkok. I really do. I like that I can travel to anywhere in the world from Bangkok airport. I love that in one day I can eat cheap Pad Thai on the street, and great Mexican that night. I love that we can shop at enormous shopping malls, and Eric can get his hair cut for about $5. But, towards the end of our stay in Bangkok, I craved quiet. I realized, suddenly, how loud the city is. The traffic, the tuk tuks. The traffic. I felt like I could not even hear myself think. So, we hopped a Nok Air flight to Phuket, and within 10 minutes from the airport, we were on the beach. Mai Khao Beach is located on the north west side of Phuket. It’s miles long, wide and clean. And, is home to a turtle hatchery. In the mornings, it’s possible to walk for almost an hour in either direction, while listening to, well, not much. Unlike other areas of Phuket, Mai Khao Beach is quiet. And, yes, romantic. Most important, I could hear myself think. Mai Khao Beach Romance We were greeted at the Renaissance Phuket by a pleasant surprise: An upgrade to a private pool...
by Amber H. | Feb 23, 2017 | Luxury, Southeast Asia, Thailand
What do a luxury wellness resort and Anthony Bourdain splayed out on a marble slab being pounded by a Uzbekistani man have in common? Not much other than it explains my (unfounded) expectations from a Thai hammam spa treatment. What is a Hammam Spa Treatment My knowledge of traditional hammam treatments is pretty slim. I’ve seen some of the very traditional treatments on travel TV shows, like that scene with Anthony Bourdain that is etched in my brain. Bourdain was, well, near tortured, on a hot, wet slab, in Uzbekistan. His therapist twisted him into pretzel, while his friend watched. When traveling in Istanbul several years ago, I passed on exploring the hammam scene because I was a little intimidated by the notion. A hammam is a Turkish bath. It is inspired by the traditional Roman baths. Whereas Roman baths focused on the use of steam, Turkish baths focus on the use of water. And, a hammam spa gets wet. Very wet. The only hammam I’ve experienced was one at a luxury hotel in Dubai. At the Palace Downtown Dubai a few years ago, I was placed on a warm stone table, and was hosed and scrubbed until I was ready to pass out. I was alone in the hammam, just me an the therapist. It was a unique experience, and I have always wanted to try it again. It was pleasant, and wet, and relaxing. Once I heard there was a Thai hammam spa at Amatara Phuket, I was indeed intrigued. What is a Luxury Thai Hammam Spa The Thai hammam spa at Amatara took things one step further...
by Eric Hoffman | Jan 19, 2017 | Southeast Asia, Thailand, Transportation
We’ve flown a lot of the low cost carriers, or budget airlines, while living in Southeast Asia. For us, it doesn’t make sense to splurge on a more traditional airline, or use our miles, for a quick one or two hour flight within the region. One of the benefits of spending time living and traveling in this region, is that there are so many great budget airlines in Southeast Asia. During a beach break from Bangkok we finally had a chance to experience flying Nok Air Thailand. How to Fly Nok Air From “DMK” On the surface, Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport, or DMK, isn’t much to look at. Built in the 1930s, the terminals are concrete and drab,. They are far from the modern glass and steel aviation palaces found around the world. Look outside the dirty and streaked windows and you’ll see something worth looking at. And, Nok Air Thailand has a lot to do with this. Nok Air operates a fleet of Boeing 737-800s, Bombardier Q400s, and ATR-72 500s, for the #AvGeeks out there. Nok means bird in Thai and the airline carries the bird theme through just about everything. Nok Air Thailand is known for its bold, and certainly eye-catching livery. A signature bird beak nose is painted onto the nose of every plane. And, the main scheme of each plane is interesting and unique, some painted purple, and others looking like Nemo. Because DMK airport is such an unpleasant airport, the best way to fly any airline from DMK is to keep your focus on the fun Nok Air planes outside, rather than the drab...
by Amber H. | Jan 12, 2017 | Luxury, Southeast Asia, Thailand
We were drawn in by the award-winning wine cellar. In the end, we were intrigued by the wellness resort. That’s what happens when a couple of gluttons spend a long weekend at a Thai luxury wellness resort. We learned about Amatara Wellness Resort during our recent trip to Singapore. The pictures of the property looked amazing, but most luxury properties in Phuket do. Particularly for folks living in Bangkok. They offer a perfect break from the noise and congestion of the big city. And, with a flight to Phuket costing about $30 and only taking an hour, it is the easiest place for us to grab a beach break. What caught our eye about Amatara Phuket, though, was that they have an award-winning wine list. That is somewhat a rarity in Thailand, as it is hard to find good wine. And, yes, we enjoyed a luxury dining experience at The Grill, with perfect wine pairings off of their award-winning list. But, fine wine and dining were not the focus of this particular visit, even if it is the focus of so many of our trips. In this case, our focus was on relaxation and wellness. Eating Healthy at a Thai Luxury Wellness Resort Amatara Phuket is a top Thai luxury wellness resort, and wellness was indeed our goal. We ate most of our meals at The Retreat, a healthy eating venue that works in conjunction with the spa manager at Amatara to offer alternative dining. I will say, after being assaulted by vegan and raw cuisine during our time living in Bali, I was skeptical. The Retreat is a small and peaceful...
by Amber H. | May 30, 2016 | Accommodations, Luxury, Southeast Asia, Thailand
I’ve become a little picky about where we stay when we visit the Thai beaches. Part of this is a direct result of our stay in some luxury villas in Koh Samui. That experience was fabulous and hard to replicate. Some of it also revolves around our recent vacation to Ao Nang, which was no vacation at all, and ended in a bout of food poisoning. Even as travel bloggers, we want to make the most of the time we spend at the beach. That is why I was so happy to have found a fab Khao Lak resort, which ticked off all of the boxes for a perfect Thai beach stay. The JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort Beach Within minutes of arriving at the JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort, our bathing suits were on. We wanted to make the most of our late afternoon arrival to explore the property before dark. This is not that much different from any other time we’ve stayed at a beach resort. The difference here: we explored the resort via water. Bathing suits on, no shoes. We had a pool access room, which meant that we were two steps away from an enormous pool, over two kilometers long, which snaked across the entire resort, in front of our room, past two swim up bars, and pretty much up to the beach. We jumped in and started to explore, ultimately ending up at the edge of the pool with a view of the beach. We returned back to our room amazed at how far we swam without even making it all the way around. But, happy...
