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Beijing & Trat, Thailand 2024
  • Sue Deeley
  • Sue Deeley

Beijing & Trat, Thailand 2024

A 23-day adventure by Sue Read more
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  • Trip start
    April 2, 2024
  • Sue DeeleyBeijing & Trat, Thailand 2024Traveler

    The Summer Palace and Kaiwen Academy

    April 7, 2024 in China ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    The Summer Palace is located on the western outskirts of Beijing, a former residence from the Qibg dynasty although it was destroyed and subsequently rebuilt in 1902. The spectacular Tower of the Buddhist Incense stands tall over Kunming Lake, affording wonderful views of the lake, its bridges and all the blossom. Dave and I spent a very pleasant couple of hours strolling around even though it was pretty busy.
    From there, we took a short taxi tide to Kaiwen Academy where Emily and Paul work, and enjoyed a tour of the buildings, grounds and extensive sporting facilities.    Read more

  • Sue DeeleyBeijing & Trat, Thailand 2024Traveler

    Farewell Beijing

    April 8, 2024 in China ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    An interesting Chinese breakfast this morning, in the same Dimsum restaurant we ate in last night and in fact one of the dishes was the same as well. After a quick wander down to the Drum and Bell Towers and back through the hutongs, it was a taxi ride out to Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) and, before long, we were on our Thai Airways flight to Bangkok, 4½ hours. A very pleasant experience, much better than our BA flight over. Overnight at the Orchid Resort hotel (yes, another Orchid hotel, no connection though) near the airport before our next flight tomorrow...Read more

  • Sue DeeleyBeijing & Trat, Thailand 2024Traveler

    Arrive Ko Chang

    Apr 9–13, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Our journey to Koh Chang involved an 11.40 flight with Bangkok Airways to Trat where we'd prebooked a transfer to our hotel, the Kai Bae Beach Resort. A very comfortable trip in an air-conditioned SUV which involved a 15 minute drive to the car ferry point, a 30-min crossing to Koh Chang and then a 30 minute drive to Kai Bei, over halfway down the west coast. A beautiful quiet beach. We found a rustic beach bar - with the dubious nane of Porn's Restaurant and Bungalows - and whiled away a few hours with beer, cocktails and some delicious prawn noodles and a Massaman curry.Read more

  • Sue DeeleyBeijing & Trat, Thailand 2024Traveler

    In Kai Bae

    Apr 10–14, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Explored the local area, plenty of places to eat, drink and shop. We booked speedboat tickets at Kai Bei Hut (800THB each, £17 or so) to Ko Mak on Saturday - don't know what we'd have done if they were fully booked as we are checking out that day! Watched elephants come on to our beach, have a bathe and scrub down in the sea, they loved it! Ducking their heads underwater, rolling on the sandy seabed and legs in the air! 😂Read more

  • Sue DeeleyBeijing & Trat, Thailand 2024Traveler

    Off to Koh Mak

    Apr 13–18, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Speedboat to Koh Mak, only an hour or so from Ko Chang. Beautiful, unspoilt, quiet, stunning white sandy beaches, quaint rustic bars and restaurants. Very little traffic, only motorcycles and shared taxis. The roads are concreted tracks really, often only the width of a car.The only downside is the amount of rubbish on some of the beaches.

    Went for a 7km walk when we arrived at 10am as check-in wasn't until 2pm.    Read more

  • Sue DeeleyBeijing & Trat, Thailand 2024Traveler

    Another day in Koh Mak

    April 16, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    We planned to walk across to Ko Rayang Nai at low tide this morning but realised that we were about 5 hours too early! 😂 Dave tried walking out but stepped on a huge black sea urchin which actually pierced the tough soles of his sea shoes. So we spent the next half hour back in the room with me trying to gouge the 5 spines from his foot. Anyway, it seems OK now fortunately.

    We lay by the pool, did 50-60 lengths, and returned to that patch of beach a bit later and walked across, safely, ankle deep in places so essier to avoid the urchins.

    Great meal tonight in TableTales, about 300m from our hotel.    Read more

  • Sue DeeleyBeijing & Trat, Thailand 2024Traveler

    Idyllic Koh Kahm

    April 17, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    We walked up to the beautiful Ao Soun Yai beach this morning. Unlike our side of the island, this beach is spotless, no sign of any rubbish at all.

    After a refreshing iced cappuccino in Pineapple Dessert café, we bought the 350THB ticket for the 5 minute boat ride to Koh Kham. What a beautiful place, you can always tell when a place takes your breath away because you can't stop taking photos! Soft pure white sand, palm trees, a white sandy spit reaching out into the sea, crystal clear waters... of course, the water is as warm as bathwater here in Thailand.

    We snorkelled for quite some time, some lovely fish and bright coral. We even came across an extremely friendly black and white Nemo fish who seemed to enjoy being around us. Dave managed to capture him on video on my new phone - used for the first time underwater!

    There's an abandoned resort on the tiny island, apparently 80% complete and then development was halted by the authorities. You can go inside, see all the electric cables hanging down etc. It would have been an absolutely stunning setting. It reminded me of a modern-day Angkor Wat in that nature was gradually taking over the buildings.

    We've found the hotel we'll stay in next time - Seavana on Ao Soun Yai. We had a few beers there after Koh Kham, stunning, idyllic!

    They say things come in threes... we should have known... Dave lost his camino bracelet on the bike ride on Sunday, he left his shirt over the hotel sunbed yesterday and it has now vanished, and I have lost my new (unused!) Galaxy earbuds. They were in my bumbag, and now they're not. May have lost them today or maybe yesterday 😪    Read more

  • Sue DeeleyBeijing & Trat, Thailand 2024Traveler

    Next stop, Koh Kood

    Apr 18–23, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    We went for a walk along the beach this morning, rather longer than we'd planned, about 4km but it was very hot and humid. As it always is, 24 hours a day. Breakfast in Ball Café then got a taxi transfer to Ao Nid pier for the 12.50 catamaran to Koh Kood. It only takes 30 mins. Taxi included in the 400THB boat fare, at both ends.

    We're staying in a Seaview Balinese-style bungalow at Koh Kood Beach Resort. It seems a very impressive place, we look over a grassy slope full of tall palm trees, down below is the infinity pool overlooking the sea. Beautiful and, like everywhere else we've been, it's very quiet. Very few people around, so perfect.

    We ate in the hotel restaurant overlooking the sea this evening, very tasty Shrimp Panang and Khao Soi Chicken.    Read more

  • Sue DeeleyBeijing & Trat, Thailand 2024Traveler

    A perfect day at Koh Kood Beach Resort

    April 19, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Delightful breakfast overlooking the gentle waves, then 800m in the infinity pool and some wonderful snorkelling off the rocks. Loads of fish 🐟😍 A chilled day. So few people around, we have everything to ourselves. Is this place the best ever?

    Watched the perfect red globe of the sun gently set this evening, so peaceful and perfect.    Read more

  • Sue DeeleyBeijing & Trat, Thailand 2024Traveler

    Exhausting humid walk to Klong Chao

    April 20, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ 🌙 30 °C

    We set off to walk to a few shops half an hour down the road. I didn't hold out much hope for these shops as there doesn't really seem to be anything on Koh Kood, and I was right! It's so unusual to find an undeveloped beautiful Thai island.

    I had thought our hotel - albeit amazing - maybe wasn't best located as there's not a lot around it. But that's what Koh Kood is about, there's not a lot anywhere, and it's really quite refreshing. Let's hope it can stay that way.

    We were the only idiots walking in this heat and humidity, everyone else is on scooters or in a shared taxi. We ended up walking about 6.5 km to Klong Chao and a bit beyond. Beautiful beach there, with the river running into it. Taskmaster Dave suggested we walk back - so we did. We couldn't talk, we were so drained and exhausted!    Read more

    Trip end
    April 24, 2024
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