You are hereHome / Episode 1. Seabourn Thailand
Travel Notes
BANGKOK
Seabourn arranged a knowledgeable local guide for us, who helped navigate our crew through the fascinating chaos of Bangkok on Day 1. "Mr. T," (an abbreviation of his lengthy Thai name), helped us find the tastiest food in town, showed us where to buy gold, toured us around the various ornate royal palaces around the city, and informed us of when and where we needed to take our shoes off! Like at holy sites, such as Wat Traimit – Temple of the Golden Buddha (which features a 5 ton solid gold Buddha statue!) – one of approximately 400 Buddhist temples in the city.
Shoes were definitely on though, when we visited the Pak Khlong Talat market, which, in addition to selling a colourful array of exotic fruits and vegetables, is most famous for its flowers - roses, jasmine and ORCHIDS abound! Oh, so many vibrant, delicate orchids. Lynn's a serious flower fanatic so she was in heaven!
Later that night, we got a real treat, a visit to the owner of our local tour company's home for one of the most memorable dinners ever! Seabourn guests can visit the stately home to enjoy a feast of authentic Thai dishes, watch a rare performance of the nearly lost art of "human puppetry" (it's like it sounds – the dancers' limbs are attached to strings and appear to be manipulated by a puppeteer), and partake in a traditional ceremony to cleanse the soul of sin. Jay's comment after sending away his sins on a tiny, candle-lit banana leaf boat? "Now I've gotta go and commit some more…" Typical Jay!
On Day 2 of our Bangkok stay, we decided to take a walk on the wild side… On the shoulders of an elephant, that is! Just a few hours outside of the city is the XXX elephant sanctuary, where former working elephants retire to the country and put on shows for visiting travelers. This was definitely a highlight of our trip… There's really nothing like riding an elephant, especially against the exotic backdrop of ancient temple ruins.
GETTING AROUND
Car - Traffic in Bangkok can be really bad but because there's so much to see around the city, being stuck isn't as bad as you'd think. Particularly when enjoying the cool comforts of air conditioning. Bangkok can be one hot city!
Tuk Tuks – So-called after the "tuk-tuk" sound they make. These little three-wheeled open-air vehicles are loads of fun to ride and much better at circumventing traffic, but beware! Tuk Tuk drivers are not always on the up and up. Always negotiate a price to your destination before you board and be wary of offers to go to jewelry stores. Some jewelry shops pay incentives to drivers to lead foreign travelers to their stores (often, whether they like it or not), and in some extreme cases, scam them into buying low quality gems at high prices. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_gem_scam
Taxis – It's easy to spot a Bangkok taxi, which are painted in bright, cheerful colours - pink, orange, turquoise, green… they evoke the colours of the flower market! We didn't take one but they're definitely cute to look at!
Subway and LRT – Bangkok has a relatively new and extensive subway and light rapid transit system, but on this trip, we opted not to use it in favour of Mr. T's fine touring van – a much better option for moving gear around the city. But a few of us on our crew have used it before without trouble, thus avoiding the city's congested streets (although it does have a history of accidents as recently at 2005).
FOOD
It's no secret that Thai food is among the yummiest in the world. What may not be as well known is that in Thailand, the food can be very, very HOT! Much hotter than the Thai takeout we're accustomed to back home. A word of warning for the weak of stomach… you may want to ask if they can hold back on the chilies when ordering that red curry or Pad Thai!
Pretty much across the board it is not recommended to eat food from street vendors – and that goes for most countries in Asia. You never know what standards were employed in its preparation. A knowledgeable guide is the best asset when navigating local food. Ask them where they like to eat! You might find yourself somewhere very interesting. Or somewhere very ordinary, but hey, you're in Thailand! Sometimes the most authentic food can be found at less flashy looking places, as we found out during our day in Bangkok.
SHOPPING
A mall may not seem like an obvious attraction while traveling - you've seen one mall, you've seen 'em all, right? But a visit to the MBK Centre – one of Bangkok's biggest malls - can be a rewarding adventure. One entire floor is like a giant market with designer knock-offs, novelty items and traditional clothing and crafts… Lynn got a stunning tea set which reminded her of the orchids at the market!
Another tip – if you visit the flower market late in the day, there are great deals to be had on flowers… Tough to bring back home but arranged nicely, they can be a lovely addition to your suite onboard the ship!
KOH KOOD AND CAVIAR IN THE SURF
As Lynn says, it's like a private party for you and your closest 175 friends! Koh Kood island is truly a tropical paradise – the perfect backdrop for the best beach BBQ you've ever experienced.
With fewer than 200 guests on the Pride, transferring to the island by tender is a cinch.
And awaiting us was a BBQ lunch fit for a Thai king! Grilled surf and turf, a dizzying array of salads and exotic fruits, and sumptuous desserts to please any sweet tooth – it's a marvel that Seabourn manages to bring it all ashore – right down to the cutlery! -- before the guests arrive. But as Seabourn explains, they've been doing it for years so they have all the kinks worked out.
Have you ever had an Irish Cream liqueur colada? It sounds strange but we can assure you, it's probably the best, frozen cocktail ever invented!
And when not eating, we indulged in the activities on offer – Thai massages in an open-air hut, waterskiing, kayaking, and banana boating, and the highlight of the day, Caviar in the Surf! It's just like it sounds, caviar and French champagne served by white uniformed waiters off a surfboard floating in the ocean! Even the captain came out to serve champagne to his guests! A day we'll never forget…
