THE KAHNS IN THAILAND: PART III – "Ending things in style"


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January 24th 2013
Published: January 24th 2013
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When most people speak or read about Pattaya, images of sleaze and human desperation are summoned. It is certainly not a place associated with style nor with wholesome family vacations, and so clearly not one that would easily figure on our itinerary, let alone be the place to end our grand Asian adventure with. However, when dear family friends generously offered to treat us to a few days at a nearby resort, we thought it was nevertheless too kind an offer to refuse. With an ever so slight hint of apprehension, I decided to trust the good judgment of these friends, confidant that they would not bring our little family into the midst of everything I like the least about Asia- exploitation, corruption, and crowds. I’m pleased to report, we were not only right to trust those friends, but very pleasantly surprised by one of the nicest hotels we have had the pleasure to discover throughout our recent travels. And so our last week in Asia was spent doing what visitors to this region often do best: relaxing on a beach, feasting on fine Thai food, and enjoying ourselves thoroughly. We can’t thank enough Khun Nid and her daughter, Patralak, for being such gracious hosts to us and for making our last week in Asia so very memorable. (And to make matters even easier for us, Patralak was kind enough to capture it all on camera, sparing me the task! So any photos that may impress you on this particular blog entry are entirely to her credit.)

After we left Singapore on the afternoon of the 18th, we enjoyed a brief transit back through Bangkok, consisting of a day of unproductive souvenir shopping and another very successful day of amusing miniature sightseeing (via a golf cart!) at the impressive “Ancient Siam” park. When not searching in vain for the perfect gifts to jam into our luggage for some of the younger and most deserving members of our family, we did manage to fit in also a visit to Bangkok’s Funarium. Here, our kids climbed and bounced for two straight hours, while Arnaud and I caught up with family friend and fabulous Bangkok host, Patralak. Throughout those two days, we continued our now perfected trend of fine Asian dining, thanks in great part to our friends who happen to own a traditional Thai food restaurant.

On Monday, January 21st, we bid Bangkok farewell and were driven South to the Sea Sand and Sun Resort and Spa in Sattahip, a little further on from Pattaya. Set in lush tropical gardens, this boutique resort is a page out of an architecture magazine with its well-designed modern bungalows and tasteful Thai decor. We were especially spoiled with our very own sea-facing villa, complete with private pool and beach deck. Given the risk of sounding like a brochure or cheesy travel magazine, I will avoid getting into the details of every little beautiful corner of this hotel and simply share the link with you so that you can judge for yourselves: http://www.seasandsunpty.com/

As we never ventured further than the neighbouring village of Tambon Baan Amphur, where our friends took us out for a fun seafood dinner at the famous Preecha Seafood Restaurant right on the beach, there is a little I can say about Sattahip, and even less about Pattaya. However, some fellow hotel guests did make it into the latter and promptly warned us to stay away. Their feedback confirmed for us that while there may be more to Pattaya than the stereotype of go-go bars and jet ski scams, it still has a long way to go before it is the kind of place I am willing to stroll through with my kids.

For those of you who don’t understand what I mean when I refer to Pattaya in such unfavourable tones, let me paint a clearer picture for you… Cue the drunk sunburnt German flirting arrogantly and needlessly with a much too young and underdressed Thai woman… While postcards make it look quite cheerful with a lively beach scene during the sunny days and a colourful neon-filled nightlife, the reality is a considerably sadder one. Built on a legacy of selling sex that dates back to the Vietnam War, Pattaya has an unambiguously pronounced image problem. It is for this reason that the mayor has embarked on turning that ugly reputation around and continues to be relentlessly focused on rebranding Pattaya as a family-friendly destination. If the Sea, Sand and Sun Resort is anything to go by, it seems there are indeed some great hidden options in the area for families.

Furthermore, what visitors to Thailand need to know is that Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand should not be lumped into the same category, as I unfairly had before coming this way. My short week here has redeemed this part of Thailand in my eyes and I no longer consider it an area that families should avoid. In fact, the next time we come to Thailand, I should like to explore it more. We heard great things about nearby islands such as Ko Samet or Ko Chang.

Each of four days on the Southeastern Thai coast were spent pretty much with the same routine: breakfast overlooking the sea, where we indulged in tropical fruit juices made to order… then a long dip in the turquoise sea to take advantage of the morning tide which kept the bay as peaceful as a lake… As the waves picked up, we shifted towards the lovely hotel pool, until we were hungry for lunch at the delicious “Horizon Sea View Restaurant”. I kept pledging to wander along the beach to find other spots for lunch, but it was simply too hard to tear ourselves away from our comfortable resort. Once you are committed to lazy living, best to follow-through and not get too ambitious. After lunch, the kids were put to bed for a lengthy nap, allowing Arnaud and I to finally catch up on some reading (or as the case may be- blogging). Arnaud then drifted over towards the regular Frisbee game that took place on the beach among some fellow guests, while Lea drifted towards the spa. And so we managed to savor every last moment of our remaining days in Asia.





PS: this may be the end of our trip, but we aren’t quite done with the blogging…


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