JamesA

Can you look under the Chilren's glasses thread as I have a question there about Koh Chang

travelduo

sure, just answered it! at least i think i did, but if not then lat me know! Jeffrey

travelduo

sure, just answered it! at least i think i did, but if not then let me know! Jeffrey

JamesA

Travelduo, hope you don't mind me pasting this for Bob, he is thinking of the Rayong/Samet/Chang area and I think your experience on Koh Chang would interest him.

? What about any good restaurants on Koh Chang?

Copied:-

Message: Hi James, we flew from bkk to trat! It was much easier than i expected it to be. The airport in Trat reminded me of this fantasy island kind of place, since this is the only flight that lands there now, there was no one else there when we landed. We went to the woman sitting at the only desk there and told her which bungalow we were staying at, paid her B200 for the round trip transfer, then got on a mini bus which took us to the pier and the ferry, got off the bus on the ferry for the short ride, then as soon as the captain blew the whistle in koh chang we got back on the same mini bus which drove off the ferry and straight to our bungalow! I thought that we were going to have to take all these different kinds of transportaion to get there but it all flowed very nicely! Once we got there it was sureal! We were the only Americans on the entire island. We would go back every year if we could, and the people at Barali Resort expected us to!

rhkkmk

thanks for the info....it sounds great...can you tell me more about the resort and the actual accomodations?? what about food?? always important to us...was it bangkok airways that got you there?? how long did you stay? what were the beds like? a/c?? we like being the only americans....was there any language problem??

enough questions...thanks for your help

bob

travelduo

Hi Bob, this is kind of weird telling you about our stay in koh chang because you were the one that planned most of our honeymoon trip for us in bkk! Anyway, yes we flew bangkok air, they have 2 flights into and out of trat each day. We stayed 5 days at the Barali Resort and I cant say enough about it! it is one of only 3 "lux" places on the island, and our bungalow was right on the beach front.... i mean youactually walked out our front door, down the porch steps and into the water! I think that they have like 20 bungalows total. Before i start with the positives i do have to say that the water was never hot enough in the shower, that really is our only complaint! The room kind of reminded us of the marriott, the floors were all hardwood and very contemporary looking. The bed could of been a little softer i guess. The restaurant on site was awesome, and had the free morning breakfast which was very good. Besides our place we really didnt eat at any restauraunts with actual names i dont think, just of bunch of beach front open air places. We did eat one night at probably my favorite place in the entire world! We were just walking down the road and this little old Thai woman said " come here I feed you!" so we sat down and ordered, then she LEFT! A few minutes later she came back with an arm full of food ready to cook that she had just bought down the road after we ordered! Anyway, I forgot what i had but it was the HOTTEST thing that has ever been served in the entire world, but it was awesome! After dinner the only fat Thai guy I have ever seen came over and gave me some banannas and watermelon and my mouth was back to normal! No language problem at all! Most all the employees spoke good english. The bungalow was not to expensive either. The website is www.baraliresort.com, but i booked it theu one of the other site that you told me about! let me know if there is anything else! Jeffrey PS all my clothes that Jack made for me are awesome!

rhkkmk

one good turn deserves another and that is what fodors is all about...you have not helped me...i think we may try it in june...are there any bungalows which we should stay away from or are they all about the same?? is there a pool?? did others complain about the lack of hot water?? did your bungalow have a number or name??

thanks for the info in advance...

bob and karen

we were married in 1966 so this is not a honeymoon...

travelduo

Our bungalow had a number but i dont remember what it was????? yes they have an infinity pool that was very nice. I think most all the bungalows were about the same it just depends on if you want to walk 10 feet to the beach or 100 feet?????? I didnt talk to many people there so not sure if any others had the same hot wayer problem. I forgot to tell you that next door is a temple, and we were there during loy kratong so i dont think its like this all the time, but a few nights we were there it was like a good ole mid west county fair "thai style"! and if you were sitting on the beach you could hear all the thai people having a good old time, but like i said i dont think this is an ongoing thing, just for loy kratong.
I didnt understand what you meant when you said " you have not helped me"? in your last post? also i have another question for you, i know you have been to london a lot and we are going to have a 2 day layover there in march on our way to africa and would like a recommendation on a hotel, we arrive thru gatwick, then leave thru heathrow late the next day. just want to do the normal tourist things. i think we might take the city tour bus. thanks in advance, jeffrey

rhkkmk

i don't know what the hell i ment...i think the "not" crept in there for no reason....you certainly have helped me!!!! ignor it...like most everything i say to my wife...she ignors me...you will learn about this in the next 40 years....

london....usually we stay with our friends which is SW of london....we have recently stayed twice at heathrow....from priceline you can get the 3 star holiday inn ariel for about $40-50 per nite...it is a steal as hotels are very expensive in london...this is at the airport however....you could not get anything in town for less than maybe $125 or more....london hotels are crummy really....do you know www.biddingfortravel.com.....?? this is the companion site to priceline and teaches you how to use priceline...they list hotels that have been "awarded" recently on priceline...just scroll down to england and you will see....

the problem with staying at the airport is getting into london...it is probably 40 minutes on the tube and you have to get from the hotel to the tube---ask them about how....

so it may not work for you with limited time and no car....

you might be better to stay at a hotel at gatwick....there is a train from there to london very often...i think it is cheaper as well.... this might be a better option....ask for help in bidding from biddingfortravel....

if you have other questions send them direct: [email protected]

i have been to london over 30 times so i know it pretty well...

by the way it is very expensive just now, food especially!!!!

i just read a warning on a hotel site that they were going to be building a new section to the koh chang hotel beginning in december, 2004 and that it might be noisy for over a year....do you know anything about this??