fluffnfold

Wednesday, February 11, 2009: Departing New York/JFK

We chose to stay at the JFK Marriott Fairfield Inn on the night prior to our flight because of its Park ‘n Fly rate: the room rate included 12 nights of “free” parking. The hotel sits on a tiny piece of land quite close to the airport. As a result, there isn’t much opportunity to walk around outdoors because the property is essentially the hotel building and some limited parking. The hotel has a small restaurant/bar, which serves food until 11:00 pm. Rates also include a decent breakfast, which consists of mostly cold items but also included make-it-yourself waffles and pre-made but hot breakfast sandwiches. The fitness center was really small, with just three pieces of equipment. Even the rooms are smaller than normal at this property, but they are more than forthcoming with that information when you book online (the room description even says “small” king or “small” two doubles; it would not be possible to fit a rollaway bed in, so the max people per room is four). The transfer to the airport went smoothly because the 24-hour shuttle drops you at your exact terminal, but the return pick-up was not as good. There was no problem in taking the Air Train to Station C (Federal Circle), which all the nearby hotels make guests do, but the hotel van wouldn’t leave the hotel to pick us up until we actually arrived there at the station. Although it was a quick trip on the train, we were then forced to stand outside and wait in bitterly cold and windy weather (it’s not possible to stand/wait indoors and still see the place where the vans stop, since you must walk down a canopy-covered (but not enclosed) walkway between the two locations). With all that said, I would probably use this hotel again before an early-morning departure; the other hotel options in the area generally include only 7 nights of parking, which isn’t usually enough for me.

Thursday, February 12, 2009: Cathay Pacific from JFK to Bangkok via Hong Kong

Although we had to fly economy, I thought that the Cathay Pacific new long-haul product with the “shell” seats was quite comfortable. My husband disagreed, saying the seats weren’t any better than regular coach seats. The new seats don’t recline, instead pushing your butt forward so that you get some inclination at your shoulders. Being 5’8”, it wasn’t really possible for me to use this feature adequately, because when my backside slid forward, my knees hit the seat in front of me. Still, it was wonderful not to have someone reclining into my lap. Each seat has a regular power port for computer access, which is a great way to pass the time. However, I have a large laptop at 17”, which comes in handy for watching movies, but was too large to use comfortably in the new seats. (You must have the tray table down to access the plug.) Again, having no one reclining into me for 20 hours superseded the easy use of my laptop. There was no seat pocket storage at the seats, and due to their design, it wasn’t really possible to keep anything stored under the seat in front of you except for shoes or something small (even a small carryon or backpack would not fit). Entertainment options were great, food was plentiful. We connected through Hong Kong, with a 1.5 hour layover on the way there and a 2.0 hour layover on the way back. Hong Kong is a nice airport, easy to transit through, lots of food, shopping, and smoking opportunities while you wait. All in all, I would choose Cathay again over someone else with “old” economy seats. (And I must add that even their business-class seats weren’t the best looking to me--very narrow compared with others that I’ve seen and/or used.)

Friday, February 13, 2009: One Night in Bangkok

Suvarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport is a large, well-equipped airport with lots of shopping and food options. It is necessary to pass all food and shopping en route to your gates, which occurs just after immigration and passport control, but before any actual security screening. It is easy to forget that you haven’t been through security while shopping and dining and using the airline clubs, which could mean a crunch at boarding time. It is not possible to bring any liquid beverages on flights because you must pass through security after purchasing them. There are restrooms and smoking rooms in the departure gate areas, but no food or beverages available. There are shower rooms and spa services available at the airport. No visas are necessary for US citizens. You will pass a visa on arrival area when deplaning, but you do not need to stop there.

The Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel has an excellent location right on the airport property. (Please note that this is NOT a convenient hotel location for sightseeing in Bangkok, just for transit and travel.) Once the connecting walkway between the hotel and the terminal is finished, it will be simple to travel between the two. While the hotel looks boxy and nondescript from the outside, it is beautiful within. The lobby area is expansive, and there are six restaurant options as well as a little shopping and a spa. The pool area is lovely and relaxing, with food and drink service available and towels provided. Besides regular overnight stays, the hotel has a day rate and half-day rate, making it possible to spend a long connection time in peace and comfort. We had just a standard rooms, which was large and comfortable. The bathrooms are well-equipped, but with an odd blind-covered window between it and the room itself. Robes, slippers, hair dryers, and toiletries provided. Wireless cost the equivalent of about $10 for a few hours usage. Restaurants include Sala Thai (open 12:00—15:00/18:00—23:00), The Square (open 24 hours), Golden Village (open 12:00—15:00/18:00—23:00), Kinsen (open 12:00—15:00/18:00—23:00), Atrium Terrace (open 10:00—02:00), and the Splash Pool Bar (open 10:00—02:00). The Vous Wellness Spa even has special 30-minute travel treatments, such as a back or leg massage for about Baht 900 (about $33) or a skin rescue facial for about Baht 1400 baht ($52). Pool hours 6:00 am to 10:00 pm; spa hours 7:30 to 12:00 midnight. I liked this hotel and would definitely use it again before an early flight. We spent just a few hours in Bangkok before immediately departing to Siem Reap the next morning, and it would not have made any sense to travel into the city to stay there for such a short time. (We’ll return to Bangkok for 3 nights at the end of our trip.)

Saturday, February 14, 2009: Bangkok to Siem Reap

Bangkok Air is a so-called boutique airline that allows all customers into its lounges, regardless of whether you’re flying economy or business/first. In my opinion, the lounge in Phnom Penh airport was better than the one in the Bangkok airport: smaller but more comfortable and located closer to the gates. We used this airline to fly from Bangkok to Siem Reap, then again from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, then finally, from Phnom Penh back to Bangkok. Food on the flights was plentiful, and there was some limited entertainment available. It looked like you needed to provide your own headsets, but I can’t say for sure because I didn’t watch the entertainment since my flights were so short. We were NOT able to use the online check-in for ANY of our flights; I think this a new feature and not yet available for all flights/airports. It didn’t matter whether the flight was domestic or international, we still could not use the online check-in.

Siem Reap Angkor International Airport: The international terminal is new as compared to the domestic terminal. I only saw the arrivals area of the international terminal, not the departures area, since I was flying domestic when leaving Siem Reap. We used the e-Visa service, which definitely saved us time and was worth the extra $5 per visa (so we paid $25 in advance instead of $20 on arrival). Baggage claim was easy; I didn’t see any shops or restaurants in the international arrivals area (but as I said, I can’t comment on the departures are).

Hotel de la Paix (HDLP) was my favorite hotel during my trip to Cambodia and Thailand! We debated between HDLP, the Raffles, La Residence, the Sofitel, and the Le Meridien, but felt that we had made the right choice for us with HDLP. True, all those other named hotels were probably closer to the actual temple sights, but we were “in town”, making is simple, easy, and safe to walk to many restaurants and shops, as well as mini-marts to stock up on beverages rather than buying from the hotel and mini-bar (but those prices weren’t that exorbitant anyway). Service at the HDLP was outstanding! Even when we had a minor issue with our community trip to the local orphanage (which wasn’t even the hotel’s fault), they went above and beyond what was expected to make things right. I wish that we could get such acknowledgement and correction at home! The hotel is hip and stylish, with lots of lounging beds in the lobby/bar area as well as outdoors in the courtyard (which also has a neat water feature as well as the swinging bed at Meric) and by the pool. The pool area is lovely, but not overly large. While we didn’t have any trouble finding seats, the number of seats in the sun are limited and I could see this being a tiny problem when the hotel is at capacity. We were upgraded to a garden suite, which had an exterior courtyard area containing a large soaking tub. What a unique appointment! There are nightly turndown treats, as well as treats on arrival. Toiletries, robes, slippers are provided. The included breakfast was quite nice, with a cold buffet as well as hot, made-to-order items. Mimosas and Bloody Marys are included on the cold buffet. We had the 7-course Khmer tasting dinner at Meric one night, which was an interesting experience because we got to try a variety of Cambodian dishes (if there’s something that you just can’t eat--like me with the stir-fried eels--they will make a substitution). Each course was presented in an interesting manner with unique serving utensils/plates. We didn’t use the spa, but peeked inside when using the fitness center (which was small, with just a few pieces of equipment). The small cafe/deli at the hotel offers free wireless, which is also available in the rooms and public areas. It’s a good place for a quick, inexpensive lunch. Included in our “connect” package at the HDLP was a trip to the Sunshine Village orphanage to deliver food (rice and fish sauces). Unfortunately upon arriving, the orphanage was closed to visitors. This was not the fault of the HDLP, and they offered another trip to a different orphanage on another day, but we were unavailable to take it. Also included in our package was a trip to the local market with the hotel staff, which we found enjoyable. The types of food available for sale (and lack of refrigeration) was indeed interesting. I’m glad that I saw the local market, but I’m also glad that I’ve recently had my hep A and B shots!

Frangipani Spa is an affordable option instead of the hotel spas. We had a couples massage and couples facial, and the total bill was about $120. This spa is located near the central market and the Hotel de la Paix. The building is pretty, with several water features in the lobby area and multiple levels for treatments. The couples room was on the top floor, and had two massage tables, a large soaking bathtub, and rooftop relaxation garden with outdoor shower. I’m not sure whether I liked the Thai massage--it was odd to have someone crawling over me while I was lying (undressed but covered with a cloth) on the table. The facial was similar to others I’ve had in the US, but without the heated mittens/booties that I’ve sometimes had on during the treatment.

We took a balloon flight to see Angkor Wat, but it was quite hazy and visibility wasn’t good. We were told that the sunrise and sunset times were the most popular, but then were told by someone else later that the 3pm time slot is the clearest, not sunrise and sunset. (I had also heard that the best spot to stand was near the balloon operator, which turned out to the worst spot to stand. Move as far away from the operator as possible, and you’ll be facing Angkor Wat.) I would take the balloon again if the weather was crystal clear, because you could definitely get some good photos of the temples from a unique vantage point. If it’s a clear day, it’s $15 per person well spent.

Sunday, February 15, 2009:Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom (Bayon, Terrace of Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King) with Ponheary Ly

I can’t rave enough about Ponheary! She is really knowledgeable, personable, and hard-working, and she knows just the right places for you to stand to take great photos! Ponheary was our guide, but she also has her own van/driver, which worked out well, allowing her to concentrate on telling us about the area while someone else took care of the transportation. You can just tell that she’s a kind and caring person who is dedicated to making her part of the world a better place. We booked her for three days: the first day to see Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, the second day to see Banteay Srei and Ta Phrom, and the third day to see the Floating Village and artisan factory (later on the last day, we could have gone back to one of the temples for sunset, but we had a flight to catch). We loved that we toured in the morning from about 8 to 12, then went back to the hotel from 12 to 3 for lunch/naps/poolside relaxing, then back out to tour from 3 to 6. This was the first time that we’ve gotten such a lunchtime respite in our travels, and it’s really the way to do it, especially in the Cambodian heat. I won’t go on and on about how amazing the temples are; you just have to see them to believe them. I will say that while we travelled all that way to see Angkor Wat, I think that I found Angkor Thom even more impressive (I loved all those “face” carvings.)

We had lunch at Cafe Indochine near our hotel on this day, which was excellent (but popular with tour groups), and dinner at Le Malraux, which was also good.

Monday, February 16, 2009ateay Srei and Ta Phrom with Ponheary Ly

These temples are farther out of town that Angkor Wat and Thom, but the drive is interesting because you get to see the local countryside and life. We passed two groups of monks receiving alms from local women, which were great photo ops. Banteay Srei had neat carvings, and Ta Phrom is a must see for the way the trees have grown in through the temples (part of Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider movie was filmed here).

We had lunch at the Red Piano near our hotel, which was good and dinner nearby at AHA on Pub Street, which my favorite dinner of the whole trip, serving a Khmer tapas menu (highly recommended!); the Meric dinner at HDLP was a close second for my favorite meal.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009:Floating Village and Artisans d’Angkor workshop with Ponheary Ly, Then Siem Reap to Phnom Penh

Originally, we had planned to take the Izabella speedboat to travel from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh (run by Compagnie de Fluviale), but one month before our trip, they announced that they were discontinuing their 1-day runs from REP to PNP and back. So we quickly booked two one way tickets to Phnom Penh on Bangkok Air as Plan B. (The Izabella was the only luxury boat option available; all other boats were more “local” or “commuter” types.) We also booked Ponheary for the third day to the floating village. Having seen it previously on TV’s Amazing Race, I really wasn’t that impressed by what we saw. But in all fairness, the weather was not good on this day; it was the only rain we had during our trip, and even though it only lasted an hour, it was a cold trip out to the village. We stopped at a Cambodian handicraft factory on the way back to town, which I would normally avoid. (We just aren’t interested in shopping.) But it turned out to be very interesting and informative. It was good to see people actually making the kinds of souvenirs that we had seen; to attach a living and breathing person to the object for sale. We had lunch at the Soup Dragon, enjoying the overhead vantage point of Pub Street. We hung out at the hotel in the afternoon, both at the pool and then in the cool lobby (we had a late checkout). Then it was time to leave for Phnom Penh.

The domestic terminal of the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport is tiny, but it does have an outlet of the Blue Pumpkin in the departure area, as well as a small souvenir shop and bookstore. Don’t arrive at the domestic airport too early: the check-in counters won’t be open, and there’s not much to do while you’re waiting. You can only smoke outside of the terminal. I’ve been in smaller and worse airports, so I thought it was cute and serviceable. Domestic arrivals at the Phnom Penh Pochentong Airport are sort of in an open-air area, where you can smoke while waiting for your baggage. I also saw a shop or two in the immediate vicinity of domestic baggage claim.

The Raffles Hotel Le Royal Phnom Penh is a neat, old colonial hotel! We loved the Elephant Bar, which has happy hour (half-priced) drinks each night from 4 to 8 (making them very affordable during that time). Le Phnom Deli also sells their pastries for 50% off from 6 to 9 at night, so if you think ahead and don’t have breakfast included with your room rate, you can buy a little something for the next morning, or as a late-night take-home dessert. There is a tiny terrace off the sweet shop where you can enjoy a snack. The pool area is nice, with plenty of chairs in both the shade and the sun. The twin pools themselves are large. There are two main dining options: Cafe Monivong and Restaurant Le Royal, as well as the Conservatory (lobby) bar, Elephant Bar, and poolside dining. We were upgraded to a Raffles Suite, which was awesome! Two full bathrooms, plus a bedroom and living room (and two TVs and two mini-bars)! All anticipated amenities/toiletries are included, plus robes, slippers, hairdryers. We debated between this hotel and the Intercontinental. While I feel that the Raffles location is safer, the IC is more in the center of the city (yet not near the sights). The Raffles is a bit isolated, making it necessary to take a tuk-tuk if you want to dine or shop outside the hotel, even just to grab some beverages instead of using the mini-bar. We did walk about two blocks during the day to find such a mini mart, but I wouldn’t recommend doing so at night in the dark. There is live music in the hotel lobby at certain times of the day, as well as in the Elephant Bar in the evening. I would probably choose this hotel again if I were to return to Phnom Penh. We did not eat in the restaurants here other than some sandwiches and dim sum in the Elephant Bar. Prices for food and drinks seemed inordinately high, even for a hotel (e.g., $5 for a can of Diet Coke, regardless of whether you bought it in the sweet shop, bar, or mini-bar). I did not use (or even see) the on-site spa or gym, but one morning while waiting for our guide, we saw great numbers of women on their way to yoga class, so the gym must have been fairly large to accommodate all of them. Internet access was NOT free; we paid $20 USD for 8 hours, which didn’t have to be used consecutively (a little outrageous considering the room prices). Airport transfers by regular car were $14 USD each way and were added directly to the hotel bill.

Wednesday, February 1, 2009hnom Penh City Tour

The Raffles hotel arranged a guide and driver for a tour of the city, including the Tuol Sleng and Genocide Museum (Killing Fields) at a cost of approximately $100 per day ($50 for the guide and $50 for the driver). We had a great guide and felt that the price was worth it, and having a separate driver who can drop you off in one location and then pick you up in another when you are finished touring a sight is really invaluable. We visited the following: Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, National Museum, Wat Phnom, Tuol Sleng Museum (Museum of Genocide), and Choeung Ek (The Killing Fields).

Thursday, February 19, 2009: Phnom Penh to Bangkok

The Phnom Penh Pochentong Airport International Airport departure area was smallish but nice, with a few shops and restaurants. There is a smoking room located in back of the Pub. Bangkok Air has a club lounge for all classes of passengers, which is a comfortable place to wait and have complimentary non-alcoholic drinks and snacks. Don’t forget to pay your $25 international departure tax after checking in for your flight but before going through security.

Peninsula Bangkok: Much to my surprise, I was underwhelmed by the service! Sad, but true. From all the glowing reviews that I’ve read, I just expected to be bowled over, so I was disappointed that the service at this hotel wasn’t as good as either at the Hotel de la Paix or Raffles Le Royal in Cambodia. A German family sitting next to us at dinner one night at Thiptara was absolutely ignored during their entire meal, despite their many polite attempts to get service. There are several restaurant options at the Peninsula: Jesters, Thiptara (the setting of which was lovely, and it was surprisingly inexpensive), the Bar, the Lobby, the River Cafe and Terrace (where the buffet breakfast is held if it is included in your room rate, as well as a dinner buffet. I’m not sure what either one costs, since both were included for us, but these buffets are the nicest that I’ve ever seen anywhere), Mei Jiang, and the Pool Bar. I did not see the spa or fitness center, but the spa is in it’s own two- or three-story building, so I suspect it’s lovely. The pool is gorgeous with plenty of chairs and a few salas (cabanas) that are first-come, first-served. The bar along the river is a great place to have a drink; it is part of the River Cafe and Terrace. There is no smoking inside the hotel, and only at a few places outside (the River Cafe bar and the Thiptara relaxation/waiting area and one small section near the pool). There are 37 stories in this hotel, but amazingly, there was never a wait for an elevator. Rooms were large and comfortable with every possible amenity including the less-often-seen automatic curtains, daily newspaper box with light, TV above the bathtub, and twin his-and-hers sinks. I didn’t mind the Thonburi location: I liked having a good view of both the river traffic and the city itself, and it was easy to walk to local mini-markets with ATM machines nearby the hotel. There weren’t many off-site tourist restaurants nearby, but there were plenty of local sidewalk food stands if you were so inclined. We booked our airport/hotel transfers with Tour with Tong for $25 per way, which was more than it would have cost for a regular taxi, but much less than the $75 per way charged by the hotel.

We had two activities planned for the night of our arrival through Tour With Tong: muay thai boxing and the Patpong night market. For the muay thai boxing, our guide was Charlie. We paid for the boxing tickets ourselves (not through Ton), and sat ringside. As it turns out, it was the right move, since that’s where all the tourists were sitting, with the locals above us in the stands. It was not the best seating for viewing the match and taking photos, though. An upper position would have afforded a better view, in my opinion. (I’ve never thought that front row was the best seats at any venue--put me a few rows back and I’m much happier.) The fights were interesting. We then took a quick walk through Patpong with Charlie. It wasn’t as seedy as I had imagined.
Friday, February 20: Tour with Tong to Kanchanaburi (Floating Village and Temple Tiger)
High praise for Tour with Tong! We had a tiny problem upon arrival, which she went out of her way to correct with not only an e-mail, but also two phone calls. She truly cares about her customers and the reputation of her business, which isn’t always the case with other companies. I also commend Tong for teaching her employees to always be early! Whether by design or just by hiring conscientious people, our guides and/or drivers were always at least 15 minutes early for our meeting time, which was greatly appreciated by two people who always make it a point to be early as well. We took a full-day tour to Kanchanaburi to see the Floating Market and Temple Tiger, followed by a day tour of the city. Even though we didn’t choose all the options available of the Kanchanaburi tour (for example, we didn’t take the train ride, or the elephant walk/bath, or the monkey feeding), it was difficult to finish in less than 12 hours (and only 8 hours are included in the day rate, so some overtime was necessary; affordable certainly, but necessary). We did spend an extra hour at Temple Tiger feeding and playing with the 6-week old cubs. That cost an extra 1500 Thai Baht per person but was one of the highlights of our entire trip. I guess it’s not always available, though, because there aren’t always cubs. We had the greatest guide for our two full-day trips: Kung. She is so friendly and personable; it is evident that she really cares about her clients and gets enjoyment from seeing them having a good time. She was invaluable to us at the Temple Tiger; knowing just the right places to stand to be first in line to walk with the tigers to the canyon. She was also a gem at the Floating Market; I think it is Tong’s policy to use only non-motorized boats on the waterways there, and Kong reserved a boat for us before we even arrived. Definitely check out this company when you are looking for a Bangkok guide. Tong is very responsive to e-mail and was extremely patient with dealing with my many questions. She takes PayPal as a deposit on the tours, but the balance is paid in Thai Baht on the day of the tour (and the amount can’t be calculated exactly because there might be overtime). We visited Maeklong Market (where a train goes right through the market several times a day, and vendors pack/unpack their awnings and move their wares to let it pass), Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, a local teak factory, Temple Tiger, and the Bridge Over the RIver Kwai. We also had a quick but delicious lunch nearby Temple Tiger.

Saturday, February 21: Tour with Tong of Bangkok City

Kung led us on a tour of Wat Phra Keo (Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha), Vinamnek Palace (teak mansion), Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn) reached by crossing the river on a local ferry boat, had lunch at Rub Ar Roon Cafe (across from Wat Po; yummy and really inexpensive; sit on the sidewalk if there’s a table available), Wat Po, Reclining Buddha, and had some foot reflexology done. We tried to visit Jim Thompson’s house in the late afternoon, but traffic prevented us from getting there, so we got some extra pool time instead, which was well deserved on the last day of our trip. We passed on the option to take an hour-long khlong tour, since we felt like we saw a lot of the river staying at the Peninsula and also rode the local ferry across the river to Wat Arun.

This was a great trip, and I hope we can go back someday, particularly to Thailand. Bangkok was just the "tip of the iceberg", and there are so many other interesting places left to investigate.

Gpanda

Thanks for the wonderful report. We too liked Cathay Pacific from JFK. I completely agree about Ponheary and Tong. They are great and tremendously enhance the sightseeing. Report is clearly timely and no penalty.

Kathie

Thanks for your report. I'm so glad you had a great time!

AskOksena

>>>Peninsula Bangkok: Much to my surprise, I was underwhelmed by the service!

... (well, do wish all had gone better for you at one of my all-time cherished BKK business (and occasional pleasure) hotels. ... (Just between us: I consider the Bangkok Peninsula staff to be 'family', along with the BKK Oriental, Four Seasons and Shangri-La Krungthep Wing employees; very special, indeed.) ... (Would suggest giving the BKK Peninsula another 'shot' - along with that all-time cherished 'Lobby Hostess') ...

... glad you found 'traitor air' (Cathay Pacific) acceptable. ... (And in future, do consider those sensational Singapore Girls - thank you) ...

macintosh (robert)


... "Did the Oriental make you mad again?!" ...

(Fine 'front desk' staff and friends, Bangkok Peninsula, 'late' 1999)

rhkkmk

nice report fluff... glad you had a good time...

js1999

Fluff-- Thanks for the report. Could you tell me Ponheary's email address that you used to communicate with her?

ArizonaShyGuy

Thanks for the trip report. I loved Tong and she is a bundle of energy.
I too found the new shell seats on Cathay Pacific quite comfortable. I am about 5'10 and had no problems at all. I really love the fact that the seat in front of you cannot recline into your space.
The meal at AHA in Siem Reap was also my fav meal in Cambodia. The food and the service was wonderful, and its such a great people watching spot.

fluffnfold

To e-mail Ponheary, try one of the following addresses. One address is old (inactive) and the other is new, but I don't remember which is which:

ponheary at yahoo dot com
lyponheary at yahoo dot com

Craig

Really good report. Sorry I didn't post my praises earlier.