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Christina and I wake to the buzz of our alarm and push through the flap of our tent at Hintok River Camp into the already steamy pre-dawn air.

It’s too early for the birds, but too late for the night noises. Everything is silent and still.

Before long, we’re clambering down flights of steel steps by torchlight to the floor of a deep gully known as Konyu Cutting — better named Hellfire Pass.

We’re in western Thailand in Kanchanaburi Province, which pushes against the border of Myanmar.

Known for its thick verdant rainforests, sprawling thunderous waterfalls and broad, wild rivers, Kanchanaburi is also famous for the Thai-Burma Railway (better known as the Death Railway) and its deadly role in World War II.

Anzac Day at Hellfire Pass, Thailand

Today is 25th April — Anzac Day — and Hellfire Pass is one of the most venerable sites in the world for the Anzac Day Dawn Service. It commemorates all who have been lost to military endeavour, but in particular those who fell here as prisoners of war in the 1940s.

Hellfire Pass got its name from the appalling conditions the POWs had to endure, but also from how it looked from the top of the cutting.

In the 1940s, paraffin lamps lit the way for POWs forced to toil throughout the night. From above, the flames in the ravine looked like the very mouth of hell itself.

This morning, the path is lit with similar lamps, giving the cutting an eerie air. Shadows move and jump across the rock walls, and silent figures in full military dress march next to us and before us.

Looking back, we see the high, narrow walls of Hellfire Pass pinching in above our heads, the sky beyond still full of the night’s dying darkness.

The path is wide (it had to be wide enough to fit a train down) and brings us to the end of the cutting, where it opens out into a broad shallow bowl. On one side is grandstand seating, on the other, giant rock steps act as more tiered seating, and both are filling up fast.

More and more people pour in from the pass until there is almost nowhere to stand, but only a low murmur of voices comes from this great gathering.

In the centre of it all is the cenotaph, the black angular marble memorial to those that war has taken.

Dawn Service in Kanchanaburi

Soon, the first crisp navy shadows of dawn show through the blackness in the sky and the service begins.

The Catafalque Party — a ceremonial guard of four armed service personnel — marches down the steps of the cutting and stand watch at the compass points of the cenotaph, their heads bowed, their weapons inverted. The soldiers maintain such incredible stillness, which adds to the solemnity of the moment.

From the opening prayers to the haunting Last Post and the two minutes’ silence, and the final dismount and retire of the four soldiers in the Catafalque Party, the service is one of those things that stay inside you.

An indelible memory.

After the Dawn Service

The walk back through Hellfire Pass is no less significant or symbolic, but there seems to be less tension in the already hot morning air.

Groups of military stop along the cutting to get photos together, and the chatter of the crowd is lighter and louder than before. But messages and motifs lodged in the rock of loved ones and comrades lost to the war effort cast a grim light darker than the shadows from the looming walls.

At the top of the cutting and in front of the excellent Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre, we find breakfast is in full flow.

Stalls are turning out sausage sizzles, meat pies and Anzac biscuits, but also some outstanding local fair. We tuck into a pot of rich spicy green curry as the crowd relaxes and the happier side of this important day takes form.

Soon, Two-Up rings form and the British Club Bangkok Pipe Band – a marching band of pipers in full kilt regalia full the air with music.

As we finish up breakfast, we’re aware that back home, Australia’s Anzac Day celebrations would be in full flow and lunch would just be about to begin.

We travelled to Kanchanaburi as media guests of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, but our experiences and opinions remain our own.

The post Dawn Service of Hellfire Pass – Anzac Day in Thailand appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

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Christina and I have been to Bangkok many times over the years. Work, weddings, holidays, extended transfers — whenever there’s an excuse to go, we take it.

Bangkok is such an incredible place.

No matter how many times we go there, this city always finds new ways to surprise and thrill.

Whether it’s the traditional streets of the historic Phra Nakhon District that hasn’t changed much in 250 years or the ever-more extravagant rooftop bars at the apex of towering buildings that seem to sprout like mushrooms from the city’s concrete loam, Bangkok just can’t help itself but be extraordinary.

Here are five amazing things to do beyond the usual temple tours and night markets that will show you a whole new side to Bangkok and its surrounds.

Baan Bu Bronzeworks Community

Map reference

In ‘Little Bangkok’ or Bangkok Noi in the north of the city, the Baan Bu community is the last of the once-thriving bronze bowl industry in Bangkok.

The ‘khan long hin’ bowls — highly polished bronze bowls used in Buddhist ceremonies and once only found in high-class homes — are hand-crafted from pucks of bronze, heated and hammered over coal forges.

They’re then polished and buffed by hand until they shine like mirrors. Looking into them is like peering into a bowl of liquid gold.

This process comes down from ancient Siam, when Ayutthaya was the capital and Bangkok was still marshland.

Baan Bu, its forge and shop can be a bit tricky to find, but catching a train to Thon Buri Station will get you close. This station, by the way, is the very start of the famed Death Railway from WWII. Check out our story here.

Warehouse 30 Gallery

Map reference

Directly across the river from the Iconsiam shopping centre and sharing a wall with the Portuguese Embassy is a complex of repurposed warehouses that form this energetic creative space.

Here, contemporary artists have room to display their works — from paintings to full-blown sculptural installations — boutiques sell handicraft, workshops and vintage shops. You’ll also find a couple of cafes and bars here for refreshment, and even a spa if you feel like a massage or treatment.

The range of art here is impressive and constantly changing. Local and international creators display their works on a rolling programme so there’s always something new to see here in this vibrant, colour-filled corner of the city.

Jim Thompson House

Map reference

Close to the MBK Shopping Centre and on the banks of one of Bangkok’s many canals, the Jim Thompson House is a fascinating museum to the enigmatic entrepreneur and ex-CIA agent who single-handedly revitalised the Thai silk trade in the 1950s and ‘60s.

Regular tours go through Thompson’s rambling timber house, which he designed and built himself. You can see his various collections of art and objects, as well as learning more about his life — though it’s his mysterious disappearance in March 1967 that’s the most interesting part of the story.

There’s also a shop where you can buy Thai silk in all manner of products and there’s usually a silk-spinning demonstration going on.

What’s more, there’s even an excellent restaurant on site serving classic Thai dishes, though it’s more expensive than most eateries serving similar dishes around town.

You can see our write-up and video on the Jim Thompson House Museum here.

Royal Barges National Museum and Boatyard

Map reference

One of the stranger and more difficult-to-find museums in Bangkok, the Royal Barges Museum displays several traditional long-tail barges used exclusively by the Thai royal family.

Think being able to see the US presidential Beast or a ceremonial carriage of the British royal family up close.

In an undercover dock in the north of the city across the river from the National Museum and National Gallery, this is a working shipyard where highly-skilled craftspeople maintain these auspicious boats.

Getting here can be tricky. Trust your guide/Google Maps — the alleys and laneways seemingly through people’s back yards do lead to the museum in the end.

CBT Baan Don Kai Dee Benjarong Porcelain Art

Map reference

Southwest of Bangkok, Don Kai Dee (or ‘Don Ki Di’) is the home of Benjarong Porcelain — some of the most beautiful porcelain ware in the world.

You can watch the skilled craftspeople here hand paint elegant figures, pots, cups and plates, and even have a go yourself (it takes about an hour and the shop will send you your work once its been fired and glazed).

This delicate technique of intricate designs comes down from the Chinese Ming Dynasty, painting multiple colours onto fine white porcelain, and is the traditional Thai style. From 13th to 18th Centuries, this porcelain style was made exclusively for the Thai royal court.

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Bangkok is one of those great paradoxical cities of the world where the only time you should be surprised is when nothing is out of the ordinary. It’s a place of the unexpected, and the hotel bar of the Four Seasons in the riverside district of Sathon illustrates my point to a tee.

As we disgorge from the taxi into the sweltering heat of the Bangkok afternoon, Christina and I breathe in the warm air before stepping into the delicately scented air conditioning of the hotel’s beautiful lobby.

We’re here to check out the watering hole of the Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River: the BKK Social Club, recognised as one of the world’s best bars.

Since 2022, this bar has won a swathe of awards: 14th best bar in the world, 10th best bar in Asia, number one in Thailand… an impressive haul, but we’re curious to see what the best bar in a city like Bangkok looks like.

BKK Social Club, Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River

We pass slowly through the hotel, elegantly decorated and interestingly furnished. The gleaming white marble floors give way to occasional water features that trickle and tinkle behind subtle music and the muted chatter of other guests.

Winding our way to the back of the hotel where the broad milk tea waters of the Chao Phraya River sweeps by.

On our right are tiered pools that step down towards the riverbank, but on our left is the bar itself: the BKK Social Club with its grand dark doors flung wide for us.

Check out our other stories that explore Bangkok, its nightlife, food scenes and accommodation here!

This is our favourite food tour to do in Bangkok!

Click here for the best prices on Bangkok accommodation!

Once we’re welcomed in and seated in a comfortable booth, we take in the majesty of our surroundings.

Hugely vaulted 5m ceilings hold up beautiful art deco lights. Hanging from scalloped pendants that glide into gilt geometric patterns, this pairing of colonial Latin America and traditional Southeast Asian architecture is so striking.

From the ceiling, towering columns glimmer in the low light, while the bar gleams golden along the back wall. Along both sides of the room, booths like ours sit under high-arched facades, and the middle of the bar are tables and comfortable lounges.

Food and Drink at BKK Social Club

As we sit down, a non-alcoholic welcome drink and some snacks arrive on our table. The drink seems to be chilled rosella but with a flare that gives us an insight into the wonders within the pages of the cocktail menu.

As for the food, the bowl of crisp veggie chips and mini tacos of corn and chipotle make us realise that we’re actually quite hungry.

Round 1

Soon, our cocktails come out: a Carratera and a Jimador. The Carratera is a smoky yet balanced mezcal negroni blended behind a wall of coffee vermouth and the sweetness of pineapple Campari.

The Jimador, a tequila cocktail, is fresh and perfectly balanced with its flavours of citrus and pistachio.

To go with our delicious cocktails, we have beef tartare on wonderful little discs of purple corn tostada that crumble rather than crunch. The beef is diced to finely it’s almost a paste then mixed with smoked capsicum and eggplant, cipolline onion and guacamole.

We also have some soft tacos filled with the most incredibly tender barbecue pork belly. The dish is smoky and moreish, and the hint of spice from chimichurri goes perfectly with our tequila and mezcal cocktails.

Round 2

For our second round of drinks, we go barrel-aged with the Pique and the Since 1942, Don Julio Old Fashioned.

Named after the World Cup mascot from Mexico 1986, this clever cocktail is like biting into a crisp apple, bringing out all the rich flavours of the Japanese whisky while the touch of heat from the Ancho Reyes chilli liqueur warms you from the inside.

Using decedent Don Julio Extra Anejo tequila, Since 1942, the Don Julio O.F. is easily the most expensive cocktail on the menu and the most opulent too. Along with this exquisitely balanced old fashioned style drink comes some serious food theatre flex that only the Four Seasons could think of.

Borne on a silver platter, the cocktail’s only garnish is a perfectly clear ice block with the bar’s insignia melted into it. Next to the thick crystal tumbler is an amuse bouche of pandan jelly and a bump of beluga caviar. It’s a crazy drink, but the flavours gallop and party in your mouth for days.

We’re not finished yet!

Just as we’re about to leave, we’re told there’s a leaving drink. We should finish with a frozen margarita. The fruit changes every day (today’s is strawberry) and — to quote our server — it’s “the tastiest, booziest frozen marg you’ve ever had!”

I tell you what, she was right.

And while we’re quoting people here, these are some of the snippets of conversation we overhear during our visit to BKK Social:

• “That’s the best cocktail I’ve ever had.”
• “Every cocktail tonight has been perfectly balanced.”
• “That’s one of the best smelling bathrooms I’ve ever been in.”

If that’s not enough to convince you that this is the best bar in Thailand, I don’t know what will.

The BKK Social Club is a superlative bar, completely in tune with Four Seasons’ ability to create a bar worthy of any world-class city’s drinking scene, but that fits with this city’s identity perfectly.

We visited the BKK Social Club as media guests, but our experiences and opinions remain our own.

The post World’s Best Bars To Visit — BKK Social Club, Bangkok appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Running down the western border of Thailand in the province of Kanchanaburi, the River Kwai is one of the most important landmarks of the historic Thai-Burma Train Line – the aptly named Death Railway.

While we were visiting this fascinating part of Thailand, we stayed at the Hintok River Camp, right on the banks of the Kwai.

Now a luxury glamping resort, Hintok is also part of the history of the Death Railway. The camp is on the site of a PoW internment where British soldiers, captured by the Japanese Imperial Army in WWII, were forced to work on the rail line.

The resort has kept the name of the military prison and labour camp that once stood here, but thankfully living conditions are now quite the opposite to what the site’s original occupants had to endure.

Hintok River Camp is part of the boutique Serenata Hotels and Resorts Group. As you can see from the other sites in the portfolio, focus is on unique locations, clever construction and luxury design.

This tracks with Hintok, but I must say, some of the other hotels look incredible, and most of them are located in Kanchanaburi.

For more of our stories from Thailand, click here.

Find some of the best tours of the Death Railway and Kanchanaburi here.

Check out these other accommodation options and great rates in Kanchanaburi.

Hintok River Camp — glamping on an historic WWII site

Accommodation here is camping in name only. Our ‘tent’ — if you can call it that — has its own veranda and is big enough to house a king double and a king single as well as all the other furniture and trimmings.

It even has air conditioning.

But the best is yet to come. At the back of the tent is a full solid-wall bathroom with hot and cold running water, a flush toilet and power shower.

Out on the veranda, we can relax at the outdoor table setting or in the recliner deckchairs.

This is definitely not how I remember camping to be when I was growing up, but I tell you what, I could get used to it!

Around Hintok River Camp

A meandering path leads you through the beautifully maintained grounds to various hammocks and hang-out spots, daybeds and cabanas dotted around the lush gardens, as well as the other tents, and to astounding views over the river.

And it’s down by the river that you find some of the best parts of this resort.

Down a flight of steps, we find the rock pools, which are fed by a natural spring that emerges from the cliff. From the pools, you can look out over the flowing river and the broad forested landscape as you cool down in the refreshing spring water.

Down at the water’s edge, the hotel’s pontoon floats on the rapid eddying waters of the River Kwai. This waterside deck and the elevated cliff-edge pools give the resort an extra touch of glamour and uniqueness.

Up above, the resort bar has prime views over the jungle-edged water as the sun sets.

In the evening, as the resort’s lights come on, dinner beckons us to the camp’s al fresco dining option. Paper lanterns and broad timber tables are spread across the lawn while staff wait behind buffet carts that cover two sides of the area.

Here we find all kinds of delectable Thai dishes from soups and curries to satay and salads, it’s hard to stop ourselves going back for more.

In the morning, breakfast is under the straw roofs of the main building. This is also a buffet style situation and there are plenty of options — both western and Thai. There’s also an egg station where you can get made-to-order omelettes.

And if you feel the need for more coffee throughout the day, there’s also a stand-alone barista-style cafe in the gardens.

Hintok River Camp Museum

To pay homage to the history of the camp, there’s a small museum that tells the story of this place. This site held captive 200 British prisoners of war while they were forced to work on nearby Compressor Cutting as part of Japanese war efforts in Asia.

There are some interesting details of what life was like for the soldiers and the harrowing conditions they had to endure. But it also goes into the pre-history of the site. In the 1990s, the owner discovered a refuse pit used by the camp.

When he excavated it, he began finding neolithic artefacts that date back as far as 10,000 years, showing how important this site has been over the millennia.

Hellfire Pass and the War Memorial

The other great thing about Hintok River Camp is its proximity to Hellfire Pass.

Running for 75m, Hellfire Pass – also known as Konyu Cutting – delves 25m into the hillside and is wide enough for a train to run through.

At the end of the cutting is a dell where the Allied War Memorial and cenotaph stands. Usually, it’s quiet here, but on important dates like ANZAC Day, this area is packed with people paying their respects.

It’s a haunting feeling, to walk through the cutting. The knowledge that these cliffs that loom up either side of you were cut and moved by the hands of forced labour.

The workers — both captured soldiers and indentured civilians — suffered so much here. And all because the war demanded the Japanese needed supplies quicker to a western outpost. It’s the horrors of war in hard rock.

You’ll also find the Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre here. This museum to the railway looks out over the jungle and river system that paid witness to the horrors of the work camps in the 1940s.

The centre tells the story of Hellfire Pass and of other cuttings along the line. But most of all, it does well to make sense of a mindless moment in human history that makes no sense at all.

Visiting the Death Railway and staying at Hinton River Camp is a travel experience that will stay with us forever.

We stayed as media guests of Hintok River Camp courtesy of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, but our experiences and opinions remain our own.

The post Where to stay on the Death Railway Trail, Thailand — Hintok River Camp appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

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I wipe sweat from my eyes as we stare at what’s in front of us. Although we’ve been on the road for two days to get here, it’s still so striking I’m struggling to collect my thoughts.

And although we’ve just got out of the van’s air conditioning, my clothes are stuck to me and my water bottle needs another refill.

Thailand in April has a reputation.

We’re looking out at a fairly simple steel bridge about 130m long with a single gauge train track running along it. Beneath it is a fast-running but otherwise unremarkable river.

The bridge has no name in spite of its infamy. Instead, it’s the river below that takes the title.

Thais call it Kwae Yai. We know it as the River Kwai.

Bridge Over The River Kwai And The Burma Railway

Running from Ban Pong near Bangkok 415km northwest to Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar, the aptly named Death Railway was a major project of the Japanese Imperial Army (JIA) in the later stages of World War II.

Planning to create supply routes between Thailand and the west coast of Burma (now Myanmar), the JIA built a train line through mountains and jungles, and over rivers.

They used Allied prisoners of war, captured in Singapore and Indonesia, and conscripted civilians from different parts of Asia as an enslaved labour force.

Between May 1942 and August 1943, 60,000 PoWs and 200,000+ civilians from around Asia worked on the line. More than 13,000 soldiers and up 80,000 Asian labourers lost their lives here. On average, 20 men died a day in those 15 savage months.

Much of the Death Railway has gone now, but a 120km stretch of track still operates, and what remains is heavy with history.

Here are 7 points along the Burma Railway that are well worth visiting to learn about this incredible epoch that had far-reaching impacts in Thailand and the world at large.

1. Thonburi Rail Station, Bangkok – where the Burma Railway began

Historically, Thonburi Station is the start of the Burma Railway that went from Bangkok all the way up to Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar some 415km north. The station was bombed by the Allies in WWII and rebuilt in the 1950s.

You can catch a train from this station, which is still considered the 0km mark for Bangkok train systems, and it’ll take you all the way to Kanchanaburi and the Death Railway proper.

2. Ban Pong — historic Burma Railway begins

About 70km west of Bangkok’s Thonburi Station, Ban Pong is the first stop on the Namtok Line, the track on the original supply line of the Burma Railway.

Although we didn’t join the train trip here, we did stop for lunch. Highly recommended is the Rain Tree Cafe 10 minutes up the road from the station on the banks of the Mae Klong River.

One thing I really wasn’t expecting to find (or like for that matter) was a local specialty ‘coffee orange’. Half fresh orange juice and half cold brew coffee, this drink sounds pretty awful, but it’s surprisingly tasty and even better on a hot day.

I’ll be keeping this idea in my pocket for the heat of the Sydney summer for sure.

3. Bridge over the River Kwai

The Mae Klong River winds through southern Kanchanaburi to join the famous River Kwai and its bridge, and then on to the sea.

You get a solemn thrill seeing the bridge for the first time. The curved arches on either bank are the originals from WWII, but the middle square sections are replacements from where Allied forces blew it up in 1945.

You can walk across the bridge along the train tracks, which is quite a strange sensation. Especially as trains do still run along here.

It’s hard to imagine, with all the hotels, restaurants, shops and market stalls lining the river, that this was once a place of torment, struggle and death.

4. Kanchanaburi War Cemetery and Museum

A little way downstream from the bridge is Don Rak, the biggest Allied war cemetery in Thailand.

Here, 6,858 war graves mark the final resting place of Australian, New Zealand, British and Dutch soldiers lost in the construction of the Burma-Siam Railway.

The cemetery is beautifully maintained. Headstones are clean and polished, and the grass and pretty shrubs are in good order.

Down the road is the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre, an excellent museum that shows what the conditions were like, the purpose of the railway and many more details.

5. Hellfire Pass or Konyu Cutting — Anzac memorial and museum

For us, the most significant site of the Burma Railway is Hellfire Pass. This place brings into sharp focus the horrors and insurmountable tasks the PoWs had to endure. Hellfire Pass — or Konyu Cutting — is the deepest and longest section of excavation along the railway.

Men hacked and chipped their way through solid rock on no sleep, no food, no water, and the threat of pain and death always hanging over them. The cutting runs 25 metres deep and 75 metres long, and is wide enough for a train to fit through.

At the end of the cutting is the ANZAC Memorial where the Dawn Service is held on 25th April every year. We were lucky enough to be able to attend the Dawn Service here. Outside Europe, this is one of the few memorials that hold such a ceremony in a place that has seen active conflict.

It’s an immensely thought-provoking place that brings to life the enormity of what the soldiers who suffered here had to endure.

While you’re here at Konyu Cutting, make sure you also visit the Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre and Memorial Walkway.

This museum has some fascinating (and haunting) exhibits, which start with sounds of steel hammers on stone and a narrow corridor representing the cutting. On the walls are the names of the men who worked on the railway.

They cover both walls, floor to ceiling.

6. Hintok River Camp

There are plenty of places to stay around the area, including in Kanchanaburi Town itself. We stayed close to Hellfire Pass at the Hintok River Camp.

Once a labour camp for British PoWs working on nearby Compressor Cutting, this site is now a glamping resort.

There are plenty of nods to its history, including the replica guard tower at the entrance, but thankfully it’s nothing like what the site’s previous occupants would’ve had to put up with.

The ‘tents’ are extremely comfortable — with a full bathroom, kingsize bed and even a/c. Breakfast and dinner are served here at the camp, there’s a pool and deck out on the river, and you can even grab a massage at the on-site spa!

A long way indeed from the conditions of the 1940s.

7. Nam Tok Station – the end of the line

This is our last stop on the Burma-Siam Railway. From here, you can board one of the old mulberry and gold carriages of a heritage train.

It’s a strange, conflicting feeling riding this line.

On one hand, you’re appalled at the brutality that occurred here. On the other, you can’t help but feel impressed by what these men were able to achieve under such conditions.

And yet still more conflicting are the views from the train windows, which are at times so beautiful, it’s easy to forget the real reason you’re taking this ride. The curve of the track shows the train’s flank and the timber trestles as it leans against the edges of cliffs.

Occasionally, the river comes into view following the train, and running fast through fields and amongst little villages that roll on by.

It’s an iconic train ride in a place that brings deep reflection.

We travelled as media with Tourism Authority of Thailand and Intrepid Travel, but our experiences and opinions remain our own.

The post 7 Points On The Burma Railway You Must See appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

April has felt a little bit like there’s a glitch in the matrix. So many parts of this month have had some remarkable similarities to March that I’ve had to rub my eyes, sit down and have a cuppa.

International football matches, boat trips on Sydney Harbour and even another trip to Asia have all happened this month – just like last.

The differences, however, have been marked and manifold. The football match was the mighty Matildas not the Socceroos, the boat trip was on a mate’s beautiful 100-year-old working boat not a cruise ship and the trip to Asia was to Thailand not Laos – and for a very different perspective.

But here’s a tast of April in out latest Flavour of the Month.

Enjoy!

Jim & Christina xx

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We kick the month off with a surprisingly fun thing to do: a photoshoot with Mira Mira.

I say ‘surprising’ because I usually hate this kind of thing. I prefer to be behind a keyboard not in front of a lens, but this is a shoot with a difference.

Mira Mira Studios is a brilliant concept where you’re the only ones in the studio. You can choose between a black or a white background infinity wall, then you get a remote control and the camera, hidden in the mirror-fronted booth, does the rest.

There’s no one watching you or telling you you’re not doing it right, and once you get into it, it’s actually a lot of fun.

This is perfect if you need a new profile photo or some nice shots of you and your sweetheart, but it can also be a fun family thing to do.

Best of all, no one sees the photos but you, they send you everything within 24 hours and Mira Mira deletes all images after a few weeks.

This photo’s one of our favourites, but if you want to see some of the others, check out our Instagram carousel here.

This evening, I’m with my buddy Anton to watch the Matildas play South Korea in a FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier.

It’s another packed stadium with an impressive 37,199 people watching (capacity is 45,500). It’s a good game and the Korean keeper stops it being embarrassing, but it’s all over with a 1-0 win to the Aussies.

Thanks once again to Destination NSW for the tickets.

This afternoon, I’m with my pal Brett to put a new brewery through its paces. This is the Pickled Monkey in Marrickville. The name comes from an interesting story of several barrels marked as ‘pure white alcohol’ that came from Oxford University to UNSW in the early 1900s.

The barrels were late, so university staff visited the docks only to find that the dock hands had ‘tested the alcohol’. The problem was, it wasn’t just booze in the barrels; the alcohol was only a preserving fluid for the cadavers of monkeys on their way to the university’s biology department.

Thankfully, this story, be it apocryphal or not, has no bearing on the quality of the beer served here. Brett and I spend a lovely late summer’s afternoon ‘testing the alcohol’ in the barrels. No monkeys were harmed in the making.

L-R: Jess, Christina, Ben & Jim

This evening, we’re excited to be showing the excellent Groundwaters around our neighbourhood. You may have seen Ben a few times before on this site or on his own platform (he’s quite good at Instagram btw), but more likely you’ve seen him on all kinds of travel-based publications such as the Sydney Morning Herald’s Traveller and Qantas Mag. Or you might’ve thought it was him but it was just me.

And as for his lovely wife Jessica, well, this is the first time we’ve met, but our shared pedantry of grammar seems promising!

Excellent evening. Groundwaters, you can come again!

Possibly the last nice day of the summer is here so my mate Michael (and confusingly our mate Michael) have gone out on his boat for some manly time on the water.

Michael (the first one I mentioned) has a penchant for old timber working boats. We chug merrily around the harbour until we’re hungry. Then we pull in at Walsh Bay for a bite at Zupano Espresso Bar.

If you’re wondering what’s good, they make their own spanakopita here. There. I’ve saved you time looking through the menu. Thank me later.

After a feed, we head back all the way to Greenwich and back to Michael’s mooring. What a way to start the long weekend for Easter.

It’s Easter Monday and Christina and I have left Australia for a very interesting trip.

We’re in Thailand on a week-long journey to one of the most famous sites in the War in the Pacific: the Bridge over the River Kwai.

But before we get there, we eat!

We’re travelling with TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) and legendary tour company Intrepid Travel, and our first dinner – in fact our first meal here – is at Thip Samai. This place is said to be the origin story of the world-famous dish and national dish of Thailand: pad thai.

The frame on the left shows before we went in. Notice how empty the street is. By the time we leave, there’s a queue winding across the pavement.

As for the pad thai, it’s well worth lining up for.

Next door, you’ll find a crispy pancake stall that makes for an excellent dessert after your spicy noodly plate of heaven.

Christina and I have travelled to Thailand with the TAT many times – in fact most of our stories on Thailand are from trips with them – but this one is proving to be the most fascinating yet.

Intrepid do such a deep dive into the local culture, and their experts and guides are so knowledgeable, you get to see and do things that most people – Thais included – never get to experience.

This is our first full day in Thailand and my goodness I mean it when I say ‘full’.

First, we drive across town in – get this – an electric tuk tuk, go through a military gate and find our way to where the royal barges are kept and maintained in the National Museum of Royal Barges.

These huge timber longboats are only brought out for important ceremonies and occasions. Most of them are reserved for those of the highest status. One of which is exclusively used by the king himself.

Don’t let Christina’s look of serenity fool you. Yes, we’re enjoying a lovely cruise along one of Bangkok’s many canals in a peaceful electric longtail boat, but to get here has been a mission. From the barge shed, we motored through a tour of Thonburi district before stopping at the Baan Bu bronze work community where the last family in Thailand still to use traditional methods make beautiful bronze bowls.

Next we visited the temple featured in the credits of Season Three of White Lotus. From there, we hurtle through traffic to historic Thonburi Train Station and Locomotive Depot where many of the old steam engines are kept and maintained.

After that, we head to Wang Lang Market, a commotion of noise and stalls even in the late morning heat of an April day. Sadly we don’t have a lot of time here – just enough to grab a tea – before we’re back on the e-tuk tuks zooming toward the canal port for our cruise.

Behind us is the enormous reclining Buddha of Wat Pho. He stretches out to 46 metres and is about 15 metres high. Impressive.

And before we got here, we disembarked our e-longtail boat for an excellent lunch at Natura Cafe – a surprisingly green and leafy spot in the middle of Bangkok.

After we give alms to the hundreds of collection tins in the temple and explore the huge pagodas of Wat Pho, we drive across town, across the river, to Chetawan Traditional Massage School. This is what I’ve been looking forward to all day.

May I recommend the somewhat awkwardly named ‘Oriental Head Massage With Oil’. It lasts an hour and isn’t just your head and neck; you also get your arms, hands, back, feet and calves squeezed to bits. It’s absolutely outstanding.

It’s been quite the first day, but dinner tonight has views to die for. We’re at Eat Sight Story. This place not only does outrageously tasty traditonal Thai fare it also looks across the river at Wat Arun – Temple of Dawn. What a beautiful sight.

After dinner, we head across town to Buddha & Pals, a very sleek jazz bar where we meet up with a few of the crew from Intrepid Travel and get to hear a very talented Cuban jazz singer and her band. What a way to finish our first full day here!

We’re up and about quite early this morning as we have a long drive ahead of us.

As I mentioned, we’re heading for the region where the Rivers Kwai run (there are two) called Kanchanaburi. It’s northwest of Bangkok and takes about three to four hours to drive it if you don’t stop.

Our guide, the absolutely indefatigable and brilliant Nai, loves to stop. Loves it! And so the drive takes much longer.

Our first stop of the day is at CBT Baan Don Kai Dee – a workshop where masters pain porcelain. Some of their work is worth tens of thousands of dollars, and has received the humbling royal seal. These ladies make this work look really quite easy, boasting they can finish the little pots they’re painting in about five minutes.

It takes me around an hour to paint my cup, lid and little saucer. I don’t think I have a career in this if I’m honest.

Anyway, the brown lines will turn gold when the pots are fired. We should see these beauties again when we’re back in Bangkok.

After the porcelain painting, our next stop is at Phra Pathom Chedi. This is the biggest Buddhist stupa in the world and I tell you, it’s a whopper!

It’s insanely hot here about an hour west of Bangkok, but the culture and ceremony of this place completely makes up for it. Our guide Nai gives us gold leaf to put on the Buddha statues where you can also ask for a single wish as you make the offering.

Next stop is lunch at the Rain Tree Cafe near Ban Pong, the start of the Burma Railway and the key to our quest here in Thailand.

Thanks to the lovely Elise and Isaac, who we’re travelling with, for the photo. You should check out their Instagram @elises.traveldiary – such clever, creative people and annoyingly lovely to boot.

We’re finally here! This is the Bridge over the River Kwai – the same one (rebuilt after the war) that featured in the book and its consequent film – where PoWs of the Japanese Army were forced to build under horrible conditions and that was subsequently blown up by the Allies.

This is one of the most famous parts of the aptly named Death Railway, a train line that was to run supplies from Ban Pong, not far from where we had lunch earlier, to Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar some 415km north.

This is a solemn sort of place and oddly commercialised. There’s an open-air mall and a big car park on one side of the river, and hotels and restaurants line the banks. I was expecting things to be much less developed here, but things are quite the opposite.

You can walk across the bridge here and there’s also a tourist train that runs across from time to time. To be honest, we find it hard to have fun in a place like this – somewhere that’s seen such horror and hardship.

After our visit to the bridge, we head upstream of the Kwai (formally known as Khwae Noi) to an SUP company. We hop on our stand-up paddle-boards and float peacefully down the river for about an hour.

And yes, I do have a photo of me falling in.

Dinner is at the beautiful Keeree Tara Retreat with a restaurant out on a deck out over the river. The food is only surpassed by the truly splendid sunset and views of the famous bridge just down stream. Once again, our guide Nai has outdone himself.

Tonight, we sleep in real luxury – a riverfront villa at the Raintree Boutique Hotel with its own private pool and outdoor bath, and even a lawn that runs right to the riverbank. The only thing bad about this place is that we’re only here for one night.

L-R: Jim hiking with co-founder Vijo Varghese; forest bathing

This morning, we head into the jungle for a fascinating experience with OurLand Project. Promoting co-existence between humans and surrounding wildlife, this sanctuary allows animals – especially wild Asian elephants – to find safe passage from the forests north of the facility down to the banks of the River Kwai.

This ‘corridor’ is heavily used by all kinds of wildlife and we explore it with co-founder Vijo Varghese, spotting evidence of elephants and other animals as we go.

OurLand is all about education, and Vijo is so engaging with the way he shares his knowledge.

We also indulge in a bit of ‘forest bathing’. the project sets up little flyscreen tents along the trail where you can sit and absorb the peace of your natural surroundings.

L-R: white-lipped pit viper; monocled cobra

Vijo also has a passion for rescuing snakes from the land and releasing them elsewhere for their safety as well as the project’s visitors (both human and pachyderm – elephants don’t like snakes).

Two of the more dangerous residents of Vijo’s hut (yes, he just has them in containers in his room) are the white lipped pit viper and the rather terrifying and quite angry monocled cobra.

After our sweaty time in the forest, we’re excited about our next stop – the beautiful Erawan Waterfalls about 70km from Kanchanaburi and 200km from Bangkok. This national park is immensely popular and also has surprisingly strict rules about everyone wearing life jackets.

Sure, you can jump off the edge of waterfalls onto rocks or slide down wet boulders into the water, which is full of nibbling fish by the way, but you have to wear a life jacket.

There are seven levels to this waterfall complex, each one offering different sights and experiences. Nai tells us that, above level four you can’t really swim, so we head to four and work our way down. It turns out that three and two are the best bets for space and views, but it’s all very lovely.

It’s been a lot of outdoorsy stuff today, so we’re excited about relaxing in our new home for the night: Hintok River Camp a luxury glamping resort very close to our ultimate destination: Hellfire Pass.

We’re in bed early tonight. Tomorrow is an especially early start.

Quite possibly one of the most haunting photos I’ve ever taken.

The dark march through Konyu Cutting – better known as Hellfire Pass – surrounded by military personnel in full uniform is surreal. This was considere by all to be the worst place to be a PoW in the War in the Pacific.

The deepest and longest cutting, which goes through a mountain, Hellfire Pass was hand-dug by Allied troops and many subjugated civilians for the Japanese and their supply line.

It’s here that the Anzac Day Dawn Service is held every year. The terrible walls of this dreadful chasm are decorated with flowers, notes and poppies, remembering those who lost their lives in forced labour here. Bamboo torches flicker and burn, lighting the way to a clearing and the cenotaph.

At the end of Hellfire Pass, the crowd gathers around the war monument and we wait for dawn to strike its first light while Anzac soldiers stand at guard.

It’s a noble yet sad ceremony and one we feel deeply honoured to have been able to attend.

The rest of our day – Anzac Day indeed – is spent at museums.

First, we check out the Hintok River Camp museum where we’re staying. This area was once a British PoW camp, home to 300 and grave of 79. The men worked on Compressor Cutting, a similarly brutal project as Hellfire Pass.

Next, we visit the Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre – a museum with reconstructions and artefacts from the cutting as well as a huge library of audio tracks from survivors of the camp telling the horrors of their experiences.

Finally, we head to Nam Tok Station to board a beautifully maintained heritage train that runs from here all the way back to Bangkok along the route of the Death Railway – though we’re only staying on until Thakilen Station half an hour south.

The views from the tracks are at times very dramatic as it winds alongside the river, through forests and alongside ravines.

Comfort wasn’t of high priority when the trains were built and the air conditioning (windows and small ceiling fans) isn’t doing much to improve things. But it’s such an interesting experience to be on the track that was originally built by PoWs and forced civilian labour during WWII. As we watch the rugged scenery roll past, we’re also struck by just how tough conditions must have been for the poor workers.

This morning, we’re on the other side of the River Kwai at the beautifully maintained Allied War Cemetery. It’s an awful and humbling sight to see all these graves laid out across the land. A sign of the futility and horror of war.

While we’re here, we do find our neighbour Bec’s great uncle, who lost his life at the hands of the Japanese Imperial Army. We’re glad to have laid flowers at his grave and to honour the fallen.

Across the road is the Kanchanaburi War Museum, which is well worth visiting. Cleverly crafted displays add yet another layer of detail to what happened here.

This is our final stop before we high-tail it back to Bangkok.

It’s a long drive to the city and we all reflect on the experiences we’ve had here in Kanchanaburi.

We finally hit the craziness of Bangkok, stopping for lunch in one of the most unexpected spots in the city. Ban Ban Bang Kachao is at the very edge of an oxbow loop of the Chao Phraya River surrounded by mangrove forests and little houses. But its rooftop terrace looks out over the river and across to the city.

Finally, we head to the ‘Ancient City’. This is a recreation of all the best bits of Thailand. It’s an interesting idea though a bit theme park-y, and when we spot an elephant being paraded around in chains, it turns us right off. A big thumbs-down on a trip that’s been brilliant otherwise.

Our guide Nai has saved this place up for our last meal together and what an experience it is.

First, I’d like to draw your attention away from the delicious whole seabass, pork satay, kai hor bai teoy, and sweet and sour chicken and cashew. Check out the table. That’s right – it’s decorated with condoms. Prophylactics. Johnny bags. That’s because we’re eating at Cabbages and Condoms, a brilliant concept started by Mechai Viravaidya, whose name is now local slang for condoms.

Mechai has worked in family planning, for the Thai government and now the not-for-profit Population and Community Development Association, for over 50 years, championing the cause of safe sex.

His efforts became even more important with the rise of HIV and AIDS in the ’80s, and his work educating people on birth control has helped stabilise population growth in the country.

L-R: condoms. And Jim, Christina, Isaac and Elise from @elises.traveldiary

The food at Cabbages and Condoms is excellent, the cause is even better and the atmosphere is a lot of fun. Between courses, we’re all just giggling like kids.

And to reinforce that, we find a face-out too! Christina and I love these things and hop behind one anytime we spot one.

Today, we have Bangkok to ourselves and spend the day wandering around the city, checking out markets, hunting down knom krok and relaxing.

Before we said goodbye to Nai, he gave us a few tips on what to do in the area we’re in today. We check out a couple of galleries and a riverside cafe before heading to our final destination for the evening: BKK Social Club.

This absolutely beautiful bar is in the Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River in the Sathon District.

Everything in this art deco style bar has been meticulously designed, from the towering ceilings and their curved pillars to the cinematic bar and the marble floors.

Drinks here are inspired by the classics with a lean towards tequila, mezcal and chic Mexican fare. If there’s a more glamorous bar with better food and drink anywhere in the city, I’d like to see it because BKK Social Club has set a very high bar indeed.

Back in Sydney, we’re in Parramatta with mixed emotions. It’s our nephew Anthony’s enrolment day today; he’s joining the Royal Australian Air Force!

The ceremony has a positive, happy edge to it and I’m sure he’ll be great in the RAAF. We’ll miss him and his quiet confidence and charm, but we’re also looking forward to seeing how this career shapes his future. Good luck, lad.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this taste of April. Let’s see what May holds in store for us!

Cheers

Jim & Christina xx

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]]> https://mrandmrsromance.com/fotm-apr25/feed/ 0 https://mrandmrsromance.com/krabi-thai-food/ https://mrandmrsromance.com/krabi-thai-food/#comments Tue, 14 Jun 2022 21:00:00 +0000 https://mrandmrsromance.com/?p=35305 Krabi in Southern Thailand has long been a popular tourist spot with plenty of places to eat, but not many of them are serving...

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]]> Krabi in Southern Thailand has long been a popular tourist spot with plenty of places to eat, but not many of them are serving real Thai food. But these three restaurants are the real deal.

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Directly across the Bay of Thailand from Phuket, separated by some 20km of the Andaman Sea, Krabi started out as a retreat for visitors who had become tired of the over-tourism of Phuket and its busy beaches.

These days, Krabi is arguably just as busy, its main street though Ao Nang thronged with happy holidaymakers.

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For something completely different, check out this traditional Thai island next to Krabi.

Click here for more things to do and adventures to have in and around Krabi.

And for the best deals on accommodation in Krabi, click here.

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Bars, cafes and restaurants take up the vast majority of Ao Nang real estate, but most of them cater to the lowest common denominator and although the food is fine, it’s probably not what the locals would be eating.

For starters, the dishes here rarely pack the punch that real Thai food from the south is known for.

But there are a few restaurants in Krabi that stick to traditional flavours—and heat if you want it!

3 restaurants in Krabi that serve real Thai food

Check out our short video of these three places cooking up the best Thai food in Krabi:

1. Ruen Mai Restaurant

Ruen Mai—or ‘New House’ is a beautiful, peaceful restaurant that feels like it’s hidden away in its own tropical garden.

Its curving scalloped thatched roofs and open walls really allow the warm sea air of the south coast to embrace you and put you at ease.

Timber and bamboo causeways lead you through the trees to the two main buildings of the restaurant. Both have the same thatched roofs that follow the traditional shape of Thai houses and great halls.

And the place is lit with lanterns made from the same thatch as the roof and hanging among the high rafters.

Menus are in both Thai and English, and spicy food is marked with one, two and three chillis… there aren’t too many dishes that don’t have at least one next to their name!

Food is absolutely exquisite. And mostly made with local ingredients and from the restaurant’s own garden.

We had whole deep fried sand whiting with crispy garlic and pounded turmeric, a luxuriant omelette with chopped crab meat, Pad pak mieng khai (fried veggies called pak mieng local to Krabi and egg) regional version of tom yum soup called tom som pla.

This sweet and sour soup is made with tamarind and palm sugar, and comes with a big slab of fish and is also flavoured with smoked fish.

Deep-fried sandfish, tom som pla soup

But best of all was the Krabi version of pork larb. Often one of the hottest things on a Thai menu, larb is a dry mince dish with plenty of citrus and spice and is one of my favourite Thai dishes.

This one from Krabi is even better.

Written as just ‘kua kling’ on the menu, its English translation just says ‘extra hot’! This dish also comes with sea grapes that we’ve only seen before in Okinawa and Thai eggplant, kua kling is more of a dry curry and is earthy and satisfyingly savoury.

Crab omelette, kua kling, pad pak mieng khai

2. Lae Lay Grill, Krabi

From its elevated location above the main tourist strip of Krabi, Lae Lay Grill has incredible views down over the town and over the water. This is a rare spot where you can take in so much of the horizon, punctuated with the iconic limestone monolith islands of Nopparat Thara National Park.

This impressive restaurant is on two levels and is possibly the biggest venue in town, but don’t let that put you off.

The food here is just as good as the views.

Sumptuous, creamy coconut soups, crunchy yet delicate and silky fish cakes, robust and spicy seafood papaya salads packed with prawns, mussels, squid, crab and fish, and moreish deep-fried softshell crab with chilli and salt that’s somehow crunchy and tender at the same time.

Tom yum soup, fish cakes, deep-fried softshell crab, coconut soup

Desserts are worth a look here too, especially the sesame topped crushed ice and fruit, and the crinkle-cut green melon pieces with chilli soy dip.

There’s often a bit of live music happening here and if you time it right, the sunset over the water is not to be missed.

Seafood papaya salad, green melon and soy chilli dip, ice sesame dessert

3. Ko Hong island diner

One—if not the only island in the national park with a restaurant open to the public, the diner on Ko Hong is special in that way at least.

You’re welcome to bring a picnic with you to Ko Hong, but that would mean you’re missing out on the excellent options on offer from this surprisingly good beachside bar.

The quality and authenticity of the Thai food is excellent, especially considering the only people coming here are tourists.

Everything—from the simplest dish like the cucumber salad to the cleverly layered flavours of another kua kling—is so well crafted with that typical ease that Thai cooking has of balancing all the flavours.

We also had a spicy chicken salad, a kind of prawn choo chi and a dish of greens that also comes with very long-stemmed straw mushrooms.

But best of all is the fried chicken here they call Thai KFC. But putting this dish on the same parallel as KFC isn’t doing it any justice at all.

The seasoning is far superior to the Colonel’s paltry 11 herbs and spices, and the chicken itself—perfectly cooked—is juicy, dense and full of flavour.

The only way to get to Ko Hong is by boat, which you can read more about here but most trips from Krabi come here. If not, make sure you tell your skipper to get you to Ko Hong for lunch!

We travelled to Krabi as media with the Tourism Authority of Thailand but our opinions remain our own.

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]]> https://mrandmrsromance.com/krabi-thai-food/feed/ 3 https://mrandmrsromance.com/thailand-dreaming/ https://mrandmrsromance.com/thailand-dreaming/#respond Thu, 17 Jun 2021 21:00:00 +0000 https://mrandmrsromance.com/?p=33676 If ever there was a destination where the traveller’s spoilt for choice, it’s Thailand. So while we’re busy missing Thailand, we thought we’d share...

The post Thailand Dreaming – things we miss most from the Land of Smiles appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

]]> If ever there was a destination where the traveller’s spoilt for choice, it’s Thailand. So while we’re busy missing Thailand, we thought we’d share some of our favourite things about this beautiful destination.

Brought to you by the Travel Authority of Thailand

Your longest lasting travel memories grow roots early. They start before you arrive, before you book a ticket or even before you pack your bags.

They come from the seed of your own plans and ideas when first think about your new destination.

So here’s some travel inspiration to create those memories that will stay with you forever.

With so many incredible things to see and do in Thailand, it’s easy to miss the best bits. This is our highlights reel of what we miss most about the Land of Smiles.

We’ve also written a story for Amazing Thailand on 10 Reasons Why Thailand is Our Top Romantic Destination that goes into more detail.

But here are some more of our favourite parts of this wonderful place to visit. Even if you can’t travel there right now, keep this list handy and use it for inspiration for when the time is right… or even for a bit of armchair travel!

Thailand travel inspiration – things you shouldn’t miss when you visit Thailand

Whether it’s a tucked-away oasis in the heart of Bangkok like the Hua Chang Heritage Hotel or the extravagant luxury of a beachfront resort like the Sala Resort and Spa in Phuket, Thais really know how to do hotels and hospitality.

And there are so many amazing places to stay in Thailand.

We also love these hotels we’ve stayed in over the years:

Hotels on the beach:

– Aleenta Hua Hin
– Aleenta Phuket
– Thavorn Beach Village Resort

Hotels in Bangkok.

– Riva Surya Bangkok
– Well Hotel Bangkok
– Centara Grand at Centralworld Bangkok

Other cities in Thailand

Of course, Thailand is much more than beaches and Bangkok. We also loved visiting the mountains and the northern city of Chiang Mai. You can see our Essential Guide to Chiang Mai here.

And let’s not forget that Bangkok hasn’t always been the capital of Thailand. One of the most incredible places for history and culture in Thailand is the ancient ruined city of Ayutthaya, and you can find our Essential Guide for Ayutthaya here.

Down in the south of Thailand, the beaches are a huge drawcard – and understandably so. The coast around the Gulf of Thailand is truly remarkable, as you can see from our story about island-hopping around Krabi.

But there is also an incredible amount of culture in the south as well. Check out what you can experience just off Krabi’s busy tourist streets on the mangrove island of Koh Klang.

Food experiences

Of course, you can’t talk about Thailand without mentioning the food. It’s everywhere in Thailand and everywhere it’s good. But especially so, our experience learning to cook our own food in the Bangkok Flower Market was something we’ll always remember.

And let’s not forget the sights, sounds, smells and sensations of the Dragon Road – Bangkok’s Chinatown.

Romantic Thailand

Apart from our list of reasons why we think Thailand is the most romantic destination, which you can find here, we’ve also created the perfect romantic itinerary for a honeymoon in Thailand!

Competition time!

We’re working with the Tourism Authority of Thailand here in Sydney to create a fun (yet romantic) competition for you to take part in.

The prize is a beautiful Natio romance candle and a set of cute his-and-hers pillowcases that Amazing Thailand will send the lucky winner.

To take part (Australian residents only, please), check out our Instagram post here.

More Thai travel inspo

We also like to keep the dream of being back in Thailand alive and to keep up to date with what’s happening there via Amazing Thailand’s blog.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has lots of amazing guest writers contribute all the time – as well as local knowledge from their lovely staff, so there are always new fascinating stories going up.

Here are some of our favourites:

– Travelling Thailand Page by Page for some more great reading materials on this beautiful destination
– Thailand’s 10 best beaches
– Islands in the Dream about the best island in the Gulf of Thailand
– The Best Rooftop Bars in Bangkok
– 7 Romantic Things to do in Thailand – well, we enjoyed writing it anyway!

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]]> https://mrandmrsromance.com/thailand-dreaming/feed/ 0 https://mrandmrsromance.com/riva-surya-bangkok-hotel-review/ https://mrandmrsromance.com/riva-surya-bangkok-hotel-review/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2021 20:00:00 +0000 https://mrandmrsromance.com/?p=32908 On the eastern bank of Bangkok’s mighty Chao Phraya River, the Riva Surya Hotel is a beautiful residence offering understated luxury and spectacular river...

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]]> On the eastern bank of Bangkok’s mighty Chao Phraya River, the Riva Surya Hotel is a beautiful residence offering understated luxury and spectacular river views in the oldest part of the city. This is where to stay in Bangkok Old Town.

Brown and boiling, the muddy rolling turmoil of the Chao Phraya River cuts Bangkok’s hectic landscape in two. At a certain point, it bends gently north, making for the shimmering gold of the King Rama VIII Bridge.

On the western shore is Thonburi, a part of Bangkok that was once its own kingdom.

To the river’s east is Rattanakosin Island – the genesis district of the City of Angels.

Better known as Bangkok Old Town, Rattanakosin Island is the most revered part of the city. Not an island in a true sense though it is surrounded by water, Old Town is flanked by the Chao Phraya on one side and the canal networks on the other.

But this area is the home of many of the city’s major landmarks, including the Wat Pho and the Reclining Buddha, the Royal Palace and the last two remaining forts of the original Bangkok.

Here also you will find the Riva Surya.

Check out our video walkthrough of the hotel here:

Click here to view the video on Youtube.

Where to stay in Bangkok Old Town – Riva Surya Hotel

I always love how the high-quality Bangkok hotels can ‘unplug’ you from the chaos of the city – a feeling of momentary sanctuary.

It’s a bit like free diving; you come to the surface long enough to take a breath before hastily plunging back into the fascinating world that awaits.

Riva Surya’s long lobby does exactly that. As you walk through the doors, you seem so far from the busy streets of the city. Regal colours, dark furniture and beautiful flower displays calm you and puts you at ease.

Other details like traditional artwork, carved wooden screens and old artefacts on the walls are a clear nod to the heritage of this part of town.

The lobby connects right through to the pool and eventually the river itself, with discrete check-in and concierge desks, lifts and comfortable sofas in between.

The rooms

Our room was a superior room and the largest type in this hotel. It’s big enough to house an enormous bed, a comfortable lounge and dining table, as well as all the other trappings of a modern hotel.

The balcony is quite large too – and the 2.5-seater sofa doesn’t feel out of place here.

But it’s the view from the balcony that’s the real draw card.

Looking out over the pool, you also get an unhindered vista of the Chao Phraya River all the way up to the single golden spire of the King Rama VIII Bridge.

Back by the door, the room’s bathroom is enclosed within glass partition walls. It doesn’t feel that private to be honest, but it’s ok.

It’s well decorated and appointed, and the glass walls mean there’s plenty of natural light.

Riva Surya Bangkok – hotel facilities

As well as the beautiful saltwater-chlorine pool, guests have a large gym at their disposal.

Poolside, there are also a cabanas and daybeds to recline on and enjoy the riverside sun.

The bar can serve a full selection of cocktails and food while you relax, so you can really enjoy this beautiful spot. There’s even a charcoal barbecue grill that guests can enjoy cooking their own seafood on if they wish.

Breakfast is also on the deck near the river or inside in the formal dining area. As with the rest of the hotel, the restaurant and breakfast rooms are elegantly decorated with so much attention to detail.

Take your stay to the next level – and the level beyond that!

The Riva Surya takes full advantage of its riverside location and has its own jetty. You can either arrive by car at the street entrance or even better, turn up via one of the hotel’s boats.

We explored the Riva Surya’s sister hotel – Riva Arun, which is a little way up stream. This new hotel has incredible views across the water to the stunning temple Wat Arun.

Above Riva, the hotel’s rooftop bar, serves superb cocktails and snacks – highly recommended for sunset, watching the lights come on and the sun sink behind the Temple of Dawn is simply awe-inspiring.

Another boat transfer to Supatra River House – what used to be the hotel owner’s house – is the next stop on a truly memorable night. This formal Thai restaurant serves some of the best traditional Thai dishes you’ll find.

A speedboat back to Riva Surya and a nightcap in one of the poolside cabanas completes your special night – the most memorable way to experience the romance of Bangkok.

Check out our other stories about travelling in Thailand:

– 11 reasons to visit Chiang Mai
– Our travel guide to Ayutthaya – Thailand’s forgotten capital
– Beyond Krabi – Koh Klang the eco-tourism island

We travelled as media with Tourism Authority of Thailand and stayed as guests at the Riva Surya.

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]]> https://mrandmrsromance.com/riva-surya-bangkok-hotel-review/feed/ 2 https://mrandmrsromance.com/hugthailand/ https://mrandmrsromance.com/hugthailand/#comments Sun, 29 Nov 2020 20:00:00 +0000 https://mrandmrsromance.com/?p=32697 And like that, we’re in December. Actually, it seems to have taken a century to get to the end of this horrendous year, but...

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]]>

And like that, we’re in December.

Actually, it seems to have taken a century to get to the end of this horrendous year, but it looks like we’re finally getting there.

And with a vaccine-coloured light at the end of the tunnel, I wonder if next year won’t end with things being completely back to normal. That would be amazing, wouldn’t it?

In the meantime though, we’re cautiously getting back into the swing of things.

We’re talking about a dinner with the Royal Consul-General of the Kingdom of Thailand to tell you about, celebrating the fascinating festival of Loy Krathong. 

And coincidentally, we also took over the controls to the social media of Thailand’s tourism board Hug Thailand for the day over the weekend – and even had a story published on their website.

We also attended the annual Australian Society of Travel Writers’ awards (virtually of course) in which we were finalists.

Our Christmas gift guide Hint Magazine launched and we had a taste of travel with a trip up to Tamworth, NSW as well, so it’s been a busy time for us. But here are all the details!

Jim & Christina xx

Not a bad view, is it? But it’s what you’d expect of the home of one of the most important people in the country. 

This is where the Royal Consul-General of the Kingdom of Thailand resides and he’s invited us to have dinner with him.

Mr Chakkrid Krachaiwong – the Consulate – and his wife Mrs Pornrat Krachaiwong join us for a quick selfie. In fact, it’s Mr Krachaiwong’s idea!

We’re here with a group of very impressive travel writers – Marianne Rogerson, Liny Milan, Catherine Marshal, Deborah Dickinson Smith, Holly O’Sullivan, John Borthwick, Eleney DeWinter, Mark Harada and (not in picture) Elisa Elwin. 

We’re also graced with the presence of Tourism Authority of Thailand Director, Suladda Saratilavan (bottom left).

We can barely believe our eyes as the consul-general leads us onto the veranda. He’s organised a chef to come and make Christina’s favourite Thai snacks to come and cook for us.

These are kanom krok – a kind of egg and condensed milk… blini? I don’t know what you can compare them to. It’s the one thing we seek out as soon as we arrive in Bangkok and were pretty much the last thing we ate on our trip to Thailand in March.

They’re delicious and if you find them anywhere – in Thailand or out of it – eat them!

The reason we’re here today is to celebrate Loy Krathong, which is a 700-year-old Thai Buddhist festival.

It’s a time for people to pay their respects to Buddha and to the goddess of water and rivers. ‘Loy’ means ‘to float’ and ‘krathong’ refers to lotus-shaped vessels that are emblems of this beautiful ceremony. 

We watch as a troupe of Thai dancers teach us how to make our own krathong…

…and then we get to work.

Originally, krathong were made with banana leaves and stumps with coconut husks and colourful paper to create a lotus flower shape.

Today, we’re using paper plates and bowls, and glueing special paper lotus petals on – with the careful guidance of our dancers of course!

While we wait for the both the glue and the sun to set, we find the dinner table has already been so. 

It’s time to eat and we’re very excited about what we’ll be served. Mr Krachaiwong has invoked his personal chef to cook for us tonight, which is even more exciting.

We’re not disappointed.

Four elegant interpretations of classic Thai dishes adorn our beautiful plates. 

Coconut rice and papaya salad with succulent grilled beef to start, then a rich, sumptuous tom yum goong soup, then a trio of dishes – green chicken curry, mee krob (a sweet and sour crispy rice noodle dish) and jasmine rice with mini tomatoes and a radish artfully carved into a frangipani.

Finally, a lineup of fresh fruit with a coconut jelly that’s almost crunchy. 

If anything could make us miss Thailand more than usual, it’s been this meal.  

With dinner over, we move back to the pool where our dancers perform another Thai dance for us. The three dancers represent the major regions of the country: the south, the east and the north. 

With their krathongs ready, they lower them reverently into the water, showing us the process.

Soon, the Consul’s pool is full of krathongs, giving it a joyful yet somewhat eerie appearance. It’s a beautiful ceremony and one of the most important in the Thai culture. 

I would love to be in Thailand to see what this looks like on the great Chao Phraya River of Bangkok. 

Loy Krathong follows the Thai lunar calendar and takes place on the full moon of the 12th month. 

Apart from Bangkok, other top spots to visit of Loy Krathong are Chiang Mai’s Ping River (they also have sky lanterns here), Tak, where they float decorated coconut shells also on the Ping River, and Sukhothai – where it’s thought that Loy Krathong started.

Tonight we’ve set ourselves up for an evening of entertainment and celebration for the ASTW (Australian Society of Travel Writers) Awards for Excellence. 

This usually happens at the society’s AGM in all manner of glorious locations, but this year, it’s all virtual (thank you, Covid) so we’re hosting our own dinner with friends and colleagues only a screen away.

If you want to know how to platter like this by the way, check out Christina’s tips on how to do it here.

We’re even more excited about this year’s ASTW Awards for Excellence as we’re finalists for Best Travel Blog! It’s a tough group this year, but we’re just happy to be in the running.

You can see the list of finalists – and the winners too – here.

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We’re proud to reveal we were prized as runners up for the country’s best travel blog, which is a great honour. And we’re pleased that our friend Michael Turtle from Time Travel Turtle won best blog.

With Christmas well on its way (you know it’s on in under four weeks, right?) we thought everyone would need a bit of help with their Chrimbo shopping.

We’re released our gift guide e-mag Hint with some of our favourite ideas for under the tree or in the stocking.

You can leaf through our guide above or you can look through the various posts we’ve published featuring each category and item in more detail here.

We’re so excited this weekend – we finally get to escape and travel!

This is the Big Golden Guitar of Tamworth, about five hours north-west of Sydney. There’s also an excellent tourism information office right next door with a museum, maps and the most helpful people to show you what there is to do here.

Tamworth is the home of country music in Australia hence the giant guitar. But apart from this excellent Big Thing (and who doesn’t love Australia’s Big Things?), we’re not in Tamworth for the music.

Well, not just the music anyway…

We’re here to check out the newly refurbished Powerhouse Tamworth by Rydges – the region’s first and only five-star hotel.

It’s called the Powerhouse because of its links to the generator that used to be on this site over 210 years ago that gave Tamworth electric streetlights. 

It was the first town in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere to have this!

As such, the hotel has plenty of nods to industry and electrical power, and never forgets its roots.

One thing I love more than anything when we’re away in country Australia is exploring the local brews and spirits. 

The Powerhouse Tamworth really pays attention to this, which makes our stay here even more enjoyable.

From the taps in the beautifully decorated Coal Bunker Bar, which feels more like a little city speakeasy than a hotel bar, we’re enjoying a drop of New England Brewing Co’s finest before we head to dinner.

As we walked to the Powerhouse Tamworth’s lobby this evening, we thought we could smell delicious woodsmoke in the air and wondered if this could be part of dinner. 

We weren’t wrong. 

From Jack’s Creek Beef – awarded many times as the best steak in the world – the chefs at the Workshop Kitchen at the Powerhouse Tamworth cook us what we think is the best steak dinner we’ve had.

This is my wagyu rump cap with peppercorn sauce. Incredible.

And the aroma of woodsmoke we smelt on the way in? That’s the ironbark wood-fired grill all the steaks here are cooked on. 

We’ll be running a full review of the hotel and its restaurant quite soon, so keep your eyes open for that. 

Today, we go to one of the highest points in the area to gaze out over Tamworth. The views out from Oxley Lookout are excellent, though you’re reminded how flat the Liverpool Plains and this part of New England is.

Before we head back into town we spot these flowers that match Christina’s hair very nicely. 

While the sun’s still out, we head into town to check out the beautiful architecture of this town settled over 200 years ago.

Before Europeans came here though, this land was the home of the Gamilaraay People, who are also the owners of the word ‘budgerigar’.

It’s a warm day though, so we decide to pop into a few bars while we’re exploring Tamworth. 

This is the Welder’s Dog, which has its own (excellent) craft beer, but also an awesome range of craft beers from around the region, the country and the world. I even spot some Stone Brewing beers from San Diego.

If you’re after a friendly local spot for amazing beers and even live music events, you’ve got to check out the Welder’s Dog.

After hitting a few more great pubs (another reason I love visiting country towns), we decide it’s time for a bite to eat. 

We stop in at the highly-recommended Pig and Tinder Box for some delicious tapas-style dishes (and a really good spritz by the way). 

These chicken karaagi and crispy pork belly bao really hit the spot.

Time for a cheeky cocktail at The Press, a subterranean cocktail lounge with an impressive wall of spirits and vibe not dissimilar to Sydney’s Baxter Inn – though lacking a little of the finesse or charm. 

We’re surprised at the bar tender being a bit rude and teacherly, though the grown-up cocktails help us get over the feeling of being treated like children reasonably quickly. 

Christina’s elderflower French 75 is exquisite a is my rye old fashioned. 

This morning, we’re up as early as possible – not that early really – to head to Tamworth’s Marsupial Park just on the outskirts of town.

Unbelievably, it’s free to get in – just with a gold coin donation. 

The park is excellent, with a large walk-in aviary filled with budgerigars of course, but also a great range of free-flying Aussie birds of all shapes and sizes.

Outside the aviary, there are emu in a paddock and a kind of safari park of kangaroos and wallabies you can walk amongst.

From the park, we head towards the town of Nundle, about 45 minutes from Tamworth. But before we get to Nundle, we spot this sign.

Finally, some recognition. To be honest, I’m surprised I haven’t had something named after me sooner.

Nundle is a tiny town on the Peel River with a small run of shops on its main street including this crazy antiques shop.

There’s so much stuff in here it’s hard to move around. How they keep a stock check of everything here is beyond me.

Also in Nundle is the Woollen Mill. You can have a guided tour of the machines and workings of this place during the week, but at the weekend you get this birds-eye view from the balcony.

There is also a cute little shop selling woollen goods and yarn.

But this is the real reason we’re in Nundle. We’ve heard good things about the Peel Inn, so we stop in for lunch. It’s certainly a great example of a little country pub doing great pub food with plenty of character.

There are some interesting decorations in the public bar worth looking at – namely taxidermied two-headed calves mounted in the pokey room and a news clipping of the prize leatherjacket that broke Australian records.

All too soon our time in Tamworth comes to an end and we’re heading south back to the city.

But before we leave the beautiful countryside of New England, we have one more breakfast to enjoy. 

The Glasshouse Restaurant sits on the high ground of Goonoo Goonoo Station 20 minutes out of Tamworth. This multi-award winning restaurant is set in an incredible string of buildings – restored wool stores and shearing sheds – and the food is exceptional.

Christina’s corn and lemon myrtle fritters come with streaky bacon, poached egg, ricotta and red gum smoked tomato relish. It’s a wonderfully satisfying meal.

But my poached egg, wattle seed rosti, wild fennel, butter-fried crouton, hollandaise and salmon caviar is just outstanding… but it’s the house-smoked salmon, which is crumbly, tender and packed with smoky umami, makes for one of the best breakfasts I’ve had.

Thanks to our friend Jane Lawson for this tip.

From Tamworth and the North West, there’s a temptation for Sydneysiders to just bomb it back down to the city in one go, but seeing as we’re virtually passing through the Hunter Valley, it seems like a wasted opportunity not to stop by a winery on the way.

Our lovely friend Bel Stapleton, who used to run the beautiful Spicers Vineyards Estate is now working for a Hunter Valley icon – Bimbadgen Estate, so we pop in and manage to squeeze in a cheeky wine and a gab (and an excellent tasting) before we hit the road again.

If you’re looking for some outstanding Hunter Shiraz, Semillon and Chardonnay, you can’t go wrong with Bimbadgen.

And keep an eye out for some interesting developments there from a juniper perspective too.

Today we’re reliving some of our favourite memories of Thailand as we take over the social media accounts of Hug Thailand – the tourism board of the Land of Smiles. 

We’re so excited to be more involved with this excellent organisation who have been so generous with us in the past. 

Over on the Stories for @HugThailand Facebook and @HugThailand Instagram, we’re sharing some of our best tips on where to go, what to see and most importantly what to eat.

But we also have a live cross to the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Facebook page, which you can rewatch here. It’s full of our favourite things to do in Thailand.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this Edition. Thank you for reading our stories and being part of the romance!

Cheers

Jim & Christina xx

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