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Much to see besides the sea in Pattaya
‘Hard Rock’ blazing the trail in Thailand’s premier holiday resort
The Hard Rock Hotel boasts the City’s biggest
free-form beach sand pool with 11 cabanas open till 10 p.m.
Riding high on a wave of successfully held big
international events, the resort city of Pattaya has truly come of age.
In 2006 alone, Pattaya’s long list of international events included the
67th Skål International World Congress - the world’s largest gathering
of tourism and hospitality professionals, as well as the annual
Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings Asia (IT&CMA) and the Asia
Pacific Advertising Festival (AdFest) which have been both consecutively
held here for two years.
The consensus from the tens of thousands of attendees of the many
congresses held in Pattaya in recent years is clear: the luster of the
City’s value for money attractions and venues has outshined its outdated
hedonistic image.
And while it has become a destination of choice for Meetings,
Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) planners, Pattaya
continues to be a favorite among individual and family holidaymakers.
Over the years Pattaya has not only enjoyed cleaner waters and a greener
environment - thanks to ardent re-greening projects spearheaded by
government and private organizations - but a burgeoning of
family-oriented and value for money attractions as well.
From the championship-standard golf courses nearby, the availability of
glitzy Las Vegas-style shows, the development of adrenalin-pumping
adventure spots like Paintball, Go-Karting and water sports venues to
marvels like Underwater World, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum, The
Sanctuary of Truth and Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, Pattaya satisfies a
wide spectrum of holiday pursuits.
While Rock ‘n’ Roll revolutionized music all together, the opening of
the musically-themed Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya in 2001 became one of the
major catalysts in reshaping the City’s tourism landscape and renewed
popularity with the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport.
It brought in a more diversified class of tourists looking for more than
common Thai-style hotels. People found a hotel where they can truly be
themselves and experience a unique and memorable holiday.
Rated as a four-star property by the Hotel Standard of Thailand, the
Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) and the Thai Hotels Association
(THA), Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya features 320 musical-themed rooms with 2
Club Floors. With a massive guitar structure fronting Pattaya’s Beach
Road and boasting the City’s biggest free-form beach sand pool with 11
cabanas open till 10 p.m., the Hotel is regarded as an icon.
What sets the Hotel apart however, is its unique interior - refreshingly
minimalist jeweled with Rock ‘n’ Roll memorabilia and unique service
style. Described as energized, service here is attentive yet
unobtrusive. More like friends serving friends, without compromising
professionalism.
At the forefront of this dynamic service is the Hard Rock Pattaya’s band
of merry Rock Agents (RAs) “patrolling” the property, spreading cheer
with funny antics and friendly conversation to please young ones and the
young once.
A recently jazzed-up Kings Club Lounge, an executive club lounge adorned
by memorabilia of two music kings; Elvis Presley and BB King, offers VIP
check-ins/outs, exclusive breakfast buffets and afternoon cocktails.
To many of its Kings Club Floor Stars (guests), this daily evening
gathering is more like a cozy party for people who have come to know
each other as friends while enjoying the Hotel’s award-winning canapés,
cool beverages and sparkling wine.
Apart from the private cocktail and use of a spiffy new executive
lounge, guests occupying the 53 suites on Kings Club Floors enjoy secure
and private floor access.
Due to its uniqueness, Asia’s second Hard Rock Hotel was recognized as
the world’s best by Hard Rock International with a “Hotel of the Year”
award in 2005.
Since Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya’s opening, other global hotel brands have
taken notice of Pattaya. In recent years, brands like Mercure and
Sheraton have setup shop at this once sleepy town, with talks of more
hotel groups to come.
All welcome news of course. Undoubtedly, as competition increases, so
does the level of services and facilities. And while all this is taking
place and with the millions of satisfied leisure and business travelers
coming and going in the meantime, one thing is certain: Pattaya has
definitely stamped a permanent mark in the global tourism map.
Sail away to serenity
on the Kwai River
Mark Bode (TTG)
There is no better way to expose yourself to the majesty of the Kwai Noi
River than aboard the RV River Kwai, the first inland cruise ship in Thailand.
Based on the designs used by the original Irrawaddy flotilla, founded in Myanmar
in 1865, the newly built ship allows you to enjoy the river in luxury.
Its 10 stylish air-conditioned teakwood cabins - each fitted with two single
beds and a bathroom - offers a four-day/three-night cruise exploring the Kwai
Noi River.
With accommodations for only 20 passengers, each one is given a high level of
personalized care.
She journeys upstream for four days and three nights from the upper reaches of
the Kwai Noi River in Kanchanaburi province, western Thailand, to the shadows of
the fabled Three-Pagoda Pass on the border with Myanmar.
There is also a four-day downstream cruise from Daowadung Bridge, some 70km
north of Kanchanaburi Town, to the Mae Klong Dam, a seven-day cruise and golf
cruises (a different course is played each day).
The top deck, three-quarters covered by a canopy, has a bar, dining area and
ample room for passengers to relax. There is an old world opulent charm about
the vessel that is in keeping with the river. Relaxing in a deck chair sipping
champagne, we passed homes on the banks of the river that are a throwback to
another time.
I visited the Hin Dad Hot Spring, which was discovered by Japanese soldiers
during the war, a Mon village, where local students welcomed us with a song, an
elephant farm and the famed Tiger Temple, where the only thing standing between
me a fully-grown tiger was a 60kg monk wielding a bamboo cane.
You do not have to go on the excursions. The highlight was the many hours spent
in my favorite deck chair. I especially loved it at night, when memories of the
bustle of Bangkok dissolved in the face of total serenity on the river.
Prices start from 26,700 baht (US$826) per person. Tel: (66-2) 640-1400, email:
[email protected].
Race on for first women’s only destination
China announces its plans to open a “women only” town
The race is on for the first “women’s only” destination.
After Iran announced it is hoping to create an exclusive resort only for female
tourists, China has announced it is expecting to open the doors to its women’s
only town in the next three to five years.
The Iran project is being constructed in the islands of Arezou and will have
facilities including public transport and restaurants that will be staffed by
women only, according to Iranian officials. Men will not the be allowed in the
resort.
The Chinese’s version of this product is somewhat different. The town will not
entirely be men-free, as it will adhere to a concept based on “women come first
then men.” According to published reports, female tourists are to act the
dominant role in deciding activities, such as where to dine and where to stay.
Men who do not abide by these rules will be subjected to a punishment, such as
“kneeling on an uneven board” or “washing dishes in a restaurant.”
Chinese authorities are hoping to generate interest among local and
international investors in the US$26 million project, which will be located in
the 2.3-square-km Longshuihu village in the Shuangqiao district of Chongqing.
(eTN)
THAI pockets hurt
by Don Muang move
Thai Airways International (THAI) admits it has lost
passengers requiring domestic connections since it moved the bulk of its
domestic operations back to Don Muang Airport.
But the national carrier said the losses were not as severe as some reports had
suggested. THAI executive vice-president commercial, Mr. Wallop Bhukkanasut,
said: “We didn’t know how many passengers were willing to use Don Muang and how
many were willing to use Suvarnabhumi. We couldn’t get specific passenger
numbers. Many passengers need connections, but some may not show up on our
records because some people buy separate tour packages at the destination. Some
people want to travel to destinations that we no longer fly to from
Suvarnabhumi.”
Mr. Wallop denied reports THAI could have lost as many as 70,000 foreign
passengers, who were travelling from international flights to domestic
destinations or travelling from domestic routes to overseas, since it moved back
to Don Muang on March 25.
How much of a hit the carrier had taken in terms of passenger numbers and
revenue would be known at the end of Don Muang’s six-month trial period, he
said.
Mr. Wallop said: “Of course some passengers have decided to travel with somebody
else. Either they come with us and connect with Nok and other people - Air Asia
or Bangkok Airways - or maybe they’ve decided to go ahead with carriers that
have connections with low- cost carriers.”
THAI expected the situation would improve at the end of the third month of
operations out of Don Muang, he said. “By the end of the third month most people
will be aware of what they have to do and they will no longer be considered miss
connections.”
THAI operates 31 domestic flights (8,000 seats) a day through Don Muang and 11
flights a day at Suvarnabhumi. (TTG)
New website by
PATA Thailand launched
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Thailand Chapter
has launched a website to serve its 100 travel industry member organisations.
The website (www.PATA-Thailand.org) has been designed to advance the chapter’s
agenda of promoting responsible development of the travel industry in Thailand.
It supports upcoming educational, training and networking events, such as
Thailand Travel Mart (June 7 to 10), the PATA Thailand IT Seminar (June 27) and
the “Big Ticket” MICE seminar (October 27).
“There is a hunger for knowledge among many young members of the travel
industry,” chapter chairman, Mr Bob James, said. “The website lists the
educational events and encourages travel industry members to join the chapter
and benefit from events which we organise on a not-for-profit basis.”
The 100-page website also lists the contact details of all 100 member
organisations involved in international inbound tourism.
Nok Air to serve
two southern Thai cities
Thailand’s low-cost carrier, Nok Air, will launch an inter-provincial flight
between Phuket and Hat Yai on May 15.
Nok Air will operate a daily flight between the two southern Thai cities,
using a Boeing 737-400 with up to 156 seats. It will be the airline’s 15th
route in Thailand.
The airline’s latest announcement on its steadily growing domestic network
came just a month after it announced co-brand flights with another local
Thai carrier, SGA Airlines.
In the route expansion pipeline for this year, Nok Air plans to add Chiang
Rai, Ubon Ratchathani and Surat Thani to its domestic network, which is
based in Don Muang Airport. The airline also plans to operate international
flights to Bangalore, Macau and Ho Chi Minh City. (TTG)
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