More about traveling in Thailand's newest resort destination - Koh Chang

Part 2 of 2.

Back to Basics on the island of Koh Chang

Even more untamed nature exists on the eastern side of the island of Koh Chang where there is only a handful of small hotel resorts. Most interesting to explore is an intact grove of mangroves at Ban Salak Khok, one of two fisherman’s villages that have changed little despite the swelling number of Koh Chang visitors coming to explore the area.

At Ban Salak Khok – which consists of a cluster of wooden houses built on stilts among the mangroves – fisherman mill about, mending nets or tinkering in their colourful boats whose brows are laden with strking talismans, ribbons of cloth that give protection according to Buddhist tradition as well as bundles and garlands of flowers that appease the sea and mangrove spririts. There are also kayaks for rent on this side of the Koh Chang island, in which you can spend an afternoon prowling among the mangroves, an eerie watery maze where the only sound you hear would be the splash of your oar.

A few miles south, Ban Salak Phet is another quaint fisherman’s village set on the western scoop of the large bay called Ao Salak Phet on Koh Chang. The houses in this commune are bigger, their back terraces facing the shimmering sea. Yet, few tourists to Koh Chang make it to this village (it is a 45 minute drive from Had Sai Khao) and it is possible to sit almost alone on the back terrace of the southernmost house of the village where an entrepreneurial family serves drinks.

It is a timeless spot – the endearing view revealing an azure sweep of sea, a big blue sky, and thickly forested mountains across the bay of Koh Chang Island. The silence interrupted only by the faint rustle of the breeze and water lapping the stilts underneath. A place made for reveries.

This is what makes Koh Chang so special or “cool”: luxury, nature, and solitude all contained in one small island destination in Thailand.

Where to Stay in Koh Chang – the Top Five Koh Chang Hotels

1. Amari Emerald Cove Resort and Spa

At the time of writing, the island’s only five star resort has the best service and the plushest rooms, massive dens in pastel creams and browns, full of exquisite fixtures such as handsome lampshades, masculine writing desks and wooden TV cabinets in traditional East Asian style. The grounds also hold the Koh Chang’s largest swimming pool and the best Thai restaurant. Khlong Prao, www.amari.com.

2. AANA Resort and Spa Koh Chang

A great location on a bend of the Khlong Prao river, the view is best enjoyed from the cluster of romantic igloo-style bungalows scattered in a dense tropical forest. Although on the small side, the bungalows at AANA resort are full of light, all set in whites and creams, includig minimalist cream furniture and high-pitched rattan ceiling, as well as plunge pools on the terraces. Khlong Prao, www.aanaresort.com

3. Aiyapura Resort and Koh Chang Spa

Offering a variety of styles of bungalows nestled in a secluded location, complete with attentive service, Aiyapura Resort and Spa in Koh Chang also features a great French restaurant, and lots of facilities that include all manner of watersports and tours, and a yacht available for charter. Among the Aiyapura bungalows on Koh Chang Island, the Private Pool Villas have many luxury fixtures, including an oval bathtub, large enough for two, a digital piano, and a private pool – so much so that you might forget there’s a world outside. Klong Son, www.aiyapura.com.

4. Siam Beach Resort on Koh Chang

An informal and friendly place, with open-style minimalist rooms featuring wooden floors, cement bathrooms and funky yellow walls (that are also rigged with air con and TV). Common facilities at Siam Beach Resort are limited to a small pool behind the beach, a beach bar that reverberates with dance music, and a Thai restaurant that serves fresh, plain grilled seafood on the beach Had Tha Nam, www.siambeachresort.in.th).

5. The Spa Koh Chang Resort

By a mangrove in the Koh Chang Island’s quiet east side, this place is a veritable inland retreat. Here, everything is deliberately rustic, mostly built of aged wood scavenged from farms. The bungalows at Spa koh Chang Resort which nestle in a tropical garden complete with water cascade have wooden floors, palm frond ceilings, tasteful furniture, artistic bathrooms and spacious terraces. The restaurant serves Thai staples and healthy Western food. Baan Salak Khok, www.thesparesorts.net.

Kool Koh Chang Travel - What to do in Koh Chang Thailand

Victor Paul Borg reveals the Thai Island’s rising style stakes in Fah Thai – March/April 2007 with permission on March 14, 2007. Part 1 of 2.

Thirty years ago, Konchai Thanasrikul was the first one on the Koh Chang beach at Had Tha Nam, and he immediately envisioned its potential, purchasing a cheap plot of beachfront property and building the Siam Beach Resort’s cluster of rustic bungalows.

“There was nothing at the time,” says Natrapee Somnam, the manager of the Koh Chang resort and Konchai’s confidante. “no road, no water, no electricity, and no cold drinks. Koh Chang guests had to come from the mainland on a long-tail boat that docked on the beach.”

And come they did: Western escapees seeking virtual exile on a tropical island, enchanted by this one’s strips of brilliant – Koh Chang white sand, towering coconut palms, and inviting sweeps of blue sea. The Westerners changed the beach’s Thai name – which means “Beach Pier Water” – to one that was truer to its character, Lonely Beach, a name still in use today.

“Konchai realised that Koh Chang would be as successful as Phuket,” adds Natrapee. Not quite another Phuket, at least not yet, but not far behind now either. Still one of the quietest beaches, Had Tha Nam now boasts five resorts, and last year, Koh Chang’s Siam Beach felt compelled to adapt to the times by tearing down the rustic bungalows and rebuilding swankier residences complete with air-conditioning, TV and parquet floors. The island of Koh Chang was on the up – both in terms of visitor numbers and in style of accommodation.

The Rising Tide of Koh Chang

Elsewhere on Thailand’s second largest island (after Phuket), the real estate development has proceeded even faster. Koh Chang – whose Thai name translates to “Elephant Island” as it is shaped like an elephant’s head – is the largest of an archipelago of 52 islands which were designated a National Park in 1982. At the time, it was home to a few thousand fisherman and a rugged backpacker’s hideway; rapid growth in tourism only came in 2001 to Koh Chang when the government tramaced the road that sirts almost all of its coast and improved the ferry service from the mainland.

The introduction of Bangkok Airways flights a few years later made it all the more accessible – flight time from the capital is just 40 minutes to Koh Chang – and the proximity to Bangkok ensured that it became a viable weekend getaway for city slickers loking for some fun in the sun. Visitor numbers to Koh Chang have climbed to around 800,000 annually, and the transformation from a backpacker’s escapade to an upscale destination resort is now almost complete.

This new influx of higher-budget tourists spurred the construction of several plush Koh Chang resort on some of the west coast’s beaches – best of which are the Amari Emerald Cove Resort and Spa; AANA Resort and Spa; Ramayana Resort and Spa, Aiyapura Resort and Spa, Panviman Resort, and the SPA Koh Chang. All come kitted with luxuries set among tasteful designs and boast impressive spas offering all types of exotic therapies – traditional or modern massages as well as many rejuvenation treatments.

More new Koh Chang resorts are sprouting up with at least two openings expected in March; The Dewa, from the same owners of the upscale Ramayana, and the swanky Princess Resort Koh Chang by the Dusit chain, whose 96 rooms are a study of sublime Thai contemporary design.

Now, the island of Koh Chang is also due to get another first in the form of two separate private luxury residential developments – Tranquility Bay Residence near Bang Bao and Siam Royal View in Khlong Son village – to be sold as holiday or retirement homes, both complete with private yacht marinas.

Something for Everyone in Koh Chang

Not all resorts are high-end in Koh Chang, but different types of visitors will find something that suits their tastes and budgets in the three main beaches. Broadly speaking, these house expensive designer resorts at Had Kai Bae; cheaper backpacker bungalows at Had Tha Nam; and mid-range accommodations at Had Sai Khao, the longest beach in Koh Chang.

Yet, all these beaches hold the three quitessential Koh Chang experiences: a Thai massage under the coconut palms right in the sand, a dinner of fresh grilled seafood on tables set up on the beach and shows by the famour fire jugglers.

It is also possible to choose from a multitude of water-based activities such as snorkelling, or diving tours to explore coral reefs filled with barracudas at a cluster of offshore isles from Koh Chang in the south or fishing trips to reel in a variety of marine life, including the night time catching of squid.

Emerald Island, Koh Chang

Everywhere else, Koh Chang largely remains gloriously natural. The new developments are limited to small pockets along the west coast. Every vista is dominated by the interior spine of Koh Chang’s mountains, which meet the clouds at the higher summits, and are covered in impenetrable old growth jungle.

Indeed, the island of Koh Chang is one of Thailand’s greenest spots, and it is a joy to explore on a moped and make fascinating little discoveries –waterfalls and lagoons, tranquil creeks or streams, and a handful of quiet undeveloped beaches. The tastes of nature are all around: fresh watery wind, massive trees looming overhead, birdsong in the mornings, cacophonies of toads at night, short-tailed macaque monkeys dashing across the road, and cobras hissing in the grass.

The easiest way to get closer to the forests of Koh Chang is on an elephant at the elephant camp called Ban Kwan Chang in Khlong Son village. The camp’s 10 elephants and 10 mahours (elephant masters) – one mahout for one elephant – all hail from Surin, the northeastern province where mechanical tractors have yet to supersede the trunked workers in farms.

“We buy all the elephants when they are old and no longer strong enough for the farm,” explains Somsri Saiyot, who runs the camp with his mahout colleagues on Koh Chang island. “Elephants typically live until about 80 years old, and we only have females here, as males can be violent at times.”

The docile giants are playful with Koh Chang tourists, joyfully frolicking and trumpeting when fed, and splashing in the river like excited children during the treks that take Koh Chang visitors up the river and into the virgin jungle on elephant back.

Part 2 Continues Here.

The Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart Tasmania

Harbourside hotel experiences are waiting for you at this truly stunning and unique art style and designed accommodation at the five star Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart Australia. Located on the island of Tasmania The Henry Jones Art Hotel and boutique 5 star luxury accommodation guest suites are among the best in Australia, so experience it for yourself during your next Australia vacation.

About the Henry Jones Hotel in Tasmania

By visiting the Tasmania Hobart The Henry Jones Art Hotel in boutique Australia, you can view the entire collection of art in the Art Installation Room in this unique hotel setting in addition to the Guest Suites, Foyer, Steam Packet Restaurant and Function Areas. The Art of Henry Jones are for sale either online or through the Hobart Henry Jones Art Hotel in Tasmania hotel reception today. By experiencing The Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart Tasmania, you will truly learn how to appreciate art and design in this amazing 5 star hotel resort in Australia. Read below for the collection of fine guest rooms and suites provided by the Henry Jones Hotel in Hobart

The Henry Jones Art Hotel Suites and Guest rooms

Located in Hobart Tasmania off the southern coast of Australia, travel to The Henry Jones Art Hotel is an extremely unique experience for any hotel guest and the guest rooms and luxury boutique suite accommodations will have natural timber finishing, special designer lighting, king size beds with silk covers and more. The Hobart Henry Jones Art Hotel in Tasmania will also offer Australia travel suites with harbour views and others that look over the glass Atrium into the old jam factory interior. All guest suites at The Henry Jones Art Hotel Tasmania in Australia will have high speed internet, television, DVD player and original artwork that is available for purchase. There are six different types of boutique five star hotel suites at The Henry Jones Art Hotel Hobart Tasmania in Australia which first begins with the Peking Suites, Calcutta Suite, The Oriental Guest Suite, luxurious boutique Art Installation Suite, the boutique Henry Jones Art Deluxe Spa Suites and the boutique five star Hobart Henry Jones Art Hotel superior and standard rooms. You can view a brochure on The Henry Jones Art Hotel website for more information about these superior and premier guestrooms offered at this Hobart hotel in Tasmania Australia travel holiday.

Contact and booking information

This 5 star boutique hotel accommodation is located at 25 Hunter Street in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 7000 and their phone number is 03 6210 7700 and email is info@thehenryjones.com. The Oriental Suite at The Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart Tasmania Australia travel package is four hundred and forty Australian dollars per evening and the Art Installation Suite is $675. The Hobart Henry Jones Art Hotel and boutique accommodation five star at Deluxe Spa is three hundred and fifty and the Atrium View Deluxe Spa is cheaper at two hundred and ninety dollars per night.

Special Packages

If you are planning your trip to Hobart Tasmania, there are several package deals and options to choose from while booking your reservation to The Henry Jones Art Hotel in Australia. The Deluxe Package is one hundred a ninety five dollars for twin share per person at the Tasmania Henry Jones Art 5 star Hotel boutique Hobart accommodations and includes Deluxe Spa harbour view rooms, Pamper Pack, cocktail for two in the IXL Long Bar, three course dinner in Henry’s Restaurant as well as a cooked breakfast each morning in addition to valet parking and relaxing massage deals. The Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart Tasmania Australia travel package called the Premium Package includes the Oriental Suite and everything above for $245 per night per person (based on twin share). Lastly, the Corporate Package at the Hobart Henry Jones Art boutique luxury Hotel in Tasmania Australia travel holiday includes fully cooked breakfasts, morning paper, valet parking, upgrades and more. You can contact 03 6210 7700 or reservations@thehenryjones.com for more information about the Corporate Package at The Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart.

For other luxury five star hotel accommodations, click here. For Puerto Vallarta condo hotels like IconVallarta or resort real estate, click here.

Delta Residences at Sun Peaks Resort

The best of all worlds written by Susan M. Boyce for the BC Homes & Resorts February 23rd to March 23rd, 2007 edition of the real estate magazine. Added to the Condo Blogger because it provides useful information for the Delta Residences at Sun Peaks resort recreational real estate market. Well written and personal, Susan M. Boyce does an excellent job with creating the resort atmosphere and master planned community at the Delta Residences at Sun Peaks.

It’s no secret I have a soft spot in my heart for Sun Peaks. Crisp air, lush forested setting, the whimsical Sud-Tyrol architecture that always makes me think of sipping wine on the balcony of an Italian chalet in northern Italy – it just feels good here.

And every time I visit I’m amazed how fast the Delta Residences at Sun Peaks is taking shape right before my eyes. Of course, I’ve been following construction via the site’s web cam for months, but there’s nothing quite like being able to actually touch the building and walk through the spaces – naturally with my trusty hard hat planted firmly on my head.

I’m not the only one eagerly watching the Delta Residences at Sun Peak Resort’s progress either. “Real estate buyers are stopping by all the time to see for themselves or just to say hi,” says Craig Anderson, marketing consultant with Pilot House. “And now is the prime time to buy because you’re still getting preconstruction [presales] pricing on all remaining units.”

An Investment for the Future

Delta Residences at Sun Peaks is committed to introducing a new level of luxury and opulence to the community. Granite countertops in kitchen and bath, deep soaker tubs plus separate glass showers, cozy fireplaces, rich wood-tone detailing, and an abundance of jewel-tone fabrics – it’s all about relaxation and being pampered to the ultimate degree.

Personally though, my favourite feature is the fact every home owner enjoys full access to all the amenities of the adjoining Delta Sun Peaks Hotel – pool, hot tub, health club, room service, and even housekeeping. “Even though you’ve got full, gourmet kitche, if you don’t feel like cooking you just order from room service – easy,” Craig says grinning broadly. “I’ve bought here, and I can’t wait.”

But the Delta Residences at Sun Peaks is more than a luxurious vacation retreat – it’s an investment in the future. “Sun Peaks Resort still has so much growth ahead, and as people see the vision of what this community will ultimately be, they recognize this is a stable, long term investment” says Francis Argouin, sales and marketing director for Sun Peaks Resort.

“We are now starting phase two of four real estate development phases,” Francis says. “The Delta Residences, however, is the last ski in/ski out property that will be built in the heart of the Village – that makes it even more desireable.” And with some local houses now pushing past the benchmark $1 million mark, he believes these units will do nothing buy appreciate.

Year Round Enjoyment

Every Sun Peaks visit I learn something new. Last time I discovered Sun Peaks is the second largest skiable terrain in BC. But not being a skier myself, this trip’s gem is far more interesting on a personal level. “Our mountain bike park is the second largest in BC and fifth largest in North America,” Craig tells me. Wow! He adds their 18-hole golf course will be open for the season by the time I visit next – just in case I want a break from canoeing and hiking.

The Delta Residences at Sun Peaks offers a total of 41 fully furnished condominium retreats with quarter ownership starting as low as $99,900. The Delta Residences at Sun Peaks presentation centre is open 11:00am to 6:00pm daily in the Village next door to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. For more information call 1-877-578-7781, or you can visit on the web anytime at www.deltaresidences.com.

Brackenridge Colorado Travel Packages

Established during the rowdy mining days of the 1860s, Breckenridge has since matured into a vibrant mountain resort. Thanks to the Ten Mile Mountain Range’s great skiing and riding, the town’s historical charm at Brackenridge CO and a lively local community, guests keep falling in love with Breckenridge Colorado – with many coming back year after year to rekindle the old flame. Contact ResortQuest at 970-453-4000 to book your next CO vacation.

The Breckenridge resort is blessed with more than 300 days of sunshine and an average of more than 300 inches of snowfall annually. It’s blessed, too, by the diligence of its citizens. They have protected downtown’s signature Victorian quaintness, and that architecture and ambiance are an intrinsic part of Breckenridge’s appeal. The myriad of boutiques, restaurants and pubs offer entertainment long after the skis come off.

Breckenridge Mountain is a series of four interconnected peaks that provide over 2,400 acres of slopes, four world-class terrain parks and four new half-pipes, perfect for any level of skier or rider. Breckenridge was name the 7th Overall Best Resort by Ski Magazine in 2006. To top it off, winter brings unlimited opportunities at Breckenridge Colorado for other types of adventures as well, including snowshoeing, snowmobiling, romantic dinner sleigh rides, dog sledding and ice-fishing.

In the summer time, Breckenridge Resort Mountain in Colorado transforms into an altogether different but equally wondrous place. Blue skies, temperate weather and a stellar lineup of celebrated music art, and culinary festivals. Summer attractions at Breckenridge kick off with the opening of the Breckenridge Golf Course and continue with The Toast of Breckenridge Colorado, Genuine Jazz Festival, Breckenridge Film Festival, Main Street Station Farmers’ Market and Oktoberfest. Summer activities range from white-water rafting to historic mine tours hiking, mountain biking and kayaking.

The Breckenridge CO Scene at a Glance
A year-round playground for young and old alike… Summer and winter play host to an endless variety of activities, events and entertainment.

Festivals at Breckenridge:

Ullr Fest (January)
International Snow Sculpture Championships (January)
Mardi Gras Festival & parade (February)
Bite of Breckenridge (april)
Spring Massive Festival (April)
Genuine Jazz Festival (June)
World Beat Music Festival (June)
Breckenridge Beer Festival (July)
River Run Bluegrass and Beer Festival (August)
Breckenridge Festival of Film (September)
Oktoberfest (September)
Wine in the Pines (November)
New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade (December)

Breckenrige CO dining:

Café Alpine (Asian, Tapas and Local Fish)
The Hearthstone (American Regional)
Blue River Bistro (Italian)
Alpenglow Stube (Five-star American)
Keystone Ranch (American Regional)
For something more casual, try
Breckenridge Brewery and Pub (American)
Downstairs at Eric’s (American)
Der Fondue Chessel (Fondue)
Blue Moose (Breakfast and Sandwiches)
Mi Casa (Mexican)

The Nightlife and Shopping at Breckenridge Colorado

Popular bars include: Salt Creek Restaurant and Saloon, Sherpa and Yeti’s, Cecilia’s, The Goat, The Gold Pan Saloon, and Burke & Riley’s Irish Pub.

For art, check out Breckenridge Gallery, Paint Horse Gallery, Skilled Hands Gallery or Colorado Scenics Images of Nature.

You’ll find traditional and contemporary Native American jewelry, pottery and other crafts at Southwest Designs. Silverhorne Factory Outlet Stores offer over 80 name brand outlet shops.

Breckenridge Attractions and Activities:

Backstage Theater, Breckenridge Nordic Center, Lake Dillon Marina, National Repertory Orchestra, Peak 8 Fun Park, Keystone Pavilion, Summit Historical Society, White-water rafting and kayking, fly fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and dinner sleigh rides.