Mon Cham

Mon Cham sunset.

Have robocar will travel and after Doi Inthanon we enjoyed another high altitude afternoon exploring Mon Cham.

About a 40 minute drive north of Chiang Mai (head to Mae Rim, look for the Mae Sa turn-off sign take a left and keep going) and 1,400 metres up, Mon Cham was a brilliant destination choice for a Sunday drive.

The steep and windy road up is as spectacular and epic as the summit, especially in early February when quite a few trees are in blossom.

Also eye-catching was an open air cafe/bar about three quarters of the way up, that in addition to coffee, drinks and snacks offers a stupendous view of the surrounding hills and valleys to its customers.

Closer to the top was the beautiful Mon Cham soccer ground.

The Mon Cham 'field of dreams' - this photo doesn't do it justice.

Tucked away off the highway, this mini field of dreams is stunningly picturesque thanks to its perfect playing surface, a jungle backdrop on one side, grape vines on the other, and a strawberry patch behind one of the goals. Given this 'slice of heaven' footballing setting, I guess it was no surprise that the local team is Christ FC.

Yes, this is where the grapes sold in the supermarket come from.

Refreshing sunset beer at Baan Mon Muan.

After many stops for photos shoots and a bit of grape and strawberry picking we finally made the Mon Cham summit in the late afternoon.

The peak was recently developed as a tourist attraction with new gardens, huts, a camping site, a restaurant and walkways to attract a wide range of visitors - here's a good and informative article about the summit area and its attractions.

The final port of call was the Baan Mon Muan hotel for dinner. Just 10 minutes drive from the peak, this beautiful rustic hillside resort is a super spot to enjoy a sunset drink and meal in one of the most scenic and cool parts of northern Thailand.

Built for Sunday afternoons - the Baan Mon Muang gardens.

Scala

I want this amazing light fitting for my dining room.

Waiters in dapper canary yellow blazers, old school chinese food, crooning lounge music and a 1970s interior with original decor..... welcome to Bangkok's famous and fantastic Scala restaurant.

Because they don't make them like this anymore - in a non-ironic way - I'm sure Quentin Tarantino would have a wet dream about this restaurant and its 100% pure retro vibe. I really like the kitsch overload massive light fitting with its hundreds of orange glass tubes and bulbs.

The music is a bit special as well. If you love the dulcet and sweet tones of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Patsy Cline, Glen Campbell and other hit-makers from the 50s, 60s and 70s Scala is the place for you. When I'm there, I always half expect my departed dad and father-in-law to walk in - they both loved these timeless classics.

Keeping it old school with original decor and furnishings.

If I ran a heritage trust the entire Scala cinema complex (in which the restaurant is housed) would be declared a national treasure.

Like the Odeon (or is it the Jubilee Cinema?) in central Singapore near Raffles Hotel, Scala has presence, stature and style.

Although the grand dame is aging and creaking, I absolutely love this place. Scala represents not only Bangkok's past, but also many great films enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of Bangkokians.

Back to the Scala food. The menu is old school chinese and I reckon the food and menus haven't changed much since opening days in the 1970s.

Click here for a super blog with amazing photos of some of the restaurant's greatest hit dishes.

Perfectly cooked Peking Duck - the dish that keeps generations of customers coming back again and again and again.

The dish that brings people through the doors is Peking Duck. The Scala chefs have it mastered and it's carved table side for added impact. I hope Scala never disappears and if you're looking for a history-rich place serving excellent food for lunch or dinner make a booking soon.

More Scala info

Chez Marco

Best food city in Thailand? If variety, availability, cooking inventiveness and scale are the judging benchmarks - Bangkok is the hands down winner.

However, when it comes to value for money, as well as quality and freshness of ingredients, we think Chiang Mai edges it. One eatery that showcases these qualities and more (much more) is Chez Marco (CM), a popular and lively french restaurant.

Located at the top end of busy and boisterous Loi Khro Road in the old town, the CM kitchen prepares and serves some of the best southern french food that I've ever eaten outside of Provence and Avignon.

*Lemon and pepper crusted lamb chops - one of the best lamb dishes that I've ever eaten.

On taste, flavour, quality, presentation and serving sizes it far outscores french eateries visited in Singapore and Bangkok.

CM also scores big on atmosphere, and whether sitting indoors or in the open air front area, big laughs and plenty of banter is almost mandatory.

Chargrilled aubergine and capsicum salad. 

Dish sharing is also encouraged and we started with big plates of beef carpaccio, chargrilled vegetables and a smoked chicken salad. Our mains included a hulking rib eye perfectly cooked (grilled beautifully on the outside, pink and juicy on the inside), lemon and pepper crusted lamb cutlets, sizzling hot pan fried squid and prawns, duck and a simple pasta. Everything was devoured by our table of six happy diners.

Duck with apple and balsamic sauce.

Our desert orders of apple crumble cheesecake, creme brulee, chocolate cake and coffee ice cream took us to new heights on the joy richter scale and I'm hoping it won't be too long before I can dine at this magnificent restaurant.

There's still plenty on the menu to be tried and savoured and we didn't even get onto the wine list.

Chez Marco FB page
Great interview with Chef Marco
And another

*Photos borrowed from CM's FB page - hope that's ok.

Doi Inthanon

Doi Inthanon - a magical place.

We adore northern Thailand. We especially love the peaceful, easy "Chiang Mai state of mind" the city puts us in whenever we visit.

And just when you think you've seen everything Chiang Mai (CM) has to offer, a new destination appears on the radar.

Last weekend we scaled the heights of Doi Inthanon (Thailand's highest point - 2,565 metres up) on Saturday and Mon Cham, a hillside village, the next.

If you believe the journey is as important as the final destination - a good car is essential - and we were lucky to have the use of a Toyota Prius.

As long as it's safe and reliable we're not too fussy about car type etc. However, robocar (our nickname for the Prius) dragged us into the future of motoring and we loved it. Sure, it ain't the most stylish car on the road but the technology, fuel efficiency and comfort made it a compelling package and we were sad to return it to its proud owner.

Stage one of the hike - some challenging parts on the way up.

Robocar was also silent and powerful and made the ascent up Doi Inthanon with ease. But there was no need to rush because a visit to one of the four waterfalls on the way to DI's summit is a must.

Plenty of shady cover in the evergreen forest.

We enjoyed lunch at Mae Klang waterfall (about 44 kilometres from CM) which provided a spectacular scenic backdrop for our feast of gai yarn, laab, salt baked fish with herbs and som tam. Besides the amazing view, there are small bridges and paths around the waterways to enjoy - in less than two minutes the junior members of our group were running and screaming around the walkways.

True grit - one of the biggest rock formations on the wild and windy west side.

Leaving Mae Klang we drove for another 35 minutes to the summit, stopping five kilometres short (just past the spectacular Napamaythanadol Chedi) to do the three kilometre Gew Mae Plan hiking track.

How good was this track? Just after completing the loop, I was keen as mustard to do it again.

Walking down from the viewing spots along the well-maintained track. Don't forget your jacket - it gets pretty wild and windy on this ridge.

While there are a few steep parts, overall it's a fairly comfortable 2.8 kilometre walk thanks to a well organised and designed hiking track. And if it was fine for the five, six and eight year olds in our group it should also be fine for you. The first kilometre passes through dense forest areas offering lots of shade, a picturesque waterfall stop and plenty of singing birds.

My attempt at an arty, atmospheric shot.

Out of the cover, hikers enjoy a first widescreen glimpse of the surrounding hills and canyons. From there it's a short little climb to a couple of amazing (and windy and chilly) "up in the clouds" viewing platforms offering panoramic sights that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

It's mostly downward from the platforms along an exposed ridge path that allows walkers to take in super views to the west and lots of flora and fauna, especially red rhododendron plants. I really enjoyed getting a close look at the massive jagged rock formation down from the viewing spot.

The ridge walk ends at a super spot to take photos of the Chedis before winding back into the evergreen forest towards the start/end point and car park.

Post-hike snacks - protein overload time

Gew Mae Plan is highly, highly recommended - especially in November - after rainy season when the forest is at its greenest and I hope to walk it then. As there's so much to see and do in the DI area it may pay to stay 2-3 days. Just note, the walk is closed between March to October.

More information
Another good link

Pranburi Dreaming

As Hua Hin (HH) morphs into Bangkok by the sea, beach goers seeking a laid back Gulf of Thailand retreat should bypass HH and drive another 30 kilometres south to Pranburi.

While its beaches are a little more on the rugged side - compared to say, Ko Kut's pristine white sand beauties - the total Pranburi experience offers loads of restorative pleasures.

Besides long stretches of deserted beaches and coastline, the nearby Khao Sam Roi Yot (KSRY) National Park is a must visit stunner. KSRY boasts a stupendous selection of natural wonders including limestone mountains, mangroves, caves, beaches and a river.

If you're longing for a walk on the wild side, there are many superb forest and mangrove hikes and loads of animals, insects and birds to be spotted.

As we found out the hard way, be prepared for all conditions - so sensible hiking shoes and attire. What we were led to believe would be an easy 25-minute stroll up to a cave full of stalactites and stalagmites turned out to be a sweaty, treacherous slog that involved crawling and clinging on to vines at stages. It was worth it though - the cave and ocean view was stunning.

Khao Sam Roi Yot park coming into view.

If hiking isn't your bag, Pranburi's long, traffic free, coastal roads make it a driver's paradise - specially if you are behind the wheel of a powerful convertible (sadly, I wasn't).

But whatever your motor, you can't go wrong with blue skies, sandy beaches, lush landscapes and a Toots and the Maytals soundtrack.

Dining wise, there are quite a few outdoor restaurants along the coast serving excellent seafood at pretty reasonable prices.

The area is famed for its dried squid, cuttlefish and prawns so if you have to buy gifts for family and friends, these would probably be well received.

Gung Che Num Pla - soak the raw prawns in the lime juice, chilli, fish sauce, and garlic dipping sauce and eat - best washed down with an ice cold beer. 

Post-sunset, things get pretty quiet in Pranburi and a trip back to Hua Hin is the best bet for nocturnal hijinks.

There is more selection in accommodation alternatives however with many mid-priced hotels and resorts catering for families and weekend visitors. I'm sure more high-end properties will surface - right now one of the standout top of the range hotels is Villa Maroc.

Is this afternoon tea worth driving 250+ kilometres for? You bet. 

We stayed at La a natu (further along from Pranburi's main drag) which was right up there with some of the best hotels we have visited and enjoyed in Thailand. Words don't do it justice - it has to be experienced - and it's highly recommended. Their complimentary afternoon tea is another wonderous thing.

La a natu - a pretty special place to escape from everything.

More Pranburi information

Magical, Mystery Isaan Tour

Suan Hin Phua Ngam Park - where dinosaurs used to roam.

After a terrific stay in Chiang Khan, Nong Khai (NK) was the next stop on our magical, mystery Isaan tour.

On the way to NK, we stopped at Suan Hin Pha Ngam Park to hike around, and up, one of the park's magnificent limestone mountains. Dubbed the Kunming (where similar mountains are found) of Loei district, the park is a gem and the 1.5 hour guided walk through the forest and up one of the famous peaks is highly recommended.

Besides clean air, panoramic views and an up close look at a wide variety of trees, plants, flowers, caves, fossils and vines the walk also means avoiding the iPhone-toting masses who prefer the tuk tuk tour.

Sofa Gallery Hotel - a perfect spot for relaxing by the river.

Hike completed, we enjoyed a quick lunch of gai yarn (BBQ chicken), larb (spicy minced meat salad) and somtam (green papaya salad) before getting back on the road.

A quick word on motoring in the northeast - local folks pass when they feel like it. If that reads as terrifying, it is, but it also works because oncoming drivers know to slow down. If you plan to drive in the region stay extra alert and road aware.

We reached NK in the late afternoon. NK is a major border town with the Thailand-Laos Friendship bridge just 25 kilometres away. For us, it was a good place to overnight and the quiet Sofa Gallery Hotel was the perfect spot to relax and recharge - big thanks to hotel manager Khun Jack who was a terrific host.

Buffalo skin - an appetising appetiser for your next BBQ.

Next morning we walked NK's riverside promenade and shopped at the large central market. I liked the big food section and things to catch the eye included crunchy baguettes, spice packed local sausages and buffalo skin - good on the barbecue apparently - will have to try that next time.

We'd also like to visit the amazing looking Sala Keoku park in the future - it's on the to-do list.

After a quick visit to the city's main temple, we headed off to Khon Kaen (KK), one of the biggest cities in the province.

We saw in the New Year at a huge central city party enjoyed by tens of thousands. Props to the local authorities for putting on a well-organised street party. There were good vibes aplenty and few pissed up, obnoxious party goers - quite a contrast to similar events held in New Zealand (my home country) which often come to a violent, bloody and teary end.

Dinosaurs on the rampage at the Sirindhorn Dinosaur Museum.  

Bright and beautiful suppaniga flowers in Khon Kaen.

Although we'd just celebrated the arrival of 2012, our first day of the new year was spent in the pre-historic past with a trip to the Sirindhorn Dinosaur Museum.

About 150 kilometres from KK, the museum is renowned for its impressive and informative exhibits. However, our visit coincided with a national holiday and it was too crowded and noisy to enjoy the museum.

A bit of a downer, but our final couple of days in Buriram made up for the dinosaur disappointment.

Talk about saving the best for last.... I'm not usually big on ancient temples and ruins and I'm ashamed to say I was half asleep when my wife mentioned the 10th century Phanom Rung temple (which sits on top of 380-metre extinct volcano) and the 11th century Khmer-period Prasat Mueang Tam sanctuary.

Both sites were gobsmacking beautiful, incredible, atmospheric and amazing. I won't prattle on any more and let the photos do the talking.

Soaking up the history at Prasat Mueang.

Early morning at Phnom Rung.

Loads of room to roam.

Although we only saw a fraction of this blessed part of Thailand, we're now converts and truly, madly, deeply in love with Isaan - we'll be back soon and hopefully often. 

Supanniga Home

Supanniga New Year's welcome.

Unaccustomed as I am to staying in luxury resorts, when the rare opportunity arises, I make a wholehearted effort to enjoy every waking moment.

Not that any effort was required at the super Supanniga* Home in Khon Khaen. While it's the smallest boutique hotel to feature on the prestigious Relais & Chateaux list of global boutique lodgings, it's an absolute giant in terms of style, atmosphere, class, service and comfort.

It's also exclusive with just three large luxurious villas built on the 16-acre tree, flower and shrub laden property. So there's plenty of room, shade and privacy - there are also many tables, walking paths, benches and even a tree house in the vast garden.

Once unpacked and settled in, this Isaan Garden of Eden is pretty hard to leave. We loved strolling in the garden, reading, lazing about and overdosing on the serenity.

Our room with a garden view. 

The 'stay-in' factor is enhanced by the beautifully designed and appointed villas decked out with vintage Thai furniture and mod cons. Our villa was spacious and included a sizeable kitchen, dining room and 'back to nature' inspired outdoor bathroom.

The Villa.

If you're hungry, there are many dining options including Krua Supanniga by Khun Yai, the intimate in-house cafe as well as a host of neighbourhood eateries. Oh, and the Supanniga breakfast (the Isaan breakfast menu is recommended) is a special and memorable thing - given the positive vibe inducing environment however, even burnt toast and gruel would taste good here.

One of many green resting spots around the 16 acre property.

Though it has all the elements to deliver a par excellence guest experience, it's the human touch that makes Supanniga a superstar boutique hotel.

Breakfast for champions and minions.

From arrival until departure we received "service from the heart" and big thanks to the lovely and gracious owner, her family and staff for their hospitality, warmth and smiles.

Supanniga web site
Report from the Independent newspaper

*The hotel is named after the bright yellow flower growing in many parts of the grounds.

Farewell Supanniga, already looking forward to our next visit