I was recently presented with the opportunity of staying at one of Pattaya’s best-kept secrets, the Gems Mining Pool Villas.The location is rather unusual being just at the end of the Bangkok-Pattaya motorway but if you live in Bangkok, this makes a lot of sense. However, if you are looking for a luxurious hotel close to the beach, shopping or bars, the Gems Mining will probably not be your first choice. The imposing walls around the property will be your first sight, however as you enter, you will find that the entire resort is looking inwards towards lush tropical gardens and secluded villas ..read more

Looking for a sport to play in retirement – Try Padel Ball! Padel Ball is one of the fastest growing sports in the world with more than 25 million players. Invented in 1969 by Enrique Corcuera when he converted his squash court in Acapulco. Introduced to Europe in 1974 the first courts were opened in Marbella. Ideal for SeniorsNow in PattayaFast growing sport Padel Ball has now come to Pattaya at the Play Padel facility on Kasetsin Soi 3 in Pratumnak where you will find two indoor courts with excellent lighting and even air conditioning. Padel Ball for Seniors Many seniors are looking for a wa ..read more

Sophisticated, comfortable and so relaxing – Coffee Review Castaway Café, The Gems Mining Extremely friendly staff took us by golf cart through the complex to The Castaway Café located by the Gems Mining extensive pool area. The Café is beautifully decorated with a variety of comfortable seating. Welcome with lovely smiles and were efficient to present the menus. Short buggy ride to the Castaway CaféThe Castaway Café My double espresso was traditional espresso quantity at around 60 ml, served in a specific espresso cup. The perfect crema indicated correct settings on the stylish Storm espresso ..read more

A short time ago, I checked in at Vienna Airport anticipating a simple flight to London Gatwick. I have flown Wizz Air several times in the past without a hitch, but this day was sadly different. I actually like the efficiency of airline apps allowing you to check in online and avoid lengthy lines. It was, however, slightly eyrie checking in my own bag with not a human to be seen! Proceeded to the gate and then heard of the first delay. Ok this happens, just find a comfortable corner and wait. Then the second, longer delay and the announcement of a Euro.4 food voucher (you can’t buy much for t ..read more

There are more than 10,000 different grape varieties in the world, providing professional sommeliers a broad range of attributes to choose from when pairing. However, when you consider that this figure includes table grapes and raisins, the choice is somewhat reduced! Still, to many, the responsibility of choosing the correct wine for a particular dish at a wine pairing dinner is a great responsibility. To make it slightly easier 13 varieties comprise approximately one third of total vineyard supply and 33 occupy 50% of the total. The Private Chef’s Table Dinners by Celebrity Chef Fredi at Pep ..read more

Pattaya is blessed with a number of exceptional, long-established restaurants and making a challenge to be included in the Top 10, is a bold task that will depend on many factors. Take a comfortable restaurant, improve the comfort of the interior, create a wine list second to none and on top of that invite one of Pattaya’s Celebrity chefs to oversee the kitchen and you have a recipe for success. This is exactly what has happened since the new management took over Pepper & Salt in 2020. The Private Chef’s Table last night at Pepper & Salt, again attracted gourmands and culinary aficiona ..read more

Thailand’s Songkran festival represents the celebration of the Buddhist New Year. Images of Buddha are symbolically bathed and Thais show their respect to monks and their elders by sprinkling water over their hands. To experience or witness this genteel ceremony in a private family setting is extremely moving. Coming from the Sanskrit word sangkranti which means pass, transform or change, referring to the movement of the sun and planets from one zodiac sign to another. For Songkran it is the movement from Pisces into the sign of Aries and auspicious time to make resolutions and to set new goal ..read more

The tiny South-East corner of Thailand has always intrigued me and an invitation to review the Blue Haven Bay on Koh Chang was an excuse to make our way for some exploration in this area. As tourism is recovering fast and to avoid potential queues for the Koh Chang ferry, we decided to overnight in Chanthaburi and continue to the island in the morning. Chanthaburi is a favourite of ours that is still mostly missed by tourists. The outskirts and not remarkable but once you are by the river, it is like entering another world. The River Chanthaburi influenced the way that the old town was formed ..read more

Koh Chang Island, Trat Region, Thailand. I have visited Koh Chang several times over the past 10 years and honestly it has not changed drastically in this time. There must have been many changes but I just note the addition of some new, up-market hotels and otherwise not a vast difference. It remains a laid-back island with some beautiful beaches and interesting sights to explore. We stayed at the delightful Blue Haven Bay and I would heartily recommend staying here if you are looking for an unspoilt bay that stretches almost as far as the eye can see. It is a very relaxed and quiet resort are ..read more

1.Location The location of Blue Haven Bay is superb, just 5 minutes from the mainland ferry. Just cross one hill and the entrance is on the right so your holiday can start immediately. The Blue Haven Bay resort complex occupies a large piece of land and almost an entire bay, making it one of the best places to spend a vacation on Koh Chang. Klong Son Bay is a picture-postcard tropical beach with the white sands of Chang Noi Beach lined by palm trees. The water is calm, clear and shallow making it very safe for families. There is the kilometre long natural beach and the artistically made, artif ..read more