Friday, December 17, 2010

Bangkok Airport Hotel - From Low Budget Guesthouses to 5 Star Hotels

There are several great Hotels in the Bangkok Airport Vicinity.
Low budget first:
One guesthouse for low budget that I recommend highly is called 'Sananwan Palace'. It is a pleasure to stay in this family run and operated oasis. It's just 25 minutes by taxi from the airport.

Room Rates

300 Baht room with Fan

600 Baht room with Air Con.

Sanawan Palace Guesthouse has a nice swimming pool, a sauna and gym. Room service and delicious food at your fingertips. It's a little oasis in the Bangkok area and you will enjoy the old market at the canal close by and the new temple which is only a 5 minute walk from the guesthouse.

This guesthouse is in a district called Bangpli and it is a little bit difficult to find for taxi drivers but they do offer a pick up at the airport which costs just as much as hiring a taxi at the airport.

Looking For A Hotel Instead?

There are several Hotels also very close to the airport:

Avana Hotel is close to Bangkok Airport. 25 Km or 25 minutes by taxi from the airport This luxury hotel was previously known as Highway Inn Hotel. A 3 Star Hotel with Room Rates starting at 1000 Baht a night.

The Convenient Resort Suvarnabhumi Bangkok. This Hotel provides comfortable accommodation and is just five minutes away from Suvarnabhumi Airport and approximately 25 minutes from Bangkok City Centre. This resort offers a 24 Hour reception and is ready to serve you regardless of your flight arrival or departure time. Room rates start at less than 1200 Baht.

Floral Shire Resort is only 5 km or 3 miles from the Bangkok Airport. This resort offers free pick up and drop off at the airport. Room rates start at 1000 Baht. That's about what the taxi would cost you.

The Grand Come Inn Bangkok. This Hotel is approximately 10 kilometers from the Suvarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport. Room Rates around 1600 baht.
Whether you are looking for a hotel for a one night lay over or for a long time stay, there are many options in the vicinity of the Bangkok International Airport.

Some of the Hotels offer airport pick up and drop off limousine services at reasonable prices. Most of them have a 24/7 Reception service to accommodate you no matter what time of day or night you arrive.

Out of experience I would suggest using the airport pick up service since it is so much more convenient and trouble free than standing in line for a taxi at the airport. They usually cost the same and are not metered taxis but limousines.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Songkhla Hotels - Taking Pride In Its Hospitality

Songkhla is the provincial capital of Songkhla Province located in south Thailand bordering the state of Kedah in Malaysia. This city is placed between the Gulf of Thailand and the Songkhla Lake at a distance of about 950 km south of Bangkok. The province boasts of many natural attractions like beaches, waterfalls, parks and so on. Surrounded by beautiful beaches, this city is popularly known as 'the great city on two seas'. This city can be reached easily via government buses that run on regular basis to/from Bangkok. These air-conditioned buses runs daily and covers a distance of about 984 km in 12 and half hours. Direct buses are also available from Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani and Hatyai. There are also many minivans that offer access to this city. Songhkla has emerged as a favorite tourist hot spot for its awesome beaches and natural wonders. This place receive many tourists who stay here for a few days before heading for places like Hat Yai. There are a number of good Hotels in Songkhla for the guests to spend their vacations at this destination.

Various attractions to see here include Samila beach and its famous golden mermaid statue, Tang Kuan Hill, City Pillar Shrine, Pathammarong Museum, and Songkhla National Museum, and Songkhla Zoo amongst others. For the shoppers the most popular thing to buy here is a mini replica of the golden mermaid statue. For food and beverage, you can visit places like markets in front of Songkhla post office, Phatthalung road, Suan Thaokae market, Wachira market and so on.

Songkhla receives a fair number of tourists all throughout the year. To accommodate these guests there are a host of hotels and resorts offering luxury accommodations as well as budget stays. The Hotels in Songkhla are of an extensive variety and offer comfortable stay for all budgets and preferences. The city it is the proud home of various hotels, resorts and guest houses which ensures the guests with a comfortable stay. Rajamangala Pavilion Beach Resort and Pavilion Hotel are two popular hotels in Songkhla. To book a hotel in Songkhla, you can take the help of online Internet reservation facility. You can directly visit the official website of the hotel or use any other reliable website for booking.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Avoid paying ridiculous airfares during peak season

Being a contrarian traveler, that is, doing the opposite of what the majority of people are doing is a smart way to save money on airfares. The theory in this being that while everybody is traveling one way, for example heading back home at the end of their winter vacations to Thailand, the planes going back to Thailand would be relatively empty. This creates an opportunity for the savvy traveler to take advantage of reduced airfares as airlines scramble to fill as many seats as possible.

Unfortunately we are not all able to travel when we want and work commitments may dictate that we must take our holidays at the same time as everybody else. This is where the laws of supply and demand kick in and the airlines and hotels crank up their prices. But what if you really wanted or needed to travel at a time that was a peak travel time in your country? Do you just have to bite the bullet and pay the inflated prices?

Fortunately there is a strategy which allows you to both travel to and return from popular destinations at the same peak times as everyone else, without having to pay pumped-up holiday fares.

Let's take Bangkok as an example because it is an extremely popular holiday destination and it is also one of the cheapest places in the world right now to purchase airfare tickets- a fact whose relevance will become clear in just a moment.

Let's say it's May and you are going to take a short 5 day trip to Bangkok, on a business trip or to visit friends. You've also decided that you want to take a vacation at the end of the year. You will not be able to depart until December 22nd, peak travel season. Unfortunately leaving between mid-December and mid-January will cost you pretty close to double the regular fare. Forward planning being one of the fundamentals of saving money on travel, knowing your end-of-year travel dates will enable you to save a lot of money.

What you do is instead of buying a 5 day return ticket for your May trip, you buy a one year open with the return date of the ticket sometime in January when you want to come home from your end of year vacation. Upon arriving in Bangkok you put this ticket away in your suitcase and purchase a second ticket from Bangkok to your original point of departure, or home city. The return portion of this ticket (and this is the crucial part of the plan) is set to December 22nd.

This works because each airline in each country determines their fares from the point of departure. What this means is that the return date does not have as big an influence on the fare as the departure date. Basically they don't care if the return section of your ticket is in a peak period in the country you are coming back from.

One year open tickets are a little more expensive than your regular 7- 30 day open tickets, however you should look into this option and you may find substantial savings doing it this way than paying the inflated peak time airfares that the airlines charge.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Impact of Low Cost Airlines Results in Record Number of Flights

Before the arrival of Low cost airlines, the travel market was relatively stagnant. However, all that has changed now there are numerous companies offering their customers the chance to fly to various locations around the world for a cut-back price.

The main reason they can offer this is due to their cost cutting strategies. They use the term "no-frills" because of the lack of extras to you get included in the price, such as no meals or drinks. Using secondary airports and having short turn around times means that low cost airlines can cut their overheads and offer cheap flights to destinations around the world. The arrival of low cost airlines saw an increase year on year and in 2007, according to Eurocontrol, flights within Europe reached an all time record of 10 million passengers which was a 5.3% increase on 2006 figures.

European flights are the choice for many using low cost carriers, this is causing the traditional airlines to react and try to lower their prices. It has been harder for the traditional airlines to achieve this as they are not able to offer the same level of prices as the lost cost airlines. Many customers are choosing to go to Eastern European countries, which in the past have been relatively unpopular but have seen growth of up to 20% in some areas.

Whilst low cost airlines may be the preferred choice of people flying within Europe, the traditional airlines are able to offer something the low cost airlines are not and that is the chance to see more of the world with long haul flights, with offers such as cheap flights to Sydney and many other destinations, customers can travel in comfort and have a high level of service. A competitive market equals a competitive price on your flights but be sure to shop around and get the best deals.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

The Thai Hospitality

Thailand is known as "Land Of Smiles", an impression the Tourism Authority of Thailand happily use to promote the tourism by focusing on its people's hospitality. And if you spend any amount of time in most parts of Thailand, you will understand why this slogan has stuck for so long. Even in the buzzing capital city of Bangkok where people usually mind their own businesses, you can smile at a Thai and you can almost guarantee to get a smile back.

A lot of visitors consider this to be quite fascinating, considering the low incomes, polluted air, bad traffic and such, giving Thai people very little to smile about. Yet they still manage to be so happy-looking, friendly and willing to show you the true meaning of hospitality. Often, you don't understand a word they're saying to you but you will see a glow in their eyes and a willing smile as a sign of their friendliness.

It's not just for the stunning nature and historical richness that so many people come to love Thailand. It's often the hospitality, the friendly people, their fascinating culture and the contagious 'Thai smile' that makes visitors want to repeat their visit time and time again.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

How To Spend Your Time Before You Fly Out of Bangkok

If you are waiting at the Bangkok Airport for several hours and have got nothing else to do than stare at the thin air, then I will be giving you tips on what to do in between hours. There are several attractions that you can visit which does not require you to travel long distance like the Ancient Siam located near the airport. It was previously known as the Ancient City and is considered as the biggest outdoor museum in the world that is around 200 acres. Also, there are many hotels nearby where you can look around and dine in. So instead of sitting around at the airport lobby, try exploring its vicinity to beat boredom.

What is good about the Ancient Siam is that it is very enormous and you can spend the entire day just roaming around in peace and quiet or you can cycling as well. There are bicycles that you can rent for 50 Baht each inside the park, 100 Baht for two seater and 150 Baht for three seater. The park opens at 8am and closes at 5pm daily. The entrance fee costs around 300 Baht for adults and 150 Baht for children.

In addition, there is also the Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm and Zoo that was constructed in 1950. it now contains around 60,000 crocodiles and still increasing. Animals such as gibbons, chimpanzees, boa constrictors, elephants, camels, turtles and pythons can be seen. You can also take pictures with a tiger if you wish to. This park runs from 7am to 6pm on a regular basis and shows are available hourly from 9am to 5pm.

Moreover, if you choose to stay in one of the hotels near the airport, you do not have to worry about the traffic on the day of your light schedule. You can also have more time to catch a glimpse on other wonderful attractions.

I advise that while waiting at the Bangkok Airport, you make use of your remaining number of hours instead of just sitting around without anything to do. Discover many things nearby like the Ancient Siam where toucan spend several hours just roaming around or visit the Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm and Zoo where many great shows and sightseeing activities await you. Or if you want, you can go back to your hotel if it is near the airport and take a look around, you might just run into someone that you know and offer to take him out to lunch and chat with each other. You see, there are many things that you can do to beat boredom.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Fabulous Vacation in Thailand

Thailand holiday package

Thailand is known for its spectacular natural beauty, exciting temples and optimum beaches of the world. Thailand is one of the best most reasonable priced places of seaside vacation. Thailand holiday package offers amalgamation of excitement, exotic locals, amusement, entertainment and leisure that any tourist craving for. Experience some of Thailand's most exotic destinations with Thailand holiday packages which are ideal for luxury holiday and budget travelers.

Thailand holiday package offers you various destinations that have been attracting people for very long time now.

You can start your vacation in Bangkok. Bangkok is Thailand's huge noisy populated capital city with guesthouses, plenty of fabulous temples, raft houses of Kanchanaburi and many more. After Bangkok you can travel to north Thailand to enjoy the laid back city of Chiang Mai where you can enjoy trekking to nearby hill tribe villages. After trekking and Rural relaxation Thailand holiday package offers you gorgeous white sand shores, aquamarine seas and kaleidoscopic reefs in the eastern and southern coasts of Thailand. The most popular among these are the east coast backpackers resorts of Ko Samet and Ko Chang, the Gulf coast islands of Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao and Laem phra nang.

Pattaya which was once considered as a simple fishing village but has now grew into Asia's most cosmopolitan beach resort. Pattaya offers lively scene of shops, restaurants, bars and entertainment, while superb hotel provide every comfort and facility. Beside varied beaches Pattaya offers easy reach to Bangkok. Facing a wide bay and long majestic sweep of beach Pattaya offers every amminity for recreation, entertainment, sightseeing and fun. Phuket is also one of the major attractions of Thailand because of its spectacular scenery, stunning tropical sunsets and warm blue sea. This fun island offers an unbeatable combination of perfect silky soft white palm lined beaches, superb hospitality and great value accommodation.

So if you are planning your trip to Thailand then book your holiday package now to avoid any last minute confusion. There are direct flights available from UAE to Bangkok, the most popular airlines servicing at Bangkok airport are the Thai Airways flights and Express rail flight.

So don't think any more, your Thailand holidays are waiting for you. There is something to make you smile, laugh, cry or get excited about in Thailand. So make it fast to get the best deal in very reasonable prices.