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Laureen

    Europe Travel

    San Marino – Hiding in Plain Sight

    Europe’s Hidden Jewel

    Location: San Marino

    The tiny Republic of San Marino, only 23 square miles, is hiding in plain sight. Sitting on top of Mount Titano, the country’s capital is the City of San Marino. The city/state of San Marino is landlocked and completely surrounded by Italy. From the mountain top every which way you look you see Italy…the Adriatic to the East and Umbria to the West and South. And here sits San Marino – Hiding in Plain Sight.

    San Marino

    Take it Slow

    Most visitors to San Marino come on a day trip from Florence or Bologna or even off a cruise ship. But I think you should stay the night. In fact, why not stay two? That’s what we did and we found a beautiful, quiet and relaxing city in the evening and morning hours before the visitors arrived. Granted, we were there in February, and there are not a lot of visitors in the winter. I’ve seen the photos of the summer crowds though…I recommend visiting off season.

    Puerto in the historic city
    View from Hotel Rosa

    Where to Stay

    We loved staying at Hotel Rosa, perched at the very top of the mountain. Because it was low season, it was easy to drive all the way up, where Hotel Rosa has private parking for their guests. Driving into the city during peak season can be a nightmare. Another reason to visit off season.

    Hotel Rosa is a small and comfortable boutique style hotel with wonderful views and friendly English speaking staff. A delicious breakfast is included each morning with excellent Italian espresso. A great way to start the day.

    View from our room
    Sunrise coffee and a room with a view
    Tiny but comfortable
    A very nice breakfast

    Two Days in San Marino

    We arrived mid afternoon and after checking in to Hotel Rosa we headed straight out to see the sights. Although cold, it was dry and sunny and we wanted to take advantage of the good weather and beautiful afternoon light. We spent the next several hours exploring the three tower areas, a UNESCO Heritage Site. At the first tower we purchased the Pass Ridotto ticket. For just 8 Euro each this ticket gave us access to the towers, the tower museum and three additional museums in the city. On this first day we spent as much time as we needed climbing all over the beautiful towers, admiring the 360 degree views and taking so many photos. San Marino is like something out of a children’s fairytale book. I kept expecting Rapunzel or Cinderella to join our self guided tour.

    Climbing up to the first tower
    Looking from tower two over to tower three
    You can see for miles
    Arne enjoying tower two
    Note to self – there are lots of stairs

    After much tower climbing and astonished exclamations, we headed back to our hotel to refresh. After the sunset we walked through the quiet streets, admired the well-lit Piazza della Liberta, and then settled in for a beautiful dinner with a view at La Terrazza, one of San Marino’s highest rated restaurants. We enjoyed a nice spread of prosciutto and cheese, we each had pasta and I had fish while Arne had a wonderfully prepared veal. It had been a lovely day.

    La Terazza meat and cheese
    Gnocchi was delicious
    Dinner at La Terazza
    Piazza della Liberta houses the Government building and the statue of Liberty

    Day Two

    As I usually do, I awoke very early, and watched the sunrise from our window, coffee in hand, over the medieval city. What a site it was. Eventually we headed down to breakfast and then out to see what else this tiny town had to say. We visited three museums; Coin and Stamp Museum, Pinacoteca San Francisco and the State Museum of San Marino. The town has a funny collection of macabre museums we were not interested in; one about vampires, another about monsters and curiosities and a wax museum too. Not my thing.

    Cobbled streets and paths
    Hidden treasures
    Coin and Stamp Museum
    San Francisco

    We did a little shopping, picking up some leather gloves for myself and some gifts. San Marino is a duty free zone, and prices were really good. But, no room in the suitcase so the gloves were all we got. After a bit more wandering we settled into an early dinner at Ristorante Bolognese. Here we also enjoyed a beautiful view of the late afternoon sun while munching on delicious tiny vongole (clams), ravioli and gnocchi.

    Tiny Vongole sweet and delicious
    Enjoying lunch
    Excellent ravioli

    San Marino – Hiding in Plain Sight

    We really enjoyed our visit to this tiny country. San Marino is the 5th smallest country in the world. It is the third smallest country in Europe behind Monaco and the Vatican Holy See. It has a long and interesting history dating back to the original monastic community in 301 AD. When Italy was unifying in the mid 1800’s San Marino became a haven for those who objected to unification. And through that, San Marino was able to hold it’s independency. Today it is one of the oldest constitutional republics in the world.

    San Marino – Hiding in Plain Sight

    All of that and only 23 square miles. You should come and see this little gem, San Marino – Hiding in Plain Sight.

    Thanks for reading my post San Marino – Hiding in Plain Sight. See last week’s post Two Days in Bologna Italy. Be sure to come back next week for more of our Italian adventures as we explore Puglia.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

    I have only read one other book by James McBride, that was Deacon King Kong back in 2021. I liked that one. His new book The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store has garnered all kinds of praise. So I had to see what it was all about. Here is my Book Review The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride.

    Pay Attention

    McBride is a master of weaving a tale, and so you gotta be on your toes with this novel. In this book you will meet a wildly varied group of characters, each brilliantly developed and lushly described by McBride. We find ourselves on Chicken Hill, a run down neighborhoods of Pottstown Pennsylvania where African Americans and immigrant Jews live and work side by side.

    Margins

    The folks of Chicken Hill manage to get by despite living on the margins of the wider white community who control everything from the water system to the police. Blacks and Jews work the system as best they can, but without each other it doesn’t come together for the people of Chicken Hill.

    Our Story

    Our story focuses on Moshe an immigrant Jew and his beautiful wife Chona an American born Jew. There lives are entwined with Nate, a black worker at Moshe’s theater and Nate’s wife Addie who helps Chona at the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. Nate and Addie’s 12 year old nephew Dodo, who is deaf, finds out the “State” is trying to put him in an institution. Trouble ensues as the entire community comes together to silently and conspiratorially help Dodo.

    Meanwhile the white elite of the town, including lecherous Doc Roberts and a local City Council man are creating additional problems for the people of Chicken Hill. This is when the bonds of friendship, love and community will come together. Not everyone will survive, but no one will ever be forgotten in the tight knit community of Chicken Hill, home of the Heaven and Earth Grocery Store.

    Thank you for reading my Book Review The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

    *****Five Stars for The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. See last week’s book review After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell.

    Thanks for sharing our book reviews.

    Europe Travel  --  Food & Drink

    Two Days in Bologna Italy

    Enjoy a Brief Visit to this Amazing City

    Location: Bologna Italy

    Two days isn’t really enough. But that is what we had so we made it work. We actually had a little more than two days, but we arrived in Bologna after a 32 hour travel day that started in Koh Chang Thailand. So by the time we got to our hotel, we were exhausted. But the next morning we hit the ground running, to see and do as much as we could with our remaining time – Two Days in Bologna Italy.

    Beautiful Bologna

    Three or Four Would Be Better

    I wished we had three or four days, mostly so we could just wander. This beautiful and ancient city was a treasure of antiquities dating back thousands of years. In addition it’s a fabulous foodie city. And don’t forget about the shopping. In and around the ancient history, it has a hip and young vibe, and although we were there in the winter, it was alive with visitors and locals out enjoying the city, it’s food and it’s rustic beauty.

    Lots of Italian Caffe gave us energy for Two Days in Bologna Italy

    A Brief History (thank you Wikipedia)

    Originally Etruscan, the city has been an important urban center for centuries, first under the Etruscans (who called it Felsina), then under the Celts as Bona, later under the Romans (Bonōnia), then again in the Middle Ages, as a free municipality and later signoria, when it was among the largest European cities by population. Famous for its towers, churches and lengthy porticoes, Bologna has a well-preserved historical center, thanks to a careful restoration and conservation policy which began at the end of the 1970s.

    Every turn something old and beautiful

    Where We Stayed

    I loved our little Bed and Breakfast in the Santo Stefano Piazza. A perfect location to walk to all the historic sites and restaurants. The piazza itself is home to a lovely church, several restaurants and weekly vintage market. Our Bed and Breakfast called Casa Isolani was on the top attic floor of an ancient Palazzo, still owned by the original family. A new addition of an elevator takes you up three floors, but then you need to walk up two additional flights. Breakfast is included but down the street at a very popular Pasticceria Santo Stefano where every morning we enjoyed fabulous Italian coffee, juice and brioche.

    Santo Stefano Basilica
    View of Bologna from our room
    Ancient Palazzo staircase in our hotel
    Ancient beams in our room

    How to See the City in Two Days

    After breakfast we spent our first day exploring on foot using GPS My City – one of our favorite apps for getting around a new place. GPS My City/Bologna is an easy to follow guide to 13 of the most significant sites within Bologna’s historic center. We spent several hours enjoying the sites using GPS My City. We missed a couple, but here are our favorites we did on day one;

    GPS My City Bologna

    Piazza Maggiore – Bologna’s main square, a gathering place for centuries, is home to multiple landmarks. Don’t miss the astonishing Basilica of San Petronio, the Notary Palace, the Clock Tower, the Accursio Palace/Salaborsa Library, and the Bianchi Palace. Music and festivals happen here throughout the year and the piazza is home to many shops and restaurants. It is the place to see and be seen.

    Neptune Fountain – a major landmark of the Piazza Maggiore is the Neptune Fountain. The bronze statue of Neptune was completed in 1566 to commemorate the election of Pope Pius IV. Most local walking tours meet and start at the foot of the Neptune Fountain.

    Basilica of San Petronio
    Neptune Fountain

    Churches

    Basilica of San Petronio – This church which dominates the Piazza Maggiore was begun in 1390 but the exterior was never completed. But be sure to go inside – the soaring vaulted ceilings are amazing.

    Saint Peter Cathedral – a church has stood on this site since 1028. The current church was built in 1184 with additions and changes made to the Baroque church multiple times through the centuries.

    Basillica of San Petronio
    Cathedral of Saint Peter

    The Towers

    Asinelle and Garisendo Towers – Via Rizzoli (Rizzoli Street) is a major thoroughfare that links Piazzo Maggiore to the Two Towers; Asinelle and Garisendo. These ancient leaning structures are named after the families who built them. In the photo below, there is an artists rendition of what Bologna may have looked like in ancient times when an estimated 180 towers existed. Both for defensive purposes but also for rich families to show off – each trying to build their tower taller than their neighbor. Only a handful of towers remain, with the Asinelle and it’s shorter neighbor the Garisendo the most famous.

    The Asinelle Tower is 97 meters and is the tallest leaning tower in Italy with a 1.3 degree slope. The Garisendo Tower is currently 48 meters. Originally 60 meters, it was lowered in the 14th century when it’s slope became dangerous.

    Unfortunately neither tower are open to the public. Asinelle was closed recently and the ground around the towers is currently being stabilized in hopes of saving both towers. It is unknown if the public will be able to access the towers (Asinelle has 496 wooden steps to the top) in the future.

    Artist depiction of medieval Bologna towers
    The towers today undergoing structural work

    On day one we also did a little shopping, had a manicure and got my hair cut! It was a busy day.

    Delicious Bologna Specialties

    Mortadella

    Mortadella Bologna is one of this regions most well known specialties. And if you, like me, grew up on American style Boloney sandwiches you need to be re-educated. Mortadella Bologna is a delicious, soft and sweet ground pork style cured meat. The name derives from the ancient use of a mortar and pestle to grind the ingredients. This is not American bologna. It’s ubiquitous around the city and easy to find good quality delicious mortadella sandwiches, charcuterie, pizza and more. A must when in Bologna.

    Amazing mortadella
    Open wide, so delicious

    Cheese

    Parmagiano Reggiano – Italian Parmigiano Reggiano can only be produced from the milk of cows that feed in a strictly defined area between the cities of Parma, Reggio, Modena, Bologna, and Mantova. The first record of Parmigiano-Reggiano making is from 1254. Throughout Bologna you will find delicious parmigiana. We stopped for wine and cheese at Simoni, a famous producer and distributor in Bologna. I really wanted to take an entire wheel home with me.

    Bolognese

    Bolognese – well you can’t visit Bologna without eating Bolognese. One of my favorite things to eat when I am in Italy, but I rarely order it in the USA. There is just something about the way the Italians make this rich and delicious meat sauce, served at La Trattoria Del Tempo Buono over homemade tagliatelle

    Wine and Parmigiana at Simoni
    Bolognese at La Trattoria

    Day Two

    Despite some rain in the morning, we set out on day two to climb to the Sanctuary of San Luca . The climb is the amazing part of this destination, although the cathedral at the top is also beautiful. However, from our hotel in Santo Stefano Piazzo we walked the four miles to San Luca with 95% of the walk being undercover in Bologna’s famous porticoes. Bologna’s Tourist Website says;

    Wikipedia

    The Sanctuary of San Luca, located on Colle della Guardia, has been the symbol of Bologna as well as a place of religious worship for centuries. It is connected to the city centre by a road that, starting from Porta Saragozza, unwinds for four kilometers with a portico that boasts over 600 archways and is the longest in the world. Together with the other city porticoes, it was included in UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2021.

    Sanctuary San Luca (Canva)

    The portico started being built in 1674 and, during Ascension week, a procession has been walking along it carrying the Byzantine Madonna with Child to the Cathedral since 1433. The Sanctuary church was, however, built later in the 18th century to replace a previous 15th-century construction. 

    The sanctuary offers marvelous views over the surrounding landscape. In addition, the panoramic terrace opened in 2017 at a height of 42 metres above Colle della Guardia (300 m asl), enables visitors to admire a unique 180° view of Bologna from the hills to the centre stretching out as far as Casalecchio di Reno.”

    Portico
    The View

    Portico Climb

    It was a fascinating way to see this ancient part of the city, all under cover so perfect no matter what the weather. It’s a workout too. We were doing the climb on a Saturday, and lots of locals use this climb for their weekend run, hike and even cycle. The view from the top was bellisima!

    Sanctuary San Luca

    Returning back down to the city we visited the Mercato di Mezzo, a lovely market with gorgeous fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese, fish, meat and fresh pasta. We worked up an appetite for our next excursion, a food tour.

    Mercato produce
    Cheese!

    Food Tour

    We spent the evening with Tours and the City a local company providing walking food tours in Bologna and elsewhere in Italy. Our guide was great and she helped us learn more about the wonderful foods of this region of Italy. We tried new-to-us things like Tigelle and Lambrusco and had lots mortadella, prosciutto, parmigiana, pasta and gelato too. I definitely recommend doing a food tour to get a wide understanding of the delicious and varied foods of this region.

    Tigelle
    Tortellini
    Prosciutto
    Lambrusco

    Final Night

    Yep – we did all of that in two days. It really was too brief, but if you only have Two Days in Bologna Italy, you can enjoy it. I highly recommend the food tour, and the GPS My City tour. Don’t miss the porticoes and San Luca, and eat everything you can!

    Portico in Santo Stefano Piazza

    Two Days in Bologna Italy

    I have traveled a lot in Italy over the past forty plus years, but had never made it to Bologna. In fact only recently has Bologna gotten on my radar. It’s the lesser known city with most tourists hitting Florence, Rome, Venice and Milan. I’ve been to all of those and I have to say Bologna has just as much to offer with incredible history and delicious food and an ancient beauty all it’s own. It’s time to get Bologna on your travel radar. Next time I will definitely stay longer.

    Thank you for reading my post Two Days in Bologna Italy. See last week’s post Sometimes We Enjoy a Travel Perk or Two here. Be sure to keep following for more about our Italy adventures – coming up next week our visit to San Marino.

    This week’s book review After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell

    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell

    I’m a big fan of Maggie O’Farrell, a prolific writer from the United Kingdom. Although most of her work is contemporary fiction, my favorite books of her are her historical fiction including Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait. But this contemporary novel, published in 2000 is a page-turner. Here is my book review After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell.

    The Plot

    Alice has suffered an unimaginable loss. Her heart is broken and so is her will to live. She takes a train to Scotland to visit her sisters, but while in the restroom she witnesses something horrible. But what is it? Whatever it is it’s enough to send her running back to London. But by the next day, Alice lays in a hospital in a coma. Hit by a car, or was it a suicide attempt?

    Interwoven Stories

    Throughout the book O’Farrell jumps around from before Alice was born to present day, focusing separately on characters in Alice’s life. Alice’s mother, father and grandmother each have their own story. Alice’s true love John and John’s father play a crucial role. And then there are others…a mysterious man, a high school boyfriend, her sisters who are nothing like Alice.

    As Alice lays in a coma, her memories of things she knows float in and out, while people in her room also float in and out. Some of these people are talking and Alice can hear them, although she cannot speak. But missing pieces of her life are falling into place as she listens. Alice’s will to live is diminishing.

    A Special Visitor

    It will take a special visitor to reach deep into the coma cocoon Alice is trapped in and pull her out. Will that person come to the hospital?

    After You’d Gone

    O’Farrell has such a way with words that all her books, contemporary or historic, are unforgettable. I hope you enjoyed my book review After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell

    *****Five Stars for After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell. See last week’s book review Fox and I: An Uncommon Friendship by Catherine Raven.

    We love it when you pin and share our book reviews. Thank you.

    Become a World Traveler  --  Inspire

    Sometimes We Enjoy a Travel Perk or Two

    Fllight Upgrades and Airport Lounge Access Perks

    Location: Around the World

    We are half way through year eight of our travel life. And sometimes we enjoy a travel perk or two. We have fallen into an easy pattern as we navigate the world. We understand how the system works, we each have our area of responsibilities as we plan and execute our travels, and generally we are content.

    However, we are also eight years older than when we first started. And along the way we have discovered a few things about ourselves that keep us happy in our retirement travels. For me, I need an outdoor space, even if it’s small, at our long term lodgings. I also need a washing machine…not a dryer, but definitely a washing machine makes me happy. Simple things but they make all the difference.

    Bangkok. We had a really long layover, visited two lounges over a six hour layover

    Budget

    Because we are very cognizant of our budget, we always fly economy. But every once in a while we will bid on an upgrade seat in Business Class. We will never pay full price for Business Class, but if we can slide in at the last minute we take it. It’s the only time I can actually sleep on a plane. We recently enjoyed a fabulous Philippines Air Business Class flight from San Francisco to Manila. It was heaven for this old girl.

    That said, we don’t just automatically book the cheapest flights out there either. We try to fly non-stops or one stop maximum. It makes such a big difference for our bodies. After the first few years of living this life on our retirement income, we figured out where and when to spend a bit more without breaking the bank.

    Business Class Life
    Philippine Air was comfy
    Excellent food and drink in Business Class

    Airport Lounge Privileges

    If you fly a lot, you quickly learn that most airports, with only a few exceptions, are all the same. Uncomfortable seating areas, expensive food, and way too many people.

    Last summer we upgraded our credit card to a Capital One Venture X. This new card provides us airport lounge privileges all around the world (in addition to some other perks). We have been very grateful for these, and have visited three different lounges in the Manila Airport (my least favorite airport in the world but the lounges are nice), lounges in Seattle, Brisbane, Melbourne, Singapore, Bangkok and Dubai so far. Some are nicer than others, but all are better than sitting at the gate.

    Seattle USA
    Manilla Philippines
    Lapu Lapu Philippines

    How Does it Pencil?

    By the way, this is not a sponsored post…I’m just sharing how much I like this credit card.
    The card cost $495 per year, but we get $300 back in travel credit when we book travel using the Capitol One travel site (which has turned out to be surprisingly easy to use and competitive with Booking.com or Expedia, our normal travel standards). So in reality we pay $195 per year less the additional cash back we get for some specific travel purchases.

    The way we figure it, before we were hanging out in airport lounges, we could easily spend $50, or more, on a meal and drinks while waiting for a flight. Now we eat and drink for free in lounges. We have enjoyed breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as full cocktails, beer and excellent coffee. That saving cost alone pays for the card if you are a frequent traveler.

    In addition, the Capitol One Venture X also gives us discounts when we book with Bookingdotcom, Expedia and Get Your Guide. All travel apps we use frequently.

    Lapu Lapu Philippines
    Hong Kong
    Lapu Lapu Philippines

    Although we have yet to use it, many lounges offer showers and even beds. We usually only have a few hours, so we charge our electronics, have a meal, use the wifi and kick back in seating that is much more comfortable than at the gate.

    Melbourne Australia
    Melbourne Australia
    Singapore

    Travel Fatigue

    I’ve talked in the past about the reality of travel fatigue. Our travel life may look exciting, and usually it is. But it also can be exhausting and there are occasional long, difficult days. As we have winged our way around the world, we have learned that our dollars are well spent on a little pampering, to help make travel comfortable and reduce travel fatigue.

    Dubai

    Sometimes, since we have all the time we want, we will get a hotel at an airport, so we can sleep and be fresh for our next onward flight. This might be just for the day, or overnight. Arriving fresh at our destination makes us happier, less cranky and excited for what’s ahead.

    Bangkok
    Bangkok
    Dubai

    Sometimes We Enjoy a Travel Perk or Two

    Finding perks that are affordable but also keep us healthy and rested, is our goal. Since we travel so much, it pays to occasionally upgrade to Business Class and to carry the Capital One Venture X card. If you only fly once or twice a year, this probably isn’t the credit card for you. But if you are a nearly full time traveler like us, the lounge privileges are really nice.

    Thanks for reading my post Sometimes We Enjoy a Travel Perk or Two. See last week’s post Koh Chang Thailand, Taking it Slow. Next week we begin a series of our travels in Italy. Hope you will come back for that!

    We love it when you pin, share and comment on our blog posts. Thank you.

    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Fox and I: An Uncommon Friendship by Catherine Raven

    I wanted to love this book. I really did. It has stellar reviews and is a NY Times best seller. But. I just struggled. Here is my book review Fox and I: An Uncommon Friendship by Catherine Raven.

    The Story

    It’s not the story I didn’t love, it is interesting and a bit like a fairy tale to befriend a wild animal in the way Catherine Raven did. After she finished her PhD in Biology, Raven builds a tiny cottage on a remote piece of land in Montana. She convinces herself it’s a way station while she decides what she want to do with her life. But really, she is isolating from society, her future, and her past which includes a messed up childhood.

    The Fox

    Fox arrives one day, and Catherine realizes the wild animal is coming to see her everyday at the exact same time. And slowly she befriends the fox…but really? Can she befriend a wild animal? Should she? She struggles with what is happening, particularly as a biologist. She avoids telling anyone; friends or her online students. But over a period of time the fox and Catherine become friends.

    The Writing

    Raven’s writing is very analytical, and since I am not a biologist, much of it when over my head. It rambled. Long passages I found tedious and difficult to hold my attention.

    In the end, of course a fox doesn’t live as long a a human, but clearly the fox helped Raven deal with her own emotional trauma, her introvert tendencies and her unclear future. Her future was to write a best seller about a Fox. Well played.

    You may like this book more than I did, but I can only hand it three stars.

    ***Three stars for Fox and I: An Uncommon Friendship by Catherine Raven.

    See last week’s book review March by Geraldine Brooks here.

    Asia & Oceania Travel

    Koh Chang Thailand – Take it Slow

    Location: Koh Chang Thailand

    It’s our second visit to Thailand. We came here for a really long stay when we first began our world travels. During that time, we moved around a lot, packing in as much as possible. Seven years later, we arrived on the island of Koh Change with zero plans and zero expectations. It turns out Koh Chang Thailand – Take it Slow, is a perfect island for just that.

    We stayed in the very south part of the island near to Bang Bao

    How to Get to Koh Chang

    Just off the coast of mainland Thailand, and an hour flight southeast from Bangkok is Koh Chang. There are several islands in this area. Fly from Bangkok to Trat (about an hour flight) and then secure a van on arrival at the airport. The van takes you from the airport, onto the ferry and across, then down the Island to your accommodations. We were the last ones to be delivered since we are so far south. Most visitors stay in the White Sand or Lonely Beach area. Cost for the airport to door service was about $21 pp.

    Another option is to take a car or van from the Bangkok Airport. This was something we did not know you could do, and if we hadn’t already booked and paid for our flight we would have done this. This option, though it involves about a 4 hour drive, gets you to Bangkok at your desired time…not when the Trat flight arrives. We had a six hour layover in Bangkok. It wasn’t horrible but if we had it to do again we would hire a car or van.

    This is Koh Chang

    Where We Stayed

    We booked an Airbnb in Bang Bao, which much to our surprise, ended up being at the very ends of the earth in Koh Chang. The road only goes about a half a mile past our condo. But there are still some things in the Bang Bao area; several small bungalow type accommodations, a handful of Thai restaurants easily walkable and the Bang Bao pier where most of the snorkel boats go from. Apparently the road used to not end here. It used to go all the around the bottom of the island, but it washed out and has yet to be repaired. Our guide told us he didn’t think it ever would be.

    The beach at Tranquility Bay
    The pool at Tranquility Bay.

    We chose a lovely view condo at the Tranquilty Bay Residence. It’s kind of a strange place though. We loved the view and the pool too. But the complex, like so many places in Thailand, appears to have over reached a bit. It’s really big, but about a third of the units have not been finished. During our 30 day stay there were perhaps ten units occupied out of forty or more. Apparently there was a restaurant at one time, but not anymore.

    We booked our condo through Airbnb and paid $80 per night which was a discounted price due to our long stay. The view though…amazing.

    The beautiful deck at our Condo
    The pool was sparkling clean and never crowded

    Weather

    We spent the entire month of January in Koh Chang and we had great weather. The rainy season is over by November, but there still can be an occasional shower. It was mid to upper 80’s Fahrenheit every day.

    Sunrise hike
    Sunset walk

    Getting Around

    We aren’t confident scooter people, but scooters are the way most people, locals and visitors alike, get around. We were surprised to learn the Taxi Union is strong and so Tuk Tuk’s are forbidden on the island. That was disappointing because we love Tuk Tuk’s. Because of the remote location of our condo, you can’t just stand outside and expect a taxi to go by. Renting a car is also a hassle. So, we managed to hook up with a taxi driver and contacted him on WhatsAp the few times we needed a ride.

    I need to mention that this remote location brought with it some challenges as far as getting groceries. An easy walk to a decent 7-11 as well as a nice but tiny store that provided fruit, veg, coffee, toilet paper, rice and even fresh shrimp and chicken. We used those as needed but the two times we did tours (see below) we paid a driver to also take us to the much larger supermarkets in the town of White Sands Beach. By doing this we were able to have a good selection of ingredients for meals we made at home and then we ate out about once a week. See more about restaurants below.

    Teeny market at Bang Bao Pier
    Super Market at White Sand Beach

    Things To Do

    Well we spent most of our time just hanging out. We did our morning run in our neighborhood (hilly, and aggressive monkeys hanging out in the road), did yoga on our beautiful deck and then spent a couple hours at the pool most days. I read seven books in the month of January so that tells you how my days went. But all that said there are some fun and interesting things to do on Koh Chang, if you get bored of the beach or pool. Check out this list;

    Klong Phlu Waterfall

    Island Tour

    We hooked up with Coco Dee Bo Tours on the island and booked a couple of tours through them. In an effort to get a feel for the island, we did a full day island tour. Our driver and guide, spoke great English and had wonderful insight to the sites on the island. We visited several beautiful view points, an elephant sanctuary, and Klong Phlu Waterfall. We visited a historic fishing village and took a ride in a traditional Thai boat. It was a great day.

    Relaxing tour in an authentic fishing boat
    Several elephant sanctuaries, some more humane than others. Choose wisely.

    Bird Watching

    We really enjoyed a private Bird Watching Tour we booked through Coco Dee Bo. Our guide was excellent with an amazing ear and eye to spot some really great birds. Walkingthrough both private land and National Park land we spotted 14 new-to-us bird species. It was really fun and a good little hike too with great flora. Highly recommend.

    Bird Watching in the national park
    Isn’t he pretty?

    Bang Bao Pier

    Bang Bao Pier is often a stop on island tours, but it is right in our back yard so we visited there regularly. The Bang Bao Pier is home to the snorkel and dive boats…all shapes and sizes. It is also where you might go to do some souvenir shopping as well as pick up fruit and vegetables, seafood or visit an ATM. There are also several restaurants, a few Thai massage spots and a 7-11. A few remaining active fishing boats are here and homes of fisherman. The ferry to outer islands and Cambodia leaves from here each morning.

    Bang Bao Pier has boat tours and restaurants
    Bang Bao Pier has souvenir shops

    Ghost Ship

    Since we were on a mission to Koh Chang Thailand – Take it Slow we decided to hike to the Ghost Ship instead of hiring a guide. We like to hike and the abandoned ship is about four miles from our condo at the end of a long and dusty road. The story about the ship is that it was part of a resort, but when a guest fell or jumped from the top of the ship and died, people stopped coming to the resort. Today it’s an eerie shell of a place, but on the most spectacular beach. Staff (or an opportunist, I’m not sure which) collects 100 Baht (about $3USD) per person to enter and see the ship, resort, or go to the beach.

    Ghost Ship
    Abandoned Resort

    Snorkel Tours

    Bang Bao Pier is home to the majority of the dive and snorkel trips out of Koh Chang so it was very convenient to where we were staying. There are literally dozens of options; private, huge group, small group, family, slow boat, speed boat, catamaran…and the list goes on. You can do full-day with lunch and stop at five or six islands or choose half-day and stop at 2 or 3 islands. I would suggest use a clearing house like Coco Dee Bo to see all the options and book what works best for you.

    Every size boat to choose from for your snorkel tour
    Snorkel Thailand

    Thai Cooking Class

    We had the most wonderful three hour cooking class with Napalai Thai Cuisine School. At the class we learned to make ten things, all delicious, fresh and simple. I love Thai food and have cooked it often over the years, but taking the class was a way to learn even more. Our instructor Bunny was great. See the blog post I wrote about it last week here. If you come to Koh Chang, don’t miss it.

    Yummy Pad Thai
    Delicious Thai Chicken Curry

    White Sands Beach Night Market

    The night market at White Sands Beach, also called Walking Street, was a bit of a let down. I had envisioned the glorious night market of Chang Mai from our last visit to Thailand. Well, it wasn’t that. But I’m still glad we went. Mostly because the bustling area of White Sands Beach was fun to see at night….so different from the remote area we were staying near Bang Bao. The number of vendors at the White Sands Beach Night Market (happens every night) varies with the season.

    Grilled Whole Red and White Fish, White Sands Beach Night Market
    A popular fruit stuffed crepe at the White Sands Beach Night Market

    While in White Sands Beach we also ate at Beach Tango, a colorful, toes in the sand bistro. A good choice when in this town.

    Beach Tango

    Massage

    Many years ago I had a Thai massage on the island of Koh Samui. OMG I thought they were going to break me in half. But this massage, at the Indie Beach Bungalows and Cafe was much more my style. Just enough pressure and very relaxing – with a little bit of chiropractic service thrown in. I enjoyed it so very much, I went two times. Everywhere you go on Koh Chang there are massage places. It’s a very Thai thing to do. Inexpensive too – starting at about $10 USD.

    You can listen to the lapping waves during a massage at Indie Beach Bungalows

    Where to Eat on the South Island

    Since we didn’t have a car we didn’t wander too far for dining out, but there were several excellent places to eat within walking distance of our Airbnb. Although we primarily cooked in our condo, we did eat out about once a week and again the last few days when our food was pretty much gone. The following places we can recommend in the Bang Bao and Had Sai Noi area of the Southern most part of Koh Chang;

    Indie Beach Bungalows and Cafe – this lovely spot is owned by our Airbnb Host and was an easy walk from our condo. We ate dinner here three times including once for their Tuesday night buffet. Additionally we ate breakfast here once. It’s a great spot and inexpensive and the view is amazing.

    Tuesday Buffet at Indie Beach
    Indie Beach Cafe
    Indie Beach Cafe

    Ido Ido Beach Cafe – right next door to Indie Beach is Ido Ido Beach Cafe. We had dinner here one night. It’s a bit more rustic than Indie Beach but we enjoyed the food and a nice beach view.

    Fried Banana on the beach at Ido Ido

    Pipin Cafe – with some of the friendliest people we met on the entire island, the Pipin Cafe was conveniently located next door to our Airbnb. We first had breakfast there one morning when the power was out at our condo. Luckily they use gas for cooking and they created an amazing Thai Omelet for me, one of my favorites. We enjoyed it so much we returned for dinner on another night and enjoyed several delicious dishes and ended with a giant Mango Sticky Rice.

    Best Thai Omelet I ever had at Pipen
    A soupy dish with shrimp veg and delicious broth at Pipin

    Nongyim Seafood Bang Bao – on the Bang Bao Pier we discovered a tiny little place highly rated for Seafood. We had only eaten shrimp since arriving, and really wanted to try the local fish. We we went to Nongyim where we had a whole fried Seabass as well as some great squid salad. Really enjoyed it.

    The Sea Bass was excellent
    Fresh and delicious Squid Salad

    Koh Chang Thailand – Take it Slow

    So that is how we spent our month on the island of Koh Chang. Most people don’t come for a whole month. Four days would give you time to see and do a lot. A week would be perfect. Or stay a month, and take it slow.

    Koh Chang Thailand, Take it Slow
    Swimming off the dock at Tranquility Bay

    Thanks for reading my post Koh Chang Thailand – Take it Slow. See last week’s post Cooking with Napalai Thai Cuisine, Koh Chang Thailand.

    We are headed to Europe now for the next three months. Stay tuned!

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