Chiang Mai
Besides the beaches there is stunning Chiang Mai not to be missed during your stay in Thailand.
Enjoy here elephant riding, jungle walks, bamboo rafting and many more cool outdoor activities.

There are too many guesthouses, hotels, resorts, bars & restuarants in town.
The best place to stay in Chiang Mai is Nimmanhaemin Road, a hip student street west of the centre with an overload of great shops, cool bars and sweet hotels.

1.    Chocolate fact. – Live Life Chocolately chocolate lover’s heaven, next to a car wash but besides the location an über sweet little spot for a chocolate overkill, try the white chocolate milk or the chocolate latte, it’s yummie. (see photo) Nimmanhaemin road Soi 12
2.    Ginger – 3 floors with absolute amazing stuff, fashion, bags, home decor, jewelry, you name it they have it and you all want to buy it, everything is just gorgeous. 6/ 21 Nimmanhaemin road
3.    Nimman Promenade A small complex filled with too cute boutiques. The place to be for shopping. Colorful fashion, handmade shirts, shoes to kill for and so much more. Definitely worth a look.
4.    Yesterday  is a cute boutique hotel with a nostalgic romantic feel. Old pictures, antique furniture and old attributes in a romantic setting. Large rooms with super beds for your well deserved beauty sleep after exhausting outdoor activities. Prices from 1200 THB, 24 Nimmanhaemin road, T: 053-213809 BOOK HERE
5.    Maze café, a Hip-n-cool hangout with fabulous food & drinks and Dj’s in the weekend.

Eat + drink:
-    House @199 Moonmuang Road. A tapas & wine bar and another Ginger store in a stunning colonial building 
-    The terrace of Brix @ the Montri Hotel 6 Rajdamnern Road Thapae Gate
-    U Chaing Mai very chic but divine eating & drinking at Rajdamnern Road 053-327000
Gold card Deluxe sleep / spa:
-   Tamarind Village for an über luxurious stay of just the posh spa. 50/1 Rajdamnoen Road,
-    U Chaing Mai a new hip-n-stylish boutique hotel, with pool  Rajdamnern Road 053-327000
Sleep cheap but stylish:
- Yesterday  is a cute boutique hotel with a nostalgic romantic feel. Old pictures, antique furniture and old attributes in a romantic setting. Large rooms with super beds for your well deserved beauty sleep after exhausting outdoor activities. 24 Nimmanhaemin road, T: 053-213809
- Imm Eco on Bamrungrad Road is also a grand place to spend the night.
& More Sleep
To Do:
- A cooking course. There are many good scools especially at Ratchadamnern Road.B. On High Heels recommend BaanThai Thai Cookery School, we absolutely loved it.
- Night market at several locations is always a good time for souvenir shopping.
- North of the Tha Phae Gate (20 minute walk), near the Kamtheng Market, a corner from Tesco Lotus, is the JJ area. Go here for an authentic Thai feel, there are restaurants, bars, shops, antiques etc etc. A great alternative for the night market, even though there is more food than fashion.
- & of course you can’t leave Chiang Mai without a jungle trekking, elephant riding or visiting the elephant training school, Elephant art academy or the elephant orchestra and bamboo rafting. There are hundreds of little shops where you can book for one or more day(s).


When you want just a few days of sun tanning and don’t want to travel for more than 3 hours there are 2 good options: Ko Samet and Hua Hin.

Click here for HUA HIN, 180 km south of Bangkok. A beautiful Beach City where the King has his Summer Palace.


Ko Samet  is a tropical paradise only a few hour away from Bangkok City. It's the weekend spot for all the young Thai. An absolutely fantastic place for relaxing, swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling, diving, dining at sunset and breakfast at sunrise, beer party’s on the beach, night shows, massages, henna tattoos, catamaran sailing, movies, jet ski’s, speed boats etc etc all in a national park.

How to get there
Boats from Ban Phet to Samet
Transport on Samet
National Park
Beaches
Where to stay

• West
• North East
• Ao Phai -Backpackers Beach
• Vuong Duern
• Candlelight Beach
• South
• SLEEP Top 5
  

Click HERE for the Samet map

How to get there
Bus: Eastern bus terminal Bangkok (Ekamai) bus to Rayong, Ban Pe Pier. Counter number 25 on your left side. Daily every 40 minutes from 6.00 till 20.00. Costs: around 90 Baht for air-co buses or buy a ticket including the boat trip (50 Baht). Duration: 3,5 hours.
Taxi: from 1800 Baht (depending on your bargaining skills). Duration: 2,5 hours depending traffic jam.

Boats from Ban Phet to Samet
Daily from 6.00 till 17.00 hour. Boats leave every half hour, if there are enough people (20 or more). Buy a ticket on the Pier or at the Ekamai bus terminal. Cost: 50 Baht one way, it takes about one hour.  A chartered boat costs 1000-3000 Baht depending on the amount of people and the size of the boat, more expensive but also much faster (20 min).


Transport on Samet
Jeep fares are not cheap on Samet from Na Dan (harbor) a jeep ride is 35 Baht a person when there are enough people. But once stepping out of the vehicle cause you decide to sleep somewhere else prices are rising fast. There is only one road and be prepared on a bumpy ride, the route has more holes than a golf court.

National park
Everybody has to pay entrance fee 200 Baht a person for falangs. Thai people pay less. Don’t argue about it, just pay it. The term National park gives you the impression that it is a treasure of nature, well think again, it is dry and sandy and even when you look hard enough it is hard to find something colorful.                        
Beaches
North east
Sai Kaew 
 a.k.a. Diamond Beach, paradise-like beach – very quiet beach suitable for ultimate relaxing. Walking at the beach side of the National park office you can find a beautiful Buddha.
East coast: Ao Phai, a.k.a backpackers beach, a little Khao San on the beach, but with more Thai than backpackers. Here are the cheap rooms, food en entertainment.
Ao Vong Duan, 
 a half moon shaped beach with the most fantastic sunrise on this island. The best place for drinks and dining. There are really great spots for lounging, eating and cocktails. The hip area of the island also very popular among the young Thais’ especially in the weekends. One bay further south (easy to walk) is Candlelight beach, more quiet, better for swimming and snorkeling it is a romantic beach. West: Ao Prao 
for sunsets to remember for ever. Beautiful beach with just a view resorts. But if you don’t want to stay here, have at least a drink and watch the sunset. It is worth the bumpy trip. On the most southern point is the private beach of Paradee Resort. Just a perfect 5* Deluxe place.
Where to stay
Ko Samet offers a scale of guesthouses, hostels, bungalows and resorts. Backpackers on High Heels selected only the very best for you. See Top 5          TIP: Ask if you can see the room before hiring.
On the West side, the place with the best sunsets you have ever seen, lays
Ao Prao Resort Prices from 5500 Baht. BOOK HERE

Very good place to stay. A bit further down is the very posh Le Vimarn Resort Prices from 5500 Baht. BOOK HERE Really paradise on the beach, very chic and a great restaurant. So even when you don’t stay here have a diner at sunset or at least the chocolate milkshake they are too die for....

At the North East side is

Samet Hut Prices from 65 usd, BOOK HERE THE HIPPEST PLACE ON THE ISLAND 
Samet Hut is a High Heel Style Place, the hippest and urban spot on the island. With grey and orange colors, it is just too cool. There is a little restaurant and a swimming pool. Unfortunately the beach is not that great but everything at Samet Hut makes up for that.

Further south is Ao Phai - Backpackers Beach where there are a lot of guesthouses among Seabrease and Silversand are cheap (from 600 baht) and reasonable clean places to stay, no sea side but good value. Tok's Hut is a bit cheaper (from 300 Baht) and has a nice bar and  restaurant. Yep's fits in the same backpackers category. If you want to sleep in style on Backpackers beach there are 2 options: Lima Bella & Sai Kaew. Sai Kaew is located on the beach and therefore a bit more expensive (from 2940 bath) & has a grand spa, a cute little shop and MANGO, for the best cappuccino on the island. 


Vong Duern is a great half moon shaped beach with a variety of great bars, lounging spots, coffee corners, and restaurant, the best place to stay is Vong Duern Resort and next door is Vong Duern Villa  Prices from 1200 Baht for a room, 3000 for a deluxe cottage Very High Heel Style, very hip and great food. A fantastic view at the bay and friendly service. Also a foodsensational restaurant. A HotSpot so be aware that the weekends are mostly fully booked with young Thais. BOOK HERE

On Candlelight beach are Mr Dang Bungalows, at the very left side of the beach is very cheap, prices from 500 Baht a bungalow with seaside not very clean but a great beach for swimming and snorkeling.
Just next door is Sang Thian Beach Resort Prices from 1200 Baht. http://www.sangthian.com
Good clean bungalows, friendly service. Just a good high heel place with a great restaurant.

At the most southern spot on the island lays the über chic Paradee Resort and Spa
An absolute G-spot. The hottest places to B. Villa’s with A Private Pool, Morning paper, Afternoon Tea and a breakfast to die for. Even when you don’t stay here, dining here is a must do. If you can afford it, book it, even just for one night. Paradee is just paradise. BOOK HERE