Iconsiam Bangkok great food, however there is a problem, there are so many great places to eat it is difficult to make a decision. There is a selection of over a hundred famous restaurants from all over the world in seven different zones, each of them catering to diverse culinary tastes. The incredible choice of dishes available come from venues ranging from Michelin starred restaurants to famous Thai street food stalls.
Excellent Japanese food
Very authentic, it’s as good as you get in Tokyo. 🙂
California role, Unagi & Miso soup
Only B420 or $14 USD. Siam Takashimaya offers three zones of Japanese food venues, the ground floor features a food court and more Japanese restaurants, while cafés and bakeries from across Japan on UG floor are divided into three smaller zones named after the Japanese prefectures of Kyoto, Hokkaido and Nara.
This restaurant specializes in seafood from Hokkaido.
Iconsiam shopping mall Bangkok on the Chao Phraya River is yet another wonderful Bangkok shopping venue. I certainly believe Bangkok now rivals Tokyo with the best shopping malls in the world.
The forecourt
This is where you arrive on the free ferry shuttle from Sathon wharf. The River Park is a riverside community space covering a 10,000-sq. m. area in front of ICONLUXE. Open daily, it welcomes all visitors to enjoy an enchanting view of the Chao Phraya River amid lush, green auspicious trees.
Entrance to the mall.
Stairway to heaven. 🙂
You will need several hours to explore this wonderful shopping precinct. In fact there are over a hundred famous restaurants from all over the world available in seven spacious zones, each of them catering to diverse culinary tastes. Check out THIS LINK for details.
One section of the ground floor as you enter.
For a list of the hundreds of shops just follow THIS LINK.
Estimates are that there are about 3,500 domesticated elephants in Thailand. Roughly 3,340 wild elephants live in 69 wildlife sanctuaries and national parks across the country. Thailand’s population of wild elephants has been rising.
However, it’s a far cry from a century ago when at least 100,00 elephants roamed the heavily forested Kingdom. Loss of habitat and poaching helped lead to the steep decline in the elephant population.
While on the subject of animals
This bull is a real cool dude. 🙂
That’s all folks
Thanks for visiting my Iconsiam shopping mall Bangkok photo blog, please go to THIS LINK to see some incredible buildings along the Chao Phraya river.
But wait, there’s more.
A new huge branch to open in February 2021. In addition to the main Starbucks signature coffee bar, the Starbucks Reserve store will be the first to serve Starbucks’ Mew Jai ‘Blend coffee grown in the northern part of our country, along with the’ Tee Vana ( Teavana ™ Bar) ‘first in Thailand. For customers who like drinking tea. Both Earl Gray Lychee and Peach Mojito Tea There are also cocktail bars that are not yet available
Food Park Central Marina is a great example of eating cheap in Thailand. Only 5 minutes walk from my condo & offers a huge variety of very good fresh food.
There are so many choices here
Like most food courts you put money on a card & get your refund when you finish.
Duck is always popular
The hanging ducks are a common sight in Thailand.
Fresh seafood is available
So many choices & such little time. 🙂
Food Park Central Marina
Cooked food examples on display to tempt you.
Wonton soup
A favourite of mine & only B70 or $3.40 AUD.
Lots of skewers
The staff here are deaf, but you would never really know.
Bbq skewers
They also specialize in sausages however the skewers are world class.
Teriyaki chicken
Absolutely delicious, as good as I have ever eaten, and only B15 each or $0.70 AUD. These great skewers just melt in your mouth.
Food Park Central Marina & finish off with a Thai classic
Magnificent Mango & Sticky Rice. Certainly one of Thailand’s iconic dishes.
Sadly now in October 2020 we are in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis & 80% of the outlets here at the Food Park have closed. I really can’t see them re-opening until mid 2021.
If you have the time please check out some of my favourite restaurants, just follow THIS LINK.
Thanks for visiting my photo blog. For a selection of cheap places to eat just follow THIS LINK.
Fat Coco Beach Club construction has been in progress for many months during 2019, many of the following photos have been taken from the 20th floor of Markland which overlooks the A-One Hotel. As you can see above it was just a normal swimming pool area.
Lets dig some holes they said…
It will be an improvement they said. 🙂
From ground level
This was September 2019.
What a mess. 🙂
They work from very early in the morning until late at night.
September 12th, week 2.
Still too early to get an idea of their plans.
Concrete roof
First they made a frame then set the concrete on top.
Raised platform
Adjacent to the footpath, perhaps if will provide privacy? Wh knows what they are planning.
It’s getting very confusing
They have put dirt in the bottom of the pool, & those large white blocks are foam.
Foam being laid on top of the dirt.
I have no idea why they are following this procedure. 🙂
Chopping up the foam
Hopefully I can find out about this method.
The bar I presume
I’m betting the alcohol prices will be rather expensive. 🙂
On her perch. 🙂
Fat Coco Beach Club Work is finished & she is sitting four meters in the air checking her messages.
November 15 2019
They work on this structure to after 10 pm at night.
Lets thatch this gizmo. 🙂
Looks good.
Fat Coco Beach Club
Paradise, I doubt, more like a noise factory.
Houston, we have a problem…
The noise factory is about to open, my advice to my neighbours in Markland, start getting quotes on double glazing. 🙂
December 8 2019
You can see a round shallow pool being built here.
Thatched canopy
Not sure, but this may be where the band sets up.
Houston, we have a problem.
Check out the size of the speakers, noise city will not be pretty.
Here is the finished product. just follow this link.
Thanks for visiting my Fat Coco Beach Club photo blog.
Tough times Thailand 2019 on two fronts, first we have Thai immigration making it more difficult for expats to live in this wonderful country, secondly the exchange rate for Thai Baht to the Aussie dollar (and other currencies) is hitting rock bottom.
The following 2 charts will highlight the situation.
This is not a travel blog, it is part of my personal photo history.
This photo blog covers from July 1st to December 31, for the first 6 months of 2019 please go to THIS LINK.
Australian $ to Thai Baht
In 2012 there was 33 Baht to the dollar, today it’s 21.
Australian term deposit rates
In 2012 they were over 5%, today it’s a miserable 1.5%.
Rising costs for food etc
Five years ago in 2014 this selection cost $72 AUD, today it would be $98 Aud, one of the reasons Thailand has become less attractive for expats.
Life is still very good in Thailand
Just ask my good friend Hamish, he hasn’t a care in the world. 🙂
Most afternoons I tear myself away from the computer & enjoy an afternoon coffee.
A small tip for a little lady
I often give this nice lady a B20 tip when I see her of a morning sweeping the road at Terminal 21, it’s just under $1 AUD. She gets so excited you would think it’s 200. 🙂 I’m guessing they don’t get paid too much.
Love watching the storms roll in
So exciting when the storms roll in over Pattaya Bay.
There’s nothing like a September sunset.
I was sipping a red wine at the Holiday Inn watching this magnificent sunset.
Doug Burrows, Bill Perry, David Herd, Brian Rawnsley & Shane Andrews. Shane is here for some major dental work which is around 1/3 of the cost in Australia.
Fusillo Italian restaurant
A nice evening with Matt Harkness & is girlfriend Bow.
Spaghetti seafood
Fusillo is in Naklua Rd, what a great looking dish.
From floor 22 in Markland. For more magnificent sunsets follow THIS LINK.
A super cloud
This was 8 am on the morning of October 13, the previous shot was 6.15 pm the same day.
Halloween
Lola, Nina & Lucky playing trick or treat. I anticipated the visit & stocked up on lollies etc.
The boys from Oz
Shane Andrews, Bill Perry & Greg Caldwell were here for some major dental work. According to Greg he paid 55,000 Baht or $2650 AUD for 1 x Implant – 1 x Root canal – 2 x removals and a complete clean which took 2 hours’ in the chair.
Holly’s coffee at Terminal 21.
helping me maintain my 112 kilos.
Tough times Thailand with high levels of pollution in Pattaya
The unhealthy haze from farmers burning their crops in Thailand & neighboring countries.
Thailand is the least miserable country
Australia comes in at 54th. 🙂
Let’s talk about convenience, I often wonder what it would be like living in Australia again. I ask my friends on the Gold Coast to imagine if they could walk from their home to Robina Town Centre, Southport Park & Pacific Fair in less than 12 minutes? How convenient would that be?
Well folks, that’s what I can do in Pattaya, add to that the 6 five star hotels also within 12 minutes of where I live. All with terrific restaurants & coffee shops.
Plus I have a 24 hour supermarket, chemist & The Coffee Club on the ground floor of the condo where I live on the 20th floor with a view to die for. I probably should mention the 200+ restaurants & food courts also within 10 minutes walk.
Convenience folks, are you getting the picture? 🙂
The burning question is, could I be happy living in Australia again?
Cruise ship visits Pattaya
December 7 & a cruise liner anchors in Pattaya Bay.
Beachfront restaurant Pattaya is aptly named Surf & Turf & is rated number 100 out of 1187 restaurants in Pattaya. For far better food photographs than in this post just check out THIS LINK for my previous Surf & Turf photo blog.
Location
On the beach next door to the Long Beach Garden Hotel.
Beachfront restaurant Pattaya
A fairly ordinary front entrance.
Air conditioned inside section
It’s much nicer inside which you can clearly see.
Catering for the smokers
The further away from me the better. 🙂
Inside in the aircon.
Especially during the day the front area beside the beach is the most popular part of the restaurant.
Another outdoor area
There is quite a number of different sections in this popular Beachfront restaurant Pattaya.
This is the beachside section
No aircon but they have plenty of fans & there is usually a beautiful breeze coming off the ocean.
An unusual dish
My friend ordered snapper, as you can see the portion was rather small & there was a skewer of beef with it.
Here is the seared tuna
Rather delicious.
Chicken Satay
The peanut sauce was excellent.
Oysters from France
Delicious, rather expensive here, around B500 or $24 AUD for 6, double what I pay at El Mercado in Bangkok.
My 2 Australian friends
Ian Fraser-Smith & David Robertson from the Gold Coast in Australia are regular visitors to Pattaya. They were both impressed with the food at the Surf & Turf.
For far better food photographs than in this post please check out THIS LINK for my previous Surf & Turf photo blog.
Thanks for visiting my Beachfront restaurant Pattaya photo blog, Surf & Turf has good food in a great seaside location.
Click bottom right hand corner for full screen. There is also a zoom facility.
Pattaya coffee shop review from my perspective. These are the venues where I choose to spend my time and money. 🙂
The photo above is the Coffee Club at Markland on Beach Rd, this in fact was opening day on 31-8-2018. It closed permanently 2 years later.
Coffee Club Eggs Benedict.
Good quality food & coffee but far too expensive. For instance the equivalent of a Starbucks tall latte is B146 or $6.97 AUD, at Starbucks you pay B115 or $5.50 AUD. Even though they have a branch in my condo building I generally walk 200 meters to the Holiday Inn where I only pay B113.
The staff here are very friendly & the food & coffee is excellent. The large coffee is B150 which is what you would expect for a 5 star hotel. However as I’m a member of the Hi Club I get a 25% discount which brings the cost down to B113.
Bon Cafe import coffee machines from many countries around the world for including Italy, Switzerland, Spain, the United States of America, and other countries to satisfy their various types of customers.
Around 5 days a week I am at Central Marina or the Bay in Beach Road. The lovely girls put a candle in my croissant for my birthday. 🙂
My Starbucks breakfast of choice
Accompanied by a tall latte of course. Starbucks sell 4 BILLION cups annually. Which (divided by 365 days) means that roughly 10,958,904 cups sold daily between ALL Starbucks locations. So we are talking about 388 cups of espresso and/or coffee drinks daily on average per store globally.
This is Boonthavorn
Surprisingly they have the best value coffee in Pattaya. They are on Sukhumvit Rd,see the map below.
Just inside the front entrance on the left.
Top quality coffee for only B30, or $1.40 AUD.
The Bay center on Beach Road
Good value coffee in a pleasant atmosphere.
Location
Many thanks for visiting my Pattaya coffee shop review photo blog.
Starbucks Pattaya every morning is a perfect start to my day. Not just the excellent coffee, the friendly smiling staff always put me in a positive mood. Above is the branch at The Bay on Beach Road Pattaya between Soi 5 & Soi 6.
The Bay Beach Road
Let’s go to Starbucks & stare at our phones. 🙂
Opening day at the Bay
September 22 2015.
My breakfast of choice.
Ham & cheese croissant with a tall latte. B240 or $7.8 USD
There are two Starbucks at Central Festival
That makes 4 within 10 minutes walk from my condo.
Inside Central Festival branch
Quite an attractive fit out.
A birthday candle for me. 🙂
As I mentioned earlier the smiles on girls are a really nice start for the day.
Sometimes they run out of croissants.
So I settle for a sandwich. 🙂
Starbucks Pattaya every morning
Every 12 coffee is free if you have a Starbucks card so I often take one home for later. Also they often have a two for one offer.
Almond croissant
A nice alternative to the ham & cheese.
Mr Donuts
Starbucks change B115 for a latte, here at Mr Donuts I paid B93 for what you see.
Xmas day 2021
Two of the lovely girls who look after me every day. 🙂
Thanks for visiting my Starbucks Pattaya every morning photo blog.
Luxury getaway Bali Indonesia, is the dream for many, isn’t it? Imagine sunning yourself on a white sandy beach, mocktail in hand, without a care in the world. Bali and its affordability have made it increasingly popular in recent years; with travellers discovering that living a life of luxury on the island doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.
The beaches in Bali are numerous, and each have their own little traits that make them oh-so-unique. If you’re staying on the south of the island, the white sand coasts of Kuta, Nusa Dua and Sanur may be exactly the kind of paradise you’ve been looking for. On the other hand, the hidden shores of Uluwatu, Padang Padang and Bingin, buried among cliffs, provide the tranquility that certain holidaymakers crave. If white sandy beaches aren’t your cup of tea, the northern and western shorelines offer black sands – dark and delicious, with their very own coves where you’re sure not to be disturbed. Exploring the gorgeous beaches will leave your friends and family full of envy and your social media profiles looking incredibly ‘goals’ worthy!
Explore culture beyond your wildest dreams
Not everyone wants to laze their days away on the beach – if you’re driven wild by the thrill of exploring a new place, there are more than enough attractions available to give you a real taste of what Bali has to offer. If royalty and history tickle your fancy, then a visit to Ubud Palace is an absolute must – a taste of spirituality mixed with hundreds of years’ worth of history. With thousands of temples on the island you could spend your time hopping from one to the next – each one is fascinating, and different from the one that came before it. If you time your trip right, you might find yourself on the island during one of their major festivals, allowing you to see the island in a whole new light. There are a number ofdifferent attractions and monuments you can immerse yourself in, especially if you’re a first time visitor with a craving for everything.
Taste of the local cuisine
Balinese food is renowned across the world – and for good reason. The island has a number of locations that offer cooking classes to give you a true culinary experience. It’s all well and good being able to taste the food, but being able to show off to your relatives upon your return is even better! If you do just want to have a taste, then the options are numerous and the flavours tantalizing – indulge intraditional bites such as Babi Guling and Nasi Ayam, if you think your taste buds can handle it.
Luxury getaway Bali Indonesia
If you want to know even more about Bali, check out some ofmy photos of this wonderful island.
Bloom Boutique Hotel Vientiane in Laos was a pleasure to visit. I would happily recommend the Bloom Boutique Hotel, excellent rooms, friendly staff & a great breakfast. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good discount.
The restaurant
The restaurant is on the 1st floor & reception is on the 2nd floor.
The bed was huge
Please disregard the horrible sight in the mirror, although I realize it is very hard to un-see something. 🙂
Bathroom was excellent
Plus the shower was perfect, which is often not the case in many hotels.
Lets talk about the breakfast.
In my opinion the breakfast was one of the best I have had in any hotel. Forget the buffet style, the breakfast here is excellent. A choice of fried eggs or omelette, toast or baguette, salad or veggies, coffee or tea, yogurt or fruit.
Fried eggs for a change.
Out of the two the omelette was the best. 🙂 Plus the veggies were excellent.
Bloom Boutique Hotel Vientiane, very nice decor
Their decorator should be congratulated. Those craft items on the table were for sale.
I would visit again just for the breakfast. 🙂
Don’t forget to use THIS LINK to book for a very good discount.
Bloom Boutique Hotel Vientiane
Here is all the hotel staff enjoying a special lunch to celebrate Songkran, the Lao New Year celebration.
After lunch they all get wet.
They celebrated for hours at the Bloom Boutique Hotel Vientiane.
Vientiane is Laos’ national capital, it mixes French-colonial architecture with Buddhist temples such as the golden, 16th-century Pha That Luang, which is a national symbol. Along broad boulevards and tree-lined streets are many notable shrines including Wat Si Saket, which features thousands of Buddha images, and Wat Si Muang, built atop a Hindu shrine.
Very authentic, it’s as good as you get in Tokyo. 🙂
Only B420 or $14 USD. Siam Takashimaya offers three zones of Japanese food venues, the ground floor features a food court and more Japanese restaurants, while cafés and bakeries from across Japan on UG floor are divided into three smaller zones named after the Japanese prefectures of Kyoto, Hokkaido and Nara.
In fact I travelled to Sapporo in July 2018.
Lots of varieties here to choose from.
Yes, I certainly am, everything looks so good. 🙂
Another interesting casual venue.
So many restaurants & such little time.
Lots of heat under that big bowel.
As you can clearly see there are so many choices at Iconsiam, please put it one your bucket list, you will not be disappointed. 
Just catch the free shuttle ferry from Sathon pier, they run every 10 minutes or so.
