Paragon | Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

Bangkok canal cruise longtail boat

January 7, 2015 by David Herd

Bangkok canal cruise

Bangkok canal cruise in a long-tail boat, which is known as Ruea Hang Yao, a type of watercraft native to Southeast Asia, which uses a common automotive engine as a readily available and maintainable power-plant.

As you can see many of the waterfront homes resemble shanty towns, unlike other parts of the world including the Gold Coast in Australia and Fort Lauderdale north of Miami,where any home on the waterfront is usually an expensive mansion.

No luxury here

In real estate terms this is what we call the poverty pack.

The daily catch

Lunch is ready. 🙂

Bangkok canal cruise in a longtail boat

The craft is designed to carry passengers on a river & may include a lightweight long canoe hull, up to 30 meters long, and a canopy. There is a great variation among these boats, some have evolved from traditional craft types, while others have a more improvised look, the sole defining characteristic is a second-hand car or truck engine.

What a huge engine

And bloody noisy as you can imagine.

Waiting in the lock for the water to rise.

Until recently, the canals of Bangkok accommodated many social, cultural, and commercial activities, functioning as important public places for residents of Thailand’s capital city. Dating from the founding of the city in 1782, the canals in Bangkok are of cultural importance to the Thai people, having originated as a means of providing security against attack, as a source of sustenance (food and water), as the focus of religious ceremonies and celebrations such as the Loy Kratong Festival, and as a site for recreational activities such as swimming and boating activities and competitions.

Luxury waterfront home, I don’t think so.

Faced with the combined threats of land subsidence and rising temperatures and sea levels, the World Bank has predicted that Bangkok’s flood risk will increase four-fold from now by 2050. Bangkok is among the top 10 cities in the world facing the biggest potential impact from coastal flooding by 2070. The Thai capital, built on swampland, is slowly sinking and the floods currently besieging Bangkok could be merely a foretaste of a grim future as climate change makes its impact felt, experts say.

She does not instill confidence

The river and canals are very busy with water craft buzzing past at a rapid rate, on this day out driver was not at all concerned, but I can assure you we were. 🙂 Not everything goes to plan when you take a Bangkok canal cruise, here is a story from a Thai lady who works for the Bangkok Post. So my advice is if an operator seems angry of unfriendly simply try another one until you are comfortable with your choice.

Bangkok canal cruise Wat Khun Chan

From the Phasricharoen canal

Wat Khun Chan Buddha

Lots to see on a Bangkok canal cruise.

Genuine Louis Vuitton copies?

A little river shopping for a bargain.

Waiting for a customer

In the distance is Iconsiam shopping mall.

That’s all folks.

Many thanks for joining me on my Bangkok canal cruise photo blog.

Not everybody is happy on the river

A Vietnamese cargo ship ploughed into riverside houses along the Chao Phraya River in Phra Pradaeng district yesterday April 5t 2017, damaging three homes.

Residents fled to the streets in panic as the cargo ship loomed over them. Three houses were damaged, one badly, but nobody was injured.

iCheck Inn Soi 11

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

Here are some more posts to check out

Holiday Inn

Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Sutus Court is a great budget hotel right i the heart of one of Pattaya’s main bar areas, just use THIS LINK for a terrific room rate. 420/100 Moo 9 Soi Buakhao.

Pattaya Hilton

This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Here is an excellent upmarket Bangkok shopping mall

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Walk on the wild side in Soi Cowboy

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Check out my Pattaya web cam here

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 3 photos

Nana Plaza Bangkok sex sin sleaze

December 15, 2014 by David Herd

Sex in the city

Nana Plaza Bangkok

Nana Plaza Bangkok sex sin sleaze it’s all there. I have been a frequent visitor for 20 years & have seen the LadyBoy population rise from 10% to around 40% today. This does not suit me at all, give me the sexy young girls any day. 🙂

Was Lollipop, now Suckers

I prefer the name Lollipop but I guess they are now referring to the people who enter the premises. 🙂

Here is the name a few months ago

This post is going to show you the old and the new Nana Plaza Bangkok

The more things change the more they stay the same. Can you believe it’s 2018 & Lollipop returns. 🙂

Lollipop just refuses to die.

Nana Plaza Bangkok

Nana Plaza Bangkok seems to be forever changing not always for the better. In fact Soi Cowboy is more spectacular and the girls seem friendlier, the downside is that it is more expensive.

December 2014 with friends

I like to stay at the Dynasty Hotel which happens to be only 40 meters from Nana Plaza so it is a very convenient drinking spot for me. In the photo above is Bow, Matt Harkness and Roland Bonnici.

The Plaza comes alive after 9 pm

The later it gets the busier it becomes.

Entrance from Soi 4 to Nana Plaza Bangkok

The plaza does not look too appealing in daylight.

Spellbound

Nana Plaza Bangkok is square-shaped, with a single opening on the west side, and consists of a ground floor and two additional floors. It started as a restaurant area in the late 1970s. During the early 1980s, a few go-go bars appeared and gradually replaced the restaurants.

The composition of the bars has changed over the past few years; the last non-go-go bar, the Woodstock Pub, was sold in 2005 to the Rainbow Group and reopened as “Rainbow 4.” A few bars offer a more pub-like or beer bar format without dancing; as of late-2009 only the Cathouse remained. Three short-time hotels operate on the top floor. Short-time hotels rent out rooms by the hour or more to the NEP patrons to take a bargirl (or kathoey) for commercial sex.

Most bar girls working at bars in Nana Plaza are willing to leave with customers upon payment of a bar fine.

Spellbound is now Bangkok Bunnies

The more things change the more they stay the same. It is a never ending cycle at Nana Plaza, one business goes bust and another steps in. Bangkok Bunnies is one of the largest clubs in the complex. The photo was taken February 20 2016 as was the following YouTube video.

Now in November 2018 there has been a name change.

The more things change the more they stay the same. I first came to Nana Plaza in 1996, & here I am again in October 2018 drinking ice cold Tiger beer & listening to the Eagles sing Hotel California, the perfect song for this incredible venue. “You can check out any time you want but you can never leave.”

Nana Plaza Bangkok at sunset

Watch this video on YouTube

My favourite Nana plaza girl

Her name in Phung but to me she will always be Cleopatra. I met her at the Plaza in 2001 and for the next 7 or 8 years each time I would visit Bangkok I would look her up. She left the Plaza 3 or 4 years ago and I believe she now lives with a guy in Europe.

Kathoeys or LadyBoys

Most bars in Nana Plaza do not employ kathoeys, but several do so exclusively. As of mid-2013, these venues are Obsession, Voodoo (ground floor), Casanova, Temptations (middle floor), Carnival and Cascades (top floor). With the exception of Voodoo which exclusively employs post-op kathoeys, the staff at the remainder are almost all “pre-operation”, in contrast to the kathoey bars in Patpong. A number of post-op kathoeys can be found at other bars managed by the Crown Group, namely Lollipop,Hollywood Rock, Fantasia, and G-Spot as well as the independently run Erotica.

Here is Cleo in June 2006

Hard to believe 15 years has flashed by.

September 2006

Nana Plaza Bangkok with some Australian friends in 2006, from the left is Tony Murphy, David Herd (me) John Sinclair & Brian Rawnsley.

Sinclair has a black list.

There are quite a few of us on s black lit so I thought I would design a shirt in appreciation. 🙂

More friends at Nana in 2008

Good friends Nick & Sharon from the Gold Coast and Rod Perrin from the NSW central coast who lived in Pattaya. RIP

Here is a quick video from 2008

Nana Plaza Bangkok 2008

Watch this video on YouTube

Nana Plaza 1999

Poor quality photos from the early digital cameras.

Nana Plaza 1999

Very different now in December 2015.

Nana Plaza 1997

Nineteen years ago and nothing much has changed.

Gorgeous girls in Nana Plaza 1997

Nana Plaza in my opinion was much better in the 90s.

My gorgeous Jane

I met Jane in Nana Plaza Bangkok in 1999 and I took her to Pattaya and Koh Samui.

Here is beautiful Cleo saying goodbye

I have great memories of time spent with Cleo.

Hooters arrives in Nana

Right opposite Nana Plaza Hooters on December 23rd 2015, it may prove to be a little too expensive for the Soi 4 Nana Cheap Charlie’s.

Hooters Bangkok Nana Plaza

Watch this video on YouTube

The entrance to Nana Plaza, Hooters and the Hillary bar.

This photo says it all. 🙂

Quintessential Nana Plaza. Here is the my history over the last 20 years.

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

The best Bangkok budget hotel I have ever stayed in.

Check out this link to see the surrounding area.

นานา - กับอีสานโปรเจ็ค - NANA - The Isan Project Ft Errol Reid and Pui Duangpon

Watch this video on YouTube

Well you have now seen the old and the new Nana Plaza Plaza Bangkok, thanks for visiting.

Here are some more posts to check out

Sydney Paris Bangkok

Tokyo Rio De Janeiro Budapest

London Beijing Capetown

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you

book through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Plus free cancellation .

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Slide show here.

Click bottom right hand corner for full screen.

That’s all folks

Here is my post on Soi Cowboy

Lots more photo blogs here;

Rio beach babes

Florianopolis Brazil

Bangkok river ferry

Fabulous HCMC

Lyme Regis Jurassic coast

Hiroshima Japan

Sydney Harbour

Pattaya live webcam

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

While your here check out this post

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Walking St Pattaya

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 3 photos

Sexy Soi Cowboy Bangkok

December 14, 2014 by David Herd

Soi Cowboy Bangkok

Sexy Soi Cowboy Bangkok

Sexy Soi Cowboy Bangkok playground is in my opinion the best of the red light areas in this great city. Nana Plaza come in 2nd place with Patpong Rd a distance third. Located near Sukhumvit Road, between Sukhumvit Soi 21 (also called Soi Asoke) and Soi 23, within walking distance from the BTS Skytrain’s Asoke Station and the Bangkok Metro’s Sukhumvit Station. The Pullman Grand Sukhumvit Hotel is nearby.

The go-go bars follow the pattern common in Thailand, lots of alcohol is served hundreds of women in bikinis dance on a stage topless or even nude.

Country Road

The soi was given its name by longtime nightlife columnist Bernard Trink, after the late T. G. “Cowboy” Edwards, a retired American airman who opened one of the first bars there in 1977. A tall African-American, Edwards got his nickname because he often wore a cowboy hat.

Sexy Soi Cowboy Bangkok playground Spice Girls

When Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was elected in 2001, his government instituted a “social order” campaign. As part of this, all bars, nightclubs and restaurants had to close by 2am, later changed to 1am for all areas not officially designated as “entertainment zones”. (Unlike Patpong, Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza were not so designated). A mandatory midnight closing time was even discussed.

Over the years this policy has eased, and as of 2012, some Soi Cowboy bars stay open as late as 2:30am.

And here are the Spice girls

Soi Cowboy Bangkok is more expensive than Nana Plaza, it is also more spectacular, a Jack soda is 180 Baht, when you buy a girl a drink it costs 220 baht. These clubs love to rob you, so Roland & I tipped the girls 100 Baht cash instead of giving it to the club. Out of the 220 Baht for a ladies drink the girls get 50 Baht and the club keeps 170.

David Herd and Roland Bonnici

Here I am with my friend Roland who is a Sydney Barrister specializing in criminal law. He has more energy and staying power than I do so I now call in the Bangkok Energiser Bunny. 🙂

Lovely face at Soi Cowboy

A sweet girl who Roland bought a few drinks for, he charges $300 an hour to represent the Sydney criminals so $8 a lady drink is small change. 🙂 She of course spun him the usual line saying ” I have only been here for one month after leaving my home in the country. Roland being such a nice guy believed her, naturally I got into his ear to quickly explain that 80% of the girls use this tried & true line of B…sh…t. 🙂

Move baby move

She could really move, should have taken a movie.

More Spice girls

The girls are patiently waiting for customers.

Sexy Soi Cowboy Bangkok playground

Soi Cowboy Bangkok is really a lot of fun, some of the bars have rock bands playing far too loud for my liking, however most geriatrics like myself usually prefer the volume to be low enough to be able to communicate this those around you.

Hellooooo baby, where you go?

You will probably hear this question 30 times a night if not more. 🙂

Back to Country Road

Bright lights & gorgeous girls.

They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway

But looking at them just gives me the blues. I can handle this bright noisy scene about two times a year, usually when friends come to town and want to see the sights.

It really is deja vu for me

I guess I have just been hitting the night spots in too many cities for too many years. These days I enjoy myself more in a good restaurant with nice people and soft music in the background. One thing is certain in Bangkok there is no shortage of terrific restaurants, and anything else you want for that matter.

Here is a link to some Bangkok restaurants

Another link to the surrounding area

Roland loved Soi Cowboy

Just check out the look on his face to see how much he loves this wild Soi Cowboy Bangkok scene.

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

The best Bangkok budget hotel I have ever stayed in.

Here are some more posts to check out

Sydney Paris Bangkok

Tokyo Rio De Janeiro Budapest

London Beijing Capetown

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you

book through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Plus free cancellation .

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Slide show here.

Pattaya live webcam

9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

That’s all folks

See more Bangkok hot spots here

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

A flashback to 2005 when I was visiting Thailand every chance I had.

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Check out the action at Walking St Pattaya

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Check out these great photo blogs.

Rio beach babes

Florianopolis Brazil

Bangkok river ferry

Fabulous HCMC

Amazing World Food

Lyme Regis Jurassic coast

Hiroshima Japan

Sydney Harbour

Lake Como Lake Garda Italy

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos

Hot babes Bangkok Pattaya 2005

October 13, 2014 by David Herd

Soi 33 Bangkok

Hot babes Bangkok Pattaya

Hot babes Bangkok Pattaya 2005 starting at Christies in Soi 33, I’m with Daryl Evans from Airlie Beach another Aussie who has decided to live in Thailand.

This is not part of my travel blog, it’s a photographic record of the people I mixed with in Thailand in 2005.

Hot babe at Nana Plaza in February

Her name is Oiy & she is a hot babe & the girlfriend of Ziggy, a German running a bar in Sihanoukville.

Lets check out her tattoo

What tattoo? I don’t see a tattoo.

John Sinclair & David Herd

John is another Aussie who decided life in Thailand held more appeal than Australia. In my opinion it gets down to three major reasons, in Australia you reach an age where you are too old to attract the younger females, no problems though in Thailand. Secondly you can live in Thailand for about 1/3 of the cost compared to Australia. Finally there really isn’t any stress or endless rules & regulations in Thailand compared to Australia.

Hot babes Atlantic bar Pattaya

New years eve & the bar is jumping, the Atlantic is opposite Big C in 2nd Rd North Pattaya.

Atlantic Bar New Years Eve

All the girls are dressed in white tonight.

Atlantic Bar

Hot babe at the Atlantic bar.

Ken Lowry at Sabai Resort

Ken lives on the Gold Coast and loves holidaying in Pattaya where he spends his time chasing the hot babes.

Wongamat

The next beach north of Pattaya, much quieter & cleaner than Pattaya.

Hot babes Bangkok Pattaya

Could be trouble brewing. 🙂

Melbourne boys visit Pattaya

Joergen Ulitza & Ian Fraser-Smith visit Pattaya and after this trip became addicted to the place, particularly Joerg, he is totally hooked.

Be careful Joergen

Mate that’s a LadyBoy, Pothole aka John Martin specializes in that team.

Brian Rawnsley & John Sinclair at the Cherry Bar

Brian is from Brisbane & John from Adelaide, both are now living in Thailand and are well know for being 1st class stirrers. They love planting bullshit about people they know then sitting back & watching the fallout. Luckily after years of this most people are now wise to their antics. 🙂

Tipsy Prawn in Phuket.

I caught up with my brother Warren & some of his family in Phuket.

Hot babe Bangkok Pattaya

Phung aka Cleopatra is certainly one of the hot babes Bangkok that I have been lucky enough to meet. I have know her since 2001 and try to catch up with her every time I’m in Bangkok.

Here is a great photo of Cleo with John Sinclair

What a fabulous smile she has.

Cherry bar Pattaya 2nd Rd.

My local drinking hole for many years, finally sold on August 31 2016 and is being renovated.

Cherry Bar corner Soi 3.

A great place to watch the passing parade.

Loy Krathong at the Cherry Bar

According to the Royal Institute Dictionary 1999, loi means ‘to float’, while krathong has various meanings, one of which is “a basket to be floated on water in the Loi Krathong festival”. Several translations of krathongare found, such as floating crown, floating boat, floating decoration. The traditional krathong are made from a slice of the trunk of a banana tree or a spider lily plant. Modern krathongs are more often made of bread or styrofoam. A bread krathong will disintegrate after a few days and can be eaten by fish. Banana stalk krathong are also biodegradable, but styrofoam krathongs are sometimes banned, as they pollute the rivers and may take years to decompose. A krathong is decorated with elaborately-folded banana leaves, incense sticks, and a candle. A small coin is sometimes included as an offering to the river spirits. On the night of the full moon, Thais launch their krathong on a river, canal or a pond, making a wish as they do so. The festival may originate from an ancient ritual paying respect to the water spirits.

Hot babes Bangkok Pattaya Loy Krathong

Sending up the lanterns on the beach.

Atlantic bar cuties

Lots of lovely smiles here.

Future Atlantic bar girls

Another few years & they will be working in the bars.

Greg Clee at Heaven Above in Walking St

Greg is an Aussie who is the major shareholder in Heaven Above, always has a good choice of young go go dancers. Coincidentally when I moved to Thailand in 2011 we lived in adjacent apartments at Markland Condo in Beach Rd.

Fresh from Heaven Above in Walking St

Tall & skinny & totally gorgeous. No my dear that’s not my car, we are taking the Baht bus. 🙂

From the classroom in Soi 2

The classroom is no longer there.

Straight to my hotel room

Say no more. 🙂

John Sinclair & Jock Granger at Cherry bar

Jock is another Aussie from Mosman in Sydney who loves Pattaya, a few days after this photo was taken he & I flew to Angkor Wat in Cambodia for a few days.

Sinclair’s black list

For may years John Sinclair has been banishing people to his black list so I thought I would design a shirt for all of us to wear. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Murphy wants some crackling

Tony Murphy & I often travel together to Thailand & other places around the world, we have had some wonderful trips together.

Thanks for visiting my Hot babes Bangkok Pattaya photo blog.

Sabai Resort is our hotel of choice right opposite the Atlantic & next to Big C shopping mall.

Holiday Inn

Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Sutus Court is a great budget hotel right i the heart of one of Pattaya’s main bar areas, just use THIS LINK for a terrific room rate. 420/100 Moo 9 Soi Buakhao.

Pattaya Hilton

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Please check out these fabulous posts

Gold Coast Pattaya Cinque Terre

Rio de Janeiro Singapore Eastern Europe

Bangkok Bars Tokyo Cape Town Safari

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

Everything you wanted to know about Bangkok but were afraid to ask. 🙂

Amazing shopping mall

Chinatown Bangkok

Notorious Nana Plaza

The fabulous Commons

Patpong red light district

Canal cruise long-tail boat

Spectacular Bangkok Sky Bars

Mahanakhon Sky Walk Bangkok

Jim Thompson Bangkok Museum

Soi Cowboy Bangkok

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started February 16 2020.

This gallery contains 3 photos

Bangkok Pattaya Samui 2001

October 9, 2014 by David Herd

The usual suspects + one

Bangkok Pattaya Samui 2001 combined with an around the world trip including Cuba, Spain, Venezuela, Los Angeles & finally one trip to Sydney. From the left we have Tony Murphy, Mike Dowd, John Sinclair, Rung and yours truly.

Nana Plaza

Her name is Phung but to me she will always be Cleopatra, after meeting in 2001 I would hook up with her each time I came to Bangkok over the next 6 or 7 years.

Phung aka Cleopatra

I believe she now lives with a guy in Switzerland, one of the best Thai ladies I ever knew.

Nana Plaza

Not much has changed in Nana Plaza over the years, except now in 2016 there are a lot more LadyBoys which does not suit me at all. 🙂

Nana Plaza

John Sinclair aka Secrets & John Martin at Nana Plaza, these days Martin is called Pothole he is such a pest he needs to be avoided at all costs. 🙂

Bangkok Pattaya always a lovely Thai smile.

Her name is Beer, you gotta love that. 🙂

Girl from the Busstop Soi 4 Nana

Come to bed eyes, so I did. 🙂

Beautiful Thai smile

December in Koh Samui, what a pretty lady.

Koh Samui bungalows

I have fond memories of these bungalows.

Relaxing at Koh Samui

A very sweet lady with Pothole in the background.

Chaweng beach Koh Samui

As you can see the photo quality is not so good in the early days of digital cameras. See the difference in the photo below which was scanned from a print.

Dining on Chaweng beach Koh Samui

One of the great pleasures of staying on Chaweng beach is having dinner on the beach and watching the sunset.

Nice butt in Koh Samui

Jump forward to 2016 and see how Samui has changed.

Two more nice Thai girls

Thailand certainly is a paradise for men.

New Years Eve in Pattaya

We left Koh Samui & headed to Pattaya for some New Years Eve action, here I am with Pothole the village idiot. 🙂 Bangkok Pattaya continued to be a regular destination for me right up until October 2011 when I finally left Australia & retired in Thailand.

Here are some more posts to check out

Life 2015 Family history Life 1982

Adelaide 1972 Iron Bar Freddy Sydney 2006

Thailand 2008 Gold Coast Babes World trip 2003

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

A-One hotel on Beach Road

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.

Brazil Hotels

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Check out Koh Chang which is the 2nd largest Thai island after Phuket.

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Soapy Massage Pattaya Bangkok

Spectacular Bangkok Sky Bars

Fresh seafood Bangkok

Hawker Chan Hollys Coffee

Le Bordeaux Pattaya Restaurant

HCMC

Art of desert Pattaya

Breakfast Bake n’ Brew

Food review Pattaya 2020

Food review Pattaya 2021

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 1 photo.

Thailand amazing street food

December 22, 2013 by David Herd

Soho Village Food market Pattaya

Thailand amazing street food

Thailand amazing street food culture is a great way to eat, very cheap and lots of choices. This market in 2nd rd North Pattaya is only 5 minutes walk from my condo.

Prawns & scallops.

Really well cooked fresh food, these two dishes cost me 300 Baht or $10.

So many decisions to make. 🙄

The Thai people have taken street cooking to an art form. Most Thai’s in fact eat out on the street rather than cook at home.

Thailand amazing street food, more seafood

Too much seafood is never enough. 🙂

Fantastic ribs

These pork ribs are so good they are addictive. 150 Baht per rack and I always take a couple home to snack on the following day.

Soi 11 Bangkok

A great street for food and restaurants.

Hard working street vendor

Still in Soi 11 off Sukhumvit in Bangkok. iCheck Inn is a good place to stay when in Bangkok, for a great rate use this link.

Thailand amazing street food, Phad Thai.

Thailand street & market food would not be complete without Pad Thai, probably the most popular Thai dish worldwide, 100 Baht or $3 at the Pattaya 2nd rd market, & delicious.

Wine or beer sir?

There are always one or two bars in every market so you won’t go thirsty. 😆

Plastic chairs, but who cares?

Order your food, grab a table and wait a few minutes while you watch the passing parade.

Banana Pancake, YUM!

This is one of my favourite snacks, 30 Baht or $1, great value & a great taste. Thailand street food at it’s best.

Perhaps bugs are more your style?

Thailand street food comes in all forms however I must admit I still can’t convince myself to eat bugs or insects.

Frog kebabs, delicious.

Ok I’m exaggerating here, this is another meal I have not been brave enough to sample this Thailand street food. Please click on Google + to help my page ranking.

The pig arrives on a bike.

Each night outside my local bar in Soi 3 North Pattaya the pig arrives on a motorbike.

Sometimes there are 2 pigs

Two pigs are better than one. 🙂

Try this Thailand amazing street food if you dare.

I’m fairly sure most Thai people have their taste buds removed at an early age, some of these dishes are so spicy Self-immolation can start within 3 seconds of your first mouth full. 😳

Thailand amazing street food

Book your hotel through AGODA for a great deal.

Fresh fish at Naklua market

The girls at the market will kill , clean & gut fish while you wait.

Car park dining in 2nd rd beside Alcazar.

Great food served here for lunch & dinner. The only downside at night are the exhaust fumes from the dozens of busses leaving the car park.

Street seafood, delicious.

Lots of seafood in Koh Larn which is a 30 Baht, 30 minute ferry ride from Pattaya.

BBQ fish, calamari & prawns.

Is it any wonder Thailand street food is famous throughout the world? In Thailand street & market food is everywhere so you don’t have to walk too far for dinner.

Fresh food

Taking up most of the sidewalk these food stalls are part of Bangkok’s charm & character.

Sidewalk restaurant on Soi 22

The graffiti certainly brightens up the decor. 🙂

Fresh fruit stall

Right outside my apartment building in Soi 1 North Pattaya every day.

Thailand amazing street food

A very big outdoor kitchen. 🙂

Late night street cafe

It’s 5 am & no customer tonight, I guess I should eat. 🙂

Thanks for visiting my Thailand amazing street food photo blog.

CNN did an excellent story on the world’s best street food.

Holiday Inn

Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Pattaya Hilton

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Please check out these fabulous posts

Gold Coast Pattaya Cinque Terre

Rio de Janeiro Singapore Eastern Europe

Bangkok Bars Tokyo Cape Town Safari

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

Click bottom right hand corner for full screen.

Live fish at the market

Fresh fish in Bangkok Thailand

Watch this video on YouTube

Some nice shots of Pattaya here

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Check out Soi 6 on Xmas day 2014

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Siam @ Siam is one of Pattaya’s most interesting hotels

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Have a look at some Bangkok bars

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Check out these great food photo blogs.

World is my oyster

Tokyo fabulous food

Upmarket Chinese Food Sydney

Food review Pattaya Thailand

Good English restaurants

Amazing World Food

Fresh seafood Bangkok

Steakhouse New York

Korea restaurants Itaewon

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 3 photos

Jim Thompson House Museum

December 13, 2013 by David Herd

The legend lives on.

Jim Thompson House Museum

Jim Thompson House Bangkok Museum showing traditional Thai architecture combined with Western influences. In 1967, Jim Thompson went on holiday with friends to the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. There he set out for a walk in the surrounding jungle but never returned. Thus began the Jim Thompson legend.

Jim Thompson House is a museum in Bangkok. It is a complex of various old Thai structures that the American businessman Jim Thompson collected in from all parts of Thailand in the 1950s and 60s.

Jim Thompson House Museum

Jim Thompson, an American businessman was perhaps ‘the best known foreigner in Bangkok, and possibly in Southeast Asia’. “In the twenty years before his ill-fated holiday in Malaysia, he had accomplished more than most men in a full life. He had built a major industry in a remote and little known country whose language he could not speak; he had become an authority on an art that, previously, he scarcely knew existed and had assembled a collection that attracted scholars from all over the world; he had built a home that was a work of art in itself and one of the landmarks of Bangkok; and, in the process of doing all this, he had become a sort of landmark himself, a personality so widely known in his adopted homeland that a letter addressed simply ‘Jim Thompson, Bangkok’ found its way to him in a city of three and a half million people.”

Living Room

In 1958 this American businessman began what was to be the pinnacle of his architectural achievement, a new home to showcase his art collection. Formed from parts of six antique Thai houses, his home (completed in 1959) sits on a klong (canal) across from Bangkrua, where his weavers were then located. Most of the 19th-century houses were dismantled and moved from Ayutthaya, but the largest – a weaver’s house (now the living room) – came from Bangkuar.

Without a doubt AGODA is the best online Hotel booking site.

Silk Loom at Jim Thompson House.

With his natural flair for design and colour, and driven by his single-minded dedication to reviving the craft, Thompson soon gained worldwide recognition for his success in rebuilding the silk industry in Thailand, for generating international demand for Thai silk and for contributing to the growth of the silk industry.

Spooling silk at Jim Thompson House

Jim Thompson Bangkok Museum is only about 15 minutes walk from the MBK centre.

Please click on Google + to help my page ranking.

Elevated rooms.

In the hot and humid tropical climate, the airy, open quality of a Thai house and the broad overhangs of its roof protect the interior from both sun and rain. Elevated houses facilitate the circulation of air and offered a more comfortable living space. It was cooler to live in and protected the home from the risk of floods in the monsoon season. It also offered protection from hostile wildlife. The open space beneath the house was versatile. It was used as a living area in the hot season, as storage for the season’s harvest, and as a place to keep livestock.

All visitors have a guide.

It’s such a popular Thailand tourist destination you are not allowed to walk around the property by yourself, you must wait for a guide to take you in groups.

Rice storage.

This separate room was where they stored the rice. It is such a unique property in the heart of Bangkok, you can see why it’s such a popular Thailand tourist destination.

Entertainers at Jim Thompson Bangkok Museum

These lads looked terrific in their traditional costumes.

Thai welcome at Jim Thompson House.

Thai welcome at Jim Thompson House in Bangkok, beautiful dancers.

Here is a slide show.

Jim Thompson in 1962

A rare old photo of Jim Thompson.

Thanks for visiting my Jim Thompson House museum photo blog.

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

The best Bangkok budget hotel I have ever stayed in.

Thanks for visiting my Jim Thompson House Bangkok Museum photo blog.

Here are some more posts to check out

Holiday Inn

Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Sutus Court is a great budget hotel right i the heart of one of Pattaya’s main bar areas, just use THIS LINK for a terrific room rate. 420/100 Moo 9 Soi Buakhao.

Pattaya Hilton

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Please check out these fabulous posts

Gold Coast Pattaya Cinque Terre

Rio de Janeiro Singapore Eastern Europe

Bangkok Bars Tokyo Cape Town Safari

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

Click here for my post on Bangkok bars.

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Heavy rain in Pattaya

Tropical storm floods Pattaya, I love to see the storm clouds roaring across Pattaya bay from my condo. https://fivestarvagabond.com/tropical-storm-floods-pattaya/

Posted by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com” on Saturday, April 4, 2015

The River Kwai

On the Burma railway the dead POWs included 6,904 British personnel, 2,802 Australians, 2,782 Dutch, & 133 Americans.

Posted by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com” on Thursday, February 19, 2015

Check out these great photo blogs.

Rio beach babes

Florianopolis Brazil

Bangkok river ferry

Fabulous HCMC

Amazing World Food

Lyme Regis Jurassic coast

Hiroshima Japan

Sydney Harbour

Lake Como Lake Garda Italy

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos

Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok River

December 12, 2013 by David Herd

State Tower at Silom

Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok

Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok River is a great way to explore this magnificent city. There are many different boats to take you to all the interesting places. Large & small ferries, long-tail boats and dinner cruises. The photo above shows one of the many wharves where you can board the boats.

Long-tail boat

The long-tail boat, known as Ruea Hang Yao is a type of watercraft native to Southeast Asia, which uses a common automotive engine as a readily available and maintainable power-plant. A craft designed to carry passengers on a river may include a lightweight long canoe hull, up to 30 meters, and a canopy. There is much variation among these boats, some have evolved from traditional craft types, while others have a more improvised look—the sole defining characteristic is a secondhand car or truck engine.

Huge truck engine

Advantages to the inboard engine with a long drive-shaft include keeping the engine relatively dry. Following the basic design pattern allows a variety of engines to be attached to a variety of different kinds of hulls. This flexibility simplifies construction and maintenance while sacrificing the efficiency and comfort that might be expected of a typical mass-produced product.

Cooling to the engine is provided by a shaped metal pipe strewn underneath the rear running board which is used as a rudimentary heat-exchanger. This is then coupled to the engine using rubber or plastic hoses. Clean water is then used as the coolant.

Control is achieved by moving the engine with a lever stick attached to the inboard side. Ignition and throttle controls provide simple means to control this simple craft. Larger boats may include more than one “tail,” with several operators piloting in tandem.

Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok River

How would you ever find a life-jacket if there was a problem with the ferry?

Here is another photo blog on the Chao Phraya river.

River City shopping mall on the Chao Phraya river

When it was completed in 1984 the complex was awarded the Gold Medal for the “Best Commercial Complex” by the Association of Siamese Architects under the Royal Patronage of Thailand. The complex is an art and antique center that showcases Thai art and culture. On the third and fourth floors are over 100 art and antique shops with antiques such as Buddha images, gold ornaments, large blue and white vases, porcelains, silver boxes and betel nut sets, art deco clocks and sculptures, intricate wood carvings and other artwork also from China, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Monthly auctions held at the River City auditorium on the fourth floor every first Saturday of each month are organised by the Riverside Auction House Ltd.

The Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel

The Sheraton joins river city with an elevated walkway.

Long-tail boat at the Sheraton Pier.

Without a doubt AGODA is the best online Hotel booking site.

Not all buildings on Chao Phraya Bangkok’s major river are modern.

One of the many dilapidated buildings on the Chao Phraya river. Here is my live webcam from my balcony overlooking Pattaya beach in Thailand.

Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok River waterfront living

Please click on Google + to help my page ranking.

Magnificent C.A.T. Telecom Building.

CAT Telecom Tower, Bangruk, this building holds Largest Thailand’s Internet Exchange. The C.A.T. Communications building. Bangkok features some beautiful modern architecture, and the government budgets are usually high enough to afford it. CAT is the state-owned communications company, their real company name is CAT Telecom Public Company Limited. Why the name CAT? Because it used to be known as the Communications Authority of Thailand.

Centre Point Hotel

Centre Point Hotel Silom is the white building, excellent 45 M2 rooms, for a discounted room rate just book through THIS LINK.

State Tower

Sirocco Sky Bar is the world’s highest open-air bar on the 64th floor of the State Tower located on Silom Road, Bang Rak business district, Bangkok, Thailand, the second tallest building in Thailand.

Centre Point Hotel Silom

Centre Point Hotel Silom is the white building close to the State Tower, excellent 45 M2 rooms, for a discounted room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Wat Arun.

Wat Arun, “Temple of Dawn” is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok.

What could possibly go wrong?

Who said you need to pay attention on the

Waiting for the lock to fill.

Here I am in a long-tail boat with two English friends. Thanks for checking out my blog Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok River, if you need to book a hotel in Bangkok there is no better site than AGODA. Four English friends came to Bangkok January 2013 and had a wonderful holiday.

Not everybody is happy on the river

A Vietnamese cargo ship ploughed into riverside houses along the Chao Phraya River in Phra Pradaeng district yesterday April 5t 2017, damaging three homes.

Residents fled to the streets in panic as the cargo ship loomed over them. Three houses were damaged, one badly, but nobody was injured.

iCheck Inn Soi 11

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

Here are some more posts to check out

Zagreb Croatia Rio de Janeiro Brisbane River

Koh Samui Korea London

Bangkok Osaka Pattaya

Chiang Mai Pattaya Chao Phraya river

Pattaya live webcam

That’s all folks

Would you like to go to Brazil? Click here for my travel tips.

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Pattaya Hilton a great location

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Wonderful Bangkok shopping mall

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Everything you wanted to know about Bangkok but were afraid to ask. 🙂

Amazing shopping mall

Chinatown Bangkok

Notorious Nana Plaza

The fabulous Commons

Patpong red light district

Canal cruise long-tail boat

Spectacular Bangkok Sky Bars

Mahanakhon Sky Walk Bangkok

Jim Thompson Bangkok Museum

Soi Cowboy Bangkok

Pattaya live webcam

This gallery contains 2 photos

Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars

December 10, 2013 by David Herd

Nana Plaza

Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars

Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars can be found in three areas, Patpong, Soi Cowboy & Nana Plaza. Patpong is where it all started many years ago. It has even been filmed in in a James Bond chase-sequence. Patpong has long since lost it’s title of number one for sexy shows Go-Go bars. Soi Cowboy now reigns supreme with Nana Plaza in 2nd place.

UPDATE: Since writing the above comments in December 2013 Soi Cowboy has now slipped somewhat in popularity in February 2017. Mainly because during the last couple of years the drink prices, and in particular the lady drink prices have risen too high. In many cases you will now pay over B200 the buy a lady a drink.

Say no more…….

As you can see Lollipop is now Suckers.

Here is a YouTube video taken February 21 2016.

Nana Plaza Bangkok sexy bars

Beer Bars & Go-Go bars in Nana Plaza

Greeting you when you pass beneath the ‘Nana Entertainment Plaza‘ entrance sign is a mass of glowing neon signs, yelling at you from all directions. Shouting even louder than the neon is the intriguing cast of upfront characters , lady-Boys and girls who will try and accost you, it’s all light-hearted and non threatening.

On the ground floor are mostly open-air beer bars to choose from. Girls will try to tempt you in for a drink or a game of Jenga but not much really happens here, however it is where I prefer to drink and watch the passing parade. The shows and the A Go Go Bars with naughty names like Lollipop,Pretty Lady and Red Lips are located on the first floor. Girls here will step into your path and will try to drag you in for a look.

Here we are at Nana Plaza

I’m with my friend John Martin aka “Pothole Bin Ladin” at the first bar on the right as you walk into Nana Plaza, it’s the best place to watch all the girls & Lady-Boys walk past on there way to work. I have been visiting the Plaza for 20 years and have seen many changes in that time. Back then it was 10% Lady-Boys, now it seems more like 50% which does not suit me at all. 😥 On the other hand it does suit Pothole as he has been known the cross that dreaded line fairly often.

Nana Plaza with Landmark hotel in the background.

The five star Landmark hotel backs onto Nana Plaza.

For many years this great song has conjured up all sorts of Bangkok memories for me.

Nana Plaza as it was.

Nana Plaza has been cleaned up quite a bit recently, there are no more cars & motorbikes allowed to park there anymore, you can see in this photo how it used to be.

Bars in the centre of Nana Plaza have been rebuilt.

Two hotels close by are very popular with expats, the Nana Hotel & the Dynasty Inn, personally I prefer the Dynasty. If you want to go upmarket choose the JW Marriot or the Landmark.

Please click on Google + to help my page ranking.

Nana Plaza exit

The bar you see on the left is where I like to sit & observe, straight opposite is the Nana Hotel car park.

Nana Plaza in daylight

The Dynasty Grand is a good hotel close to the action

Lots of Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars in Soi 4 Nana

Without a doubt AGODA is the best online Hotel booking site.

Here is a short video of Nana Plaza.

Nana Plaza, Bangkok's sexy red light Go-Go district.

Terminal 21 near Soi Cowboy

Soi Cowboy was named after the cowboy hat-wearing African-American who opened the first bar here in the early 1970s, this red-light district has a more laid-back, carnival-like feel to it than Patpong or Nana Plaza. Soi Cowboy is just next to Terminal 21, this very popular new shopping mall, so just cross the street and see it for yourself, or use Terminal 21 as an excuse to have some fun! Remember, you may not see this again anywhere else in the world!

Soi Cowboy

No wonder they call it a red light area. 🙂

Pretty face in Soi Cowboy

Soi Cowboy Bangkok is in my opinion the best of the red light areas in this great city. Nana Plaza comes in 2nd place with Patpong Rd a distance third. Located near Sukhumvit Road, between Sukhumvit Soi 21 (also called Soi Asoke) and Soi 23, within walking distance from the BTS Skytrain’s Asok Station and the Bangkok Metro’s Sukhumvit Station. The Grand Millennium Hotel is nearby.

The go-go bars follow the pattern common in Thailand: alcoholic drinks are served and women in bikinis dance on a stage. Topless or even nude dancing.

David Herd and Roland Bonnici in Soi Cowboy

Here I am with my friend Roland who is a Sydney Barrister specialising in criminal law. He has more energy and staying power than I do so I now call in the Bangkok Energiser Bunny.

Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars

As you can clearly see there is always something to look at in Soi Cowboy.

Country Road Soi Cowboy

Cowboy is a great “people watching” venue.

Nana Plaza

นานา - กับอีสานโปรเจ็ค - NANA - The Isan Project Ft Errol Reid and Pui Duangpon

Nana Plaza, Hooters & Hillary bar.

Hooters Bangkok Nana Plaza

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

No photos please.

I think she may be a little shy.

Happy hour at Patpong

Happy hours and happy endings are always available in Patpong Road.

Happy hour in Patpong 1993

Travelling from Europe to Australia in 1993 naturally I had to stopover in Bangkok for some R & R.

I hope you enjoyed my post on Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars.

Post by Pattaya Thailand Videos.

HOW NOT TO GET RIPPED OFF IN PATPONG!

Go-Go bars located on ground level along the two streets of Patpong are free to get in as long as you order a drink, which costs around 120 baht… but be aware that there are tricky places that will cost you a lot more without actually delivering anything better – and they may even be worse.

How to recognize the trick:

Someone will approach you with a nice list of fun entertaining features such as a ‘ping pong show’ and other well-known activities with ‘colorful’ names. So far, nothing really unusual.
He will say “It’s free to see for five minutes”… which means it won’t be free after the five minutes are up and as the guy seems trustworthy and speaks really fast, you somehow forget this fact.
The place not even be on Patpong itself but if the bar is upstairs and the bar has no sign and no name, get ready to be ripped off (nicely but effectively).
Once you are in, the show will have only one act and you will be asked for a tip, and another tip, and another… Basically you will have to tip for each ‘trick’ performed. And believe me, these girls have mastered the art of making you feel really cheap if you don’t tip them.
The girls will ask you for a lady drink, whether she sits next to you or even stands across the room… each drink costs at least 200 baht.
You will not see the bill until the last minute. In most normal Bangkok Go-Go Bars or beer bars, your bill is placed in a small box in front of you, which allows you to check the damage as you drink and let you decide if you want to offer another round or not. Usually a drink is around 100 to 120 baht. In the dodgy ones the bill never comes until the last moment
If you ask a girl how much her drink will cost you, she only knows once answer: ‘same as yours’, so naturally you think 100 to 120 baht… wrong, it’s 200 to 300 baht.
When the bill comes, it’ll be about 1,000 baht and don’t even waste your time arguing; you won’t win… just pay up and smile, realising you’ve got a nice story to tell your friends – just like I’m telling you now!

Thanks for visiting my Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars photo blog.

Good budget hotel in Soi 11 Nana.

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

The best Bangkok budget hotel I have ever stayed in.

Please check out some of the most popular below, and thank you for visiting.

Here are some more posts to check out

Sydney Paris Bangkok

Tokyo Rio De Janeiro Budapest

London Beijing Capetown

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you

book through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Plus free cancellation .

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Slide show here.

Pattaya live webcam

That’s all folks

This gallery contains 1 photo.

Bangkok restaurant reviews

December 9, 2013 by David Herd

Sirocco at the State Tower

Bangkok restaurant reviews

Bangkok restaurant reviews, I guess I’m allowed to call myself a Bon Vivant given my obsession with eating out at good restaurants. Lets start with the most spectacular restaurant in the whole city. The view from the Sky bar at Sirocco is amazing, the restaurant is very popular with the trendy Bangkok crowd, the food is good but the price is ridiculously high.

Sirocco on the 64th floor.

Sirocco is one of the world’s great Sky bars.

Seafood salad at Sirocco

As you would expect the food at Sirocco is excellent.

Centre-Point hotel from Sirocco.

A very good hotel near the river and the Sky train.

Magnificent sunset at Sirocco.

I’m sure Bangkok has more sky bars than any city in the world.

Breeze on the 53rd floor.

Here is a tip if you want to save some money, have a couple of pre dinner drinks at the Sky bar on the 64th floor then go down to Breeze on the 53rd floor and dine there, much better value.

Spectacular lights at Breeze.

Far less expensive than Sirocco.

Please click on Google + to help my page ranking.

Shangri-La Buffet

The 5 star Shangri-La hotel on the river has several restaurants to choose from. I found the best value was their incredible buffet featuring Sushi, Alaskan crab, shrimp, Dim Sum, soups, B-B-Q & a terrific selection of deserts. Free flow wine & beer was included for 2,250 Baht or $90 AUD.

There was a nice surprise when I paid the bill, received a 15% discount for using my Platinum Visa card. So the price came down to $65. Considering I had 5 glasses of wine from Chile, it was super deal.

Seafood at the Shangri-La

If you want a great buffet in Bangkok look no further.

Dinner cruise

The Shangri-La has a dinner cruise leaving at 7.30 every night.

Vintage at Silom

What a great find this was, I was strolling around the back streets of Silom and stumbled across this very nice Italian restaurant with super friendly staff.

Bangkok restaurant reviews The Vintage

Good food, nice atmosphere, a large selection of wine & friendly staff, what more would you want? 😀

Fettuccine with scallops & rock lobster at Vintage

Very good food at Vintage.

Vintage at Silom

You will find the Vintage at 19 Silom Soi 21

Basilico Pizzeria in Soi 33

At the other side of the city in Sukhumvit Soi 33 is another very good Italian restaurant Basilico Pizzeria. Good atmosphere and excellent pizzas. Have a pre dinner drink at “The Office” a very good sports bar just around the corner at Sukhumvit Soi 33, Wattana.

Bangkok restaurant reviews

For over 10 years I have been going to the Bus Stop in Sukhumvit Soi 4 Nana to have their Oxtail stew. I spent 3 days in Bangkok last week and managed to have it twice for lunch even though the price has almost doubled in 4 years, it is still only 350 Baht or $10 AUD.

I introduced Pothole & he is also hooked.

Here is my friend John Martin AKA Pothole at the Bus stop Sukhumvit Soi 4 Nana.

I had an unhappy experience at the Bust Stop in Soi 4 Nana in Bangkok 2 weeks ago. For many years I have been ordering the oxtail stew which is fantastic, lunch on the Thursday was excellent, then I returned for dinner on Friday night and they only served 2 pieces of oxtail instead of the normal 3. I complained as the price of B350 remained the same, well the chef was quite rude and unhelpful and refused to make it right, so I paid for my wine and left. After around 16 years of enjoying this great dish I guess it is time for a break, just saying………

Bus Stop Soi 4 Nana

Don’t expect too much at the Bus Stop, it’s a good value bar with excellent low priced food, and the Oxtail is to die for.

Hanrahans Irish pub

Right next door to the Bus Stop is Hanrahans Irish pub & sports bar. Good pub food and lots of screens showing all the popular sports.

Quintessential English breakfast.

Breakfast 180 Baht or $6 AUD.

Monsoon restaurant in Soi 8 Nana, great food.

A couple of streets away from the Bus Stop is a terrific restaurant in Soi 8, Monsoon.

Calzone at Monsoon in Bangkok restaurants reviews

Bill Austin from England likes Monsoon.

Beef & Oyster sauce at Monsoon.

Prior to the beef I had a very good pumpkin soup, my friend had an Australian steak which was magnificent.

Great prawn dish at Monsoon

One of my favourite Bangkok restaurants.

Terrific new restaurant.

Terrific new Bangkok restaurant, the Pirate Chambre at Chidlom. Hard to find but worth the effort. The fabulous lamb shank was only B480.

Enjoying a red wine at Pirate Chambre

Put this excellent restaurant on your bucket list.

Oysters at Crab and Claw, 7th Floor Emquartier.

Lobsters, New England Clam Chowder and a good selection of oysters (Kumamoto, Calm Cove, Royal, etc…) and fresh home-made pasta. Lots of choices at this popular establishment. The lobster roll is Crab & Claw’s signature dish, however it will set you back around B1000.

Gulliver’s

Always good value at Gulliver’s in Sukhumvit Soi 5, excellent bar to watch your favorite sports. Food is consistently good & terrific atmosphere for a sports bar as is the one in Beach Rd Pattaya.

Bangkok from the Moon bar at Vertigo

Vertigo and Moon Bar at the Banyan Tree Hotel located at 21/100 Sathon Tai, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok 10500. Another breath-taking view of the Bangkok skyline. Sit back and enjoy the Bangkok city view.

Follow @David_Herd

Terrific food court at Siam Centre

A great variety of food here.

El Mercado El Maginifico

El Mercardo as well as being an excellent restaurant pride themselves by including in their charming complex a premium fresh supermarket offering reasonable prices which is most certainly dedicated to food enthusiasts.

Bon Vivant Bangkok

Thanks for dropping by folks, here I am at Sirocco paying a huge amount for an Australian red, however the view is worth it. Thanks for visiting my Bangkok restaurant reviews photo blog.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter. Follow @David_Herd

Here are some more posts to check out