Koh Samui

Hello my avid readers and faithful bloggers,

Once again I apologise for the shortcomings and late updates. A lot has been going on this semester and I am finally here to share with you some travel trip and tips that I have recently embarked on which is Koh Samui, Thailand. Shall we begin then?

HOW TO GET THERE;

FLY: PENANG-KL-SURAT THANI (return) (AIR ASIA= RM 319/ THB 3190 )

From SURAT THANI ----> KOH SAMUI
BY BUS, FERRY AND TRANSFER TO HOTEL/HOSTEL
(RM160/ THB 1600)

The service transfer to Koh Samui from Surat Thani Airport is amazing. Its the Seatran ferry and counter right in front of the arrival exit gate of the airport. They arrange everything for you.

Or you can get the MINI VAN that stops in Hatyai and then to the pier and to Koh Samui (Refer to my Koh Phangan post. the en-route is the same and takes a longer time). We save RM100 because we got cheap flights

WHERE TO STAY;

We stayed in LIQUID LOUNGE HOSTEL AND BAR. Its a 10min walk to the party scene and shopping mall in Chaweng but it really isn't that far. The host Chris and Tukta are the most amazing people you will ever meet and we live like a family.

RM 50 PER NIGHT
HOT SHOWERS
2 BIG LOCKERS
1 TOWEL
FREE WIFII
AIR CONDITION ROOM
20% OFF DRINKS AND BREAKFAST AS A GUEST

You can choose to stay in CHAWENG  beach for more civilisation and party scene or choose LAMAI for a more quiet and family oriented lifestyle.

WHAT TO DO;

AM

• Go to ARK BAR. It is the place for everything, from breakfast, beach, lounge, sunset, party and cheap drinks. Everything is in Ark Bar. You can pay RM30/THB300 to use all the facilities in ARK BAR if you are not a guest. Access includes the both swimming pool and shower.
  

  
  

  
  

• Chill by the beach. 
• Go to some cute cafes (The Coffee Club, Creamy Cafe)
• Book a snorkelling whole day tour to Koh Tao and Koh Nangyuan (RM120/ THB 1200)
• Go to the Central Festival Mall
• Walk along Chaweng Beach/ Street
• Buy a smoothie. Fruit smoothie. You can get them anywhere. only THB50/ RM5
• Get manicure and pedicure (Diva Massaga Parlour THB 400/RM 40 for both mani and pedi)

PM

• Get a tuk-tuk to the Fisherman Village. (30 MIN AWAY FROM CHAWENG, RM10/ THB 100 per person for tuk-tuk ride)
• Enjoy the sunset in Fisherman Village, Best advice to go on Friday evenings. That is when the stalls are mostly open
• Have a fancy dinner by the beach in Fisherman Village and shop
• Got to ARK BAR on WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY. Those days are their party days.
• When ARK BAR party ends at 0200am head down the street to GREEN MANGO bar/club for more dancing. (NOTE; Koh Samui recently had to shut all party place at 0200am, dont know how long that would last but the first night before this happen, we dance till literally 5am)
• Have dinner at CHAWENG NIGHT FOOD COURT. They serve the best authentic THAI food ever and its so cheap. 
• Head down to Central Festival Mall (close at 11pm) on weekdays night. At the open space, there will be food/drink trucks with live musician. The beat-boxer is the best performer you will ever meet in Thailand. On weekends, there will be like a night market where you can buy food and shop for a cheaper price
• Get a massage. (Diva Massage Parlour TBH 250/RM25 for thai massage)

This trip has taught me so much to not have expectation. Just free yourself and immerse in everything that you do and it will surprise you. Never felt more liberated and free. I hope this post helps and update again hopefully soon!

All my love

xxxx

Amberstories

As usual here are some pictures. 

on the ferry

Liquid Lounge. my own space

Hispter Creamy cafe

Koh Tao, free diving

Jump!

Food

Koh Nangyuan

street food, best kind of food

Ark Bar by night

Where the beat-box is at

Pad Thai

My girl

Food Market

Welcome

<3

Ark Bar View by day

xoxo

Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand

Hello my lovely blogers and readers. Yes this is a long overdue post that has to go up. I am so sorry for not posting in a long while as this semester is a real hectic one. I am on my study week now and finally got the chance to travel and some time to write about it. So here goes.

I have decided to travel again to Krabi but this time to Ao Nang. It is a very pretty town and full of life. I love it.

How to get there;
We decide to go by mini van which brings us from PENANG-HATYAI-KRABI and KRABI-HATYAI-PENANG. Both ways with about THB1800/RM180. Its not the best option but its a road trip, backpack for sure! *Try book a flight if you have car sick*

Where to stay:
SLUMBER PARTY HOSTEL AND BAR. There are two Slumber Party Hostel in Ao Nang, the one in the beach and the one off beach.
My friend and I stayed off beach, but its only 15-20minutes by foot to get to the beach and Ao Nang civilization. This hostel is so much fun!
They offer free BBQ dinner and breakfast, pretty awesome drinks and even party all night, every night.
So if you are not looking forward to party, dont stay here.
It is also very very clean, with a cubic style beds and the staff are super friendly.
A night per bed would cost about RM50/THB500.

What to bring;
-Light clothes
-Good slippers
-Good liver (drinks are so cheap you have to drink)
-Beach wear/supplies
-Your crazy self
-Stamina to last you the whole night partying

What to do;
AM: 
- Have breakfast in Cafe 8, serves one of the best breakfast
- Walk to the beach, tan yourself
- Go on an Island trip (We took the tour from Slumber Party Hostel and did almost everything from snorkelling to jumping into the sea)
-Eat ice cream (Movenpick is a good one)
-Get manicure and pedicure done
-Get a massage
-Walk about the streets
-Shop

PM;
-Have dinner in Jenna's if you fancy a fancy dinner
-Have dinner at a local restaurant (they serve the best pad thai)
-Party in Slumber Party Hostel (They are wild)
-Head to Chang Bar/ Disappointment Street for more fun and more parties
-Walk about the night market for shopping
-Take beautiful pictures
- Enjoy the beautiful lights of Ao Nang at night.

Ao Nang is party and solitude as well.
So if you have the time, pack your bags and head off somewhere.
It might change you or even so you might just find yourself <3

Slumber Party Hostel (Orange Building)

Ao Nang at night

Breakfast at Cafe8

Hello

Ao Nang Beach

Ice Cream?

Island Tour

It means I love You

Party at Slumber

Cubic beds

Jenna's

For all the love

xoxo

Amberstories

Koh Phangan enroute Hatyai

Hello my lovelies,

Its been a while since I last posted anything about travel and adventures. That is because I have a really bad internet connection and recently traveled to Hatyai for Koh Phangan, Thailand. 

It was a fun trip and tiring. Lets get to it and have fun reading! 

TRAVEL METHODS;

Since this was an inpromtu travel, it was expensive to travel by air and it was a public holiday. My friends and I managed to grab a mini van from Penang to Hatyai with the price of RM35. 

It took us 5hours to arrive Hatyai due to heavy traffic at the border. It was tiring as well as we do not have enough leg room in the van. Departing around 4pm we manage to reach Thailand, hungry and exhausted at 0900pm (Malaysian time) 

Due to public holiday travels, we failed to grab the bus to Surat Thani for ferry to Koh Phangan. But instead got a van and ferry straight to Koh Phangan the next day for 1200TBH.

As for return, we manage to grab tickets from Koh Phangan straight to Penang but with alot of stops and tuk-tuk adventures and van changing. We travel by water from Koh Phangan to Surat Thani and then by land to Hatyai back to Penang. It costs us the same price of 1200TBH. 

In general;

 Penang-Hatyai-Don Sak Pier- Koh Phangan

 Koh Phangan- Surat Thani- Hat Yai- Penang

HATYAI

Upon arriving Hatyai, we manage to grab a tuk-tuk (taxi in Thailand) and head for our hostel. Stayed in Hatyai Backpacker Hostel and is really a beautiful and clean one. 

Where to stay; Hatyai Backpacker Hostel (RM40 per night) 

What to do; 

• Eat the street food especially their fried stick food and fried chicken served with sticky rice. Must try also include Pad Thai and fried egg with muscles. 
• Shop, there is so many stalls selling everything from clothes to shoes and toys
• Walk along their night market (open up till 0300am) 

Since I was only in Hatyai for a night this was all I could come up with.

We left for Koh Phangan at 0630am as it takes about 20minutes from our hostel to the bus station.

KOH PHANGAN

As the travel methods got us slightly crazy, we manage to arrive Koh Phangan at 1600hrs (Thailand time) 

We manage to book our hostel the night before and arrived safely at Koh Phangan. 

However, there are different places to stay in Koh Phangan, if you are heading out to where the Full Moon party, like us, I suggest Haadrin because it only takes 5 minutes or so (depending on the area around Haadrin) to the beach.

How to get to Haadrin: From the pier, get the tuk-tuk (100TBH). It takes 30-40minutes to Haadrin (depending on how many stops the tuk-tuk takes) 

Where to stay: We stayed at Gallery Domitory (very close by to the beach and everything) for 55TBH per night.

 It could be cheaper but due to late booking price are hiked up. If its an early booking you could stay at a much better place with cheaper price too. 

What to do: 

• Hang out by Haadrin Beach and soak up the sun
• Go to the Full Moon party, atleast once in your life so you say you actually did it
• Enjoy the music and tourist
• Eat good Thai food
• Get a foot and full body massage (especially after math of partying)
• Drink their bucket drinks. (At least once)
• Get to know the people
• Have lots of fun
• Buy atleast something from the fullmoon party
• Bikini shopping (really cheap, 250TBH and you can still bargain)
• Walk around Haadrin and explore the place. (Its like a circle, you always end up where you started)
• Rent a motor bike if you are up for adventure and staying quite far from Haadrin beach

What you need;

• Good pair of slippers
• Good music (travel by land and water takes hours and gets really boring)
• Really loose clothes and shorts
• Small bag and wallet for safety when partying
• Open mind (crazy stuff happens when the full moon party is on)
• Beach towel 
• Cash
• Durable bikini
• Big heart

I have had a great time and met alot of new people and had tonnes of adventures.

Its good to sometimes just pack your bags and travel just because you want to.

Teaches you patience and lots of lots of love.

Travel like I did (by land and water) if you are up for long hours and adventures. But I am pretty sure train and airplane are as equal!

Have fun if you are heading out for the next Fullmoon Party. 

Party responsibly and just let loose!

xoxo

Amberstories 

Road tripping

The muscle with eggs

Ferry to Koh Phangan

In Hatyai Backpacker Hostel

Hatyai Night Market

Fried chicken served with sticky rice

Haadrin Beach by day

Haadrin Beach by night

Add caption

Chilling on the beach

Almost there

Travel babies

Sun-kissed best kiss

Just being silly

Fullmoon