An Eatery with Atmosphere

After founding numerous other spots whose menus he’s developed, such as Spot Dessert Bar in New York and Koh in Mumbai, Thai celebrity chef Ian Kittichai has finally opened up his first flagship restaurant in Bangkok. Issaya Siamese Club takes up a charming two-story mansion with an outdoor terrace that has been revamped with bold, contemporary designs and some vintage items. While some dishes come from his overseas restaurants, there’s a real focus on local classics made using the best ingredients—they even have their own organic garden. Recommended dishes include the pungent gang hung lay (pork belly in spicy curry in Northern Thai style) and the chili-glazed baby back ribs. Oh, and don’t skip dessert. Chef Ian uses techniques from abroad to craft creative interpretations of traditional Thai sweets. Opt for the kanom ko (Thai-style sticky rice mocha ice-cream), kanom dok mali (jasmine flower panna cotta) or kanom mo gang (Thai tea crème brulee). One last bit of advice: look it up on a map before going.
4 Soi Sri Aksorn, Chua Ploeng Road, Bangkok, (+66) 2-672-9040-1, www.issaya.com.

Stay the Night

New hotels are proliferating like wildfire. In Bangkok, Asia’s first Sofitel So (and only the second worldwide) is like the sleeker, trendier, more tech-savvy younger sibling of the established Sofitel brand. Newly opened last month and design-conscious to the core, the work of five local interior designers alongside French designer Christian Lacroix unifies the 238 rooms and suites under a central theme: the five elements. And would a Bangkok hotel be complete without a rooftop bar? Of course not, so check out the stunning view from Sofitel So's Park Society and, within it, the intimate cabanas of chill-out annex Hi-So. Up north, Chiang Mai’s newest boutique hotel, 137 Pillars, is nestled at the heart of the century-old Wat Gate community, formerly the trading hub for the city’s multicultural enclaves on the east bank of the Mae Ping River. It’s housed in the beautiful former residence of the manager of the British East Borneo Company, which was built from teak wood and finished in a colonial style. The height of exclusivity, there are only four suites, each sporting a blend of Victorian and Thai touches. Introductory rates start at THB 12,333 per night. Meanwhile, the Conrad Koh Samui is a five-star, all-villa resort that opened last summer on one of the most remote shores of the hotel-packed island. The property—which is only the second Conrad in the country—boasts a cliff-side Thai fine-dining restaurant, Jahn, as well as private, wine-cellar dining for oenophiles. You’ll also find an on-site diving and sailing center, an alfresco yoga pavilion and a floating jetty that serves as a pick-up and drop-off point for island-hopping trips. It all faces west, and so get ready for some stellar sunsets; if you prefer, witness them from the hotel’s chilled-out bar, Glow.
Sofitel So: 2 Sathorn Nua Rd., Bangkok, (+66) 2-624-0000, www.sofitel.com/6835.
137 Pillars: 2 Na Wat Gate Road Soi 1, Wat Gate, Muang, Chiang Mai, (+66) 53-247-788, www.137pillarshouse.com.
Conrad Koh Samui: 49/8-9 Moo 4, Hillcrest Road, Tambon Taling-Ngam, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84140, (+66) 77-915-888, www.placeshilton.com/conrad-koh-samui.

More Thailand Stories:

48 Hours in Bangkok
Idyllic Escape to Pranburi
More Than a Beach Town

The Island Life

Itching to stray from the well-trod paths of Phuket and Samui? Check out Koh Yao Noi, located in the Andaman Sea between Krabi and Phuket. It ticks all the boxes: crystalline waters, white sand beaches, jagged karst formations, and old-school fishing boats. An hour from both beach towns by boat, Kao Yao Noi is becoming more developed by the day, but still feels like a far-off retreat. There’s a luxe Six Senses property there, but we’re fans of the slightly more wallet-friendly Koyao Island Resort next door, which has thatched roofs and an infinity pool. There’s not much to do besides swim, snorkel, explore caves and eat… but that’s why we love the island life. Another option, on the Gulf of Thailand side, is Koh Kood Away Resort. Though it's not brand-new, the relative scarcity of tourists to this area allows the island to keep its its beaches and corals pristine. Away Resort offers comfortably luxurious bungalows (in a rustic setting, mind you). It's also home to the largest diving center in the island, which organizes fishing, canoeing, kayaking and island-hopping tours.
Koyao Island Resort: 24/2 Moo 5, Ko Yao 82160, (+66) 76-597474, www.koyao.com.
Away Koh Kood: 43/8 Moo 2, Baan Klangchao, Koh Kood, Trat, (+66) 8-1835-4517. www.awayresorts.com.

Happy-Hour Hotspots

Beach clubs are a hot trend in Phuket, with a host of waterfront chic eateries and chill-out spaces appearing around the island over the past months. Situated on Kata Beach, Re Ka Ta Club is part of the luxurious Boathouse Phuket’s grand renovation. Designed by Balinese architect Fredo Taffin, the beach club sports a tropical design and features a swimming pool, a lounge, a beachfront cocktail bar, a holistic spa, a restaurant and a boutique—you can easily spend a whole day here. Also, they promise that the high-end sound system will be put to good use by guest DJs. Another one of the newest watering holes, and probably the most stylish, is Catch Beach Club, overlooking Surin Beach. Managed by the fashionable Twin Palms hotel, it offers a Nikki Beach vibe—which, to the uninitiated, means a laid-back mood amid expensively styled surrounds. With beautiful crowds to match, natch.
Catch Beach Club: Surin Beach Road,
Cherng Talay, Phuket 83110, (+66) 76-316-567, www.catchbeachclub.com.
Re Ta Ka Club: Boathouse Phuket, Kata Beach, Phuket, (+66) 76-330-421, www.rekataphuket.com.

Shop Till You Drop

Word on the street is that everyone’s favorite shopping mecca, Chatuchak Market, is slated to become air-conditioned. Whether you think that’s sorely necessary or that it’ll ruin its jumbled, sticky wonderful-ness, make sure to pay a visit soon before any changes are implemented. In the meantime, stay cool at the city’s newest mall, Terminal 21. Yes, it’s another icebox with chain stores—but this one’s worth a second look. For one, it’s designed in the style of an airport terminal and its floors are themed according to global destinations like Rome, Tokyo and San Francisco. More importantly, most of the boring chain stores are actually on the lower floors while the upper floors are home to scores of small shops run by local fashion designers, some of which are exclusive to Terminal 21—there’s even a whole section devoted to Thai designers that’s worth at least a browse if not some serious purchasing.
Chatuchak Weekend Market: Chatuchak Market is adjacent to the Kamphaengpecth Station (MRT) about 5 minute walk from Mo Chit Skytrain (BTS) Station, www.chatuchak.org.
Terminal 21: Terminal 21, 2/88 Sukhumvit Soi 19, Bangkok, (+66) 2-651-2888 www.terminal21.co.th.

Experience This

A vacation in Thailand doesn’t have to be limited to scuba diving and partying—there’re ample chances to witness localindustries at work while sampling homegrown products. For one, you could sip a glass of Monsoon Valley Cuvee du Siam while looking out over the rolling hills of the Hua Hin Hills Vineyard. Almost a decade old, the 560-acre vineyard is built on a former elephant corral, and the terrain as well as the ocean breezes support the growth of international grape varietals that go into the production of Monsoon Valley wines (made at Siam Winery, 45 minutes outside of Bangkok). The vineyard hosts tastings of new latitude wines (which means ones produced at tropical latitudes) as well as the opportunity to tour the vineyard on the back of an elephant, play petanque or go mountain biking. Take some bottles home as a special souvenir. If you’d prefer to keep your holiday alcohol-free, take a coffee roasting class up north at the Doi Chaang plantation in Chiang Rai. Rich soil, high elevation and ample rainfall make the village suitable for coffee-growing, and the veteran Akha farmers have partnered up with a Canadian company so that their fair-trade beans can be distributed worldwide.
Doi Chaang’s café: 542/2 Rattanakhet Road, Chiang Rai, (+66) 5-375-2918, www.doichaangcoffee.com.
Hua Hin Hills Vineyard: 1 Moo 9, Baan Khork Chang Patana, Nong Plup, Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77110, (+66) 81-701-0444, www.huahinhillsvineyard.com.

Find the Festivals

There’s no doubt that Thais know how to have a good, worshipful time—from the famous (and infamous during drought season) water-throwing festival Songkran in the springtime to November’s Loi Krathong festival, when luminous paper lanterns are released into the air hundreds at a time and floating mini-shrines bedecked with candles and flowers are sent out into the country’s rivers. Chiang Mai in particular plays host to the annual Thailand International Balloon Festival, held at the Prince Royal’s College on November 24-25 this year. A yearly event since 2007, colorful hot-air balloons dot the sky day and night. The awe-inspiring sight is accompanied by activities, music and food. If you're heading to Chiang Mai over Easter, check out the Chiang Mai Fest, a visual art celebration from March 23 to April 7 with a live-music concert series on April 6-7.
For more information about the Balloon Festival and Chiang Mai Fest, call +66-53-292-224 or visit the organizers’ website.

Insiders’ Guide to Thailand

We canvassed some long-time residents to find out about their favorite off-the-beaten-track haunts. The next time you jet off, consider taking their advice. Compiled by Hana R. Alberts.

Talad Rot Fai is a retro/vintage market in Bangkok. It's where I go to build up my collection of antique furniture and other knickknacks as well as old showcases from shops. (I have a collection of old trophies, metal buckets, et cetera. Nothing too glam, but all full of character!) There’s also Warm Up, the original bar/club in Chiang Mai. Located in Nimmanhaemin, Warm Up seems to attract everyone. There’s a vodka bar, a beer bar, a section where you can sit outside and eat hotpot and another section that's basically a chill-out lounge. There's a great student band playing flawless covers of Oasis and Radiohead, another area where punks with mohawks hang out, a huge dance hall (sadly, you can't really dance as the dance floor is strangely covered with tables to keep people's bottles of whisky on). You'll meet the young and beautiful, locals and expats (mostly the former), stylistas and punks. It's all hugely friendly. You're guaranteed a great night out! Café de Norasingha [located in Bangkok’s Phya Thai Palace] is another one of my faves, and truly unique.
-Nicola Chilton, regional PR director of Four Seasons Hotels Thailand

The interior of Koh Samui. Samui predominately consists of hills, mountains and coconut plantations. Few visitors make the time to appreciate its hidden beauty. One way to do so is to take a turn into Maenam Soi 1—a new road that has recently been constructed and goes over the mountains all the way to the south of the island. I love to go there. The view is just fantastic and should not be missed. Peace and quiet is guaranteed!
-Jeremie de Fombelle, general manager of Napasai by Orient-Express in Koh Samui

Having just returned to Bangkok after a four-year absence, a lot has changed. I am now down by the river, where there is a whole different feel to the city. It is more leisurely and picturesque; one can understand what motivated all those great writers to take up residence beside the Chao Phraya. I can address the fantastic golf facilities available here. My favorite course is at the Alpine Golf & Sports Club—brilliant design, just over an hour out of Bangkok and so peaceful with abundant visual stimulations and challenging holes. Within Bangkok, my regular courses were (and I hope to be again), in no particular order, Royal Golf Club, Subhapruek Golf Club, Navatanee Golf Club and Lam Luk Ka Country Club’s course (which has 36 holes but is a little bit further away).
-Keith Hardie, general manager at Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Bangkok

Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai is different from any other temple in Thailand, as its assembly hall is designed all in white with white glass. The white color stands for Buddha’s purity; the white glass stands for his wisdom. At MO Rooms Chiang Mai, each of the 12 rooms is an individual artist’s interpretation of their Chinese zodiac sign. The construction of MO’s exterior was a collaborative project that saw designers, architects and astrologers piling different sizes of box-shaped rooms on top of each other in accordance with feng shui astrology.
-Chanchai Techamanewat, chief concierge at the Metropolitan Hotel in Bangkok

The Golden Triangle. Visit the Opium Museum, which is a living museum about the opium trade that recreates the effects of heroin withdrawal. A truly educational tour—albeit a bit eerie at times—but a great effort to raise global awareness about the horrors of addictive opium and its derivatives. Follow this with a trip to renowned northern pottery shop Doy Din Dang near Chiang Rai for great exhibitions of contemporary and traditional hand-kilned pottery. Then have jumping live prawns in chili and fresh steamed river fish—delicious on the banks of the Mekong.
-Christopher Stafford, executive director of PR firm Stafford Edison International

From the Saphan Taksin BTS stop in Bangkok, take the every-10-minute long-tail water taxi boat from the public pier to Nonthaburi, a little over an hour away, yet a lifetime from the city, for only THB 18. Be sure to get a seat on the right-hand side to enjoy the leisurely but fun ride to the final stop. Leave around 11:15am to arrive around lunch time. From the pier, turn right and walk to end of the concrete open space by the river to a great local Thai restaurant. Enjoy a good Thai lunch (they have an English menu and one sits outside) on the bank of the Chao Phraya River before heading back to Bangkok via the water taxi. A wonderful three or four hours, and the luncheon setting is as if one were nearer the jungle than a major metropolitan city.
-Kent Maury, managing director of Bangkok-based Maury Hospitality Consultancy