Month: May 2016

Luang Say Lodge: Pakbeng, Laos

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When we pulled up to the resort on the Mekong River, we were amazed at how beautiful it looked from this viewpoint.  You could see the individual bungalows lined up with great views of the river below.  The trek up to the hotel was a little far, but nothing unbearable.  The hotel has a porter service that will carry your baggage up to your bungalow for you.  However, they ask for you to pack an overnight bag for the one night stay rather than taking all of your belongings with you up to the hotel.  They store your luggage locked on the boat so there is no need to worry about leaving stuff behind.  Once you reach the top of the stairs, you arrive at the deck overlooking the river.  We were welcomed with cool towels, which were much needed, and a welcome drink of cold lemongrass tea. We were assigned to bungalow 18, which was a little walk from the main lodge and restaurant.  The bungalows were fairly hot when we arrived.  Most people …

Thip Samai Noodles: The Motherload of Pad Thai in Bangkok

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After our disappointing encounter with pad Thai on Koh San road, we were on a mission for the best pad Thai we could get our hands on in Bangkok before our night bus to Chiang Mai. Even if this meant spending a bit more than the $0.80 on the street!  After some research and guidance from our friends Kate and Palis, we were led to Thip Samai Noodles. We grabbed an uber and arrived around 4:55pm. Palis had called in advance and confirmed that they open at 5pm. We thought, *perfect! we will be the first ones there and be in and out in time to make the train!*. Well…we were almost completely wrong!  The line was super long when we got there. They opened the restaurant up around 5:05pm and tables started filling up. As we got closer to the entrance, it began to look very crowded inside the restaurant. When there was one couple in front of us, they stopped seating people. All of the tables were filled and that was it. We stood in line unsure if we …

One Day in Bangkok

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We were told to be ready anytime between 6:30am and 7:30am to be picked up by Mekong Bus Company for our bus to Bangkok, Thailand from Siem Reap, Cambodia. Of course, they arrived at 7:30am. The Sarai Resort and Spa concierge had helped to book the bus for us. This allowed for us to pay with a credit card. The tickets cost $25 a person, which seemed to be about $5-$10 more than some of the other bus companies. Well…I guess you get what you pay for. We were picked up in a mini bus that had VIP written all over it. We drove into town to the Mekong Bus Company and quickly learned that we were the only people traveling to Bangkok, Thailand that day. We had the WHOLE bus to ourselves!  Even if the bus was packed full of people, we still would have been very comfortable. The seats were comparable to what you would find on a business class flight. They reclined all the way back so you could lay completely flat, but only if there …

Sarai Resort and Spa: Siem Reap, Cambodia

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For our last three nights in Siem Reap, we had a lovely stay at The Sarai Resort and Spa.  All of the rooms overlook the tranquil courtyard, salt water pool. Our room had a king sized bed with a twin sized day bed. The bathroom had a large tub and rain shower as well. The bed was extremely comfortable and much needed after a full day tour of the temples. With breakfast included, we were able to order it to the room every morning. It was really quite the way to start the day. The menu included traditional Cambodian soups and rice dishes as well as western style options. We also enjoyed massages at the spa, which we definitely recommend booking during your stay. They give 20% off of all spa offerings to guests staying at the resort.   We spent a decent amount of time by the pool, which has lounge chairs in the water and day beds along the sides. The day beds are covered areas with fans so you can escape from the …

Off the Beaten Path: An Unforgettable Birthday in Siem Reap, Cambodia

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The day started out with a Happy Birthday FaceTime call from Jess’s family back home.  I told them about the day that Steven had planned for me and we were so excited.  About 20 minutes later, there was a knock on the door; our breakfast was here! We enjoyed breakfast in bed (included with our room) at The Sarai Resort and Spa; it was more like a feast.  Jess had the traditional Cambodian soup with rice noodles bok choi and bean sprouts as well as home made yoghurt with muesli and fresh papaya, jackfruit, passionfruit, and pineapple.  Steven had plain congee, which is similar to porridge, but made with rice that is cooked in water for many hours or overnight.  This was accompanied by smoked fish and a salted duck egg.  We shared some buttermilk pancakes, but they were nothing like Jeffrey’s pancakes that Jess was craving.  They accidentally also brought us vegetable fried rice, which we hadn’t ordered, but we definitely enjoyed anyway.  Breakfast was also served with a piece of toast, a croissant …

nOmPANG! for Lunch in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

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After much research about where to go for lunch, Steven, Gillian, Gavin and I decided to try a place called nOmPANG!  We showed Sony, our tuk tuk driver, where to go on a map and we were on our way. We had chosen this place because it had some good reviews online and had been written up by a few other travelers.  We just knew that they made great sandwiches and you could chose from a bunch of options inside.  When we arrived we were pleasantly surprised by the decor and cleanliness of the restaurant. You can chose to take out or stay to eat at the small tables in the front.  The place seats about 18 people.  We went up to the counter to order and we chose the special with deli meats, pate, pork, and fried egg.  The sandwich is also stuffed with fresh herbs and veggies and seasoned with some house sauces.   We also ordered the sandwich with beef, which did not have a fried egg, but it did have the …

The Popular Residence: Siem Reap, Cambodia

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When we arrived and de-bussed in Siem Reap, we were greeted with a sign reading JESSICA SINGER by a tuk tuk driver sent by The Popular Residence.  This was a complimentary transfer from the hotel.  The location is a good 15 minute tuk tuk ride from the bus stop and about 10 minutes from town.  We were greeted with a welcome drink that was super refreshing and cold towels to clean our hands and face.  After resting for a bit and enjoying the beautiful open lobby, we were shown to our room. The room was decorated very simply and was extremely clean.  Everything seemed very new as if they had just done a full renovation.  We had a king size bed, a twin size day bed by the window, a balcony, and a rain shower and bathtub. The balcony looked out into the courtyard, which had a pool and lounge chairs.  There was also an open air lounge area that looked out to the pool on the ground floor.  We only spent one night here …

The Kabiki: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

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When we arrived in Phnom Penh it was pretty dark out and the staff from Giant Ibis helped us get a tuk tuk to The Kabiki.  I’m pretty sure they overcharged us since the tuk tuks are only meant to cost $1-$3, but we were told $5 for this ride.  We reluctantly agreed as it was getting late and we just wanted to get to our hotel.  We later found out that it definitely should have only been $2.  We hopped in with our luggage and were driven to a street that seemed to be closed down to any traffic with a gate and guards.  The driver said we are here, but when I looked at the map, we were still about half a block away from the hotel down the street.  We were a bit confused, but when he pointed and said hotel we realized that the street was open to foot traffic and we would be able to walk down to the hotel.  I was a little nervous, as it was very dark …