Ban Mai Chay Nam is a restaurant, a museum and a hotel all rolled into one. Located in Khao yai which is just a 3 hour drive from Bangkok, this unique restaurant is one that you cannot miss.
Just a few steps into the restaurant and we knew this place was really special.
The restaurant is filled with interesting, weird and old things in every nook and cranny, you will never spend a bored second here. There are old chinaware, creepy looking dolls, antiques, old toys, figurines, statues, arcade machines etc.
If you thought that everything is old and just for display – you thought wrong. Some of the arcade games such as Air Hockey and Family Guy Pinball are still playable. If you do not have enough coins, you can proceed to the counter to make an exchange.
Besides playing the games, you get to take awesome pictures as well!
We had so much fun walking around and exploring the place that we forgot we were there for the food in the first place.
The first dish we got was shredded pork with rice cooked with coconut milk and papaya salad. The sticky rice was fragrant and it went well with the crispy and salty pork. The papaya salad was sweet, spicy, salty and sour all at the same time. It was really balanced out.
The second dish was grilled catfish with sweet fish sauce and neem. I have never tried neem before and was curious to try it. I must say, the taste is an acquired one. When you first eat it, it presents a mild taste but as you chew, it becomes more and more bitter. The neem is best enjoyed with a bite of the catfish and sauce.
Before you leave, remember to take a picture on the wooden bridge over the beautiful river.
If you want to experience something unique in Khao Yai, do head over to Ban Mai Chay Nam. A word of advice was given to us by one of the locals, they said that the restaurant is best enjoyed at night as it could get really hot in the day because of the zinc roofs. Have fun eating, playing and taking pictures!
Hours: 10 am – 10pm
Address: 21 หมู่บ้านเกาะแก้ว Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima 30130, Thailand
Abang Gemuk opened on the 1st of October and when we visited it just 2 weeks after the opening, the coffee shop was packed with people waiting for their food!
So many choices to choose from and at such an affordable price! After thinking for a long time we settled on trying Gemuk Grill which seems to be their signature dish and Black Pepper Chicken Chop. We had originally wanted to get the Half Chicken but unfortunately they did not have it that day.
We were told that the waiting time was 1.5 hours and it did come as a shock as we did see many tables waiting for their food but We didn’t know it would be this long. But since we were already there, we decided to wait.
Because we expected a 1.5 hours wait, it was an exciting moment when the food arrived within 45 mins.
Both dishes were pretty similar with the sauce and side dishes being the same. The only difference was that the Gemuk Grill had lamb and beef on top of the chicken. The sauce was thick and savory and the lamb and beef were tender to eat. But my favorite was the chicken! The skin was charred to perfection and we loved how the slight bitterness of the skin goes well with the sauce.
The sides were generous in portion. The fries were fried and seasoned well, the coleslaw was tasty and the bun was soft and fluffy.
Overall, the experience was a positive one. Yes the wait time was quite long but I’m sure this is just due to the store being relatively new, the food more than makes up for that. We would definitely visit again!
Hours: 11:30 am – 3:30 pm, 4:30 pm – 10:00 pm, closed on mondays
Soi Dog Foundation is a shelter that houses both cats and dogs. It’s mission is to improve the welfare of stray dogs in Thailand by addressing the problem of over-population. The foundation is also working in several countries to end the inhumane and barbaric dog meat trade in Asia.
Road traffic accidents, poisonings, serious wounds and cruelty cases are a few of the main reasons why the animals are in the foundation.
Some animals are very affectionate while others are wary of human touch. This shows that although all of the animals had a difficult past, the affection and dedication given by the foundation has affected them in a positive way. The animals that are still sensitive may need more time to adjust and the environment provided is the best place they can be in.
There are many cats and dogs up for adoption on their adoption page. Even if you reside overseas, the process for adoption is easy. Once the adoption application has been approved, your pet will either travel as manifested cargo or as accompanied baggage with a flight volunteer. There is no adoption fee required, however, the travel costs incurred will have to be covered by you.
I had a great time at the foundation and if I lived in Phuket, I would definitely volunteer as much as I can. If you happen to be in Phuket, please visit the foundation and give your love to the animals who need it so much. If you can’t physically be there, you can always sponsor a dog or a cat through their website.
Soi Dog Foundation is open to visitors Monday to Friday from 09.00 to 15.30.
Guided tours run at 09.30, 11.00, 13.30, and 14.30 and do not have to be booked in advance. The shelter is open on Saturday mornings for tours at 9.30 and 10.30.
The shelter is closed on Saturday afternoons and all day Sunday.
Located just 5 mins across the Singapore-Malaysia border lies this hidden gem. On a typical weekday, there would be a queue outside this restaurant. While you wait, you can get yourself a free drink outside, a massage in a massage chair or just browsing through their menu deciding on what you want to order later. Unfortunately, there is no queue system here. While people outside kind of know who came first, the restaurant staff does not. They would randomly come out and ask anyone who is nearer to the door how many seats they needed. Thus if you are there and there is a queue, make sure to let a staff know that you are waiting and hopefully they will give u a seat.
The decor is really elegant and creates a good atmosphere for eating.
Trying their sashimi is a must! Everything is super fresh and leaves a clean taste in your mouth. Be sure to go there early as sometimes they run out of certain types of sashimi.
Besides their sashimi, they serve other types of delicious food. Be sure to try their mentaiko pizza, unagi don, makis and crepes!
The mentaiko pizza had a crispy thin crust with a generous serving of mentaiko sauce. The unagi was extremely delicious, the use of miso paste in the don complemented the dish well. The maki was fried well which contributed to a crispy skin. The crispy skin and the soft rice went well together. Lastly, the soft shell crab crepe was yummy as well. The crepe was light and fluffy and the soft shell crab was fried perfectly.
At the end of the meal, they would serve a complimentary dessert pudding. I’ve tried yam flavored, coffee flavored and chocolate flavored puddings. Who knows what you might get, how exciting!
All in all, this restaurant serves good quality food at reasonable prices. Even though the lack of a queue system is a drawback, you will not regret trying their food!
Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru, the largest regional mall in Johor Bahru, has been open for almost a year now and it has never stopped providing avenues for entertainment. It is located at the heart of the Skudai district just about 15.5km from woodlands checkpoint. There are over 500 outlets in the mall and here are the top 10 things you can do in Paradigm Mall.
1) Watch a movie at Golden Screen Cinemas Lot 01&02, Level 7
With 16 halls and a seating capacity of 2107, it is the largest cinema in Johor Bahru. It also is the first cinema to provide 4DX. 4DX employs the use of motion enabled chairs which create strong vibrations and sensations as well as environmental controls for simulation of weather conditions such as lighting, rain, fog and even strong scents.
Don’t miss out on this unique experience at Golden Screen Cinemas!
2) Rock climbing at Camp 5 Lot 08, Level 7
We had never thought about learning rock climbing till we came to paradigm mall; we would always pass by the place on the way to the cinema. However, one day, I just decided hey why don’t we try rock climbing? A quick search on the internet brought me to their website and I found out that in order to rock climb, we had to have at least a certificate in basic wall climbing – we went for the course. At first I was really really scared of falling down but the instructor was very patient and after a while I started to get used to the feeling of being high up. Now that we are more confident, we try to go rock climbing every alternate week!
3) Ice Skating at Blue Ice Skating Rink Lot 30, Level 3
This was only our second time trying the ice skate and the last time we tried ice skating was probably almost 10 years ago. Entry into the ring is 25 Rm, you will need to have a pair of socks and gloves as well, if u don’t, it will be 5 Rm each. Rental of lockers is 2 Rm.
When I first stepped into the ice ring, it was really slippery and I gave up almost instantly. You see the blue seal that we’re holding on? I got it after a mere few seconds. It was really expensive though at 30 Rm per hour, but it helped me tremendously. At first, I thought the seal was just for children, but adults are welcome to use it as well. With the seal, I was able to experience what it was like to be on the ice and it later gave me more confidence to move around without it!
At 25 Rm for unlimited hours, it is a real bargain. I hope you will try it too!
My favorite fast food restaurant has always been MacDonalds but after trying Wendys, it has changed. The burger was absolutely delicious, extremely juicy and cheesy. The fries were salty and not too oily and the root beer float was really yummy. I am definitely going to eat Wendys again!
2) Liang Sandwich Bar
Lot K13D, Level G
If you are a Singaporean like me, you would know that this Jay Chou-endorsed food chain sells their Taiwanese pancakes between Sgd 2:50-5-50 at VivoCity. But if you head over to Malaysia, the pancakes only cost Rm 3:90 – 9:90.
The pancakes taste like flakier roti pratas and are extremely delicious. I’ve tried a few flavours and so far everything is great. The seasoning is on point and the amount of filling to pancake ratio is perfect.
With the pancakes being a lot more affordable at paradigm mall, you can eat not just one but even three or more pancakes!
5) Restaurants
1) Awa Mee Bar Lot 23A & 25, Level 4
While we’ve been to paradigm mall quite a few times and have always walked past this restaurant, we only decided to try it recently. And boy did we regret not trying it earlier. The noodles were springy and chewy and it tasted so sinful like we were eating instant noodles. The fried enoki mushrooms provided the extra texture that complimented the dish well. Also, with every bowl of noodles, a bowl of soup comes with it. You can choose different soup bases such as seafood or pork and you can either choose either a preset option or add more ingredients into it. You’ve got to try it when you’re there!
2) Kurotomon Hakata Ramen
Lot 33A, Level 4
Second on the list is Kurotomon Hakata Ramen. The broth was thick and salty. The charred pork meat was really fatty and super delicious. And lastly the noodles were cooked perfectly. I really loved the ramen here!
6) Arcade
Main Planet – Lot 09 &10, Level 7, Fun Scape – Lot 63 & 63A, Level 4
There are quite a number of mini arcades there where you can engage with a claw machine, play virtual simulation games and your usual arcade games. I personally like to try my luck at playing the claw machines. Prices for tokens are quite reasonable starting at 10 Rm for 11 tokens. With the claw machines, I know that if you target the toys that are smaller, the chances of you getting them are way higher. And I’m proud to say that on one of my lucky days, I managed to catch 3 of them with just 11 tokens.
7) Shop till you drop at New Market
This shop sells almost everything you need at very affordable prices. You can find whatever you will need in a kitchen, bags, wallets, clothes, gadgets, toys, makeup, jewelry, ornamental pieces, household decorative items etc. You can spend an hour easily just shopping at this shop alone.
8) Get a Massage
Thai Odyssey – Lot 62, Level 3, Rest N Go – At various places
Pamper yourself to either a massage from a human or a chair!
9) Get your groceries Lot 29, Level G
The village Grocer is a relatively big supermarket where you can find almost everything. While prices are not exactly on the cheap side, it makes it up for quality and selection.
10) Shop at familiar shops
If you’re worried that you can’t find shops that you can find in Singapore. Don’t worry, they have plenty. A few notable ones are Harvey Norman, Typo, Watsons, Guardian, Nichii, Toys R Us, Popular, H&M, City Chain, Osim etc.
So here it is, the top 10 things to do in Paradigm Mall. You can easily spend a day here and can even revisit the mall without ever getting bored of it!
Walking into Chinatown Complex, you will be greeted with a wide selection of hawker food. If you were already having a hard time choosing what to eat, it will still be a difficult choice to make even when you narrow it down to that specific dish. Take “Steam Fish Head” for instance, one of Chinatown Complex’s reputable dishes. Not only are there a few stalls selling fish heads but most of them are almost side by side.
Out of all the steam fish head stalls, Seng Kee 119 Steam Fish Head seems to stand out only because of their claims of being the “pioneer stall that originated the steamed fish head in hot sauce”. They also have newspaper articles on their signboards. With all this publicity and hype, we decided to try it for ourselves.
For $15, this is what you get – a plate with lots of bean sauce, lots of lard and of course, a very meaty fish head. The sauce was heavenly. It was salty and not too spicy, thick with a gravy-like texture and it had a lot of beans. The fish did have a lot of bones but it shouldn’t be that difficult to eat if you are careful. The meat had a light and silky texture and there was a lot of meat considering it is the head of a fish. Lastly, we loved how much lard they gave. However, if you really like lard and want more lard, you can’t request it – why!!!!
Besides trying the fish head, we tried their oyster omelet as well. The omelet was crispy on the edges with a chewy center and the oysters tasted really fresh.
Our third dish was sambal kangkong with cuttlefish. The the sambal sauce was very delicious, it was a little on the sweet s
Our third dish was sambal kangkong with cuttlefish. The sambal sauce was very delicious, it was a little on the sweet side and it wasn’t too spicy. The cuttlefish pieces were given generously and they had a chewy texture which complimented the soft kangkong.
We came here for the fish head and it did live up to its reputation. What surprised us was that the other dishes were equally as delicious. The next time you are in Chinatown, make sure to try Seng Kee 119 Steam Fish Head!
I’ll be writing about how to get to Khao Yai National Park, getting around in the park, accommodation, food and activities to do there
ACCOMMODATION
There are two types of accommodations in the park. You can either camp in tents or book rooms or whole lodges.
You don’t have to book in advance if you want to camp in the park. You can either bring your own camping gears or rent it.
On the other hand, if you want amenities like a bathroom and bed, it would be advisable to book in advance as it can sometimes get crowded on the weekends or peak periods. However booking a place to stay in the park can be quite difficult especially if you live outside of Thailand. Here is the step by step guide to booking a room or lodge.
You will need to register for an account first. The website can be displayed in either Thai or English
2) Search for Khao Yai National park and input the days you want to stay. Be aware that the booking should not be done more than 60 days in advance and you can’t book for more than 3 nights in a row.
There are a total of 4 zones to choose from. Please refer to the map below for the location of the zones in the park.
You can book a place for 2,4,6 and even up to 36 people.
3) Select the lodging you want and proceed. The website is sometimes very strange and you may get a timed out connection even though you have selected it quickly. When you have managed to get through, they will give you 2 days to make payment. The easiest way is to do a bank transfer.
I found it impossible to input the comp code, ref 1 and ref 2 as the amount of space given for the description didn’t allow me. I suggest just including as many numbers as you can and make sure to take a screenshot.
4) I was a little worried about whether they would receive the money. Do send them the screenshots of the completed transitions through email and they would verify it.
5) Lastly, once they have verified that you have paid, you are supposed to return to the portal to print out something. But unfortunately, when I tried, I couldn’t find the booking anymore and I had to resort to printing out the emails to show that the booking was confirmed. Luckily, they accepted it.
The room
I booked a room for 2 in Zone 4 Thanarat Lodge. There was ample space for parking.
The room was simple with blankets and towels provided. The curtains were not working well and there was a dresser.
The toilet was spacious with a working water heater.
Unfortunately, when we came back to the room at night, there seemed to be a power trip and we lost all electricity to the room. The fan wasn’t working anymore and we couldn’t charge anything. Luckily, the temperature at night was about 24 degrees Celsius and it wasn’t too unbearable. All in all, the room would be able to provide all the basic necessities you would need if a power shortage does not happen.
GETTING IN
There are two entrances into the park, Pakchong entrance gate and Nern Hom entrance gate.
The entrance fee is 400 Baht per person. If you go out of the park, you may need to pay the entrance fee again, thus staying in the park for at least one night is advisable.
The park is pretty big and it is advisable to drive your own car or a motorcycle. If you do not have your own transport, hitchhiking is possible.
FOOD
Getting food in the park is easy. You can find canteens at the visitor centers and at other main attractions.
ACTIVITIES
Trail 6
Behind the map, there is a list of nature trails you can do. Trails 1-5 are listed in front and unfortunately I did not take a picture of the back. You can go to the visitor center for more information. We decided to do the hardest trail which is trail 6 starting from the visitor center to Haew Suwat Waterfall. The trail is 8km, should last about 5 hours(we took about 6 hours) and it requires a guide.
At the visitor center, you can get all the information you need on the trails, night safari (more about this later on), accommodation and where to buy leech socks!
We were required to purchase leech socks. The leech socks were worn over our socks and they were quite comfortable.
Our guide was assigned to us almost immediately and here was us just starting on the trail.
5 mins in and we have spotted a leech. I always thought that leeches were black but our guide told us the leeches in the park were all brown.
Our guide was very friendly and informative. He could speak a little bit of English and we could speak a little bit of Thai. He told us his name was Kai and that in Thai it meant chicken
We saw various types of fungi, big and small.
Kai was very helpful in spotting vegetation and animals we would otherwise not have spotted. Starting from the left, a hanging branch that has water inside, a wasp nest and a woodlouse.
We stopped to hear monkeys and birds. We wanted to spot elephants but the closest we got was just hearing them in the distance.
Sometimes the trail would be relatively flat and easy, other times it was really difficult. Not to mention, we were there during the rainy season and the ground was extremely muddy and slippery.
Holding on to the plants and using my trusty stick to navigate.
Crossing over streams.
Climbing over obstacles.
Steep and muddy terrain.
Along the way, we would stop at markers along route 6 to tell us how far we have already gone.
Towards the end of the trail, we’ve reached Pha Kluai Mai Waterfall, a smaller waterfall compared to Haew Suwat Waterfall. Nonetheless, it was very impressive.
After another 1km of trekking, we reached our destination, Haew Suwat Waterfall. If you find that trekking 8 km is too tough, you can just take about 10 mins to climb down the stairs.
While high rainfall in August made it harder to get through the forest, the waterfalls were at their fullest and it was an impressive sight.
Night Safari
We were really excited to go on the night safari tour. Even though it started to rain heavily, it didn’t dampen our spirits. The guide came ready with ponchos for us to wear. As the tour progressed, the rain got heavier and heavier and soon it was really cold as the winds were really strong and we couldn’t open our eyes. We really wanted to see the elephants but we only saw deer.
Even though we didn’t see much on the trip, it was an enjoyable experience!
VIEWPOINTS
View of Sai Sorn Reservoir.
Viewpoint near the Pakchong Entrance Gate.
ANIMALS
Deer are easily spotted everywhere in the park.
Monkeys on the road.
Again, we were hopeful to see wild elephants in the park after watching so many videos of elephants terrorizing cars.
We had a great time in Khao Yai National Park. Feel free to ask me anything regarding the park and I’ll do my best to answer your questions!
I always had a penchant for trying weird foods and on my wish list was Goong ten. Goong ten (กุ้งเต้น) is a Thai dish that literally translates to dancing shrimps.
Although Goong Ten is a street dish that is normally sold by hawkers, it proved to be very difficult to find in Bangkok! And interestingly enough, instead of finding it on the streets, I found it sold at a stall in Rod Fai Night Market Srinakarin.
It was interesting to find a group of youngsters selling Goong Ten together, I always had the idea that it would be sold by the older generations.
Look at all the shrimps swimming around. I felt a little bad at that time for the shrimps, they were going to be eaten alive – by me!
If I were a shrimp, I wouldn’t be very happy right now! I’m going to guess from this video what the recipe is and what the ingredients are but if you would like a proper recipe for Goong Ten, please search the internet.
Here it goes!
1) Scoop the shrimp out of the tank and place it into a mixing bowl.
2) Add lime
3) Add fish sauce
4) Add chilli flakes
5) Add peanuts
6) Add salt and pepper
7) Add cilantro, mint leaves and red onions
8) Mix well
Now for the taste test! Eating the shrimps was really hard at first, they kept jumping around and some actually jumped out of the bowl. I was really scared to eat them as I thought their hard shells would poke my mouth. I wanted to get through the first bite fast, so that involved chewing quickly and killing the prawns fast. Surprisingly, the prawns were very soft and easy to chew and they did not jump inside my mouth. The sauce was sour and spicy and eating the prawns with the cilantro and mint leaves was really refreshing. After the first bite, subsequent bites became really easy, the prawns were also losing their vigor and only the strongest were still alive. This was a unique experience and I would definitely try it again. I urge you to try it too!
If you are having a hard time searching for Goong Ten, head over to Rod Fai Night Market Srinakarin.
Walking towards Sri Subramaniar Temple, we were greeted by the impressive statue of Lord Murugan.
As we got closer, we realized how big the statue really is. Lord Murugan is the God of war and a popular Hindu deity among Tamil Hindus predominantly in areas with Tamil influences such as Sri Lanka, Malaysia and southern India.
It takes 272 steps to reach the temple. And while it’s not too many steps, it can be difficult to climb in the sweltering heat.
There are quite a few monkeys around the temple, take extra care of your belongings.
It is unique to see the temple constructed in a cave. When we were there, it seemed like they were doing upgrading or reconstruction work.
Beautiful view of the top from inside the cave.
The staircase to the right leads to the Batu Caves. We didn’t know that they conducted cave tours till we were there. We were very lucky to catch the last tour before the sun set.
Preserved bats and snakes were displayed.
While waiting for the tour to start, you could read about the animals who dwell in the cave and about the cave itself.
Everyone was required to wear helmets and we were each given a torchlight.
The guide was very engaging, she made sure to deliver the information in an interesting manner. While the cave was quite dark and totally pitch black at certain points, it was easy to walk as the route was mostly flat with wide steps. However, the ground can be slippery because of moisture, just be careful.
Towards the end of the tour, everyone would get an opportunity to take a picture at the most picturesque part of the cave where the light shines in.
Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. If you are in Kuala lumpur, don’t miss the chance to visit this iconic and unique cave.
Address: Gombak, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia
I love to explore abandoned places and when I planned a road trip from Singapore to Phuket, I found out about the desolated abandoned Hyatt Hotel.
I tried to search for information on this hotel on the internet but I couldn’t find anything concrete on why it was abandoned. Some claimed that the hotel was abandoned in the mid 2000s and perhaps a tsunami came. Others felt that perhaps the owners ran out of money and thus stopped building it.
The hotel was simply majestic. I would imagine that if it was completed, it would have looked great.
One of the hotel rooms with a Jacuzzi.
Back of the room with a bathtub.
Besides being accessible from the road, you can enter the hotel through Nai Yang beach.
The swimming pool.
We didn’t dare to venture out too far as the sun was setting and it was getting dark. Also, it was spooky as hell, even the slightest movement freaked me out.
If you’re an adventurer and have a taste for scary abandoned buildings which may have ghosts residing in them, visit this abandoned Hyatt hotel to get your fix!
It is not listed on google maps thus the closest location I can give you is the address of Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa at Nai Yang Beach which is right next to it.
Crazy but Alive 