While you could certainly come and go from Bangkok without spending a minute suspended above water, touring these waterways is a heck of a fun day and a fascinating glimpse into the capital as it once was.

Basically when it comes to touring the Chao Phraya (the main river through the city) or the canals of Bangkok, you have two options:

1. Khlong Boats (Long tail boats): The long narrow boats with the mini roofs that you see motoring about the city. They’re called “long tail” because of the long rudder that sticks off the back of the boat, the driver using it to steer.

They’re often called water taxis, and apparently there are some fixed routes that these boats do along the Chao Phraya. We however, did not see any fixed place that they stopped, or any information regarding where they went.

The only way that a tourist (different to locals) could ride these boats was to hire them privately, which is easy, almost anywhere along the river, or anywhere at all where one can be seen on a canal.

They are pricey for Bangkok – hiring them costing 1000 baht for an hour (as low as 500 Baht for shorter trips if you know a spot you want to visit). That said, it’s $30 USD to be privately chauffeured around on the water for 60 minutes, taken to anywhere, in any direction you want, and guided on the scenery you pass. Particularly given how much this privilege would cost you in actual Venice, it’s still a pretty good deal.

Note that it’s the only way to really see the canals of Bangkok too. There are many options for cruising the river, but the canals are much quieter, with far fewer transport options. Locals seem to be able to make their way around the canals easily (on the Klong boats), but for tourists it’s a different story. If you want to see the canals, hiring a Khlong boat is really the only way to go.

A final note on the canals: The experience is a unique one, allowing you to see parts and sides of Bangkok you couldn’t otherwise see. Some people however, are off put by the canals as they can get a little smelly, and the water a bit… “yuck”. You’ll make your way through shanty style homes perched above the water and you’ll probably see dead things floating along the way. I don’t say this to dissuade you – since my personal view is that to skip the ride because of this would be to miss out on something special – but I did feel it worth making clear that the trip isn’t for everyone.

2. Various River Ferries: If you’re sticking to the river, there are multiple ferry options to assist you.

Note first, that as a tourist, when you ask to go on the ferry, someone will probably try to sell on you on a Khlong boat. That’s what happened to us anyway. As long as you know that there are Khlong boats AND ferries (that are much cheaper), you’ll be able to avoid that one.

Touring the river alone (no canals) is an adventure of it’s own. On your trip you’ll pass multiple temples, statues, iconic buildings, cute waterfront restaurants and more. We were lucky enough to be out on a river boat at sunset, and watched the sun reflecting off the golden roofs of the Wat Po temple. A beautiful Bangkok afternoon if ever there was one.

Anyhow, when it comes to ferries, your key is really just to find a little port terminal thing on the river, as from there you shouldn’t find it difficult to get to where you want to go.

On our relatively short voyage down the river we ended up on at least 4 different ferries – the system being multi tiered and rather complex yet effective.

- There’s a public ferry, which is 20 Baht (give or take 10 Baht), doesn’t have any signage and just pulls up at the terminals where it sees people waiting. You pay for that one when you get on – no tickets to buy before hand. This one you just ask to get off at whichever stop you like. As long as you get it going in the direction you want to go (up or down the river) you should be fine.

- There’s one called “Tourist Boat” that has ticket stands along the river. Ironically, this one is still cheap – 50 Baht one way – and is ridden by locals and tourists alike. This boat serves most terminals that you can see marked on Google maps as ferry stations (the little blue and white icons).

- There are smaller ferry boats that don’t seem to have names, that just do the 3-4 minute voyages back and forth across the river (as opposed to the long voyage up and down it). These are for stopping off at temples or other sights that happen to be on the opposite side of the river to where you end up. These ferries have little ticket booths that are on the piers, usually with a little old lady sitting in front of piles of coins and ticket stubs, controlling the little gate allowing people back and forth. These ones only cost 8-10 Baht but you’ll probably end up on one of them while on the river too.

- Then there are other commuter type ferries, a little faster, that only serve the bigger main piers that you’ll see marked on Google maps. These are the ones locals use. You’ll easily find ticket stands for these ones – also about 20 baht a ticket. The only thing you need to watch out for is your stop. They move quickly from one to the next and if you’re not there waiting at the boat’s exit when your stop comes along, you’ll be off down the river before you know where you are. These aren’t like the slow friendly tourist boats. There is no tourist mercy!

That’s mostly all you’ll need to know to have an enjoyable experience cruising the waterways of Bangkok. If you find out anything else interesting along the way, don’t be afraid to come back here and post your experience in the comments.

Best of luck!

Many visits later (I’ve already redeemed my free coffee via the stamp card if you must know ) and we are still completely and utterly in love with this little coffee haven in the middle of Putney in SW London.

Here’s what you can expect from a visit to Artisan Coffee…

As you approach Artisan from the sidewalk you’ll spot a sign that sums up everything for the coffee lover in us all (picture on the left). Yep. You’re tempted already aren’t you!

Next up you’ll open the door and be hit with the most enticing aroma of fresher than fresh coffee beans – a smell never matched by your average chain cafe *cough Starbucks* that you find on every corner.

My sister came with us recently and said the scent immediately transported her back to the boutique cafes of inner-city Auckland which is funny because the shop is run by Kiwis which you’ll spot from a mile away because of 1) the accent 2) the beyond-friendly greeting you’ll experience at the counter and 3) the selection of ridiculously tempting homemade cakes that remind you of family get-togethers back in the land of the long white cloud.

The Artisan Coffee people say the following about the story behind their drool-worthy drinks: “We source our freshly roasted beans from Allpress Espresso, a specialist London based roaster and offer their signature blend of Brazil, Sumatran, Columbian and Guatemalan origins, roasted in the classic Milanese style”. I’m not big on “blends” and “roasting style” but whatever it means it is WORKING and in a big way.

You can pick up a large cappuccino for around £2.50 (huge by normal cafe standards) and they bring it right to your table along with any of the delectable treats you may have selected.

Speaking of which, your seating options are stools at the corner bar, a huge wooden plank-style table with bench seating for larger groups or sweet mini tables paired with seats covered in the leftover coffee bean bag fabric.

The crowd is a heart-warming mix of what Andrew and I like to call “the SW mummy crowd”, corporates meeting with colleagues/clients, hipsters on their iphones with sketchpad in tow and then… well, us… an admittedly nerdy couple searching for a great cup of coffee, a decent vibe and somewhere with a bit of heart in a city of Starbucks and Costa chains.

We have definitely found that in Artisan.

Our personal favorites from their menu include:
- The beyond delish Cappuccino  (Andrew is not even a huge cappuccino drinker but he LOVES it too)
- The heart breakingly rich and moist raspberry and white chocolate brownie
- Any of their fresh deli-style sandwiches but in particular  the brie/proscuitto/pesto combo
- The HUGE portion of tiered carrot cake goodness

Basically, you cannot go wrong with Artisan. Go there, drink there, eat there and leave with a smile like we have every single time.

PS: Excuse the less-than-awesome photos today, I only had my phone with me for photo opps.

You’ll find them on Upper Richmond Road about a 10 min walk from the East Putney Underground station and a 5 minute walk from the Putney Overland Station.

For more info on Artisan Coffee please check out their website http://www.artisancoffee.co.uk/ or their new Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/artisancoffeeshop

Then we got to Koh Samui and it all got flipped on it’s head. In short, taxis follow no rules here. And tourists are captive to their practices on this small island paradise.

Before we discuss the various taxi scams on Samui and how to avoid them, I need to include this disclaimer:

Even when you get ripped off, you’re not paying THAT much. At their worst, taxis on Samui are cheaper than most places in the world, and the tendency to get caught up in “getting the right price” can quickly turn your holiday into a vacation of frustration. So do the following, but be prepared to win some and lose some and keep smiling no matter the outcome

Ok so first:

Metered Cabs on Samui: They don’t exist. Even the red and yellow cabs that are the most “legit” seem to have places for meters that are conspicuously empty. So what’s the system for fares?

The Rough Price Chart: While it’s greatly open to interpretation, the first cab we ever got into on Samui flashed us a fixed price chart for the cost of going to and from any point on the island. It’s hard to haggle with a fixed price chart but fortunately the fixed prices aren’t completely exaggerated and are what most drivers seem to – with varying degrees of “roughness” – base their quotes on. Note however:

Price + X00%: Cabs on Samui are triple as expensive as cabs on the mainland. In Bangkok we didn’t pay more than 160 baht for a cab fee ever (and that was for a 45 minute drive without much traffic) whereas on Samui, we found ourselves unable to get almost anywhere for even 200 Baht. Most fares were 300 or 400 depending on how hard we wanted to haggle. Just a note to make you prepared for that.

Haggle Your Best: Because there are only loose rules at best, the price you get for any given ride is down to how aggressive you want to be, how many times you are prepared to be turned down, and how your opponent (the driver) is feeling on the night. In general, it’s almost always better to flag down a cab driver who’s already in their car, than to be drawn in by some dude on the street imploring you to take his friend’s taxi. When the driver is in their car, usually holding up traffic, and you’re about to get in and pay the decided fee, it can help push the balance of power in your favor.

Further, when you’re haggling, having reasons always helps. Them saying 400 and you replying “No, 200!” can only get you so far, whereas adding “We made this trip earlier today and it cost 200″ holds much more weight.

The “Per Person” Scam: Most taxi drivers before giving you a quote, will ask “How many people?” followed by an implication that – despite all fitting into one car for the same trip – your fee should be X baht per person. This trick is so common that it’s hard to avoid, but try to resist it where you can, and settle on a flat fee based on the distance, not the number of people. If you want to be super sly when you have a bigger party, you can have one person approach the driver and make the deal and only afterwards have your friends reveal themselves when the price is already agreed.

Alternatives to Red/Yellow Cabs: Samui is like the rest of Thailand in that there are a huge number of transport options available. If you’re ever traveling with 3 or more people, it’s cheaper to get in one of the “tuk tuk” things that are (different to the mainland) just a ute with a seating area for about 10 people in the back. For these vehicles, they’ll start out at suggesting you pay 100 baht per person for most locations but the norm is 50 baht per person. Those drivers are more informal and so are harder negotiators so you’ll have to do your best on that one.

Additionally, you’ll run into all kinds of other forms of transport on the island. More than a couple of times we found ourselves sitting in the back of some random lady’s SUV. And again, the less formal the transport seems, the more open the price is to negotiation.

Prices in general: Finally, because there are only a handful of routes you’ll possibly be taking in a cab, we can discuss average prices. There aren’t many places you can be going to/from that should cost more than 400 Baht, but the range in general is 200 to 500 Baht.

That’s about all you’ll need to know to save the most money on your trip and have the best experiences with transportation. Again save where you can, laugh it off where you can’t, and enjoy the trip!

Oh and if you’ve been to Samui and know any tips/tricks I missed, don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments!

We started out at Chaweng, the most popular area on the east side of the island. And while we found it perfectly picturesque, and filled with activity, it wasn’t until we reached Maenam that we realized how much variation there really is from spot to spot and how worthwhile it is to make sure you explore the whole island of Samui during your stay.

Maenam beach is on the North side of the island, and about a 25 minute cab/minibus/tuk tuk/scooter ride from Chaweng. It usually cost us 300 Baht in a taxi one way just so you know.

Upon arriving there we instantly found Maenam beach cleaner than Chaweng, far less crowded, the surf to be gentler (no waves really – better for swimming unless… you’re a surfer), and the scenery… maybe even a little cooler with it’s full view of Koh Phangan island in the distance. (Maenam is also one of the common ferry ports you’ll use for transport to Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao with Lomprayah ferries)

The beach has a handful of little bars/cafes and restaurants that were cheaper than the ones on other beaches (owing to it being less popular) too. We were right near a little bar on the sand where you could drink a 90 Baht ($2.70 ish) cocktail while lying in a hammock (highly recommended), and there were more options in whichever direction you walked. We also found a great little spot for dinner on the waterfront (who’s name escapes me) where we paid half as much as we had at anywhere else on the island. (More comprehensive list of dining options for Maenam beach here.

Every time we came back to Chaweng from Maenam we found ourselves telling people about it. You can check out a bunch of our pictures below but you’ll soon realize that they don’t do it justice. If you get a chance while you’re on Samui, go hang out up there for the day. You won’t regret it.

We researched a lot to find the perfect spot for everyone to stay for the wedding week and had the following conditions:

1) Needed to be close to the “fun stuff” i.e. beach, restaurant, shops.

2) Despite #1 it still needed to give off an island-ey vibe for the all-important relaxed feel one would expect when holidaying in Thailand.

3) It needed to suit all budgets (especially the smaller ones) as everyone had already trekked so far.

We settled on Chaweng Cove Resotel after much bride-related angst (and hours of Google searching). The price was great, the location couldn’t be more central and the reviews seemed to be 90-95% positive across most of the travel sites. While I knew it would be fine, my hopes weren’t overly high and the pressure of 50 guests liking the resort definitely weighed on my shoulders.

Come Feb 19th as we all checked in though my worries vanished. The staff handled the mania of our two families (post 5am flight and 2.5 hour journey) checking in with ease and huge smiles and we all were led to our rooms.

Here are some of the things we thought would be most helpful to know:

- The resort is right on the beach and yet still right on the main Chaweng road… The ability to float the day away in the ocean or get a massage on the beach and still having 30+ restaurants  and all the shops you could want within 5 mins walk proved to be a hit with the whole group.

- The buffet breakfast was extensive and FREE daily… Breakfast was served 7am-10am daily and included cereal, pastries, fresh fruit, fresh salads, curries, rice, hot dogs, bacon, potatoes and then an “egg station” where you could have an omelette/scrambled or fried eggs made up for you on the spot.

- The staff were amazingly friendly and eager to help. Everybody commented on how friendly each of the staff in the resort were with them during the stay and they went the extra mile with us several times including helping us arrange for a bus to take all 50 of our wedding guests to the wedding at 10pm the night before (whoops).

- There were enough room types that everyone got to pick what they were willing to spend and what sort of stay they wanted. Part of the reason we selected Chaweng Cove after all my Googling was because there were 7 different room types (starting from $65/night) so everyone could find something that suited their budget. We had guests in the hotel rooms (spacious, clean and perfectly fine for the price as long as you don’t mind stairs), garden bungalows (lovely furnishings, private deck/balcony, close to pool/restaurant, and quiet – albeit slightly dark) and the beachfront pool villas (spacious, beachfront view, private plunge pool – although not sure I’d pay $200/night for it personally) and everyone was 100% happy with their selection.

- Wifi isn’t free and while it wasn’t really expensive it was a slight nuisance to have to duck up and purchase the cards every time you needed them (major first world problem, please don’t gag). The internet speed was great and you had the option of using the modern computers in the “internet room” near the lobby or your own computer in the room with wifi.  I didn’t record all the pricing but I remember the 3 hour card being about 350 baht and it doesn’t have to be used all in one go – just remember to log off!

- The restaurant food was actually really delicious, I had several great experiences even through my bride diet and the prices weren’t bad either with most dishes ranging from 100-350 baht). Also, the room service was fast and matched the restaurant quality – which is often not the case.

- The resort pool was slightly smaller than what the photos on the website indicated but especially for the kids it was perfect. My 3 y.o nephew had an absolute ball jumping in and out of the kiddies’ pool and his parents felt comfortable supervising from the sidelines which was a welcome break. There were plenty of toys on hand too – possibly from families who had left them behind – so there was no shortage of entertainment.

Overall the feeling was overwhelmingly positive for all 50 of our guests. Everyone loved the relaxed vibe of the hotel, the beautiful view and proximity to the beach plus the closeness to all the fun restaurants/shops that Chaweng has to offer.

And most importantly, everyone had great experiences with the friendly staff who had their hands full with our bunch. My Mum may have even dropped into the lobby before checkout to show off wedding photos “because they asked” although I’m still doubting the legitimacy of that story Thank you to the front desk for humoring my very proud mother-of-the-bride AND for our towel swans we found the next morning.

We’re really happy to recommend Chaweng Cove to anyone looking for a fun stay, close to the action of Chaweng and for a very wallet-friendly price. Thanks to all the staff there for helping create an amazing week of memories for us!

Due to the extremely hectic wedding week schedule we had I took abysmally few photos but below is a snapshot of the beach in front of the resort via my phone. You’ll see why we were plenty ok about staying there