It was a wise move. Q UP, as it’s known, was an instant hit that gave those not interested in throwing shapes on Q Bar’s often heaving dancefloor space to mingle. For many of the faithful, its spacious open-air smoking terrace – not the dancefloor – became the place to see and be seen.

Wisely, then, given the success of Q Bar’s earlier reboot, Bruno Tanquerel is once again on design duties for their twelfth year renovations: a more radical, top-to-bottom overhaul that, as well as bathing the place in vivid neon colours, expands on the lounge space considerably while also rejigging the dancefloor.

If we had to pick one word in design industry parlance to sum it all up, it would be ‘maximalist’. The first thing you notice is the new entrance: now a lounge area of its very own, complete with desert-tent feel, zebra-pattern markings on the floors, leopard print stools, a python skin bar, and chic, teepee tent-style sofa seating lining the sides. Aptly given the tribal feel, they’re calling it Q Zoo.

The second: that inside the DJ is now at the centre of things, dancefloor-wise. Whereas before the DJ booth was tucked away, somewhat awkwardly, to the left of the entrance, now it’s where the bar used to be, right in front of you when you walk in. An alcove area with padded seating, glam King Louis XIV-style furniture, and discreet neon lighting complete the look. The space isn’t bigger, per se, but it feels it.

Heading upstairs, Q UP has been given a similar look (we especially like the manga wall murals), but the big change is the addition of another, more intimate outdoor lounge area at the other end. Here, banquette booths on both sides flank a small, stylish central bar. If you’re looking for a moment of relative solitude or a quiet corner to whisper sweet nothings, this is now the spot to find it. Max Crosbie-Jones
คิว บาร์ สุขุมวิท ซ.11

WHERE Q Bar | 34 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | BTS Nana | 02-252-3274 | www.qbarbangkok.com | 8 pm – 1 am

The top floor venue’s dining room and widescreen panorama over Lumpini Park still impress, but Ham’s food is what really captured our eye. And thankfully, looks aren’t deceiving; Ham has the flavours to match his chic plating. On our visit we were offered two choices – an à la carte menu or a seven course set menu (B 3,100++) – both comprised entirely of his subtly nuanced creations: dishes such as duck liver ravioli served swimming in a heavily aerated and delicate white truffle foam; and grilled US scallops with a parsnip mousseline and smoked breast chips.

Another standout was his roasted lamb loin with eggplant gnocci dumplings. The small tender slices arrived stacked like falling dominos, surrounded by artfully drizzled gravy, and were absolutely on the money. Dessert – a piping hot chocolate moelleux (a Valrhona chocolate fondant served with salted butter caramel sauce and chocolate ice cream) – was the perfect denouement to his masterful manhandling of classical French cooking. Wines are a good match here – mainly old world – and the service, overseen by the amiable restaurant manager Thomas Deledalle, first-class: ever-so attentive, but never obtrusively so.

Ham began his career at the three-Michelin-Star ‘Au Crocodile’ in Strasbourg back in 1992, and worked his way up to become the head chef of Hong Kong’s ‘L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon’. This is a chef so busy perfecting his art that he rarely has time to check out the competition. Judging by our visit – one of the most excitingmeals we’ve had in months – his dedication has paid off. Max Crosbie-Jones
รร.ดุสิตธานี กรุงเทพฯ ถ.พระราม 4

WHERE D’Sens
Dusit Thani Bangkok , 946 Rama IV Rd | BTS Sala Daeng / MRT Silom | 02-200-9000 ext 2499 |
www.dusit.com | Mon – Fri 11:30 am – 2:30pm; Mon – Sat 6 pm – 10 pm

Indeed, Roberto Ferin is not one of those winebar owners who only shows up to host his friends or fire somebody. He ushers guests in to his cosy, mock gothic wine cellar on Penny’s Balcony with an ease that soon has you chatting like old friends, and knows his stock so well he can flog an indecisive punter a bottle in seconds (we’ve seen it happen).

Speaking of stock, there’s a formidable range of old and new world labels here, including some by the glass (B150 – 250) – decent ones, like Villa Solais’ full-bodied and straw-hued Vermentino from Sardinia. Because Italians don’t drink good wine without good food, Roberto, a talented chef who’s managed many of the city’s top Italians, including La Villa and L’Opera Riserva, gives equal attention to the nibbles, serving free plates of tapas and antipasti, as well as imported cheese platters (B 260 for 4 types, B 490 for 8), à la carte mains and daily blackboard specials.

Highlights include his spinach ravioli in a creamy truffle mushroom sauce, and a lovely bollito (tender boiled beef leg) with salsa verde, imported artichoke and parma ham. Desserts are equally rich and indulgent, particularly the semifreddo, a semi-frozen tiramisu-like blend of amaretto, mascarpone, and raisins.

Seating is inside, at tall stools with wooden wine barrel tables, or outside on Penny’s Balcony terrace, with its retractable, monsoon- proof awning (ask for a demo – Roberto’s very proud of it).
There’s also a cosy private room for more formal sitdown dinners, including his occassional Chef ’s table parties (call for details).

Yes, it’s a minnow compared to those huge, boorish wine bistros that are currently all the rage here, but when it comes to personality, service, expertise and keeping your customers happy, diVino could teach the big boys a thing or two. We’ll drink to that. Max Crosbie-Jones
ดิ วีโน เพนนีส์ บัลโคนี ทองหล่อ ซ.16

WHERE DiVino, Penny’s Balcony |  Thonglor Soi 16, Sukhumvit Soi 55 | BTS Thong Lo | 02-7148723  | www.divinobkk.com
OPEN 11:30am-2pm Mon Fri; daily 5pm-1am

The interior of Charley Brown’s Mexicana is about as bright as its mouth watering dishes. A sizzling hot plate of yellow, green and red bell peppers combined with the irresistible fragrance of sliced onions and chicken and served with warm home-made tortillas makes Charley Brown’s fajitas one of the best in town. It’s impossible not to order one for yourself when that plate of awesomeness passes through the room – the hissing of the hot plate and rising cloud of fajita smoke is enough to make heads turn and get your stomach growling.

Comfortable sofas and booths have replaced the rickety wooden benches, creating an excellent casual dining experience where you can really sink in and enjoy your meal. It’s a great place for a fun first date as long as you don’t choke on the home made hot sauce that you’ll be tempted to drizzle all over your enchiladas and tacos. There are three levels of hotness for you to choose from: ‘Yucaton Habanero’ is for those who just want a little extra something, ‘Veracruz Jalapeno’ for those who can take the heat, and ‘Chihuahua Chipotle’ for real thrill seekers who are not afraid to shed a few tears.

If you’re dining here, then you can’t leave without sampling their freshly made Margarita, with its power to instantly catapult you into party mode before you make for nearby happening Soi 11 night spots. Be sure to take advantage of our favorite promotion: Margarita
Madness Tuesdays which starts from 5pm onwards, giving diners a killer half price deal on the sinfully sweet drinks. We loved the passion fruit Margarita filled with bits of freshly crushed passion fruit seeds that are good for your health.

Other special promotions provide diners with something to look forward to every evening. On Sundays, the ‘Cheap Charley Brown’s’ deal offers B70 beers and spirits or wine at only B100 a glass. ‘Street Food and Nibbles’ on Wednesdays is the best time to try Charlie Brown’s light bites and appetizers which are buy three, pay for two. We recommend the Gambasy Ajo (prawns sauteed in garlic and jalapeño), the Albondigas (beef and pork meatballs served with homemade barbecue sauce), and the Chili Rellenos (roasted spicy jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese and topped with crispy bacon). Yvonne Liang
ชาร์ลี บราวน์ส เม็กซิกาน่า สุขุมวิท ซ.11

WHERE Charley Brown’s Mexicana
Sukhumvit Soi 11 | BTS Nana| 02-651-2215 | www.charleybrowns.asia | Tue – Sun 11.30 am – midnight; Mon 5 pm – midnight

Subscription forms should be scanned and emailed, or, alternatively, faxed to:

Pradchya ‘Ton’ Kanmanee
Distribution Coordinator
Tel: +66-(0)2-252-3900 ext.114
Fax: +66-(0)2-650-4557
Email: distribution@talisman-media.com

Small print:
- Limited to one gift certificate per visit.
- Non-redeemable for cash & not applicable with other promotions or vouchers.
- this gift certificate can be used at Sukhumvit Soi 12 branch and Ei8ht Thonglor building branches only.
- the certificate is valid until March 31^st 2012

Offering up some of the best tapas deals in town, it’s a swank, lofty space where you can sit back and nibble on delicious California-Asian cuisine such as salmon bites with spicy dip, lamb meatballs ‘Napoli’ style, marinated “Bilbao” baby octopus, and mozzarella cheese balls. For something a little more filling, we recommend the Pizza Di Mediterranean (tomato tart). In a playful twist, it comes on puff pastry instead of the usual pizza dough.

In line with its Californian cuisine, the interior and exterior of Leapfrog was designed by San Franciscan designer Kevin Christison. Throughout the bar and restaurant you’ll find playful reptilian details, from cute and practical metal frog purse hangers to a giant dinasour egg light fixture inside the restaurant. Just outside the restrooms a princely frog complete with a jeweled crown tempts female visitors to give it a kiss. Diners who book the space for private events can also take a dip in the outdoor whirlpool – the surrounding tables and chairs are splash-friendly.

One other attractive feature: to lure in the female contingent, the management have laid of one of the best ladies’ drinks deals we’ve encountered in months. See p.73 for details. Yvonne Liang
รร.รามาดา อังคอร์ สุขุมวิท ซ.10

WHERE LEAPFROG 7th F, Ramada Encore Bangkok, 21 Sukhumvit Soi 10 | BTS Nana | 02-615-0999 | www.ramadaencorebangkok.com

Before you’ve even glanced at the menu, Issaya – a colourful new Thai restaurant in the stately 1920s house that was formerly French restaurant Le Café Siam – has won you over.

Being touted as a lounge bar as well as a restaurant, it’s a three-way tie-up between Chiang Mai based interior designer Hans Bogetoft Christensen, DJ manager Frederic Meyer (who supplies the sounds), and Thai cookbook writer and celebrity chef, Ian Kittichai. Surprisingly, given that he has several Thai restaurants oversees, this is the first he’s opened here in his homeland, something he’d always put off until he found the right location.

And what a location: as well as the aforementioned, there’s an upstairs where old prints and photos hang beside armchairs and antiquities, pre and post-prandial cocktails are served, and a private room is open for reservations. They even found space for an organic herb garden out back.

Even if this setting were accompanied by the most by-numbers Thai food imaginable, we still think we’d recommend Issaya to visitors, but Ian’s contemporary food is so intriguing that we can see it appealing to well-heeled local foodies too. After reading through the menu divided by appetisers, entrees, homegrown/organic vegetarian, and market dishes (somewhat confusingly so in our opinion), we opted to open with two yum, Thai salads, for appetizers.

Both were good: the first a mound of seafood doused with lemongrass and a pepper-coconut dressing; the second, yum hua plee, a tower of banana blossom and heart of palm salad, crispy shallots, and roasted peanuts surrounded by painterly drizzles of chili jam dressing.

Of our mains, the tray of wok-seared scallops served in their shells alongside a bowl of moo wan (sweet pork), and the charcoal grilled Sanklaburi chicken, marinated with “Issaya” spices and flambéed with cured Thai whiskey yaa dong, were the two highlights. Instead of the usual white rice, we shared a big bowl of delicious wok-sauteed Asian multigrains with Chiang Mai mushrooms and garlic and sprinkled with mushroom-scented oil. Lunchtimes feature a more straightforward menu made up of Ian’s childhood favourites (Ian spent his formative years pushing a food cart through the streets of Bangkok).

If the savoury dishes exhibit Ian’s shtick – the pairing of traditional ingredients with progressive methods – the desserts are where it really comes to the fore. For our dining party, none of us hardcore sweet tooths, all three of them (especially the kanom dok mali, a Jasmine flower panna cotta served with jasmine rice ice cream and jasmine rice tuile) were downright spectacular. There was even talk of coming here just for the sweet finish, something we were assured is allowed.

Overall, Issaya deserves a place right at the top of your pricey restaurant to-do list, especially right now, as for the time being Ian is here each night, flitting calmly between the kitchens and the tables. Such is its broad appeal that it’s sure to be one of this year’s hottest openings, and should have no problem overcoming its tough location (printing out the map on the website is a must). Max Crosbie-Jones
อิษยา สยามมิส คลับ ถ.เชื้อเพลิง

WHERE Issaya Siamese Club
4 Soi Sri Aksorn, Chua Ploeng Rd, Sathorn |02-672-9040 | www.issaya.com | 11:30am-2:30pm and 6pm-1am (kitchen closes 10:30pm), bar until 2am

On the ground floor of this gentrified 1960s townhouse there’s a posh, six-table dining room with bar, but we were more drawn to the outdoor area, with its range of garden seating and comfy limegreen sofas, candlelight, soft lamps and herb garden flanked by a row of smart blue daybeds.

Cliché inter and Thai food usually features at these sorts of low-key townhouse setups, but here it’s classic French all the way, albeit with the odd fusion-y flourish (think foie gros with pomelo and hoisin sauce). The slim menu offers six starters and fifteen mains (six fish, four meat, five poultry) and there’s a specials menu that changes weekly. Everything’s made with imported proteins and local veg and herbs, plated with modern flair, and to back things up there’s a small selection of Australian and Californian wines and an even smaller cocktail list.

We enjoyed all our choices, but were a bit taken aback at some of the price tags. Our opener, a tasty enough black risotto stuffed calamari, came on a bed of ratatouille and spinach (B280), on an odd-shaped plate with a pipsqueak of garnish. Another starter, the Scottish salmon tartare (B340) had a cool, tart, interesting flavour that was overpowered slightly by the mustard.

Our mains were simple, hearty, comforting dishes, like lamb rack on a bed of spinach and potato puree (B790), and tenderloin truffle risotto (B470). The latter was the star of the night – the tender grass fed beef cooked to perfection, the sumptuous truffle risotto likewise – followed closely by two desserts: an oozing dark chocolate fondant (B190), and a plain cheesecake brought to life with passionfruit and strawberry (B180).

Is such rich food the perfect fit for such a chill setting? We’re not entirely convinced (the tapas they have planned is a good idea), but this is still a worthy addition to the area. However, as our Tuesday night visit proved, it could be a tough slog for Surface– while the nearest competition, Audrey Café, was heaving with the hi-so set, it was deserted. There’s talent here, but some word of mouth is needed if it’s to find its niche. Max Crosbie-Jones
เซอร์เฟส สุขุมวิท ซ.53

WHERE Surface 107 Soi Renu, Sukhumvit 53 (enter through Samitivej Parking lot Thong Lor Soi 11) | 02-258-2858 | 11:30 am – 2 pm; 6 pm – 11:30 pm

Most visitors start off their journey to KL with a trip to Merdeka Square, the site of Malaysia’s celebration of independence in 1957, where one of the world’s largest flagpoles marks the spot of freedom from British rule. This area is full of historical buildings and period architecture, such as the Mogul style Sultan Abdul Samad Building, now home to the Ministry of Arts and Culture and one of KL’s major landmarks. There is also the Tudor style Royal Selangor Club, and the old Railway Heritage Building that is now the National Textile Museum.

All of these sights, along with the stylish Masjid Jamek, lie at the confluence of the Klang and Gambok rivers, an extremely picturesque spot with large trees and green space along the river banks fronting majestic colonial homes and buildings considered to be the true heart of the city.

To take a break from the heat of the day in this neighbourhood, and experience a bit of Kuala Lumpur from its past, wander into Sing Seng Nam, a traditional coffee house from the early 1900’s, where British businessmen and lawyers convened amongst the marble table tops and wood shuttered windows to talk business. These days, Malay lawyers from the nearby courts continue the tradition, sipping the restaurant’s strong and sweet kopi peng (iced coffee) while digging in to some of the best Hainanese chicken rice in town. Lunch hour sees Sing Seng Nam at its most vibrant, and most of its food is gone by 2 pm.

For something completely unique, pay a visit to the headquarters of Malaysia Airlines, where you can have the experience of a lifetime. At MH’s pilot training academy, members of the public can now have a go on the company’s Flight Simulator Experience, something that until recently was only reserved for trainee pilots. While the cost isn’t cheap, the inside of the simulators are identical to a cockpit, with all of the appropriate buttons, levers, and display units, and a series of computer commands allows one to take off or land in any kind of weather conditions at any commercial airport in the world.

Getting back to the tourist trail, of course no visit to Kuala Lumpur is complete without a sojourn to the Petronas Towers. The famed 88 story dual towers, one of the world’s tallest structures, rise 452 metres above the ground, are connected by a Skybridge on the 41st floor, and are KL’s most recognised landmark, visible from anywhere in the city and its surroundings.

Designed by the architect Caesar Pelli, the towers are based on simple Islamic geometric forms and are supposed to reflect the Islamic principles of unity, harmony, stability, and rationality. The towers rise above the huge Suria KLCC shopping mall complex, and a visit to the Skybridge or the 86th floor Observation Deck requires tickets, which are available on a first come first serve basis from the ticket counter in the Concourse level.

If one thinks the only bird’s eye view of the city comes from Petronas Towers or the nearby space needle-like KL Tower, there is another off the beaten track option to consider. Well known to locals, but not on most tourists’ agendas, the aptly named Lookout Point offers some outdoor dining options with great vistas of the metropolis and surroundings.

Actually located in in Ampang city some 15 km from KL, the Lookout Point sits up on top of Bukit Belacan Hill, which is 280 metres high and has some unparalleled views of the entire metropolitan skyline.

Several restaurants, including Gasoline Cafe, The Haven, LOP Western Food, and Panorama offer a variety of different cuisines and al fresco settings from which to take in the vistas. Weekends get pretty crowded, and the best time to go is right after a big rain, when the haze that covers the city is washed away.

Besides gazing at the brightly lit city landmarks or wandering around the bustling Bukit Bintang club and pub area, there is a quirky alternative to KL’s standard nighttime activities. In the Shah Alam district of Selangor, you can gaze at one truly weird exhibit: thousands of colored LED lights scattered throughout the fake trees and sculptures that are part of this futuristic park. It may sound schmaltzy, but it’s actually pretty spectacular.

Back downtown, if you are looking for something a little more serious and artistic to contemplate, the Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia is well worth a stopover. Housed amidst the leafy Lake Gardens, the four-storey museum is Southeast Asia’s largest Islamic arts gallery, and is filled with over 7,000 artifacts, including a fascinating display of colourful Korans and other Islamic books from various periods.

Most visitors tend to be enthralled by the model room, which features full-scale model replicas of all of the major Islamic mosques and holy sites in the world, including a large model of the impressive Majid al-Haram in Mecca. At the other end of the spectrum, the jewelry hall holds some of the world’s tiniest jewel pieces, plus other rare items such as Turkmeni headdresses or gold Iranian anklets.

Still feeling at a loss for things to do? Then better start planning your trip around the Formula One Grand Prix Series, which this year takes place between March 23rd and 25th. Needless to say, accommodation, transportation, and all else will be in high demand, and you most certainly won’t have the place to yourself.

TRANSPORT
Malaysia Airlines, the top carrier in the region, flies to KL from Bangkok four times a day: 11:05 am, 2:15 pm, 5:10 pm and 7:55 pm. www.malaysiaairlines.com

STAY
Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur
2 Jalan Stesen Sentral | Sentral district | Kuala Lumpur 50470 | +60 (0)3-2263-7888 | www.lemeridienkualalumpur.com

Located just 28 minutes from KL’s international air terminal, Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur offers 5 star comfort and class. Set in the heart of the KL Sentral district, the hotel has won awards for its buffet dining and is home to the city’s signature steakhouse, Prime, along with the newly opened Favola Italian restaurant. The elegant rooms and suites overlook the city skyline and nearby Lake Gardens, and feature such elegances as goose down duvets and duck feather pillows to make one’s stay all the more cozy.

EAT
Lookout Point
Several restaurants set at 280 metres above sea level overlooking all of KL. About a 30 minute drive from downtown.
Jalan Hulu Langat (B62), Ampang | Kuala Lumpur | www.lookoutpoint.com.my

Sing Seng Nam
2 Medan Pasar | 50050 Kuala Lumpur | +60-(0)3-20785359

DO
Malaysia Airlines Flight Simulator Experience
Simulator Building Complex A-AA0202, Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport | 47200 Subang Jaya | 9 am – 5 pm on – Fri | 500 RM (5000 baht) for a 20 minute experience Sat, Sun & holiday 1500 RM for a minimum 60 minute simulation.
www.malaysiaairlines.com/hq/en/commercial-services/mh-flightsimulator-experience

Petronas Towers
Tue – Sun 8am – 7pm | Fri closed for prayer from 1 – 2:30pm | Tickets range from 10 RM for a basic Skybridge visit to 350 RM for a dinner package at the Petroleum Club.
www.petronastwintowers.com.my

I City Shah Alam
Jalan Multimedia 7/A, CityPark, i-City, Shah Alam, Selangor | www.i-city.my

Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia
Jalan Lembah Perdana, Colonial District | 50480 Kuala Lumpur | +60 (3)-2274-2020 | www.iamm.org.my | 10am – 6pm

And classic temples weren’t the only relics damaged by the millions of cubic metres of wayward water. Murals and treasured books, the latter stored at Ayudhya’s Maha Chulalongkorn University, also suffered from flood damage (the Bangkok Post recently reported on how a group of German book preservation experts have been flown into to help salvage and restore the precious tomes).

Our recent visit to size up the damage appeared to show that the prompt clean-up has paid off. The temples were thronged with merit-makers, the ruins as atmospheric as ever. However, as Khun Leena, the owner of the lovely Baan Thai House resort implied, all may not be as rosy as it seems. “The damage has yet to be assessed and the full extent won’t be apparent for some time,” she told us.

Moreover, signs of damage weren’t that hard to spot in fact, especially at those temples located on the banks of the Chao Phraya. At Wat Chai Wattanaram, one of the most romantic ruins, for example, the high water mark was clearly visible on all of its Khmer-style prang (spires), the ground parched, the frangipani trees bare, and a water pump still stationed at the river’s edge. Visitors were also restricted from walking freely across it.

This precaution makes sense given recent comments by the chief of UNESCO’s Bangkok Culture Unit, Tim Curtis: “there is a need to closely monitor the condition of the sites and the affected monuments, especially in the next few months as foundations and structures dry out, as well as, of course, over the long-term.” Conservation experts mobilised by UNESCO o n a r ecent f act-finding mission were especially worried about the accumulation of salt and mud around the monuments, something that can lead to growth of algae and damage to the brick surface.

What does all this mean for the average daytripper? Not a lot, for the time being at least. While behind the scenes experts from UNESCO and Thailand’s Fine Arts Department formulate recommendations for the restoration of the monuments, and wrestle with what water management measures to introduce to mitigate future floods, the Si Ayudhya Historical Park is open to visitors. And, despite being mud-splattered in places, still a fascinating place to explore.

There are some sights you must see first. Ask a local to mark up them up for you on one of the free maps available around town, and they’ll likely plot popular monuments such as Wat Phra Mahathat, where a Buddha head sits embedded in a banyan tree (join the queue for the photograph), and Wat Yai Chaimongkhon, which is located just to the southeast of the city and offers gorgeous towering ruins fringed by rows of seated Buddhas. The crypt of Wat Ratchaburana, the reclining Buddha at
Wat Lokayasutharam, and the aforementioned Wat Chai Wattanaram are other highlights.

If you have some time on your hands (and you should: Ayutthaya is even more rewarding if you stay overnight), it’s also worth heading away from the throng to seek out less well known sights. Our latest discovery: the elephant kraal, a big elephant pen made of huge wooden logs. In the days of Old Siam, royalty would sit up in the white pavilion next to it as wild elephants were rounded up. It sits just northeast of the city and was being given a new lick of paint on our visit.

While we suggest you skip the elephant shows (sorry, but watching sad looking nellies being prodded to dance and totter around on their hind legs isn’t for us), we also recommend you pop by the nearby Ayudhya Tourism Centre. Upstairs, there’s a modern museum covering the site’s history and development, and an art gallery featuring pieces by notable national artists. And downstairs, the TAT office by the entrance is the place to get your free pamphlets and maps. Just across the road, the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum is a storehouse for the Buddha images, carved panels and other artifacts deemed too precious to be left to the elements.

On the way back to Bangkok, you should also check out nearby Bang Pa-In, where Rama V’s love for all things European shines through at a rambling estate harbouring his Summer Palace. Here you can view Western-style structures and beautifully tended gardens. Nearby, Wat Niwet Thamaprawat proves even more fascinating: built by Rama V, the striking temple resembles a Gothic Christian church. A short drive away, the Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Craft Centre beckons shopaholics interested in snapping up locally handmade crafts at fair prices. Max Crosbie –Jones

See
Bang Pa-In Royal Palace
Aumphur Bang Pa-In | 035-261-044 | www.palaces.thai.net

Ayutthaya Tourism Centre
Tourism Authority of Thailand (Ayudhya Office)
118 / 22 Moo 4, Si Sanphet Rd | T. Pratu Chai |
035-246-076-7 | www.tourismthailand.org/ayutthaya

Chao Sam Phraya National Museum
108 Rojchana Rd, T. Pratu Chai, Ayudhya | 035-241-587 | www.thailandmuseum.com

Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Craft Centre
T. Chang Yai, A. Bang Sai, Ayudhya | 035-366-252-4

Stay
Countless daily buses, trains and river cruisers connect Ayudhya with Bangkok, but if you don’t want to rush things stay overnight. The town has a clutch of decent offerings, most of which offer
free bicycles that you can use to gaily scoot between the ruins on.

Baan Thai House

“Sorry the garden looks bare… we lost twenty coconut trees and the water reached higher than the water wheel”, says Khun Leena, the owner of Baan Thai, while walking us around her charming lakeside resort just a short drive from the historical park. She needn’t apologise: unless she told you, you’d never know that Baan Thai House, opened in 2009, was under two metres of water for a month during the recent floods. Arranged around a central lake with geese, the resort is comprised of twelve villas, some with lake views and balconies, others with semi-outdoor bathrooms. Our favourite though is the Thai villa: a cosy, Jim Thompson-style teak house that was moved here, reassembled, and given a tasteful bathroom extension. On the polished teak veranda you can lie back on the twin daybeds, taking in the Old Siam-style scenery. Also within the grounds is a spa, an inviting restaurant lounge area with free internet and magazines, plus a decent swimming pool that’s great for a dip after a day spent navigating dusty ruins. The ‘oasis’ word is overused when it comes to hotels but its undeniably the case here.

199/19 Moo 4, Tambol Pai Ling | Ayudhya | 035-245-555
www.baanthaihouse.com | B1,800 – B 2,100 (until October)

Iudia on the river

Pricier but closer to the ruins, this 8-room boutique hotel sits on U-Thong Road and has a rear garden and small pool that backs on to the Chao Phraya River and faces the stunning 14th century temple Wat Phutthai Sawaan. Named after foreign explorers, the rooms are hip and modern but dressed with the odd piece of wooden furniture or antique. Free wi-fi and bikes included.

11-12 U-Thong Road, Moo 4, Pratu Chai, Ayutthaya | 086-080-1888 | www.iudia.com | B2,450-B4,650

Eat

Two historic dishes abound on the streets of the city and are a must-try. The first is guay deow rua, or boat noodles. Back in the days of yore, sampans would drift down Ayudhya’s waterways serving tiny boat shaped bowels of noodle soup with pork or beef. Today, the boats are gone but many noodle stalls around town claim to serve up the best rendition. There are lots along the southern stretch of U-Thong Road, especially opposite Somdet Phra Sinakharin Park, but the one to try (in our humble opinion, anyway ) is Lung Lek. In this openair restaurant on Chikun Road a bowl costs a mere B20 a pop and the dark brown, nam tok beef stock is the tastiest we’ve come across, beguiling in its sweet-spicy complexity.

The other must-try is roti sai mai: candy floss like strands of sugar that you wrap like a tortilla in sweet roti bread. The Muslimrun stalls that make this dessrt are strung along U-Thong Road, opposite the Phra Nakhon Si Ayudhya Hospital.

Getting there
By bus: Air-conditioned buses from Bangkok depart every half hour from the Northern Bus Terminal near BTS Mo Chit.
By car: Take Highway 1 (Phanonyothin Rd.) then take Highway No. 32 to Ayudhya.
By boat: Ayudhya Boat & Travel (www.ayutthaya-boat.com) or Manohra Cruises (www.manohracruises.com).
By train: Trains from Hualamphong station depart hourly between 4am-midnight. Call centre: 1960; www.railway.co.th.

1  CYCLING

While most adventure activities tend to be fairly niche, cycling is the one that all but the very youngest of family members can do. With over 10 years in the two-wheeled tour business, Spiceroads have long been one of our favourite local outfits: their full and half day tours range from sunset excursions to Bangkok’s most atmospheric temples to trips to meet Muslim communities out in Minburi. Another company with a good reputation for taking you off the tourist trail is Grasshopper Adventures, which has been operating since 2004.

Spiceroads
14/1-B Soi Promsi 2, Sukhumvit 39 | 02-712-5305 | www.bangkokbikerides.com | B1,650 – B2,650

Grasshopper Adventures
57 Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd, Phra Nakorn | 02-280-0832 | www.grasshopperadventures.com | $35 – $105

2  GAME FISHING

Bangkok is the last place you’d think of for a fishing trip with your buddies – or is it? On the outskirts of town, only a short taxi ride from the main metropolis, are numerous lakes and reservoirs offering you the chance to battle with some of the planet’s beefiest freshwater fish. The most popular are the Buengsamran, which is located on the site of a former quarry, Bor Ngao Nam and Lung Lee Fishing Parks. Species lurking in their depths theme range from tiddlers to Southeast Asian heavyweights like the Giant Mekong Catfish. Expect a tussle!

Bungsamran Fishing Park
21/596 Navamin Soi 42, Navamin Rd | Bangkapi | 02-734-9272 | www.bungsamran.com

Bor Ngao Nam
8/1 Phudthamonton Soi 2, Pasicharoen | 02-421-1434

Lung Lee Fishing Park
Moo 3 Talingchan, Suphanburi Rd | Nonthaburi | 02-923-5333

3  HORSERIDING

The little known Bangkok Equestrian Centre has been teaching visitors how to saddle up and do the rising trot around their horse pens since 1989. It’s run by Dane Leif Berg Jensen, formerly the coach for the Thai national riding team, and has a team of welltrained professionals who offer classes to novices. Dressage classes for more advanced riders are also available. Just want to hop on horse and take it out for a canter? It’s possible, but you need to call in advance to discuss the options, not to mention book at least one day ahead. To get there, take the skytrain to BTS Udomsuk and catch a taxi from there.

Bangkok Equestrian Centre
20/1 Moo 2 Chalermprakiet Rama IX Soi 48, Sukhumvit Soi 103 | 02-328-0273 |
www.bangkokequestriancenter.com | Price: call

4 ICE SKATING

There are no less than four places where you can practice your pirouettes out on the ice, all of them located within the city’s shopping malls. Sub Zero sits on the fourth floor of Rachada Road’s Esplanade; and a more convenient one for tourists, Ice Planet, opened on the seventh floor of Siam Square’s Siam Discovery Center last year. However, the newest, The Rink Ice Arena, at the new CentralPlaza on Rama IX Road , is the one all you aspiring Torvill and Deans should be getting really excited about: an Olympic-sized rink spanning 2,500m.

Ice Planet
7th Floor, Siam Discovery Center, Rama I Rd | 02-658-0071 | www.iceplanet.co.th | Mon-Fri 500B, Sat-Sun 600B

The Rink Ice Arena
7th Floor CentralPlaza Grand Rama 9 | 02-677-555 | All Day | Entrance 800B

Sub Zero
4th Floor Esplanade Cineplex Ratchada, Ratchadapisek Rd | 0-2591-0393 | ww.majorbowlhit.com/ice-skate | 1 Day Pass B400

The Rink ice skate at CentralWorld
1st Fl, Forum Zone, CentralWorld | BTS Chit Lom/Siam | 02-613-1480, 081-875-1212 | www.facebook.com/TheRinkIceSkate | 10:30am – 10pm | B250 per round (1:30 hr)

5 ROCK CLIMBING

The place to do it in Thailand is Krabi, but if you can’t make it down South, Bangkok has a couple of bolted routes of its own, albeit artificial indoor ones. Sukhumvit Soi 24’s The Capitol Club has an eight metre wall and offer a 1 day trial package for aspiring Spidermen (B1,000 per two hour session including equipment, training and a one day pass). But if you’re really serious, we recommend you clamber up the 13 metre wall at The Rock @ 49, in the members-only Racquet Club.
Outsiders pay B525 on weekdays, B625 on weekends/holidays, and get a nice bonus: access to all other facilities. There’s an equipment shop here in town too: the Climbing Factory out in Sutthisan (www.climbing-factory.com).

The Capitol Club
99/397 Sukhumvit 24 | 02-661-1210 | www.thecapitolclub.com | B1,000 per two hour session

The Rock @ 49
6-8 Amara 3, Sukhumvit Soi 49/9 | 02-714-7200 | www.rqclub.com | B 525 weekdays, B 625 weekends

6 SKYDIVING

Pattaya-based skydive outfit Thai Sky Adventures operate the only commercial ‘drop zone’ in the region, and are real sticklers for safety (“our standards are even higher than outfits in the West,” the owner, British Cathay Pacific pilot Harry Harrison, told us). Whether you opt for a tandem jump (from B9,950 per person; no experience necessary), or a course such as their 4-7 day Accelerated Freefall Program (B79,950), everyone jumps from a Pilatus Porter Jumbo, a small but burly single propeller plane. Souvenir photos and video of you hurtling to earth cost extra (video B3,500, video & photo B4.500).

Thai Sky Adventures
64/18 Moo 1, Tambon Bung, Sri Racha | 085-900-3412| www.thaiskyadventures.com | Tue closed

7 WAKEBOARDING

Being winched at speed across a lake dotted with obstacles is surprisingly popular here. As with waterskiing you’re likely to spend a lot of time in the water on your first session, but should be able to stand up for more than a few fraught seconds on your second. The place to do it is the Thai Wake Park, which is located in northeast Bangkok at Lum Luk Ka Klong 6. We’ve only good things to say about it: the English-speaking team are forever setting up new obstacles and routes, have equipment for rent, plus your buddies are more than welcome to come along and watch you wipeout spectacularly.

Thai Wake Park
18/4 Soi Sudsawas, Lieab Klong 6 Rd | 08-8606-3776 | www.thaiwakepark.com | B 550 for 2 hours / B 850 all day

8 ZIPLINING

Soaring from tree to tree, high above the jungle floor via harness, pulley and steel wires has become
a popular tourist pastime in Thailand, and that’s largely down to the folk behind Flight of the Gibbon.
At their course near Pattaya (they have another near Chiang Mai) there are 26 platforms, reached on 3km of zip lines, or by climbing spiral staircases, crossing wooden bridges and abseiling from the treetops. ‘Flights’ depart at 8am, 11am and 2pm each day, and the price, B2,999, includes access to Khao Kheow Open Zoo, a meal and water.

Flight of the Gibbon
Khao Kheow Open Zoo | 089-970-5511 | www.treetopasia.com | 8 am – 6 pm | B 2,999

Be it lamp, cabinet or table, his pieces have more in common with antiques than most modern furniture in that each one has its own individual texture and character – albeit one that’s acquired over months, not centuries. “If you look at a beautiful antique it’s built up this patina over time. I try to give my work a feeling of that process,” he explains while showing us around his showroom at The Sukhothai Hotel.

It’s an unusual approach that could hardly be more at odds with the factory-line precision of most modern furniture –but makes perfect sense given his background. Lamont grew up handling folk art and antiques that had been imported from across Asia to his father’s shop in Somerset, an idiosyncratic education that gave him an appreciation, he says, for the tactile qualities and soulfulness of handmade things.

Today, that education informs all the work he does at his design studio and workshop, which is based near the city’s Jatujak Weekend Market and employs a staff of 175. The designs are all his own, starting off as sketches that he plasters on the walls, but a team of around 120 artisans skilled in everything from parchment inlay to straw marquetry, bronze finishing, lacquering, mural painting and gilding bring them to life.

In its eleven years in the business, the company has evolved steadily. In the past his designs were solely of accessories but they’re now moving into furniture too. Also, these days they manufacture most of their materials in-house, something Lamont says they started to do reluctantly but that has now proved to be an asset to the company, as “it gives us total flexibility to experiment,” he says.

One of the more unusual materials they produce is shagreen, or stingray skin. In the past, he explains, the Japanese used it to decorate swords and armour and the French to coat scientific instruments, but at his workshop they use the coarse skin – which resembles pure enamel – to lend surfaces a charismatic beaded effect.

Sometimes they coat it with natural lacquer, at other times gild it to give a metallic shimmer. Other materials used include parchment (goat skin), straw marquetry, rock crystal, gold leaf and bronze.

His work isn’t overtly Asian looking, but it does draw from the local vernacular at times. “Sculptural, organic and art deco ideas, as well as Asian motifs are our main influences,” says Lamont. The stout bronze base of one of his gorgeous lamps, for example, mimics the prickly exterior of the jackfruit; a metalwork coffeetable the lily pond; and a round mirror based on a bracelet’s interlocking pieces.

As you’d expect of such meticulously designed, wrought and finished, Lamont’s pieces aren’t cheap. A stunning cabinet that caught our eye will set you back in excess of B400,000, for example.
For his high-end clients, though, they’re entirely worth it, as aside from their unique character born of alchemy and happenstance his creations have one more thing in common with folk art and antiques: they’re collectible.

Available at:
The Sukhothai Bangkok 13/3 Sathorn Rd | 02-287-3058

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Author’s Wing, 48 Oriental Avenue | 02-630-5931

Four Seasons Bangkok 155 Rajadamri Rd | 02-650-2668

Gaysorn Plaza Shops 23 & 8, 3rd Fl | Ploenchit Rd| 02-656-1392

www.alexanderlamont.com

For the story of how this oddity, located a short stroll west of the Victory Monument roundabout, came to be you need to go back to the reign of King Chulalongkorn, or King Rama V. Back in 1909 he found himself drawn to the area’s natural beauty and so procured about 100 rai (or 40 acres) of land from local farmers. On it he had built a residence where he could relax when not out experimenting with rice crops. After his premature death in 1910, it went on to serve as the residence for his widow, Queen Siphatcharin, for the rest of her days before his successor, King Vajiravudh, then remodeled it into something resembling the palace visitors still enjoy today.

Some years later, in 1926, it found new life as the Phaya Thai Palace, a luxury hotel catering to well-to-do foreigners. Not for long, however: by 1932 it had fallen on hard times and was taken over by the medical division of the Ministry of Defence. Today, all these decades later, the military still own it but the hospital departments have relocated to the surrounding buildings, the nurses who work in them using it merely as a pretty conduit between them.

Guided tours, given on Saturdays and Sundays at 9:30 am and 1:30 pm, offer visitors detailed insight into this crudely abridged history – not to mention the many unique architectural features of Phaya Thai Palace’s interlinking buildings and outhouses.

Highlights include the Thewarat Sapharom Hall, the striking structure that sits to the right of the front lawn. Featuring vaulted ceilings, a central dome, and some of the most striking and well-preserved of the many quaint painted frescoes scattered throughout, this fine example of Byzantine architecture is the only building still intact from the original 1910 incarnation.

Other notable spots in the complex include the grand main hall on the second floor, where King Rama VI gave private audiences or informal meals, and a room on the third where Thailand’s first ever radio broadcast (of King Prajadhipok, King Rama VII, giving a speech on 25 February 1931, the anniversary of his coronation) was aired. Another still houses a small model pavilion, a reminder that the palace was once home to one of the world’s quirkier expressions of political thought – a miniature city that served as a fullyfunctioning model society.

Within this one acre metropolis known as Dusit Thani and occupying the lawns out back, there stood palaces, private houses, Buddhist temples, hospitals and many more buildings, all of them two to three feet in height. Administering it were around 200 ‘citizens’, including its founder, King Rama VI, all with the right to vote. So exhaustive, in fact, was this edifying democratic experiment that it even had its own constitution, not to mention two daily newspapers (the King also had high hopes for Thai journalism).

Sounds interesting but not up for spending two to three hours on a room-by-room tour? Quite honestly, unless you’re deeply fascinated by the minutiae of Thai royal history, or European-style period motifs, it’s not a must.

Come on any given day and you can still admire the frontage, stroll along the first floor’s evocative frescoed corridors, or explore the grounds out back, which include a neo-classical Roman garden of marble statues and geometric Corinthian columns, and separate animist and Buddhist shrines.

You’re also free to enjoy a good cup of joe in what is surely the city’s most historic/evocative coffeeshop, Café de Norasingha. Located in front of the main building, the grand, high-ceilinged room it occupies used to accommodate guests while they waited for an audience with His Majesty. The snacks are good, the old-world atmosphere even better. Max Crosbie-Jones

พระราชวังพญาไท (โรงพยาบาลพระมงกุฎเกล้า) ถ.ราชวิถี

booking tours
Tours in English require a written request at least seven days in advance and cost B 500. Tours in Thai are held on Saturdays at 9:30 or 3 pm and by donation only. Call for more information.

getting there
Phaya Thai Palace, Phramongkutklao Hospital, 315 Rachawithi Rd, Ratchathewi
BTS Victory Monument | 02-354-7987 | www.phyathaipalace.org

It’s a chippy venue, a flurry of activity, with keen waiters, chefs in constant motion, and electro music that – while quiet enough for chat – drives energy through the night.

The long menu is big on quality product, and signature picks have the restaurant name tacked in front, like zuma nigiri sushi (from B 380++ / two pieces), which includes seared salmon sushi, creamily textured with the faintest hint of wasabi and topped with the salty pop of salmon roe. The luxurious zuma dragon maki (B 620++) is five mouthful, a textural tour of prawn tempura, freshwater eel, avocado and spicy tempura flakes capped with fried bonito flakes and minced sweet shrimp.

There’s a good range of wines (from B 330++ / glass, B 2,000++ / bottle), and sommelier Samuel Davies will help unlock any mysteries about the hot, cold and sparkling sakes. He chose for us a smooth Masumi Kaden Zukuri Ginjo (B 6,000 / 1,800 ml) with a delicate flowery aroma and a slight oiliness that mimicked the fish in the miso marinated black cod (B 1,280++), which is marinated for a full three days, so it’s almost candied on the surface. Exquisitely roasted to a rich moist flake, it has a side of sweet miso sauce with mere wafts of bitter acidity from orange, lime and grapefruit.

If you don’t want to eat, grab a drink at the bar, which extends beyond the full wall windows to a split level garden with sofas and a pond amid ornamental trees. Exclusive, funky, cool, Zuma is a hot venue. And that’s not something you often hear attached to the word ‘hotel’.
รร.เดอะ เซนต์ รีจีส กรุงเทพฯ ถ.ราชดำริ

WHERE Zuma 1st Fl, The St Regis Hotel Bangkok | 159 Ratchadamri Rd | BTS Ratchadamri | 02-252-4707 | www.zumarestaurant.com | Mon – Sat noon – 3 pm; 6 pm – 10:30pm