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Metropark Hotel Macau Review

2013-06-18T18:39:00.001+05:30

Hotel Metropark (Rua de Pequim, No. 199, Macau) is one of the best budget hotels in Macau. It has decent rooms at a decent price and a great location. Macau Fisherman's Wharf is a mere 10 minute walk away from Metropark. Wynn / MGM / Lisboa are even closer than that. Restaurants, money changers, ATMs, 7-Eleven, etc. are all nearby. A superior room for two guests without breakfast costs under 500 HKD if booked in advance. I think that is great value. The room itself is large enough with a double or twin beds, a wall-to-wall carpet, a mini bar, a tea/coffee maker with green tea bags, two small bottles of water everyday, a large LCD TV, and a clean bathroom with a bath tub (See pictures below). The room is beautifully appointed and even has two easy chairs with a small table in-between. One would usually not have any complaint about this room except that there is a strange advisory for the guests while the room is occupied. A bedside card reads like this: "While in the room, please keep air conditioning switched on at all times. If the air conditioning is switched off, increase in the room temperature can trigger the fire alarm that will bring security staff in the room". I am not sure if this applies in the winter months too. I have not seen such an advisory in any other hotel. Macau sees a very cold winter and I guess, air conditioning can be switched off during winter but anyway, this advisory is confusing and needs to be taken care of by the hotel. Otherwrise, the room is great. Read more below... Read Complete Post Here »

Banana Leaf Indian Restaurant Walking Street Pattaya

2013-06-11T00:20:00.002+05:30

Out of the two Indian restaurants located in Walking Street in Pattaya, I did not have a very good experience in New Bombay Palace, the first Indian restaurant on the left side after entering Walking Street from the Beach Road end. At that time I did not even know that there was another Indian restaurant inside Walking Street but eventually I discovered it. One evening, I went to the end of the Walking Street looking for a money changer that could beat the rates offered by T.T. Money Exchange. I did not find the money changer but instead found Banana Leaf. It was like a reward for having walked the entire length of Walking Street. Banana Leaf Indian Restaurant looks more like a lounge with comfortable chairs. Outdoor as well as airconditioned indoor seating is available. The outdoor seating away from the hot neon signs of walking street was a relief. I felt like having Indian Milky Tea (Chai) and Vegetable Pakora (Batter Fried Mixed Vegetables). This particular snack combination works best in cool weather especially when had outdoors. Banana Leaf's Chai (50 THB) and Pakora (120 THB) tasted good. Prices of Indian food in Banana Leaf appeared to be lower than other Indian restaurants in Pattaya. Read more below... Read Complete Post Here »

Family Attractions in Pattaya - Ripley's, Tussaud's and more

2013-06-06T16:16:00.003+05:30

Pattaya, a city better known for its entertainment avenues for the solo male traveler, does have some attractions for the whole family too. Ripley's complex on the second floor of Royal Garden Plaza on Beach Road is one such attraction. Actually, there are a total of eight attractions in this place - Repley's Believe It or Not Museum, Ripley's Haunted Adventure, Ripley's 4D Moving Theatre, Ripley's Infinity Maze, Louis Tussaud's Waxworks, Ripley's Scream In The Dark, The Vault Laser Maze Challenge, and Ripley's Sky Rider. The first seven of these attractions are indoor and the last one - Sky Rider is an outdoor skyride in a helium balloon that takes off from a helipad atop Royal Garden Plaza for a view of Pattaya city from the sky. The seven indoor attractions can be seen with a single discounted ticket at 1590 THB per adult and 1290 THB per child. Any three or any five attractions can be seen for 890 / 1290 THB per adult and 790 / 1090 THB per child. Three or five attraction combo ticket requires a visit to Louis Tussaud's Waxworks as a must. Online booking for all the adventures except Sky Rider can be done through the Ripley website: www.ripleysthailand.com. Online ticket is sometimes cheaper, has to be bought one day in advance and is valid for use within 90 days. The indoor complex is open between 11 AM and 11 PM everyday. Read details of Sky Rider and other seven individual attractions below: Read Complete Post Here »

Apple Inn Pattaya Review

2013-06-04T17:38:00.000+05:30

Apple Inn, located at 111/174-175 Soi Buakhao, is one of the budget hotels in Pattaya that have a high customer review rating. Average rating of Apple Inn on different booking sites is between 7 and 8 on a scale of 10. Its a 1000 THB (Standard Room) per day hotel. I think the main advantage of Apple Inn is its location. Soi Buakhao is one of Pattaya's most happening areas in terms of the typical entertainment avenues that Pattaya is known for. There are bars of every kind, restaurants serving all kinds of food, cheap as well as upmarket hotels, cheap laundries, and daily needs stores everywhere. This road, running parallel to Pattaya Second Road, connects Central Pattaya Road to South Pattaya Road and can be approached through "The Avenue" Mall on Second Road (Read more about Soi Buakhao here). Apple Inn is also known for its ownership. Most online reviews mention that its "Russian Owner" sends a welcome email to all customers as soon as an online booking is done. So, when I booked this hotel for two days, I was naturally expecting a welcome mail. Unfortunately for me, the mail never arrived. (Visit hotel page now) Read more and see pictures below... Read Complete Post Here »

Vegetarian Thai Restaurant Pattaya - Five Star J

2013-05-28T18:29:00.001+05:30

It is not easy to find a vegetarian Thai restaurant in Pattaya. Its because there are very few of them there. I have found none in the main tourist areas like Beach Road or Second Road. A search on the internet brings up a few names that most certainly includes a place called "Five Star Vegetarian & J. Restaurant" which is located at 313/37 Moo 10, South Pattaya Road (at corner of Third Road). I located this restaurant with the help of a local friend. We went in a Baht Bus from Second Road which cost 10 THB per head. Locating this place without speaking Thai can be a challenge for which I suggest using a print of the image of the restauant that I have given in this page apart from the address. But let me assure you, if you are looking for a big choice of yummy vegetarian Thai food in Pattaya, Five Star Vegetarian will not disappoint you. I must clarify here that the restaurant has some dishes that come with the optional addition of a boiled or fried egg. In case you do not eat eggs, make it clear at the time of ordering your food. Read more below... Read Complete Post Here »

Pattaya Bay Resort Review

2013-05-27T20:16:00.000+05:30

Hotel Pattaya Bay Resort (236/21 Moo 10, Soi 15 & 2nd Road, Central Pattaya) is one of my favourite hotels in Pattaya. There are two reasons for that. One, it is close to Both Second Road and Soi Buakhao, and second, its budget pricing. The location is the best advantage of Pattaya Bay Resort. A few minutes walk brings one to Soi Buakhao, which has practically everything that Pattaya has to offer, be it food, bars, cheap laundry, massage parlours, etc. On the other side, there is a small shopping mall - The Avenue - which has a Pool Club and a rather large grocery store. One can pass through The Avenue and reach Pattaya Second Road from where a short walk leads to Walking Street or Central Festival Mall. Price-wise, Pattaya Bay Resort offers a good bargain. Standard Double Room in this hotel costs around 1000 THB per day with free wifi internet (without breakfast). No joiner fee is charged if the room is booked by a solo guest. If a third guest is checked in, a fee of 500 THB is charged. Read more below and see pictures... Visit Hotel Page Now Read Complete Post Here »

New Bombay Palace Indian Restaurant Walking Street Pattaya

2013-05-26T18:14:00.000+05:30

New Bombay Palace is one of the two Indian restaurants located inside Pattaya's famous Walking Street (left side of the road from the Beach Road end). The other one is called "Banana Leaf" which is located at the far end of the street on the way to the boat terminal for Coral Island. New Bombay Palace is open everyday from 12.00 pm to 02.00 am. The timing is covenient for someone looking to have Indian food late in the evening without leaving Walking Street. Otherwise, there are several Indian restaurants on the Beach Road and the Second Road (behind Beach Road) that serve nice Indian food but may not remain open up to 2.00 am. I guess, the opening hours and the location must be the USP of New Bombay Palace because I found their food quite ordinary and their air conditioning hopeless. After walking around in the crowded street full of bright neon sign boards, I entered this restaurant not so much for food but looking to spend some time in airconditioned comfort. It was no doubt better than the street outside, but not very cool. After a few minutes, it started feeling as hot as outside. But by then, I had already ordered a Chana Bhatura (chick peas curry with deep fried bread of refined flour - 195 THB). This dish is classic North Indian junk food, an all-time favourite eaten as a snack and also as a meal because the chick peas curry and the oily bread make it very heavy. The taste of Chana Bhatura is pleasant in most Indian restaurants. In New Bombay Palace, poor air-conditioning had almost killed whatever little appetite I had when I entered the restaurant. The Bhatura (deep fried refined-flour bread) was OK but the chick peas curry had more salt than flavour in it. It was like a dish prepapred by an ill-trained chef. Read more below...

Also see: Banana Leaf Indian Restaurant Walking Street Pattaya Read Complete Post Here »

Pasadena Lodge Pattaya Review

2013-05-25T19:51:00.000+05:30

Pasadena Lodge is a budget hotel in Pattaya located at 33/127 Moo 10 Soi LK Metro. The hotel can also be approached from Soi Diana Inn. The area around the hotel is full of Go-Go and all other kinds of bars and is not suitable for family stay. Very loud music goes on in these bars at least up to 4.00 am which can be heard inside the hotel room. Room rates start at 800 THB (Standard Room) and go up to 1300 (Deluxe Room). Rooms can be hired on weekly / monthly basis but without any consession in rates. There is a bar/restaurant in the lobby. Prices of drinks are cheap, a beer costs 50-60 THB and a coffee costs 30 THB. My "Class" room was OK exept for an unpleasant smell probably caused by the floor cleaning chemical they used. The smell was there in the other room too they showed me. I got to see two rooms because the "Standard" room for which I had a confirmed booking from Agoda was said to be not available. The front office guy offered me a "Class" room if I paid 100 THB extra. I agreed because I was tired and just needed a place to crash for one night. My sleep was not comfortable though becuase of the un-ending loud music from the nearby bars. Read more and see pictures below... Visit Hotel Page Now Read Complete Post Here »

Zaika Indian Restaurant Pattaya

2013-05-24T18:49:00.000+05:30

Zaika Indian Restaurant is located on Pattaya Second Road on the left side while going from Central Festival Mall towards Walking Street. There are a few others too like Madras Darbar (South Indian), and Curry House (Earler called Great India) on this road. I particulalry like Madras Darbar for their Idli and Dosa which are always very nice. My first meal at Great India was also satisfactory. But I can't say the same about Zaika. They messed it up big time. Mutter Paneer (green peas and cottage cheese curry) is my favourite order when I eat in an Indian restaurant. The reason for that is the simplicity of this preparation. Most restaurants are able to dish out a perfectly edible Mutter Paneer. Frozen green peas are available everywhere and an Indian restaurant can't be in business if they can't find fresh paneer (cottage cheese). The rest boils down to the masala in the curry which is basically a mix of onions, ginger, garlic, tomato paste, and a few spices all ground together and fried. A little water is added to the masala, the mix is brought to a boil, peas and deep-fried cottage cheese cubes are added, and after five minutes the dish is ready to serve. Mutter Paneer tastes best with very mild spices because mild spices let you enjoy the sweetness of peas and the rich flavour of deep fried paneer. My order for Mutter Paneer was the same in this restaurant - medium spicy. (Read more below...) Read Complete Post Here »

L. K. Royal Wing Pattaya Review

2013-05-23T18:41:00.000+05:30

L K Royal Wing Pattaya is a luxury hotel located in Soi Buakhao in a kind of an annexe building behind the LK Royal Suites. I stayed in its Studio Room which I think is the most basic accomodation they have. It cost me 1600 THB all-inclusive without breakfast. The room was really large, had a kitchenette complete with a sink, a few dishes, a refrigerator, and a microwave. Perfect for long stay. There was a very comfortable king bed, a huge wardrobe, a large and clean bath with a separate shower, a balcony, tea / coffee maker & some supplies, and a digital locker. The only thing I missed was bathroom slippers that they could have easily supplied. Don't know why LK group hotels in Pattaya do not provide disposable slippers. The earlier LK I stayed in, LK Crystal Place, did not have any food available in the hotel. But LK Royal Wing do have room service for food at very reasonable prices. Set breakfast costs 150 THB in English, American, or German Sausage variants. There was no vegetarian food in the menu. Wifi internet was free and fast. There is one PC in the lobby for internet surfing by guests that requires the same password as for wifi. Front desk was helpful. They printed the voucher for my other hotel booking without charge. LK Royal Wing costs a little less that LK Royal Suites. The difference may be because of the free breakfast that comes with a booking in Royal Suites. But I found the room better in Royal Wing. Solo guest can bring another guest without charge. Location-wise, Soi Buakhao has everything from restaurants, bars, nightlife, laundry services, and what not. LK Royal Wing is fine. Visit Hotel Page (Opens in new window)

See pictures below... Read Complete Post Here »

Tips for a Sweat-Free Summer Holiday

2013-05-22T18:27:00.000+05:30

We Indians sweat a lot and I have always wondered why? The web world is full of articles giving advice like wearing light-colored cotton clothes, avoiding the sun, walking slowly, drinking lots of water, etc. We do all that but still sweat more than fellow human beings of other nationalities. Being a frequent traveler, I can tell you that this one trait of Indians has earned us a rather bad name abroad. Obviously, a solution needs to be found to this problem. In this article, I will share the remedies that I have found and appied with a reasonable degree of success. These remedies work in any place and during any season. Trust me, you will be happy that you read this article. Lets cut to the chase: Its a three step solution - 1) Foods and food ingredients that need to be totally avoided; 2) Foods that need to be consumed more; and 3) Using Soaps and Deos that help. Read the details below... Read Complete Post Here »

Air India Pilots Slept while Air Hostess Switched off Auto-Pilot

2013-05-21T23:41:00.000+05:30

An Air-India pilot and his first officer are reported to have allowed two air hostesses to operate a plane 33,000 feet in the air while they both stepped out of the cockpit to take a 40 minute nap in business class seats. This happened on Air India flight AI 133 (8.55am) on April 12, 2013 from Bangkok to Delhi. The plane was put on Auto Pilot before both the pilots left the cockpit. To make matters worse, one of the air hostesses switched off Auto Pilot after which the pilots returned to the cockpit. Initially, First Officer Mr. Ravindra Nath went out of the cockpit to "go to the loo" after making an airhostess - Ms. J. Bhatt - to be in his seat. After some time, Captain of the flight, Mr. B K Soni called another air hostess, Ms. Kanika Kala, to the cockpit. He gave a quick lesson on flying the plane to both the air hostesses, put the plane on Auto Pilot, and went out to join his First Officer in business class for a nap. Read more below... Read Complete Post Here »

Pattaya Nightlife Without Discrimination

2013-05-20T15:36:00.000+05:30

Pattaya is known for its nightlife. Similarly known is the fact that Pattaya's nightlife is not for everyone. All are not welcome into Pattaya's countless night joints - drinking bars, dance bars, go-go bars, and all other kinds of bars. Entry into such establishments is easy for tourists from the Western world who are called Farangs in Thailand but almost impossible for the lesser mortals - those who are not Farang. Still, the number of non-Farangs visiting Pattaya keeps increasing. My guess is that the present day practice of turning away non-Farangs by bar owners may not last very long. While the bar owners take their time to grow-up, here are a few pointers for those looking to have some fun in Pattaya without being discriminated against: (Read below...)
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Indian Dance Bars in Pattaya

2013-05-19T16:29:00.000+05:30

Indian dance bars have been around in Pattaya for quite a few years now. These bars are modeled on the famous or rather infamous dance bars of Mumbai that all got shut down a few years back. After the shut-down in Mumbai, some of the suddenly unemployed bar dancers came to Pattaya in search of a living. But the trade did not succeed much in Pattaya and most of them moved on to Dubai or other places. However, even as a tired circus, the show still continues in Pattaya with the help of dancers most of whom come from Bangladesh. As of now, Pattaya has at least four Indian dance bars. The oldest known "Indian" dance bar in Pattaya is "Maharaja - Indian Mujra" which is located above the Maharaja Indian restaurant off Beach Road near Walking Street. The best one at present is called "Konfusion", and the other two are "Thai Night City Club 1 & 2". The most well known Indian dance bar was "Mumbai Magic" that no longer exists. Read on for all the information I could gather about these Indian dance bars in Pattaya: Read Complete Post Here »

NagaWorld Casino Phnom Penh

2013-05-18T18:14:00.000+05:30

Naga World is Phnom Penh's only integrated casino and hotel complex. Its a five star hotel, Spa, meeting & wedding venue, and has several dining options. No doubt the casino is the main attraction. Naga World is owned by a company called NagaCorp which is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. NagaCorp has a licence to operate Naga World Casino up to the year 2065 and has a monopoly to operate a casino within the 200 KM radius of Phnom Penh up to the year 2035. I do not know if Cambodia has a Gaming Law to regulate gaming in the interest of the players like the Laws put in place by Macau, Singapore, and Las Vegas. Whether or not, players visiting Naga World are only too grateful to have a casino like that in Phnom Penh. Though, Cambodia does have some other small casinos in the areas bordering Thailand but those do not come anywhere close to the size and grandeur of Naga World. Recently, the casino has introduced a player loyalty program called Golden Edge. This membership card can be used to gather loyalty points while gambling in the casino. Currently, the card cannot be used at gaming tables or in most of the slot machines. Only a few automated gaming machines that have the option of playing Roullete, Blackjack or Baccarat (at the back of the hall towards the right side of the casino lobby) accept these cards. New membership cards can be obtained from the Golden Edge counter in the lobby. I even got a free Buffet Dinner coupon along with my new membership card. The buffet dinner is nice if you like Chinese food and are not vegetarian. Read about gaming tables, slots, minimum bets, gaming rules, etc. below...
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Bukhara's Indian Restaurant Bangkok

2013-05-17T23:30:00.000+05:30

New Bukhara's Indian restaurant is the place where I tasted the best Indian food in Bangkok. On my first visit there, I ordered Green Peas Masala (medium spicy) along with plain tandoori roti and what a pleasant surprise it was. The peas tasted sweet, were cooked just right, and the spice level in the masala was nothing more or nothing less than Medium. The plain tandoori roti was baked to perfection. It was nothing like restaurant food, instead it was like someone had shared their home cooked food with me. Before settling in my chair, I had looked around the place and had liked the decor and had noticed that the airconditioning was providing effective cooling. After tasting the meal, I looked around again and this time looked at the faces of other guests. They all seemed happy. The restaurant was full. I knew I had discovered the right place to eat Indian food in Bangkok. After finishing the meal, I usually chat with the counter staff in a restaurant but this time I walked up to the counter in the back not just to chat but to congratulate them for the wonderful food. The owner was there. He talked about bringing flavour in to the food without relying too much on spices which meant that the wonderful Green Peas Masala was no fluke. Read more, see location details, and pictures below...
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Indian Delight Restaurant Phnom Penh

2013-05-16T00:12:00.000+05:30

Looking for a decent Indian restaurant at the riverfront in Phnom Penh, I was delighted to have come across this aptly named Indian restaurant - The Indian Delight (Located at #115 Eo, Opposite Bopha Titanic, Preah Sisowath Street, Phone: 023-724 885). This restaurant has everything that one can expect from an Indian restaurant - vegetarian and non-vegetarian snacks, curries, tandoori food, Indian style sea food, traditional Indian drinks such as Lassi, Indian Set Meals (called Thali), Indian Tea (Chai), etc. In addition, The Indian Delight has a small Western Menu and a small Nepali Menu, and the not to be missed a rather huge bar menu of Wines, cocktails, whiskey, beer, fruit juices, milk shakes, soft drinks, and what not. The bar menu of this restaurant deserves a special mention because it is so comprehensive. House wines - Frontera Chardonnay and Frontera Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile can be had by the glass at 2.50 USD each. The menu has a long list of wines from South Africa, Australia, Italy, and France priced between 15 and 25 USD per bottle. Most beers and whiskeys cost between 1 USD & 2.50 USD and cocktails cost around 3.00 USD. Equally special is their Lassi menu (whisked and watered flavoured yoghurt) that has several flavours like banana and mango priced between 1 and 2 USD. Read about Indian Food menu below...
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Chi Cha Restaurant Phnom Penh

2013-05-15T22:57:00.000+05:30

Chi Cha Restaurant in Phnom Penh is as basic as it gets - simple Indian and Bangladeshi food at very low prices. Set meals is thier main draw, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. Breakfast Set costs 2.50 USD for one omelette, one curry or daal, and three chapatis. A vegetarian Lunch or Dinner Set comes for 4.00 USD. This set has one vegetable curry, one daal, vegetable salad, rice, and chapatis (See Vegetarian Curry Set Picture below). All lunch and dinner sets come with unlimited rice and chapatis. That is super value. Lunch / Dinner sets with Chicken, fish (curry or fried), or eggs cost 4.50 USD. Mutton Curry Set costs 5.00 USD. There is an a la carte menu too. Snacks, curries, and breads all cost between 0.50 USD and 2.50 USD. The menu says, free mineral water is served along with Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Sets. Mineral water would mean bottled water though I got water in a glass along with the Vegetarian Lunch Set that I ordered. The food looked and tasted good.

Also Read: The Indian Delight Restaurant, at a walking distance from Chi Cha

Chi Cha Restaurant is a part of Chi Cha Guest House located at the riverfront. Address: House 27, Street 110, Phnom Penh. Phone: 855-23-336-065. (See menu and other pictures below...)
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Silver River Hotel Phnom Penh Review

2013-05-14T17:34:00.000+05:30

Silver River Hotel is located at No. 37, Street 172, Sangkat Chey Chumneas, Phnom Penh (Phone: +85523210077). This is a busy area called Kandal Karket at a walkable distance from the Royal Palace and the Tonle Sap River. The location is an advantage most of the times, but in rare cases becomes a disadvantage like it happened when I was there. Sadly, the King of Cambodia had passed away and to manage the crowds, the police blocked vehicular access to the road leading to this hotel. The Tuk Tuk dropped me about half a KM away forcing me to walk the rest of the way along with my bags. Leaving such a rare possibility apart, the area is a real beauty. Plenty of restaurants serving all kinds of food can be found around this area. The hotel itself is in a beautiful building having a large and well decorated lobby inside. Before the lobby, there is a massage shop on the right side (part of the hotel, I think) and after the lobby there is a restaurant. Free breakfast is served in this restaurant which I missed as usual being a late riser. My Standard Room (30 USD including breakfast) was OK. The glass window opened towards an old market area. The twin beds were comfortable, bathroom was clean, LCD TV was good, there was a tea / coffee maker with some supplies and there were bathroom slippers too. Free wifi worked OK in the room and for those not carrying their laptop, the hotel kept two PCs in the lobby with free internet access for guests. I found the front office staff very helpful and friendly. I regret having missed their breakfast and the massage service but I did not have much time this being only a one night stay. I am happy to have have found a good hotel at such a nice price in Phnom Penh. Will certainly stay there again.

Visit Hotel Page (Opens in new window)
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The Blue Pumpkin Restaurant Siem Reap and Phnom Penh

2013-05-13T23:55:00.000+05:30

The Blue Pumpkin is my favourite restaurant in Cambodia. Whenever I am in Siem Reap, I make it a point to visit this lovely restaurant (Its a chain of restaurants, actually). My first experience of The Blue Pumpkin was when I was looking for vegetarian food outside Angkor Wat. I was very lucky to have found Angkor Cafe right there. Though getting a table there for being a solo customer was a bit of a struggle (Read complete story of Angkor Cafe here New Window), I could finally eat there and instantly became a fan. Angkor Cafe's menu was not of Angkor Cafe but of The Blue Pumpkin. On my way back from Angkor Wat, I spotted a Blue Pumpkin in Siem Reap. Don't know if it was their Night Market outlet or the Old Market one. According to The Blue Pumpkin website, there are eight Blue Pumpkins in Siem Reap, another seven in Phnom Penh, and one in Sihanoukville (See the list below). Fortunately for tourists in Cambodia, they are never really far from a Blue Pumpkin. Why I like them, just take a look at their menu and you will know. The range of food is astonishing. There are pictures of each food item in the menu, so one would know what to expect. There a quite a few vegetarian items and are clearly marked with a bold "V". Broadly, the menu is classified into Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, desserts, and drinks. There are sub-categories like Burger & Snack, appetizer, salad, sandwich, rice & noodle, pasta, west & fusion, sweet, shake & drink, tea & coffee, and wine & cocktail. Vegetarian food includes Tofu Salad (5.25 USD)(My favourite - see picture below), Vegetarian Quiche (2.75 USD), Warm Nachos (2.50 USD), Cheddar & Walnut Salad (4.50 USD), Sauteed Veg (3.50 USD), Blue Cheese Fusilli (5.50 USD), and Goat Cheese & Pumpkin Dumplings (6.75 USD). There are a few more veggie choices. I have got a few pictures of the menu in this page. (Read more and see pictures below...)
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Curry Walla - Indian Restaurant Siem Reap

2013-05-12T00:53:00.000+05:30

There are many Indian restaurants in Siem Reap and "Curry Walla" is a good one among those. The name implies "Curry Seller". This restaurant is located at a walkable distance from the Old Market / Pub Street at B05, Sivatha Blvd, Sangkat Svay Dangkum. Their phone number is 063-965-451. This curry seller has all the popular Indian curries - both vegetarian and non-vegetarian and Set Meals (called Thali). Set Meals include two curries, lentils, plain rice and an Indian bread. The three variants of Set Meals cost 4.50 USD (Vegetarian), 5.00 USD (Chicken) and 7.75 USD (Fish or Lamb). Curry prices range from 3.00 USD to 4.75 USD for vegetarian choice and 3.50 USD to 6.75 USD for Chicken / Lamb / Beef curries. All curries are served along with free plain rice. Indian breads - Roti, Naan, Paratha, etc. cost 0.75 to 2.75 USD a piece. They also have South Indian Dosa on the menu - plain and masala at 1.75 and 3.00 USD each (See Menu picture below). Curries can be prepared according to your taste - Mild, Medium or Spicy. The vegetarian curry that I tried was good. I particularly liked the idea of free rice with every curry, it saves some money. Overall, Curry Walla is OK.
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Angkor Pearl Siem Reap Hotel Review

2013-05-11T17:27:00.000+05:30

Angkor Pearl is a good budget hotel not far from the Pub Street. Tuk Tuk fare from Pub Street to Angkor Pearl (Tapoul Village, Svay Dangkum) is one USD or if one decides to walk, it should take 10-15 minutes only. A standard room for two would cost around 20 USD including breakfast and free pickup (from the airport, I guess). A two minute walk from the hotel brings one to the main road where one can find plenty of restaurants and massage shops. This main road leads to old market / Pub Street area. The standard room in Angkor Pearl was far better than the standard room I got at Hotel Thunborey (Read review) for the same price. The reason being that Hotel Thunborey is located closer to Pub Street / Old Market whereas Angkor Pearl is a little away. I think, if one is prepared to walk a little to get to the Pub Street area, Angkor Pearl is a great choice for a hotel at 20 USD per night that includes breakfast for two persons. Practically, the room costs a mere 10 USD. I did not use their free pickup service, but if the free pickup is offered from the airport, that would be a saving of another 7 USD. That is extreme value. My standard room and the bathroom were very clean. Airconditioning was very effective, there was a tea / coffee maker with free supplies, and two small bottles of water. Though I had an early bus to Phnom Penh in the morning, I was able to catch breakfast which turned out to be surprisingly good. The hotel has a nice restaurant in the lobby where buffet breakfast is served. The quality of food is good. However, the choice of vegan / vegetarian food is limited to Tea / coffee / fruits / toast / butter and jam. Staff in the restaurant and at the reception are nice and helpful. A real pearl, this one. I only wish I had stayed longer in Angkor Pearl. Read Complete Post Here »

Money Exchange in Thailand

2013-05-10T14:47:00.000+05:30

There are several ways to exchange money by tourists visiting Thailand. I have examined their merits and demerits in this page:

1. Withdrawing cash from ATMs in Thailand by using international debit card / ATM card is perhaps the most convenient money exchange in Thailand. Most ATMs dispense 10,000 THB in one lot. This method saves the hassle of first converting home currency into USD and then changing USD in to Thai Baht after arriving in Thailand. However, there are downsides to this method. First, the exchange rate offered by banks on cash withdrawals is not very good. On top of the poor exchange rate, your bank will charge about 3.5% transaction fee. Thai bank whose ATM you use will charge 150 THB transaction fee. In all, if you are withdrawing 10,000 THB from a Thai ATM, you have to pay about 5% transaction fee on top of a very unfavorable exchange rate. Therefore, the convenience of withdrawing cash from Thai ATMs comes at a hefty price. (Read more below...)
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Thunborey Hotel Siem Reap Review

2013-05-09T00:25:00.000+05:30

During my second visit to Siem Reap, I wanted to stay in a good hotel close to Pub Street. And because hotel prices in Siem Reap are generally low, a good hotel close to Pub Street did not have to be necessarily expensive. After reading a number of online reviews, I found the one that looked good and was really cheap. It was Hotel Thunborey at Phsarkrom Street, Phum Vehear Chen, Siem Reap (Phone: +855 761 990). Most Tuk Tuk drivers in Siem Reap know this hotel. A Deluxe room in Thunborey cost me 20 USD per day including breakfast. I was there only for one night, slept very late at night and woke up very early the next day to go to the temples. That way, I missed the free breakfast in the hotel. Instead, they were kind enough to give me packed breakfast very early in the morning that was a vegetable sandwich, a banana, and another Lichi like fruit that tasted very good. My deluxe room was on the ground floor but it was clean and had all the basics except a tea / coffee maker. Free wi-fi in the room worked very well. (See room and other pictures below...). The hotel provides a few trourist services at very reasonable prices. A bus ticket to Phnom Penh for 6 USD, one day temple tour in a Tuk Tuk for 12 USD, English Speaking Tour Guide for 25 USD per day, Traditional Body Massage in the room for 6 USD per hour, etc. They sell Mekong Express Bus tickets too. Front office staff is very helpful. Overall, Hotel Thunborey is great value for the 20 USD (for 2 guests) one pays, particularly since it is at a walking distance from Pub Street. Read Complete Post Here »

The Indian Restaurant Siem Reap

2013-05-08T17:00:00.000+05:30

"The Indian" is a popular Indian restaurant in Siem Reap located Opposite Provincial Hospital in the Old Market Area and is not far from Pub Street (If you are asking directions to this place, ask for Provintial Hospital). Phone No.: 017 928 471. The restaurant is airconditioned and also keeps a few tables ouside in the open. They serve North and South Indian food in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian variants apart from alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. If one is sampling Indian food for the first time, their Set Meals offer a good choice. Set Meals are called "Thali" in India. "The Indian" has six types of Thali - Vegetable, South Indian, Chicken, Fish, Shrimp, and Mutton, that include a curry as per the order, lentils, rice, suateed vegetables, and Indian baked bread called Naan. Set meals cost between 5.00 and 7.50 USD. Apart from Set Meals, the restaurant serves a good number of curries categorised as vegetarian, Chicken, Fish, and Lamb curries which are best enjoyed with plain steamed rice or with Tandoori Breads - Roti, Naan, Paratha, etc. Prices of curries vary from 3.00 USD to 9.00 USD and breads cost between 1.00 and 3.00 USD. The restaurant also serves the favourite South Indian Snacks like Dosa, Idli, and Vada. which cost around 3.00 USD per serving. I tried their Masala Dosa (3 USD) that had a very tasty filling of mashed potatoes and chopped vegetables. The Sambar (Spicy lentils) and Coconut Chutney accompanying the Dosa were also really good. Though I would have preferred a little crispier Dosa, it was still one of the best Dosa meals I have tasted outside India. It would be a good idea to specify one's liking of Dosa - crispy or soft - at the time of placing the order. Crispy tastes better. "The Indian" also offers the choice of Mild Curries, which means curries not as spicy as Indians love them. (Read more and see pictures below...)
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