Travel News

Yes, you read that headline correctly. Starting in February, you’ll be able to fly from Phuket to the Phi-Phi Islands, plus Krabi, Koh Lanta and other nearby destinations. All this is thanks to a new seaplane shuttle air service called Destination Air, which will be based at Phuket’s international airport. They plan to have 12 flights a day, with departures every two hours. Since they use seaplanes, they can take you right up to the beach at the major resorts all around Phuket.

The Destination Air fleet “includes Cessna 208 and 206 aircraft, which are rated as the safest aircraft in the world and flown by experienced international pilots individually selected for their many years of safe flight experience and friendly customer service capabilities.” According to a press release I received today. This new service now makes it possible to make a day trip from Phuket to Phi-Phi, something that wasn’t really possible before due to the length of the boat trip. Destination Air’s web site in fact offers a couple of day trip package options already.

Airfares have yet to be published on their web site, so I can’t tell you what this service will cost, but for those wishing to maximize their time in the sun, it will probably be worth it.

Samui seems to be attracting more than its fair share of upscale developments recently. The latest to join the fray goes by the rather curious name of The Library, which is set to open on 2 January 2007. The odd name aside, the specifications on the place look interesting: a modern minimalist design set on the beach amidst a stand of old trees, in-room computer with internet access and only 26 rooms in all - 13 suites and 13 “studios”. Of course, places this posh come at a price, especially on Samui. It looks like the best rate you can get is around US$300 a night.

With developments like this, perhaps it’s only a matter of time before a place on Samui makes the list of Asia’s best hotels or the top ten resorts list, where the competition is very intense.

Budget Thai carrier 1-2-Go, which already distinguished itself with better service and a simpler fare structure, has announced that from 1 December, its fare structure will get even simpler. Fares between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Surat Thani and Krabi will all be the same - 1,700 Baht (about US$40) each way. This fare applies to weekdays only. There’s a further 500 Baht (US$12) surcharge for weekends.

Unlike other budget airlines, 1-2-Go’s fares already included all taxes and surcharges, so there were no surprises when your cheap ticket ended up costing you double what you thought it would. The airline also has assigned seating, a bigger baggage allowance (20 kg) and provides a snack en route, which other low cost carriers don’t. You can also change dates and other details on 1-2-Go easier than you can with other budget airlines.

This just in - Vietnam is about to launch a "five star" train service between Ho Chi Minh City and the central beach resort of Nha Trang. The trip will take about seven hours, with the round-trip cost of a 5-star club seat going for 900,000 Dong (about US$90). You may be able to find more information at www.5starexpress.com.vn, although at the time of this writing, the "English" button didn’t work.

As some of you may know, the Suan Lum Night Bazaar, which was always intended to be temporary, was scheduled for closure earlier this year. It’s gotten several reprieves, but today’s Bangkok Post reports that the plans by the Crown Property Bureau (CPB) to develop the site will go ahead, and the bazaar has until April 2007 to move out.

The bazaar has proved surprisingly popular with tourists and foreign residents, many of whom have protested the proposed closure, but the CPB, charged with managing the former royal lands in the public interest, believes the public will be better served by another shopping mall.