JOIN THE SMILE-HIGH CLUB IN THAILAND

Friendly faces and incredible hotels on a three-centre trip to Southeast Asia

By Richard Jones

With the sun about to dip below the horizon, our yacht approached a curious-looking island. In the crystal-clear water ahead, there was a hive of activity, as a troop of Samae monkeys excitedly swam out towards the vessel.

For the next 10 minutes, we took it in turns tossing segments of watermelon and cantaloupe towards the hungry macaques, with each scrambling to get their hands on their juicy tea-time treat, before looking up at us with adorable red-tinted smiles.

This encounter with the grinning primates was one of the many times I’d seen happy faces in Bangkok and eastern Thailand. And I’m not just talking about the people and animals who call the place home, visitors to the country are also remarkably cheery and content – perhaps more so than ever before.

I spoke to a number of holidaymakers, and despite the current trepidation surrounding travel to Asia, most didn’t seem that concerned. “There are worse places to be stranded” or “we’ll happily take another couple of weeks here”, were two sentences I heard regularly during the week. 

I flew to Thailand with Norse Atlantic Airlines, and their 12-hour direct route from Manchester to Bangkok, avoiding a connection in the Middle East, gave me peace of mind.

Packing for a trip to somewhere like Thailand can be tricky. The spacious and stylish Antler Icon Stripe Medium Suitcase (https://www.antler.co.uk/products/icon-stripe-medium-suitcase-indigo-blue) provided me more than enough room to fit in everything for a week, while the practical Antler Heritage Overnight Bag (https://www.antler.co.uk/products/heritage-overnight-bag-navy) was perfect for my hand luggage. 

My haven in the crazy and chaotic Thai capital was one of its most distinguished addresses, Oriental Residence Bangkok.

I spent three nights in a plush one-bedroom suite, where I would sit with coffee in the morning, looking over downtown Bangkok’s spectacular skyline, before chilling out in a chic cabana beside its fourth-floor Play Deck pool. The food and beverage at the hotel is first class. As well as a buffet and à la carte breakfast at Café Claire, I also enjoyed three of their signature evening dishes – tuna tartare with avocado, traditional French onion soup and crispy duck leg. 

But, best of all is the restaurant’s Claire & Her Chocolate Fantasy afternoon tea, an Instagrammable ‘journey into a world of pure imagination’ with sweet and savoury bites and speciality TWG teas.

The location of Oriental Residence Bangkok, in the heart of the embassy and business district, is perfect for exploring the hot and steamy capital. From here, you have the option of jumping in a Grab (Thailand’s cheaper version of Uber), flagging down a taxi, tuk-tuk or moped, or walking. I visited some of the places I missed on my previous stay in Bangkok – the Wat Satek Buddhist temple, the Grand Palace and the Chang Pier waterfront on the banks of the Chao Phraya River.

With its bright lights, pungent street-food aromas and incessant traffic, the city can be an overwhelming assault on the senses. On day three, craving a dash of greenery and a burst of fresher air, I made a beeline for the serene Lumphini Park. But as I strolled around the large ponds between the trees, I realised I was not alone. One of the park’s many resident giant monitor lizards, seemingly with a scaly smirk on its face, was basking a few feet away on the grass. 

Bangkok’s nightlife is legendary, but if you want a break from the cheap beers (it’s as little as 100 baht or roughly £2 for a bottle of Chang or Singha) and the intensity of Sukhumvit Road, Soi Cowboy and Khao San Road, then head to the ‘Tummy of the Dragon’, Yaowarat Road in the heart of Chinatown, where street vendors and moped riders jostle for space beneath the neon signs and washing line cables.

Bangkok is also renowned for its spectacular rooftop bars and lounges, and I headed to one of its best, Sky Bar at lebua, made famous by its role in The Hangover Part II. Afterwards, I sat down for a meal at Breeze on the 52nd floor. Acclaimed chef Sam Lee and his staff are redefining the Chinese dining experience, and the five-course taster menu of pan-seared Hokkaido scallop, simmered Shanghai duck, wok-fried grouper, Wagyu beef tenderloin and chocolate banana looking over the city’s skyline was one of the best culinary experiences I can remember.

The following day, leaving vibrant Bangkok behind, I took a two-hour ride down the Gulf of Thailand coast to the city of Pattaya.

My next hotel was another of the properties belonging to the ONYX Hospitality Group, the family-friendly Amari Pattaya. Again, the food here was spectacular. The breakfast selection in Amaya Food Gallery is ginormous, while the pork fried rice lunch was delectable. A cocktail in the Club Napha Executive Lounge on the 19th floor, was followed by a seafood pizza, as good as any I’ve tasted in the Mediterranean, at Italian restaurant Prego. 

Throughout the day, there is plenty to do at Amari Pattaya, with adults lounging by the pool or popping into maai spa, while the young ones burn off energy in the mini water park or Tree House Kids’ Club. 

Outside the hotel, I found the Pattaya seafront considerably easier to navigate than the concrete jungle of Bangkok. Most of the city’s bars and restaurants are situated down Beach Road, or just off it, and there is a lovely paved promenade to stroll down, day or night. I’d heard all about Pattaya’s notorious nightlife before arriving and it didn’t disappoint.

Even as a solo traveller, it was easy to embark on a Pattaya bar crawl, and I often found myself on a bar stool looking out onto the street, sharing a few Changs or Singhas with whoever I happened to drop on. And guess what, everyone had smiles on their faces. 

During the days, I took a steady walk up to the Sanctuary of Truth, and jumped in a Grab to Ocean Marina Yacht Club ahead of a three-island cruise on board Once Yachting’s lavish vessel The Chateau.

Over the space of eight hours, I joined Brandon from Pittsburgh and his Bolivian girlfriend Maria Andrea for a snorkel around Koh Bamboo Island, a spot of fishing off Rin Island and the aforementioned feeding encounter with the grinning monkeys of Koh Ped. Following a few hectic days and late nights in Bangkok and Pattaya, I was grateful for the serenity at Amari Bangsaen, about an hour’s drive back up the coast.

After a couple of hours by the pool and a massage treatment at Breeze Spa courtesy of therapist Jay, my batteries were well and truly recharged.

As with the previous two hotels, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to food and drink at Amari Bangsaen.

I sat down for a Pad Thai lunch with mayongchid smoothie at Aloha Beach Café, and devoured another Amaya Food Gallery speciality – a hollowed-out coconut filled with fried rice and prawns – in the evening. The town of Bangsaen is an authentic Thai seaside destination which is home to students from the nearby university during the week and a local tourist trap on the weekend.

I witnessed their annual kite festival, and took a stroll to the fascinating Wang Saen Suk Monastery Garden, aka the ‘Hell and Heaven Temple’.

Here, you have the choice of meeting hundreds of terrifying painted figures depicting gruesome punishments, or a visiting a beautiful pagoda with smiling statues portraying a blissful existence. For me, the latter seemed most fitting for Thailand.

My latest visit to the country, taking in three very different destinations, confirmed it is one of the happiest places on Earth. 

The local people, holidaymakers, monkeys, monitor lizards and statues make everyone feel welcome in the Land of Smiles.

Richard Jones               March 2026

Factbox

Richard Jones was a guest of ONYX Hospitality Group (onyx-hospitality.com), currently celebrating their 60th anniversary, and stayed at Oriental Residence Bangkok (oriental-residence.com), Amari Pattaya (amari.com/pattaya) and Amari Bangsaen (amari.com/bangsaen). 

To find out more about the large variety of holidays and tourism in Thailand, go to fanclubthailand.co.uk

Richard flew direct from Manchester to Bangkok with Norse Atlantic Airways (flynorse.com) on their new weekly service. 

Manchester Airport offers car parking options to suit every budget, while 1903 is the airport’s premium lounge. For more information, visit manchesterairport.co.uk

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