Yes, a scooter accident. At least he was wearing a helmet.

Samui’s private hospitals are equipped with modern facilities and equipment, the doctors are well trained, and many of them have studied abroad. Staff speak good English and sometimes other languages too; Russian and German translators are on hand at some places. Comparatively speaking, private rooms are affordable to many in the West and some resemble resorts. The private hospitals also have dedicated offices to assist you in processing insurance claims. Here’s a rundown of the best facilities on the island.

Bandon International Private Hospital
The Bandon International Hospital is central and easy to find in Bophut along the ring road. Facilities and service are of a high standard and the hospital is modern and well-equipped. The hospital has both a surgery and a trauma centre. It also has an international clinic on the neighbouring island of Ko Pha Ngan.
You’ll find Bandon near Big C Shopping Centre. T: (077) 245 236 or (077) 245 237. www.bandonhospitalsamui.com

Bangkok Hospital Samui
Samui’s biggest hospital offers a wide range of services and the staff and doctors have a high level of English. The standards at this hospital rival the best Western hospitals. There’s a trauma unit, and if you’re travelling with kids, this is probably your hospital of choice should your child get sick as they have an excellent paediatrics division.
Bangkok Hospital is located on the ringroad in Chaweng, shortly before Chaweng Noi if travelling clockwise. T: (077) 429 500. www.samuihospital.com

No, it’s not a resort.

Samui International Hospital
This is one of the island’s newest hospitals and offers a wide range of services including cosmetic and dental procedures for both inpatients and outpatients. The hospital is even equipped with its own swimming pool for convalescent patients, and staff can speak a number of languages including English, French and German.
The hospital is located at the northern end of Chaweng Beach Road. T: (077) 230 781/2. www.sih.co.th

Thai International Hospital
Samui’s Thai International Hospital offers a wide range of services including a 24-hour accident and emergency centre, and its own resident plastic surgeon. (This is the place to go for a little ‘surgery and sunshine’ — botox and other minor cosmetic treatments.)
The hospital is located opposite Tesco Lotus, Chaweng. T: (077) 245 721-6. www.thaiinterhospital.com

Samui Government Hospital
Located on the outskirts of Nathon, Samui’s Government Hospital will probably be a last resort for foreign tourists who will normally choose one of the island’s private hospitals. But if it’s an emergency and this is the closest hospital, it helps to know how to find it. The government hospital is reasonably well equipped but not to the same extent as other hospitals on the island, and the level of English spoken is generally lower. It is however considerably cheaper than the private hospitals.
Turn down the road by immigration, when exiting Nathon travelling anti-clockwise and follow the signs. T: (077) 421 230 or (077) 421 232.

Pharmacies
You won’t have to travel far to find a pharmacy on Samui. In fact, there are nearly as many as there are 7-elevens. You’ll find most pharmacists speak good English and many are open 24 hours or at least until late at night, so you’ll always be able to pick up a tube of after-sun lotion or rehydration fluid after a long day in the sun. Pharmacists also keep a book on hand to match up local brand names with international brands, so you shouldn’t have to worry about being prescribed the wrong drug or dosage. Boots pharmacies can be found inside the major shopping centres, and as well as local chain Morya’s many branches, you’ll also find independent pharmacies plus those located within all the hospitals.

Dentists and optometrists
Almost all of the dentists on Samui have trained overseas and can speak English to a good standard. Generally speaking, dentistry is much cheaper in Thailand than it is in other, more developed countries, and a basic check up is available at a fraction of the cost you’ll pay in the West. It’s become popular for tourists to have dental work done while on the island – both medical and cosmetic. Popular procedures include various methods of tooth whitening and also dental crowns. The money saved on this procedure may even cover the cost of the airfare – a nice incentive to tie a trip to the dentist in with your holiday. If you’re not looking for cosmetic dentistry, but have a toothache or other problem while on the island, the dentist at the Samui International Hospital is very good and exceptionally cheap – we’ve used him a couple of times. Baan Luck Fun dentists have branches in Chaweng, Mae Nam, Bophut and Lamai. They’re reasonably priced and professional. A deep cleaning will cost you around 1,000 baht.

All the main shopping centres have optometrists, as do the main tourist drags. As with dentistry, opticians are considerably cheaper than in the West. Top Charoen has several branches on the island. www.topchareon.co.th.

Here’s hoping you don’t need any of the info above, but should you have an emergency or fancy a little ‘plasterwork’ done while you’re on the island, bookmark this to keep on hand.

Hang Dong market

Hang Dong district encompasses a major crossroads, with roads heading north for the “Samoeng Loop”, south to Ban Tawai, and further west to Chom Thong, Doi Inthanon and Hot . Quite a few visitors find themselves passing though the town and we reckon this lively little rural market makes a great stop for a break and even a bite to eat.

The market’s located in what passes for the centre of Hang Dong, on the north side of Highway 108, close to the turn-off for Ban Tawai. It’s housed in a new, spacious, covered market building — don’t expect quaint thatched roofs, but it does make it easier to walk around than some cramped downtown markets. It also means there’s more light for photographs.

Great selection of curries at 30 baht a dish!

Getting shots in say bustling Worarot can be tricky, since you can feel like you’re getting in the way — indeed often you are — but though Hang Dong can get busy early on, it’s generally far less hectic, with a relaxed feel to it. Vendors have got the time to chat — and even pose for photos.

Hang Dong’s a wet and dry market so there’s clothes and household goods as well as all local farm produce on offer, plus an excellent range of prepared food dishes. You’ll find the usual chicken on rice and noodle soup vendors in the market while for more noodles, fried rice, phat kra pao (chicken with basil and chillies) and so on. A couple of basic restaurants face the market building in the sidestreets too — worth checking out.

The market’s open daily, 05:00-20:00.

Two extra beers or a massage? Tough choice for a backpacker.

What’s great about beach massages on Thailand’s Ko Samui is that the masseuse doesn’t come to your lounger, but you have semi-privacy in a sala on the beach, usually a little away from where the sunbeds are. Some of the massage ladies pride themselves in making their salas pretty, with hanging orchids and fabrics.

The busiest beaches will have salas every 100 metres or even more, and even the less touristy beaches will have one somewhere near a lone resort. What can you expect at a beach massage? Well, there’s usually a few types of massage available, including traditional Thai (usually the cheapest as they don’t use oils), head and shoulders, oil full body (don’t worry, your swimsuit stays on), foot and also aloe vera, good if you’ve had too much sun.

Couples therapy.

Other treatments will vary from sala to sala, but often on the menu is a simple mani and pedi, and foot scrubs are popular too. Some even offer ear-candling, where a piece of paper is rolled into a cone and placed into the ear. The wide end sticking out is lit on fire (yes, really), and basically this causes a vacuum which sucks excess wax out of the ear. Some people swear by it.

On arrival at the sala you’ll see a menu displaying the massages and treatments on offer. This is not a market stall — don’t haggle the rates. Thai massages range from 200 to 300 baht for an hour, and oil massages from 300 to 400 baht. An aloe vera massage is sometimes a little more, as the gel is pricy. Mani or pedis go for 200 to 300 baht, and foot scrubs usually around 300 baht – this is the least value for money, as it only lasts about 15 minutes, whereas 300 baht can get you an hour-long massage.

Lying in the breeze with the sound of the sea lapping the shore nearby while someone eases your aching muscles is so addictive that many a backpacker on a tight budget foregoes a meal to get their daily massage. If you prefer more privacy and perhaps some air-con, you’ll see plenty of small massage shops along the busy roads, many of which are the same price as the beach salas, or only marginally more. Of course, you can splash out at a luxury resort’s spa too.

You’re never to young to start enjoying a massage.

Many of the masseuses have done a basic massage course at Wat Po, Bangkok’s famous massage school but if you do have a medical condition, it’s probably best to head to one of the more upmarket spas as they first do an assessment and will tailor the treatment around your condition.

A trail into tragic history.

In terms of human lives lost, the most costly event of the Japanese occupation of Thailand and Burma during World War II was the construction of the Thai-Burma Railway, better known today as the “Death Railway“. Building began on the 415 kilometres of track that linked Bangkok to southeastern Burma in June 1942 and lasted until October 1943, though forced labour on the railway continued until the end of the war in 1945. Some 16,000 Allied POWs and 90,000 Asian forced labourers perished from disease, starvation and beatings by Japanese officials.

Arguably the most difficult stretch of the railway to construct was in a mountainous area of Thailand’s Kanchanaburi province. Numerous rock cuttings were needed to make to make way for a track that was laid along steep mountain slopes. Australian, British, Dutch and other POWs, and Malay, Chinese, Indian, Burmese, Thai and other labourers were forced by the Japanese to clear enormous outcrops of limestone and quartz.

Due to the eerie flicker of torches that provided light during nighttime labour, the fiery hues that emerged from the rocks when chiselled and the overall hellish conditions under which the work was performed, the largest cutting became known as Hellfire Pass. POWs also referred to it as “Hammer and Tap” after the tedious means by which the cutting was created.

A glimpse of the “hellfire” hidden within the rocks.

Men worked in continual shifts of 16 to 18 hours a day with only a small portion of rice to eat. Drinking water was also in short supply. Most of the water that could be lugged from the Khwae Noi river was used to lubricate the rocks, rendering them more easily broken by chisel. Explosives were used in some places, but these were also in limited supply and many huge boulders were broken entirely by ‘hammer and tap’. Once boulders were cracked into smaller (but still relatively large) shards of rock, they were tossed down the mountainside or used to stabilise the ground on which the railway was laid.

In 1943, as the war began to tip in the favour of the Allies, work on the railway increased to a frenzy. An early monsoon caused deadly mud slides. Many forced labourers succumbed to cholera, dysentary, malaria and other diseases. Others, too exhausted to carry on, were beaten to death by frustrated Japanese officials.

A depiction from Hellfire Pass Museum of prisoners in their sleeping quarters.

Though all of the lost Allied POWs were accounted for by their own governments, the Japanese never kept track of the dead and no one knows exactly how many Asian labourers lost their lives in the tragedy. The Japanese initially coerced many of these labourers by promising “high paying work”, but some accounts suggest they were treated even worse than the POWs.

Most of the Death Railway was dismantled by Thai and Burmese authorities after the war ended, but evidence of it still exists along the vast path it cut through the wilderness. The site of Hellfire Pass became an official memorial in 1987 and an Australian-sponsored museum opened in 1996. With extensive information, moving works of art and actual personal effects used by some of the prisoners, such as crude shoes and journals, it’s one of the area’s most comprehensive museums.

Incredibly, the largest pass took only 12 weeks to complete.

A hiking trail takes visitors on the original path of the railway and through some of the cuttings. Not far from the museum, the trail’s first passage — Hellfire Pass itself — is the most dramatic. Visitors can climb a viewpoint to look down on this 110-metre-long alleyway cut 17 metres deep into solid rock. Some visitors leave flowers and flags at the memorial plaques found at the far end of the pass.

While the majority of visitors only see the museum and this first, largest cutting, those who wish to explore the site in a more intimate way can walk the full four kilometres of the trail. It’s a relatively demanding hike even for the fit; we found it difficult to contain our emotions as we imagined what it would have been like for those forced to toil here. Set along steep and rocky mountain slopes, some stretches of the trail are so rugged that it’s hard to believe a train could have ever made it through.

How did a train get through there?

The trail leads hikers through several smaller cuttings, some of which are a stone’s throw from craters caused by Allied bombs dropped towards the end of the war. In a few places, the path opens to viewpoints with sweeping views of the Khwae Noi valley and the mountain range that forms the border with Burma some distance beyond. The bodies of 124 POWs were laid to rest in this valley, and they remain here today.

When we stopped at one such overlook, a breeze rustled the bamboo trees as leaves twirled gently to the ground. Despite the heat, the atmosphere was quiet and peaceful — we encountered only one other hiker along the trail. The viewpoints offer an opportunity to pause, reflect and perhaps feel a sense of communion with those who died here. The terrain must have felt like a prison to the labourers, but we wondered if some were afforded a moment of peace as they gazed over the forested landscape.

One of the views over the Khwae Noi Valley.

Splintered wood and galvanized iron scraps from the original railway can be found scattered unceremoniously along the trail. Though these look no different than spare parts from any old railroad, they serve as tangible connections between modern visitors and the men who fought, were imprisoned and often made the ultimate sacrifice to protect their loved ones, their countries and the freedom of future generations.

Hellfire Pass is located 80 kilometres northwest of Kanchanaburi town, immediately off Route 323 (see map). While most visit as part of a tour, we were glad to have come on our own by motorbike as most tours don’t allow for hiking too far beyond the first cutting. Though it’s a fairly long trip on motorbike, signs are clearly marked and reaching the memorial is not complicated.

It’s also possible to catch a bus or minibus bound for Thong Pha Phum or Sangkhlaburi and ask to be dropped at Hellfire Pass. Buses return to Kanchanaburi throughout the day and can be caught on the other side of the road. Hellfire Pass Museum and Memorial is open daily from 09:00 to 16:00. Admission is free but donations are appreciated.

Sunny skies, footprints in the sand. Nai Thon beach in December.

Though temperatures vary little from month to month, there are three distinct seasons within the tropical monsoon climate of Phuket: dry, hot and rainy.

In November, the monsoon winds shift and begin to flow in from the northeast, bringing cooler (though far from cool) temperatures that continue through February. It’s also the driest, sunniest time of year and Phuket’s peak season for visitors. Expect to find calmer seas, blue skies, and more crowded beaches during these months. Accommodation prices will also be at their peak, especially from mid-December to mid-January.

Swimming’s a go, but you’ll have some company! Surin beach in high season.

March, April and May are Phuket’s hottest months and the days can get uncomfortably hot and sticky. Coinciding with the Thai school holidays, this is when many locals get out of town or flock to the shopping centres to escape the blazing weather. If visiting Phuket during these months, it’s well worth shelling out more for an air-conditioned hotel room or a resort with a pool. Rain showers come and go and generally don’t hang around for too long.

From June through August, relief from the heat comes with the southwest monsoon winds, which bring more cooling rains. The rainfall during these months usually comes in short bursts, so there are still plenty of sunny days to enjoy.

With fewer people around and sometimes significant discounts on offer at many Phuket hotels and guesthouses, July and August can be great months to visit, especially for those on a budget. Photographers love to be here during these months, too, since the island is greener and fresher, the light more varied and interesting, and the skies livelier – Phang Nga Bay looks especially misty and mystical then.

Wet but warm. A child plays on the beach between rain showers on Ko Siray.

For September and October, be sure to bring your umbrella since these are Phuket’s wettest months. It really buckets down at times, sometimes turning roads into rivers. Getting around can get damp and dicey, especially by motorbike. If you’re visiting Phuket during these months, bring some books or a well-apped iPad and plan for some days inside.

If you find yourself in Phuket during a spell of heavy rain, it might be a good time to take that Thai cooking course, visit indoor sights like the Phuket Aquarium or book a massage session. If travelling with children, try seeking out a resort with a kids’ club to keep the wee ones busy if it’s too stormy for the beach. Or if you’re keen to avoid rain at all costs, you might want to check out the weather in Samui and the Gulf Coast islands before booking your flight to Thailand, where the dry and wet seasons fall on different months.

In the past, many Phuket hotels, restaurants and shops shuttered their doors during the rainy months, but this is no longer the case: Phuket has emerged as a year-round destination. That said, it’s certainly not safe to swim year-round. Through the so-called green season, strong waves and hidden riptides can quickly turn a day at the beach into tragedy.

Stormy but still scenic, Ko Siray.

At the larger west-coast beaches, you’ll likely see red flags pitched in the sand on some days. For those unaware of this beach safety warning, the red flags mean ‘No Swimming!’ Even in deceptively calm seas, dangerous undertow may be lurking beneath the surface. Be sure to heed the warnings.

September and October is Phuket’s surfing season, as these are the best months to catch some waves, especially at Kata and Kata Noi beaches.

Phuket weather in brief

Temperatures: Daily averages fall within the 25-30 degree Celsius range all year with humidity levels at 80 or higher for most of the year. Average high temperatures range from 30-31C in September through December, peaking at 33-34C in March-April. Average lows are in the mid-20s throughout the year.

Rainfall: The driest months are January through March, with 30-40 millimetres of rain on average. The months of May through October have average rainfall of 200mm, peaking in September at 400mm.

If you stay on Seetanu beach, this could be your view …

The beach itself is long, and not so great for swimming, since the water stays shallow for nearly a kilometre before beginning to get deep. Still, if you want to do some yoga in one of the open-air wooden beachfront pavilions, bask in the sun, sit in shallow water, or even grab a drink at a beachfront bar, this uncrowded beach is a great Ko Pha Ngan option. Here are our top picks for Seetanu beach.

Best resort

Loyfa’s beachfront restaurant. Told you it was crowded.

Loyfa Natural Resort, in the south of Seetanu, is a fantastic place to be. With spacious rooms containing comfortable beds, TVs, fridges, safes and modern bathrooms, plus an area with a beachfront restaurant, large pool and massage, you can’t go wrong here. Even their least expensive rooms, at 1,500 baht during low season, provide great value.

Check rates & availability at Loyfa Natural Resort on Agoda.com.

Loyfa Natural Resort
T: (077) 377 319, (087) 621 6814
F: (077) 349 080
www.loyfa-natural-resort.com

Best fan room

One of the best fan rooms on Ko Pha Ngan.

The fan rooms at Phangan Cove resort easily provide the best value in Seetanu. For 400 baht a night, most west coast bungalows would be wooden, with only a hard mattress and meagre — but the ones here are concrete, with a super comfortable mattress, a plush sofa and modern decor. The bathroom is also swankier than your average at this pricepoint, with a hot shower. A spacious patio is also provided. Reserve in advance — they only have four of these rooms available.

Phangan Cove Resort
T: (083) 9698584
www.phangan-cove.com

Best lounge

Phangan Cove Resort’s Shangri-La restaurant. Elbowing more people out of the way.

The beachfront Shangri La restaurant at Phangan Cove resort has a wonderful atmosphere, complete with comfortable seating options, an extensive menu, and vibrant decorations. The wine is inexpensive at 80 baht a glass, and the burgers are fantastic, with their chicken version 99 baht. The service isn’t great, but if you can get over that, you’ll love it. Come for sunset.

Best yoga
The yoga and detox centres in the area are all quite reputable. Uber-popular Agama Yoga is not for everyone, with many intimidated by the sheer numbers of participants in each class, many of whom are well-experience yogis. Orion Yoga, in the south of Seetanu, provides a more personal approach and beginners may feel more comfortable here. There is also an herbal steam room here for detoxing.

Orion Healing
15/2 Moo 8, Seetanu
T: (089) 048 0020
www.orionhealing.com

Best hole-in-the-wall restaurant

Get ready for some amazing food at this humble place …

Seetanu has many restaurants to choose from, many of which are simple roadside set-ups serving whatever they were able to get from the fresh market that day. Home Restaurant is one of them, and the chef, Gam, is as friendly and welcoming as she is gifted at cooking. Here you’ll eat some of the best Thai food on the island, if not in Thailand, at very reasonable prices. She also does fantastic Vietnamese food. The best thing to do is order some dishes around lunch time for dinner, and when you arrive, she’ll have everything set up and prepared for you and your group. Find it beside Ladda Restaurant on the main road. T: (082) 415 8211.

Best entertainment

Fun in the sun at Lake Hut.

Visitors come from all over Ko Pha Ngan to do the wipe-out course at Lake Hut. If you’ve ever seen the TV show Wipeout, then you know what to expect. If not, imagine a blow up obstacle course that floats on water, placed on the edge of a lake. For 500 baht, guests can enjoy the challenging but fun course all day long. Lake Hut also has a great restaurant with a wide selection of Thai and Western favourites.

Lake Hut
84/32 Moo 8 (on Laem Son lake, towards the northern end of Seetanu)
T: (089) 730 0081

Best shopping
Outside of Haad Rin, Phangan doesn’t have many shopping options. But in Seetanu, Russian-Thai owned Nitra clothing shop is a good place to check out if you want unique, top-quality pieces. Find Nitra beside Fellini’s restaurant along the main road.

There’s a fresh new hostel in town.

While we’d classify Rang Kha Mhin as a hostel rather than a true homestay, its warm and friendly atmosphere does encourage guests to make themselves at home. Filled with flowers and adorable decor, the ground floor Andaman Cafe successfully captures the feel of a seaside cottage. Even if not staying here, it’s worth stopping in for a hearty, organic breakfast or slice of homemade carrot cake with a cup of fair trade Doi Chaang coffee. Reasonably priced Thai massage is offered in a soothing second-floor room. The soft-spoken woman-in-charge obviously cares a great deal about the comfort and happiness of her guests.

Rang Kha Mhin’s warm and personable service is a major selling point, but the accommodation is also excellent. Two four-bed dorm rooms, women-only and mixed, come with hardwood floors, white cotton drapes over large windows, small balconies over the street, desks with a couple of chairs and thin but adequate mattresses on sturdy dark wood frames. Each bunk has privacy curtains to go with personal power outlets and reading lamps. All dorm beds go for 300 baht in low season and 350 in the busier months — very competitive value given the quality.

Natural light is a theme throughout the building.

Though large lockers are offered free of charge, staff told us that most guests don’t take advantage of them because the homely atmosphere feels secure enough to leave things lying around. Shared hot water bathrooms are spotless and equipped with modern appliances. WiFi is free and a communal fridge is available in a small upstairs common space. The whole building is air-conditioned.

Three beds, two showers, 10 windows.

While we liked the dorms, we loved the bright corner family room. Three thick mattresses with fresh sheets are laid out on hardwood floors and surrounded by sky blue walls with loads of windows. The room also features a long desk and two ensuite showers so you don’t have to fight over who washes up first. Rates vary depending on the number of guests: the family room fetches 800 baht for two people in low season and 1,200 in high, 1,000 in low and 1,600 in high for three and 1,200 in the slow months or 2,000 during high season for four. An organic breakfast is included in high season rates.

Andaman Cafe: a pleasant breather from the city.

Rang Kha Mhin’s location towards the west side of Tani Road (see map) is a good choice for those who want to be close to the action of Khao San but in a slightly more “local” style setting than Soi Rambutri. Other options on Tani include the swish NapPark Hostel directly across the street, the decent flashpacker rooms at Pannee House a stone’s throw away and popular Thai Cozy House at the other end of the road.

Rang Kha Mhin Homestay
Tani Road, Bangkok
T: (089) 499 8702 / (088) 846 7577
www.khaosan-rangkhamhinhomestay.com

Keeled over in fright.

Ko Samui is no longer the undeveloped backwater it once was; several supermarket chains are represented on the island. You’ll find a few branches of Tesco Lotus and well as numerous Tesco Expresses, and also a Big C supermarket. The Makro store supplies the restaurants and resorts with their fresh and dry goods, but the public is also welcome to shop there.

The supermarkets carry a wide selection of imported goods and there are several specialty shops stocking imported wines, cheeses, meats and other fancy goods. If you’re looking for health foods, try Nature Home Samui, located in the loop road where the Mae Nam walking street market is held (turn down at the Mae Nam traffic lights), or the health shop at The Spa Resort, along the ring road when entering Lamai from Chaweng side.

Try out the fresh markets too, where fruit and vegetables come in fresh daily. Each town has its own wet market, with meats and seafood also for sale. For someone from the West, a walk past the fruit and vegetable stalls can be an interesting experience as much of the produce may be rather exotic; meat stalls at the market will not be as appealing to the eye – or nose — with whole pig heads and chickens with heads still on the norm. It’s quite different from buying your meat neatly packaged in polystyrene trays — some may find it a bit disturbing.

Ah, some grilled prawns on the barbecue sounds good.

Many fresh markets are located next to fishing villages, with catches loaded straight from the boats to market. Fresh fish, prawns and squid are a good buy, and perfect to prepare on the grill, flavoured with local herbs.

Any idea what all those greens are?

You’ll find a big market a few hundred metres before the entrance to Big Buddha when coming from Bang Rak. There’s another large one shortly before the traffic lights in Bophut, coming from Chaweng, and you could also check out Laem Din Market near the lake in Chaweng. Nathon’s fresh market can be found leaving the one way section, heading towards Lipa Noi, and there’s another large one in Lamai, just off the ring road.

Spicy, spicy, or, um, spicy?

Obviously, if you plan on self-catering, you’ll need a kitchen. This means renting a villa or bungalow with cooking facilities rather than a hotel room. Many small bungalows will have basic cooking facilities such as a gas hotplate, usually a rice cooker, a kettle and possibly a microwave — check before booking to be sure though. Only the larger villas will have an oven as they aren’t often used in Thai cooking. Of course, if you hire a big villa, you’ll often have the luxury of a chef included in the rate… but we can’t really call that self-catering now, can we?

Making the most of Bangkok’s canals.

Rooms come in three varieties and the only real difference between them is additional space and coffee/tea facilities in deluxe and executive editions. All have comfortable beds with traditional Thai silk liners, sliding glass doors that open on to balconies with canal views, LCD TVs, safes, fridges, air-con, key card entrance and rather sumptuous bathrooms with ceramic basin sinks and rain showers. All appliances and furnishings are modern and spotless, but dark hardwood floors, stained glass panels and turquoise tiles in the bathrooms add a sense of warmth that’s often overlooked in contemporary Thai hotels.

The standard room is adequately sized for a pair of travellers and, at 1,350 baht, priced right where we’d expect given the amenities. The deluxe runs 1,750 baht while the largest executive room fetches 1,850 — reasonable value for a comfy spread. We found Korbua to be an especially good fit for holidaying couples, but the lack of in-room desks doesn’t make it the best choice for business travellers.

What IS it with animal towels? They seem to be taking over…

While the rooms are great, it was Korbua’s laidback canalside ambiance that really drew us in. With dark orange tile floors, potted plants and decorative hanging lanterns and sea shells, the pleasant open-air lobby doubles as a cafe with a full bar. Tables perched directly beside the canal beckon guests to kick back, check email (WiFi is free), catch up on some reading or simply watch the water slide by. We found the uniformed staff professional and friendly.

Korbua is situated where a side street meets the canal, so the only traffic is in the form of motorbikes that occasionally cross a nearby bridge which leads to a series of alleyways. In a city known for pulsing energy and bustling streets, this is about as peaceful as it gets.

A game of cards anyone?

Cross the bridge and follow the alley to the left and you’ll emerge into the Samsen neighbourhood with its low-key traveller-friendly bars and cafes. The hotel is a three-minute stroll from Wat Bovornivet, an easy 10 minutes to Khao San and about 15 minutes to the Chao Phraya River and Phra Athit express boat pier. Loads of delicious food can be found in this area.

Finding the hotel is a tad tricky (see map); from the east side of Khao San Road, walk north on Tanao Road then take a soft right on to Bowon Niwet Road. At the end, cross Phra Sumen Road and look for the narrow alley — it will be to the left as you cross the street — that shoots north next to Kasikorn Bank. Korbua House is located at the end of the alley, on the left just before the bridge. For similar rates and atmosphere, canalside Lamphu Tree House is another good midrange option a half-kilometre to the east.

Check rates & availability at Korbua House on Agoda.com.

Korbua House
Phra Sumen Road (next to Khlong Lamphu), Bangkok
T: (022) 800 388
www.korbuahouse.com

Into the deep.

More people are choosing to free dive regardless of whether they have scuba dived before or not. I think it’s because it’s a physical challenge, but also because it’s calmer and quieter than scuba and less restrictive due needing fewer bits of equipment. Clearly your dives are shorter, but the marine life isn’t as scared of you and you certainly feel less awkward and cumbersome in the water. The first course is typically three days and on Ko Tao costs around 5,500 baht.

Learning to extend your breath hold time is key to the length of your dive time and will involve practising both relaxing and breathing techniques. You will put this into practice in the water and then practice the different dive skills and disciplines.

Learning to free dive  is obviously different to scuba and you should look for different things in your choice of school and course.

Breaking the surface.

Firstly, the centre or school should have somewhere quiet for you to practice relaxing and breathing. Secondly, a good instructor is crucial to any positive learning experience and this is super important for learning to free dive. They do not need to be a free diving record holder but they should be actively diving and have a calm demeanour. Meet with your potential teacher and get a feel for their personality.

Next, find out how many students are on a course. When free diving you use a buoy on the surface so that you can rest after a dive and hold onto it while breathing and relaxing in preparation for a dive. Any more than four students on one buoy becomes uncomfortable and not ideal for a relaxing preparation. Also remember that courses will not take longer because there are more in the group, it will simply mean less practice time and fewer dives.

Down, down, down.

Have a look at the equipment too. It’s simpler for free diving, with a low-profile mask, simple snorkels and long bladed fins, but check to see whether these are in good condition.

You should learn dynamic, which is horizontal underwater swimming, and free immersion, which is a head-first dive where the diver pulls herself down a weighted rope to depth. This then builds to constant weight, which is a dive started with a duck dive, where the diver uses fins for further propulsion to depth. Make sure your course covers these skills and also that it includes plenty of time to fun dive and put your new skills into practice exploring the reef and marine life.

Incidentally, Red Bull magazine featured a great piece on world-record holding free diver Herbert Nitsch last month — it’s worth a read.