Date:  Jan 6, 2017

Finally, got the time to write the Kao Yai Itinerary.

So, after staying in Bangkok for 2 nights, we picked up Lukas and Louis and their parents from the airport with a 11-seaters van.  Jay and Kay knew them since Kindergarten days at Lorna Whiston.  They have been travelling together to Taiwan, Hokkaido, Nikoi Island, Desaru, etc.  This year, we planned a Khao Yai trip for them.

Actually, not I planned one.  It is this guy, Thomas who planned the trip for us.  I only gave my inputs on where I want to stay.  Thomas is my golf-tour organiser for many years.  When I am in Bangkok, he always all my golf games and tournaments.

So, if you want to plan any golf trip, family trip, in Thailand, you can look for Thomas Kum.  Of course, I always engaged him to provide transportation van with guided tour.  He always follow us (if time permits), bring us around.  Thomas is a Singaporean who stayed in Thailand for 15 years.  He speak Thai and know all the places.  Of course, you don’t compare his service with those local travel agency, where you have to wake up 6am to change hotel everyday those type.  His service is free and easy and relaxing trip.  🙂

So, we asked Thomas to planned the Khao Yai trip for 5 days and 4 nights.  This is basically the itinerary.

I only confirm all the hotel only 2-3 weeks before, that is why most of the hotels I wanted to stay has already fully booked.  At first, I wanted to stay in the jungle with Glamping camp.  But it is all fully booked.  So, I end up choosing these two hotels.

This is our 11-seater van.  Quite comfortable for two families travelling.  Thomas is our tour guide.  He and his driver will flower us every where we go.  It is a guided tour in English (by Thomas) of course.

Let’s see what we have been thru…

First thing first…

Where is Khao Yai?

It is about 3 hours drive from Bangkok.  It is at the North East of Bangkok.

Highway Stop

We make a stop at a highway stop with market and eatery.  Don’t forget to buy the fruits there.

Of course Jay Jay really know how to enjoy the food there.

The bakery is nice.

Day 1 – Lunch

After a 3 hours journey.  We finally arrived at Khao Yai.  So, our very first stop is to fill our stomach.

We eat at this place.  Krua Khao Yai.

Everyone already hungry.

This is the famous dish.

We also ordered some Pork Chop.

Typical Thai Veggies.

The grilled chicken legs.

Thai egg omelettes.  Always the kids favourite.

Nice Food.  Let’s take a selfie of this place.

Day 1 – Chocolate Factory

Just right opposite Krua Khao Yai is the Chocolate Factory.  It is a factory to show you how they make the chocolate, and the stores downstairs will sell you all kinds of chocolate.

Upstair is a nice restaurant.

So, we have our ice cream here at the restaurant upstairs.

Yummy!

The settings is quite nice.

My white chocolate cake.

The weather is not that cooling.  I guess it is the global warming effect.  It should be cooling but it is not.

There is a small playground just beside the chocolate factory.  There are flowers for you to take pictures with too.

But we are more interested in this.  What is this?

It’s a Thailand Spider.  Yeah!

Let’s take a closer look… is it poisonous?  Don’t know.

Quite handsome looking spider lor.

Kids vacation is like this.  Find things or creatures that is unique in the country and take lots of photos.  hahaha Jay and Kay were amazed to see such a nice spider.  The real thing looks like it has lots of diamond and white gold on its body.  hahaha

Day 1 – Primo Piazza

Travelling around Khao Yai is just one straight road.  So, you can get to any where easily. But you need to plan where you stay.  Usually you stay in two or three locations then you plan what you want to play there around the hotel you stay.

So, not far from our hotel, is this Primo Piazza.

And I really feel like I am in Italy.  hahaha

This is an Italy inspired take photo place.

The building are inspired by Italian buildings.

You don’t feel like you are in Thailand at all.  Hahahaha

They have known each other for more than 9 years.

See, take photo place.  I will show you what kind of photos we taken here.  And why we spent more than 2 hours here.  hahaha

Up at the clock tower.

Jay sky jump.

There is huge grass lands for them to run, to fly their airplanes, and jumping, etc.

The two mothers looks nice in this photo.

Hahaha, I really likes Jay’s “I am not Fat” T-shirt.

One of the landmark is this L-O-V-E signage.

Of course, sky jump is a must.

At Primo Piazza, you can feed the small animals there.

meh… meh… meh…

Hungry goats.

I am so happy.  So relaxing.

I have my Kamlan lens with me.  The Bokeh is nice.

That Khao Yai mountain behind is a great place to take photos.

Especially nice for Portraits photos.

This is Lukas and his family.

Day 1 – Checking into Tree House @ LaLa Mukha

Every trip I will select the hotel for us to relax and stay.

I wanted to do Glamping (luxury Camping).  But I was a bit late to book the camp.  So, instead of staying in the Glamping camp @ LaLa Mukha, I took the Tree House unit @ LaLa Mukha.

The must do.  Sit back, relax and enjoy.

Very big field for the kids to run and play.

This is the hotel compound.  And Tree House unit is those long leg house after the bridge at the left side.

OK, boys, let’s go to see our hotel room.  The Tree House.

This is the Tree House @ Lala Mukha.  WOW.  Our jaw drops.  Very nice.

Thomas booked this for us, and we have not google it at all.  So, it comes to us as a surprise to learn that this is Tree House.  We thought the house is build on top of a tree, but instead, it is a long leg house.

Inside the Tree House, there are two levels.  Every level has a bed.

My kids are amazed and like the place so much.  You need to climb the ladder to go upstairs.

Clean room, clean bed.  And they even have aircon.  Those huge powerful unit too.

This is the bed upstairs.

This is the bed downstairs.

behind the bed downstairs is a open air bath tub.  Cool.

All the towels are very clean.

Nice bath salt for the spa too.

One side is shower room.

Washing area.

Another side is Toilet.

They whole room looks nice!  Got TV, aircon, living room.

When you look out of window, its like jungle.

They are happy with this hotel.

Here is the selfie.

Opposite the small pond, is the breakfast area.

You see those white tents on the right, those are the Glamping tents.  But I think it is good for us to stay in the tree house too.  Not a bad experience.

Day 1 – Dinner at Grand Monte Vineyard

This is the owner’s daughter – the wine maker in Grand Monte Vineyard.  So before she closed her shops, let’s do some wine tasting.  Thailand wines.

Not bad.

The grapes are very nice.  We bought some.

And the grape juices too.

I bought the dry longan from here too.

By the time we reach here, the sun already set.  Moon is high up there.

Haiz… almost full moon.  Means, no milky way astrophotographing for me.

The grapes need to grow for another 2 months before harvest.

This is my second time here to Khao Yai.  Last time, I brought my friends here for golf.  And we visited the same vineyard too.  You can check it out from the following URL link.

https://miniliew.org/2014/11/23/khao-yai-golf-trip-包车打golf自由行）

OK, tonight we are having dinner here.

Nice restaurant with great food.

My favourite.  Braised Tu kar Pasta.

OK la.  Let her eat.

Who will eat this cheesy pizza?

Kay Kay!

The wine made in Thailand.  one of the best.

My steak.

My sago coconut dessert.

The house is really nice.

Day 1 – Night Photography Lesson

After dinner, we are back to our hotel.

Our day has not ended yet.

Jay Jay finally learn how to take night photo.

He is taking the tree house.

He is a fast learner too.

This is our Tree House at night.

Easy access to Lukas’ tree house.

Could not get the stars photos, because full moon on one side, and cloudy sky.  Manage to get one star only.  right of the tree house.

Day 2 – Breakfast

Every tree house comes with a trampoline beside the house.

You can actually sleep outside at night if you want to.  And not afraid of mosquito.

Living close to the jungle sure will have mosquito la.  Just make sure you have repellant then can liao.

The kids like it so much.

Mommy also likes it.

Everyone on the trampoline…

The Lala Mukha comes with a rather small breakfast area.  OK, the hotel is nice, but the breakfast is not so variety.

Morning kids!

Not too bad la.

My Thai porridge.

This is actually the 3rd day photos, since we speak about breakfast, just group it here la…

Day 2 – Khao Yai National Park

Today, we going to visit Khao Yai national Park.

There are two waterfall here in Khao Yai National Park.  So, today, we picked one to visit. Haew Narok Waterfall.

We don’t know what is ahead.  It seems OK.  mua hahahahaha.

Be aware.  The last 100 meters before the trail ends there are STEEP STAIRS… and must take deep breathe before going down the steep stairs… hmmm… sounds fun but dangerous?

Here we begin our about 1km walk.

Walking on this bridge is a bit scary.  Hahahaha… So have to always look down, to see if the wood still can hold your weight or not.

Along the way, nice scenery.

Elephant god guarding the path…

Today is landscaping lesson for Jay.

A lot of uphills.

Here comes all the steep stairs.  OK, going down is easy ya.  Later coming back?  hahahahaha

Wow, really no joke.  Steepness of the stairs.

And we are here!

Walk 1km, with 100 meters of very steep stairs.. just to come and see this?  hahaha So, must take pictures here la…

Jay with the water fall.

Water fall, slightly longer exposure..

The Tan family.

Here we are with the Waterfall.

The Liew’s with the water fall.

Take one with Wifey.

Take selfie.

OK, return trip climbing all the steep stairs is no joke.  Very tiring.  We almost use up most of our morning energy.

Coming back from water fall, we stop by a half way point to take photo of Khao Yai forrest.

As you can see, the weather is nice.  Not much sun, but quite comfortable aircon breeze.

This is where we are.

The boys are watching monkeys disturbing our van.

Ok, take picture of the forrest.

Nice coffee place.

Nice deco.

There is a big lake or pond while on the way out.

Big big space for the kids to run.  Let’s stop here for a while.  I seriously lie down here for 30 minutes to recharge.  hahaha

I think the water is cold.  And there are fish there.  So, they did foot massage there.  or Fish massage?  or fishes eat dead skin massage.

Tired and feel good mode.

Big space, means, can fly their plane.

More doing the fish massage.

Errr.. not sure what Auntie Cheryl teaching Jay?  Flying?

Before we wrapped up.  Take a picture at the gate here.

Day 2 – Lunch

I think we had it in Ribbs Mamm…  Fantastic Tu kar…

How fantastic?  Well see how we clean it up… hahaha

The fish.

Wow, the eggs, still look damn good.

Let’s take a selfie of satisfaction.

We stopped by our hotel before we move out to vineyard.

The wine grapes bought from Grand Monte is very nice.

Day 2 – PB Valley

PB Valley is another vineyard.  It is a more commercialise one.  They arrange wine tasting tour, etc.

PB Valley.

Really a great place to throw airplanes.

Wah… so happy!

One big padang for the kids to run and throw their airplanes.

We bought them these foam airplanes for durable and better flights.

Let’s take another selfie.

The vineyard tour is 3pm, so, I think we played 1 hour here at the big grass land.

Looks happy.

Where my wife go?

Let’s begin the vineyard tour.

Nice.

They make a lot of wine here.

This is where they keep the wine.

Look, grapes…

Table grapes,

Drink wine.  Happy moments.

How to make wine.

Learning.

Selfie with the grapes.

Jay also want to take a grape picture.

Jay & Kay.

Grape picture.

Wife with grapes on top of her head.

I want to eat grapes.

Jay and the Vineyard.

We get to visit the real grapes production place.

Kids start to sit down.

Dont forget to buy the gooseberries.  Nice!

Day 2 – Palio

One great thing about Thomas and its tours is .. we get to change the itinerary as and when.  Hahaha

We suppose to eat in Palio, but later, we change to go to Mid-Winter.

Here is Palio.  Another looks like Italian town.

Shopping and makan place.

Wow, Kay looks tired.

A shopping gallery.

If the funny angle shot is not straight, he really does not know how to pose for the photo.

Should be like this.

Safest.

Fountain.

Its a nice place.  But may be we are too tired.  Remember, the 100meters steep stairs.. hahaha

Nice place to take photos too.

Nice.

Buying cotton floss.

How big is the cotton floss.

Day 2 – Dinner at Mid-Winter Green

We changed to eat at Mid-Winter Green.

The outside.

Looks like a castle.

Looks like a very atas place.

Looks very fancy inside.

Inside is nice.  Hmmm.. why no people…

Look at all the ham…

WOW!!!! Every one sitting outside.

Live band some more…

No wonder no one at the Palio there.. no wonder no one sit inside…  Every one is outside here.. hahaha

Environment is nice.

Singing all the old songs.. Nice!

The kids love it!

Thanks Thomas to bring us here…

Mr. Tan enjoying his wine…

A busy night for them…

The kids playing Uno.

Parmaham…

The world most spicy pasta.  hahaha

Go to toilet also got people carry.

Stay tune for PART 3 of the Khao Yai / Bangkok Trip.  Nowadays, lost of work at work, and at home.. In addition, I also spent lots of time sleeping and exercising.. thus, lesser time to write blogs.. so, have to bear with me for a while..

Part 3 will be out this weekend, and can be searched on Miniliew.org … hahaha

Now I remember, I didn’t even write any for last year Australia trip.. hahaha No wonder all the photos are still not organised yet. hhahaha