Thank You, American Express

Entry 35:

Khao Lak is not as well known as some of the other beach towns in Thailand. It's true - the beach in Khao Lak is not as pristine as other beaches, but it has a neat little town and it quite isolated from other towns, unlike many of the other islands. Because it is less popular, it is also much less crowded.

In 2004, the Andaman Sea side of Thailand was struck by a tsunami that wiped out the town of Khao Lak. This was the same massive tsunami that killed hundeds of thousands of people throughout S.E. Asia. Here's evidence of the damage: http://www.drgeorgepc.com/tsu2004IndoThaiKhaoLakBeach.jpg

Luckily, the town was completely rebuilt. We spent two nights in town, trying out the local restaurants and walking up and down the strip of stores. Our absolute favorite gastronomic experience was at Khao Lak Seafood. The pad thai and curry dishes were so good, we returned to this restaurant several times.

Because the town had to be completely rebuilt, brand new resorts went up. The main resort to go up is Le Meridian, a Starwood resort. As holders of the Starwood American Express card, we were able to collect enough points to redeem a five night stay for free.

Truth be told, the real reason we ended up in Khao Lak is because of our friends Dani and Silvia who were getting married that December in Mexico. Because we were in S.E. Asia and could not attend the wedding, we thought we'd surprise them on their honeymoon. Dani mentioned they would be honeymooning in Khao Lak. We knew that Dani, the quintessential Starwood Amex user, would be staying at a Starwood resort. We did some research and found that Le Meridian is the only Starwood property in Khao Lak. However, we still weren't sure when the newly-weds would show up. We tried to time it several days after the nuptuals. They finally arrived on our last night at the resort. It happened to be Christmas Eve, so the four Jews "celebrated" with an Italian dinner outdoors by the pool. It was a memorable evening.

The musical staff (three Philipinos dressed in Santa Clause outfits) that evening walked from table to table taking requests. We specifically asked for a song unrelated to Xmas. We were serenaded by a rousing rendition of "Besame Mucho."

Our stay at the hotel was really a good time. From the moment we got there, we were treated like royalty. We received beautifully with orchid necklaces placed around our necks. This for a couple of schmucks that showed up with scruffy backpacks in the back of a pickup truck. Our room may have been the bottom category of rooms, but it was truly luxurious with hardwood floors, bath robes and slippers, and a patio. Words cannot do it justice. You'll have to see for yourselves: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1847

The resort boasted numerous amenities, including two massive swimming pools, beachside bar, a gym, tennis courts, and five different restaurants. In sticking with our frugal backpacking ways, we did sneak out a couple of times to eat at the roadside stands just outside the pearly gates of the resort. In truth, the food cooked by the locals was often tastier than that served at the posh restaurants inside the hotel. We found this surprising!

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. After 5 days, it was back to the airport for our flight up to Bangkok.