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Rainy season got you down? Us too. We’re beating the wet gloom by getting out of town this weekend, and you should too. Ditch the Big Mango for one of these nearby destinations for a few days of R&R.
An Easy Beach Getaway
Bangkok is great, but it’s lacking that relaxing beach calm of someplace coastal. Trade traffic and cityscapes for palm trees and an ocean breeze by heading south to Hua Hin. Being just three hours away by car, Hua Hin is an easy pick. The town is less seedy after-hours than places like Pattaya and boasts a night market full of great seafood to score. Hua Hin is a choice pick for water sport lovers. Kite surf, parasail, and water ski your weekday woes away.
Phuket, But Not Phuket
Phuket’s best kept secret is a far cry from Patong. Bypass the tourist traps of Phuket — just an hour and twenty minutes away by flight by the way — to Cape Yamu, where you’ll find total peace and quiet, not to mention beautiful clear water. Cape Yamu is a great jump off point for boating day trips. Arrange a kayak tour of Hong Island, one of the country’s most Instagram-worthy sites.
High Altitude Holiday
This weekend retreat might be a little more effort than the rest, but it’s worth it. Hop on a plane to Chiang Mai and get yourself an hour north of the city to Chiang Dao.Don’t miss the Chiang Dao Caves where older ladies with vintage lanterns will give you a tour through the cavernous natural wonder. On the tour, you’ll find yourself literally crawling through stone tunnels, peering up at sleeping bats, and coming across golden Buddhist shrines. Another must-see is Wat Tham Pha Plong, a beautiful temple standing high on the side of a hill. It’s a walk up 510 stairs to get to the temple, but worth the effort.
The easiest part of escaping Bangkok for the weekend is booking a hotel. One of the latest tools to hit the web is HotelsCombined, a free hotel price comparison service that cuts through the noise of the Internet’s millions of hotel websites. Instead of toggling back and forth for hours between different major booking sites, compare the rates of all top travel sites in one spot on HotelsCombined.com or on the new HotelsCombined app.
Whether you end up picking Chiang Dao, Phuket’s Cape Yamu, or Hua Hin, you’ll find the hotel you’re looking for at the lowest rate. It’s more simple than paying your cell phone bill at 7-11. Compare the rates of all top travel sites www.hotelscombined.com or download the app at http://hcombined.com/app to lock down your weekend plans now.
