Thailand Medical Tourism and Travel Blog Finalist

At the beginning of the month, the Tourism Authority of Thailand launched the Healthy Beauty Holiday in Thailand campaign.

The Healthy Beauty Holiday campaign gathers the best medical deals and sells through various online channels. During this period, you’ll find great bargains and special rates you that you won’t be able to find elsewhere.

The deals are categorized into three categories: medical deals, spa deals and hotel deals.

The deals concentrate on 6 medical tourism destinations in Thailand, including Bangkok, Huahin, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Koh Samui, and Phuket. You can ensure that the medical service providers in this campaign are carefully selected and qualified according to international standards.
The following are samples of the deals which will be offered in our campaign.

•         Delight your skin: From USD 300 discounted to USD 60 (NET)

•         Medical Check Up Program: From USD 730 discounted to USD 450

•         Lasik Surgery: From USD 2,200 discounted to USD 1,350

•         Spa Treatments: Discount 40% from the original price

For more information, check out the Health Beauty Holiday site.

It’s quite an obscene sight, really. A vertical rock protruding out of a craggy, rocky beach – standing tall, straight and literally, erected. Yes, it resembles a giant penis.

Hin Yai/ Hin Tai or Grandmother and Grandfather Rock is a famous landmark found at the south end of the picturesque Lamai beach on the island of Ko Samui.  Need we ask the question why it’s called Grandfather Rock?

In the Choengmun village on Koh Samui stands the regal statues of the Chinese Kuan Yin, accompanied by fellow mythical gods and a shimmering golden temple. Few travelers make it here but those who embark on the journey are rewarded by a genuine peek into the Thai Buddhist religious world. Devout believers come and offer their prayers in the majestic golden temple, kneeling before the massive Buddha statue within the temple. Here are some photos to give you a visual tour of the Kuan Yin Temple.

After a whirlwind 3-day stay on Koh Samui, we’ve returned to the haphazard chaos of Bangkok, whisking through its raucous traffic and urban vibes. It’s the last day of our Thailand Medical Blog Contest, tonight we’ll bid adieu to our fellow bloggers. But that’s not the end of our journey – I’ll be keeping you updated with all the sights and sounds we’d experienced on the island of Samui and share with you my thoughts on the medical facilities on Koh Samui. Stay tuned over the next few days for my report!

Day 3 of our medblog familiarization trip on the island of Koh Samui and we’re finally making a visit to the Bangkok Hospital Samui. Recognized as Koh Samui’s top hospital in both quality of service and facilities, the hospital is a refreshing change to conventional clinical establishments. Designed to look like a top-notch resort, Bangkok Hospital Samui surprises patients with a beautiful garden setting and a friendly, cosy feel.

From mammography to abdominal plasty to CT scans, the myraid of services and treatments and the quality provided here definitely measure up to world-class standards. And what’s best is the extremely affordable prices -- almost a quarter of usual rates in the your home country. To try out their medical facilities, we went for a full-body medical checkup including a CT  scan, blood test and fitness measurement. Gary, my travel partner, also tried out the dental clinic’s air-flow plaque and stain removal treatment. Here’s a video of him getting the dental treatment:

Thailand is home to over 450 islands, among which Koh Tao is said to be one of the most beautiful isles complete with white sandy banks, sparkling clear sea and the ubiqutious longtail boats. In recent years, it has attracted a loyal following of scuba divers and curious backpackers. Its convenient location close to the party isle of Koh Phangan puts it on every Thailand beachbummer’s itinerary. Today, we set sail from Koh Samui towards the isles of Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan – in search of pristine beaches and vibrant underwater marine life.

Climbing to the hilltop of Koh Nang Yuan, a tiny isle off the shores of Koh Tao, we were treated to a stunning panorama of the sandy bay from above. The three islets are connected by patchworks of sand, resulting in beautiful coral beds and shallow turquoise banks. Further inland, these islets are packed with dense foliage fringed by swaying coconut trees. While we didn’t see much marine life or colorful corals when snorkeling, the picture-perfect setting more than made up for it.

Koh Tao in contrast is much bigger in size, with a few resorts built along its coastline. With a myriad of beachfront bungalows, this island is a perfect base from which to explore the surrounding isles and to enjoy some relaxing time with nature.

The sea is a shade of aqua blue, the sand pale pearly white and the surrounding foliage a blanket of emerald green. I’m lounging on Choengmun Beach, a quiet bay on the island of Koh Samui.

Flying over the impossibly turquoise shores of Samui this morning, we arrived to the sun-kissed isle and checked in to our cosy abode for the day: Muang Samui Villas and Suites.  Poised on the seafront of the secluded Choengmun Beach, the resort clearly has a premium location and a dreamy setting. Muang Samui might not be completely constructed yet, but its stylish architectural style and plush interior furnishing already sets the golden standards.

Tomorrow we’ll be off to Koh Tao to frolick in its clear waters, stay tuned for more updates! I’ll also be reporting back on my experience at Kamalaya’s award-winning spa.

The results of our Thailand Medblog Contest lucky draw are out: I’m off to the sun-drenched island of Koh Samui tomorrow with one other blogger! We’ll be reporting back with our findings after visiting Samui’s premium spas, dental clinics and hospitals. But this is not all work and no play – we’ll be of course be exploring Samui’s turquoise beaches, waterfalls and temples and soaking in Samui’s laid-back island life. Koh Tao, off the coast of Samui, is on our itinerary – we’ll be spending a whole day frolicking in its clear blue waters and perhaps get to do some diving!

One of the things I’m looking forward to on this trip is a visit to the Kamalaya Koh Samui‘s Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa. Having nabbed the Spa Asia’s Best Spa Award 2010, the prestigious retreat is dubbed as one of the best in Thailand. I’m scheduled in for a Chinese Medical Massage and Ayurvedic Massage, look out here for my updates!

Loi Krathong – one of Thailand’s biggest festivals - takes place on the evening of the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar. Thanks to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, we are to witness the celebrations of Loi Krathong in full swing along the Chao Praya River of Bangkok.

“Loi” means “to float” and a “krathong” is traditionally made from a section of banana tree trunk. A krathong is usually decorated with elaborately-folded banana leaves, flowers, candles and incense sticks. A coin is placed within the krathong as an offering to the river spirits.

Tonight, with the full moon shining right above our heads,  our bunch of bloggers get to experience the traditional Thai festival. Each of us first light up our krathong’s incense and candle and then set it afloat onto Bangkok’s biggest river, the Chao Praya. The festival is believed to originate in an ancient practice of paying respect to the spirit of the waters.

As we sail along the choppy waters of the Chao Praya River, brightly lit float boats specially decorated for the Loi Krathong festivities are on display. Bangkok’s stunning landmarks are blanketed in a golden glow as they stand by the river’s edge in their full glory. From the water, Bangkok’s sheer beauty is evident. I think I might already be falling for Bangkok, who isn’t?

Vibrant, chaotic yet glitzy: Bangkok is a mishmash of kaleidoscopic colors, haphazard traffic, skyscraper shopping malls and fascinating cultures. Day 1 of our Thailand Medical Tourism familiarization trip and Bangkok has already blown my mind away.

An afternoon spent wandering through the labyrinth-like Chatukchak Weekend Market  showed me the city’s boundless energy and vigor. Prowling through the rows upon dizzying rows of antique stores and clothes shops, I was distracted by the powerful aroma and blinding colors of the ubiquitous street food stalls.

Meat skewers drenched with spicy sauce, barbecued squid roasted to golden crispiness and rainbow-colored tropical fruits were on display at every corner of Chatukchak. Hungry food-lovers dipped their hands into delish local delights by the roadside – phad thai (fried noodles), son tham (papaya salad) and tom yam goong (spicy soup) sprawled across the tables.

For those visiting Thailand on a medical trip, Chaktukchak Weekend Market is an essential place to visit. To get a taste of Thai culture, gastronomy and trend, here is the place to be.