Preview Trip for TBEX Asia 2015

tbex

TBEX is the world’s largest gathering of travel bloggers, writers, new media content creators, and social media travel industry professionals. The first TBEX conference in Asia will be taking place this year in Bangkok from 15-18 October 2015 (more information). This week, 30 bloggers from around the world are in Thailand as part of a preview trip at the invite of TBEX. The hosts of this trip are Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau.

I’ve been invited along for this preview trip. For the first two nights, and the last night, we are staying at Plaza Athenee Hotel in Bangkok. On Sunday they will be giving us a briefing in the morning and then in the afternoon they will take us on a City Tour. From Monday-Wednesday they will split us up into small groups to go on a trip to various destinations in Thailand.

The routes are as follows:

Route A: Bangkok – Lampang – Phrae – Nan
Route B: Bangkok – Loei
Route C: Bangkok – Trang
Route D: Bangkok – Samut Songkram – Ratchaburi
Route E: Bangkok – Trat – Koh Chang – Koh Kood

I’ll be going on Route E to Koh Chang and some of the neighbouring islands. I first went to Koh Chang when I arrived in Thailand more than twenty years ago. I haven’t been to any of the smaller islands like Koh Kood. I’m looking forward to exploring them. The following is the itinerary for the 3-day trip:

Day 01: Monday 23rd March 2015 – Bangkok – Koh Chang

05:45hrs Pick-up from hotel in Bangkok, Transfer to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
06:45hrs Check in at Airport.
08:20hrs Depart Suvarnabhumi Airport to Trat by Bangkok Airways, PG301.
09:20hrs Arrival at Trat Airport.
09:50hrs Transfer from Trat Airport to Koh Chang by minivan and ferry.
12:30hrs Lunch at Salakphet Seafood.
14.00hrs Transfer to Salakkok Community.
14.30hrs Arrival at Salakkok Community, a quiet fishing village with the largest mangrove forest on Koh Chang. The
16:00hrs Visit The Spa Koh Chang Resort, the brand new health destination, located on the peaceful part of Koh
17:00hrs Transfer to Mercue Koh Chang Hideaway Hotel.
17:45hrs Check in at hotel.
19:00hrs Dinner at hotel.

Day 02: Tuesday 24th  March 2015 – Ko Chang – Koh Kood

07:00hrs Breakfast at hotel.
08:00hrs Check out and transfer from hotel to Kai Bae Pier.
08:30hrs Departure Kai Bae Pier to Koh Wai by private speed boat.
09:15hrs Visit Koh Wai, a tiny island of 2 to 3 kilometres long by the same again wide, with an untouched forest interior and some very pretty beaches on its Northern shore.
11:00hrs Visit Koh Rang, the hilly island filled with tropical rainforest.
13:00hrs Lunch at Koh Mak Resort, Ko Mak.
14:30hrs Transfer to Cham’s House.
15.30hrs Check in at hotel.
19:00hrs Dinner at hotel.

Day 03: Wednesday 25th March 2015 – Ko Kood – Bangkok

07:00hrs Breakfast at hotel
08:00hrs Transfer to Klong Chao Village to learn coconut shell carving. You will make your own saving box or tissue
12:00hrs Picnic lunch at village.
13:00hrs Transfer back to hotel.
14:00hrs Transfer by join in speed boat from hotel to Leam Sork Pier, Trat.
15:00hrs Transfer by minivan from Leam Sork Pier to Trat Airport.
16:00hrs Check in at Airport.
18:30hrs Depart Trat Airport to Bangkok by Bangkok Airways, PG308.
19:30hrs Arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
20.00hrs Transfer to your hotel in Bangkok.

For live updates about this trip, you can follow me on Twitter on @RichardBarrow. The following is a live feed to some of the other bloggers on this trip.

[ecp code=”Twitter_TBEX”]

If you are going to TBEX Asia 2015 in October, introduce yourself in the comments below. I hope to see you there.

3 thoughts on “Preview Trip for TBEX Asia 2015

  • March 22, 2015 at 11:36 am
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    Richard, you certainly are living large! That is my favorite area of Thailand and I’m sure you’ll enjoy your trip! Love to bring my motorbike to Koh Chang, but can’t to the smaller islands, which keeps me off of them, for the most part. Enjoy Salakphet Seafood and let me know if it tastes any better when you are not paying for it! Needless to say, I found it to be a bit overpriced and not any better than any other place with fresh fish. They charge by the pound and even the smallest fish they have is around 500 baht, if I recall correctly.

    Reply
  • March 22, 2015 at 3:37 am
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    Hi richard,

    Do you actaully pay for these trips you are promoting out of your own pocket?

    Just asking in the interests of disclosure.

    Cheers,

    Noel

    Reply
    • March 22, 2015 at 8:57 am
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      Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. I think you will find that the above is the “full disclosure”. I say in the post that I was “invited” by TBEX to take part in this get-together and trip. So, they are funding it. Other trips I fund myself. Like next weekend when I will go to Cha-am to take pictures at the International Kite Festival.

      Reply

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