Lazing in Laos and Gallivanting a Wee Bit Around Asia
Aug 4, 2020 | 4:57 am
#47
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,764
Chapter 21: A Kuang Si Falls Day Trip
For the full Kuang Si Falls Day Trip article, and more pictures thrown in, you can read the entire article on my website (Disclaimer: This link is to a website to which I contribute/have a financial interest).
It is very straightforward to arrange a (half) day trip to the Kuang Si Falls. There is absolutely no need to make arrangements in advance as you pay premium prices if you decide to book over the internet! I even saw some local tour agency advertise 100 EUR+ private day trips to the falls – which is outrageously expensive considering how low local price levels are.Even if you decide to take a private tour or just a private car transfer, you are much better off arranging it on the ground in Luang Prabang, either through your hotel or a local travel agency or simply by haggling with local taxi drivers.
If you do not mind shared transport in a minivan, local tour agencies, hotels and guest houses can arrange you a round trip transfer to the Kuang Si Falls for around 5 EUR – which includes the entrance fee to the waterfalls! This is what most backpackers tend to do and which was what I decided to settle on.
The only downside to this is that you are automatically fixed to a predetermined schedule, leaving you with just around three hours at the actual falls. This is definitely enough for a good look around the area, some time for photography and a refreshing dip in one of the pools if all you want is a quick half day trip out of town.
However, there are some good reasons why spending a full day at the Kuang Si Falls might be a better option, but more on that later. Let’s first have a peek at what there actually is to see at the Kuang Si Falls!
Arrival at the falls
From the sandy parking lot of the Kuang Si Falls it is a short walk to the main entrance of the park. As the entrance fee was included in my half day tour, all passengers from our minivan simply followed the driver to the entrance booth.
After we got our tickets, the driver informed us that we could do as we please but had to make sure to be back at the parking lot in three hours – otherwise we would miss our ride with him back to Luang Prabang.
From the ticket booth, a pathway leads through the dense jungle towards the falls. At the entrance of the path there is a good sign which shows some of the hiking paths in the area.
First pool
After some ten minutes walking on a comfortable path I arrived at the first of a long series of natural pools for which Kuang Si is famous. These hillside pools are all connected by a shallow river, creating a stunning series of waterfalls along the way.
Only two pools at the lower half of Kuang Si are designated for swimming – it is strictly forbidden to swim in the river or the other pools you come across unless otherwise specified.
I was absolutely stunned when I walked upon the first deep blue pool. The bright colours, the jungle canopy, the flowers. It felt like entering the Garden of Eden.
Waterfalls
From the first pool the path follows the riverbed slightly up on the hill. Along the way you pass a series of waterfalls. Although the Kuang Si Falls refers to the biggest single waterfall located a bit further uphill, there are literally hundreds of waterfalls in the area. Some are big, some small, and a lot of medium-sized one of about five feet high.
If you are into photography progress will be slow – I literally stopped at every meter or two to take another photograph! The colours of the water and jungle can look different from one vantage point to another. Especially when some sunshine breaks through the rainforest canopy it creates some lovely light effects.
Natural swimming pool
After an easy 10 minute walk you arrive at the first natural pool in which you are allowed to swim. It is also one of the biggest pools you will come across at Kuang Si and it makes for an excellent location for a refreshing dip.
There are some benches to sit down in this area to relax. A lot of travellers opted to stay at this pool for a while to relax, which is certainly a good idea if you have all the time. I didn’t see any dressing rooms so it is best if you are already dressed in swimming shorts (or for the girls to wear your bikini under your normal clothes).
However, if you have limited time you should definitely not forget that the main Kuang Si waterfall is located a further 10 to 15 minutes upstream and that there is plenty more amazing scenery to come.
Continuing through the jungle
Just a stone throw upstream from the first natural swimming pool there is yet another natural pool in which you are allowed to swim. Even though the first pool was already calm enough, having only ten or so people swimming in it at most, the second pool was even more quiet as just a single person was swimming in it.
As most tourists obviously stop at the first of the pools to take a dip, you might want to continue for a bit more to the second pool if you seek a bit more quietness on a busy day, although the first pool is arguably the most picturesque of the two.
From the second swimming pool it is a further 10 minute walk on a good path towards the main Kuang Si waterfall. Along the walk there are some fabulous views over the river making its way through the dense rainforest.
The main waterfall
After a while you reach a bridge over the river from where you have an excellent view over another natural pool and the main Kuang Si waterfall, a large three-tired waterfall.
Even though I already thought the waterfall was impressive enough, it must be an even more fantastic sight to see in the rainy season when the river swells to its highest point. Unfortunately, that can also mean that the colour of the water turns from its typical shades of blue and green to a dirty brown colour as sand from the jungle floor is carried along.
If the natural pools and unique colours of the water are important to you, you are therefore best of visiting Laos during the dry season which runs from October to April. For what it’s worth, all these pictures on this page I took during a trip to Laos in early February.
Hiking
The main waterfall is also the end of the main pathway. The entire walk is straightforward and accessible even for the elderly.
However, if you take any of the trails further up the hill it gets a bit more strenuous. Although there is still a clear path up, it does get more uneven and you should expect quite some steps up, making it a sweaty walk in the warm Laotian weather.
Even though not many people venture beyond the main waterfall, it is absolutely worthwhile to climb a bit further up as there are some amazing views over the jungle canopy and surrounding mountains, giving you a much better picture of the terrain you are actual in.
At the top of the waterfall there is another series of natural pools in which swimming is allowed, although these are slightly different from the ones downstream as due to the thick canopy not much sunlight shines through here, making it all a bit gloomy, with the water being more shallow too.
Bear Rescue Centre
Although I wished I had time to hike even further or to stay at the uppermost natural pools for a refreshing swim and to relax for a while to absorb the views, I had to go all the way back down in order to be in time back at the parking lot for the minibus back to Luang Prabang.
Don’t forget to have a look at the Bear Rescue Centre which you automatically pass by on the way between the Kuang Si Falls and the main parking lot. This bear sanctuary is a charity founded by an Australian grandmother to save the moon bears (Asiatic Black bears).
Across south-eastern Asia, these bears are often captured and held in dire conditions for the alleged health benefits of their bile, which is forcefully milked from them using dirty catheters inserted directly into their gall bladder and then used in traditional medicine.
Besides rescuing and rehabilitating such bears, the centre also works in education projects with the local populace to make them aware of the importance of nature conservation.
Parking lot
I managed to get back to the parking lot in time, where most of the other passengers were already waiting. It being Laos where everything runs on ‘Laos time’, our driver arrived some 15 to 20 minutes late to drive us back to Luang Prabang.
Around the parking lot there are a couple of food stalls and restaurants, so if you need a meal after your visit to Kuang Si Falls or want to buy some drinks before you embark on a hike, this is the place to stop. The same counts for toilets as well.
In short
I tremendously enjoyed my visit to the Kuang Si Falls. The natural pools and waterfalls are just a gorgeous piece of nature. The whole vibe is so serene as well that it feels almost like a magical place, a sort of Garden of Eden.
Although I was happy with the organised half day trip and I got exactly what I paid for (return transport by minibus, entrance fee to the falls) I however would organise it differently on a future visit. Even though many people seem to be happy with three hours at the falls, I thought it was too short.
Sure, if you just want to go to the natural pool to swim and relax a bit, three hours is sufficient. For a walk to the main waterfall, some photography, and a quick dip in one of the pools it is also enough.
I was however stretching it by hiking further up from the main waterfall and it left me with zero time to actually sit down, swim and relax. Kuang Si is so beautiful that it really is a good place to just slow down for a while and to absorb the surroundings. Although I saw everything, I thought it was a shame that I did not have time to do exactly that and to explore around a bit more.
If I would do the trip again, I would probably try to arrange return transport myself in Luang Prabang leaving much more time at the Kuang Si Falls. An alternative would be just use the minibus as a one-way transfer to the Kuang Si Falls, although I’m not sure how easy it would be in that case to find a ride back to Luang Prabang at the Kuang Si parking lot.
Next up: Onward to Bangkok!
For the full Kuang Si Falls Day Trip article, and more pictures thrown in, you can read the entire article on my website (Disclaimer: This link is to a website to which I contribute/have a financial interest).
It is very straightforward to arrange a (half) day trip to the Kuang Si Falls. There is absolutely no need to make arrangements in advance as you pay premium prices if you decide to book over the internet! I even saw some local tour agency advertise 100 EUR+ private day trips to the falls – which is outrageously expensive considering how low local price levels are.Even if you decide to take a private tour or just a private car transfer, you are much better off arranging it on the ground in Luang Prabang, either through your hotel or a local travel agency or simply by haggling with local taxi drivers.
If you do not mind shared transport in a minivan, local tour agencies, hotels and guest houses can arrange you a round trip transfer to the Kuang Si Falls for around 5 EUR – which includes the entrance fee to the waterfalls! This is what most backpackers tend to do and which was what I decided to settle on.
The only downside to this is that you are automatically fixed to a predetermined schedule, leaving you with just around three hours at the actual falls. This is definitely enough for a good look around the area, some time for photography and a refreshing dip in one of the pools if all you want is a quick half day trip out of town.
However, there are some good reasons why spending a full day at the Kuang Si Falls might be a better option, but more on that later. Let’s first have a peek at what there actually is to see at the Kuang Si Falls!
Arrival at the falls
From the sandy parking lot of the Kuang Si Falls it is a short walk to the main entrance of the park. As the entrance fee was included in my half day tour, all passengers from our minivan simply followed the driver to the entrance booth.
After we got our tickets, the driver informed us that we could do as we please but had to make sure to be back at the parking lot in three hours – otherwise we would miss our ride with him back to Luang Prabang.
From the ticket booth, a pathway leads through the dense jungle towards the falls. At the entrance of the path there is a good sign which shows some of the hiking paths in the area.
First pool
After some ten minutes walking on a comfortable path I arrived at the first of a long series of natural pools for which Kuang Si is famous. These hillside pools are all connected by a shallow river, creating a stunning series of waterfalls along the way.
Only two pools at the lower half of Kuang Si are designated for swimming – it is strictly forbidden to swim in the river or the other pools you come across unless otherwise specified.
I was absolutely stunned when I walked upon the first deep blue pool. The bright colours, the jungle canopy, the flowers. It felt like entering the Garden of Eden.
Waterfalls
From the first pool the path follows the riverbed slightly up on the hill. Along the way you pass a series of waterfalls. Although the Kuang Si Falls refers to the biggest single waterfall located a bit further uphill, there are literally hundreds of waterfalls in the area. Some are big, some small, and a lot of medium-sized one of about five feet high.
If you are into photography progress will be slow – I literally stopped at every meter or two to take another photograph! The colours of the water and jungle can look different from one vantage point to another. Especially when some sunshine breaks through the rainforest canopy it creates some lovely light effects.
Natural swimming pool
After an easy 10 minute walk you arrive at the first natural pool in which you are allowed to swim. It is also one of the biggest pools you will come across at Kuang Si and it makes for an excellent location for a refreshing dip.
There are some benches to sit down in this area to relax. A lot of travellers opted to stay at this pool for a while to relax, which is certainly a good idea if you have all the time. I didn’t see any dressing rooms so it is best if you are already dressed in swimming shorts (or for the girls to wear your bikini under your normal clothes).
However, if you have limited time you should definitely not forget that the main Kuang Si waterfall is located a further 10 to 15 minutes upstream and that there is plenty more amazing scenery to come.
Continuing through the jungle
Just a stone throw upstream from the first natural swimming pool there is yet another natural pool in which you are allowed to swim. Even though the first pool was already calm enough, having only ten or so people swimming in it at most, the second pool was even more quiet as just a single person was swimming in it.
As most tourists obviously stop at the first of the pools to take a dip, you might want to continue for a bit more to the second pool if you seek a bit more quietness on a busy day, although the first pool is arguably the most picturesque of the two.
From the second swimming pool it is a further 10 minute walk on a good path towards the main Kuang Si waterfall. Along the walk there are some fabulous views over the river making its way through the dense rainforest.
The main waterfall
After a while you reach a bridge over the river from where you have an excellent view over another natural pool and the main Kuang Si waterfall, a large three-tired waterfall.
Even though I already thought the waterfall was impressive enough, it must be an even more fantastic sight to see in the rainy season when the river swells to its highest point. Unfortunately, that can also mean that the colour of the water turns from its typical shades of blue and green to a dirty brown colour as sand from the jungle floor is carried along.
If the natural pools and unique colours of the water are important to you, you are therefore best of visiting Laos during the dry season which runs from October to April. For what it’s worth, all these pictures on this page I took during a trip to Laos in early February.
Hiking
The main waterfall is also the end of the main pathway. The entire walk is straightforward and accessible even for the elderly.
However, if you take any of the trails further up the hill it gets a bit more strenuous. Although there is still a clear path up, it does get more uneven and you should expect quite some steps up, making it a sweaty walk in the warm Laotian weather.
Even though not many people venture beyond the main waterfall, it is absolutely worthwhile to climb a bit further up as there are some amazing views over the jungle canopy and surrounding mountains, giving you a much better picture of the terrain you are actual in.
At the top of the waterfall there is another series of natural pools in which swimming is allowed, although these are slightly different from the ones downstream as due to the thick canopy not much sunlight shines through here, making it all a bit gloomy, with the water being more shallow too.
Bear Rescue Centre
Although I wished I had time to hike even further or to stay at the uppermost natural pools for a refreshing swim and to relax for a while to absorb the views, I had to go all the way back down in order to be in time back at the parking lot for the minibus back to Luang Prabang.
Don’t forget to have a look at the Bear Rescue Centre which you automatically pass by on the way between the Kuang Si Falls and the main parking lot. This bear sanctuary is a charity founded by an Australian grandmother to save the moon bears (Asiatic Black bears).
Across south-eastern Asia, these bears are often captured and held in dire conditions for the alleged health benefits of their bile, which is forcefully milked from them using dirty catheters inserted directly into their gall bladder and then used in traditional medicine.
Besides rescuing and rehabilitating such bears, the centre also works in education projects with the local populace to make them aware of the importance of nature conservation.
Parking lot
I managed to get back to the parking lot in time, where most of the other passengers were already waiting. It being Laos where everything runs on ‘Laos time’, our driver arrived some 15 to 20 minutes late to drive us back to Luang Prabang.
Around the parking lot there are a couple of food stalls and restaurants, so if you need a meal after your visit to Kuang Si Falls or want to buy some drinks before you embark on a hike, this is the place to stop. The same counts for toilets as well.
In short
I tremendously enjoyed my visit to the Kuang Si Falls. The natural pools and waterfalls are just a gorgeous piece of nature. The whole vibe is so serene as well that it feels almost like a magical place, a sort of Garden of Eden.
Although I was happy with the organised half day trip and I got exactly what I paid for (return transport by minibus, entrance fee to the falls) I however would organise it differently on a future visit. Even though many people seem to be happy with three hours at the falls, I thought it was too short.
Sure, if you just want to go to the natural pool to swim and relax a bit, three hours is sufficient. For a walk to the main waterfall, some photography, and a quick dip in one of the pools it is also enough.
I was however stretching it by hiking further up from the main waterfall and it left me with zero time to actually sit down, swim and relax. Kuang Si is so beautiful that it really is a good place to just slow down for a while and to absorb the surroundings. Although I saw everything, I thought it was a shame that I did not have time to do exactly that and to explore around a bit more.
If I would do the trip again, I would probably try to arrange return transport myself in Luang Prabang leaving much more time at the Kuang Si Falls. An alternative would be just use the minibus as a one-way transfer to the Kuang Si Falls, although I’m not sure how easy it would be in that case to find a ride back to Luang Prabang at the Kuang Si parking lot.
Next up: Onward to Bangkok!
Aug 7, 2020 | 6:09 am
#48
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,764
The only really hot spicy dish I ate was a portion of grilled octopus in Vietnam which was mouthwatering hot and required a full pint of beer to wash it away
Aug 7, 2020 | 6:20 am
#49
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,764
Chapter 22: Thai Smile Economy Class Luang Prabang to Bangkok (Airbus A320)
For the full Thai Smile review and more pictures thrown in, you can read the entire article on my website (Disclaimer: This link is to a website to which I contribute/have a financial interest).
After an amazing stay in Luang Prabang it was unfortunately time to leave Laos and start my long trek home, which would see me passing through Bangkok, Jakarta and Tokyo on the way.The first leg of the journey was however a straightforward, short hop within south-east Asia from Luang Prabang to the Thai capital of Bangkok.
Laos to Thailand
There are numerous airlines which fly between cities in Laos (Luang Prabang, Vientiane) to airports across Thailand (mostly Bangkok, and to a lesser extent also Chiang Mai). On just the Luang Prabang to Bangkok route alone, there are flights available on Air Asia, Bangkok Airways, Lao Airways and Thai Smile.
As prices on all four airlines were roughly similar, I opted for the flight with the best schedule which in this case happened to be Thai Smile. It allowed me to sleep in a wee bit in the morning and had a not too late arrival time in Bangkok, which was ideal. For an economy class ticket, which generously included 30 kilos of checked luggage, I paid 95 USD.
To the airport
After finishing breakfast, the lovely host of my Luang Prabang guesthouse ordered a taxi to the airport, which was just a few dollars only. The airport is located just outside the city and a typical ride there should not take longer than 15 to 20 minutes.
Luang Prabang Airport is built in a bizarre Laotian architectural style meant to mimic the local temples. I still don’t know whether I think it is actually gaudy or a lovely construction.
Check-in
When I arrived at Luang Prabang Airport about two hours before the departure of my flight, the Thai Smile check-in desks were already opened with barely any queues in front of them.
Within a few minutes my checked bag was dropped off and my boarding pass issued. During online check-in almost all seats were either already taken or blocked out, with only a handful of seats at the rear of the plane being available.
Fortunately, the check-in agent could assign me into window seat 44A just behind the overwing emergency exits. Even though seat 44A might still sound like it’s all the way in the back of the plane, this is actually not the case as Thai Smile uses an unusual seat numbering system with the first row business class being counted as row 31.
Lounge access
There were no queues at security and passport control and within minutes I was already airside at the airport with plenty of time to kill before boarding would commence.
Thai Smiles is the low-cost regional subsidiary of Thai Airways, a Star Alliance member. As I hold Star Alliane gold status courtesy of my Turkish Miles&Smiles Elite status, you might think that I would have access to the business class lounge at Luang Prabang Airport.
Unfortunately, while Thai Airways is a Star Alliance member, Thai Smile is technically not even though it is fully owned by Thai Airways. For lounge purposes, it also does not make any difference whether you book your ticket through the main website of Thai Airways or at the website of Thai Smile.
Lounge access policy when flying Thai Smile is relatively simple: only those ticketed in business class or elite members of Thai’s own frequent flyer programme Royal Orchid Plus have complimentary lounge access when flying Thai Smile.
You can pay out of your own pocket to access the designated lounge at Luang Prabang Airport (Thai Smile uses the Lao Airways lounge) but I did not think it was worth the 30 USD entrance fee.
If lounge access is important to you, you might want to consider flying Bangkok Airways instead instead as this boutique airline has its own lounge at Luang Prabang and even gives complimentary access to its economy class passengers.
Thai Smiles uses the Lao Airlines lounge at Luang Prabang Airport, although only business class passengers and Royal Orchid elite members are given complimentary access.
Luang Prabang Airport facilities
There isn’t that much else to do at Luang Prabang Airport, which is rather small. Downstairs are the bus gates mostly used by small turboprops, while a floor up are the jet bridges used by most foreign carriers with narrow-body jet service.
There are some duty-free shops located on both airport floors, including one unusually located shop in the airport’s attic which somehow felt more like a dump furniture outlet.
Interestingly, the airport does have an outdoor food patio which looked like a proper hawker centre full of street door vendors which is so typical of south-east Asia. Unfortunately, most of the food outlets seemed to be shut.
Although there seemed to be a public WiFi network, I couldn’t get the internet to work. There is however plenty of seating in the airport terminal with some good views over the tarmac. As I had a good book with me, it made for a good way to kill some time before boarding finally started.
Luang Prabang (LPQ) to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) on Thai Smile
Flight WE577 – Airbus A320-200 – Economy class, seat 44A
Departure: 11.20am – Arrival: 12.50pm
Flight time: 1h30m – Distance: 440 miles
Costs: 95 USD, including 30kg of checked luggage
Boarding
Boarding was eerily quiet, as without any announcement or priority boarding sequences observed the gate agents just decided to silently start letting people get on board. Only when after some six or seven people did nobody else make any attempt to get up from their seats, did they finally make a boarding call to make passengers aware that they could come on board too.
Thai Smile does offer a business class product on board its flight, but as opposed to mainline Thai Airways flights the planes do not have recliner seats. Thai Smile follows the example of European airlines by having an all-economy seat cabin, but blocking the middle seat in their business class section.
This way the airline can simply increase or decrease the size of its business class cabin by moving the adjustable divider and curtains back or forward in the plane. On this flight, the business class section consisted out of the first two rows only.
Economy cabin
I had a window seat (44A) in the economy class cabin, just two rows behind the overwing emergency exit rows. The load for today’s flight to Bangkok turned out to be relatively light with perhaps only half of the seats in the economy cabin being taken.
Later on in the flight I decided to move to one of the empty F seats on the right side of the plane when the passenger in front of me decided to recline his seat.
I thought the economy seats on Thai Smile were pretty comfortable, having a generous seat pitch. With Thai Smile being branded as a ‘low-cost regional affiliate’ I feared the experience would be more akin to the Ryanair’s of this world, but I thought the plane was absolutely fine and not unlike a Thai Airways mainline flight or any other full service airline.
Do note however that there are no power sockets nor USB ports available. The Thai Smile planes are also not equipped with WiFi or in-seat entertainment screens. Instead, some not-so-funny ‘America’s Funniest Home Video’s kind of TV show was shown on the overhead monitors during the flight.
Departure
Due to the light load, we had a quick take-off and a steep climb to cruising altitude. Unfortunately, I did not manage to take any good scenery pictures upon departure due to the sun shining straight through my window and the wing being a bit in the way.
In-flight service
Even on this short flight of just under one-and-a-half hours, Thai Smile does a full complimentary meal and drinks round. This was something which I certainly did not expected with Thai Smile branding itself as ‘low-cost’.
There was no choice of meal as everyone in the plane was just given the same dish: salmon and rice. The dish was actually fairly tasty, and included a side-salad, a dessert and a cup of water.
It also turned out that Thai Smiles serves complimentary alcoholic drinks. When one of the flight attendants asked what I wanted to drink, I inquired whether they had beer as well, which turned out to be the case. I was promptly given a can of Singha. Not bad!
Arrival
The flight went by extremely fast. At the moment when I took my last sip of beer, we were already starting our descent into Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, with the flight attendants clearing away all the meal trays and rubbish.
Due to the extreme amounts of smog the views upon landing were limited. We did however touch down safely right on our scheduled arrival time.
As there were almost no lines at all at Thai immigration, I was stamped into the country within minutes. At the time I arrived at the luggage belt the bags of our flight already started to arrive one-by-one. With my luggage recollected, I was ready to go to make my way to the city centre for my short one-night Bangkok stopover.
Next up: A short Bangkok stopover and onward to Jakarta with Garuda in business class
For the full Thai Smile review and more pictures thrown in, you can read the entire article on my website (Disclaimer: This link is to a website to which I contribute/have a financial interest).
After an amazing stay in Luang Prabang it was unfortunately time to leave Laos and start my long trek home, which would see me passing through Bangkok, Jakarta and Tokyo on the way.The first leg of the journey was however a straightforward, short hop within south-east Asia from Luang Prabang to the Thai capital of Bangkok.
Laos to Thailand
There are numerous airlines which fly between cities in Laos (Luang Prabang, Vientiane) to airports across Thailand (mostly Bangkok, and to a lesser extent also Chiang Mai). On just the Luang Prabang to Bangkok route alone, there are flights available on Air Asia, Bangkok Airways, Lao Airways and Thai Smile.
As prices on all four airlines were roughly similar, I opted for the flight with the best schedule which in this case happened to be Thai Smile. It allowed me to sleep in a wee bit in the morning and had a not too late arrival time in Bangkok, which was ideal. For an economy class ticket, which generously included 30 kilos of checked luggage, I paid 95 USD.
To the airport
After finishing breakfast, the lovely host of my Luang Prabang guesthouse ordered a taxi to the airport, which was just a few dollars only. The airport is located just outside the city and a typical ride there should not take longer than 15 to 20 minutes.
Luang Prabang Airport is built in a bizarre Laotian architectural style meant to mimic the local temples. I still don’t know whether I think it is actually gaudy or a lovely construction.
Check-in
When I arrived at Luang Prabang Airport about two hours before the departure of my flight, the Thai Smile check-in desks were already opened with barely any queues in front of them.
Within a few minutes my checked bag was dropped off and my boarding pass issued. During online check-in almost all seats were either already taken or blocked out, with only a handful of seats at the rear of the plane being available.
Fortunately, the check-in agent could assign me into window seat 44A just behind the overwing emergency exits. Even though seat 44A might still sound like it’s all the way in the back of the plane, this is actually not the case as Thai Smile uses an unusual seat numbering system with the first row business class being counted as row 31.
Lounge access
There were no queues at security and passport control and within minutes I was already airside at the airport with plenty of time to kill before boarding would commence.
Thai Smiles is the low-cost regional subsidiary of Thai Airways, a Star Alliance member. As I hold Star Alliane gold status courtesy of my Turkish Miles&Smiles Elite status, you might think that I would have access to the business class lounge at Luang Prabang Airport.
Unfortunately, while Thai Airways is a Star Alliance member, Thai Smile is technically not even though it is fully owned by Thai Airways. For lounge purposes, it also does not make any difference whether you book your ticket through the main website of Thai Airways or at the website of Thai Smile.
Lounge access policy when flying Thai Smile is relatively simple: only those ticketed in business class or elite members of Thai’s own frequent flyer programme Royal Orchid Plus have complimentary lounge access when flying Thai Smile.
You can pay out of your own pocket to access the designated lounge at Luang Prabang Airport (Thai Smile uses the Lao Airways lounge) but I did not think it was worth the 30 USD entrance fee.
If lounge access is important to you, you might want to consider flying Bangkok Airways instead instead as this boutique airline has its own lounge at Luang Prabang and even gives complimentary access to its economy class passengers.
Thai Smiles uses the Lao Airlines lounge at Luang Prabang Airport, although only business class passengers and Royal Orchid elite members are given complimentary access.
Luang Prabang Airport facilities
There isn’t that much else to do at Luang Prabang Airport, which is rather small. Downstairs are the bus gates mostly used by small turboprops, while a floor up are the jet bridges used by most foreign carriers with narrow-body jet service.
There are some duty-free shops located on both airport floors, including one unusually located shop in the airport’s attic which somehow felt more like a dump furniture outlet.
Interestingly, the airport does have an outdoor food patio which looked like a proper hawker centre full of street door vendors which is so typical of south-east Asia. Unfortunately, most of the food outlets seemed to be shut.
Although there seemed to be a public WiFi network, I couldn’t get the internet to work. There is however plenty of seating in the airport terminal with some good views over the tarmac. As I had a good book with me, it made for a good way to kill some time before boarding finally started.
Luang Prabang (LPQ) to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) on Thai Smile
Flight WE577 – Airbus A320-200 – Economy class, seat 44A
Departure: 11.20am – Arrival: 12.50pm
Flight time: 1h30m – Distance: 440 miles
Costs: 95 USD, including 30kg of checked luggage
Boarding
Boarding was eerily quiet, as without any announcement or priority boarding sequences observed the gate agents just decided to silently start letting people get on board. Only when after some six or seven people did nobody else make any attempt to get up from their seats, did they finally make a boarding call to make passengers aware that they could come on board too.
Thai Smile does offer a business class product on board its flight, but as opposed to mainline Thai Airways flights the planes do not have recliner seats. Thai Smile follows the example of European airlines by having an all-economy seat cabin, but blocking the middle seat in their business class section.
This way the airline can simply increase or decrease the size of its business class cabin by moving the adjustable divider and curtains back or forward in the plane. On this flight, the business class section consisted out of the first two rows only.
Economy cabin
I had a window seat (44A) in the economy class cabin, just two rows behind the overwing emergency exit rows. The load for today’s flight to Bangkok turned out to be relatively light with perhaps only half of the seats in the economy cabin being taken.
Later on in the flight I decided to move to one of the empty F seats on the right side of the plane when the passenger in front of me decided to recline his seat.
I thought the economy seats on Thai Smile were pretty comfortable, having a generous seat pitch. With Thai Smile being branded as a ‘low-cost regional affiliate’ I feared the experience would be more akin to the Ryanair’s of this world, but I thought the plane was absolutely fine and not unlike a Thai Airways mainline flight or any other full service airline.
Do note however that there are no power sockets nor USB ports available. The Thai Smile planes are also not equipped with WiFi or in-seat entertainment screens. Instead, some not-so-funny ‘America’s Funniest Home Video’s kind of TV show was shown on the overhead monitors during the flight.
Departure
Due to the light load, we had a quick take-off and a steep climb to cruising altitude. Unfortunately, I did not manage to take any good scenery pictures upon departure due to the sun shining straight through my window and the wing being a bit in the way.
In-flight service
Even on this short flight of just under one-and-a-half hours, Thai Smile does a full complimentary meal and drinks round. This was something which I certainly did not expected with Thai Smile branding itself as ‘low-cost’.
There was no choice of meal as everyone in the plane was just given the same dish: salmon and rice. The dish was actually fairly tasty, and included a side-salad, a dessert and a cup of water.
It also turned out that Thai Smiles serves complimentary alcoholic drinks. When one of the flight attendants asked what I wanted to drink, I inquired whether they had beer as well, which turned out to be the case. I was promptly given a can of Singha. Not bad!
Arrival
The flight went by extremely fast. At the moment when I took my last sip of beer, we were already starting our descent into Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, with the flight attendants clearing away all the meal trays and rubbish.
Due to the extreme amounts of smog the views upon landing were limited. We did however touch down safely right on our scheduled arrival time.
As there were almost no lines at all at Thai immigration, I was stamped into the country within minutes. At the time I arrived at the luggage belt the bags of our flight already started to arrive one-by-one. With my luggage recollected, I was ready to go to make my way to the city centre for my short one-night Bangkok stopover.
Next up: A short Bangkok stopover and onward to Jakarta with Garuda in business class
Aug 8, 2020 | 3:41 pm
#50
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,764
Chapter 23: Ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4
For the full Ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4 Review and more pictures thrown in, you can read the entire article on my website (Disclaimer: This link is to a website to which I contribute/have a financial interest).
Arrival
After a short but excellent flight on Thai Smile from Luang Prabang to Bangkok, I found myself in the overcrowded arrival hall of the Thai capital’s main Suvarnabhumi Airport.
As there seemed to be a near-endless queue for the taxi rank I opted to take public transport instead. The journey was relatively straightforward and actually fairly quick. It involved taking the airport train first to the terminus at Phaya Thai, followed by an easy interchange to the BTS Skytrain for the short hop to Nana station.
From Nana station, the ibis Styles Sukhumvit 4 is just an easy five-minute walk away.
Ibis Styles
Having previously visited Bangkok on a number of occasions as a backpacker before, I’ve always stayed in the cheap guesthouses and hostels of Khao San Road which is basically backpacking central. Although I like the area and it is generally well-located to some of the major sights of Bangkok, this time I opted for a different hotel.
Given that I only had a short stopover in Bangkok and needed to continue my journey the next day, all I needed was a comfortable hotel with swimming pool to relax a bit and to get some work done. With what looked like a gorgeous rooftop pool and easy access to and from the airport, ibis Styles Sukhumvit 4 seemed to deliver on that.
At the understated reception I was welcomed by a friendly receptionist who confirmed my reservation and issued me with a key card of my room. For my standard queen room I paid 58 EUR, which did not include breakfast buffet as I planned to have breakfast at the airport lounge the following day.
Room
My standard queen room had a style quite typical of the ibis chain. I however did find it a tad bit boring and grey and expected a bit more of a touch of colour this being an ibis Styles, which should have a bit more quirky design compared to your average ibis hotel. I thought it was still a bit bland and boring.
The room was however relatively big and well-appointed, with a comfortable bed, flat screen TV, desk, fridge, coffee and tea facilities and a decent view out of the window. There is also ample space to store your luggage. WiFi was free and fast, and there are plenty of power outlets throughout the room to charge your electronic devices.
Given the price I paid for the room it certainly did meet my expectations.
View from the room
Bathroom
The bathroom was well-appointed and contained a toilet, a fully enclosed shower cubicle, as well as a washbasin. It was stocked with a decent amount of toiletries and contained the usual appliances such as a hairdryer.
Above the sink is a window which you can open if for some reason you want to stare in your room while washing yourself in the morning – or want your travel partner to watch you while taking a shower.
Swimming pool
Without doubt, the pice de rsistance of the ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4 hotel is its rooftop swimming pool. The pool is shared with the Novotel, which is located in the same building as the ibis Styles (both brands being owned by the Accor group).
Although the pool itself is gorgeous and there are some great views over the skyscrapers of Bangkok there are however a number of downsides. The pool and rooftop is fairly small – and at peak times you will find that all beds and chairs will be taken.
The pool also closes early at 6pm when the rooftop area is converted into a nightclub. Although it would make for a nice spot to drink a beer given the lovely views, I thought the experience was ruined by the immensely loud music, which both in loudness and style (hardstyle music instead of some more chilled-out lounge music) did not fit the place at all.
I ended up just taking a few quick pictures, buying a beer or two at the 7-Eleven opposite the hotel and having a drink in my room.
Location
Another negative aspect of the hotel is the immediate area of the area around it. Although the area is perfectly safe and with great public transport access, I didn’t realise beforehand that it is also located right next to one of Bangkok’s red light zones.
Basically at one end of the hotel you have the main thoroughfare of Sukhumvit Road with its big office blocks, shopping malls and fast-food outlets, and in the backstreets you find the dodgy surroundings of seedy nightclubs full of middle-aged, beer-bellied Englishmen, Americans and Germans.
If that alone isn’t already bad enough, there is also the sheer lack of nice, local restaurants in the area. All what I could find were overpriced restaurants catering solely to the needs and taste buds of those beer-bellied Brits and Americans.
The mistake was probably all mine as I purely selected the hotel based on a few reviews, good room rate, its great-looking swimming pool and easy-to-reach location coming from the airport. As I was on a stopover and only needed a decent hotel with a pool to relax and get some work done, I didn’t research it as thoroughly as I would normally do.
If it is your first time in Bangkok and you are actually planning to visit the beautiful sights of the city, I would recommend to stay in a hotel in an entirely different area. Sure, using public transport or a taxi you can be anywhere in the city real fast from Sukhumvit 4, but it is still a long trek to the main sights of Bangkok.
And there are so much nicer areas of Bangkok where you do have a lot of local life and great little restaurants serving authentic Thai food!
Although the ibis Styles Sukhumvit 4 has great public transport links, it is still a long trek to some of the major sights of the Thai capital such as the Grand Palace.
In short
I’m a bit conflicted about ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4. The hotel as such is perfectly acceptable. All hotel personnel with whom I interacted were friendly and helpful and the room itself isn’t bad and did match my expectations.
However, the swimming pool was a bit of a disappointment. Sure – it is gorgeous and has great views. But it is smaller than it looks on pictures and it is next to impossible to get one of the few loungers to actually relax a bit. The pool area also closes way too early at 6pm – when it is turned into an obnoxious nightclub. With way too loud music it isn’t exactly a relaxing spot at night either.
Then there is the location as well. Although the location in itself isn’t bad as the hotel has great public transport links and is located in a safe area, it is not exactly a nice area either. Right next to the hotel is one of Bangkok’s seedy red light districts, which means there is zero authentic local life in the immediate area.
Although I can certainly imagine that some kind of travellers wouldn’t mind the setting, I would for sure select another hotel in an entirely different neighbourhood if I would return to the Thai capital.
Next up: The Air France/KLM Lounge at Bangkok Airport & Garuda Business Class to Jakarta
For the full Ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4 Review and more pictures thrown in, you can read the entire article on my website (Disclaimer: This link is to a website to which I contribute/have a financial interest).
Arrival
After a short but excellent flight on Thai Smile from Luang Prabang to Bangkok, I found myself in the overcrowded arrival hall of the Thai capital’s main Suvarnabhumi Airport.
As there seemed to be a near-endless queue for the taxi rank I opted to take public transport instead. The journey was relatively straightforward and actually fairly quick. It involved taking the airport train first to the terminus at Phaya Thai, followed by an easy interchange to the BTS Skytrain for the short hop to Nana station.
From Nana station, the ibis Styles Sukhumvit 4 is just an easy five-minute walk away.
Ibis Styles
Having previously visited Bangkok on a number of occasions as a backpacker before, I’ve always stayed in the cheap guesthouses and hostels of Khao San Road which is basically backpacking central. Although I like the area and it is generally well-located to some of the major sights of Bangkok, this time I opted for a different hotel.
Given that I only had a short stopover in Bangkok and needed to continue my journey the next day, all I needed was a comfortable hotel with swimming pool to relax a bit and to get some work done. With what looked like a gorgeous rooftop pool and easy access to and from the airport, ibis Styles Sukhumvit 4 seemed to deliver on that.
At the understated reception I was welcomed by a friendly receptionist who confirmed my reservation and issued me with a key card of my room. For my standard queen room I paid 58 EUR, which did not include breakfast buffet as I planned to have breakfast at the airport lounge the following day.
Room
My standard queen room had a style quite typical of the ibis chain. I however did find it a tad bit boring and grey and expected a bit more of a touch of colour this being an ibis Styles, which should have a bit more quirky design compared to your average ibis hotel. I thought it was still a bit bland and boring.
The room was however relatively big and well-appointed, with a comfortable bed, flat screen TV, desk, fridge, coffee and tea facilities and a decent view out of the window. There is also ample space to store your luggage. WiFi was free and fast, and there are plenty of power outlets throughout the room to charge your electronic devices.
Given the price I paid for the room it certainly did meet my expectations.
View from the room
Bathroom
The bathroom was well-appointed and contained a toilet, a fully enclosed shower cubicle, as well as a washbasin. It was stocked with a decent amount of toiletries and contained the usual appliances such as a hairdryer.
Above the sink is a window which you can open if for some reason you want to stare in your room while washing yourself in the morning – or want your travel partner to watch you while taking a shower.
Swimming pool
Without doubt, the pice de rsistance of the ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4 hotel is its rooftop swimming pool. The pool is shared with the Novotel, which is located in the same building as the ibis Styles (both brands being owned by the Accor group).
Although the pool itself is gorgeous and there are some great views over the skyscrapers of Bangkok there are however a number of downsides. The pool and rooftop is fairly small – and at peak times you will find that all beds and chairs will be taken.
The pool also closes early at 6pm when the rooftop area is converted into a nightclub. Although it would make for a nice spot to drink a beer given the lovely views, I thought the experience was ruined by the immensely loud music, which both in loudness and style (hardstyle music instead of some more chilled-out lounge music) did not fit the place at all.
I ended up just taking a few quick pictures, buying a beer or two at the 7-Eleven opposite the hotel and having a drink in my room.
Location
Another negative aspect of the hotel is the immediate area of the area around it. Although the area is perfectly safe and with great public transport access, I didn’t realise beforehand that it is also located right next to one of Bangkok’s red light zones.
Basically at one end of the hotel you have the main thoroughfare of Sukhumvit Road with its big office blocks, shopping malls and fast-food outlets, and in the backstreets you find the dodgy surroundings of seedy nightclubs full of middle-aged, beer-bellied Englishmen, Americans and Germans.
If that alone isn’t already bad enough, there is also the sheer lack of nice, local restaurants in the area. All what I could find were overpriced restaurants catering solely to the needs and taste buds of those beer-bellied Brits and Americans.
The mistake was probably all mine as I purely selected the hotel based on a few reviews, good room rate, its great-looking swimming pool and easy-to-reach location coming from the airport. As I was on a stopover and only needed a decent hotel with a pool to relax and get some work done, I didn’t research it as thoroughly as I would normally do.
If it is your first time in Bangkok and you are actually planning to visit the beautiful sights of the city, I would recommend to stay in a hotel in an entirely different area. Sure, using public transport or a taxi you can be anywhere in the city real fast from Sukhumvit 4, but it is still a long trek to the main sights of Bangkok.
And there are so much nicer areas of Bangkok where you do have a lot of local life and great little restaurants serving authentic Thai food!
Although the ibis Styles Sukhumvit 4 has great public transport links, it is still a long trek to some of the major sights of the Thai capital such as the Grand Palace.
In short
I’m a bit conflicted about ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4. The hotel as such is perfectly acceptable. All hotel personnel with whom I interacted were friendly and helpful and the room itself isn’t bad and did match my expectations.
However, the swimming pool was a bit of a disappointment. Sure – it is gorgeous and has great views. But it is smaller than it looks on pictures and it is next to impossible to get one of the few loungers to actually relax a bit. The pool area also closes way too early at 6pm – when it is turned into an obnoxious nightclub. With way too loud music it isn’t exactly a relaxing spot at night either.
Then there is the location as well. Although the location in itself isn’t bad as the hotel has great public transport links and is located in a safe area, it is not exactly a nice area either. Right next to the hotel is one of Bangkok’s seedy red light districts, which means there is zero authentic local life in the immediate area.
Although I can certainly imagine that some kind of travellers wouldn’t mind the setting, I would for sure select another hotel in an entirely different neighbourhood if I would return to the Thai capital.
Next up: The Air France/KLM Lounge at Bangkok Airport & Garuda Business Class to Jakarta
Aug 9, 2020 | 6:58 am
#51
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK GfL, BA GGL, TG *G, HH DIA, IHG Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 4,856
There are definitely better locations for hotels in BKK than that, for sure - the area around there is really not nice, and for good food you would have to go to say Sukhumvit soi 14 (or beyond) or the other way to Ruamrudee. If into local food, there is a decent but slightly more primitive place on the opposite side of Sukhumvit between the expressway and the KTB building, which is pretty much a roof over some tables.
Let me know if you get to go back to Bangkok - happy to provide suggestions!
Let me know if you get to go back to Bangkok - happy to provide suggestions!
Aug 11, 2020 | 10:18 am
#53
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
There are definitely better locations for hotels in BKK than that, for sure - the area around there is really not nice, and for good food you would have to go to say Sukhumvit soi 14 (or beyond) or the other way to Ruamrudee. If into local food, there is a decent but slightly more primitive place on the opposite side of Sukhumvit between the expressway and the KTB building, which is pretty much a roof over some tables.
Let me know if you get to go back to Bangkok - happy to provide suggestions!
Let me know if you get to go back to Bangkok - happy to provide suggestions!
Aug 12, 2020 | 3:37 am
#54
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK GfL, BA GGL, TG *G, HH DIA, IHG Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 4,856
Aug 12, 2020 | 4:42 am
#55
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,764
There are definitely better locations for hotels in BKK than that, for sure - the area around there is really not nice, and for good food you would have to go to say Sukhumvit soi 14 (or beyond) or the other way to Ruamrudee. If into local food, there is a decent but slightly more primitive place on the opposite side of Sukhumvit between the expressway and the KTB building, which is pretty much a roof over some tables.
Let me know if you get to go back to Bangkok - happy to provide suggestions!
Let me know if you get to go back to Bangkok - happy to provide suggestions!
I've travelled quite a few times to Bangkok in my backpacking days with college friends (of course back then staying around Khaosan Road) and I've pretty much seen all the major sights, but I'm especially curious the next time for some local street food recommendations as well as the more urban/sophisticated spots of Bangkok. Especially about that I know next to nothing.
If referring to Patpong it's not my scene
On one of my previous times in the city on a backpack trip with college buddies, my friends were insisting to have a look at the night market (meh - way too tourist orientated) and some kind of show featuring women of the opposite sex doing tricks with a little ball, which I decided to skip and instead just headed back to the hotel bar for a pint of beer
Aug 12, 2020 | 4:56 am
#56
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,764
Chapter 24: Air France/KLM Business Lounge Bangkok Airport
For the full Air France/KLM Bangkok Airport Business Lounge review and more pictures thrown in, you can read the entire article on my website (Disclaimer: This link is to a website to which I contribute/have a financial interest).
Getting to the airport
After a short overnight stopover in Bangkok it was time to head back to the airport the next morning for my onward Garuda flight to Jakarta. Just like on my arrival, I again opted to take public transport to the airport.Being one of Asia’s biggest hubs, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is always teeming with activity and today was no difference. There were some massive crowds on all airport floors, with local businessmen, western backpackers and Chinese tour groups all mingling together.
The departure hall of Bangkok Airport is on the top floor and was fortunately a bit less crowded than the chaotic arrivals hall downstairs and the mezzanine level full of restaurants and cafes.
The departures board – with basically all flights to China being cancelled due to the corona virus outbreak in Wuhan
Huge tour group mobbing the Lufthansa check-in desks. At such times priority check-in pays off!
Check-in
The check-in desks for today’s sole Garuda flight to Jakarta were still being set up. At around two-and-a-half hours before departure did the five desks, including one separate business class counter and one Sky Priority check-in desk, finally open.
As I was the first in line, I had my boarding pass issued within seconds.
Business class passengers as well as frequent flyer elites can use the security and passport control fast track located underneath the escalators going up another floor, which is the route all other passengers have to use to reach the non-priority security check. As there were no lines at all at the fast track security check I was airside within a few minutes.
Ready to fly!
Reaching the Air France/KLM lounge
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is simply massive. Even if you do not have lounge access, there is enough to see and do at this beautifully designed airport to keep you occupied.
There are countless of shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as cultural Thai objects and artworks placed throughout the concourses. Once you are airside it really is one of the more pleasant airports in the world.
I was however heading for the Air France/KLM lounge, which is located at the F concourse near Gate F2 on level 3.
Air France/KLM lounge entry requirements
The Air France/KLM lounge, which is officially known as the Air France/KLM SkyLounge, is located one level down from the main concourse. The lounge is open 24/7.
It is the designated lounge for a number of SkyTeam alliance members and partner airlines, among which Aeroflot, Air France, China Southern, Garuda Indonesia, Kenya Airways, Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines and Xiamen Air.
For the sake of full information, China Eastern currently uses a third party lounge while China Airlines has its own lounge at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. Even if you fly on both of these airlines you may well try your luck at the Air France/KLM lounge!
Other than business class passengers and SkyTeam elites, the Air France/KLM lounge is also open to Priority Pass holders. However, access to Priority Pass holders may be restricted during the peak hours between 9.30 and 11am as well as between 10.30pm and 00.30am when priority goes to actual business class passengers and airline elites.
I love the model planes of SkyTeam airlines
First impressions
I was welcomed in the lounge by a friendly lounge agent manning the nicely appointed reception desk, which included model aeroplanes of the SkyTeam airlines who call this lounge home.
My first impressions of the Air France/KLM lounge were good. The lounge was certainly bigger than I expected. The spacious lounge also had lots of natural light coming from the big glass windows overlooking the tarmac, which is always a feature I appreciate.
There were plenty of seating options throughout the lounge, ranging from dining tables to worktop tables to comfortable seats in front of the big windows. At almost every seat you can find a power socket, another feature which is unfortunately way too often overlooked by lounge designers. WiFi reception and internet speeds were great too throughout the lounge.
As the lounge was almost completely empty by the time I arrived, I opted to select a seat at the far end of the lounge overlooking both the concourse and the tarmac.
View from the lounge
Air France/KLM lounge buffet
At the time of my arrival in the lounge, the food at the buffet was changed from breakfast to lunch. The Air France/KLM lounge buffet is solid, with lots of food choices available. Whatever time of the day you visit, you can certainly grab a good meal here.
The extensive food buffet included both Asian and Western favourites, with some decent noodles and rice dishes available, as well as some sandwiches, chicken, potatoes, salads, pasta and some finger foods.
There was also a great choice in sweet options available, such as cakes and eclairs as well as fresh fruit. The quality of the food which I tried was all quite good!
Beverages
There is also a decent choice in beverages at the Air France/KLM lounge. The coffee machines make a good brew, there are teas available, as well as juices and plenty of soft drinks from the fridges.
The alcohol selection is not bad either, with beer, wine as well as some hard booze available. Unfortunately, the Air France/KLM lounge did not live up to the ‘France’ part in its name as no champagne was available, although the South African sparkling wine was an acceptable alternative.
Also the wine selection could be a bit more extensive than just the single mid-shelf bottle of red and white available.
Other lounge facilities
The Air France/KLM lounge has clean restrooms available inside the lounge. There are also shower facilities inside the lounge, although given I just came straight from my hotel I did not try them out.
The lounge also features special work stations and massage chairs.
Experience
As I did not have breakfast (or any other food at all) during the day I indulged quite a bit in the buffet despite knowing very well that on board of my Garuda flight some good food would await me too.
The time in the lounge went by faster than I thought, which is always a good sign. Besides enjoying some food and a few drinks, I also managed to get quite a bit of work done on my laptop.
In short
The Air France/KLM Bangkok lounge offers an overall excellent experience. The lounge has a pleasant interior, with lots of natural light shining into the premises from the large windows overlooking the tarmac and adjacent gates.
There are plenty of seating options available, ranging from proper work spaces to dining tables to comfortable chairs. With plenty of power sockets available and fast WiFi internet, the lounge is an outstanding space to get some work done before your flight.
It is also possible to have a good quality meal at the extensive lounge buffet, with lots of hot and cold favourites from both Asian and Western cuisines. There is also a decent selection of booze available, although unfortunately the wine selection is rather limited and I would have expected some champagne at a partly French lounge!
That said, the Air France/KLM lounge is definitely a solid lounge and is certainly worth a visit before your flight!
Next up: Flying Business Class on Garuda Indonesia to Jakarta
For the full Air France/KLM Bangkok Airport Business Lounge review and more pictures thrown in, you can read the entire article on my website (Disclaimer: This link is to a website to which I contribute/have a financial interest).
Getting to the airport
After a short overnight stopover in Bangkok it was time to head back to the airport the next morning for my onward Garuda flight to Jakarta. Just like on my arrival, I again opted to take public transport to the airport.Being one of Asia’s biggest hubs, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is always teeming with activity and today was no difference. There were some massive crowds on all airport floors, with local businessmen, western backpackers and Chinese tour groups all mingling together.
The departure hall of Bangkok Airport is on the top floor and was fortunately a bit less crowded than the chaotic arrivals hall downstairs and the mezzanine level full of restaurants and cafes.
The departures board – with basically all flights to China being cancelled due to the corona virus outbreak in Wuhan
Huge tour group mobbing the Lufthansa check-in desks. At such times priority check-in pays off!
Check-in
The check-in desks for today’s sole Garuda flight to Jakarta were still being set up. At around two-and-a-half hours before departure did the five desks, including one separate business class counter and one Sky Priority check-in desk, finally open.
As I was the first in line, I had my boarding pass issued within seconds.
Business class passengers as well as frequent flyer elites can use the security and passport control fast track located underneath the escalators going up another floor, which is the route all other passengers have to use to reach the non-priority security check. As there were no lines at all at the fast track security check I was airside within a few minutes.
Ready to fly!
Reaching the Air France/KLM lounge
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is simply massive. Even if you do not have lounge access, there is enough to see and do at this beautifully designed airport to keep you occupied.
There are countless of shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as cultural Thai objects and artworks placed throughout the concourses. Once you are airside it really is one of the more pleasant airports in the world.
I was however heading for the Air France/KLM lounge, which is located at the F concourse near Gate F2 on level 3.
Air France/KLM lounge entry requirements
The Air France/KLM lounge, which is officially known as the Air France/KLM SkyLounge, is located one level down from the main concourse. The lounge is open 24/7.
It is the designated lounge for a number of SkyTeam alliance members and partner airlines, among which Aeroflot, Air France, China Southern, Garuda Indonesia, Kenya Airways, Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines and Xiamen Air.
For the sake of full information, China Eastern currently uses a third party lounge while China Airlines has its own lounge at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. Even if you fly on both of these airlines you may well try your luck at the Air France/KLM lounge!
Other than business class passengers and SkyTeam elites, the Air France/KLM lounge is also open to Priority Pass holders. However, access to Priority Pass holders may be restricted during the peak hours between 9.30 and 11am as well as between 10.30pm and 00.30am when priority goes to actual business class passengers and airline elites.
I love the model planes of SkyTeam airlines
First impressions
I was welcomed in the lounge by a friendly lounge agent manning the nicely appointed reception desk, which included model aeroplanes of the SkyTeam airlines who call this lounge home.
My first impressions of the Air France/KLM lounge were good. The lounge was certainly bigger than I expected. The spacious lounge also had lots of natural light coming from the big glass windows overlooking the tarmac, which is always a feature I appreciate.
There were plenty of seating options throughout the lounge, ranging from dining tables to worktop tables to comfortable seats in front of the big windows. At almost every seat you can find a power socket, another feature which is unfortunately way too often overlooked by lounge designers. WiFi reception and internet speeds were great too throughout the lounge.
As the lounge was almost completely empty by the time I arrived, I opted to select a seat at the far end of the lounge overlooking both the concourse and the tarmac.
View from the lounge
Air France/KLM lounge buffet
At the time of my arrival in the lounge, the food at the buffet was changed from breakfast to lunch. The Air France/KLM lounge buffet is solid, with lots of food choices available. Whatever time of the day you visit, you can certainly grab a good meal here.
The extensive food buffet included both Asian and Western favourites, with some decent noodles and rice dishes available, as well as some sandwiches, chicken, potatoes, salads, pasta and some finger foods.
There was also a great choice in sweet options available, such as cakes and eclairs as well as fresh fruit. The quality of the food which I tried was all quite good!
Beverages
There is also a decent choice in beverages at the Air France/KLM lounge. The coffee machines make a good brew, there are teas available, as well as juices and plenty of soft drinks from the fridges.
The alcohol selection is not bad either, with beer, wine as well as some hard booze available. Unfortunately, the Air France/KLM lounge did not live up to the ‘France’ part in its name as no champagne was available, although the South African sparkling wine was an acceptable alternative.
Also the wine selection could be a bit more extensive than just the single mid-shelf bottle of red and white available.
Other lounge facilities
The Air France/KLM lounge has clean restrooms available inside the lounge. There are also shower facilities inside the lounge, although given I just came straight from my hotel I did not try them out.
The lounge also features special work stations and massage chairs.
Experience
As I did not have breakfast (or any other food at all) during the day I indulged quite a bit in the buffet despite knowing very well that on board of my Garuda flight some good food would await me too.
The time in the lounge went by faster than I thought, which is always a good sign. Besides enjoying some food and a few drinks, I also managed to get quite a bit of work done on my laptop.
In short
The Air France/KLM Bangkok lounge offers an overall excellent experience. The lounge has a pleasant interior, with lots of natural light shining into the premises from the large windows overlooking the tarmac and adjacent gates.
There are plenty of seating options available, ranging from proper work spaces to dining tables to comfortable chairs. With plenty of power sockets available and fast WiFi internet, the lounge is an outstanding space to get some work done before your flight.
It is also possible to have a good quality meal at the extensive lounge buffet, with lots of hot and cold favourites from both Asian and Western cuisines. There is also a decent selection of booze available, although unfortunately the wine selection is rather limited and I would have expected some champagne at a partly French lounge!
That said, the Air France/KLM lounge is definitely a solid lounge and is certainly worth a visit before your flight!
Next up: Flying Business Class on Garuda Indonesia to Jakarta
Aug 12, 2020 | 9:52 pm
#57
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK GfL, BA GGL, TG *G, HH DIA, IHG Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 4,856
Thanks SKT-DK, I will definitely write you for advice next time I head to Bangkok. It's a major hub so chances are big I will pass through it again soon enough in the future. And apart from that there are some areas of Thailand (basically the entire north) which I have never seen so might be good for a future trip as well.
Regarding the North, there is definitely a lot to explore - especially in the Golden Triangle area. Would recommend renting a car to get around though, if you are comfortable driving here.
Haha exactly my point! - and neither is it mine, but was the only thing that came to mind around Silom which could attract tourists
Interesting review of the AF/KL lounge btw - I think that is one of the few places in Suvarnabhumi which I personally had no clue about how is.
Aug 19, 2020 | 2:35 am
#58
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,764
Chapter 25: Review: Garuda Indonesia Business Class Bangkok to Jakarta
For the full Garuda business class review and more pictures thrown in, you can read the entire article on my website (Disclaimer: This link is to a website to which I contribute/have a financial interest).
Boarding
After spending some time at the very good Air France/KLM lounge, it was time to head to the boarding gate for my Garuda flight to Jakarta. The gate was only a few feet away from the lounge entrance and boarding began within minutes after my arrival, with business class passengers and SkyTeam elites asked to come forward first.I was quite excited about the flight as it would mark my first international flight on Garuda Indonesia, so far having only flown the airline ones on a short domestic hop from Jakarta to Yogyakarta.
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) to Jakarta (CGK) on Garuda Indonesia
Flight GA867 Boeing 737-800 Business class, seat 6A
Departure: 2.10pm Arrival: 5.45pm
Flight time: 3h35m Distance: 1,420 miles
Costs: 57,500 Flying Blue miles + 115.03 EUR in taxes for a BKK-CGK-NRT award
Garuda Boeing 737 business class seat
The primary narrow-body plane in the Garuda fleet is the Boeing 737-800 the airline has a whopping 73 of them. These aircraft do not only serve destinations around the vast Indonesian archipelago but also mid-haul flights in Asia such as this Bangkok route.
The cabin exists out of 3 rows of comfortable recliner seats, bringing the amount of seats in the business class cabin to 12. The relatively small cabin size gives the business class section an intimate feeling. The small touches, such as the grey-and-white chequered bulkhead and divider walls as well as the red-and-grey seat fabrics, added a bit of elegance to the cabin.
There are power sockets and reading lights at each business class seat, although the plane is not equipped with WiFi. Each seat does however its own in-flight entertainment screen hidden in the armrests.
Even though there was a bit of wear and tear on this 10-year-old bird (aircraft registration number PK-GFH) and the seats itself are not groundbreaking, it is a very comfortable seat for a mid-haul flight like this. The recline was decent, the seats well-padded and I had plenty of legroom in my bulkhead seat 6A.
Pre-departure service
Before departure, the main purser came by to welcome each passenger on board. Staying true to Indonesian culture and hospitality service, I always find Garuda employees to be extremely warm and welcoming, going at lengths to give you an extraordinary service.
Moments later she returned with a tray of non-alcoholic pre-departure beverages, from which I chose a weird-looking green juice. It turned out to be ambarella juice, which is the signature drink on board Garuda. It tasted err.. interesting. I wouldnt classify it as particularly yummy, although it tasted by no means foul either. I was also given a refreshment towels, which was nicely presented on a wooden holder.
The cabin crew also distributed an Indonesian immigration form as well as a COVID-19 health card before departure.
Departure
Boarding was completed relatively quick with what seemed to be a light passenger load. In business class, not more than half of the seats were occupied, with the seat next to me remaining empty.
Departure from a major airport like Bangkok Suvarnabhumi is always good fun as there are some great planespotting possibilities from the window. We took off right on time and gradually climbed to cruising altitude for the three-and-a-half-hour-long flight to Jakarta.
Garuda business class menu
Once we reached cruising altitude the crew members jumped into action and closed the curtains to separate the business class cabin from the rest of the plane. A beautifully designed menu card was also handed out.
Garuda is known for its great meal quality in business class and I was looking forward to the food on board. It is not always the case that I thought that all three options sounded equally appetising and after some time deliberating I went for the lemongrass chicken when the flight attendant returned to take orders.
Champagne
To drink, I opted for a glass of champagne. Garuda Indonesia serves vintage champagne (2005 Castelnau Cuvee Brut Millsime) in business class, which is an excellent tipple. It was served in a beautiful, proper champagne flute.
Business class meal service
Meal service kicked off with a fruit plate, which was served on a tray on which also an individual bread basket was placed. Moments later my main of chicken lemongrass with gulai curry sauce, coconut savory rice and sauteed vegetables arrived.
The dish was gorgeously presented on a classy black plate and was as delicious as it looked. It packed a lot of flavour. The chocolate cake dessert, which I paired with a decent Cabernet, was equally tasty.
The entire meal service was perfectly executed, with the dishes being beautifully plated and served at a good pace. Even though I took my time to enjoy the food, the meal was concluded after an hour with around two-and-a-half hours to go to Jakarta, giving passengers plenty of time to also get some work done or take a nap after the meal.
In-flight entertainment
As I previously already mentioned, each seat in business class has a personal in-flight entertainment screen hidden in the armrest. The quality of it was however not too good.
The device itself, which has a poor resolution and is rather bulky and not easy to move, did clearly show its age. Even worse, the content on the IFE system was extremely poor. There were a handful of films and TV series and a wee bit of music which was far from impressive both in quality and quantity. You are well-advised to bring your own entertainment in the form of a book or a few downloaded series or films on your own tablet or laptop.
Rest of the flight
The poor-quality IFE system was only a minor disappointment as I managed to thoroughly enjoy the flight despite the lack of entertainment. The flight attendants made sure that my glass was topped up at all times and regularly checked on everyone in the cabin.
I spent the rest of the flight watching out of the window and even ended up chatting with the guy in seat 1F towards the end of the flight as we both somehow figured out we shared the same Dutch nationality (its always rather easy to recognise your fellow countrymen!).
Arrival
After a while the pilots started their descent into Jakarta, which was the sign for the flight attendants to prepare the cabin for landing. The views upon arrival were spectacular.
First of all, I was quite surprised to actually see something as normally Jakarta is hidden in a thick layer of smog. In the far distance another plane on approach to a parallel Jakarta runway was visible, making it a sort-of race who would land first. In the end, it seemed that our plane pulled slightly ahead and landed first!
When we were finally parked at a jet bridge at the far end of the terminal, I thanked the crew for the excellent flight and started the long walk towards the immigration and transit counters.
In short
I had an excellent flight on Garuda Indonesia which does have an incredible, underrated business class product. Sure, there are a few minor drawbacks. The seats on the Boeing 737-800 are comfortable but a bit dated, which shows especially in the in-flight entertainment system with a poor quality screen and extremely limited content.
However, on every other aspect did Garuda deliver bigly. Service by the flight attendants was amazingly friendly, warm and pro-active. In this aspect there are not many airlines which come close to the Garuda service with the exception of Singapore Airlines and the Japanese carriers.
The food on board Garuda is world-class. I would already be happy if I got a similar meal served in a city restaurant, let alone on board a plane. Plating and presentation, as well as taste, were executed to perfection. Although there are airlines with a more lavish service in business class, I would easily rank Garuda among top airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways when it comes to the quality of its meal service.
I really enjoyed my flight on Garuda and would be delighted to set foot on board one of their flights again. Well done!
Next up: Lounge hopping at Jakarta Airport & flying JAL in business class to Tokyo Narita
For the full Garuda business class review and more pictures thrown in, you can read the entire article on my website (Disclaimer: This link is to a website to which I contribute/have a financial interest).
Boarding
After spending some time at the very good Air France/KLM lounge, it was time to head to the boarding gate for my Garuda flight to Jakarta. The gate was only a few feet away from the lounge entrance and boarding began within minutes after my arrival, with business class passengers and SkyTeam elites asked to come forward first.I was quite excited about the flight as it would mark my first international flight on Garuda Indonesia, so far having only flown the airline ones on a short domestic hop from Jakarta to Yogyakarta.
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) to Jakarta (CGK) on Garuda Indonesia
Flight GA867 Boeing 737-800 Business class, seat 6A
Departure: 2.10pm Arrival: 5.45pm
Flight time: 3h35m Distance: 1,420 miles
Costs: 57,500 Flying Blue miles + 115.03 EUR in taxes for a BKK-CGK-NRT award
Garuda Boeing 737 business class seat
The primary narrow-body plane in the Garuda fleet is the Boeing 737-800 the airline has a whopping 73 of them. These aircraft do not only serve destinations around the vast Indonesian archipelago but also mid-haul flights in Asia such as this Bangkok route.
The cabin exists out of 3 rows of comfortable recliner seats, bringing the amount of seats in the business class cabin to 12. The relatively small cabin size gives the business class section an intimate feeling. The small touches, such as the grey-and-white chequered bulkhead and divider walls as well as the red-and-grey seat fabrics, added a bit of elegance to the cabin.
There are power sockets and reading lights at each business class seat, although the plane is not equipped with WiFi. Each seat does however its own in-flight entertainment screen hidden in the armrests.
Even though there was a bit of wear and tear on this 10-year-old bird (aircraft registration number PK-GFH) and the seats itself are not groundbreaking, it is a very comfortable seat for a mid-haul flight like this. The recline was decent, the seats well-padded and I had plenty of legroom in my bulkhead seat 6A.
Pre-departure service
Before departure, the main purser came by to welcome each passenger on board. Staying true to Indonesian culture and hospitality service, I always find Garuda employees to be extremely warm and welcoming, going at lengths to give you an extraordinary service.
Moments later she returned with a tray of non-alcoholic pre-departure beverages, from which I chose a weird-looking green juice. It turned out to be ambarella juice, which is the signature drink on board Garuda. It tasted err.. interesting. I wouldnt classify it as particularly yummy, although it tasted by no means foul either. I was also given a refreshment towels, which was nicely presented on a wooden holder.
The cabin crew also distributed an Indonesian immigration form as well as a COVID-19 health card before departure.
Departure
Boarding was completed relatively quick with what seemed to be a light passenger load. In business class, not more than half of the seats were occupied, with the seat next to me remaining empty.
Departure from a major airport like Bangkok Suvarnabhumi is always good fun as there are some great planespotting possibilities from the window. We took off right on time and gradually climbed to cruising altitude for the three-and-a-half-hour-long flight to Jakarta.
Garuda business class menu
Once we reached cruising altitude the crew members jumped into action and closed the curtains to separate the business class cabin from the rest of the plane. A beautifully designed menu card was also handed out.
Garuda is known for its great meal quality in business class and I was looking forward to the food on board. It is not always the case that I thought that all three options sounded equally appetising and after some time deliberating I went for the lemongrass chicken when the flight attendant returned to take orders.
Champagne
To drink, I opted for a glass of champagne. Garuda Indonesia serves vintage champagne (2005 Castelnau Cuvee Brut Millsime) in business class, which is an excellent tipple. It was served in a beautiful, proper champagne flute.
Business class meal service
Meal service kicked off with a fruit plate, which was served on a tray on which also an individual bread basket was placed. Moments later my main of chicken lemongrass with gulai curry sauce, coconut savory rice and sauteed vegetables arrived.
The dish was gorgeously presented on a classy black plate and was as delicious as it looked. It packed a lot of flavour. The chocolate cake dessert, which I paired with a decent Cabernet, was equally tasty.
The entire meal service was perfectly executed, with the dishes being beautifully plated and served at a good pace. Even though I took my time to enjoy the food, the meal was concluded after an hour with around two-and-a-half hours to go to Jakarta, giving passengers plenty of time to also get some work done or take a nap after the meal.
In-flight entertainment
As I previously already mentioned, each seat in business class has a personal in-flight entertainment screen hidden in the armrest. The quality of it was however not too good.
The device itself, which has a poor resolution and is rather bulky and not easy to move, did clearly show its age. Even worse, the content on the IFE system was extremely poor. There were a handful of films and TV series and a wee bit of music which was far from impressive both in quality and quantity. You are well-advised to bring your own entertainment in the form of a book or a few downloaded series or films on your own tablet or laptop.
Rest of the flight
The poor-quality IFE system was only a minor disappointment as I managed to thoroughly enjoy the flight despite the lack of entertainment. The flight attendants made sure that my glass was topped up at all times and regularly checked on everyone in the cabin.
I spent the rest of the flight watching out of the window and even ended up chatting with the guy in seat 1F towards the end of the flight as we both somehow figured out we shared the same Dutch nationality (its always rather easy to recognise your fellow countrymen!).
Arrival
After a while the pilots started their descent into Jakarta, which was the sign for the flight attendants to prepare the cabin for landing. The views upon arrival were spectacular.
First of all, I was quite surprised to actually see something as normally Jakarta is hidden in a thick layer of smog. In the far distance another plane on approach to a parallel Jakarta runway was visible, making it a sort-of race who would land first. In the end, it seemed that our plane pulled slightly ahead and landed first!
When we were finally parked at a jet bridge at the far end of the terminal, I thanked the crew for the excellent flight and started the long walk towards the immigration and transit counters.
In short
I had an excellent flight on Garuda Indonesia which does have an incredible, underrated business class product. Sure, there are a few minor drawbacks. The seats on the Boeing 737-800 are comfortable but a bit dated, which shows especially in the in-flight entertainment system with a poor quality screen and extremely limited content.
However, on every other aspect did Garuda deliver bigly. Service by the flight attendants was amazingly friendly, warm and pro-active. In this aspect there are not many airlines which come close to the Garuda service with the exception of Singapore Airlines and the Japanese carriers.
The food on board Garuda is world-class. I would already be happy if I got a similar meal served in a city restaurant, let alone on board a plane. Plating and presentation, as well as taste, were executed to perfection. Although there are airlines with a more lavish service in business class, I would easily rank Garuda among top airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways when it comes to the quality of its meal service.
I really enjoyed my flight on Garuda and would be delighted to set foot on board one of their flights again. Well done!
Next up: Lounge hopping at Jakarta Airport & flying JAL in business class to Tokyo Narita
Aug 20, 2020 | 11:36 am
#60
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Bargara Australia
Programs: VA, SQ, IHG, HH,ALL, Europcar
Posts: 1,559
Chapter 25: Review: Garuda Indonesia Business Class Bangkok to Jakarta
For the full Garuda business class review and more pictures thrown in, you can read the entire article on my website (Disclaimer: This link is to a website to which I contribute/have a financial interest).
Boarding
After spending some time at the very good Air France/KLM lounge, it was time to head to the boarding gate for my Garuda flight to Jakarta. The gate was only a few feet away from the lounge entrance and boarding began within minutes after my arrival, with business class passengers and SkyTeam elites asked to come forward first.I was quite excited about the flight as it would mark my first international flight on Garuda Indonesia, so far having only flown the airline ones on a short domestic hop from Jakarta to Yogyakarta.
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) to Jakarta (CGK) on Garuda Indonesia
Flight GA867 Boeing 737-800 Business class, seat 6A
Departure: 2.10pm Arrival: 5.45pm
Flight time: 3h35m Distance: 1,420 miles
Costs: 57,500 Flying Blue miles + 115.03 EUR in taxes for a BKK-CGK-NRT award
Garuda Boeing 737 business class seat
The primary narrow-body plane in the Garuda fleet is the Boeing 737-800 the airline has a whopping 73 of them. These aircraft do not only serve destinations around the vast Indonesian archipelago but also mid-haul flights in Asia such as this Bangkok route.
The cabin exists out of 3 rows of comfortable recliner seats, bringing the amount of seats in the business class cabin to 12. The relatively small cabin size gives the business class section an intimate feeling. The small touches, such as the grey-and-white chequered bulkhead and divider walls as well as the red-and-grey seat fabrics, added a bit of elegance to the cabin.
There are power sockets and reading lights at each business class seat, although the plane is not equipped with WiFi. Each seat does however its own in-flight entertainment screen hidden in the armrests.
Even though there was a bit of wear and tear on this 10-year-old bird (aircraft registration number PK-GFH) and the seats itself are not groundbreaking, it is a very comfortable seat for a mid-haul flight like this. The recline was decent, the seats well-padded and I had plenty of legroom in my bulkhead seat 6A.
Pre-departure service
Before departure, the main purser came by to welcome each passenger on board. Staying true to Indonesian culture and hospitality service, I always find Garuda employees to be extremely warm and welcoming, going at lengths to give you an extraordinary service.
Moments later she returned with a tray of non-alcoholic pre-departure beverages, from which I chose a weird-looking green juice. It turned out to be ambarella juice, which is the signature drink on board Garuda. It tasted err.. interesting. I wouldnt classify it as particularly yummy, although it tasted by no means foul either. I was also given a refreshment towels, which was nicely presented on a wooden holder.
The cabin crew also distributed an Indonesian immigration form as well as a COVID-19 health card before departure.
Departure
Boarding was completed relatively quick with what seemed to be a light passenger load. In business class, not more than half of the seats were occupied, with the seat next to me remaining empty.
Departure from a major airport like Bangkok Suvarnabhumi is always good fun as there are some great planespotting possibilities from the window. We took off right on time and gradually climbed to cruising altitude for the three-and-a-half-hour-long flight to Jakarta.
Garuda business class menu
Once we reached cruising altitude the crew members jumped into action and closed the curtains to separate the business class cabin from the rest of the plane. A beautifully designed menu card was also handed out.
Garuda is known for its great meal quality in business class and I was looking forward to the food on board. It is not always the case that I thought that all three options sounded equally appetising and after some time deliberating I went for the lemongrass chicken when the flight attendant returned to take orders.
Champagne
To drink, I opted for a glass of champagne. Garuda Indonesia serves vintage champagne (2005 Castelnau Cuvee Brut Millsime) in business class, which is an excellent tipple. It was served in a beautiful, proper champagne flute.
Business class meal service
Meal service kicked off with a fruit plate, which was served on a tray on which also an individual bread basket was placed. Moments later my main of chicken lemongrass with gulai curry sauce, coconut savory rice and sauteed vegetables arrived.
The dish was gorgeously presented on a classy black plate and was as delicious as it looked. It packed a lot of flavour. The chocolate cake dessert, which I paired with a decent Cabernet, was equally tasty.
The entire meal service was perfectly executed, with the dishes being beautifully plated and served at a good pace. Even though I took my time to enjoy the food, the meal was concluded after an hour with around two-and-a-half hours to go to Jakarta, giving passengers plenty of time to also get some work done or take a nap after the meal.
In-flight entertainment
As I previously already mentioned, each seat in business class has a personal in-flight entertainment screen hidden in the armrest. The quality of it was however not too good.
The device itself, which has a poor resolution and is rather bulky and not easy to move, did clearly show its age. Even worse, the content on the IFE system was extremely poor. There were a handful of films and TV series and a wee bit of music which was far from impressive both in quality and quantity. You are well-advised to bring your own entertainment in the form of a book or a few downloaded series or films on your own tablet or laptop.
Rest of the flight
The poor-quality IFE system was only a minor disappointment as I managed to thoroughly enjoy the flight despite the lack of entertainment. The flight attendants made sure that my glass was topped up at all times and regularly checked on everyone in the cabin.
I spent the rest of the flight watching out of the window and even ended up chatting with the guy in seat 1F towards the end of the flight as we both somehow figured out we shared the same Dutch nationality (its always rather easy to recognise your fellow countrymen!).
Arrival
After a while the pilots started their descent into Jakarta, which was the sign for the flight attendants to prepare the cabin for landing. The views upon arrival were spectacular.
First of all, I was quite surprised to actually see something as normally Jakarta is hidden in a thick layer of smog. In the far distance another plane on approach to a parallel Jakarta runway was visible, making it a sort-of race who would land first. In the end, it seemed that our plane pulled slightly ahead and landed first!
When we were finally parked at a jet bridge at the far end of the terminal, I thanked the crew for the excellent flight and started the long walk towards the immigration and transit counters.
In short
I had an excellent flight on Garuda Indonesia which does have an incredible, underrated business class product. Sure, there are a few minor drawbacks. The seats on the Boeing 737-800 are comfortable but a bit dated, which shows especially in the in-flight entertainment system with a poor quality screen and extremely limited content.
However, on every other aspect did Garuda deliver bigly. Service by the flight attendants was amazingly friendly, warm and pro-active. In this aspect there are not many airlines which come close to the Garuda service with the exception of Singapore Airlines and the Japanese carriers.
The food on board Garuda is world-class. I would already be happy if I got a similar meal served in a city restaurant, let alone on board a plane. Plating and presentation, as well as taste, were executed to perfection. Although there are airlines with a more lavish service in business class, I would easily rank Garuda among top airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways when it comes to the quality of its meal service.
I really enjoyed my flight on Garuda and would be delighted to set foot on board one of their flights again. Well done!
Next up: Lounge hopping at Jakarta Airport & flying JAL in business class to Tokyo Narita
For the full Garuda business class review and more pictures thrown in, you can read the entire article on my website (Disclaimer: This link is to a website to which I contribute/have a financial interest).
Boarding
After spending some time at the very good Air France/KLM lounge, it was time to head to the boarding gate for my Garuda flight to Jakarta. The gate was only a few feet away from the lounge entrance and boarding began within minutes after my arrival, with business class passengers and SkyTeam elites asked to come forward first.I was quite excited about the flight as it would mark my first international flight on Garuda Indonesia, so far having only flown the airline ones on a short domestic hop from Jakarta to Yogyakarta.
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) to Jakarta (CGK) on Garuda Indonesia
Flight GA867 Boeing 737-800 Business class, seat 6A
Departure: 2.10pm Arrival: 5.45pm
Flight time: 3h35m Distance: 1,420 miles
Costs: 57,500 Flying Blue miles + 115.03 EUR in taxes for a BKK-CGK-NRT award
Garuda Boeing 737 business class seat
The primary narrow-body plane in the Garuda fleet is the Boeing 737-800 the airline has a whopping 73 of them. These aircraft do not only serve destinations around the vast Indonesian archipelago but also mid-haul flights in Asia such as this Bangkok route.
The cabin exists out of 3 rows of comfortable recliner seats, bringing the amount of seats in the business class cabin to 12. The relatively small cabin size gives the business class section an intimate feeling. The small touches, such as the grey-and-white chequered bulkhead and divider walls as well as the red-and-grey seat fabrics, added a bit of elegance to the cabin.
There are power sockets and reading lights at each business class seat, although the plane is not equipped with WiFi. Each seat does however its own in-flight entertainment screen hidden in the armrests.
Even though there was a bit of wear and tear on this 10-year-old bird (aircraft registration number PK-GFH) and the seats itself are not groundbreaking, it is a very comfortable seat for a mid-haul flight like this. The recline was decent, the seats well-padded and I had plenty of legroom in my bulkhead seat 6A.
Pre-departure service
Before departure, the main purser came by to welcome each passenger on board. Staying true to Indonesian culture and hospitality service, I always find Garuda employees to be extremely warm and welcoming, going at lengths to give you an extraordinary service.
Moments later she returned with a tray of non-alcoholic pre-departure beverages, from which I chose a weird-looking green juice. It turned out to be ambarella juice, which is the signature drink on board Garuda. It tasted err.. interesting. I wouldnt classify it as particularly yummy, although it tasted by no means foul either. I was also given a refreshment towels, which was nicely presented on a wooden holder.
The cabin crew also distributed an Indonesian immigration form as well as a COVID-19 health card before departure.
Departure
Boarding was completed relatively quick with what seemed to be a light passenger load. In business class, not more than half of the seats were occupied, with the seat next to me remaining empty.
Departure from a major airport like Bangkok Suvarnabhumi is always good fun as there are some great planespotting possibilities from the window. We took off right on time and gradually climbed to cruising altitude for the three-and-a-half-hour-long flight to Jakarta.
Garuda business class menu
Once we reached cruising altitude the crew members jumped into action and closed the curtains to separate the business class cabin from the rest of the plane. A beautifully designed menu card was also handed out.
Garuda is known for its great meal quality in business class and I was looking forward to the food on board. It is not always the case that I thought that all three options sounded equally appetising and after some time deliberating I went for the lemongrass chicken when the flight attendant returned to take orders.
Champagne
To drink, I opted for a glass of champagne. Garuda Indonesia serves vintage champagne (2005 Castelnau Cuvee Brut Millsime) in business class, which is an excellent tipple. It was served in a beautiful, proper champagne flute.
Business class meal service
Meal service kicked off with a fruit plate, which was served on a tray on which also an individual bread basket was placed. Moments later my main of chicken lemongrass with gulai curry sauce, coconut savory rice and sauteed vegetables arrived.
The dish was gorgeously presented on a classy black plate and was as delicious as it looked. It packed a lot of flavour. The chocolate cake dessert, which I paired with a decent Cabernet, was equally tasty.
The entire meal service was perfectly executed, with the dishes being beautifully plated and served at a good pace. Even though I took my time to enjoy the food, the meal was concluded after an hour with around two-and-a-half hours to go to Jakarta, giving passengers plenty of time to also get some work done or take a nap after the meal.
In-flight entertainment
As I previously already mentioned, each seat in business class has a personal in-flight entertainment screen hidden in the armrest. The quality of it was however not too good.
The device itself, which has a poor resolution and is rather bulky and not easy to move, did clearly show its age. Even worse, the content on the IFE system was extremely poor. There were a handful of films and TV series and a wee bit of music which was far from impressive both in quality and quantity. You are well-advised to bring your own entertainment in the form of a book or a few downloaded series or films on your own tablet or laptop.
Rest of the flight
The poor-quality IFE system was only a minor disappointment as I managed to thoroughly enjoy the flight despite the lack of entertainment. The flight attendants made sure that my glass was topped up at all times and regularly checked on everyone in the cabin.
I spent the rest of the flight watching out of the window and even ended up chatting with the guy in seat 1F towards the end of the flight as we both somehow figured out we shared the same Dutch nationality (its always rather easy to recognise your fellow countrymen!).
Arrival
After a while the pilots started their descent into Jakarta, which was the sign for the flight attendants to prepare the cabin for landing. The views upon arrival were spectacular.
First of all, I was quite surprised to actually see something as normally Jakarta is hidden in a thick layer of smog. In the far distance another plane on approach to a parallel Jakarta runway was visible, making it a sort-of race who would land first. In the end, it seemed that our plane pulled slightly ahead and landed first!
When we were finally parked at a jet bridge at the far end of the terminal, I thanked the crew for the excellent flight and started the long walk towards the immigration and transit counters.
In short
I had an excellent flight on Garuda Indonesia which does have an incredible, underrated business class product. Sure, there are a few minor drawbacks. The seats on the Boeing 737-800 are comfortable but a bit dated, which shows especially in the in-flight entertainment system with a poor quality screen and extremely limited content.
However, on every other aspect did Garuda deliver bigly. Service by the flight attendants was amazingly friendly, warm and pro-active. In this aspect there are not many airlines which come close to the Garuda service with the exception of Singapore Airlines and the Japanese carriers.
The food on board Garuda is world-class. I would already be happy if I got a similar meal served in a city restaurant, let alone on board a plane. Plating and presentation, as well as taste, were executed to perfection. Although there are airlines with a more lavish service in business class, I would easily rank Garuda among top airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways when it comes to the quality of its meal service.
I really enjoyed my flight on Garuda and would be delighted to set foot on board one of their flights again. Well done!
Next up: Lounge hopping at Jakarta Airport & flying JAL in business class to Tokyo Narita
My thoughts exactly - been flying Garuda for at least 20 years and never had a bad flight with them. Singapore is more polished but the warmth of the Indonesian crew over come that,.