Why Mexico?

After reading an awesome article written by Joseph Hostetler, I decided to replicate his plan to gain elite status with Hyatt.  You should check out that article as he shows his cost breakdown vs the potential value he plans to get from his new status.  The total cost at the Hyatt Place Aguascalientes/Bonaterra made this trip worth it.

In our case, we had some flight credits from American Airlines that we had to burn from cancelling some positioning flights for our Maldives trip last year.  Instead of letting those go to waste, we used them to cover our flights to Aguascalientes.  We found some convenient flights so that we didn’t have to burn any vacation time.  We flew out on a Friday after work to arrive in Aguascalientes that night, then flew back home on Sunday.

COVID Testing

Now one obstacle that we ran into with this mattress run was the fact that the US required a negative COVID test result to enter back into the country.  This was implemented on January 26, 2021 and our short trip started on January 29th.  Since we planned on being there for only a weekend, we needed to find a place where we could get a COVID test and results back fast.  If we couldn’t, this would’ve thrown a wrench into our plans towards elite status with Hyatt.

In comes the American Express Platinum card to the rescue!  I called the concierge to see if they could help.  They definitely pulled through!  They found a number of places where I could get tested, many of them with results within 72 hours.  However I didn’t have 72 hours to wait.  I needed results sooner.  Amex Platinum provided some locations that could have results within 15 minutes!  Mattress run saved!!

Something to keep in mind regarding the Covid testing. Since our trip was short, we tested at home in the US on the day before we departed to Mexico. To be allowed back into the US you need to show a negative test result within 72 hours of departing to the US, so the test we took at home was valid. Another reason why we tested at home prior to our flight was to make sure we were negative. We didn’t want to take the flight if we happened to test positive even though we didn’t have symptoms.

However, we did take another test while in Mexico just to make sure we’d make it back home in case the test taken at home wouldn’t be accepted. I’ll share that experience in another article.

Hotel Review

The Hyatt Place in Aguascalientes is a nice hotel. I find that international Hyatt Place locations seem to be very nice. For being a World of Hyatt member, breakfast was free!  It is on the outskirts of the city and about 15-20 minutes from the airport.

The hotel seemed fairly new and was exceptionally clean. To abide by Covid requirements, your temperature is checked as you enter the building. Also, masks are required at all times unless you are actively eating or drinking.

They have a breakfast area where items are individually wrapped. Hot items are prepared for you and are delivered to your table. They also have a bar that is open until 1am. The front desk clerk serves as your bartender!

What To Do In Aguascalientes

Fun fact, Aguascalientes is one of the cities that lays claim to the geographical center of Mexico. Aguascalientes is largely an industrial city with a population of around 1.5 million people per their latest census. There’s not a lot to do within the city, other than checking out the city center and enjoying the plazas.

Just outside of the city though are a few wineries and vineyards that you could visit. We spent our Saturday at Vinícola Santa Elena. They offer tours of their winery that are about 2 hours long, however we just hung out there and enjoyed some wine and a meat and cheese plate. If we had more time, we would’ve looked into a tour of several wineries along the famous Ruta del Vino.  In hindsight, I wouldn’t have minded staying another couple of days after seeing that there are several wineries we could visit and how easy and cheap it is to get a Covid test.

Conclusion

This is probably one of our craziest mattress runs, as in the past we’ve done them domestically.  Since we had flight credits to burn, stackable Hyatt promotions and the lowest priced Hyatt on the planet, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I wouldn’t mind spending a 4 day weekend here as they have other wineries I’d love to try. Have you been to Aguascalientes?

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Welcome to our Tokyo trip report. Tokyo is a MASSIVE city!  The largest city in the world by population in fact.  They will be hosting the 2020 Olympics and spectators are in for a treat.  Their rich culture, amazing food, modern technology will no doubt amaze all visitors.  We had the pleasure to visit this awesome city on the way back home from our Thailand trip by utilizing our free stopover from our award flight.  This is our Tokyo trip report that is loaded with pics and tips!

OUR TOKYO TRIP REPORT BEGINS WITH: THE AIRPORT

From Bangkok, we arrived to Tokyo Haneda airport.  It’s a large airport that is closer to Tokyo than Narita.  After arriving, you immediately get the sense of how efficient the Japanese are when it comes to their work.  This was apparent while waiting in immigration. It seemed as if a number of international flights arrived around the same time ours did as the immigration line was long when we first got there.  Once in line we noticed how quickly the line moved. There were a couple of immigration officers directing visitors to open booths which kept things flowing. Also while at the booths, the officers were quick with their process.  It was one of the quickest immigration lines I’ve gone through.

GETTING AROUND

After immigration, we pulled some cash from the ATM and got in line to get our JR Pass.  The JR Pass is a transportation pass available to tourists only, which allows you to take advantage of multiple modes of public transportation while in Japan.  You can take their trains throughout the city, some bus lines and even their bullet trains across the country. It’s a great way to get around Tokyo and the country and you easily get your money’s worth.  

With the JR Pass, we took the train from Haneda Airport to Shinjuku, which is where our hotel was.  I’ll admit, the train and metro maps are pretty intimidating at first glance, but after a while they were pretty easy to navigate.  Because Tokyo is such a large city, they not only have a subway system, but they have a city train system. With the JR Pass, you have access to the city train system.  It’s easy to use and provides you access to the majority of the city. If you couple that with a metro pass, you can get around the vast majority of Tokyo for pretty cheap!

Uber and taxis are readily available as well, but are pricier.  On a few occasions, we used Uber to get to some sushi restaurants and they were about $40 for a 10-15 minute ride.  While expensive, I was amazed with how professional Uber drivers are in Tokyo. It’s almost as if you hired a professional chauffeur service.  All of the drivers we had wore suits and wore white gloves while driving. Their cars were impeccably clean and they opened and closed the doors for you.  We were definitely pampered while riding with them!

ACCOMMODATIONS

For our stay in Tokyo, we chose the Hyatt Regency in Shinjuku.  We chose it because of its location, distance from the train station and this property’s “points + cash” option.  It was a nice hotel and the staff was very welcoming. By using the points + cash option, it made our stay a lot more affordable, as accommodations in Tokyo can be crazy expensive.  Since we don’t have elite status with Hyatt, we didn’t get free breakfast at this property. It was a drawback to our stay. Since it’s so easy to get elite status with Hilton, we try to stay there more often.

THE FOOD

WOW!!!  Our Tokyo trip report would not be complete without talking about the food! The food in Tokyo was delish.  While I don’t consider myself or Adriana to be official “foodies”, we make a strong case to be accepted into the club!  We’re willing to try all food at least once, and more often than not we end up trying it multiple times! Here are a few dishes that you must try while in Tokyo

Udon Noodles:  if you’re looking for yummy filling food that won’t kill your budget, Udon noodles are the way to go.  The noodles taste a lot different than what you normally have at home and you have several ways of eating them.  We ate them at Tokyo Mentsudan Udon and it was delish!

Sushi:  Obviously sushi had to be on the list, and it’s hard to go wrong where you go in Tokyo for sushi.  Even 7-Eleven has good sushi!!! When planning our trip we wanted to splurge on some fancy sushi at a couple of highly rated restaurants and it didn’t disappoint!  

Tsugu Sushimasa was outstanding!  It’s a small intimate place and the Sushi Master doesn’t speak English, however the server attending us did and she translated for us.  It was quite the experience and the pride he had in serving each delicious morsel was something to admire.

Ichibancho Teruya was the other nice sushi place that we went to and it was equally amazing to Tsugu Sushimasa.  While the rice used was different, you appreciate their different approaches to their art, and you REALLY appreciate the yumminess of his sushi.  The chef speaks English so you’re able to chat him up during your omakase experience.

Street Food:  As with other places that you visit, you must try the street food stalls and dives as you’ll find some of the yummiest grub around.  We stopped at several places that served Yakitori, Takoyaki and other Japanese favorites. While many of these snacks are hard to pronounce, it’s easy to say “yummy” while you’re enjoying them.

THINGS TO DO

Since Tokyo is a gigantic city, a few days is not enough time to see and enjoy everything that it has to offer.  We made our best effort, but there are a lot of sights left to see for when we return. Here are some of the highlights

Electric Town:  Located in Akihabara, Electric Town is a video game/anime paradise.  While I’m not a gamer, this part of Tokyo was such a cool place to see.  I’m sure those who are heavily involved with video games would’ve appreciated this place as much as I did, if not more.  There are arcades at every corner and you can find any accessory for your gaming system here. You could probably find things here that you’ve never even heard of back home.

Asakusa:  This is the old part of Tokyo and still retains that vibe from ancient times.  While not as flashy as Shinjuku or Ginza, this side of Tokyo is not to be missed.  In fact, it’s one of the most visited districts of Tokyo. You can easily explore this district on foot but I recommend taking a guided tour on a rickshaw.

Tokyo Tower:  Day or night you should check this place out for some spectacular views of Tokyo.  We went at night and the city lights were mesmerizing. The lines can be long so make sure to give yourself enough time while there.

Shinjuku:  Home of the world’s busiest station, there’s a lot to do and see for everyone.  From department stores, electronics, cameras, all night eateries and bars, I’m sure you can find something that you’ll enjoy.  There is also a famous redlight district that I don’t recommend you to visit, but to each their own. 

CONCLUSION

I’m really tempted to search flight options to go back to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics as Japan left an everlasting impression on both Adriana and I.  The world can learn a lot from the Japanese people, the culture and the respect for one another among other things. Have you been to Japan? If so, what did you enjoy?

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Getting to Hong Kong from New York was a very long flight, but was made much more enjoyable in Cathay Pacific’s business class.  With yummy food and lie flat seats, 16 hours in the air doesn’t seem too bad. My anxiousness to arrive was the worst part of the flight.  As we descended into Hong Kong, I was glued to the window admiring the mega city that we were about to explore. Please enjoy our Hong Kong trip report!

HONG KONG TRIP REPORT BEGINS: ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT

Once we arrived at the airport, we made our way to immigration since we had all of our bags on us.  We usually pack light heading to our destination so arriving is a breeze. The immigration line was pretty long, but there were several agents working so the wait wasn’t terrible.  

After immigration and customs, we looked for an ATM to pull out some cash.  I rarely exchange money at home prior to our trips since we get a poor exchange rate plus fees with our bank.  By using our Charles Schwab debit card at the ATM, we get excellent exchange rates through Visa, zero foreign transaction fees and all ATM fees are reimbursed.  

After pulling out some cash, we bought a train ticket to Kowloon.  In my opinion, it’s the cheapest, most efficient way to get from the airport to Kowloon or Central.  It took about 20 minutes or so and we were in Kowloon where we got off.

GETTING TO THE CITY

Hindsight is always 20/20, but once in Kowloon, I should’ve bought an Octopus card and loaded it with money for our stay in Hong Kong, since we used the metro (MTR) the majority of the time we were there.  From Kowloon we could’ve taken a train to one of the stations near Tsim Sha Tsui, but as mentioned I didn’t plan that part out. We ended up taking an Uber from the Kowloon station to our hotel.

Uber is alive and well in Hong Kong and it’s a very convenient option, but if you’re on a budget like we were, the MTR is your best best to save some money.  Ubers and taxis can get a little pricey. The MTR is very easy to use and can get you to just about any place you want to go to in Hong Kong. There are signs in English everywhere, so navigating the stations and figuring out your route is never a problem.  Plus you can refer to Google Maps as well to know what lines to ride to your destination.

THE FOOD

The food in Hong Kong was amazing!  We definitely needed more time there to enjoy more of it!!  The cool thing about the city is that there are Michelin star restaurants everywhere, but not all of them break the bank!  In fact in a couple of places that we went to, Tim Ho Wan and Yat Lok, were under $30 for both my wife and I!

The dim sum, pork buns, roasted goose, wontons and many more food items were so delicious!  We found that the restaurants were super efficient and designed to get people in and out quickly.  Depending on where you go eat, there’s about a 50/50 chance that only cash is accepted. If you plan to only hit up the fancy restaurants with valet parking, then more than likely your card is accepted.  But if you eat street food like us, then make sure to have cash.

THINGS TO DO

Hong Kong is a mega city with so many things to do.  The only problem we had was not having enough time to do everything.  Enjoying the world famous skyline during the day and night is a must. There’s a cool light show that you can enjoy at 8pm nightly.  The best place to view it is across the street from the famous Peninsula hotel. Get there about 20 minutes before so that you can get a good spot to enjoy the show.  It’s only about 10-15 minutes long, so it won’t take up your entire evening.

Just about everyone going to Hong Kong visits Victoria Peak, and for good reason.  The views there leave you speechless. You can stare at the skyline for hours. The peak offers spectacular views both day and night.  Be ready to fight off some tourists for a good picture, but it’s well worth it.

Another cool place to visit is the Temple Street Market.  You can find some good deals on souvenirs and other “must have” items.  Part of the fun is haggling with the vendors. It’s welcomed and expected.

We got to Hong Kong a day late, as they have horse races at Happy Valley racecourse on Wednesdays.  I would have liked to have checked this out. Another thing I would’ve liked to have experienced was the Hong Kong Museum of History.  As with all vacations, it seems like there’s never enough time to squeeze in all of the things you want to do. Oh well, I guess we’ll just have to come back!

CONCLUSION

Hong Kong is a giant city that shouldn’t be missed.  There’s lots to eat and lots to see and can be affordable if you plan it right.  If you leverage your miles and points, you could score award flights to Hong Kong and beyond while saving a lot of cash on your hotel stays.  I can see us visiting Hong Kong again since it’s a convenient stopover into the rest of Asia when flying Cathay Pacific. I hope you enjoyed our Hong Kong trip report! Will you be visiting Hong Kong in the future?

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What is up everyone!  Please enjoy our Bangkok trip report and numerous pictures. Bangkok is quite a ways away from home, but we made the trip happen when we burned our Alaska Airline miles.  For 50K miles one way per person, we flew business class from the US to Bangkok and took advantage of a 3 day stopover in Hong Kong.  So after staying in Hong Kong for a few days, we took a 3 hour flight on Cathay Pacific to finish off the rest of that award flight. I’m so glad we visited Bangkok! Let’s start our Bangkok trip report.

BANGKOK TRIP REPORT: ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT

After getting off the plane, we headed towards immigration and got in line.  The wait was roughly 30-40 minutes so not terribly bad. I’m a very impatient person and I want to get out of the airport as soon as possible to enjoy my destination, but again the wait wasn’t too bad.  After immigration we pulled some cash from an ATM, using our Charles Schwab debit card to avoid fees, picked up our bags then headed towards the train.

Bangkok offers a super cheap and convenient airport rail link to take you from Suvarnabhumi airport to the middle of Bangkok.  For my wife and I it cost 90 baht, roughly $3 USD at the time, to get from the airport to Phaya Thai Station. Not only is it cheap, but super efficient.  Bangkok traffic can be a nightmare and depending on the time of day, you could be in for a LONG car ride to/from the airport.

ARRIVING IN THE CITY

Once in Phaya Thai Station you can then use the BTS, Bangkok’s Skytrain, to get to where you need to go in the city.  For another couple of bucks, Adriana and I took the Sukhumvit line and got to Phrom Phong station. This is the stop where our hotel was close by.  We walked a few blocks and got to our Hyatt Place hotel.  

I really liked this hotel!  For under $90 a night we were in a good, convenient part of the city, close to the BTS station, had a pretty cool rooftop bar and breakfast was included for all World of Hyatt members regardless of status!  Oh, and the breakfast was outstanding. It wasn’t just a piece of toast and coffee! You had a bunch of Western and Asian options to choose from and it was a great way to start your day. The rooms were modern, clean and a great place to shower and rest your head for the night.  Since we don’t typically spend a lot of time in our hotel rooms, we don’t ask for much, but this hotel provided a lot of bang for our buck!

GETTING AROUND

As mentioned, the BTS is super cheap and efficient.  The train cars are very clean and the maps are easy to use.  It’s definitely my first choice when trying to get around Bangkok.  We didn’t figure out how to get a reloadable card, so we paid for every ride when we took it.  While the stations may not be in the exact locations you’re going to, the BTS will get you close and then you can get a card to take you where you need to go.  Using this method could save you some cash to be better used for street food!!!

Which brings me to the next transportation option.  Grab is another option that we used when we didn’t take the BTS.  Grab is South Asia’s Uber, and it’s an amazing app! GPS locations were precise and we never had an issue with a driver not meeting us at the pickup point.  Although it’s more expensive than the BTS, it’s still a very affordable option to get around the city.

Tuk tuks are another option to get around the city.  We rode a couple while in Bangkok and it’s a cool experience.  They turned out to be the more expensive option, but it’s one of those “must try at least once” experiences.    

THE FOOD

A lot of people I know LOVE Thai food, including us.  It was a must that we include the food in our Bangkok trip report. When we decided to go to Thailand, tasting the street food was a major part of the agenda.  I’m sure you couldn’t tell by my girlish figure… 😉 Bangkok is especially known for all of its street food stalls and people from the world over come to get their Thai food fix.  Once we tasted our first street food dish, we were hooked!

Thai food is very cheap for Western visitors and that’s part of what makes it so appealing.  The different variations of pad thai is next level yummy and the Tom Yum soup was delicious and spicy enough to put hair on your chest, just ask Adriana!  The grilled skewers of chicken and pork are an awesome snack to hold you over until you get to the next food stall.  

For your sweet tooth you have to try the mango sticky rice.  Trust me, you’ll love it. I don’t like mango, but I loved it in Thailand.  Also, there are numerous food carts selling banana pancakes. They’re like crepes and you choose the goodies to put on it.  Also, the coconut ice cream in Thailand is delish!

MICHELIN STAR STREET FOOD

If you’re a Netflix junkie like Adriana and I, then you may have watched a series called Street Food.  One of their episodes features Jay Fai. She is the Michelin Starred Street Food Queen. The food is more expensive here compared to other street food stalls in Bangkok and that’s to be expected.  The food is amazing, and in my opinion, worth the long wait.

To avoid the long wait, I highly suggest making a reservation prior to coming to Bangkok.  I’m talking about making it months before coming to Bangkok. She’s booked for months so you must plan ahead.  If you’re like us though and didn’t make a reservation, there’s still hope. You can go to the restaurant around 11am where they leave a sign up sheet for you to write your name.  You’ll see people waiting around to put their name on the list. Once you put your name on the list, remember your number and wait for it to be called. Depending on where you’re at on the list, it could be HOURS before getting seated.  

SIGNING UP ON THE LIST

When we signed up around noon, we were number 41 on the list.  Jay Fai starts cooking at 2pm where you can take some pics or shoot some clips.  Until then, we ate some pad thai at a place a couple of doors down since it was a little after lunchtime.  After that, we walked around the area for a while to check out the sites. Adriana and I came back to Jay Fai’s around 5pm and they were on number 25.  We were a little tired so we found a hostel across the street that had a seating area and a small bar. We had a beer there while we waited. Here’s where we made out mistake! 

We assumed that there was still a lot of time left for our number to be called but we were SO WRONG. We were across the street for about 40 minutes before we decided to go and check our number.  They were on number 42!! The thing is, when they call your number you must be right outside the restaurant to hear them call it. They’ll call it 2 to 3 times and if you’re not there they go on to the next one. 

It turns out that several numbers were skipped which is why they jumped from 25 to 42 in a short amount of time. When we went and told them we were 41, they said sorry and suggested that we sign up again. Their policy is that if you’re skipped, too bad.  While we weren’t happy with that, it was our own fault for being skipped. So we signed up again at number 68!

WORTH THE WAIT???

This time we sat there and didn’t move until our number was called.  As we waited, we saw several others who were skipped and were told the same thing as us.  I’m glad they enforced that policy to everyone. Eventually our number was called and we were ready!  At 8:30 pm we were seated! When they call your number, they give you a menu before you’re seated so that you can take your order.  Once you’re seated, they take your drink order and you wait for your food.

The food was amazing and worth the wait in my opinion.  We both ordered her famous crab omelet, then I ordered the Tom Yum Soup and Adriana ordered the Thai curry.  We were happily stuffed when we finished! For the food plus 3 large beers that we shared it cost around $120.  I’d eat there again, but with a reservation!!

THINGS TO DO

There are so many things to do in Bangkok.  We spent a few short days there and we didn’t have nearly enough time to see everything that we wanted, especially since we spent so much time waiting for a table at Jay Fai.  Aside from feasting on street food, we visited the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. It wasn’t my favorite experience because it was catered towards tourism. I was expecting to see locals buying and selling their goods there.  This market is the most popular market, but it’s a borderline tourist trap in my opinion.

WHEN we go back to Bangkok, I’d like to visit the Amphawa Floating market instead.  It’s 90km from Bangkok and a bit touristy, but it’s still a legit market where locals go to buy goods.  Speaking of markets, Chatuchak Market is a place I’d visit as well. Also on the list for when we go back is visiting the Grand Palace.  It used to be the king’s home so it would be cool to see how the royal folks used to live.

One thing that I really wish we would’ve done is take a boat trip on the Chao Phraya River.  It’s a neat way to check out some different angles of the city and the little canals that feed off from the river.  Also, trying to squeeze in a workout while on vacation is tough to do, so to knock out 2 birds with one stone, I’d climb the Sathorn Unique Tower.  It’s just a big abandoned tower that you can climb to the top and take some epic shots of the city.

CONCLUSION

Our Bangkok trip was very fun and very short.  It left us wanting more. I need to find a way to work in Bangkok on another one of our trips as I feel that we missed out on so so much.  The nice thing is that many Asian and European cities connect in Bangkok so finding a one way route won’t be difficult or expensive. I hope you enjoyed our Bangkok trip report and found it useful. Have you been to Bangkok?

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What is up everyone!  So this is the part of the trip that involved a lot of R&R.  While Hong Kong and Bangkok are amazing and I can’t wait to go back, we needed some time to chill!  When we go on vacation, it’s always go go go so that we can see all that we can in the amount of time allotted.  Planning Koh Samui in after Hong Kong and Bangkok was a great idea so that we can recharge to see Chiang Mai and Tokyo!

ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT

Since we flew in from Bangkok, it was a domestic flight to Koh Samui and we didn’t have to mess with immigration or customs.  After deplaning we took a shuttle to the baggage claim area to pick up our bags. By this time we had some luggage to haul around since we bought some goodies in Hong Kong and Bangkok to bring home.  After getting our bags, we walked out to the arrivals area. There are several transportation services, taxis, Grab and private cars for hire. We chose Mr. Samui. We had arranged our airport transfer to the Conrad prior to our arrival for 1000 baht each way, which was about $30 USD at the time.  I liked the service and the price was cheaper than what others charged so it was a win-win! If you’d like to use Mr. Samui, message him through WhatsApp at +66 89 060 6440. Once the details have been ironed out, he’ll have a driver waiting for you at the airport with a sign with your name on it. It’s that easy!

GETTING AROUND

From the airport to the Conrad Koh Samui, it takes about 45 minutes to an hour.  It’s not very far distance wise, but you can’t go 80 mph to get there either. Right after you get out of the airport, you’ll drive through Chaweng which is Koh Samui’s biggest town.  Later you’ll drive through Lamai, which is another cool little town in Koh Samui. You’ll drive through some smaller towns and villages before finally reaching the Conrad Koh Samui.

Other methods of transportation in Koh Samui are the songthaew, Grab or taxis.  You could also rent a car or scooter, which I don’t necessarily recommend if you’re not used to driving outside of the US.

THE HOTEL

The Conrad Koh Samui is an amazing property with amazing views of the ocean.  All villas have ocean views which is very cool. We booked this property for 5 nights with Hilton points.  At 95,000 Hilton points per night this is an excellent value, but it gets better. Hilton offers the 5th night free on award stays 5 nights or longer.  So our stay ended up costing 380,000 Hilton points for 5 nights! Because of our Hilton Diamond status, we were upgraded to a panoramic view room which offered a lot of privacy, more space to stretch out and yes, amazing views!

We always had breakfast at the Conrad resort since it was included with our Diamond status.  That’s one of the reasons we love the Hilton chain because gaining elite status is easy, just by carrying the right card.  There’s a few cards that offer Hilton Gold status, which offers free breakfast. We carry the Hilton Aspire care by American Express which gives you Hilton Diamond status just for being a card member.  It does come with a $450 annual fee, but you get a lot more in value from the card.  Aside from free breakfast, you get complimentary room upgrades, a yearly $250 Hilton Resort Credit and a yearly $250 airline credit.  By taking advantage of the credits alone you make $50! Anyway, back to the breakfast though… it was amazing! There was a load of options, both Western and Asian.  You definitely don’t leave hungry after breakfast here!

As mentioned, the Hilton Aspire card offers a yearly $250 resort credit that you can use.  You can use it towards the cost of your room, food or drinks on the property, spa services or other incidental charges throughout your stay.  Throughout our stay we booked an island excursion, went to the spa and dined at the resort. The resort credit was applied to cover some of those costs.

The beach at the Conrad wasn’t very appealing.  There’s a small strip of sand to sunbathe if you’d like, but you can’t really go for a swim in the ocean if you wanted to.  The water is shallow and there’s a lot of coral so you can’t go barefoot. The cool thing is that the Conrad offered complimentary shuttle rides to either Chaweng or Lamai at 11am, and they’d pick you up around 6pm.

THE FOOD

There a lot of food options in Koh Samui, but since we were in Thailand, the street food is a must.  You can eat for an average of about $3 – $4 USD per person and share a large beer for another $2 – $3.  There are fancier options available too if you’re not into street food.

The Conrad has a few restaurants onsite if you choose to dine at the resort.  They are much pricier than what you would find in town. We did have dinner a couple nights at the resort and the food was great!  Jahn was the fancier restaurant and it lives up to the hype. The food and service was awesome.

THINGS TO DO

Chaweng beach is gorgeous and is definitely worth a visit!  The sand is soft and the water is beautiful. There’s a lot of little bars and hangouts along the beach so there’s no shortage of places to chill.  Lamai beach is nice too, but the sand was more coarse than the soft sand at Chaweng. Plus it seemed like the beaches weren’t as “public” as in Chaweng.  They seemed to belong to the hotels and resorts there as they each had their claim to a section of sand.

Aside from beaches, you can check out Angthong National Marine Park.  We didn’t get the opportunity to go, but it was definitely on the to-do list.  Also you can go see Hin Ta and Hin Yai, or Grandpa and Grandma rocks. I’ll let you figure out why they’re called that.  You can also check out some of their elephant sanctuaries or various island tours. There’s a bit of everything to do here to appeal to different tastes.

CONCLUSION

We loved our relaxing stay at the Conrad resort and would recommend it to anyone, especially if you’re booking with points as if offers a good value.  It’s luxurious, very comfortable and the service was outstanding. As far as the towns go, I preferred Chaweng. There was more to do and the beach was more appealing to me there.  The water was warm and very calm. If you’re looking to be a beach bum all day, that’s the place to do it! Thanks for reading guys and we hope to see you in the next article!

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OUR FLIGHTS TO CUBA

When it was first announced that US flights would be allowed to apply for routes to Cuba, pretty much all US Airlines jumped on board to bid for their routes.  Since then, some airlines have pulled out of Cuba due to lower demand than initially expected. There are still a few routes to choose from where you can utilize your points and miles.  We booked award flights on United to get to Cuba, then booked award flights on American Airlines to get back home.

When you do book a flight from the US to Cuba, whether it’s a paid flight or an award flight, you will need to pick a reason why you’re going to Cuba.  Tourism is not a valid option when booking your flight. If you decide to go to Cuba, please do your own research to see which of these valid reasons best applies to your situation, and what all is needed to support your reason.

GETTING A VISA TO ENTER CUBA

Another thing that is needed to get to Cuba is the purchase of a Visa.  This is a bit different than other Visas I have applied for in that I didn’t have to go to a Consulate or submit a passport for my Visa.  I purchased my visa through Cuba Travel Services.  I had read articles and saw videos where other travelers purchased their visas at the gate awaiting their flight, however there wasn’t a place where I could do so for my flight from Houston.  Luckily I had purchased them ahead of time.

LANDING IN CUBA  

The visa itself is blank and only asks for your first and last name, date of birth, passport number and nationality.  Before boarding our flight to Havana from Houston, the gate agent asked to see our visa along with our passport. After a brief look, we were allowed to board.  While on the flight, we were given a few other forms to fill out in order to enter Cuba. When we arrived in Havana, and passed through immigration, the officer asked to see my visa and passport.  Then the officer asked for me to look into a camera for a picture. She then stamped my passport and visa and allowed me to pass on to customs.

At customs our luggage passed through an x-ray machine where we picked them up and met with a doctor.  The doctor took one of the forms we filled out on the plane and took it and allowed us to pass on through.  Next, since we didn’t have any items to declare, we could pass on to exit the airport. Many Cubans were stuck in this line since they were bringing in items from the US.

EXCHANGING MONEY

Once we were outside of the airport, there was a crowd of people, including taxi drivers waiting for passengers.  Here’s where you can get a taxi to take you where you need to go. Before we got a taxi though, we went over to the departures area of the airport to exchange money.

I had read a few articles stating to do this and it worked out great.  When you land in Havana, you may end up in either the main airport, or a small terminal off to the side.  We flew in on United and went through the small terminal. After exiting the terminal, we walked to the other side of the terminal, which was the departures area.  This was smart because the line to exchange money on that side of the airport is short or non existent.

Before heading to Cuba, I had done quite a bit of research and something that many travelers suggested was converting your US dollars to Euros prior to going to Cuba.  The reason for this was because Cuba adds on a 10% tax for exchanging US dollars to Cuban pesos (CUC). I realize that you’ll lose some when exchanging US dollars to Euros, but if you take Euros and exchange them for CUC, you will come out ahead in the end.  

Why are we talking about cash?  Well, as you may already know, US credit or debit cards don’t work in Cuba, so all of your purchases need to be made in cash.  While it’s a bummer because you can’t earn points while in Cuba, it’s not the end of the world. Exchanging money and getting fair prices was not a big deal at all, especially if you know Spanish!

GETTING AROUND CUBA

Taxis are abundant in Cuba, and they come in various forms.  One of the cheaper forms is a “taxi colectivo”. When you hail one down, you ask the driver if they’re headed in the area, or close to the area you’re wanting to go.  You’ll be riding with other passengers that are going to the same vicinity. They won’t drop you off on the doorstep of your destination, so be prepared in knowing the area where you’ll be going.  Colectivos tend to be older cars and what the locals use.

There are tourist taxis available, that look much like taxis you see in the US.  They operate like taxis here as well. They are more expensive, since they cater more to tourists.  Many of them have the yellow checkered color scheme so they are quickly spotted. There are other nice classics running around that operate as tourist taxis.  They operate like the tourist taxis mentioned above, but you’re riding in a classic!

There are “coco taxis” available also.  These are for two adults max. It’s basically a motorcycle modified with a small carriage in the back for two people.  These are more tourist focused as well, and it’s a cool experience, especially during the summer nights.

Then there are the classic cars.  While many colectivos are classics, they are not in the best condition.  The others are more for show. While in Havana, you can ride around in a classic that you choose for about 40 CUC for an hour ride throughout the city.  Nice classics were available in Varadero as well, but we didn’t take a ride in one there. These drivers have special licenses that allow them to run their business and purchase replacement parts for their classics.  

CONCLUSION

I’m very thankful that we had the opportunity to go to Cuba.  We’re not sure what the future holds and if US citizens will have the luxury of traveling there as easily going forward.  While I’m content with our Cuba trip, I’d love to go back and visit other parts of the island. We’ll see if we can fit it into our travel plans. I hope this overview of Cuba provides you with some useful information and tips that you can utilize if you’re planning on going to Cuba.  Have you visited Cuba?

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