THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI — NOW HAS A RESORT

Pic courtesy X2 River Kwai Resort

The 1975 film, The Bridge on the River Kwai, is still one of the best, all-time favourite war movies. Ironically, the seven-Academy-Award-winning film was not actually filmed in Thailand on River Kwai, but in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). 

Now, if you felt cheated about that — like me — then here's your chance to experience the original River Kwai. Making it possible is to go see the place that inspired the film, in Western Thailand is  X2 River Kwai resort.

Located on a 3000 sqmts stretch of the beautiful Kwai Noi River is the resort with a jaw-dropping view of mountain ranges and blue-blue skies with low-hanging cottony clouds — all reflected in the waters of the river — picture perfect!

Pic courtesy: X2 River Kwai Resort

Traveling to the resort means a pleasant journey that involves passing rice paddy fields, sugar cane plantations, local temples and villages which are the signature scenery of Kanchanaburi. Kanchanaburi is the largest of the western provinces of Thailand. It is frequented by tourists who have been attracted by its long history and ancient civilizations. The province is also known for its natural attractions such as forests, mountains, caves and waterfalls. The town really gained fame after WWII when the Japanese soldiers used it as a base camp for the POWs to build the notorious Thai-Burma Railway and the well-known bridge over the River Kwai.  This was the story featured in the famous film.  Another film about this historical event is The Railway Man which was shot mainly in the actual locations in Kanchanaburi and will be screening in 2014.

Photo courtesy: X2 River Kwai resort

Coming back to the resort X2 River Kwai...the eco-friendly resort  was designed by the Thailand-based Agaligo Studio. Materials  procured locally and recycled parts were used to build this wonderful resort. The coolest thing about this resort is that each room is equipped with an electrical key that  cuts off the electricity when the guest leaves the room. 

Pic Courtesy: X2 River Kwai Resort

The resort consists of 8 rooms of different kinds — PoolXide Cabin, LuXe Cabin, PoolXide Cabin Suite and LuXe Cabin Suite- all facing the spectacular Kwai Noi River. There's also a river-facing restaurant with an outdoor deck, The Bridge Bar and Bistro, library, an infinity riverfront pool with sun lounges and sun beds, bicycles on loan, free wifi in all common areas, guarded car park and iPads on loan. For guests’ safety, CCTVs are installed in all critical areas and there are 24 hour security guards.

Pic Courtesy: X2 River Kwai Resort

Now, I cannot leave you without retelling the story of one of my favourite films: The Bridge on the River Kwai. It opens in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Burma in 1943, where a battle of wills rages between camp commander Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) and newly arrived British colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness). Saito insists that Nicholson order his men to build a bridge over the river Kwai, which will be used to transport Japanese munitions. Nicholson refuses, despite all the various persuasive devices at Saito's disposal. Finally, Nicholson agrees, not so much to cooperate with his captor as to provide a morale-boosting project for the military engineers under his command. The colonel will prove that, by building a better bridge than Saito's men could build, the British soldier is a superior being even when under the thumb of the enemy. As the bridge goes up, Nicholson becomes obsessed with completing it to perfection, eventually losing sight of the fact that it will benefit the Japanese. Meanwhile, American POW Shears (William Holden), having escaped from the camp, agrees to save himself from a court martial by leading a group of British soldiers back to the camp to destroy Nicholson's bridge. Upon his return, Shears realizes that Nicholson's mania to complete his project has driven him mad. It won the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Guinness and Best Screenplay for Pierre Boulle.

Now, I suggest you go get yourself a DVD of the film and watch it, even as you draw up a plan to visit X2 River Kwai Resort. 

More info on http://x2resorts.com/

5 THINGS A SOLO MALE TRAVELER SHOULD NOT DO IN PATTAYA — ACCORDING TO THE LOCALS

Club Insomnia on Walking Street, Pattaya in Thailand

When the locals tell you something about their place, pay attention. Unless you want to pay a heavy price. If you are male, like me and traveling solo in Pattaya (again, like me), here are five things you are not supposed to do. 

1. You want to explore the place on a bike? Never hire a self-driven motorcycle. Locals say: "They scam you." Apparently, they usually hire out defective motorcycles and at the end of the day you will be blamed for the 'handicapped' motorcycle, and will be made to fork out fifteen thousand to twenty thousand bhat. If you insist on seeing the place on a two-wheeler, seek the help of your hotel staff to guide you to the right people - "who will not scam you". Also, in Pattaya you can ride a motorcycle only if you have an international driving license — unlike in Goa. 

2. The above principle applies to hiring jet skis. Do not go to the umpteen jet ski joints that have mushroomed on the shoreline, thinking that you will save some bhats. "Go to a reputed company," advised my genial friend from the hotel where I stayed.

3. You are single. Male. And in Pattaya to "have fun". I am sure you are a normal guy — which means on that to-do-in-Pattaya-list there is an item: Girls. Get Girls. I bet my last t-shirt that is the first on your to-do list and you are desperate to tick it off. Beware, my brother. Do not, ever, NEVER, pick a girl from the famous Walking Street in Pattaya. Simply because you will not be able to tell the difference between women and the lady boys. The latter can make Angelina Jolie look like a matron. My Man Friday at the hotel says: "For an outsider it is difficult to tell the difference. Always look at the feet. The lady boys tend to have larger feet and usually they are taller than the average Thai women." Apparently there have been many cases where men have taken back to their hotel room girls from Walking Street, only to discover that they are Lady Boys. And if you ever find yourself in such a predicament, never, EVER, EVER, ask for a refund. "If you do, you will be thrashed," says my man, "it is all a mafia." Trust a local. They know the mafia in their backyard much better than you do. 

4. Now, if you happen to walking down one of those famous SOI by-lanes, thinking you are in Paradise — beware. Do not make eye-contact or indulge in idle banter with those extremely beautiful, tempting, inviting women. They are beautiful AND street-smart. You might end up losing your mobile, wallet and more. 

5. Don't put all your money in one wallet. Carry them in different pockets. Leave your passport in the hotel locker and carry only your passport copy. 

Here's an additional tip from my Thai friend at the hotel: Don't get tempted by "cheap massages". It will hurt you more than you think — in more ways than one. Go to reputed massage parlours, if you do not want to end up being kneaded by the local mafia. "And never tip a girl before the job (here I am thinking, my friend refers to massage when he says 'job'. But somehow I get the feeling he means more than that). Never tip them before. If you do, they will not do a good job. Give them 50-100 bhat. Not more than that." Always, ALWAYS, trust the locals. If not...you, my solo-traveling bro, you are in big trouble. 

5 THINGS YOU SHOULD DO IN PATTAYA, THAILAND — BY A SOLO MALE TRAVELER

Pattaya in Thailand is almost in everybody's must-travel-to-before-I-die list. And it is on the list of most single men — for 'obvious' reasons, which I will not go into here. 

However, here is a list of five must-do activities in Pattaya as suggested by the locals and related here by a solo male traveler from India, who apparently had a "fabulous, extremely exciting and fun holiday". Over to him:

5 things you should do:

1. Forget about visiting all the other islands that occupy pride of place in every brochure and guide book on Pattaya. Just make sure you visit the Coral Island, which is 45 minutes away from Pattaya. The beautiful clear waters is absolutely divine. 

2. If you want to go to different places in a boat, always opt for a larger boat and not the smaller two or four-seater ones — yes, especially if you are a solo traveler. The boat owner will say that a "ride would cost you 300 Thai Bhat". Don't worry, smile and confidently bargain to bring the cost down by 150 bhat. He will ultimately agree to take you and you get to travel in a spacious larger boat, in comfort than in those dingy smaller ones. 

3. If you are one of those 'adventurous foodies' who eats anything that walks, crawls or even simply because it is 'there', then you should go to Siracha Tiger Zoo. According to the locals this is where you get the best crocodile meat (crocodile penis is supposed to be a specialty). I don't know how well this sits with you, but....they also have 'crocodile shows' in the zoo which is extremely popular, though we were assured that those are not the ones that turn up at the meat factory. 

4. For the man who wants to walk on the wild side there are the extreme hardcore sex shows. They are kinda an open-secret in Pattaya; as the locals say - "it is kinda illegal, yet legal". The best way to know about these shows is to ask the taxi drivers or anyone who comes up to you smiling and asks, "Want boom-boom?" For the uninitiated, boom-boom is...oh well, if you don't know what boom-boom is then you shouldn't be going to Pattaya on your own looking for some "fun". The best shows usually cost around 1200 Thai Bhat - this might also include a taxi ride from your hotel. Locals are usually not allowed. So are your mobile phones and various other devices capable of taking photos or recording. You can stay there as long as you want. But be warned — they are extremely hardcore sex fetish shows and you cannot find such shows anywhere else (I was told by the locals). But take it from the one who has been to one of them — you can only sit through it for 30 minutes or so. It is definetly not for ones with a delicate stomach and a weak heart. 

Colosseum, the cabaret in progress

5.However, the one thing that you must definitely see is the cabaret. They are popular and exquisite shows. Currently, the most popular show is the Colosseum. The one and half hour spectacle includes up to 15 songs and there is bound to be a Indian number. Flavour of the season is Munni Badnam 

And here is an additional tip:

Shopping: The locals will tell you to go to Bangkok.  But the ones who really like you will tell you to go to the famous Walking Street in Pattaya. Cross it and on the left you will see — paradise; shopping paradise. From electronics to cosmetics to clothes — there's nothing you won't get here. And always bargain for 150-200 bhat lesser than the actual price.

In the next installment you can read about the 5 things you should not do in Pattaya