Koh Chang off the Trat shore in the Gulf of Thailand is undergoing a property boom, and the vacation opportunities are quickly spreading outward from Klong Son Bay to Bang Bao Bay.

Meanwhile, shouldered into the secluded little Bay of Bai Lan to the far south is the new Dusit Princess Koh Chang Resort. It's got its own arcing beach and it's a long way from the bustling beer bars.

The resort has a conservative yet classy look, green-hued villas surrounding the crescent bay. Everyone is flying the environment's flag these days, but I'd never seen a hotel that's actually green in colour.

The owners say they wanted the resort to blend into the surroundings - and the surroundings are mountains daubed with rainforest, very much within walking distance.

There are 96 rooms, villas and suites decorated in contemporary Thai style, with private balconies overlooking the garden or the sea.

The best watch the waves - Beach Front Villa and Beach Front Deluxe accommodations. You can easily toss an ice cube from your cocktail in the sea while watching the sunset from your balcony.

My Pool Deluxe room - 1207 - is considerably further from the beach, but I have the resort pool just behind. Like the other varieties it has bright, white walls and fine furniture, an ivory-tone concrete floor, white-striped curtains, fine-fabric cushions and a wooden cabinet, all very cosy.

The pool is mere steps away beyond the sliding door, possibly a little too close considering the other guests bobbing around in it. If you don't feel swimming, the chaise lounge on the balcony does noble service after a long day on the boat.

The bathroom has an inviting modern look, with a standing shower and a selection of fragrant bathing and body lotion accoutrements, though no toothbrush or toothpaste.

There's a tall mirror on the bathroom door - perhaps the hotel's designer thought everyone wants to see themselves nude - but the bigger shock is due to its placement. I'm startled every time I'm in the room to find someone else in there with me.

All the rooms have fine gadgetry - DVD player, 26-inch TV, deposit box and wi-fi Internet hook-up - plus a mini-bar full of top-shelf liquors, mixers and snacks.

Scheduled to open in March are a gym, spa and Kid's Club.

The Bay, a seaside restaurant, offers a lovely buffet breakfast and handles the other meals, while the Reef Bar tempts with cocktails and wines. With smoking banned inside both, there's a designated puffing table outside.

The Dusit Princess Koh Chang is four-star classy and doesn't cost a lot. The opening promotion has two-night stays for Bt5,500 in a Beach-Front Deluxe and Bt7,000 in a Pool Villa.

The Dusit Princess Koh Chang at a glance

High points: A stylish luxury resort on a peaceful beach, very close to the pier in Bang Boa, where boats can be hired for fishing, snorkelling or just dining at sea.

Low point: The curse of all Koh Chang hotels - Russian tourists who love late-night parties.

Find it: Bay of Bai Lan, Koh Chang, Trat province

Phone it: (039) 619 111 and (039) 558 055-7

Fax it: (039) 558 059

Browse it: Dusit.com

Source: The Nation 

Arriving back in my hometown of Amsterdam for a short holiday last month, I got quite a shock. Walking out of Central Station, fresh off the plane from Bangkok, I was met by a line of Thai tuk-tuks waiting for passengers. For a moment I thought my jetlag was setting in, but after rubbing my eyes twice, I realised I wasn't dreaming: The Thai tuk-tuk had invaded Holland. What was going on here?

It had been a while since I last took a tuk-tuk in Bangkok (for all the obvious reasons), but I just couldn't resist riding one in downtown Amsterdam.

My driver explains that his tuk-tuk has been imported from Bangkok and indeed a closer inspection reveals "THAILAND" stamped in big letters on the back of the vehicle. Significant modifications have been made to it though, he says, to meet European environmental and safety regulations.

The first difference I notice is the seatbelts - for passengers as well as the driver. Second is the noise from the engine, which is half as quiet as its equivalents in Bangkok. Last but not least are the fumes from the exhaust: I didn't smell any! 'Wow', I thought. My friends in Bangkok would never believe this.

The Netherlands is the first country in Europe that has tuk-tuk taxi's running through the streets of its major cities. The service has been operating for six months now in The Hague and Amsterdam with a total of 50 vehicles. Rotterdam and other cities will soon follow.

"A lot of people think they look really funny," laughs one Amsterdam resident. "I feel like a tourist in my own city".

The mini taxi's come in different colours - yellow, black, white, pink and blue.

"The tuk-tuks offer an inexpensive and fun alternative to get around the city," says Martijn Beversluis of the Tuk Tuk Company. He introduced the three-wheel taxis in the Netherlands with his business partner Geert Kloppenburg. "Geert was on holiday in Thailand a few years ago and has been fascinated by the idea of running tuk-tuks through the streets of Amsterdam ever since."

One of the major obstacles to this dream was the severe regulations of the Dutch Road Vehicles Agency. After two months of market research Geert and Martijn concluded that it was going to be a tough job to register tuk-tuks in the Netherlands, but not impossible.

In 2005 the Dutchmen took several research trips to Thailand. With assistance from the Dutch embassy they got an introduction to the tuk-tuk manufacturers in and around Bangkok, learning a lot about Thai manners and ways of doing business as they went. "We've found out that business in Thailand is very much about establishing relationships," says Martijn.

The Expertise Co in Samut Prakan was chosen as the factory that could deliver the tuk-tuks customised to European and Dutch standards. The vehicles have a different engine than the ones in Thailand and brakes on all three wheels.

But just like in Thailand, the Dutch tuk-tuks are rented by their drivers, who pay the Tuk Tuk Company by the day. The company also sells advertising space on the side of the vehicles. Passengers pay a fixed fare of ?3.50 (Bt160) per person - one of the differences compared to the Thai system is that you can't bargain. "It's a concept most Dutch don't like," says Martijn.

Prospective passengers can either hail a tuk-tuk in the street or order one by phone.

"In each city we get about 10,000 phone calls a month. At the moment we have the capacity to meet 50 per cent of these rides - it's been very successful so far."

With air quality a hot issue in the Netherlands, the technical university in Delft is currently developing an electric tuk-tuk. No doubt a greener machine will increase popularity even more.

Other customising touches have already been made to suit the Dutch lifestyle and climate. Some of the tuk-tuks in Amsterdam are equipped with a bicycle carrier, and heaters have been installed to cope with the cold winters. Who knows, maybe in time tuk-tuks could become one of Thailand's biggest export products.

Source: The Nation

Less than an hour by ferry from Singapore, Club Med Bintan Island boasts a sophisticated atmosphere and offers a wide range of sports, organised activities and on-site entertainment. The "village" consists of 308 rooms, a magnificent, two-in-one swimming pool, three restaurants, three bars and a spa.

Guests can choose between a Superior or a Deluxe Seaview room or splash out on a suite. I stayed in the first type which was equipped with a TV, telephone, safe, shower, fan and air-conditioning.

Lie back, relax and absorb the beachside ambience or have a more energetic holiday by partaking in some of the outdoor activities on offer. These include sailing, snorkelling, windsurfing, kayaking, basketball, tennis, badminton, volleyball, water polo, archery, golf, table tennis, pe'tanque and yoga. There's even a flying trapeze and circus school!