Top Jomtien Breakfasts - Simple Simon

On the advice of Thaivisa readers we paid a visit to Simple Simon's on Jomtien Soi 5 or Chom Thian 5 Alley as the Google Maps API prefers to call it (map names in Jomtien are a challenging memory game working through all the variations). 

Unlike the Denmark Hotel the breakfast here is pure British and included a couple of items not available at the Scandinavian style establishment. These included Black Pudding and Tinned Tomatoes.

The price for December 2014 was 180 Baht and it was indeed a splendid breakfast, possibly the best British one so far although we still think the Denmark Hotel offering has a lot more choice and quite a few surprises though the British style bacon, tinned tomatoes and black pudding offering are not available

Jomtien Beach Road With Helmet Camera

Lovely helmet camera action of Pattaya Beach Road, Walking Street and Jomtien Beach Road. This is the best way to see it from afar though we have done a bicycle action film in the past.

Scorching Hot Jomtien Beach

We're a little bit biased but Jomtien beach on a scorching hot day is a cracking place. One of the videos above may be duplicated in Youtube and Blogger but we took these using very heavy image file sizes to see what the quality is like. Hope you like it.

Planet Earth Beach Club - Grand ReOpening

Planet Earth Beach Club on Jomtien Beach Road Soi 15 is probably about as close to, if not better than any Ibiza style pool party you may have experienced. We had an excellent time meeting new people and old friends as well as sampling great music with super hot girls and plenty of great looking guys too. We also noticed a great multicultural mix with just the right amount of first class transsexuals and Russian talent spicing up the scene.

The Planet Earth action starts every Saturday from 1pm to 1am with their Black Butterfly event which was held on the Sunday following the Grand Reopening "Planet Earth White Party" If that sounds confusing just head over to the website or facebook page or make a note of what goes down each Saturday and Sunday: 

Dresscode: Less Bikini

• Live Entertainment
• Pool Tables
• International DJ's
• Sexy Dancers
• Booty Shaking Contest
• Shisha Lounge
• Free Shots
• Free BBQ
• Free Massages

Dirty Jomtien Beach

Most of the time, and indeed most of the day Jomtien Beach is suitable for swimming in. But often in the morning, and particularly during the high season there's a foamy surface pollution to it that makes it unsuitable for swimming. 

These are tough days for the tourism business in Jomtien with up to 50% downturn in Russian tourists who are the bulk of the business on Jomtien. We suggest now is the right time to start thinking about this issue and plan ahead for the long term.

Ocean Marina Yacht Club - Pattaya Boat Show & Koh Rin

Ocean Marina Yacht Club are having their Ocean Marina Pattaya Boatshow this Thursday 27-30 November. They've done a cheeky little video above that has some gorgeous backdrops of Koh Rin island that we expect to be posting about in the future.

Sunset by Drone Camera | Ban Amphur

 

 

 

Ban Amphur is just a short drive or cycle ride south of Na-Jomtien. They have a charming beach and good sea food restaurants. Some gentleman has taken a video of sunset at Ban Amphur with a drone controlled camera. It's rather good and we can see Jomtien from time to time as the camera faces North (second photo down).

Collingbourne Auctioneers - Social Media

Top Jomtien Breakfasts - Denmark Hotel

One of the best breakfasts in Jomtien is available at the Denmark Hotel, Jomtien Beach Road Soi 7/1 or Soi White House as it's better known. The hotel is at the end of the soi on the right hand side.

They offer a Scandinavian style breakfast with cold meats and cheeses in addition to the usual expected breakfast fare of eggs, bacon and sausages. The price is currently 170 Baht which is outstanding value for one of the most generous breakfast buffet spreads we've come across. 

It's the choices of breads, deli meats, sausages an cheeses that make this an attractive way to spend a weekend buffet breakfast. There are Thai and Asian dishes if you wish, and cereals as well as pancakes and fruits. The buffet spread has different offerings on the two occasions we've attended so it's really about knowing the variety and quality is as good as it gets and seeing exactly what's on offer on the day you attend.

We like to go on Sunday morning when it's all very relaxed with mainly Scandinavian guests and their Thai partners enjoying the good food and pleasant seating arrangements that offer a number of different perspectives depending on how you wish to enjoy the food and the experience.

If you have any breakfast recommendations to make in Jomtien please let us know in the comments and we will be sure to try them out.

Jomtien Beach Running

  

Jomtien Beach is home to many expats who can often be seen jogging or running along the beach road before the sun rises fully in the morning. They're taking advantage of the cooler temperature and quieter traffic although it's rarely too busy to run if avoiding peak times at weekends or bank holidays. 

We prefer to run on the beach where the sand acts as a shock absorber and the feeling of running barefoot next to the waves is more fun and relaxing. It takes a little getting used to as the going is a little slower and harder than the road surface but the softness of the sand is most definitely better in the long run (pun not intended) for the knee and ankle joints. When the tide is out or the sand is baked hard it can still be a jarring surface so it's important to run in a softer manner when conditions are like this.

By coincidence a Thai runner Khun Taweewat Waicharoen uploaded his road running experience only days apart from our video. It makes a nice visual contrast to the beach experience. There's also our bike ride along the beach sand we filmed for those who want a more distanced perspective of Jomtien Beach road from the shore.

 

Are Thailand Villa Rentals Overhauling Hotel Experiences?

When you live and work in Thailand, it’s interesting to watch the changing demographics year upon year, because things never remain the same. I have had the fortune of watching the villarentals market grow out of all proportions over the past four years. Villa rentals in Thailand have grown from small family-run companies with 20 and 30 rental villas in their stock, to large-scale companies with over 300 privately owned villas at their disposal. The growth in this industry has been extreme.

Tourists Love Rental Villas

A market doesn’t grow at such a rapid rate if the demand is not there, so you better believe the demand is there. Tourists to Thailand have realized they can have a high quality pool villa for their holiday, almost for the same price as booking two or three hotel rooms for family and friends. This means you can share your holiday experience with your travelling companions without the prying eyes of strangers.

For sure, hotels are very convenient, but imagine having your own private swimming pool, garden, kitchen, maids and living areas with flat-screen TVs and satellite channels just for you.

Villa Owners Love Rental Returns

There is only one person who loves holiday rental villas more than tourists… and that’s the villa owner. Over the course of five years, a massive rental return market in Thailand has materialized, with villa owners cashing in big style.

It is now the norm in beachside destinations such as Pattaya and Phuket to buy a villa and place it directly on the short-term rental market with the help of trusted agents such as TVillas in Pattaya. The returns can be staggering, turning over very healthy profits for both agent and villa owner, while the tourist is a very happy person for the obvious reasons. Everyone’s a winner, because this also has a knock-on effect to the Thailand real estate market with people looking for solid investments.

Hotels Vs Villas

Thailand villa rentals will never truly outweigh hotels and resorts, because people enjoy the convenience a hotel brings. However, in a holiday villa rental, you get total privacy and don’t have to share your experience with scores of other people and their families. When holidaymakers realize that Thailand rental villas are reasonably priced, luxurious and have all the facilities and services such as swimming pools, maids, cooks, hire cars and tour guides available, tourists usually opt for the villa rental approach, and once they have, they never go back.

If you are deciding whether to make the big first plunge and book a Thailand holiday villa rental, please visit TVillas, who are one of the most tried and trusted villa rental agencies in Thailand.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles at Collingbourne Motor Auctions

The smell of petrol and the dispersal of exhaust fumes mingling together with excitement and bargain-hunting is what makes the Car Auctions at Collingbourne Auctioneers in Jomtien a unique and exciting afternoon.
 

Do you remember what it was like visiting the car auctions?

 

 

Second-hand cars in Thailand are so highly priced from private dealers that most people opt to buy a new car on finance. It is routine to see a 20-year-old banger on the marketplace for more than 100,000 THB that you wouldn’t pay 20,000 THB for back in your home country, which is in all honesty, absolute extortion.

 

If you are seeking an affordable second-hand car in Pattaya, the Wednesday Car Auctions at Collingbourne Auctioneers, starting at 4pm, is the only venue of its kind in the city, auctioning off an array of cars, motorbikes, boats and even tuk-tuks.

 

 

At this week’s auction, some of the highlighted cars and trucks up for auction include a Mitsubishi Pajero, a Toyota Granvia, a gleaming white Toyota Camry, an Isuzu Dragon Eye refrigerator van and an L 2000 Kubota tractor.
 

Whether you are seeking a moped, big bike or even quads, the motorbike auction has some great deals, such as the spine-tingling Ducati 996 Sps, a Yamaha Dragster, a 250CC quad racer, and lots of standard Yamaha and Honda mopeds.
 

Don’t feel lonely and left out in the cold if you are a boat lover, as there will be a kayak, a Crownline 192 speedboat mercruiser 5.0 v 8, a SeaRay 175 sport mercruiser 3.0L TKS and a Fishing boat with yamaha 15 hp engine and acc, all available to big against.
 

If that doesn’t get your juices flowing, then nothing ever will. The beauty of an auction is the uncertainty of it all. You never know what bargain you are going to find, and you never will if you stay at home. So why not try something different this Wednesday afternoonfrom 4pm, and who knows, you might find something you have always wanted, for a price that is affordable.

Collingbourne Auctioneers - From the Darkside of the Moon to Apple Macs

Someone once said that “life is like a box of chocolates,” because the variety is endless and you never know what you’re going to get next. Variety sure is the spice of life, and it’s the eclectic nature of the world and reality as we know it that makes being alive such a gift.

The reason we are waxing lyrical about choice is because we visited Collingbourne Auctioneers on Chaiyapruk Road 2 in Jomtien over the weekend, which not only excited our mortal souls, but also introduced us to a brave new world of buying and selling, the likes of which we didn't think existed in Pattaya.

When it came to finding a bargain in Pattaya and Jomtien, I had resigned myself to the fact that the second-hand market on Thepprasit Road was my only choice. Making our way into the auction house was akin to first opening Aladdin’s cave. From arts & crafts such as sculptures, water and oil paintings on canvas, to classic vinyl music albums, Apple computers and even car and motorbikes, Collingbourne Auctioneers is a veritable paradise for collectors, art dealers, and those looking for a bargain.

The only problem when visiting Collingbourne Auctioneers is that it’s impossible to come away empty handed, even if you only came to have a look around… it has that sort of effect on you. But in all honesty, who can turn down a bargain?

We were amazed to see pristine Apple Macs sharing the same space with Taylor Made drivers, all manners of jewellery, classic vinyl albums and even motor vehicles such as bikes, cars and even tuk-tuks. It would be easier to detail what they don’t have. Although perusing the lots, diggin' in the crates so to speak, is an exciting element of exploring any auction house, nothing can compare with bidding for a bargain. Everyone remembers their first time, do you?

The main auctions are on Wednesdays from 4pm and every Saturday from 11am. The Saturday auction is where you will find the most eclectic range of goods on offer. Wednesdays is for car and motorbikes.

Whether you are looking for a bargain, buying or selling, or you are seeking something a little different in Pattaya and Jomtien, get down to Collingbourne Auctioneers and bask in the hustle and bustle that only an auction house can create.

Collingbourne Auctioneers - Jomtien - Pattaya

If you've never been to Collingbourne Auctioneers on Chaiyapruek Road 2 near Jomtien Beach, Pattaya you're missing out on one of the weekly highlights of the Thailand bargain hunter's calendar. 

The two major auctions are held every Wednesday at 4 PM and every Saturday at 11.00 AM 

Wednesday's auction is for cars and motorbikes so it's more practical then the weekend, because that's almost like a social event. 

There's a lot of fun to be had with unexpected and highly desirable goods falling under the hammer at the Saturday auction where a range of items from antiques to apple phones and apple computers are to be had.

Every Saturday a container of returned goods from a well known high street retailer in the UK is put under the hammer at the 11 AM auction.

The rules and regulations, not to mention VAT stipulations for returned goods in the UK make it cost prohibitive to repackage these brand new and pristine condition items and put them back on the shelf.

This is to our advantage for people in Chonburi as we get to bid on a wide range of retail goods from Disney Toys to Hair Clippers, Black & Decker Power Tools and Beauty equipment plus so much more.

They often go for unbeatable prices that are the lowest on the planet.

Check out John Collingbourne's video interview above on Good Morning Pattaya and see why people love to buy and sell at Collingbourne Auctioneers.

Jomtien Beach Sunsets

The range of sunsets visible from Jomtien Beach is quite extraordinary. We may not have the cleanest beach in the world 365 days a year, or the tidiest visitors on Thai Public Holidays but the sunsets are spectacular and a privilege to witness. 

It's like living in an oil painting after 6pm for about 30 to 45 minutes. Nobody charges me for it either. 

Some of these photographs belong to Scott Innes and they can be purchased here.