We found Casa de los Suenos hotel and bar completely by accident – fairly hidden at the south end of the island, it is a little gem worth seeking out. The bar backs onto the calm waters between Isla Mujeres and Cancun, and a dock down at water level provides visitors with the use of kayaks and snorkels.
The Pool Girl Panini – BBQ chicken, peppers, onions and mozzarella
Though there are numerous great places to eat a hearty midday meal on Isla Mujeres, Barlito in particular stand out for us. It has a glowing reputation as the prime spot for freshly home-baked bread, super friendly staff and beautiful views.
Mango cafe is somewhat famous upon the island amongst tourists and locals alike. Whilst most visitors make a beeline for the town, make time to venture away from the main tourist streets towars the south of the island – you’ll not only stumble upon some more interesting sights and eateries, but you’ll locate this gem which serves the best (that’s right, we said it) breakfasts in the world.
The cafe specialises in favourite breakfast meals but with a carribean twist; this small 20-seat cafe has food so tasty you won’t be able to limit yourself to just the one visit.
coconut french toast with almonds and maple syrup
eggs benedict with croissant, portobello mushrooms, bacon, cheese hash browns and curried hollandaise sauce
Unsurprisingly it is currently rated number 2 on Tripadvisor. We recommend ordering the breakfast quesadillas for egg and bacon lovers, or the large and fluffy hot cakes for a sweet tooth. Not a place for those on a diet, each meal is huge and stuffed full of mouth watering ingredients. And don’t forget to try every flavour of juice – yes even the hibiscous and tamarind! Continue reading
The food here is incredible and the Friends Restaurant is unsurprisingly rated at number one on Trip Advisor for places to eat in Phnom Penh. Whilst we were guilt ridden by our calorie consumption of this exquisite Asian tapas, this was outweighed by our money going towards such a good cause…
The restaurant concept
Sundried tomato hummus on crispy wanton wrappers – we could have easily eaten 100 of these
Now, to say that we have failed in our role as budget backpackers is a gross miscarriage of justice – we’ve slept with bedbugs, we’ve couchsurfed where possible, and we’ve frequently held our evening meal at the local supermarket feasting on every free sample available. Yet, last night, after reading of an offer in BK magazine, we ventured to the St Regis Hotel, specifically to their 12th floor Decanter restaurant…
Their ‘free flow’ evening offered unlimited red, white and rosé wine and some beautiful prosecco, along with an unending cheese board, bread basket and meat platter. In a country where all the cheese and wine is imported, at just 665 baht a head, this was a bargain (a small block of cheese costs about 200 baht and a bottle of average wine 500 baht).
Part Santa’s grotto, part rustic kitchen, Mr Jones’ Orphanage seems to encompass everything we loved from childhood – wooden toy trains, cold milk and of course chocolate upon chocolate with extra whipped cream! Based upon the idea of a child’s fantasy orphanage, this over-the-top dessert cafe is a whimsical and indulgent escape.
We stumbled accross Café Kantary ice cream parlour and bakery after a tasty Thai meal in Khao Lak. Purely for the good of the blog, we were forced to return the next day for photographic evidence, and of course had to try a variety of treats. Kantary have a few cafés across Thailand, so if you ever stroll by one, it’s worth dropping in.
Stylish on the outside, tasty on the inside…
Cookies’n’Cream Frappé & Strawberry Italian Soda
Yoghurt & Blueberry Ice Cream
Our final morning in Koh Lanta has arrived and Krabi is the next stop. We’re pretty sad to wave the island farewell as it’s refreshingly authentic compared to places like Phuket and Phi Phi. There are still hoards of tourists and resorts, but there’s more of a hippy vibe here that you can’t help but get on board with.
Surprisingly out of character, we were two hours early for our ferry to the mainland so we had the chance to briefly explore what Saladan had to offer. Firstly, by walking only 200 metres down the street, we were able to shave 130 baht off our boat ticket prices. That alone has just bought our tasty brunch 5 minutes round the corner from the pier.
An absolute chill-out haven
We browsed a few cafes but settled on Sincere Guest House & Restaurant. An indication that it’s a great place were the piles of flip flops outside, always a helpful clue… Continue reading
Two One-Way Flights 