********

On my last trip to Thailand, I brought my laptop computer with me in order to make it easier to keep up to date on my business affairs and my blog. Looking for a reasonable place (preferably free) to utilize a Wi-fi connection in Bangkok and Chiang Mai took a little research but was worth the effort. In both these cities, there is Wi-fi available at any of the Starbuck outlets - albeit at a steep price of 200-300 baht per hour. I passed however, as I wasn’t about to pay stateside prices in Thailand.

In Bangkok, I was able to get free Wi-fi at one of my favorite restaurants, Tamarind Café - a very attractive gourmet vegetarian restaurant cum art gallery on Sukhumvit Soi 20 - primarily because I was a regular customer of theirs. On Sukhumvit Soi 22, I also remember passing by a coffee shop - can’t remember the name - that was offering free Wi-fi. When I return to Bangkok, I will have to go to this coffee shop as I usually stay nearby at President Park Hotel

While I was in Chiang Mai, I did a search online for Wi-fi and I was able to get a list of free Wi-fi in Chiang Mai on Stickman’s Website. On this list, I found an interestingly named place named Charcoa located near Taphae Gate in Old Town. So I hired a Tuk Tuk for 40 baht from Tawan Court to take me there sometime after breakfast on my first morning in Chiang Mai.

Well, Wi-fi wasn’t free - it was only 30 baht (about 90 cents) for the whole day but I really didn’t mind paying, as Charcoa was such a delightful place to be. Such ambiance - the décor inside this small café was exquisite and the place oozes with charm. Whoever was responsible for the architectural design and in the interior décor was a real artist and is to be commended for doing such an incredible job in such a small space. Not only that, while I only had breakfast and coffee there, the food was superb and very reasonably priced as well.

If you’re in Chiang Mai, stop by Charcoa for breakfast or lunch (with or without your laptop). It’s a wonderful little café. 4 Soi 1 , Sriphum Road in old town. Tel: 053-212681

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 17th, 2007 at 11:00 am and is filed under Thailand, reviews, travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.