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Category: Podcast
Ang Thong National Marine Park Boat Tour
Koh Samui ends up as our favorite stop in Thailand thanks to an incredible Hyatt Regency stay booked on Hyatt points, a surprise suite upgrade, and family-friendly perks that actually make travel easier. We also share the stuff no one puts on the brochure, including a brutal sunburn mystery and what a 13-hour Ang Thong National Marine Park tour really feels like with kids.
• quick life updates after jet lag and a missed episode upload
• a TripTales podcast shoutout for destination research and travel inspiration
• Bangkok Airways inter-island flights and what to expect on a small plane
• using Blacklane credits for airport transfers
• booking Hyatt Regency Koh Samui on points with two rooms and connecting-room tips
• the suite upgrade surprise and what made the rooms stand out
• breakfast buffet value and how we handled the kids breakfast benefit
• beachfront dining, pool service, and what we loved most on property
• Camp Hyatt kids club details and why it changed the trip
• Chong Mon Beach day with jet skis and why we skipped Pig Island
• the fake sunscreen suspicion and how the sunburn derailed plans
• Ang Thong National Marine Park tour breakdown including snorkeling and kayaking
• night market dinner near Fisherman’s Village and trying khao soi gai
• the open-air Koh Samui airport and the checked-bag screen process
• what we’d do differently next time and why we’d still go back
If you have any questions, DM me on Instagram.
Elephant Sanctuary – Half Day Program
If you're interested in the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which is the card that gave us the Edit credits we reference in this episode, here is our referral link: Chase Sapphire Reserve!
As always, thank you for using our links!
In this episode, we recap the start of our Thailand trip and the messy travel day that kicks it all off, from a forgotten CPAP to a carry-on mix-up that leaves Duane without his clothes. We also break down what we paid for flights and Phuket, how we stacked credits and offers, and what we’d actually recommend if you’re planning Thailand with kids.
• Choosing cash over points after running the cents-per-point math and factoring in taxes and fees
• Stacking Amex offers to cut the cost of long-haul flights for five
• Positioning flights and using points for domestic legs to reach a cheaper gateway
• Losing a CPAP on the plane and recovering it through airport lost and found
• Accidentally taking the wrong carry-on and dealing with the fallout
• Surviving a 17-hour economy flight with kids and what feels “worth it” next time
• Clearing immigration in Singapore and prepping required entry forms
• Booking an airport hotel at Changi and buying replacement clothes fast
• Using Chase edit credits and hotel credits to book an IHG stay in Phuket
• Honest review of Dinso Resort and Villas Phuket location pools breakfast and service
• Using Grab for transportation in Thailand as a family of five
• Visiting an ethical elephant sanctuary and what to avoid in animal tourism
If you have any questions, send them on Instagram @travelpartyof5
Combo 1: Capital One Venture (or Venture X) + Capital One Savor cards
Combo 2: Chase Sapphire Preferred (or Reserve) + Chase Freedom Flex cards
Combo 3: Citi Strata Premier + Citi Double Cash cards
Combo 4: Amex Gold + Amex Blue Cash Preferred cards (our Blue Cash Preferred link is not as high as the regular offer so just google for that one!)
*Thank you for using our referral links so we can earn a few extra points!*
In this episode I discuss:
• Why pairing a points unlock card with a cash or category earner multiplies value
• Capital One Venture or Venture X plus Savor for 3x food and easy mile conversions
• Chase Sapphire Preferred plus Freedom Flex for transfers and rotating 5x
• Citi Strata Premier plus Double Cash for 3x essentials and AA, Choice transfers
• Amex Gold plus Blue Cash Preferred for 6% groceries then 4x dining and markets
• Annual fees, credits, travel protections and how they matter for families
• How to pick a bank based on hubs, partners and category spend
• Simple plan to earn a trip in 12–18 months on normal budgets
We would always appreciate if you would utilize our referral links. That just helps us earn a few extra points and helps support our free content.
Instagram is the best way to find me. So feel free to send me a DM on instagram @travelpartyof5 and I will answer you there.
Show Notes Links:
– Savewise: getsavewise.com (referral link!)
– AwardTool: awardtool.com (referral link!)
Claude is claude.ai
In this episode I'm sharing 4 new things I've been using and really liking lately. SaveWise for portal and card offer stacking, a clean system for tracking credits, a pragmatic way to find rooms for five or more, and the award search method that finally surfaced five business class seats. Along the way we explain why Claude beat ChatGPT for trip planning and how we used Flying Blue to cut the cost for kids.
• stacking shopping portals with SaveWise and auto-adding Amex and Chase offers
• building a simple credit-tracking spreadsheet that proves card value
• using SixSuitcaseTravel to find rooms for five or more with real beds
• validating big-family hotel options against points availability
• switching to Claude for cleaner itineraries and better tone
• mapping routes with FlightConnections to guide award searches
• using AwardTool to locate five business class seats across date ranges
• leveraging Flying Blue child discounts to cut award costs
• setting alerts and caps on taxes and fees to filter noise
• links to all tools in the notes
CARD REFERRAL LINKS!
The Hilton offers are all elevated until April 15, 2026. If you're seeing these links after that date, they should still work but will not be elevated offers.
Hilton Honors Amex (No Annual Fee!) – 70K Hilton points + FNC
Hilton Surpass card (Amex) – 130K Hilton points + FNC
Hilton Aspire Card – 175K Hilton points (no extra FNC but this card does come with one every year automatically!)
Hilton Honors Business Card (the one we just got!) – 175K Hilton points + FNC
***** The below are not elevated offers but are still our referral links *****
IHG personal card – 140K IHG points
Marriott Bonvoy Business card – three 50K certificates
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card – 100K Marriott points
Thank you in advance for using our links!
Hyatt’s award chart now uses five price bands within each category, pushing top-tier redemptions much higher and making peak family dates more expensive. We explain what changed, where value still exists with certificates and suite upgrades, and how to diversify with Hilton, Marriott, and IHG.
• What the new Hyatt pricing tiers are and how far they stretch
• Why peak family travel dates are most affected
• How free night certificates gain value under the new bands
• When suite upgrade awards still make sense
• Why diversifying into Hilton, Marriott, and IHG matters
• Credit card strategies to earn flexible points and more certs
• Practical steps to book key stays before changes take effect
• What to watch for with category shifts and rumored cards
If you have never had a Hilton card before, we have referral links and we will put them in the show notes
Go in the show notes and use our referral links to get the elevated offer, including the free night certificate