The Mon Thaa Than Falls Nature trail near Chiang Mai is an easy-to-moderate hike of two to three hours that you can do on your own, though it does get trickier during the rainy season. The entire route is in the forest, with the first half or so being flat and the second downhill. It’s … read the full post

There are two ways to approach tuk tuks in Bangkok: the let’s-have-an-adventure way, and the cold-light-of-day-I’m-a-Thai-grandma way. Both have their time and place. First, the brass tacks. What, exactly, are tuk tuks? They are a cross between a rickshaw and a motorcycle. You can fit three people comfortably. In Bangkok the body is blue and … read the full post

Taksura (ตักสุรา) is the definition of a baan-baan hangout: homey and comfortable, this bar feels like it’s acceptable to sit around in while wearing your underwear (metaphorically, of course). It’s a great place to sit outside in shorts and flip-flops, drink cold beers and listen to live music while Thai college students flirt, business guys … read the full post

While most visitors to Bangkok get their floating market kicks at the hyper-touristy Damnoen Saduak, Amphawa floating market offers a more authentic option with less classic photo ops. An hour and a half outside of Bangkok in Samut Songkran province, Amphawa is an afternoon market (no early am wake up!) very popular among Thais. There … read the full post

When should I visit northern Thailand and Chiang Mai is a very FAQ; there are pros and cons for each period of the year but before we go into that, let’s address a couple of common climate misconceptions, namely: 1. Chiang Mai and northern Thailand are cool (temperature-wise) and 2. The rainy season is a … read the full post

Almost everyone in Bangkok eats lunch out. Traffic is too bad to get back home, and most people have short breaks, so lunch is for eating with the people. And eat they will — sizzling sausages, khanom jin (curries with fresh rice noodles), green papaya salad, bowls of soup, curries, and fried rice. Getting out … read the full post

I often get asked by visitors about bookstores in Chiang Mai, perhaps because a) it’s hard to choose from among the bewildering number of secondhand bookshops, b) it’s hard to find the decent new book shops or c) they’re looking for books in obscure, minority languages like French. Thailand is not like Vietnam or Cambodia, … read the full post

While Thai cities further north seem to have got the memo that travellers flock to used bookshops, Bangkok is still dominated by pricey chain stores in hi-so malls or xeroxed pages on Khao San streets. Dasa, on Sukhumvit, is a rare diamond in the rough and a treat for those of us who like our … read the full post

Huay Tung Tao — much loved by Chiang Mai locals and expats and regrettably little known by visitors — is a small artificial lake at the foot of Doi Suthep. The shallow lake’s good for swimming and the grassy banks are packed with picnic areas, drink and food stalls plus the views… are awesome. And … read the full post

Thailand is easy to put on a postcard. Find some palm trees in front of the Andaman sea, or an elephant holding a mango, or a bunch of smiling eight-year old novices in orange robes and you can go to press. Trying to understand what those kids are smiling about requires a bit more searching. … read the full post