Along with the excellent aquarium, the aviary is another of our favourite spots in the vast Chiang Mai zoo. It’s actually one of the older parts of the zoo but was completely renovated in 2004 and now incorporates 2.5 acres of a steep valley on the lower slopes of Doi Suthep. Indeed the entirety of … read the full post

It’s easy to find a bucket filled with booze on Khao San Road; in fact, it’s hard not to find one. But where to go if you need a fast (and free) WiFi connection, some coffee, and some quiet? No matter if you have some pressing Facebook work to do, need to write some of … read the full post

I love reading about a place that I am travelling through, and all-the-better if the book makes me squirm with horrible recognition: This is how we count the days. June: the Germans come to the islands — football cleats, big T-shirts, thick tongues — speaking like spitting. July: the Italians, the French, the British, the … read the full post

While on the backpacker trail it is easy to get lulled into a false sense of bikinis-are-appropriate-everywhere. But do bear something in mind: Bangkok is not a beach town and that soupy khlong is not the sea. Despite the insufferable humidity, Bangkokians are quite chic and they appreciate when tourists do what they can to … read the full post

Pronounced jedee not jedi, so if you’re after a Star Wars-related post you’re going to be disappointed! Walking or riding around Chiang Mai you can’t help but notice these isolated, old brick stupas — or chedis as they call them in these parts — liberally scattered around town. They’re found in the old city, around … read the full post

Nothing says summer time where I come from (the flat, dry farming part of the world) like a Sunday trip to the lake. Waterskiing, grilling, and Sunday afternoon beers are an integral part of the summer social fabric. Lacking a boat, I thought that Sunday afternoons next to the lake were something I’d just have … read the full post

After hearing many gripes about how devoid Bangkok is of culture, I have been pleasantly surprised by the number of thorough and user-friendly museums in this town. Dig a little beneath the surface and you’ll find a  selection of cultural picks, from modern galleries to niche novelty stops. Among the riches are several Bangkok-focused history … read the full post

Don Phayam market is a bit out of the way but well worth the trip if you’d like to visit, what for us is, the quintessential Chiang Mai market. Take all the Thai market cliches beloved of guide books and tour programmes: bustling, colourful, lively, traditional, vibrant, and you’ve got Talaart Don, (sometimes written Ton), … read the full post

Much like the ladyboy scene in Bangkok, Hedwig and the Angry Inch is difficult to really understand. Gay-transexual agrees to sex change operation (which is botched) to get visa out of East Berlin, arrives in Middle America to have relationship fall apart, right as wall falls in Berlin. Begins very strange musical career, has songs … read the full post

When passing through this megapolis, people often seem to be in search of the typical Bangkok experience. While sites like Wat Phra Kaew and shopping at Chatuchak Market jump to mind, if you’re looking to do Bangkok like a hi-so local, then a VIP movie-viewing at Siam Paragon cannot be missed. For 850 baht, quite … read the full post