It’s midnight. You suddenly remember you need to stock up on fruit, pick up an iPhone cover, browse Chinese medicines and purchase a pig’s head. Fret not, Bangkok’s Huay Khwang market is the one-stop destination where you can check off everything on your shopping list. Especially if your shopping list features a lot of kitten … read the full post

While Phuket’s west-coast beaches are home to ever more modern hotels, swanky beach clubs and sun-baked tourists, Ko Siray on the east coast reveals a lesser-known, more humble side of the island. Just six kilometres from Phuket Town and a world away from the five-star resorts sits Phuket’s largest sea gypsy village. Some 1,900 Chao … read the full post

With the recent opening of several new museums in Chiang Mai, the part of the old town around the Three Kings Monument and along Phrappokklao Road is fast becoming something of a historical hub. This was formerly the administrative centre for the city, (and indeed location of the now disappeared palace of the kings of … read the full post

One of the first things I noticed after arriving at Farm Buu Nim was an enormous domesticated boar quietly tied to a post near the restaurant’s bamboo floored kitchen. Sloppily dressed servers stepped over a yipping dog, concentrating to keep their massive platters of boiled crab from tipping. It reminded me of a scene from a 19th … read the full post

Suncliff is a really sweet resort that offers what is probably the best deal on Ko Pha Ngan’s Haad Rin for an air-con room, with pool, restaurant, WiFi and great views. Both fan (600 baht) and air-con bungalows (1,000 baht or 1,200 baht during Full Moon) are on offer, with the air-con rooms offering far … read the full post

One of Ko Samui’s old favourite budget bungalows, Shangrilah is still around – although you may not think so, as their website seldom works, and they’re hard to reach by email. They were closed for a while, but are now back up and running, which their repeat guests are happy about. Shangrilah is tucked into … read the full post

Ko Tao’s A Taste of Home, just out the back of Haad Sairee, is one of those places mostly only locals know about — if you wander past, it looks like a little eatery set out on someone front porch, which in fact is exactly what it is. Serving up wholesome, unpretentious food at good … read the full post

As Thai cities go, Ayutthaya is an eclectic one. During its glory days as the capital of the Siamese Empire from the mid 14th to late 18th centuries, the city was home to a diverse range of people from throughout Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Although the royal palaces, and all that goes with … read the full post

Don’t let the somewhat austere frontage of Seven Suns Residence put you off; the interior is cosy and welcoming and this recent addition to Chiang Mai’s midrange options, though still a work in progress, is already a commendable one. Formerly the Seven Suns Guesthouse, the place has received a complete facelift from new Lao-US owners, … read the full post

Phang Nga Bay is a calm, sheltered bay that stretches from the east coast of Phuket up to the southeast coastline of Phang Nga province. This ‘jewel of the Andaman’, as it’s often called, is compared to Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay because of its dramatic scenery of steep limestone karsts. The 400-square-kilometre bay has become … read the full post