Travelfish correspondent David Luekens

Usually found exploring Bangkok's side streets or south Thailand's islands, David Luekens is an American freelance writer & photographer who finds everyday life in Asia to be extraordinary.
Website: http://bodhidharmaseyes.com

Posts by David Luekens:

• Bangkok’s Khlong Bang Luang artist village

  First published: 31 Aug 2012
  

  Bangkok has a reputation for bright lights, gleaming high-rises and seething nightlife, but on the west side of the Chao Phraya River in Thonburi, the city’s softer, simpler and more creative side hangs loose. Embodying this better than anywhere, the canal-side community of artists at Khlong Bang Luang posseses a homegrown artistic spirit that pervades … read the full post

• Cheap places to stay on Bangkok’s Phra Phradaeng

  First published: 28 Aug 2012
  

  A short ferry ride to the pocket of countryside known as Phra Phradaeng (or Khung Bang Kachao) — right across the Chao Phraya River from south Bangkok — and you could be falling asleep to the sound of crickets and frogs rather than karaoke and tuk tuks. While those like luxe should head straight for … read the full post

• Review: Bangkok Tree House

  First published: 26 Aug 2012
  

  Still one of Bangkok‘s best kept secrets, the Phra Phradaeng peninsula (aka Khung Bang Kachao) is an unlikely pocket of countryside just south of the city that makes for a refreshing escape from the concrete jungle. Despite being only a short walk and ferry ride from a BTS sky train station, the area has remained … read the full post

• Old Takua Pa Sunday market

  First published: 23 Aug 2012
  

  Most who pass through the transport hub of Takua Pa in south Thailand’s Phang Nga province see little more than the bus station, stopping only for a transfer to the tourist hot spots of Khao Lak, Khao Sok National Park, Ko Kho Khao or further south to Phuket, Krabi and beyond. Lucky travellers who take … read the full post

• AirAsia moving to Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport October 1

  First published: 21 Aug 2012
  

  This is old news to many out there, but we felt a one-month reminder was in order: All AirAsia flights from Bangkok — whether domestic or international — will depart from the old Don Muang Airport in Bangkok’s northern reaches beginning October 1. Whether it’s due to them being occupied by political demonstrators, flood waters … read the full post

• Review: Muslim Restaurant on Charoen Krung Road

  First published: 19 Aug 2012
  

  Trendy restaurants with catchy names are in no short supply in Bangkok, but when it comes to food, image is no match for taste. Case in point: Muslim Restaurant (yes, that’s it’s official name) on Bangrak‘s historic Charoen Krung Road has been serving up some of the city’s best Indian-Thai Muslim fare in a classic, … read the full post

• Can you fly from Bangkok to Ko Tao? Almost.

  First published: 18 Aug 2012
  

  Tired of buses? Looking for a flying adventure? Although not for the faint of heart, Solar Air offers the Bangkok to Chumphon route, which is the closest you’ll come to flying from the Thai capital to Ko Tao. Their 12-seater planes make for an exciting way to get from city to beach in a flash. … read the full post

• Review: Suk 11 Restaurant, Bangkok

  First published: 16 Aug 2012
  

  Known as an earthy-crunchy backpacker institution off touristy Sukhumvit Road Soi 11 in Bangkok, Suk 11 Hostel also happens to boast an outstanding Thai restaurant. The extensive menu looks pricey at first glance, but Suk 11′s relaxed yet classy atmosphere, large portions, and delicious food make it worth a stop if passing through, or even … read the full post

• Bangkok’s Erawan shrine

  First published: 13 Aug 2012
  

  If all one saw of Bangkok was the glitzy Siam Square shopping district along Rama I Road, they might pass the city off as a place of gaudy shopping malls and materialistic locals who have little interest in spirituality. Yet this maze of malls is still part of Bangkok, and the spiritual undercurrents that pervade … read the full post

• Chasing butterflies at Pang Sida National Park

  First published: 12 Aug 2012
  

  Nestled in a remote, mountainous region near the Cambodia border in eastern Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province, Pang Sida national park is less accessible than Khao Yai immediately to the west, but is equally stunning. Pang Sida is also far less touristy; show up on a weekday and there’s a good chance you’ll be sharing the … read the full post