Travelfish correspondent Stuart McDonald

Stuart previously lived in Thailand and Cambodia for around eight years between them, where he worked as an under-paid, under-skilled language teacher, an embassy staffer, a newspaper web-site developer and various other stuff.

Before all those non-travel jobs he authored two travel guides, one to Vietnam and one to Thailand. He still spends a lot of time travelling and can sleep anywhere, anytime - even on the road to Bokor.

His favourite read is The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton.

He spends most of his time in Bali, Indonesia.
Website: http://www.travelfish.org

Posts by Stuart McDonald:

• The best beaches on Ko Kut

  First published: 01 May 2013
  

  Set off the far eastern coast of Thailand, to the south of better known Ko Chang, lies glistening Ko Kut (also Kood). We’re just back from a week or so there and can happily report that not only does it have a lot of beaches, they’re some of the best we’ve seen anywhere in Thailand. … read the full post

• Is it cheaper to book hotels and guesthouses in Thailand with Agoda?

  First published: 02 Oct 2012
  

  Over the past couple of weeks I stayed at eight hotels and guesthouses on Phuket in Thailand — at Nai Yang and Surin beaches in the north and Phuket Town to the south. For seven of the eight, I booked at least one night through Agoda with an average night costing 838 baht net. Did … read the full post

• Photos of Bangkok’s Asiatique

  First published: 21 Sep 2012
  

  We’ve written before on Bangkok‘s riverside Asiatique shopping extravaganza, but on a recent visit to the city we had the opportunity to spend a late afternoon and evening wandering the alleys, sampling the snackies and soaking up the Chao Phraya scenery. All in all, it’s a bit of a gentrified Chatuchak market. The laneways are … read the full post

• Ko Phi Phi beach getaways

  First published: 14 Apr 2012
  

  So you’re on Ko Phi Phi and have negotiated the back alleys and rabbit warren of Ton Sai Bay to find the cheapest habitable digs you can find. Yes, 1,000 baht doesn’t go far on this glistening little island. The bags are thrown in the corner and it’s time to wash the ferry grunge off. … read the full post

• Photo: Chinese New Year, Bangkok

  First published: 01 Feb 2012
  

  This photo is actually from a few years ago during Chinese New Year celebrations along Yaowarat Road in the heart of Bangkok’s Chinatown. The scene was an absolute heaving melee of people, all wearing red and having fun to a background of throbbing drums and clanging cymbals. The woman below was enjoying a final pause … read the full post

• US warns of Bangkok terrorist threat — updated for January 18

  First published: 13 Jan 2012
  

  Around 15:30 today (Friday the 13th no less) the US Embassy in Bangkok sent out an email alert warning of a potential terrorist threat in Bangkok. The email was shortly after retracted, then, we’ve just learned, re-issued. ABC has a story on it here. As is typical of this style of warning, it is frustratingly … read the full post

• Photo: Ko Kut

  First published: 08 Jan 2012
  

  Little visited Ko Kut (also spelt Ko Kud and Ko Kood) sits a little to the southeast of the far better known Ko Chang. The island used to mainly only offer homestays for accommodation, or you could head there on an organised trip, but these days the scene is better developed. Choose from a range … read the full post

• Photo: Fish with ginger or fish with garlic

  First published: 02 Jan 2012
  

  One of the most fabulous things about Bangkok (and Thailand for that matter) is the food — especially the street food. Not only is it delicious to eat, it’s also often fascinating just to look at. From bubbling green curry to lip-smacking sweets, there’s rarely a good reason not to be munching in Bangkok.

• Dancing Matt comes to Thailand

  First published: 30 Dec 2011
  

  If you’ve spent much time on the internet over the past decade, chances are, at some stage, you will have sat though one of the “Dancing Matt” videos on Youtube. American Matt Harding put together a short video of himself and his distinctive dance in a number of countries around the world in 2003 and … read the full post

• December getaway: Ko Mun Nork

  First published: 01 Dec 2011
  

  Idyllic Ko Mun Nork is a good island to have up your sleeve when it comes to traveller “who has been where” competitions as you’ll likely be greeted with a sea of blank faces when you mention it. It’s also an incredibly beautiful spot that is rarely crowded and goes to bed early. Calm waters … read the full post