With Ko Samui’s beautiful beaches and generally calm waters, trying out some sort of water activity is a must. Aside from snorkelling, diving and boating, Ko Samui offers opportunities to try plenty of other water sports, including kayaking, kite-surfing, stand-up paddling, windsurfing, surfing (a little!) and jetski-ing. Here’s a round up of how and where … read the full post

Known as Muang Boran in Thai, Ancient Siam is an open-air museum south of Bangkok that features replicas of Thailand’s most important historical sites along with sculpture gardens and mini-museums. Though the replicas are a far cry from originals both in scope and craftsmanship, Ancient Siam earns points for its relaxing atmosphere, impressive scale, creative … read the full post

Haad Salad is located on the sunset side of Ko Pha Ngan, sandwiched between Mae Haad to its north, and Haad Thian to its south. Haad Salad is not, as some foreigners jokingly assume, named after a healthy bowl of lettuce, but rather after the pirates who once congregated in its bay before heading off … read the full post

Opened at the tail end of 2012, Baan Dinso at Ratchadamnoen is situated at the heart of Bangkok’s historic district and has spotless, elegant rooms directly overlooking Democracy Monument. The new sister establishment of the original Baan Dinso, a short walk away down Dinso Road, Baan Dinso at Ratchadamnoen occupies a freshly renovated four-storey building … read the full post

Ko Samui is neighbour to a few small islands in the southwest: the Five Islands, known in Thai as Ko Si Ko Ha, which means Four Islands-Five Islands — one island is hidden behind another — plus Ko Tan and Ko Matsum. Ko Si Ko Ha are home to swifts, known for their famous nests … read the full post

If you’re looking for the heart of Phuket’s Thai Buddhist community, Wat Chalong is the place to go. The 200-year-old temple has grown in size and stature in tandem with Phuket’s development, and it’s now the island’s busiest and biggest temple. Far from being a place of quiet contemplation, Wat Chalong is a lively and … read the full post

Bangkok is vast and bursting with things to do, but it can still be a bit tricky finding something off the tourist radar if you’re not familiar with the city. But Talad Rot Fai (the Train Market) ticks all the boxes when it comes to a hip local hangout for those in the know. If … read the full post

Nuttaporn Ice Cream in Banglamphu is yet more proof that trendy promotion and shiny shopping malls are no match for an extraordinary product served from a weathered old shophouse. We’ve previously covered several spots in Bangkok to sample a more new-age mix of frozen goodies, but when it comes to old-fashioned, Thai-style ice cream, no … read the full post

What’s it like to dive on Thailand’s Ko Tao? The island really does have something to offer every level of diver; many divers flock here for all sorts of levels of training, and also to just enjoy fun diving. Ko Tao is surrounded by dive sites — more than 20, in fact, with the furthest … read the full post

Any visitor to Chiang Mai, or for that matter pretty much anywhere in Northern Thailand, will be struck by the preponderance of coffee shops; they are simply everywhere and, a few international chains excepted, provide cheap and excellent quality coffee. Here’s a rundown on the local brew up here in the north. Coffee cultivation in … read the full post