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Sitting on the banks of the Mekong, just across from Vientiane in Laos, Nong Khai (หนองคาย) has been a hit with travelers for years. Its popularity is about more than just its proximity to Vientiane and its bounty of banana pancakes, though. Seduced by its dreamy pink sunsets and sluggish pace of life, many visitors who mean to stay one night end up bedding down for many more.
Thung Song (Thai: ทุ่งสง, pronounced [tʰûŋ sǒŋ]) is a district (amphoe) in the southwestern part of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, southern Thailand.
Supporting more than 180 species of local and migratory waterbirds and protected under the international Ramsar wetlands preservation treaty, Thale Noi is Thailand’s largest waterfowl reserve. Birdwatchers are joined by flora enthusiasts looking to glide through pink waterlilies that bloom by the thousands. Locals weave grass mats and fish off stilted platforms, adding splashes of culture to this increasingly popular natural attraction.
The marshy, 450-square-kilometre Thale Noi (Small Lake; also spelt Talay) is the northernmost of the bodies of water that make up Thale Sap (Freshwater Lake), also known as Songkhla Lake. Birdlife is most abundant from November to March, when flocks travel here from as far north as Siberia. From February to April, the birds glide above hot-pink waterlilies amid a brilliant sea of colour.
The heron and stork family is prevalent in Thale Noi, with plumed egrets and purple herons fairly easy to spot. Also well-represented are purple swamp hens that show off their stunning blues, greens and indigos while hopping awkardly from one patch of greenery to the next. Rarer species include the bronze-winged jacana, cotton pygmy goose and the brahminy kite, a handsome thing that looks like a smaller cousin of the bald eagle.
Rayong (Thai: ระยอง, pronounced [rā.jɔ̄ːŋ]) is a city (thesaban nakhon) on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand and the capital of Rayong Province. It covers tambons Tha Pradu and Pak Nam and parts of tambons Choeng Noen and Noen Phra, all within Mueang Rayong District. As of 2016 the population was 64,256 (est.). The main industry is fishing, and it is also the main producer of Thailand's fish sauce.[citation needed] It is also the center of the chemical and auto industries. In 2012 Ford Motor Company opened an assembly plant in Rayong to expand Ford's presence in the ASEAN area, employing some 2,200 people.
Rayong was named an Asia-Pacific City of the Future by the Financial Times in 2017
A sleepy seaside town, Prachuap Khiri Khan (ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) is a delightfully relaxed place; the antithesis of Hua Hin. The broad bay is a tropical turquoise punctuated by bobbing fishing boats and overlooked by honeycombed limestone mountains – scenery that you usually have to travel to the southern Andaman to find.
In recent years, foreigners have discovered Prachuap's charms and some Bangkokians drive past Hua Hin for their weekends away. But their numbers are still very small compared to better-known destinations, leaving plenty of room on the beaches, at the hilltop temples and in the many excellent seafood restaurants.
Sitting on the banks of the Mekong, just across from Vientiane in Laos, Nong Khai (หนองคาย) has been a hit with travelers for years. Its popularity is about more than just its proximity to Vientiane and its bounty of banana pancakes, though. Seduced by its dreamy pink sunsets and sluggish pace of life, many visitors who mean to stay one night end up bedding down for many more.
Chanthaburi (จันทบุรี) is an absorbing riverside town where precious stones ranging from sapphires to emeralds are traded every weekend in a bustling street gem market. Nearby, restored waterfront buildings in the historic quarter are evidence of how the Chinese, French and Vietnamese have influenced life – and architecture – here.
Vietnamese Christians fled persecution from Cochin China (southern Vietnam) in the 19th century and came to Chanthaburi. The French colonized Chanthaburi from 1893 to 1905 due to a dispute over the border between Siam and Indochina. More Vietnamese arrived in the 1920s and 1940s as they fled French rule, then a third wave followed in 1975 after the Communist takeover of southern Vietnam.
Chanthaburi (จันทบุรี) is an absorbing riverside town where precious stones ranging from sapphires to emeralds are traded every weekend in a bustling street gem market. Nearby, restored waterfront buildings in the historic quarter are evidence of how the Chinese, French and Vietnamese have influenced life – and architecture – here.
Vietnamese Christians fled persecution from Cochin China (southern Vietnam) in the 19th century and came to Chanthaburi. The French colonized Chanthaburi from 1893 to 1905 due to a dispute over the border between Siam and Indochina. More Vietnamese arrived in the 1920s and 1940s as they fled French rule, then a third wave followed in 1975 after the Communist takeover of southern Vietnam.
A sleepy seaside town, Prachuap Khiri Khan (ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) is a delightfully relaxed place; the antithesis of Hua Hin. The broad bay is a tropical turquoise punctuated by bobbing fishing boats and overlooked by honeycombed limestone mountains – scenery that you usually have to travel to the southern Andaman to find.
In recent years, foreigners have discovered Prachuap's charms and some Bangkokians drive past Hua Hin for their weekends away. But their numbers are still very small compared to better-known destinations, leaving plenty of room on the beaches, at the hilltop temples and in the many excellent seafood restaurants.
Welcome to Chiang Khan
What was once a quiet, little-known Mekong-side town full of traditional timber shophouses became a trendy destination for Thais and is now full of gift shops, cute cafes and places for taking selfies. That said, Chiang Khan (เชียงคาน) is far from spoiled and is still a charming place to visit. The photogenic views of the river and the Lao mountains beyond are still there, as are the old buildings, and things remain peaceful in the daytime before the evening shopping stampede begins. Every evening Th Chai Khong turns into a busy Walking Street market with buskers, artists and street-food vendors. Chiang Khan is less busy in the hot and rainy seasons – April to September.
Top choice old town in Songkhla & Singha Nakhon
Wander through narrow historic streets where quaint old houses in the Sino-Portuguese style rub shoulders with traditional wooden Chinese buildings. Some of these old-world relics have been restored and are home to little boutique cafes and restaurants, and others remain in a glorious state of decay. Hidden in amongst them are Chinese temples, beautiful streets of art, and a village mosque where the waft of grilled meat fills the air as local Muslim street vendors sell halal satay skewers.
Nang Ngam road is particularly picturesque.
This village is approximately 8 km from town on the Trat-Laem Ngop route. It is noted for Ngop Nam Chieo, a native hat to ward off the sun. The hat, which is still widely used today as it is light and comfortable, is woven with local palm leafs grown in mangrove area. In addition to the traditional shape, it has been adapted into other more fashionable shapes as souvenirs.
Thung Song (Thai: ทุ่งสง, pronounced [tʰûŋ sǒŋ]) is a district (amphoe) in the southwestern part of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, southern Thailand.
Welcome to Phuket Town
Long before flip-flops, glossy resorts and selfie sticks, Phuket was an island of rubber trees, tin mines and cash-hungry merchants. Luring entrepreneurs from the Arabian Peninsula, China, India and Portugal, Phuket Town (เมืองภูเก็ด) became a colorful blend of cultural influences.
Today, the Old Town is a testament to Phuket's history, but it's also the island's hipster heart, attracting artists and musicians in particular, which has led to noticeable gentrification. Century-old hôrng tăa·ou (shophouses) and homes are being restored, vibrant street art is popping up and it can feel like every other building is now a fashionable polished-concrete cafe.
But Phuket Town remains a wonderfully refreshing cultural break from the island's beaches (easily reached by sŏrng·tăa·ou). Wander down streets lined with distinctive Sino-Portuguese architecture, arty coffee shops, experimental galleries, boutique hotels and incense-cloaked Chinese Taoist shrines, before sampling the island's most authentic Phuketian cuisine and Phuket Town's very local bar scene.
Sitting in the heart of Khao Sok National Park, magnificent Cheow Larn Lake is one of the most beautiful locations in Thailand. Ringed by jungle-clad mountains and with vertiginous limestone karsts and submerged trees breaking the surface of the water, it’s a spectacular place to visit. Almost amazing as the scenery is the fact that this massive lake in southern Thailand didn’t exist prior to the 1980s.
Welcome to Phuket Town
Long before flip-flops, glossy resorts and selfie sticks, Phuket was an island of rubber trees, tin mines and cash-hungry merchants. Luring entrepreneurs from the Arabian Peninsula, China, India and Portugal, Phuket Town (เมืองภูเก็ด) became a colorful blend of cultural influences.
Today, the Old Town is a testament to Phuket's history, but it's also the island's hipster heart, attracting artists and musicians in particular, which has led to noticeable gentrification. Century-old hôrng tăa·ou (shophouses) and homes are being restored, vibrant street art is popping up and it can feel like every other building is now a fashionable polished-concrete cafe.
But Phuket Town remains a wonderfully refreshing cultural break from the island's beaches (easily reached by sŏrng·tăa·ou). Wander down streets lined with distinctive Sino-Portuguese architecture, arty coffee shops, experimental galleries, boutique hotels and incense-cloaked Chinese Taoist shrines, before sampling the island's most authentic Phuketian cuisine and Phuket Town's very local bar scene.
A sleepy seaside town, Prachuap Khiri Khan (ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) is a delightfully relaxed place; the antithesis of Hua Hin. The broad bay is a tropical turquoise punctuated by bobbing fishing boats and overlooked by honeycombed limestone mountains – scenery that you usually have to travel to the southern Andaman to find.
In recent years, foreigners have discovered Prachuap's charms and some Bangkokians drive past Hua Hin for their weekends away. But their numbers are still very small compared to better-known destinations, leaving plenty of room on the beaches, at the hilltop temples and in the many excellent seafood restaurants.
This little-visited Thai island fast became one of my favourite discoveries during my first few months of travel. Back then, there was only a small amount of information about it online, and most of it was years out of date. On the island, there were only a handful of guesthouses to stay in, half a dozen restaurants within walking distance, and internet access was a novelty. It offered the exact opposite of a party scene. Few tourists ever went out of their way to visit, but that was exactly what drew me in and made my time there so special.
Top choice old town in Songkhla & Singha Nakhon
Wander through narrow historic streets where quaint old houses in the Sino-Portuguese style rub shoulders with traditional wooden Chinese buildings. Some of these old-world relics have been restored and are home to little boutique cafes and restaurants, and others remain in a glorious state of decay. Hidden in amongst them are Chinese temples, beautiful streets of art, and a village mosque where the waft of grilled meat fills the air as local Muslim street vendors sell halal satay skewers.
Nang Ngam road is particularly picturesque.
Sitting in the heart of Khao Sok National Park, magnificent Cheow Larn Lake is one of the most beautiful locations in Thailand. Ringed by jungle-clad mountains and with vertiginous limestone karsts and submerged trees breaking the surface of the water, it’s a spectacular place to visit. Almost amazing as the scenery is the fact that this massive lake in southern Thailand didn’t exist prior to the 1980s.
A sleepy seaside town, Prachuap Khiri Khan (ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) is a delightfully relaxed place; the antithesis of Hua Hin. The broad bay is a tropical turquoise punctuated by bobbing fishing boats and overlooked by honeycombed limestone mountains – scenery that you usually have to travel to the southern Andaman to find.
In recent years, foreigners have discovered Prachuap's charms and some Bangkokians drive past Hua Hin for their weekends away. But their numbers are still very small compared to better-known destinations, leaving plenty of room on the beaches, at the hilltop temples and in the many excellent seafood restaurants.
Chanthaburi (จันทบุรี) is an absorbing riverside town where precious stones ranging from sapphires to emeralds are traded every weekend in a bustling street gem market. Nearby, restored waterfront buildings in the historic quarter are evidence of how the Chinese, French and Vietnamese have influenced life – and architecture – here.
Vietnamese Christians fled persecution from Cochin China (southern Vietnam) in the 19th century and came to Chanthaburi. The French colonized Chanthaburi from 1893 to 1905 due to a dispute over the border between Siam and Indochina. More Vietnamese arrived in the 1920s and 1940s as they fled French rule, then a third wave followed in 1975 after the Communist takeover of southern Vietnam.
Between Kagbeni and Jomsom. Mustang. Nepal
The Kali Gandaki river in Nepal choose a different course every year. So this little ponds build and reflect the surrounding mountains.
Khlong Bang Chan Yai is a tidal creek in Thailand and has an elevation of 1 metre. Khlong Bang Chan Yai is situated in Ban Bang Chan, northwest of Laem Ta Pan.
Unseen Thailand today is Phatthalung’s Talae Noi. Talae Noi is the beautiful and internationally recognized Ramsar Site, non-hunting wetland national park in southern Thailand
Hellfire Pass (Thai: ช่องเขาขาด, known by the Japanese as Konyu Cutting) is the name of a railway cutting on the former Burma Railway ("Death Railway") in Thailand which was built with forced labour during the Second World War, in part by Allied prisoners of war. The pass is noted for the harsh conditions and heavy loss of life suffered by its labourers during construction. It was called Hellfire Pass because the sight of emaciated prisoners labouring by burning torchlight resembled a scene from Hell.
Hellfire Pass in the Tenasserim Hills was a particularly difficult section of the line to build. It was the largest rock cutting on the railway, coupled with its general remoteness and the lack of proper construction tools during building. A tunnel would have been possible to build instead of a cutting, but this could only be constructed at the two ends at any one time, whereas the cutting could be constructed at all points simultaneously despite the excess effort required by the POWs. The Australian, British, Dutch and other allied Prisoners of War were required by the Japanese to work 18 hours a day to complete the cutting. Sixty-nine men were beaten to death by Japanese guards in the six weeks it took to build the cutting, and many more died from cholera, dysentery, starvation, and exhaustion (Wigmore 568). However, the majority of deaths occurred amongst labourers whom the Japanese enticed to come to help build the line with false promises of good jobs. These labourers, mostly Malayans (Chinese, Malays and Tamils from Malaya), suffered mostly the same as the POWs at the hands of the Japanese. At least 69 Allied POWs - of the 400 who died - were beaten to death by their Japanese guards, during the 12 weeks it took to build Hellfire Pass.
The railway was never built to a level of lasting permanence and was frequently bombed by the Royal Air Force during the Burma Campaign. After the war, all but the present section was closed and the line is now only in service between Bangkok and Nam Tok Sai Yok Noi.
A sleepy seaside town, Prachuap Khiri Khan (ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) is a delightfully relaxed place; the antithesis of Hua Hin. The broad bay is a tropical turquoise punctuated by bobbing fishing boats and overlooked by honeycombed limestone mountains – scenery that you usually have to travel to the southern Andaman to find.
In recent years, foreigners have discovered Prachuap's charms and some Bangkokians drive past Hua Hin for their weekends away. But their numbers are still very small compared to better-known destinations, leaving plenty of room on the beaches, at the hilltop temples and in the many excellent seafood restaurants.
Top choice old town in Songkhla & Singha Nakhon
Wander through narrow historic streets where quaint old houses in the Sino-Portuguese style rub shoulders with traditional wooden Chinese buildings. Some of these old-world relics have been restored and are home to little boutique cafes and restaurants, and others remain in a glorious state of decay. Hidden in amongst them are Chinese temples, beautiful streets of art, and a village mosque where the waft of grilled meat fills the air as local Muslim street vendors sell halal satay skewers.
Nang Ngam road is particularly picturesque.
Welcome to Chiang Khan
What was once a quiet, little-known Mekong-side town full of traditional timber shophouses became a trendy destination for Thais and is now full of gift shops, cute cafes and places for taking selfies. That said, Chiang Khan (เชียงคาน) is far from spoiled and is still a charming place to visit. The photogenic views of the river and the Lao mountains beyond are still there, as are the old buildings, and things remain peaceful in the daytime before the evening shopping stampede begins. Every evening Th Chai Khong turns into a busy Walking Street market with buskers, artists and street-food vendors. Chiang Khan is less busy in the hot and rainy seasons – April to September.
Welcome to Phuket Town
Long before flip-flops, glossy resorts and selfie sticks, Phuket was an island of rubber trees, tin mines and cash-hungry merchants. Luring entrepreneurs from the Arabian Peninsula, China, India and Portugal, Phuket Town (เมืองภูเก็ด) became a colorful blend of cultural influences.
Today, the Old Town is a testament to Phuket's history, but it's also the island's hipster heart, attracting artists and musicians in particular, which has led to noticeable gentrification. Century-old hôrng tăa·ou (shophouses) and homes are being restored, vibrant street art is popping up and it can feel like every other building is now a fashionable polished-concrete cafe.
But Phuket Town remains a wonderfully refreshing cultural break from the island's beaches (easily reached by sŏrng·tăa·ou). Wander down streets lined with distinctive Sino-Portuguese architecture, arty coffee shops, experimental galleries, boutique hotels and incense-cloaked Chinese Taoist shrines, before sampling the island's most authentic Phuketian cuisine and Phuket Town's very local bar scene.
This village is approximately 8 km from town on the Trat-Laem Ngop route. It is noted for Ngop Nam Chieo, a native hat to ward off the sun. The hat, which is still widely used today as it is light and comfortable, is woven with local palm leafs grown in mangrove area. In addition to the traditional shape, it has been adapted into other more fashionable shapes as souvenirs.
Top choice old town in Songkhla & Singha Nakhon
Wander through narrow historic streets where quaint old houses in the Sino-Portuguese style rub shoulders with traditional wooden Chinese buildings. Some of these old-world relics have been restored and are home to little boutique cafes and restaurants, and others remain in a glorious state of decay. Hidden in amongst them are Chinese temples, beautiful streets of art, and a village mosque where the waft of grilled meat fills the air as local Muslim street vendors sell halal satay skewers.
Nang Ngam road is particularly picturesque.
Welcome to Chiang Khan
What was once a quiet, little-known Mekong-side town full of traditional timber shophouses became a trendy destination for Thais and is now full of gift shops, cute cafes and places for taking selfies. That said, Chiang Khan (เชียงคาน) is far from spoiled and is still a charming place to visit. The photogenic views of the river and the Lao mountains beyond are still there, as are the old buildings, and things remain peaceful in the daytime before the evening shopping stampede begins. Every evening Th Chai Khong turns into a busy Walking Street market with buskers, artists and street-food vendors. Chiang Khan is less busy in the hot and rainy seasons – April to September.
Welcome to Phuket Town
Long before flip-flops, glossy resorts and selfie sticks, Phuket was an island of rubber trees, tin mines and cash-hungry merchants. Luring entrepreneurs from the Arabian Peninsula, China, India and Portugal, Phuket Town (เมืองภูเก็ด) became a colorful blend of cultural influences.
Today, the Old Town is a testament to Phuket's history, but it's also the island's hipster heart, attracting artists and musicians in particular, which has led to noticeable gentrification. Century-old hôrng tăa·ou (shophouses) and homes are being restored, vibrant street art is popping up and it can feel like every other building is now a fashionable polished-concrete cafe.
But Phuket Town remains a wonderfully refreshing cultural break from the island's beaches (easily reached by sŏrng·tăa·ou). Wander down streets lined with distinctive Sino-Portuguese architecture, arty coffee shops, experimental galleries, boutique hotels and incense-cloaked Chinese Taoist shrines, before sampling the island's most authentic Phuketian cuisine and Phuket Town's very local bar scene.
Chanthaburi (จันทบุรี) is an absorbing riverside town where precious stones ranging from sapphires to emeralds are traded every weekend in a bustling street gem market. Nearby, restored waterfront buildings in the historic quarter are evidence of how the Chinese, French and Vietnamese have influenced life – and architecture – here.
Vietnamese Christians fled persecution from Cochin China (southern Vietnam) in the 19th century and came to Chanthaburi. The French colonized Chanthaburi from 1893 to 1905 due to a dispute over the border between Siam and Indochina. More Vietnamese arrived in the 1920s and 1940s as they fled French rule, then a third wave followed in 1975 after the Communist takeover of southern Vietnam.
A sleepy seaside town, Prachuap Khiri Khan (ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) is a delightfully relaxed place; the antithesis of Hua Hin. The broad bay is a tropical turquoise punctuated by bobbing fishing boats and overlooked by honeycombed limestone mountains – scenery that you usually have to travel to the southern Andaman to find.
In recent years, foreigners have discovered Prachuap's charms and some Bangkokians drive past Hua Hin for their weekends away. But their numbers are still very small compared to better-known destinations, leaving plenty of room on the beaches, at the hilltop temples and in the many excellent seafood restaurants.
Takua Pa Old Town
Takua Pa District was an important tin-dredging area in the first half of the twentieth century, with the English company, Siamese Tin Syndicate Ltd., and the Australian company, Satupulo No Liability Co., both operating dredges in the rivers, with narrow-gauge tramways following them upstream. The Asiatic Company also had a dredge and tramway further inland at Amphoe Kapong, depicted in the Thai film, The Tin Mine. Siamese Tin operated here at least as late as 1967, but Thai firms assumed operations by the early-1980s. By 2008 there were no remaining signs of mining, as plantations, particularly rubber, covered the former dredged areas. The public library at Takua Pa town has photographs on display of the dredging and sluicing operations in their heyday in the 1920 and 1930. The former Asiatic Company workshops can also still be seen in Kapong town.
Top choice old town in Songkhla & Singha Nakhon
Wander through narrow historic streets where quaint old houses in the Sino-Portuguese style rub shoulders with traditional wooden Chinese buildings. Some of these old-world relics have been restored and are home to little boutique cafes and restaurants, and others remain in a glorious state of decay. Hidden in amongst them are Chinese temples, beautiful streets of art, and a village mosque where the waft of grilled meat fills the air as local Muslim street vendors sell halal satay skewers.
Nang Ngam road is particularly picturesque.
Welcome to Ko Chang
With steep, jungle-covered peaks, picturesque Ko Chang (Elephant Island; เกาะช้าง) retains its remote and rugged spirit – despite the transformation of parts of it into a package-tour destination. Sweeping bays are sprinkled along the west coast; some have superfine sand, others have pebbles. What the island lacks in sand it makes up for in an unlikely combination: accessible wilderness with a thriving party scene.
Because of its relative remoteness, Ko Chang has only been on the tourist radar for the last 20 years or so. Today, it's still a slog to get here, but its resorts are busy with package tourists, Cambodia-bound backpackers and island-hopping couples funnelling through to more remote islands in the marine park. Along the populous west coast are sprawling mini-towns that have outpaced the island’s infrastructure. For a taste of old-school Chang, head to the southeastern villages and mangrove forests of Ban Salak Phet and Ban Salak Kok.