Big Buddha Ko Samui
If you are flying to Ko Samui, keep an eye out for the largest Buddha figure on the island which is clearly visible as you come in to land. For a close up view, visit Wat Phra Yai the temple which is home to the Big Buddha and overlooks Bangrak Beach (also known as Big [...]
Bhuping Palace, Chiang Mai
If you are visiting Chiang Mai, then a trip to the beautiful grounds at Bhuping Palace (also written as Phuping) is highly recommended. Built in 1961, the palace itself is typically understated in keeping with the modest style of the present Thai king. Bhuping Palace is located in the mountains to the west of Chiang [...]
Tigers and Pigs Swap Roles at Sri Racha Tiger Zoo
Following the recent events in Thailand, it’s a pleasant change to be writing about something more light-hearted. In an experiment at Sri Racha Tiger Zoo, just outside Pattaya, tigers and pigs have been swapping roles in what the zoo is calling its ‘Happy Families’ project. A sow has been suckling two tiger cubs whilst a [...]
Preah Vihear Temple
The Khmer ruins of the Preah Vihear Temple (also known as Khao Phra Viharn) are located on top of a cliff on the Thai-Cambodian border approximately 220 kilometres to the south-east of Surin. Construction of the temple is believed to have taken place over a 300-year-period beginning in the ninth-century. The temple was dedicated to [...]
Ang Thong National Marine Park, Ko Samui
The delightfully scenic marine park of Ang Thong consists of 42 small islands stretched out to the west of Ko Samui. The islands and waters that surround them support a huge variety of wildlife including macaques, dolphins and kingfishers. However, you don’t have to be a birdwatcher or naturalist to enjoy the beauty and tranquillity [...]
Joe Louis Puppet Theatre, Bangkok
A performance of traditional Thai puppetry from the Joe Louis Puppet Theatre in Bangkok has won the highest accolade in the World Festival of Puppet Art held recently in Prague. The bi-annual competition attracts the best puppeteers in the world and this year’s success by the Joe Louis troupe emulates their achievement in 2006 when [...]
Island Hopping in Krabi
Some cynics say there are no longer any unspoiled island paradises left in Thailand, or indeed, anywhere else in the world. There’s no doubt that the advance of tourism and improvements in transport have made previously remote destinations more easily accessible, but a bit of island hopping can reveal some hidden delights.
The upgrading of [...]
