Thailand tips, advice & information | Thailand Travel Guide
This information is specifically for those wishing to attend the mass sky lantern release which takes place at Mae Jo, just outside the city of Chiang Mai as part of the annual Loy Krathong and Yi Peng celebrations. It is also important to note that the Mae Jo sky lantern release is organized by a [...]
Bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘the elephant in the room’, the Elephant Parade House in Chiang Mai is a unique venue that I personally recommend putting on your must-see list if you are planning a trip to northern Thailand. Part boutique, part workshop, part learning centre, but completely sanuk, the Elephant Parade [...]
I’ve got a secret I need to confess. Last month I transgressed. It was just an afternoon fling, I promise. Am I ashamed? No. It was fantastic. In fact, it was so good I’m looking forward to doing it again. The thing is, I’m a man of simple tastes. Give me a lunchtime plate of [...]
Chinese New Year is celebrated to some extent in various locations throughout Thailand. Although the best-known events take place in Bangkok and Nakhon Sawan, there are numerous towns and cities which hold some form of celebration for the Chinese Lunar New Year. I took these photos yesterday during the festivities in Chiang Mai’s Chinatown area [...]
It was all smiles at the 37th annual Chiang Mai Flower Festival held over the course of last weekend. This was despite unseasonal weather disrupting preparations for many of those working on the floats and floral displays in the lead up to the event. A midweek storm surged through Chiang Mai last week with torrential [...]
Located on the banks of the Ping River, the Riverside Restaurant is one of Chiang Mai’s most famous dining venues with a good reputation amongst the locals and expats who visit here. The restaurant is a scenic location to dine, but for a small extra charge you can join one of the nightly dinner cruises. [...]
Thailand’s only state-owned elephant camp, the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre (TECC) was established in 1993 and currently cares for more than 50 Asian elephants. Although it’s a popular tourist attraction, it’s also an important facility for elephant welfare in Thailand. Treating sick elephants The TECC acts as a centre for research and is at the [...]
The temple grounds at Wat Chedi Luang are home to a number of important buildings and Buddha images, but it is the ancient chedi or pagoda at the rear of complex that is the most striking feature of Wat Chedi Luang. In its heyday the pagoda was covered in bronze plates and gold leaf and [...]
Yi Peng (also written as Yee Peng) is a festival unique to northern Thailand and closely linked with the ancient Lanna kingdom. Adapted from Brahmin origins, Yi Peng was originally celebrated as an individual event in its own right marking the end of the rainy season and the start of winter (cool season), Yi Peng [...]
The year 2006 was an auspicious one for Thailand. It marked the 60th anniversary of the succession to the throne by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. As part of those official celebrations (which continued into 2007 for the king’s 80th birthday), a grand flower festival was held under the name Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006 with [...]