For years, friends of mine have been encouraging me to try scuba diving. I have always been hesitant – my first love is whitewater kayaking and that sport dominates most of my spare time (and money!). With over a month remaining until our kayaks arrive in Thailand by sea freight, I finally gave scuba diving a try. Continue reading Scuba Diving in Pattaya, Thailand
We decided to head to Khlong Lad Mayom Floating Market to take a boat ride and eat. This market is a great destination for a short day trip from the west side of Bangkok. The market is famous for delicious food, boat tours, and shopping. Continue reading Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
After a year in the United States enjoying the great outdoors of the Pacific Northwest, we are back in Bangkok, Thailand. We will continue to share some of our travels in Asia. Continue reading Back in Bangkok!
Huay Mae Kamin Waterfall, a fantastic alternative to the nearby Erawan Falls, is a stunning seven-tier waterfall that is located on the east side of Sri Nakarin Dam National Park. Continue reading Better than Erawan Falls?! – Huay Mae Kamin Waterfall, Thailand
Located 97 kilometers north of Kanchanaburi, the 5 kilometer in-and-out hike in Chaloem Rattanakosin National Park (also known as Tham Than Lot National Park) is one of our favorite hikes in Thailand. The trail is not too long or too difficult – it is a perfect relaxing and energizing nature hike. Continue reading Hidden Gem: Chaloem Rattanakosin National Park, Thailand
This is a fantastic and unique day trip that is only 94 kilometers southwest of Bangkok (measured from Democracy Monument).
Feeding the monkeys bananas and seeing them swim was tremendous fun! The scenery was beautiful, and it was hard to imagine that, just a couple of hours ago, we were in the big concrete metropolis of Bangkok… Continue reading The Swimming Monkeys of Samut Songkhram
After visiting the Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park, we headed north to Old Sukhothai to continue our exploration of the ancient ruins of the Sukhothai Kingdom. Sukhothai, recognized as Thailand’s first capital, was the capital of the Sukhothai Kingdom from 1238 to 1438. Continue reading Sukhothai Historical Park, Thailand
A challenging hike in Ramkhamhaeng National Park is a great side trip to add when visiting Kamphaeng Phet and Sukhothai. Continue reading A Tough Independent Hike – Ramkhamhaeng National Park, Thailand
Our 12 Days in Myanmar (Burma) trip whetted our appetite for the intriguing history of the centuries-long warfare between Burma and Siam. Once we returned to Bangkok, we planned a quick road trip to Kamphaeng Phet and Sukhothai to explore the ruins in the UNESCO World Heritage Historical Parks located in each city. Continue reading Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park, Thailand
We originally planned to drive down to Koh Samui for a 7 day visit, but the weather was not cooperating with us! Rain was in the forecast every day, much of it very heavy. Not only would that make the island stay less pleasant, the drive could be treacherous. Continue reading Hua Hin, Thailand – Rainy Season Plan B!
Southern Thailand’s famous beaches are some of the finest in the world. We wanted to visit Southern Thailand’s Phuket and Phang Nga regions with their abundant sandy beaches. We started planning our trip by monitoring airlines for special deals, but it always seemed that when we tried to snag one, it was too late. We started to wonder if it was even possible to get one… Continue reading Khao Lak, Thailand – Off-season Getaway
Koh Chang, Thailand’s third largest island, is the perfect beach destination for an independent road trip from Bangkok. It is located 320 kilometers (5 hours) from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport in the Gulf of Thailand near the border of Cambodia. Continue reading Koh Chang, Thailand
As the the Bangkok Post story about the couple lost for two days in the jungle of Khao Yai National Park highlights, independent hiking in Thailand can be very difficult! The dense jungle reclaims trails daily, making them extremely hard to follow, and it is very easy to get turned around. Continue reading Fantastic Independent Hiking – Phu Kradueng, Thailand
Located just 29 km from Bangkok, The Naval History Park at Phra Chulachomklao Fort is a great day trip. It is located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River on the Gulf of Thailand. Continue reading Naval History Park at Chulachomklao Fortress
Nakhon Nayok is quickly becoming our favorite place in Thailand! Only 105 kilometers from Bangkok (2 hours), it is a quick, easy destination for a multitude of outdoor adventures. Continue reading Whitewater Kayaking – Nakhon Nayok, Thailand
John, an adventurer at heart, has always wanted to learn to sail. At least once a year, he spends a day researching sailing schools and dreaming of sailing across the ocean. Reading many books on the subject, he always seems to find the same advice: the best way to learn to sail is on a dinghy. Not as sexy as a 40′ keelboat, but very effective! Continue reading Bangkok’s Nong Bon Water Sports Center
This is our favorite park in Bangkok! It is a great place to connect with nature, spend a relaxing and educational few hours, and to regain inner-peace that life in a large city can sap away. Covering an area of 500 rai (198 acres), Suan Luang is Bangkok’s largest green space. It was built in 1987 to commemorate the 60th birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, also known as Rama IX. Continue reading Bangkok’s Suan Luang Rama IX (Rama IX Park)
Siam Park City is a large amusement park and water park located on Seri Thai Road in the Khan Na Yao district of Bangkok. The park has many rides and roller coasters, including the spectacular Vortex, one of the world’s two largest suspended looping roller coasters. In the water park, Siam Park City has the world’s largest wave pool, certified by Guinness World Records. Continue reading Bangkok’s Siam Park City Amusement Park
Open on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays, Minburi’s Kwan Riam Floating Market makes for a great day trip. Located in Bangkok’s eastern suburb along the Khlong (Canal) San Saeb, this wonderful market is very laid back and has great food, petting zoos, shops, and entertainment. Opened in 2012, it caters primarily toward Thai tourists and is more upscale than many other floating markets. Continue reading Minburi’s Kwan Riam Floating Market
A great Sunday afternoon activity is to bet on the ponies at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club. The track is beautiful with the cityscape in the background and the crowd energy is better than any other track we’ve been to, including Breeder’s Cups at both Santa Anita and Churchill Downs! Continue reading Royal Bangkok Sports Club Horse Racing
Our 2687 KM / 1669 Mile road trip originates in Bangkok and heads north along the Burmese border. We travel the western and northern portions of the Mae Hong Son Loop before heading north through Chiang Dao to the Golden Triangle. We finish our trip in Chiang Rai before returning to Bangkok. Continue reading Northwest Thailand Road Trip
Located about 40 miles (64 km) north of Bangkok, this is a wonderful, inexpensive day trip from Bangkok to add to your Thailand vacation. Continue reading Ayutthaya, Thailand
This exciting 1233 mile train trip starts in Bangkok, Thailand and takes you all the way to Singapore! During this unforgettable adventure, we traveled through three diverse countries: Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. We stayed in four amazing cities: Bangkok, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. To make it even more interesting, we had to manage three different currencies: the Thai baht, the Malaysian ringgit, and the Singapore dollar. Continue reading Bangkok to Singapore by Train
Located 2-3 hours from Bangkok, Kanchanaburi is famous for its role in World War II and the start of the Thai-Burma Railway that was constructed in part by Allied soldiers under forced labor by the Japanese in 1943, the Death Railroad. Continue reading Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Over 700 years old, Chiang Mai, known as the “Rose of the North,” is one of Thailand’s largest cities. Located 700 miles north of Bangkok, Chiang Mai is the gateway to the wonderful northern mountains and the Golden Triangle. The city itself has a distinctive charm and a very rich history. Continue reading Chiang Mai, Thailand
