Thai videos (updated 13 Feb 08)

It's winter in Jordan but it is forever summer in Thailand. I've put a page together that contains all our videos from Thailand. A few from the globalwanderings pages, a few from podcastsinenglish.com, our podcasting site for learners and teachers of English, and a few that have never even seen the light of day before! I hope you enjoy them.

A final look at our apartment (updated 25 Jun 07)

After two great years in Bangkok and Thailand, our time here is coming to an end. We've had some great holidays, as you can see from these pages, and it's very difficult to choose the best. We've loved our trips to Ko Samet, some of the many National Parks and also especially the Khmer ruins along the Cambodian border. We've also made some great friends and must now finally say goodbye to our apartment. We will be leaving at the end of July and then in August, I will be taking up my new post with the British Council in Jordan. So from Thailand and Asia Wanderings it's sayonara - but look for updates on our latest travels on the pages "Desert Wanderings".

The Far North of Thailand (updated 21 May 07)

I lived in Hanoi for two years and loved heading off into the mountains to explore the rugged countryside and photograph the many different hill tribes that inhabited the completely undeveloped and wild regions of the north. In fact I even designed a website of my travels with the unimaginative name of “Ethnic Minorities of Northern Vietnam”. However, I had never explored the areas of far northern Thailand which was even more famous for its colourful local people. I knew it would be more touristy and developed but I felt worth a look.

Coconut Paradise (updated 17 Apr 07)

It is said that in the 1970’s a few hippies stumbled across Ko Samui and found paradise, with powder-white sands, clear turquoise water and gently swaying palms. Over the next 30 years this paradise was swamped with ever encroaching development. Now, there seems to be more concrete than sand. However, perhaps not surprisingly, just across the water from Samui there are beaches near the fishing village of Khanom, which are still in pristine condition. But for how long? We went to find out during the Songkran holiday in April 2007.

Nature watch - a trip to "Big Mountain" - Khao Yai National Park (updated 25 Mar 07)

Khao Yai is Thailand's oldest and also one of its biggest National Parks. At an average of 700m above sea level, its climate is reasonable pleasant all year round and as it is only 2.5 hours outside Bangkok it is also one of the most popular parks. We went up for a long weekend in February 2007 and were rewarded with beautiful countryside and loads of animals including monkeys, deer, a giant red flying squirrel, porcupines indian civets and many birds including two pied hornbills. We even managed to photograph a few...

The other side of the river - a trip to Thonburi (updated 5 Mar 07)

Thonburi is the whole area on the other side of the river to Bangkok. Generally quieter and much less touristed, it’s still an area of much interest. Many people take a long tail boat trip along the khlongs which is well worth while, but this is the story of a walk from a memorial garden, via back alleys and following klongs, to wats, Chinese temples and a church.

Walk along the khlongs of old Bangkok (updated 25 Feb 07)

In the heart of Bangkok around Democracy Monument and within a stone's throw from the tourist ghetto of Khao San Road and the Grand Palace are quiet residential areas criss-crossed by canals where the pace of life resembles country villages rather than the centre of one of the busiest and loudest cities in Asia. Here we found a unique wat, old teak houses and ubiquitous food stalls.

A bend in the river (updated 4 Feb 07)

To many visitors to Thailand, their fondest memories come from Isaan, the North Eastern ‘bulge’ of Thailand. However, it doesn’t rate much of a mention in many guidebooks because of the relative paucity of grand Thai monuments – either man made or natural. Its charm lies in the friendly people and the more relaxed, traditional pace and style of life. That was exactly what me and Jackie were after when we went for a week’s exploring around the area of Nong Khai and a bend in the Mekong River over new year 2007.

Ko Chang (updated 20 Jan 07)

I was told Ko Chang was the new Ko Samui. Presumably this meant it was a once pristine island on the downhill slope to environmental degradation caused by uncontrolled tourist development. Perhaps they meant it in a more positive light. I wasn’t sure. I went there Christmas 2006 to find out.

Loi Krathong (updated 4 Dec 06)

Loi Krathong is one of my favourite festivals in Thailand. On the full moon in November, small floats made from flowers and set on a slice of banana tree appear everwhere near the river. You buy one with your loved one, light a candle or two on board and then launch it on the river. The longer your candles stay lit, the better next year will be and the more chance your wishes will come true. It also represents floating your sins away for the year so you can start sinning again with a clean slate. In addition to the floats, people also feed the fish by throwing bread in the water and realease turtles for merit making. If you thought the Chao Praya river flowing through Bangkok was polluted, you'd be very surprised at the huge numbers of catfish that appear for a free feed. While all this is going on there are huge floats going up and down the river bedecked with flashing lights, setting off fireworks and generally being very attractive.

Island in the sun 2 (updated 25 Nov 06)

Our favourite destination for a weekend getaway from Bangkok is Ko Samet. Three hours door to powder white sand and crystal clear water. Although it has been on the tourist radar for years, our favourite two beaches are too small for over development (so far) and so remain charming and idylic. Even at the weekend when you would expect crowds from Bangkok, you can often be the only person in the sea. Experience it for yourself on the Ko Samet page...

Bangkok wanderings (updated 12 Nov 06)

I've updated the Bangkok page to include a little wander we did around a quiet but central area of Bangkok famous for its religious paraphernalia shops. We also spotted some mobile brush sellers and stopped for an interesting lunch. Why not take a further look...

Lost paradise (updated 7 Nov 06)

In the 1970's Ko Samui was discovered by the hippies, in the 1980's by the backpackers, in the 1990s by package tourists, in the 21st century the developers. But unfortunately they have managed to destroy much of what everyone came here for. The beaches are still powder white, but the backdrop of gently swaying palms has become construction sites and the lush green hillsides become bare red scars soon be covered with tourist developments. Paradise island no longer.

Nan and the remote north (updated Oct 06)

For centuries, little known Nan was an isolated kingdom with few ties to the outside world. In more recent times a hideaway for bandits and communist insurgents. Now with improved road links and hotels it is set to benefit(?) from Thailand's tourist surge. At the moment however, it is still an untouristed and wonderfully picturesque and quiet corner of Thailand. There are plenty of sights, both natural (majestic mountains and rural scenery) and man-made (some beautiful and unique wats) and so perfect for a week's getaway. And that is exactly what we did...

Bangkok 'burbs (updated Sep 06)

Around the outskirts of Bangkok there are many interesting nooks and crannies to explore. This page has some of those places. The first is Chatuchak Market, one of the biggest in Asia and the second Ko Kred, famous as a rural retreat within Bangkok and also for its ancient art of pottery making. Both are accompanied by short videos.

Bangkok Wanderings (updated Aug 06)

OK, so I've been in Bangkok since September 2005 and it's taken me a year to put up some photos of Bangkok. However, if you've seen the other pages you'll know I've been busy. Anyway here they are. Hopefully not as boring as the usual tourist shots. And as I've just had another butchers down Chinatown and taken an evening riverboat trip I hope to update this page again before the week is out.

Kanchanaburi (updated July 06)

Famous as the setting of the original Bridge over the River Kwai, Kanchanaburi has so much more to offer if you explore the surrounding countryside. There are ancient Khmer ruins, magnificant National parks, the opportunity to stay on a raft deep in the thai jungle and perhaps the chance to stumble across a traditional Thai wedding procession. We discovered all of this on a trip in May 2006....

On the road to Angkor (updated jun 06)

Far away from the tourist hordes in a quiet corner of Thailand near the Cambodian border lie some magnificent Khmer ruins. The most famous, Phimai, is not necessarily the best. I found the hilltop palace of Phanom Rung to be far more impressive, followed closely by the less visited Prasat Meuang Tam. Both over 1000 years old and only recently restored to their former glory. We found an attractive guesthouse, hired a motorbike and went off to explore...

Seadragon divetrip (updated May 06)

The Similan and Surin Islands in the Andaman sea are rightly known as home to some of the top divespots in Asia. Crystal clear waters and the chance of seeing whale sharks, manta rays, schools of barracuda and a myriad of reef fish was too much to miss.
Seadragon Dive Center in Khao Lac offer excellent liveaboard trips there and these pages show some great photos from above and below the waves of a very memorable holiday in April 2006.

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Weekend in Ayuthaya (updated May 06)

The ruins themselves are a little spread apart, but are all set in tranquil gardens just far enough away from the modern town which has built up to one side of them. Of course if you can't go yourself, just follow the links here for an armchair journey.

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