July 2020 – Amazing Thailand

Thailand’s Best, Lesser-Known Temples

Posted on 25/07/202008/01/2021 by admin

Guest blogger John Borthwick skips the “superstar” temples of Bangkok and Chiang Mai and discovers fascinating alternatives across the provinces.

Wat Phumin, Nan. Some 700 km north of Bangkok, Nan Province is home to 475 Buddhist temples. The most famous one is Wat Phumin (1569) in the capital city, Nan with its vivid murals depicting not only the lives of the Buddha but also secular life in Nan during the late 19th century, including images of foreign sailing ships and European-style clothing.

Wat-Phra-That-Su-Thon-Mongkhon-Khiri-Samakkhi-Tham-Den-Chai-credit-John-Borthwick

Wat Phra That Su Thon Mongkhon Khiri Samakkhi Tham, Den Chai, Phrae. Den Chai town on the main rail line around 500 km north of Bangkok is home to the 13-syllable temple, Wat Phra That Su Thon Mongkhon Khiri Samakkhi Tham. The sprawling temple built in northern Lanna style is dominated by an impressive nine-metre long Reclining Buddha and sits about five km outside the town.

Wat Doi Kong Mu MHS credit John Borthwick

Wat Doi Kong Mu, Mae Hong Son. You climb almost 1000 steps to reach the whitewashed pagodas and golden spires of Wat Doi Kong Mu that overlooks lovely Mae Hong Son town. It’s worth the effort to see this mountaintop marzipan castle of a temple as well as the views it offers of the jungle hills in nearby Myanmar’s Shan State.

The White Temple, Chiang Rai. The elaborate Wat Rong Khun or White Temple is a crystalline, Disney-like structure, seemingly spun from ceramics and mirrors; it has been one of Chiang Rai’s main visitor attractions since opening in 1998. While you’re in town also visit the Blue Temple (Wat Rong Seua Ten) and Black House (Baan Dam), an artist’s house.

Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya Historical Park,north of Bangkok is home to the ruins of scores of Buddhist temples. This was Siam’s capital from 1350 to 1767 and its plain isstilldotted with tall prang reliquary towers. Among the well-preserved ruins is iconic Wat Mahathat (1374), famed for the Buddha statue face that peers out from the roots of an ancient banyan tree.

Lop Buri Monkey Temple. Hundreds of macaques live within Lop Buri city, notably around (and all over) its Khmer temple, Prang Sam Yot. There’s a famous Monkey Festival on the last Sunday of November. Now, be warned. These monkeys can be unholy monsters and will easily relieve you of any exposed item (hat, sunglasses, camera, passport, jewellery), not to mention even food that’s hidden in your pockets. They are aggressive. Carry a stick and use it. Do not feed them.

Wat Prayurawongsawat, Thonburi, Bangkok. The brilliant white stupa of Wat Prayurawongsawat soars 60-metres above its suburban surrounds. Noticing that the spire was tilting, engineers ingeniously braced it from within. Duck inside for a unique view of the hollow, brick-lined stupa. It’s a wonderfully tranquil space, and then visit the little historical museum attached.

Words and photographs © John Borthwick 2020

Bangkok’s Booming Coffee Culture

Posted on 17/07/202006/01/2021 by admin

When we think of Bangkok, shopping, temple hopping and great Thai food are generally the first things to spring to mind. But take a peak beyond the tourist trail and there’s a flourishing cafe scene that’s amongst the world’s best. Coffee culture is booming, with no shortage of places to sit and lounge with a perfectly blended brew. Travel writer Aleney De Winter explores Bangkok’s booming coffee Culture.

While Bangkok would not be the first city to spring to mind when one thinks of coffee, the city has embraced caffeine, reinventing its own inimitable style and finesse, and you’ll find more hipster chic cafés serving up artfully crafted coffees than you can you can fill an Instagram account with.

Gone are the days when a coffee in Bangkok meant calorie-packed sweet kafae boran, made with sweetened condensed milk, and cream, though they’re still popular with the locals and a must-try for visitors with a sweet tooth. But these days, with Bangkokians embracing café culture with great gusto, you’re far more likely to find an espresso or macchiato on the menu. You’re also as likely to bump into a mermaid or a unicorn as high fantasy is as highly regarded as a good foam at many of these venues.

Which does mean that many of the glamorous, smartphone wielding patrons of these cafes do have their eyes firmly on the Instagram prize, but the majority of them also boast award-winning baristas wielding the best internationally harvested and roasted beans, so the caffeinated creations aren’t all for show. If you’re keen to get caffeinated Bangkok-style, here’s a few of our favourites to get you started.

In Sukhumvit serious coffee fans head to Hands and Heart Café, as much for its modern minimal design, as its hand ground drip coffee. Equally popular is Ink & Lion,amicro-roastery café in Ekkamai, renowned for its baristas and beans.

Hidden behind the walks of Baan 2459, a boutique heritage hotel in the backstreets of Chinatown, is CHATA Specialty Coffee, a gorgeous glasshouse cafe with a crumbling red brick wall it shares with the Buddhist temple next door. Famed for its photogenic foam art and an award -winning barista, brewing only the best imported coffee beans from around the globe, this light-filled spot is popular amongst latte sipping lovelies and their harried Insta-husbands.

At the northern edge of Chinatown, where the heritage streets of Koh Rattanakosin (or Old Town) straddle the Chao Phraya River, are some of Bangkok’s most revered cultural landmarks including The Grand Palace and Wat Pho, but it’s also home to a cluster of hipster bars and too cool cafes.

Whimsical Oneday Wallflowers, nestled in a down a side lane on the edge of Rattanakosin, or Old Town, in what used to be a kombucha brewery, is a favourite. At street level a divine bespoke flower shop, while up its rustic spiral staircase amidst a jumble of trinkets and flowers, you’ll find delightful rustic cakes and artisan coffees that are as photogenic as the surroundings.

Tucked down another Rattanakosin alley, Blue Whale Maharaj Café, a glorious three-story shophouse serving up too-pretty to drink indigo lattes made with butterfly-pea flowers that leave patrons swooning. And Old Town’s Gallery Drip is a cafe and roaster boasting retro vibes and a focus on single origin beans, but it is the Shrek, a coffee jelly topped with milk foam and green tea ice cream, that’s made it Insta-famous.

Speaking of which, Bangkok offers a rainbow-hued abundance of cute cafés designed for just that purpose. Dive into the Mermaid Castle Cafe at Siam Square where two floors of sparkly mermaid fashion and collectibles lead to Mermaid tail cupcakes at the café. Or escape reality Unicorn Café at Sathorn where you can don a Unicorn onesie to sip your coffee in a unicorn smattered, pastel paradise.

At the enchanting Mocking Tales in Thonglor, patrons slurp fairy tale concoctions amongst spell books and magic potions. And for anime fans, in the Sukhumvit district there’s Ghibli galore at May’s Garden House, a My Neighbor Totoro themed café with a menu inspired by Ghibli films.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10160509905780055

Exploring the flavours of Bangkok’s Royal Island

Posted on 02/07/202006/01/2021 by admin

Rattanakosin is one of Bangkok’s most historic precincts and offers some of the city’s best street food. Travel writer Julie Miller takes us on a culinary tour.

Bordering Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River to the west, several canals to the east and Chinatown in the south is Rattanakosin, one of Bangkok’s most historic precincts. Established in 1782 when King Rama I transferred the capital from Thonburi to the eastern bank of the river, this district is most notable for the imposing Grand Palace and Wat Pho, as well as several grand museums, parks and monuments.

While overseas visitors flock to the glittering palace, however, very few linger to explore the other delights of the Royal Island, including some of the best street food on offer in the City of Angels.

And what better way to discover hidden treasures, culture and pulse of a city than with a local? Native New Yorker Jason Friedman has lived in Bangkok for over a decade, working as a hotel manager for Four Seasons, Raffles and Amanresorts as well as independent properties including the flagship property of Rattanakosin, The Siam. In 2016, he formed the consulting firm J.M Friedman and Co, specialising in the conceptualisation and development of experience-driven luxury properties; and while he now spends much of his time travelling, his connection and passion for Bangkok’s Royal Island is palpable.

“Very few foreigners live here so I feel honoured to be able to call this culturally intact portion of Bangkok home,” he tells me. “It’s vibrant, alive and still carries the energy of a trading community.”

This is an area that comes alive at night, with hundreds of locals out in force riding bicycles, eating, drinking and enjoying the festive atmosphere. One of Jason’s favourite places to mingle is Phra Athit Road, a few blocks from the popular backpacker haunt, Khao San Road. On this iconic street, many cute cafes, cool bars and interesting restaurants occupy a collection of quaint shophouses from the turn of last century, serving an eclectic mix of arty students, ex-pats, hush society Thais and tourists. It’s also a hub of live music, with some of the friendliest crowds in Bangkok.

On neighbouring Soi Rambuttri – a busy walking street festooned with colourful paper lanterns – we kick off the night with a cheeky beverage at Madame Musur’s, a thatched restaurant with wicker lounges surrounded by greenery that serves some of the most potent, delicious cocktails in Bangkok.

But it’s the food in these secret alleys that’s really worth travelling for. Some of Bangkok’s most lauded restaurants can be found in the Rattanakosin neighbourhood, including Jay Fai – a simple shophouse restaurant that was awarded a coveted Michelin star in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Curious onlookers and fawning fans now queue for hours to taste the famed drunken noodles and crab omelette cooked by eponymous chef – but sadly, the 70-odd year-old Jay Fai now considers the award a curse due to the increased pressure and unrelenting crowds.

Another restaurant that’s come under international notice is Thipsamai on Maha Chai Road near Golden Mount, whose egg-wrapped, charcoal-flamed phad thai is widely considered Thailand’s most irresistible noodle dish. Then there’s Krua Apsorn in Dinso Road, beloved by Australian superchef David Thompson who first introduced to me to the legendary stir-fried crab curry and other delectable Thai specialties.

But Jason has other plans for tonight – he’s taking me to his all-time favourite restaurant, booked months in advance. Hidden down a dark alley in the middle of a fish market in Chinatown is Jok Kitchen, an assuming one-table restaurant that serves the freshest and best seafood in Bangkok, straight from market to table.

“Jok is a crab-monger who cooks crabs and seafood at night,” Jason tells me. “There’s no menu, you just eat what he cooks. It’s an epic dining experience – I’ve brought Michelin-starred chefs here and they love it.” These simple restaurants – really just one step above street food – represent the best of Thai cuisine – fresh, authentic and exploding with flavour – Thailand on a plate.