Thoughtful travel blogger and podcast producer Amanda Kendle shares her experiences visiting Thailand for the first time post-Covid in the first of a series of podcasts inspired by her recent visit.
Three and a half years after my last pre-Covid adventure abroad, I finally managed to get out of Australia for a short media trip to Thailand. I’m home again now and celebrating that trip along with the milestone of the three hundredth episode of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast seems very appropriate.
In this episode I’ll tell you a little bit about my trip to Bangkok and Chiang Rai – more to come on these destinations in future episodes – and about how I felt to be leaving Australia. I’ve also included an extract from a chat I recently had with my friend Jean, who took her first post-Covid trip to Iraq a couple of months ago, and had lots of similar thoughts about this “new” travel experience.
Of course, I always try to be a thoughtful traveller, and like to divide ways to be thoughtful into before, during and after a trip, so in this episode I ponder how well I did with this, considering it was a trip that arose at fairly short notice. And finally, I ask our Bangkok guide Suree for her tips on how we can be thoughtful travellers in Thailand, and she has plenty of advice for travelling and, to be honest, for life in general.
Check out Amanda’s website for deeper insights into thoughtful travel in Thailand.
Author and renowned underwater photographer Nigel Marsh shares his recent experience diving the Similan and Surin Islands and exploring the rainforest landscape of Khao Sok National Park.
Thailand is blessed with some of the most interesting landscapes and wildlife in the world, both above and below the waterline. There is nothing better than combining these two worlds and one of the best combos is a dive trip to the Similan Islands and a rainforest experience at Khao Sok National Park.
I have been fortunate to travel to Thailand many times over the last thirty years and have explored most parts of the country to experience its wonderful culture, cuisine, ancient cities, busy towns, amazing national parks, and its fabulous diving. However, in all those trips I neglected a visit to Thailand’s best dive destination and largest national park. An oversight that was corrected when I recently joined a special Diveplanit trip to the Similan Islands and the Khao Sok National Park.
The Similan Islands portion of the trip saw us spending three days diving from the Sea Bees’ liveaboard Marco Polo. Arriving in Phuket and then transferring to Khao Lak, we boarded the vessel at 8am. This comfortable dive boat accommodates 12 passengers in twin air conditioned cabins with ensuites and is well laid out for diving. With our luggage stowed and our paperwork complete we were quickly underway and heading to the Similan Islands, just three hours off the coast.
The Similan Islands are located 70km off the west coast of Thailand and are a marine park. There are eleven rocky islands in the group, and each is surrounded by beautiful coral gardens and home to a great variety of fish and invertebrates. The islands are only dived from November to May, when the seas are calm, and are best explored by a liveaboard boat.
On our three-day trip we did ten dives and explored coral gardens, rocky pinnacles and a shipwreck, representing only a small portion of the dive sites available in the area. A unique feature of this area is the corals grow directly on the granite rocks that form the islands and pinnacles, making for some very interesting terrain.
On day one we dived West Ridge at Koh Bon and Koh Tachai Pinnacle and enjoyed 30m visibility. Each site had lovely coral gardens, with spectacular soft corals, gorgonians, sea whips and whip corals. However, the highlight for me was the impressive fish life, including schools of barracuda, trevally, fusiliers, and snapper, plus a great variety of angelfish, rockcods, butterflyfish, surgeonfish, wrasse, triggerfish, and morays.
Richelieu Rock is often visited by whale sharks and manta rays.
On day two we dived Thailand’s most famous dive site – Richelieu Rock. This massive pinnacle rises from 35m to break the surface and is covered in beautiful corals and an extraordinary number of fish and invertebrates. Over two dives we saw schools of pelagic fish, gropers, morays and smaller critters like ribbon eels, harlequin shrimps, and mantis shrimps.
There were even a few endemic fish that I had never seen before – the red saddleback anemonefish and the Peter’s toby.
On our final day we returned to the spectacular Koh Tachai Pinnacle and also enjoyed a dive at Koh Bon Pinnacle, seeing lovely corals and masses of fish. However, our final dive was very special as we explored the Boonsung Wreck on the way back to port. This old tin dredge is broken up in 18m, and doesn’t have the best visibility, usually around 12m, but is covered in fish. Massive schools of snapper, trevally, fusiliers, and bullseyes swarm over the wreck and are joined by angelfish, gropers, lionfish, porcupinefish and a great collection of honeycomb morays.
After three wonderful days of diving, we headed back to port, ready for our next adventure at Khao Sok National Park. After an overnight stay at Khao Lak, we were picked up in the morning and transferred to the Elephant Hills Camp.
Khao Sok National Park is the largest park in Thailand and contains the country’s largest tracts of virgin rainforest. A limestone mountain range traverses the park, with countless spectacular karst formations dotting the landscape.
The stunning landscape was the first thing I noticed when we arrived at Elephant Hills. This eco resort has glamping style tents for guests, set around a central reception/bar/eatery. After check-in and a tasty lunch, we join an afternoon tour. This included a ninety-minute canoe safari down the Sok River, where we spotted longtail macaques, a water monitor, and several snakes as we drifted through spectacular gorges.
We then visited the elephant park, which is home to a dozen rescue elephants. We fed and patted the elephants and learnt a little about their history and the importance of elephants to Thai culture.
The next day was more touring, with a two-hour bus journey to Cheow Lan Lake. This massive waterway dominates the national park and was formed by the construction of Ratchaprapha Dam in the 1980s. There we joined a longtail boat, exploring the lake, which is dominated by tower cliffs and karst formations, before arriving at the Elephant Hills Rainforest Camp. You can stay at this floating camp and explore the rainforest, but with limited time we enjoyed a wonderful lunch, swam in the lake, and kayaked the waterways. There is some amazing wildlife in the area, and we spotted dusky leaf monkeys and several bird species.
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All too soon my Thailand reef and rainforest combo tour ended, leaving me wanting much more from this area.
Contact Diveplanit Travel to book a similar Rainforest to Reef trip.
Travel writer John Borthwick takes us on a guided tour of Bangkok’s waterside Creative District.
Copyright John Borthwick
I could laze for hours like a wannabe rajah, watching the Chao Phraya River’s all-day parade of barges, ferries and scuttling longtails. The one thing better to do is go exploring its Bangkok waterside bars and galleries in the what’s now known as the Creative District.
Narrow “soi” lanes, lined with traditional two-storey shophouses run down to the river from historic Charoen Krung Road. It is along these lanes that local creatives and entrepreneurs have turned a grimy auto spare-parts district into an intriguing zone of street murals, speakeasy bars and hole-in-the-wall eateries.
The Creative District is just a short distance from Saphan Taksin BTS station or the Si Phraya ferry pier. I head to it, exploring northwards from Soi 44 up to Soi 30. Here’s a little of what I find.
Sarnies Café, Soi 44. Yes, “sarnies” as in old Australian slang for a sanger, a sandwich. A once-decrepit boat repair shop has been flipped into a cool coffee and snack house. Like the original Sarnies in Singapore, this corner shop is all about proper coffee and what happens when Thai ingredients meet Aussie-style grub.
Sarnies Cafe. Copyright: John Borthwick
Jack’s Bar.Soi 42. Quite literally a watering hole at the end of the road, Jack’s shack teeters over “the River of Kings” at the end of Soi 42, aka Wat Suan Phlu. Think plastic chairs, cold beer and a hot afternoon fading to sunset. Add spicy eats and another cool sundowner.
Jack’s Bar. Copyright: John Borthwick
Harmonique, Soi 34. Long-established Harmonique restaurant hides behind a blink-and-you-miss-it portal. Inside, a massive banyan tree shades stone-top tables and Chinese lanterns. The menu spans Thai and international fare but the ambience is the real dish.
Hidden Milkbar. Soi 32. This curious establishment is, I’m told, the interpretation by a Thai photographer who has lived in Australia of an Aussie-style milk bar. They serve shakes, drinks and snacks but I keep missing its opening hours, so the mystique grows.
BUKRUK Wall Art, Soi 32 to 28. Bangkok’s 2016 BUKRUK Urban Art festival saw artists from around the world invited to create street art here. Stroll along these connecting sois and be ambushed by the vivid results.
Copyright: John Borthwick
House No. 1, Soi 30. This neoclassical 1900’s building on Captain Bush Lane was Siam’s first official postal address. It once housed the trading company of Louis T. Leonowens, the W.A.-born son of Anna Leonowens — she of “The King and I” fame or infamy. Not open to the public.
Vhils Street Mural, Soi 30. Portugal’s elegant riverfront embassy, established in 1820 is the oldest diplomatic residence in Thailand. In 2017 the visiting Portuguese artist Vhils was given free rein along the embassy’s long street-front wall and hammered himself a brilliant place in mural history.
Warehouse 30. Copyright: John Borthwick
Warehouse 30, Soi 30. Seven renovated warehouses between Soi 32 and 30 form a hub of the creative district, encompassing boutiques, galleries, cafes and co-working spaces. Don’t miss what looks like an army disposal store that’s stacked with vintage clothing, music and eclectic memorabilia.
ATT 19 Gallery, Soi 30. An innovative family turned this century-old, former Chinese schoolhouse into a mixed-use retail, art and exhibition space. Design and fashion, plus exhibitions by emerging artists hum within its old teak and brick walls. And for life support there’s BAAB — the Bad Ass Asia Bar.
Jua, Soi 28. Jua bar lurks far down a shady lane in a former shophouse gambling den. Specialising in “artisanal” sake and tapas, it bills itself as “an American twist on a traditional Japanese yakitori joint.” Go on, investigate. Baan Rim Naam, Soi 22. Stretching along the riverfront, this reincarnated 19th century warehouse is perfect for democratic afternoon drinks or just watching the river roll by like time. By night it gets more formal about its Thai tapas menu, cocktails and classic dishes, so book well ahead.
Our new Director, Mrs. Busakorn Prommanot, also known as Khun Apple, has finally arrived in Sydney last week having gone through a lengthy Australian visa processing. If you’d like to meet with her or give her a warm welcome, please reach out to Busakorn Prommanotdirector@thailand.net.au.
TAT will release The MICHELIN Guide Thailand at the end of this year. For 2023, The MICHELIN Guide Thailand will feature for the first time Northeast Thailand or Isan – to be represented by the four key cities of Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, and Khon Kaen – in addition to Bangkok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Phang-nga. These four cities have been selected to represent the Northeast region’s distinctive and flavourful cuisine, as well as its remarkable natural and cultural heritage.
Destination Highlight: Kamala Beach, Phuket
First thing that comes to mind when we talk about Kamala Beach would be the ultra-luxury resorts. That’s how this beach got its nickname, the Millionaire’s Mile. Kamala Beach is a tranquil beach on the west coast of Phuket, popular with families and travellers who prefer a quiet holiday. Kamala’s location is perfect, only 6km north of the busy and action packed Patong and just south of Laem Singh beach. Kamala was originally a small fishing village, with the local population being mainly Muslim. Over the years Kamala has also become a popular destination for retirees and long-term visitors that stay in the small hotels, villas, and apartment rentals.
The fishing village atmosphere remains, and it’s not unusual to see local fishermen casting their nets. Until recently the nightlife at Kamala was rather laidback with a few reggae bars and restaurants, however with the opening of Café Del Mar Beach Club and HQ Phuket Beach lounge the nightlife here has certainly ramped up.
One of Phuket’s beloved resorts keeps guests returning year after year for a reason. This lavish, spacious hideaway is situated on the west coast of the island in Kamala Bay. Offering a collection of oversized one to four-bedroom suites, most with private pools and ultra-luxe 3 -6-bedroom pool villas complete with your own private chef and villa attendant. We recommend taking advantage of the multi-bedroom suites and bringing your besties along for a stay in the popular pool suite, with 200-400 sq. metres of privacy including a spacious indoor lounge/dining room area. You want to make sure you don’t miss the daily poolside cocktail specials at the main resort pool, and bespoke wellness treatments at Andara Spa. The resort even has its own yacht, The Celebrity, ready for private charters in the beautiful Andaman Sea. If you want to know more, check out Andara Resort Video.
This week, Thai Airways launched direct flights from Sydney to Phuket. These new direct flights make it even easier for travellers from Australia to breeze through the Covid-19 entry requirements and – once again – HUG THAILAND.
Adventure travel bloggers Jarryd and Alesha, better known as NOMADasaurus were on the first flight, and have shared their experience on their Instagram stories to show just how easy it is to holiday in Thailand post-Covid.
With a wealth of history, culture and culinary artistry, there’s much more to Thai cuisine besides the popular staple dishes; Pad Thai, Tom Yum and Green Curry. Each Thai region has its own distinctive recipes and dishes that embody its unique culinary heritage and traditions as well as locally grown produce and ingredients. Restaurateur Chef Mod, originally from Central Thailand, travelled Thailand’s four regions to study the rich myriad flavours. He share his insights with Asian Inspirations.
“I used to be chubby because I love to eat. My favourite dish from grandma is Khai Palow (Five-Spice Egg and Pork Belly).”
As he grew older, so did his passion for food and cooking.
“I study herbs and cooking styles from different places. I used to stand next to the street stalls and watch how they cook.”
According to Chef Mod, Thai cuisine is heavily influenced by neighbouring countries. For example, dishes of the Northern Thai Yai ethnic group have their roots in Burmese flavours; and most Thai noodle dishes are Chinese influenced. Generally, Southern Thai food is spicier and stronger than Northern. Thai Royal traditional cuisine also forms a great part of Thai culinary culture, which in recent years has become more popular in restaurants.
“In Thailand, we call the three main ingredients; coriander roots, garlic and white pepper ‘The Three Musketeers’. As for chilli, fish sauce and shrimp paste, they are the other 3 essential ingredients for most Thai dishes.”
To access Chef Mod’s easy-ingredients recipes for all the dishes pictured here, visit the Asian Inspirations website.
Local residents of Ekkarat village in Pa Mok district of Ang Thong province have been making drums for a living for over 80 years. The village enthralls visitors with its dazzling display of drums of all types, sizes and designs.
These drums vary from the ‘Poeng Mang’ (a leather-faced drum set), ‘Thon and Rammana’ (a hand drum set), ‘Taphon’ (a barrel-shaped, two-headed horizontal drum), ‘Klong That’ (a large barrel-shaped vertical drum), ‘Klong Khaek’ (a tumbler-shaped double-headed drum), to even the eye-catching, brightly coloured Northern Thai ‘Klong Puja’ (a set of drums for worshipping the Buddha). But the most popular item—in case one is curious to know—is nothing but the ‘Klong Yao’ (a long drum shaped like a tall goblet)! This drum is a symbol of the Ekkarat community, a permanent reminder of how long their relationship with these percussion instruments has continued.
The local craftsmen make drums using a very meticulous process. This involves selecting the right type of wood, lathing it, hollowing the piece, proportioning the drum stem, and preparing the skin to cover it. By oral tradition, if even a minor mistake is made, the whole process must be started over. To complete the process of making a ‘Klong Yao’, the craftsmen have to devote their mind and energy to selecting the best materials with which to create their masterpiece.
