All tagged Thailand
Lhong 1919 at the Wanglee Pier on Bangkok’s riverside is an historic steamship pier and warehouse complex that’s been preserved and now houses boutique shops, art galleries, and eateries. It’s easy to reach by either river ferry or tuk-tuk and provides the opportunity enjoy a few relaxing hours away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Slow travel is a term used to describe travelling at a pace that enables you to connect to local communities and culture. It’s about spending more time in places and discovering the soul of those places through their history, food, language and people, rather than chasing bucket list ticks. It’s likely to be the way in which many older travellers explore the region in the months to come.
With some countries opening up in Asia, but no way to get there because many airlines have grounded their international flights, small group travel on private jets offers a way around the restrictions for those who can afford it. We take a look at what one Singapore charter operator is doing to help travellers get around the region.
Spirit houses can be seen in different forms all over Southeast Asia and in many other parts of the continent too. They are often draped in colourful garlands of flowers and have offerings of food and drinks for the spirits. We take a closer look at the spirit houses in Thailand and find out why they are there.
Some people like to travel on their own while others prefer to travel with partners, friends or in groups. We take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of solo travelling to help you decide whether it’s something you’d like to try in Asia when we are able to get back on the road again.
Thailand is likely to be one of the first countries in Asia to re-open its borders to international tourists in the second half of the year. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the best of Thailand’s festivals from October 2020 to February 2021 to help you plan an itinerary that provides an opportunity to participate in at least one of these colourful events.
Re-creating dishes at home that you’ve sampled on visits to Asia is a way to bring back memories of trips away, and partially satisfy the travel bug whilst we are confined to within our own borders. Many of the dishes of Southeast Asia are easy to cook at home and provide a way to recall enjoyable culinary experiences from your favourite destinations.
With thousands of international travellers still stranded in Asia, those affected are placing the blame squarely on airlines who prematurely cancelled flights and provided no alternative options for them to get home. Slow and disorganised responses by some governments in mounting repatriation flights have also come in for criticism. However, with death tolls still increasing in the U.S. and some European countries, some travellers have decided to sit out the pandemic in Asia.
Extract: Many older travellers enjoy getting off the beaten track having visited all the usual tourist haunts during their younger days. And they like to do it in a socially responsible way, especially if there are opportunities to connect with communities in the developing countries of Asia. There are a number of community-based tourism operators in Thailand that offer visitors the ability to do that. We take a look at how they work.
In these days of social distancing, health experts recommend that we no longer shake hands given that is a common means by which viruses and other germs are passed from one person to another. For many in Asia, that’s not a problem as local cultures have traditionally used other means of greeting and saying goodbye. For those in the west, there is a lot to be learned from those countries that do not use the handshake as a means of greeting.
The novel coronavirus pandemic is causing many older travellers to put on hold their plans to travel in Asia. People over 60 face the highest risk of dying if they contract the virus. But those who choose to stay at home can still find ways of giving rein to their wanderlust. Here are a few ways how.
Isan in northeastern Thailand is a fascinating region for older travellers as it has many well-preserved Khmer ruins to see, as well as festivals and cuisine that reflect a mix of Thai and Lao cultures. Five national parks offer opportunities for hiking and bird-watching for those looking for back-to-nature experiences. And as Isan is one of Thailand’s least visited regions, it’s not yet overrun with tourists.
The Khao Sok National Park in southern Thailand offers some unique opportunities for older travellers to experience authentic nature adventures without a lot of arduous trekking. Easy hikes, long-tail boat tours and bamboo river rafting are comfortable ways to experience this region which contains ancient rainforests, picturesque waterfalls and mountain streams, majestic limestone cliffs, hidden caves, and the spectacular Cheow Lan Lake.
Volunteering is a rewarding way for older travellers for whom traditional sightseeing no longer appeals, but who want to experience new places and new cultures — and especially for those interested in biodiversity, environmental and wildlife conservation issues. It’s an ideal way to meet people of different nationalities who share the same interests, and to see parts of Asia that are well away from the usual tourist haunts.
Older travellers may not rush around as much as they did in their younger days, but they still seek adventure – and Asia has excitement a plenty to offer. Here’s a look at how travel can help people stay young at heart even in their golden years.
Bangkok is one of the most visited cities in the world. There are times that the presence of tourists may feel overwhelming, and you may want to escape for a day or two and enjoy the feel of ‘small town’ Thailand. The riverside town of Mae Khlong is one such place, and it’s only 80 km from Bangkok, so is ideal for either a day trip or an overnight stay.
