The North-South Railway of Vietnam follows the coast for much of its journey from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. There are some sections that travel along the sea, offering spectacular views. The most famous section of the railway is the Hai Van Pass. The Hai Van Pass is between Da Nang and Lang Co, […]
Notes on Hua Hin: The beach city near Bangkok that appeals to retirees and remote workers
Hua Hin is a beachside city on the upper Gulf of Thailand. This is where the Bay of Bangkok ends and the Gulf of Thailand begins. Outside of the bay is where the beaches start getting better. While it’s not the best beach on the Gulf Coast, it’s the best mainland beach near Bangkok. Hua […]
Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur: The best areas for visitors
Kuala Lumpur is the biggest city in Malaysia and a major air hub for travel in Southeast Asia. If you are travelling in the region the chances are you are going to pass through here at some point. While it’s nowhere near as big as Bangkok, it’s a spread-out city that can be hard to […]
Thailand islands guide: Every island where you can stay
This is a guide listing every island in Thailand where you can stay. From homestays, camping, bungalows, hostels, guesthouses, hotels, and resorts. Every habitable island in Thailand Thailand has over 1400 islands, though a better number to know is how many islands you can visit, and how many islands can you stay at. This is […]
Don Muang Airport Train: Getting the train from DMK to Central Bangkok
Don Muang was the original airport of Bangkok until it was replaced by Suvarnabhumi. After closing down briefly, it reopened as a hub for low-cost airlines serving flights from the Asia-Pacific region. The airport was served by infrequent long-distance trains at Don Muang Station across the road. If you arrived at the wrong hour you […]
Bangkok to Pattaya by train
Pattaya is a seaside city on the east side of the Bay of Bangkok. Even though Pattaya is only 155 km from Bangkok by train, it’s not well served by rail transport. Here is how to get from Bangkok to Pattaya by train. Bangkok to Pattaya by train There is one train a day in […]
Notes on Udon Thani
Udon Thani is the capital of Udon Thani Province in Northeast Thailand. It is one of the “big four of Isan” alongside Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani, and Khon Kaen. I visited Udon Thani as part of a railway infrastructure tour of Isaan. Udon Thani is currently served by the Northeast Line from Bangkok to Nong […]
Ornamental street signs of Thailand
In Thailand there are many cities that decorate their street signs with icons associated with the city. Here are some that I have seen over the years in my travels in Thailand. Patong Beach, Phuket Patong Beach in Phuket with a dolphin street sign. Krabi Town Krabi Town with a sword-wielding elephant. Of course. Maeklong […]
Notes on Nakhon Phanom: Down by the river, and hanging out at Uncle Ho’s House
Nakhon Phanom is the capital city of Nakhon Phanom Province in northeastern Thailand (Isaan). The city is on the Mekong River above Mukdahan Province, which is where I travelled from. There is a highway near the river that connects Mukdahan to Nakhon Phanom, though you rarely get a glimpse of the water along the way. […]
Where to stay in Hanoi: The best areas for first-time visitors
Hanoi has a population of over 8 million people and is broken up into 30 administrative districts. This soon-to-be megacity is a confusing mess of streets with seemingly as many motorbikes as there are people. [Motorbikes in the Old Quarter.] If you are visiting Hanoi for the first time it may not seem apparent where […]
