Boten is a town in Laos on the China–Laos border and the most northern stop on the Laos-China Railway, which was what brought me there. Boten is a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) that features in the news for all the wrong reasons. I have been keeping track of Boten news and construction projects at Future […]
Notes on Muang Xai: A stop on the Laos-China Railway
Muang Xai is the capital city of Oudomxai Province in Northern Laos. The city is one of the main stops of the Laos-China Railway, which was what brought me there. Muang Xai isn’t a touristy city, but I wanted to see what it was like and if the railway could change its fortunes. I also […]
Notes on Luang Prabang in the new era of the train
I visited Luang Prabang by train from Vientiane shortly after Laos reopened in 2022. While Luang Prabang was abnormally quiet then, it was evident that Luang Prabang would be transformed by the Laos-China Railway. This is my trip report and general observations. Visiting Luang Prabang before the train My first visit to Luang Prabang was […]
50 years of Lonely Planet: Revisiting Across Asia on the cheap in Thailand
It’s been 50 years since the publication of the original guide book that launched Lonely Planet. Across Asia on the Cheap was published in 1973 by Tony and Maureen Wheeler after overlanding from London to Australia. The publication of the guide book has become the stuff of legend. They typed and stapled the guidebook on […]
Largest islands in Thailand
A list of the largest islands in Thailand ranked by size. What are the largest islands in Thailand? This is a harder question to answer than I thought. Usually Wikipedia would have a list, but the Wiki list of islands of Thailand doesn’t show sizes. There are other lists online, but there are discrepancies between […]
Notes on Vientiane: Riding the new railway and the gravitational pull of China
I visited Vientiane not long after the borders reopened in May 2022. I was there to ride the new Laos-China Railway, which had been running since December 2021. The last time I was in Vientiane was via train from Bangkok, and the next time I visit will probably be when the line from Thailand is […]
Best and worst border crossings in Southeast Asia (in my experience)
Southeast Asia comprises 11 countries, and there are land borders with China, India, Bangladesh, and Papua New Guinea. With so many land, sea, and air gates, there is a variety of border-crossing experiences to be had. I was thinking about border crossings while on the beach in Koh Lipe in Thailand, waiting for a ferry […]
How to go from Koh Lipe to Langkawi by boat
Koh Lipe is the southernmost island in Thailand, and it’s the closest inhabited island to Langkawi in Malaysia. It is possible to travel by boat between the two islands, making it one of the more memorable international border crossings in Southeast Asia. Here is how to go from Koh Lipe to Langkawi by boat. Koh […]
Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal: A guide to Bangkok main train station (AKA Bang Sue Grand Station)
Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (also known as Bang Sue Grand Station) is the new central railway station of Bangkok, replacing the existing Bangkok Station (Hua Lamphong). The station is located next to Bang Sue Junction Station in the north of Bangkok. [Bang Sue Junction next to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal.] The station began […]
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 […]
