Showing 1 - 10 of 10
Place of peace and tranquility
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 19/11/2020
» Ask any Thai to mention the names of the five islands that immediately come to mind, chances are Koh Sichang would be included in the shortlist, maybe even the first. This small island 12km off the coast of Si Racha, Chon Buri, is the closest to the capital.
Verdant pleasures
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 10/10/2019
» Not so long ago, Kanchanaburi's Muang district, which is just a two-and-a-half hours' drive from Bangkok, was seen by many as a mundane destination. And the adjacent district of Tha Muang was nothing more than just another place to drive by. But thanks to the popping up of new photogenic attractions in an area that straddles these two neighbours, Kanchanaburi has regained its prominence on the tourist map.
Fast & precarious
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 06/09/2018
» My heart was filled with excitement as the door of the gondola lift closed and the cable car was slowly leaving the station, taking me, my friend Kent and our downhill bikes up the slope to the trailheads 1,780m above sea level. We had planned this trip for more than half-a-year, and it's happening. A few minutes from now, we would be riding the famous trails of Fujimi, in one of Japan's largest bike parks.
Biking the peaks of Khao Kho Hong
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 20/07/2017
» Hat Yai boasts a number of attractions, but no matter how many days you stay, you cannot say you have seen the best the southern city has to offer unless you have visited Khao Kho Hong. For cyclists, of course, the best way to explore this iconic hill is by bike.
Cycling around Sapa
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 13/10/2016
» Visiting Sapa -- the gateway to Fansipan, Vietnam and Indochina's tallest peak -- used to be on my bucket list. But over the past years since I gave up trekking and engaged more in bike riding, the small mountain town in northeastern Vietnam was edged out of the list by numerous other destinations. Recently, however, Sapa was once again blinked on my radar.
Fly by Singapore
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 23/09/2016
» While the news on Zika in Singapore is making some people think twice about travelling there, the city state's tourism board claims its business partners are offering various promotions that might convince hesitant tourists to reconsider Singapore for their next holiday.
Keeping it tight in Pran Buri
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 29/10/2015
» Pran Buri, just south of Hua Hin, is famous for its namesake beach and river, the big fishing community at Paknam Pran (Pran Buri river mouth), mangrove forest and a few other things. However, not many people, not even the locals, know that this district of Prachuap Khiri Khan is home to two downhill mountain bike tracks.
Breathing in Hokkaido air
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 24/10/2013
» Hope you don't mind reading in this column about mountain bike trails outside Thailand every once in a while. That's because today I have another one I would love to tell you about. It's in Japan, in Niseko, Hokkaido, to be more exact.
A savour of the South
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 21/03/2013
» I often find myself spending more time looking at century-old photographs than more recently taken ones. Despite the dearth of colour, vintage pictures can be fascinating, often guiding you on mental journeys back through time to periods before any person alive today was even conceived.
Ethnic crossroads
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 07/02/2013
» Kazakhstan is not a totally unfamiliar name to the average Thai, since it is occasionally mentioned in news reports, especially those concerning sports. One of the republics of the former Soviet Union, it is now the ninth largest country in the world with a land area five times that of Thailand's. It is a major oil exporter and thus one of the most prosperous countries in Central Asia.