Showing 1 - 10 of 30
Saving the best for last
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 25/03/2021
» After spending a couple of late morning hours exploring Photharam on my foldable e-bicycle, I found myself on an islet on the Mae Klong River that runs past the west side of the business district of this old town in Ratchaburi province. The seafood phad kaphrao and rice I had bought for breakfast but didn't have time to eat still looked tempting. With the cool tree shade, the refreshing river breeze and the tranquil natural surrounding, it was a splendid lunch.
See Phuket's dolphins spring into action
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 19/01/2021
» Despite the pandemic, the show, and the livelihood of those involved, must go on.
Drawing on the history of old Bangkok
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 16/12/2020
» Exploring Rattanakosin Island and other old parts of the capital is increasingly popular among Bangkokians. With so many elegant temples and heritage buildings, these areas offer tons of photo opportunities. But instead of using a camera or a smartphone, how about recording your wonderful experience on paper with pencils and paintbrushes?
Melia Koh Samui
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 12/11/2020
» Formerly known as Imperial Boat House, this property on the northeastern side of the island underwent a major renovation and relaunched in January this year.
Roaming in the gloaming
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 05/11/2020
» It was pouring like crazy. I was lucky to find refuge in a noodle shop before getting soaked. It had rained twice since the morning. So far, including the days when I was on Koh Phayam, I never got a chance to shoot -- or even see -- a clear blue sky.
Southeast Asia's birding bubble
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 08/10/2020
» Normally at this time of year, Puwish Lenvaree would station himself in the forests of West Papua, an Indonesian province on New Guinea Island. Over the past three years, he routinely spent much of the latter half of each year on New Guinea and nearby islands such as Waigeo and Halmahera mainly because it's the mating season for birds-of-paradise, which occurs only in that part of the world.
Banyan Tree Samui
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 01/10/2020
» Over the past several months on Koh Samui peacefulness has prevailed, so much so that for the first time in six years green sea turtles came to lay eggs on the island. The secluded beach in front of this property was where three nests were found in February. In early April, 200 hatchlings emerged from the buried nests and hastily made their way into the sea which is their true home. I visited the all-pool villa resort earlier this month but, unlike the turtles, found the place not that easy to leave.
Skipping ahead
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 23/04/2020
» Earlier this month when I launched this bi-weekly Travel Diary series, I had a gut feeling that this coronavirus pandemic could drag on a lot longer than many people had thought. Maybe it could even take a whole year. However, feedback revealed that readers were more optimistic and believe it won’t be that long. Some even suggested that it would benefit them more if — instead of featuring destinations suitable for the season that matches the current time of year, but may not be useful if the travel ban is still in place — I should just skip a couple of months ahead.
Thailand's abundance
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 09/04/2020
» April is usually the height of the hot season. The sea, both in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman, is at its best. The forest, meanwhile, may seem lifeless, yet actually there are a lot of interesting things going on in the ecosystem. Most waterfalls, for example, may not be boasting powerful cascades, but the calm, clear water reveals a fascinating array of fish and other aquatic lifeforms that thrive. And guess what: even during this dry period of the year, there are falls in some protected forests where the water continues to flow down rigorously, regardless of what month is shown on the calendar. Too bad I don't have their photographs in digital form and no time to dig through the piles of slides.
Samet Ville Resort
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 02/04/2020
» Three weeks before the lockdown, having cancelled a trip to Japan, I decided to use my leave days at Ao Wai instead. This beach on Koh Samet of Rayong Province is one of my all-time favourites. Over the past 25 years, I've visited Ao Wai numerous times. Unlike most beaches on the island, this peaceful haven has only one resort. Somehow, I've never written about it until now.