Showing 231 - 239 of 239
On the trail of the great Henri Mouhot
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 05/04/2018
» If you have been to Luang Prabang, you probably have climbed the 300 steps up Phousi, the hill that stands in the middle of the town. From the top, you can see not just the breadth and length of the former Lao capital and a Unesco World Heritage site but also the Mekong River a stone's throw to the west and the smaller Khan River nearby to the east. The two waterways meet just north of Phousi.
Traversing Pathum Thani's history
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 29/03/2018
» It is no secret among my friends that in any plan for road cycling longer than 20km in total they can freely count me out. So when one of them insisted that I go explore his hometown near Bangkok, despite the obvious fact that it involves almost twice the distance I'm willing to ride, I knew there must be something special and worthwhile.
The benefits of making your summer even hotter
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 14/03/2018
» Summer will soon be in full swing, and that means it's a good time to visit the hot springs of Chae Son National Park. To many people, this may not sound so rational, but the height of the hot season -- April, to be exact -- is the only time of year one can witness the massive gathering of cicadas that crowd in the thousands around the pools of warm, mineral-rich water at this park in Lampang province.
The best gyms are found outdoors
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 08/03/2018
» Chuam Jai Bridge in Chiang Mai's Doi Saket district may not yet be a familiar name but for sure it soon will. Over the past months, although not fully completed, this 166m-long suspension bridge has been drawing scores of visitors to Mae Kuang Udom Thara dam where it is located. During my recent visit to the northern province, I couldn't help it. I had to add this new attraction to my itinerary.
A delightful ride in Lop Buri
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 01/03/2018
» Lop Buri may not be so prominent on the tourist map. But it did play an important role in several different periods of Thai history.
To the mountaintop
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 22/02/2018
» Rising 2,285m above mean sea level, Doi Pha Hom Pok of Chiang Mai's Fang district ranks as Thailand's second-highest summit. On my recent visit to the mountaintop -- I had not returned to Doi Pha Hom Pok since I first climbed it 25 years ago -- I wanted to make the most of the trip, so I added biking as part of it.
Thailand pumps it up with world-championship qualifier
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 15/02/2018
» The first-ever Red Bull Pump Track World Championship is set to take place on six continents -- except Antarctica, where there's no real human settlement. Thailand is among the 20-plus countries where at least 24 qualifier events will be held from March to August to determine the best pump track riders for the final competition in Switzerland.
Wintery wonderland
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 08/02/2018
» Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan's major islands, makes up one-fifth of the country's land mass. Yes, it's not small. And definitely, it has much more to offer visitors than the already popular destinations like Sapporo, Otaru, Furano, Niseko or Hakodate in the central and southern areas of this large island.
Calling all adrenaline junkies
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 25/01/2018
» Foreign tourists arriving with oversized luggage -- bike bags -- are a common sight at Chiang Mai International Airport. Although unknown to much of the general public and tourism policymakers, the northern city is one of Asia's most popular destinations for downhill mountain bikers from around the globe, including World Cup pros. Over the past decade, Chiang Mai's position as a bike Mecca keeps growing stronger. And now it is boasting a new downhill track that is sicker than any of its predecessors.