Showing 51 - 60 of 137
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.
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.
Exploring Bangkok's old town
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 04/01/2018
» With exceptionally light traffic and lovely weather, Bangkok was wonderful for biking during the recent long holiday weekend. Instead of joining the mass in the exodus out of the capital, on New Year's Eve my friends and I opted to hang around and explore the city on two wheels.
Wiggling towards nirvana
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 23/11/2017
» To me, Bang Saray, a short drive southward from the more touristy Pattaya and Jomtien, has always been synonymous with great seafood. There are quite a few famous restaurants there, especially near the fishing piers. Recently, however, I've gotten to learn first-hand that Bang Saray has a lot more to offer than that, thanks to expat friends. They've even helped me experience nirvana.
Pedalling back in time
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 07/09/2017
» The coastal town of Sichon is 60km north of downtown Nakhon Si Thammarat. The first time I heard this name was 35 years ago when I was 14. I must admit that back then I didn't know much about places beyond the Bang Rak-Sathon area where I grew up, let alone distant parts of the country. But like virtually every teenager of my generation, I "knew" Sichon. That's because a famous music duo of those days named their band after this otherwise unknown town in the South.
Gorgeous George Town
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 10/08/2017
» I've always wanted to go see Penang. This is because every time I visited old towns in the South such as Phuket or Songkhla, I would hear stories from the past about various aspects of the relationship between those Thai towns and this Malaysian island in the Strait of Malacca.
Time travel, minus the DeLorean
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 27/07/2017
» Based on Albert Einstein's theory of relativity, many believe going back to the past is possible if one can travel at a speed close to that of light. But based on my experience, with due respect to the great scientist and his fans, at certain locales one can enjoy something near time travel just by doing the opposite -- going slow. The southern city of Songkhla is one such place.
A rugged beauty
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 18/05/2017
» As the glorious rays of the rising Sun advanced on the massive limestone canyon replacing any remnant of darkness, the true beauty of Oman's geological wonder Jabal Akhdar (Green Mountain) is gradually revealed before my eyes.