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Christina and I have been to Bangkok many times over the years. Work, weddings, holidays, extended transfers — whenever there’s an excuse to go, we take it.

Bangkok is such an incredible place.

No matter how many times we go there, this city always finds new ways to surprise and thrill.

Whether it’s the traditional streets of the historic Phra Nakhon District that hasn’t changed much in 250 years or the ever-more extravagant rooftop bars at the apex of towering buildings that seem to sprout like mushrooms from the city’s concrete loam, Bangkok just can’t help itself but be extraordinary.

Here are five amazing things to do beyond the usual temple tours and night markets that will show you a whole new side to Bangkok and its surrounds.

Baan Bu Bronzeworks Community

Map reference

In ‘Little Bangkok’ or Bangkok Noi in the north of the city, the Baan Bu community is the last of the once-thriving bronze bowl industry in Bangkok.

The ‘khan long hin’ bowls — highly polished bronze bowls used in Buddhist ceremonies and once only found in high-class homes — are hand-crafted from pucks of bronze, heated and hammered over coal forges.

They’re then polished and buffed by hand until they shine like mirrors. Looking into them is like peering into a bowl of liquid gold.

This process comes down from ancient Siam, when Ayutthaya was the capital and Bangkok was still marshland.

Baan Bu, its forge and shop can be a bit tricky to find, but catching a train to Thon Buri Station will get you close. This station, by the way, is the very start of the famed Death Railway from WWII. Check out our story here.

Warehouse 30 Gallery

Map reference

Directly across the river from the Iconsiam shopping centre and sharing a wall with the Portuguese Embassy is a complex of repurposed warehouses that form this energetic creative space.

Here, contemporary artists have room to display their works — from paintings to full-blown sculptural installations — boutiques sell handicraft, workshops and vintage shops. You’ll also find a couple of cafes and bars here for refreshment, and even a spa if you feel like a massage or treatment.

The range of art here is impressive and constantly changing. Local and international creators display their works on a rolling programme so there’s always something new to see here in this vibrant, colour-filled corner of the city.

Jim Thompson House

Map reference

Close to the MBK Shopping Centre and on the banks of one of Bangkok’s many canals, the Jim Thompson House is a fascinating museum to the enigmatic entrepreneur and ex-CIA agent who single-handedly revitalised the Thai silk trade in the 1950s and ‘60s.

Regular tours go through Thompson’s rambling timber house, which he designed and built himself. You can see his various collections of art and objects, as well as learning more about his life — though it’s his mysterious disappearance in March 1967 that’s the most interesting part of the story.

There’s also a shop where you can buy Thai silk in all manner of products and there’s usually a silk-spinning demonstration going on.

What’s more, there’s even an excellent restaurant on site serving classic Thai dishes, though it’s more expensive than most eateries serving similar dishes around town.

You can see our write-up and video on the Jim Thompson House Museum here.

Royal Barges National Museum and Boatyard

Map reference

One of the stranger and more difficult-to-find museums in Bangkok, the Royal Barges Museum displays several traditional long-tail barges used exclusively by the Thai royal family.

Think being able to see the US presidential Beast or a ceremonial carriage of the British royal family up close.

In an undercover dock in the north of the city across the river from the National Museum and National Gallery, this is a working shipyard where highly-skilled craftspeople maintain these auspicious boats.

Getting here can be tricky. Trust your guide/Google Maps — the alleys and laneways seemingly through people’s back yards do lead to the museum in the end.

CBT Baan Don Kai Dee Benjarong Porcelain Art

Map reference

Southwest of Bangkok, Don Kai Dee (or ‘Don Ki Di’) is the home of Benjarong Porcelain — some of the most beautiful porcelain ware in the world.

You can watch the skilled craftspeople here hand paint elegant figures, pots, cups and plates, and even have a go yourself (it takes about an hour and the shop will send you your work once its been fired and glazed).

This delicate technique of intricate designs comes down from the Chinese Ming Dynasty, painting multiple colours onto fine white porcelain, and is the traditional Thai style. From 13th to 18th Centuries, this porcelain style was made exclusively for the Thai royal court.

The post 5 Unexpected Things To Do In Bangkok appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

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Bangkok is one of those great paradoxical cities of the world where the only time you should be surprised is when nothing is out of the ordinary. It’s a place of the unexpected, and the hotel bar of the Four Seasons in the riverside district of Sathon illustrates my point to a tee.

As we disgorge from the taxi into the sweltering heat of the Bangkok afternoon, Christina and I breathe in the warm air before stepping into the delicately scented air conditioning of the hotel’s beautiful lobby.

We’re here to check out the watering hole of the Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River: the BKK Social Club, recognised as one of the world’s best bars.

Since 2022, this bar has won a swathe of awards: 14th best bar in the world, 10th best bar in Asia, number one in Thailand… an impressive haul, but we’re curious to see what the best bar in a city like Bangkok looks like.

BKK Social Club, Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River

We pass slowly through the hotel, elegantly decorated and interestingly furnished. The gleaming white marble floors give way to occasional water features that trickle and tinkle behind subtle music and the muted chatter of other guests.

Winding our way to the back of the hotel where the broad milk tea waters of the Chao Phraya River sweeps by.

On our right are tiered pools that step down towards the riverbank, but on our left is the bar itself: the BKK Social Club with its grand dark doors flung wide for us.

Check out our other stories that explore Bangkok, its nightlife, food scenes and accommodation here!

This is our favourite food tour to do in Bangkok!

Click here for the best prices on Bangkok accommodation!

Once we’re welcomed in and seated in a comfortable booth, we take in the majesty of our surroundings.

Hugely vaulted 5m ceilings hold up beautiful art deco lights. Hanging from scalloped pendants that glide into gilt geometric patterns, this pairing of colonial Latin America and traditional Southeast Asian architecture is so striking.

From the ceiling, towering columns glimmer in the low light, while the bar gleams golden along the back wall. Along both sides of the room, booths like ours sit under high-arched facades, and the middle of the bar are tables and comfortable lounges.

Food and Drink at BKK Social Club

As we sit down, a non-alcoholic welcome drink and some snacks arrive on our table. The drink seems to be chilled rosella but with a flare that gives us an insight into the wonders within the pages of the cocktail menu.

As for the food, the bowl of crisp veggie chips and mini tacos of corn and chipotle make us realise that we’re actually quite hungry.

Round 1

Soon, our cocktails come out: a Carratera and a Jimador. The Carratera is a smoky yet balanced mezcal negroni blended behind a wall of coffee vermouth and the sweetness of pineapple Campari.

The Jimador, a tequila cocktail, is fresh and perfectly balanced with its flavours of citrus and pistachio.

To go with our delicious cocktails, we have beef tartare on wonderful little discs of purple corn tostada that crumble rather than crunch. The beef is diced to finely it’s almost a paste then mixed with smoked capsicum and eggplant, cipolline onion and guacamole.

We also have some soft tacos filled with the most incredibly tender barbecue pork belly. The dish is smoky and moreish, and the hint of spice from chimichurri goes perfectly with our tequila and mezcal cocktails.

Round 2

For our second round of drinks, we go barrel-aged with the Pique and the Since 1942, Don Julio Old Fashioned.

Named after the World Cup mascot from Mexico 1986, this clever cocktail is like biting into a crisp apple, bringing out all the rich flavours of the Japanese whisky while the touch of heat from the Ancho Reyes chilli liqueur warms you from the inside.

Using decedent Don Julio Extra Anejo tequila, Since 1942, the Don Julio O.F. is easily the most expensive cocktail on the menu and the most opulent too. Along with this exquisitely balanced old fashioned style drink comes some serious food theatre flex that only the Four Seasons could think of.

Borne on a silver platter, the cocktail’s only garnish is a perfectly clear ice block with the bar’s insignia melted into it. Next to the thick crystal tumbler is an amuse bouche of pandan jelly and a bump of beluga caviar. It’s a crazy drink, but the flavours gallop and party in your mouth for days.

We’re not finished yet!

Just as we’re about to leave, we’re told there’s a leaving drink. We should finish with a frozen margarita. The fruit changes every day (today’s is strawberry) and — to quote our server — it’s “the tastiest, booziest frozen marg you’ve ever had!”

I tell you what, she was right.

And while we’re quoting people here, these are some of the snippets of conversation we overhear during our visit to BKK Social:

• “That’s the best cocktail I’ve ever had.”
• “Every cocktail tonight has been perfectly balanced.”
• “That’s one of the best smelling bathrooms I’ve ever been in.”

If that’s not enough to convince you that this is the best bar in Thailand, I don’t know what will.

The BKK Social Club is a superlative bar, completely in tune with Four Seasons’ ability to create a bar worthy of any world-class city’s drinking scene, but that fits with this city’s identity perfectly.

We visited the BKK Social Club as media guests, but our experiences and opinions remain our own.

The post World’s Best Bars To Visit — BKK Social Club, Bangkok appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Brown and boiling, the muddy rolling turmoil of the Chao Phraya River cuts Bangkok’s hectic landscape in two. At a certain point, it bends gently north, making for the shimmering gold of the King Rama VIII Bridge.

On the western shore is Thonburi, a part of Bangkok that was once its own kingdom.

To the river’s east is Rattanakosin Island – the genesis district of the City of Angels.

Better known as Bangkok Old Town, Rattanakosin Island is the most revered part of the city. Not an island in a true sense though it is surrounded by water, Old Town is flanked by the Chao Phraya on one side and the canal networks on the other.

But this area is the home of many of the city’s major landmarks, including the Wat Pho and the Reclining Buddha, the Royal Palace and the last two remaining forts of the original Bangkok.

Here also you will find the Riva Surya.

Check out our video walkthrough of the hotel here:

Click here to view the video on Youtube.

Where to stay in Bangkok Old Town – Riva Surya Hotel

I always love how the high-quality Bangkok hotels can ‘unplug’ you from the chaos of the city – a feeling of momentary sanctuary.

It’s a bit like free diving; you come to the surface long enough to take a breath before hastily plunging back into the fascinating world that awaits.

Riva Surya’s long lobby does exactly that. As you walk through the doors, you seem so far from the busy streets of the city. Regal colours, dark furniture and beautiful flower displays calm you and puts you at ease.

Other details like traditional artwork, carved wooden screens and old artefacts on the walls are a clear nod to the heritage of this part of town.

The lobby connects right through to the pool and eventually the river itself, with discrete check-in and concierge desks, lifts and comfortable sofas in between.

The rooms

Our room was a superior room and the largest type in this hotel. It’s big enough to house an enormous bed, a comfortable lounge and dining table, as well as all the other trappings of a modern hotel.

The balcony is quite large too – and the 2.5-seater sofa doesn’t feel out of place here.

But it’s the view from the balcony that’s the real draw card.

Looking out over the pool, you also get an unhindered vista of the Chao Phraya River all the way up to the single golden spire of the King Rama VIII Bridge.

Back by the door, the room’s bathroom is enclosed within glass partition walls. It doesn’t feel that private to be honest, but it’s ok.

It’s well decorated and appointed, and the glass walls mean there’s plenty of natural light.

Riva Surya Bangkok – hotel facilities

As well as the beautiful saltwater-chlorine pool, guests have a large gym at their disposal.

Poolside, there are also a cabanas and daybeds to recline on and enjoy the riverside sun.

The bar can serve a full selection of cocktails and food while you relax, so you can really enjoy this beautiful spot. There’s even a charcoal barbecue grill that guests can enjoy cooking their own seafood on if they wish.

Breakfast is also on the deck near the river or inside in the formal dining area. As with the rest of the hotel, the restaurant and breakfast rooms are elegantly decorated with so much attention to detail.

Take your stay to the next level – and the level beyond that!

The Riva Surya takes full advantage of its riverside location and has its own jetty. You can either arrive by car at the street entrance or even better, turn up via one of the hotel’s boats.

We explored the Riva Surya’s sister hotel – Riva Arun, which is a little way up stream. This new hotel has incredible views across the water to the stunning temple Wat Arun.

Above Riva, the hotel’s rooftop bar, serves superb cocktails and snacks – highly recommended for sunset, watching the lights come on and the sun sink behind the Temple of Dawn is simply awe-inspiring.

Another boat transfer to Supatra River House – what used to be the hotel owner’s house – is the next stop on a truly memorable night. This formal Thai restaurant serves some of the best traditional Thai dishes you’ll find.

A speedboat back to Riva Surya and a nightcap in one of the poolside cabanas completes your special night – the most memorable way to experience the romance of Bangkok.

Check out our other stories about travelling in Thailand:

– 11 reasons to visit Chiang Mai
– Our travel guide to Ayutthaya – Thailand’s forgotten capital
– Beyond Krabi – Koh Klang the eco-tourism island

We travelled as media with Tourism Authority of Thailand and stayed as guests at the Riva Surya.

The post Riva Surya Hotel – riverside luxury in Bangkok Old Town appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

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By the banks of one of Bangkok’s oldest and longest canals sits a mansion. Hidden amidst its lush, tropical gardens and secret water fountains is the Jim Thompson House. It represents a keystone to a mystery, a history of a legacy and the home of a legend.

On the far side of the canal is the district of Ban Khrua, the home and workshops of silk weavers for centuries.

It’s because of this that Jim Thompson, an American expat with a fascinating past, chose to build his landmark home in the midst of Thailand’s centre of silk. But the story doesn’t start – or end – here.

Watch our quick video of the Jim Thompson House here:

Click here to watch this video over on YouTube.

Jim Thompson House Museum, shop and restaurant

These days, the Jim Thompson House is a popular tourist attraction for Thais and overseas visitors alike.

The house, which was designed by Jim Thompson himself, is in fact a number of houses turned into one. Most of the building materials were from dismantled 19th Century homes Thompson brought from Thailand’s ancient old capital Ayutthaya to maintain a level of authenticity.

But Thompson was set on modernising this remarkable building.

He introduced many things that Thais had never seen in houses before. He installed internal stairs, he built toilet and bathroom facilities, he did strange things like had window shutters opening outwards and even had the decorative walls, which Thais would usually have on the outside, put on the inside so that he could enjoy them.

He even had beautiful wooden floorboard laid, and truly stunning black and white marble tiles he somehow gleaned from the old royal palace.

Thompson also collected a huge number of artefacts during his life in Southeast Asia.

Many of these you can see as you’re guided through the building.

Tour of the Jim Thompson House

Unlike most museums, you can only go into the Jim Thompson House when accompanied by a guide.

Carefully controlled and regimented, visitors have to gather according to the number on their ticket and wait for their allotted time slot.

This is also a shoes-off experience, so if you’re not into the barefoot thing, remember to bring socks.

The tour takes about 30 minutes and your guide will take you through the various rooms, explaining the displays.

After his disappearance (we’ll get to that in a minute), Jim Thompson’s family donated his house and collections to Thailand as a monument to culture and history of the country. So all of Thompson’s finest pieces of art, icons and furniture are still here.

There is a no-photo no-video policy within the building during the tour, but once outside, you’re free to explore the grounds at your leisure and snap away.

If you’re hungry, there is also a rather up-market restaurant within the grounds.

Food here is excellent – traditional Thai dishes served in beautiful tableware that mirrors the opulent artefacts in Jim Thompson’s house.

We can recommend the larb, massaman beef curry and the king prawn pad see ew.

What is Jim Thompson’s story?

Trained as an architect, it seemed a bit out of place for Jim Thompson to enlist in the armed forces. But his background as an Olympian – he represented the USA sailing team in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics – suggests a more active, able and adventurous man.

During his tenure in the National Guard during WWII, Thompson was recruited to join the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) – the forerunner to the CIA. He travelled extensively as a spy and liberator, and finally found his way to Thailand.

After becoming a civilian again, Thompson followed in his father’s footsteps, who had been a wealthy textile manufacturer, and put his money into an all but forgotten silk industry and brought it back to life.

He found the best silk was made in Ban Khrua and set up his business on the banks of Bangkok’s Khlong Saen Saep canal.

King Rama III had built the canal in 1837 to transport troops and weapons. It stretched 72km to Thailand’s east in the wars over Cambodia between then-Siam and Annam (modern-day Vietnam).

But some 110 years later, Jim Thompson put the waterway to his own – more artistic, industrial – purposes.

He used it to transport silk.

Thompson’s silk business employed local crafts people who had been spinning and weaving silk for generations. His business allowed these artisans to continue their cottage industry and maintain their households at the same time.

It might not have been the most cost-effective method, but it endeared Thompson to the locals.

This same silk is sold in the Jim Thompson House shop on the museum grounds.

Broadway intervention

For years, his silk business didn’t do much, but then an old contact came into play.

While still in the OSS, he had been stationed in the American embassy in Thailand with US missionary Kenneth Landon, working to diffuse tension on Thailand’s borders. Landon’s wife Margaret wrote the book Anna and the King of Siam, which then became the Broadway hit The King and I.

The actors were all clothed in Jim Thompson’s silk, and his empire finally found a footing. It was an empire that brought Thompson success, wealth and notoriety. And it brought Thailand’s once most valuable commodity back to life.

Jim Thompson’s disappearance

What happened to the man who did so much for the region, no one really knows… or if they do, they’re not telling.

While visiting friends in Malaysia, Thompson vanished without a trace on the evening of Sunday March 26 1967. Extensive searches have been carried out over the years, but to no conclusion.

The mystery seems to add even more of a halo of enigma to this unique individual who saved Thailand’s silk trade from extinction. Because of this – and perhaps because he insisted on maintaining the heritage of the local craftspeople instead of using factories – Jim Thompson is a figure revered by his adopted nation.

How to get to the Jim Thompson House

You can arrive either by road or by canal to the house. It’s in central Bangkok, so it’s quite well connected. The BTS Silom Line will get you close – the National Stadium stop is nearby.

But a ferry to Baan Krua Nua will bring you a five-minute walk away and you get to enjoy the canals that give Bangkok its moniker of Venice of the East.

Otherwise taxis all know this place.

The closest hotel to the Jim Thompson House is the excellent Hua Chang Heritage Hotel – only a four-minute walk along the canal. You can see our full review and video of the Hua Chang here.

The Jim Thompson House is an important part of Thailand’s history, a beautiful place to visit and a valuable, fascinating part of this unfathomable city’s makeup.

We visited the Jim Thompson House as media with Tourism Authority Thailand.

The post Visiting Jim Thompson House – the soldier, the sailor, the spy and the screenplay appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Flames leap from busy grills and savoury smoke fills what little space the crowd leaves – the homogenous mass squeezing down the shining street as it inspects each delectable stall in turn.

First a barrow with glazed roasted ducks dangling like orange candles. Next a donut trolley that fries then grills then fills the donuts with chocolate*.

Next soup, next curry, next grilled prawns.

Next a cart hung with sheets of crispy crackly pork belly where the vendor hacks chunks off with a huge knife and serves the pork with an unctuous sauce over rice and a gooey egg.

Check out our video glance of Yaowarat:

Click here to watch the video on YouTube.

There are shops piled high with teas, mushrooms, seafood and even the legendary durian.

And round one nondescript corner into an alley, we find the ‘musical chairs curry shop’ Jek Pui Curry. Lining one wall, a bank of stoves bubble and steam with various pots.

At the back of the eatery, you pull up a stool in the alley and wait for your pick of curries. It’s a local favourite and for good reason.

*This particular stall, run by a father and his sons, is where, so far, two Michelin Plates have landed – awarded “where inspectors have discovered quality food” – for their ‘Yaowarat toast’.

How to get to Yaowarat

Known locally as Yaowarat after the main street it’s on, Chinatown winds through the western part of Bangkok, close to the Chao Phraya River. Locals also call Yaowarat Road ‘Dragon Road’ as it bends and flexes its way through the city much like the mythical beast.

Confusingly, Yaowarat means ‘young king’ – from when King Rama V named it after his son Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhis. The actual Dragon Road (Mangkon Road) runs perpendicular to Yaowarat.

This small street is home to Wat Mangkon – the Dragon Temple; the most sacred Chinese Buddhist temple in the country.

You’ll also find the MRT station Wat Mangkon here. This is the best option for getting to Chinatown, as you not only avoid the terrible traffic, you also get to walk past the temple and visit if you have time.

The station itself is also worth exploring.

Decorated to look like its eponymous temple, the station also has interactive murals and trompe l’œil style exhibits you can have a lot of fun with.

Following Mangkon Road south, it drops you in the heart of Chinatown, emerging from this quiet(ish) backstreet into the blazing lights, rich, vibrant colours, and tempest of aromas and movement of Yoawarat.

It is a thrill to the senses.

Life on Yaowarat is a constantly moving picture of light and colour

Yaowarat proffers the promise of rewards for the inquisitive gallivanting gourmand; the travelling foodie and the foodie traveller alike.

Of course, you’re guaranteed sumptuous food, but the risk of something challenging or unexpected arriving on your plate makes the experience all the more exciting.

Postcards from Yaowarat – Bangkok’s Chinatown

Door to the Dragon Road

This shop in Yaowarat sells an incredible range of mushrooms

Huge piles of spiky stinky durian loom from another shop. This fruit has a reputation, but in truth it’s very tasty.

A local picks through a Yaowarat shop laden with all kinds of colourful fruit

A motorcycle taxi driver takes a break amidst the noise and chaos of Yaowarat’s streets. He’s even slipped his shoes off.

This man stretches dough out into long sausages, cut it into pieces while his son fries the dough into delicious donuts. In the stall next door, another son grills the doughnuts and covers them in your choice of rich sauce – from chocolate to pandan.

Michelin began a new food award in 2018 – the Michelin Plate. This donut stall has two plates so far and surely more to come.

It’s a tough life working the braziers of Yaowarat. Most stalls are open all night until dawn.

This chef carefully balances flavours to craft a bowl soup traditional to central China

You’re lucky to get a table at this soup restaurant in the heart of Yaowarat. But it’s worth the wait

Great sheets of puffy crispy pork belly hang from the roof of this cart. They hack chunks off with a huge knife and serve the crackling with a soft egg and a sweet, spicy barbecue style sauce

Floating tuktuk

As night falls on Yaowarat, police narrow this five-lane road down to two for hungry pedestrians and new arrivals in packed tuktuks.

Known as the musical chairs curry joint, Jek Pui Curry takes up a little alley with its red stools

Jek Pui Curry has so many food options – just make sure you get extra Chinese sausage. And watch out for the chilli sauce in the nearby caddies. It’s hot!

Fresh noodles made to order at White Dragon Noodle – a Yaowarat institution

Seafood skewers and satay

Old and new – a fun ‘squidcat’ sign in front of one of the oldest restaurants in Chinatown

Yaowarat is one of the most exiting and interesting parts to Bangkok. The number of times we’ve been to this incredible city, but we’ve always been put off by people telling us it’s always too busy and the traffic’s appalling… but it’s worth it.

We were here just before the Covid-19 pandemic locked the whole world down, so crowds were much smaller than usual.

For more stories from our travels to Thailand, click here!

You might also like:

Our travel guide to Thailand’s forgotten capital

The secrets of Pak Khlong Talat – Bangkok’s flower markets

A Bangkok oasis – Hua Chang Heritage Hotel

We travelled to Thailand as guests of the Thailand Tourism Board.

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Down the quiet side street that is Soi 20, it feels like we’ve entered a bubble of peace amidst the constant craziness of the Sukhumvit Road.

*The Well Hotel rebranded in late 2020 to the Courtyard Marriott Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

Here, waiting calmly for us, is the Well Hotel – welcoming our travel-weary souls with a wholesome smile.

From the sanctuary of the Well Hotel’s pleasantly perfumed reception and fruit-infused ice water, it feels like we’re a hundred miles from the nearest traffic jam or sweaty, shoving crowd.

Yet we’re a moment’s walk from one of the main arterial highways that crosses Bangkok and continues all the way to the very borders of Cambodia.

It’s as if the Well Hotel is the Yin to Sukhumvit’s Yang, the stent to Bangkok’s occlusion, the tonic to what ails this incredible city.

Our video walkthrough of the Well Hotel Bangkok:

Click here to watch this video on YouTube.

Sukhumvit

Named after the mighty 400km road that starts its life in and bisects this Bangkok district, Sukhumvit is the pounding heart of the city. Once home to affluent Thais, it’s now also filled with affluent expats.

The range of nightlife and hotels in this area is also impressive and brings a lot of attention to this part of town. It’s a popular tourist spot night and day, and the constant mass of people makes Sukhumvit a fascinating part of Bangkok.

Each main street or ‘soi’ coming off the main road has its own personality, and the district has about 60 of them.

Within the district there are a number of neighbourhoods too. The Well Hotel in Soi 20 is in the Asok neighbourhood (Soi 12-23), known for some of the city’s best nightlife, hotels and restaurants.

If you want more information on the Sukhumvit district, check out What’s On Sukhumvit.

Sukhumvit Soi 20 is the perfect setting for the Well Hotel. Mostly ignored by the crowds but right up in the face of the action, Soi 20 has the best of both worlds.

It’s also well connected with Asoke BTS Station and Sukhumvit MRT subway station only a short walk away.

There’s also the taxi option, but be aware that the nearby Asok Intersection is famous for its traffic congestion – and in Bangkok, that’s really saying something.

Well Hotel Bangkok

This small boutique-style 235-room hotel in the middle of it all is perfect for a city break or a longer stay. Its focus is on wellness, but not in a preachy or judgy sort of way.

Our room

Our Deluxe room – the mid-range option of the five room types here – was spacious and comfortable with windows that actually open and the luxury of a big bath at our disposal.

We were expecting to find an exercise bike and yoga kit in our room, but that’s only in the suites and executive rooms.

We were fine with that.

The wellness theme of the hotel was still clear though, with things like pictures of plants and their health benefits on the wall.

We were impressed with the virtual concierge – a touchscreen on the room’s phone. You can book everything from room service to spa treatments from here.

Hotel facilities

For a small hotel, the Well packs plenty in. On level 7, there’s an open-air saltwater pool, where they hold daily aqua-aerobics, a gym and even a muay Thai studio.

There’s also a full-service spa here that offers all the treatments you’d expect. Prices here are about the lowest you’ll find for a massage in a Bangkok hotel.

Breakfast, which is served in the other wing of the hotel, is full of tasty fresh options and plenty of authentic-tasting Thai dishes too.

In this area, you’ll also find the bistro and bar, serving from lunch to midnight. The bar – Twist – offers a number of alcohol alternatives to stay in line with the hotel’s healthy image but can also mix up a cocktail no problems.

The bistro has a much more international flavour than breakfast, featuring western dishes with a French influence thanks to the kitchen’s head chef Gregory Caplot.

With Bangkok’s non-stop nature and its reputation for bohemian laissez-faire, the Well Hotel offers refuge and respite.

There’s nothing quite like coming back to its cool calm after a day out in Bangkok’s sweltering odious streets dodging crowds and mopeds, negotiating markets, and chancing your arm at a hawker’s food stand.

If it’s peace in chaos you’re after, you’ll be Well accommodated here.

Secrets of the Flower Market Bangkok

7 ways to spot a safe elephant sanctuary

11 reasons to visit Chiang Mai, Thailand

Check out the rest of our library here for more on Thailand.

We were invited to stay at the Well Hotel as media with the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The post Where to stay in Bangkok – from traffic to tranquility appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Above the hubbub from the marketplace bustling below us, the sizzle and crackle of toasting spices prickled our ears. Sweet, spicy, savoury smells sailed about us, making us hungry, making us cook faster.

*Sadly, The Market Experience had to permanently closed down as a result of COVID-19, but their parent company Expique still offers tuk tuk tours and other experiences around Bangkok, and the Flower Markets are definitely well worth visiting.

Trying to distract us from our labours, the broad busy market sent sounds and smells of its own up to our mezzanine kitchen. Its stacked stalls and barrelling barrow boys steering teetering loads through the throngs was a maze of fascination for us.

Moments before, it was us down there, amidst the chaos of Pak Khlong Talat – Bangkok’s biggest and oldest market for fresh produce. Led by our guide and cooking instructor, we foraged for ingredients, bringing back all manner of things – the makings of a Thai feast.

Click here to watch this video on YouTube.

Pak Khlong Talat market, Bangkok

Pak Khlong Talat – “market at the mouth of the canal” – can trace its history back to the late 1700s, and has become a popular spot for tourists in recent years. Running 24 hours a day, this packed market, full of noise, commotion, colours and culture, the attraction is understandable.

It’s distinctly Bangkok.

Some stalls are piled high with fresh flowers and bright garlands – sold for celebrations and godly offerings. Others sell great baskets of chillies as red as rubies and pointed like devils’ teeth.

Glints of bright orange turmeric root glimmer from others; swathes of green herbs, coconuts stacked like cannonballs, jack fruit like spiky balloons, the splayed hands and pink fingers of fresh galangal, and the bundles of lemongrass like kindling for the kitchen – it’s a delight to the senses.

Check out our video walkthrough of the country’s biggest flower and fresh produce market:

Click here to watch this video on YouTube.

Often known simply as the Flower Market, this is the heart of Bangkok Oldtown. The biggest flower market in Thailand and one of the largest in the world, Pak Khlong Talat sits a street back from the banks of the mighty Chao Phraya River, whose waters course through the Thai capital.

Indeed, it’s this river that has brought much of what’s for sale here for over 300 years.

Barges arrive just before dawn and the already heaving walkways and passages become a fervent flurry of hucksters, mopeds, trolleys and giant woven baskets fit to burst with all kinds of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. And of course flowers.

By early lunchtime, the market calms to a steady in-and-out flow of people and goods, and you can peruse the stalls without fear of getting in the way – or worse.

The now sleepy stallholders smile, understanding the interest this place garners.

Visitors and locals alike treasure Pak Khlong Talat – its history, its energy and its nature embody this city’s vibrant hectic personality.

The Market Experience foraging and cooking class

The Market Experience takes advantage of several unique factors literally on its doorstep to create a travel experience that we will certainly hold dear forever.

Learning to cook traditional (and delicious) Thai recipes with food we’ve bought from the very stalls below us is an amazing experience.

But to be taught by skilled chefs who were brought up in and alongside the markets here adds that extra element of beauty to what the Market Experience team offer.

Private Thai cooking class – forage, cook and eat

Our private cooking class starts with miang khum – literally ‘single bite’. This snack is a combination of fresh, spicy, sweet and salty flavours you wrap up in a betel leaf and pop in your mouth. It’s a typical snack and a fun way to put the tastebuds in gear!

From there, we delve into the depths of Pak Khlong Talat, guided by our excellent chef/teacher Mr Tum. Could there be a better name for a food master?

We shop from one stall to the next, Tum explaining many of the things we find and talking to the vendors – people he’s grown up with. Generally, the market-holders don’t have much English, so this is a rare opportunity to communicate with them freely.

We meet a lady who de-stems chillies all day. Chillies with no stems are worth twice as much as the ones with their green stalks still attached.

She earns 4 Baht per kilo.

Not much money, but she’s fast – she can get through about a kilo an hour. When we ask her if her hands burn from the chillies, Tum tells us she’s been doing this for years and doesn’t really feel it anymore.

Tum introduces us to the lady who’s been running the same stall for 40 years. She makes and sells knom thom – a heavenly ‘boiled snack’ of sticky rice made into balls, filled with palm sugar and covered in shredded coconut.

Finally, we find the coconut man.

He has the special equipment that will give us the freshest coconut cream we’ve ever had. First he shreds big chunks of coconut flesh in a special machine, then passes the shreds through a press. The thick white liquid collects in a bag underneath the machine. This is going to make the curries we’re cooking something truly special.

Back upstairs, we learn the art of balancing flavours the way only Thais can.

The pad thai is surprisingly light and fragrant, the papaya salad, fresh, vibrant and spicy, and the curries – we opt for a green and a red – are rich, complex and packed with flavour.

As we sit down to enjoy the fruits of our labours, we realise that the tricks we’ve learnt today make a huge difference to flavour. Things like the rule-of-thumb 1:2 ratio for galangal and lemongrass and that the balance of sweet, sour, salt and spice come naturally to Thais.

It’s a revelation for us.

Sweetness often comes in the form of palm sugar (a different source to the environmental horror of palm oil by the way). Sour is from a variety of ingredients: galangal, lime and tamarind are common. Salt is more often than not from fish sauce, though shrimp paste or soy sauce is also up there.

We leave the Market Experience kitchen feeling full and a step closer to understanding Thailand’s culture and its food. Two things so inherently fused that one can’t exist without the other.

The Market Experience, the Flower Market, Bangkok

The Market Experience offers a range of different classes and tours, from our four-hour private foraging and cooking class to a one-hour cook-and-eat option. They also run tours of the markets and flower arranging classes here.

Whichever experience you choose, you’ll be left with knowledge and memories that will last a lifetime.

We travelled as media with the Tourism Authority of Thailand

The post Cook, eat, live Bangkok – understanding Thai food flavours with The Market Experience appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

We travel in troubling times. The outbreak of the coronavirus COVID-19 has everyone in a scramble.

It’s easy to get caught up in the microcosm of regular life and the onslaught from pretty much every quadrant of the media. 

So this week we journey to Thailand and one of Asia’s truly great cities to get an understanding of what things are currently like in the wider world. 

Then from the humid, busy streets of Bangkok to the brilliance and grandeur of southern Thailand’s coast, we head to the beach to check out the vibe there.

We hope you enjoy this Weekly Edition and that it sheds some light on the climate overseas.

For more detail on our trip, you can check out our Instagram Story highlights for Bangkok and Ayutthaya here and for our time in Krabi and the coast here.

Cheers – Christina & Jim x

A tuktuk driver looks for passengers on the Dragon Road of Bangkok’s Chinatown

As soon as we’ve checked in and had a shower, Jim and I are out on the bustling streets of Bangkok on the hunt for food. 

We’ve come to the city’s Chinatown, the heartland of hawker food in Bangkok and we’re not disappointed. All the delicious things we’ve been dreaming about since the last time we were in Thailand are here and plenty more. 

It’s not so busy on the Dragon Road – a byproduct of the coronavirus scare. But of those that are here, there’s a confidence in them that shows the panic hasn’t reached Bangkok yet. 

You’ll see face masks on public transport and the occasional pair of latex gloves worn, but for the most part, the only effects of COVID-19 you’ll see here are bottles of hand sanitiser everywhere and smaller crowds.

Check out our photo post and video on Bangkok’s Chinatown here.

The old Customs House building on the Chao Phraya River

After breakfast at our digs in the Well Hotel – an residence focused on health and wellness, somewhat salient in these difficult times – we head to the river. 

There are several options for boat rides along the broad waters of the sea-bound Chaophraya River, but the ChaoPhraya Tourist Boat’s hop-on-hop-off service is a great option.

For 200 Baht, you can board and disembark as many times as you want for the whole day and see sights like the old Customs House building, which is now home to the Bangkok River Fire Service, float by.

Wat Arun – the Temple of Dawn

Perhaps most impressive though is Wat Arun – the Temple of Dawn. This spectacular temple has its own wharf and is well worth a look around. It’s full of relics from Chinese trade ships and is decorated with pieces of porcelain thought to be the ships’ ballast.

Normally, this temple would be packed with tourists. 

Today, it feels like we have the place to ourselves. This is good and bad really. It’s a luxury to have the run of the temple, but at the same time, it’s a sad testament to how few people are travelling at the moment.

The Glass Tray Experience 310m above Bangkok

From the edge of the river, we go to the edge of the world. Atop the King Power building – a fantastic piece of architecture that looks like it’s digitally disintegrating – is Mahanakhon Sykwalk and the Glass Tray Experience. 

Some 310 metres above the city on the  78th floor, this huge sheet of glass lets you really feel like you’re hovering above Bangkok. It’s a heady experience but one not to be missed. 

On the floor below is one of Bangkok’s finest restaurants – Mahanakhon Bangkok Skybar. Dinner here is a treat indeed, with international options and Thai classics with a modern spin. And the floor-to-ceiling windows give you views out across the glittering city.

Views from Above Riva in Bangkok Oldtown

Another great spot for views of Bangkok is Above Riva – the restaurant and bar of the beautiful riverside hotel Riva Arun. As the name suggests, this hotel is very close to Wat Arun – just across the river in fact.

As the sun goes down, the Temple of Dawn lights up, as do the other beautiful sights close to the bar.

The likes of Wat Pho, the Royal Palace, Wat Galaya and Rama VIII Bridge glow amongst the buildings of Bangkok Old Town. 

We’ve got plenty to tell you about the Riva Arun and its bar, not to mention the hotel we’ve moved to now – the elegant Riva Surya nearby. Across the river is also the Supatra River House restaurant – a superb dinner spot for romance and special occasions.

Watch this space for reviews of all these places!

Silk-spinning at the Jim Thompson House, Bangkok

Another culturally significant place to visit is the Jim Thompson House. After settling in Bangkok, this American architect made a name for himself (and lots of money!) by reinvigorating the Thai silk industry.

He mysteriously disappeared in Malaysia but his executors donated his house to Thailand. You can now explore this interesting property and even see silk being spun.

Read more about the Jim Thompson House, its museum and its restaurant here.

Flowers at the Bangkok Flower Markets

Our hotel – Riva Surya – is in an amazing location, close to the flower markets of Bangkok. If you haven’t been to these markets, you have to visit them. They’re full of flowers, garlands and displays that are mostly for tributes to temples. 

There’s also a fruit and vegetable market here that’s worth checking out just to experience the impressive scale of fresh produce you can get here. From stacks of chillies and sacks of fresh turmeric to coconut cream that the man squeezes fresh for you, it’s all here.

But there’s an extra level to this place – figuratively and literally…

Pad Thai from the Market Experience cooking school

Red Thai chicken curry made by us at the Market Experience cooking school, Bangkok

These two dishes aren’t from a fancy Thai restaurant or even a hawker’s stall. 

We made them!

With the help of the talented Tum at the Market Experience. Above the flower market, Tum and his colleagues run cooking lessons where you first forage the ingredients from the stalls below us.

You then take them back up to the kitchen and learn how to use the fresh chilli, turmeric and coconut cream to make (then eat) these delicacies.

Sadly, the Market Experience cooking school had to close permanently due to Covid-19, but there’s still a great range of tours available from Expique here. And the Flower Markets are still well worth visiting.

Check out our full story and videos on Pak Khlong Talat – the Bangkok Flower Market, and the Market Experience cooking lesson.

Enormous river prawns from the Klang fishmarkets in Ayutthaya

From DIY dinners to pick-your-own lunches, we’ve travelled 80km north of Bangkok to the original capital of Thailand – Ayutthaya (pronounced ‘ay-oo-tee-ya’). 

Positioned like an island caught between three connecting river systems, the fish and shellfish – especially the huge freshwater prawns – here are highly prized. 

Lunch at Klang Fishmarkets

We dine extravagantly in the cafe at the back of the markets. You can pick the prawns you want from the tanks outside and the cook and serve them to you at no extra cost. 

You buy the prawns by the kilo. The biggest of them are about 600 Baht a kilo… but for that you only get about three prawns!

Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya – the face of Buddha amongst the banyan roots

Ayutthaya was once a thriving capital full of magnificent temples and a hub for trade throughout Asia back when Thailand was known as Siam. 

When wars with Burma boiled over, the Burmese invaded, overthrew the capital and left it in burnt ruins. 

The ruins of many temples still exist today, make Ayutthaya a very special destination. 

At the temple ruins of Wat Mahathat, this banyan tree has all but destroyed a statue of Buddha. His face smiling serenely from the roots of the tree make for an iconic yet eerie image.

Temple ruins of Wat Chai Watthanaram, outside the walls of old Ayutthaya, Thailand

On the other side of the river from Ayutthaya proper, Wat Chai Watthanram is a stunning ruins of a temple that’s reminiscent of ancient Cambodian sites. 

Although you can’t go inside this temple, exploring the grounds gives you an idea of the old splendour that must have existed here. Across the river, the regal estate of the Princess’s summer palace watches this ancient place of worship.

UNESCO Heritage site of Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Ayutthaya, Thailand

Next to Phra Mongkhon Bophit, the temple home of one of Thailand’s biggest Buddha statues, is Wat Phra Si Sanphet. This mind-meltingly beautiful archaeological site is a photographer’s dream – especially with a model like this in the foreground! 

UNESCO site of Wat Phra Si Sanphet

I think I have my new Facebook profile shot! This temple site is absolutely stunning. Once again, we have the place pretty much to ourselves.

I don’t think there’s ever been a better time to visit Thailand!

Longtail boats at harbour, Krabi, Thailand

From Ayutthaya’s age-worn pathways and the busy heat of Bangkok, we travel south to the beaches and looming ocean karsts of Krabi. Once again, this usually popular tourist spot is relatively quiet for the time of year.

Our hotel – the newly built Centara Ao Nang Resort and Spa – is right on the beach and close to the action. People often get Krabi and Ao Nang mixed up. The holiday part of the area is in fact Ao Nang, not Krabi, which is more of a business area and not much fun.

The beaches and outlooks across the bay are stunning – we can’t wait to see more of this part of the Andaman coastline.

Local restaurants in Krabi serve a selection of food you put together yourself

But first, we eat! 

Fine dining in Thailand is all well and good, but if you want to get to know this place properly, you need to be brave, avoid big restaurants and try the basic-looking open-air eateries you see everywhere.

This place – just on a random street on the outskirts of Ao Nang – does the best fried chicken you’ll ever eat. The owners also grow their own herbs, make their own noodles and serve a kind of mini buffet of everything to your table. 

By the way, the basket of hard-boiled eggs here is a common sight in this part of Thailand. They’re on every table and if you fancy one, crack it, peal it and enjoy. They’re free.

Traditional method of removing husks from indigenous Ko Klang rice grains

Today, we’ve taken a longtail boat out to a little island off the coast of Krabi from Khong Kha Pier. It’s called Ko Klang (meaning ‘island in the middle’ as in ‘in the middle of the mangrove forest’) and is like going back in time. 

The locals on this island have kept with traditional lifestyles people in the city have long since given up. For 300 Baht, the boat will take you there and bring you back to the mainland with groups up to eight people. 

There are no cars on Ko Klang though, so you have to either walk, hire pushbikes or hire a motorbike sidecar ‘taxi’.

Read our full story on Ko Klang here!

Expect to meet some friends along the way! People on Ko Klang still use water buffalo to farm

Apart from enjoying the views, you can paint your own batiks here, try traditional tie-dye and visit a man who makes all kinds of traditional objects from wood. Models of old shrimping boats, primitive yet ingenious fire starters and even powerful weapons with wood and giant elastic bands!

If there’s a place in Thailand where you feel further from the troubles of the outside world than Ko Klang, I’d like to see it.

It’s a place of plenty, yet a haven for peace and nature, where cashew fruit hang from the trees and archer fish dance through the mangroves.

Ruan Mai in Krabi is made for Instagram

This evening, we’re up in the hills around Krabi for dinner. Ruan Mai is a beautiful restaurant and consistently popular over the years too. Food here is absolutely superb – our tip though is to ask for local dishes.

Southern Thailand has dishes all of its own, but be warned the southerners like their food spicy!

Today, we’re on a speedboat from Nopparat Thara Beach and heading out into the bay. It’s cheaper to get one of those beautiful old longtail boats, but they’re slower so you’ll spend more time on the water rather than in it. They’re also pretty noisy.

Also, ask about national park fees with your boat rental. To go to any of the islands here, you’ll be entering the marine park which costs an extra 400 Baht per person. Boat companies don’t tend to include it in their price in an attempt to stay competitive. 

Taking a dip at Ko Loa Lading, Krabi

The water around the pretty little island of Ko Lao Lading is so clear you can see fish swimming around your feet. The sooner you get to this spot the better. It’s a popular first stop for most tour boats.

The beach of Ko Hong, Krabi

One of the largest islands in the bay, Ko Hong has a pretty good restaurant on it (our lunch here is excellent) – just make sure you order the fried chicken and the southern style red curry. You won’t regret it. 

Snorkelling and swimming is a lot of fun at this beautiful beach, but it can get pretty busy.

Ko Klang Inlet, Krabi – even more beautiful with a longtail boat

Around the corner from the beach, this little inlet opens out into a secluded shallow bay. Our boat is just small enough to get through the gap. 

Krabi has been so much more than we were expecting. Such a beautiful spot and much less touristy than the likes of Phuket on the other side of the bay.

In fact, this is exactly the reason Krabi is a travel destination at all: people escaping the mass tourism that flooded the island found Krabi and Ao Nang much more peaceful.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this travel-forward Weekly Edition and that it’s given you some confidence to keep travelling. Of course, the coronavirus epidemic is cause for concern.

People at risk – the elderly, those with pre-existing respiratory conditions and so on – have good reason to be worried. 

But careful management of hygiene and the general awareness we should all put into practice when we travel – which includes choosing your destination with prudence – will keep you safe.

For other stories we’ve written on travelling to Thailand, where to eat, sleep and be merry, check out more of our stories from the Land of Smiles here.

We travelled as media with the Tourism Authority of Thailand. 

The post Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Krabi… and coronavirus COVID-19 appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Thailand is such a wonderful destination. Whether you’re here to work, to learn or to relax, this is one of those rare places with the capacity for all of it. Christina and I have been lucky enough this trip to do all three.

Here’s what we got up to in the past week; a convention of industry leaders, an important AGM and awards evening in Bangkok, and a trip up to beautiful Chiang Mai kept us very busy. But in the best possible way.

We hope you enjoy our latest Weekly Edition.

Cheers – Jim & Christina xx

After three days of intense learning from iconic travel writers and inspiring PR leaders, the first ASTW convention has left Christina and me ready to let our hair down… well, maybe not mine.

The ASTW (Australian Society of Travel Writers) is the country’s most respected and renowned travel media body. And with so many talented professionals being brought together at this convention, Christina and I are a little awestruck to have been accepted as members of this amazing organisation.

More than that, on the second day of the conference we delivered a 45-minute presentation to the whole congregation on social media strategies. We were so well received and welcomed, we really made to feel part of the society.

Tonight though, we’re enjoying a delicious meal and drinks at the annual ASTW awards evening. We get to see the most talented writers, photographers and PRs receive accolades for excellence in their field. It’s inspiring.

Congratulations to all the finalists and winners of the ASTW awards. You can see the annual results here.

The convention has been held here at the Anantara Riverside Resort in Bangkok… well, not here. This is our room. It’s big, but not big enough to hold the 120+ delegates.

The bed is enormous and truly comfortable, and the view out over the Chao Phraya River from our little balcony is engrossing.

The grounds of the Anantara River Resort are enormous. They even incorporate some of the mighty river into the hotel’s landscape. Just where Christina is standing is where you can feed the resident catfish that you can see swimming just under the murky surface.

There are so many fish in this part of the river – I think they’ve learnt the sound of the dinner bell. I also spotted a huge monitor lizard swimming alongside the bank, so I thing there may be other things living in this stretch of the Chao Phraya.

The only downside to the river’s proximity is at low tide things get a bit ripe as you cross the bridge to the restaurant and bars. But that’s Bangkok for you.

The Anantara Riverside Resort is a pretty place, full of detail and tropical elegance. Quiet little nooks to enjoy the humid warmth of Thailand, beautiful hanging orchids lining pathways and the romance of being somewhere so peaceful in a city so full of chaos.

The best thing about being so close to the main river running through Bangkok is this: a river cruise dinner in an old rice barge with Manohra Cruises. Apart from a flow of food as seemingly unending as the River of Kings itself, this cruise highlights some of the best parts of Bangkok.

We pass under iconic bridges and alongside grand temples that elucidate this city’s importance and magnificence. Best of all, many of the sights are either only visible or best viewed from the water.

The only difficulty is tearing my focus from my plate to enjoy the marvels of Bangkok as they glide by.

It’s our last day in Bangkok, so we’ve managed to sneak over to the neighbouring hotel – the beautiful Avani Riverside – to take a crafty dip in their magnificent infinity pool. This is also where their rooftop bar is and where we’ve become locals for the duration of our visit whenever there’s been an opportunity.

Wisely, however, this pool closes early just in case the party should ever spill over so to speak.

After being inside for the convention for the best part of three days, we’re excited to be allowed out! We’ve flown up to the northern city of Chiang Mai to explore the many temples, markets, mountains and food here. It’s our first time to this part of Thailand, which makes this trip even better for us.

This is a giant guarding the gates to one of the city temples. You see them everywhere in Thailand – both temples and giants.

The golden temple at Doi Suthep (Mount Suthep) is one of the most sacred spots for Thai people. Elevated high about the city of Chiang Mai, the views from this temple are incredible… on a clear day. For us, it’s a bit too hazy to see much below, but the temple itself is plenty.

It’s good luck to walk three times round temples like this in a clockwise direction. Most Buddhist stupas have a path leading you round. Walking round this beautiful lavish monument becomes quite meditative and you start to notice so many little details that before you’d missed.

Chiang Mai, like a lot of Thailand, is home to many temples, but the ones here seem so much calmer and zen than the hectic rush you find around Bangkok. It could have something to do with the sheer number of visitors to the capital, or it could be that things are just that much more peaceful up here in the north.

Even the local cats are welcome here.

Outside many temples in Thailand – especially the big or important ones – you’ll find little stalls like this selling amulets. They’re said to protect you from evil spirits and bad energy, but the protection can come at a price. The amulet this cheerful chappy’s holding up (how good’s that smile?) is priced at TBH50,000 – about A$2,000 or GBP1,200.

There are cheaper ones though.

You may not know this, but the north of Thailand connects directly to the Himalayan Mountain Range. The peaks to the west of Chiang Mai – known as Doi Inthanon National Park – are the foothills of this most famous set of mountains. But even at well over 2500 metres above sea level, we’re still a far cry from beating Everest here!

Within the Doi Inthanon National Park is another temple – or in fact two – dedicated to King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit of Thailand. The Pra Ma Ha Tat Noppamethanedon and Pra Ma Ha Tat Nopphonphusiri sit at the top of a broad set of steps and between them a monument to Buddha.

We’re so high up, these incredible buildings and the views down the mountain are shrouded in cloud fog today. In clearer weather, vistas across the national park to Chiang Mai are amazing… though I quite like the mysterious effect the clouds have.

Don’t be surprised to find monks wondering around the temple grounds here. This is an important Buddhist temple and the gardens – even in heavy fog and temps of 15dC – are beautiful. It’s the law that one out of ever three monks must not wear emergency ponchos. Even when it’s raining.

I made that stat up.

Heading east out of the Doi Inthanon National Park is the Wachirathan Waterfall. This hiccup in the excellently named Klang River is a popular tourist spot as you can imagine. The water cascades far downstream and causes this beautiful mist in the air.

On warm days it must be quite refreshing to stand here.

Back in town, but outside the walls and moat of the old city is the Wat Suen Man – or the Silver Temple. Chiang Mai is famous for its silver, so it stands to reason there is a temple made of it.

However, it turns out the only part of this temple that is sliver is the very top spire, which dates back to the 1400s. The rest is aluminium sheet and is part of the ongoing restoration of this temple, which started just 14 years ago.

It’s still an impressive sight and the only one of its kind.

This temple is also a bit controversial as no women are allowed inside. Leaving the ladies outside, I go in to find even more elaborate metalwork, decorations and quite intimidating gothic murals of terrifying monsters, skulls and hellish scenes. It’s a proper mancave.

And that’s what happens when blokes are left to decorate by themselves. Instead of tasteful depictions of tradition and history, you get Marvel superheroes.

Around the corner from the pagoda is a silverworks where monks carve images into silver panels to decorate walls and smaller ornaments. They can spend up to 8 months crafting these tablets all by hand. You can buy these artworks from them here too.

There are more temples within the walls of the old city of Chiang Mai. This is Wat Chian Man, which has stood here since 1296. This is Chiang Mai’s oldest existing temple and is definitely worth a visit.

Everyone has a limit on the number of temples they can go to in a day, but this one really deserves its place in your quota.

Known to be the most reputable temple in Chiang Mai, Wat Pra That Doi Suthep is one of those special places to visit in Thailand. The immense staircase up to the temple, flanked by dragons, is a challenge in itself – though for a little extra, you can pay to take the cable car up.

Apart from its beautiful golden pagoda that we talked about earlier, the grounds around the temple are full of fascinating details. This is the biggest gong in Thailand and even bumping it with your fist makes the air around you reverberate with an incredible resonance.

We try to imagine what the sound would be like if you had a proper donger thing to hit it with.

Talking of dongers… I’ve discovered this giant bell big enough to stand up inside. There are bells like this one (but not as big) all around the temple grounds. You can ring them (though you mustn’t push them into one another) for good fortune and energy.

Today, we’ve gone into the highlands around Chiang Mai to visit hilltribe village of the Karen people. Originally from Burma (Myanmar), these tribes have become famous for the gold necklaces worn by the women. These necklaces – added over time – stretch the neck to unnatural lengths. It’s seen as a barbarous tradition, so we’re glad to find out that this particular Karen village is a ‘non-longneck’ tribe.

Instead these Karen weave fabric by hand which visitors can buy. The work is incredible and the ladies working here make it look simple, but it’s not. At this village you can also try local coffee and see how these relatively primitive people live.

To be honest, I didn’t enjoy this part of the trip. Christina and I felt quite uncomfortable coming to look at these people. Buses of tourists come to this village every day to ogle them. And even though they have created a tourism industry for themselves, I’m not sure if the Karen are benefiting with this kind of attention.

However, from this dark side of tourism, we do get to see into the eyes of an incredible culture. As we sit around the open fire heating the coffee pot with some of the villagers, Christina spots this beautiful lady. She is the village’s oldest resident at the age of 96.

Initially she sits asleep. She looks ancient and tired. But presently, when she wakes, she smiles to reveal her younger self and a mind that’s clearly seen so much life.

As we are with a media trip with the Thailand tourism board, we’re allowed to visit the village proper. There is a school here where all the children of the village – and surrounding communities – come to learn to read and write. Some of them escape the classroom though, and show us how well they can jump and hide!

We explore the village a little as we make our way down the hill. Beneath the stilt houses, piglets snooze and a cockerel struts. It’s a pastoral life here, but there’s beauty in its simplicity.

Around the corner we find an old lady, teeth stained black from chewing betel nut, and weaving a low fence from bamboo strips.

She’s very shy and only speaks the Karen language, not Thai.

Back on the road, we stop at a handicrafts workshop run by local Karen people. We learn how to make little bamboo baskets, which turns out to be magnificently complicated. We all end up needing help weaving our baskets and the lady in charge does a great job making us feel like we’ve accomplished our task.

We also make tea pillows. These silk-clad cushions, full of crushed tealeaves, go into your wardrobe and take away that musty smell.

You can buy these pillows and baskets from the workshop, though getting them back through customs – if you live somewhere with strict borders like Australia – may be a challenge.

Back in town, we explore the Chiang Mai night markets that run every Sunday. These markets – known as ‘Walking Street’, which we all agree sounds better than ‘pedestrianised area’, are awesome. There’s everything here from delicious hawker food to handicrafts. You can buy clothes, jewellery, watches and any manner of souvenirs.

The markets are huge and run 4 blocks along the Chang Klan Road.

There are so many amazing places to eat around Chiang Mai. Apart from the traditional Thai style restaurants – any of which we’d be happy to enjoy – there is a movement here towards more ecological dining.

The dishes that come from the kitchens at Meena Rice Based Cuisine are definitely Thai, but with that subtle difference that makes a dish quite contemporary. This place used to be a rice farm, and the food that comes to the table is organic and locally produced.

This dish of crispy trout goujons with a sharp, spicy sauce in the salad is my favourite from lunch.

The restaurant itself is surrounded by water and has serene feel to it. We all agree it reminds us very much of Spirit House Restaurant in the Gold Coast hinterland in Australia.

One of Meena’s signature dishes is their rice triangle. The multicoloured layers are each made from natural ingredients. The blue gets its colour from the butterfly pea flower, which is used a lot in Thai cooking.

There are some amazing looking desserts on offer here at Meena. This mangosteen sorbet with fresh dragonfruit is a great example of that.

Tonight, we’re being treated to dinner and a show! Khum Khantoke is a traditional Thai style dinner served while a contemporary Thai dance performance happens in front of your table. It’s fascinating to watch and the food is excellent.

Of course, Christina and I can’t walk past the old rickshaw at the entrance without a photo! The ironic thing is Christina only mastered the art of riding a bike a few years ago!

In the name of this place, the word ‘khantoke’ is a traditional bamboo tray or platter that food is served on. We’re delighted when it comes to our table, overflowing with dishes of Chiang Mai style pork curry, steamed veggies with grilled chilli paste, crispy pork skin, deep fried chicken… the dancing is also delightful of course.

For our last lunch in Chiang Mai, our guide – the lovely Ruby – takes us to a rather surprising restaurant called Be Organic or Ohkajhu. As you’d expect, the food is all organic, which is always welcome. It’s also focused on a farm-to-table ethos, which is awesome. However, it specialises in European and North American style cuisine.

Of course, there are only local Thais here – I mean I doubt if many westerners visiting Chiang Mai would a) be able to find this place or b) want to sacrifice the chance of eating delicious Thai food for something we can get back home.

On the other hand, the menus here show that a lot of people are perhaps missing out on a pretty good thing!

I’ve never had a pork burger before – thinking it would be a bit weird, but this monster set records straight. Packed with flavour and delicate texture, the meat is perfectly cooked. Onion rings, cheese, an excellent dressing and a touch of spice make this a truly Thai burger. I’d come back for this.

The only problem is I am – once again – absolutely stuffed!

Christina orders the glazed ribs, which come out like something from the Flintstones. The result: she’s also very full by the end of lunch.

In an attempt to combat my vast lunch, I also order a drink that promises to help the situation. I don’t know how hard this freshly made fruit drink will work – if at all – on my cholesterol, but it’s very tasty. I’m determined to try and recreate this deliciousness at home.

Carrot, apple, celery, lemon and ginger. That’s all it takes!

All too soon, we’re back aboard our Thai Airways flight home. It’s been an incredible week full of motivating moments, inspiring people, unique experiences and an entire new group of friends in the making.

It’s the first time we’ve been to Chiang Mai and our first ASTW Convention too, but we’re looking forward to next year’s convention, and the sooner we’re back in Thailand the better.

You can find out more about these tours on the Tourism Thailand website here – or if you can wait a bit, we’ll be writing more about our time time Chiang Mai in more depth in coming weeks.

We were lucky enough to be travelling through Chiang Mai with the lovely Jane Corbett-Jones (pictured) and Christine Salins. Their company on this trip made our time here all the more memorable.

Christina and I hope you’ve enjoyed this (epic) Weekly Edition. We’d love to hear your stories too – have you ever been to Chiang Mai? What’s the last memorable travel experience you’ve had? Tell us in the comments!

We travelled as guests of Tourism Thailand for the ASTW Convention and AGM.

The post Bangkok and Chiang Mai – why Thailand is the Land of Smiles appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Amidst the buzz and madness of Bangkok’s streets is a hotel quite out of the ordinary. Hua Chang Heritage Hotel is like something from another time. Tranquil, bright and beautifully furnished, staying here is like being transported out of Bangkok to another place entirely.

From the lobby to the rooms and the pool/water garden, this hotel is packed with well-designed charm and a penchant for romance. Owing much of its designs to the nostalgia of the King Rama V era of Thailand’s history, there’s a forgotten elegance to the modernity of the hotel.

Hua Chang Heritage Hotel

We’re welcomed through the big glass doors to the bright, beautifully furnished lobby. Armchairs of all different shapes are dotted about and look most inviting.

Great red and gold velvet thrones, strange metallic chesterfields that look more like they’re for Daleks than us, a huge central wedding cake style cylindrical sofa… it’s all quite an eyeful to take in, and definitely not what you expect to find right off the street in central Bangkok – but then you never know what to expect here!

The courtyard

On the other side of the lobby is another huge glass door to the pool, bar and restaurant. As we step outside, we expect to hear the traffic from the busy Hua Chang Bridge on the other side of the hotel wall. Instead, we hear the laughter of fountains and waterfalls.

The majority of the central courtyard has been turned into a water garden. There are islands of trees, fountains bubbling through the surface and at the far end a sunken bar under a huge thatched shell of a roof. It’s quite a scene.

The water garden is also the hotel pool, and there are loungers positioned in the shallow parts for bathers to recline in. it’s all very luxe castaway!

The restaurant – Miss Siam

Past the water garden and bar, and through to the hotel restaurant, we find elegant curved booths and tables set in white with dining chairs in black and silver. It all has a feeling of sophisticated modern colonialism – if that’s a thing.

For dinner we enjoy the set menus available. Soon the food starts coming out. And it keeps on coming! Soon our table is strewn with all kinds of dishes and delicacies.

It’s a culinary journey from the delicate to the intense, from the simple to the profound.

There are two set menus – the Champa and the Chaba. They’re THB600 and THB700 respectively, which is about A$25 (US$20 UKP15).

The Champa comes with 3 appetisers:
– steamed dumpling
– crispy crab spring roll
– crispy rice cracker with minced pork in coconut dip.

Then soup: chicken in coconut soup

Then salad: a prawn and fresh lemongrass salad – and then the main dishes.

Mains are:
– crab meat mousse with coconut and crispy fish
– chicken green curry, crispy fried fish
– squid and salted egg
– fried pork
– stir-fried morning glory with oyster sauce
– and a cone of steamed rice in a banana leaf.

Yes, that’s for one person!

The Chaba is even better. The appetisers are:
– crispy Thai noodles
– chicken egg net
– lotus seed moneybag dumpling.

The soup is a spicy prawn, lemongrass, chilli and lime juice.

The mains are:
– papaya salad
– grilled chicken
– rice noodles with garlic oil
– stir-fried mushrooms with oyster sauce and sesame oil
– tender beef massamun curry
– stir-fried glass noodles with crab meat
– deep fried fish cake
– and a banana leaf cone of rice too.

Both meals come with fresh fruit for dessert, and the Chaba also has a golden banana in a syrup topping and coconut milk.

Needless to say we were so full after dinner, we could hardly move. Of course, there is an a la carte menu too, but with set meals like these, why would you bother?

Miss Siam is also the breakfast venue for the hotel too. And breakfast is even more impressive, with a wide range of buffet options, and an egg and omelette station outside.

It isn’t until we finish eating we discover a whole other room by the glass wall to the kitchen filled with pastries, cakes and sweets. Which is probably just as well considering the dinner from the night before!

We walk back to our room via the Ivory Lounge, which is usually used as a library or reading room, but is also a dining area too for afternoon tea.

The rooms

Walking into our room at the Hua Chang Heritage Hotel takes us right back to our time in the Mondrian in West Hollywood.

There’s nothing conventional about the rooms here, from the furniture, which is quirky and design-driven to the bathroom, which seems to be open plan to the rest of the room until we discover the rolling walls. Two ceiling-high sliding partitions have been engineers to roll at right angles to meet perfectly at the corner and so enclose the bathroom.

It’s at this point we’re transported once again to somewhere else; this time Japan. Not only is there a multifunctional toilet seat here that PhD physics students would enjoy, there’s a music dial with which you can use to ‘hide’ your ‘sound effects’.

The technology of the room is also apparent outside the bathroom too. You can control lights, air con, TV and music all via the tablet in the bedside cabinet. Hotel services are all one the tablet too.

This truly is a beautiful hotel and one we’d love to come back to. Its serenity, location, design and heritage (the name Hua Chang means ‘Elephant’s Head’ coming from the historic bridge it’s next door to) all make this little oasis in the city very welcoming.

However, this is a boutique hotel, so room prices are a little higher than other hotels. Still, by most standards, it’s still cheap to stay here for what you get. Rooms are between THB3000 – THB7000.

There are also fewer rooms, so booking out is a possibility here. And there are only 3 levels of room: delux, premier delux and suites. There is also no spa or gym.

I’m also not sure how kid-friendly this hotel would be as the pool is not fenced and the way to and from breakfast is on a walkway over the pool. But if it’s romance you’re after, this place will bring it!

Hua Chang Heritage Hotel

400 Phayathai Road
Pathumwan
Bangkok 10330
Thailand
W: huachangheritagehotel.com

Fb: @HuaChangHeritageHotelBangkok
Ig: @HuaChangHeritage

Do you go for boutique hotels? Have you been to Bangkok? Where did you stay? Tell us in the comments!

Images by Mrs Romance using an OM-D E-M5 mark II Olympus camera.

We stayed as guests of Hua Chang Heritage Hotel.

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