Mae Sa elephant camp

Helping Lek Save Her Elephants With One Click

Today, I found a wall post on my Facebook page from a friend who is now working in Thailand. I’ve known him as an elephant lover and I wasn’t surprised to find him post a link in change.org asking people to help a Thai woman, named Lek, save her elephants. The petition at the site’s …

Your Story: 2 Day Jungle Trekking in Chiang Mai

By Matthew Nunn. I went to Chiang Mai more than a year ago and I like it to be featured again by another traveler. So I’m putting this up on my blog. Thailand as a country offers many diverse and varied activities for travelers, from the mainstream well-trodden paths to off-the-beaten-track authentic travel.  Tour operators …

2011 Travel Highlights

While excitement at work kicked in pretty hard for me in 2011, it also hindered me to do a lot of exploring outside of my job description and workplace. It’s a good thing though that despite the demands of my job, I was able to do a bit of traveling last year. First off, I did …

My Comfy and Suite Stays in Bangkok

I was recently back in Bangkok for the Asia-Pacific Leadership Conference of various Habitat for Humanity offices in the region. Yes, it’s back to business trips for me. Not that I abhor going abroad for work. There were certainly some perks, like fewer expenses. Yet, most of the time, days were spent cooped inside the …

Shopping in Bangkok

Bangkok is the first city outside my own country that I have ever visited. Now, it’s the most-visited city for me. Although shopping is not really at the top of my agenda when visiting Bangkok, I couldn’t help but put it on my itinerary. For those who are after cheap commodities, from clothes and apparel …

First-time in Chiang Mai’s markets

I was in the plane this morning en route to Bangkok, Thailand. The people at the other side of my aisle were chatting, asking questions about each other. Of course, one question was on where the other was heading. The Australian lady told the Filipino guy that she and her friend were off to Chiang …

First-time in a Fam Trip

It has been months since I’ve been to a familiarization trip or a fam trip. I was chosen as one of the 12 finalists of the Medical Tourism Blog Contest organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. But I got busy with the competition that I missed posting my experience here on my site. The …

Rarinjinda Wellness Spa Resort

First-time in Rarinjinda Resort

It may look like a botique hotel from the outside but once you enter its doors, it’s as if you are brought inside a different world. Rarinjinda Wellness Spa Resort is your perfect hideaway tucked in the heart of Chiang Mai. The most interesting part is that Rarinjinda House, or Ruen RarinJinda, is a 140-year …

Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai

First-time in Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai

The golden streaks of the sun setting was our backdrop as we rode towards our accommodation in Chiang Mai — the breathtaking Dhara Dhevi. From a morning flight from Bangkok as finalists of the Medical Tourism Blog Contest, we spent the whole day going to a dentist, eating a sumptuous lunch at a château, and …

Loi Krathong

First-time for a Loi Krathong Festival

I never expected that as soon as we touched down at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport we would be witnessing the Loi Krathong, which is the festival of lights. It literally means “to float a basket”. During this day, Thais, and even foreigners, release their krathong, a decorated banana trunk with candle and incense, to the river to …

TAT Medical Tourism Blog Contest

Thailand Medical Tourism Blog Contest

It was a first time for me to be picked as a finalist in a blogging competition. I must say that I’m pretty new in this field as I only started with this blog in 2009. Yet, I’ve made several attempts but never had the chance to really build up a blog until First-Time Travel …

Blogsherpa-Travel-Carnival-widget-copy

First-time Travels of Travel Bloggers

The First-Time Travels of Lonely Planet Blogsherpas – Carnival #9 Jetsetters and seasoned travelers may be “experts on the road” but they also started out learning the ropes of traveling. They now have something to advice on the subject because they have a rich resource of firsthand travel experiences. Some of them, when they were …

Chiang Mai

First-time in Chiang Mai: A Unique Songkran Adventure

Our clothes clung to our skin, drenched from head to toe, as if we had just emerged from a monsoon downpour. The atmosphere crackled with excitement and the exuberant chaos of the Songkran Festival. From the charming city of Vientiane in Laos to the vibrant streets of Chiang Mai in Thailand, water was the reigning …

First-time in Bangkok: Beyond the Exotic Veil

As dawn breaks over the sprawling cityscape, Bangkok emerges from the shadows, unveiling a mesmerizing blend of modernity and tradition. With the Chao Phraya River running through it, this pulsating metropolis captivates the senses with its vibrant street markets, aromatic street food, and ornate temples that stand as testaments to its rich cultural heritage. Skyscrapers …