Koh Phangan in Thailand is famous mainly for the full moon party and by extension Haad Rin, the beach on the southern tip of the island where the party takes place every month. And justifiably so. The party is huge and chaotic and well worth a trip to the island on its own. It's not all Koh Phangan has to offer though and if you're looking for some peace and quiet after the … [Read more...]
The Drunken Muay Thai Master
When I first got to Thailand, I thought it might be interesting to see a Muay Thai fight. It wasn't high on my list of things to do, but I figured it could be fun. Then I spent a few days in Phuket dodging touts with Muay Thai flyers and being screamed at by promoters cruising the streets in pickup trucks, blasting unintelligible pseudo-English gibberish through cheap … [Read more...]
Sewage Facials on Bangkok’s Water Transport System
The water transport system in Bangkok is a quick, cheap and efficient way to get around the city. Yes, the boats spray water back at the passengers, but they come equipped with tarps that function as splash guards. Unfortunately, this being Thailand, you'll only occasionally find a boat where those splash guards actually do function. Many visitors are familiar with the … [Read more...]
Poipet Rhymes with Toilet for a Reason
Don't feel bad if you've never heard of Poipet before—you're one of the lucky ones. A Cambodian town on the border with Thailand, Poipet has become a miniature exhibition of sorts, displaying everything that's wrong with Southeast Asia in one convenient location. Many visitors to Cambodia avoid 'the toilet' altogether by flying into the country. The rest of us take a bus … [Read more...]
Erawan Waterfall: Swimming With Flesh-Eating Monsters
Kanchanaburi Thailand is home to one of the most beautiful waterfalls I've ever seen and a couple of other entirely unspectacular sights, like the bridge over the river Kwai and the very appropriately named Death Railway; appropriate not because it's dangerous, but because it moves so slowly that anyone who boards past the age of fifty will die of natural causes by the time it … [Read more...]