Mae Hong Son Mae hong Son province in Thaiuland's far north is a unique destination. It was settled mostly by people from the Shan state so it retains a distinctly Burmese flavor. A pair of the city's oldest temples reflected in the lake between thunderstorms.
Wat Ratchabophit Window Wat Ratchabophit is one of many under-the-rader temples in Bangkok. It's very close to the Grand Palace and Wat Po but is much less visited. In addition to the uniquely styled temple compound, there's an adjoining graveyard housing the columbariums of many minor royals.
Hot Waterfall The aptly named “Hot Waterfall” is one of the more unlikely attractions in southern Thailand's Krabi province. Water from a hot spring flows briefly through the jungle before flowing down a bank into a small river. Minerals (I'm guessing mostly copper from the color) have aggregated over many years to form deep pools good for soaking.
Sanam Chan Palace Just west of Bangkok in Nakohn Phathom is the rather whimsical Sanam Chan palace. Built in the early twentieth century, the palace has a very European layout but some buildings show more Thai incluence than others. This doorway is in the Vajariromaya Residence reception room.
Ayuthaya Flower A throwback to my last visit to Ayuthaya, the old capital of Thailand, in 2010. I found this frangipani blossom just blooming, with an old pagoda in the background. Frangipani Blossom
Vimanmek Mansion Vinamek Mansion in Bangkok is a marvelous attraction that often gets only a quick visit, when it can be worth a whole day to see all the other palace buildings in the compound. One wing of Vimanmek Mansion
Wat Si Chum Little visited but much photographed, the small temple of Wat Si Chum in the ancient Siamese capital of Sukhothai contains the remains of a small chapel (mondop) that barely encloses a serenely seated Buddha image. View through the ruined prayer hall to the chapel.
Chiang Mai Bucket List The old city of Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand was always one of my favorite places to visit. I probably spent more time there than anywhere else outside of Bangkok. The thing about the ancient city is that there are a seemingly endless supply of interesting places tucked away just around the next corner.
Off the Beaten Track Destinations in Southeast Asia While pundits continue to argue about what the extended travel bans mean in the long term for tourism, I believe it's safe to say that most destinations that were popular before the pandemic will, eventually, be popular again. That may leave some of you in a bit of a quandry: Do you really want to go where there are a lot of people, and therefore a higher risk?
Colonial Architecture of Southeast Asia As a one-time architect, I have a deep interest in the built environment. While the colonial era — some might say “occupation” — when European powers held sway over much of Southeast Asia had a lot of negative aspects, the wedding-cake confections of the buildings it left behind are still fascinating, where they still exist.