Tourism

Discover the Laidback Charms of Chiang Rai in 36 Hours

Published

8 years ago

May 28, 2017

Bchcomber

The White Temple depicts the Buddhist cycle of life and death. Photo – Chang W Lee

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CHIANG RAI – Descending from China in grand, graceful arcs, the upper Mekong unfurls in a tranquil, lulling sheen. Only battlement ruins to the south betray the region’s heritage, a blood-soaked clash of empires, contested by Thai, Burmese, Laotian and Khmer armies for centuries. Fortresses and royal cities are now all but swallowed by jungle and farmland.

The once-remote Golden Triangle at the northern tip of Thailand is now a haven for peaceful contemplation in dozens of temples and shrines, from gilded palaces to secret grottoes, where you can meditate to the sound of water dripping on limestone or the chattering of monkeys. One mountain outcropping has become a favourite for passing elephants, who gaze over the mists to Myanmar and Laos beyond.

Over the last few decades, the area has been rediscovered. As they reclaim it from the drug smugglers and blissed-out backpackers who made it notorious in the 1970s, travellers today find a bracing climate — it can be 25 degrees cooler at night here than in the coastal cities — along with natural beauty, verdant courtyard lodgings, riverfront restaurants and street markets where a handful of fat, juicy grilled cicadas can cost just a dollar.

FRIDAY, 3PM. OLD TOWN CYCLING
Near the centre of Chiang Saen, hop onto a rental at Fat Free Bicycle Shop, (around 450 baht, or US$13 a day) and weave past temples, food stands and antiques stalls. Roads are spacious and in excellent condition throughout the district, traffic is sedate, and even the occasional swarm of motorbikes will let you pass. Stalls on the main street, Phaholyothin Road, offer simple, carefully prepared dishes, from chicken grilled on bamboo stalks to river fish steamed with herbs. With fresh-squeezed fruit juice, you’ll pay about 130 baht. More adventurous palates can venture into the Sinsombun Market to sample specialties such as fresh frog legs or wasp larvae smoked in the nest, which are white and puffy, like popcorn.

4PM. ANCIENT EMPIRE
Ride along the shaded 8-century-old city walls that guarded the capital of the long-gone Lanna state. At the historic park, the 14th-century Wat Pa Sak (“wat” means “temple”) pulls together motifs from Thai, Khmer, Burmese, Laotian, Hindu and Buddhist cultures, its spire still pointed toward heaven. Admission: 100 baht.

Back in town, monks in saffron robes frequent the compound of the 13th-century Golden Buddha, one of the oldest and largest in Thailand, and the remains of its original temple, Wat Phra That Chedi Luang. Off to the side, some of the more reputable dealers in regional crafts sell indigenous weavings, and Buddha statues that make up in shipping fees what they are discounted for in price.

6.30PM. SUNSET WITH A VIEW
Toast three countries, and the elephants below, from a plush open-sided platform overlooking the Mekong. The hilltop pavilion for the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort lays out a pricey, custom menu from local to Western, all of it with an elegance incongruous with the rough-hewed setting. The nam prig ong kap moo (spicy minced pork with crackling) puts an elegant spin on a rugged northern favourite from outdoor grills; pla nueng ma now is local bass dressed with chilies and coriander from the garden down the hill (18,000 baht for two). The Anantara front desk is a reliable source of information in English on local guides, drivers and the rental of cars, motorbikes and bicycles.

A monk at Wat Phra That Chedi Luang. Photo -Chang W Lee

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SATURDAY, 8AM. MORNING COFFEE
As the morning mist clears, grab a cardamom and ginger coffee with a sweet rice cake for 90 baht from a vine-wreathed stall outside the funky House of Opium gift shop. An early departure is necessary for a road trip to the scenic, hilly Doi Tung region, largely inaccessible until recently. Driving is possible on the good but narrow roads; finding your way through the hairpin turns and wandering livestock is not. A good driver will know when to trust the GPS and when to ignore it. (One day with car and guide, 4,500 baht.)

9.30AM. CHINESE OUTPOST
Brave the swarms of macaques at the tiny Yunnanese village and temple Wat Tham Pla to find a steep staircase flanked by gleaming dragon claws. After a brisk climb, you will reach the Fish Tail Cave, a hundred moist, chalky yards ending in a devotional space of utter silence. On a small ledge to the side, a humble chipped and age-spotted bust with an enigmatic smile looks more animist than Buddhist. On the way back, you’ll face grand views of the Burmese ridges that become the Himalayas. At the stairs’ base, youngsters scamper around a fish pond where you can buy crumbs for the lake carp, an offering to the local goddess of mercy.

Vendors sell products at Sinsombun Market in Chiang Saen. Photo – Chang W Lee

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11AM. HILLTOP REDOUBT
Winding roads lined with craft shops end at the newly restored headquarters of one of Southeast Asia’s last warlords. Khun Sa may be reviled as a drug gangster who flooded the United States with cheap heroin in the 1970s, but here he receives a statesman’s deference in homespun displays tracing his rise to commander of an army, receiving emissaries from prime ministers and kings. Pose with a stern life-size effigy in his original office.

1.30PM. PROVENCE ON THE MEKONG
Nestle into an open-air island of Gallic hospitality complete with art nouveau posters and tumblers of absinthe. Lavallee Restaurant serves a mélange of backyard herbs and vegetables with grilled meats. Phone ahead to place an order (about 350 baht per person). An attached gallery sells handicrafts of the local Akha people, who often show off their traditional dress as well. Just over a footbridge, a much grander gallery proclaims itself in a riot of colour and sculpture. The nationally famed artist Sriwan Janehuttakarnkit presides over the barn-size Sridonmoon Art Space, filled with wall-size expressionistic paintings of musicians, parties, skeletons and jungles with happy elephant families.

In the northern tip of Thailand, walk amid the elephants and find a temple for peaceful meditation. Photo – Chang W Lee

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4PM. WALK WITH GIANTS
Revered as national icons, the elephants that once roamed this part of Thailand have faced hard times lately. But here, a few dozen find a haven in a preserve with plenty of space to wander. Guests of the superluxe Four Seasons Golden Triangle Tented Camp can ride them on a two-hour trek that starts at 10,000 baht per couple. Nonguests who donate 6,000 baht to the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation can visit the camp, and with luck see the elephants trundling up the path to tuck into tall stalks of sugar cane.

7PM. RIVERFRONT REPAST
With night-time strollers and a karaoke bar on one side, the moonlit Mekong on the other, you can lounge on rattan mats and cushions as the last long-tail craft drift by. The Roeng Poy sidewalk cafe stays open late, bringing out grilled fish, sturdy curries, pungent salads and magnum-size bottles of beer in such large portions and on such tiny tables that sharing is the only option. About 300 baht.

A Buddha at Golden Triangle Park on the Mekong riverfront. Photo – Chang W Lee

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SUNDAY, 8.30AM. RITUALS AND PHOTO OPS
Shelter from the morning rain and rising heat by this shaded cliff overlooking Wat Pra That Pukhao, where 5th-century worshippers made their altar; now on display is a small stuccoed Buddha of great antiquity. Several long flights of steps connect this rough-hewed temple to an extensive complex of temples on the heights, where dozens of Buddhas gleam and monks explain devotional rituals. Most visitors head straight to an elaborate ceremonial gateway built for photo ops of the panoramic upriver views.

11AM. THE OPIUM POPPY
A huge contemporary museum details the career of that most influential local crop, the opium poppy. Old-school displays at the Hall of Opium Museum tell the story through non-Western eyes, as the engine of an imperialism that captured almost all of East Asia and made the area the epicenter of a gruesome global trade. The emphasis here is on the present, the human toll of addiction and efforts to keep the culture of the area’s hill tribes intact. Admission, 300 baht.

3PM. A NEVER-ENDING CYCLE
Just before you arrive at Chiang Rai’s airport, the White Temple depicts the Buddhist cycle of life and death. Outside is a dazzling and ornate monument, white and mirrored; inside, a vast mural of modern delusions that distract us from the divine, including cell phones and pop stars. Enter via a footbridge that spans a writhing, grasping throng of the tormented. Free to Thai citizens; otherwise, 50 baht.

LODGING
The Anantara Golden Triangle and Elephant Camp (Soi San Tan Lueang 2, Wiang, www.goldentriangle.anantara.com), a five-star resort, offers local music performances, cooking classes and overlooks a meadow with elephants at play or in grave contemplation, and a menu of ways to commune with them. Around 30,700 baht.

Buakum Resort (7 Moo 1, Tumbon Wiang, www.buakumresort.com), a ten-minute walk from the river, is a cluster of cosy cottages around a much-loved ornamental garden. Around 580 baht.

By Donald Frazier

Source: The New York Times/bt

Tourism

Interior Ministry Introduces New 180 Day Destination Thailand Visa

Published

7 months ago

July 13, 2024

Bchcomber

People from more nations will be now able to enter Thailand without a visa beginning Monday. This is part of an effort to increase tourism and encourage visitors to stay longer, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Friday.

According to Ms. Traisuree, Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has signed four documents that will make it easier for foreigners to travel. These modifications will all take effect on Monday, provided they are published in the Royal Gazette.

The instructions include 93 more nations on the list of individuals who can visit Thailand without a visa, up from 57 previously. People from these countries can stay for a maximum of 60 days. Additionally, from 19 to 31, nearly twice as many nations will be able to obtain visas on arrival in Thailand.

To attract digital nomads, artists, and tourists interested in learning or practicing skills such as cooking and Muay Thai, the country will also introduce the Destination Thailand Visa service.

The new form of visa, which is valid for five years, allows travelers to stay for up to 180 days.

According to Ms. Traisuree, students holding visas for master’s degrees or higher will not be required to leave Thailand immediately upon graduation. They will be able to stay for an additional year to hunt for work or vacation.

In order to enhance the economy and tourism, the cabinet took a general decision on these additional measures in May. The statement was meant to be released in June, but it was pushed back.

Ms. Traisuree believes that this is the greatest sort of visa for persons who want to work from home in the Land of Smiles and explore the nation without the various restrictions and complications that come with conventional tourist visas.

Getting a DTV will give you a 5-year multiple-entry visa that lets you stay in Thailand for a total of 180 days a year, with the opportunity to stay for another 180 days.

Ms. Traisuree said that the Destination Thailand Visa is great if you want to work from home in the Land of Smiles and see the sights without the many restrictions and problems that come with a regular tourist visa. The Destination Thailand Visa will cost 10,000 THB.

Qualifications for the Thailand Destination Visa (DTV)

According to Thai Embassy, to be eligible for the visa, you must fulfill the following conditions (which could change):

You have to be 20 years of age or older
You have to be able to afford the cost of the visa
To sustain your stay in the nation, you must demonstrate that you have at least 500,000 THB in your bank account
Proof of your employment with a recognized company is required.

For digital nomads or remote workers who want to make the most of their travels and yet have the opportunity to work while they’re there, the Destination Thailand Visa is designed just for you. Additionally, it is ideal if you are traveling to Thailand in order to partake in any of the following activities:

Thai food prepared with Muay Thai
Instruction and conferences
Sports medicine therapy
International talent International music and art events

Thailand DTV Visa Benefits

Additionally, there is uncertainty about these details and they could change:

In comparison to other Southeast Asian nations that provide comparable visas, Thailand has less stringent income requirements and charges for the visa. For another 10,000 THB, you can extend the visa once, for a maximum of 180 days.
There are ninety-three foreign nations that qualify for the Thailand DTV Visa.
With this visa, you can lawfully operate remotely for foreign clients and companies while in Thailand.
Your spouse and any children under the age of twenty may accompany you.
You are exempt from paying taxes on your foreign income because the visa allows you to stay in Thailand for up to 180 days.

Drawbacks of a Thailand DTV Visa

You are unable to work for a Thai company that needs a Thai work visa, even though you are still able to engage in some activities and make money. Your DTV will end if you decide to change the kind of visa you are currently on.

Additional information on the visa’s release date and application process will be available in late June or early July of 2024. You will most likely be able to apply for it via the Thai immigration office, a Thai embassy, or a Royal Thai Consulate.

Tourism

Hotels in Thailand Fret as German Itravel Group Files for Bankruptcy

Published

7 months ago

June 25, 2024

Bchcomber

Thailand’s Hotels Association (THA) reports that another German tour operator has gone bankrupt, but that this will have a far less effect than the recent bankruptcy of FTI Touristik.

Following notification from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Thai Hotels Association has now confirmed that the Cologne-based luxury tour operator Itravel Group has formally filed for bankruptcy.

Southern Thailand is home to numerous high-end resorts, which Itravel aims to attract, according to Thai Hotels Association president Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun.

As a result of Itravel’s bankruptcy, he said, the hotels association is currently collecting data from its members.

On Monday, the organization wrote to the TAT and the Foreign Ministry, requesting that they assist hotel operators in keeping up with legal developments surrounding the bankruptcy of the German tour operator FTI, which resulted in a loss of almost 111 million baht for hotels around the country.

Hotels having issues with Itravel

On Monday, during the THA monthly meeting, Mr. Thienprasit noted that they also emphasized the case’s urgency to Minister Sermsak Pongpanit of Tourism and Sports.

In response to allegations that hotel operators with business partnerships with Itravel were experiencing issues with financial transactions, the agency issued an alert to the industry, according to Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas.

He speculated that the losses might be lower with Itravel, an online travel agency that focuses on the niche luxury market, than with FTI, the third operator.

According to the Bangkok Post, at Monday’s THA meeting, Mr. Sermsak stated that the ministry will look into measures to assist hotels, especially since the goal of 3.5 trillion baht in tourism earnings for this year is still very ambitious.

According to Mr. Thienprasit, the organization is opposed to the government’s plans to increase the legal foreign ownership of condominiums from 49% to 75%. This, he added, might lead to an increase in unlawful accommodations and make other condo residents feel uneasy about having more guests around the clock.

Unscrupulous investors

He said that some international investors are already breaking the law by renting out their rooms to day guests, even though the Hotel Act only permits rentals of at least 30 days.

An increase in the foreign ownership quota for condos, according to Mr. Thienprasit, could entice unscrupulous investors and lead to the construction of even more unlawful rooms, which now exceed the number of registered hotel rooms by a factor of two.

The success of Thailand’s hotel industry is highly dependent on the business of tour operators. These collaborations bring in a constant flow of visitors, particularly during busy seasons.

It is more convenient for passengers to book comprehensive packages offered by tour operators, which include hotel accommodations and activities. Because of this arrangement, hotels may anticipate a specific amount of bookings without having to spend a lot on advertising.

Additionally, hotels are able to provide more affordable rates, which appeals to guests who are mindful of their budget. But if tour operators go through slumps or start focusing on other places, this dependence might be disastrous.

Source: Bangkok Post, Thai PBS

Tourism

Embracing Paradise: Your Guide to an Unforgettable Vacation in Los Cabos

Published

7 months ago

June 24, 2024

Freelancer

Embracing Paradise: Your Guide to an Unforgettable Vacation in Los Cabos

Nestled at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, Los Cabos emerges as a paradise where the desert meets the sea, offering a unique blend of natural wonders, luxurious accommodations, and vibrant culture. Whether you seek serene relaxation, thrilling adventures, or cultural explorations, Los Cabos promises an idyllic escape that exceeds expectations.

Discovering Pristine Beaches

Los Cabos is renowned for its stunning beaches, each with its own charm and allure. Sink your toes into the soft sands of Medano Beach, a bustling stretch perfect for sunbathing and people-watching. For a more secluded experience, explore the rugged beauty of Santa Maria Beach, ideal for snorkeling amidst vibrant marine life in crystal-clear waters. Enhance your beach experience with guided tours and snorkeling excursions offered by https://boattripsloscabos.com/, where you can explore the coastline and underwater wonders with expert guides.

Embarking on Aquatic Adventures

Venture into the azure waters of the Sea of Cortez and Pacific Ocean for thrilling water activities. Dive into snorkeling or scuba diving expeditions to discover underwater treasures like colorful coral reefs and curious sea creatures. Set sail on a whale-watching tour during the winter months to witness majestic humpback whales breaching against the backdrop of the Pacific horizon.

Exploring the Baja Desert

Beyond its pristine coastline, Los Cabos boasts dramatic desert landscapes waiting to be explored. Take an ATV or jeep tour through the rugged terrain of the Baja desert, where towering cacti and unique rock formations paint a striking contrast against the deep blue sky. Visit the Sierra de la Laguna Biosphere Reserve for hiking trails that lead to hidden oases and panoramic vistas of the surrounding desert.

Indulging in Culinary Delights

Los Cabos is a culinary paradise, offering a fusion of traditional Mexican flavors with international influences. Sample fresh seafood tacos at local taquerías or dine on gourmet cuisine crafted by world-renowned chefs at upscale restaurants overlooking the ocean. Savor authentic Baja cuisine with dishes like fish tacos, ceviche, and grilled octopus paired perfectly with locally produced wines and craft cocktails.

Experiencing Vibrant Nightlife

As the sun sets, Los Cabos transforms into a lively nightlife destination. Explore the vibrant nightlife scene in Cabo San Lucas with its array of beachfront bars, live music venues, and pulsating nightclubs. Dance the night away under the stars or enjoy a sunset cocktail overlooking the marina, where the atmosphere buzzes with energy and excitement.

Relaxing in Luxury Resorts

Los Cabos boasts a plethora of luxurious resorts and boutique hotels that cater to every traveler’s desire for relaxation and indulgence. Unwind in infinity pools with panoramic ocean views, rejuvenate with holistic spa treatments inspired by ancient Mexican traditions, or tee off on world-class golf courses designed by golf legends amidst stunning coastal landscapes.

Immersing in Local Culture

Immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of Los Cabos with visits to historic landmarks like the Mission San Jose del Cabo Church or art galleries showcasing local and international artists. Browse through vibrant markets selling handmade crafts, textiles, and souvenirs, or attend cultural festivals and events celebrating Mexican traditions, music, and dance.

Planning Your Los Cabos Escape

Whether you’re planning a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or a solo adventure, Los Cabos offers a perfect blend of relaxation, adventure, and cultural immersion. With its breathtaking landscapes, diverse activities, and warm hospitality, Los Cabos ensures a memorable vacation that leaves you rejuvenated and inspired, promising a return to its paradise shores time and again.