Smiling samlor driver in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Discover Chiang Mai by [fast disappearing!] samlor

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Text: Marcella van Alpen & Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Marcella van Alpen & Claire Lessiau

As I am passing by the train station of Chiang Mai, I recall the 1937 photograph I was looking at a bit earlier. It has not changed much, but the samlors – or bicycle taxis, often referred to as trishaws in China – with their proud drivers awaiting travellers to take them into town are long gone. Tuk-tuks have taken over, hassling tourists. In the streets of Chiang Mai, the samlors are hardly anywhere to be seen, and I feel even more privileged to be seated in one of the last few to take in the atmospheric “Rose of the North”.

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Two women steam rice dough in a food stall in Thailand

Taste your way through Thai food in Chiang Mai

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Text: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen

With its vibrant markets, plentiful food stalls and world-famous umami, the food culture of Thailand is not to be missed! Follow us on a food tour in Chiang Mai and dig into the wide variety of Thai (or are they?) dishes, authentic family recipes and wide assortments of exotic fruits, vegetables, spices and herbs!

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The ultimate guide to Thailand

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From the shiny Royal Palace to the ruins of what used to be the richest city on the planet, from some of the best dive sites to world’s oldest rainforest, from fishermen’s islands to vibrant Bangkok, from rooftop bars to delicious street-food or some of the most subtle gastronomy, from painful Thai boxing trainings to even more painful Thai massages, from meditating with Buddhist monks in peaceful temples to white water rafting, there is a reason why Thailand is regularly casted for Hollywood blockbusters!

Take a visual tour!

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SCUBA diving some of the world’s best

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After setting off in the pitch dark night, we are amazed by the beauty of the landscape surrounding us as we peep through the window of our cabin aboard the Mariner the next morning: dark grey granite boulders rise up from the turquoise Andaman Sea, palm trees are lined up on a white-sand beach, contrasting nicely with the deep blue sky, and a lush vegetation covers the North Surin island, 70 kilometres off the West coast of Southern Thailand and only a dozen kilometres away from the border with Myanmar. We are extracted from our contemplation by the bell, signalling our first dive briefing of our three-day-nine-dive live-aboard SCUBA diving expedition. If the island looks paradisiac, we are eager to explore the underwater world of the Surin and Similan Marine parks that contain some of the world’s best dive sites! Keep travelling!

Kick start Muay Thai

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He comes back from his 40-minute run in 33 degrees Celcius. He is given a rope and starts rope skipping for a full 10 minutes in a row, focussed and with a straight face. The veins on his temples start showing and when he is done he gets rid of the jacket that must feel extremely suffocating. Pearls of sweat start dripping from his muscled body which he shyly reveals in the burning sun. Without hesitation he starts doing his push-ups. Keep traveling!

Rubber tapping in Thailand

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Tall thin trees with only very few leafs are planted in perfectly aligned endless rows that cover hundreds of hectares of Thai soil. They provide a little bit of shade during the hot summer months, give off a slightly offending smell and supply their owners and their farmers with an income. We are talking rubber trees and are about to discover the ins and outs of rubber making.

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How a legend saved thousands of lives

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“There is a big hole in the ocean where all the fish sleep. When these millions of fish wake up every day, they are hungry and come out of the hole to eat. As they empty this hole, the sea water gets into the hole instead and the sea level lowers: this is low tide. After eating, they get back into the hole to rest, squeezing the sea water out, and raising the ocean level as a consequence: this is high tide.” Lena passionately tells us the story the way she learnt it from the Moken people. These sea nomads of the Adaman Sea have been passing this legend on for generations, saving thousands of lives. Keep reading

Lake safari & jungle trekking in world’s oldest rainforest, Khao Sok, Thailand

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Lime stone karst formations are gradually revealing themselves as the morning mist on the Cheow Lan Lake slowly rises. The sun bathes the rocks in warm colours and highlights the jungle growing on their steep flanks. I slowly crawl out of my bed to take a morning swim in the surprisingly warm lake. While climbing back up to the pontoon of my floating bungalow, I notice a familiar rising and falling of shrills that gives me goose bumps: a family of gibbons starts to sing, Keep reading

A taste of Thailand

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Article updated on October 19, 2022
Text: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen

I am savouring what must be the best pad Thais I have ever had: bitterness, saltiness, sweetness, sourness and spiciness are perfectly balanced. My taste buds are in awe as I dig into the nicely presented green curry. I look at Oay with a big smile of satisfaction as I slowly raise my head. Having fantastic food in Thailand is the norm, but what is all the more surprising is that I cooked these myself. My pride enhances my senses!

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Wat Pho’s majestic reclining Buddha, Bangkok, Thailand

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I am contemplating the serene smile on the 2.5-metre-wide delicate face of the golden reclining Buddha. I try to step back in the finely decorated chapel to take it all in. The whole figure is 46 metres in length and 15 metres in height. It is one of the largest Buddhas of Thailand, here in Wat Pho, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, in the heart of Bangkok and it is truly majestic. Keep reading