The sharper edge to traveling in Asia

WoWasis book review: ‘Painted in the Tropics,’ the life of painter Theo Meier, by Harold Stephens

If you’re like us, you weren’t prepared to find that the Indonesia’s island of Bali hosted a number of extraordinary expat painters. Balinese museums and private collections are full of their work, and the viewer is left wanting to know more about these extraordinary artists. Noted expat Asian author Harold Stephens provides many important details […]

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Chiang Mai area: Golden Triangle and Points North

Aside from trekking opportunities, many visitors make the northern run to Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle, to visit the Mekong area and Burma.  There is very little to see in the ancient capital of Chiang Rai, as ancient buildings have been plowed-under.  A few minutes north, in the Golden Triangle area, where Thailand, Laos, […]

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Lacquerware in Chiang Mai, Thailand

There are still a few lacquerware shops operating in and around the Chiang Mai area.  Chiang Mai lacquerware was designed to provide a waterproof finish to bowls, trays, and cabinets, utilizing lacquer produced from a tree found in Burma and northern Thailand.  Today, lacquer, which is officially banned in Thailand due to its toxicity, is […]

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Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, outside of Chiang Mai, Thailand.

At 1685 meters, the mountain of Doi Suthep overlooks Chiang Mai to the east, providing wonderful views, nature trails, and the spectacular Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.  The wat is worth a visit for its beauty even when views are marred due to weather or smoke from slash-and-burn farming.  The crowning feature of the wat is […]

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Silver and Metal Crafts in Chiang Mai

Influenced by Shan and Burmese traditions, Chiang Mai silverwork is different from that which you’ll find further south.  Silver has been a tradition in the Lanna area since a large influx of Burmese silversmiths arrived here in the 13th century.  In the Wua Lai village, just south, and within walking distance, of the Chiang Mai […]

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Festivals by month in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is the festival capital of Thailand. Every month, there’s a festival that’s fun, interesting, and should be an essential part of your Chiang Mai experience. Here’s what to look for in the yearly festival calendar:  January What: Winter Fair When: December 30 through January 8 Note: This fair combines food, dance, music, and […]

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The extraordinary wats (temples) in Chiang Mai, Thailand

There are over 120 wats within the municipal limits of the city of Chiang Mai, and they are the cultural — and to many degrees the social — hub of the city.  They are held in such respect than there is a building ban on building any high-rise structure within 93 meters of a wat, […]

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River Cruises on Chiang Mai’s Mae Ping River

To get  a uniquely interesting view of Chiang Mai, Thailand, Mae Ping Cruises (053) 274-822, offers three short voyages along the Ping River, as follows:  Dinner cruise: Two tours, the first begins at 7pm, and they will pick you up from your hotel.  Price is 450 baht.  Day cruise 1: an 8 kilometer cruise taking […]

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Art galleries and art experiences in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Everyone seems to agree: while Chiang Mai is incredibly rich in antiquities and crafts shops, fashion venues, and museums, it still has a way to go in terms of the number of art galleries operating within the city environs.  Three of our favorite galleries are listed below, as well as a couple of art schools that promise to […]

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All things mosquito: an hour at Chiang Mai’s incredible World Insects and Natural Wonders Museum

Some people have passions for cars, others for art, others for cooking.  Manop Rattanarithikul has one for mosquitoes, and since 2000, he, along with wife Dr. Rampa Rattanarithikul, has hosted his own museum in Chiang Mai, Thailand, largely a tribute to his favorite insect. After ringing the doorbell (it’s always locked, but visitors are welcome), one […]

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