The best of 2012

Bangkok by night

For me personally the best (most memorable travel-wise) of 2012 was

Hotel : "Seven Zea Chic Pattaya" and "Palm Lodge Resort, Sikio"

Restaurant : "Savan Dao French Restaurant, Savanakhet"
Because very good & tasty food, sweet service and a very affordable price

Motorbike trip : Riding in the area of "Nan"
Just because it has the most beautiful roads in the most beautiful scenery

Place to be : On top of "Phu Thap Beak"
Just because I love mountains and the view is magnificent

And of course always very happy to be ..... back home. Because a house is not a home without someone to come home for. And the worst things of 2012?  I tend to forget that kind of happenings.

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Visiting Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary in Loei

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Small creek between the trees Reposting from 2016. Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary is at the Phu Luang mountain area in Loei province and is part of the Luang Prabang mountain range Eco-system. Although the Phu Luang mountain is accessible from different places, the wildlife sanctuary entrance is at the north side. Access to here is a road from route 21 (203) between Phu Rua and Loei city. It takes you about 14 km to the entrance of the National Park. Entrance fee for Thai is 20 Thai baht while non-Thai have the privilege of paying 10 times as much (200 Thai baht). After the entrance it is another 14 km driving to the HQ at 1.400 meter high. Be aware that the last 7 km of this road has some very steep parts. I would not recommend to drive this with a mini-van. Actually a 4WD car would be best. Be also aware that in the raining season access to the park is closed. At the HQ op top are some simple rooms in bungalows and tents for rent. The tents look good and well taken care of. You ev
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On the motorbike from Pua to Song Kwae

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  Following is a motorbike trip report from October 2020, riding from Pua (Nan province) to Song Kwae, and back of course as I am living in Pua. For more motorbike trip reports see  Motorbike Trip Reports. This morning I made a small motorbike riding loop from Pua to Song Kwae, and back of course. I did wake up with the sound of the temple bells and got dressed up for motorbike riding. When walking in the garden to open the gate I did notice that it was actually a bit raining. Well never mind, let's hit the road. My trips more or less always start at the PTT Gasoline station in Pua, from there I took route 101 to Chiang Klang. And in Chiang Klang I took route 1097 to Song Kwae, once in the mountains there was no rain anymore but it was cold! Luckily I was wearing my leather motorbike jacket, gloves and motorbike boots. Route 1097 passes a small mountain range with the highest point of 750m above sea-level, actually 2 times. You are also passing Tat Man Waterfall and 2 Hmong village
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Travelling along the Mekong River in Loei province

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View over the Mekong River in Thailand Reposting from 2017. After visiting Phu Phrabat Historical Park we did travel along the  Mekong River  to Chiang Khan. We did follow the Mekong river along the mountains and there are many stunning views, small villages, temples and waterfalls. What a stunning landscapes! It is that time of the year that the rice is ready to be harvested and it looks beautiful in the afternoon sunlight. And end November the shadows are so beautiful long. We did stay overnight in Chiang Khan in one of the many hotels along the riverside. Although Chiang Khan is overrun by Thai tourism, it is still a relax and nice place with family style shops, restaurants and small hotels. But I would not recommend to go in the weekend or public holidays. The next day we traveled along the the Thai-Lao border to the international border crossing at Thali. While on the way you will pass the place where the Mekong River becomes again (for the second time) a border between Thai
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Walking over the Rainbow Bridge in Chiang Klang

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  Another man-made tourist attraction .... actually just a bridge over a small river nearby Chiang Klang. But they painted it in many colours, so it looks like a rainbow. What again proves it is easy to create a tourist attraction in Thailand .... Selfie Time! It is easy to find as there are signs along the road. The last part is a small typically upcountry road and once over the bridge it becomes a dirt road. A bridge for a road to nowhere, but used a lot by the local farmers. There is parking and there are toilets. And conveniently someone made a kind of coffee shop annex restaurant in the rice fields right next to the parking. Especially the latter I liked but more about that in a next posting. Following are a few photos I took when crossing the bridge by foot. Rainbow bridge in Chiang Klang View from Rainbow bridge in Chiang Klang Rainbow bridge in Chiang Klang, North Thailand
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Enjoying the view at 29 Healing Space in Pua

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Another new coffee shop in Pua, although a bit more as a coffee shop as 29 Healing Space is open in the evening and from their location you have a stunning view over the valley of Pua. Beautiful to watch at a late afternoon or early evening. Of course they serve hot & cold drinks (and even beer) but also home-made cakes & desserts and Khao Soi Kai. As 29 Healing Space is on the edge of a hill in Pua you will have to park down and the walk up some stairs.  Information of 29 Healing station Between Wat Phuket and Wat Beng Sakad in Pua Facebook :  29 Healing Space Serving : Hot & Cold drinks and Khao Soi Kai Opening hours : 10:30 - 21:30
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Tai Lue party in Pua

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Today, 31 October 2020, is Loy Kratong festival and Krathing celebration (end of Buddhist lent) so in the village Ban Ket (in Pua, Nan province) was today a procession of local villagers dressed in their traditional Tai Lue cloths. And tonight there will be in front of the Wat Phuket the celebration of Loy Kratong with traditional live music and rambong dancing. We on the other hand will celebrate Loy Kratong in a small village along the Nan River. And with a little bit of luck I can make some nice photos for tomorrow new posting.
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The Golden Triangle and beyond in North Thailand

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Happy Buddha at the Golden Triangle - North Thailand Reposting from 2015. We made a beautiful trip along the Mekong River from Mai Sai to the point where the Mekong River starts to be the border between Thailand and Laos. And then following the river until the point where the river enters Laos for the first time. You will need your own transport but traveling east of Mai Sai along the not anymore so mighty Mekong River (Mae Nam Khong) one comes in a all new area of Thailand bordering with Laos where you are passing the Golden Triangle (stop at the Hall of Opium), Chiang Saen, Chiang Khong (border crossing to Laos) and Wiang Kaen to go in direction Chiang Kham but not before you visit Phu Patang and Phu Chi Fa  and Doi Pha Tang. For me it was really one of Thailand's most remarkable trips, reasonable good roads, not much tourists and even for me as long term resident of Thailand it did feel like I was on holiday in a foreign country. Stunning view along the Mekong River and fro
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Overlooking the valley of Pua from the Wat Phra That Chom Chaeng in Pua

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In Myanmar they say "every hill should have a pagoda", but here in North Thailand they are also good at it. This is the Wat Phra That Chom Cheang on hill in Pua, the temple consists of a golden pagoda. The pagoda itself is not so impressive but the view over the valley of Pua is, especially at late afternoon. The Wat Phra That Chom Chaeng can be reached via a small road behind the village Don Keaow. Halfway there is a small parking where the stairs guarded by naga's is leading to the pagoda. Luckily the road continues to the pagoda itself. Be aware that if you like to sit here watching sunset that the road has no lights and it goes thru a small forrest. From the sala next to the stairs you will a stunning view over the valley of Pua. I thought that from here you would have a beautiful sunset view but unfortunately most of the sunset is just behind trees. Of course this will improve a bit during the cool season. Following are a few more photos I took. For more information
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Rice harvest in Pua

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  At the end of the green season it is time to do the rice harvest. The first step was a few days ago when the rice was cut. This is not done anymore by hand but with a small machine that cuts the rice like a razor. After that the rice has to be collected for threshing & cleaning the rice. And that was done yesterday. The  threshing & cleaning is again also not done by hand anymore but again with a small machine that is taken to the rice field. This is a terrible job as the remains are blown out of the machine together with all dust. An unhealthy job and also for us it is unhealthy. So we close all our windows and wait 1 hour inside our house until the dust settles down. But as the rice fields near our house are all small plots, every farmer will be doing this on different days. After the rice some farmers will plant corn, others will plant chillies, unions or garlic. For more about farming in Pua click on the label Farming .  Rice harvest in Pua, North Thailand
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On the motorbike from Pua to Chiang Mai and back via Doi Mae Salong

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Following is a Motorbike Trip Report from November 2020. For more motorbike trip reports see my  MOTORBIKE TRIP REPORTS . A multiple days motorbike ride was long overdue. So with a good excuse of buying a new helmet in Chiang Mai my first destination was set. The only question left was "What route to ride to Chiang Mai?". From Pua there are many routes to ride to Chiang Mai, but as I dislike main roads & highways I did choose as usual taking the "long way home". Photo above was taken in the early morning along route 1097. Enjoy! Incidentally, as you might have noticed we are living in the valley of Pua in Nan province, between the rice fields and with stunning view over the mountains of Doi Phu Kha. And we did build a bungalow in our 1 rai garden, that we rent out as holiday bungalow. If you are riding in Nan province, Pua is a great place to stay overnight as base to explore the northern part of Nan province. Have a look at our website   Non Na Pua Homestay  or
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