https://sparklette.net Best Singapore Restaurants, Travel and Hotel Reviews Tue, 14 Jul 2015 04:54:12 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.8.2 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-wat-phan-tao/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-wat-phan-tao/#comments Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:14:50 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=1114

If I was to ask you, where would you find a field of tulips in bloom? You will probably say, Holland. Would you believe me if I said that you can find it in Thailand? From browsing Flickr photos on my Lenovo laptop, I chanced upon this particular shot of a tulip garden in Chiang Mai surrounding the golden Buddha statue. I have never seen a tulip field before. Excited, […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-wat-phan-tao/feed/ 3 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-vjo-teahouse/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-vjo-teahouse/#comments Mon, 28 Mar 2011 03:00:36 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=1113

Ladies and gentlemen, today you are going to see the pinkest eatery in Chiang Mai, and quite possibly the world. The Vieng Joom On Teahouse, or simply VJO, occupies a striking pink building on the eastern bank of Ping River. Under this gorgeous setting you can enjoy a wide assortment of western teas and cakes. What a wonderful way of spending an idyllic afternoon. VJO Teahouse is located within a […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-vjo-teahouse/feed/ 7 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-wat-chedi-luang/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-wat-chedi-luang/#comments Sun, 27 Mar 2011 03:00:44 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=1111

Two of the largest temples in Chiang Mai – Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Sing – are located within a ten-minute walk of each other in Old City, the historic and cultural district of Chiang Mai. Here’s how we have planned our visit to Old City. We would first hit the popular Sunday Walking Street Market. Then, once we tire of the shopping, we would hop into a temple […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-wat-chedi-luang/feed/ 4 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/full-moon-wine-coolers/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/full-moon-wine-coolers/#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2011 03:00:26 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=1110

Have you ever seen wine that is cheaper than water? I sure have not, until I decide to walk into a convenience store in Chiang Mai. On this trip, our hotel is conveniently located near a convenience store, manned by a local that I enjoy having little conversations with and polish up my Thai at the same time. One night, while browsing for some interesting snacks and drinks, these wine […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/full-moon-wine-coolers/feed/ 2 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-sunday-walking-street-market-night-bazaar/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-sunday-walking-street-market-night-bazaar/#comments Thu, 24 Mar 2011 03:00:33 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=1109

If you happen to be in Chiang Mai on a Sunday, do not miss the Sunday Walking Street Market. This unique shopping experience in Old City is a major attraction for both tourists and locals. The roads are closed off in the late afternoon as hundreds of vendors set up shop to sell their crafts, foodstuffs and clothing. The shopping street starts from the entrance at Tha Phae Gate, stretching […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-sunday-walking-street-market-night-bazaar/feed/ 4 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/black-canyon-coffee/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/black-canyon-coffee/#comments Wed, 23 Mar 2011 03:00:16 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=1108

On every visit to the Land of Smiles, I make it a point to visit Black Canyon Coffee. This is a popular home-grown coffee chain in Thailand that is as ubiquitous as Starbucks is in Singapore. A wide range of coffee, chilled drinks and hot meals are served here. This time round, in Chiang Mai, I notice that the café does coffee art. The staff recommends it with cappuccino. And […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/black-canyon-coffee/feed/ 1 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-old-city-tha-phae-gate/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-old-city-tha-phae-gate/#comments Tue, 22 Mar 2011 03:00:10 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=1107

If you happen to pick up a map of Chiang Mai, you would notice that it centres around a distinctive square-shaped district. This is the Old City, the historic quarter that was once a walled square surrounded by a moat. Today, this area is brimming with tourist attractions, temples, restaurants, backpacker accommodation and shops. From the east, the Tha Phae Gate opens the way into Old City. We head here […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-old-city-tha-phae-gate/feed/ 7 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-dinner-cruise/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-dinner-cruise/#comments Mon, 21 Mar 2011 03:00:59 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=1106

Having had a memorable dinner cruise experience on Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, I know it would be a good idea to do the same in Chiang Mai. After all, Ping River is an important part of the city, separating the popular western side that includes the Old City, and the less visited eastern side. From my research done on the Lenovo V470 laptop that I brought along on this […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai-dinner-cruise/feed/ 3 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai/#comments Sun, 20 Mar 2011 05:39:11 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=1105

Sa wat dii kha! I am blogging live from Chiang Mai, a former capital of Thailand. While I am not new to Thailand, having visited Bangkok several times,this is my first time in the largest city of northern Thailand. View from my 17th floor hotel room at Centara Duangtawan Hotel This trip is sponsored by Lenovo. Thanks to the powerful Lenovo IdeaPad V470 laptop computer, I can quickly process all […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/chiang-mai/feed/ 7 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/sirocco-bangkok/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/sirocco-bangkok/#comments Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:49:59 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=902

One place that I have long wanted to check out in Bangkok is Sirocco, the sky bar at lebua Hotel. What makes this bar particularly awesome is that it is perched open-air on the hotel rooftop, more than 60 floors above the ground! Imagine having a drink here with the wind in your face and the world at your feet. Now, isn’t that a thrill! There are at least two […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/sirocco-bangkok/feed/ 12 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/kaiton-pratunam-bangkok/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/kaiton-pratunam-bangkok/#comments Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:04:56 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=901

At first glance, Kaiton in Pratunam looks like any other street food vendor in Bangkok. A small stand fronts the eatery, where staff busily prepare plate after plate of food to be served to customers. Yet, beyond its nondescript facade lies possibly the best Khao Mun Kai (chicken rice) in Bangkok. Kaiton is one place where I would always make a stop at on all my trips to Bangkok. For […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/kaiton-pratunam-bangkok/feed/ 25 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/11-gallery-sukhumvit-bangkok/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/11-gallery-sukhumvit-bangkok/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:38:43 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=899

If you are looking for a memorable dining experience in Bangkok, head to 11 Gallery in Sukhumvit. The moment you enter the restaurant, it is as though you have walked through the gateway to old world Thailand. The waitress, clad in traditional Thai clothing with the sabai (shoulder cloth) ushers you in. You have the choice of outdoor seating amongst greenery, or indoor at the old wooden houses. For the […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/11-gallery-sukhumvit-bangkok/feed/ 8 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/koko-siam-square-bangkok/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/koko-siam-square-bangkok/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:36:32 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=898

Siam Square is an area that appeals to tourists and locals alike with its eclectic mix of shops and boutiques that sell local designer-label apparel. When it comes to chow time, aside from the big players like the Bangkok Hard Rock Café, you can also choose from small café-restaurants like Koko. Koko is a Thai eatery that caters to vegan palates, with a sprinkling of meat dishes. Most importantly, they […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/koko-siam-square-bangkok/feed/ 13 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/offshore-sukhumvit-bangkok/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/offshore-sukhumvit-bangkok/#comments Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:16:03 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=897

On a recent trip to Bangkok, I stayed in the Sukhumvit area and visited what is perhaps the best-known chippy in Bangkok – The Offshore. It is situated in Soi Cowboy, the red-light district in Sukhumvit that is notorious for its strip bars and risque shows. The Offshore first started out as a bar, and expanded into the fish-and-chips business with a unit next door. I may be wrong, but […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/offshore-sukhumvit-bangkok/feed/ 28 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-departure/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-departure/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:16:53 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=817

when we first arrived at the Bangkok suvarnabhumi international airport, I was marveled by the vast difference it was from the rundown don muang airport. At that time though, we were in a rush to start exploring the city, eager travellers that we were, and didn’t linger. Now that we were leaving (boy, do 8 days whiz right past!), we got to spend a bit of time here and grab […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-departure/feed/ 6 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-shop-eat-relax/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-shop-eat-relax/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 04:28:40 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=816

Our last day in Bangkok was spent shopping and using up our remaining baht, because those are no good back home. Bored of MBK and all the malls in the Siam area, we made our visit to the platinum fashion mall in petchaburi. It was an excellent choice. The mall is literally packed to the brim with hundreds of fashion shops spread over 5 or 6 levels! It’s like a […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-shop-eat-relax/feed/ 17 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-forensic-museum-wat-arun-chao-phraya-river/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-forensic-museum-wat-arun-chao-phraya-river/#comments Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:38:59 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=815

We had planned the entire day’s activities down to a tee! In the day, we would explore the sights along the Chao Phraya River. At night, we would take a dinner cruise whilst admiring the city lights! Doesn’t that sound wonderful? The bustling river runs through Bangkok and several other cities, with river taxis providing an important mode of transport for both locals and tourists alike. After travelling around on […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-forensic-museum-wat-arun-chao-phraya-river/feed/ 30 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/muang-boran-ancient-city-thailand/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/muang-boran-ancient-city-thailand/#comments Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:21:11 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=814

Muang Boran, the ancient city, is one fascinating sight that is missing from every traveller’s guidebook and website. After a day trip to this amazing park/outdoor museum, it feels as though we have toured the whole country. Honestly – and I’m not exaggerating here – Muang Boran is hands-down the best place I’ve ever visited in Thailand. First of all, the place is so huge, it is a city in […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/muang-boran-ancient-city-thailand/feed/ 46 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-day-5-thailand-cultural-centre-national-museum/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-day-5-thailand-cultural-centre-national-museum/#comments Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:15:17 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=813

Being huge fans of museums, we dedicated the day to exploring some of the museums in Bangkok. Before embarking on our cultural journey, we made a stop at MBK Center for some cake and coffee. Gateaux house is a little bakery café at the first level of the mall, near the tokyu department store. I still remember having some snacks there with my Mom during our first trip to Bangkok […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-day-5-thailand-cultural-centre-national-museum/feed/ 11 https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-day-4-jim-thompson-house-suan-pakkad-palace/ https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-day-4-jim-thompson-house-suan-pakkad-palace/#comments Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:14:52 +0000 http://sparklette.net/?p=812

Following a weekend of shopping and dining, it was time for some serious sightseeing. Having visited the usual sights like Grand Palace and the Floating Market, you would think that there’s nothing more to see. That might have been true if the city wasn’t filled with so much culture and diversity. But having culture and diversity is exactly the strong point of Bangkok. As a matter of fact, we paid […]]]> https://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-day-4-jim-thompson-house-suan-pakkad-palace/feed/ 10