Sukhothai Thailand

Ruins of the former capital underline its relevance to the nation and, in particular, its arts. This despite a reign that lasted only 140 years before being overtaken by another capital. Written by John Hoskin for the Thai Airways magazine Sawasdee. This article is published here with permission to promote travel to Northern Thailand’s most historic and important ancient capital Sukhothai.

“For all the desolate, miserable, god-forsaken places on this earth, Sukhothai must surely be the worst.” So wrote Reginald Campbell in Teak Wallah, an account of his time as a forestry official in Northern Thailand in the 1920s.

Perhaps Sukhothai, 450 kilometres north of Bangkok, is not one of Thailand’s most inspiring towns, but just 12 kilometres away are the magnificent ruins of the Kingdom’s first capital, from which the modern town takes its name: Sukhothai.

Campbell may have had a blind spot for the history and culture of his host country, however his complete silence on the historical remains of Sukhothai is indicative of the neglect of the ancient site, so nearby, suffered until recently. In campbell’s day the ruins were likely all but obscured by jungle. Today’s traveller is more fortunate. Following the completion in 1988 of a decade-long UNESCO restoration project and subsequent designation as a World Heritage Site, Sukhothai now beckons as a fascinating historical park. Full former glory of Sukhothai is beyond retrieval, but the ruins that remain mark the cultural centre of Thailand and offer a superb insight into the early flowering of Thai civilisation.

Precisely one hundred years ago, Crown Prince Maha Vajiravudh, later Rama VI, made a historic eight-day visit to Sukhothai during a three-month journey in the north of the country.

Noted for his nationalism – the Kingdom’s flag, its modern education system and even the modern idea of a Thai nation are all a result of his reign – the Crown Prince’s 1907 journey served to underscore Sukhothai’s influence on the nation’s development.

Within the confines of the ancient city’s ramparts are more than 20 major monuments, while numerous other sights are scattered throughout the 70 square kilometre park. The Sukhothai ruins have been restored and stand amid manicured lawns and ornamental ponds themselves set off by a distant background of wooded hills.

Originally an outpost of the Khmer empire centred on Angkor in Cambodia, Sukhothai achieved independence in the first half ot eh 13th century when two Thai chieftains rallied their formerly disunited followers and established what was the first sovereign Thai state in Sukhothai. With the influence of both Pagan to the west and Angkor to the east declining at the same time, Sukhothai was well poised to become not only the capital of a new kingdeom but also a regional political and cultural hub of the first order.

As the undisputed power base of the new Thai nation, Sukhothai reigned supreme for only 140 years. In 1378 it became a vassal of up-and-coming Ayutthaya to the south and only 60 years later it was totally absorbed by the younger Thai nation. By the end of the 15th century, Sukhothai was abandoned. Yet in that brief time it established religious, cultural and political patters that continue to influence the nation. The history of Sukhothai in the Khmer period is still not fully understood. Khmer architectural touches are readily discernable in the ruins of the few Sukhothai temples, notably the earliest parts of Wat Sri Sawai and Wat Phra Pai Luang, but it is unclear whether the site was a fully fledged Khmer settlement or merely a military stronghold But whatever they did inherit from the Khmers, it is obvious that the Thais wasted little time in constructing their own capital on a scale and in a style befitting the birth of a nation called Sukhothai.

During the reign of King Ramkamhaeng, between 1279 and 1299, Sukhothai experienced its golden age. Under this monarch’s masterful leadership the kingdom was consolidated, politically throughout territorial gains and culturally through the adoption, from Sri Lanka of Theravada Buddhism.

It was Theravada Buddhism that served, as it still does, as the principal cohesive force in the Thai state. The Sri Lankan school of Buddhism had an enormous impact on art and architecture, its influence distinguishing the Sukhothai achievement above all else. This is most evident in the Buddha images, cast according to descriptions in Pali scriptures, in the details of line engraving, in decorative stucco work and most importantly, in the bell-shaped chedi.

Although Sukhothai’s political and social organisation was perfected under King Ramkamhaeng, the art and architecture of the city did not reach their apogee until around the middle of the 14th century. At that time, during the reign of King Lithai, a man noted both for his religious conviction and his scholarship, Theravada Buddhism was greatly strengthened through the Kingdom’s direct links with Sri Lanka. Previously, the faith had arrived indirectly via monks from Nakhon Si Thammarat in Southern Thailand. The result was building of chedis and other religious structures at both an accelerated and more refined pace.

The so-called lotus-bud chedi, characterised by a bulbous dome at the top of the spire and unique to Sukhothai architecture, then made its appearance. The construction of Sri Lankan bell shaped chedis Sukhothai also became more widespread, replacing the pyramid and round tower of the old Khmer style, while incorporating Singhalese stylistic influences in stucco decoration and line engraving. This is also the period, most historians agree, that the art of bronze-cast Buddha images reached perfection.

On the national timescale, Sukhothai’s glory was short-lived. Yet its brief passage does not truly reflect Sukhothai’s enormous contribution to the nationhood of the Thai people. In virtually all fields of human activity – political, religious, civic and cultural – Sukhothai established traditions that, despite later adaptations and development, are still discernible in the modern, present-day society.

The most vivid example of this influence is the Thai concept of monarchy, which originated in Sukhothai. The regional forerunners were more akin to the god-kings of nearby Angkor, but the Thai model, while similarly providing absolute power, made royalty more accessible, more paternal, than it had been under the Khmer. Such an ideal and practise of monarchy has served to bind and guide the nation throughout subsequent centuries, which in turn has helped to preserve a remarkable historical continuity.

Part 2 coming soon.

Mystical Myanmar – Visiting the Temples of Bagan

From the North Shore Guide to the world outside and written by Andrew Renton, contributing writer. This article is published solely to promote tourism and travel to Myanmar.

My tricycle driver stands over his pedals for the uphill climb. Like all Burmese he is as thin as a wisp and I marvel that his lunghi (sarong) doesn’t catch in the chain. He constantly fingers the huge silver bell to flaunt his luck. He has snagged a foreigner and, for now, all is well in his world.

I arrive on the afternoon ferry from Mandalay, just as the sun is setting over the receeding banks of the Irawaddy River. There is no dock. I teeter along a narrow gangplank into the hands of frenzied touts pushing everything from guides to guesthouses.

The May Kha Lar Guesthouse offers rooms which are simple but immaculate. For $10 CDN a night I have aircon, satellite TV, private bath and a “two-egg” breakfast served on the upper balcony. I also have the invaluable services of Miss Cho.

“You will need a bicycle or a horse cart, unless of course you plan to visit the temples by foot?” She exudes a no-nonsense charm that commands respect from locals and guests alike.

Two thousand temples and stupas cover an area of 80 square kilometres. Another 2,000 lie in ruins, the victims of time and looters. Many date back 1,000 years to when Bagan was the capital of Myanmar was in transition from Hinduism to Theravada Buddhism.

King Anawrahta ascended the Burmese throne in 1044. He began a lavish building programme which was continued by his heirs for another 250 years. In 1287, Kublai Khan’s marauding Mongols overran the city.

According to Marco Polo: “The king caused these towers to be erected to commemorate his magnificence and for the good of his soul. They form one of the finest sights in the world.” They still do!

Since my last visit in 1987, Nyaung U has become the new base for budget tourists. The government forcibly moved residents of Old Bagan to a field several kilometres away, flattening and removing any sign of past habitation. Doubtless a political move carried out just prior to the fruitless 1990 election of Aung San Suu Kyi still under house arrest in Yangon.

9 a.m. My driver is waiting. I prop myself up on a floral mattress and we clip clop along dusty lanes. We pass a peanut plantation. A man perches precariously at the apex of a tripod built from three bamboo poles bound at the nexk by strands of rattan. He shakes peanuts from freshly harvested plants onto a sheet of gunnysack.

Tin speaks good English. He and his wife Kin Kin support an extended family of 13. They all share a palm-thatched bamboo hut. She leaves for the market at 5 a.m. to sell Shan noodle soup to early risers.

Tin rents the horse cart (which turns out to be an authentic pony and trap) on a daily basis from the owner. He urges it on with a series of gentle clicks and grunts, rarely using the long-tailed whip. He gives ma brief history of each temple of Myanmar before sending me off to inspect. Not bad service for around $10 CDN a day.

In 1975 a major earthquake shook the area. UNESCO funding saved the day and restored the Anada Pahto, the oldest of the great temples of Myanmar. It houses a 30 foot Buddha hewn from a single teak log. Restoration continues on many others.

WE putter from one extraordinary monument to the next, dodging coachloads of French tourists and German cyclists. The spire of the Mahabodhi Paya is shaped like a pyramid, each face dotted with tiny niches holding hundreds of seated Buddhas.

Inside the dark passages of the Pahtothamya, I pay a toothless old lady to show me murals dating back from 1084.

Sunset is breathtaking. The sky turns from deep gold to darkening shades of pink. Temples slowly evaporate into the haze of the night. The street is suddenly alive with people and flickering BBQs. Hawkers prepare quail eggs, skewers of meat and deliciously crisp crepes brimming with onions and tomatoes.

Miss Cho demands a blow-by-blow account of the day. “Did Tin show you this templae and that stupa?” “Where did he take you at sunset?” “Tomorrow will be better. I will tell him to take you further. They are lazy you know!”

”You are lucky. Tonight there is a puppet show at The Myayadana Restaurant. I will arrange a tricycle for you. Later he will take you to a Pwe in the next village.” Burmese love street theatre and an opportunity to watch transvestite actors strut their stuff.

In this extraordinary corner of an outrageously beautiful, if tarnished, country, I feel a warm glow of contentment. I am in the capable hands of Miss Cho. Myanmar is surely the most fascinating country in South East Asia despite a despotic government. Golden stupas gleam from every hilltop. The one-legged rowers of Inle Lake are unique. Festivals happen around every corner. Smiles are contagious.

When weighing your decision to visit, remember that many, like Miss Cho and Tin, rely on tourism to buy food and medication for their families.

If you go to Myanmar:

Getting there: Most Canadians will fly to Bangkok then take a one hour flight ($100 CDN) on Bangkok Airways to Yangon.
Visas to Myanmar: Necessary for all travellers
Myanmar Embassy: 902/903 – 85, Range Road, Ottawa ON KIN; telephone 816.613.232.6446 or email meott@magma.ca or the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok for same day service. Take three passport photos.
Getting Around: car and driver (around $40 CAD per day). Rickshaw. Bus. Pickup truck. Shared taxi. Plane or train (wonderful though ancient and unreliable).
Safety: Myanmar is as safe as it gets. Don’t talk politics. You can get people (and yourself) in trouble.
When to go: November to May is the dry season and less humid.
Money: Take clean US dollar bills.

The Action Eight for Phuket Thailand

Kerrie Hall reveals eight exciting ways to get the adrenaline pumping in Phuket Thailand in the Fah Thai March and April 2007 edition.

Endless summers, fabulous seaviews, beachside dining, wonderful sunsets and a laid-back lifestyle are exactly what makes PHuket a true tropical paradise. But while this is heavenly for the most part, what is life without an adrenaline rush once in a while?

Ever wanted to dive with turtles, learn to surf, be a boogie-queen, or go on a jungle adventure? You’ve come to the right place. Seize the moment and live your dreams with one of these eight exciting experiences awaiting you in Phuket Thailand.

1. Martial Art Mix

An explosion of worldwide interest in the King’s sport of muay thai, or Thai boxing, is attracting many international visitors to Phuket’s training gyms where experts run professional courses in the centuries-old martial art. Originally used on the battlefield in male combat, muay thai is also attracting a growing number of females fans interested in learning for fitness and competition. Students enrol in courses ranging from one week to several months that, along with personal techniques and kickboxing sessions, also include gym workouts to increase body strength. Schedules are serious in the Phuket Thailand gyms, but still leave plenty of time for enjoying other attractions in the region of Phuket.

How to: Mixed Martial Arts and Muay Thai Training Centre (www.mmaphuket.com) and Phuket Muay Thai Camp (www.phuket-muay-thai.com).

2. Surf’s Up in Phuket

Popular with the surf fraternity during monsoon season (April to November) when currents, winds and swells descent on the west coast of Phuket, the beach scene gets funky with local and international board-riders and boogiers hanging out for waves. Although not of the mind blowing calibre raved about on the international circuit, the local surf scene does attract a decent crowd for fun of the sport and is a great place to learn. Several surf competitions in Phuket are held each year from Surin in the north to Kalim and the south of the island at Kata Beach. Nai Harn is also a popular surf spot during these months on Phuket, with a legion of surfers and boogie-boarders catching some great waves.

How to: Learn to surf or rent a board at Phuket Surf School (phuketsurf.com) located at the southern end of Kata Beach.

3. Jungle Jaunts on Phuket

Nature lover will delight in the variety of wildlife found in the tropical jungles of the Andaman region and within easy reach of Phuket Thailand, including the myriad of national parks located just over Sarasin Bridge on the mainland in Phang Nga province from PHuket. Drive yourself or take a tour, but be sure to pack a swimsuit, as many feature stunning waterfalls and natural pools for a refreshing dip after exploring the nature trails. For the serious and hardy trekkers, Khao Sok National Park is a few hours drive from Phuket Thailand and offers hiking trails deep into the jungle where untouched beauty abounds. A wealth of exotic animal and bird speices can be sighted, such as wild elephants, macaques, gibbons, hornbills and perhaps even an elusive tiger.

How to: Paddle Asia (www.paddleasia.com) offers a wide range of extreme adventures in Phuket, including hiking, rafting, and mountain climbing.

4. Kayaking in Phuket

The amazing waters of Phuket and the region are easily explored by kayak. Sea kayaking, in particular offers many great experiences including the chance to explore offshore islands, karsts and caves. Head to Yanui in Phuket; this is one of the most scenic coastal regions in the island’s south- with gorgeous surrounding beaches and uninhabited islands nearby, plus a rich marine life to view with a snorkel.

How to: Kayaks are available for hire by the hour from a beach operator at Yanui Phuket. John Gray Sea Canoe (www.johngray-seacanoe.com) offers accredited educational, environmental tours in Phang Nga Bay and beyond.

5. Dive In

The elusive Green Sea Turtle, weighing up to 200kg, is the largest hardshell sea turtle found in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate waters off of Phuket. Protected by the Endangered Species Act, it can be sighted in Phang Nga Bay, the Similan Islands and occasionally Phuket’s west coast. This marine species brings excitement to any dive expedition in operation around the Adaman region of Phuket and along with the amazing coral reefs found here, make this home to some of the world’s best dive sites.

How to: One of Thailand’s oldest and most famed dive operators is Fantasea Divers who run expeditions off Phuket, into Burma and beyond (www.fantasea-divers.com).

6. Hold Tight in Phuket

An emerging activity for thrill-seekers bound for Phuket during monsoon time is kite-surfing – also known as fly-surfing or kite-boarding – the art of jumping waves on a wakeboard and flying through the air propelled by wind and a hovering sail. A rapidly growing sport across the world, many enthusiasts travel with their own equipment and can be sen ripping along the waters at Karon Phuket and off Rawai Beach Phuket Thailand.

How To: Kite Thailand (www.kitethailand.com) has a base at the south end of Rawai Beach at a restaurant called Baan Had Rawai, where lessons for kite-surfing are held during high season in a large shallow sandy area ideal for learning this exciting pastime.

7. Phuket Beach Digs and Bumps

Recent host of the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour Women’s Professional Beach Volleyball Tournament and other popular competitions, Phuket has witnessed a rise in the popularity of this energetic sport, with volleyball nets on most major beaches of Phuket. Many Thai locals are now forming teams for friendly matches and anyone is welcome to join in the Phuket beach action and fun. The activities start when the day cools down, sometime in the late afternoon, when volleyball matches can be found on the sand at Surin, Patong, Karon, and Nai Harn. It’s a great way to meet new friends on Phuket and indulge in fun fitness – plus, the waves are right there for a quick dip afterwards.

How to: Phuket Sports and Tennis now welcomes volleyball enthusiasts to its new international standard volleyball court at Rawai in southern Phuket.

8. On the Water in Phuket Thailand

Boating is one of Phuket’s most popular adventure activities for visitors, and the variety of watercraft available for charter is astounding, although usually, the tour itineraries are set on dedicated courses that don’t deviate from its path along Phuket’s shores. One new luxury operator in Phuket, OmniMarine (www.omnitrips.com) however now offers exclusive experiences designed for the individual aboard a range of imported European vessels. Itineraries are specilised to cater for every whim. It might include a half-day outer island trip on a super-speed, six-passenger Silver Clour or overnight cruising of the Phuket’s Similan Islands Marine National Park aboard a private, fully-catered Ferretti motor yacht. Those who prefer the buzz of being at the helm couldn’t be in a better place to learn. Home of the King’s Cup, Asia’s largest sailng regatta, Phang Nga Bay Regatta in Phuket, Phuket Race Week and other regular yachting events, this part of the Thai cost boasts some of the world’s best sailing waters. With a growing number of marinas in Phuket on the island an more planned for the Andaman region, the opportunities for sailing adventures look set to abound.

How to: The popular Sunsail Phuket (www.sunsailthaildand.com) runs a training school for novices thorugh to competitive racing and Yachtsmaster level.

Preserving Hoi An Vietnam

It was once one of Japan’s and the world’s most important trade centers. A key port on the ancient silk route. Hoi An traded ceramics textiles, fragrant woods, copper coins, and ironware between merchants from as far as northern Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Written by Raymond Wilkinson for the March/April Heritage Magazine for Vietnam Airlines and published with permission to promote travel to Hoi An and Vietnam.

At the height of relations in the mid 17th century, as many as 1,000 Japanese traders built their homes, warehouses, and even cemeteries in a special treaty quarter in the Vietnamese port of Hoi An. They became advisors to Vietnamese emperors and married into the imperial family. But when the Tokugawa shogunate banned overseas maritime activities in 1635, the Japanese presence in Hoi An went into sharp decline. By the end of the century there were only four or five families living along the beautiful sweeping bays and inlets of central Vietnam. As trade patterns and global commerce shifted, Hoi An went into decline. By the time of the American War, Hoi An was a sleepy backwater town known only to a few cultural experts and intrepid travelers.

In recent years the town has enjoyed a renaissance and revived strong ties with Japan. In 1999 it was declared a World Heritage Site in recognition of its outstanding cultural and architectural importance. Increasing numbers of tourists from around the world explore the town’s cobblestone streets and indulge in nearby golden beaches. Japanese, Thai and Hollywood movies have used Hoi An’s beautiful wooden buildings as exotic backdrops, one of the latest films being “The Quiet American” starring Michael Caine.

The Shows Women’s University in Tokyo has been active for more than a decade in Hoi An and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has sent a series of experts to work with the town’s Center for Monuments Management and Preservation in restoring an estimated 1,107 listed structures. Much of the focus in Hoi An has been on the Japanese Bridge: a serene, curved structure of wood and tile with a covered roof and a small temple at its center. The bridge was once the entrance to the city’s Japanese Quarter in Hoi An.

As tourists from Germany and Australia clambered noisily across the Hoi An narrow walkway recently, Japanese architectural expert Chikako Suzuki ran her fingers across the ancient beams and noted that the joints in some areas were now several centimetres apart. The gnarled wooden planks inside the temple also sloped at a gradual angle. In its old age, the Hoi An bridge is shifting and slowly sinking.

“It is not an urgent crisis, but without proper attention, the bridge could eventually collapse,” Suzuki said. The government of Hoi An and city, as well as foreign experts, have been exploring ways to preserve this most important structure, and according to Suzuki “work could start next year, but it is very delicate.”

An architect by training, after doing research in Nepal and Tunisia, Suzuki joined the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) and arrived in Vietnam in January 2006. A native of Kikari, town in Yamahuchi Prefecture, she will stay in Hoi An until December 2007. In that same year JICA will send a second volunteer, a specialist in environmental education, to join her.

“The Japanese connection is very easy to understand,” says Nhugen Duc Minh, deputy director of the Hoi An Center for Monuments Management and Preservation. “We have had a strong bond since the 17th century and this is merely a continuation. We highly value both the Japanese expertise and financial support.”

In recent years, the most obvious impact on Hoi An has been tourism. With the arrival of thousands of tourists in Hoi An and the construction of modern resorts on the outskirts of town, Hoi An has changed dramatically. Old wooden Chinese and Japanese buildings and French colonial houses have transformed into restaurants, cafes, souvenier shops, and clothing boutiques. “Tourism in Hoi An itself is not a threat to the city,” Nguyen Duc Minh said, “but the overspill and side affects of tourism are potential hazards.”

Suzuki and her Vietnamese colleagues have distributed questionnaires to tourists and local citizens, lectured at schools, and scheduled seminars in Hoi An. Recently, she organized Japanese volunteers working in Vietnam and thirty some locals to collect rubbish from the local river, to clean up the waterway, to identify specific pollutants in Hoi An, and to brainstorm ways to combat that pollution. Suzuki also keeps a close eye on renovation work in Hoi An being done on some of the town’s oldest buildings.

“Workmen can sometimes by sloppy,” Suzuki explained. “They are not worried about preserving the wood in these buildings in Hoi An. They just want to get the work done as quickly as possible, open a shop or restaurant, and make money from the tourists. We have to emphasize that this work is to protect Vietnam’s precious cultural heritage for the entire world to enjoy for decades to come.”

Legendary Land – Bac Lieu in Vietnam

Published with permission to promote tourism and travel to Bac Lieu, this article written by Minh Thuy was originally published in the March/April edition of Heritage magazine for Vietnam Airlines.

Known for its natural beauty, Bac Lieu has become a resort destination for those seeking adventure off the beaten path. In addition to its outdoors highlights, Bac Lieu is a land where ethnicities live together and cultures converge.

Bac Lieu’s main ethnicities are Kinh, Hoa and Khmer people. The particular culture of Bac Lieu and the region’s unique characteristics come from its layered composite of culture. Bac Lieu folk songs and chants, for example, reveal typical characteristics of Bac Lieu people. As their traditional music illustrates, Bac Lieu natives are known for being straightforward and hospitable, for speaking simply and gracefully. Musical lyrics also describe Khmer people’s enthusiastic approach to work.

As many legends, classical dreams, and films depict, Bac Lieu is known for its nobles’ extravagance. One noble, Tran Trinh Huy, was a notorious playboy and free spirit, known particularly for his tendency to burn money to boil eggs. Common behaviour in Bac Lieu is of course far from this infamous noble’s. In fact, Bac Lieu natives are hard to classify generally, as they are composed of diverse ethnic, religious, and socio-economic groups. Many men from northern and central Vietnam come here to get married, while local Bac Lieu men are also known for seducing urban lasses.

There is an inherent sense of community in Bac Lieu which takes form in local spirituality. Although Bac Lieu houses are low-roofed, all the villagers collectively contribute to the village’s pagoda, which is majestic and splendid. Notable pagodas are Xiem Can Pagoda (Vinh Trach Dong, Bac Lieu Town) and Cai Gia Pagoda (Hung Hoi Township, Vinh Loi District).

Visitors and tourists often come to Bac Lieu in search of outdoors activities. Tourists frequent the ecological longan garden to try the unique longan fruit. At the garden, singers serenade with tradition songs as visitors eat banh xeo (rice pancake folded in half, filled with savory meats and vegetables). The Lap Dien Bird Sanctuary, known for its rare species, is also a popular destination. Phat Ba Nam Hai, reputed for its supernatural power, welcome thousands of tourists every year. The South Chine Sea, past the Kinh Tu salt marsh, offers cuttle-fishing expeditions. Finally, Bac Lieu’s countryside is home to traditional craft villages. Phuoc Long and Hon Dan districts have villages specializing in plaiting, mat weaving and hat making.

Bac Lieu’s people, history and natural beauty distinguish the area. Visitors come from the breathtaking landscapes and stay for the hospitable people.

Bac Lieu Province

Bac Lieu is a province that lies along the Cuu Long River’s delta, in Southern Vietnam. Bac Lieu is 280 kilometers away from Ho Chi Minh City.

Geography: 2,520.6 square km. Bac Lieu is a relatively young region
Population: around 800,000 people
People: Bac Lieu has 20 ethnicities: Kinh (90.0%); Cambodian (7.9%); Hoa (3.1%); mixed descent
Culture: in the past, Bac Lieu was very famous for its hedonism. At the end of the 19th century and early 20th century, the open-minded nature of Bac Lieu attracted aristocratic people from the other surrounding provinces in the south. All the wealthy men attracted to Bac Lieu used their money to build palaces that were different from palaces in Hanoi, Saigon and Dalat. The intent was to build palaces that were architecturally reminiscent of Paris.

Kool Koh Chang Travel - What to do in Koh Chang Thailand

Victor Paul Borg reveals the Thai Island’s rising style stakes in Fah Thai – March/April 2007 with permission on March 14, 2007. Part 1 of 2.

Thirty years ago, Konchai Thanasrikul was the first one on the Koh Chang beach at Had Tha Nam, and he immediately envisioned its potential, purchasing a cheap plot of beachfront property and building the Siam Beach Resort’s cluster of rustic bungalows.

“There was nothing at the time,” says Natrapee Somnam, the manager of the Koh Chang resort and Konchai’s confidante. “no road, no water, no electricity, and no cold drinks. Koh Chang guests had to come from the mainland on a long-tail boat that docked on the beach.”

And come they did: Western escapees seeking virtual exile on a tropical island, enchanted by this one’s strips of brilliant – Koh Chang white sand, towering coconut palms, and inviting sweeps of blue sea. The Westerners changed the beach’s Thai name – which means “Beach Pier Water” – to one that was truer to its character, Lonely Beach, a name still in use today.

“Konchai realised that Koh Chang would be as successful as Phuket,” adds Natrapee. Not quite another Phuket, at least not yet, but not far behind now either. Still one of the quietest beaches, Had Tha Nam now boasts five resorts, and last year, Koh Chang’s Siam Beach felt compelled to adapt to the times by tearing down the rustic bungalows and rebuilding swankier residences complete with air-conditioning, TV and parquet floors. The island of Koh Chang was on the up – both in terms of visitor numbers and in style of accommodation.

The Rising Tide of Koh Chang

Elsewhere on Thailand’s second largest island (after Phuket), the real estate development has proceeded even faster. Koh Chang – whose Thai name translates to “Elephant Island” as it is shaped like an elephant’s head – is the largest of an archipelago of 52 islands which were designated a National Park in 1982. At the time, it was home to a few thousand fisherman and a rugged backpacker’s hideway; rapid growth in tourism only came in 2001 to Koh Chang when the government tramaced the road that sirts almost all of its coast and improved the ferry service from the mainland.

The introduction of Bangkok Airways flights a few years later made it all the more accessible – flight time from the capital is just 40 minutes to Koh Chang – and the proximity to Bangkok ensured that it became a viable weekend getaway for city slickers loking for some fun in the sun. Visitor numbers to Koh Chang have climbed to around 800,000 annually, and the transformation from a backpacker’s escapade to an upscale destination resort is now almost complete.

This new influx of higher-budget tourists spurred the construction of several plush Koh Chang resort on some of the west coast’s beaches – best of which are the Amari Emerald Cove Resort and Spa; AANA Resort and Spa; Ramayana Resort and Spa, Aiyapura Resort and Spa, Panviman Resort, and the SPA Koh Chang. All come kitted with luxuries set among tasteful designs and boast impressive spas offering all types of exotic therapies – traditional or modern massages as well as many rejuvenation treatments.

More new Koh Chang resorts are sprouting up with at least two openings expected in March; The Dewa, from the same owners of the upscale Ramayana, and the swanky Princess Resort Koh Chang by the Dusit chain, whose 96 rooms are a study of sublime Thai contemporary design.

Now, the island of Koh Chang is also due to get another first in the form of two separate private luxury residential developments – Tranquility Bay Residence near Bang Bao and Siam Royal View in Khlong Son village – to be sold as holiday or retirement homes, both complete with private yacht marinas.

Something for Everyone in Koh Chang

Not all resorts are high-end in Koh Chang, but different types of visitors will find something that suits their tastes and budgets in the three main beaches. Broadly speaking, these house expensive designer resorts at Had Kai Bae; cheaper backpacker bungalows at Had Tha Nam; and mid-range accommodations at Had Sai Khao, the longest beach in Koh Chang.

Yet, all these beaches hold the three quitessential Koh Chang experiences: a Thai massage under the coconut palms right in the sand, a dinner of fresh grilled seafood on tables set up on the beach and shows by the famour fire jugglers.

It is also possible to choose from a multitude of water-based activities such as snorkelling, or diving tours to explore coral reefs filled with barracudas at a cluster of offshore isles from Koh Chang in the south or fishing trips to reel in a variety of marine life, including the night time catching of squid.

Emerald Island, Koh Chang

Everywhere else, Koh Chang largely remains gloriously natural. The new developments are limited to small pockets along the west coast. Every vista is dominated by the interior spine of Koh Chang’s mountains, which meet the clouds at the higher summits, and are covered in impenetrable old growth jungle.

Indeed, the island of Koh Chang is one of Thailand’s greenest spots, and it is a joy to explore on a moped and make fascinating little discoveries –waterfalls and lagoons, tranquil creeks or streams, and a handful of quiet undeveloped beaches. The tastes of nature are all around: fresh watery wind, massive trees looming overhead, birdsong in the mornings, cacophonies of toads at night, short-tailed macaque monkeys dashing across the road, and cobras hissing in the grass.

The easiest way to get closer to the forests of Koh Chang is on an elephant at the elephant camp called Ban Kwan Chang in Khlong Son village. The camp’s 10 elephants and 10 mahours (elephant masters) – one mahout for one elephant – all hail from Surin, the northeastern province where mechanical tractors have yet to supersede the trunked workers in farms.

“We buy all the elephants when they are old and no longer strong enough for the farm,” explains Somsri Saiyot, who runs the camp with his mahout colleagues on Koh Chang island. “Elephants typically live until about 80 years old, and we only have females here, as males can be violent at times.”

The docile giants are playful with Koh Chang tourists, joyfully frolicking and trumpeting when fed, and splashing in the river like excited children during the treks that take Koh Chang visitors up the river and into the virgin jungle on elephant back.

Part 2 Continues Here.

Eight Ways To While Away a Day in Mauritius

Published February 2007 Discovery Magazine.

Hook A Big One in Mauritius
Some of the world’s most highly prized game fish run off Mauritius from December to March. Thousand-pound blue marlins are the ultimate trophy, but yellow-fin tuna, sailfish, barracuda and wahoo are among other large fish that feed just beyond the reef of Mauritius.

Play the Ponies at Mauritius
Founded in 1812 on the site of an old French army parade ground, the Champs de Mars racetrack is the oldest thoroughbred turf club in the southern hemisphere. The season runs from May to October with race meets nearly every weekend on Mauritius.

Play Eighteen Holes of Golf
Mauritius boasts half a dozen top-quality golf courses including the double Legends & Links courses at Belle Mare Plage on the eastern seaboard. Legends is marked by numerous water hazards, while Links is the tropical version of a rambling Scottish links course.

Dive a Wreck at Mauritius
The tropical waters around Mauritius contain many long-ago lost ships like the British Royal Navy frigate Sirius that went to the bottom during the Battle of Vieux Grand Port in 1810.

Bet the Mauritius Farm
Many of the big resort hotels sport their own casinos and scattered around the island are half a dozen “indie” gambling houses including the new Caudan Waterfront Casino in Port Louis, with its pirate-ship theme.

Smell the Roses …
… and thousands of other plants at the sprawling Pamplemousses Royal Botaincal Gardens, originally laid out in the late 18th century and still one of the world’s most important horticultural hubs. Among its hundreds of flora species are acajou mahoganies, talipot palms native to Mauritius and giant Victoria water lilies.

Buy a Ship on Mauritius
Forest Side village int eh island’s interior is world famous for its model wooden ships, rendered in incredible detail by skilled artisans. The miniature fleet ranges from the Bounty of Godlen Hind to 20th century marvels like the Titanic and the racing yacht Endeavour.

Reach a Peak on Mauritius
Many of the island’s volcanic mountains may be reached on foot, although in some cases, it’s an all-day effort. Among the more climbable peaks are Signal Hill, Corps de Garde, Pieter Both, Le Pouce and 827 Metre high Black River Peak (Mauritius’ highest peak).