Thailand - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Ubon Ratchathani: Thailand’s Most Underrated City (And That’s Exactly Why You Should Go) Ubon Ratchathani. It's got a name longer than your weekend plans and a location somewhere between “Where?” and “Oh wow, that’s far.” Tucked into Thailand’s far-eastern corner near Laos, Ubon is not swarming with backpackers, beach bums, or Bangkokians escaping city life. And that, dear traveler, is precisely its charm. How to Get There (Surprisingly Easy, Mildly Dramatic) Fly : Direct flights from Bangkok, about 1–1.5 hours. Tickets hover between 1,000–1,500 THB if you book outside of Mercury retrograde. Train : 10–12 hours of clickety-clack from Bangkok. Budget-friendly and comes with bonus nostalgia. Bus : From Mo Chit Terminal in Bangkok. Budget around 500–800 THB and prepare for many snack stops and one mysterious karaoke DVD. Where to Stay (For Every Budget and Level of Back Pain) Budget Guesthouse (300–700 THB): Cozy, no-frills, often with free coffee and one surprisingly chatty ca...

Buriram: Beyond the Football and Ancient Temples Buriram, where ancient temples meet modern-day football fandom, and the traffic jams are so chill, they make Bangkok look like a Formula 1 race. Located in Thailand’s northeastern Isaan region, Buriram is often overlooked by tourists, but those in the know will tell you it’s an undiscovered gem. Oh, and did I mention Phanom Rung ? Because if you’re not planning to visit this ancient Khmer temple, are you even traveling? How to Get There (Not as Far as It Sounds) By Plane : Fly to Buriram’s small but charming airport, about 1 hour from Bangkok by plane. You can usually find a ticket for 1,000–1,500 THB. It’s a direct hit to your adventure and your What? I’m already there? moment. By Train : From Bangkok’s Aphiwat Central Monstrosity, take the 6–8 hour train ride. It’s budget-friendly, relatively comfortable, and gives you time to wonder why you didn’t bring more snacks. By Bus : 5–6 hours from Mo Chit Terminal, buses run every day. Cos...

Roi Et: The Thai City With a Big Buddha and Bigger Vibes Roi Et. No, that’s not a typo. It’s an actual city in northeast Thailand, not an IKEA product or a French cologne. Nestled in the heart of the Isaan region, Roi Et (which literally means "One Hundred and One", named so for reasons absolutely nobody remembers) is a place where the pace is slow, the temples are oversized, and the smiles are real. You may ask, “Why go to Roi Et?” And the answer is: because no one else is going. And in Thailand, that’s a blessing. How to Get There (Simple, With Varying Degrees of Suffering) By Plane : Direct flights from Bangkok (Don Mueang) to Roi Et Airport. Takes just over an hour. Tickets usually range from 1,000–1,500 THB if the universe likes you. Or, for the hundredth time, include Roi Et in your Isaan road trip and enjoy it at a leisurely pace. Nobody's really flying there anyway. By Bus : From Bangkok’s Mo Chit Terminal. Around 8–10 hours, depending on traffic, snack stops, an...

Khon Kaen: The Heart of Isaan (and the Best Place to Eat Sticky Rice with a Side of Culture) Khon Kaen. It’s one of the major cities in Isaan (i.e. northeast Thailand), which means it’s got the hustle and bustle without the tourist traps or beach crowds. A place where som tam (spicy papaya salad) is as essential as air, and the people are friendly, laid-back, and full of humor. It’s not the most famous tourist destination in Thailand, but that’s precisely why you should go. Khon Kaen is all about local flavor, unfiltered experiences, and enough history to make you feel like an expert in ancient civilizations by the time you leave. How to Get There (Without the Drama) By Plane : Khon Kaen has its own airport with flights from Bangkok taking just over an hour. You can score a ticket for 1,000–1,500 THB if you book early enough. Air travel without the need to wonder why you’re still stuck in traffic? Yes, please. By Train : The train ride from Bangkok takes around 8–9 hours. It’s cheap...

Explosive Joy: Adventures at Thailand's Rocket Festivals When travelers visit Thailand during rocket festival season, many imagine gentle paper lanterns floating into the night sky. What a surprise awaits them! Turns out, when Thai people say "rocket festival," they mean ACTUAL ROCKETS. Not NASA-grade precision instruments, mind you, but homemade bamboo tubes packed with enough gunpowder to make your average fireworks safety inspector faint on the spot. The Bun Bang Fai festivals, as they're properly called, happen across northeastern Thailand ( Isaan region) during the pre-monsoon season. Locals launch these DIY missiles to encourage the rain gods to water their crops. Because nothing says "please send rain" like hurling explosives into the clouds. In Yasothon province, home to one of the most famous rocket festivals, visitors might notice everyone standing REALLY far back from the launch area. "Why are we standing in another postal code?" many ...