traditions Archives -

Chiang Mai July 9, 2019

Harvesting Green Tea in Northern Thailand

Did you know that tea is the second most popular drink after water? I always wanted to learn about tea, about the way it is harvested and prepared. And Northern Thailand gave me this opportunity. The origins of tea in Thailand probably go back well over 1000 years, in the far North of the country. Chiang Mai has one of the best tea areas in the country, so I made some research and I found out about Araksa Tea Garden, which is one of Thailand’s oldest tea plantations. Due to the height of the farm, the quality of soil and water, the land is ideal for planting tea. Araksa Tea Garden is one of the fewer ecological and chemical-free tea plantations. If you want to plan a visit, you have to book one of their tours available mornings and afternoons. We booked a morning session and we were eager to enjoy…

Bangkok July 9, 2019

Mae Klong Railway a unique market near Bangkok

Maeklog Railway Market is perhaps one of the most unique markets in Thailand and a must-do if you are visiting Bangkok. Maeklong Railway Market is a small market right on the railway tracks next to Maeklong Railway Station where the train passes several times a day. When everyone hears the traffic signal, they move the umbrellas and the stalls waiting for the train to pass, then in less than a minute, you can find yourself again in a middle of a busy market. We rented a Grab car for 8 hours that picked us up from our hotel in Chiang Mai early morning. First stop was at the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, and then we rushed to Mae Klong Railway. We arrived at about 10:30 right on time to stop at one of the market terraces for mango sticky rice and a coffee. Trains pass through this market about eight times a day and…

Bangkok July 8, 2019

Visiting the Floating Markets of Damnoen Saduak

For centuries, rivers and canals were the main transportation network system in Thailand. People, goods, information.. all traveled the country by boats. So the floating markets were a common thing back then. The Damnoen Saduak canal was ordered to be built in 1866 by King Rama IV to facilitate water travels between Ratchaburi and Samutsakhon Provinces. Damnoen Saduak floating market is now a very touristic place but you can still feel the old-time vibes. Vendors sell their products directly from their narrow wooden boats. Many sell fresh products directly from their farm, others sell cooked food right there on the sport on their mobile hotplates and stoves. Usually, the banks are lined with stalls selling more of the same: clothing and souvenirs. In one of our days in Bangkok, we decided to visit this floating market, so we rented a Grab Car for 8 hours. The car came very early in…

Chiang Mai July 6, 2019

Staying with an authentic Hill Tribe in Northern Thailand

In Northern Thailand, there are still authentic tribes. Thai provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are home to hundreds of small villages of people who left Myanmar, Laos or China and came to Thailand, about 200 years ago, as refugees in search of a better life. Many hill tribes live their lives by growing crops such as vegetables and rice, very deep in the high mountains of Northern Thailand. It is not an easy life. Projects like King’s Royal Project provide them with agricultural cooperatives and bring little prosperity to some villages. Although nowadays most of the people from the hill tribes are Thai citizens, they are still marginalized by Thai people, so the hill tribes prefer to live in the uplands. There are seven main hill tribe groups in Thailand and many subgroups. Each of the tribes has its own distinct culture, traditions, and language. Finding out about…

Peru July 17, 2018

Visiting the floating island of Uros on Lake Titicaca

In the Andes, on the world’s high navigable lake, you can find the Uros people. Ancient people that live on an approximate of 120 self-made floating islands on Lake Titicaca, near Puno. This people are descendants of the ancient Uros, who are one of the first major ethnic group to have settled in the high-altitude plateau and choose to live on the islands on the lake. Initially, they constructed their islands into the middle of the lake where they lived untouched for centuries. But due to a strong storm that destroyed the islands, they were forced to rebuild closer to shore, near Puno. And this was the point that opened the islands to the civilization and, of course, tourism. We arranged a tour with www.titicacaperu.com to visit the Floating islands and to have an authentic day and night on Amantani island. The price that we paid for both experiences was 65 USD/person. So,…