RICE / POTATO - An Urban Travel Guide to Bangkok and Beyond

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Starlux Airlines, The Best Way to Fly Between Bangkok and Taipei

By: Etty Liu February 27, 2023March 27, 2023

Featured, NewsTaipei, TaiwanLeave a Comment

Last summer, on our first ‘post-pandemic’ return to Taiwan from our home in Bangkok, we chose to fly with Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest – and only — boutique airline. That first trip with the brand was a revelation, and we were thrilled when the brand invited us to try out their planes another time on…

Bangkok’s best kept antiques shopping secret: Wat Suan Kaew

By: Chris Schalkx January 28, 2020

Thailand, TravelBangkok, Design, Shopping, Souvenirs, Thailand10 Comments

Whether you’re in the market for second-hand furniture, antique temple fixtures, or retro knick-knacks, the market stalls around Wat Suan Kaew will offer all that – and then some.

In pictures: Hoshinoya Guguan, Taiwan

By: Chris Schalkx January 21, 2020January 21, 2020

HotelsHotel Review, Taiwan, Travel1 Comment

As big fans of the Hoshinoya brand (also known as the ‘Aman of Japan’ – go figure!), we were thrilled to find out the group was opening a resort in the tiny hot spring enclave of Guguan in Taiwan’s mountainous heartland. Predictably, they brought along a heavy dose of Japanese finesse, but managed to seamlessly…

Banyan bliss: a long weekend at Banyan Tree Phuket

By: Chris Schalkx June 9, 2019

Hotels, ThailandHotel Review, Phuket, Thailand7 Comments

The benefits of living in Bangkok? Beach resorts are just a quick, 50-dollar flight away. We hopped over to Phuket for a long weekend of fun in the sun as guests of the Banyan Tree Phuket – here’s what we thought of it: The immediate surroundings (a gigantic golf complex and loads of serviced apartments) and…

Bangkok’s best design hostels

By: Chris Schalkx May 10, 2019May 12, 2019

Hotels, Thailand, TravelBangkok, Design7 Comments

Look, of course, we’d choose rocking up at The Sukhothai (or another luxury hotel in Bangkok) over sharing a room with eight strangers. But we understand that not everyone travels with this kind of budget (or the travel writing perks, in our case), or feels the need to splurge on a place to sleep. Luckily,…

Why Lan Luang is Bangkok’s latest #CafeHopping hotbed

By: Chris Schalkx March 10, 2019June 25, 2019

ThailandBangkok, Food, Old Town, ThailandLeave a Comment

Once a bustling commercial district on the edge of Rattanakosin, now a breeding ground for creative dining concepts and quirky cafes. Lan Luang and its adjoining streets are hot, and these four cafes that have opened their doors in the past year show you why: Eden’s Opened in July last year, it was this cafe…

9 Thai handicrafts you’ll actually want to buy

By: Chris Schalkx February 7, 2019February 13, 2019

ThailandBangkok, Design, Shopping, Souvenirs, Thailand3 Comments

From woodwork to weaving, Thai handicrafts are leaving the village and are taking the design stage by storm. Designers work together with local artisans, creating homewares, jewellery and cosmetics that combine ancient techniques with modern know-how. We’ve selected some of our favorite Thai souvenirs at ICONCRAFT, who brought together some of Thailand’s best contemporary crafts…

Where to eat, drink and shop in Tainan, Taiwan

By: Chris Schalkx December 25, 2018December 29, 2018

TaiwanTaiwan1 Comment

Mention to a Taiwanese that you’re visiting Tainan, and you’ll undoubtedly receive a list of things to eat. As Taiwan’s culinary capital, locals come from wide and far to feast on its famous xiaochi (small eats) and make merit at its many shrines. There is more to this Southern city than snacks and temples, though:…

Where to stay in Bangkok – an insider’s area guide

By: Chris Schalkx November 25, 2018May 12, 2019

Thailand, TravelBangkok, Thailand, Travel15 Comments

Ever since making Bangkok our home 5 years ago, we have been asked numerous times: “What is the best area to stay in Bangkok?” With 50 districts and more than 1000 hotels to choose from, deciding on where to stay in Bangkok can be intimidating for first-timers. In this guide, we’re going to do our…

Colonial splendour at 137 Pillars House in Chiang Mai

By: Chris Schalkx October 30, 2018October 31, 2018

Hotels, Thailand, TravelChiang Mai, Hotel Review, Thailand1 Comment

Chiang Mai has no shortage of posh resorts, but most of them are either miles out of town, or are missing that boutique-y touch that makes a hotel stay so memorable. 137 Pillars House, however, delivers effortlessly on both fronts. The resort’s location is hard to beat: set along a quiet street in the Wat…