Tag: ruins

Bpai Tiao: Attending Lopburi’s Monkey Festival

December 2, 2014

Earlier this year, I posted about the different festivals in Thailand that I was looking forward to attending. After this weekend, I can gladly say that I made it to all five of the festivals I was excited about this year, which was topped off with a trip to Lopburi for the Monkey Festival.

The Monkey Festival is held annually on the last Sunday of November in the city of Lopburi, a province in central Thailand a couple hours north of Bangkok. The festival falls right around the same time as people in the States are celebrating Thanksgiving, which is convenient as the festival itself is a bit of its own kind of thanks giving feast.

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Bpai Tiao Video: Lopburi Monkey Festival 2014

November 30, 2014

In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.

I love Thai festivals and I’ve made it a point to go to as many as I could this year, like the Rocket Festival, the Candle Festival and Phi Ta Khon. Recently, I made it to Lopburi to go to the annual Monkey Festival. There are Khmer ruins in the middle of Lopburi, and they have been overrun by macaques. Considering the macaques as agents of the Hindu god Hanuman, they are left alone. Each year, the city holds a festival for the macaques and provides them with a veritable feast. Check it out!

Planning a trip to Thailand? Check out my 2 Weeks in Thailand itinerary. It will take you to all the best spots, making sure you don’t miss any of the highlights.

Bpai Tiao: Top Tourist Spots in Chiang Mai & Bangkok

October 31, 2014

In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.

After beaching out with my parents for a couple of days on Koh Ngai, I figured they would be up for a little bit of culture and a completely different part of the country. So we packed up our bags, chartered a boat off the island and got on a plane heading north. We had our sights set on Chiang Mai and an elephant adventure, plus a visit to a handful of the city’s wats.

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Bpai Tiao Video: Phanom Rung, Buriram

June 1, 2014

In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.

In the 12th century, the Khmer empire dominated what is now know as Southeast Asia. Their main city and capital is the famous Angkor complex, which includes Angkor Wat. However, the empire stretched across Thailand, where they also built other cities and temples. Like Angkor, they are now ruins, and some of them aren’t very well preserved. However, Phanom Rung in Buriram is wonderfully well-kept and an excellent destination for tourists. Check it out!

Bpai Tiao: Christmas in Puay Noi, Khon Kaen

December 27, 2013

In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.

Thailand may be 98% Buddhist, but Christmas is a big deal here. Christmas has been all over the advertisements and the big box stores have been decking the halls. Of course, many schools that have a Peace Corps volunteer see this it as an opportunity to get “the real deal” American Christmas experience at their school and enlist their volunteer to plan Christmas Day activities. My friend Jill was one of those volunteers whose school wanted some Christmas activities and she asked me to come and help her out. Happy to have to chance to spend the holiday with a friend, I agreed. Check out some of my Christmas Day activities!

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Bpai Tiao Video: Loi Krathong in Sukhothai

November 24, 2013

In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.

Every year, usually sometime in November, Thailand celebrates Loi Krathong. It’s believed that the holiday originated in the ancient capital city of Sukhothai. Part of the traditions for celebrating include releasing small floats on bodies of water and floating lanterns in the sky.

Bpai Tiao: Loi Krathong in Sukhothai

November 19, 2013

In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.

On the evening of the full moon of the 12th lunar month in Thailand, the holiday Loi Krathong is celebrated. Loi Krathong roughly translates as “floating crown.” People throughout Thailand make or buy little floats made from banana leaves and decorated with flowers. On them they place a candle, incense and their wishes on to send out on the water. The Lanna hill tribe celebrates the same day with the Yi Peng festival by releasing floating lanterns into the night sky.

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Bpai Tiao: Samchuk Market and Ayutthaya

March 29, 2013

One of the phrases we learned in language class was “bpai tiao.” Thais are a big fan of the “bpai tiao.” There isn’t really an equivalent in English. “Bpai tiao” can mean a trip to the city to go to the department store or it can mean a trip that is a couple days. Most often it means a day trip to some place of importance. I was lucky enough to spend a whole weekend going on “bpai tiaos.” more “Bpai Tiao: Samchuk Market and Ayutthaya” …