Over the last decade or so, I have traveled to a number of islands in Thailand. After spending some time in the relatively obscure island of Koh Libong, I believe that I have finally identified my ideal beach destination. Located in the southern province of Trang, Koh Libong is known primarily as a refuge for the Dugong (often referred to as a sea cow), a large marine mammal which is closely related to the manatee.

With only a handful of small and somewhat primitive bungalow resorts scattered around the island, the tourism infrastructure on Koh Libong is somewhat basic. There are no gaudy resort hotels with swim up bars, no shopping district with tacky souvenir and tourist shops and there is virtually no nightlife to speak of – no nightclubs or bars.

The island’s population is primarily Muslim; scattered around the island are four small fishing villages and most of inhabitants on the island are Muslim. That would explain the absence of nightclubs and bars – in traditional Muslim culture, the consumption (and sale) of alcohol is prohibited. That doesn’t mean that you cannot get a drink on the island; at the various bungalow resorts, you can buy alcohol and beer. Buddhists own these “resorts”.

Island life for the tourist in Koh Libong is pretty quiet. Watching the tide come in, reading a good book and collecting seashells are some of the most popular activities for visitors. In addition, there are some very spectacular sunsets. Admittedly without the bar scene, Koh Libong is pretty dead at night. The social scene for a tourist is pretty much restricted to the restaurants of the various bungalow resorts - hotel guests will often linger after dinner, enjoying a round of drinks together before retiring for the evening.

Going on a Dugong Sighting Tour – more commonly known as a “Dugong Safari” - is one of the most popular excursions for visitors.

For most people, Koh Libong is too primitive and way too quiet. For yours truly, I can do without the resort scene, clutter and commercialism (not too mention the noisy jet skis) of Phuket, Koh Samui and Pattaya - just not my cup of tea. As they say - different strokes for different folks.

On the 3d and final leg of my journey through Loei province, I stopped in the small town of Pak Chom. Situated on the Mekong River about 1 1/2 hours east of Chiang Khan, Pak Chom was a rather pleasant city, but lacked the charm and the tourist infrastructure of Chiang Khan. The cute gift shops, boutiques and trendy coffee shops that were so abundant in Chiang Khan were nonexistent in Pak Chom. Furthermore, Pak Chom, with a population of about 50,000, was a considerably larger town than Chiang Khan – it even had its own hospital.

Tourist friendly accommodations are relatively scarce in Pak Chom - there are just a handful of small bungalow style motels, most of them located just off the highway and close to the river. Most travelers stay in Pak Chom for only night before they move on to their destination. From what I have read, a lot of bikers will often overnight in this small city.

I stayed at Ruenrat Resort, a place I found listed in the Internet. A small family run motel, Ruenrat Resort was located about 1 mile from town. The owners were very friendly and tried to make my stay as comfortable as possible. During the days, I kept myself occupied by bicycling around town and along the Mekong River.

Looking back, I enjoyed my brief four-day stay in Pak Chom – it gave me an opportunity to be away from my fellow tourists – both farang and Thai – and experience a part of Thailand that few visitors are able to.

My exploration of Loei province started in the small mountain hamlet of Phu Ruea. From there, I proceeded to Chiang Khan, a sleepy town situated on the banks of the Mekong River. Chiang Khan has loads of ambiance with its many old wooden buildings, teak houses and Laotian-Thai style temples.

There is a special aura about this town – sort of reminds of old town Xingping in China - as it captures the essence of Thailand of days gone by. As evidenced by the popularity of Chiang Khan with Thai tourists – mostly from Bangkok - it is fast becoming “the hippest” tourist town in Northern Thailand.

Chiang Khan has often been compared to Pai, a small tourist mecca located in the mountains of Mae Hong Son Province. The difference is that Pai caters primarily to a young Western tourist crowd, many of whom are backpackers on the cheap; while Chiang Khan feels like ‘Thailand’, and for now, the tourists are predominantly Thai.

Walking along the main drag, which runs parallel to the Mekong River, I observed numerous guesthouses, chic boutiques and cafes - many of them housed in old wooden and teak buildings. In particular, there are numerous small coffee shops in the tourist zone. Thai people – especially young Thai people - just love to hang out at coffee ships.

Many camera toting tourists (and HiSo Thai girls) from Bangkok paraded down the streets, taking pictures of the old houses and shopping at one of the many cute gift shops. Fortunately, I did not see any Starbucks or KFC outlets. From what I could see, the bar scene has not yet contaminated Chiang Khan – so the town is fairly quiet at night.

There is an abundance of small guesthouses, hostels and homestays- many of them with just a handful of rooms. The room rates in general run from 250 baht – 900 baht or higher depending on the location of the hostel and the size of the rooms. The riverfront hostels command a higher price than those hostels that are 3-4 blocks away.

Unfortunately my visit to Chiang Khan coincided with one of the most popular holiday weekends of the year – the King’s Birthday, a national holiday. As a result, the town was booked solid and I was only able to get a small closet of a room in a guesthouse located about ¼ mile from the main drag, albeit for only one night. Due to the unavailability of rooms, I was forced to relocate to another town/village along the Mekong River for the remainder of my stay in Loei Province. Next - the Adventure continues in Pak Chom….

Chiang Khan is located about 50 kilometers north of the city of Loei. By songtaew, the trip takes about one hour.

On my most recent trip to Thailand, I explored Loei Province. Located in northeastern Thailand, Loei is relatively unknown to most western tourists (farangs) - definitely off the beaten path.

Bordered by the provinces of Udon Thani to the east, Phitsanulok to the west and Petchabun to the south, Loei is considered one of the most mountainous provinces of Thailand. It also has the reputation of having the coolest climate as well. The Mekong River flanks Loei province on its northern perimeter; across the river is the country of Laos.

Whenever I travel, I make a conscious effort to stay away from the most popular mainstream tourist places - Loei was my kind of place. During my eight days there, I visited three different places 1) Phu Ruea, a small mountain resort at about 4000 feet above sea level 2) Chiang Khan, a small and popular resort town situated on the banks of the Mekong River 3) Pak Chom, another small town on the Mekong River but a world apart from the somewhat touristy Chiang Khan.

First let’s take a look at Phu Ruea
This small mountain resort (and village) is located about 1 hour by bus from the city of Loei. Phi Ruea has many lodges and small resorts – most of them are located just off the highway. The nearby national park has many hiking trails and wonderful vistas.

Near the Phu Ruea summit – about 8 miles or so from the Park entrance and the highway - there is a large camping ground, which is especially popular with the younger crowd (35 or less). Thai campers traditionally travel in small groups by minibus, staying for one night at Phu Ruea before continuing to the next National Park in the circuit, usually Phu Kradung. On weekends and holidays, the campground is throbbing with activity.

During the early morning hours, most of the campers as well other travelers in the area congregate at the nearby Phu Ruea Peak, hoping to catch the sunrise. At the lookout point, there is a very distinctive gold Buddha surrounded by a white canopy

On the morning that I went to the summit, I met a group a group of young (and very cute) girls. They were all bundled up like Eskimos because of the relatively chilly climate and wearing their cutesy pullover animal hats. After chatting with them, I learned that they were university students from nearby Nong Khai province. Unfortunately on that morning, a thick fog enshrouded the summit and the valley below and we couldn’t see much of anything.

See Phu Ruea Photo Album
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Coming up: A study in contrasts – a look at Chiang Khan and Pak Chom , two Mekong River towns in Loei Province

On my last trip to Thailand, I met two uncommonly beautiful sisters while staying at Ban Sabai Sabai, a small guesthouse situated in the village of Nong Bua. Located just outside the popular tourist town of Kanchanaburi (of the Bridge over River Kwai fame, I found Nong Bua to be an absolutely delightful and peaceful place to stay – a great alternative to the backpacker zoo of Kanchanaburi.

Whenever I returned to the guesthouse, the two sisters – Blackie and Bear- would always greet me enthusiastically with a smile and a very soulful look in their eyes as I stroked them. Blackie and Bear are undoubtedly the sweetest pair of sisters that I have ever met in Thailand. The sisters were very good company – and I guess we really hit it off. Before I go on with my narrative, l must confess that these two sisters are not human beings but dogs, of the four-legged variety.

I must praise Stuart, their master and the proprietor of the guesthouse for doing such a wonderful job in raising them. Stuart is a quite a character in his own right. A jeweler by trade, Stuart has had quite a fascinating life. Born in Canada, he has traveled around the world and lived in so many different places – Jamaica, India, Colombia, Honduras, Brazil, Costa Rica, Europe and Thailand. A real maverick and dyed in the wool hippie, Stuart is one of a kind - sort of a cross between Johnny Depp and Keith Richards – and has so many incredibly outrageous tales to share.

As a guesthouse owner, he has done a superb job. A very congenial host, Stuart mingles with all his guests as if they were friends from the neighborhood. Beautiful tropical gardens surround the property – Stuart has put a lot of time and effort in landscaping and maintaining the gardens. The rooms are nothing fancy but they are very clean and have all the essentials - a large comfortable bed,a choice of AC or ceiling fan, TVs and an outdoor sitting area. There is also free WIFI.

See Kanchanaburi - Nong Bua photo gallery

P.S. If you happen to go to Ban Sabai Sabai, look for Blackie and Bear. They look like sisters - both have medium length black fur with white paws and chest, however Blackie is short and stout, while Bear is of average height.

I have been to Bangkok, Thailand’s capital city many times over the last 10 years. Also referred to as Krung Thep, Bangkok has to be one of the most fascinating and exotic cities that I’ve been to - and truth be told, despite my numerous visits there, Bangkok still remains an unsolved puzzle to me.

Walking through the Streets of Bangkok, you’ll find a vibrant urban culture – street vendors selling an assortment of goods and makeshift portable restaurants on wheels as well as ornate Buddhist shrines and spirit houses in front of many buildings.

Throughout uptown Bangkok, there are some very elegant HISO shopping centers like the Emporium, the Siam Paragon and the new KP Village. It seems that in the heart of the tourist district – along the Upper Sukhumvit Blvd - that every other shop is either a massage parlor or beauty salon.

Sadly, you’ll also encounter some of the poorest segments of Bangkok’s populous begging on the streets and near the entrance of the many Skytrain stations – mostly the crippled and deformed as well as homeless mothers with infants.

Admittedly, I have a love/hate relationship with “the City of Angels” but I keep on going back there, hoping to solve the puzzle which is Bangkok.

Just this past November, I revisited Malee’s, one of my favorite lodges in Thailand. Located in the small town of Chiang Dao – just 50 miles north of Chiang Mai – Malee’s is a popular choice with birdwatchers and nature lovers. I have known the delightful owner, Khun Malee K. since 2004 and I can vouch for her gracious Thai hospitality and excellent people skills.

After an absence of almost two years, I was so astounded at all the renovations and changes that I hardly recognized the place. First and foremost, a beautiful new restaurant - and attached reception area - replaced the parking lot at the front of the property. Just off the restaurant is a special entertainment room equipped with a large flat screen TV and DVD player, where guests can watch their favorite movies at night.

The older bungalows which formerly had the traditional Thai toilets - complete with water bucket - now have new Western style flush toilets. A definitely improvement! In addition, a small circular dipping pool was also installed, where guests can now cool themselves during the hot summer days.

You can say goodbye to Jennie “aka the Little Dictator”, the aristocratic Lhasa Apso who acted as if she owned the place and made life miserable for the amiable Son, the senior dog at Malee’s. Poor Jennie became roadkill while chasing Son across the highway; I guess her bad karma finally caught up with her. Replacing Jennie are two very adorable puppies - a definite upgrade over “the lil dictator.”

In late July, Malee and her longtime boyfriend from Switzerland (and father of her son Peter) got married. A lavish wedding party for the newlyweds was held at the resort on November 5 with many friends and family in attendance. Truly a very momentous day at Malee’s Nature Lovers Bungalows. Too bad I missed it! All the best to Malee, Kurt and Peter.

Speaking of dogs, I had a real epiphany (light bulb moment), while vacationing in Koh Libong, a small tropical island in Southern Thailand. Most of the people who live on this island are Malay Muslim; outside of the three small Muslim fishing villages, the island is relatively unpopulated.

While visiting two of the villages closest to my hotel, I found it be somewhat peculiar that I did not encounter any dogs. Cats on the other hand were a dime a dozen - it seemed that almost every household in the village had at least one or two.

Later on, I discovered there were five relatively mangy dogs that were kept as “pets” at the neighboring Libong Beach resort. I stayed at Le Dugong Beach Resort. Outside of these five dogs, I believe there was not a single other dog on the island.

Reflecting on the absence of dogs on Koh Libong, I thought about my prior trips to Malaysia – a Muslim nation state in Southeast Asia - and to a number of islands in Southern Thailand which were predominantly Muslim. Strangely, I recall not seeing any dogs on these excursions as well.
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Ah hah, I said to myself, there must be some taboo about dogs in Muslim Culture. Sure enough - after doing some research online, I discovered that in Islam, dogs are considered unclean and unhygienic, and it is forbidden to keep them as pets. Cats - on the other hand - are welcomed as pets in Muslim Culture.

Admittedly, I am very fond of dogs - while I may not agree with this particular attitude towards dogs, as a traveler and an open minded person, I have learned to respect cultural differences.

By the way, the management and owner of Dugong Beach resort are Buddhists and are not part of the indigenous Malay population of Southern Thailand

After going on the Dugong spotting tour in Koh Libong, I had an opportunity to talk to one of the tour guides from Trang who had reasonable facility with English. When I told him that we had sighted four individual dugongs, he said that we were very lucky as from his experience, only 10% of such tours are successful in seeing a dugong. When I asked about the social behavior of the dugongs, he told me that dugongs usually travel in a herd of up to 8 individuals.

Doing some further investigation on my own, I learned that the dugong herd typically consists of females and their calves; the males - for the most part - are solitary, only getting together with the females to mate. Furthermore, during the day the dugongs stay (resting quietly) in the deep sea coming to the shallow coastal areas, inlets and mangroves at night to feed eat on sea grass.

That could explain, why there are so few dugong sightings on these day tours as the herds are active mostly at night. I surmise that the individuals that we saw were solitary males patrolling their territory, but who I am to know!

As sort of a gag, I produced an impromptu video where I am seen swimming in the open seas impersonating a female dugong, in the hope of attracting a male dugong. Bret, the young and affable Canadian, provided the humorous narration

Bangkok is known for it’s numerous shopping malls – from the relatively pedestrian MBK to the rather gaudy Siam Paragon and the Emporium. K-Village, a boutique shopping mall which opened up in late 2009, represents a new breed of shopping centers in Bangkok. Built on only two levels, the new K-Village with over 100 shops is fairly intimate and easy to navigate unlike the larger multilevel shopping complexes that dominate Bangkok.

My take? Located on Sukhumvit Soi 26 near Rama IV, K-Village was a convenient 5-minute walk from my hotel in Bangkok. I was quite impressed by the intimate ambiance, the wonderful Gourmet Market and the many trendy Asian restaurants - Taiwanese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean and Thai et all. In addition, K Village has two very attractive coffee shops, not named Starbucks.

The Gourmet Market, the centerpiece of K-Village, had an excellent selection of hydroponically grown vegetables, fresh fruits as well as an upscale deli and a special department that featured Japanese goods. Prices for some items were only slightly higher than the considerably more pedestrian Villa Market located on Sukhumvit Soi 33.

Surveying some of the restaurant menus, the average price for entrees were on the high side for most Thai people @ 120 baht ($4USD) per plate but relatively affordable for the tourist crowd.

With its fashionable and upscale shops and restaurants as well specialty desert and gelato cafes, K-Village clearly caters to the upwardly mobile, and high society crowd (HISO). Taking a look around me, many Thai ladies and gals were strolling around K-Village scantily dressed in their hot designer pants, short shorts, flimsy blouses and high heels, trying so hard to look sexy; funny thing, the Thai men didn’t pay them any attention. Oh well…

Located on the first floor, Watercress, a natural foods restaurant with a good variety of tasty vegetarian Thai dishes, has since become one my favorite places to eat. During my 10 nights in Bangkok, I ended up eating at Watercress on five different occasions

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