On a recent trip to Northern Thailand, I had the opportunity to visit Fern Paradise, the #1 rated hotel in Chiang Mai by the readers of TripAdvisor. Walking around the property, I felt like I was in the middle of a rainforest as I was surrounded by a sea of green - many species of ferns (as well other plants and trees) grew profusely, and the air (unlike most of Chiang Mai) was so fresh and pure. Dr. Niwat, the owner of this small family run resort, explained to me that the many fern plants cleaned the air, filtering out the pollutants and producing a healthy supply of oxygen. An architect by trade and a fern enthusiast, Dr. Niwat gives every visitor a proper briefing and tour of Fern Paradise. According to the good Doctor, he would like to do his part in saving the world from environmental degradation and pollution through the planting of ferns, plants and trees.

Surveying the property, I didn’t get a chance to visit the rustic looking rooms, but from what I understand they include such modern amenities as cable TV and a DVD player. As a lover of plants and all things green, I was truly impressed by the concept of Fern Paradise. Located only 20 minutes or so from the heart of the Chiang Mai’s tourist zone, Fern Paradise is definitely a breath of fresh air and a return to nature. Rates are from $88 – 148USD per night including daily breakfast.

The last time I was in Barbados (September 2003), I stayed at the Casuarina Beach Club. Located about ½ mile south of the busy tourist hub of St. Lawrence Gap, the Casuarina was an absolutely wonderful place and had done so much towards community tourism and safeguarding the environment. It was only 1 ½ years later (in Spring 2005) that the Casuarina closed up shop and the property was sold to Almond Resorts. In my Eulogy to the Casuarina Beach Club, I discussed my feelings towards this hotel in detail.

At this time, I would like to share some memories with you of this special hotel in a short video that I put together. Enjoy!

****************************************************************************

If you’re a butterfly enthusiast, you may want to head to Thailand during the month of June for the 4th Annual Butterfly Sighting Festival at Pang Sida National Park. Located in the eastern province of Sakaeo, Pang Sida is host to over 350 species of butterflies including many exotic swallowtail and birdwing species. The best time to observe butterflies is in the early morning, about an hour or two after sunrise. For a sample of Thai butterflies, see our Thai butterfly gallery . Also check our Butterflies in Thailand video.

Located about 2 hours from Bangkok by car, Sakaeo has a variety of attractions to keep you busy for at least 3-4 days - in addition to Pang Sida, there are the bizarre earth pillars and dunes at Lalu, affectionately called “The Miniature Grand Canyon of Thailand” and some rather small but remarkable Khmer ruins near the city of Aranyaprathet. In close proximity to the Cambodian border, Aranyaprathet has the largest border market in eastern Thailand. Pang Sida Park is about 20 minutes from downtown Sakaeo while Laluk is about 80 minutes northeast and Aranyaprathet is about 1 hour to the east.

Like many cities in Thailand, Sakaeo seems to be relatively nondescript but once you are there for a while, it kind of grows on you. Actually, I find Sakaeo to be a rather pleasant place and despite it’s boring reputation, there is sanuck to be found. You just have to know “where to go”.

Want to visit Sakaeo Province? Calypso Island Tours offers Explore Sakaeo, an introductory 4 day/3 night tour package to this ‘off the beaten track’ destination in Thailand

Thailand is one of my favorite places to watch butterflies. Butterflies can easily be observed in a controlled environment such as an enclosed butterfly garden. In Thailand, there are number of these gardens near Chiang Mai and in the resort areas of Ko Samui and Phuket. While I enjoy visiting butterfly gardens, it’s a lot more fun and rewarding to watch butterflies in the wild or in an open-air garden. One of the best places to observe a variety of butterflies and the phenomenon known as puddling is near streams, ponds and waterfalls. Highly recommended butterfly venues are Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Refuge, Pangsida National Park and Chiang Dao. In Chiang Dao, Khun Lek has a wonderful wildlife garden with a variety of colorful flowering plants that attract many butterflies. The musical travelogue “Butterflies of Thailand” features over 25 species of butterflies interspersed with scenes from the Thai countryside. Check it out!
********************************************************************

I have been always been fascinated with butterflies. When I was a little boy growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I would often venture out during the spring and summer months to a nearby orchard or field armed with my trusty butterfly net (and my special collecting jars) trying to chase down the prized monarch butterfly or some fast moving swallowtails. At a nearby cabbage field about 1 block from my house, there would always be a plentiful supply of cabbage whites and sulfurs, but I was always interested in the bigger and more glamorous game. At one time, I had quite a collection of mounted butterflies as well as other insects in my cigar boxes.

Many years later as an adult, I traveled numerous times to the tropics - Thailand, Costa Rica, South America and the Caribbean - where I encountered so many exotic four winged beauties. Not too long ago, I traded in my butterfly net for a digital camera. Just as I did as a little boy some 50 years ago, I tried to chase down and “capture” my constantly moving prey albeit with a camera. In the last couple of years, I have built up a quite a collection of pictures.

Back on the home front, in order to attract a variety of butterflies to my backyard, I developed a butterfly garden in my backyard by planting a variety of nectar and species-specific host plants for my four winged friends.

While strolling through the lobby of the River Resort & Spa, I came across an illustrated map of Sakaeo Province posted on the wall that highlighted the different attractions of the area. I already had plans to visit nearby Pangsida National Park, but was interested in going to at least one other place. There was a little blurb and illustrated depiction of Lalu Canyon - “a new tourist attraction” located somewhere out in the boonies (about 90 minutes north of Sakaeo city), with some very unusual earth pillars caused by soil erosion. After reading about Lalu, I knew I just had to go there and check it for myself.

My impressions of Lalu? I have never seen a more bizarre looking landscape in Thailand nor anywhere else in my travels. Surveying the small canyon with its compacted golden earth pillars and dunes, it looked like the type of scenery that one might expect to encounter in the southwestern United States. No wonder they call Lalu, the miniature Grand Canyon of Thailand. In the late afternoon, the contrast of the gold pillars against the pale blue sky and the green grassy bottom had a stark primitive beauty. And in the far distance, there were green rice paddies. As it was getting towards sunset, we had to return to Sakaeo but I would have liked to stay longer in this extraordinary place.So utterly peaceful and quiet…

Thailand is the world’s leading exporter of crown of thorn hybrids. Known locally as poysean, this plant is believed to ward off bad spirits and to bring good luck to the owner and the house . Traveling throughout Thailand, you’ll see a potted poysean next to many shrines as well as outside the entrance to many houses. The new Thai hybrids and cultivars - with their larger flowers(or smaller flowers) and compact growth - have been well received by horticulturalists and the many crown of thorn enthusiasts around the world.

During my last trip to Thailand, I visited the largest crown of thorn nursery in Thailand.
Located in the rural countryside just 45 minutes away from of Bangkok, NTK Nursery is family owned business, having been in operation since 1995. Plants are exported for both the domestic and intentional trade. With very exotic names - Miss Universe, Charlie’s Angel, Golden Heart, Siam Ruby – these cultivars come in a great variety of colors - yellows, blues, pinks,reds, whites, creams and purples. Some of the more exotic cultivars have multi-hued flowers. It was quite an unusual experience.

A visit to NTK nursery in Bangkok is one of the featured excursions in our Thai Botanical Adventure Tour.

Sakaeo is located about 2 hours east of Bangkok heading towards the Cambodian border. Most tourists drive through this small city without blinking an eye on their way to the border town of Aranyaprathet, where there are some interesting Khmer ruins and from what I have read a bustling outdoor market. At first glance, there is nothing really striking about Sakaeo, a city of about 60,000 inhabitants – it has the same drab look and nondescript architecture that is characteristic of most cities in Thailand. Sakaeo even has a 7-11 store, which officially puts it on the map.

While I was in Sakaeo this past November, I visited Pang Sida National Park, which is about a 20-25 minute drive from town. For butterfly watching, Pang Sida is prime time throughout the summer months, and during the month of June, a Butterfly Sighting Festival takes place. From what I understand, this festival attracts hordes of Thai tourists. Predictably, the butterfly watching wasn’t that great when I was there as November is off-season for this type of activity. It didn’t help matters much that we arrived at the park sometime close to noon as well. Leaving Pang Sida, my driver continued to Lalu, site of some magnificent and strange earth pillars caused by soil erosion. About a 1 1/2 hour drive from Pang Sida, the landscape here looks like a miniature version of the Grand Canyon. This was definitely one of the eeriest panoramic scenes that I have encountered in Thailand.

At the end of my stay, I began to warm up to Sakaeo – it was a relatively pleasant and clean city, the people were friendly and it wasn’t overrun by farangs. And if you were familiar with the town, there was sanuck to be found, especially on the weekends. Furthermore there were no Starbucks or Burger Kings for miles around and that suited me fine. Where did I stay in Sakaeo? Find out in the next installment of Calypso Island Chronicles.

Sanuk is the Thai word for fun!

Entering the Mariposas de Mindo (Mindo Butterfly Garden), I was greeted by the resident security guard, Nero, a beautiful charcoal gray 3 1/2 year old Neapolitan Mastiff who weighs 135 pounds. Despite Nero’s imposing presence, he’s a very lovable at heart and acts like a free spirited, playful puppy. In dog years, he’s a veritable teenager. I must say I really hit it off with Bruno as he posed for a number of photographs for me. Nero seems so gentle and harmless, but at the same time I would hate to get on his bad side. I can only imagine if some customer gave his owners a bad time, Nero would intervene and utilize his ample skills as security guard, with force if necessary. In my opinion, Nero is doing a very good job

Nero’s employer, Mrs. Rosie Gomez de la Torre, is the owner and founder of the Mariposas de Mindo. Born in Ecuador, Rosie was brought up in the United States only to return to her native country some 15 years ago. Settling down in Mindo, Rosie and her family started the Butterfly Gardens sometime in the late 1990’s - it became Mindo’s first eco-attraction. In this beautiful little garden, you’ll find over 20 species of butterflies in cultivation. The best time to observe the butterflies is early in the morning as they energize themselves by basking in the sun. If Nero, the resident security guard, is in a good mood, maybe he’ll pose for some pictures for you too!

Rosie and her family are ardent environmentalists in Mindo, a town where ecotourism finds itself clashing now with greedy developers. On the road to the gardens, you’ll see two road signs with environmental messages.

It was day three of my rainforest adventure in the Peruvian Amazon. At about 6:00AM in the morning, our tour guide marched us down to the river to a grassy hut to watch the frenetic activity at the nearby clay lick. Peering through my binoculars through one of the small holes of the grassy hut, I could see the many parrots feeding on the clay lick located about 50 yards further downstream. I am guessing that at least 100 more birds had congregated at the lick early this morning, with about 6-7 different species represented. They were a noisy bunch as they flew back and forth from a nearby stand of trees to feed at the lick. Not only does the clay contain highly concentrated, hard to find minerals essential to the parrot’s diet, the clay appears to counteract the poisons in their diet from eating various seeds found in the rainforest.

I was staying at Posadas Amazonas, a medium sized eco-resort located about 1 hour downstream from Puerto Maldonado. One of the tour guides from our lodge informed our small tour group that the mixed flock of parrots feed on the clay lick in the morning, while later in the day 3-4 species of Macaws (large colorful parrots), commandeer the site. Apparently at this lick at least, the smaller parrot species and the macaws have different activity cycles, and they congregate in mutually exclusive groups - the smaller parrots stay together and the macaws stay together.

Looking around me in the small grassy hut, I noticed a middle-aged couple who were following the activity intently at the clay lick armed with huge telephoto lens attached to their cameras. Talking to them later at the lodge, I learned that these folk were from Virginia and they had made numerous forays into the tropics to watch parrots and their kin. They were not the so-called classical birdwatchers per se, but parrot enthusiasts. They had absolutely no interest in other species of birds. The lady pointed out to me that the parrots different from most other birds in that they have a zygodactylous toe arrangement - two forward pointing toes and two backward pointing toes. All other birds have three toes pointing forward and one backward. This configuration of feet gives the parrot a better ability to grasp objects. In fact, the lady made it clear that in her opinion, parrots were not really birds at all but deserved a higher and separate classification. She went on to explain to me that the African Gray parrot, which is considered to be “most intelligent” of all the parrots, is capable of thinking and has the intelligence level of a 3 year old child. Furthermore, these unique parrots could not only talk, but could carry on a conversation, albeit very simple, with their human handlers. Interesting…