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Ayutthaya & Chiang Mai – A Few Glimpses Of Thailand’s Grand History

By on 27. March 2017 in Thailand

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Thailand offers one of the most remarkable cultural heritages in the world, remains of a grand history and a powerful civilization that shaped Southeast Asia. Two of the places where you can dive into this glorious past are Ayutthaya and Chiang Mai.

Both are highly popular places, and it is at times challenging to escape large crowds of organized tours. It is nonetheless possible to partly do so and have a pleasant experience at both places. Continue Reading →

Thailand’s World Famous Beaches – Discovering Koh Lanta & Railay Beach

By on 22. March 2017 in Thailand

Railay Beach, Krabi, Thailand

Thailand is famous for its stunning beaches and islands, and most of them are not exactly a hidden secret… It is even partly mass tourism at its worst! Nonetheless, you can still have an enjoyable time there, relaxing after discovering other parts of Thailand or even of Southeast Asia. My personal experience showed both sides: when Koh Lanta was actually a pleasant moment, Railay Beach proved to be one of the worst places I ever visited in my life. Continue Reading →

Bangkok – The Gateway To Thailand

By on 18. March 2017 in Thailand

Wat Phra Kaew or Grand Palace, Bangkok

When visiting Thailand, you will most likely arrive and / or leave from Bangkok. I arrived and left the country from this tentacular city of 15 millions. Bangkok definitely deserves a few days, though distances between points of interest, the heavy traffic and hence the high travel times make it challenging for first time visitors to really enjoy the capital of Thailand.

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Grand Escapades’ Budget Guide To Thailand

By on 15. March 2017 in Country Budget Guide, Thailand

A Perfect Place To Splurge A Little

Sunset at the Tew Lay Bar, Railey Beach, Krabi, Thailand

Type Of Travel

This trip to Thailand was definitely different: instead of a backpacking or “flashpacking” type of travel, it was more a mid-range to upper mid-range holiday, with comfortable hotels, convenient transports and lots of nice activities like almost one massage a day or scuba diving.

The budget displayed bellow has hence little to do with the one of a backpacker, but shows that you can splurge for a very reasonable price. Continue Reading →

Sri Lanka – A Selection Of 47 Pictures

By on 20. April 2016 in Asia – Photos, Photo Galleries, Sri Lanka

Woman picking tea leaves, near Ella

We spent 5 days on the Northern Cultural Triangle (Anuradhapura, Mihintale, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya & Dambulla), which was the bear minimum to be able to somehow discover those places. Then followed 3 days to get a glimpse of the Highlands and the Tea Plantations (Kandy, Nuwera Eliya & Ella). Last but not least, we headed south for one and a half day rest on the beach & whale watching in Mirissa and to discover Galle.

Here you find a Selection of 47 Pictures of Sri Lanka…

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Grand Escapades’ Travel Guide To Sri Lanka

By on 20. April 2016 in Sri Lanka

Easy To Travel & Full Of Highlights

Train from Kandy to Nuwera Eliya, Sri Lanka

Train from Kandy to Nuwera Eliya, Sri Lanka

Itinerary And Time Of The Visit

Never have we bought a long-haul plane ticket 6 days before departure… But when a window of opportunity of 12 days in February 2016 aroused, the decision was quick. With only 10 days in Sri Lanka, we had to make some bitter choices, as this is not nearly enough for a country that would ideally require 3 weeks or more… Beaches were immediately out of focus, as was soon wildlife watching, because of the lack of time. Continue Reading →

Grand Escapades’ Budget Guide To Sri Lanka

By on 19. April 2016 in Country Budget Guide, Sri Lanka

A Budget Destination

Fisher Boat, Mirissa, Sri Lanka

Fisher Boat, Mirissa, Sri Lanka

Type Of Travel

This trip was to some extend both “Flashpacking” & “Mid-Range”. Flashpacking because we chose mostly small and cheap but pleasant guesthouses, went to small local restaurant and actually did nothing special but for… The car! Since we only had 10 days in Sri Lanka and wanted to make the most of this very limited amount of time, we rented a car with driver, which was a great comfort but a pricy proposition… So all in all we ended up with a budget at the lower end of the mid-range type of travel. Continue Reading →

The Cultural Triangle

By on 13. April 2016 in Sri Lanka
Seating Buddha, which depicts the Dhyana Mudra, Gal Vihara, near Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

Seating Buddha, which depicts the Dhyana Mudra, Gal Vihara, near Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

The 5 historical sites of the Cultural Triangle, some of them 2.300 years old, are definitely worth the 5+ days necessary to discover them. They are the remains of a great civilization that developed an architecture unique in Asia. They were also built at different periods of time and hence display completely different styles and features, making it impossible to recommend one over the other. Simply put, each one should be visited! Continue Reading →