Picture thousands of people dressed up as monsters, roaming the streets of a tiny village in northeastern Thailand. Giant ears, huge hooked noses, and foot-long spiked teeth sprout from their masks. Their chin-to-toe costumes are sewn from scraps of cloth into a kaleidoscopic patchwork of colors. Many carry wooden truncheons shaped into phallic symbols. Others ... Read more The post Phi ta Khon Festival – Thailand’s Answer to Halloween appeared first on Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel ..read more

Thai society erupted in controversy last month when the government approved a proposal to change the official name of Thailand’s capital from Bangkok to Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. While this might seem slightly bizarre to most Westerners, Thais have always referred to their capital city as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. In everyday conversation, they shorten the ... Read more The post Bangkok – What’s in a Name appeared first on Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel ..read more

A couple of months ago I struck up a conversation with a young man at Cozy Coffee and Bistro, my home away from home in Chiang Mai. He was surprised to learn that after 18 years of visiting Thailand and more than four years of living here, I still didn’t have a Thai nickname. Chuu ... Read more The post Fighting the Blues with Blossoms appeared first on Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel ..read more

There’s a new attraction north of Chiang Mai that only locals seem to know about. Fortunately, I am blessed to have wonderful Thai friends who invite me along on day trips around northern Thailand. Most recently they introduced me to Dantewada Land of Angels Waterfall Park, a man made attraction with two massive waterfalls, caves, ... Read more The post Dantewada “Land of Angels” Waterfall Park, the Newest Attraction in Mae Taeng, Thailand appeared first on Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel ..read more

Most people barely give Krabi Town a second glance. If they visit at all, they stay overnight on their way to Railay Beach, Koh Lanta, or the Phi Phi Islands. But during a recent visit to Railay Beach, I decided to stop over in the town of Krabi for three days and was pleasantly surprised ... Read more The post Krabi Town, Thailand – Like an Outdoor Art Gallery appeared first on Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel ..read more

Every spring, when farmers burn their fields, a thick blanket of smoke descends upon my home in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Most years, I’m traveling at this time, but this year COVID-19 put a crimp in my normal schedule. I could leave, but if I did, I couldn’t come home. I thought I could... The post Railay Beach in Krabi, Thailand – A Great Escape from Smoke Season in Chiang Mai appeared first on Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel ..read more

The first time I saw the Dton Yaang Naa trees I was transfixed. I was returning from a press trip to learn about the care of Elephants in the Kingdom of Thailand, when our van driver turned down Chiang Mai-Lamphun Road. Twin rows of behemoth trees flanked the narrow, twisting road as far... The post The Ordained Dton Yaang Naa Spirit Trees of Thailand appeared first on Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel ..read more

Here’s something new and fun and (for me) very exciting. A few days ago I received an email from Leslie Parsons (@montrealsketcher), an artist from Montreal. “I have a strange request for you,” he said. “A popular urban sketcher from Malaysia found an image on Pinterest that he wanted all the other urban... The post Artists from Around the World Sketch my Photo of a Traditional Penang Shophouse in Malaysia appeared first on Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel ..read more

Most people have seen gorgeous photos of the cherry tree blossoms in Japan and Washington D.C. Far fewer have heard about the flowering cherry trees in Thailand. I was among the ignorant, until a year of not being able to travel internationally due to COVID-19 forced me to explore more of my adopted... The post The Cherry Tree Blossoms of Thailand appeared first on Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel ..read more

It may have been nearly 14 months since I’ve been able to travel internationally, but that doesn’t mean I’ve been sitting at home here in Chiang Mai. I’ve taken advantage of COVID travel restrictions to do something that’s long been on my to-do list: delve more deeply into Buddhism. Even though I embraced... The post Celebrating Makha Bucha Day in Chiang Mai, Thailand appeared first on Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel ..read more