One of the most popular international tourist destinations, Bangkok has long been known for its night-time revelries, wild parties and cheap shopping. But there is a quieter side of the city that’s relatively unexplored; especially for those looking for a laid-back vacation filled with good food and lasting conversations. From themed cafes to dessert bars, this bustling city is quickly catching up with the burgeoning café culture that is rapidly spreading across urban cities world over. A large number of cafes are concentrated in the by-lanes that comprise the Thonglor and Ekkamai neighbou ..read more

As writers, we all have our individual rhythms and unique processes that stimulate us to create an original piece of work. Some find stillness in chaos; they do some of their best writing when surrounded by a medley of sounds. For others, music helps them clear their minds and start putting pen to paper. And there are some for whom it is about being in an environment that sparks their creativity; which could be a veritable mix of soothing sounds and calm surroundings. For me to get into ‘the zone’, it helps to have an amalgamation of chaotic calm and visual aesthetics to transport me else ..read more

Are we always honest when sharing our travel experiences? Do we say out loud that we didn’t like a place? Or that we didn’t understand why a certain place was so revered by travel enthusiasts and writers alike? Do we always share details about how much we hated a certain medium of travel? I don’t think so. So much of what we read about online or even discuss with friends or colleagues is so cheerful and full of stories detailing great things that happened. After all, you don’t want to be that person who hated visiting a particular destination. How can you show any less enthusiasm than what ..read more

Work it to earn it—that’s how you’ll get your meal at this unique café in London. Launched with the aim of promoting a healthy lifestyle, Run For Your Bun Café offers nutritious meals for which customers have to pay in the form of exercise. Photo by David Lloyd Clubs Once you arrive at the cafe, you place your order at the counter and receive a receipt with all the exercises you need to do as part of your assigned workout. The six-minute HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout includes exercises that range from sit-ups and lunges to squats and jogging on a treadmill. There ..read more

I am not a wine drinker, but I know it would certainly be unusual to put Thailand and wines in the same sentence. I’ve heard of French wines, Indian wines and even South African wines, but I wouldn’t peg Thailand as a wine producer. So imagine my surprise when I found a vineyard in a place that’s claim to fame is its endless seaside and vast expanses of pristine beachfront. However, don’t dismiss Thailand’s foray into wine production just yet. While they haven’t entered the league of top winemakers in the world, they have definitely proved that they can produce good quality wines in a region t ..read more

Photograph: Starbucks.com One of the things I look forward to most when travelling is seriously good coffee. I like mine to be intoxicatingly aromatic, so strong it wakes me up and smooth like silk on my taste buds. But instant coffee powders find it hard to match up to the magic of filter coffee. Lucky for me, I found the perfect coffee companion to take with me when I travel. Meet Starbucks' Origami--a single serve personal drip coffee alternative. You simply need to place the filter on the mug, pour hot water over it and voila! Strong, aromatic drip coffee in an instant. While ..read more

Two years ago, at an interview, I was asked “If you love travelling so much, why don’t you travel full-time? Why do you want a desk job?” I answered “Because I enjoy the balance of working in an office with a stimulating team, and travelling a few times a year. I love working with a team; brainstorming ideas; the camaraderie of working together. I thrived on the pressure of crazy timelines, and the results we got in the end.” But the interviewee wasn’t convinced. I don’t know why; considering he himself was working in an office, running a travel-related publication sitting at a desk. Peopl ..read more

This was my first solo trip; I planned everything from scratch as I was determined to take this trip, no matter what. And I did exactly that. I got onto the train on an RAC ticket, in the General Sleeper compartment and lost the room I had booked two weeks before I left from Mumbai, but this remains one of the best trips I've ever taken. Read on to find out why... I was lost. It was an ecstatic feeling. I had been craving for this feeling since so long I couldn’t even remember. It’s hard to describe it in words, but it’s like I didn’t want to be found, I wanted to dissolve into the crowd a ..read more

My earliest memory of a road trip is of being packed into a Maruti van with my cousins singing along to popular Bollywood numbers, whilst eating chips and drinking Rasna. It was a fun time; our group was large and loud; the roads were bumpy; and the stopovers were many. We even did a few road trips in those mid-sized tempos and Swaraj Mazda buses sometimes. As an adult, the meaning of road trips changed a little. Family turned into friends, the music changed from Bollywood dance beats to slower tunes by the likes of Coldplay and Jack Johnson. But one thing never changed. The joy of riding o ..read more

The night before I was to trek up to the Tiger’s Nest monastery in Paro (also called Taktsang Lhakhang), we were out celebrating my friend's birthday at an underground club. Dancing has always been our favourite kind of fun activity. Trekking on the other hand is something none of us would put in the same sentence with 'fun'. But we wanted to conquer this feat even with our dismal fitness levels (read: considers walking to the kitchen as exercise) as a self-enforced challenge. The next morning, we were up at 5am excited and brimming with a can-do attitude. As expected; it was short-lived.&n ..read more