Tham Sawan Kuha Temple, known to locals as Wat Tham (the “temple cave”), resides in a complex of caves near the town of Phang Nga, the capital of Phang Nga Province. It serves as a functioning and revered place of worship for local Buddhists and also as a tourist destination. The highlight of the temple and the subject of worship for religious pilgrims and Buddhist monks is a spectacular 15 meter reclining gold Buddha.
Tham Yai also holds an impressive chedi reminiscent of the Wat Arun in Bangkok. The chedi contains the bones of the Na Takuathung family, a clan of past local political leaders instrumental in the construction of the shrine.
About 15 minutes away from the cave is a hidden gem, Raman National Park. Raman National Park is home to the waterfall (Nam Tok Raman in Thai) and delivers tranquility free of charge. The Park is free to all visitors and is a great place for families to spend an afternoon.
A two kilometer hike takes you along the waterfall’s five tiers and up ...
The Archaeological Site of Paestum: Ancient Poseidonia’s Magnificent Greek Legacy
Paestum, located in the Campania region of southern Italy about 85 kilometers southeast of Naples in the modern comune of Capaccio Paestum, stands as one of the most extraordinary surviving examples of ancient Greek colonization in Magna Graecia.
Originally founded around 600 BC by Greek settlers from Sybaris as Poseidonia—named after the sea god Poseidon—the city quickly flourished into a prosperous trading and cultural center on the Tyrrhenian coast, benefiting from fertile plains and maritime access.
Conquered by the indigenous Lucanians around 400 BC, who renamed it Paistom, the city retained much of its Greek character while adopting local influences, evident in vibrant painted tombs from this era.
In 273 BC, it became a Roman colony under the name Paestum, receiving new public buildings like a forum, amphitheater, and roads, though the iconic Greek temples remained revered.
Prosperity continued into the ...
Herculaneum, an ancient Roman town nestled at the base of Mount Vesuvius on the Bay of Naples in modern-day Ercolano, Italy, began as a seaside settlement with roots tracing back to legendary founding by Hercules, though historical evidence points to Oscan origins around the 6th or 7th century BC.
Over centuries, it passed through Greek influence, Samnite control in the 4th century BC, and finally became a Roman municipium in 89 BC after the Social War.
Smaller and wealthier than nearby Pompeii, with a population of about 4,000 to 5,000, Herculaneum served as an elegant resort for Roman elites, boasting luxurious villas overlooking the sea, sophisticated architecture, and a prosperous economy tied to trade and fishing.
A severe earthquake in 62 AD damaged much of the town, and repairs were still underway when catastrophe struck on August 24-25, 79 AD.
Unlike Pompeii, which was buried primarily under ash and pumice, Herculaneum lay northwest of the volcano and initially escaped the heaviest fallout due ...
The Ruins of Pompeii: A Frozen Snapshot of Ancient Rome
Pompeii was a thriving ancient Roman city in Campania, Italy, near modern Naples. Founded around the 7th–6th century BC (possibly by the Oscans), it grew into a prosperous port and resort town with a population of about 10,000–20,000 by the 1st century AD. On August 24, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted catastrophically in a Plinian eruption, ejecting ash and pumice high into the atmosphere before unleashing deadly pyroclastic surges.
The city was buried under 4–6 meters (13–20 feet) of volcanic material, preserving it remarkably well—streets, buildings, frescoes, artifacts, and even casts of victims in their final poses.
This rapid burial created one of the world’s best-preserved ancient sites, offering unparalleled insights into Roman daily life: homes with gardens, bakeries with loaves still in ovens, theaters, baths, brothels, and graffiti on walls.
Rediscovered in the late 16th century and systematically excavated from 1748, ...
