Phra Racha Wang Derm, also known as Thonburi Palace, is the former royal palace of King Taksin, who ruled the Siamese kingdom of Thonburi following the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 and up until the establishment of Rattanakosin in 1782. It later served as the residence of several high-ranking members of the Chakri Dynasty until 1900 when the palace became the site of the Royal Thai Naval Academy.
The palace is now within the grounds of the Royal Thai Navy headquarters in Bangkok, and is open for group visits pending advance appointment.
Taksins reign ended in 1787 when he was overthrown by the general Chao Phraya Chakri, who became king . Phutthayotfa Chulalok relocated the capital city proper to the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya, and had a new royal palace, the Grand Palace, built there. Taksins palace then became known as Phra Racha Wang Derm, or former palace, and the two royal temples were excluded from the palace grounds.
As Thonburi was still strategically important, guarding ...
Beitou (北投) is a district of Taipei City at the foot of Yangmingshan (陽明山 or Yangming Mountain), a collection of mountain peaks that make up Yangminshan National Park. These include Seven Star Mountain (七星山 or Qixingshan), a dormant volcano that last erupted around 700,000 years ago.
Xinbeitou (新北投), the hot spring village around Xinbeitou MRT station, occupies a lush valley that is home to 1200 species of plants, 110 species of bird, and 160 varieties of butterflies.
Beitou Thermal Valley (also called Beitou Geothermal Valley or Hell Valley) is a second, highly acidic “green sulfur” hot spring that is a major tourist attraction in Beitou and the source of the hot creek running through Beitou Hot Spring Park.
The spring water is high in radium, which in the past underwent a corrosive reaction with the andesite rocks on the river bed about 150 meters downstream, creating layers of cream and white diamond-shaped crystals named Hokutolite or “Beitou stone”, ...
New Year’s celebrations are a global tradition, symbolizing fresh starts and hopeful dreams. Taipei is the stage for one of the biggest and best displays in the world.
The Taipei 101 tower is the center point for over 5 straight minutes of dazzling fireworks from the top to the bottom of this giant tower.
The outdoor celebration is a truly global affair, with visitors from every corner of the world gathering to soak in the sights, sounds, and spirit of New Year’s Eve. The crowds are huge and the weather is brisk but the atmosphere is electric.
I have been wanting to see this fireworks show for years and I finally got the opportunity. I was not disappointed at all.
New Year’s Eve 2025 From the Taipei 101 Tower - One of the Best in the World - Taipei Taiwan 2025
One of the larger night markets in northern Taiwan, Keelung Miaokou Nigh Market (基隆廟口夜市) surrounds Dianji Temple and is located a short walk from Keelung Harbor. It has been in operation for more than 40 years and occupies a space of about 400 meters and several city blocks.
Temples often serve as both a spiritual and physical foundation of night markets in Taiwan and Keelung's is no different. The Miaokou part of the name literally means “temple entrance”.
More than 200 food stands offer up regional as well as national delicacies. Among the more famous dishes are Taiwanese style tempura “tianbula” (天婦羅), pot rim rice soup “ding bian cuo” (鼎邊銼), pork rib soup “pai gu geng” (排骨羹), one bite sausages “yi kou xiang chang” (一口香腸), a huge variety of fried, roasted, and steamed fresh caught seafood, and bubble ice “pao pao bing” (泡泡冰).
This was my first night market in Taiwan and i wasn’t disappointed when I found it ...
