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”, ...
Wat Phleng Wipatsana stands as a serene meditation haven nestled in the historic Thonburi district of Bangkok, specifically in Bang Khun Si subdistrict along Charan Sanitwong Road.
This public temple of the Maha Nikaya sect traces its roots to the early Rattanakosin era around 1832–1833 during the reign of King Rama III. It was founded on the initiative of Prince Kraisorn, who commissioned an official to establish a dedicated center for Vipassana meditation practice on former Chinese vegetable garden land, where a Chinese shrine was also built.
The name “Phleng,” meaning song or melody, commemorates a local legend from the Thonburi period when residents sang praises to King Taksin the Great as he passed through the area, with “Wipatsana” added to highlight its enduring role as a continuous hub for insight meditation among monks and lay practitioners alike.
Over the decades, the temple underwent significant renovations, particularly in the 1930s–1940s, which included replacing a ...
Indy Night Market Pinklao, also known as ตลาดอินดี้ ปิ่นเกล้า, stands as a genuine local gathering spot in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat district on the Thonburi side of the river. Tucked conveniently right beside the MRT Bang Yi Khan station on Charan Sanit Wong Road, it draws primarily Thai residents from the surrounding community rather than crowds of tourists, fostering an authentic neighborhood feel that has made it a favorite evening destination since around 2018.
Visitors step into a relaxed, community-oriented atmosphere where locals unwind after work, chat with friendly vendors, and enjoy the gentle buzz of the evening without any sense of rush or commercial pressure. The market maintains a modest, approachable scale with a laid-back vibe enhanced by live music, casual seating areas, and the warm glow of lights that invite people to linger and connect. It embodies the independent spirit suggested by its “Indy” name, supporting small local ...
Wat Phet Samut Worawihan, also widely known as Wat Ban Laem, stands as one of the most significant royal Buddhist temples in Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand. Located along Phet Samut Road in Tambon Mae Klong, near the banks of the Mae Klong River, this ancient temple belongs to the Mahā Nikāya sect and holds the status of a third-class royal temple of the Worawihan type. Its serene atmosphere, blending historic Thai architecture with spiritual reverence, makes it a key pilgrimage site and tourist attraction in the province.
The temple’s origins date back to the Ayutthaya period, when it was first established as Wat Si Champa during the reign of King Prasat Thong in the 17th century. In 1764, amid an invasion by Ava forces that threatened Phetchaburi, villagers from Ban Laem in that province fled southward and resettled in the area north of the existing temple. They rebuilt and renovated Wat Si Champa, renaming it Wat Ban Laem after their original village. Over the years, the temple ...
