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”, ...
Prang Phon Songkhram is a Khmer ruin located in Ban Phon Songkhram, Tambon Phon Songkhram, Amphoe Non Sung, Nakhon Ratchasima Province in northeastern Thailand. It stands as one of the 102 arogayasala, or hospital temples, constructed during the reign of King Jayavarman VII of the Khmer Empire, who ruled approximately from 1181 to 1218.
These structures formed part of an ambitious public welfare initiative that combined medical care with Buddhist spiritual practices, reflecting the king’s deep commitment to alleviating suffering among his subjects as inspired by Mahayana Buddhist ideals.
Jayavarman VII, who shifted the empire’s religious emphasis toward Buddhism after periods of Hindu dominance, ordered the building of these standardized facilities across his vast territory, which included parts of modern-day Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos.
An important inscription at Ta Prohm temple in Angkor, dated to 1186, records the establishment of these 102 hospitals, each equipped to provide free healthcare ...
Wat Phlapphla Chai, also spelled Wat Phlabphla Chai and known in Thai as วัดพลับพลาไชย, is a restored temple ruin situated within the Ayutthaya Historical Park on the city island, north of Wat Ratchaburana and roughly between that major site and Wat Suwannawat, with the area once lying inside the old city walls and facing the now-buried Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak canal.
Its name translates to the Monastery of the Victory Pavilion, evoking associations with royal or military triumphs, though the temple itself predates the specific events that may have inspired later interpretations of the title.
exact founding date and builder of Wat Phlapphla Chai remain unknown, with no clear records identifying its original patron, yet it is generally believed to date from the early Ayutthaya period. The earliest documented reference appears in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya, specifically in the Phan Chanthanumath edition, tying the site to a dramatic succession conflict in 1424. ...
Buriram’s Walking Street night market, also known as Soh Grao, So Krao, or Sarok Krao Walking Street, transforms Rom Buri Road into a lively pedestrian zone every Saturday and Sunday evening, setting it apart from the daily Night Bazaar nearby. It stretches from Chira Road toward the Buriram Night Bazaar intersection close to Khlong La Lom and about 500 meters from the railway station, creating a relaxed riverside atmosphere perfect for strolling. Starting around 4 or 5 PM and running until roughly 10 or 11 PM, the market features an array of affordable Isaan-style street food like grilled seafood, pad Thai, local snacks, desserts, fresh fruits, and vegetables, alongside stalls selling clothes, OTOP handicrafts, souvenirs, and small trinkets. Visitors often enjoy the chill vibe with live music elements, family crowds, and opportunities to relax by the water after grabbing a meal, making it an authentic local experience for discovering Buriram’s flavors and community energy on weekends....
