Thailand: Si Satchanalai Historical Park in Sukhothai Province

Si Satchanalai Historical Park is one of three ancient towns included in the World Heritage inscription Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns. If Sukhothai was the political and administrative capital, Si Satchanalai served as the spiritual center of the kingdom, with its many temples and Buddhist monasteries. The town is 90 kilometers from Sukhothai.

As part of the tourism workshop we attended in Sukhothai, the plan was to bike all the way to Si Satchanalai. But plans were changed and we took a van to Sawankhalok, and did the bicycle tour to Si Satchanalai from there. The 40-kilometer bike trip ended at Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, a first class royal temple three kilometers outside the Si Satchanalai wall.

Other major temples and sites are located within the old town of Si Satchanalai. Wat Chedi Chet Thaeo is one of the most beautiful temples of Sukhothai Province. Its features include a main chedi and 33 subordinate chedis. The temple is believed to have kept the cremated remains of the Sukhothai royal family.

Wat Chang Lom's main landmark is a bell-shaped chedi on a platform supported by 39 stucco elephants. Between the chedi and the platform are niches with statues of Buddha subduing Mara.

Delicate stucco reliefs have survived on one of the walls of Wat Nang Phaya. The wall is protected by a roof to prevent further damage from the elements.

Thailand: Sukhothai Historical Park

Sukhothai, Thailand was the capital of the first Kingdom of Siam during the 13th and 14th centuries. Most of the ruins of this ancient city are located within the Sukhothai Historical Park. Together with Si Satchanalai and Kampaheng Phet, they form the Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns, a World Heritage Site. And since it is a World Heritage Site, it was definitely on my bucketlist!

During my first visit, despite the gloomy skies, I still went ahead with the seven hour bus ride from Bangkok to Sukhothai just to visit its famed temples. I had learned upon my arrival that much of Sukhothai was submerged under water just a few days before. In fact, there were sandbags all over the place and you could see that the water level of the rivers was high. On the way to the park, it was still raining. But when I arrived, the rain suddenly stopped and the sun came out later in the day. So I was lucky!

While it's not difficult to walk around the park, you can rent a bike or hire a motorbike or tuktuk to speed up your pace visiting the ruins scattered around the park. I hired a motorbike with driver from my hostel to take me around.

Last year, I was back again in Sukhothai for a workshop of the ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee. This time, the weather was beautiful and the sun was out! Wat Mahathat was the largest and principal temple of Sukhothai. The wat is surrounded by a wall that is said to represent the outer wall of the universe. Around the wall is a moat representing the cosmic ocean. The large Buddha images and chedi spires in the lotus-bud motif are iconic images which adorn many photos from Sukhothai. If you look closely, you will see that some of the original bas relief details layared with stucco can still be seen at Wat Mahathat.

There are so many ruins and historical sites in the park. And depending on your level of interest (for some, if you've seen one, you've seen them all), you can try to visit all the major ones, about twenty or so, or select the more interesting sites if you want to take it slow.

Another famous temple is Wat Si Sawai which features three Khmer-style towers. It reminds me of Angkor Wat, and was in fact, built by the Khmers as a Hindu temple. Wat Sa Si is a temple that is built on an island in the middle of Traphang Trakuan Pond.

Then there is Wat Si Chum which features an eleven-meter Buddha image covered in stucco seated inside a brick Mandapa building. This 13th century temple is also known as the Temple of the Bodhi Tree. I had a photo taken right beside the Buddha's large hand that has been covered in gold leaf offered by devotees.

I can't remember how many temples I got to visit. I tried to visit them all since it's a single ticket for all the temples within the inner city, and another ticket for all those outside. Hopefully you don't get all templed-out before seeing them all because each Sukhothai temple is definitely worth a visit.

Thailand: Bicycle tour from Sukhothai to Si Satchanalai

I never thought I'd have fun biking that far! When I arrived at the Sukhothai Airport for a tourism workshop, my Thai colleague told me that he had assigned me to a group that would bike 70 kilometers from Sukhothai to Si Satchanalai. I thought he was joking and laughed off the idea.

When the workshop started the next day I realized he was serious! The ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee was in Sukhothai to try out different tourism experiences in order to make recommendations for a tourism plan they were finalizing. While most teams were comfortably seated in air-conditioned vans, moving from one attraction to another, one group was assigned to try out the bicycle tours through the Sukhothai countryside hosted by Sukhothai Bicycle Tour.

Just looking at the large roadmap taped to the wall during the orientation was daunting enough. But the next day, I was glad to hear that our team leader had cut the ride to 40 kilometers and we would take a van to Sawankalok, which was half the way to Si Satchanalai.

The group rode through small rural villages, on concrete roads to small narrow dirt paths that bended left and right, following the course of a river. We did rest stops at interesting, and at times, odd places. A cricket farm caught our attention. I didn't realize those deep-fried bugs sold along Bangkok's colorful streets were grown in backyard farms like these.

I heard a salapao vendor motor by and caught up with him to buy some hot steamed pork buns. I was quite hungry and this is what I needed! At each rest stop, we were also served fruits such as bananas, longkong (lansones) and mangosteen, crackers and drinks.

A colorful temple also served as another rest stop before we biked through a small sugar cane field. I didn't know what got into my head but a steep incline up ahead challenged me to bike even faster. I reached the top without any walking but suffered from cramps as a result. So I called it a day after 30 kilometers of biking. Not bad for someone who hasn't biked for years!

Good thing these bike tours come with a back-up team plus a support vehicle that has drinks and snacks for the bikers during the rest stops. So I rode the last 10 kilometers in a pick-up truck to the Si Satchanalai Historical Park, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. We explored the temples and got to see some of the colorful local activities before heading for a sumptuous lunch at a farm near the Sukhothai Airport.

If you want to try out the bike tours in Sukhothai, e-mail sukhothaibicycletour@gmail.com.

Malaysia: Khoo Kongsi, Kek Lok Si Temple, Masjid Kapitan Keling & other Penang heritage sites

I've been a frequent visitor to Penang, Malaysia. A few years before its inscription in the World Heritage List, I had heard much about the city, made my first visit and saw its transformation through the years, both good and bad. Much of the major heritage buildings have been beautifully restored. Fantastic job indeed! But due to the influx of tourists and the eventual increase in economic activity, ordinary heritage, such as shophouses, have been marred by intrusive signage that now cover the fascinating details of these charming buildings.

Recently, I made another visit. And yet Penang never fails to amaze. We started the day at the Kek Lok Si Temple (Temple of Supreme Bliss) in the town of Air Itam. Construction of the temple began in 1890 and still continues today as more structures are added to the complex. The main landmark of the temple is a seven-story pagoda completed in 1930 with a Chinese octagonal base, Thai middle tier design and Burmese crown.

A 30 meter bronze statue of Kuan Yin was added in 2002, and an ornate shelter built over it in 2009. So yes, the temple continues to expand.

From Kek Lok Si, we proceeded to historic George Town, which was inscribed in the World Heritage List together with Melaka in 2008. I remember walking down Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, smelling the incense from the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy Temple and flowers from the Hindu garland makers right beside it. A small shrine to Lord Ganesha was just a few meters away. As I walked down the street, I could hear calls to prayer echoing from the minarets of mosques. Further down the street is the Anglican St. George's Church and the Catholic Cathedral of the Assumption just meters away. Indeed, the racial harmony in Penang was evident.

At one end of the street is the Kapitan Keling Mosque, built by Indian Muslim traders in the 19th century. Just a stone's throw away was the Mahamariamman Temple. 

Penang's prominent families also have their own temples and clan houses. The grandest and most elaborate of these clan associations is the highly-ornamented Khoo Khongsi built in 1906. Also in the area are the Cheah Kongsi and Yap Kongsi. 

Amid all this Chinese architecture is the Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh.

Being a British colonial city, one would expect monumental colonial architecture as well, which includes the City Hall, Town Hall, the War Memorial, Fort Cornwallis and the Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Clocktower among others.

There's so much heritage in Penang, a day around will never do justice. And don't ever forget that Penang is a foodie's paradise as well! Here are some Penang dishes you should not miss and traditional trades you might find interesting. Here's more information and notes on how to reach Penang by bus from Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia: Hawker food in Penang!

Hawker food in Penang, Malaysia is superb! Whenever I visit Penang, I always make sure to try out the local flavors.

Char Kway Teow, a stir-fried flat rice noodle dish, is a personal favorite. This one sold near our hotel had prawns and deshelled cockles.

Another favorite is Bak Kut Teh which literally translates as meat bone tea. The hot broth is a complex mix of pork ribs plus herbs and spices that includes star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dong quai, fennel seeds and garlic.

Asam Laksa, specifically Penang Laksa, is quite popular and a dish that is distinctly from Penang. A sour tamarind and fish-based soup, it's main ingredients are shredded mackarel, finely sliced vegetables, chili, thick rice noodles and a sweet prawn paste. I had this delicious bowl at the Gurney Drive Hawker Centre.

I enjoyed the Dry Meat or Bakkwa and the Black Pepper Dry Meat they were grilling at the Gurney Drive Hawker Centre. The hawker stalls also sell sweet and spicy sausages and other dried meats.

To end our day, we had Cendol, a shaved ice dessert made with coconut milk, jelly noodles made with rice flour and colored with pandan coloring, red beans, and palm sugar syrup.

We also tried Apom, an Indian coconut pancake filled with coconut meat and bananas. Really good!

Thanks to Doc Gelo for the treat at the Gurney Drive Hawker Center!

Thailand: Phuket's old town

So what else is there to see in Phuket, Thailand? If you love old architecture, you might want to walk around Phuket's old town. I hired a car to visit the beaches of Phuket. And since I had a car, I made sure to drop by the old town to see its historic mansions and shop houses.

Most of the old mansions of Phuket town are well-maintained. Although some of the commercial buildings need attention. But it was definitely an interesting visit. Too bad I could not see the inside of the mansions since most are still private residences. The Chinese-influenced architecture is quite similar to those I've seen in Malaysia and Singapore owing to its close proximity to places like Penang as well as its shared history with the Straits Settlements.

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