Marisa Marchitelli

November’s Chiang Mai art calendar brings together artists, makers and creative communities through exhibitions and events that explore everything from artistic expression and collaboration to memory, identity and the emotions that connect us. There are opportunities to discover new work by local artists, meet the people shaping the city’s creative scene and take part in conversations that reach beyond the gallery walls. At Meltdistrict Labo, Asazak Azvahiransiri explores vulnerability, emotional freedom and self-discovery in The art of letting go: Asazak Azvahiransiri’s inner garden. Fahlanna Art Museum brings together three artists with distinct approaches for FRIENDS, while Cave Cave opens its doors to artists, designers, photographers, makers and musicians for Open Art Salon, an evening of creative exchange and live performances. SYN Gallery takes a more introspective turn with In Between, a solo exhibition by Phonnapha Phektakhu exploring sadness, anger and anxiety through paintings and sculptures. Meanwhile, Museum of Broken Relationships Chiang Mai celebrates 20 years of collecting the stories behind personal objects with What We Keep: Stories of Love, Loss and Memory, inviting visitors to reflect on the people, places and moments that continue to stay with us.

October is looking decidedly coastal. In Phuket, Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas welcomes Melbourne-based chef Esca Khoo for a one-night takeover of Sea Fire Salt, while Anantara Layan Phuket Resort lays on Sunday brunches with seafood, live cooking and a soundtrack to match. The Standard, Hua Hin gets into the Halloween spirit with wicked bingo and a beachfront party, and Kimpton Kitalay Samui brings five Champagnes to the dinner table. Further afield, former England striker Michael Owen returns to the Maldives to put young footballers through their paces. Whether you're after a long lunch, a family holiday or a good excuse to spend Halloween by the sea, here's where to make your October escape.

Chiang Mai's biggest art night of the year is back and this time it spans 16 galleries across two evenings, with free transport and free admission connecting them all.  Galleries Nights Chiang Mai 2026, organised by the Faculty of Fine Arts at Chiang Mai University in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Promotion and the Embassy of France in Thailand, takes place on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August, with galleries staying open until 10pm across three routes through the city. How it works Photograph: Galleries Nights Chiang Mai2026 The event runs on a songthaew shuttle system, with free red trucks departing from the CMU Art and Culture Center on Nimmanhaemin Road at 5pm and 5.30pm on both evenings. That's your base for the night – parking is available there, and all trucks return by 10pm. Student volunteers ride every truck to guide groups and keep everyone informed of departure times. Spend around 30 minutes at each stop before the truck moves on, with 10 to 20 minutes of travel between galleries depending on traffic. What routes are for free at Galleries Nights? Three routes run simultaneously on both nights.  Route A heads through Nimmanhaemin, taking in 31st Century Museum, Wattana Art Gallery, FigureLab, Gallery Seescape and Light Bulb.  Route B covers Studio 94, The Meeting Room Art Gallery, Kalm Village, DC Collection and Fah Lanna Museum.  Route C takes in Alliance Française de Chiang Mai, Museum of Broken Relationships, La Luna Gallery, Little Shelter Box an

Chiang Mai tends to dominate conversations about northern Thailand, but head south by car and the pace slows down. Lamphun, just under an hour away, offers a quieter window into some of the region’s oldest history, with ancient temple sites, Mon heritage and long-running craft traditions. Continue onward to Lampang and the atmosphere shifts again. Once an important commercial centre in the north, the city still carries traces of that legacy, from historic trading-era buildings and early railway connections to its enduring ceramic industry. Neither province gets anything like the attention Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai recieves, which makes them ideal for a slower, less crowded road trip. Public transport is possible, but this itinerary works best with your own wheels, giving you time to stop for temples, museums, coffee, ceramics, roadside noodles and a few worthwhile detours. Here’s how to spend three days exploring one of northern Thailand’s most underexplored routes.

Thai food travels well. Walk through any major city in the world and you'll find tom yum simmering somewhere nearby, green curry ladled into bowls at tiny kitchen bistros and queues forming outside pad thai food trucks. But while Thai cuisine has become one of the world’s most recognisable comfort foods, the version many travellers know is only a small part of the story. In Thailand, food is tied to landscape, local wisdom and everyday produce. Recipes shift from province to province. Curry pastes are shaped by what grows nearby. Herbs aren’t only added for fragrance or heat but for balance, digestion and wellbeing. Even the country’s fruit culture follows a rhythm, with different harvests rolling through markets nearly all year long.  This is one of the reasons Thailand continues to attract foodie travellers who plan entire trips around what they want to eat. In fact, that’s just how most Thai’s do it too – good food is often the epicentre of a great holiday.  Look beyond Bangkok’s vast restaurant scene, and you’ll find fishing communities preserving old recipes, family-run curry shops perfecting dishes passed down over generations and orchards growing fruits that ebb and flow with the seasons. Photograph: Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)Thailand’s culinary story Thailand’s UNESCO worthy food  The country’s culinary reputation has gained international recognition through UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network, which celebrates cities using creativity and cultural heritage to

Chiang Mai has always had a sweet tooth, but lately it’s showing up in more ways than ever. Alongside long-standing neighbourhood favourites serving mango sticky rice, bua loy and coconut-laced classics, a new wave of dessert spots is reworking Thai flavours through ice cream, plated sweets and café-style creations.  The result: a city where you can move from a late-night street bowl to a carefully churned scoop without skipping a beat. Whether you’re after something warm and nostalgic or cold and refreshing in the heat, these are the stops worth building your dessert crawl around.

Chiang Mai’s art scene this month spans a major retrospective, a meditative painting installation and a run of smaller exhibitions across the city. MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum continues its survey of Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook’s work, bringing together decades of video, installation and mixed media. In Hang Dong, Museum of Something (MOS) presents 108 Buddha paintings arranged in a single continuous row. Haan Studio opens a process-driven solo show, while Alliance Française Chiang Mai presents a digital exhibition built around bold graphic compositions. Jing Jai Gallery focuses on quiet, observational work, Déjà Gallery explores repetition and reworking and La Luna Gallery brings together spiritually rooted pieces including embossed metal works.  Want to plant your very own tung flag at the Museum of Broken Relationships? Click here. Click here to find out other things to do in Chiang Mai

Chiang Rai is often reduced to a quick temple stop from Chiang Mai. Stay a little longer and the province reveals something much more compelling.  This is one of Thailand’s most agricultural regions, where rice fields stretch across broad valleys, tea plantations climb the hillsides and small hilltribe villages sit between long mountain ridges. It’s expansive, lightly populated and best explored by car. That connection to the land feeds directly into the food. Chefs here are working with an exceptional range of local ingredients, from rare mountain herbs and fermented vegetables to forest produce and tea grown just down the road. The result is a foodie scene that feels grounded, inventive and increasingly worth the drive.  Add to that pottery studios, tea houses and riverside cafes spread across the countryside and it’s pretty clear that Chiang Rai rewards those willing to take their time.  And with time in mind, here’s how to spend a long weekend discovering a different  side to the province of the city of kings.

March brings a livelier energy to Thailand’s getaway scene, with food, wine and travel experiences worth planning around. Khao Yai leads with two distinctive reasons to leave the city - the once-a-month forest bar K-BAR at Khao Yai Art Forest and GranMonte’s hands-on harvest season among the vines. Phuket draws attention with a one-night chef collaboration at Aulis and crispy Peking duck Fridays at Yue Restaurant & Bar, while Le Méridien Chiang Rai tempts travellers with early-booking travel fair deals. For something more romantic, Silavadee Pool Spa Resort in Koh Samui offers private pool villas and honeymoon indulgence by the sea. If you’re looking for an excuse to travel this month, these are the getaways worth planning around.

If your feed lately has been filled with beautiful cars, it’s not a coincidence. March in Bangkok is stacked with car culture events, from relaxed morning meetups with coffee to full-scale national showcases featuring major automotive brands. This list draws from the Monthly Bangkok Car Events Calendar, compiled with support from Alla Meller and JB Photographer, who regularly track and update car gatherings across the city.  Judging by how packed March already is, Bangkok’s car scene is clearly heating up. Right now it’s one of the most active communities in the city, easily rivaling the energy of the live music scene. Whether you’re a driver, a tuner or just someone who enjoys looking at great cars, it’s time to clear some space on your calendar.

Valentine’s in Chiang Mai has never been a one-size bouquet. While some dates demand the best in fine dining, the rest of the city (and those who look to be impressed) are turning eyes toward things like tarot readings, cross-cultural performances and – for those of us who are still single – a few delightfully odd ways to meet a stranger.  Jing Jai Market opens the Valentine’s season with outdoor movies and craft workshops under the trees, setting the tone for a week that skips the usual cliches. Lobbyist at Nimman Mai? Design Hotel pairs cocktails with love readings, Kalm Village hosts a music and Hmong textile night and the Museum of Broken Relationships invites visitors to post a letter to their future selves.  Those who still like to party can mosey on down to the Amazing Valentines Festival at Central Airport, while the more quirky Look Inside Bar sets up piñatas and puzzles for the brave. If food is your jam, Simple Pleasures Café fills the garden with blues and sizzling South Indian kitchen service, while Palette at 137 Pillars House finishes dinner with a melting chocolate dome worth drooling over.  The weekend also rolls straight into the 49th edition of Chiang Mai Flower Festival, with the city blooming well beyond the old city walls and a parade of floats carrying Valentine’s straight through to Sunday. Here’s where to spend the day of love with a little more personality and of course some petals too.  Looking for other things to do this weekend in Chiang Mai? Our

The point of Shambhala In Your Heart – Chiang Mai’s 10-day culture and arts festival – has never been spectacle. It’s about slowing down enough to hear music properly, to meet strangers who quickly become friends and to remember how easy life can be when the day follows the shape of the mountains. The backdrop of majestic Doi Luang, Chiang Dao, sets the pace from the moment you arrive – unhurried, grounded and a little wild. Running since 2010, the gathering was founded by self-described Japanese hippies who fell in love with the nearby hot springs and crisp mountain air.   Photograph: HU    Just as all good festivals emerge, what began as a circle of friends has grown steadily, yet Shambhala has kept almost exactly the same shape – handmade by volunteers, analogue and gently resistant to the modern festival machine. They even write attendees names in a book like it’s 1995. Photograph: HU The first weekend – remember, it’s a 10-day festival running from February 6-15 – welcomed around 2,500 visitors – many camping straight through the week.  Once past the makeshift gates, the site looks like a postcard from another decade. Teepees rise from the grass, strings of fabric flags crisscross the trees and the smell of wood smoke drifts through food stalls serving simple, hearty plates. Photograph: HU A row of hilltribe vendors sells woven bags, jewellery and tie-dye. Nothing is polished and that’s the point. People arrive with tents, hammocks, children and dogs, planning to

What do we hold on to when a relationship, a place or a chapter of our lives has come to an end? The Museum of Broken Relationships marks its 20th anniversary and two years in Chiang Mai with Stories Still Here, a programme exploring the memories and emotions carried by everyday objects. Moving beyond romantic relationships, the project looks at the connections we have with friends, family, places, our sense of identity and the versions of ourselves we leave behind. The anniversary programme invites visitors to contribute to this growing archive in two ways. What Remains? is an intimate roundtable where eight selected participants will share an object connected to a meaningful person, relationship, memory or moment in their lives. Through storytelling, listening, drawing and writing, they will explore the stories these objects hold. Each participant will donate their object and handwritten account to the museum, where they will be displayed. The free session will be facilitated by art therapist Pornpilin Tancharoen and moderator Varith Detprasit. An open call is now inviting eight participants to take part. Visitors can also contribute to the Card Station and Letters Between Zagreb and Chiang Mai, an installation in the museum reception area. Pick up an archive card and share a memory, friendship, farewell or moment that has stayed with you. Cards will become part of a growing wall of memories, with messages from Chiang Mai potentially travelling to the museum's original home

Sadness, anger and anxiety are often feelings we try to suppress, but in In Between, Chiang Mai artist Phonnapha Phektakhu invites us to see them as companions rather than enemies to overcome. The solo exhibition brings together 83 paintings and 10 sculptures, including the large canvas The Drowned and featuring a cast of imaginary friends called Saen Son. Working with colour, texture and expressive forms, Phektakhu explores how art can give shape to emotions that are difficult to articulate. A contemporary koi and expressionism artist, Phektakhu draws on personal experience to create work that moves between playful characters and more introspective abstractions. Her work has been exhibited at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), and she received an award at the 12th Asia Plus Art Exhibition. Taking its name from a Thai phrase meaning 'along the way', In Between reflects on the idea that difficult emotions are part of life, not simply obstacles to overcome. The exhibition encourages visitors to pause, connect with the work and perhaps recognise something of their own experience in it. October 27-April 25, 2027. SYN Gallery, SYN Boutique Hotel. Chonprathan Road, Chang Phuak. Thursday-Tuesday, 10am-7pm

Artists, designers, musicians and curious minds are invited to come together at Open Art Salon, a gathering celebrating creative expression in all its forms. Presented by Cave Cave and We Are the Future!, the event welcomes everyone from visual artists and photographers to makers, performers and experimental musicians, with opportunities to showcase work, exchange ideas and connect with like-minded creatives. The programme spans visual art, design, photography, zines, installations and crafts, alongside live music, performances and open decks. Cave Cave will provide space for exhibitions and creative booths, with projection equipment and basic facilities available. Artists interested in participating are encouraged to prepare a brief portfolio or samples of their work, along with their preferred presentation format and any space or equipment requirements. Booth arrangements and other details will be confirmed individually. Whether you have work to exhibit, sounds to share or simply want to meet Chiang Mai’s creative community, Open Art Salon offers a space to share, create, connect and inspire. To find out more or express interest, DM @cavecavecnx on Instagram. November 14. Cave Cave. Chang Phuak Soi 2, Chang Phuak. Open Art Salon, 6pm-midnight, DJs from 10pm

Friendship, like art, evolves over time. FRIENDS brings three artists and longtime friends back together at Fahlanna Art Museum, tracing a connection that began at the College of Fine Arts and has endured as their lives and creative practices have taken different paths. Featuring Vatcharin Bhumichitr, Sakchira Wiengkao and Supachet Bhumakarn, the exhibition explores how individual experiences shape the way each artist sees and interprets the world. Bhumichitr draws on more than 25 years of travelling and living abroad, exploring the dualities of nature, from its beauty to its more unpredictable and powerful forces. Wiengkao looks to the cultural heritage of Hmong, Akha and Karen communities in Phrae, reworking traditional weaving, embroidery and dyeing techniques into contemporary textile art. Meanwhile, Bhumakarn takes the elephant as his starting point, using line, colour and space to explore balance, adaptation and change. More than simply a reunion, FRIENDS offers a look at how friendship, shared beginnings and individual journeys can continue to connect people over time. November 14-December 15. Fahlanna Art Museum. Wiang Kaew Road, Si Phum. Opening reception November 14, 4-7pm. Thursday-Tuesday, 10am-7pm

Self-love takes centre stage in To Be Fully Known: A Self-Love Retrospective, an exhibition by Chiang Mai-based artist Asazak Azvahiransiri. Through expressive, abstract paintings, the show explores the feelings we suppress, the fears we carry and the importance of making space for vulnerability. Drawing on the metaphor of the mind as an overgrown garden, Asazak invites visitors to let go of their analytical instincts, reconnect with their inner child and embrace the parts of themselves they may have kept hidden. The exhibition is rooted in the artist’s own journey towards self-acceptance. After years of directing his energy towards others and feeling creatively drained, he found that learning to value himself, alongside the support of close friends, transformed his outlook and practice. Through gestural brushwork, layered colour and loose, organic forms, the paintings offer an invitation to pause, lower your guard and reconnect with what makes you feel alive. November 3-January 31, 2027. Meltdistrict Labo, Heng Station. Rotfai Alley, Wat Ket. 8am-8pm

Self-love takes centre stage in To Be Fully Known: A Self-Love Retrospective, an exhibition by Chiang Mai-based artist Asazak Azvahiransiri. Through expressive, abstract paintings, the show explores the feelings we suppress, the fears we carry and the importance of making space for vulnerability. Drawing on the metaphor of the mind as an overgrown garden, Asazak invites visitors to let go of their analytical instincts, reconnect with their inner child and embrace the parts of themselves they may have kept hidden. The exhibition is rooted in the artist’s own journey towards self-acceptance. After years of directing his energy towards others and feeling creatively drained, he found that learning to value himself, alongside the support of close friends, transformed his outlook and practice. Through gestural brushwork, layered colour and loose, organic forms, the paintings offer an invitation to pause, lower your guard and reconnect with what makes you feel alive. November 3-January 31, 2027. Meltdistrict Labo, Heng Station. Rotfai Alley, Wat Ket. 8am-8pm

Friendship, like art, evolves over time. FRIENDS brings three artists and longtime friends back together at Fahlanna Art Museum, tracing a connection that began at the College of Fine Arts and has endured as their lives and creative practices have taken different paths. Featuring Vatcharin Bhumichitr, Sakchira Wiengkao and Supachet Bhumakarn, the exhibition explores how individual experiences shape the way each artist sees and interprets the world. Bhumichitr draws on more than 25 years of travelling and living abroad, exploring the dualities of nature, from its beauty to its more unpredictable and powerful forces. Wiengkao looks to the cultural heritage of Hmong, Akha and Karen communities in Phrae, reworking traditional weaving, embroidery and dyeing techniques into contemporary textile art. Meanwhile, Bhumakarn takes the elephant as his starting point, using line, colour and space to explore balance, adaptation and change. More than simply a reunion, FRIENDS offers a look at how friendship, shared beginnings and individual journeys can continue to connect people over time. November 14-December 15. Fahlanna Art Museum. Wiang Kaew Road, Si Phum. Opening reception November 14, 4-7pm. Thursday-Tuesday, 10am-7pm

Artists, designers, musicians and curious minds are invited to come together at Open Art Salon, a gathering celebrating creative expression in all its forms. Presented by Cave Cave and We Are the Future!, the event welcomes everyone from visual artists and photographers to makers, performers and experimental musicians, with opportunities to showcase work, exchange ideas and connect with like-minded creatives. The programme spans visual art, design, photography, zines, installations and crafts, alongside live music, performances and open decks. Cave Cave will provide space for exhibitions and creative booths, with projection equipment and basic facilities available. Artists interested in participating are encouraged to prepare a brief portfolio or samples of their work, along with their preferred presentation format and any space or equipment requirements. Booth arrangements and other details will be confirmed individually. Whether you have work to exhibit, sounds to share or simply want to meet Chiang Mai’s creative community, Open Art Salon offers a space to share, create, connect and inspire. To find out more or express interest, DM @cavecavecnx on Instagram. November 14. Cave Cave. Chang Phuak Soi 2, Chang Phuak. Open Art Salon, 6pm-midnight, DJs from 10pm

What do we hold on to when a relationship, a place or a chapter of our lives has come to an end? The Museum of Broken Relationships marks its 20th anniversary and two years in Chiang Mai with Stories Still Here, a programme exploring the memories and emotions carried by everyday objects. Moving beyond romantic relationships, the project looks at the connections we have with friends, family, places, our sense of identity and the versions of ourselves we leave behind. The anniversary programme invites visitors to contribute to this growing archive in two ways. What Remains? is an intimate roundtable where eight selected participants will share an object connected to a meaningful person, relationship, memory or moment in their lives. Through storytelling, listening, drawing and writing, they will explore the stories these objects hold. Each participant will donate their object and handwritten account to the museum, where they will be displayed. The free session will be facilitated by art therapist Pornpilin Tancharoen and moderator Varith Detprasit. An open call is now inviting eight participants to take part. Visitors can also contribute to the Card Station and Letters Between Zagreb and Chiang Mai, an installation in the museum reception area. Pick up an archive card and share a memory, friendship, farewell or moment that has stayed with you. Cards will become part of a growing wall of memories, with messages from Chiang Mai potentially travelling to the museum's original home

Champagne takes centre stage at FishHouse Restaurant & Bar, where Kimpton Kitalay Samui’s A Toast to the Sea brings together seafood, premium beef and five Champagne pairings. Dinner opens with a Gillardeau oyster topped with Oscietra caviar, followed by Hokkaido scallop crudo with yuzu and ikura, paired with Drappier Brut Nature Zero Dosage. Next comes Ikejime Songkhla Lake barramundi with roasted tomato and pine nut, accompanied by  Gremillet Blanc de Blancs Brut. The centrepiece is half a Phuket spiny lobster with saffron risotto, courgette ribbons and Champagne hollandaise, matched with Bollinger Special Cuvée. Australian Black Angus beef tenderloin with black garlic jus follows, poured alongside Demoiselle Vranken Rosé. Dessert keeps the Champagne theme going: jelly made with the bubbly, vanilla Chantilly and strawberry sorbet, served with Duval-Leroy Edouard d'Eulalie Extra Brut. Five Champagnes, plenty of seafood and a good reason to linger over dinner by the Gulf. October 8, 6pm-10pm. B4,500++ per person. FishHouse Restaurant & Bar, Kimpton Kitalay Samui, Koh Samui. 

Sunday lunch comes with sea views at Beach House, Anantara Layan Phuket Resort’s open-air beachfront venue overlooking Layan Bay. Its weekly House of Brunch spreads out international and Thai dishes, premium seafood and live cooking stations, with music keeping things lively and sparkling drinks on hand for those making an afternoon of it. There’s an infinity pool nearby, daybeds within easy reach and Layan Beach stretching out in front. Choose from three drinks packages – soft drinks, Prosecco or Champagne –  each including a complimentary sunbed. So once you’ve finished eating, there’s no need to abandon your seaside spot. Simply swap the table for a lounger and let Sunday take its time. Sundays, noon-3pm. Soft drinks B3,500; Prosecco B4,100; Champagne B4,800. All packages include a complimentary sunbed. Beach House, Anantara Layan Phuket Resort, Layan Beach, Phuket.

In O₂, artist Waranya “Jood Jung” Thongbor explores the rhythm of breathing through a restrained body of abstract works built from circles, dots, lines and repeated forms. The exhibition takes its title from oxygen – the colourless, odourless gas that humans rely on to breathe, using its simplicity as a starting point for a broader meditation on movement, transition and the cycles of life. Working without rulers, Jood Jung creates drawings and paintings through freehand marks and stamping acrylic onto canvas. Repeated dots build up fields of colour and texture, while overlapping circles and geometric forms suggest expansion, contraction and the continual movement between one state and another. Some works are pared back to almost monochromatic compositions, while others introduce stronger contrasts of blue, red, orange, black, white and metallic tones. The exhibition’s accompanying text describes breathing as a process of leaving oneself and returning again, with the cycle of arising and fading unfolding within every breath. In the same way, the works move between simplicity and repetition, using seemingly basic forms to suggest something more continuous and expansive.  July 2-October 25. SYN Gallery at SYN Boutique Hotel. Cholaprathan Road, Chang Phuak.

The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar has never been short of places to shop or grab a bite, but Lanna Garden is taking a fresh, new approach to the neighbourhood’s well-worn formula. Set on the former Yunnan Market grounds, the new development brings together an open-air food court, independent retail and coffee outlets, as well as a restored heritage house, all part of the larger Lannatique complex that’s redefining the area. The development is also set to connect with Chiang Mai Tram by Lannatique, a clean-energy electric tram service linking 15 stations around the city’s key attractions and cultural landmarks. Photograph: Marisa MarchitelliChiang Mai The project combines contemporary retail with a nod to the area’s past. At its centre is the stunning Zheng He Heritage House, a traditional Muslim Chinese house once used to accommodate visitors. Impeccably restored and given a new purpose, the building now houses Akantuka, an ambitious fine-dining restaurant exploring the food and culinary traditions of Northern Thailand and its ethnic communities. Photograph: Marisa MarchitelliChiang Mai The retail offering is still taking shape, with more shops expected to join the existing line-up soon. For now, visitors can browse Monsoon Tea, a local brand that focuses on teas responsibly sourced from Thailand’s forests grown in harmony with nature, or stop at Minimal Coffee for a caffeine hit. The Story Lifestyle Chiang Mai also hones in on a signature Chiang Mai craft, showcasing an extens

One Bangkok is the kind of place where spending an entire day actually makes sense. The sprawling new development on Wireless Road has been designed as much more than a shopping destination. With green spaces, cultural attractions, restaurants, shopping and after-dark spots all folded into one district, it’s easy to build a full day’s itinerary at your own pace.   Start the day with movement Photograph: One BangkokTime Out Thailand in partnership with One Bangkok   If you’re going to commit to a full day out in Bangkok, starting with a little movement feels like the right idea. One of One Bangkok’s strongest features is the amount of open public space built in, which immediately creates a more elevated and distinct experience. Instead of walking straight into escalators, fluorescent lighting and packed corridors, you’re met with shaded greenery, open pathways and enough breathing room to actually enjoy the outdoors. For early risers, it’s a great spot for a run or brisk walk before the city awakens, with Art Loop showcasing public artworks along the way that give your creative mind its own workout too. Coffee is non-negotiable Photograph: One BangkokTime Out Thailand in partnership with One Bangkok No proper Bangkok day begins without caffeine, so naturally the next stop is coffee. % Arabica near Sarnie’s is an easy first landing point, especially if you’re in the mood for something polished. If you’re planning to spend the entire day at One Bangkok, this might also be th

Chocolate isn’t just something you taste – it can be something you see, touch and experience. To mark its fifth anniversary, The 1 Exclusive is stepping into a more experiential space, moving beyond traditional loyalty perks and into something more immersive. The programme’s latest collaboration brought this idea to life through the Janice Wong First-Ever Chocolate Edible Art Gallery with Mastercard – an exhibition designed to blur the line between art and flavour. Held at the Mastercard Experience Space at Central Chidlom, the exhibition brought together internationally acclaimed pastry chef and visual artist Janice Wong, known for transforming desserts into sculptural works. A two-time recipient of Asia’s Best Pastry Chef award, Wong approaches chocolate not just as an ingredient, but as a creative medium. Photograph: The 1 Here, chocolate became colour, texture and form. Each installation was crafted to reflect both partners, with visual elements inspired by Thai culture. Patterns, colours and familiar imagery drew from local references, including scenes reminiscent of floating markets, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens. The result was a gallery that felt rooted in Thailand, yet distinctly modern in execution. Photograph: The 1 But this wasn’t a traditional exhibition where you stood back and just observed. One of the key ideas behind the project was interaction. Visitors were invited to engage directly with the artworks, including a series of chocolate lollipo

Khao Lak sits just north of bustling Phuket, but moves to a different beat. The beaches are wide and open, the vistas expansive and the draw is as much the space as the scenery. It’s a popular seasonal surfing spot, and also a go-to for divers wanting to explore the famed Similan and Surin Islands. Best of all, nobody is rushing anyone for anything. Set along Bang Niang Beach, La Solaya Khao Lak arrives with that same understanding of pace. The newly opened beachfront resort is built around the idea of letting the day unfold naturally, without schedules, pressure or over-programming. We sure like the sound of that. Designed for flow Photograph: La Solaya Khao Lak Rather than offering an array of activities, La Solaya chooses to focus on atmosphere and unwinding. The resort is designed with the Indian ocean taking centre stage and the day progresses according to her ebbs and flows. Early hours are calm, with gentle light, crisp sea air and spaces that invite lazy lingering. As the day warms up, energy shifts naturally toward the pool and shared areas, without tipping into noise or crowds. By evening, the pace eases again, with sunset views over Bang Niang Beach and lighting that encourages guests to stay present, and just take it all in. Rooms that prioritise ease Photograph: La Solaya Khao Lak La Solaya Khao Lak has 144 rooms and villas, including family-friendly options and private pool villas. Design is understated and refined, with light tones, natural materials and su

Bangkok understands chilli the way other cities understand weather. It shapes daily life, dictates cravings and decides how long lunch will last. For one balmy afternoon and evening, just once a year, the city gives that ingredient centrestage. Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok becomes a roaming kitchen where chefs from across cultures translate heat into flavour, memory and even a friendly competition. Chilli Fest 2026, now in its fourth edition, gathers an impressive circle of chilli-lovin’ Michelin-calibre talent and neighbourhood favourites. Thai curries share tables with Mexican aguachile, modern Korean fire meets Punjabi street food and Southern Thai intensity sits beside Spanish-Japanese tapas. The festival is designed as a moving feast, encouraging visitors to wander between stalls, follow aromas and compare how different kitchens speak the same language of fiery spice.   Photograph: Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok   Chef Thitid Ton Tassanakajohn returns with Gaengsod, celebrating the art of freshly pounded Thai curry through vibrant green curry rice sets and delicate pan sib dumplings. GOAT’s Chef Parkorn Tan Kosiyapong brings Thai-Chinese imagination with Thai wagyu cooked in 18 spices and an experimental pairing of coconut, sato, SCOBY, salt and chilli. From Delia, chef duo Gabriela Gaby Espinosa and Diego Zarco serve taco de carne asada and aguachile negro inspired by Abuelita traditions. I-Sang dishes out buldak bibim noodles and an intensified Korean fried chicken glaze that ba

Bangkok has always excelled at reinvention. Just look at its skyline, food scene or the way a quick errand somehow turns into an all-day adventure. Now, the city is applying that same talent for transformation to beauty and wellness, with clinics like Aura Bangkok Clinic helping put it firmly on the global map. As global beauty culture shifts away from extreme results and towards safety, credibility and subtlety, Thailand is stepping into the spotlight as a beauty destination. Bangkok, in particular, has become a magnet for those who want expert care, international standards and results that look refreshed rather than obvious. Where beauty meets credibility Photograph: Aura Bangkok Clinic Today’s aesthetic travellers are well-informed and very selective. They read extensive reviews, follow credible influencers and expect treatments carried out by qualified medical professionals, supported by experience and ongoing training. Bangkok’s medical aesthetic scene delivers that confidence, pairing state-of-the-art technology with the warm, hospitality-led approach that Thailand is famous for. One clinic that defines these standards is Aura Bangkok Clinic. Founded in 2014, it has treated more than 100,000 cases and built a strong reputation for non-invasive procedures, skin rejuvenation and lifting techniques that enhance such as Ultherapy, botox and filler injections. The focus is on balance and proportion, not chasing social media trends.   Doctors trained to global standards Ph

Veyla’s ‘Muse of Rhythm’ is hard to miss. The headphone-wearing figure sits at the centre of this new boutique club in Ekkamai, setting the tone for a night built as much on visuals and atmosphere as it is on music. Bangkok’s nightlife is moving fast, and Veyla is firmly in the category of clubs you visit because you want to feel something: a bassline in your ribcage, the room moving as one, lighting that makes every moment look cinematic. Built around house, Afro-house and tech house, the venue keeps things music-first and tightly curated with an emphasis on global DJs, selector-led programming and long-form sets designed to unfold as a journey rather than peak-and-drop moments. Even the name plays into the concept: Veyla (pronounced way-lar) means ‘time’ in Thai, and the whole space is designed to pull you into the rhythm of the night and keep you there. This isn’t a place for EDM drops, birthday sparklers and table wars. It’s for people who actually come for the groove. A club with a muse Photograph: Veyla Bangkok Every club wants an icon, but Veyla makes it literal. The venue’s dramatic centrepiece is a headphone-wearing statue of a woman known as ‘The Muse of Rhythm’, positioned less as decor and more as the club’s core identity. It’s the kind of instantly recognisable detail that anchors the room, becomes the unofficial logo and ends up in everyone’s first post of the night. The muse is also baked into Veyla’s narrative. She’s imagined as a figure who channels the ene

If you’ve ever booked a painfully early flight out of Suvarnabhumi Airport, you already know the routine: set multiple alarms, pack the night before, then spend the final hours half-awake, worried you’ll miss your ride or get stuck in traffic at the worst possible time. Bangkok is many things, but predictable transport at 3am is not always one of them. This is exactly the problem Go Hotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is built to solve. Designed as a modern, family-friendly stopover option, it keeps the focus on what matters most when you’re flying: a comfortable bed, an efficient setup and the kind of small details that make travel feel less chaotic. Photograph: Go Hotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Located in Lat Krabang, just 10 minutes from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the hotel positions itself as a practical base for late arrivals and early departures. Whether you’re landing after midnight, leaving before sunrise or simply planning a quick overnight reset between destinations, this is the kind of stay that helps you switch off fast, wake up calm, and catch your flight on time. Made for stopovers, not overthinking Photograph: Go Hotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport The experience starts with an airport-first mindset. In the lobby, a real-time flight information screen keeps departures and arrivals visible, which sounds simple but makes a huge difference when you’re travelling on tight timing. There’s also a free shuttle from the hotel to the airport twice daily, making it easi

EDC Thailand 2026 may have been all about massive drops, neon-lit stages and thousands of hands in the air, but one of the weekend’s best moments didn’t happen at the main stage. It happened at Binary Beach. Created by The Title, an Official Sponsor of EDC Thailand 2026. Binary Beach was built as a full experience zone inside EDC Thailand 2026, giving festivalgoers a break from the main event: stepping out of high-energy chaos and into something calmer, more curated and distinctly Phuket. Photograph: Rhom Bho Property Binary Beach worked as a proper lifestyle landmark. It was designed for lingering, resetting and recharging, with a setting that leaned into seaside relaxation without breaking the festival mood. For anyone who needed a break from the crush of the crowd, it offered a smoother rhythm, with space to breathe and a vibe that matched Phuket’s identity as a global leisure destination. Photograph: Rhom Bho Property Modern mor lam, Ya-Dong cocktails and a wellness reset The Mini Tropical Stage brings a cultural twist to the soundscape, blending electronic music with Thai traditional influences through a modern mor lam approach. It offered a fresh entry point into Thai music culture, without ever losing the pulse of the festival. Photograph: Rhom Bho Property Then there was the Ya-Dong Bar – a sleek, contemporary take on Thai local drinking culture, featuring four cocktails created specifically for the event. To balance it all out, Binary Beach also included a crea

Thailand’s festival scene has been on overdrive. Bigger crowds. Bigger noise. Bigger schedules. The kind of weekends that are fun, but also require a recovery period. Marshmallow Restival is built for the opposite mood. A three-day ‘restival’ (yes, restival) designed around slowing down without dropping out. It takes place January 30-February 1 at Abonzo Yama Mitsu, a hilltop cafe about 10km from Chiang Rai city centre, with a setting that already does half the calming for you. The idea is a new kind of reset, where rest is the point rather than the reward at the end. As the organisers put it, ‘Marshmallow Restival comes with the concept of the Art of Rest, introducing a new resting experience - not stopping, just pausing.’     The anti-burnout festival Photograph: Marshmallow Restival Post-Covid, events came roaring back with a vengeance. New festivals landed every month, the crowds got bigger, the queues got longer, and a fun weekend away started to feel like a full-body workout. Marshmallow Restival is the intended antidote: a festival that still delivers music and atmosphere, but without leaving you depleted. The event is organised by Meaning Maker, a new Bangkok-based creative collective of filmmakers, artists, curators and story crafters dedicated to ‘crafting meaning and curating memories’. They describe the post-Covid boom in festivals as something people needed, but also something that came at a cost. ‘After the pandemic, people eagerly needed interaction at concer

Bangkok is a city that runs on movement – trains, taxis, tuk-tuks, motorbikes, expressways, shortcuts, side streets. You don’t have to be here long to realise its biggest talent is flow. But the past week has delivered a different kind of reminder: Bangkok and its surrounding routes are also constant works-in-progress. And when construction zones sit directly over live traffic, the safest thing you can do is re-route around them. Several recent incidents have involved infrastructure works and major corridors used by everyday commuters and weekend escapees, including the Rama II axis heading southwest toward Samut Sakhon and the South. If you’re heading out of town, or simply moving across the city, it’s worth travelling with more caution than usual.   The Rama II problem (aka why it feels cursed) Photograph: Nathathida Adireksarn / Associated Press Ask anyone in Bangkok and they’ll have a Rama II story. Sudden merges. Shifting lanes. Bottlenecks that appear out of nowhere. And construction that seems to last forever. People call it a curse because it feels relentless, but the reason is more practical than supernatural: Rama II has become a long-running construction corridor while still carrying huge volumes of traffic. That combination creates risk. When a major artery doubles as a worksite, the margin for error shrinks. Sightlines get worse. Lane markings change. Temporary barriers shift. Drivers speed up to escape congestion, then brake hard at chokepoints. Heavy equipmen

If your feed has recently filled up with fluffy ears, red bib and wide-eyed smiles, you are not imagining things. Monchhichi, the Japanese character first introduced in the 1970s, has arrived in Bangkok in a big way, fronting one of the most extensive holiday collaborations in the city this season. Running across multiple locations under Monchhichi x The Mall Group: The Great New Year 2026, the campaign transforms The Mall Lifestore, Emporium, Emquartier, Emsphere and Paragon Department Store into festive playgrounds built around character installations, exclusive merchandise and immersive photo moments. It is the first large-scale Monchhichi collaboration of its kind in Thailand, positioning the long-loved character not just as a nostalgic toy, but as a cultural icon reintroduced for a new generation.   A Japanese character with global staying power Photograph: The Mall Group Created in Japan in 1974, Monchhichi has spent decades building a devoted following across Asia and Europe. Known for its soft brown fur, oversized ears and signature pacifier, the character has evolved beyond a children’s toy into a collectible embraced by adult fans, designers and pop culture collectors. That longevity is part of the appeal. In Bangkok, where nostalgia-driven design and character culture have found renewed popularity, Monchhichi arrives at exactly the right moment. The collaboration taps into that sentiment while scaling it up into something highly visual and public-facing. Rather t