Thailand travel blogs are definitely in fashion right now: the blogosphere is full of sites taking up hosting space and battling for True coverage.
From travel photography to food to visa tips to jobs for foreigners; whatever your interest or need, you can be sure that there’s a Thailand blog for that.
Of course, a lot of these blogs simply aren’t that great; they end up petering out with the waning interest of its readers and author. Usually they’re just covering the same old stuff that we all know about, or sometimes the writer just hasn’t found their unique voice yet.
But for every few less-than-great Thailand blogs, there is one that is simply brilliant.
And by ‘simply brilliant’, we mean a blog that not only offers new information and insights, but is a joy to read. Great writing, frequent updates, and a good look. We may not agree with everything published, but we can appreciate a good blog when we see one.
So with that in mind, we’ve compiled a few of our favourite Thailand blogs – some general, some a little niche, all brilliant.
Richard Barrow
General Thailand, travel, photography, festivals, food and more
Via Facebook
Barrow is the, er, Big Daddy of Thailand blogging and although we’ve linked to just his flagship site above, he has other sites on such subjects as Thai prison life, Thai Buddhism and Thai festivals. He’s also a regular tweeter too. One of the first travel bloggers in Thailand, his work commands a lot of respect among locals, expats and tourists.
Undeniably prolific in his output, Barrow’s independent travel blogging is, above all, useful. There’s no fluff, just lots of information and photos on specific events, attractions and locations. In a rare move for many travel bloggers, he accepts no money for endorsements or promotions so you can be sure that his opinions are truly his own.
8 Miles From Home
Travel and videos
We originally came across 8 Miles From Home a couple of years ago as they provide some great, detailed advice on how to export your dog from the UK to Thailand. The rest of their website details the exploits of this man, woman and dog team travelling around Thailand and making some high quality videos along the way.
As you can see, these videos are cinematic in their scope and on another level when compared with many other hobbyist travel vloggers.
The World And His Tuk Tuk
Food and travel
Via Facebook
Chris Wotton, author of The World And His Tuk Tuk, is one of Bangkok’s favourite food bloggers. Known for his devotion to Thai street food, Wotton provides drool-worthy descriptions and photos of the delicacies he comes across on his travels, as well as writing useful, listicle-style travel articles for various countries and cities around the world.
Wotton moonlights with various other Thailand publications alongside his blog, including on What’s On Sukhumvit. You can read some of the pieces he’s written for us here.
Ajarn
Teaching
Via Facebook
The Ajarn website is first and foremost Thailand’s number one TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) site, functioning as a jobs portal for teachers, schools and recruiters alike. But the site also has a regularly updated blog that’s full of interesting articles for both teachers and non-teaching expats alike.
As well as teaching-specific articles, there are cost of living surveys, travel articles, opinion pieces and even how-to guides – including this recent one on how to get a credit card in Thailand. Like with all the best blogs, Ajarn is both a useful resource and an entertaining read.
She Simmers
Thai cookery
Via Facebook
She Simmers is one of the world’s favourite cookery blogs, let alone one of the best Thailand blogs. Authored by food writer Leela Punyaratabandhu, most of the blog is dedicated to her detailed and delicious recipes, although there’s also plenty of food philosophy and general Thai talk.
Some of our favourite tried and tested recipes include Khao Man Gai, Lemongrass Baked Chicken Wings and Thai Boat Noodles. This Thailand blog is the perfect cure for anyone looking to cut down on their street food intake and spend some time back in the kitchen creating their own culinary masterpieces.
Karsten Aichholz
Expat living, work, entrepreneurship and more
We’ve only recently come across Aichholz’s blog, but have already bookmarked a number of his detailed, longform posts – including pieces on expat health insurance and Bangkok fitness. Admirably in-depth with no discernable filler, these articles are must-reads on the practicalities of living in Thailand as an expat.
There’s also plenty of light relief and interesting nuggets on Aichholz’s blog too; including interesting podcasts, short stories and the occasional amble on the philosophy of life.
Jamie’s Phuket
Everything Phuket
Via Facebook
This low-key looking blog is a great mix of informational pieces on Phuket combined with the author’s own travels and experiences around the island and its surrounds. What’s particularly charming about Jamie’s Phuket is the fact that – compared to other travel blogs where the author is seemingly on a series of paid-for promotional trips around the world – this blog clearly reflects the author’s passion for Phuket with no other agenda.
As well as informative pieces on certain beaches, restaurants, markets and other attractions, there’s also a slew of information on Phuket’s unusual festivals – check out his accounts of the Vegetarian Festival and the Hungry Ghost Festival, for instance.
A Farang Abroad
Expat living, dating, working
Via Facebook
A Farang Abroad is a Thailand blog featuring plenty of witty and irreverent articles on the realities of living as a young, male expat in Bangkok. As well as looking at the lad culture of Bangkok – including dating, drinking, clubbing and more – the author explores the life of a digital nomad and how to make money while you travel.
Although ocassionally ever so slightly NSFW, it’s great to see someone writing honestly, if anonymously, about life in Bangkok. Most articles are at least either funny, interesting or informative. and sometimes worth reading for the comment section alone.
Travelfish
Travel
Via Facebook
Travelfish covers many Southeast Asian countries so can’t be described as a typical Thailand blog, but it offers so much in-depth information about the Kingdom that it would be criminal not to include it here. As well as longform guides to the islands and major cities of Thailand, it’s a great Lonely Planet alternative for looking up attractions, national parks and activities.
The site is definitely a great primer for learning more about Thailand, regardless of whether you’re a tourist here or a veteran of ten years. Their mantra is that ‘Travelfish.org always pays its way’, so you know you’re getting indepedent, valuable advice.
Eating Thai Food
Food and travel
Via Facebook
It’s another food blog! Is it any wonder when Thai food is so divine?
Anyway, Eating Thai Food is a brilliant resource on all things relating to authentic Thai food. It’s run by Mark Wiens, his wife Ying, and Dwight Turner – the man behind Twitter favourite, Bangkok Fatty. Together they’ve created one of the most comprehensive websites on Thai food on the web.
As well as reviews of street food, shophouses and restaurants, Eating Thai Food contains culinary rundowns on certain cities, recipes, tips and even a store.
Tieland To Thailand
Expat living and travel
Via Facebook
To refer to Tieland To Thailand as a ‘blog’ is probably underselling it a little – it’s more akin to a huge resource on living as an expat in the Kingdom. As well as travel articles on the authors’ favourite spots across the country, they provide in-depth guides on the cost of living, teaching, visas, culture shock and more.
Pioneered by young American couple, Chris and Angela, the writing is direct, useful and relatable – chiming in to the emerging breed of young expats in Thailand making money and seeing the world. They also offer itinerary planning services for Chiang Mai and even professional coaching sessions for expat newbies.
What’s your favourite Thailand blog?
Featured image is by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com and used under a Creative Commons licence
