Aman is well known for its ultraluxury resorts and hotels found in some of the world's favorite cities, like Tokyo and Venice, Italy, as well as destinations as close as Utah and as far as Phuket, Thailand.
17.09.2024 - 13:12 / lonelyplanet.com
Sep 16, 2024 • 10 min read
People often say that to truly know Thailand, you must eat like the locals, not just on the streets but also by shopping for ingredients the way they do – in bustling markets, supermarkets and specialty stores. Each shopping experience offers a unique insight into Thai culture and cuisine, particularly local wet and floating markets, which are often microcosms of the neighborhoods that they serve.
After all, what traveler hasn’t filled their Instagram feeds with shots of the beautiful produce at Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona? The box-shaped (and wildly expensive) melons in the basement of Mitsukoshi in Tokyo? Or the geoducks and hairy crabs at a seafood market in Hong Kong? Markets provide intimate glimpses into other lives and tables, informal tours that are only as expensive and lengthy as you want them to be.
When shopping for food in Thailand, you can explore not just the ingredients that define Thai food but also the subtle quirks that reflect the character of each market, supermarket, and grocery store you visit. This is not just a shopping trip; it’s an immersive journey into the heart of Thai food culture.
Thailand’s many “night markets” remain places for tourists and locals alike seeking a fun night out with cheap food, gimmicky snacks like “dancing shrimp” (baby shrimp tossed in a spicy dressing), and bucket cocktails. In contrast, floating markets offer a more varied food experience (particularly fruit and ready-to-go snacks like mango sticky rice) and are far more authentic, as well.
The most popular place among Thais to buy their groceries remains the open-air market. Referred to occasionally as the “wet market” because of the perishable goods (and smaller livestock) that make up most of their inventory, open-air markets can be found in every Thai neighborhood throughout the kingdom. Each market caters exclusively to its own clientele, so there are subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) differences between them. If one were to pinpoint the One Market to Rule Them All, it would be Klong Toei, the nearly-24-hour destination in central Bangkok that serves as the beating heart for the capital’s food scene, which offers everything from curry pastes and fresh vegetables to flapping fish and live frogs. For more high-end items, Or Tor Kor is a favorite of Bangkok’s affluent residents, where fruit comes individually wrapped. And if prepared foods are what you are looking for, Nang Loeng Market appeals to even the most persnickety of Thai foodies, selling handmade traditional sweets, old-fashioned snacks, and impeccable ready-made curries to eat in or take home.
For a less chaotic experience, many locals prefer large supermarkets, known as “supers” in Thai. These range from
Aman is well known for its ultraluxury resorts and hotels found in some of the world's favorite cities, like Tokyo and Venice, Italy, as well as destinations as close as Utah and as far as Phuket, Thailand.
Luxury hospitality company Four Seasons is wowing travelers with a brand-new around-the-world private jet trip from California back to Canada, touching on three different continents.
The “Golden Triangle” of Southeast Asia was named such due to the region’s thriving opium trade from the ’50s until the early 21st century. The mountainous region, where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet, subsequently became fashionable with backpackers hopping between the countries before going south to Cambodia and Vietnam.
Neon Japanese characters pulsed on centuries-old pillars. As the techno beat dropped, the golden statue of Amida Buddha seemed to dance in the strobe lights.
Thailand is a perennial favorite for its tropical islands, mountainous north, and ornate pagodas. These startling landscapes are quite literally back in the limelight since Bangkok, Phuket, and Koh Samui have been confirmed as the filming locations for the third season of HBO’s White Lotus, tipping Thailand as the hottest destination for 2025. If past plots are anything to go by, you might feel more comfortable vacationing away from the hotels. These showstopping Airbnbs in Thailand are free from drama and high in red-carpet luxury.
Leaving the shores of Sicily, season three of HBO’s White Lotus is being filmed in Thailand. If you’re dreaming of a stylish beach vacation White Lotus style (minus the murder, scams, and sleeping around), you’re in luck because Unforgettable Travel, a premier luxury travel company, has just launched a White Lotus Thailand tour from Bangkok to the stunning island of Koh Samui.
Thailand is a popular destination for tourists from around the world. The country, especially popular with digital nomads, attracted more than 11 million foreign visitors in 2022, most of whom go to relax on tropical beaches, have a cultural experience at Buddhist temples, or soak in the energy of bustling cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
Atlanta’s neighbor in the greater metropolitan area, Cobb County is a sweet spot for travelers: you get the Southern charm of suburban Georgia while being a half-hour away from a major city. With attractions like Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, and Six Flags, Cobb County is a particularly great place for family vacations. But there’s a little something for everyone, from historical sites and outdoor spaces to great restaurants and breweries. These are some of the best things to do in Cobb County, plus where to eat, drink, and stay.
Etihad Airways is preparing to announce “around 10” new routes, according to Arik De, the airline’s Chief Commercial Officer, in an exclusive interview with Skift. De said the network additions will be revealed in late November.
Sep 22, 2024 • 4 min read
While there are countless ways to cook eggs, chefs currently seem fixated on the most hedonistic option: hard boiling and then coating them in a layer of ground meat before breading and frying them. Known as Scotch eggs, the treats are said to have been pioneered by the London epicurean shop Fortnum & Mason in 1738, after which they quickly became a fixture of British pub cuisine. The chef Ed Szymanski, 31, of Lord’s in New York recalls the Scotch eggs he encountered growing up in London as both ubiquitous and “quite bad.” His version features Madras-style spiced lamb in place of the usual pork sausage. “It’s like a supercharged croquette with an egg in the middle,” he says. In Seattle, the chef Sean Arakaki, 30, is also seeking to elevate the flavors of his childhood. Born and raised in Hawaii, he grew up eating loco moco: a hamburger patty served over gravy-drenched white rice with a sunny-side-up egg. At Itsumono, his restaurant in Seattle’s Japantown, his loco moco Scotch egg arrives atop rice and gravy with a side of macaroni salad. “You cut through the crumb to get to a runny yolk,” he says. For his Portland, Ore., food cart Tokyo Sando, the owner Taiki Nakajima, 36, makes a rendition with ajitama — soy-marinated boiled eggs — enveloped in a gyoza-inspired mix of ground pork and chicken with ginger and soy. Encrusted with panko and deep-fried, the eggs are sandwiched between slices of Japanese bread with mayo, roasted black garlic and cabbage. And in Mumbai, India, the chef Hussain Shahzad, 37, of O Pedro wraps his version in chile- and vinegar-laced ground lamb, drizzling on vindaloo sauce when the egg comes out of the fryer. “It’s not a monotonous dish,” he says. “You get crisp crust, juiciness from the meat and the runny yolk … playing on the palate at the same time. There are so many layers to it.” —
Elivaas, a tech-driven luxury villa and apartment management Indian startup, has secured $5 million in a funding round led by Bengaluru-based 3one4 Capital, with participation from Peak XV’s Surge and other angel investors.