Tarah
Writer, Travel with Tarah
I moved to Thailand in my twenties without much of a plan and wrote about it as I went - Pai, Krabi, the viewpoints worth the early alarm, and the parts nobody photographs. I still write about Southeast Asia the same way: what it costs, what it is actually like, and what I got wrong the first time.
How these guides are made
Based in Thailand. Writes on Thailand, Malaysia and the wider region, with an emphasis on doing it cheaply and slowly. Every price on this site carries the date it was checked.
Editorial standards
- No paid placements. We do not accept payment for a placement, a ranking or a favourable review. Where a link earns a commission, the page carrying it says so.
- No untested claims. We do not say we have tried something we have not. Prices and plan details supplied by a provider are labelled as indicative rather than presented as our own findings.
- No page for the sake of a keyword. A destination gets a page when there is something specific to say about it. That is why the site is small.
- Corrections are made in public. A factual fix is applied to the page and the update date changes with it.
13 pages by Tarah
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Pai and the 762 Curves Does the Hippie Backpacker Town Still Hold Up
Everyone has an opinion on Pai. After the 762 curves and another stay, here is what still feels real and what feels like a backpacker theme park.
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Krabi Beyond Railay Rock Climbing and the Corners of the Province Nobody Visits
Railay is where everyone starts in Krabi. But the province opens up when you head inland to the mangroves, the markets, and the limestone caves the boats skip.
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Chiang Mai the Base I Kept Coming Back To and Why It Stuck
Chiang Mai was meant to be a stopover. It became the place I measured other places against. Here is what that slow attachment feels like, smoke season included.
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Bangkok How to Like a City Everyone Tells You to Leave Quickly
Everyone says to leave Bangkok fast. But the city shifts when you take the canal boats, walk the sois at dawn, and stop treating it like a layover.
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On Being Told Millennials Should Stop Travelling and Buy a Condo
The real numbers behind a life in Chiang Mai versus a mortgage back home. A financial argument for why millennials are not wrong to choose travel.
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Solo Female Travel in Southeast Asia Without the Hype or the Fear
Practical safety advice for solo female travel in Chiang Mai, from navigating the Sunday walking street to taking a Grab taxi alone at night.
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When to Visit Thailand and When to Stay Far Away
When to go to Thailand depends on two monsoons and the Chiang Mai burning season. Here is how the regional weather windows actually work.
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How to Get Around Thailand Without Losing Your Mind or Your Wallet
A practical guide to Thailand's transport network covering overnight trains from Krung Thep Aphiwat, budget flights from Don Mueang, and VIP buses to Chiang Mai.
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What Thailand Costs When You Are Not on Holiday
Thailand looks cheap on holiday. Living here is different. Here is a real monthly breakdown of rent, food, visas, and the things that quietly add up.
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48 Hours in Kuala Lumpur on a Thai Visa Run What You Can Actually Do
A visa run to Kuala Lumpur gives you about 48 hours. Here is how to spend them eating, walking, and seeing a city that feels nothing like Bangkok.
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Samet Nangshe Why That Phang Nga Bay Viewpoint Is Worth the 4am Alarm
Samet Nangshe asks for a 4am alarm and a dark drive through Phang Nga. Here is what that morning actually feels like and whether the view delivers.
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Thailand After Living Here What I Would Tell You Before You Come
Thailand changes when you stop passing through and start staying. Here is what I learned about the rhythms, the frustrations, and the quiet moments nobody posts.
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It Is Okay to Be a Little Lost in Thailand
Getting lost in Chiang Mai's old city sois is not a mistake. It is the moment the real trip begins, with the moat always there to guide you back.