About Matt Long
Who am I? I am a typical Gen-Xer and recovering cubicle-dweller who has a passion for all things travel. My site brings a unique perspective that is hard to find online. I am not a backpacker, nor am I...
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Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Sites
11 April 2013 11:55 PM | 14 Comments -
20 Things Every Smart Traveler Should Know
11 March 2013 11:55 PM | 33 Comments -
Five Foods You Must Eat in Europe
12 November 2012 8:10 PM | 23 Comments -
Five Reasons to Stop Dreaming and Travel Now
16 April 2012 11:55 PM | 44 Comments -
So What’s Reykjavik Really Like?
28 February 2012 11:55 PM | 30 Comments
As Seen In:
thailand Archive
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Tropical Beach on Koh Samui, Thailand
Posted on April 3, 2013 | No Comments -
Mixed Feelings Exploring the Khlongs of Bangkok
Posted on April 2, 2013 | 10 CommentsMy return to Bangkok last year was a dream come true. When I first visited the Thai capital five years ago I fell in love, madly in love with this huge, chaotic and disorienting city and the return visit was just as great as I... -
Temples and Boats on Bangkok’s Busy Chao Phraya River
Posted on March 26, 2013 | No Comments -
Spirit House in Bangkok, Thailand
Posted on February 12, 2013 | No Comments -
Bangkok in Five Photos – What Makes It So Damn Appealing?
Posted on January 16, 2013 | 16 CommentsIt’s hot, crowded and an assault on the senses, but millions of people descend on the capital of Thailand every year to spend some time in this legendary city. But why? What makes Bangkok so appealing that it not only draws newbies, but inspires thousands... -
Temple of Dawn, Wat Arun Complex in Bangkok, Thailand
Posted on January 2, 2013 | No Comments -
Five Years Later – How Bangkok and I Changed
Posted on September 26, 2012 | 5 CommentsFive years ago I was 31 years old, had just started what I thought was an exciting new job and my partner had just graduated from law school. His law school though was a three-hour drive away and even though we owned a townhome together... -
Line of Buddhas at Wat Arun Temple, Bangkok
Posted on August 20, 2012 | 3 CommentsWat Arun Bangkok -
Trashy Tourism: Why I Hate Khao San Road in Bangkok
Posted on June 19, 2012 | 46 CommentsOk, let me preface this by saying I don’t want this to sound elitist, not exactly. But this is something about which I’m genuinely confused. I started thinking about it when we were in Bangkok earlier this year, a city we know and love well.... -
A New-Old Way to Experience Bangkok – The Mandarin Oriental
Posted on June 7, 2012 | No CommentsI’ve been to Bangkok before and I’ve stayed at some very nice hotels in my life, but nothing quite prepared me for our stay at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. The focus of our trip to Asia was to explore the luxury side of the travel... -
Leaving Bangkok For the Day – Exploring the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
Posted on May 31, 2012 | 3 CommentsMy first trip to Bangkok was in 2007, during which time I visited just about all of the top tourist sites, in spite of the sometimes oppressive heat and humidity. On our most recent trip to the Thai capital, we were able to be more... -
How to Buy a Suit in Bangkok
Posted on May 23, 2012 | 5 CommentsOur return trip to Bangkok was an anniversary present to ourselves. To celebrate ten years together as a couple we wanted to return to the site of a great past trip and a city we loved; Bangkok fit the bill. Since this was Scott’s third... -
Hotels as Experience Curators – InterContinental Bangkok
Posted on May 17, 2012 | 5 CommentsI’ve always maintained that hotels are a lot more than just a place to sleep at night and take a shower. They can make or break a trip; their staffs hold in their hands the success or failure of our travel experience. That’s why I’m... -
Question: Is Poverty Tourism OK?
Posted on May 9, 2012 | 21 CommentsI touched on this issue briefly when I discussed my travel guilt after leaving Laos. Since then I’ve been thinking a lot about the issue and have read a couple of additional blog posts that have influenced my thinking. The first was a blog post... -
Frenetic Khaosan Road in Bangkok
Posted on May 9, 2012 | 2 CommentsKhaosan Road in Bangkok -
42 Things I Love About Bangkok
Posted on May 2, 2012 | 28 CommentsMy first trip to Southeast Asia was five years ago when my partner and I visited the exotic capital of Thailand, Bangkok. He had been before but it was my first visit and I was entranced. I returned to this favorite city recently and I’m... -
Perfect Sunset Over the Chao Phraya River & Rama VIII Bridge in Bangkok
Posted on April 21, 2012 | 5 CommentsPhoto Courtesy of LoperSpouse -
Floating Market of Damnoen Saduak, Thailand
Posted on April 21, 2012 | 3 CommentsDamnoen Saduak, Thailand -
Demon Guardian at Wat Arun in Bangkok, Thailand
Posted on April 19, 2012 | 1 CommentDemon Guardian Wat Arun Bangkok -
Four Things Not To Do In Chiang Mai
Posted on April 17, 2012 | 24 CommentsToday I am pleased to feature a guest post by writer and tech expert Dave Dean. Dave has been traveling the world for fifteen years, amassing an incredible amount of expertise along the way. He writes about travel technology at Too Many Adapters and the highs and... -
Luxury Travel in Asia – The Travel Itinerary
Posted on April 12, 2012 | 7 CommentsMy partner and I recently celebrated our 10th anniversary and being travel fanatics, we of course are celebrating with a trip. I began planning this adventure last year when we had a difficult decision to make. We knew we wanted to use my frequent flier... -
Young Monks on a River Boat in Bangkok, Thailand
Posted on April 2, 2012 | 2 Comments -
Bangkok Postcard – Finding Travel Umami
Posted on November 29, 2011 | 3 CommentsIt’s hard to believe that more than three years have passed since I first visited Thailand. It was my first time in Asia and I had that strange sensation of being simultaneously excited and nervous – a great feeling for a traveler. The week in... -
River Boats and Temples – Bangkok in 24 Hours
Posted on July 11, 2011 | 5 CommentsThe capital of Thailand is a bustling city with a mix of the modern and the ancient. Bangkok has long captured the imaginations of people from around the world for its exotic design and intricate temples. There’s a lot to do in this amazing... -
Travel Spotlight – Wat Po, the Super Size Buddha of Bangkok
Posted on May 3, 2011 | 1 CommentWat Po was one of the first sites we visited in Bangkok and is still one of my favorites. Also called the Reclining Buddha, Wat Po (or Pho) is the oldest and without doubt the largest Buddhist temple in Bangkok, dating back to the 16th... -
Singapore Food Fail
Posted on February 17, 2011 | 16 CommentsAfter spending more than a week exploring Bangkok and Koh Samui, Thailand, we concluded our trip to Southeast Asia with a stop in Singapore. It was my first trip to the small city-state and I was excited to explore and learn more about the tiny... -
Interactive Travel Guide – What to do in Bangkok
Posted on January 26, 2011 | 5 CommentsLast week I started a new series on LandLopers, the Interactive Travel Guide. The idea is to highlight one city or country every week and then get the best recommendations from you all. By the end of the week, we hopefully will have created the... -
Hotel Half Truths and the Case of the Disappearing Ocean
Posted on January 23, 2011 | 10 CommentsThe main goal of the travel industry is to sell a dream, a concept of the perfect trip. A vacation is a major expense for most people and while it is a large investment, it is often heavily influenced by pure, raw emotion. To get... -
Hidden Landmarks
Posted on November 30, 2010 | 1 CommentI was walking around Washington, DC the other day, en route to a meeting and jabbering on my phone while trying not to get run over, when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I have walked past this spot hundreds of... -
UPDATED: Ten Cute Animals From Around the World
Posted on August 26, 2010 | 13 CommentsI am a true animal lover and so I hope you enjoy this post. In no particular order, here are ten of my favorite animal pictures. 1. Kangaroo – We saw this cute gal in the Singapore Zoo, a truly phenomenal animal experience. They don’t... -
Weekend Getaway from Bangkok – Renaissance Koh Samui
Posted on August 26, 2010 | 1 CommentRenaissance Koh Samui Thailand is a great budget friendly destination, which is particularly well seen in its islands. Located off of both Thai coasts, there are hundreds of little mounds of paradise where you may find a calm respite from the hectic and sometimes... -
To Zoo or Not to Zoo
Posted on August 4, 2010 | 16 CommentsI am a huge animal lover and consider myself to be well informed and even active when it comes to animal rights issues. I’m not an extremist by any stretch, I love steak too much for that, but I would certainly self-identify as a conservationist.... -
Four Cheap Street Food Desserts
Posted on July 28, 2010 | 14 CommentsOne of my favorite travel experiences is to sample an area’s best street food. Some countries are more adept at this culinary treat than others; Southeast Asia for example has elevated street food to a science. I love street food because it provides an honest,... -
Bangkok Oasis – The Jim Thompson House
Posted on July 25, 2010 | 2 CommentsNot unlike every other day in Bangkok, it was oppressively hot and humid as we made our way to a place we knew little about, but which sounded oddly interesting. Even though it’s located in the heart of the city, as soon as we entered... -
Travel Photo – Young Buddhist Monks Bangkok
Posted on July 9, 2010 | No Comments -
Inspiring Design
Posted on June 20, 2010 | 7 CommentsWhenever I travel, I always pay particular attention to architectural and design detail. I have no background in either graphic arts or architecture and I usually don’t know what I’m looking at, but for some reason I am drawn by them. Whether it be using... -
Street Dogs of Bangkok
Posted on June 15, 2010 | 8 CommentsOn our last trip to Bangkok, we were at the Central pier everyday in order to catch the water taxi. While waiting for the next boat, we started to notice several adorable dogs either sleeping in the pier area or just hanging out. Being... -
How to Not Get Arrested in Bangkok
Posted on June 2, 2010 | 16 CommentsWe traveled to Bangkok a few years ago as part of a celebratory trip for my partner, who had just sat for the bar exam. It was a great experience and instilled in me a great love of Thailand. However I also learned a very... -
Travel Photo – Wat Arun, Bangkok, Thailand
Posted on May 28, 2010 | 6 CommentsWithout question, Wat Arun is one of my favorite sites in Bangkok. Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn, is made up of five towers, or prangs, each marvelously decorated with bits of shell and broken porcelain. True to its name, this is one of... -
The Best Open Air Airports – Look Ma, No Walls!
Posted on May 13, 2010 | No Comments“It is no coincidence that in no known language does the phrase ‘As pretty as an Airport’ appear.” – Douglas Adams Douglas Adams clearly did not have these airports in mind when he wrote that famous quip. It is no surprise that airports can elicit... -
Travel Photo – Rama VIII Bridge, Bangkok
Posted on April 25, 2010 | No Comments -
Travel Photo – Wat Po, Bangkok, Thailand
Posted on April 2, 2010 | No CommentsWat Po -
Five Unforgettable Travel Experiences
Posted on April 1, 2010 | 11 CommentsThere are thousands of unique sites and scenes around the world, each wonderful in their own way. However, I am constantly amazed at how many people travel without truly experiencing them. It is important to think outside the box when traveling; to find ways to... -
Culinary Travel in Thailand and Dublin – A Tale of Two Curries
Posted on March 29, 2010 | No CommentsWhenever we travel, we always try to eat at a local Indian restaurant at least once. It’s a perfect choice when we’re tired of whatever the local specialty is, but aren’t prepared to order a Big Mac either. Sometimes this culinary tradition has been... -
You Will Be In Love With This Bangkok Restaurant
Posted on March 14, 2010 | No CommentsWhile the title of this post may be hokey, the restaurant it describes is anything but. The In Love restaurant, located conveniently at the Thewet pier river taxi stop, is a must for anyone passing through this gorgeous city. The easiest way to get there...
