The Sukhothai Historical Park best explored in the early morning when the heat and the light are kinder to photographers. However, it is worth returning at sunset.

One of the temples best positioned to capture the sinking sun is around Wat Mahatat.

The park is also a venue for regular light and sound evenings, performed to the backdrop of Wat Sasri.

The 90-minute show  by students from a local performing arts college is very professionally done and ends with a dramatic burst of fireworks behind a chedi. Organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand,  the monthly show will be held on 8 March, 12 April, 10 May, 14 June, 11 July, 9 August, and 13 September at Wat Sasri. Admission to the show is free. You can find more information here.

Last week I was in northern Thailand, exploring the fabulous Sukhothai Historical Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Thailand’s finest cultural treasures

Sukhothai is located 427 kilometres north of Bangkok and 300 kilometres south of Chiang Mai. Home to magnificent temples ruins and monuments, the park draws thousands of visitors every year. The park is divided into five zones that can be explored by bicycle.

One of the most impressive temples is Wat Sri Chum with its monumental seated Buddha image. The temples is located just outside boundary wall of the main site at the northwest corner.

The image, which is 15 metres high and 32 metres wide at the base, sits within a square mondop, and when first approaching it along the pathway is glimpsed through an opening in the front wall.

The enormous right hand of the Buddha has been covered by gold leaf by worshipers.

Sukhothai and the surrounding area  has so much to offer visitors and is a great place for a weekend of culture, beautiful countryside, and delicious regional food. Bangkok Airways have one flight a day. I’ll post more images from Sukhothai over the next couple of weeks.

A must on any travel itinerary, the UNESCO World Heritage town of Ayutthaya is just 86 km (53 miles) north of Bangkok. In recent years, the town has flourished on the back of increased domestic tourism and there a great choice of small resorts and homestays plus excellent restaurants. If you are a bit of a culture vulture and looking for a couple of nights escape from Bangkok, it’s hard to beat.  

After Sukhothai, the town is considered Thailand’s second most important historical site and is scattered with ancient temple ruins and imposing Buddha images.

While in town for Khao Phansa, I had the opportunity to revisit a handful of temples including one of my favourites, Wat Yai Chai Mongkol.

Built in 1357, it features an enormous chedi and many enigmatic Buddha images.

I arrived just before dusk to catch the warm evening light and to photograph the candlelit procession.

Here’s a bit of good news for lovers of quality live music. If you are anywhere in Southeast Asia at the end of March it’ll be well worth making a detour and heading over to Penang in Malaysia.

The Penang World Music Festival returns after a hiatus of three years. It will be held from 30^th March to 1^st April 2012 at the Quarry Garden within the beautiful Botanic Gardens, not far from the heart Georgetown.

When it comes to life music, Malaysia is way ahead of its neighbours, and the return of the Penang World Music Festival is a another welcome addition to the annual events calendar that includes Borneo Jazz in May, the fabulous Rainforest World Music Festival in Kuching, Sarawak during July, and the Penang Island Jazz Festival in late November/December.

Huun Huur Tu performing at the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak a few years ago.

The 3^rd Penang World Music Festival will feature renowned musicians from Malaysia as well as a great line-up of international artists. They’ll be 18 bands in all, performing and conducting workshops, including Maite Hontele from Colombia, Beoga from Ireland, the Tori Ensemble from South Korea, Phong Nguyen Ensemble from Vietnam, Loyko from Russia, and the band I am really looking forward to seeing most of all, Altan Urag from Mongolia. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing several Mongolian and Tuvan bands and am always enthralled by them. I actually discovered the sound years ago through my love of the music of Frank Zappa after seeing a film of him at home having a ‘musicial soiree’ with members of Huun Huur Tu, a band I was lucky enough to interview and see perform a few years back at Rainforest World Music Festival.

You can find out more about the line-up at the 3^rd Penang World Music Festival website. The event is organized by the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism & Culture and the official sponsoring hotel for the event is Hard Rock Hotel.

I really enjoy the challenge of photographing live music and am looking forward to capturing images of the performers. And of course there’ll also be the chance to explore the delightful UNESCO World Heritage town of Georgetown and other attractions in Penang. For flights to Penang from Bangkok and other regional destinations, check-out the no-frills, no service, and plenty of bad attitude, Air Asia or for a little extra enjoy the service and quality of Malaysia Airlines.