Bali Hai

The cotton wool clouds, the fine grains of black volcanic sands, the clean sea waters - one can just lie on the beach and while the time away with a tan beneath the balmy tropical sun...

The Volcanic Islets Of Onuma

Ōnuma Park is known for its picturesque, island dotted lakes and majestic dormant volcano, Mount Komagatake. Surrounded by birch and maple forests, a total of 128 small islands can be found in its lakes...

A Journey Over Mountains & Waters

A land of rocky mountains, snaking rivers, steep slopes, deep valleys, and harsh barren terrain. Yet in some places, lush greenery and crystal-clear azure waters abound...

The Bluest Pacific Seas

In the middle of the Pacific Oceans lies an archipelago of islands formed from the fiercest violent volcanoes and made of the browns and greys of cooled lava rocks. The resulting landscape is breathtaking in its purest greens and blues...

Sounkyo's Silver Streams

Bordered by 100-metre cliffs formed by the erosion of tuff, Sounkyo Gorge is situated at the foot of Mount Daisetsuzan - the "roof of Hokkaido", and stretches for 24 kilometres along the Ishikari River...

Bangkok - Showcasing Nokia Lumia 930

Bangkok, Thailand
July 2014

Merlion Wayfarer recently had the opportunity to test the Nokia Lumia 930 while on her Bangkok travels. In this short feature, she showcases the phone's excellent photo abilities by capturing the exciting sights of her short trip.

Suphachalasai National Stadium, Pathumwan

From a tall vantage point across, you see a majestic stadium in the bright morning sunlight. The rays of the sun are not directly above, the light is still slightly golden in warmth. And the sky is a clear cloudless blue. In direct contrast to the cool lighting, an orange brownstone building lies to your right. In the morning sun, the shadow of your building is cast upon it, all the way to the Stadium...



Suphachalasai Stadium, also known as the National Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Bangkok. It is located behind the Mahboonkrong shopping centre. The stadium was opened in 1935 and can hold 26,000 people. Currently, it is used mostly for football matches, other sporting events, and any event requiring the use of a large space.

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

At mid-morning, the market is buzzing with activity. You just don't know where to focus your attention at. Then all of a sudden, in the torrential downpour, a sampan rows by with a rainbow-coloured umbrella...

The most famous of Bangkok's floating markets is Damnoen Saduak, about 100 kilometers southwest of the capital city. The colorfully clad merchants at this lively market paddle along congested canals in sturdy canoes laden with fresh fruit and vegetables to sell to shoppers on the banks and in tourist boats. There is lots of chatter and activity - bargaining is common among the peddlars, both on land and in the boats.

Chinatown, Yaowarat

A flurry of cars zip past you on the streets. There are no traffic lights. Only dull street lamps enhanced by the bright neon lights of shops peddling exotic herbs and products, or eateries to whet the appetite. Whereever you stand, you are in the path of traffic - be it an incoming car, a departing bike, or a reversing vehicle...

Bangkok’s Chinatown is a popular tourist attraction and a food haven for gourmands who flock here after sunset to explore the vibrant street-side cuisine. Hordes of shoppers and diners descend upon this 1-km strip and adjacent Charoenkrung Road to get a day’s worth of staple, trade gold, or pay a visit to one of the Chinese temples in an area packed with market stalls, street-side restaurants and a dense concentration of gold shops.

Erawan Shrine, Ratchaprasong

You are walking along the elevated walkway to avoid the uneven street pavements and throngs of pedestrians and vehicles. At a junction, you see many people at a small fenced-off area offering their prayers. At a corner, elegant Thai dancers glad in their finest sit waiting. You zoom in with your phone camera to get a better view...


The Erawan Shrine is a Hindu shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, that houses a statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of the Hindu creation god Brahma. The shrine is located by the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, at the Ratchaprasong intersection of Ratchadamri Road in Pathumwan district, Bangkok, Thailand. It is near the Bangkok Skytrain's Chitlom Station, which has an elevated walkway overlooking the shrine. A popular tourist attraction, it often features performances by resident Thai dance troupes, who are hired by worshippers in return for seeing their prayers at the shrine answered. 

Amarin Plaza, Ratchaprasong

A lone bear looks back at you from the entrance of Amarin Plaza. It is now past the World Cup season and it wonders if it will be left behind for the rest of the year? You smile back at it and decide to capture a shot...


Amarin Plaza is a shopping mall located in the centre of Bangkok's Ratchaprasong shopping district. Amarin Plaza has five floors of shops in categories such as fashion, furniture, jewellery, electronics, and Thai handicrafts.

Fifth Food Avenue, MBK, Pathumwan

After a hot day out shopping and walking in the sweltering temperatures, you escape to the welcome confines of an airconditioned shopping centre. What better way to cool down than to order a Shirley Temple and a Coke topped with refreshing crushed ice?

Located on the fifth floor of MBK, Fifth Food Avenue has a great variety of kiosks in a spacious setting, with chefs preparing the foods in open kitchens. Options include Arabic, Vietnamese, Hainese, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Italian. There is also a vegetarian section with a good, all-natural, MSG-free menu, called the Tamarind Cafe.
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Road Traffic At Night, Ratchaprasong

From the overhead bridge, you observe the hustle and bustle of Bangkok traffic. Even near midnight, the streets are abuzz with activity - the smell of exhaust, the honking of tuks tuks, the zipping of taxis - all separated by a faint line on the road segregating the two traffic directions. Look at how close the white car and the yellow bus are...

Siam Center, Ratchaprasong

From the BTS platform, you see a mall with its welcoming warm lighting. A slight contrast with its neighbouring buildings with their bright neon exteriors. Crowds mill about the open square in front of it, exiting from the train station and strolling in search of a dinner location... 


Siam Center, a small four-storey structure built in the 1970s, is one of Bangkok’s original shopping malls. It reopened in early 2013 after a substantial renovation. Decor-wise, it looks like a super modern photo studio, with lots of artistically dark surfaces accentuated with bright lights, and is filled with some elegant modern sculptures. The result is an edgy, artsy space that seems to attract a slightly younger and hippier crowd than its neighbouring malls.

Road Traffic At Night, Ratchaprasong

From the overhead bridge, you observe the hustle and bustle of Bangkok traffic. Even near midnight, the streets are abuzz with activity - the smell of exhaust, the honking of tuks tuks, the zipping of taxis - all separated by a faint line on the road segregating the two traffic directions. Look at how close the white car and the yellow bus are...

After You Dessert Cafe, Central World, Ratchaprasong

A delicious mudpie is served in front of you. It consists of 2 scoops of delicious ice cream, a generous dollop of whipped cream and a melt-in-your-mouth mudpie. Instead of wolfing it down immediately, you feel you need to do justice to the dessert by taking a macro shot. Yeah, there's always room for dessert...


Photos taken with Nokia Lumia 930