Welcome to Âme Bohème, a haven for curious souls seeking authentic discoveries. Every destination tells a story, every encounter enriches the mind, and every journey transforms the traveller.
I believe the greatest gift of travel is not just the places you discover, but the people you meet and the experiences you share. We are not mere travellers passing through; we are endlessly curious souls, seeking to understand the essence of each destination so we can share it with others.
Pierre Bouyer
Founder of Âme Bohème
Embrace slow travel, local accommodations, and alternative transport for journeys that respect and enrich the places you visit.
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Mu Ko Similan National Park lies 65km from Thap Lamu pier, a 1hr15 to 1hr30 speedboat ride, plus nearly 2 hours by road from Phuket. It is open from 15 October to 15 May, 8am to 4pm, with a 500 baht entry fee and a quota of 3,325 day visitors. A day trip costs 2,500 to 5,900 baht depending on the boat; a four-night dive liveaboard starts at 21,500 baht.
Koh Phangan is 2.5 hours from Donsak on the Raja ferry (290 baht) or 20 to 30 minutes by catamaran from Koh Samui (around 350 baht). On the island: scooters at 200 to 300 baht a day, songthaews at 100 to 300 baht, no reliable Grab. A calm, yoga-minded west (Srithanu, Haad Yao, Mae Haad), a wild north (Bottle Beach, 30 minutes by longtail) and the party at Haad Rin (200 baht entry). Dry from January to August, monsoon from October to December.
A 500 baht ticket valid for 7 days, including the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles and the weekday khon show at Sala Chalermkrung. Tickets on sale from 8.30am to 3.30pm, site open until 4.30pm, allow 2.5 to 3 hours. The Emerald Buddha is 66cm tall and the Ramakien gallery has 178 scenes. Wat Pho (300 baht) is a 10-minute walk away, Wat Arun (200 baht) a 4 baht ferry ride.
Wat Rong Khun lies 13 km south of Chiang Rai, 20 minutes by car or 20 baht on the local bus. Entry has cost 200 baht since 1 January 2026 (100 baht in 2024), Cave of Art and sarong loan included, from 8am to 5.30pm. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours on site, arrive before 9.30am to beat the day trips from Chiang Mai (3 hours' drive), and keep a second day for the Blue Temple, the Guanyin of Huay Pla Kang and Singha Park.
25 activities by theme, seen on the ground from 31 March to 26 April 2024 and updated in October 2026: night markets on Saturday and Sunday (4pm to 10pm), Doi Suthep (30 baht, just over 300 steps), the Monk's Trail and Huay Kaew (100 baht since October 2025), Royal Park Rajapruek (200 baht), no-riding sanctuaries from 2,500 baht, khao soi for under 100 baht, plus the best areas to stay and a 3-day, 5-day or one-week plan.
Thailand's highest point (2,565m) is about 100km and a two-hour drive south-west of Chiang Mai. Park entry is 300 baht, plus 100 baht for the two royal chedis and around 200 baht per group for the compulsory Kew Mae Pan guide (open November to the end of May). Allow 1,200 to 1,800 baht for a minibus tour, 3,000 to 4,500 baht for a private driver, and mornings close to 3°C at the summit in January.
Chiang Mai is said to have more than 300 temples, around fifteen of which are truly worth the detour. Most are free; Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Sri Suphan charge 50 baht, Wat Phra Singh 40, Doi Suthep 30. Wat Chedi Luang's great chedi stood 82m tall before the 1545 earthquake, Wat Chiang Man dates from 1297 and the tunnels of Wat Umong from the 14th century. A walking loop of about 5km in the old city, a half-day beyond the walls and a table rated out of 5.
80 days on the ground, from 13 February to 3 May 2024, and 41 photo albums: Phuket, Khao Sok, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Koh Samui, Koh Lanta, the Similan Islands, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and finally Bangkok. How to travel between each stop (a 2.5-hour ferry from Donsak, a 2-hour flight from Phuket to Chiang Mai, a 3.5-hour Greenbus to Chiang Rai), the order I would choose today and the 2026 entry rules: 30 days visa-free since 15 September.
In 2024, Chiang Mai province spent 87 days above Thailand's fine particle standard of 37.5 µg/m³ between January and May, with an average of 63 µg/m³. Smoke from the burning season peaks in March and April, then clears with the rains of late April or May. The figures from 2024 to 2026, the months to avoid, useful masks and apps, and fallback options in the south.
In May, Crete enjoys 23 to 24°C in the afternoon, 2 to 4 days of rain across the month and a sea that warms from about 17°C to 21°C. Samaria Gorge (15 km, €10) opens depending on the state of the trail: on 19 May in 2026. The boats to Balos (€40 + €1 tax) are running again, and Knossos and Spinalonga (€20) are open. Car hire costs around €30 to €55 a day.
In April, Heraklion sees around 20°C in the afternoon and 13°C at night, 24 mm of rain over 6 days and a sea at 17 to 18°C. Spinalonga reopens on 1 April (€20), but the Samaria Gorge stays closed until May. Orthodox Easter falls on 2 May in 2027 and 16 April in 2028: the Epitaphios on Friday evening, “Christos Anesti” at midnight on Saturday, lamb on Sunday.
Piraeus is linked to Heraklion up to 5 times a day in summer (Minoan Lines, ANEK Superfast, Seajets) and to Chania (Souda port) 1 to 2 times a day, taking 8 to 9.5 hours overnight or around 7h50 on a Seajets fast boat. Tickets from €33, a double cabin roughly €100 to €170 per person, a car about €100 to €300. Sitia and Kissamos: only 2 sailings a week.
Three civil airports today: Heraklion (HER, 5 km from the centre, about 10 million passengers in 2025), Chania (CHQ, 14 km, almost 4 million) and Sitia (JSH, domestic flights). City bus into Heraklion from €1.30, KTEL bus to Chania for €2.50, taxis around €15 to €35. The new Kastelli airport (3,200 m runway, about 15 million passengers) is aiming for 2028 and will replace Heraklion.
