The small Thai seaside town of Ao Nang, surrounded by craggy green limestone karst mountains, was where we chose to end our exploration of Asia. By this point, we were ready to base ourselves in one place for 10 days and just RELAX, although, as it turned out, there was plenty to do! Ao...
Visiting Angkor Wat – Our guide to Cambodia’s ancient City of Temples
Angkor Wat, the most well-known of over 1,000 temples in the ancient city of Angkor is an undisputed global icon, and also an emblematic source of pride for the Cambodian people – so much so that the temple even appears on the Cambodian flag. Any trip to South East Asia would surely be lacking...
Hội An. Vietnam’s Ancient Town by the River.
Vietnam’s World Heritage listed historic town of Hội An has aged well, so well that it is often referred to as a living museum in terms of its variety of middle age oriental architecture and preserved traditions. For the modern traveller, the town also offers plenty of boutique hotels, craft and souvenir shops, and...
So Long Halong Bay, Hello Lan Ha Bay, Vietnam!
While Halong Bay is world-famous for its multitude of craggy emerald-green limestone karsts emerging from the waters off the coast of Vietnam, you’d be forgiven for not knowing that just around the corner are the decidedly less tourist clogged Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay. We quickly decided that Lan Ha Bay would...
Visit Hanoi! Foodie Paradise of Vietnam.
When you first step out into Hanoi’s old town, the unruly streets crammed with motorcycles and the chaotic hustle and bustle can be quite overwhelming. It certainly takes time and energy to fight a way through to get anywhere, but if you ever visit Hanoi then remember that the point IS actually the life...
Vang Vieng Travel Guide – From Lawlessness to Eco-Tourism
In the past our Vang Vieng Travel Guide might have read simply “Don’t go!”. During the 1990s, the small riverside town of Vang Vieng in Laos was a mecca for tourists hell-bent on partying and excess. What started with a few travellers letting off steam by ‘tubing’ down the Nam Song River (floating downstream...
Visiting Luang Prabang in Laos
The spectacular ancient and religious town of Luang Prabang in Laos has long been on the tourist trail, and for good reason. With more than 20 years of UNESCO status backing it up, this small and beguiling town, surrounded by mountains and crammed with beautifully preserved French colonial buildings exudes a safe sort of...
Cruising the Mekong River in Laos
From its source in the Tibetan Plateau, the mighty Mekong River meanders 4,350km through Tibet, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia to its mouth at the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. As such it is something that all the nations of South East Asia have in common, and for many it is the lifeblood of...
Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand’s Cultural Capital
Just a short flight from Bangkok, the city of Chiang Mai is situated in the mountainous north of Thailand, although it is not at any significant altitude. The area offers a distinct cultural experience as it used to be the capital of the independent Lanna Kingdom until a few hundred years ago. It also...
Ayutthaya – The Ancient Capital of Thailand
If the skyscrapers of Bangkok are getting too much for you, it’s easy to reach the ancient ruined capital of Thailand; Ayutthaya. Some 85km north following the Chao Phraya River, Ayutthaya is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s possible to do as a day trip from Bangkok, but we would advise spending several days...