Siem Reap, Cambodia: The Temples of Angkor

The heart and soul of Cambodia, the temples of Angkor did not fail to inspire awe in our own hearts and souls. When the Khmer Empire ruled Southeast Asia from approximately the 9th to the 15th centuries, Angkor was its all-powerful capitol. According to The Lonely Planet, Angkor’s population was a bustling 1 million people around the time that London was a small town of 50,000.  It’s magnificent how many temples are within the city – numbering around 1,000 if all ruins are counted – and it’s even more mesmerizing to imagine what the ancient capitol was like back at its zenith.

Enduring multiple invasions near the end of the empire’s reign, Angkor was inevitably sacked by Ayutthaya invaders in 1431. Nearly all of Angkor was deserted, except for Angkor Wat, which was still used as a Buddhist temple. Today, the famous wat is said to be the largest single religious monument in the world, and the entire ancient city is a World Heritage Site visited by around 2 million people a year.

We visited this incredible place for 2 days. Day one started with a sunrise at Angkor Wat, followed by a grand circuit tour, driven by our amiable tuk tuk driver. The second day comprised of a little later start and the short circuit tour, including a peaceful walk through the forest amongst seemingly deserted temple ruins. It was nothing short of magical.

The majestic Angkor Wat just before sunrise

Touring the massive temple

A lone lotis in the moat that surrounds Angkor Wat

Many huge bas-reliefs depict ancient Cambodian mythology and history

The bizarre Bayon Temple with it’s multitude of massive stone faces adorning the many towers

Terrace of the Leper King

The Elephant’s Terrace

Entrance to the city

7 headed naga

Angkor Thom

Dry season = dust tans

Ta Prohm, where Tomb Raider was filmed, is a beautiful example of nature retaking its territory

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Prior to our arrival in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital city, we were precautioned about encountering the country’s disturbing history. Learning about the events that took place in Phnom Penh and across Cambodia from 1975-1979 left us speechless.

In 1968, a Cambodian communist party, the Khmer Rouge, was formed as an offshoot of the Vietnam People’s Army. By 1975, under the leadership of the radical socialist revolutionary, Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge seized control of Phnom Penh and became the ruling party in Cambodia.

Pol Pot dreamed of a Cambodia that was totally self-sustaining and reasoned that to achieved this the country needed to undergo an agricultural reform. Urban populations were rapidly evacuated to collective farms for forced labor.

It soon became apparent that educated Cambodians, essentially all of the country’s city dwellers, caused the most friction between Cambodia as it was and Pol Pot’s dream society. In consequence, the educated became the enemy. During the ensuing 4 years, the Khmer Rouge carried out a horrifying “purification of the populace” that wiped out an estimated 2,000,000 people – roughly 1/4 of the country’s population. What’s more, the vast majority of the genocide was generally dismissed by the world’s most powerful countries with the Khmer Rouge still holding a seat in the UN in 1979.

During our time in Phnom Penh, we visited the Choeung Ek Killing Fields where nearly 9,000 bodies were discovered in mass graves and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former high school that was converted in to a prison by the Khmer Rouge.

This sobering experience was moving beyond words.

The Choeung Ek Memorial is filled with victims’ skulls.

Choeung Ek Memorial to the victims of the Cambodian Genocide.

Bone fragments still protruding from the ground are evident throughout the Choeung Ek fields.

Victim’s bone fragments are collected by tenants daily.

Tree upon which the Khmer Rouge mounted speakers playing music to mask the victim’s screams at Choeung Ek.

Tuol Sleng Prison.

An old classroom converted in to a prison cell.

Prisoner’s shackles.

Prisoners of Tuol Sleng.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

After our big city conditioning in Bangkok and Hanoi, we found Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s biggest city, highly enjoyable. We had a great stay in District 1 at Bali Boutique Hotel, which was surrounded by ample restaurants, shops and bars.

Through our hotel we coordinated a visit to the Củ Chi Tunnels, an impressive network of underground tunnels that were leveraged by Viet Cong soldiers during the Tet Offensive. During the tour we learned about life in the dark tunnels and had the erie opportunity to crawl through a portion of the underground network and shoot an AK-47, the most common rifle used by the Viet Cong during the war.

The day after, we visited the War Remnants Museum, which hosts an array of moving photos, interesting artifacts and information about the Vietnam War (called “the American War” in Vietnam). It was eye-opening to hear about the war from the perspective of the Vietnamese people.

Hidden entry to the tunnels

American M41 tank that was destroyed by a delay mine in 1970.

US bombs and shells

Viet Cong booby traps

American B52 bomb crater above Cu Chi tunnels

Shooting range

War Remnants Museum

Eating our last Vietnamese Pho.

 

Hội An, Vietnam

Hoi An Ancient City, rightfully referred to as the Venice of the East, is breathtakingly charming. The former trading center is now recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and the seamless blend of foreign and local influence is evident when strolling through the city streets strewn with beautifully maintained ancient buildings and countless family-owned shops tastefully decked out with silk lanterns at every entrance. The incredibly dense markets along the river sell a bountiful and diverse range of food and come equipped with local sales-people offering goods and services ranging from eye-brow threading to handmade children’s toys.

Upon nightfall, the already gorgeous town begins to glow and transform into something from a dream – a city lit by lanterns. As the sky darkened, we were completely enchanted by the many vibrant colors that came to life, springing wispy shadows along buildings and smiling faces. Release a beautiful floating candle in the river amongst the many already meandering downstream in exchange for a wish, shop along the night-market stalls and bask in the soft silk glow, enjoy an amazing meal, have some great clothes tailor-made, bike through the dirt-path rice fields – Hoi An was the perfect midway stop to catch our breath between the bustling cities of North and South Vietnam.

Vietnam’s national flower, the lotus

Observing the scene from above in one of the Ancient Town’s preserved houses

16th-17th century Japanese Bridge

Incense coils burn for an entire month

Local markets

Coconut harvest

Cua Dai Beach

Having clothes made with our friendly tailors at A Dong Silk

Biking along the bumpy dirt paths that cut through the rice fields

Floating candles on the Thu Bon River

Hanoi & Halong Bay, Vietnam

There couldn’t be two more different places than Hanoi and Halong Bay.

Hanoi, with its hectic, motorbike honking streets and non-stop lifestyle is a full-on, sensory overload for those getting their first taste of Southeast Asia. Having had our short stint in Bangkok a few weeks prior, we were certainly outfitted with a bit of street smarts and able to handle the craziness a bit better than some other fresh-off-the-plane-wide-eyed Westerners. Hanoi’s Old Quarter, and the unique process of crossing the street as motorbikes and cars whip by, kept us throughly entertained and constantly alert.

After a few days, we headed north for a necessary break from the city noise on a serene 2 day 1 night cruise aboard The V’Spirit, a traditional Vietnamese-style wooden boat. As we sailed amongst impressive limestone formations, we were fortunate to meet some new friends from England and Australia, hike in a colossal cave, and kayak through a natural tunnel in to a lagoon bordered by playful monkeys.

Incense offerings in front of a Chinese Temple

Turtle Tower in the center of the lake

Vietnamese selling tactic: “heavy heavy” – places on your shoulder despite the “no thank you’s” – sells you fruit in return.

Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum

Street side Joss Paper religious offerings  – a common sight

Nothing better than some steamy Pho and hot tea on a cold, wet day

Our Halong Bay boat, V’ Spirit

“Excuse me! Buy something?”

Local fishing-villages

Entrance to Hang Sửng Sốt

Luang Prabang, Laos

A city encapsulated by two converging rivers, Luang Prabang is, as the Lonely Planet so perfectly describes, nothing short of “achingly pretty.” River-side streets are lined with French-inspired cafes and luxurious spas amidst gilded temples and local food kitchens. It’s difficult to not feel a sense of awe at the simple beauties of the town and its countryside, the people and their ancient traditions.

Rising before the sun to participate in the Alms Giving Ceremony amongst morning mist, climbing the stairs of Mount Phousi to visit it’s famous Wat, traveling by tuktuk through gorgeous, garden-like farms to swim in the majestic Kuang Si Waterfall, ducking under colorful tents within the glowing night Handicraft Markets, following young monks across bamboo bridges to find a quiet spot for coffee and reading; Luang Prabang has truly left a lasting mark on us with it’s undeniable authenticity and indescribable beauty.

Alms Giving Ceremony

Steps leading to the top of Mt. Phousi

Lucky finches ready to be set free

Haw Pha Bang Temple

One of the many European-influenced guesthouses

Young, local fisherman

Mekong River

Local children by the Mekong River

Midday coffee and reading

Utopia Bar

Multi-tiered Kuang Si Waterfalls

Hiking to the top of the falls

Bamboo bridge that is rebuilt each year due to the river’s rising waters

What happens when you order a “big rice?” This happens.

Pai, Thailand

Pai: a lazy, dreadlock-packed mountain oasis of deliciously cheap health food, psychedelically decorated bars and a zen energy you can feel through a stranger’s smile. A typical day in town begins with the buzzing of locals puttering to and fro on motorbikes with their daily fresh market pick-up, brunching tourists, and wheatgrass sipping hippies.  Come midday, it becomes a ghost town as everyone siestas to escape the heat, only to arise with the moon later in the evening for the nightly markets. A brief walk from the town’s small centre will bring you through local farms with grazing oxen, past countless bungalows filled with fellow backpackers and up to a beautiful White Buddha that watches over the small population below.

To call our time in Pai lackadaisical would be an understatement. Having stayed a full week, we’d like to say we did a bit more sight seeing; however, after over two months of essentially non-stop travel, our bodies and minds were thankful to simply relax and vacation for a bit.

Pai Chan Cottage & Cuisine was our home for 4 nights

Our bungalow.

The White Buddha.

Fine Rice Thai Cooking School with the head chef and owner, Korn.

Stir fried chicken with cashew nuts.

Making fresh green curry paste.

Nightly markets on Pai’s walking street.

Bug treats.

Overlooking Pai at dusk.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Wandering through the motorbike trafficked, cafe riddled lane-ways of Chiang Mai’s Old City, one inevitably becomes blasé to the area’s many intricacies: orange-robed monks quietly strolling to dragon embellished Wats; the old, mangled brick wall and moat separating the Old City from the new; even the countless local textile-covered market stalls become common sights.

Despite being the second largest city in Thailand, Chiang Mai is a culturally rich and surprisingly sleepy sanctuary. Post-Bangkok rush, our pace immediately slowed as we acclimated to the hippie-strewn and health food inspired lane-ways that surrounded our comfortable guest-house. The energy of the place is tangible.

Exploring Doi Inthanon National Park and the King and Queen’s Twin Pagodas at the highest peak in Thailand, spending lazy, sunny afternoons with cups of home-roasted coffee and books, learning how to be an elephant mahout at Patara Elephant Farm, and enjoying the many amazing markets around Chiang Mai scrape the surface of our amazing week spent in this charming place.

Karen tribeswoman

Puppy nap disturbances

Karen tribeswomen weaving traditional clothing and bedding

Domestic rooster used to attract wild chickens during a hunt.

Shrine at the highest peak in Thailand

Visiting the King and Queen’s Pagodas at the peak

Offerings for Buddha for good luck

The King’s Pagoda & monks

Local offerings

One of the many Wats of Chiang Mai

Ginger lime honey tea

3 month old elephant

Al with Ning, “her” elephant for the day

Monsai

Panak, Monsai’s 1 year old baby

Sweeping off the dirt and dust from a healthy night’s sleep before heading into the river

Bathtime in the river

Our group and our elephants

Saying goodbye

Bangkok, Thailand

Gridlock traffic and dirty streets are beautifully juxtaposed by countless solemn temples dotting our tourist map, Bangkok truly is a unique dichotomy.

As with most first time visitors, our experience of Thailand’s capitol city was an overwhelming one. However, by day three, we found an appreciation for the city’s strange spell. Our brief yet sufficient tour brought us to a snake farm, the bustling markets of Chinatown and down the Chao Phraya River to Wat Pho – The Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

“Medusa”

Siamese Cobras, Thailand’s most deadly snake, and their charmer

Worshippers at the Erawan Shrine

Seafood stand at the crazy Chinatown Markets

The 4 Great Stupas – Wat Pho

The famous, massive Reclining Buddha of Wat Pho

Dropping donation coins into the 108 bronze bowls, which symbolize the 108 auspicious characters of Buddha

Lotus & fly, stupas & Buddhas

The Phi Phi Islands & Koh Tao, Thailand

It’s hard to prepare for the never-ending bustle of Bangkok after being on island time for the past 9 days. The Phi Phi Islands and Koh Tao were great to us – both visits were filled with beauty, adventure, and relaxation in incredibly different ways.

Warnings about immense amounts of tourism on the Phi Phi Islands made us weary, but we were pleasantly surprised to arrive in Phi Phi Village – a short long-tail boat ride from Tonsai Bay, where the real crowds reside – with greetings from mostly locals. Evidence of the 2004 tsunami is visible throughout Phi Phi Don: flowered memorials are visited daily and sandy-floored outdoor restaurants and bars are embellished with scrap-wood from the aftermath of the big wave.

We spent our time on Phi Phi relaxing on beaches, puttering around in long-tailed boats, kayaking and snorkeling (resulting in the overnight loss of the GoPro in Loh Lana Bay, which we were fortunate enough to find!) and, best of all, diving around Phi Phi Leh with some amazing local dive-masters, a hawksbill sea turtle, black-tipped reef shark, and vibrantly alive coral.

After 4 days on Phi Phi, a short transfer by bus and ferry landed us on Koh Tao. We stayed near the main pier and within walking distance of the iconic dive-haven, Sairee Beach. We thoroughly explored the island by foot, boat, and ATV, both on land and underwater. Mango smoothies at amazing view points and swimming amongst schools of smiling parrot fish; off-roading on bumpy dirt trails and drinking Changs while being hypnotized by fire twirlers… it’s safe to say we loved the Thai Islands.

Phi Phi Islands:

Underwater meditation.

Loh Lana Bay Viewpoint.

Painting on barstools at a local beach bar.

Tonsai Bay.

Dive break lunch in Maya Bay.

Hawksbill Sea Turtle.

Our crew during two incredible dives off the western shore of Phi Phi Leh with Phi Phi Dive Club.

Koh Tao:

Sairee Beach snorkeling.

Exploring Koh Tao’s soft white-sand beaches.

Mango smoothies at Mango Viewpoint Bar mid-ATV trek.

Koh Nangyuan viewpoint – natural sandbar bridges.

 

Water spout funnel cloud above Japanese Garden dive spot.

Garra Rufa Fish “spa.”

Beachside fire twirlers.