Southeast Asia Round Up
Filed Under: Cambodia, Laos, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Travel, Vietnam by Daniel Noll and Audrey ScottAs we write this, we are in Tbilisi, Georgia and about to head to Armenia. But just after spending almost five months in Southeast Asia and releasing our site, we find that we’re being asked “what was your favorite ______ in Southeast Asia?”
Here is our attempt to answer those questions, preempt a few others, and provide an overview of our experience.
Our Path Between December 2006 and April 2007
(please excuse the fact that the map below looks like it was scribbled on by a 2-year old)
December: Bangkok – Koh Pha Ngan – Bangkok – Hanoi
January: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Sapa – Bac Ha – Hanoi – Luang Prabang – Nong Khiaw – Luang Prabang – Vang Vieng – Vientiane
February: Vientiane – Da Nang – Hoi An – Saigon – Phnom Penh – Siem Reap – Battambang – Bangkok
March: Bangkok
– Patong (Phuket) – Ranong – Khao Sok – Phang Nga
April: Krabi – Ao Nang – Ko Lanta – Railey Beach – Krabi – Bangkok – Prague
Most Waves and Smiles
- Best Boat Ride – Siem Reap to Battambang, Cambodia
- Best Boat Ride, Honorable Mention – Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw, Laos
- Outrageously Cute Kids – Trek Outside Luang Prabang, Laos
- Condensed Milk and a Smile – Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Tet Flower Market – Saigon, Vietnam
Visually Spectacular
Click on the More Photos link at the bottom of each entry for even more images.
- Sapa, Vietnam
- Bac Ha Market, Vietnam
- Cai Rang Floating Market in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
- Halong Bay, Vietnam
- The Andaman Beaches, Thailand
Digging into Humanity
A selection of stories that highlight the less seen.
- Battambang on a Motorbike
- The Other Side of Siem Reap
- Across the River in Luang Prabang
- Handing out Books to Village Kids – Laos
- Vietnam’s Open-Kimono Exhibit about its Subsidy Period
Food – top eating experiences, in no particular order
- Chau Tom – Hanoi
- Beef in a Leaf – Saigon
- The Lao Trinity – Jeaw Bong, Khai Pen, and Sticky Rice in Luang Prabang
- Prawns on the Mekong, Vientiane
- Cambodian morning soup
- Cambodian fish Amok
- Thai knom jeen in Krabi
Photos
- Southeast Asia Overview – landscapes, people, and sites
- Southeast Asia People – the faces, the smiles, the color, the diversity
- Southeast Asia Food – this part of the world is tough to beat when it comes to the table
Videos
We’ve purposely tried to keep ‘em short. Check for them at the bottom of an article or check for an index of articles that have a video embedded here.
Some of our favorites:
- Saigon, Vietnam – possibly the only place (with the exception of Hanoi) where the traffic makes us laugh
- Battambang, Cambodia – who knew a day on the back of a motorbike could be so fun?
- Boat to Nong Khiaw, Laos - sitting on kindergarten-sized seats for 8 hours can be butt-numbing, but this trip is worth it
If you have a high-speed connection, stick around for the slideshow below.
June 27th, 2007 at 3:04 am
Thanks for sending the link to this. It’s going to take me a while to get through it all but I’m looking forward to reading about what you’ve been up to. I know that Switzerland isn’t on your route, but if things change, look us up.
June 27th, 2007 at 3:28 am
More, more! write faster, write, write like the wind! I need to know what you are doing. Couldn’t you just hook up a wireless webcam and microphone and keep it on all the time?? Looking forward to your next update.
))
Brian
June 30th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Sher, great to hear from you! Yes, there’s a lot on the site…hope you have fun going through it and check back for updates. Switzerland isn’t exactly on our route right now…but one never knows. Our route will change many times I’m sure!
June 30th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
Brian, given all the gadgets we’re carrying with us, we probably could stream directly…scary thought! Just stay patient for a few more days!
July 1st, 2007 at 1:20 pm
WOW, finally I got the see pictures. They are beautiful. Audrey, do you want to enter contests ? http://www.intercontinentalinsights.com/contest.php
http://www.worldinfocuscontest.com/
I will go back tomorrow to check more. I need to sleep now.
H
July 4th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
Thanks, Hartini! We’ll check out the photo contests! Thanks also for the name of the “fireworks” flowers in Thailand, properly known as white spider lilies.
http://www.uncorneredmarket.com/photos/picture/473865302/
Cheers!
Audrey