In the last few years, no single destination in all of Southeast Asia has been the recipient of harsher criticism, has had more vocal objectors, or has been a stronger lightning rod for controversy than that of Vang Vieng, Laos. What was once a small, riverside town popular with traveling vagabonds and new-age hippies has now blossomed into a full-fledged amusement park for the backpacker sub-culture. […]
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Lazy Days, Leisurely Strolls, and Laab in Vientiane
April 5, 2012 
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You’ll likely read about it in guidebooks ahead of time, hear it spoken from fellow travelers, and see it printed out on brochures and travel ads before embarking, but as soon as you touch down in Laos, you’ll realize that the idea behind what seems like the National motto — “LPDR: Lao, Please Don’t Rush” — will […]
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A Crash Course in Khmer Cuisine
April 1, 2012 10 Comments
When asking around about what defines Khmer (Cambodian) cuisine, the most common response I would receive is “It’s pretty much the same as Thai food, just not as spicy.” Whereas I understand that the two countries share many of the same ingredients, have a history that has been intertwined for the last 1,000 years, and […]
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Life in the Streets in Phnom Penh and Nothing but Beaches in Sihanoukville
March 28, 2012 8 Comments
Phnom Penh, Cambodia: As soon as you set foot in Phnom Penh, you’ll realize that the laid-back vibes of Siem Reap are far behind you, the lazy charms of Thailand are a thing of the past, and that you’ll have to (quickly) learn how to dodge hundreds of motorbikes, make it across the high-energy streets […]
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Markets, Night Life, and Houses on Stilts in Siem Reap
March 21, 2012 9 Comments
Given the immediate proximity to the ruins of Angkor, those taking a holiday in Cambodia will almost certainly pass through the town of Siem Reap at some point — but the city no longer needs to be considered merely a transportation hub on the way to exploring the temples. Having long been a perennial stop-over for the wandering travelers in Southeast Asia, Seam Reap has […]
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The Temples of Angkor: Legacy of the Khmer Empire
March 18, 2012 11 Comments
For over 600 years — from the early 9th century through the mid-15th century — the Khmer Empire was the ruling power of much of the region that we now know of today as Southeast Asia. And although artistic, religious, and cultural remnants of this period — known as the Angkorian Era — can still be glimpsed […]
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Misty Mountain Haze in Mae Hong Son, Ziplines and Strange Eats in Chiang Mai, and More Amazing Sunsets in Bangkok
March 13, 2012 8 Comments
Mae Hong Son, Thailand: Journeying even further into the remote outposts of Thailand’s Northern provinces, my next stop was that of the tiny border town of Mae Hong Son. Lost in the mountain haze and practically a part of Myanmar, both architecturally and culturally, this diminutive, sleepy town of only 6,000 people was originally a founded as an […]
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Tigers, Temples, and Taking Time to Appreciate the Small Details in Chiang Mai
March 7, 2012 12 Comments
It is a favorite hobby of those on the travel trail to swap stories of places they’ve been, warnings that they’ve heard from places that they’re going, and a raft of advice on what places are worth pursuing and what places should be given a wide berth. One of the most consistently recommended locales from almost anyone […]
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Noodles, Curries, and Rice: The Cuisine of Thailand
March 3, 2012 15 Comments
Regardless of where I have traveled on my voyage to date, for better or worse, one thing I can always count on finding in every city I visit (besides a deplorable Irish Pub) is the ever-present Thai Restaurant. Thai food is certainly one of the world’s most recognizable and popular cuisines, with the balancing of the 4 major tastes (sweet, […]
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Exploring the History of Siam in Ayutthaya and Sukhothai
February 27, 2012 7 Comments
Looking back through history, the origins of the country we now know of as Thailand are a debatable topic, as various other cultures (The Mon, Khmer, and Malays, for example) already existed in the region centuries before the arrival of the Southern Chinese immigrant known as the “Tai” — who are largely credited as being the original “Thais” — […]
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