The sleepy little town of Luang Prabang is located in the mountains of northern Laos, at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. The quaint streets are lined with traditional wooden shop-houses, with open-air cafes and boutiques on the ground level. The ancient Kingdom of Laos was colonized by France during the 19th […]
Destinations
The Luang Prabang Alms Ceremony: How to Watch Respectfully
Buddhist merit making is a beautiful practice in which good karma is generated through selfless acts. One way this is done is by giving alms. Every morning before sunrise, monks leave their monasteries and walk barefoot down the streets with bowls. Buddhist faithful place food into these bowls and by accepting the gift, monks grant […]
Far Flung Temples and a Wild Ride Through the Cambodian Countryside
Some of Angkor Archaeological Park’s temples are more far flung and require extra effort to visit. It took us around 45 minutes from Siem Reap to reach by tuk-tuk Banteay Srei, situated 21 kilometers northeast of Bayon. Constructed in the 10th century of striking pink sandstone, this Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva is the only temple […]
The Splendor of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm
After a busy day exploring some of the lesser but still fantastic temple ruins of the Angkor Archaeological Park, it was time to tour its highest profile sites: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm. Originally we thought about renting bicycles for the day, but ultimately went by tuk-tuk to spare ourselves heat exhaustion. Getting […]
Temples of Angkor: The Outer Circuit
Cambodia’s UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park comprises over 400 square kilometers around Siem Reap and includes the ruins of dozens of temples. Between the 9th and 15th centuries, several rulers of the Khmer Empire established a new capital city when they took power, with the most famous being Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. A few people wisely recommended […]