Laos

Pha Taem National Park A selection of photographs of our recent trek through the picturesque but remote Pha Taem National Park in Ubon Ratchathani Province of far northeastern Thailand. We have already blogged about Pha Taem in some detail so what follows is mostly a collection of photos from our last Thailand, Laos and Cambodia Emerald Triangle tour. We joined…

Baphuon Prior to the construction of Angkor Wat, Baphuon  – the 11th-century royal temple of King Udayadityavarman II – was the largest temple of the Angkor empire. With a main tower surmounting the massive sandstone pyramid, said to have originally been clad in bronze, and its spectacular, raised entrance causeway, Baphuon must have been a truly impressive sight. Unfortunately, for…

Banteay Kdei Temple Prasat Banteay Kdei, or Banteay Kdei Temple, in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Angkor complex is not generally considered one of the ‘major’ Angkor temples and is often skipped by visitors and tour groups. However, we make a point of including it on all our Angkor tours precisely because much of the time you’ll have the spectacular temple…

Konglor Cave Incredible really is the word for the amazing Konglor Cave system, situated amongst the dramatic karst scenery of Hin Boun District in central Lao’s Khammouane Province. Reminded of us of the spectacular scenery of northern Lao’s Vang Vieng but without the number of visitors, since mass tourism is fortunately yet to hit this remote part of the country. Whilst…

The Plain of Jars Laos You will usually see adjectives such as mysterious or enigmatic preceding the name Plain of Jars, Laos, with the reason being – since a stone jar in itself is not so mysterious –  that archaeologists can’t agree on their date or even their actual purpose, therefore – enigmatic! The stone jars – up to 2m…

The coffee doesn’t taste the same “But the coffee doesn’t taste the same as at home”. How many times have we heard that? Funny, (funny peculiar), how someone travelling half-way around the world would expect certain things to be different yet hope, (assume), that other things would be the same. Now the people have to be different; the photogenic orange-clad…

Phu Asa Phu Asa or Asa Mountain is a sandstone outcrop lying close to the village of Kietngong in South Lao’s Champassak Province. The forested hill – part of Xe Pian National Biodiversity Zone – is topped by a flat, bare rock outcrop with a gentle access slope to the northeast and steep drop-offs on the other sides. The mountain’s…

The Champassak Ferry The old fashioned rickety Champassak ferry that carts passengers, motorbikes and trucks across the Mekong between Champassak and Ban Muang don’t run much anymore. The recent completion of the spanking new road to Pakse along the west bank of the Mekong has drastically reduced the need for the car ferry. Time was when ferries would sit at…

Nang Sida Lying just a kilometre away from the Lao World Heritage site of Wat Phu, the Angkor-period temple of Hong Nang Sida does tend to get overshadowed by its prestigious UNESCO-listed neighbour. After hiking up and down the steep steps at Wat Phu, few visitors will be bothered to head off into the dusty surrounding scrubland to visit one…

Cambodia Overland tour photos A selection of photos from our Cambodia Overland tour or at least the Cambodia section of various tours since Dan and Sara, having signed up for the Indochina Adventure, had already travelled through Northern Thailand and Laos for a couple of weeks and Yvette was doing Cambodia as part of a Saigon to Phnom Penh Overland…

Kampong Chhnang We already did a photographs of Kampong Chhnang post – mainly this provincial Cambodian town’s fascinating market – but thought we’d add a few rainy season photographs for good measure since the views do change radically with the change in water levels. With the market being located right on the Tonle Sap riverbank, high water means the boats…

Khone Phapaeng Falls Longest, tallest, widest, biggest….superlatives can be deceptive and statistics vary enormously, but the little-known Khone Phapaeng Falls in Champassak Province of Southern Laos is certainly right up there on the list! Just downstream of the picturesque Four Thousand Islands‘ region – along the Lao-Cambodian border – the entirety of the Mekong River goes over a 65-foot escarpment…