“On 25 July, 1861, I reached Luang Prabang, a delightful little town, set in its amphitheatre of mountains…a paradise.”
– Henri Mouhot, explorer
Mekong River, Luang Prabang, Laos
Doing some shopping in Luang Prabang? Laos has a wonderful tradition of unique handicrafts, especially textiles. Even today, remote rural villages naturally dye fabrics and hand weave them with intricate patterns distinctive to their tribe and village, a skill that has been passed down for generations. Many of the handicrafts require a painstaking amount of time and detail.
Continue reading Shopping in Luang Prabang: 10 unique handicrafts of Laos
It’s 6 a.m. and the normally peaceful, sleepy streets of Luang Prabang are buzzing. The tourists have arrived.
Continue reading Morning alms in Luang Prabang: religious tradition turned into tourist spectacle
Learning Lao has not been easy. Admittedly, I’ve been key-kahn (lazy) in studying Lao, finding it easier to do a series of grunts and charades than trying to master the six tones and complicated vowel sounds from books like Lao for Beginners. Continue reading A lesson in Lao: The “key” to learning the Lao language
It feels like someone is snapping an elastic band at my foot, a sharp, painful pinch and burning sensation repeated over and over again. Oww!
Towers loom above me, their sheer rock walls soaring up from iridescent tropical waters. I paddle in close and crane my neck up at limestone giants that stand at attention like guardians of a mysterious aquatic world.
Continue reading Kayaking Ang Thong Marine Park, Koh Samui, Thailand
No trip to Chiang Mai should be without trying khao soi or khao soy. This delicious noodle soup is so iconic of the northern Thailand city that it is often simply called “Chiang Mai noodles.” Continue reading Khao soi: The signature dish of Chiang Mai
