Siem Reap, home to the majestic temples of Angkor, has long been on the map as a must-visit destination for any traveler to Southeast Asia. The grandiosity of ancient Khmer civilization overwhelms visitors as they walk through the unfathomable complexity of Angkor Wat, stare into the faces of Bayon and witness mother nature’s might in the tree-engulfed corridors of Ta Prohm.

In recent years the city has also become a beacon for socially responsible tourism with numerous restaurants, organizations and non-profits opening their doors and hearts to the world. Here are five amazing feel-good restaurants in Siem Reap that will not only fill you up after a long day exploring temples, but will also warm your soul with the impact they are making on the community.

1) Haven

Opened in 2011 and located in the Wat Damnak area, away from the chaos of pub street and the city’s bustling tourist hub, Haven serves up an authentic selection of Khmer specialties including Amok and Lak Lok. Feeling homesick? Not to worry, Haven offers up Western treats not often found in this area including classic schnitzel (Haven’s founders are Swiss) and creamy mushroom stroganoff. The restaurant also offers a large selection of vegetarian and vegan options, including the Haven pumpkin burger and eggplant and beet sandwich.

Haven was established as a training restaurants for vulnerable young adults, including those from orphanages and very poor rural areas. During the last year, the restaurant has taken in 15 trainees who are taught skills needed to build quality careers in hospitality and break the poverty cycle. The organization also takes financial responsibility for all trainees, providing them with shared housing, meals, medical care, English lessons and a monthly training allowance.

Haven Cambodia

2) Spoons

Fresh spring rolls with Khmer red chili sauce to start, anyone? What about coconut chicken or tiger prawn curry as a main? No matter what you’re dining on at Spoons, be sure to indulge in one of their signature cocktails, especially the Passion Mojito or their signature drink, EGBOK (Campari, basil, lime, palm sugar, sparkling water).

Situated in a beautiful new building decorated with ornate bamboo details, polished stone flooring and turquoise accents, Spoons is a new entrant to the training restaurant scene in Siem Reap. An extension of EGBOK (Everything’s Gonna Be OK, different from the drink above), Spoons supports the culinary curriculum of the program and allows for hands-on training for students.

All proceeds earned by the restaurant are directed back to EGBOK that provides a 3-step approach to trainees: Introduction to Hospitality; Vocational Training, Life Skills and Social Support; and Job Placement and Professional Development. Since inception in 2009, EGBOK has helped 595 students through its Introduction to Hospitality program.

Egbok Mission

3) Marum

Traveling is all about stepping out of your comfort zone. If this describes you, be sure to check out Marum where you can feast on exotic delicacies such as beef prepared with red tree ants, mini crocodile burgers or BBQ frog legs on sugarcane skewers. Not feeling so adventurous? That’s okay, other staples include the vegetarian-friendly pumpkin, spinach and black bean curry or the penne with roasted chili and cashew nuts.

On the soul nourishment side, Marum doesn’t disappoint either. As part of the TREE (Training Restaurants for Employment and Entrepreneurship) program, Marum is one of 8 training restaurants located in Cambodia, Laos, Ethiopia and Thailand. This training restaurant contributes to the 1,400 disadvantaged youth who are part of the program.

Marum

4) The Little Red Fox Espresso (LRF)

There is no better way to fuel a day of temple touring than gulping down some of The Little Red Fox’s delicious espresso. Start your day off feeling good knowing that LRF built the first community recycling point in Siem Reap, provides only filtered water (none of those dreaded plastic bottles here), and while not a training restaurant, the company provides hospitality skills, savings plans, English skills and personal development to all employees.

When you order a drink you’ll notice that LFR takes their anti-plastic stance seriously. You’ll notice as you slurp down your cool drink that’s it’s served with a bamboo straw!

The Little Red Fox Espresso

5) Sala Bai Hotel School

Whipping up tasty dishes such as stuffed grilled chicken tikka and pan-fried mackerel, Sala Bai’s options will make you want to try the whole menu. One can’t go wrong in one of Siem Reap’s oldest training restaurants open exclusively for breakfast and lunch.

Sala Bai was created by the NGO Agir pour le Cambodge to fight poverty and human trafficking through social and professional training of underprivileged young adults (primarily young girls). The training complex, which includes a hotel, spa and restaurant, has helped over 1,500 students find sustainable employment over the last 15 years.

Ssala Bai Hotel School

***

All of these restaurants are evident of Siem Reap’s position at the forefront of the positive changes occurring in Cambodia — changes that are being spearheaded by the concerted effort of Khmer people, outside volunteers and NGOs working to support the future of the country.

By Michael Funk /

Michael Funk is the co-founder of Banana Backpacks, a travel community and travel gear company dedicated to creating meaningful change in the world. Michael’s love of traveling began as child in Bali, blossomed with a 5-month solo trip around Southeast Asia and has continued ever since with trips across Asia, the Americas and Europe.

The post Top 5 Feel-Good Restaurants In Siem Reap, Cambodia appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Many parts of Asia have long been a yoga destination for travelers seeking to deepen their practice or pick it up for the first time. While India, Bali and Thailand have traditionally been the most visited countries for yoga enthusiasts, Cambodia has recently begun to emerge as a country with a host of options for yoga travelers seeking something deeper than the “yoga-lite” which has taken hold in the resort culture.

The Khmer Times recently wrote about the emergence of yoga in Cambodia as an opportunity to teach deeper awareness of individual travelers and an economic opportunity. Tourism officials see the arrival of yoga in Cambodia as an opportunity worth seizing. After 1,000 participants in Siem Reap did sun salutations for World Yoga Day, the government now plans to promote Cambodia as a yoga destination.

While Siem Reap is the epicenter of the movement (and one of Cambodia’s most visited locales), The Vagabond Temple arrived on the yoga scene in 2013 and offers yoga retreats in the coastal town of Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

Ryan Monroe is a Canadian surfer who spent a month at the Vagabond Temple. “The best part about doing my retreat here,” he said, “is that it’s a two-minute walk from the beach.”

“In the West yoga has been absorbed into the rat race culture. It’s become competitive and ego oriented,” says Kobi, co-founder of the Vagabond Temple. For many Westerners yoga connotes fitness and health. But the Vagabond Temple teaches yoga as a means to raising consciousness and imbuing inner harmony — ideas this ancient practice was originally developed to foster. Kobi and his wife Pazit received their training in India and other places across Asia and their own spiritual journey has led to the founding of the Vagabond Temple as a destination for other travelers on the spiritual path.

The Vagabond Temple offers week-long and month-long retreats that include yoga, meditation, health and Dharma talks. These retreats occur in the context of community, where participants are encouraged to use yoga to explore the cobwebbed corners of their consciousness. People come to retreats at The Vagabond Temple for different reasons, but everyone leaves more comfortable in their own skin.

The rise of yoga in Cambodia is indicative of its resurgence in the world. As more travelers seek out yoga in its birthplace of Asia, many yogis hope that in addition to creating healthier people, it will create more compassionate self-aware individuals who will create a more harmonious world.

With the West still racing through increasing layers of modern complexity, yoga offers an introspective look inside and gives a more genuine view of the world unfolding outside. Whatever it leads to on the larger scale, in the present it has many travelers in Cambodia starting their days with Namaste.

By Luke Maguire Armstrong /

Luke Maguire Armstrong is the author of the intrepid travel collection The Nomad’s Nomad. When he’s not traveling or getting mauled by rodents in the jungle, he spends his time being rejected by girls in bars in Antigua, Guatemala. He broke his left ankle river dancing and his right ankle trying to impress the locals in Belize. Give Luke a guitar; he’ll sing you a song. Hand him a whiskey; he’ll tell you a tale. Give him both, and he’ll give you something to drink about.

The post Cambodia Emerges As A World Yoga Destination appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

This cinematic stunner from Cambodia, “My Cambodia,” was made by filmmaker Ken Ng Jia Quan and shot with the Canon 5D Mark III using a 24-105mm lens.

You can also check out another video of his that we featured last year featuring Myanmar.

[My Cambodia by Kevin Ng Jia Quan/Flickr]

By Matt Stabile / Matt Stabile is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of TheExpeditioner.com. You can read his writings, watch his travel videos, purchase the book he co-edited or contact him via email at any time at TheExpeditioner.com.

The post A Cinematic Tour Of Cambodia appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Phare, The Cambodian Circus, a story about how can creativity can rise from hardship and how some children in Cambodia have turned grit to brilliance

I came to Siem Reap to teach last year, and after seeing a Phare show and being moved by their story, I decided to help spread the word about them by writing for their blog. Phare, pronounced “far,” is the one-year-old social enterprise of the arts organization Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPS), located three hours away in the city of Battambang. There, children from disadvantaged families come from all over town to get a free education, and if they choose, to attend the arts school where they can study circus arts. The organization’s name translates to “brightness of art.”

The school was miraculously born from the efforts of nine refugee children in the mid ’90s as they used artistic expression to communicate the trauma of war. Once these children were able to return to their hometown, they founded PPS. Offering students the opportunity to study a variety of visual and performing arts, the school has given students an opportunity to develop their craft and use their skills to make a living.

In 1998, the founders noticed that their arts programs weren’t capturing the attention of the most severely marginalized children in the area, and so they decided to open the circus arts school. The program has been an incredible success, and for the most engaged students, has resulted in elite level skill development in a variety of contemporary circus art disciplines, especially acrobatics and juggling.

Fast-forward to 2014, and all performers in Phare in Siem Reap are students or graduates of the PPS circus school in Battambang. Many performers were actually born in the same refugee camps as the founders of PPS. With the help of international artistic directors and the performers themselves, PPS creates full artistic productions that travel to Siem Reap and provide entertainment for visitors visiting from around the world.

Having been in operation for just over a year, the Siem Reap circus attraction has gained explosive momentum. Topping the list on TripAdvisor as the top non-temple attraction in Siem Reap — Angkor Wat is understandably the city’s main attraction — the shows have even begun to rise in popularity beyond some of the more widely known ancient attractions in the area. More importantly, the popularity of the acts has served to fulfill Phare’s primary goal in establishing to create a gainful career opportunity for its artists and bring money back to their parent school. This is sustainable tourism at its best.

The uniquely Cambodian performances are thematically infused with national history and culture and include tales of supernatural occurrences, of hardships faced by Khmer children as their homeland struggles to develop, of an outcast man seeking the acceptance of his community, and of the risqué drama present in the Phnom Penh bar scene — all performed exclusively by Cambodian artists and set to live music.

Daringly modern and beyond the traditional circus format, Phare blends contortion, juggling, acrobatics, balancing and aerial arts with modern dance forms and theater. As the art scene in Cambodia revives itself in the post-war era, Phare’s productions document the renaissance of the country’s creative expression while drawing upon modern circus techniques. With a devoted belief in the power of artistic expression that gave birth to the organization, Phare is an inspirational force in the growth of modern Cambodia.

Though these sensational performances are a worthy attraction in and of themselves, while watching the performance, I can’t help to think about how only a few decades ago, intense human atrocities were occurring on a massive scale, and there was a group of children who were still able to find hope through the strength of their imaginations as they went about lives.

Even in their youth, this band of children observed the contagiously healing power of creativity, and made it their goal to share this “brightness of art.” And this brightness is precisely what you are watching when you attend a Phare production.

The performers you observe flying through the air and moving so gracefully are the product of that initial spark of imaginative hope during an immensely dark era. They chose to walk into a new school from the dusty streets of their recovering hometown and experiment with their imaginations. This is the exhilarating feeling of brightness you experience at a Phare show.

By Brian Meyer /  

Brian is a college counselor, rock climber, social worker and amateur acrobat, and has taught and helped high school students on their journey towards life after school in Honduras, India, Cambodia and Portland. He now lives in Siem Reap where he flosses, survives only on fresh fruit smoothies and works with Phare The Cambodian Circus on their marketing team. You can stay updated on Phare’s happenings at PhareCambodianCircus.org.

The post A World Class Circus Rises From The Ruins In Cambodia appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Okay, you can be honest with me. Spit it out. You did not come halfway across the world for this, how they call it, “Banana Pancake Trail”? I know exactly how you feel. I can tell how much you would like to throw a chair at that guy who’s mesmerizing a full table of other exemplars of the backpacking species with his bragging rights, just over there. His tales of having seen this and that tourist attraction on the ultra-cheap contradict with the reality that his clothes would pay for two months’ worth of food for a local family.

You feel like you would be better suited outside, grasping for a change of air, like an amphibian in dire need of a habitat change. At least, back home you would know where to go bang your head, turn your anti-social behavior into loud drunkenness, and raise the horns to the Devil’s music.

But how can you do it in Asia-town? My friend, today is your lucky day because I’ve been there, and done that, and I am going to give you six places to find the rock underbelly in some of East Asia’s sprawling cities. If you thought they didn’t rock, well, you should get back into that hostel lounge, sit next to the bragging guy, and start clapping your hands.

1) Soundmaker, Penang, Malaysia

Literally hidden at the second floor of a tattered building along Pengkalan Weld, about half a mile down the road from the Jetty, this is the place to rock in Northern Malaysia. Check their show listings before you go because this place is not a bar, therefore, it is not open when you want. Rather, this is a real do-it-yourself underground venue,where heavy metal, punk, death metal and alternative rock spray the walls with sweat.

The showroom is decently sized and the sound system is quite good for an underground enterprise. The fact is that in Malaysia — a country who forced a ban on metal music in 2001, and whose Islamic party has given a hard time to Elton John because he is openly gay — you cannot really get much better than this. Soundmaker is the place to rock away your sleepy weekend afternoons and early nights, as no show can go on after 12 a.m. As a tip, buy some beer at the Chinese food court downstairs, as there is no bar inside.

Soundmaker

2) Yuyong Yishan, Beijing, China

Beijing had an amazing alternative rock and punk club called D-22 in the Wudakou student district where the Chinese bands of the ’90s made the history of Beijing punk. Unfortunately, it closed last year. D-22 an institution for Chinese underground rock, and has been the backdrop of many of my more interesting Chinese nights. Now, the megalopolis’s new focus of rocker attention is Yuyon Yishan.

As a reflection of the cosmopolitan and never-sleeping Beijing art scene, the club offers a mix of proposals coming from the realms of rock, electronic music and much more to keep your feet moving and your head banging. And in case your recent activities included Great Wall hiking, be warned, this may not be the best place to rest your aching legs.

Yuyong Yishan

3) The Overstay, Bangkok, Thailand

With Bangkok’s reputation for vice and all sorts of other mischievous evils, it comes quite as a surprise that its music scene is so dead. Luckily enough, not too far from Khao San Road tourist enclave, you can find a pretty particular example of postmodern subculture in Pinklao: the Overstay.

This 6-story building functions as a rock/alternative venue, and a very cheap hotel with artsy character and an alleged ghost haunting the upper floors to spice things up. Come to enjoy live bands from all sides of the rock/alternative/electronic spectrum, and bring along your instrument for the occasional jam sessions. And if you’re hungry, you can try out the open kitchen to cook up some vegetarian food for your new friends.

The Overstay

4) Rumah Api, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In a place called the “fire house,” you may expect amplifiers to burst out sparks of white heat and set your eardrums on fire. If you know what a real punk house is, and I mean an independent space where DIY is the law, welcome to Rumah Api, one of the places in Kuala Lumpur that dares to object to the city’s rampant, over-constructed technologic wealth and high-class loving youth.

A stone’s throw away from the Ampang LRT station in the northeastern part of the city, Rumah Api is to Kuala Lumpur what CBGB was to New York during its heady punk days. Catch a dose of local and international punk, hardcore, crust, thrash and grindcore bands sweating — literally, as the only wall fan provided resembles a World War II airplane’s engine — on the nonexistent stage, and mingle with the most alternative youth in the capital. This place has plenty of character, but you gotta have some to enjoy it too. Otherwise, please keep on reading your book at the guesthouse or do not sway too far from Petaling street, I have warned you.

Rumah Api

5) Sharky Bar, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The self-described “longest running Rock ‘n Roll bar in Indochina,” Sharky’s Bar has been entertaining Phnom Penh for the past 17 years. Which, let me tell you, is a great accomplishment in terms of having given a space for rock music to a country that had seen many of its best musicians exterminated by the Khmer Rouge’s genocidal fury.

Situated not too far from the riverside at Road 130 in the Kahn Daun Penh district, Sharky is a cosy, American-style bar with pool tables and plenty of beers on tap. Come for the fun “beer pong” every second Tuesday, and expect to find local and international bands playing their brands of bluesy, rocking or rolling fury on stage.

Sharky Bar

6) Bad Monkey Bar, Dali, Yunnan, China

Dali keeps transforming since I first visited, and Bad Monkey Bar is one of the better improvements to the city that I’ve seen. This club brews its own beers and sits in the main center of the Old Town, a perfect location to break your journeys to and from the mountain side and the lake. The setting of Dali itself is awe-inducing, and a night out here is a great way to top your stay with some doses of unhealthy international and Chinese rock, punk and more.

Bad Monkey Bar

By Marco Ferrarese

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marco Ferrarese has visited 50 countries and lived in Italy, the United States, China, Australia and Malaysia. He started vagabonding as a punk rock guitarist in Europe and North America, hitting the most famous and infamous stages across the two continents. In late 2007 he relocated to East Asia. He is currently a PhD candidate at Monash University, Kuala Lumpur, researching the anthropology of punk rock and heavy metal in Pacific Southeast Asia. He posts a weekly column at Rolf Pott’s Vagablogging and writes about hardcore Asian travel and extreme music in Asia at MonkeyRockWorld.com.

The post 6 Clubs To Rock To In East Asia appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

I’m a great planner — an aspect of my personality so ingrained that it rarely faded during 10 months on the road. Even removed as I was from the rigours of Western life, away from the myriad rules and regulations that simply don’t apply in other parts of the world, the need to strategize remained a strong force inside me. Most of the time that is.

There are good reasons to plan. You’re less likely to end up staying in terrible accommodations or eating food you can’t stomach; you’re less likely to miss out on star attractions; you’re far more likely to stick to your budget and be able to afford everything you need. But even I can recognize that there are times when it might just be worth throwing off the shackles of organization and striking out blindly. And I found that this was ever so much easier to do in a country full of smiling faces, hot sunshine, clear weather and with pocket-friendly living costs: Cambodia.

We’d arrived in the riverside town of Kratie after a seven-hour drive from Siem Reap — the latter few hours of which was spent in the back of a minivan with poor suspension, loose seats and a television in place of a rear-view mirror. Our only fellow Westerner — an American lad beside me — was laid back enough to wait for half an hour before demanding the driver stop watching his soap-opera and concentrate on the road. I say “road,” but it was a potholed dirt track that gradually worsened as we got closer to Kratie.

I’d booked (of course I had!) a room at the Balcony Guesthouse, one of a handful of smart little hostels overlooking the teal-coloured river and far bank of white sand. There’s not much to see and do in Kratie itself, but travelers are starting to come here thanks to community-based ecotourism project the Mekong Discovery Trail, established to help draw income to this little-visited corner of the country.

The headquarters for the Trail is at the tourist information center in town, and along I trotted, boyfriend in tow and a notebook tucked under my arm. It turned out I didn’t need it. The lady had very little to say, other than to give us a concise leaflet and to assure us that our overnight bicycle trip would all work out fine. She stood on the doorstep, shielding her eyes from the hot sun and pointed to a garage down the street.

“Bicycles,” she said, grinning broadly. “Three gears.”

“And where can we sleep?” I asked. I had read that local families offered home stays.

“Yes, yes,” smiling again. “Blue sign,” she explained, drawing a small square in the air with her index fingers. Well that was that then. We feasted that night on the terrace with samlor after stocking up on food for our journey. One thing I can’t bear is the idea of being without food.

We left early the following morning under cobalt blue skies and on ground already roasting underfoot. My bike began creaking less than a mile into the journey to Koh Pdau, a river island 20 miles north of Kratie. But it was hard to care. Through the sweat rolling down my face, the Mekong was the best I’d seen it in my travels through Laos and Cambodia. It was the bright blue of digitally-altered postcards — a miniature Caribbean Sea fringed with pure white beaches and dotted with little green islands. Hamlets were bursting with friendly children, eager to wave and call out hellos and goodbyes, often in the wrong order.

Some travelers visit the area to spot the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin, and we stopped for a little while at Kampi — one of the best viewing spots — before carrying on to the small town of Sambour in the 85-degree-Fahrenheit-plus heat. A few miles north, we found the Koh Pdau ferry port tucked into what seemed to be someone’s backyard just as the sun dipped towards the horizon.

The boatman dropped us and our bikes on the tip of the island and we scrambled up the steep slope into a sun-scorched rice paddy wilderness. It took almost an hour to find the hamlet of houses that might contain a bed for the night and then a few moments to realize that every single dwelling had a blue sign outside, displaying its address. Children ran around us, laughing and poking at our skin, pink from the sun.

We eventually found another type of blue sign labeled “Chap Sary Home Stay,” and after some cautious knocking followed by various people and a menagerie of small animals fussing around us, we were welcomed into the communal living space. The family spoke one word of English (hello) and we spoke two words of Khmer (hello and thank-you). We waited for dinner on the balcony as we watched the sunset. I worried nervously whether food was even on the agenda, and wondered how much money this would all cost. But dinner did, of course, arrive; a banquet of different dishes that we ate on the floor of the only room while the family nattered outside.

We awoke beneath our mosquito net in the low light of early morning to a cacophony of animal noises that started before dawn, dragging ourselves out of our corner for a breakfast of fish, rice and omelet. Settling the bill was interesting. Hand signals that I’d previously believed were understood worldwide had zero effect — generating nothing but blank stares — but in the end everyone seemed happy.

Cycling back to the ferry stop, we jumped aboard the wooden boat as it continued across the river. This side of the Mekong was even quieter — the roads and rickety wooden bridges barely suitable for anything bigger than a motorbike — and the adults just as keen as the kids to yell greetings at us.

After a long, sweltering cycle, our final ferry hop involved wheeling our bikes across a huge sand dune, waiting for an hour in the afternoon heat and sharing our brief voyage with some aquaphobic cows and a mischievous-looking boy laden with coconuts and a huge machete.

It was a couple of days as unforeseen as it was unforgettable. Maybe next time I open the laptop to research my next destination, I’ll hold back: I’ll hold out for something unplanned.

By Holly Cave

[All photos by the Author. Too see more pictures, click here.]

About the Author

Holly Cave is a travel writer, science writer and part-time landlady based in the UK. When she’s not penning a sci-fi dystopia, pulling a pint, or walking her dog in the gorgeous English countryside, she’s writing about travel on her blog Travel Each Day. You’ll also find her on Twitter and Facebook.

The post A Lesson In Laid-Back Travel On Cambodia’s Mekong Discovery Trail appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Unspoiled, turquoise-green, powder-white beaches, inexpensive . . . You’ve heard these adjectives before when describing beaches in Southeast Asia, right? However, they’re usually followed up with such words as: full-moon party, MDMA, overcrowded, touristy. Thus is the result of decades-worth of word-of-mouth recommendations for islands such as Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui, and others, which has resulted in islands that are less The Beach and more Jersey Shore.

The other words you often hear, usually in the context of a post by disillusioned travel bloggers, is: “[Blank Island] is just like [Insert Thai Island Here] 20 years ago before the tourists arrived.” Which doesn’t necessarily mean the statement isn’t true, but is usually a death knell marking the beginning of the end of what once made that particular island or beach so great.

Koh Rang, Cambodia, seems to have officially taken the lead in the race for the distinction of being the best island people haven’t heard of in the Gulf of Thailand. Beside being named as one of the 45 places to go in 2012 by the New York Times (complete with a 12-photo spread), it was also recently written-up by BBC Travel, an article that notes that the real beauty of the island is the fact that though “there are some activities on the island, such as snorkelling, scuba diving and a somewhat bushwhacking trek through its dense jungles and mangroves, there is not much else to do.” In fact, “there are few undeveloped island destinations better suited to unplug and unwind.”

At least for now. As they note, Kith Meng, one of Cambodia’s richest businessmen, obtained a 99-year lease to the whole entire island back in 2006, which so far has resulted in limited development, but could one day yield to his grand plans of mega-resorts, casinos and golf courses.

And on that note, one more phrase you may heard bantered around before: Get there quick before it’s too late.

[Koh Rong by Alex Schwab/Flickr]

The post Koh Rong: Get There Quick Before . . . appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Battambang, Cambodia’s second-largest city, is unfortunately overlooked by many travelers to the country. Given Battambang’s location about 5 hours west of Siem Reap, most people simply decide to head east instead, continuing on to Phnom Penh and then Vietnam (given the animosity between Thailand and Cambodia, traveling overland the other direction can be a little tricky).

However, those travelers who aren’t afraid of getting back onto another bus on the Cambodian highways (which is kind of like riding in a toboggan in the opposite direction of a pack of stampeding wildebeest), should consider checking out the city. Battambang is home to a city center where 800 or so building have been preserved from its Colonial history and beyond, Wat Ek Phnom — an 11th-century temple situated just north of the city, and an artistic history rivaling any other in the country.

As the NY Times notes, “Battambang has produced some of the country’s most famous artists: the 1960s chanteuse Ros Sereysothea, whose popularity persists decades after her death; the late painter Vann Nath; and Chhom Nimol, the frontwoman of the Los Angeles-based indie rock band Dengue Fever.”

I love the name of that band. This makes me want to start up my own Brooklyn-borne indie rock back in Battambang called Persistent Winter Cold Caught on the Subway. It’ll be huge, trust me.

[Wat Ek Phnom by Arnis Dzedins/Flickr]

The post Don’t Leave Cambodia Without Visiting Battambang appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Southeast Asia is probably the best place in the world for your first extended backpacking trip. The food is delicious, the locals friendly, the beaches extraordinary, the accommodations well-established and the sites varied and unforgettable. You’re likely to return home with plenty of fond memories and incredible photos of Southeast Asia. If you’re considering setting off for Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, or any other country in the region, keep these tips in mind.

1) Stay Longer in Fewer Places

One of the biggest mistakes I saw was travelers rushing through an itinerary with too many places in too little time. No matter how long your trip is, it’s advantageous to go fewer places, while spending more time in each place. I would also encourage you to take more time than you think you need or want. Chances are you’ll wish you had more time.

On my recent trip to Southeast Asia, I saw one young backpacker who had begun to resent the region. He had been pushing too quickly to “see” whatever it was that he thought he had to see, ran into some unexpected difficulties and got extremely frustrated. Take it more slowly and you’ll have a better trip.

2) Don’t Plan Too Much

Leave room for spontaneity. That’s part of what makes traveling fun. You might want to plan a basic outline of the major places you want to visit. But give yourself plenty of time to absorb the atmosphere of the cities and villages and leave time in case you meet people and decide to do an impulsive side trip.

There’s no need to make reservations anywhere in Southeast Asia. You can just show up and shop around for your accommodation. I traveled for three months and never made one. I had a roof (and an inexpensive one I’ll add) over my head each night.

3) Travel With a Different Guidebook

Everybody has a Lonely Planet guidebook. Don’t buy one. Get a Rough Guide, Moon or Footprint. Lonely Planet channels everyone into the same guesthouses and hostels and that drives prices up. Plus, these guesthouses fill up more quickly. A good tactic is to check out a few guesthouses located around the ones listed in your guidebook. They are usually of the same standard and sometimes cheaper. I also always look at more than one place . Bargain friendly, and take the one that suits you best.

I generally choose my guidebook by the one that has been updated most recently. And remember, if at times of weakness, you are missing your LP, chances are the backpacker on the bus in the seat next to you has one.

4) Avoid Multi-Day Packages and Backpacker-Only Buses

These are designed to make traveling easier. Organizers facilitate border crossings, transportation connections, accommodation and sometimes visas. In my opinion, this takes the fun and challenge out of independent travel. Figuring out transportation logistics is half the battle of traveling. Our detailed guidebooks make it easy enough, anyway. The multi-day packages also keep backpackers together and discourage interaction locals.

Another reason to avoid these packages, as well as international buses and VIP buses, is that you become an easier target for scams. In general Thais are pretty honest people, except when it comes to the individuals running the foreigner-only long distance buses from Khaosan Road to the rest of Thailand. I’ve heard some nasty stories of long delays, stranded travelers and multiple accounts of theft. Best to keep to the normal buses that leave from the bus stations.

5) Travel With a friend; Travel Alone

If you are traveling alone, great, you will meet plenty of people, both local and fellow travelers. If you are traveling with a friend, you will get lots of quality time with that person. Try to structure time away from your travel companion for a couple of reasons.

First, it will give you the independence to experience traveling on your own: meeting new people, making your own mistakes and choosing your own adventures. Secondly, it will improve and strengthen your relationship with your friend/partner when you return to each other. I used this scenario during two different trips with a good friend and it worked well. I also noticed that I have different and richer travel experiences when I’m alone.

6) Pack Light

This is one of my universal travel truth tips. It is always a good idea to pack as light as possible. Remember, you’re carrying everything on your back. Carrying less will obviously be lighter and increase your mobility, but it will also make getting in and out of transport, and to and from your accommodation easier. There’s really no need to take more than three or four changes of clothes.

If you’ll be working from the road or are a serious photographer, you might have a decent amount of equipment (extra lenses, external storage devices and laptops). But, most of us can just hit the road with a medium-sized backpack and small personal bag for valuables. I generally put nothing of value in my backpack. Although crime and theft in Southeast Asia is very unusual, I still want peace of mind when I throw my bag under or on top of the bus. And if your backpack is small enough, you may be able to carry it on with you, including during your flight, which could also save you money.

7) Avoid Burnout

If you’re going to be traveling for more than two months, you’re going to need to recharge your batteries. Everybody does this in his or her own way. It could be alone with a book, a film, spending a day inside a nicer hotel room, eating comfort food, playing football — whatever.

Know yourself and know what you need to get a fresh perspective of where you are and what you’re doing. I’ve seen travelers get really frustrated and begin to develop animosity towards the country that they’re in at the time.

Author Paul Theroux, in his latest book, suggests bringing reading material unrelated to the country in which you’re traveling. At the end of a culturally intense day in Cambodia, you probably don’t want to wind down by reading a book that takes place in Southeast Asia. Rather, take one that will provide some relief through means of escape.

By Stephen Bugno

[All images via the author]

About the Author

Stephen Bugno has been traveling the world for more than a decade as both a volunteer and a wanderer, and is the editor and publisher of the online travel magazine GoMadNomad.com and his personal site BohemainTraveler.com. You can follow Stephen via twitter at @bohemiantrav or on Facebook.

The post 7 Tips For Travel In Southeast Asia appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

From the 1000-year-old temples, to the food, to the other backpackers one encounters on such a trek, what follows, I hope, is a gentle kick-in-the-behind motivation for those thinking of traveling there.

The walls at Preah Khan, probably the most famous temple in Angkor, Cambodia.

Looking downstream in Muang Ngoi, a Lao town along the Nam Ou River.

An early-morning stroll in Luang Prabang’s morning market, north central Laos.

Dinner during a two-day trek to an Akha hill tribes village near Phongsali, the northernmost province in Laos.

Taking the slow boat ride down the Mekong River in Laos from Houayxai to Pakbeng.

This tea salesman, in the Chinese village in northern Thailand called Mae Salong. is writing out the brewing instructions I asked for.

An older woman from Mae Hong Son, in northern Thailand near the border of Burma.

Visakha Bucha Day in Chiang Mai. The holiday celebrates the birth, enlightenment and entry into nirvana of the Buddha.

A vendor prepares for the crowds at the night market in Chiang Mai.

Sunset in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

By Stephen Bugno

About the Author

Stephen Bugno has been traveling the world for more than a decade as both a volunteer and a wanderer, and is the editor and publisher of the online travel magazine GoMadNomad.com and his personal site BohemainTraveler.com. You can follow Stephen via twitter at @bohemiantrav or on Facebook.

The post An Unforgettable Tour Through Southeast Asia [Photo Essay] appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

With prices dropping in the fall and the rainy season letting up in November, now is the time of year travelers start booking those trips to Southeast Asia. And just in time for pre-trip planning, Lonely Planet and CNN both came out with articles on getting off the proverbial beaten path in Cambodia.

Lonely Planet notes that most travelers to the country have one thing in mind: Angkor Wat — and with good reason. But after a few days spent wandering this wonder of the world, LP suggests trekking northwest toward the Thai border to Koh Kong Province, “an area of breathtaking beauty and incredible biodiversity that was almost inaccessible until the completion of Highway 48 just three years ago.”

Here you can explore Cambodia’s budding ecotourism, including the tourist-free beaches of Koh Kong Island, or Chi Pat, a small village with no electricity or running water, but instead chock full of mountain biking and hiking options in some of the country’s best mountains, the Cardamom Mountains.

CNN notes points out that the temples in Cambodia stretch far beyond the confines of Angkor. Outside of Battambang you will find Ek Phnom, a collection of ruins that makes up for its smaller size compared to Angkor by offering far fewer crowds.

Then to the north of the country, near Thailand, is the World Heritage Site, Preah Vihear. A Khmer-era temple, Preah Vihear has the distinction of only technically belonging to Cambodia since 1962 when the ICJ ruled against Thailand in a bitter border dispute. Kind of like the Machu Picchu of Cambodia, Preah Vihear is situated on a steep cliff, and runs in a north-south axis along the top for 2,600 feet.

Now, the trick is to find your way back to that beaten path: chances are it leads to your airport.

The post Getting Off That Darned Beaten Path In Cambodia appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Visiting the city of Siem Reap and the surrounding temple complex known as Angkor is an unforgettable experience and a requisite stop for any trip to Cambodia. The sheer size and options available in the area can be overwhelming, but try these 10 tips to make the most of your adventure.

1) Sunrise / Sunset With The Temples

There is something magical about being in Angkor in the early hours of the morning and the last few moments of daylight. Standing amidst the temples with a bit of haze, just being able to make out the structures in the limited light is the perfect moment to appreciate how King Suryavarman II’s subjects experienced the wonder of the temples in the 12th century when they lived there.

For sunrise, head to Angkor Wat — the main temple in the complex — and try and find a spot to the west for the best views. I was heading out of Siem Reap airport very early, and my guide managed to sneak me in to the park as a route to the airport heads right by this spot. The view is made doubly impressive as the towers of the temple reflect in the still water filling the moat around the complex.

For sunset head to Phnom Bakheang, a hill on the way into the temple grounds. Starting around 4:45 p.m. you can buy a “next day pass” for the temples, which will also get you immediate access giving you the chance to enter the complex in time for sunset. Once at the top, finding a suitable spot may be a challenge due to the crowd but is well worth the effort.

2) Angkor Wat

The most famous of the temples, Angkor Wat is the “must see” attraction in the area. The temple is about 20 minutes away from Siem Reap, where most travelers stay. To make getting around easier, hire a Tuk-Tuk for the day you plan on visiting the main temple sites (about $6 got me a ride to and from dinner as well).

Consider hiring a guide registered through the park, as they will be helpful with administrative details like buying passes and finding good lunch spots. Another option is a tour bus, which provides air conditioning and water. The downside is, like any tour, you are tied down to their schedule and can miss some of the temples that are further from Siem Reap.

Upon arriving at Angkor Wat, agree on a meet-up time and place with your Tuk-Tuk driver, then head to the right a hundred feet or so before crossing the bridge. From here I managed to step away from the crowd rushing across the bridge and capture my best photos. Once inside, follow the flow and enjoy the extensive bas-relief works throughout the temple.

Make sure to spend some time simply wandering around away from the masses. At one point I found myself alone on a second floor ledge at the back with a far-reaching views of the surrounding lush jungle. The isolation I saw served to underline the challenge it must have been to create the temples.

3) Banteay Srey (Red Temple)

After visiting the main temple complex on your first day, use your second day to get a bit further out of Siem Reap. The temple of Banteay Srey is much smaller compared to Angkor Wat, but offers a chance to see some more intricate and older (c.10th century) carvings and to also avoid some of the crowds. The temple was constructed out of a red stone, which creates a very unique feeling.

While it is possible to take a Tuk-Tuk to the temples further out, due to the distance it’s best to spend a little more and hire a driver for the roughly 30-minute ride.

4) Kbal Spean (Mountain Temple)

While you’re already out of Siem Reap, tacking on the outing to the Kbal Spean ruins is a must. With 11th-century carvings awaiting you, enjoy the ride through the countryside and take in what rural Cambodia is now like. From where the driver drops you, it’s about a mile-long hike into the Cambodian forest until you hear the distinctive sound of the famed waterfall.

In the pool at the base of the cliff, you may find three or four other tourists swimming, or you may have the place to yourself. Climb up to the cliff above and look into the stream and you will see a large number of phallic carvings carved into the riverbed. The water from this stream flows all the way back to Angkor Wat where it fills the moat around the temple, and these symbols serve to “fertilize” the water on their journey to Angkor.

5) Walk Through The Woods / Landmine Museum

Cambodia has a long history of bloodshed and fighting. Many parts of the temples of Angkor were inaccessible for many years due to the landmines that were installed throughout the woods. Walking between Angkor Thom and Terrace of the Leper King, steer away from the main path and head in to the woods a few yards — it’s quickly possible to imagine the fear of taking the next step that was long a facet of everyday life in this region (although I’ve been assured that the area has been thoroughly cleared).

To explore this part of local history, there is the The Cambodia Landmine Museum that can be reached via car on your way back from Kbal Spean. While not particularly uplifting, appreciating recent history helps in understanding how the country has developed in recent years.

6) Tonle Sap, Floating Village

With a 30-minute Tuk-Tuk ride from Siem Reap you can reach one of the floating village sites on Tonle Sap lake. The water level varies so significant that it is easier for fishermen to build floating homes rather than move with the changing shorelines throughout the year.

These floating homes can be reached with a quick boat ride from the shore, and provide a (admittedly touristy) glimpse of the fishermen’s lives. Depending on your haggling skills, the trip can be done for below $15 per person.

7) Night Market

No trip to an Asian city is complete without a visit to the night market. Siem Reap offers one that caters to the visitors in the city. There is a balance between souvenir kitsch and local arts and crafts to be found. If you’re feeling adventurous, a number of kiddie pools have been setup here — as is the case around all of Siem Reap — with small fish in them that will eat the dead skin off your worn out feet. (But be warned, Hong Kong has apparently forbidden these “treatments” for health and safety reasons.)

8) Old (Food) Market

During the day is the much more authentic Old Market. Here locals come to buy and sell everything from vegetables to chickens and fish. The scene is a bit overwhelming and very hot at first. In the morning you can pick up breakfast for around $1, which is certainly a bargain compared to prices at the nearby hotels and restaurants. However, be prepared to negotiate as prices aren’t indicated and the sellers see you as an easy way to charge more for their wares.

9) Eating

Siem Reap has a couple busy streets that serve as a nighttime hub of entertainment. The Red Piano Restaurant (northwest of the Old Market) is one of the more prominent places to dine and was supposedly frequented by Angelina Jolie while filming Tomb Raider. Many restaurants cater to the Western pallet, but with a little exploring you can find many restaurants that feature a number of good local curries. A couple blocks away you can find Khmer Kitchen and The Soup Dragon that offer local dishes and Vietnamese-style foods.

10) Sleep

There seemed to be accommodations for every budget in Siem Reap, ranging from the basic backpacker’s hostel up through to the ultra-luxurious. In this regard, I can only point out that the purpose of the visit should be to see the temples, not the hotel room, and therefore less can be more in this regard

However, one of the favorite pastimes in Siem Reap on non-temple days is the chance to lounge at a pool — appropriate given the amount of walking and hiking that goes on otherwise. Luckily, for the budget traveler who will likely be staying somewhere without one, nearly every hotel in the city offer day passes to their pool for a small fee (starting from around $5 for the smaller hotels).

For example, for only $8 you can arrive at the Prince D’Angkor Hotel in the morning and experience all-day access to one of the biggest pools in the city, their gym, a jacuzzi, steam room, and enjoy poolside meal-service. Not bad when you consider most people around you are spending upwards of ten times what you are just to sleep there. And by day’s end you’ll feel fully re-energized for another day out in one of the wonders of the world.

By Simon Mikolayczyk

About the Author

Simon Mikolayczyk has lived in North America, Asia, and now Europe. He has a passion for travel and photography, which he takes every opportunity to combine. Find more from Simon on www.mikolayczyk.com.

[Bayon by Matt Stabile; Kbal Spean by Jay_Fr/Flickr; Tonle Sap Floating Village by the author.]

The post Top 10 Tips For Visiting Angkor appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Well, Mr. Badasses don’t lounge at home watching Anthony Bourdain reruns while rearranging their wall hangings to make room for the postcards they want to hang on the living room wall (I’m not saying I’m that guy, either). Badasses crack open an Old Milwaukee and turn on BBC’s Top Gear, the British show featuring three hilarious friends spotlighting the latest and greatest products from the world of cars . . . and automotive deely-bops.

For the sake of continuing our imaginative exercise, let’s say we pop over to Top Gear only to see a Vespa zipping along a remote beach and through dense jungles. Seconds before the bike pulls into a tiny, remote village, we realize this isn’t happening anywhere near the U.K. Interest peaked, you lean a little closer to find out the destination of your next motor-biking trip abroad.

Vietnam’s Highway 1, from Saigon to Hanoi has reeled in another believer.

Lonely Planet recently laid out several trips in both Vietnam and Cambodia that will convince anyone of a two-wheeled tour through the up-and-coming motorbike Mecca:

The gorge road from Dong Van to Meo Vac is the stuff of biker yore, its towering cliffs looming high above and plummeting to the Nho Que River in the distance below. Just remember to keep an eye on the road, despite the breathtaking scenery.

In Cambodia, get your kicks on the new Route 66:

An ancient Angkorian highway that runs due east from Angkor via Beng Mealea to the vast temple complex of Preah Khan. Ancient stone bridges from the time of Jayavarman VII acts as historical waymarkers along the route, including the dramatic Spean Ta Ong with more than 20 arches.

The visions of unbridled road stretching on for miles, through jungles and over ancient stone bridges, we settle back down into our couch and continue watching Top Gear. The thought strikes: There may be no need for black leather chaps when mingling with villagers along the route. And there’s really no reason for loads of horsepower when your goal is the experience rather than the status. In this part of the world, and from the seat of your motorcycle, there are experiences sure to be had.

Now, I’m off to the market.  I just finished my last Old Milwaukee.

[Photo by Mr Chris Johnson/Flickr]
By Jon Wick

About the Author

Jon lives in Butte, Montana, spending most of his time on skis or bikes; sometimes both. He began travel writing while teaching in Korea and is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Technical Communication at Montana Tech. Jon has begun writing his first book, The Story of Will, whose movie rights are still (very) available. Catch more of Jon at TheJonWickproject.wordpress.com. (@ExpedJon)

The post Vietnam By Bike: The Greatest Trip On Earth appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

By Matt Stabile

About the Author

Matt Stabile runs TheExpeditioner.com. You can read his writings, see his videos, purchase the book he co-edited or contact him via email at any time at TheExpeditioner.com.

The post Images Of Cambodia appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

To say that the temples at Angkor are spectacular is like saying that France has good food: no need to state the obvious. After a 12-hour bus ride through the paddy fields and flood plains along the Tonle Sap lake in central Cambodia, I arrived late in Siem Reap. Expecting nothing more than a sleepy village used as a jumping-off point for visitors to the massive temple complex, I was amazed to wake up in a lively, thriving, albeit slightly touristy town, with an excellent market, scores of restaurants catering to wealthy visitors, and hotels ranging from budget (read: my hostel) to extravagant (places where Bill Clinton slept and Brad and Angelina stayed when 1/2 of the duo was filming “Tomb Raider.”)

I began the day by a trip to the local market for a steaming hot bowl of soup, a somewhat incongruous choice for breakfast in a country where the relenting heat starts strong and stays that way throughout the day. Ka Tieu is usually served with a small bowl of bean sprouts on the side to mix in with the noodles, pork broth and cilantro. I then made my way to a local cafe for a glass of iced coffee, a thick, sweet concoction served brimming with crushed ice and condensed milk on the side.

Most visitors to Angkor end up hiring tuk-tuk drivers to drive them around the temples during the day for $10-$15. However, for almost the same price, you can join one of the tour groups that include knowledgeable guides, air-conditioned buses and water. Given the history and massive amount of detail about each temple, I was extremely glad I ended up with a guide who, as a result of the recent turn-down in tourism as of late, was more than happy to have the business.

What’s really fascinating about the complex is its accessibility (probably to the overall detriment to the temples). Beginning in the 12-century temple of Bayon, known for its carved faces, we climbed up, into, onto, and throughout the temple, then worked our way north from there, making a loop through some of the better-known temples, and finally ending up at iconic Angkor Wat. By this time we had been trekking through the complex in a dense wall of humidity and soaring temperatures, so when our guide pointed to a nearby hill where hundreds, if not a thousand other visitors and locals were climbing to get a seat for the 6 p.m. sunset, we declined his offer to do the same and headed back into town, anxious to get off our feet and soak in the amazing sights we’d seen during the day.

The post SE Asia Trip Dispatch: Part Four (Angkor Wat) appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

For those of you planning on visiting Angkor Wat, there may be more to the massive temple complex than you had originally expected. American researcher Kent Davis, after visiting the site back in 2005, was struck by the numerous (1,800 to be exact) female figures carved in various portions of the temples. After returning home, he vowed to learn more about who they were and what their significance in the Khmer Kingdom was. However, it turned out, no one had really looked into it. So, as this article explores, he took it upon himself to investigate.

“After turning to Michigan University computer experts for help, a team was able to conduct facial mapping experiments on digital photographs of the women, or devatas. The team, whose findings were presented last month at the International Conference on Pattern Recognition, an academic convocation in Istanbul, concluded there were at least eight different facial types, perhaps reflecting a variety of ethnicities in the Khmer kingdom.”

The coolest part? They plan to track down the living ancestors today after identifying the carved women. “Once we define facial types more thoroughly, [by] using facial pattern recognition on people living in this area . . . we could actually find the descendants of some of the sacred women in the temple.”

All right ladies, be prepared for some archeologists turning up at your door to reveal to you your royal lineage. You know, probably something you’re more than used to.

The post What Did You Do When You Returned From Angkor Wat? appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

What’s more fun than getting off a plane and immediately being hit up for cash just to step foot outside the airport? (I’ll answer my own question. The answer is: getting the seat next to the lavatory for your 16-hour flight. Oh the stories you’ll tell.)

The fact is, visas are never fun, especially for those of us saving every last penny for the actual trip. But the least you can do is make it one of the less stressful parts of your pre-trip by planning way ahead. So I present to you: how to get your visa to Vietnam.

If you’re a U.S. citizen, the first thing you need to do is check out Vietnam’s Consular Services web site here. This page runs down all the things you’re going to need to do.

1) Find your passport. Check in between couch cushions, in the back of your dog’s house, or if you’re a tycoon from the 1890’s, try that safe behind the painting in your wood-paneled office.

2) Fill out an application (Word/PDF). Make sure you kind of know your plans. They’re going to ask whether you need a single visa ($30) or a visa good for multiple entries (necessary if you’re traveling back and forth from nearby Cambodia or Laos). Keep in mind that prices go up depending on whether you’re going back and forth during a one-month stay or if you’re traveling longer ($50 for under one month, $80 for under six months, and $120 for six months to one year). And that’s just for the “stamping fee.” For the processing fee, handling fee, etc . . . , the fee is actually higher (but, conveniently, not listed). Call ahead of time and ask exactly how much you need to pay: (202) 861 – 2293.

Also, don’t forget you’re going to need to include a passport-sized photo too with your paperwork.

3) Break out the check book. Actually, not really, personal checks aren’t accepted. You’re going to need to wrangle up a money order, cashier check, or certified check. More likely than not, your bank will issue you a money order or cashier for free or a nominal fee. Most people (including bank tellers) don’t even know what a certified check is, so if you want to have a little fun, quiz them as to what it is while you’re there!

Like I said, fees vary depending on your plans. Check the going fee rates here.

4) Finally, just as your head is beginning to swim, head down to your local UPS or Fed Ex store and drop it all in an envelope along with a pre-paid return envelope so they can mail everything back. Don’t forget to keep you tracking number: this is your passport you’re sending off into the world — you’re going to want to track its journey.

5) And that’s it. The good news is that the turnaround time (at least for me) was surprisingly quick, and I had no problems getting everything back and in one piece. What’s even better is that your shiny, colorful new visa makes an impressive and scenic addition to your passport (unlike some, cheap receipt-like visas you get elsewhere — I’m looking at you Chile).

Finally, I’d be remiss in not mentioning another option for those skittish about mailing their passport around the country. Try VietnamVisaCenter.org, a company that allows you (for an extra fee) to apply and pay online and pick up your visa when your arrive by plane in either Ho Chi Minh, Danang or Hanoi.

Bonus: Visiting Cambodia? Do it all online and print out your visa in a matter of hours. Check out Cambodia’s ultra-efficient visa application system here.

The post How To Get A Visa For Vietnam appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Compassion comes in many forms. You can give away your life savings, some extra change in your pocket, or a bottle of water to a thirsty child. It’s easy to change one person’s life, but much more difficult to change many. In fact, I think it’s probably near impossible to change everyone’s world, spreading yourself like a thin layer of butter on a large piece of toast: everyone gets a taste but most are left hungry. Sometimes we can — to reform the cliché — teach a village how to make butter.

As travelers (an observed middle-class + decadence) we are inclined to go abroad with a purpose, and we feel a desire to contribute from our excess. In Argentina, I remember feeling pangs of guilt when nibbling on bizcoches — lard cookies –while talking with a group of Norwegian exchange students doing volunteer work. I was self-conscious that I did not give an equal amount of energy to what I graciously received from the cultural experience in while there. Today, however, I look back with no regrets, just happiness that I got to share moments with people, to listen to their stories, and to learn from them and experience a change.

Reading this recent article in The Toronto Star, I can relate to the inner torment of the author who was struggling with these very same feelings of guilt while in Phnom Penh.  A couple of years ago, some friends and I got to spend some time there, mostly just to see Angkor Wat. I remember getting off the plane, slammed with a wall of humidity, and being terrified at how different the atmosphere was.

I had never encountered “the hustle” before, and I felt like I was on the edge of a cultural waterfall. Stepping out of the airport doors, we were drowned in hollers for tuk-tuk rides. The one we bartered for took us to three different hotels, each belonging to a “cousin.” Walking the streets at night, we were followed by kids with knockoff best sellers and saw old, Western businessmen dining with young, Cambodian girls. As the article observes, “A cynic might dismiss the expressions on the beggars’ faces, the sadness in their eyes, as a well-honed skill calculated to rip at the heart and thereby induce giving. In our case it worked, and the looks in their eyes still haunt.”

Yup. Any person with half a compassionate heart would agree.

Still, we did not give money, afraid that we would be inundated with waves of needing mouths. We would give a bottle of water to one girl and her cousin would show up. One book-selling boy we came to know quite well was given the equivalent of USD$0.25 from us for a Popsicle. Within 30 seconds he returned, asking for more to buy his cousin one. We found ourselves struggling to say “no.”

Still, to this day, I do not feel guilty for saying “no” the second time around. This might sound silly, but my only hope is that for one moment — perhaps the time it took for one girl to down a two-liter bottle of water or the 30 seconds it took for that boy to enjoy his Popsicle — these children were relieved of something. I had only so much to give, and I think that even the little bit that I did was something. I’d like to think that compassion can also come in the form of understanding.

[Photo via stock.exchng]

By Brit Weaver

About the Author

Toronto born and based, Brit is an avid leisure cyclist, coffee drinker and under-a-tree park-ist. She often finds herself meandering foreign cities looking for street eats to nibble, trees to climb, a patch of grass to sit on, or a small bookstore to sift through. You can find her musing life on her personal blog, TheBubblesAreDead.wordpress.com.

The post Compassion In Cambodia: A Traveler’s Dilemna appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

So you’re going to Cambodia (actually, I am in about 6 weeks, but more on that later), and once you get there all you really want to do is sunbathe nude while pointing the bottom of your feet at people as they walk by, and sticking you chopsticks upright in your rice bowl. Sounds like a pretty rockin’ good time, right? Well, actually, these are just a few no-no’s you should probably know about before traveling through the country.

As this how-to guide from Lonely Planet describes, there are about 10 rules that if you remember, you’ll probably go a long way in not instigating an international incident. Oh yeah, and all you women that want to touch some monks while picking your uncovered teeth with your shoes off in their temple. Sorry, Cambodia’s just not the place for you.

[Photo via Stock.xchng]

The post How Not To Get Kicked Out Of Cambodia appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Most cruise lines seek to provide its customers with what I call the “Best Of” trip (e.g., “See the Best of the Mediterranean: From Scenic Livorno to the Seascapes of San Tropez”). While this is probably a very lovely way to sail and explore, I often want to experience all of what a country has to offer, and if that means trying a deep-fried tarantula as so not to offend the custom of devouring such a treat, then so be it.

Luckily, there are cruises that will venture to places that envelope the cultural core of a country without distributing rose-colored glasses. The Sydney Morning Herald recently cruised on the La Marguerite, for an eight-day, seven-night cruise along the Mekong River from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City, with excursions beyond the stunning temples and ornate palaces (you’ll see these too) of Cambodia and Vietnam. Trips from the boat include, but are not limited to: a personalized tour of the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng genocide museum in Phnom Penh, a catfish farm, a rice polishing factory, a silk coloring workshop in Tan Chau, a brick kiln near Sa Dec, and the floating markets around Cai Be.

You can probably guess the name La Marguerite is not of Cambodian or Vietnamese origin, but is French. The ship’s identity belongs to the French novelist, Marguerite Duras, whose memoir, The Lover, describes a sultry affair between a poor French girl and a wealthy Chinese man in Vietnam in the 1930s.

The vessel’s luxurious décor emulates subtle designs from the French colonial era, creating a dreamy setting amidst the raw beauty of the Mekong. Passengers who want to learn more about Duras can board small boats to the village of Sa Dec to tour a local museum built in her honor, and cruise past the house where The Lover was filmed.

Still not intrigued? In that case, you could always opt to lounge on the sundeck while enjoying cocktails, taking in the sights and sounds of the sinuous Mekong. As for the rest? I’m pretty sure an awakening to a small country’s dark history, the exploration of intricate trades, and ambling amongst the pungent yet invigorating smells of drifting markets will likely meet your  “Best Of” quota.

By Maria Russo

About the Author

Maria Russo is a freelance writer who loves natural wonders, good eats, ethical travel, and boutique hotels. Her work has appeared on the Huffington Post, USA Today.com, People.com and A Luxury Travel Blog, among others.

When Maria is not writing for her all-time favorite site (that would be The Expeditioner), she spends her time blogging about foreign jaunts and delectable food experiences for her site: Memoirs of a Travel & Food Addict. She is also up to no good on Twitter (@traveladdictgrl, @expedmaria).

The post Exploring Cambodia And Vietnam Through The Eyes Of “La Marguerite” appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.