What is it about Southeast Asia that so captivates our attention? For many Westerners, Southeast Asia has attained an identity of exoticism and escape, enchanting travelers as a destination "off the map" of global tourism. It's a myth readily fed by popular culture. From ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Laos
South by Southeast: New directions in Southeast Asia
What is it about Southeast Asia that so captivates our attention? For many Westerners, Southeast Asia has attained an identity of exoticism and escape, enchanting travelers as a destination "off the map" of global tourism. It's a myth readily fed by popular culture. From ...Drug tourism and cocaine bars
What fun is travel without a little excitement? Rest and relaxation is a given, but excitement? That you have to look for, and it appears excitement for many is found in drugs.
I came across an article yesterday that made me cringe. The world's first cocaine bar, it read. ...Gadlinks for Monday 7.13.09
Well, it's Monday, and it's back to the grind for most of us. I, however, am down with the flu and am writing this from bed. I hope the rest of you are having a more healthy day. Here are the latest travel stories from the world wide web.
If you've traveled in southeast ...UNESCO adds sites to World Heritage list, and drops one too
The UNESCO World Heritage List has just gotten a lot longer. Officials meeting for the 33rd session of the World Heritage Committee have added more than two dozen sites of great cultural, historical, or natural value to the list, and they're considering more.
Among the new ...Three travel ideas from the ITB Berlin Travel Show
More than 11,000 exhibitors from 187 countries tried to make their mark at the 2009 ITB Berlin Travel Show. They showcased wines, highlighted unique local attractions and generally tried to show that they are the best places in the world for tourists to spend their ...Photo of the Day (2-4-09)
The woman in the photo was sorting rice in Luang Nam Tha, Laos back in February 2008. I would venture to say that the same woman is still sorting rice in this careful, quiet way of doing work that sustains people. This is the type of work that is never quite done, but ...Travel Read: 100 Places Every Woman Should Go
I never knew there could be a book so thoughtful and inspiring for women as this one. Stephanie Elizondo Griest's second travel book, which lists far more than just 100 Places Every Woman Should Go, is truly an encyclopedia for women travelers. It's the kind of book that ..."No Reservations" season 4, episode 11: Laos
Location: Mr. Bourdain kicked off a new round of episodes last night with Laos. As one of the last "untouched" destinations of Southeast Asia, Laos sits nestled along the Mekong River, a mountainous country filled with mist-shrouded hilltops, orange-robed monks and a ...Kashmir to rebrand itself as a golf destination
Kashmir probably does not evoke emotions of vacationing and relaxation in most people. After 18 years of militant violence, Kashmir wants to rebrand themselves from a heavily militarized Himalayan region to a global golfing destination.
According to this article in the ...Laos' Highway 3 to be paved
I know I'm supposed to be happy that the jungle-clad, muddy trail that serves as a major road through Laos is being paved. It's good for Laos citizens, and it will cut driving time between northern Thailand and southern China to less than a day. Plus, I totally condemned ...How to survive your next bumpy bus ride
Bumpy bus rides are never fun. But bumpy, winding, crowded, cross-country bus rides with a driver who might need Ritalin can rattle even the most sedated nerves. And what do you do when the bus breaks down? One such ride across Laos was scheduled to take my husband and me ...Where on Earth week 48: Vang Vieng, Laos
This location didn't seem to be too difficult for readers to figure out -- three out of four commenters guessed correctly, while one answer was close -- this person guessed the "Banana Pancake" trail of Chiang Mai (sounds delish).
So, Vang Vieng it is -- truly a budget ...Photo of the Day (2-27-08)
One reason I like this photo is because of the boy wearing the red sweater. He brings the photographer into the shot with his glance. The second reason I like this shot is the mix of clothes the kids are wearing. It reminds me of any village where I've traveled where kids ...Photo of the Day 2-10-2008
Uncornered Market snapped this shot on a boat ride from Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw, Laos. I took this same boat ride in reverse, in 2005. It was peaceful and beautiful, with green hills and lapping water. It was also freezing (it was an unnaturally cold week and I hadn't ...Photo of the Day (2/06/08)
The wooden bench, the folding table, the saffron colored robe, the slats on the open shutters--so much of this photo captures the look of parts of Southeast Asia where I have wandered. The composition of the rectangular shapes of the doorways and windows is visually ...10 of the 53 places to go in 2008
I already mentioned Detroit as being number 40 on the list of the New York Times places to go in 2008. Sad to say, I have only been to the airport in Detroit. After posting about this city, I agree that the capital of the automobile and Motown is indeed a place to see this ...Name That Hat: The Hmong in Laos
Thanks to those who posted on the most recent Name That Hat. It's shared honours this time round between Tyler and Oddsocks. The country was Laos - I bought the hat at the Vientiane market - and it's headgear normally worn by the people of the Hmong hilltribe.
The Hmong are ...Eco-tourism in Laos
According to the Lonely Planet, tourism in Laos is set to soar to all-time highs. I suspect this has to do with the popularity of Thailand as a tourist destination, as people tend to reason that if they're going all that way they should do the whole shebang. I don't know if ...500 Amazing Pictures of Southeast Asia
Timen Swijtink recently launched an excellent website called in my All Stars, a site dedicated to exploring "experience traveling." During the summer of 2006, Swijtink spent 10 weeks "experience traveling" through Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Over the past 2 ...Laotian Commie Tunnels Opened to Tourism
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One of the more fascinating places I visited while traveling though Vietnam were the underground tunnels. To escape the American bombing campaign during the war, the North Vietnamese built networks of tunnels that housed entire cities. Crawling through them 40 years later is ...
