Angkor Wat is the Disneyland of Buddhist temples in Asia. The temple complex requires a few busy days to get around the major sights thoroughly. Everyone has a favorite, but I’ve highlighted a few must-sees below. Plan carefully and catch…
There isn’t much to this little provincial capital, just a maze of busy streets surrounding the center Thang Loi (Victory) Monument, with its high arch and a statue of the first tank to enter the town during liberation in 1975….
The ruins of the ancient city of Angkor, capital of the Khmer kingdom from a. d. 802 until 1295, are one of the world’s marvels. The “City of Kings,” Angkor boasts some of the largest religious monuments ever constructed; it’s…
Much of what there is to see in Dalat is natural sights: Lakes, waterfalls, and dams dominate the tourist trail. Things are spread over quite some distance, so consider booking a tour or renting your own car or motorbike. If…
A popular summertime spot for Khmers, Sihanoukville is really a port town, but the beaches are good, there are some good accommodations choices, and it’s very affordable. Trips to outlying islands for scuba diving and snorkeling are attracting more and…
The French called them Montagnards, or “people of the mountains,” and these groups have long suffered under more powerful central governments. Hill tribe people paid dues to early Vietnamese kings and later achieved some autonomy under the French, who converted…
Scholars of Lao history, before they even begin, need to decide whether they are writing a history of Laos; a history of the Lao ethnic group; or histories of the various kingdoms and principalities that have, through time, been encompassed…
The French colonists built many luxury vacation homes along the coast here. Development continued in the high plateau of Bokor Mountain with a large hotel, casino, even a church and school. The two towns are some 25km (16 miles) apart…
The mountainous Central High-lands are a few hundred very hilly kilometers inland from NhaTrang, a bumpy ride north from Ho Chi Minh City, or over the paved and very scenic Ho Chi Minh Trail south from Hoi An. The area…
When you think of Cambodia, visions of tranquil beaches probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind, which is a shame. It isn’t much when compared with the quality and quantity of beach living in nearby Thailand, or even…