Enchanting SE Asia: My Favorite Part of the World...

A Floating Vendor on Vietnam's Ngo Dong River

Since my first exposure to exotic Southeast Asia during a trip to Singapore and Burma (Myanmar) back in March of 2000, I have become thoroughly enchanted with the region’s diverse and fascinating cultures, the rich sense of history conveyed through its amazing temples, architectural monuments and old buildings that are reflective (much like some of the local cuisines) of former Western colonial influences, and its scenic natural beauty that ranges from lush tropical beaches, paddy fields and jungle, to majestic alpine peaks that may even see snow on rare occasions. I have made eight trips to Southeast Asia to date, visiting Singapore, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and (as of November 2023) Laos, though I have to admit that I have just barely begun to scratch the surface of what the region has to offer. My next trip back to Southeast Asia will likely be a few years off, but I will use this blog to share some of my experiences while in the region. I have to admit that I don’t tend to go in for all-inclusive resorts or high-end bars and restaurants. I like to try to get an over-all feel for a destination when I visit it, and though I do visit the major tourist attractions of a place, I also like to spend time wandering off the beaten tourist path to explore the open markets, small neighborhoods and sometimes intriguing back alleys to experience the real local color, and especially interact with the locals when language skills (sometimes aided by body-language) allow. When I visit someplace new, I try to experience both the nicer or more upscale areas and also some of the less fashionable/more seedy areas (which may include an infamous red light district, though purely in the capacity of an observer, mind you.) I will include photos of the destinations visited and will also provide links to some of my related YouTube videos. I hope my blog entries will both entertain and inform the reader, and perhaps provide a few ideas for those in the process of planning a future trip to SE Asia.

Below are links to my blog posts organized by country; the list will be updated as future posts are published. Upcoming blog posts will include recounting of experiences in, and impressions of, destinations such as northern Laos, Hanoi and the sights to see around the Vietnamese city of Ninh Binh (about two hours south of Hanoi by car), new parts of Bangkok recently visited, and an excursion to Malacca, Malaysia from Singapore by bus (one of the options for a get-away while staying in the 'Lion City').

In the future, I may include posts on where to experience a taste Southeast Asia (not to mention the sights, sounds and smells) in northern, central and southern California, recounting visits to night markets, Water Festivals, temples and the like (such as the addendum to my post on Singapore's Orchard Towers legal mini-red light district which suggests where one can experience the 'Southeast Asian red light district vibe' in and around San Jose's Little Saigon - as an observer only, mind you!)

Burma (Myanmar):
Rangoon’s (Yangon's) Central Fish Wholesale Market , Outdoor Vendors near Mandalay’s Zeigyo Central Market , Slideshow: Memories of Burma - November 2006 , The Upside of Food Poisoning in Bagan, Myanmar (Pagan, Burma) , Burma (Myanmar) - Rangoon Reminiscing Part 1: Bus-Cars, Small Arms and a Shwedagon Sunset , Burma (Myanmar) - Rangoon Reminiscing Part 2: Wandering Vendors, a Reclining Buddha and the Burmese 'Gentlemen's Club' Concept

Cambodia:
Guns N' Lingas: An Early Morning beyond Siem Reap , Glimpses of Poverty and Hardship in Siem Reap , Cambodia: Siem Reap Sans Apsara Authority Temple Pass

Indonesia:
Bali, Indonesia - Part I: Ubud, the Cultural Heart of Bali , Bali, Indonesia - Part II: A Morning Trek & Sights on the Outskirts of Ubud , Bali, Indonesia - Part III: Bangli, Batur and Perhaps the Best Pork Ever , Bali, Indonesia - Part IV: Chants, Trance and Sunset Seafood by the Seashore

Malaysia:
Kuching: An Intriguing Sample of Malaysian Borneo

Singapore:
Singapore’s Pulau Ubin (Ubin Island) , 'Makan' Memories of Singapore , Orchard Towers – Putting the ‘Sin’ in Singapore , Singapore's Geylang Serai Wet Market (Pasar Geylang Serai)

Thailand:
One Night in Patpong
Bangkok's Khaosan Road, and Temple Ruins in Ayutthaya - Part I: A Khaosan Road State of Mind
Bangkok's Khaosan Road, and Temple Ruins in Ayutthaya - Part II: Pom the Khaosan Road Bar Girl & Snake Encounter at Wat Phra Si Sanphet
Northern Thailand: Chiang Mai, Hill-Tribe Trekking and the Golden Triangle

Vietnam:
Photo Essay: Vietnam's Bac Ha Sunday Market , Northwestern Vietnam: Rice Terraces and Hill-tribe Encounters in Sapa - Part 1: The Streets of Sapa, and a Black H'mong Girl Named Ha , Northwestern Vietnam: Rice Terraces and Hill-tribe Encounters in Sapa - Part 2: Three Villages and a Funeral

General Posts:

Enchanting SE Asia is Now on Instagram

In addition to some preview photos of the countries visited and associated links to published blog posts, I am including down at the bottom a video called 'Southeast Asia: My Favorite Part of the World', which is a montage of short video clips (5 to perhaps 15 seconds in duration) shot during four trips to Southeast Asia between December of 2006 and May 2010 (which is after I traded in the point & shoot 35mm film camera for a digital video-capable camera, something I wish I had done prior to the first three trips to Southeast Asia). The clips provide a glimpse into the cultures and local color of the countries and destinations therein visited. Note that with my recent trip to Laos and Thailand (November/December 2023), I will be updating the aforementioned video to include additional footage from Laos and Bangkok. Cheers!