Giant limestone karsts erupt from the water, Green clings to rock and escapes into the sea, A sea dog barks on a floating market, Wooden boats glide without making waves. Mountains of stacked volumes that tumble, Orange dragons hide in giant caves, A conical hat, two paddles and a boat, Macaques fling down from branches…
Laos in pictures
Rice farming at the Living Farm, outside of Luang Prabang Versatile rice treats Local student creating bamboo animals Traditional Laos house Annual boat race on the Mekong River, Luang Prabang Rowers enjoying the race from the river bank Spectators Local beer Rice regulators Tuk tuk Barges Wat Xieng Thong Buddhist temple Phu Si Temple Sunset…
Batu Caves
The golden statue of Hanuman, the noble monkey devotee of Lord Rama, towers peacefully over the base of the caves and encourages pilgrims and tourists alike to scale the hundred steps to the dark craggy mouth above. This temple is overrun by the resident macaque monkeys, who playfully chase each other in between quietly sitting…
Working in a paddy field
We were at the Living Land farm, where local farmers demonstrate how to harvest rice to educate tourists, and in turn support the local farming families with their schooling and medical needs. Each of us were issued with a woven bamboo conical hat and set to work in the waterlogged green fields. Our guide, Laut…
Thai massage Vs. Laos massage
I’ve sampled both a Thai and Laos full body massage, and here’s how they compare: My sister and I signed up for a traditional Thai massage in the reggae-infused town of Krabi, Thailand. We’d spent a day climbing clay cliffs and swimming in caves at Railay beach, and after a few long bus journeys felt…
Living on the Lake
Men in textile cone hats waved at us as we rocked past in our boat, their tanned round faces wrinkling in delight. The still water cast gentle ripples behind the reed boats, which had great curling necks that became grotesque laughing puma heads with white painted teeth. Passengers sat in the helms or the bellies…
Mopeds
Two wheels is the way to ride in Thailand. Whole families jump aboard, young teens skid off burning tyres trying to impress their sweethearts, and food vendors attach their stalls as side carts and trundle up busy roads. We decided to have a go at in the relaxed river town of Krabi. Out of the…
Scuba diving in Koh Tao
Koh Tao is full of great dive sites for scuba divers of all abilities: the shallow coral bays of Japanese Gardens and Mango Bay where reef sharks frequently hang out, night diving in White Rock with turtles and hunting giant barracuda, deep diving in Chumphon where whale sharks have been spotted recently, and exploring the…
Top Tips: Surfing down sand dunes
Huacachina in Peru is a surreal place. Steep golden sand dunes tower over the green lagoon where wading birds parade in the water against blood orange sunsets. Hotels cluster around the water. At sunrise, guests trek 250ft to the top of the slopes, and enjoy the view of the desert for miles around. Growling dune…
Ferns and forest 