Home » My Blog
Category Archives: My Blog
Outdoor Adventures: Laos
Outdoor Adventures: Laos
Laos might not be as popular as other crowd-pulling Southeast Asia countries, but it’s becoming more and more popular among travelers who crave nature, quiet corners, and relaxed laid-back atmosphere. Besides its diverse ethnic, history, culture, and food, it is safe to say that the country is heaven for nature enthusiasts. With its lush paddy fields, tea leaves that cover the mountains, turquoise waterfalls, river caves, and dark jungles, it is indeed an outstanding location for outdoor activities and ecotourism.
Take a Dip in Natural Pools
When you visit the UNESCO World Heritage Town of Luang Prabang, Kuang Si Falls is a must-visit. Surrounded by flourishing jungles is a large cascade of milky turquoise blue water that spills from a series of limestone tiers into a beautiful natural pool. It’s perfect for cooling off from the humid and hot air. You can take a dip or even swim in some of the pools, especially those in the main area. Taking a dip in the beautiful pools will make you feel like you’re in a fairytale. There are also rope swings and a tree where you can jump into the pools from! Don’t forget to hike to the top of the falls when you’re done swimming. It offers a spectacular view. Just be careful since the path is very steep.
Take note that there are some areas with a ‘no swimming’ sign, be respectful since some pools are considered sacred by the locals. Laos has a pretty conservative culture, so make sure to wear appropriate clothing. You can also visit the Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Center nearby after you’ve had your fill of the waterfalls.
Zip-Line in Jungles
Photo Credit: wanderant.com
Overcome your fear of height by hiking and zip-lining through the Dong Hua Sao National Park. You will get a full aerial view of the charming Bolaven Plateau. In addition to the beautiful lush jungle are waterfalls and swinging between treetops on a 400m zip-line will give you a new interesting perspective of the national park. If flying over the trees is not enough, you can sleep in one of the treehouses equipped with comfortable en suite bedrooms.
Trek National Parks
Photo Credit: namet.org
Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park Protected Area (NPA) is one of the national parks in Laos that offers ecotourism attractions called the wildlife conservation trekking tours. It is an exclusive opportunity to witness and learn about important wildlife habitats. Tourists can join in tracking wild species like wild cats, wild dog (dhole), and bears. You can also experience an exciting night safari, where you can join former village hunters in looking for wild and endangered animals and identify medicinal plants. While you’re in the national park, challenge yourself to hike the Phou Louey Mountain.
If you have extra time, be sure to take the 2 – 5 days’ tour. You will sleep in a unique ‘Nest’ homestay where you will feel one with nature. It’s a spherical basket suspended in the tree. …
Outdoor Adventures: Siem Reap
This popular resort town in Cambodia is home to the fascinating Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. Known to be the gateway to the ancient world that dates back to the year 802, visiting Siem Reap is the highlight of many tourists who travel to Southeast Asia. But there are plenty of other interesting things to do than visiting the temples. Take a hot air balloon flight around the Angkor ruins or have your adrenaline rushing on a zip line. You can explore and experience a lot of outdoor adventures here!
Hot Air Balloon Flight
Photo Credit: eoasia.com
Witness the picturesque scenery of Siem Reap from a bird’s eye view in a hot air balloon. Although the hot air balloons do not fly over Angkor Wat because the temple is under control of UNESCO, you can still see a beautiful aerial view of the Angkor ruins. With a relatively affordable price, you can feel the tranquility of this wonderful world famous heritage site. Choose the sunset or sunrise flights for a more breathtaking view and memorable experience. The flights usually last for around 35 minutes to 1 hour. This adventure is ideal for solo travels, couples, family, or friends. A flight usually costs about $143 but can increase on major public holidays.
Bike Tour
What other ways could possibly be better than a bike ride tour to discover all that this beautiful, quaint town has to offer? Take a cycle through the countryside on the outskirts of Siem Reap to witness the day-to-day village life or enjoy a full-day bicycle tour to see Angkor’s major temples. Get the chance to see a different side of the town and some lesser-known sights by cycling minor roads. If you decide to join the tour, a professional guide will show you the highlights and hidden gem of the Angkor Archeological Park. A full day bike tour usually costs around $45.
Quad Bike and Jeep Tour
Do you want to have an exciting exploration in Siem Reap? Challenge yourself for an ATV off-road adventure in the countryside of the town. You can choose any routes and durations. The routes are usually based on your ability to ride an ATV. If you don’t have any experience, there’s an easy route tour where you can still see the unique side of the town.
Another way to explore is by taking a Jeep Tour. The tour will take you to various places inside and outside of Siem Reap. You can choose your own preferred routes, including the sacred area of Kulen Mountain National Park (Phnom Kulen) which was said to be the birthplace of the ancient Khmer Empire or driving along rice fields and beaten paths to visit local areas. The price generally starts at $75.
Zip Line
Photo Credit: eoasia.com
Immerse in the beauty of Angkor Archaeological Park from treetops by zip lining across the magnificent jungle. You’ll travel up staircases, walk through hanging bridges, and soar through the jungle. This adventure can be scary but do not hesitate because there will be highly experienced staff to guide you, the zip lines have world-class safety, and you will be equipped with state of the art safety equipment. The tours cost between $65 to $100 and price is based on what package you choose.…
Outdoor Adventures: Hoi An
O
Hoi An draws tourists from all around the globe thanks to its white sandy beaches, peaceful vibe, Chinese temples, and Japanese merchant houses. This beautiful town is now filled with tourist businesses such as hotels, bars, and travel agents. Tourists with any budget can enjoy everything that this town has to offer. Located in the center of Vietnam, this town is not only historic, but it also boasts a lot of outdoor adventures. Travel a few kilometers further from the center, and you’ll find fantastic activities under the sun.
Bicycle Tours
Photo Credit: hoianservices.com
There is probably no better way to experience and explore this town than cycling through its photogenic alleyways and village paths. You can discover the unique side of Vietnam and get a glimpse of Hoi An. This tour offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan cities. Don’t worry about traffic because the biking routes are usually in countryside areas away from the main roads. Children can also partake in this fun adventure because many tours offer small bikes. The land is pretty flat so it is an easy cycle.
Within a quick 10-minute ride from the town center, you can see farmers working in the paddy fields, fishermen in the river, and the beautiful landscape along with simple local life. If you don’t want to have a guided tour, you can simply rent a bicycle. Nearly everywhere offers bike rentals.
Farming and Fishing Tours
Photo Credit: Vietnamnews.vn
Get in touch with the local life by joining farming and fishing activities instructed by local farmers and fishermen. This tour will give you an insight into agriculture. Cultivate the soil with a local farmer, enjoy the paddy fields with water buffaloes, and watch rice farmers tend their crops. When you go to the river, you can learn how to use fishing nets and ride basket boats. This is a fun and memorable family activity.
Kayaking or Canoeing
Kayak tour is the best way to explore the places that can only be reached from the water. Discover the true beauty of Thu Bồn River, the river that plays an important role in the history of Hoi An. Witness the rural life on the river, where many fishing activities take place. You can still enjoy the river even if you don’t have any experience in kayaking, a guided tour in the Canadian canoes are available.
Stand-Up Paddle Board
Photo Credit: South East Asia Backpacker
If kayaking is not adrenaline pumping enough for you, Stand-Up Peddle Board might be the best choice. It is an easy but physically engaging activity. Wake up early and see the most beautiful sunrise you will ever see in your life. The long paddle board can be hard and intimidating at first, especially when you’re new to it. But with a little lesson and balancing, you will find it relatively easy to do. This tour is definitely a must if you visit Hoi An.
Diving
Of the coast of Hoi An is a diving paradise. With hundreds of different varieties of coral and fish swimming in the warm waters, the marine life will give you a memorable experience. The visibility around the diving sites is great, so you can enjoy the beauty of the underwater world. Multilingual instructors are ready to give you the best diving tour ever. Watch out for small jellyfish as they sting and leave a sore rash.…
South East Asia Tours – Things To Keep In Mind
If you are
planning for the South East Asia tours then you should be focused on
lots of things. In the SE Asia, you can visit numerous places for
spending the quality time. When you are going to visit such places
then you need to be focused on various factors. You need to keep some
basic things in mind that can help you in avoiding the issues and
getting a better experience. In the upcoming points I’m going to
mention some important ones.
Cash economy
In the South East part of Asia, mostly the individuals are considering the way of cash. In case you want to visit there then you should carry cash with. Another important factor is related to the payment of bills. These countries are available with cheap services. Due to it, no one needs to pay bills at higher rates.
Seat issue in public transport
The main factor about the public transport is the availability of seat. Mainly the trains and buses are overcrowded every time. Due to this particular condition, it becomes difficult to get a seat and complete the journey comfortably. On the other hand, if we talk about the buses then these may leave when they get complete full. Here, you may face delay in time.
Be careful
Key fact that may create issues for travelers in South East Asia is scams. There are different types of individuals available those are always becoming ready for trapping someone in the scams. You should be careful while traveling there and try to make decision by paying attention to various factors.
Humid
When anyone is going to travel to another place then he/she needs to get complete knowledge about the weather and associated factors. If we talk about the weather of South East Asia then it is completely humid. Due to it, you may face sweaty conditions there.
Currency conversion
The currency rate of South East Asian conditions is very low. Due to it, you should prefer the way of currency conversion first. In case you leave the country without changing the currency then it becomes difficult to convert it. You should forget to covert the remaining Asian currency to the US dollar.
Insect repellent
In these countries different types of insects are available. Mainly the mosquitoes are appearing as the biggest challenge. For preventing the mosquitoes there are various sources available such as – a specific net system for beds. Along with it, you should take insect repellent with as a precautionary measure.
Take shoes off
The SE Asian countries have numerous impressing and historic temples. There are lots of tourists are visiting such places for spending a good time and get interacted with history. When you are going to visit such places then you should keep two facts in mind. First, you need to take off shoes outside the temple. Another factor is related to the dressing style. You should wear clothes appropriately. As per the instructions of most of the temples, both boys and girls need to cover their knees and shoulders. …