Travel Reports & Pictures

Travel, Holiday and Vacation Reviews and Photos from Bars, Restaurants, Hotels, Resorts and Destinations around the World.

Ayuthaya – Thailand – southeast Asia

On the travel tour in 2006 i was staying in Ayuthaya to visit the Historical Park of Thailands old capital. We paid 170 Thai Baht for one double room with fan in the old BJ guesthouse in central Ayuthaya near Tony´s place which offer good meals, drinks and a pool table. We arrived by train from Bangkok. The travel turn took us 2.5 hours and it was 15 Baht per person. The City was from 1350 till 1767 the capital of this country in southeast Asia. After two years war with the burmanese the Royal family fled to Thonburi. The old historical temples and building of the national park are the tourist monopole at Ayuthaya.

Ayuthaya Historical Park

Ayuthaya Historical Park

After we checked in we go to the old temples who are surrounded of three rivers. The Mea Nam Lopburi, Mae Nam Pasak and the Mae Nam Chao Phraya formed a natural barrier around the beautiful old buildings. The sunset at the national park of Ayuthaya is beautiful! The temple ruins shine in the red sun of Thailand. The park is easy to reach by foot or taxi. On this evening we was visiting the Wat Suwannawat, Wat Ratburana, Wat Thammikarat and the Wat Mahathat which is close to the Beung Phra Ram lake. The temples are connected by beauties walking streets.

Walking Street in Ayuthaya

Walking Street in Ayuthaya

When we come back we took a shower at old BJ and than we was going in the city in a pub to drink some Chang beers. Opposite of the Moon Cafe we meet some Australian and Japanese backpacker. We took a taxi to a disco where we made party till the early morning. On the next day we woke up at 2pm at our home stay hotel. On the way to the Ayuthaya historical Park we saw some elephants who share the streets with many cars and scooters. A nice view for two guys on the first big travel tour far away from home.

Elephants in Ayuthaya

Elephants in Ayuthaya

Our point of interested was on this day the Wat Mongkhon, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Lokaya Sutha and the old Royal Palace. After this station we had enough of culture an we gone back to the city for yummie food at Tony’s place.

Historical National Park

Historical National Park

The old ruins of Ayuthaya was a highlight of our travel tour at Thailand. I can recommend Thailand’s old capital for all travelers and backpackers in southeast Asia. Ayuthaya isn´t far from BKK. You have many options like train, bus and minibus to reach this amazing city in Thailand. From here we travel by bus to the Kanchanaburi province.

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Siem Reap – Cambodia – southeast Asia

Sunrise at Angkor Wat

Sunrise at Angkor Wat

In the end of january 2009 Moun and me was traveling from Koh Chang to Siem Reap for see Angkor Wat. The temples of Angkor are the biggest religious building in world and from Koh Chang easy to reach with the minibus. We was starting at 7 o´clock here on the Island. Our first station was Aranya Prathet in Thailand. Here we cross the border to Poipet in the Kingdom of Cambodia. The border was buisy and we need about 2 hour to come into Cambodia. Direct after the duane of Thailand are many casinos and big hotels, many people of Thailand make holiday over here for have moneyplay because on thai side it´s illegal.

Highway in Cambodia

Highway in Cambodia

From Poipet we took a taxi to Siem Reap. The turn needs 3 hours thrue Cambodia over sand streets. Compared to other countries in southeast Asia the Kingdom Cambodia is less develloped but everywhere they build, Many projects are supported by states like south Korea or Japan. Wat AngkorIn the late afternoon we arrived our hotel “Bequest Angkor Hotel”. The room had air-con, TV, fridge and hot water for 15 USD. Here in Cambodia rule the dollar, even if you go to a ATM you get the US notes. 1 dollar are around 4000 Cambodian riel. In the morning of the next day we was going with a Tuk Tuk to Angkor Wat for watch the sunrise behind this spectacular Buddhist temple. This Wat are built for King Suryavarman 2th in the 12th century. The entry fee is 20 USD so really expensive for Cambodia but ok for this amazing wat (wat = temple). When the sun was up we gone inside to view the spectacular architectural and the old Buddha statues in the floors of Angkor Wat.

Wat Angkor

Wat Angkor

After we took breakfast in a small Khmer restaurant near the temple. The next point on our day plan was Wat Byon which is a Buddhist and Hindu temple. The 54 Gothic towers of Bayon temple are decorate with 216 Avalokitesshvara faces. Bayon are planed from Cambodias legendary King Jayavarman 7th.

Wat Bayon

Wat Bayon

For me was the highlight the Ta Prohm temple. This atmospheric ruin at Angkor is famous from the movie Tomb Rider. At the temple of Ta Prohm you can see the might of the jungle. Big vast roots locked like tree muscles the walls of this beautiful monument of Siem Reap.

Wat Ta Prohm

Wat Ta Prohm

Some years before it was danger to go around Angkor because of the landmines from the Khmer Rouge. But now it´s ok around Angkor, but still here in Cambodia many people lost a leg, a arm or the life from the weapons of Pol Pot´s clique.

Ta Prohm Temple

Ta Prohm Temple

After 7 hours exploring the Angkor we drove back to the Bequest Angkor Hotel to taka a nap. In the afternoon we walk to a restaurant which we found in the Lonely Planet Cambodia travel guide. The “Butterfly Garden Bar” close to the “Stung Siem Reap” river are nice for a brake for a fresh fruit shake. In the tropical garden here are many butterfly’s under a net. We was sitting under a palmtree next to a pool with koi-fishes. A good place to take a deep breath in this busy city in Cambodia. A bit south of Siem Reap are the floating village of Chong Kneas on the Tonle Sap Lake. We was visit this fisherman village on the 3rd day of our travel tour through Cambodia we took a boot from Siem Reap to the capital Phnom Penh. The boot pass the Tonlé Sap Lake into the Tonle Sap river. After this six hour bootstour through Cambodia we arrived Phnom Penh.

Fisher on Tonle Sap River

Fisher on Tonle Sap River

The landscapes and the Khmers are nice. We was sitting on the boots roof and watch the people during they take in they nets. Every year the cambodian fishing about 430000 tonnes of freshwater fish out of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap.
Cambodia is beautiful for travellers who want to traveling a less develloped country. My Lonely Planet travelguide was a good choice for this trip. I will come again to Cambodia to visit the sea region and the islands like Koh Kong for scuba diving. The locals invite you, with a smile, to a great country in southeast Asia! Cambodia is easy to travel, many TAT´s offer bus and boot tours to many destinations in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Angkor Wat is amaizing, i can recoment this old monument  in Siem Reap to all people who are intresting in magic places and great cultures.

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Nong Han – Udon Thani – Isaan/northeast Thailand

Middle 2008 i was with Moun in her hometown near Nong Han in Thailands Udon Thani province. We was starting on Koh Chang and going first to Korat to get the bus to Udon Thani in north east Thailand. The life here in this small farmer village is simple. Realy simple! The drinking water comes from the heaven and the water for shower and toilet out of a underground spring. Here you feel like back in the past. The most people eat the rice who grow up on the own field.

Ricefields near Udon Thani at Isaan

Ricefields near Udon Thani at Isaan

Every morning i woke up at about 6 o´clock of the chicken. Many people from Isaan (northeast Thailand) have chicken for eating or they have them for cock fighting. When the cocks fight to each other they have blades on they feeds. The fight is over when one animal are dead. Here in northeast Thailand the supermarkets are rare and unpopular anyways. Isaan people buy here thinks like meet, vegetables and clothes at the market. One time i needed a ATM, the next was around 40 minutes with the motorbike through rice fields in Nong Han. The life is on the street and everyone knows everyone. The people stand up in the morning and bring the kids to school, after they make thinks like washing clothes with the brush, cooking food or just sitting on the street and speak with the naibors or take a nap. The landscapes are mostly flat, just some mountains you can see on the horizon. Here at Isaan in the Udon Thani province the landscapes are dominated of ricefields with buffalows on. In the kitchen everythink work without electricity but not without cole or wood.

Kitchen in asia

Kitchen in asia

The food is easy, some sticky rice with vegetables and meet, papaya salad or rice with egg on wood cooked over fire. I enjoyed the food, its tasty because everything is fresh and really healthy because everything is natural. For me it was the first time here at Isaan, so time for me to say hello to Mouns parents. They kill a chicken and maked “Nam Tok Kai” with is chicken with chilly and herbs. The sticky rice what you eat together with the chicken comes fresh from the fields. Everyone who say rice don´t have taste have to try fresh one! It´s delicious! To this event nearly the hole village comes and we was sitting on the ground, eat and drink together, and the people speak and laugh. We was like V.I.P. guests this evening and was sitting on the head of this round. All people witch i meet was friendly and always someone cheers with a beer. The habitats of this village in southeast Asia say like everywhere in Thailand Chock Dii what means good luck before drinking.

Cows at Isaan in Thailand

Cows at Isaan in Thailand

From while to while some cows pass the sandstreets folow by a thai farmer who bring his animals back to home. One time i was going with Moun to Udon Thani city to buy something. The province capital is not really different as all other cities in Thailand. Traffic, fumes, many people and one shopping center with a KFC. Udon Thani is near the border to Laos, so the Isan language is the same as in Laos. But everybody speak Thai aswell. With English to communicate is hard because nearly nobody speak it. Some people speak two or three words like hello or how are you, but if you answer they don´t understand. So i was really happy to have my girlfriend with me not just for translations. Everywhere i come everybody was looking to me because white people from the west are rare. Many Isaan people try to speak and help the travellers but it´s difficult because of the leanguage barrier.

Landscape near Udon Thani in northeast Thailand

Landscape near Udon Thani in northeast Thailand

This part of Isaan is beautiful and quiet nearly everyday i was sitting on the way and reading a book and nothing disturb me. Northeast Thailand especially this small village i will never forget because of the relaxed atmosphere and the nice people. The walking on the lonely path are nice and you can forget everything while watching some buffalo’s on the neon green rice fields. This part of southeast asia is special, don´t miss the Isaan on your Thailand traveling tour! The Lonely Planet travel book will help you to come here and find the right accommodation on this adventure trip.

Click here to find Thailand Hotels.

 

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Singapore – Asia

When i was middle 2007 for traveling in Malaysia i go for a short trip to Singapore. I took the train from Kota Baru to Singapore city. The trip was around 25 hours and i don´t had a seat because it´s was fully booked. But still it was nice because i was sitting on the open train door and looked all the time to the jungle in Malaysia. When i arrived at the rail station in Singapore i was down and i just want to sleep. The taxi brag me to a guest house witch i found in the lonely planet for southeast Asia. This guesthouse was full so i was going to the “fragerance hotel” in a dormitory. I slept with 7 other backpackers in the small room with stage beds. One night was about 20 US, expansive for southeast Asia but cheap for Singapore . Actual everything is same or more expensive than in Europe.

Skyscraper in Singapore

Skyscraper in Singapore

For public transport Singapore have the “Mass Rapid Transit” underground witch works really good. The stations are widespread and i never wait longer than 5 minutes for a train. In this Asian metropole many things remember on Europe. First at all everything is clean what is unusual for a city in south east Asia and of course the bank skyscraper. The lifestyle of the people is as well close to the life of the Germans. Wake up in the morning, going to the office and enjoy yourself with material things. The people need stupid things and status symbols like big cars and other materials to forget the boring job and the daily grind. The fines for take waste away are high and there are civil controls! For example: a cigarette or a chewingum on street cost 250 US, go out of Singapore with car and your tank is lower than half cost 500US, they find one close box of cigarettes when you come in cost 150US per box… The government do everything to keep the city clean. The cigarettes cost 15US per box and You can´t buy chewing gum in Singapore’s shops. One evening i was in Chinatown for shopping and drink a beer for 10 US per pint.

Chinatown by night

Chinatown by night

My favorite part of Singapore is little India. Little India have many Indian restaurants with yummies curry’s. I can die for it! The Indian markets invite for shopping and the traffic is lower than in other districts. The Irish pub “Prince of Wales” serve cold beer in a nice and more or less quiet beergarden. There is a lot to see in Singapore: museums, temples, church’s, mosques, a zoo and much more. In the “Fort canning park” You can find the “battle box” witch shows Singapore in the WW2 and document the fall in 1942 by the Japanese.

Bloom in Singapore

Bloom in Singapore

At the fort canning park there are some walking ways to forget the fumes and the noice of the metropol.
My result for Singapore: Nice to see but not more! Not just because of the prices i will not come back to the city. Many countries in southeast Asia offer more for me than Singapore. Still its a nice city and a rich state in Asia but to be there once is enough for me because actually i don´t like big cities. That was i saw in the 5 days is that Singapore is just a big metropole with a European touch.

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