It’s a short bridge across to the island; two hundred years ago people used to make the journey by elephant-back. The spoke-like rows of rubber trees rhythmically passing by in a car today are immediately hypnotic. Upright as sentries and organised as if for parade, the trees create a canopy that looks cool and inviting….
Read moreTake time to unwind at Tamarind Springs
Going on a holiday? Feeling torpid, exhausted, lethargic or just plain lazy? If you’re heading to Ko Samui, the doctor would definitely prescribe a half-day treatment at Tamarind Springs, a boutique day herbal steam and massage spa. They’ll provide everything from your sarongs to your thongs; all you need to do is present your weary,…
Read moreWaterways
Situated on a hill rising dramatically at the intersection of two rivers, Luang Prabang has for centuries enchanted those who arrive by boat – still probably one of the best ways to first see the former royal capital of Laos. This town dominated by wats of unspeakable beauty is somnambulent, peaceful and languid, masking a…
Read moreTha Khaek: Throw away your guidebook
While the guidebook says it’s called Sikhot Hotel, the sign out the front says it’s Soksoomboon Guesthouse. While the guidebook says it’s housed in a former police station from the French era, the guesthouse manager insists the building was formerly used by petty government officials. We’ve just arrived in Tha Khaek, the capital of Laos’s…
Read moreA quiet corner of paradise
When I saw the height of the winding red dirt track we were going to have to traverse, I threw down my pack in despair. That was December, and not unusually for the time of year, the water was too rough to take a longtail to the bay from Mae Hat, where boats from Chumphon,…
Read moreLak Sao: Road to nowhere
If the world was flat, this town would surely be at the very edge of it. A tumbleweed or two blowing past wouldn’t be out of place, while a bar with wagon wheels adorning the facade would fit right in. It’s dusty and blisteringly hot; it’s full of ancient trucks, noisy tuktuks and disabled buses;…
Read moreHuay Xai: Gateway to northern Laos
Crossing the Mekong at Thailand’s Chiang Kong to Huay Xai, Bokeo province Laos, is a casual experience. Checkout of Thailand, hand 20 baht to the sampan pilot, putter across, and check into Laos. It’s hard to believe you’ve also just made it through two international customs points. It seems few travellers want to hang around…
Read moreThe occidental tourist
‘Quaint’ is the adjective travellers most frequently come up with when struggling to describe the small town of Hoi An in central Vietnam. Yes, the old trading town of Hoi An is quaint. And as Vietnam extends a welcome to more tourists, it is becoming one of the most popular stops on the easy-to-navigate mini-bus…
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