Thousands of ancient Buddhist temples and structures of various grandeur and state of disrepair were scattered across Bagan’s scenic riverside plains. Here are the temples I visited during my four day trip to Bagan, my favorite destination inMyanmar (B

Hidden in a quiet neighborhood in suburban Chiang Rai, Thailand was an eccentric art haven full of freakish art installations, infamously and collectively known as the “Black Houses.” Journey to the Black Houses Getting there by public transport was an

Luang Prabang was my first major destination in Laos. This town is known as a UNESCO World Heritage town and Laos’ premiere tourist destination. I loved wandering around the old riverside district, walking along quiet streets lined with Buddhist temple

The 1961 Art Hotel combined inspiration with relaxation. It was a cool and interesting place worth checking out in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I started my journey to Siem Reap with long bus rides from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. By “long,” I mean, the bus rides an

30+ photos from five days in Upper Myanmar: Bicycle tour in Mandalay, scenic train to Hsipaw, and adventures at the ancient cities of Mingun, Amarapura, Innwa, and Sagaing. Yet another long night bus brought me to Mandalay, 3rd stop on my 14 day backpa

I traveled to Laos with a mission to surround myself in the beauty and serenity of the Laos countryside. I was totally looking forward to wander around remote villages, hiking past blooming rice paddies bordered by towering limestone cliffs. I ended up

The sky was shrouded by pitch black darkness when our night bus arrived in Bagan (from Yangon) around 3am. Day 1 Arrival in Bagan, Myanmar I didn’t bother to book a hostel room beforehand. After arrival, my “game plan” was basically to get on a pick-up

I couldn’t have thought of a better destination to kick-start my trip around mainland South East Asian than in, drum roll, please …. Thailand!  So cliché, I know, but this country took up the lion’s share of the “banana pancake trail” for a reason: I

I was at the end of my backpacking journey around mainland South East Asia, with one more country left on my itinerary: Myanmar. Myanmar, also known as “Burma,” had only recently become a popular destination in the South East Asian backpacking trail. B

The golden spires of the Shwedagon Pagoda reached out into the heavenly twilight. I was caught dazed and breathless by the surreal golden sunset at Yangon’s most popular landmark. For two months that I was traveling around South East Asia (Thailand, La