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& LAOSThe Insiders’

Experience local festivals, discover ancient cities and explore these three exciting countries, off the beaten track. MYANMAR Cover image: Getty Images / Pham Le Huong Son Contents Festivals Calendar Festivals When to Go Visas Central Vietnam Central Vietnam Southern Vietnam Scams and Safety TravelSustainable Tips Food Border Crossings Border Don’t Miss: Don’t Miss: Cambodia Don’t Miss: Vietnam Overview 13 8 Luang Prabang CHINA 18 Vang Vieng 12 2 Vientiane Luang Namtha

Siem Reap Phu Quoc Sapa Si PhanDon

Phnom Penh CAMBODIA LAOS Can Tho Phong Nha Halong Bay Virachey Ho ChiMinhCity 24 10 19 15 21 17 9 6 5 4 3 VIETNAM Phan Thiet Dalat Hoi An Essential insurance Tips insurance Essential Need an Insurance Quote? See Our Other Contributors Our Laos Northern Prabang Luang Cambodia A Nomad’s Story Vietnam Northern Hanoi Southern Laos Southern Vientiane Laos South the & Sihanoukville Northwest Cambodia Reap Siem Cambodia Northeast PenhPhnom 58 Welcome! 28 59 enough to spot a rare Irrawaddy rare Irrawaddy a to spot enough

Cambodia and Laos, and that’ll that’ll and Laos, and Cambodia Banana Pancake Trail.Banana Choose and in remote in camping and rafting experiences around Vietnam, aroundexperiences Vietnam,

take you off the well-trodden and you’lland unique experience Our local insiders share their share their insiders local Our the season you wisely, in the River. the in dolphin cultural events, go trekking, trekking, go events, cultural

areas, or perhaps be lucky tips on the most incredible

38 68 30

65 62 54 39 34 42 73 73 47 74 51 71

& Overview &

Vietnam Cambodia Laos 2 Tips Insurance

Contents DON’T MISS Vietnam

Sapa & Overview & Halong Bay Contents

Hanoi Explore Tam Coc by bike Go to page 33 Explore the caves in Phong Nha-Ke Bang , Vietnam Go to page 27 Phong Nha Vietnam

Da Nang Hoi An Cambodia

Nha Trang Dalat Phan Thiet Ho Chi Minh City Find quiet Phu Quoc Can Tho trails in Sapa Go to page 31 See Linh Phuoc , Dalat Go to page 21 Laos Insurance Tips Insurance

Go in Bai Tu Long Bay Go to page 30

3 DON’T & Overview & Contents Contents

Relax on Island Go to page 56 Vietnam

Spot the rare Irrawaddy river dolphin in Kratie Go to page 42 Virachey Battambang

Siem Reap Cambodia Kampong Cham Go trekking, rafting and camping in Go to page 45 Sihanoukville Laos

Take a ride on the Bamboo Train in Battambang Go to page 51 Insurance Tips Insurance

Explore the Angkorian temple complex of Koh Ker Go to page 47

4 DON’T MISS Laos & Overview & Contents Contents

Halong Bay Luang Namtha See shining temples in Vientiane Luang Prabang Cycle into the countryside Go to page 60 Vang Vieng surrounding Vang Vieng Go to page 69 Vientiane Vietnam

Pakse

Si Phan Don Cambodia

Bike the Bolaven Plateau Go to page 63 Laos

Discover the 4,000 Islands Go to page 64 Insurance Tips Insurance

Go hiking in Nong Khiaw Go to page 68

5 Border Crossings All you need to know about traveling overland between Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. & Overview & Contents Contents The previously drawn out process is now slightly faster, and some of the borders even have nice air- conditioned waiting rooms. But, you still have to allow an hour or two and be prepared to stand in line for

a while. You’ll come across people Vietnam Cycling in Vietnam near the border with Laos

who will offer to help carry your bags Getty / MarcPo Images across the border for a small price, but letting your bags out of sight notorious Poipet border. Although – even for a moment – could be a it has improved in recent years, the Most visitors recipe for disaster. best way to avoid any uncomfortable will arrive in run-ins with the infamous border Thailand and Cambodia Border scammers scammers (which can include bogus cross into Most visitors will arrive in Thailand officials) is to hold onto your Cambodia at and cross into Cambodia at the and hand it over at the counter the notorious yourself, keeping some small bills Poipet for any extra ‘fees’ you might entail, border. preferably paid in USD. Never give your passport to anyone who isn’t

standing behind the counter. Laos However, while you’re waiting at the entry terminal at the border, such as at the Ha Tien and Chau Doc border between Vietnam and Cambodia, some bus companies will offer to take Insurance Tips Insurance in for stamping to save time. You may be asked to hand your passport over to the official bus staff, but be prepared and have a photocopy of your passport with you, in the Boats at Preah Rumkel

Getty Image / Karin de Mamiel de Getty / Karin Image unlikely case you don’t get the original

6 Getty Images / gionnixxx also add up. add also aspassport, fines for losing these can into your are stapled that paper of exit forms safe, as well as any pieces example. for KeepCambodia, your country –it’ll cost you US $10/day in any in your visa overstay Don’t A few extra tips include: advisable. also necessary trips to the bathroom is any for available change small Having case you are asked for an address. night’s in accommodation sorted, fill out thevisa forms, and your first you have passport photos, apen to border, crossing the When ensure bring to What your passport. you back give your name, take your fingerprints and processing the visa they will call out back. When the officials are done Water way to Chau Doc Vietnam To-Do List might just disappear. just might Watch Show inconvenience.the arrive. you If arrive at the border late you becharged fees extra for afternoon are the busiest times to cross, as it’s when all the buses public holidays. using If private the morning transport, and the Research ‘fees’. Keep visa. Visas for Laos and Cambodia bepaid must in USD. Ensure months. six least Double border. the around at to get avisa before arrival to Vietnam, so don’t risk being turned Check A truck drives on road amuddy in Laos small bills such as US $1 in your pocket in case of any extra respect, bepatient respect, and courteous. Asmile goes along way! your visa requirements before you go. nationalities Most need your bags at all times. Turn your back for amoment and they you have photos passport and the exact change for your check your has passport blank visa pages and is valid for at when it’s busy, and avoid crossing on weekends and

Getty Images / mathess

& Overview &

Vietnam Cambodia Laos

7 Tips Insurance Contents Visas in advance. in need to apply for avisa visas at the border, and if you currency you’ll need to pay for Research and find out what arrive in each country, especially country, especially each in arrive moneyChange some before you exchange Currency beforehand. requirements your country’s checking arriving by plane, so it’s double worth nationalities to certain arrival on nearest consulate before you travel. of approval, or by applying at the done online as an via e-visa, aletter for visas before arrival. This can be US and Canada, still need to apply other countries, such as , the visa-free entry, although citizens of countries, such 15 as days the UK, of European certain allows Vietnam Vietnam for Visas apply for avisa before arrival. should check to see if you need to you countries Eastern Middle and African, American, South Asian, from check before you travel. double but $35, around US cost Australia, and New Zealand. Visas countries, as well as the US, Canada, European from most for visitors arrival border crossings allow visas on In both Cambodia and Laos, most Visas for Cambodia and Laos Some also airports offervisas you’reIf traveling on passports

ripped off. ripped rate, to make sure you’re not getting app to get the current exchange be higher. Download the XE currency change money, but the rates might official exchange offices canalso for fake or torn bills. The bank and deal, and you should always check to see who will give you the best although shopping it is worth around exchange rates at the local market, . from the 7/11 before the long drive to prepared so you can afford a snack aren’t too bad, but it’s being worth border Cambodian the of side Thai The border exchange rates on the if you need USD to pay for avisa. Cai RangCai floating marketCan Vietnamin Tho You can often find the best before arrival. before visas for need to apply still Canada, the US and Australia, such as countries, other of citizens although entry, visa-free 15 daysUK, of such as the countries, European allows certain Vietnam

iStock / Nina Hilitukha

& Overview &

Vietnam Cambodia Laos 8 Tips Insurance

Contents Cassie Wilkins When toGo for the best time of year. to make sure you plan your trip and expensive. Use these tips time can be incredibly crowded this during traveling festivities, weather and lots of local great has season high While activities mayactivities be more difficult some season,monsoon but (Laos). Tha Nam around Luang trekking and October are good months for May April, monsoon. height of the month is usually September, at the monsoon rolls in. The wettest and November and the southwest when the winds between shift May seasonFebruary. begins Monsoon weather –especially in January and April, you can expect sunny, dry through November seasons; from Cambodia and Laos have two Laos and Cambodia Seasons to travel in Sambor Prei Cambodia Kuk, Sambor T ravelers can still visit during Travelers during visit still can

Seasons to travel to Vietnam in Seasons difficult. be flooding of roads, transportation can or kayaking), and, due to the (e.g. trekking time jungle this during a blossoming paradise of flowers. will encounter the best weather and season, while during spring trekkers be best in October after the wet Views of Sapa’s rice terraces will weather is most consistently fair. for trekking around Sapa as the May and October are good months April, fall. and spring during better Trekking in northern Vietnam is of Sapa can be quite cold and wet. seasons: winter in the northern town have distinct four Vietnam northern October. to May and April, and ahot season from a cooler season between November seasons to Laos and Cambodia, with similar has Vietnam Southern Cycling outside Hanoi, Vietnam Hanoi, outside Cycling The mountainous areas of mountainous The October. from May to season hot a and April, and November between season with acooler Cambodia, Laos and to seasons similar has Vietnam of The south

Unsplash / Hoach Le Dinh

& Overview &

Vietnam Cambodia Laos 9 Tips Insurance

Contents Festivals Calendar Here’s a snapshot of what’s going on throughout the year.

Vietnam January: Tet, the Lunar New Year in Vietnam, is celebrated from the first day of the first month in Lunar Calendar and lasts a week. During this season, many shops are closed, as & Overview &

people visit family and friends to exchange gifts and enjoy Contents generous meals. During Tet, you’ll see fireworks, elaborate flower displays, parades, and can sample specialty foods only made during Tet. February: See the Perfume Pagoda Festival in Chua dance ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City, Lunar new year

Huong. Buddhist pilgrims flock to the pagoda to pray for / Quangpraha iStock happiness, prosperity, and to celebrate the full moon.

April/May: The Hue Festival is held once every two years. Vietnam Travelers can see boat races, street performances, live theatrical re-enactments of royal ceremonies, and watch plays which bring Vietnam’s history to life. During this time, the city is alive with art, music and delicious food. August: Trung Nguyen (Wandering Day) is the second-largest festival in Vietnam (after Tet) when the living Cambodia and the dead meet. Food and fire are a big part of the festivities. Floating candles on the river in Hue Getty Images / Pham Ty Getty / Pham Images

Cambodia April: Choul Chnam Thmey (Khmer New Year) is celebrated with parades, dancing, singing and water throwing. It’s great

fun, and not to be missed. Laos September: honors the spirits of ancestors, who are believed to return to earth at this time. It is one of the most colorful and photogenic times of year in Cambodia. October: Bon Om Touk is a water festival, held in Phnom Insurance Tips Insurance Penh, which marks a reversal of the flow between the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers. Travelers can watch boat races and see fireworks. December: The Festival is celebrated in December, when music, acrobatics, fireworks and food markets pop up Wat Ounalom during Pchum Ben festival

around Sihanoukville. Beard Getty / Elizabeth Images

10 Laos February & March: The Boun Khoun Khao (Rice Festival) is held to give thanks for an abundant harvest season, and is celebrated with large servings of local dishes and rice wine, as well as singing, dancing, and traditional music. April: Boun Pi Mai (New Year) is celebrated with parades, dancing, singing and water throwing. This is great fun, and not to be missed. & Overview & May: During Boun Bang Fai (Rocket Festival), bamboo Contents rockets are made to carry prayers directly to the god of rain to ask for a harvest season free from drought, floods, That Luang Festival, Vientiane or pests. Getty Images / John Lund August: Boun Souang Heua is a boat-racing festival near Luang Prabang. Similar festivals occur throughout Laos (including Khammouane) over a six-week period, before the end of Buddhist lent, from the end of August until October. Vietnam November: That Luang is Laos’s national symbol and most important religious monument. The Boun That Luang festival is held here for three days at full moon, when race offerings are made to earn merit for rebirth into a better life. Ribeirodos Santos Cambodia Year-round Festivals at a Glance

Vietnam Cambodia Laos JANUARY Tet

FEBRUARY Perfume Pagoda Festival Boun Khoun Khao

MARCH

APRIL Hue Festival Khmer New Year Boun Pi Mai Laos

MAY Boun Bang Fai

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST Trung Nguyen Boun Souang Heua Insurance Tips Insurance

SEPTEMBER Pchum Ben

OCTOBER Bon Om Touk

NOVEMBER Buon That Luang

DECEMBER Sea Festival

11 Transport destination in case they call your bluff an offline map and saving your it might downloading be worth and offer a discounted price.However, – adriver will probably chase after you price walking and start towards town cost, and if all else fails, turn down the make friends on the bus to split the Tuk to get to your . you If can, prepared to haggle for ataxi or Tuk waya little out of the main city, so be buses will drop you off at stationsbus hidden. possible to and keep try your phone on buses, so exercise caution where common asleep. is Unfortunately, theft before falling especially possible, luggage and keep it as secure as your hand in keep your valuables all beaten track. areas if you want to go far off the local buses will get you to remote tourist hot-spots in each country, and main the service companies that bus scenery. of change There are several nice a provide can and spectacular absolutely is Vietnam through by bus, although the train journey generally is country around each get The best and most affordable way to Travel by bus Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. of the best ways to get around some are here Asia, of might be unreliable across much While roads and timetables Another thing to note is that alot of When traveling by bus, always rent a bike and take to the open road. paperwork in order before you buy or should always ensure you have the before they will cover you, so you size of and bike style you’re hiring) same (for the from your country home require proof your of motorbike license motorbike,a companies most and riding when injury medical personal covers you for that insurance license. if they catch you riding without a your motorbike you over impound and may pull police local the and accident, won’t cover you if you get into an your insurance travel this, Without the country for at least three months. visa and without being aresident of tourist a license on driving Vietnamese and it is currently impossible to get a to ride any motorcycle over 50cc, license driving to have Vietnamese a mandatory by motorbike.around is is It increasinglyAn popular way to get Traveling motorbike by way on your own. and you end up having to walk all the You will also need to have travel of scenery. change nice provide a can and spectacular absolutely is Vietnam through journey train the although by bus, generally is country each around way to get affordable and most The best

Brian Rapsey

12 Overview & Vietnam Cambodia Laos Insurance Tips Insurance

Contents Food western and Thai flavors,typical but tourist areas is heavily influenced by with fish sauce, are common. fried rice or noodles, often flavored meats, as well as vegetable/egg soups with vegetables and grilled US $1–$2 from street stalls. Noodle meals, as many cost as as little serve as the basis for several budget widely available and will probably noodle, and stir-fried dishes are a kick to local dishes. much an acquired taste but delivers The strong-smelling paste is very used to flavor soups and sauces. fermented fish paste and is often concoction. resulting in adelicate yet tasty leaves lime and coconut, lemongrass banana leaf, is flavored with creamy slightly-sweet fish curry,steamed in dish you have eaten elsewhere. The dish –is unlike any version of the referred Cambodia’s to as signature fish and Cambodia, Freshwater fishstaple is a in Cambodia Southeast Asia. Southeast in dishes tastiest the of some in local cooking techniques result the ingredients are fresh and always follow the locals. Here, Cambodia or Laos you should while exploring Vietnam, To find the beststreet food Much of the food in Cambodia’s Several affordable very rice, Prahok is Cambodia’s is take on amok – often often – dish is pho is dish Perhaps the best-known Vietnamese cooking. Vietnamese of benchmarks of all the right herbs are the blend a and Freshness, simplicity Vietnam beef with red tree ants. dishes, such as stir-fried sale, they also turn up in some photos of the deep-fried bugs on taking for fee small a travelers with some vendors even charging somewhat of atourist attraction, and while they have also become Cambodia, throughout snacks as beer on the streets of Siem Reap. chrouk sach rice (bai and pork tender grilled is menus. Afavorite street go-to food feature some dishes on Cambodian flavored with fresh herbs, topped Fish on sticks in Cambodia in sticks on Fish Insects are commonly eaten Insects , a light rice noodle soup, soup, rice noodle light a , ), enjoyed with acold Siem Reap. Siem streets of beer on the by acold accompanied chrouk), sach and rice (bai pork grilled tender is food go-to street favoriteA

Kelly Beckta

13 Overview & Vietnam Cambodia Laos Insurance Tips Insurance

Contents Parinaz Bilimoria flavored with herbs and chili. vegetables and grilled fish or meat, is characterized rice, by sticky fresh ofin Thailand the northern parts and found to that similar is cooking Lao Laos leaves.green pandan which may also be flavored with puddings, Vietnamese in ingredients mung beans tend to be used as Tapioca and dessert. after-dinner with coconut milk is apopular different flavors. Sweet sticky rice in available pudding, or drink che in found commonly in Vietnamese and desserts, is well somewhere near the town. using only water drawn from asecret in Hoi An, and is said to be prepared typical is noodles and pork based on lau Cao pork. or shrimp with fresh vegetables, herbs and Vietnam’s famous spring rolls stuffed Quarter. Hanoi’s in Old dish with bean sprouts and meat. Try the Food in Hue, Vietnam A favorite dish from Laos is laap Coconut milk features widely Another staple cuon is goi , asweet , adish , , in neighboring countries, too. countries, neighboring in although it’s not uncommon to find it salad, is also aLao specialty, hoong mak Tam eaten by hand. and baskets bamboo individual in served it’s rice) is mainly found in Laos, where khao niew khao Asia, throughout Prabang. Luang and beside the river in stalls from sold algae, river crispy out on kaipen with citrus and fish sauce. Don’t miss a minced meat salad, lightly flavored one of the restaurant staff. cooking, followed by aclass led by traditional in used ingredients and herbs you’ll the about learn will include amarket tour where organized by local restaurants and culture.local regional food context and its in the also teach you about the history of great food, but the best classes will Not only will you learn how to make your destination home with you. great way to take something of Learning to a cook is food local Cooking classes ubiquitous in the cities across all three countries. and pickled vegetables. Cafes coffee serving and pastries are of Vietnam’s most popular streets foods, stuffed with pâté, pork, throughout the day. French bread is also used mi for banh an assortment of fillings, are commonly eaten for breakfast and obvious in all three countries, where baguettes, crusty stuffed with were of French part Indochina for around 60 years is from 1887) The influence of French(Vietnam,Cambodia food and Laos Colonial Influences on Food While rice is astaple all Many cookingMany classes are , a spicy green papaya green papaya spicy a , , flat sheets of fried (sticky fish sauce. fish citrus and flavored with lightly salad, meat a minced Laos is laap, from dish favoriteOur

, one one ,

14 Overview & Vietnam Cambodia Laos Insurance Tips Insurance

Contents Travel Tips Sustainable guided jungle trek or by visiting (or is on awildlife-watching tour, a • The best way to see animals before visiting. • Do your research on all zoos usually done with punishments. paint, has to be trained and is watching ashow where elephants like animals, in behavior Human • Hanoi), it is being harmed. environment (e.g. into the streets of its of taken out is animal an time any and sedated animals, involve generally opportunities that riding them is unkind, photo remember involves animals, that tour a joining you are considering If • destination. encounter animal or particular a • Always read traveler reviews about mind:in Here are afew things to keep . for forests from species , or of the theft wild danger. Don’t contribute to cruelty, in animals put that experiences animal all against is Nomads World . natural their in animals, they should only be viewed exotic other and tigers, elephants, While we’d all love to encounter tourism Animal and Laos. Cambodia Vietnam, through positive impact while traveling Use these tips to make a

what you are buying isn’t stolen, questions• Ask to make sure significance. with deep cultural or religious such as ancient ruins or places • Never take things from monuments rare species. endangered be supporting poachers and you could as medicine, Chinese used or tigerivory in parts, • Don’t buy products, such as  • Do your research when shopping: to tell. stories interesting have and fascinating people more you on your , you will meet the community that is supporting This way, you are giving back to artisans. makers and producers, andAlways support local try shopping volunteering at) awildlife sanctuary. Artisanal stone carving, Siem Reap, Siem Cambodia carving, stone Artisanal Avoid animal products. Avoid products. animal travels. your on you supporting that is community back to the giving are way, you This artisans. and makers producers, local support andtry Always

Sam Grimmer

& Overview & 15 Vietnam Cambodia Laos Insurance Tips Insurance

Contents in the area? Does it blog about its practices tourism sustainable of development the in participated or Has the operator• won any awards, products? their about of promisestype are they making read its policies; what Look • at the business website and the following: minority.Hmong and run by awoman from the Black not-for-profit , founded O'Chau, the first international and Sapa example is One potential. improving their own economic local products to travelers while ethnic minorities to offer authentic whichpartners has allowed local by tourism development supported heavily been has around Sapa people. to local skills handicraft increased or training tourism give to universities or partners, local INGOs, international or donors projects, which usually work with Tourism development other or ask other travelers or locals. your research do and tours, online a difference. Before booking any prosperity is agreat way to make local and practices, business ethical to sustainability, committed is Booking with atour provider that tours Sustainable significance. cultural or historical has item the claiming is seller the if especially When researching, keep in mind researching,When keep mind in For example, the trekking industry Based Community about out Find waste problem. waste won’t be contributing to the plastic you money in the long run, and you to buy bottled water, which will save filter bottle. This will limit your need buy aSteripen or aLifestraw water schemes. don’t have adequate waste disposal often which communities rural in of or wrapped in plastic, especially plastic bags, avoid products made bag to help cut down on single-use Travel with areusable shopping plastic the out Cutting Code of Ethics for Tourism? for Ethics of Code criteria, such as the UNWTO’s Global tourism sustainable any implementing theIs company • supporting or initiatives? prosperity local or sustainability Vang Laos Vieng, Travel with reusable cutlery, and bottled water. bottled need to buy your limit will bottle. This water filter a Lifestraw or Steripen Buy a

Sam Grimmer

16 Overview & Vietnam Cambodia Laos Insurance Tips Insurance

Contents and Scams Safety travelers. inebriated, often and unsuspecting, from stealing Cambodia, in walkways that spill out of the pubs and onto the weaving in and out of the bar stools helps pickpockets who are masters of also it air tropical and humidity the public buildings. While this helps with an open design adopted by most Pubs and clubs are usually built with Cambodia in Pickpocketing belongings. yourwatch children, to talking When caught. being cameras, and without passports, wallets, taking pickpocketing, at good are incredibly Hanoi, and City Minh Chi Ho in particularly Vietnam, injured. or dragged being you risk as your onto bag hang markets for anew one. to Don't try just let your bag go and head to the do come across asnatcher, you can valuables in your hotel safe so if you avoid drive-by bag snatchers. Keep your body, from dangling to your bag anywhere else you travel. Don't leave to keep it on your radar just like Crime in Vietnam is low, but best it's Vietnam crime in Petty Stay safe with these tips. and over-priced taxi rides. to pickpocketing, travel scams in Southeast Asia are related Most issues travelers will face Some children in the streets of back from the tube rental office. back before dark to get your deposit rife. Avoid this, by making sure you’re are vendors rental tube and drivers bars, where scams between Tuk Tuk controlled and run by police-affiliated up in the or hotel safe. close leave and your valuables locked Keep thieves. be your belongings to avoid becoming of avictim would- well-worn trails to avoid any injuries. from years of war remain. Stick to the prove deadly, as unexploded items Plain of Jars in northern Laos could Walking off established paths at The Laos in crime petty and scams Dangers, move. to they're still there whenever you get up if you’ve carried it with you) and check • Sit on top of your wallet (or passport that's where you keep your valuables. back exposed, pockets especially if • Never pick aseat which leaves your set against awall. • Select aseat with ahigh, solid back target: a Here are afew tips to avoid becoming Hue, Vietnam Hue, River tubing in Vang Vieng is tightly tightly Vang is in tubing River Vieng Always take necessary precautions

Vietnam. travelingin while and Vinasun taxis Mailinh use Only journey. short for a more paying up rate, so you end speedy a at jump to meters their set Taxi drivers often kip riel/dong/ or dollars whether if it’s in US "five",costs clarify something you that in. avendor If tells currency aprice is what confirm Cambodia. Always and Vietnam Laos, throughout dollars are quoted in US transportation ,food, and Many prices for change.correct the received you’ve alwaysAnd check version. cheaper have bought for a the items you scam is to switch common A buying. after electronics) (especially bought what you have inspect Always Scammers with Deal to Tips .

Parinaz Bilimoria

17 Overview & Vietnam Cambodia Laos Insurance Tips Insurance

Contents

18

and varied as its culture. its as varied and Insurance Tips F

in the far north, Vietnam’s are as captivating captivating as are landscapes Vietnam’s north, far the in

surf of the east coast and the jagged limestone karsts karsts limestone jagged the and coast east the of surf rom the white sand beaches of the south to the wild wild the to south the of beaches sand white the rom Laos VIETNAM

HHiStock SoftLight / Cambodia Vietnam Contents

& Overview Karst Mountains Karst VIETNAM Ho Chi Minh City This is a city that never stops, a cement jungle where millions of motorbikes flow through insane traffic in one of the fastest- & Overview & growing economies in the world. Contents

South Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City is an exciting place to be, famous for its wide boulevards and French colonial architecture – remnants from pre-1975 when the city was

also known as Saigon. Vietnam Ben Tranh Market

To understand the city's beautiful iStock , you must visit its markets, walk through its alleys and, of course, Food and drink sit on the ubiquitous small plastic To understand why this is one of the chairs used at every sidewalk best street food cities in the world, restaurant and cafe. spend an evening on Vĩnh Khánh Cambodia Street in 4. This street is Markets for locals famous for seafood, and dinner with The Ben Thanh Market is only for drinks will only cost you US $10. If To tourists. For a local experience, you come earlier in the day, you can understand head to Xóm Chiếu Market in get breakfast or lunch for as little as the city's District 4. It’s noisy, smelly and US $1. beautiful soul, you crowded, but it also serves a The streets that border the Nhieu must visit its

delicious variety of street food, Loc–Thi Nghe Canal (Trường Sa and Laos markets, walk including bún mắm (seafood noodle Hoàng Sa streets) are lined with local through its soup). This is an evening market, so restaurants and outdoor vendors alleys and, visit after 4pm. selling icy-cold beer and grilled of course, For a mid-morning market, dishes. Visit the northern side where sit on the check out Võ Duy Ninh Street, in the two streets intersect Điện Biên

ubiquitous Tips Insurance Bình Thạnh District. It’s a vibrant Phủ to see how locals enjoy their small plastic neighborhood where travelers evenings in Saigon. The canal's chairs used are rare, and many of Vietnam’s tree-lined paths are also great places at every wonderful culinary treats are on for morning walks, and you'll often sidewalk display, including frogs, duck and all see people exercising at outdoor restaurant kinds of fruits and vegetables. public gyms. and cafe.

19 VIETNAM

Spend some time exploring the tiny alleys and bars of nearby Little Tokyo – or if the traffic’s driving you mad, head up to a rooftop bar.

Turtle Lake Turtle Lake in District 3 is a great spot to see Vietnamese social life. & Overview &

Young people park their motorbikes Contents and spend their evenings enjoying snacks from street food carts, while sitting on the concrete walkways that sit above the water. The towering cement sword emerging from of the pond symbolizes the harmonious layout of the city, with Vietnam the head of a dragon resting at Independence Palace and the tail Bui Vien Street lurking under Turtle Lake. The sword ENG / LIM Unsplash pins the dragon's tail to keep it from disturbing people's lives. Motorbike tours Though it may seem terrifying, City tours Cambodia Where to go for history because of the famously insane usually The War Remnants , traffic, a motorbike tour is the best start with Independence Palace and the Củ way to take in the sights, sounds and the colonial Chi Tunnels, just outside the city, smells of this city, and most of the buildings and are the best places to learn about drivers speak English, so they double then take in the (or the American as guides. Just remember to always the hectic War, as it’s known locally). But you wear a helmet – if you’re not wearing alleys and won’t enjoy the tunnels if you’re one, your won’t side streets Laos claustrophobic. This extraordinary cover you for any accidents. of outlying network of tunnels, built by the Việt City tours usually start with the , with Cộng during the war, can be a tight colonial buildings and then take in stops for squeeze. the hectic alleys and side streets of street food If you travel to the Củ Chi Tunnels outlying districts, with stops for street along the Insurance Tips Insurance as part of a boat trip, it will also food along the way. You could just way. include a tour of the Saigon River. ask a motorbike taxi driver to show You'll see Landmark 81, the tallest you around, but you'll have a much building in Southeast Asia, as well as better experience if you book with the Majestic Hotel, built in 1925 in the a reputable company, such as Tigit French Colonial style. Motorbikes or VN Bike Tour.

20 VIETNAM Southern Vietnam The energy is palpable in Vietnam’s south, felt everywhere from the lush mountainsides of Dalat to the winding river & Overview &

bends of Can Tho. To witness Contents this region’s startling pace of change, look no further than the south’s beautifully bizarre temples, sizzling street food, tech-forward start-ups and Linh Phuoc Pagoda

boho-chic coffee farms. Getty / efired Images Vietnam

See a pagoda built out of that are built in every wall, ceiling and pillar of this sacred temple along with beer bottles More than six The journey to the Linh Phuoc porcelain and terracotta. decades ago, Pagoda, Vietnam’s most eccentric More than six decades ago, the the bottles temple, is pee-in-your-pants terrifying. bottles were broken, polished and were broken, The harrowing trek starts at the Dalat then painstakingly placed, one by one,

polished Cambodia railway station and involves rumbling on the temple by an ever-so-patient and then along rusted tracks in an old train, group of Buddhist nuns painstakingly careening toward steep mountain and monks. Today, the glass shards placed, one passes and ending up in the sleepy gleam under the sun, and snake along by one, on hamlet of Trai Mat. the spine of the 164-foot-long dragon the temple by But that’s not the strangest part. that winds through the temple’s an ever-so- What is are the 12,000 beer bottles grounds. The pagoda also boasts patient group of Mahayana one of the world's largest standing Laos Buddhas, decorated with thousands Buddhist of small flowers. nuns and monks. Spend a night in a madman’s hotel Insurance Tips Insurance Nestled in the otherwise serene town of Dalat, the Crazy House is an unusual villa not unlike an Alice in Wonderland fever dream. Featuring Gaudí-meets-Disneyland architecture, Camly waterfall in Dalat

Getty / galitskaya Images the Crazy House has been open since

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1990 and has 10 themed rooms. A short saunter around the hotel grounds is something of an adventure, taking you through a labyrinth of gates and winding passageways, ducking into tiny tunnels and hidden crannies. A night’s stay in one of the hotel’s themed rooms starts at 540,000 VND

Phoenix Island, Overview & Contents Contents (US $24), or you can pay a modest Getty Pacheco Images / Lucas admission fee of 30,000 VND (US $1.30) to explore during the day. Nga Nam and Nga Bay to sample seasonal fruits and fresh seafood. Nothing Authentic life on the Book a tour via your hostel/hotel, beats hiking Mekong Delta or go to the river and rent a boat and in Vietnam’s Take a to Phoenix Island on skipper to explore the riverbanks. Cat Tien Vietnam Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, where you’ll National find a 500-year-old shrine filled with a Hiking in Cat Tien National Park Park, where hodgepodge of dragon-emblazoned Nothing beats hiking in Vietnam’s Cat travelers columns, spaceship-like steeples and Tien National Park, where travelers can wander a decaying floating pagoda. can wander through forest groves through In its glory days, this barren and of soaring centuries-old trees below forest groves beguiling wonderland was once the misty billowing clouds. of soaring Cambodia holy ground for devout worshippers Often regarded as a destination for centuries- who paid their respects to the most and watching, the vast old trees hallowed and hollowed of Vietnam's national park is also quite spiritual, below misty fruits — the coconut. Disciples used to filled with , found beside billowing seek salvation through a steady diet of gurgling streams, where monks clouds. coconut flesh and coconut water. gather to meditate and pray.

Can Tho beyond the tourist traps Snorkeling the Con Dao Islands Laos The city of Can Tho is the heartbeat Vietnam’s hot temperatures could of the Mekong Delta, with gushing easily break the thermometer. The rivers that serve as the lifeblood for fix? Visit these islands dotting the locals and city folk. The best way to southern coast of Vietnam, edged get an unvarnished view of local life is with sun-dappled beaches and Insurance Tips Insurance to take a boat ride along the river and surrounded by iridescent blue waters. delve into the city’s bustling traditional Float in the waters of Con Dao Islands, floating markets. Arrive early to avoid or explore the underwater world of the push and shove of tourists, who coral reefs and tropical fish by scuba often come later in the day, and be diving or snorkeling with a local sure to stop by Cai Rang, Phong Dien, operator on the island.

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and surf, but one of the most haunting reminders of the Vietnam War can One of the also be found on the island. The doors best ways of Phu Quoc Prison have long been to explore closed, but a large part of the building Phan Thiet has been transformed into a moving is on foot. memorial and museum worth visiting Wade into to understand the Vietnam War from the coastal & Overview &

the local’s perspective. city’s shallow Contents turquoise Phu Quoc bays to Chris Slupski Unsplash Slupski Chris Whale temples in Phan Thiet explore One of the best ways to explore a raised Village life in Nha Trang Phan Thiet is on foot. Wade into the coastline with Just a few hours away from Ho Chi coastal city’s shallow turquoise bays coral cliffs. Minh City, the high-octane beach to explore a raised coastline with coral

of Nha Trang is where most cliffs. Or take a stroll down to the Dinh Vietnam Saigon residents go to relax on the Van Thuy Tu, one of the city’s so- weekends and breathe in the sea called whale temples and the largest breeze. Along the promenade, locals museum for whale skeletons that are relax on the laid-back beaches and several storeys high. Here, whales are watch surfers ride the waves as the worshipped as divine creatures that sun goes down. Head to fishing safeguard against storms and bad Cambodia villages, like Ninh Thủy, about 24mi fortune. (40km) away from Nha Trang, to feast on the day's catch of crab and fish, Coffee in Dalat grilled in front of you. Try a cup of silky sweet iced coffee brewed at one of the small, family-run Sandboarding in Mui Ne operations of Dalat, many of which Head to the golden sand dunes hail from the remote tribal minorities of

of Mui Ne, on the southeastern Vietnam’s mountainous highlands. Laos coast of Vietnam, to try your hand This southern city has emerged at sandboarding. Even if you’re not as a major producer of specialty, particularly keen on shredding down boutique coffee beans. In the past, the red and white sandy slopes, you colonial rulers sought out Dalat as a can still get a sneak peek into the summer retreat. Today, it is known as Insurance Tips Insurance year-round rigorous training regimen the country’s “Petite Paris” – a city that of Vietnam’s Olympic athletes who hugs lush Lang Biang Mountain, and train for snow and ice sports here. enjoys spring-like temperatures. Get your Bourbon Arabica caffeine fix at History on Phu Quoc Island coffee plantations and find out more Phu Quoc is best known for the sand about the tribal ethnic minority culture.

23 VIETNAM Central Vietnam Between the imperial glory of Hue and the heritage hotspot of Hoi An, the heart of Vietnam has cultural gems, pristine beaches, & Overview & and stunning landscapes. Contents

Cycle around Hoi An Start your journey around central Vietnam in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An, an enchanting place where lanterns

hang from buildings along the Thu Vietnam Hoai river in Hoi An

Bon River. / Gargolas iStock Hire a bike for the day, and cycle through the countryside where you’ll Shopping in Hoi An pass rice paddies and large water Hoi An was once a major hub along buffalo, and see the locals tending the silk trade route, and is still the their fragrant vegetable farms. In best place in Vietnam to get bespoke Cambodia town, take a stroll past the ornate clothes made. You can shop for Japanese bridge, the stunning customized clothing at talented tailor Chinese Fukian assembly hall, where boutiques, including the family- Chinese migrants met to socialize, owned BeBe. Take along a photo of and the many golden-yellow French what you want made. colonial buildings. Hire a bike for the day, Explore the My Son Ruins and cycle

Hop in a taxi, join an organized tour Laos through the or, if you’re feeling adventurous, hire countryside a motorbike, and enjoy the hour-long where you’ll ride through quaint villages to the pass rice My Son ruins, a group of abandoned paddies and and partially destroyed Hindi temples

large water Tips Insurance dating from between the 4th and buffalo, and 14th centuries. Arrive at sunrise to see the locals peacefully explore the monuments tending their that were destroyed during ancient fragrant battles and bombings during the vegetable Skewered meat in Hoi An iStock / goc iStock Vietnam War. The decaying temples, farms.

24 VIETNAM dedicated to the god , aren’t as big as Wat or Bagan, but there’s something fascinating about the resilience of these crumbling structures.

Take a cooking class in Hoi An A favorite among travelers, the & Overview &

Vegetarian Cooking Class at family- Contents run Minh Hien Vegetarian Restaurant is hands-on and includes a bike ride to the Tra Que Vegetable Village to learn about local , and a visit to an open-air produce market to hand select vegetables for the class.

Local delicacies include the chewy Vietnam Da Nang Beach cao lầu noodle dish with its secret / YaraPHam iStock ingredient of ash and white rose. Vietnamese princess, Buddhist and Da Nang and the Marble Hindu shrines, and an underground Mountains cave depicting the levels of Hell. The best view Da Nang is Vietnam’s fastest-growing Don’t miss Cau Vang, the of Da Nang is from the top Cambodia city, and has several religious sites spectacular new 500ft-long (150m) of the Marble as well as a few quirky places to visit, bridge that appears to be held up Mountains. such as the Dragon Bridge, which by two giant stone hands and is a On your breathes fire on weekends at 9pm. remarkable sight. At 4,600 ft above way up, you Take a drive around the Son Tra sea level, the 500-ft long bridge can visit a Peninsula and stop by the gigantic offers uninterrupted views of the stunning Linh Ung Pagoda. The 219ft (67m) surrounding mountains. mosaic

Bodhisattva of Mercy is the tallest pagoda Laos Lady Buddha in Vietnam and protects Hai Van Pass dedicated to the expansive bay from destruction Hai Van means “the pass of rising a Vietnamese by typhoons. Traditional bamboo sea” due to the daily phenomena princess. basket boats full of sardines linger in of clouds filling a gap between the the sea, as loom in the rolling hills. Insurance Tips Insurance distance, making for an astonishing Hire a motorbike, hop in a taxi or juxtaposition. join an organized tour for the full-day The best view of Da Nang is from drive along the scenic road from Hoi the top of the Marble Mountains. On An to Hue. your way up, you can visit a stunning Along the Hai Van Pass, most mosaic pagoda dedicated to a travelers stop at the Elephant

25 VIETNAM & Overview & Contents Contents

Vietnam's most famous dragon at Ho Thuy Thien Vietnam Lola Mendez Lola

Springs to cool off, but there are The unique waterpark of Ho other waterfalls to be discovered, Thuy Thien The massive too. Don’t miss Dam Cầu Hai, the The most famous dragon in Vietnam dragon once largest saltwater lagoon in Vietnam is at the abandoned Ho Thuy Thien housed an with its colorful fishing boats, or waterpark, near Hue. The massive

aquarium, Cambodia the Lập An Lagoon where the sea dragon once housed an aquarium, and today is meets mountains and oysters grow in and today is a canvas for graffiti a canvas for abundance. artists. There are hollow water slides graffiti artists. The pristine Chan May Bay remains and other old rides to visit, but undiscovered. The entire beach tread carefully as the structures are is virtually empty, except for a few vulnerable. It’s no longer possible to food shacks and the occasional local pay off the guard to enter, but if you

floating on the crystal-clear waters on take the footpath before the entrance Laos an old tire. and trek through the jungle (stay left), you’ll find yourself standing in front of Visit An Bang town the majestic dragon. About a half hour before reaching the Nguyen Dynasty Imperial Citadel in Beaches of An Bang Insurance Tips Insurance Hue, stop off at An Bang, a sprawling An Bang is the most popular beach cemetery with more than 4mi (7km) on the backpacker trail in Vietnam, of incredibly adorned mausoleums. but there are many nicer beaches Each is an individual tomb, with to visit including the aptly named mosaic artwork that would leave Hidden Beach. Located just south Gaudí speechless. of An Bang, (easily located using

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Google Maps). Hidden Beach boasts silky sand, turquoise waters and cheap massages on the beach. Take a day trip to the Cham Islands with local NGO Karma Waters, to go snorkeling or . Visit Tam Thanh, a fishing village that isn’t well-known to travelers & Overview & but will be soon due to its vibrant Contents street art murals that depict daily life. Volunteers painted the town a few years ago to create Vietnam’s first mural village under the ethos of art for better community.

Phong Nha Caves Parinaz BilimoriaParinaz Explore the Central Highlands Vietnam After exploring the stunning coastline Caves of Phong Nha-Kẻ Bang National Park of central Vietnam, take a bus inland Explore 400 million years of history inside Vietnam’s Phong Nha-Kẻ to the Central Highlands to learn Bàng National Park, a UNESCO Heritage Site in central Vietnam that about agriculture, view endless green remained undiscovered until two decades ago. vistas, and discover waterfalls off the Tra Ang Cave: Explore Tra Ang Cave as part of a tour. Once inside, you beaten path. can only get around by swimming in the river running through it, which is 0.62miles (1km) long and 164ft (50m) wide. After reaching the end, you Cambodia The pristine Hồ Lắk Lake in Dak can lie on your back and let the current float you back to the mouth. Lak is only accessible by boat. Paradise Cave: At 19mi (31km) long, Paradise Cave’s limestone Travelers can explore the area by formations are the size of cathedral pillars. Since it was discovered by a hiking the hills or kayaking to local local man in 2005, it’s become one of the most impressive locations to visit in Phong Nha-Kẻ Bang National Park. villages to try their hand at the 8 Ladies Cave: This is one of the easiest to visit without a , region's famous pottery at artisans and is a 20-minute drive from Paradise Cave. Vietnam’s rich yet homes. heartbreaking war history is apparent inside. Here in 1972, a group of women perished after becoming trapped inside by a bomb blast during Laos the Vietnam War. Today, a cave shrine and temple stand to honor them. Hang En Cave: If you're after a more serious adventure, the Hang En Cave is the third largest cave in the world, and can be explored on a two-day, one-night camping and trekking adventure tour. For this trip, you'll have to go with Oxalis Adventure Tours, a company that takes care of the safety and logistics of the trip and employ locals from Phong Nha

and Tan Hoa village for a sustainable, eco-friendly experience. Tips Insurance Travel Insurance and Caving Before you go, be sure your travel insurance covers you to go caving. You may have to buy a particular plan or upgrade your adventure sport coverage before cover can apply. Some plans may exclude caving completely.

Endless mosaic tombs at An Bang ghost town Lola Mendez Lola

27 VIETNAM Hanoi Vietnam is well known for its communism and conservatism, but now a blossoming counterculture scene is emerging, bringing more independent creatives to the & Overview & country’s quaint capital city. Contents

Hanoi’s Old Quarter This area is known for its kitsch hangouts, where hipsters cool off with iced coconut drip coffee and you Hanoi park

can chow down on local street food Saczek / Lukasz Unsplash

from early morning until late at night. Vietnam Grab a dish with grilled pork, fragrant dens, and vintage underground fish sauce, vermicelli noodles mint shops selling zany and vintage Stroll around leaves and herbs. Try a cinnamon post-war trinkets. Hanoi’s pork and banh cuon, or rice rolls filled Stroll around Hanoi’s charming charming to the brim with minced pork. lakeside neighborhood to find vegan lakeside food or try a legendary egg-yolk

neighborhood Cambodia Creatives of Hanoi coffee, while folk tunes play in the to find vegan Hanoi may seem like a strange place background. food or try to seek out brown leather man-bags In Hanoi, art is not just for the a legendary and fixed-gear bikes, but the city , and is also on display egg-yolk has your creative needs covered, for everyone to see – from murals coffee, while including indie bars, caffeine-fueled filling city walls to street art festivals, folk tunes and the ever-present French and play in the background.

Vietnamese-infused flavors of sizzling Laos street food.

Government-banned music concerts Focused more on grit than glitz, Insurance Tips Insurance Hanoi is a hub for trendy speakeasies filled with throngs of Vietnamese blues fans and aspiring punk rock artists. Invite-only, underground concerts, Fresh vegetables in Hanoi

Unsplash / Jack Young / Jack Unsplash hosted inside dingy, pop-up studios,

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While the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh may not sound like a lively attraction, & Overview &

every day Contents thousands of visitors – mostly Vietnamese Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum – make the Parinaz BilimoriaParinaz pilgrimage to pay their Vietnam are the antithesis of the simpering pilgrimage to pay their respects to respects to love ballads Vietnam’s radio airwaves so-called Uncle Ho. so-called are usually known for. Based on the design of Lenin’s Uncle Ho. Here, in the land of state-approved Mausoleum in Moscow, the building's singers, these musicians march visitors must show great respect to a far more raucous, alternative and reverence. As you pass silently beat, singing about the rise of the by the glass case containing the Cambodia counterculture, and sometimes revolutionary leader’s body, you will politics, in Vietnam. How to get be under close watch by armed, in? Keep a close eye on the social stone-faced guards. No photography media of banned political pop artist, or videoing is allowed. Lines to get in Do Nguyen Mai Khoi, as she often can be long, so arrive early in the day. organizes these sort of events. If the The body is allegedly sent to police arrive, the event organizers Russia every October for a couple of

usually get a slap on the wrist and months for re-embalming. Laos maybe a fine. Why Civet Poop Coffee Really is Shit Ho Chi MInh’s Mausoleum Many visitors to Vietnam are keen to try or buy weasel, or civet- For culture of a different kind, head cat coffee, with its rare and chocolatey flavor, developed from coffee beans having passed through the civet’s digestive system. to the mausoleum of former Vietnam However, for this process to take place, the civets are trapped with Insurance Tips Insurance leader, Ho Chi Minh, who led the painful snares and wires, held in tight battery cages, and force- fed kilos of coffee beans, narrowing their diet and causing them country from 1951 to 1969. While the great harm. While civets are not currently endangered, their rate final resting place of Ho Chi Minh of capture is bringing the species horribly close. While there are may not sound like a lively attraction, farmers who let their civets roam free to eat beans at their leisure, and later collect the droppings, the markets are flooded with every day thousands of visitors – unethically produced versions of this coffee. mostly Vietnamese – make the

29 VIETNAM Northern Vietnam The craggy lime islands of Halong Bay are perhaps the most iconic natural wonders in Vietnam. But, the real treasures & Overview &

of northern Vietnam lie in the Contents rural areas off the beaten track.

Halong Bay Despite the growing number of visitors each year, and the Kayaking in Bai Tu Long Bay

accompanying , BilimoriaParinaz

there are ways to visit Halong Bay Vietnam without causing too much harm well as kayaking and great food, all to the fragile environment of this from the comfort of a nice boat. The equally UNESCO-listed site. First, check that dramatic your tour operator is eco-friendly: Cat Ba Island coastal read traveler’s reviews on TripAdvisor Still in Halong Bay, Cat Ba is a topography and look for positive reviews about beautiful island, in spite of a massive

of Bai Tu Cambodia the disposal of garbage, cleanliness surge in tourism and thoughtless Long may of boat emissions and level of development in the main town. play second professionalism on the trip before However, the jungle-clad interior of fiddle to booking. this craggy islet is raw, pristine and Halong when Most trips to Halong Bay leave untouched. Don’t miss the Cannon it comes from uninspiring Halong City, or Fort and Lan Ha Pay, an equally to visitor from Hanoi. You’ll have to buy an beautiful, but less-crowded, version numbers, but that doesn’t

admission ticket to Halong Bay, and of Halong Bay. Laos you’ll need individual entrance tickets mean it isn’t for some caves, grottos and fishing Bai Tu Long Bay as beautiful. villages. The equally dramatic coastal You can explore Halong Bay on a topography of Bai Tu Long may play cruise boat, by kayak, and on half- second fiddle to Halong when it Insurance Tips Insurance day, one-day or overnight trips on comes to visitor numbers, but that houseboats. One of the best ways to doesn’t mean it isn’t as beautiful. visit is to go on a combined two-day, Come here for a more relaxed one-night trip from Hanoi, skipping Halong experience. Halong City altogether, which will The slower pace of tours here include visits to villages and caves, as means that you’ll probably have

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region, and Sapa began to flourish as one of Vietnam’s best travel A great place hot-spots. to base A great place to base yourself yourself for for trekking, Sapa has many hiking trekking, trails, and local tour operators can Sapa has guide you through these stunning many hiking landscapes for a fee. Hiring a local trails, and & Overview & guide helps the economy (on top local tour Contents of the entrance fees you’ll pay for operators Local women in Bac Ha, Sapa

Brian Rapsey different places) and they will make can guide it easier for you to communicate with you through more time to explore the accessible the locals in the villages. these caves, swim in the clear waters If you prefer hiking independently, stunning between the towering limestone there are plenty of marked trails landscapes

formations, possibly spot , around Sapa. Cat Cat, Giang Ta, and for a fee. Vietnam enjoy kayaking and explore the forest Lo Chai are just three of the trails that reserves found on the larger islands are quite easy to do without a guide. in the bay. All are beautiful trails and lead to lovely little villages. Hiking around Sapa Home to Fan Si Pan, Vietnam’s Cambodia highest peak, and hillsides of emerald green rice terraces, Sapa is one of the most beautiful places in the country. First developed by the French as a refreshing hill station, far from the sweltering heat of the jungles, and as the gateway to the

region. But peace here didn’t last. Laos Following WWII there was a series of battles in the Tonkin region which left many of the most notable colonial buildings leveled in its wake. In the 1940s to early 1950s, Sapa Insurance Tips Insurance was attacked by independence fighters who drove the colonists from the region, but the French retaliated by bombing the area in a series of air raids. It wasn’t until the late Trekking in Sapa

1990s that tourism was revived in the Brian Rapsey

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Bear Dong Van Plateau (also known as the Dong Van Karst ) is a wonderful & Overview &

alternative to Contents popular Sapa.

Harvest season in Tam Coc valley iStock / Thanh Ngoc Tran Ngoc / Thanh iStock

Explore the Dong Van Plateau hillsides around the tiny village, and

Dong Van Plateau (also known as are great to explore on foot or by Vietnam the Dong Van Karst Geopark) is a bike, or just to chill out in. wonderful alternative to popular The ethnic minorities in Mai Sapa. Previously off the tourist radar, Chau are predominantly White and due to difficult access on poor roads, Black Thai, whose ancestors are visitor numbers to Dong Van are from Thailand. These people live in slowly starting to rise. traditional stilted homes but have Cambodia This is a stunning area of Vietnam abandoned their traditional dress, to trek in, the trails are less worn, and the town is now fully set up easy and well-marked. Located in Ha for visitors, so don’t expect a truly Giang Province, this region is also a authentic cultural experience here. very ethnically diverse population, Lots of tour buses arrive every hour with 80% of the people living in and the locals know how to sell their remote, rural areas. As you trek from beautiful woven souvenirs.

village to village, deeper into the Laos Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, See Ban-Gioc and Dietan Falls you’ll notice the numbers of tribal and You can visit these two waterfalls ethnic groups increasing, dressed in on a tour from Hanoi or visit fascinating clothes and selling local independently by hopping on the wares. public bus at Cao Bằng station in Insurance Tips Insurance Hanoi. On the way, check out Ngườm Culture in Mai Chau Ngao Cave to see stunning stalactite About 99 mi (160km) southwest of and stalagmite formations inside, and Hanoi, Mai Chau is world’s away from enjoy the cooler temperatures as you the noise of the Vietnamese capital. explore deeper and deeper below Here, rice terraces spill down the ground.

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After a visit to the cave, hop on a motor taxi (US $2) to take you the final 1.8 mi (3km) to the falls. There are signs everywhere that read “No Swimming” in both Vietnamese and English, but many tourists and locals find it hard to resist the blue pools that surround the cascading falls. It’s & Overview & best to follow the rules and just enjoy Contents these falls from the viewing platforms or from the bamboo rafts that offer Rice field and river in Tam Coc tours closer to the falls. Tran Ngoc / Thanh iStock

Bac Ha market formations, and usually includes Bac Ha has a popular Sunday lunch.

There are Vietnam market, and even if you’re not here to Don’t miss the many caves and dozens of shop, it’s worth visiting to experience grottos here, and try asking the local historical the explosion of color and chaos in women to teach you how to row a monuments this otherwise sleepy village. There Sampan boat the traditional way – in the area, are also some interesting markets which is with your feet. including a few miles from Bac Ha, including Dinh Tien at Can Cau and Lung Phin, which History in Hua Lu Hoang Cambodia offer a comparatively low-key village History buffs should check out the Temple, Le market experience. incredibly ornate ancient capital Dai Hanh of Hua Lu. There are dozens of Temple, and Tam Coc historical monuments in the area, Le Dai Hanh The location of the Oscar-winning including Dinh Tien Hoang Temple, Tomb. film Indochine, Tam Coc has recently Le Dai Hanh Temple, and Le Dai exploded on Vietnam’s tourism Hanh Tomb. Also check out the

scene. With large, dark karsts 15th-century Bich Dong pagoda, Laos emerging from vibrant green rice a fascinating group of mountain paddies, the scenery is larger than temples that lie a few miles north of life in Tam Coc. On a sunny day, Tam Coc. Built in 1428, this historical when the rice is ready for harvest, site climbs up Ngu Nhac Mountain. you could easily go through an Visitors typically ascend the Insurance Tips Insurance entire memory card of photographs mountain, viewing three separate and video clips. The best way pagodas along the way (Hạ, Trung, to explore the rice paddies and and Thượng) before reaching the limestone karsts is by bike. You can top and enjoying views of the rent them in town, or join a tour that surrounding countryside and karst takes you around these beautiful formations.

33 A NOMAD'S STORY & Overview & Contents Contents

Hung, the Boat Women of Hue An encounter on Vietnam’s Perfume River raises the question, Vietnam how much can we understand the lives of others?

For years, I had loved the words I raised the expectation, “Perfume River.” I imagined sailing You shook your head sadly. down this Vietnam waterway of which I knew Like fish in water Cambodia nothing. I imagined it smelled gorgeous and and fowl in the air Maxine the experience would be one of romance and It’s not easy to meet… Rose Schur poetry. That’s why, on my single day in Hue, I saw you off on your way Maxine’s travel the ancient, imperial capital of Vietnam, the And felt hundreds essays have first thing I did was find out how to take a boat of jumbled feelings. appeared in numerous ride on the Perfume River. Nguyen Binh (1918-1966) anthologies and Since I had only a day, the boat ride needed publications, including the

to be short as I was keen on seeing the famous Imperial City, the 14th-century Laos San Francisco walled palace complex, in the afternoon. “No problem,” said the girl at the hotel Chronicle, The desk. She arranged a taxi to pick me up in the morning and take me to one of Christian Science Monitor, the Los the river’s dragon boats. The boats, shaped and painted like , stop at Angeles Times, the main sites along the river, and tourists can hop on and off. Since I didn’t have The San Diego much time, she suggested I go directly to the Thien Mu pagoda and get a taste… Union-Tribune,

and Salon.com. Tips Insurance or rather, a whiff of the Perfume River, then return to Hue. At the dock, I found a boat waiting for me and soon realized I would be the only passenger. “Hallo Lady!” A thin, aged woman called to me. She reached out to hold my arm and steadied me as I jumped aboard the wobbly craft. She then bade me sit in a white plastic chair on the deck.

34 A NOMAD'S STORY

Most of the dragon boats looked grand, with two great dragon heads at the prow; this boat had only one. Like the woman, it was I stole glances at her. small and weathered, but I had complete confidence in its safety Her own stolen glances because the pilot, a silent, middle-aged man, looked steady. revealed she was equally With a long wooden pole, the woman, agile as a child, pushed the curious. Now and then, boat away from the shore. The engine rumbled to a start and off I we smiled at each other, sailed down the Perfume River. but made no attempt The river gets its name from the to converse. & Overview & fragrant scent of the blossoms from Contents nearby orchards, that float along the water in autumn. In that season, the Alex Hatton river must seem poetic but now, in winter, the wide, slow river was as gray as dust and the only fragrance I smelled was engine fuel.

I sat back and relaxed, watching Vietnam other dragon boats chug past under the cloudy sky. As soon as our journey was underway, the boat woman got busy. She unrolled a bamboo mat on the damp floorboards, went back into a small, dim cabin – the only room on the boat – and emerged with a styrofoam Cambodia cooler of soft drinks for sale. I bought a can of Coke and the selling continued. The woman must have made at least eight trips back and forth into the room, returning each time to present a different array of wares: silk pajamas, embroidered cloth bags, freshwater pearl earrings, horn bracelets, agate necklaces, key chains and sets of chopsticks, each charmingly tucked into a silk case. She spoke little English, but enough to be tireless in her effort to sell. Each time she brought out something new, I shook my head regretfully to show

I was not at all interested, but after a short while, seeing her look disheartened, I Laos relented and bought chopsticks. I couldn’t see much life from the boat, as the riverbank was hidden behind thick foliage, so I became curious about the woman. I stole glances at her as she moved about. Her own stolen glances revealed she was equally curious. Now and then we smiled at each other, but made no attempt to converse. Insurance Tips Insurance After an hour or so we came to the Thien Mu (Celestial Lady) Pagoda. I jumped off the boat onto the sandbank and walked up the hill path, through the small pine forest to the pagoda. Built in 1601, it is the oldest religious structure in Vietnam, and the crown of the Buddhist monastery surrounding it. The seven-tiered pagoda and the grounds of the monastery exude peace.

35 A NOMAD'S STORY & Overview & Contents Contents

The boat woman Yet this most tranquil place was a center for anti-government fervor was curious about a woman traveling during the early ‘60s. It was from here in 1963 that one of the

alone, and she began Vietnam monastery’s monks, Thich Quang Duc, drove to Saigon, where he set to ask me questions. himself alight in protest at the Catholic President Diem’s persecution of Buddhists. Sobered by my visit, I returned to the boat and we headed upstream, back to Hue. Like all Vietnamese I had met, the boat woman was curious about a woman traveling alone and she began to ask me questions. We started to communicate with hand gestures and three-word sentences. I told her I Cambodia was from America, that I had flown here from Hanoi, and the next day I would be going over the Marble Mountains to Hoi An. I told her my name and she told me her name was Hung, which I later learned means “pink rose.” With a hint of pride, she told me how old she was: 65. She asked my age and I told her. We were the same age. The knowledge stunned us both into silence… and melancholy. Though the

same age, my life was privileged. I was on , overfed, with a full set of Laos teeth, smiling, carefree, enjoying the freedom that comes with having leisure time and credit cards. She was still doing hard physical labor and struggling to sell trinkets to one passenger – and I sensed, struggling with something else. The speed at which her smile vanished on realizing we were both 65 told me she, too, had felt the disparity. For the rest of the ride, she no longer smiled. Insurance Tips Insurance When we did speak again, I learned she had been married when she was 17. She had loved her husband since she was a little girl and, after they married, she bore seven children. One was her son, the dragon boat pilot with whom she now lived on the boat. She had never left Hue. Ever. As she spoke, I did the grim math.

36 A NOMAD'S STORY

She and I were 19 in January of 1968. While I was in college, acting in plays and preparing for a fun-filled summer in Israel and Greece, she was a young mother in Hell. In January 1968, during the Tet Offensive to take back control of the south, the Viet Cong captured Hue, set up a provisional Communist government, and murdered thousands of civilians they thought were sympathizers. Nearly 3,000 men, women and children were tortured, executed, and thrown into mass graves. Another 2,000 went missing. 100,000 residents lost their homes, and no one in the city could have escaped the & Overview & tragedy. After three weeks, the city lay in ruins and corpses lay everywhere. This Contents was the infamous “Massacre at Hue.” “Come,” the woman beckoned, and I followed her into the cramped, shadowy room. It was painted mint green and was sparsely furnished; in the corner rose stacks of cardboard boxes filled with her tourist wares.

She walked over to a large, framed Vietnam black and white photograph, pointed to it, then pointed to herself. “Me,” she said. “Marry.” I looked up at the photo to see the face of pretty, teenage girl – an Cambodia innocent bride. “Beautiful.” I said. She understood this word and nodded. While I was in college, “And your children?” I asked. acting in plays and “No more,” she said quietly. “No more here. No more now.” She preparing for a fun- pointed to her son whose back was facing us as he piloted the filled summer in Israel boat. “One boy. No more now.” and Greece, she was a

She didn’t have the words to tell me more; I didn’t have the young mother in Hell. Laos words to ask her more. And, even if we shared the same language, we would have had no words that could matter. No more now. We docked in Hue, she helped me climb out of the boat and I waved goodbye to her. She stood at the prow waving back for a long while. Insurance Tips Insurance As the boat sailed away up the Perfume River, the figure of the woman shrunk smaller, and it is that miniature, waving image of her that haunts. Not because my last view of her was at such a great distance, but because my full understanding of her – what she lived through and how – was at such a great distance,Alex Hatton forever impossible for me to justly breach.

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islands and beaches. and islands Insurance Tips G

landscapes, elusive wildlife, and uncrowded uncrowded and wildlife, elusive landscapes,

to discover the Kingdom’s most spectacular spectacular most Kingdom’s the discover to o beyond the ancient temples of Wat Angkor of temples ancient the beyond o Laos CAMBODIA

HHKelly Beckta Cambodia Vietnam Contents

& Overview Moman outside Koh Ker Koh outside Moman CAMBODIA Phnom Penh There’s more to Cambodia’s capital city than a base for a visit to the sobering genocide museums of Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek, relics of the brutal regime. ? & Overview & Contents Contents The culture of Phnom Penh Visit the Buddhist wats, wander the wide boulevards to see colonial architecture, and explore traditional markets to get an insight into Cambodia’s cultural past and present.

The pretty riverfront area of Phnom Vietnam Buddhist monks walk up the stairs to Wat Phnom

Penh imparts an authentic charm / JoeliStock Carillet where relaxed locals share snacks while strolling along the promenade. usually takes place in November, The persistent calls from Tuk Tuk boat races, colorful parades, Visit the drivers can be irritating, but there’s a fireworks and performances make Buddhist growing food scene emerging, with it one of biggest celebrations of the wats, wander Cambodia quaint cafes and trendy restaurants year. Travelers are welcome to join the wide popping up in the area. local spectators cheering on their boulevards to favorite rowing boat in this non- see colonial Festivals and events religious festival, which celebrates architecture, During the three-day Bon Om Touk the change in direction of flow of the and explore (Cambodian Water Festival) which Tonle Sap River. traditional The , markets

sometimes held outside the Royal to get an Laos Palace in Phnom Penh, marks insight into the beginning of the rice-growing Cambodia’s season. The King (or his appointee) cultural past will plow a plot of land using two and present. oxen. After three rounds, the animals Insurance Tips Insurance choose a type of fodder from a set of trays. The oxen’s choice of food and drink is said to determine the agriculture harvest for the coming season. Phnom Penh Rickshaw

Sam Grimmer The King takes his birthday

39 CAMBODIA seriously, and it has been declared a away if your knees and shoulders national . The King celebrates aren’t not covered. Covering your As the official by making offerings to the monks, shoulders is not acceptable. residence while banners depicting his image As the official residence of the of the royal line the streets, and spectacular royal family, some sections of the family, some fireworks light up the sky. palace are closed to visitors, but the sections of beautiful Silver Pagoda, with its silver- the Palace Temples in Phnom Penh tiled floor, and Emerald Buddha, are are closed to & Overview & Not far from the riverfront, the fascinating sights. Photography of the visitors, but Contents 14th-century Wat Phnom sits at the buildings’ exterior is allowed, but it’s the beautiful top of a small hill. Worshippers come forbidden to take photos inside. The Silver here to pray for good luck at all times forbidden zones are clearly marked, Pagoda, of the day. To beat the crowds and and your guide (many professional with a silver- enjoy the temple’s architecture, visit ones can be engaged upon entering tiled floor, during or after sunset. the complex) will instruct you and Emerald

The 15th-century Wat Ounalom, accordingly. Buddha, are Vietnam which has been restored after fascinating being damaged during the Khmer Old Market sights. Rouge period, is Phnom Penh’s most Take a stroll through Phsar Chas, important temple and the center of Phnom Penh’s Old Market. Although Cambodian , as it is said to this is a relatively small market, a hold an eyebrow hair belonging to vast array of wares, from trinkets Cambodia Buddha. to fabrics and clothes, shoes and Wat Langka, also built in the 15th century, is close to the Independence Monument. Silent meditation sessions, which can be attended by locals as well as visitors, are often held here. Laos The Royal Palace Construction of Phnom Penh’s glistening jewel, the Royal Palace, started in 1866 and although it has undergone several major Insurance Tips Insurance modifications, it has been inhabited by the royal family ever since. It’s a pretty place to explore, with its manicured grounds and Khmer architecture. Make sure you dress Royal Palace in Phnom Penh appropriately, as you could be turned Cheeky Passports

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jewelry are sold here. Check out the food section, where colorful fruits and vegetables, large chunks of fresh meat, skinned frogs, live fish and other animal parts are for sale.

Tuol Sleng Museum and the Killing Fields & Overview &

The Tuol Sleng Museum and the Contents Choeung Ek Killing Fields are a stark reminder of the persecution of millions (estimated to be anywhere between 1.5 to 3 million) by the infamous Khmer Rouge regime, between 1975 and 1979. Followers Tuol Sleng Museum Vietnam

of the leader, Pol Pot, forced the Sam Grimmer Cambodian population into an agrarian society in which anyone executed (mostly) its own nationals, suspected of having ties with the and little was known about what was previous government was brutally going on in the country. Tuol Sleng Most travelers executed. This included people was a former high school which was visit these wearing spectacles, who were turned into one of many prisons sites when in Cambodia perceived as intellectuals. during the genocide. The prisoners Phnom Penh. During the regime, external from this detention center and others Be warned communication was impossible, were killed at the Choeung Ek Killing that the and Cambodia was cut off from Fields, a former orchard. displays are neighboring countries. Unlike other Most travelers visit these sites graphic and historical persecutions, the regime when in Phnom Penh. Be warned will probably that the displays are graphic and will elicit a

probably elicit a range of emotions range of Laos and reactions. Always show respect emotions and to the victims when visiting, and try reactions. not to be alarmed by seeing bones and rags poking through the soil which may have been unearthed by Insurance Tips Insurance heavy rain, painful reminders of the many bodies buried in mass graves that have not been identified. Remember, it is likely that the locals present may have lost some of the Killing Fields

Sam grimmer their relatives to the genocide.

41 CAMBODIA Northeast Cambodia Hike, bike and kayak through Cambodia’s remote, wild east to discover some of the Kingdom’s most spectacular landscapes & Overview &

and exotic wildlife. Contents

Kampong Cham Your first stop on the drive northeast from Phnom Penh is the sleepy riverside city of Kampong Cham. Home of the famed Bamboo Bridge,

which is rebuilt annually to link the Vietnam Sunrise in Kampong Cham

city to the small Mekong River island WilkinsCassie of Koh Paen, Kampong Cham isn’t high on the list for most visitors to traverse east and west and cross to the Kingdom, but has plenty of Cambodia. Crossing the bridge to Crossing interesting places to see. Tbong Khmum feels like taking a step the bridge A short drive from the city, the sites back in time. Adventurous souls will to Tbong Cambodia of Wat Nokor (an Angkor-era temple get a kick out of the rickety ladders Khmum feels set among rice paddies) and Phnom and great views from the top of the like taking a Pros and Phnom Srey (Man Temple 19th-century French Tower, and step back in and Woman Temple) feature several don’t miss the local stilted Cham time. intricate pagodas built on adjacent Muslim villages, with their traditional hills, and offer a great vantage point wooden houses and unusual-looking of the surrounding countryside. mosques.

During the Khmer Rouge era, the The best way to cram everything Laos valley between the hills was used in is by hiring a Tuk Tuk, or renting as a place of torture, and now there a scooter or bicycle for the day is a small shrine to those who were – don’t forget to wear a helmet. killed. Not far from here, history buffs There are plenty of accommodation should check out an old American and restaurant options available in Insurance Tips Insurance ATC tower and runway that was used Kampong Cham, but check out the during the Vietnam War. guesthouses on the riverbank for Back in the city, the famous Kizuna spectacular sunrise views. Bridge was the first to span the Mekong. Prior to its opening in 2001, Kratie ferries and rafts were the only way Following the Mekong north leads

42 CAMBODIA to Kratie, once famous for being the home of the Irrawaddy river dolphin. A good jump off point between northern and eastern Cambodia, this laidback town is a pleasant place to hang out for a few days and break up the long drive to Banlung or Stung Treng. Sit and watch the sunset over & Overview & the river, while the town’s faded Contents colonial streets come to life with food stalls and families out for an evening Floating houses on the Mekong near Kratie stroll. Alex Robinson Photography Historically, Kratie’s most popular activity was dolphin-spotting on the who choose not to live a virtuous life. Mekong from Kampi, a few miles Alternatively, hop on a boat to

Historically, Vietnam north, these days the Irrawaddy nearby Koh Trong Island and rent a Kratie’s most are so elusive that it can bicycle. Check out the Vietnamese popular be hit or miss. Once common across Wat and floating village before activity was Asia, these blunt-headed, unusual- heading to the beach for sunset views dolphin- looking dolphins are closely related and a swim – if you’re brave enough spotting on to the killer whale. They live in to swim in the murky waters of the the Mekong the Mekong between Cambodia Mekong! Tour companies also offer

from Kampi, Cambodia and Laos, where legend goes that overnight kayaking trips up the river. a few miles they are reincarnations of their There are plenty of transport and north, these ancestors. However, with the rise accommodation options in the city days the of fishing in the region, especially and around the riverbank. Tourist Irrawaddy using explosives, and a difference buses are available to destinations all dolphins are of opinion between Vietnamese and over Cambodia and Laos. so elusive Khmer fishermen (one group believe that it can be hit or miss. the dolphin to be sacred while the Mondlkiri and Sen Monorom Laos other catch them as food) there A few hours east of Kampong Cham has been a huge decrease in their lies Mondulkiri, one of Cambodia’s population. most untouched and beautiful If you don’t feel like taking the regions. This wild province is as gamble, there are plenty of other famous for its rolling hills dotted Insurance Tips Insurance activities around Kratie. You can rent with pine forests, waterfalls, tribal bicycles to explore the countryside villages, and lush jungle as it is for and see Phnom Sombok, a modern its sustainable elephant sanctuaries. pagoda 6mi (10km) north of the city, Here you can learn all about these worth visiting for its colorful paintings remarkable creatures and the depicting what happens to those wonderful work that local groups,

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This remote province is also the adventure hub of Cambodia, where you can go on rafting & Overview &

and camping Contents trips.

The Volcanic Crater Lake in Ratanakiri Cassie WilkinsCassie

like the Mondulkiri Project and the exploring these beautiful off-the-grid Elephant Valley Project, are doing regions.

to help care for injured animals Vietnam and rehabilitate and retire working Banlung and Ratanakiri elephants in their natural habitat. In the far northeastern reaches of While Mondulkiri is perfect for Cambodia lies the remote Ratanakiri lovers of hiking, nature, wildlife and province, with vibrant green hills and coffee, including several species plateaus, thick jungle, crater lakes, of endangered primates including rivers, and mountains. Cambodia the black-shanked doucs, thrill- The capital of Ratanakiri, Banlung, seekers can also go on multi-day is a small city with cool eateries treks and camp out in the jungle, and interesting accommodation, go wild swimming, and zipline over especially around the lake. The new one of Cambodia’s most spectacular highways have made transport links waterfalls, the double-tiered Bousra. much easier, and you can now get A variety of accommodation from Banlung to the 4,000 Islands

options can be found in the capital, (in Laos) via Stung Treng, or cross Laos Sen Monorom, which is about a the local border into Vietnam, just five-hour drive from Phnom Penh. make sure you organize your visa in From Sen Monorom, it’s a beautiful advance. drive to Ratanakiri up the so-called This remote province is also the ‘Death Highway’, which is now fully adventure hub of Cambodia, and Insurance Tips Insurance paved (and far less deadly). It takes you can go on rafting and camping three and a half to four hours to drive trips, trek through jungle and lava by minibus, but you can also hire forests, and visit remote waterfalls, a motorbike (if you’ve got the right gem-mining quarries, and off-the- license to drive one at home) or a grid coffee plantations. Just outside bicycle if you want to take your time of Banlung, you can also visit the

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increased land prices and political corruption which has threatened One of the their way of life even more. These Kingdom’s days, it feels like the young people premier in the villages are more interested wildlife in mobile phones and the outside spotting world than continuing the traditions destinations, of their ancestors, leaving their future the national & Overview & in jeopardy. park is also Contents One of the ways the local the home of Waterfall in Ratanakiri province

Cassie WilkinsCassie communities are reversing this the incredibly trend is by working as tour guides, rare northern magical Yeak Loam crater lake and sharing their traditions and opening yellow- swim in the turquoise waters of a up their villages to sustainable cheeked volcano that has been extinct for tourism, including homestays and gibbon.

700,000 years. opportunities to view their unique Vietnam One of the most interesting things way of life. about Ratanakiri, however, is its tragic history, especially when it comes to its tribal villages and ethnic minorities. and hill tribe villages For more than 1,000 years, Ratanakiri Despite the challenges facing them, has been home to the tribal Khmer Ratanakiri is still home to 12 of the Cambodia Loeu people, who have long been kingdom’s most unique ethnic minority persecuted. Initially they were sold groups, most of whom still live and traded as slaves to neighboring traditionally, in remote semi-nomadic empires, and then were part of a tribal villages around the forests of forced ‘Khmerization’ campaign Virachey National Park. One of the beginning in the 1950s. Many Kingdom’s premier wildlife spotting traditional villages were destroyed destinations, the 1,283mi² (3,325

when the area was bombed by the km²) national park is also the home Laos US during the Vietnamese War. of the incredibly rare northern yellow- During the civil war, the Khmer cheeked gibbon. Rouge took control of the area and Whether you do a short tour to the attempted to stamp out the traditions tribal villages or a multi-day tour into of the Khmer Loeu, forbidding them the depths of the beautiful Virachey Insurance Tips Insurance from speaking native languages or National Park, book your trip with a practising their religious traditions. local organization and ensure the There were ethnic purges and many profits go to the locals. The tribal indigenous people were killed. In village tours are all led by indigenous recent years, the opening up of the guides to villages and fascinating region has led to an influx of Khmers, forest cemeteries with elaborately

45 CAMBODIA carved memorials. You can find out more about their unique traditions and way of life, that have barely changed over the last thousand years. Photographs are permitted, but ask first and be as respectful as possible. Longer treks include nature walks through the jungle, bamboo river & Overview & rafting and visiting hidden waterfalls Contents deep in the Virachey National Park. Trips lasting from one to seven days can be easily organized in Banlung, Boat trip through the floating forests outside Stung Treng including a guide, transport, food, WilkinsCassie accommodation, and fees to the national park and nature preserves. Preah Rumkoul

About 37mi (60km) to the west of Vietnam Go kayaking Stung Treng Stung Treng, Preah Rumkoul is an through Historically, Stung Treng has been site on the southern flooded nothing more than a jump-off town on border of Laos. To get here you can forests, the way to Laos or Banlung, but these either take a Tuk Tuk to O’Svay and cycling days it’s an attraction in itself, with hire a shallow canoe to take you through the community-managed eco-villages across the river past the flooded

countryside, Cambodia popping up along the banks of the forests, or hire a bike or a moto-dop and dolphin river. You can kayak through flooded in Stung Treng and ride the 40 mi (60 spotting on forests, cycle through the countryside, km) around the river. The ride is one the border and dolphin spot on the border with of the most beautiful in Cambodia, with Laos. Laos. passing limestone karsts, fossilized From Stung Treng, you can easily trees, and isolated backwater take a boat all the way up to the 4,000 villages.

Islands, where you can see the mighty Those who brave the journey will Laos Sopheakmit Waterfall, and check be rewarded with local homestays out the remnants of the 19th-century and family-cooked meals in a French-built boat docking station. beautiful location, plus , Here, boats were lifted onto train swimming, cycling, and beautiful carriages to transport them across waterfalls. This is also one of the only Insurance Tips Insurance the islands, bypassing the waterfall, spots in Cambodia where you might and continuing up the Mekong to see the river dolphin from the shore. China. From Stung Treng, you can also From here, you can head back the visit Thala Barivat, a pre-Angkorian way you came, and continue onto site with ruins dating back to the 7th Laos, carry on toward Prasat Preah century. Vihear, or head down to Siem Reap.

46 Kelly Beckta Siem Reap CAMBODIA surrounding countryside. surrounding quaint but bustling town and and heritage by exploring the discover Cambodia’s rich culture destination. Here you can Wat, Siem Reap is apopular theAs gateway to Angkor mysterious stegosaurus etched into stegosaurus mysterious Raider Jolie’s 2001 movie Lara Croft: Tomb providing the backdrop to Angelina root-riddled Ta Prohm –famous for carved into towers, 54 its and marveling at 2,000-plus giant faces impressive Templeexploring makes jostling the crowds it. worth this is one of those moments that sunrise, at to capture photographs thousands of people who flock here towers. While it’s hard to avoid the the 12th-century temple’s iconic watching the sun peek from behind yourStart day at Angkor Wat Park Archaeological Angkor at Sunrise Koh Ker Koh Spend the rest of the day . Keep an eye out for the temple that atop sits the mountain. Its to pray and leave offerings at the locals descend on the holy site holidays, religious weekendsand and aplace of pilgrimage. On Cambodia’s sacred mountain most 31mi (50km) from Siem Reap, is Park, Kulen National Phnom waterfalls gushing in Refresh kings from years gone by. walking in the footsteps of great long-abandoned temples in peace, once there you can explore these car or Tuk Tuk to get out of the city, Although you may have to hire a jungle. lush in shrouded lie ruins Beng Mealea, where the ancient nearby, Koh including Ker and complexes temple Angkorian baffled. historians Ta Prohm’s walls, which have left There are also several other There several are also other gone by. gone years from of great kings footsteps the walking in peace, in temples abandoned long- these can explore there you city, once the get out of Tuk Tuk to hire acar or may have to you Although Angkor Wat sunrise at

Kelly Beckta

47 Overview & Vietnam Cambodia Laos Insurance Tips Insurance

Contents CAMBODIA & Overview & Contents Contents

Streets of Siem Reap Kelly BecktaKelly

1,400ft (427m) peak is the spot where lakeside villages with schools, homes Vietnam founder Jayavarman and shops. Visitors love II declared himself a devaraja (god- Visitors love the village of the village king) in 802AD. Kampong Phluk, but for a more off- of Kampong A short walk from the temple the-beaten-track experience, head a Phluk, but – which also houses one of the little further out of town to Kampong for a more country’s largest reclining Buddhas Khleang, where villagers offer boat

off-the- Cambodia – you’ll find two waterfalls, tours, sunset cruises, fishing trips beaten-track swimming spots and waterfront and the chance to spend a night experience, picnic areas. with a local family in a basic floating head a little Take a break and refreshing home. Organized tours operate in further out dip before strolling to the nearby the area, or you can catch a Tuk Tuk of town to River of a Thousand Lingas, where and arrange activities on arrival. Kampong 1,000 carvings of Hindu gods and Khleang.

symbols, believed to date back Haggling at Phsar Chas Laos to the 11th-century reign of King Markets form an integral part of Udayadityavarman, are etched into Cambodian life, and residents go the stone riverbed. at the crack of dawn to snap up the freshest ingredients for the day. Siem Visit a floating village Reap’s largest market, Phsar Chas is Insurance Tips Insurance Tonle Sap Lake, Southeast Asia’s in the center of town. largest freshwater lake, is home to While it is more geared towards rare fish and endangered , such tourists, it offers an insight into local as painted storks, greater adjutants life, and is packed with fruit and and grey-headed fish eagles, as well vegetables, swinging slabs of meat, as hundreds of people who live in flapping fish as well as souvenirs. It’s

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these traditional techniques. Learn the ancient art and craft of Khmer The pottery at a class. Cambodian Khmer Ceramics holds daily Landmine lessons where visitors can learn Museum from a local artisan how to create an serves up Angkorian bowl, using a traditional a sobering wheel. The bowls are finished off by reminder of & Overview & adding Khmer carvings before being the country’s Contents fired and glazed, ready to take home bitter past. Siem Reap mine victim rehabilitation centre

Sam Grimmer the next day. The small museum a great place to have some fun with Pick fresh dragon fruit features the stallholders and barter for Gorge on the deliciously sweet, pink displays that a bargain. superfood at Happy Dragon Farm. highlight the

The organic farm in Banteay Srei is devastating Vietnam Banteay Srei home to hectares of the cactus-like impacts Head out of town to Banteay Srei, plants, which produce the sweet and the deadly the embodiment of rural Cambodia, slightly tangy fruit, and welcomes explosives where rice paddies and wooden visitors to try samples. continue to have on the stilted houses dominate the After exploring the farm, guests country. , and clusters of sugar can spend the night and get a home- Cambodia palms offer shade to the grazing cooked meal. While this is basic buffalo. living, nothing quite beats watching In 2016, the Visit Banteay Srei the sun melt into the horizon, casting campaign launched a number of its warm hue across the Cambodian homestays, ranging from private countryside, and waking up to villas to a mattress on the floor of uninterrupted views of rice paddies a local family home. Here, you can and stretches of farmland.

help with daily chores, cycle through Laos the pristine countryside or learn Learn about landmines more about the lives of villagers. The Cambodian Landmine Museum Banteay Srei is about 21 miles serves up a sobering reminder of (35km) from Siem Reap, and can be the country’s bitter past. The small reached by Tuk Tuk or taxi. museum features displays that Insurance Tips Insurance highlight the devastating impacts the Making artisan pottery deadly explosives continue to have The intricate artisanal crafts used on the country. to build the temples at Angkor Wat At its center, sits a large case Archaeological Park have inspired a of mortars, mines and other wealth of workshops that showcase recovered unexploded ordnance

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find a long stretch of food stalls offering every kind of local treat. The many Adventurous foodies can tuck into street food deep-fried tarantulas, stuffed frogs, vendors that crickets and other bugs. A must-try line the streets meal is the popular Cambodian dish of Siem of num banh chok (Khmer noodles), Reap serve a and with the scent of barbecued selection of & Overview & meat hanging heavy in the air, make local bites, Contents sure to try the sweet marinated pork. from grilled Streets of Siem Reap

John Magas seafood to See the circus pork and rice (UXO). Visitors can also attempt to No trip to Siem Reap is complete or noodle locate deactivated mines in a mock without catching a performance of dishes. minefield, and view information Phare, the Cambodian Circus. Every

about the ongoing efforts to rid evening at 8pm, crowds gather at Vietnam Cambodia of UXOs. the big top to watch the talented As the most land-mined country troupe. Run by NGO Phare Ponleu in the world, remote areas of Selpak, which teaches art forms to Cambodia, especially along the underprivileged youngsters, the border with Thailand, are still littered shows retell ancient Khmer folktales with mines leftover from years of using acrobats, contortionists, Cambodia civil war and Khmer Rouge reign, clowns, jugglers and trapeze artists. which ended in 1979. Don’t go too far off the beaten path if you suspect there may be landmines (or if there are blatant warnings). Your travel insurance cannot help if you put yourself at risk or injury. Laos Sample the street food The many street food vendors that line the streets of Siem Reap serve a selection of local bites, from grilled seafood to pork and rice or noodle Insurance Tips Insurance dishes. While the town center is dotted with food carts, step off the tourist trail and eat with locals, who from 5.30pm gather at Road 60, on Street Food in Siem Reap

the outskirts of town. Here you’ll iStock/quics

50 CAMBODIA Northwest Cambodia Go beyond Siem Reap to see ancient temples hidden in the jungle, crumbling ruins on mountain tops, colorful lakeside & Overview &

villages and vibrant floating Contents markets in the country’s northwest.

Battambang Three hours southwest of Siem Reap, Battambang is a laidback riverside

city with many preserved historical Vietnam Battambang Bat Caves

buildings, and a vibrant art and food BecktaKelly scene. The artistic capital is home to a wealth of art galleries and studios, a specially built railway track through and a variety of unique and inspired the rice paddies. social enterprise cafes, bars, and Other highlights include a visit to restaurants. Wat Banan, a small but picturesque Cambodia For many, the city’s highlights Angkorian-era temple at the top of a lie outside its walls. The fertile seemingly-endless flight of stairs, and countryside is perfect for exploring Phnom Sampeau, a mountain-top on two wheels, or while hurtling temple that sits alongside the Killing through on the rustic bamboo train; Caves, the former Khmer Rouge a small bamboo platform attached to execution site that offers a chilling a go-kart engine that speeds along reminder of the country’s dark past.

Take a hike up the mountain for epic Laos views, and on the way back down don’t miss the Bat Caves, where every day at dusk thousands of bats The fertile fly out of the cave, forming unique countryside patterns in the sky.

is perfect for Tips Insurance It’s easy to get to Battambang by exploring on bus from Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, two wheels, or Sihanoukville, or even from Bangkok, while hurtling where you can grab a taxi or hop on through on the a different bus once you cross the On board the bamboo train in Battambang rustic bamboo

Getty Images / Kevin Yulianto Getty / Kevin Images border. train.

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Monks near Battambang Kelly BecktaKelly

Banteay Chhmar Prasat Preah Vihear Vietnam Deep in the heart of northwest One of the most unique and beautiful Cambodia’s jungles, the ruined Angkor-era temples in the region, temples of are the previously remote Prasat Preah slowly being overgrown by strangler Vihear (the temple in the clouds) is figs and forest. An ancient city with now just a two-and-a-half-hour drive carvings that once rivaled that of from Siem Reap. Cambodia Bayon and Angkor Wat, Banteay Built on top of a rocky cliff face, this Chhmar is one of the country’s least unique temple has been the site of explored and most fascinating historic active skirmishes between the Thais sites, but its relative inaccessibility and the Cambodians since the early means only the most intrepid 20th century, and is now home to an explorers might capture a glimpse of entire army encampment, who live at this mysterious temple complex for the top of the mountain to protect the

themselves. ancient memorial from invasion. Laos To get there, you can hire a Due to escalating violence taxi from Siem Reap for around from 2008 to 2011, you can no US $50, or you can take a bus to longer stay around the temple, but Sisophon from Battambang or Siem accommodation can be found in Reap, and then hire a shared taxi. nearby Sra’Aem, a small military town Insurance Tips Insurance Accommodation options are limited, about 18mi (30km) away. but simple village homestays are available. You can organize these in Phnom Kulen National Park advance by contacting the Banteay Located in the Cardamom Mountains, Chhmar Community-Based Tourism between Prasat Preah Vihear and group. Siem Reap, Phnom Kulen National

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Park is where Jayavarman II (founder or go on a motorbike tour through of the Khmer Empire) declared the local villages. For those himself King of Kings in 802 AD. looking to There are several uniquely fascinating Skuon escape the ruins, including the Terrace of Sdach Following the road from Cambodia’s heat of Siem Kamlung, a small brick temple which northwest back into Phnom Penh, Reap, the was once covered in lava, several you can stop off at the town of national park Buddha statues dating from the Skuon. Here, you can find many is also home & Overview & 16th century, and an ancient carved market stalls specializing in one to some of the Contents riverbed known as the ‘Valley of a of the kingdom’s more unusual region’s most Thousand Lingas’. delicacies – a-ping – palm-sized picturesque For those looking to escape the tarantulas tossed in MSG, sugar, salt, falls. heat of Siem Reap, the national and crushed garlic and then park is also home to some of the deep-fried until crispy. It’s thought region’s most picturesque falls, such that people originally started eating as Phnom Kulen waterfalls, and the spiders out of necessity during Vietnam crystal clear rivers that are perfect for the Khmer Rouge era, but that over cooling off in the middle of the jungle. the years they have become more of a treat, and are now bred in holes in Kompong Thom the ground and foraged from nearby About halfway between Siem Reap forests. and Phnom Penh, Kompong Thom The markets also sell myriad Cambodia is a slightly dusty and unassuming other insects, including grubs and provincial capital, and the jump-off scorpions fried with chili and other point to one of the most interesting local herbs, as well as a variety historical sites in the country, Sambor of slightly more palatable options Prei Kuk. A 45-minute drive from the including fresh fruits and fried city, Sambor Prei Kuk is the ancient noodles. capital of the Kingdom,

pre-dating Angkor Wat by 400 Laos years. Hire a local guide to explore this fascinating area so you can see the best temples; many of the most picturesque and interesting ones are hidden by vines and set back in the Insurance Tips Insurance jungle. There is a variety of good accommodation and transport options in Kompong Thom, and if you want to stay a few days can also take Wat Ek Phnom temple near the city of Battambang boat trips along the Stung Sen River BecktaKelly

53 CAMBODIA Sihanoukville & the South Beyond Sihanoukville you’ll find water that shimmers with bioluminescent plankton and islands with beach huts and the & Overview &

promise of solitude. Contents

Transport around Cambodia’s south Long Beach in Sihanoukville

The bus system in Cambodia is Wolf Getty / Valentin Images affordable and efficient. Luxury buses and minivans connect most of the which are privately owned. What

major cities, while domestic flights was once a small, lively beach town Vietnam tend to be quite expensive. Ferries is now a casino and resort hotspot. to and from the islands in the south The unique and relaxed atmosphere run daily during high season. It’s of Sihanoukville is long gone. It now wise to check schedules during the caters to a specific type of visitor monsoon season (May to November) looking for the glitz and glam you’d when the waves are rough, or avoid find in many beachside resort cities. Cambodia traveling to the islands during this Just outside Sihanoukville, you’ll time altogether. find Otres Village and Otres Beach, hippie havens on a stretch of white Sihanoukville and surrounds sand flanked by beach bars with There are 22 islands in live music. On Saturday evenings, Sihanoukville’s province, a few of you can check out live music at the night market, which sells handcrafted

jewelry and second-hand clothing. Laos The locals own many of the Just outside restaurants, offering good western Sihanoukville, and local food like amok curry and you’ll find lok lak. During the three-day Khmer Otres Village New Year, in the middle of April,

and Otres Tips Insurance locals flock to nearby temples to Beach, hippie give thanks to Buddha and cleanse havens on a their sins, and then to the beach for stretch of white seafood barbecues. On the second sand flanked and third day of the New Year, the by beach bars Fisherman’s house in Sihanoukville

Getty Images \ Jean-Claude Soboul locals run around the islands and with live music.

54 CAMBODIA & Overview & Contents Contents

Sunset from Otres Beach, Cambodia Getty Images / Cesareantonio

village with talcum powder and water It’s a great place to start your scuba Vietnam pistols and spray each other, and diving adventure, as there are many Minimize how love when visitors join in with the fun. dive sites nearby, and you’ll have the much water Occasionally, Otres Village can go chance to see stingrays and whale you are using without water for hours, even days, sharks. You might want to avoid in while in because the water reservoirs run dry. the touristy section of Koh Touch, Otres Village. This tends to happen during the dry however it does have bar shacks that Cambodia season from December to May, when offer good food and affordable but Cambodia goes for long periods basic accommodation. without rain. Minimize how much water Instead, head for Lonely Beach, you’re using while you’re here. which lives up to its name. It’s an isolated area of Koh Rong in a serene Ko Ta Kiev Island setting undisturbed by visitors, and is An hour-long longtail boat ride from a great place to see beautiful sunsets

Otres, Ko Ta Kiev Island is a great and fluorescent plankton. Close by, Laos place to experience local island life. Palm Beach and Sok San Beach offer There's barely any electricity, no WiFi, accommodation ranging from cheap and just a handful of guesthouses, guesthouses to luxurious high-end but you can at delicious seafood at . the Fisherman’s Village, and watch On Koh Rong Island, Long Set Insurance Tips Insurance the sunrise from a local guesthouse. Beach (also known as 4k beach) is an inviting white sand beach with Koh Rong Island clear water and an awning of jungle. About an hour’s ferry ride from It’s a wonderful place to snorkel, Sihanoukville, Koh Rong is the sip a coconut, and watch the slow second-largest island in Cambodia. island life pass by. One side of the

55 CAMBODIA beach is slowly developing, with a few restaurants and hotels, while the other side remains untouched.

Koh Rong Sanloem Thirty minutes by speedboat, and two hours on the slow boat from Sihanoukville’s ferry port, Koh & Overview &

Rong Sanloem is a 6 mi (9km) long Contents horseshoe-shaped island with beach huts dotting the white sand, and sprawling jungle just a few steps from Relaxing on Koh Rong Island the shore. You can also reach Koh Getty Images / Michael Roberts Rong Sanloem via 20-minute ferry from Koh Rong. dolphin between December and

This is where to go to escape, April. Vietnam This is where swim with bioluminescent plankton, to go to escape, and feast on some of the freshest Botum Sakor National Park swim with seafood you’ll find. Search online for The largest in Cambodia, Botum bioluminescent cozy family-run guesthouses, rent a Sakor National Park has grasslands, plankton, and paddleboard or stay in a beach hut deep jungles, and swamps. You’ll find feast on some nestled into the jungle. otters, sun bears, and many species

of the freshest Cambodia of birds by kayaking along the river or seafood you’ll hiking through the national park. You find. Established in 1993, Ream can camp at the Cardamom National Park is 11mi (17km) from Eco-Camp and sleep under the Sihanoukville and has colorful plant canopy of trees in a -style tent life, an immaculate coastline, islands, to the trumpet of elephant calls in the , and forests that shelter distance.

endangered animals, including Many of Cambodia’s endangered Laos pileated gibbons and sun bears. animals live here, including the Spend a night under the stars at Malayan tapir, pileated gibbon, and one of the guesthouses, and let the clouded leopard, as well as the soft breeze and the sound of crickets largest population of Asian elephants lull you to sleep. There are well- in Cambodia. The Cardamom Insurance Tips Insurance marked hiking trails along the north Tented Camp offers trekker and side of the park, through estuaries explorer package tours lasting three and jungle. Take a riverboat tour or four days. with Ream Yacht Club to explore the mangroves. if you’re lucky, you might Bokor National Park possibly spot a Mekong freshwater Visit the ruins of Damnak Sia

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Khmao, (Black Palace), formerly King Sihanouk’s summer palace, built in 1963, the Popokvil Waterfall, best visited in the rainy season, and ruins. Eat at Epic Arts Café which employs disabled people.

Kep National Park & Overview &

Nearby, Kep National Park offers Contents spectacular hiking opportunities to points such as Sunset Rock, Little Buddha, and Stairway to Heaven where you can watch the sunset from the lookout in the jungle. On nearby Kep Beach, you can munch on crab Cambodian landscapes near Kep and Vietnam caught and cooked straight from the Getty / Yarygin Images water at a local restaurant, or visit one of the many local huts selling (1,800m), but the forests and trinkets and jewelry along the water. mysterious history of the mountains draw many visitors for the numerous Cardamom Mountains trekking opportunities to Chi Phat, The Khmer Rouge fighters called Osoam, and Mount Aral. This area Cambodia this mountain range home until is also home to some of the Khmer 1994. Today it’s peaceful, welcoming ethnic groups of Cambodia, and you visitors to see burial jars from the could enjoy a in Chi Phat 15th to 19th centuries, containing to experience something of local human remains, scattered across the Cambodian life in the south. mountains. Wildlife such as tigers, elephants, Traveling Responsibly

monkeys, crocodiles and bears roam Laos Plastic waste is a massive problem in Cambodia. Driving from the mountains, rivers and forests. Sihanoukville to Otres Beach, you’ll see tons of water bottles, beer cans, Wildlife Alliance rescues animals from and plastic wrappers thrown onto the side of the road, which have now traffickers, and they are rehabilitated turned into massive mounds of trash. in Phnom Penh. You can help the During high season, expats and locals living in Otres get together to help clean up the waste. Unfortunately, there’s no efficient garbage rangers when they take the animals disposal process to conquer the exponentially growing plastic crisis, so Insurance Tips Insurance to wildlife release stations in the trash tends to make its way into the ocean. Cardamom Mountains, help feed the To help reduce the plastic problem, use reusable water bottles – many wildlife and observe their release by restaurants and guesthouses in Sihanoukville and the islands offer cheap refills of water. Avoid drinking from cans and using plastic straws, setting up camera traps. as well as single-use plastic. Always carry a reusable bag with you when The peaks are unremarkable, you travel. reaching no higher than 6,000ft

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Insurance Tips E

limestone karsts and unique cultural quirks. cultural unique and karsts limestone

coffee plantations, traditional villages, towering towering villages, traditional plantations, coffee njoy the slow vibe of beautiful Laos as you discover discover you as Laos beautiful of vibe slow the njoy Laos LAOS

HHiSTock/MariusLtu Cambodia Vietnam Contents

& Overview Surfers at Balangan beach, Bali beach, Balangan at Surfers LAOS Vientiane There’s a palpable energy on the streets of Laos’s capital city, fueled by investment from China, Vietnam and Thailand. Outside influences aside, Vientiane’s renaissance is real, and its young, ? & Overview &

forward-looking population is Contents confidently helping to forge a modern identity.

History of the city Laos’ self-imposed isolation in the 1980s and ‘90s meant Vientiane

was left behind by its neighbors. Vietnam Xieng Khuan Buddha Park

The Communist government ended Getty / Barry Kusuma Images trade and diplomatic relations with many countries in 1979, a move that the skyline, the café and restaurant affected all aspects of social and scene is blossoming, and the youth Today, even economic life in the small landlocked are tapping into their creativity. though the country. Today, even though the In this sprawling city on the country is Cambodia country is still a one-party state, Mekong River, there is much to see still a one- Vientiane is finally waking from its and discover at numerous annual party state, slumber, shaking off its image as festivals and events, the biggest and Vientiane Southeast Asia’s sleepy backwater, most boisterous being the annual is finally and enjoying playing catch-up. Boun Pi Mai celebration in mid April. waking from New buildings regularly change It’s a time to visit temples to take its slumber, part in the ritual bathing of Buddha shaking off

images to make merit (merit-making its image as Laos is important to Buddhist practice, as Southeast it’s believed it will help determine Asia’s sleepy the quality of the next life), and when backwater, water fights occur in the streets from and enjoying dawn until dusk. playing catch-up. Tips Insurance Local food Lovers of local food experiences should rise early and head to Kua Din fresh market or one of the weekly The Patuxai Monument

Getty Images / John Callahan Seaton organic markets around the city, sign

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Each November, the grounds surrounding the temple host a vibrant week-long & Overview & festival with Contents food stalls, music, and merit-making That Luang stupa at the stupa. Getty Images / Spaceindy

up for a cooking class or culinary tour local people to build enormous

with Tuk Tuk Safari, and search out a surreal concrete sculptures, including Vietnam restaurant serving authentic food. a 164ft (50m) reclining Buddha, and numerous other statues that combine Alms-giving at Phra That Luang elements of Buddhism and Hindu Considered the spiritual heart of mythology. Laos, Phra That Luang is a golden stupa dating from 1566, set in Bronze Buddhas at Haw Cambodia the center of a quadrangle. Each Phra Kaew November, the grounds surrounding Built in the 1550s, Haw Phra Kaew the temple host a vibrant week- originally housed an Emerald Buddha long festival with food stalls, music, image but when neighboring Siam and merit-making at the stupa. The (now Thailand) sacked Vientiane event ends with a mass alms-giving in 1778, it was stolen and taken to ceremony that draws thousands of Siam’s capital, Thonburi. The revered

monks from all over the country. Buddha now resides in Wat Phra Laos Kaew, Bangkok. Haw Phra Kaew was Xieng Kuan Buddha Park also destroyed during the Siamese Created by one of Laos’ great invasion and rebuilt by the French eccentrics, Xieng Kuan Buddha Park in the 1930s. The temple is now a is an essential day trip from Vientiane. museum of religious art and houses Insurance Tips Insurance On the banks of the Mekong River, a collection of fine bronze Buddha 15.5mi (25km) south of the city and images. 1.5mi (3km) from Friendship Bridge on the Laos-Thai border, the park That Dam was established in 1958 by Bounlua That Dam or the Black Stupa is a Sulilat. The shaman priest recruited crumbling Vientiane landmark which

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is thought to have been built to house relics of the Buddha. Although today weeds and plants grow in the brickwork, local folklore says that it was once covered with gold. Legend also says that it is inhabited by a seven-headed snake, known as a naga, that protects Vientiane. & Overview &

Today, the neglected stupa acts as a Contents roundabout for the city’s traffic.

Wat Si Muang A small but beautiful temple, Wat Si Muang is the site of the city pillar, which marks the symbolic heart

of the city. The original ordination Vietnam hall was razed to the ground by fire in 1828 and rebuilt in 1925. It’s an A monk at Wat Si Muang temple

auspicious and very popular temple Chesley Getty / Paul Images as it is said to be protected by the spirit of a young girl, who sacrificed waterfall, Tad Moun is one of the herself when the pillar was erected closest areas of scenic natural beauty Wat Si Muang Cambodia here. Across the road, stallholders to Vientiane. About 13mi (21km) from is the site of make and sell wax floral decorations the city, the area is a popular picnic the city pillar, to present as offerings. site with locals. There are lots of food which marks stalls and bamboo pavilions to relax the symbolic Tad Moun Waterfall in when not enjoying the water. heart of the More of a series of rapids than a city. Getting around

The best way to explore the city is Laos by bicycle or on foot. Although taxis and Tuk Tuks are available, travelers coming from Thailand or Vietnam will find them expensive. Buses in the city are cheap, but the network is Insurance Tips Insurance limited. There are no trains in Laos, other than one that runs on just a couple of lines over the border bridge to Thailand. Buddha statues at Haw Phra Kaew Getty Images / Guenterguni

61 LAOS Southern Laos Many travelers spend much of their time in Laos’ northern towns, leaving little time to explore the south. & Overview & Contents Contents Boat trips in Konglor Cave East of Vientiane, the spectacular Konglor Cave is a four-mile (7km) long cavern created by the Hin Bun River. An exciting boat trip along the river takes you into the dark

eerie depths of the cave to discover Vietnam Vat Phou complex in Pakse

chambers of stalactites and rock Cheeky Passports formations. Although not quite off the beaten track, the cave is appealing to easy to explore the area by public adventure-seekers looking to explore transport, using Pakse, the main town Regular some of Laos’ natural beauty. in southern Laos, as a hub. overnight Regular overnight sleeper bus sleeper bus Cambodia Explore Champasak connections between Vientiane and connections The province of Champasak is one Pakse are the most popular transport between of the best-explored regions in option between the two cities. The Vientiane and southern Laos, home to most of the buses, which contain beds rather Pakse are the Bolaven Plateau, the 4,000 Islands than just a reclining seat, are very most popular and some stunning Khmer ruins. It’s comfortable. transport Travel to the quiet town of option

Champasak, from where you can between the Laos explore the Khmer temples of Vat two cities. Phou, Angkor Wat’s smaller but older cousin, dating from the 11th century. Vat Phou might not be as impressive as the Angkor Wat complex, and Insurance Tips Insurance comparisons are inevitable, but as it sees a lot fewer visitors, the site is more pleasant to explore, and also features a museum. An electric shuttle cart will take Champasak iStock / Scott Pocock vs The World vs The Pocock / Scott iStock you from the entrance of the complex

62 LAOS to the temple area, and from where you can make your own way to the ruins. The site is small enough to explore on foot in a couple of hours. Carry water with you, as it can get unbearably hot.

Biking the Bolaven Plateau & Overview &

Motorbiking the Bolaven Plateau Contents Loop has to be one of the best experiences in Laos. This rural area retains an unspoilt charm, and is

home to mighty waterfalls and coffee / Travelpicture iStock:Al plantations. You should know how to ride a motorbike before you arrive in Vietnam Tad Lo waterfall in the Bolaven Plateau Laos. Always wear a helmet, and remember, if you don’t have a license to ride back home, your travel Find out about the beliefs of local insurance won’t cover you. followers of the animism religion on The area You can choose between a short a visit to an ethnic Katu village on around or long loop, depending on your time, the Bolaven Plateau. Animism is the some of the Cambodia but don’t rush it; you’ll want time to religious belief that objects, places, waterfalls stop to enjoy a dip in some of the and creatures all possess a distinct has been waterfalls and learn about coffee spiritual essence. developed, cultivation from local farmers. For example, one should never and others The area around some of the knock on the door of another are still waterfalls has been developed, while villager’s hut because of the fear of surrounded others are still surrounded by lush losing the ‘good’ house spirits. The by lush

jungle, but in most places, there are penalty for knocking on someone’s jungle, but in Laos clearly marked paths. While on the door is a fine of one . most places, Plateau, remember to respect any The villagers also believe that if the paths wildlife you might encounter, and one of the locals dies because of are clearly avoid any tours that offer elephant an accident, his family should be marked. rides. banished to the forest for a period of Insurance Tips Insurance around five years in case bad luck is Traditional villages brought upon the entire village. The southern regions of Laos are A local guide will show you around home to traditional ethnic villages, the village and explain various stages some of which remain free of the of coffee cultivation, including the comforts of the modern world. differences between male and female

63 LAOS & Overview & Contents Contents Vietnam

Sunset on the island of Dot Det iStock /iStock AIS

coffee beans. The female is the flatter close to the Cambodian border. This coffee bean which can be split in two, part of Laos is more of a backpacker Both Don while the rounder male coffee bean hangout and less of a cultural hub,

Det and Don Cambodia is considered to be stronger in taste. but if you’re looking for a place to Khon can be Hear about medicinal properties of enjoy a cold beer while taking in reached via various plants growing in the area. the sunset from a hammock, this is a short boat The village of Ban Kok Phung Tai is definitely the spot. ride from the accessible via a marked path leading is popular with younger village of Ban from the Bolaven Plateau main circuit. backpackers, with all sorts of Nakasang Village tours are held a couple of accommodation and food options. If which in turn, is accessible

times a day and there’s no need to you’re looking for some activity, rent Laos book; you can just turn up and join in. a bicycle and head over across the by bus from Help contribute to the sustainability bridge to , where you can Pakse. of the region by staying in local visit waterfalls, or take a boat trip to homestays, eating at local eateries, spot the rare Irrawaddy dolphins. and only buying handmade products Both Don Det and Don Khon can Insurance Tips Insurance made by the local community. be reached via a short boat ride from the village of Ban Nakasang which in How to see the 4,000 Islands turn, is accessible by bus from Pakse. South of the Bolaven Plateau lies Onward journeys to Cambodia can (the 4,000 Islands), an easily be arranged on Don Det. archipelago on the Mekong River natural beauty.

64 Getty images / Tuomas Prabang Luang LAOS soak up Laos’s culture. temples make it agreat place to wooden houses and dazzling Prabang’straditional Luang and surrounded by mountains, meet, rivers Khan Nam and Situated where the Mekong the entrance to the falls, but pack your $2.50). There are some street stalls at The entrance fee is 20,000 kip (US views. panoramic and falls quieter the jungle you’ll be rewarded with through uphill you continue If path. fewer crowds, continue hiking up the toleft do but jump in. turquoise blue pools, there’s nothing you reach the cascading falls with motorbike, taxi, van or boat. Once (share bus or taxi), or opt for a songthaew a 45 minutes in about take you It’ll falls. limestone tiered Cool off visitwith a to these multi- Kuang Waterfalls Si Pak Caves Ou If youIf want to enjoy aswim with

Check out the night market night the out Check recreate the feast for your friends. returncook and food local to home class in town so you can learn to kaffir lime and garlic.Try a cooking with flavor, including lemongrass, country’s dishes distinct are filled in Laos French serving meals, the you’ll many restaurants Though find Try acooking class localtasty street eats. great place to chow down on some clothing, or trinkets, but it’s also a souvenirs, for great to shop place and opens from 5pm to 11pm. It’s a which sells local jewelry and crafts, market, night popular the for stalls vendors came from all over to set up Sisavangvong Road is closed off and and some snacks to save afew kip. own water bottle, bathing suit, towel Luang Prabang night market night Luang Prabang jump in. jump to do but left nothing there’s blue pools, turquoise with falls cascading the reach Once you

Sam Grimmer

65 Overview & Vietnam Cambodia Laos Insurance Tips Insurance

Contents LAOS & Overview & Contents Contents

Aerial view of Luang Prabang Getty Images / Marcin Kilarski

Tamarind Cooking School runs See glittering temples trips to the market to pick out Don’t miss the incredibly ornate Haw Vietnam ingredients for the dishes you be Pha Bang (Royal Palace) with its gold cooking in class – jeow (dipping exterior, multi-tiered roof and steps sauces), herbed fish, lemongrass leading up to the arched entrance. stuffed with chicken, minced meat Inside you’ll find a statue of the highly salad, sticky rice, and dessert. The revered Phra Bang Buddha. class is a full afternoon event. Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham Cambodia (The New Temple), which was built Pak Ou Caves in the 18th century and has been Hop on a boat and cruise up the recently restored, is one of the Mekong to reach the Pak Ou Caves. largest and most popular temples to You can get there by Tuk Tuk, but visit in Luang Prabang. It was once the boat journey is a more enjoyable the temple for the Royal Family and experience. For more than 500 years, is home to the Pra Sangkharat, the

these caves have been a popular highest Buddhist dignitary in Laos. Laos pilgrimage site, with the first pilgrims You’ll find the New Temple right next leaving behind a Buddhist idol. to the Royal Palace. Inside the limestone caves, there are Wat Pa Phai is a wooden temple thousands of Buddha images and that has incredible frescoes depicting statues. life in Laos during the late 19th Insurance Tips Insurance Before reaching the caves, the century. Here, you may find some boat will stop at a whiskey village monks who are eager to practice to learn about the making of Lao their English with you. Lao Whiskey, with hopes that you’ll A couple of miles outside the city purchase a bottle, although it’s not center, you’ll find the monastery of mandatory to buy. Wat Phon Phao. Set in a lush forest,

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Road and the Mekong River. A must-try meal in Laos is sin dat Wat Pa Phai (also called Laos fondue or Laos is a wooden hot pot) and you can find it at a few temple that restaurants around town. This dish has incredible is served from a communal hot pot, frescoes kept hot by burning coals. You cook depicting life your own meat, vegetables and in Laos during & Overview & noodles either by poaching them in the late 19th Contents the flavorful broth, or grilling them. century. These hot pots typically cost around Wat Pa Phai

Sam Grimmer US $10 for two for a sit down meal. Or, if you’re traveling solo, you can this golden temple features intricately order a smaller pot all to yourself. designed windows and balconies, Once dinner rolls around, you

and inside you’ll see bright paintings. might still be full from the hot pot Vietnam Visit during the day or at sunset when lunch, so head to the night market it’s cooler and the light is golden. and have a light meal of chicken on Hire a bicycle for the day to a stick, or grilled vegetables. While explore these temples at your own dining alongside the river, make sure pace. Most guesthouses, and you bring some insect repellent. hotels will have bikes for hire, and Cambodia you’ll pay no more than US $5. Accommodation From boutiques and upscale hotels Local food to hostels and guesthouses, there Start the day at a streetside cafe in are options for all budgets in Luang town with a tasty pastry, a caffeine Prabang. The town is a hotspot boost or a pain au chocolat – a very for package tours and, because of French way to start the day. For this, there are many more luxury

lunch, walk across the Nam River by accommodations opening. If you Laos bamboo bridge to the restaurants, want to stay in the posh area near or stick around for a bite to eat on the tip of the peninsula, or in a Sisavangvong Road. You’ll find a wide building in the old town with Mekong variety of foods here, from traditional River views, expect to shell out more Lao dishes (buffalo sausage, khao soi money; these luxury rooms are Insurance Tips Insurance soup made with mincemeat and clear around US $100/night. noodles, fermented fish stew, and When searching for somewhere to spring rolls) to high-end French fare. stay on a shoestring, check out the Another excellent spot for finding road between the post office and the cheap eats is the street between the river, or the narrow lanes that jut off night market end of Sisavangvong of Phomathat Road.

67 LAOS Northern Laos Venture into the north of Laos for caving, , kayaking, hiking, and visiting waterfalls. See vibrant rice & Overview &

paddies, towering limestone Contents karsts, and learn about the traditional hill tribe villages.

Nong Khiaw Take a three-hour bus ride from Luang Prabang to the village of

Nong Khiaw. The Nam Ou River Vietnam Sunset on the Nam Ou River in Nong Khiaw

snakes along the valley floor passing / kovgabor79 iStock the towering limestone karsts surrounding the town, but while the boat back to Nong Khiaw. the scenery from your guesthouse Explore Tam Phatok Cave (a The Nam Ou balcony will be stunning, venture into one-hour walk south of town, or rent River snakes the countryside for a real adventure. a bicycle to get there in 20 minutes). along the Cambodia Take a hike to the 100 Waterfalls During the Vietnam War, local people valley floor, with local tour operator Tiger Trail. sheltered here during bombings. passing the First, you’ll take a boat to Nam Ou Explore the wide-open chamber in towering Village, then walk through rice the cave, which gets a lot of natural limestone paddies before reaching the falls. light, so you don’t really need a karsts. You can got for a swim and enjoy a flashlight or a guide. traditional Laos lunch before taking Take a three-hour return hike up

to the Nong Khiaw viewpoint for Laos spectacular views across the valley and the town below. To find the trailhead, go past the bridge on the guesthouse side of the river and you’ll see signs with arrows pointing Insurance Tips Insurance you in the right direction.

Muang Ngoi For a more remote experience, make your way upriver by boat to Muang Hike in Nong Khiaw

Getty Images / Vincent JaryGetty / Vincent Images Ngoi. This village attracts more of a

68 LAOS backpacker crowd than Nong Khiaw which caters to all budgets. Muang Ngoi only started receiving 24-hour electricity in 2013, and still retains its authenticity. Take a multi-day trek to nearby Tai, Hmong and Khmu villages. You can book a multi-day tour through & Overview &

Lao Youth Travel or you can hike Contents independently. Take the road that leads out of Muang Ngoi and walk to the Tam Kang Cave to enjoy a refreshing dip Vang Vieng in the river. / kitchakron iStock For epic views over the village, hike the steep, 30-minute trail to Pha across the bamboo bridge (look for Vietnam Noi viewpoint. Entrance to the trail the signs near Otherside Restaurant), is at the north end of Muang Ngoi, about a 25-minute walk, or about a behind the temple. 10-minute bike ride. Don’t forget to bring a torch, as Vang Vieng it’s damp, dark and slippery on the Vang Vieng used to be known for rocks inside Lusi Cave. You’ll wander Cambodia its drug scene, TV show-themed through the cave with only your bars (such as Friends and Family light to guide you, while passing by Guy), tubing down the river while numerous stalactites and stalagmites. heavily intoxicated, and endless After a 25-minute walk inside the parties. However, these days the cave, you’ll reach the lagoon with a town is much more relaxed, with few tubes floating in the darkness. It’s quiet surrounding farmland, red-tiled safe to swim in the lagoon, although

rooves and towering karsts, similar to with the only light will be from your Laos those found in southern Thailand. torch, so it can be a bit scary. Renting a bike is one of the best For a more enjoyable swim, take ways to see Vang Vieng, with many a 45-minute cycle out of town to the guest houses offering mountain Blue Lagoon. You really can’t get bikes, regular bicycles, and advice lost on your way here as there are Insurance Tips Insurance on places to visit. Free maps are numerous signs. no longer available, but you could either ask for detailed directions or Plain of Jars download a Hobo Map. There are At Phonsavan, 248mi (400km) numerous caves in the surrounding north of Vientiane, lies one of Asia’s karsts, including Lusi Cave, which is greatest mysteries, The Plain of Jars.

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Huge Neolithic stone urns litter the fit, there are longer trips of up countryside, some as tall as 10ft to eight days. When researching The most (3m) and weighing several tonnes. various different tour operators, common trip Historians are still baffled as to why ask to see photos of where you’ll from Luang these stone jars were carved 2,500 be sleeping and for details about Namtha is a years ago. One local myth suggests what you’ll be eating. Some places three-night, the jars were used to keep human offer comfortable mattresses with two-day journey remains, while another says that the mosquito nets, while others are just to nearby & Overview & stone jars were used to ferment wine. sheets on the ground with banana villages, which Contents Or, perhaps they were there to collect leaves for padding. includes jungle rainwater for drinking. After a long hike, reward yourself trekking, From Phonsavan you can organize with a visit to the herbal sauna in guide fees, a local tour, or hire your own Luang Namtha, and enjoy a pizza accommodation, motorbike. Tuk Tuks are not allowed from Bamboo Lounge, a restaurant and food. to take travelers to the Plain of Jars, that gives back to the community and there are no buses available. by training and employing ethnic Vietnam Once you reach the plains, be aware minority locals. It also provides free that only a few of the sites are open drinking water, which really helps to for visitors. During the Vietnam War, cut back on single-use plastic bottles. the dropped 270 million Go mountain biking to the bombs on Laos and today, there are surrounding village of Ban Nam Dee, still unexploded bombs around, so or continue to Nam Dee waterfall, Cambodia stay on the marked paths. (great if it’s rained recently, but quite dry otherwise). Luang Namtha and Nam Ha National Park Located next to the new Nam Kan National Park, this stunning area of rainforest is a great place to hike and

visit hill tribes (expect to encounter Laos people from the Mien, Karen, Hmong and Akha Tribes). Luang Namtha is the jumping off point to the nearby national park. The most common trip from Luang Insurance Tips Insurance Namtha is a three-night, two-day journey to nearby villages, which includes jungle trekking, guide fees, accommodation, and food. However, if you’re feeling especially Tribal hill village near Luang Namtha adventurous and are physically Sam Grimmer

70 It’s easy to hire a bike, so, it’s not Essential surprising that we see everything Theft is very Insurance Tips from exhaust pipe burns to injuries common caused by horrific crashes, which can Travelling to Vietnam, Cambodia across Asia. sometimes be fatal. If you’re going It's a good and Laos? Here are the top three to ride a bike anywhere in Vietnam, tips to look out for to protect you idea to leave Cambodia or Laos, it’s essential that valuables at and your belongings. you know what your travel insurance home, and, if & Overview & covers, what it doesn’t cover, and you take out Contents Traveler’s Diarrhea how to get help if you need it. Bring your camera, Diarrhea can take down even the your driver’s license from home smartphone most seasoned of travelers, so if a (paired with an international driver's or money in local dish leaves you feeling ill, our permit for the class of vehicle you're public, be assistance teams can help find the intending to hire). aware of your nearest doctor. And, with World Importantly, you have to comply surroundings,

Nomads travel insurance, you can with local laws, and buy the correct and keep Vietnam make a claim for reimbursement for plan or adventure sport upgrade (if an eye out these medical expenses (less any applicable) for World Nomads to cover for passing excess, which may apply), even if you to ride a motorbike or scooter in motorcyclists. you’re still traveling. the class you're licensed to ride. Travel insurance is designed for even the smallest medical Theft Cambodia emergency, and our assistance team Theft is very common across can support you 24/7, even if you’re Asia. It's a good idea to leave held up in a squat toilet. If it’s really valuables at home, and, if you take serious, they can arrange for an out your camera, smartphone or emergency evacuation to the nearest money in public, be aware of your hospital, and guarantee payments surroundings, and keep an eye out if necessary, so you have one less for passing motorcyclists. Before you

worry. travel to Vietnam, Cambodia or Laos, Laos The danger with gastro is you can store a copy of your gear receipts or lose more fluids than you can keep other proof of ownership, as you’ll down. Dehydration can be deadly, so even though you may have a trusty Real-claim story stash of Pepto-Bismol, don’t rely on

“After three weeks of dysentery in Cambodia, I went to a clinic Tips Insurance your own instincts or Dr Google for where they did a blood test and found that I had typhoid fever. medical advice. They gave me medicine intravenously, injections, and medicine to take after I left the clinic. After finishing the medicine, the diarrhea persisted so I went to the hospital where they confirmed I still had Riding Motorbikes & Scooters the typhoid by another blood test. They prescribed more medicine.” Motorbike/scooter accidents are Australian in Vietnam and Cambodia common throughout Southeast Asia.

71 need to provide this with any claim if your gear is stolen. Contact your bank before departure to let them know how long you will be overseas in case of suspicious transactions, especially after you return home. All World Nomads travel insurance plans will have some coverage for & Overview & theft or if a carrier has lost your Contents checked in luggage. However, with any insurance plan, limits, conditions and exclusions may apply, for example, if you have simply misplaced your gear or if your tech Tribal hill village near Luang Namtha gets damaged. Generally, you need Sam Grimmer to be able to show that you took Vietnam reasonable care to look after your Real-claim story gear. That means not leaving your “We arrived in Siem Reap on the motorcycles that we own gear behind or your camera in your (purchased in Hanoi, Vietnam), when some dumb driver pulled out checked-in baggage. You should right in front of me. I slammed on my brakes, fell, and was given a carry your electronics and valuables lift to a clinic. They took an X-ray and said there was no break, but prescribed medications." with you at all times, and lock your US resident in Cambodia Cambodia gear up in a secure location when you can’t take it with you. If your stuff is stolen, you will need a police Real-claim story report, or some other kind of report “I was walking along the pavement and I was robbed by men on a from an authorized representative motorbike. The pillion passenger snatched the bag I was carrying. I (e.g a property irregularity report from was in shock and did not give chase as the motorbike was too fast. The street was not empty, with some pedestrians and food sellers. the airline or bus company if your I made a police report at a local police station.”

bags were checked in), to validate Singapore resident in Vietnam Laos your claim.

All of the information we provide about travel insurance is a brief summary only. It does not include all terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions and termination provisions of the travel insurance plans described. Coverage may not be available for residents of all countries, states or provinces. Please carefully read your policy wording for a full description of coverage. WorldNomads.com Pty Limited (ABN 62 127 485 198 AR 343027) at Governor Macquarie Tower, Level 18, 1 Farrer Place, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia is an Authorised Representative of Cerberus Special Risks Pty Limited (ABN 81 115 932 173 AFSL 308461) and is underwritten by certain underwriters at Lloyd's. World Nomads Travel Lifestyle

(Europe) Limited (CN 601852) markets and promotes travel insurance products of Nomadic Insurance Benefits Limited (CN 601851), First Floor, City Quarter, Lapps Quay, Cork, Tips Insurance Ireland. Nomadic Insurance Benefits Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. WorldNomads.com Pty Limited markets and promotes travel insurance products of Nomadic Insurance Limited (License No.1446874), at PO Box 1051, Grand Cayman KY1-1102, Cayman Islands. World Nomads Limited (05443592) is an Appointed Representative of Millstream Underwriting Limited (FCA Firm ref: 308584) at 52-56 Leadenhall Street, London, EC3A 2DX, United Kingdom. World Nomads Inc. (1585422), at 520 3rd Street, Suite 201, Oakland, CA 94607, plans are administered by Trip Mate Inc. (in CA & UT, dba, Trip Mate Insurance Agency) at 9225 Ward Parkway, Suite 200, Kansas City, MO, 64114, USA, with 24-hour and Assistance Services provided by One Call Worldwide Travel Services Network, Inc. and plans underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and affiliated companies, Columbus, OH. World Nomads (Canada) Ltd (BC: 0700178; Business No: 001 85379 7942 RC0001) is a licensed agent sponsored by AIG Insurance Company of Canada at 120 Bremner Boulevard, Suite 2200, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 0A8, Canada. World Experiences Seguros De Viagem Brasil Ltda (CNPJ: 21.346.969/0001-99) at Rua Padre João Manuel, 755, 16º andar, São Paulo – SP, is an Authorized Partner (Representante) of Zurich Minas Brasil Seguros S.A. (CNPJ: 17.197.385/0001-21) at Av. Getúlio Vargas, 1420, 5th floor, Funcionários, Belo Horizonte, State of through the SUSEP Process 15414.901107/2015-77. All World Nomads entities listed above, including Nomadic Insurance Benefits Limited and Nomadic Insurance Limited, are subsidiaries of nib holdings limited (ABN 51 125 633 856).

72 Kelly BecktaKelly & Overview & Contents Contents

A monk at Angkor Wat

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