The slow boat to Luang Prabang is a 2 day boat journey down the Mekong River starting in the border town of Huay Xai with an overnight in Pak Beng. The boat is going to be very crowded. They cram as many people as they can onto it even when there is no more space. … More Taking the slow boat to Luang Prabang
Sitting at the end of Thailand’s northern train line, Chiang Mai is the main travel hub for the mountainous north. People come here to experience a different Thailand compared to the hustle and bustle of Bangkok or the sandy beaches of southern Thailand. This is a great city to organize a trek to one of … More Rose of the North – Chiang Mai
The former capital, Yangon (Rangoon), is Myanmar’s bustling metropolis. The streets are busy in this city with markets and food vendors lining the sidewalks and is filled with some amazing architecture left over from colonial times. When arriving in Yangon by long distance bus you get dropped off at the bus terminal which is located … More A ride on the Circle Line – Yangon
Surrounded by mountains on both sides, this sprawling lake is home to stilted villages, floating gardens and a relaxed atmosphere. This area has relatively cool temperatures compared to other parts of the country due to its elevation. The main hub with tourist services and accommodations is located at Nyaung Shwe at the North end of … More Life on the water – Inle Lake
Bagan is the result of 230 years of construction effort during the 11th and 12th century when thousands of temples were built across its plain. Today around 2200 of these still stand and are a marvel to observe and explore. As I stated in my previous post upon arriving in the area you must pay … More Land of a thousand Buddhas – Bagan
There are several ways of travel between Mandalay and Bagan including bus, train and boat. Although the boat can be a slower form of travel it is a great way to see part of the country. The boat makes the journey down the Irrawaddy River ending in Bagan. There are a few boat operators to … More Taking the slow boat from Mandalay to Bagan
Mandalay is Myanmar’s second largest city and one of its former capitals. Nestled along the Irrawaddy River, the city has much to see in and around the area. Within the city the two main attractions are the Royal Palace and Mandalay Hill. The Royal Palace sits at the center of a large square compound in … More Nestled along the Irrawaddy – Mandalay
After a week of partying on Koh Phangan, it was time to get some relaxing in with the new year. So we headed over to Thailand’s Andaman Coast and the town of Krabi. The town proper sits along a river a little inland while there are outlying beaches at Ao Nang and Railay. The latter … More Relaxing on the Andaman Coast – Krabi
After a successful trip in 2013 to Koh Phangan for Christmas and New Years, we decided to stop here for the celebrations again. This time however Christmas fell on the full moon which Koh Phangan is notorious for adding an extra bonus. To be close to the action and not have to take taxis to … More Dancing under the full moon – Koh Phangan
From Penang we were headed to Koh Phangan in Thailand for Christmas and New Years. After doing some research we found it would be cheaper to just book the whole journey through a travel/tour place and take a bus and ferry versus buying the individual segments and taking the train and ferry with a bus … More Missed connections and crazy drivers – Georgetown to Hat Yai
Embrace the Odyssey 