We finish our time in Southeast Asia in Thailand’s south – the island of Koh Lanta. This is a great place to relax, go for a swim, and do some island hopping.
So, how did we get from Yangon, Myanmar, to Koh Lanta, Thailand? We got a flight from Yangon to Bangkok, and chilled there for a few days. From Bangkok we caught a long bus ride to Koh Lanta in the south. The bus was around 20 hours or so. Quite a good distance!
In Koh Lanta there are great day tours to visit some spectacular beaches and snorkeling reefs. In a few spots you get to swim through some caves and find a secluded cove surrounded by tropical jungle. Very cool!
We spent a bunch of time working on the sun-tan and drinking some hard-earned beer. Backpacking is tough work after all! This is a little break after our many activities in Myanmar, and our upcoming adventures in China. We will spend about 1 month in China, and then 3 weeks in Japan. Onward and forward!
We spent around a week in southern Myanmar, in Hpa An and Mawlamyine. This was our “off the beaten path” travels in Myanmar. I get why not many people come here – from Inlay Lake we were on several buses for around 24 hours… a long journey but definitely worth it!
In Mawlamyine we checked out Shampoo Island! This odd name originates from a royal hair washing ceremony that used to take place here. There are many beautiful Buddhist temples, convents, and monasteries. It was a very peaceful place, and very fun to wander around. You can hire a horse carriage to drive you around, but just walking around is a lot of fun.
We then made our way north to Hpa An, a really chill smaller city. The area surrounding Hpa An has numerous sacred Buddhist shrines, caves, and mountains. You guessed it, the caves and mountains are also shrines!
I had a bit of a dilemma in a large cave/Buddhist shrine. Because it’s a shrine, you have to take your shoes/socks off. The problem is that this cave has many resident bats and guano (bat droppings)! Luckily much of the cave had no lights, so I just didn’t think about it! Hehe, a very good travel tip in general!
Near Hpa An there is a Field of a 1000 Buddhas – there are around 1000 Buddha statues/shrines to admire. From here you can climb Zwegabin Mountain and see the temple at the top. You can climb up one side and come down the other, so you get a great view of the area. Three of us hired a tuk-tuk for the day, and our driver met us on the other side, and it only cost us about $3 US each. A great day and a solid 725 meter climb!
From Hpa An we head towards Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar. We will spend a few days here, and then fly back to Thailand. Off to Koh Lanta in Thailand’s south!
Three days of trekking from Kalaw to Inlay Lake! We had blue skies, an awesome hiking group, and friendly villagers! We journeyed through the Myanmar countryside and took in some beautiful vistas. We had homemade cooking at 2 homestays, and an amazing guide. Lots of great conversations and an inside view of the complex political transition here in Myanmar.
Myanmar has been under military rule for many years, but they recently had free elections. Aung San Suu Kyi’s political party was elected in, and the ruling military has allowed some transfer of power to a civilian government. Even though there’s still a way to go, there has been real progress here. It’s really cool being here during such a transition. Many people here have real hope for the future of their beautiful country.
Our trek journeyed through some small mountains, some jungle area, and a large stretch of farmland. We met a lot of friendly locals who were interested to know where we came from. Our hiking group was fantastic, and we had lots of good times and interesting conversations. Jon even met his girlfriend on this trek! Cheers to you Jon and Hedvika!
At the end of the hike we caught a small boat to our final destination on Inlay Lake. We relaxed here for a few days, and head to Myanmar’s south!
Bagan is a stunning site with over 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas, and monasteries. It is incredibly vast and beautiful, and is an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists all over the world. There are small pagodas that are almost falling apart, to massive temple complexes decorated with gold and precious stones!
The sunset/sunrise around Bagan is breathtaking. I checked out a sunset, and my buddy Jon got up early for a sunrise. Check out the photos below. Lots of people rent a hot air balloon to get a view from the sky – but at a price of $300US, we passed! Even without the balloon, the views are stunning!
There are lots of fun ways to check out the temples. Remember that the area is very large, so you’ll need some form of transportation. Jon rented a moto, and I hired a local horse carriage driver. He spoke some English and gave me a great overview of the area’s history and key temples. I was glad because some of the temples have paintings inside, but there are no working lights there. He lent me his flashlight and I got to enjoy the beautiful paintings!
If you’re wondering how we got to Bagan, we flew from Chiang Mai (Thailand), to Mandalay (a city in central Myanmar). We spent a couple of days in Mandalay, which was quite interesting. There are some very nice temples and bridges around the city. While visiting an old palace in Mandalay, there’s a large sign indicating where “foreigners” are allowed to go. Problem was that I really had to use the washroom, which was in the forbidden zone. I approached a soldier holding an AK-47, and with charades, asked if I could use the washroom. He nodded and I was relieved! The adventures of travelling, hehe.
It was quite easy to get a visa for Myanmar – you just apply on the government visa website and pay $50. It’s easy to get around the country via bus or train. It’s very travel friendly! Foreigners are only allowed to stay in foreigner licensed accommodations. This drives up the price a bit, but keeps the standards higher. We’ll be spending about 3 weeks in Myanmar. Lots of adventures to look forward to!
From Vietnam we got a flight to Bangkok – our home away from home! There are so many convenient and cheap flights here. After a few days in Bangkok, we took an 11 hour train to Thailand’s north – Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai has something for everyone: gorgeous Buddhist temples, elephant sanctuaries (legit ones), great hiking, and amazing night markets. After travelling around Southeast Asia, I thought I would be sick of temples, but Chiang Mai’s are at another level. They are so ornate, gold-plated, ancient, and all over the place! Check out the photos.
We went on a 3 day trek in the mountains around Chiang Mai. The terrain was challenging, but not crazy! We saw all kinds of interesting critters, including: snakes, a millipede, massive termite mounds, and 3 friendly dogs that joined in for the adventures.
On this three days we checked out mountains, jungles, waterfalls, and local villages. Our accommodations were quite basic – a thin straw mat next to the stored dry goods! Hehe, I recommend turning many times in the night to spread out the aches/pains.
After the trek we headed back to Chiang Mai for a few days. We hit the weekend night market, which was AMAZING! The selection of food and drinks was staggering. All kinds of barbecued meats, seafood, noodles, soups, sweets, smoothies, etc. I was so full afterwards that I pretty much rolled back to the hostel.
Chiang Mai was a blast, but now it’s to the west in Myanmar!
Off to Ha Long Bay! This is a truly stunning area with mini-mountains jutting out all over the bay. You can spot some floating villages where the locals live and work – check out the photos.
If you’re going to Ha Long Bay and have a few days, it’s best to stay in Cat Ba. You can easily catch buses from Hanoi to get here for very cheap. You will get a better quality tour of the bay for a better price.
We got on a tour boat with about 30 people. It was an animated group and we met a bunch of fun drinking friends! On the trip we went out kayaking around the little islands and secluded enclaves. So cool! My buddy Jon was kayaking with the captain of our boat (and tour owner), and it turns out he paid for his boats by growing weed in England! Apparently he got a legit working visa for London, and found out that he could make more money growing/selling weed than a regular day job. He eventually got caught, went to jail for a few months, and was deported back to Vietnam. He hid his money quite well, so he kept it all and started his own tour company in Ha Long Bay. Sometimes crime does pay… not that I’m encouraging it though.
All kinds of good adventures, but our time in Vietnam is coming to an end. Now we’re off to northern Thailand, Chiang Mai.
Hanoi was chaotic, but a lot of fun! The food is fantastic, cheap, and plentiful – and so is the beer! What more could you ask for? You can also ask for an egg coffee. It adds creaminess to the coffee that is quite addicting. Don’t miss this when you visit Vietnam’s capital.
There are several museums in the city that provide an interesting overview of the country’s ancient and modern history. Even with the strong communist bias, it is still very interesting and informative. Some of these include the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Hoa Lo Prison, and the Fine Arts Museum.
Another area that you can’t miss is the Old Quarter of the city. Even though it’s packed with people and motos, that’s half the fun! It’s full of local markets, great eateries, and cheap beer. We stayed in a hostel/hotel near to this area. For my fellow backpackers, you’ll notice that many accommodations are called “hostels,”but they’re more like hotels. They are really nice and often have great service, but realize it may not have the typical social atmosphere of other hostels.
From Hanoi we head to Cat Ba Island. Cat Ba is one of the largest island in Ha Long Bay, and is a great spot to grab a tour of the bay. Onward and forward!
Central Vietnam is amazing! We based ourselves in Phong Nha to check out all the stunning caves. Paradise cave is massive, up to 100 meters high and 150 meters wide. There are all kinds of stalagmites and stalactites that look like flowing rocks. Check out the photos.
Later in the day we took a dive into the mud! Mud cave to be exact. After wandering through 10 minutes of winding cave passages, we made it to a pool of cool mud where you can levitate! It’s thick enough to sit or lay down in and not sink! On your way out you can clean off in the clear pools that feed the nearby stream. My skin felt tingly smooth!
After the caves we headed to a forray of narrow mountains and winding rivers – Tam Coc. We took a boat tour through a bunch of caves and amongst the mountains. Truly a sight to be hold! The natural beauty in Central Vietnam is brilliant! You can even spot little Buddhist temples along the mountainsides. It seems like another world.
From nature we head to the belly of the beast – Vietnam’s capital in Hanoi. Onto the train!
After our Delta excursion, we wanted to relax on the beach for a few days. Mui Ne was our answer! We literally just chilled by the pool and beach for around 4 days. We met a lot of cool friends, and had a fantastic Christmas buffet! The food choices included Australian steak, prawns, shrimp, noodles, and an endless supply of fresh fruit and deserts! Maybe not the traditional turkey dinner, but it was darn tasty!
After our beach time, we were ready for more adventure! We caught a bus into the mountains, and settled in the town of Dalat. Unknown to us, Dalat was about to be transformed for their annual Flower Festival. Dalat has a huge industry of growing cut flowers, and every year the flower farms compete to develop the best flower displays and flower floats. On top of this, the government provides an amazing fireworks display. During the fireworks show there were about 3 separate finales, each one better than the last!
Dalat is well-known for its natural beauty and outdoor activities. So, we decided to climb down some waterfalls! A full day excursion, we abscaled down three waterfalls, slid down a river, and jumped off an 11 meter rock face. Check out the photos below! One recommendation – try not to smash into any rocks! Your ribs will thank you! Hehe, good times in any case.
We stayed at one of my favorite hostels of the trip in Dalat. If you travel here, stay at Wolfpack Hostel Dalat. It was amazing! Each night they have community dinners that are fantastic. There’s a photo below from one of our dinners. It provides a great opportunity to meet fellow travellers. We actually met lots of friends here that we travelled with further north in Vietnam and later in Myanmar. The owners are really nice, the beds are SO comfortable, and it’s a great location!
From Dalat we head back to the beach at Nha Trang. Onward and forward!
Cheers, Shawn
Jon and the waterfall – Dalat
Shawn and the waterfall – Dalat
Leap of faith – Dalat
Leap of faith – Dalat
The waterfall gang – Dalat
Train down the river – Dalat
Jon going for a slide – Dalat
Shawn going for a slide – Dalat
Shawn just prior to meeting with rocks
Jon chilling mid-air
Wind surfing – Mui Ne
Wolfpack Hostel Dalat – communal dinner
Nightime in Mui Ne
Street art – Mui Ne
Flower Festival – Dalat
Flower Festival – Dalat
Flower Festival – Dalat
Photos by Jon Lang, except for the 3 flower festival photos that were pulled from random websites – thanks random websites!
Asia Trip – 2015/2016 – Christmas in Mui Ne, and New Year’s in Dalat… good times!
We hop the bus to check out Vietnam’s south in the Mekong Delta. This is a 3 day excursion starting from Saigon. Along the way we checked out a series of National Parks, including a protected area of mangroves (tree/shrub plant that grows along the mouth of the delta). Check out the photos below.
There are several villages along the river, who base their livelihoods and homes right on the river. Aside from tourism, there are several fish farms and natural fishing traps along the way. Our guide told us that many of the fish are exported to their northern neighbour, China. He said that he was happy for the additional jobs, but was worried that the river was being over-utilized for the demand on fish. It seems that countries everywhere have to deal with the economic/environmental struggle.
We checked out a few water markets, where all the trades are done on the water. The local farms are located right on the water, so it’s best to load up the produce on a boat and motor out to the morning market. There are even concession boats that pull up and serve sliced pineapple (fresh from the farm of course), coffee, potato chips, etc. Quite convenient!
Overnight we stopped in a few delta towns. They both had a very chill atmosphere, where we could wander around and try out the local cuisine. I recommend the barbequed rat! Yeah, yeah, I know it sounds bad – but how do you know unless you try it! I dare you! Other options include snake, alligator, or the traditional chicken/pork/beef.
On the way back we stopped at some huge Buddha statues. There’s a photo of the Laughing Buddha below. This was at the Vinh Trang Temple. Very beautiful and well kept temple complex – definitely worth the stop!
I really enjoyed the Mekong Delta. Great views, tasty rodents, and beautiful temples. Now back to Saigon for a night, and north to the beach town of Mui Ne!
Freely Wander 