Tag Archives: South East Asia

Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville to get a Vietnamese Visa

The bus service between Cambodia’s two largest cities – Siem Reap and Phnom Penh – is more regular than ten years ago but in many ways unchanged. Peeling seats and moody air-con on ancient Chinese buses which travel along bumpy … Continue reading

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Angkor Wat

I have heard Angkor Wat spoken of as many things – ‘pineapple towers’, rubble mountain, overgrown jungle, the Tomb Raider set, magical this, spiritual that, enchanting, devastating and even ‘Disneylandish’. But none of these really prepare you for the experience … Continue reading

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A Window to the Wetlands: Thailand to Cambodia by Train and Tuk-Tuk

The train from Bangkok to the Thai border town of Aranyaprathet leaves Hualamphong station every morning at 5.55am. At 4.50am we left our hostel to make the short walk to the station. The city streets were already bustling with newspaper … Continue reading

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Moths, Monks and Prickly Heat in Bangkok

Our first impressions of Bangkok were of a strange, hedonistic city combining old-world markets, beautiful temples, seedy strip clubs and slum-like houses with manic motorbikes, gigantic shopping centres, banks and LCD screens. The heat was intense on the first day … Continue reading

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Trang to Bangkok by Bus

We arrived at Hat Yao Pier after a fairly stuffy three-hour journey on the ferry from Koh Lipe. Our ferry ticket had included a transfer to Trang and we were a bit bemused to find a 12-seater minibus waiting just … Continue reading

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An Island Border Crossing: Koh Lipe, Thailand

The Langkawi Ferry Service boat from Malaysia to Thailand left Kuah Jetty in Langkawi at about 9am. We’d booked with Langkawi Ferry Service who are currently dominating inter-island transport because they have online booking forms (in English) which allow you … Continue reading

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