Mount Rinjani’s crater lake is named Segara Anak – or Child of the Sea – because of its blue colour reminiscent of the ocean. Alman, our guide, had shared that it was formed when the volcano’s predecessor, Mount Samalas erupted and collapsed in 1257, leaving the caldera lake behind. A recent 2013 study […]
At 3,726m, Mt Rinjani is Indonesia’s second highest volcano and often deemed the most beautiful of all. But it is not an easy hike. Stretching over 3-4 days, it’s a tough yet rewarding journey that takes you through rolling hills, starry skies, waterfalls and a stunning crater lake at the top that sits another miniature […]
It was a last minute decision to visit the floating villages and I guess that was partly how we ended up going to the nearer tourist trap that is Chong Khneas, instead of the more recommended Kampong Phluk or Kampong Khleang. The tour was not the most enjoyable experience although there are always good moments […]
After a day of cycling and the early morning hustle of catching the famous sunrise at Angkor Wat, we were ready to go in further on our tuk-tuk to explore the other temples. Among them are my two favourites – Bayon (inside Angkor Thom) and Ta Prohm. Angkor Thom – “Great City” in Khmer – was the […]
Donsol is a peaceful, fishing village that is relatively untouched except for the few seaside resorts catered for tourists whose sole purpose is to visit the butandings – meaning ‘whalesharks’ in Tagalog. Sightings are not guaranteed but extremely common during the peak season of Mar-Apr. We had a total of 13 sightings over 3 sessions […]
We had to get from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap by bus on our third day and made the dire mistake of booking our tickets only the night before. Everyone had recommended either the Mekong Express or Giant Ibis, but both were full and we had to – very unfortunately – settle for PP Sorya. […]
Few things that deeply struck me during the whole trip to Cambodia – the warmth of the locals, the splendid architecture of the city (both age old and modern) and – especially so – its chilling, not-too-distant history during the Khmer Rouge era which the people of Cambodia today still struggle to recover and learn […]