The Plain of Jars is one of the most bizarre places to visit in Asia, and that’s saying a lot. It’s basically a plateau covered with thousands of megalithic jars, grouped in several “sites”, numbered 1-90. The function of this stones is unclear, with theories ranging from them being burial elements (containers to decompose corpses before burying them), to rainwater collectors for caravan travelers, to leftovers from a royal party. Continue reading “Riding around the enigmatic Plain of Jars”
Luang Prabang is Laos’ top destination for a reason. With numerous Buddhist monasteries, a lively ceremony of alms every morning, well-preserved colonial architecture and river walks, it is definitely one of the most charming cities in the world. Unfortunately, it also feels like one of the most touristy.
Continue reading “Walking around Luang Prabang, the heart of Laos”
After two days exploring Inle Lake on a boat, we were ready to venture inland. On our third day in Nyaungshwe, we rented bikes and rode them into the countryside. It was lush and beautiful, and a great way to observe life beyond the tourist spots. The highlight was our lunch at the Bamboo Hut, an amazing local restaurant we had been recommended. While I slacked on their porch, looking at the surrounding fields and fruit trees (which they use for their ultra-fresh dishes), Elena joined the owners in the kitchen for an impromptu cooking class, and prepared us the most delicious fish ever.
On our final day in the Inle region, we wanted to visit Kakku, the sacred site of the Pa’O people. We hired a car with driver in town, and headed very early toward the city of Taunggyi, the capital of the Shan state. We had to stop there to pick up a Pa’O guide, mandatory to visit their territory. Our guide ended up being a 19 year old college student named Kam, a shy and funny girl who we liked immediately. All the guides are dressed up in traditional Pa’O clothes (black and blue multi-layer suits and colorful turbans), speak good English and are quite knowledgeable. After about 2.5 hours in the car, driving through rice and soy fields, we reached Kakku.
Bagan, with its more than 3,000 Buddhist temples from the 11-12th centuries, is one of the most amazing places I’ve been to. We arrived late in the afternoon, due to a torturous yet fun train ride form Yangon, and decided to stay in the village of Nyang U, where most backpackers’ hotels and restaurants are located. After finding a good accommodation (Blazing Hotel, $25 for a double with AC) and eating the most delicious meal ever (Weather Spoon), we set to check out the nearby temples by foot. With little day light left and intermittent rain, we at least had time to visit the golden Shwezigon Pagoda, a couple random temples in the Nyang U area, and play tag-o-war with some local kids. It was a good introduction to the archaeological site, enough to get us excited for the days ahead.
Yangon, until recently, the capital of Myanmar, can easily be visited in 1 day. Our itinerary started at the furthest north sites, the Chaukhtatgyi and Ngahtatgyyi pagodas, with their respective giant Bhuddas, one reclining and one seating. It was a great experience to observe local people, who are extremely devoted. Very early on in our time in Myanmar, we noticed that the country was for the most part, untouched by tourism. We barely saw a couple of foreigners each day, and locals were unspoiled, smiley and dressed in traditional style (e.g. longyi skirts for men), many with their faces painted with yellow dye (thanaka).
Continue reading “What to see in Yangon, the gate to Myanmar”
MUST DO:
NICE TO HAVE:
The South Pacific islands are one of the most desired and challenging travel destinations. Most people believe they can’t afford to enjoy places like Bora Bora or Fiji, and it’s true… unless you plan smartly.
Picking a destination in the South Pacific
First, let’s take a look at all countries and territories (a total of over 20,000 islands) that compose the three key regions of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.
Polynesia:
St. Petersburg can be visited on a day trip from Moscow – a long but worth it trip. There are several train options, including the high speed but expensive Sapsan (3hr 45min), check out pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en. We chose a slow, sleeper train, which is not only cheaper but also helps you save two hotel nights. The 4 bed compartment at ~$50 per person was functional and clean, even had a few nice details like snacks.
Continue reading “Visiting St. Petersburg on a day trip from Moscow”
I LOVE Madrid, I honestly believe it is the best city in the world. In addition to rich history/art, and the best nightlife in the world, it has my family and childhood friends 🙂
People ask me a lot what they should do and see when they visit Madrid… and it’s always hard for me to answer. The city we live in is usually the one that we explore the least from a traveler perspective. But recently I had a chance to show the city over a couple of days to first-time visitor Elena, with the help of my good friend and fellow madrileña Anna.
My first impression of Bali was not good, I can’t lie. The Denpasar airport was full of tourists, and the taxi drivers had a very different attitude than we had experienced. Some of the experiences of the next days would show me the beautiful part of Bali, but that feeling of a ‘tourist trap’ and ‘spoiled paradise’ accompanied me for the rest of the trip.
Bona Travels 