South East Asia or S.E.A. consists of the south-eastern portion of Asian countries.
They include Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Brunei and Timor-Leste (Timor East).
Share my pictorial experiences of more popular destinations in South East Asia …
Meander along the Mekong River, South Vietnam …
… In a pole-propelled boat; too narrow for motorised boats to navigate … lunch along the Mekong River on freshly caught fish, as you look on; home-grown vegetables with local spices; cooked in minutes; right before your eyes.
Whole fish, caught, scaled, guttered, rubbed with salt and pepper; shallow fried, served immediately with cut chillies, tamarind-lemon fish sauce and a hint of sugar. Stir fried fresh picked local mix vegetables, and fresh caught local prawns fried in fresh lemongrass and mint.
An experience not to be missed … a feast to behold and enjoy!
Attend Cooking Class in Siem Reap, Cambodia …
Enjoy the best of both worlds – Cambodian Cooking Class … and lunch on dishes cooked!
Prepare food under Chef’s watchful eyes … and then enjoy it as well – Wow …
Fun-filled and enjoyable!
A must try when you visit to Siem Reap, Cambodia!
Make Cambodian-style Prawn Spring Rolls; lemon-chilli dipping sauce topped with crushed peanuts; local-styled stir-fry Coconut Fish Curry and Banana Fritters with passionfruit-coconut cream sauce.
A 3-course Cambodian delight for lunch!
Catch Sunrise over Angkor Wat, Cambodia …
Another experience not to be missed.
Take an ‘open-on-three sides’ motorbike transport (similar to Thai ‘tuk-tuk’), at 5.00 am in the morning; travel one hour in crisp morning air, catching fresh breezes at 18⁰ C (64⁰F), brings temple ruins into perspective …
Watch golden sun creep over the ruins and warm up the countryside – simply awe-inspiring!
Dense jungle completely overwhelmed the Angkor Wat complex; roots and trunks burst through cracks in walls over years; nature claiming land back from mankind …
Visit Bridge on River Kwai, Mungkanchana, North Thailand
This bridge was immortalised by Pierre Boulle in his book and the film based on it, ‘Bridge on the River Kwai’; today, the Thai section of this railway bridge runs a connection between remote villages in Northern Thailand.
Over 60,000 prisoners of war (POWs) and 200,000 locals and South East Asians were used in building this railway over the ‘Kwae Yai’ river; working under appalling conditions and malnutrition; killing nearly half of them.
The Thailand-Burma railway was completed in 1943, spanning 415-kilometre (258 miles) length; constructed by Japan during World War II.
At the end of World War II, 111 Japanese military officials were tried for war crimes; brutalization of POWs during construction; with 32 sentenced to death.
No compensation or reparations were provided to Southeast Asian victims.
Mahamakut Buddhist Temple, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Places of worship tend to be tranquil and serene.
The Matmancuburi Temple in Chiang Mai, North Thailand is no different; rich golden décor, offerings from local worshippers – floral and fresh fragrances of flowers, tropical fruits flow through, mingling with incense … add to temple ambiance.
Temple compound also houses Mahamakut Buddhist University for monks and students throughout Thailand. There is also a regular program where locals (and tourists) can discuss Buddhist ideologies with under graduates in the garden grounds.
Shopping along the river? Check out Floating Market of Bangkok, Thailand.
Never a dull moment – be on your toes with bargaining; check your purchases before walking away – it is a bit difficult to chase the vendor once they have rowed the boat away!
Buy fresh fruits and vegetables; watch vendors cook local snacks and buy them piping hot to enjoy immediately. Buy sarongs, shorts, shirts or household items; list is endless …
Visit Jurong Bird Park, Singapore
Renowned bird sanctuary … with one of the largest free-flying aviaries in the world … a collection of over 5,000 birds across 400 species.
A full day of bird wonders and entertainment for the whole family!
Fancy 2 breakfasts (yes, that is right) in Batu Tinggi (translated as ‘Tall Hill’), Malaysia?
A sleepy little township; 45 minutes out of Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia …
First breakfast was to sample freshly made ‘kaya’ or coconut jam made from fresh coconut milk on thick toasts accompanied by local Malaysian coffee.
The second breakfast is the ‘dosai’ (thinly rolled crisp flatbread), roti, dhal curry, fish-head curry and vegetable curries – to savour local South Indian specialities.
Did not think we could finish the banquet … but we did!
Rice Fields of Bali, Indonesia
There is something special about looking over the horizon into terraced fields of padi or rice. Leaning against slopes of hillsides, swollen with moisture, these fields will feed part of Indonesia’s population: though not nearly enough …
Take offerings to Balinese Temple – Bali, a Hindu community, where locals, during auspicious occasions or festivals, carry their offerings on their heads; to the temple by the sea …
Amazing and fascinating places … filled with friendly locals and exotic spicy cuisines!
