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Ella: The Heart of Sri Lanka’s Hill Country
Sri Lanka is known for many things: beautiful scenery, hospitable people, diverse wildlife, ancient civilizations, and a brutal civil war that ravaged the country until 2009. But most of all, the small island nation is known for its production of high-quality tea. In the lush Hill Country near Ella, tea plantations carpet mist-wrapped hillsides, while waterfalls tumble through thickets of dense vegetation. It is a stunning region, where hiking trails abound and neatly-pruned tea plants drape over the area’s peaks and valleys like a patchwork quilt. THINGS TO DO…
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Visiting the Cultural Triangle in Sri Lanka
At the heels of a drawn-out civil war that effectively erased Sri Lanka from the trodden tourist trail, the small tear-shaped country has emerged as a rewarding travel destination. Despite its tiny size, the island country is replete with things to see—from ancient cities to verdant tea plantations and from gold-sand beaches to wildlife-rich parks. For travelers looking to delve into the country’s history, the Cultural Triangle is an absolute must-see area. The triangle’s three points mark the island’s three historic capitals: the hill country’s capital of Kandy, the medieval city of…
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Northern Laos: Nong Khiaw and Muang Ngoi
Laos is a small country that flies largely under the radar due to its lack of big-name attractions. A land of verdant rice fields, spectacular karst formations, temple-speckled towns and friendly people, Laos packs the best that the region has to offer within its landlocked borders. Following my sojourn in Luang Prabang, I’d originally planned to head south, toward the dramatic karst-mountain scenery of Vang Vieng. But after reading about Vang Vieng’s notorious party-till-you-drop atmosphere, I had a change of heart and found myself in the rugged mountains of Nong Khiaw…
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Two Days in Luang Prabang: A Backpacker’s Utopia
The UNESCO-recognized World Heritage city of Luang Prabang, is the undeniable hub of tourism in the tiny, landlocked nation of Laos. A city of bougainvilleas, baguettes and outstanding natural beauty, this charming Laotian town rests at the convergence of the Nam Khang river and the mighty Mekong—giving Luang Prabang a stunning setting amongst lazy waterways and verdant peaks. Like a smaller version of Chiang Mai, but with a decidedly French flair, it is a place where backpackers come to recharge for a few days, and end up spending weeks. While Laos may…
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A Perfect Three Day Inle Lake Itinerary
Myanmar may still seem off-the-beaten-path when compared with its Southeast Asian neighbors, but you wouldn’t know it during a visit to Inle Lake. Inle Lake is—along with Yangon’s Shwedagon Pagoda and Bagan’s temple-strewn plane—a major draw for international travelers to Myanmar. Hemmed by lush green hillsides and picturesque villages, the placid waters of the lake are home to floating gardens, Buddhist stupas, and communities built on stilts. Inle Lake is a place that is at once enchanting and serene, magical and breathtaking. Yet, it is also a place that elicits a…
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Visiting the Bagan Pagodas in Myanmar
Bagan’s pagoda-studded landscape is a history-lover’s wonderland and a highlight of travel to Southeast Asia. The archeological site a testament to the powerful kingdom that once presided over ancient Myanmar. Bagan’s 26 square miles seem to extend as far as the eye can see. Its towering stupas—numbering in the thousands and scattered about the Bagan plane—rise out of the dense jungle, as if piercing the sky. Bagan isn’t exactly a household name, but it is one that should be on your radar if you’re a lover of ancient history. The…
