SOUTH EAST ASIA: Bali to Bagan, Laos to Luzon.

Probably my favourite regions for travel. From the fiery chilli laced dishes of Thailand to the forests of Borneo, the thousands of islands in either Indonesia or the Philippines, or the temples of Laos, South East Asia has so much to see, do and eat. Massive awe-inspiring stone monuments await in Cambodia, Burma, Indonesia, Thailand and Laos.

Wildlife awaits the adventurous in Thailand or Malaysia’s national parks. Indonesia and the Philippines are covered in volcanoes and beaches. Tackle the streets of Saigon on two wheels, or the hills of Laos on two feet.
As for the best food, is it Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia or Burma?

CAMBODIA: At the moment, I only have a small selection from Cambodia, where I spent a year or more on and off. I have oodles of temple shots from Angkor on slide, as well as a box full of prints from Phnom Penh.

INDONESIA: My first taste of overseas, like many Australians, was at Bali. Bali is (was) a wonderful colourful island, but there is a lifetime of  other travel opportunities………

LAOS: The last -or slowest at least- country to emerge from behind the bamboo curtain, this one time communist, Royalist, Buddhist Land Of A Million Elephants never grabbed the headlines that its neighbours – Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China and Burma……

Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque brunei travel photography bandar seri bagawan islam south east asia

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM: Brunei, “abode of peace”. This will probably be my second smallest gallery. I spent a night there, transitting from the Malaysian states which surround it, Sabah and Sarawak. Arriving without a transit visa…….

VIETNAM: I was there when the country was emerging from wars with France, America, Cambodia, China, and itself. The economy and borders began to open wider. Tourists, free to visit most of the country, came in slowly growing numbers. I can’t imagine the change in the last 20+ years.

SINGAPORE: LITTLE MELTING POT of Asian cultures, Singapore does have a remarkable history to tell. It is, ironically, a pretty boring place though. The famous ladyboys…….

THAILAND: My favourite, still. Thailand is so much more than its beaches. In fact I haven’t been to Thai beach destination for almost 30 years. I am still uncovering new and wonderful parts……

TIMOR LESTE: ONE OF THE world’s youngest countries, according to the United Nations, but not according to the Timorese people who resisted Indonesian occupation at a terrible cost for 25 years. Timor had its independence recognised in 2002…..

philippines bohol trike sidecar travel

PHILIPPINES: It took me 30 years of travelling to visit my final ASEAN destination, but I was back for a second trip a year later. While it’s rap for bad food is deserved, this diverse land of volcanic islands surpassed my expectation…..

Malaysia Penang China town Butterworth lion dance chinese new year

MALAYSIA: Truly Asia, was their slogan. Orang utan, proboscis monkeys elephants roam the island of Borneo. Tropical islands. Old Chinese towns with exceptional food. Old colonial towns like Georgetown and Malacca. Indian, Tamil, Chinese, Malay, the food, the culture, the celebrations.

BURMA: I remember the news of the 8-88 uprisings and massacres, and finally made it there in 1995. My second visit wasn’t for another 20 years, but my third was just two after that. A country that just can’t seem to help but tear itself apart.
Despite what the military said, the words “Burma” and “Myanmar” are actually both the same, both referring to the dominant ethnic group, the Burman.