1. Trek the path less followed in Umphang, Thailand
Want to trek Thailand in peace? Head to Umphang,
a spectacular drive south of Mae Sot, and spend a few days walking
around the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary, spotting gibbons and giant
lizards. The highlight is a dip in Tee Lor Su waterfall, a three-tiered
thunderer that is at its best in November, just after the rainy season.
There’s accommodation at Umphang Hill Resort, who can also take you trekking and rafting.
2. See dolphins in colonial Kratie, Cambodia
Tiny Kratie (pronounced kra-cheh) was largely unscathed by war and
retains its appealing mix of French colonial and traditional Khmer
buildings, strung along the Mekong river. It is also the best place to
see not only some of Cambodia’s
beautiful watery sunsets, but also the rare freshwater Irrawaddy
dolphin. A pod lives upriver at Kampi and sightings are more or less
guaranteed if you take a boat trip. Take a dip afterwards at the nearby
Kampi rapids.
3. Have seafood and stunning views in Quy Nhon, Vietnam
Few tourists stop in Quy Nhon,
where the main industry remains fishing and the long sandy beaches
remain (largely) the preserve of the Vietnamese. During Cham rule this
was an important commercial centre (and during the American War a US
supply centre) and evidence of this remains in the imposing Banh It
towers on a hilltop just north of town. Head up here by xe om (motorcycle taxi) for sweeping views over the unspoiled countryside before returning to town for a seafood supper.
4. See spell-binding Khmer ruins in Champasak, Laos
Champasak
may be sleepy now but it was once the capital of a Lao kingdom that
stretched as far as Thailand. Grand colonial-style palaces share the
streets with traditional wooden houses – and even the odd buffalo. From
the town’s central fountain it’s just a few miles to Wat Phou, the most
bewitching Khmer ruin complex you’ll find outside Cambodia. Little
restoration has taken place here, and the half-buried ruins that fill
this lush river valley are an unbeatably romantic backdrop to a stroll.
5. Get haggling in Hsipaw, Myanmar (Burma)
It’s worth getting up early in the tranquil Shan town of Hsipaw
(pronounced see-paw), where the atmospheric market opens as early as
3am, the shopkeepers handing over their local produce by candlelight.
There are numerous monasteries surrounding the town, as well as some
truly off-the-beaten-track trekking, to hot springs, waterfalls and
local villages. Don’t miss the area locals jokingly call Little Bagan, where crumbling stupas sit photogenically beneath the trees.
6. Get active in Camiguin Island, Philippines
Ivory sandbars in an electric blue sea, and more volcanoes per square mile than any other island on the planet. Yes, Camigiun Island
is ridiculously beautiful, and yet it has remained largely untouched by
large scale tourism – so you might just find a hot spring, waterfall or
offshore beach to call your own. Divers shouldn’t miss the submerged
cemetery near Bonbon, which slipped into the sea following an
earthquake, while the (literal) high point of any visit is the climb up
active volcano Mount Hibok-Hibok.
Camiguin
7. Go monkey spotting Tanjung Puting National Park, Indonesia
Want to see the orangutans in Indonesia?
Avoid the worst of the crowds by heading deep into unspoiled forest in
the Tanjung Puting national park for the best chance to see one in the
wild. Take a boat from Kumai to the Rimba Ecolodge
to sleep among the macaque monkeys and gibbons on the edge of the
Sekonyer river and join their tour out in search of orangutans. If you
don’t see any in the wild don’t worry, tours call at Camp Leakey rehabilitation centre for close-up encounters.
8. Explore the ocean in Perhentian Besar, Malaysia
Skip livelier Perhentian Kecil in favour of its twin, the sedate Besar,
or “large”, island with its roadless jungle interior and white-sand
beaches. The diving is superb here, with reef sharks and turtles darting
through towering underwater rock formations and around the Sugar Wreck,
a wreck dive suitable for relative beginners. Hop aboard a speedboat to
Three Coves Bay on the north coast for some land-based turtle spotting;
the secluded beach is a favoured egg laying spot of local green and
hawksbill turtles.
Perhentian Besar
9. Chill out on Ko Adang, Thailand
An undiscovered Thai island? Well, largely. Ko Adang sits inside
Tarutao National Marine Park, which has saved it from development and
kept its jungle untamed. The flat white sands of Laem Sone beach lead up
to a cluster of beach bungalows, owned by the national park, while the
island’s interior is criss crossed by forest trails leading to
waterfalls and lookout points over the neighbouring islands.
Great post!!Thanks for sharing it with us....really needed.Phu Quoc island is famous for its clean sandy beaches, picturesque hills, tropical forests and wild jungle. Lovers of exotic will appreciate all the beauty of the area created by the hands of nature. scuba diving in nha trang
Trả lờiXóa