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South-East Asia Explorer
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South-East Asia Explorer

A 68-day adventure by Mates on tour Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 14, 2018
    Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Sunset at Kuta Beach with our two best friends
    Hotel PoolNasi Campur & Vegetable Pie

    Kuta

    June 14, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    After an surprisingly short 6 hour flight we stepped off the plane in Denpasar on the island of Bali. We made it through immigration and customs in about an hour but then we weren't able to find a proper luggage storage, after some research we found a shop about 3km away. With Grab we got a really good rate for the drive (1/4 of the usual price of taxis) and arrived there just in time when the shop owner came. Mark an Aussie married to a Balinese was really friendly and gave us a good rate for at least a week of storage. He also gave some tips in the area regarding money exchange, SIM card and information center. But first we needed to have a lunch!! Happy about the cheap prices we went into the first restaurant and got ourselves a big meal :) Well deserved!! In the afternoon we made our way to the hotel to get rid of the remaining stuff and then to explore the surroundings and the beach. Even though the beach was crowded with people it didn't feel much like it and we enjoyed a beer over the sunset. Before going back to the hotel we stopped at a massage salon and Julia got a long awaited pedicure and I enjoyed the Balinese massage which was much more relaxing than the Thai massage ;) I started watching the World Cup opening match but fell asleep during the first half hour...
    In the morning we went for a swim in the pool and then had "American" (Toady with egg) and Indonesian (Fried Noodles) for breakfast. As there is not much to do in Kuta itself except for binge drinking we booked a bus to Ubud. Afterwards I went to a barber shop to get the long due haircut :) Then the bus headed off to the North...    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Ojek's Homestay
    Bustling marketsGiant piggy bankRice terracesTraditional balinese danceFire show

    Ubud

    June 15, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    We arrived in Ubud in the early afternoon. After a short stop at the tourist office we went straight to the Palace and markets. Julia got herself a pretty new hat. We had booked a night at Ojek's Homestay which we thought meant that we stay with the family but it was more like an ordinary hotel. The Town had a completely different feeling than Kuta but they share the crazy traffic. Of course there are the normal markets but here are also more traditional and innovative storefronts.
    It's also known as Bali's cultural heart with many artists. So we checked on performances of the traditional balinese dances in the evening and we found one that was named something like 'Dance and fire'. The performance was in a temple with two rows of chairs overlooking a round plaza. The first ones to come out were a group of about 60 men who sat down around the circle and started singing. After some time female dancers and other figures joined and narrated a classic balinese tale. It was an exciting show ending with a guy in some kind of horse costume kicking around glowing wood. Afterwards we wanted to watch the World Cup match but didn't find a bar and the match wasn't too interesting anyways. So we just got ourselves some beer and relaxed at the hotel.
    We got up at 6 in the morning to go trek the Campuhan Ridge Walk to see the sunrise over the rice terraces. It was about 4km one way on a stoney path. Unfortunately it was pretty cloudy and the rice terraces were tiny ;) But we still enjoyed a bit of time outside of the town... After waiting for 45 minutes we took the bus to Amed.    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Face-off before the match

    Amed

    June 17, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    The bus to Amed was a crazy ride and we needed to sit in the front because it was already full. But we made it there alive!! After checking in to our homestay we stopped by an old lady to grab some food. The Mie Goreng consisted basically just of MSG but we were hungry ;) Then we stopped by at least 8 diving centers to get the best deal for diving the next day... In the end it cost us around 38€ each for two fun dives. Sweet :) For the evening we made plans to meet with our diving instructor from Koh Tao to watch the world cup match. Afterwards we went to a Reggae bar to get some cheap beer. She told us then that the diving company isn't a good one because they dump the prices in the area. But obviously it's a concurrent company...
    We had a pretty good experience with them the next day! For the first dive to the shipwreck USAT Liberty we were alone with our instructor and after a few minutes underwater we felt pretty comfortable again. Besides that was the dive spot A class with an abundance of different fish, corals and we even went into the cargo room and to the steering wheel! The second dive was to the Drop-Off which is a wall that goes straight down for 70 meters. Going down for 18 meters was plenty for us but the sights weren't as great as at the first stop. Unfortunately I had too much movement therefore we could only stay for 38 minutes under water. Also my Action camera failed because the case must have leaked at some point, still trying to fix it but it seems to be dead :( We had dinner right on the beach while watching the sun set over the mountainous area that shelters Amed, pure magic!! Then we went back to the homestay to relax and mentally prepare for the upcoming Worldcup match Mexico vs Germany. Most of the viewers were German but the Indonesians cheered for Mexico so it was equally distributed.
    We rented a motorbike for the last day in Amed to go to a famous temple nearby. First I wasn't sure if it's a good idea to get on the streets with this traffic but it went much better than expected and the motorbike even managed to make it all the way up to the scenic temple on top of a hill. We spent about an hour there before heading back with a short stop at rice paddocks, then having breakfast and boarding the fast boat (there was no budget option available...) to the small island Gili Trawangan.    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Instagrammable sunsets
    The kissing blanket ❤️In love with the sunsetsOpen advertising 🍄

    Gili Trawangan

    June 18, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    The boat ride did cost quite a lot for a 40 minute service where you could even see the other island... Anyways, we made it to Gili Trawangan, or just Gili T the most developed island of the three Gili Islands and an infamous party spot. On arrival in the port we were greeted by steel blue water and next to a beautiful beach. On our way to the homestay it was clear that it's just the promenade that is well developed. The back alleys are dirtier, in line with other Asian countries we've seen so far. What's really funny is the non-existent drug control on the island, which is in a sharp contrast to the Indonesian laws up to death penalty for drug possession. But here many bars openly advertise magic mushroom shakes on the streets... In the evening we watched the sun going down over Bali at the Sunset Bar and the sky was shining with red and yellow colours 🏝️
    The next day we slept in for the first time since arriving in Indonesia, at least we tried because we woke up at 6:30. We planned a bit our next legs and then went to the beach even though it was cloudy. There we rented snorkeling equipment and explored the corals, fishes and turtles along the coast line. After an relaxing afternoon we took the Island Hopping boat to Gili Air.    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Great spot for a beer
    A bit windy thoughWelcome sign to Gili Air

    Gili Air

    June 20, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    In the afternoon we arrived by public boat at Gili Air, the smallest island of the three Gili Islands. And even though it's just about 8km away from Gili T, the feeling is a lot more laid-back and relaxed. There is less of a party crowd but instead more older couples and families. Despite that we were offered magic mushrooms just a few steps after we set foot on the island. After checking in to the hotel, we went back to the harbour which is just a mere 10 minutes walk. There we had a stark beer right next to the beach called '1945', a pretty decent beer compared to the Bintang Indonesian standard beer...
    Afterwards we had dinner at a great place, Bambu Warnung where we tried a Indonesian specialty made of a fried dough filled with vegetables and chicken! So far the food has been amazing, I tried new dishes every day and each one tasted great. Only the dessert, fried bananas, were lacking a bit of taste.
    The next day we took the public ferry to mainland Lombok, and fought (the touts here were crazy!!) our way to the main bus terminal in Mataram to embark on our journey to Flores...    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    View from Labuan Bajo harbour
    Cosy shipDusk over a mountain ridge in Lombok

    Labuan Bajo

    June 21, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    In Mataram we boarded the bus to Bima on the island of Sumbawan. It was an adventurous 14 hour drive with a 3 hour transfer on a ferry. I guess you have to be insane to be a bus driver in Indonesia so he honked basically straight for the 14 hours 😂 We were able to sleep quite some time which was rather unexpected in the beginning. So we arrived in Bima at 5 in the morning, luckily we immediately found the public bus which brought us through some small townships located up the hills to the ferry harbour. There we boarded the huge ferry which brought us in a strenuous 8(!!) hour ride to the small harbour port of Labuan Bajo. Overall we traveled about 500km from Lombok to the island Flores.
    The town is also called the gateway to the Komodo Islands and that's why we're here :) So we checked out some tour operators to get us to the Komodo National Park the other day.    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Welcome
    Intense green and redUnderwater WorldOn our way to the first snorkel spotLazy dragonsJust how I like them to be!!

    Komodo National Park

    June 22, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We booked our tour together with a diving company which made sense to us as they know where the good spots are for snorkeling. Additionally they offered to go to the Komodo National Park after the dives... Besides offering the best conditions they were also the cheapest!! So we went to the harbour at 7 in the morning and got on board of the tiny vessel, later one of the divers told me that the usual boat is currently being repaired 😊 So the boat ride was incredibly loud but we had found a cosy spot so it wasn't too bad.
    Then we went to our first snorkel spot and it was just pure magic!!! The corals here consist of both hard and soft corals, together with an abundance of different fish and big stuff (turtles, sharks, dolphins). It was unlike any other diving or snorkeling experience before because of the colours and that there's so much going on... We spent more than hour underwater watching many different turtles in all sizes. But we still didn't have luck with seeing any sharks :(
    After a quick lunch we arrived at Rinca Island which is part of the Komodo National Park and offers the best chances to see a Komodo Dragon. We're not completely sure if the dragons that are near the Ranger Station are actually roaming freely or are fed for entertainment purposes... Our Ranger didn't say anything about it but currently is mating season so the dragons are usually more elusive and go into hideouts. Therefore we suppose that they keep a small number around by feeding them. At least I hope they will make good use of the income in actual conservation efforts... On the way back I already felt that I will be getting a really bad sunburn.    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Sun beams on Mt Bromo
    View down from Mt BromoNice view from up thereSmoking volcanoTired but happy

    Mt Bromo

    June 25, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    48 hours on the bus and ferries 😩😩😓 I got pretty sick due to a ridiculously high A/C and also suffered from a sunburn on my whole back... In between we rode for about two hours on top of a mini bus and all the kids (also some adults) were waving and cheering at us. I suppose that usually the Westerners are not going on top 😁 We made another stop in Denpasar to get our big luggage back before moving on in direction of Java. At 6 in the morning we finally arrived in Probolinggo from where the mini buses departed to Mt Bromo. They told us that it may take a while until the bus is completely full but we thought that they were just trying to scam us... Unfortunately we waited for 4 hours with just four more people showing up so we decided to pay more to go straight away! Blood suckers!!! But the driver also suggested a homestay which was nice, clean and cheaper than other options...
    After a badly needed shower and a bit of rest we went out to see Mt Bromo even though it was raining and foggy. It was quite a spectacular sight being right on the rim of the crater and seeing the smoke coming out so close. There we also met the other two couples again that shared the bus with us, they are a really nice company and we enjoyed the late afternoon together.
    At 8 we went to sleep because we got up at 3 in the morning to hike about 6 kilometers along a ridge line to get to a viewpoint to watch the sunrise. I was still a bit weak from being sick so the hike wasn't as easy as I thought it would be... Anyways we made it up there in time to see the sunrise! But it was a little bit cloudy so it wasn't as spectacular as Uluru with the sunray slowly enlightening the whole structure. But still worth it!! :) We treated ourselves with a all-you-eat breakfast buffet 🤩    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Outside view
    Julia with the 'bells'Panoramic view

    Borobodur

    June 27, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    After an unplanned detour to Malang (it does sound too similar to Magelang 😁) we arrived a day later than planned in Magelang, close to Yogyakarta. There we got a hotel room for the same price as the homestays and guest houses that we were used to. This turned out to be a good thing because we could watch the world cup in the evening...
    After a few hours of rest we went out to see the nearby Borobodur Temple. Unfortunately we couldn't find a place to rent a scooter so we took a Grab (like Uber) to there. The entrance fee was with 25 USD very high for tourists compared to other attractions/temples. At least a drink was included ☺️ The temple complex is located pretty prominent on top of a hill and after two major restaurations in good shape. But there are public holidays so it was most of the time pretty crowded. We still enjoyed the trip and even found a calm spot on the backside of the temple to embrace the view. It's the largest Buddhist Temple in the world and of great importance. But there were no Buddhist monks around, just Indonesian Tourists who completely ignored every sign telling people not to smoke or sit on the pyramid steps...    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    White crater
    Just a selection of the Indonesian foodsTea fieldsJulia with a local healerAt the White crater with Eka and RenitaAunts of Renita

    Bandung

    June 30, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    A pretty quick (less than 24 hours 😉) bus ride later we arrived in Bandung. Even though the city itself didn't have a spot in our itinerary it was one of the most anticipated stops on our route... Because we had the opportunity to visit Indonesian friends of ours who are currently at home to celebrate their wedding at the beginning of August. We feared that they were too busy with the preparations but luckily they had a wedding planner who organised everything for them :) So they had time to show us around this unexpectedly big city known as a shopping and foodie getaway. Especially on the weekends it fills up pretty fast due to visitors from Jakarta that enjoy the bargained prices in Bandung.
    With our local guides we discovered hidden street food stalls, old colonial buildings and several other spots... Overall it was a hidden gem off the usual tourist spots. Besides the city we also went to the 'White Crater', a sulphur lake located about two hours south of Bandung. The colours were as impressive, maybe even more than in Rotorua.    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Majestic Orang-Utans
    Thomas Leaf MonkeyNomnomnomMonitor lizardJungle dinner

    Gunung Leser Nationalpark

    July 9, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    So, we took the bus again... It took us four days instead of the planned two days to cross the island of Sumatra 🙄 It was an experience but none of the kind that you need to necessarily repeat 😁 Our bus broke down once for around 16 hours, just to go to the repair shop again after 50km and a malfunction of the A/C.
    But then we finally made it to our last highlight of the Indonesia trip, a visit to the Orang Utans. Located about two hours from Medan, is Bukit Lawang. A small idyllic village nestled between jungle mountains and a river. We stayed right next to the river for one night and headed out for a three day jungle trek. So at 9 in the morning our guide led us deeper into the jungle while talking a bit about the flora and fauna. The first Orang Utans we saw were impressive and we couldn't stop watching them for more than two hours. Then we moved on and saw more of them but these ones were apparently aggressive towards humans. So the guides rushed us past them but at some point a teenage Orang-utan got close to Julia and touched her leg 😱 They showed clear signs of behavioural issues due to feeding and human interaction... This spoilt the experience a little bit for us. Also I got sick the next morning so we needed to quit our trip already on the second day. Despite that we still enjoyed our time we spent in the jungle :)    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Nice to see a change in behaviour

    Singapore

    July 11, 2018 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Two days before our Visa ran out we returned to Singapore. The time in Indonesia was interesting but also quite intense. Especially travelling around was sometimes strenuous because we took the bus instead of other more comfortable options... Lesson learned!!
    The arrival in Singapore was a great change because we were already used to the touts and overpricing in Indonesia. So it was relaxing to have a bus schedule with fixed prices attached where you knew how to get there ;) Our good friends Jens and Debo let us stay with them once more and for dinner we had the most amazing vesper (a cold German dinner platter with bread, cheese, sausage and some veggies) with cheeses and several other delicacies 😍😍😍
    The next day we spent time sorting our stuff, relaxing and chatting. In the evening Jens and me went to play Badminton...    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Petronas Towers
    Old cityOld cityWe do ❤️Pretty skylines

    Kuala Lumpur

    July 12, 2018 in Malaysia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    From Singapore we took a bus in the morning to Kuala Lumpur. The border control was good organised and we arrived well rested about 5 hours later in the previous Malaysian capital. Our stay for the single night was in a convenient distance to the old city center, bus stop and the new city center with the Petronas Towers.
    First we went to the old city center with buildings from the colonial age, parks and Chinatown. It was easy to get around by foot, all the sights are within walking distance and the pathways are well maintained. The city has a really nice, friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We were a bit surprised by the overall standards and conditions of the country which is not too far behind Western countries at low prices... When we stopped at the Information Center there were loads of free food samples of local products and fruits. At the evening we admired the views of the illuminated Petronas Towers from a nearby park. It's really spectacular and different to other skylines. There was also a water/light show going on. Free buses connect all the stops in and around the city center conveniently and cheap.
    On the second (and already last) day we had breakfast from an Indian place and then headed out to see the Batu Caves. They are some limestone caves located just a bit outside the city and reachable by public transport. Unfortunately there were some works on the tracks and the next train was supposed to leave two hours later. Therefore we decided to go explore the Botanical Gardens and the National Museum.

    Overall we enjoyed our limited time in Malaysia and if we have time we might come back to see other parts of it...    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Angkor Wat
    Angkor ThomNature finds its wayLooks like a chapelElephant terraces

    Angkor Wat

    July 15, 2018 in Cambodia ⋅ 🌧 29 °C

    We stayed at the airport in Kuala Lumpur for the night as our flight departed at 6:30 in the morning. The airport has a slogan 'The mall with an airport' and its really like this, we spent more than two hours exploring all the shops and food stalls... The flight was pleasant and short but on arrival we were surprised by the VISA process. We had assumed (regarding Visas it's better to know) that it would be similar to Indonesia but we needed a proper VISA on arrival for about 30$ each. And we also would've needed passport photos but at least they didn't really mind :)
    The hotel we had booked in advance included a pickup from the airport but as they didn't reply to any messages I had already assumed they wouldn't show up... It's not too far away and they have a fixed rate of 5$ to the city. After overcoming these obstacles we went to have breakfast and then plan our visit to Angkor Wat. The area that it covers is massive so we set aside two full days to explore it in its entirety. We just left out some smaller temples and the ones that were too far away (about 30 km North). It would have been possible to see most of it in one day by rushing but we wanted to take our time strolling through the temple complexes. And even then we grew a bit tired of so many temples at the end... And even though Angkor Wat is the most famous one, others were equally amazing.
    Another thing that amazed me was the restoration efforts that are a cooperation between many different countries (Germany for Angkor Wat, France for Bayun, also China, Japan, India, USA...). We enjoyed our time there in the timeless jungles of lost times very much ❤️    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Temple next to the Killing Fields used as prison
    Bamboo trainMonument at the Killing fieldsOne of the monkeys at the hilltop templeAnother view of the hilltop templeNanananana BATS!!

    Krong Battambang

    July 17, 2018 in Cambodia ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

    Battambang is the second largest city in Cambodia and a quick 3 hour bus ride from Siem Reap. We got there around midday and had plenty of time to relax in the hotel pool (much needed after a filthy hostel in Siem Reap) and plan the next days.
    First thing in the morning we went to the Bamboo Train, a combined effort from French colonialists and the local people. The French build the tracks and used it with occasional trains... The rest of the times the locals build their own "trains" powered by hand with a long stick like the venetian gondoliers. Nowadays they use small motors mainly for tourist entertainment but also goods transportation. And there's still the trains which forced us to quickly hop off and disassemble the train 😁 A fun experience...
    Next stop on the tour with our private Tuktuk driver brought us to the "Killing Fields" next to a Buddhist monastery. This was our first contact with the terror that brought the Khmer Rouge over the country. Thousands of people were killed just in this place with overall millions disregarding age, gender, beliefs. Even many within the ranks fell victim to the regime. A sad chapter in the history of this beautiful country... In the afternoon we went to a scenic temple complex nearby with "Killing caves" and bat caves.
    It didn't get really clear how it got the name "Killing caves" but the Khmer Rouge definitely killed a lot of people here as well documented by many bones spread around the cave bottom. The temple itself was beautifully located and especially interesting because of a large monkey population that roam the premises... Just before dawn we sat down with a beer and waited for the millions of bats that come out every evening in search for food. They sometimes all come out at once within 15 minutes which creates an impressive black stream. We weren't so lucky as they took their time and it took more than half an hour before we left and they were still coming out.    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Entrance to the S21 prison
    The night sleeping bus to Pnomh PenhSkeletons at the Killing FieldsThe so-called Killing Tree where children were smashed to deathPainting at the prison commemorating the deadAnother outside view

    Phnom Penh

    July 19, 2018 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We took the night bus from Battambang to Pnomh Penh which sounded pretty appealing with beds to sleep... But the beds were pretty short and the ride rough so I'd have rather slept in a normal bus... Without much sleep we went to our hostel just to find it completely locked. Ringing and knocking didn't do the job so we just waited outside. I was on my phone when two teenager on a scooter drove past and tried to snatch my phone out of my hands!!! Luckily I've had a pretty good grip so they needed to let go and me and my phone were safe. After that reminder to watch my belongings we got into the hostel and catch up a bit of sleep before heading out again.
    First stop was at the Killing Fields, similar to the ones in Battambang, but even higher in the death toll :( Here is also the national remembrance shrine for the victims of the Khmer Rouge. These killing fields were all over the country and overall 1/3 of the population was killed within a four year span. From there we took a Tuktuk back into town to the lively Russian markets. All kinds of stuff is cramped in the market halls but nothing all to interesting caught our eyes and we were hungry. So we ended up in a small food stall at a corner and had a both surprisingly cheap and good lunch.
    Initially we wanted to go to the high security prison S21 but we decided to postpone it to the other day. For the night we went to the river front and enjoyed the view from a rooftop bar. Exhausted we went to bed and slept for a bit until we got waken by a rat!! It kept us awake for much of the time at night and as we managed to get it out, it got back in soon after :(
    Well, at least we didn't had to spend another night there!! So we went to the prison early to see a movie but it didn't screen because of a power outage... A little bit disappointing but the prison was well worth the visit! It showed once more the cruelties of the Khmer Rouge.

    Then it was time to get to the airport for the short hop over the border to Vietnam...    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Ho Chi Minh in front of the Town Hall
    US helicopter in the museumNotre DameTown HallRemambrance shrine for the fallen soldiersTiny hole to enter the tunnels

    Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)

    July 21, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 30 °C

    After our arrival in Saigon we needed to get clearance from the immigration which was surprisingly easy, it just took a bit of time. On exiting the airport we were once again surprised by the organisation to get to the city. We checked in to our hostel and headed out directly again to grab some food. But as it was already after 11 there weren't too many choices left. We just went for a portion of Vietnamese spring rolls and beef noodles before going to bed in our super clean hostel.
    The next day we started early with an exploration tour into the city. First we went to the War Remnants Museum which offers exhibitions on the Vietnam War (obviously here named "American War"). Two floors are solely reserved for the war crimes committed by the US by distributing immense amounts of bombs and chemicals all over Vietnam. Other spots we visited included the Independence Palace (with the famous tank that ended the war), Opera House and Notre Dame Cathedral. Foodwise we tried the famous noodle soup Pho and some street food baguettes. In the evening we took a stroll along the riverfront and visited the Bitxeco Towers.
    For the next day we wanted to join a tour to the nearby Cu Chi Tunnels that were used during the war to hide from the US troops. They also served as living quarters, storage and shooting bunkers. Overall they stretched over three floors and a total of more than 130km. There are two areas accessible to the public, one is more for the tourists and were build just for the entertainment... As we didn't get a spot on the tour we did it by ourselves using public transportation. This also allowed us to go to Ben Duoc, the original and less touristy spot. Crawling through the tiny tunnels was very challenging. The tunnel systems led almost all the way to some US bases. This showed us pretty well how the Vietnamese were able to withstand for almost 10 years the US efforts to 'free' the country...

    From Saigon we took the night bus to Da lat.    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Crazy House
    Called Chicken ChurchTrying new things: Sweet fried balls with cheesy coreNice views in Dalat when it's clearMade by us

    Dalat

    July 23, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    At our hostel in Ho Chi Minh City we had booked an open bus ticket meaning that we can use it whenever we want to get to the next city. We skipped Mui Ne which is supposed to be a nice beach town but we had already decided to go another beach town named Nha Trang.
    The night bus arrived at 5:30 in the morning in Da lat but we had already noticed the hostel so we thought we could get in earlier. Unfortunately the gate was locked when we got there and ringing the bell didn't cause any reaction. So we stayed for two hours outside until our host, Mr. Happy, finally opened. He greeted us warmly and offered some hot tea. Just what we needed in the rainy, cold mountain climate of Dalat. As our room wasn't ready yet, we headed into the city to do some sightseeing. The town was bigger than expected and there was quite a lot to see:
    - Crazy House: Supposed to be a architectural piece of art but looked rather uninteresting
    - Chicken church: European style church in the center of town called like this because of the cock on top
    - Flower Gardens: A main destination for visitors but for us rather uninteresting
    - Central Lake with pedal boats

    What looks like a rather long list to do took us actually just about 4 hours. By the time we got back to the hostel the room was ready and we caught up on a bit of sleep that we on the night bus. Later in the afternoon we joined a cooking class making springrolls, Dalat style rice pizza and fried mashed potatoes with an egg core. The course was pretty cheap so we didn't cook that much but instead ate more 😁
    For the night I joined the free walking tour from the hostel but it wasn't too interesting and after a beer we headed back already...    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Spa Day 😍
    Pretty waterfalls at the front gateBeach vacation 🏖️ for a change...

    Nha Trang

    July 24, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 35 °C

    After the cold, harsh and rainy weather we were really ready to have a beach vacation 😊 Nha Trang is just a four hour bus ride from Dalat and lies within a secluded bay.
    We were greeted by full sun shine and 35 degrees, quite the shock for our bodies. We were also surprised by cheaper beer 🍻 So we decided our plan for the next 36 hours would be relaxing and day drinking. First we went to the beach and took a swim. Unfortunately the water is pretty trashed and you'll swim amongst plastic bottles and other rubbish. It's also a bit too warm for my taste, I prefer the water to be refreshing. We still enjoyed the sun and warmth... In the evening we took a stroll in the night markets looking for something edible but there wasn't too much choice for Vietnamese food. Instead you'll find a lot of Russian restaurants and menus, a leftover of the good relations between the Sowjet union and Vietnam.
    For the next day we put mud baths on our bucket list. The region is pretty famous and known for them so we had to choose between several. We decided for the Tháp Ba because it's the closest one to town that is outdoors. I would have thought that the mud was thicker but despite that it was a fun day in the spa and something different.

    The next leg of our journey was the longest one, so we were happy to get a reasonably good sleeping bus for the overnight trip.    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Spectacular lanterns along the river
    There are still quite a lot of propaganda posters around

    Hoi an

    July 27, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Hoi an is a famous stop in Vietnam and on almost every backpacker itinerary. This spot is well deserved and accordingly the town is bustling with tourists. It's also famed for the handicraft, especially tailoring.
    Many people we met were praising this little UNESCO World Heritage town, so we directly booked for two nights. We arrived early in the morning so we reserved the whole day just to explore the old town and check for prices for a tailored jacket. I wanted a casual dark blue jacket after I had lost mine in Mexico City in a state of Tequila drunkenness :( It took us the whole day to explore the small alleys and beautiful old houses. A real little treasure ❤️ At night there was a full moon festival where all the lights are turned off so the light show with candles on the river is more impressive. But it didn't live up to the expectations and it was rather unfortunate that the beautiful lanterns were turned off... Anyways, we had another night to see them. It was also too cloudy to see the Red Super Moon Eclipse thingy.
    The next morning we went to a fitting session with the tailor. The jacket was already fitting perfectly, so we had time to bike to the Pottery Village. On arrival there was a ticket booth and we paid obviously. Especially because it said that there is a pottery class included. The ticket wasn't checked and the "pottery class" is just sitting next to the Potter(? 😂) and moving around with your hands. He doesn't really tell you anything and in the end they almost force you to buy something... Overall this pottery village seemed pretty ridiculous and a rip-off to me. We had planned to go to the beach afterwards but as it was raining we decided to head back to the hostel for a break. In the evening the rain eased and we could finally enjoy the colourful Hoi an in all its beauty 😍
    At our last day we went for the third time to the same restaurant which offered amazing meals at reasonable prices.    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Citadel: Entrance to the Imperial City
    Inside the palacePavillon of the Queen MotherLantern art❤️

    Hue

    July 29, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    Hue is the former capital and place of the Imperial Palace of the Nguyen dynasty, the Royal family that reigned until about 1945.
    We intended to stay only for one night but all buses were fully booked for the next day. So we needed to stay for another night which was a good thing in hindsight because Julia got sick pretty badly. Therefore we needed to quit our exploration tour early on the first day to take care of the flu. But we only had time to see the pagoda. On the second day we visited the Imperial Palace which was money and time well spent. Large areas are in ruins but the ones that were restored looked pretty royal to me.Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Ho Chi Minh mausoleum
    Prominent Vietnam flagRoman Catholic ChurchSmall, picturesque temple next to the Red RiverCathedral

    Hanoi

    July 31, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    With a comfortable and pretty quick night bus we arrived in the capitol Ha noi early in the morning. This left us some time to plan our visit to Halong Bay and the onward travel to Laos.
    Then we had time to get lost in Hanois small alleys. The city has a bit of backcountry charm compared to the bustling Ho Chi Minh City. There's still a lot of traffic going on but less chaotic... First we wanted to visit Ho Chi Minhs mausoleum but the signage and opening hours are so bad that we didn't manage to get inside. We enjoyed that all the sights are in walking distance to the old city where most hotels are located. So we visited two churches, a temple area and later the mausoleum of Jo Chi Minh without getting inside.
    Later in the afternoon we went to Hao Lo prison, also called the 'Hanoi Hilton' by the US prisoners held there. It tells stories about the cruelty of the French colonialists and their vietnamese helpers. One section is reserved to tell how well the US soldiers were treated there but I guess that's a bit of propaganda. In the evening we "enjoyed" free beer for an hour at our hostel :)    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Sunset mood over Ha Long Bay
    Kayaking 🛶Our cruise shipHalong BayThe ceiling of the cave system

    Ha Long Bay

    August 1, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    The bus to Ha Long Bay picked us up at 8 in the morning to the 4 hour drive. We've heard many bad stories about the boat cruises there so we opted for the more expensive tour. What's the point in going there and not being able to enjoy it?!
    The bay is a UNESCO World Heritage area and one of the most popular destinations in Vietnam. But it was still a surprise that there are currently more than 600 boats cruising the bay. 15 years ago there were just two!!! This must have quite the impact on the islands, the water was polluted with trash and you could often see an oily film. Besides that it was very scenic which we could see during an hour long kayak ride and a shirt swim.
    The food usually consisted of 6 course meals with a definite focus on fish and seafood. It was a wise choice of Julia to go for the vegetarian option which was in parts better and definitely a lot more. We tried squid fishing at night but it's not the season so we were pretty unsuccessful. At night a thunderstorm raged over the sea and there was water coming into the boat. Luckily it didn't last too long but some cabins got flooded up to a certain extent. On the second day we went for a walk in a pretty cool and big cave system. Afterwards there was more food and then we headed back to the hostel and straight on the bus to Laos...    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Kuang Si Falls
    Our "sleeper" bus - missing the Vietnamese busesLocal beers are the bestOne of the rescued bears

    Luang Prabang

    August 4, 2018 in Laos ⋅ 🌧 30 °C

    The bus to Laos took just a few hours longer than expected but we were still glad to have made it there after 27 hours of driving. Two people were left behind at the Vietnamese border because they had an eVisa which doesn't allow you to cross this border...
    We didn't have any issues but the process at the Laotian border was ridiculous: There were like 6 stations and at each one you needed to pay one or two dollars. The last station was to get the temperature, why exactly isn't clear 😂
    We checked in at our "Villa" pretty late and then headed out again to get something to eat. Almost all restaurants had already closed so we were happy to get some fried rice and noodles before going to sleep.
    The next day we rented a scooter to get to the sightseeing highlight of Luang Prabang, the Kuang Si Falls. Usually they have a blue color, but because of the recent rainfalls the water was wilder and greyish. Still a pretty impressive sight! There is also a bear sanctuary as a part of the park with over 20 rescued bears from poachers and the horrible practice of extracting bile. This is used for some sketchy alternative medicine mainly in China and Thailand. These magnificent animals were luckily rescued but many more are still hunted and tortured.
    Later we went to the Royal Palace in the city center and then early back to the hotel as I wasn't feeling well...    Read more

  • Mates on tourSouth-East Asia ExplorerTraveler
    Beautiful sunset in the Laotian mountains
    Tubing down the riverSunset over the riverMuddy mess

    Vang Vieng

    August 6, 2018 in Laos ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Vang Vieng used to be the party hotspot in Laos and for some time in all over South East Asia due to it's infamous river tubing including all sorts of drugs. But after several deaths on the unpredictable river the government shut down the whole party business basically overnight.
    Now there's a bit of a party scene left and at some spots you can still get drugs. And it's also still possible to tube down the river. We decided to book a full day tour that includes the stuff we want to do. Besides that we had a relaxed evening just visiting the night market and having a beer at our hostel.
    The next day we got picked up to go to the ziplines. Along us there were about 25 more people but it wasn't too crowded and we really enjoyed the ziplines leading through the jungles. Then it was time to get into the tube and let us gently float down the river. That was the plan but then it turned out to become a quite rough and pretty fast tour due to the heavy rains lately. It was still great fun even though Julia missed the exit and needed to be "saved" by our guide 😁 The last leg of our trip got us into a buggy to make a 20km journey to a spring water. This turned out to be the highlight of the day! We were covered in mud and it was so much fun going through the gigantic potholes... That's definitely more enjoyable after rainfalls 🙂 The Blue Lagoon was a great refreshment and possibility to get clean again.
    On our way back three of the five buggies broke down due to different issues... And we were the last group of the day which meant that it took forever to get us "rescued". One of our fellow tour group participants was so nice to give us the last working buggy so we could return to the tour operator. We came home with more than three hours delay but it didn't really matter as we didn't have any plans. We got rid of the mud and then went out for a mushroom pizza and pineapple shake.    Read more

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