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You’ve never really celebrated a New Year until you’ve experienced these Buddhist Festivals! 

The women I meet around the world never cease to amaze me.  Recently I stumbled upon this small Red Karen (Kayan) village a short 15 km drive or 30 minute drive from Mae Hong Son. This is one of the original “Long Neck” villages in the area.

Thailand,  the “Land of Smiles”, a country that mesmerises tourists and captivates photographers from around the world. The exotic and decades of historic artefacts creates a paradise for travellers. Thailand has a mixture of places from beaches to temples, it’s an all in one destination for tourists to relax and take in the scenic country. 

Thai Buddhist temples are in the unique position of being both sacred sites of worship and huge tourist attractions. But locals can often be offended by well-meaning or over-excited tourists who just don’t understand the cultural differences and how their actions might be perceived. In order to enjoy the temples while remaining respectful of Buddhist traditions, you should definitely do some research before you go. Read on to find out more about Thai Buddhism, their temples and the etiquette you should follow.

South East Asia offers a never ending choice of options of places to visit and fall in love with. From cosmopolitan cities to small ethnic villages, rice paddies to beaches, the region is teeming with must-see places. It’s no wonder that many of its landmarks were featured in popular films. Thanks to movies, these spots in particular have enjoyed a boost in tourism in recent years. 

Doing Bangkok with kids is a wonderful cultural experience for the whole family. If Thailand is on your travel bucket list, you will love these 10 awesome places to take the kids in Bangkok.

'Travelling was the inspiration I needed to start my own business'

Travelling through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos awoke something within me – I fell in love with the colour, the serenity and the people, and knew I'd come back to see more. And while I had settling in Australia in the back of my mind, I don't think I could ever have imagined the role south-east Asia would play in my future.

Meditate With Monks

Every Saturday, the monks at Wat Sok Pa Luang offer an open meditation session that starts at 3 p.m. The monks describe the various types of mediation. They then teach visitors how to perform the various techniques. They hold a Q&A session at the end, during which they answer questions about meditation, Buddhism, or their lives as monks. While the older monks speak English fluently, many of the younger ones are just learning and use the sessions to practice their English.

t’s always hard for me, as a traveller obsessed with all things Asia - particularly the food - to return home to Sydney after a trip.

But it's not all bad news when I get back from a trip. Whilst Sydney doesn’t exactly have the buzzing night markets or street food of Asia it does have plenty of foodie options that help to bring back the memories of being there.

Several suburbs of Sydney resemble mini versions of Thailand, Singapore or Vietnam. In fact it is Sydney’s “ghettoization” (in a good way) of nationalities and cultures that largely contributed to my falling in love with my adopted city after leaving the U.K almost 20 years ago. The celebration of multiculturalism through food helps define Sydney’s charm.

It may surprise first time visitors to Sydney and maybe even some Sydneysiders that Sydney is home to at least 3 mini Saigons, 4 mini Chinatowns, 2 mini Seouls and an area adjacent to the CBD’s Chinatown that actually goes by the name of “Thaitown.” If you’d rather cook then eat out, all the authentic ingredients for typical dishes from each country can easily be purchased in the local supermarkets located within these areas.

I do enjoy cooking when I’m in the mood but it’s no secret that I’d prefer to eat out. Luckily there is an embarrassment of riches from which to choose from when I’m hungry and missing Asia, which is most of the time!