By far one of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth can be savored while sitting on the deck of a boat in “Descending Dragon Bay,” otherwise known as Halong Bay, off the coast of North Vietnam. A beautiful ocean landscape, Halong Bay is riddled with the kind of limestone karsts you find jutting out of the waters in Krabi, Thailand – only it is said to be even more dramatic and otherworldly.

You float along on boats designed to replicate ancient Chinese junks, gaping at the looming towers of jungle-covered rock, and I must admit it is one of the more humbling experiences of a lifetime.

But traveling in Halong Bay can be a jading travel experience due to the extreme commercialism going on there. It has become one of the major stops on the southeast Asian backpacking trail – couple that with the often “money-grubbing” attitude of many tourist-industry locals towards foreigners and you’ve got a situation where people are herded through like cattle with little thought to whether they are enjoying themselves or having a good time.

So is this monumental landscape still worth the trouble then? It can be if you follow these tips to maintain your sanity en-route.

1. Know What to Expect

First off, the treatment of tourists in Halong Bay comes served at its most sour when you don’t realize what you’re getting yourself into. Your tour guides back in the big city will likely pump you up by selling you a vision of a peaceful bay tour with people waiting on you hand and foot, but that’s not how things really go down.

So visit the place because the scenery is out of this world, but realize that there will be challenges involved. Prepare yourself mentally.

2. Do Your Research and Pay Extra

As in many places in Vietnam, I uncharacteristically urge you to pay a premium price and go with a more luxurious tour. In Vietnam, and indeed Halong Bay, the old adage that you get what you pay for rings truer than ever.

Think about it – is it really reasonable to expect to pay $15 – $30 for a combination bus trip and boat tour, sometimes even with an overnight stay, and expect to get much for your money? I don’t think so; not even in Vietnam.

Add in that it has become second nature for tour companies to scam you and lie to you in Hanoi, thinking they’ll never see you again, and doing your research ahead of time is crucial. One fantastic site for reading about trips based in Northern Vietnam is TheNewHanoian.com.

Talk to other tourists about their trips, post on forums like the one mentioned above to ask for referrals, and find a boat company that is setting themselves apart by offering world class tours to people who are willing to pay more.

I saw some Asian tourists on other boats who had done this and were riding lavish indeed, and best of all, you’ll get real customer service rather than the cheap Halong Bay variety.

3. Start at Cat Ba Island

Another way to get the most out of Halong Bay is to avoid the bus/boat combo tickets and shoot straight to Cat Ba. From there, you can get to know the people at your hotel and book day tickets off of the island, circumventing the scammers who often come from Hanoi. Cat Ba also offers great trips trekking across the island or kayaking through karsts in the smaller, more unspoiled Lan Ha Bay.

4. Pay Attention to the Season

Any trip to Halong Bay will be a little more sane if you go in the off season from around late September to June. Not to mention that if you decide to stay on Cat Ba Island, the hotel rooms will go for a fraction of the price during off season – I had an ocean-view room for a mere $10 a night with one of the most amazing sunsets I’ve seen in all my travels.

5. Avoid it completely

You don’t have to go to Halong Bay to see the scenery it has become famous for. As noted in The Lonely Planet, the limestone-studded waters continue all the way up to Southern China, and the view is just as breath-taking. Ask around about Bai Tu Long Bay to get a sense of what Halong Bay was like before the tourists arrived.

The waters there are largely untouched and don’t have the crowds or water pollution you find in Halong. It’s definitely off the beaten track, but with a little extra effort, you can make it happen. People are starting to get word about these other places but still largely avoid them because the lack of tourist infrastructure.

All Photos By Gregw66 on Flickr

Here are 5 reasons for you to chew on while en route.

1. Let’s Face It—It Really Can Be a Blast

I’ll admit it—hanging out in the expat spots and tourist bars can be a blast. These places are naturally party meccas, and even the locals who congregate there tend to be the fun-loving, open-minded types. You’ll never be short of people to carouse with when you travel the world’s big travel destinations, that’s for sure—your biggest danger is usually that you’ll have too much fun. And you probably will.

2. Meet Travelers from the World Over

I come to Thailand to meet Thais. I go to France to meet French people. When I went to Hawaii, I wanted to meet some native Hawaiians. I don’t come to meet Asia to meet Europeans, for instance.

But having said that, every time I do go to these places, I meet amazing people from all over the world. They are often well-traveled, intelligent, and tons of fun. Most have great stories to tell, and if you make it a point to collect Facebook handles and emails, you might end up with free places to stay all over the planet. Not a bad deal.

3. It’s No Less a Part of That Country

One thing a lot of people forget, even me at times, is that a tourist destination is no less a part of the country. A country and culture is in constant flux, evolving as it adapts to changing media, technologies, and, yes, tourism. So the people who are in constant contact with tourists and living that action-packed lifestyle are no less a part of the country than anyone else.

They are living a different lifestyle, and it’s important not to forget your experiences with them are not necessarily the kind you’d have with people from other parts of the country, but they are still a sub-culture there. I’m going to have a different experience visiting a punk bar in San Francisco than if I spend the night in Salsa Club there, for instance, but that doesn’t make either of them less San Francisco, does it now?

4. It is Convenient

I’ve been very fortunate to get to live here in this country for two amazing years. I try to spend a month at least everywhere I go. But that doesn’t mean everyone is so fortunate, and sometimes people don’t get to stay long.

In these cases, you might be better off just accepting the fact you’re only going to get the chance to spend a week trudging beaches and lying in lawn chairs at the resort spas. Poor you. Try to get out to a few locals-only spots if you can, but if not, don’t beat yourself up about it.

And keep in mind that the less exposure you have to a new culture, the more dangerous your cultural misunderstandings can be, especially if alcohol is involved. So be on your best behavior.

5. Snobs Are Annoying

No one likes a stuck up snob, whatever their reason. As adamant as I often am about my own travel inclinations, I try my best not to act like one. Sometimes I’ll find myself in the middle of nowhere and I’ll notice another foreigner and will say hi or try to talk to them, just because it seems odd not to as we have something obvious in common and are both strangers. More often than not, in these far off places, you’ll find yourself being ignored or blown off, as if your presence is somehow a threat to their experience.

I can’t help but laugh.

The world is full of interesting and amazing people to meet, and I stand by my choice to get as deep into a new culture as I can, but don’t overdo it. You might miss out on some chances for great travel experiences, and you might miss the chance to meet some of the most unique people on Earth—world travelers.

I did the same thing on my first international trip—a whirlwind tour of Western Europe. So, keeping that in mind, I want to mention a few locations in Thailand that I would make a must-see location if I was coming through—if you’re on a smorgasbord trip, this is what you should see.

1. Bangkok

When I first came to Thailand, the last thing I ever thought I’d do is write a list like this with Bangkok on it. In fact, I had hardly any desire to breathe this city’s air at all. But having been there several times, I have to say that Bangkok is a definite must-see.

The fact of the matter is that Bangkok is deeply imbedded in the heart of Thailand. It is Thailand crammed into one central location—all the chaos and skeletons out there for everyone to see. It’s exciting, fascinating, repulsive at times, and you’ll never forget it. Spend at least a few days to a week in Bangkok—by that time, you’ll probably be ready to leave.

2. Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is known by many as the “cultural center” of Thailand, and to many it is their pride and joy. An interesting city that has embraced the modern world but is riddled with remnants of the old temples and crumbled city walls around a charming moat, it is a mix of old and new Thailand.

I should caution you though, that 3 days in Chiang Mai will leave you wondering just what the big deal is. Make it a week at the minimum and you’ll start to figure it out.

3. Krabi

How could you come to Thailand and not see Krabi? This place boasts one of the most beautiful, unearthly landscapes in the world and is an adventurer’s as well as a romantic backpacker’s vision of heaven on Earth. Try to spend a week or two there, and I guarantee you’ll want to never leave.

4. Pattaya

Look, like it or not, going to Thailand and not at least having a look at the spectacle that is Pattaya is like going to Nevada and skipping Vegas. It’s ugly, it’s perverse, and the things that go on there can and do drive a person mad, but you’ve just got to go once.

5. Anywhere in the Middle of Nowhere

Finally, you need to take a moment when you’re in Thailand and go get lost in the middle of nowhere. I’m not talking about the outskirts of Bangkok—I’m talking about the mountains, Baby. I’m talking about as country bumpkin as it gets.

There’s nothing like a Thai village in the middle of nowhere—not a lick of English, smiles from earlobe to earlobe, some funky dancing to old school Thai tunes, and some of the greatest hospitality on the planet. Try the homemade whiskey—yep, you’ll regret it, but the experience is worth the pain.

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So if you do want to pick up a bespoke suit, where do you go and who do you purchase from? After all, a quick walk down Kao San Road and it seems like everyone and their brother wants to sell you one. Here are a few tips to get you going.

1. Once Again, Purchase Away from Tourist Zones

Here we go again. Look, there’s nothing inherently wrong with the tourist zones, and I’m sure there are some great merchants in these areas, but the prices are typically jacked and in any poor country, this is the type of environment that attracts the scammers. There are some honest ones there, to be sure, but do you really think your odds of rooting them out while on vacation are all that great?

2. Avoid the 2 Suits for 1000 Baht Deals

I know it’s tempting—“Wow, 2 suits for the price it takes me to take my girlfriend to dinner back home…” I almost went for it too. But let’s be honest, a tailor that advertises like this is not likely producing quality threads. The prices are already low, and the best pros don’t need to slash prices and throw it on a sandwich board to get regular business.

3. Seek Out Referrals

The best thing you can do is get a referral—preferably from some local Thais who have good taste in clothing and high standards. If you meet some upper middle class Thais and make friends with them, they should be able to tell you about a reputable tailor. And just in case it needs mentioning, your tuk tuk driver might not be the best source of information for tailor-made clothing.

If you really don’t know any Thais, no problem. Get online and Google around a little bit to get a recommendation—expat forums are excellent sources of information for this sort of thing. One tailor, Rajawongse Clothier,has even carved out a niche suiting a good portion of America’s military and government elite—including spies, embassy officials, Secret Service agents, and the Bush Family.

You can find another review of an honest tailor at Stickman Bangkok’s article about Boss Apparels.

4. Form a Relationship

Don’t think of this as just a one-time purchase. Some of the tailors here are just as good as any tailor back home (as evidenced by the long-running relationship Rajawongse has formed with US military and diplomats, and once you’ve found one, maintain the relationship. The real pros keep your measurements on file and you can call and order any time—or you might have someone measure you back home if you’ve put on a few pounds and then send in the information.

In fact, there are some serious merchants that spend a decent portion of the year taking trips to European and American cities to measure groups of men and then send the suits back after they go home and do their work.

Stay in touch, and you could enjoy high quality suits at a third of the price for the rest of your adult life.

Here’s a few to get your taste buds working.

Fried Bugs

Everyone knows about the fried bugs when they come to Thailand, and for many more adventurous tourists, this is one of those—“gotta do it once” experiences. Indeed, if you fly into Bangkok, and most people do, and find your way over to the main tourist area of Khao San Road, many street vendors will be selling them on the road, which implies to me that there’s enough of the market among tourists to do so.

I personally found fried bugs rather tasty—a little bit of a toasted popcorn flavor going on. Most of them carry big grasshoppers about 3-4 inches long, small worms, grubs, and little beetles. Give it a go—they’re really not that bad.

Ant Larvae

Another strange dish from the insect side of the fence is the ant larvae. This will be more difficult to find as it isn’t eaten much in the cities anymore, but if you find your way out of town you may find it being sold by villagers. The ant larvae is typically made into a soup or an omelet of sorts and has a sweet flavor to it—but in most dishes it is too mild to really stand out from the food they cook it with.

I tried this only once, and what I did was bring the larvae into a restaurant I frequented and asked the chef to get creative. They made a couple different dishes for me and we had a good laugh. I have heard that it is sometimes served uncooked, and apparently, that’s a more bitter taste and not so pleasant.

1000 Year Eggs

I believe this food originally comes from Chinese culture. My first experience with this food was in an intercultural communication class when I was studying in Switzerland, and the teacher gave each group a black egg without telling us what it is. None of us had seen anything like it before and no one had a clue, but after a bit of messing around I realize it was an egg and cracked it open—at which point the whole room was filled with this sulfur smell.

I tried a nibble but everyone was freaking out so much about it that it was hard to keep my stomach primed, but the taste stayed in my mouth for hours.

I felt the teacher’s lesson was misguided. I got her point—yeah, cultures are different, okay—but a better lesson in intercultural communication would have been to teach us how to enjoy it and show us that if you try to figure out what another culture might like about something, you can see it better through their eyes. I was convinced that put into a setting where people were actively eating the egg and enjoying it, I could do just that, but the professor didn’t even mention it as a possibility.

It turned out I was right. 1000 year eggs, also known as century eggs, are not bad at all in the right dish—and I’ve never seen them eaten on their own. I still find them a bit strong and I need strong herbs and vegetables to balance that, but I don’t notice a smell anymore and in small amounts they offer a nice touch.

Oh, and I should mention the eggs are not 1000 years old.  They are normal eggs from ducks, quails, or chickens that are buried in a mix of clay, ash salt, lime, and rice hulls. The process can go anywhere for a number of weeks to months, and the end result is an egg that is black with a dark green yoke and a strong sulfur smell. The white of the egg when peeled looks like a dark brown gelatin.

Doesn’t sound very appetizing, but give it a go.

Blood

Yes, I’m serious. And I’ve tried it. I have to admit, my stomach was a bit squeamish and I wondered how safe it was, but as always, I dove in against my better judgment. This was served like a soup and if I remember correctly, it was cold when served (but I’m hoping it was cooked first).

Even my Thai buddies girlfriend seemed grossed out by the whole thing, so don’t think everyone’s eating this stuff over here. That said, you’ll find a few Thai dishes that are cooked with a healthy dose of blood for flavor. Some are pretty tasty.

Dancing Shrimp

By far the biggest challenge for me was the dancing shrimp. They are called dancing shrimp because, well, they’re dancing. These little suckers are still alive, covered in a spicy lime sauce that has them jumping all over the place, and the dish is served with a lid on the top because they literally get out and jump across the table. The idea is to take a whole spoonful of them and put them in your mouth, at which point they’re jumping all over the place—I imagine trying to escape your gnashing teeth.

Freaky, huh?

I’m not here to inspire big social changes—sure, I try to have a direct influence on my Thai friends and influence their lives with my experiences as much as they influence mine. And they like that chance to see another perspective. But I’m not so sure they’d like me coming to their country and taking on the role of political activist.

Okay, so my point is that I didn’t comment so much about the situation and what’s going on behind the scenes as I did about concerns people might have about coming here, and I’d like to do the same again.

A few months back things got pretty hairy down in Bangkok, but for much of the upheaval I didn’t notice anything up here where I live in Chiang Mai. I had friends in Bangkok who said they barely even saw anything going on at all, but I personally would have ducked out when the big riots started and people were getting hurt.

At the very end, when it reached its peak, the rioting finally reached my home. For me, waking up and looking off my balcony to see at least three burning buildings across the city in different locations was enough to inspire me that it was time to go. Being the foolish man that I am, I decided to go out that night at my Thai friend’s insistence—he wanted to show me the city and of course go drink some beer—never mind that the whole city was subjected to an 8pm curfew and I didn’t even have my passport on me.

It was a bit unnerving. There were soldiers and police all over the place manning the streets. We passed a bus and two cars sitting in the middle of an intersection, completely burned out, and we saw a few buildings that were burnt pretty bad. Being the diplomatic gentleman that I am, I gave the soldiers with their machine guns a nice little wave and we skirted around the roadblock by driving our motorbike across a one-lane bridge they weren’t guarding.

At the bar, things continued to get interesting. We had to drive a little ways out of the city to get there, and according to my friend, it was the only place that was open—definite change of pace for all-night Chiang Mai. A fight broke out after a while, at which point two guys brought out pistols and someone got hit in the head with a bar stool.

At this point, I’m getting ready to run for the hills, and to top off the fun, a couple trucks pulled in full of soldiers with machine guns and they all jumped out to regulated the situation. I felt a little out of my element, but it died down, the soldiers let the bar stay open, and eventually we went home.

Okay, so before you start thinking Thailand has become a war zone, keep in mind this was quite a few months ago. After that night, even I was ready to pack my bags and head to the Philippines, but after about three more days the situation had gone back to normal and now you can’t even tell anything ever happened—at least here. Bangkok certainly suffered some more damage, and there is still a lot of talk in the news about troubles to come or the occasional bomb scare.

If you are interested in coming here and you can be realistic about the risk involved, I’d say no time is better than now. The reason is that most of the foreigners have left, and while some have returned, it’s definitely slow season all year round these days. That’s very sad for many Thais who depend on tourism for their income, but for those looking for an authentic experience, it may be easier to find.

Not to mention, they need people like you to come travel here in order for those tourist dollars to come back.

So just use your head when you’re here. In other words, do as I say, not as I do.  Even if things get rocky again, as long as you’re not in Bangkok, things will usually be pretty mellow, and most places on the coast never left beach mode as far as I know. Chiang Mai did get a little hairy there for about a week, but in the big scheme of things it was a blip.

Your own judgment will probably serve you better than mind, as you can tell, but as far as I can see there’s no reason not to travel here at the moment.

Laos

Laos is know for rugged terrain and quaint charm. Stepping into this tiny country is like stepping into another century, and many say it is quite possibly one of the most untouched countries on Earth, culturally.

The natural landscapes are breathtaking, with ample opportunities for kayaking, caving, hiking, and rock-climbing. Also, if you make it down to 3000 islands in the south, there is a species of pink dolphins that are just about extinct—about a dozen of them thought to still be living in the region.

Laos also has a violent and intriguing history, being the most bombed nation in the world. If you are looking for a true travel experience or even want to be an expat in a country that would be a bit like living on the frontier, with some amazing opportunities in business and agricultural property, it’s worth a look.

Cambodia

Another country with an obviously violent history, Cambodia is very poor and rife with social problems, but many say it is worth a look. I especially want to make it down to ride a bicycle around Angkor Wat—one of the modern wonders of the world.

Malaysia

Malaysia seems to be suffering less growing pains than many of its Southeast Asian neighbors and is coming into its own quite nicely. That said, last year a big story hit the news about the Muslim government caning a couple women for having sex out of wedlock—and that has raised some eyebrows—but most of what I hear about the country is that it is like Thailand without the chaos.

The food is not quite as tasty to most people, but if spices in Thailand give you a lot of problems, the more bland of the two might do you some good. Medical care is still dirt cheap, the beaches less polluted, and while the country is predominantly Muslim it appears that foreigners drinking is overlooked.

Vietnam

Much like Thailand, Vietnam is one of those countries that people love or they hate. The begging and scamming is said to be a little more aggressive there, but there are some beautiful places and a rich history that is well worthy of exploration.

Philippines

Philippines is a country that is composed of 7107 islands and quite possibly has the most diverse opportunities for travel within it’s borders than any other country in the world. Riddled with volcanoes, the landscape is rugged and beautiful—if not seemingly not of this Earth in certain places.

One thing about the Philippines is that it’s the only English-speaking country in Asia, and years of colonization by both the Spanish and the Americans have left a lot of marks on the cultural landscape. In many ways, this has left the Philippines well-prepared for the future and makes it a pleasant place to live for foreign expats—although the extreme poverty and recent political turmoil can be trying.

There is also increasing concerns over feuding between tribal families and acts of terrorism throughout the country.

Indonesia

Who doesn’t want to go to Bali? Well, Bali may have seen its day, but there are plenty of hidden gems throughout this multi-island nation. Well-known for their handicrafts, art, and stylish home décor, this is possibly the best place to buy souvenirs or even start a small export business.

Singapore

Singapore has one of the strongest economies in the world—it’s the fifth richest country in the world—and it’s not as cheap to travel there, but if you’ve got the money or are looking for somewhere to settle in, this is one of the most livable countries in the world for expats.

It’s called The Tiger Kingdom and it’s just outside of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. This place is out of this world. Basically it’s a restaurant/tiger sanctuary. So you could stop by for some lunch or dinner and watch the tigers play or you can pay  about $10 to go in to the pens and have your own one on one time with these big kitties.

They usually have tigers from 2-9 months old ($15 for 15 minutes), 6-9 months ($10 for 15 minutes), and 10-20 months ($10 for 15 minutes). They have combo packages too which are a bit more. When I was there they even had 2 lion cubs! I’m sure they are too big now to get close to, or they may have transfered them to a zoo or more appropriate location.

The pictures didn't turn out well, with three tigers roaming around I couldn't really keep my head still:)

What’s unique about this place is that the tigers aren’t chained up. They are free to walk about their pen even when you’re in there with them. The tigers have been trained from an early age that play with humans is forbidden. There is no use of electric shock devices or drugs to keep them in line, nor do they remove their claws. The trainers here use a nose tapping method. They use small wooden sticks about 10 inches long to tap their nose if they start to show aggressive behavior like eye contact or licking. The whole time I spent with the tigers, which was about a half hour, I never saw a trainer once have to tap a nose (except with the 3 month old cats, and in their case they would just tap them with their hand). They would just knock the stick on something near by like a log or the fence and the tiger would relax.

The trainers spend all day everyday with these cats, they know their personalities and they know their triggers. This is what makes it’s reasonably safe to have such intimate encounters with these animals. Now I say reasonably because that’s the truth, it’s not entirely safe. You would have to be pretty thick to think that stepping into a pen full of tigers doesn’t come without risk . They still are wild cats, even though they’ve been raised with constant human contact. And they are big and strong and if they really wanted to they could kill you, plain and simple.

When I went to The Tiger Kingdom I was a little bit nervous. I had already been to the Tiger

Christine giving a belly rub to a very friendly baby tiger!

Temple so I thought it’d be a cakewalk, but this was different, they were not tied down to anything. If they wanted to rip off my face, they could, and I knew it. I looked for reassurance at the ticket counter while I signed my waver, asking “it’s safe right? I mean, nothing bad is gonna happen right?” They just smiled at me and said “ah miss, they wild cat, they big cat, big cat never safe”. I continued, “But, nobody usually gets bitten or hurt do they?” to which they replied “big cat have claws, they like sometime bite and scratch, only small injury. Nobody die, now sign paper.”  These were not the reassuring words I was looking for. But I gotta give it to them for being honest.

There has not actually been any major injuries to anyone visiting The Tiger Kingdom to date, and I’m sure they are diligent in keeping it that way. Feeding your customers to the tigers wouldn’t really be good PR if you know what i mean. I must note that the trainers are very good with the people, they make sure you’re in a good place in your mind when you go in the pen and don’t push you to get too close if you don’t want to. They are happy having you just stand with them and observe. They also think it’s a nice break for the tigers when people don’t want to take a hundred pictures while they’re in the pen with them.

Tickle Tickle:)

If you are nervous about going I would suggest to go in the middle of the day, it is the time when the tigers are most relaxed. The trainers encourage play between the tigers and they really start to get active around 5pm. They are anticipating play and feeding time and can start to display more signs of aggression which is not so good for a nervous tourist. I went just as they were closing and could only see a select group of cats because others were starting to get a bit too frisky. I’d say if you are just going out there to grab some food from the restaurant dinner is the time to visit. You can eat dinner while watching the tigers run around playing with each other. It really is quite impressive to see their speed and power as they run after, and pounce on each other when all the humans are safely out of their way.

The Tiger Kingdom is truly and amazing place to visit. If you are in the Chiang Mai area, this is one place you do not want to miss.

If you want to save hundreds of dollars on your flight getting to the Tiger Kingdom Click Here!

The Royal Elephant Kraal was founded by community developer and zoologist Mr. Laithongrien Meepan. This man has literally designed, developed and built this sanctuary from the ground up. He is an expert on everything involving elephants from breeding and caring for elephants, to Thai elephant history and culture. He is know  throughout his country as the person to go to whenever there is need for consult or advice on wild or domestic elephants. If there is an elephant that need help Meepan is there to care for it. He personally owns 150 elephants who you can all meet when you come to the Royal Elephant Krall Village. But don’t just swing by and say hello, stay for a few days, a week, or even a month. When you visit the Elephanstay you will get your very own elephant to care for and bond with.

Caring for 150 elephants is no easy task. The Elephantstay is a non-profit organization that encourages people to volunteer some time (and some coin of course) to come out and learn about Asian Elephants, and what better way to learn about them than to live with and care for them for a few days? I mean really, who else is supposed to prepare the 23 000kgs of feed for them everyday? That’s what I though. It might as well be you!

On day one Program Managers Michelle Reedy and Ewa Narkiewicz will sit you down for an orientation on what to expect and the scheduling for the duration of your stay. After you get settled into your air conditioned bungalow you will head out to the meeting area to greet your elephant! What happens after this is absolute magic. You will actually be caring for your elephant throughout the whole day, feeding them, bathing them, riding them down to the river to cool off a couple times a day (yup that’s right, you get to ride them! And I’m not talking about on one of those chair saddles, you are actually right on it’s neck, just you and the mahout), and of course you can spend as much time as you like bonding with and getting to know your elephant.

My time at the Elephantstay was the most amazing and rewarding things I’ve ever done. Most people don’t even know this place exists, but almost everyone who does find out about it ends up spending time there. There is no other place you could go to make such a huge difference in such an amazing animals life and it will honestly make you melt inside. You will end up with a huge place in your heart for these incredible, sensitive creatures. It will have to be huge, I mean…have you seen how big they are??

For more information and booking visit  http://www.elephantstay.com

Indeed, the name of the mountain means “ship mountain”; the legend states that the rocky outcrop is the hull of a ship that was broken by a crocodile that was in love with Rumsay Sok but it was unrequited. The crocodile attacked Rumsay Sok and her fiancé whilst at sea and they unfortunately drowned. The locals punished the crocodile by draining the sea to kill it; its body is represented by the Crocodile Mountain (Phnom Krapeu) that can be seen from the top of Phnom Sampeou.

A visit to Phnom Sampeou essentially starts with a climb of 700 steps to the top. There is also a cemented road which you can use to walk up or take a motoride to the summit. Situated on the hilltop is a beautiful pagoda that

Photo By Kleinmatt66–flickr

gives breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. As well as the pagoda, which was actually used as a prison and torture centre during the time of the Khmer Rouge, there are a series of shrines and statues to be found along the way. It is most likely that you will be visiting Phnom Sampeou to explore the natural caves and grottos that have taken part in one of the most horrific genocides in human history.

Just as Phnom Penh has Choeung Ek, Battambang has the caves at Phnom Sampeou. As well as being one of the most important places in Cambodia for

Photo By Kleinmatt66–flickr

the battles between the Khmer Rouge and the government, many innocent people lost their lives in the caves. As you scale the mountain, you will see remnants of the war in the form of anti-aircraft guns and they are a poignant reminder of the realities of war. One of the caves has piles of skulls, bones and clothing of the victims who lost their lives here. Next to this memorial to the dead, there is a beautiful Buddha in a reclined position. It is stated that the Khmer Rouge used this cave to throw the prisoners to their death. There is a hole at the top of the cave where it is reported prisoners were bludgeoned and then hurled to the bottom of the cave through a hole. When you visit the Killing Caves at Phnom Sampeou, you will notice that it is not a long drop from the hole to the bottom; this meant that not everyone was dead when they were pushed into the cave – chilling and emotional thought.

Even if you do not wish to explore the caves, Phnom Sampeou is worth a visit just to take in the spectacular views. Many visitors like to climb their

Photo By Onna Kaldenberg

way to the top and have a picnic lunch whilst enjoying the wonderful Cambodian countryside. The cost to enter Phnom Sampeou is US$2 and if you take a moto it will cost approximately US$5 from Battambang (this includes waiting time whilst you visit the mountain). Taxis are also available or you could hire your own car or motorbike for the day.