Notre Dame Cathedral - Ho Chi Minh City

Christened as "Paris of Asia" due to the French villas and impressive trees that lined the boulevard, Ho Chi Minh City is one of the liveliest city of South East Asia. The saying "time is gold" is apparent because the people are always in a hurry.

The best way to see the beauty of the city? Set yourself on foot.....

One of Ho Chi Minh's (formerly Saigon) famous landmarks is Notre Dame Cathedral. It was constructed between 1863 and 1880 with two bell towers reaching 58 meters (190 feet) in height. A refined statue of the Virgin Mary stands in the garden in front of the cathedral.

The original materials used for the construction of the building were imported from France. But just like the countries who suffered during the war, Ho Chi Minh's Cathedral was never spared. Most of the tiles were damaged and the replacement tiles which were quite of a number were since made locally.

Changes made to the cathedral were ostensible, yet it seems that nothing has been changed..It's still as splendid as it was....

Chae Son National Park - Lampang, Thailand

Took this photo while standing on a rock

Lampang is a province of Thailand situated in the north. It covers an area of about 592 square km. It borders the province of Sukothai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Phayao, Phrae, Chiang Mai and Tak.

Blessed with flora and fauna along with waterfalls, hot springs and caves, Chae Son National Park is one of the must see spots in Lampang. The park became Thailand's 58th National Park on July 28, 1988. It is an important tourism place for the province and to the entire nation.

Dunno what's written but people boil their eggs here

There are many interesting things that can be done in the park. I was there 2 years ago and enjoyed boiling eggs in the hot spring. Also, the stunning Chae Son Waterfall is just somewhere near. The sound of the water flowing and its impact hitting the stones? (Hmmm....music to my ear). It was truly a wonderful experience.

Borobudur Temple - Indonesia

One cannot argue that Borobudur Temple in Indonesia is one of the greatest temples in the world. The name can always be heard from scholars and historians because a conversation is always not complete without its inclusion. Its origin is unknown but thought to have been built around the eight or the ninth century A.D.

Abandoned and was lost for many years due to the rise of Islam faith in Java, the temple became silent that only nature can hear its call. It was rediscovered in 1814, and is now completely restored to its original glory.

Borobudur Temple stands on a hill of six rectangular storeys, forming a stepped-pyramid. It is famous for its stone-carved panels that depicts the life and teachings of Buddha. Perhaps one of its unique features is that the temple is in the form of lotus, the Buddhas sacred flower. Other than that, Borobudur Temple is also included on the list of UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Site.

Amazing isn't it?

Pha That Luang - Vientiane, Laos

Pha That Luang Entrance

Known as the "Great Sacred Stupa" or "World-Precious Sacred Stupa", Pha That Luang is a national symbol and the most important national monument in Laos. Laotian often said that one can claim he had visited Laos if he happen to witness the magnificent Pha That Luang, otherwise it's just but false claim. It undergone couple of reconstructions due to invasions of the neighboring countries in the past. It is also the symbol of Buddhism and Lao sovereignty.

The people of Laos believe that Pha That Luang was built in the 3rd century as an Indic Temple. It consist of three levels which upon closer look reveals a different characteristics of encrypted Buddhist scriptures.

That Luang (Who said that only people can have nickname?) stands at 147.6 feet high from the ground to its pinnacle. Its walls encircling the stupa are estimated to be 279 feet long. It contains different scriptures of Jayavarman VII, Khmer, and Laos.

That Luang - A South East Asian treasure that depicts a deeper and rich history.

Takeo Province - Cambodia

Downtown Takeo Landmark

Referred to as the "cradle of Cambodian civilization", Takeo Province is surrounded by series of canals and waterways that connect towns, rivers and villages. It is also referred as the Water Chenla of the Kingdom of Cambodia because the low-lying area is submerged in water during the rainy season.

Takeo Province lacks foreign visitors and architectural charm compared to famous and popular tourist attractions like Phnom Pehn and Siem Reap. The name is not that famous in the world either, yet the French era legacy is still apparent. It is also the home to the legacy of six anceint temples and to some often visited resorts of Tonle Bate, Phnom Ta Mao (zoo), and a lot more.

Ta Prohm Temple at Tonle Bate

From the Cambodia Tourism Board: "Among 22 provinces in Cambodia, Takeo is the oldest province rich in historics relating to the periods of Anachak Phnom and Chenla. Takeo province has 34 ancient temples left from their ancestors that are the heritages and the soul of Cambodian people."

Submerged in water during the rainy season? What yah say on that?

Mandalay - Myanmar

Mandalay Hill

Mandalay was the former capital and the last independent Burmese Kingdom (Don't get me wrong, OK? I'm talking of Mandalay in Burma and not the Mandalay in Vegas or the UK Band. This is South East Asian Blog, remember?) It is the second largest city after Yangon (Rangoon). It is also the place where half of the country's monks reside and known for its millionaires.

Chinese Immigrants from Yunan Province and the spread of their culture has reshaped Mandalay for the past twenty years. The industrial and commercial bases of the country has been practically monopolized by them. But the city's monuments and religious buildings are still evidently Burmese. 

Mandalay Palace

A more genuine Burmese city than any other cities of the country, Mandalay is also regarded as the real capital of Burma. It is the main commercial, educational and health center of the Upper Burma. It is also the center of the Burmese culture and the Buddhist learning that lies on the Irrawady River, 600 Kilometers north of Rangoon.

Mandalay - An amazing South East Asian City

Tinuy-an Falls - Philippines

In the southern part of the Philippines, there is a place known as the Booming city by the bay. The place is called Bislig City in the province of Surigao del Sur that houses the main tourist attraction of the city...The "Tinuy-an Falls"

Being referred to as Niagara Falls of the Philippines, Tinuy-an Falls flows in three levels that stands at approximately 55 meters (180 ft). The falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Philippines. In fact, it was featured in the International Travel Magazine because of it's colorful picture.

The waterfall is surrounded with lush rainforest, specifically giant trees which are centuries old, vines and ferns. A rainbow appears every morning around 9-11 that makes it even more stunning.

Tinuy-an Falls - A South East Asian Jewel

Derawan Islands - Indonesia

Considered to be the third best diving site and one of the richest biodiversity in the world, the Derawan Islands located in East Kalimantan, Indonesia boasts its soft white sand beaches and an astonishing marine life.

The Derawan Islands or Derawan archipelago comprises of 31 named islands. It is also famous for the largest nesting site of the rare giant green turtles and hawksbill turtles which are now endangered species. There, you can swim with the turtles or watch them lay their eggs in the sand. How cool is that?

One of the islands of the archipelago known as Kakaban is considered a nominee for UNESCO's World Heritage Site, not just because it is the world's largest and most diverse jellyfish lake, but also because of unique species of stingless jellyfish which can swim upside down. Really cool, huh?

Derwawan Islands - A South East Asian Paradise

Cristo Rei of Dili - East Tomor

Cristo Rei of Dili in Timor Leste or East Timor is a statue of Jesus on top of the summit, overlooking the capital and resembles "Christ the Redeemer" of Rio de Janiero in Brazil.

A gift of the Indonesian people to East Timor, the statue can be reached by climbing some 300 steps. It rest atop an enormous metal globe facing the ocean at the end of the peninsula.

Indonesian colonized East Timor in 1976. It seems that Jesus didn't turn his back to the people of East Timor because after decades of fighting for it's independence, East Timor became the world's newest nation in 2002, and the statue looks west facing Jakarta with open arms.

Wink

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque - Brunei

One of Brunei's major tourist attractions is Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque. Completed in 1958, the mosque is a spectacular landmark of Brunei that dominates Bandar Seri Begawan, the nation's capital. The mosque is near the Brunei river that sits in an artificial lagoon. It is also known as the "water village".

The materials used for the construction of the building were nearly imported from abroad. Carpets are Saudi Arabian, the marble from Italy, a Shanghai granite, while stained glass was handmade in England.

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is considered to be the most beautiful mosque in the world. It is also the largest in the far east which can be seen virtually anywhere in the city with a towering height of height of 52 meters (171 ft).

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque - A magnificent South East Asian architecture..

Candles in Ubon Ratchathani - Thailand

Ubon Ratchatanee, a relatively unknown to tourists, is situated in the north eastern part of Thailand. It borders Laos in the north and Cambodia in the south.

It prides itself for having natural wonders such as waterfalls, national parks, etc. They are also famous for shops that produce silk.

Ubon celebrates candle festival during the month of July. People from different countries are welcome to participate in the wax sculpting contest. The candles are then taken to Thung Si Mueang, a park in the middle of the city for the evening exhibit. In the morning of Wan Kao Pansa, the candles are paraded on beautifully designed floats through the city center.

I was in Ubon last year for a holiday. I was flabbergasted seeing the designs of the candles (sooooo beautiful!) I truly enjoyed being there. I am looking for the video that i took so i could upload it here. For the time being, here are the pics I personally took.

Emerald Hill - Singapore

Singapore is the smallest country in South East Asia, yet it offer superb things for holiday seekers. It boast its multi-cultural diversity where east meets west. One of Singapore's tourist attractions is the Emerald Hill located near the Orchard Road and in the area of Newton.

Emerald Hill was originally owned by a postal Clerk named William Cuppage. It became famous worldwide when the nutmeg plantation became official during the year 1837 - 1845. A Chinese Baroque architecture is evident to many of its features, most notably to its houses and monuments. Its natural beauty made the Emerald Hill one of the sought after destination for holiday vacationers. It is also famous for the Singaporean high officials who reside in the area.

Some of the houses at Emerald Hill are being rented and sold to customers. I wish to buy one though, but the prizes seem to be beyond what i get in years of years of work LOL.

Emerald Hill - A South East Asian treasure.

Plain of Jars - Laos

One of Asia's most mysterious sites is the plain of Jars. Situated in the communist country of Laos, the Plain of Jars has been open to the public for just over a decade. Thousands of jars are scaterred in almost the entire Xieng Khouang plain in the mountain range of Indochina. Its origin is unknown but....

Legends and stories claim that there was a race of giants who once lived there. Another story was of the ancient king called Khun Cheung, who celebrated his victory after a very long battle. He then used the jars to store his lao lao rice wine.

The Plain of Jars is the most dangerous archeological sites in the world so it is imperative to stay on the designated paths because of the unexploded bombs which caused injuries every week. The site's proximity to Vietnam made Laos one of the most bombed country in the face of the earth, even if they were not officially involved in the Vietnam war. A nearby cave which was excavated in the 1930's was badly damaged during the war and archeologists found human bones and ashes inside.

The secret of the Plain of Jars is still waiting to be discovered. Historians are still baffled about its origin. I was in Laos 2 years ago for a visa a run so i failed to visit the site. Won't miss it the next time I go there...Promise!

Gunung Mulu National Park - Malaysia

Malaysia is blessed with some of the longest and biggest caves in the world. One of the most popular is Gunung Mulu National Park named after Mount Mulu, the second highest mountain in Sarawak. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that boast karst formations both above and underground.

It has been said that its chamber is so big that a 747 jumbojet of Boeing can get into the caves mouth (What's that?).It is 2,300 feet (700 m) long, 1,300 feet (396 m) wide, and at least 230 feet (70 m) high.

Different types of fauna including bats in millions, and swiftlets leaving and entering the caves is a spectacular sight to behold. Other than that, the park has an outstanding scenic views that would take your breath away.

A South East Asian Pride...

Pulau Seribu-Indonesia

Pulau Seribu, known as "the thousand islands" in Indonesia, is located 45 kilometers north of the capital city Jakarta. It consist of scattered islands in four districts with 105 islands in total. There are about 200,000 people living in Pulau Seribu with a total land area of 8.7 km².

The area of Pulau Seribu is a marine national park but some of the islands are being developed to make it more attractive to tourists. Others are uninhibited, and some are owned by wealthy Jakartans. The place is very near to the capital city, and most of the Jakartans visit the place for recreation and to escape the bustling city life.

Here's the list of some islands that are being developed:

Genteng Besar

Pulau Lipan

Pulau Macan

Pulau Melintang Besar

Pulau Perak

Pulau Putri Besar

Pulau Sebaru Besar

The biggest archipelago in the world is Indonesia, and the exact number of the islands are still unknown. A South East Asian treasure with 17,000 (more or less) islands..

That's a jaw drop.....