Top underrated destinations in Laos

Laos provides a pleasant change of pace for travelers who are used to Thailand or Vietnam. This small Southeast Asian country has stunning scenery, from limestone mountains to dense forests and spectacular waterfalls. It’s a great place for adventuresome travelers or those who don’t mind roughing it.

Wat Phu

Wat Phu (or Vat Phou) is a ruined Khmer temple complex located at the base of mount Phu Kao, in the Champasak province. The Hindu temple structures date from the 11th to 13th centuries. It was a part of the Khmer empire, centered on Angkor to the southwest in Cambodia. Wat Phu is small compared with the monumental sites at Angkor but the tumbledown pavilions, enigmatic crocodile stone and tall trees that shroud much of the site give Wat Phu a mystical atmosphere.

Nong Kiau

Nong Kiau, sometimes called Nong Khiaw, is a popular tourist destination in Luang Prabang Province because of its many walking, mountain climbing and biking opportunities. A must-see site is the bridge across the Nam Ou River that was built by China. The bridge connects the two parts of Nong Kiau, and is a good place to see stunning views of the river and mountains. Nong Kiau is a rustic village, so visitors shouldn’t expect truly luxurious accommodations. Spelunkers may enjoy exploring the Pha Tok Caves that are located about a mile from town. The caves housed villagers during the Second Indochina War.

Phonsavan 

Phonsavan, a name that means “hills of paradise,” is a good place to experience the U.S.’s Old West, only with Laotian characteristics. Since cattle raising is one of the city’s main businesses, it’s not uncommon to see Hmong “cowboys” wearing violet and brown cowboy hats. The city even hosts bullfights during Hmong New Year. Phonsavan is a good place to visit the Plain of Jars with its ancient megalithic structures that resemble jars. At one time, Phonsavan belonged to Siam, now Thailand, and then the French, with remnants of each culture still to be found.

Read more: What to eat when traveling in Laos

Source touropia

5 weirdest foods only found in Thailand

Thai food has become so ubiquitous over the past few years that it's easy to feel like an expert eater, even if you've never been to Thailand. These are the strangest Thai foods you'll find—even if you are a bonafide expert!

Larb Dib

Even the more common variants of larb, a meat salad from Thailand's Isaan region, are surprising for many foreign visitors to the Kingdom. After all, while Americans love a salad with more meat than greens, most don't want to eat a salad that's only meat—unless it's smothered in mayo.

While relatively tame larb recipes like larb moo (pork) and larb gai (chicken) are universally loved in Thailand, one type of larb is a decidedly niche food: Larb Dib, which is made of ground raw, beef, often swimming around in its own blood.

Larb dib is not only one of the strangest foods in Thailand, but can be potentially deadly. That's because even as food sanitation standards in the Kingdom have risen dramatically in recent years, beef is particularly prone to parasites, bacteria and other sometimes-lethal pathogens, which means that larb dib diners are completely at the mercy of whatever happens to be inside the raw beef they slurp up.

Som Tam Pla Ra

The Isaan region is at once the source of Thailand's most beloved cuisine, but also its most puzzling. Located in the northeastern part of the country close to the border with Laos, its trademarks are fresh, simple ingredients and lots of heat—for many foreigners, way too much.

With that being said, Thais and foreigners alike tend to love som tam papaya salad, at least the "vanilla" version, which doesn't contain any particularly bizarre ingredients. Opinion diverges in lockstep with the additional ingredients you add to the salad, coming to a head with som tam pla ra: Thai papaya salad with fermented fish or crab.

Although the som tam pla ra faithful insist the unpleasant smell the fermented seafood exudes doesn't affect its taste, it's important to consider that the dish has different varieties of stinkiness, depending on how its prepared. If the person who makes it ferments fresh fish, it's som tam pla ra sot, which simply ends up being a bit sour.  On the other hand, som tam pla ra lom uses fish that's already dead (and, in some cases, decomposing), and has a smell many describe as being unbearable.

Khaaw Niaw Thu Rian

Speaking of stinky foods, every traveler to Thailand will have encountered the durian, a fruit so smelly it's banned in taxis and hotels, in spite of the fact that most Thai people love it. For most foreigners, durian is strange enough on its own, but a variation exists that's even less palatable for people who think the fruit smells like old socks or dirty feet.

Khaaw niaw thu rian literally means "durian with sticky rice," and is essentially the same concept as its more universally loved cousin, mango with sticky rice. Unfortunately, if you don't like durian in the raw, it's unlikely that drizzling it with sweet coconut milk (ga tii in Thai) is suddenly going to make the so-called "King of Fruits" more appealing to you.

Yum Khai Maeng Daa

Despite the fact that horseshoe crabs are a great deal stranger than ordinary crabs, they are eaten in certain parts of the world, including Thailand. One particular Thai preparation of horseshoe crab, Yum Khai Maeng Daa, is especially weird.

That's because the body of the horseshoe crab is simply used as a dish this salad, the base of which is actually roe, or eggs. Adding another layer of weirdness to this is the fact that the eggs served inside the horseshoe crab's body are sometimes not even its own, but rather those of the mantis shrimp, an equally weird animal. Let's not even talk about the fact that some people consider horseshoe crabs toxic!

Mae Lang Thood

It wouldn't be a post about strange foods in Thailand without including "bugs." Actual bugs, not horseshoe crabs (which in some ways have more in common with insects that less-ancient crustaceans) or the parasites swimming around in larb dib.

While it's difficult to determine which of Thailand's beloved bug dishes is the weirdest, mae lang thood (deep-fried insects) seem like an obvious choice. That's because if you didn't look closely at them before you eat them, you might not realize they're bugs at all.

Absent are the bitter flavors raw insects disburse into your mouth when you bite into them, not to mention their strange squishiness. The most bizarre thing about insects prepared in this way is that, like "normal" Thai foods, they actually taste pretty amazing!

See more: Handle the heat with these spicy dishes in Thailand

Source: Internet

The eco-friendly destinations for this summer in Philippines

Each island group in the Philippines is blessed with bountiful nature, with several attractions encouraging travelers to connect with the environment peacefully and responsibly. Here, ecotourism activities range from coming face-to-face with fascinating wildlife to exploring colourful seascapes in Philippines.

Masungi Georeserve

Masungi Georeserve is a favorite go-to spot of adventurous Filipinos. It is a conservation area and rock garden located in the rainforests of Tanay, Rizal. Its name is derived from “masungki” or “spiked”, referring to the limestone structures in the area.

Guests can choose from an array of adventure experiences to do. The most popular one is called the Adventure Trail, which includes winding paths, rope courses and other unique stops. All experiences allow guests to not only have fun but also appreciate the area’s karst landscape as well as encounter various wildlife and plant species.

Lake Sebu

Lake Sebu is situated on the highlands of South Cotabato. Though located in Southern Mindanao, the town is utterly peaceful. Home to the indigenous T’Boli, Ubo, Tiruray, and Manobo tribes, Lake Sebu is known for its seven majestic waterfalls, three stunning lakes, and a lush rainforest.

Visit the Seven Falls zipline, one of Asia’s highest ziplines, and and get a unique birds-eye perspective of the gorgeous land. Trekking, on the other hand, will give you a chance for a close encounter with each falls, so take your selfie sticks with you and do the pose.

Kayaking and fishing in Lake Sebu, the lake of which the town is named after, should not be missed. If you are lucky enough, you might see the beautiful lotuses bloom.

Batad

Batad is a tiny village located in Banaue, Ifugao province, in the Philippines. It is one of the 5 clusters of rice terraces declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. Batad features 2000-years-old rice terraces, hand carved by farmers, as part of an ancient agricultural practice.

Here, guests can stay in one of the homestays in the village and learn about the culture and history of Batad. They also have an option to hire a local guide to help them explore and trek across the rice terraces. Other places to visit in Batad include the Tappiya Falls and the Awa View Deck up in the mountain.

Malapascua Island

While its name means ‘Bad Christmas’, the tiny island of Malapascua will bring no humbugs to your holiday cheer. Unspoiled white-sand beaches, beautiful coral gardens, and a beaming marine life sanctuary have earned Malapascua the title of one of the best diving spots in the Philippines.

Take the chance to spot thresher sharks, enjoy unlimited scenic views and immerse yourself in a laid-back, relaxing atmosphere. Be sure to order a San Miguel while you watch the sunset.

La Mesa Eco Park

The La Mesa Eco Park is a 33-hectare ecological park that provides outdoor recreation, forest experience, and a breath of fresh air for Metro Manila residents. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, this public park was established to save the La Mesa Watershed, which is a source of drinking water in the country’s capital.

After its reopening in 2004, this tree-lined paradise has become a popular tourist spot, especially for adventure seekers. Things to do here include hiking, boating, and fishing, among others. Apart from generating revenue, it also aims to promote environmental awareness.

Read more: The best things to explore in El Nido, Philippines

Source Internet