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Destination Asia
An Insider's View
By Andrew Forbes




Visit Asia
Trekking Thailand is no longer the only game in Southeast Asia. With a booming traveler infrastructure and easing political tensions, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam have all become safer and easier to navigate — savvy adventure-seekers are taking advantage. What they're doing: exploring pristine rain forests, sailing on some of the world's great rivers, and diving in the crystal-clear waters of the Andaman Sea. Of course, from the mountains to the islands and coral reefs of two oceans, Thailand still serves up bustling Bangkok, laid-back Phuket, and world-class cultural sites at Sukhothai and Ayutthaya. But now you can add spotting dolphins on the Mekong in the bucolic backwater of Laos, biking from beaches to mountains in Vietnam, or kicking back on the Cambodian Riviera.

Make no mistake: In many places, Southeast Asia is still adventure frontier. Even at well-trod sites like Cambodia's Angkor Wat, it's possible to grab more than a few minutes of solitude away from the camera-toting throngs. And farther afield, getting to where you're going is half the adventure, whether you're biking on the Burmese border or chartering a speedboat outside Luang Prabang. Add to this mix the staples that have made this area so special: wonderful people and delicious, spicy cuisine. There's never been a better time to go.


Article © Andrew Forbes, 2000.
About the Author: Andrew Forbes has traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia, and his writing has appeared in the Asian Wall Street Journal, Far Eastern Economic Review, Bangkok Post, and South China Morning Post. He has also collaborated on guidebooks to Thailand, Burma, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. He has an M.A. in Asian Religions and a Ph.D. in Central Asian History.





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