Malaysia: Enter Malacca, Bukit China and Stadthuys Square

Malacca Tang Beng Swee Clock Tower and rickshaws

We originally had a different itinerary for the day. But with help from Martin’s persistence to his higher ups, we were granted our request to go to Malacca (Melaka as how the locals call it) instead. Being one of the recent awardees by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site last July 2008, I’m equally excited to see the place and to add to the list of UNESCO sites I’ve been to. We left Kuala Lumpur past 10am then took an hour’s drive to Malacca.

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Laos: Last Sunset by the Mighty Mekong River in Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang Mekong River

It was my last day in Luang Prabang and after visiting Ban Xieng Maen Village, I decided to spend the last of the dying light here by the Mekong River . I had a late afternoon lunch, at the nearby restaurants overlooking the river. When the sun was already low I went down the banks to capture my last sunset in Luang Prabang.

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Laos: Charming Long Khun and Mystical Tham Sakkarin Cave

Wat Tham Xien maen inside the cave

Somewhere around a 100 meters more after Wat Chom Phet, still on a dirt road but covered by tall trees. Across it is the Wat Long Khun Temple. It is one of the best looking temple grounds I’ve seen. The monastery looks new and the main sim is petite but beautiful likewise. Across the river, I noticed its directly across Wat Xieng Thong.

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Laos: Across the Mekong river to Ban Xieng Maen Village

Across the Mekong to Ban Xieng Maen

After visiting Tat Kuang Si waterfalls, I was deciding whether I should leave Luang Prabang the next day. Don’t get me wrong I love Luang Prabang but the slow pace can get to you some times. The best thing to do here is to visit outlying villages instead of staying in town. In the end, I decided to stay another day and try to visit the Ban Xieng Maen. The village just across the river where they say will give you a glimpse of what the Luang Prabang was like more than 40 years ago.

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Mindoro: A visit to the Buhid Mangyan Villages in San Jose

Buhid Mangyan Villages in San Jose

We ate our packed lunch there at the Tamaraw Gene Pool Center after visiting the captive Tamaraws Kali and Mimi. It was a simple packed lunch which we ate kamotan style (with our barehands) there at the outdoors but it was fun as if we’re just having a picnic. Had a little rest at one of the huts then made our way back towards the city but not without stopping for a visit at a couple of the Buhid Mangyan villages in San Jose.

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Laos: Meeting a fellow Filipino at Tat Kuang Si Falls

 Meeting a fellow Filipino at Tat Kuang Si Falls

I checked out at Levady GH soon after my visit at the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong. When I got to Thony II they were still cleaning up my room at the upper floor. While waiting, I saw a small poster where it says that they can take me to Tat Kuang Si Falls for 50,000 kip round trip. It was pretty cheap than taking a sole tuk-tuk on your own which is around 150,000 kip. I booked to be included on the afternoon tour.

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Laos: Magnificent Wat Xieng Thong in Luang Prabang

The Magnificent Wat Xieng Thong

My morning temple hopping led me to Th Sakkarin Area. Before I went back to Levady GH to get my bags and move to my new lodging I decided to visit another temple since I had plenty of time to spare before checkout. It’s easy to get templed-out in Luang Prabang, so it’s best to choose which ones to visit. If you would only choose to visit just one it should be the most magnificent temple in Luang Prabang. And that is Wat Xieng Thong.

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