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• Kuala Lumpur Travel Guide - KL Overview
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• Cambodia Travel Guide - Ta Prohm
• Cambodia Travel Guide - Angkor Thom (Bayon)
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Kuala Lumper, the capital of Malaysia is a diverse city that provides some of the finest shopping experiences in Asia.  Malaysia has a population of approximately 28 million of which approximately 65% are muslim, with buddhism the next most practised religion at around 25%.  Christianity and Hinduism make up the minority religions in Malaysia.

Kuala Lumper is a little undiscovered in comparison to other better known destinations such as Hong Kong and Singapore, but for keen shoppers KL offers everything that can be found in the better known destinations at consistently better prices.  The vast majority of big name brands are in KL in the numerous shopping malls, from Lot 10 to Suria KLCC and the new shopping centre Pavillion. 

The shops offer merchandise for all tastes and budgets from the upmarket Starhills to the technology mall Low Yat Plaza where you have five or more floors of technology stores at your fingertip selling every electronic device you could desire.

Kuala Lumper is not just about shopping centres, it offers one of the most stunning and tallest buildings you will see anywhere, the Petronas Towers.  This building is still to this day one of the tallest buildings in the world and is the tallest twin tower structure in the world. 

A must see in KL is the Petronas Towers at day and especially at night.  This is a site to behold and a trip on the Sky Bridge on the 41st floor is available free to the first 1400 or so visitors each day.  Ensure you are queued up by 9am to catch this fantastic opportunity.

Another must see destination in KL is the Menara KL Tower, this is taller than Petronas and offers awesome views of KL and the Petronas Towers, some of the best shots of Petronas can be secured from the Menara KL Tower.  A few other worthy destinations to visit while in KL is Batu Caves, this is approximately a 30 minute taxi ride from the city and provides a trek up 272 steps to the Batu Caves, a unique limestone structure with massive open cavern’s.  It is also the site of an amazing Hindu statue that is clearly visable from the KL Menara Tower.

Tours in KL are generally pretty cheap and KL has plenty of day trips such as to Genting Highlands, Cameron Highlands and the historic town of Melacca where Malaysia began not more than 2 hours drive away. A half day trip in a cab or local tour company can cover some of the other major sites such as the old cricket club, Independance Square, Chinatown (Petaling Street, scene of the night markets), Federal Court and the old Railway Station, Chinese Temple, War Memorial and the King’s Palace.  This will tick of the majority of major sites.

Kuala Lumpur also offers a good culinary experience with a mix of asian, malay, indian and western food at almost as great regularity as the shopping opportunities.  KL is an emerging destination in Asia and one where it is now common for Singaporean’s to venture to on shopping trips.  If your looking for that destination you have not been or looking to catch a bit of shopping KL is worth considering.

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Bangkok is a city of amazing contrasts, both modern and traditional yet poor and wealthy. When you see Bangkok you can appreciate the tradition and history of the country yet marvel at the modern architecture just around the corner from ancient temples.  Bangkok offers something for everyone from shopping, nightlife, culture and temples.

One of the first things that strikes you about Thailand is the humble and friendly people who are so polite and calm.  The Thai people are genuinely friendly and seem to have a permanent smile on their faces.  It is hard to not to like or appreciate their humble Buddhist beliefs and disposition.

No trip to Bangkok is complete without visiting the Royal Palace and seeing the Emerald Buddha, this is an amazing site and is made out of a single piece of jade.  The nearby temple Wat Pho is a highlight as it has the reclining buddha, a huge statue of buddha in a relaxed pose.  A river trip and tuk tuk are must do’s when in Bangkok and gives you a good feel for the city.


Shopping is excellent in Bangkok and is packed with night markets and malls.  Some of the favourite destinations are MBK and Paragon located close to each other in downtown Bangkok.  They are also bordered by a series of night markets within several kilometres of Siam Square an upmarket destination for the young and hip Thai youth.  The best known of these night markets is PatPong night markets, a destination that is both a tourist red light district and shopping mecca.  

If you are put off by haggling or being pestered and chased avoid this area but for the keen bargain hunter you can bag a unique gift or another cheap watch or handbag to add to your collection.  Shopping centres such as MBK and Paragon are open from 10am till 10pm.

The nightlife is excellent in Bangkok. You can generally go out at anytime of the night and find something open, whether it is a drink your after or a late night restaurant the city of Bangkok never sleeps.  Siam Square is one major nightlife destination but Bangkok is an international city with many destinations that offer great nightlife.  Bangkok is an amazing city with no shortage of things to do and see, if you are interested in Buddhism then Thailand must surely be one of the best places in the world and for those into shopping you will not be disappointed by Bangkok.

Do you have a story of a favourite destination in Bangkok you would like to talk about, share you thoughts in our comments section below.

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Angkor Wat is the highlight and most visited destination in Siem Reap.  It is also the reason Siem Reap is on the destination trail in Cambodia. 

Angkor Wat is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the wonders of the world and when you see it for the first time you soon learn why this is such a hot spot for tourists.

Angkor Wat is less than 8 kilometres from Siem Reap and the destination everyone wants to see when visiting Cambodia.  The grandeur of the temple is striking and it’s a destination that inspires awe and amazement from tourists.  Cambodia is blessed to have such a fantastic tourist destination as it is a major drawcard and in many ways the lifeblood of the countries growing tourism industry.

Entry to the Angkor temples is USD $20 for a one day pass but this provides access to all the temples of Angkor but as they have many temples from a few kilometres from Siem Reap to a couple of hours drive you are better off buying a three day pass which provides relatively good value if your spending a few days in Siem Reap.  One day is not enough to fully enjoy the Angkor temple experience.


Angkor Wat was built in the first half of the 12th century and has had considerable restorative work done, this work continues to this day with regular maintenance taking place to ensure a safe experience is enjoyed by tourists. 

Angkor Wat is always busy but is best viewed at several points of the day.  Sunrise and Sunset at Angkor Wat are a highlight and if you are lucky enough to visit when the weather is fantastic then take the time to visit at these two times as Angkor Wat looks great at anytime but never better than at Sunrise and Sunset.  The illumination of the sun brings the best out of the temple and will be an excellent photo on any mantlepiece.

Angkor Wat is huge and it is not until you see it that you appreciate the size of the temple. It is not surprising that this was the centrepiece of the once great Angkor empire and is a testament to the power and superiority of the architecture which would have inspired the empire and stood as a dominant sign of how successful the period was in Cambodian history.

The intricate bas reliefs and Buddhist statues are remarkable and the time spent to sculpt these and the labour required to build Angkor Wat is amazing.  It is hard to imagine such a feat being achieved today with such success and yet still stand the testament of time some 850 years after it was built.

To capture the best photo’s of Angkor Wat I suggest using the reflection pool which will provide excellent photos.  In many pictures this looks like a large lake but it’s only small and provides a fantastic reflection of this amazing temple.  A trip to Cambodia is a wonderful experience but a trip to Angkor Wat is one that will stay with you for life.

Click here to read an excellent article on the Angkor temple at Wikipedia.

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Ta Prohm, the second major Angkor temple we are featuring in our Angkor temples feature is best known as the site where the Tomb Raider film with Angelina Jolie was filmed.

Ta Prohm was built in the late 12th or early in the 13th century, it is remarkable among the Angkor temples.  Located approximately one kilometre from Angkor Thom it had been overtaken by the jungle long ago and today can be seen with the jungle now forming part of the temple.

Giant trees and their root systems are growing in and around the existing temples forming an amazing array of images and iconic photos for visiting tourists.  The fact it is still able to be enjoyed in much the same way as it was re-discovered is remarkable and will be one of the highlights of any visit to Cambodia.


Ta Prohm is one of the most visited temples in Angkor, the constant stream of tourists who link the temple with Tomb Raider and Angelina Jolie ensures you rarely get a photo without others appearing.  

I would recommend visitng Ta Prohm early in the morning, if you have two days in Siem Reap dedicated to the temples then aim to visit early in the morning as the sun is just rising.  Ta Prohm is even more remarkable in the murky early morning light just as the sun rises and you will have the best chance to capture those amazing pictures of Ta Prohm.

Ta Prohm is in a much greater state of ruin than many of the other main tourist temples, but this is what makes it remarkable.  Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and others have had and continue to have ongoing repair and maintenance work done.  Ta Prohm stands out as a temple in decay with rocks and walls leaning on angles, walls partially crumbled and some walls proped up for the safety of tourists. But  this is what makes Ta Prohm a must see when visiting the Angkor temples.

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In the first of a three articles, we feature Angkor Thom one of the best known temples from the Angkor dynasty of Cambodia.

Angkor Thom was built under the reign of King Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century.  The best known temple of Angkor Thom is Bayon. For those visiting the Angkor temples including Angkor Wat this is generally the first temple people encounter. 

The entrance is stunning as you enter through two rows of statues that strike you as an intimidating entrance to this grand temple.  During the reign of the empire the entry to the Bayon temple would have been awe inspiring. These are still impressive some 8 centuries after they were built and prepares you for the Angkor temples inside.

The Bayon temple which is the highlight of Angkor Thom is immediately impressive and amazing that it has stood the test of time despite the volatile recent history of Cambodia.  Bayon’s most impressive feature is the multitude of towers with massive stone faces that bear a state of enlightenment.  All the faces display a serene look as if they had reached a higher state of being, it has been said these may have been created in the likeness of the King.

The Bayon temple has not been without alteration.  During the centuries the religion of Cambodia had changed from buddhism to hinduism and these periods resulted in alterations to the Bayon temple.  If it was not for the Angkor temples being abandoned perhaps today we would not be blessed with such a remarkable preserved series of temples in Angkor, especially the marvellous Bayon and Angkor Wat temples.

Bayon is also blessed with having some of the most intricate and impressive bas reliefs documenting the history of the Khmer empire. These bas reliefs document not just historical events but also everyday life for the Angkor people and provide some amazing insight into the life of the great khmer empire of the period.

The Bayon temple and Angkor Thom will take several hours to investigate, you could spend much longer but if your trying to take in the major Angkor temples in one day then you need to keep investigating, next destination Ta Prohm.  Made even more famous by the Tomb Raider computer game and movie starring Angelina Jolie.

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In a country that has experienced so much sadness and so much turmoil in the last 35 years Cambodia is one of the most fascinating and interesting countries to visit and is the new hot spot destination in South East Asia. 

It is only in recent years that Cambodia has surfaced on the tourist radar for discerning people who are looking for something different in a travel experience.  No longer is Cambodia a high risk destination but a fascinating cultural experience with a rich and turbulent history.  In few other destinations is this more apparant than The Killing Fields, also known as Choeung Ek.  The Killing Fields as they are known was the site of mass torture and executions that took tens of thousands of people away during the period of rule of the Khmer Rouge. 

During 1975 to 1979 over 200,000 people were killed by the Khmer Rouge.  The targeting of citizens was indiscriminate and focused on the educated elite, those that showed any dissention towards government and in some cases people who were voluteered by people as betraying the beliefs of the Khmer Rouge.  During this period Phnom Penh was virtually deserted, in a country of nearly 7 million it it estimated between 1.4 and 2.2 million died either directly or indirectly from the barbaric reign. 

The Killing Fields is home to one of the major sites where the killing of innocent citizens occured.  People were taken to Choeung Ek to be tortured or killed often from Toul Sleng the converted school that was the site of imprisonment of many Cambodians in Phnom Penh. 

The Killing Fields is approximately 30 minutes by road from Phnom Penh and is a place that gives you the feeling of sadness.  The first thing you notice is the Bone Tower, a multi storey building that houses the skulls of those victims found at The Killing Fields.  This is a sombering site, where you see the skulls of the poor victims who who killed. 

The Killing Fields is not large and you can easily walk around and read all the assoicated stories provided in less than 1 hour.  What is most alarming is the small pits where hundreds of people were just dumped in, no such thing as a burial more like a pit to drop people in once dead. 

One site is particularly sad, the Killing Tree where children were mercilessly killed.  The site of clothes appearing in the soil, some still with colour is a stark memory of the sadness that occured here and a reminder that we should never let this happen again.

If you are looking for a hotel in Cambodia to stay consider Hotels Combined.  This site compares 30 hotel sites to give you the best deal available. 

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Cambodia has only appeared on the tourist trail in recent years and is a country going places.  The best known destinations are Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.  The capital Phnom Penh which became a ghost town in 1975 after the invasion of the Khmer Rouge is the most populated city and offers a unique insight into the horrors and atrocities of the Khmer Rouge period where tragedy struck Cambodia.  Siem Reap perhaps best known as the destination point for visiting the amazing temples of Angkor Wat, Thom and the site of filming of the first Tomb Raider film Ta Prohm.  Both cities provide a unique insight into the life and history of this amazing country.

Phnom Penh has a few major tourist sites which are a must see, the Killing Fields (Choeung-Ek) and Toul Sleng, the Genocide Museum.  Both destinations take you back some thirty years and alert you to the massacre of innocent people here.  It is estimated as many as 2 million people died or were killed both directly or indirectly in Cambodia out of a population of 7 million during the reign of the Khmer Rouge.  A stint in Phnom Penh would not be complete without a visit to the Royal Palace. 

Siem Reap is a small town but is the gateway to the Angkor temples.  Angkor Wat is regarded as one of the seven modern wonders of the world and you can see how amazing the Angkor empire was from the 8th to 13th century.  Siem Reap is not just the destination of Angkor Wat but numerous temples that were built during the reign of the empire.  Don’tforget the opportunity to shop in the Old or Central markets which offer bargains that you could only dream about. 

Cambodia also offers some amazing beachside destinations, in Sihanoukville the sand is as white as can be and it is perhaps the next boom seaside destination in Asia.  Cambodia offers the yesteryear charm that Thailand offered some 30 years ago.  I would recommend a trip to Cambodia sooner rather than later as the people are wonderful and friendly and their hospitality is second to none. 

I would recommend at least 10 days in Cambodia to take in the destination, three in Phnom Penh, three or more Siem Reap and a few days relaxing in Sihanoukville.  Also worth considering in a trip to Kep or Kampot on a day trip from Phnom Penh. 

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The Summer Palace known as the Garden of Nurtured Happiness is the largest and best preserved garden in Beijing.  It is larger than the Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City and takes it’s place on the western side of Beijing approxinately 12 kilometres outside Beijing. 

The Summer Palace is over 290 hectares (710 acres) and dominates the nearby landscape.  The Summer Palace dates back to the Jin Dynasty in 1115 to 1234.  It has been improved, expanded and even destroyed in the subsequent centuries.  In the 13th century Kublai Khan built canals to transport water to the Palace and also expanded the lake, Kunming to act as a reservoir.

In the 18th century during the Qing Dynasty the Emperor QingLong substantially increased the gardens at the Summer Palace.  Further improvements were made to Lake Kunming during this time.  In 1860 when the the anglo-french invasion occured the original Summer Palace was virtually destroyed.  It was rebuilt once again but was again looted and destroyed during the 1900 Boxer revolution.  In 1903 the restoration began again and today is much like what is was back then.

A trip to the Summer Palace is a wonderful half day trip, only a short taxi or bus trip from central Beijing it provides an escape from the busy streets and is a tranquil place to visit to seek some peace and solitude.  If you are looking to see a traditional Chinese garden or seeking inspiration for your own garden then the Summer Palace will provide you with what you desire.  Nowhere in Beijing are you likely to see such a well planned and visually appealing garden and nature environment than the Summer Palace.

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Tiananmen Square square is the massive plaza that sits at the centre of Beijing.  Tiananmen Square literally means the gate of heavenly peace, it is this plaza that has such a rich and also tragically sad history.  It is this history that makes it an essential visit on any trip to Beijing. 

Tiananmen Square is over 40 hectares (100 acres), it is the largest open plaza in the world and has been the centre of some of the major moments in Chinese history.  More recently in 1989 it was the centre of the Tiananmen Square massacres where citizens protesting against the Chinese government were killed the eyes of the world focused on China for the wrong reasons as the military sought to dismiss any protests from the Chinese students.

Tiananmen Square was first built during the Ming Dynasty around the early parts of the 15th century but it was not until the middle of the 20th century that this great vista that sits at the front of The Forbidden City took shape completely.  The Tiananmen Square has seen major military displays and political events in it’s long history and it’s not until it is seen that you can appreciate how large this square is and the amount of people that could surround the region.

Once again we will see Tiananmen Square take shape and draw huge crowds as the Beijing Olympics commence on 8th August at 8pm.  This will be the centre of viewing for many that cannot attend the games and will have giant screens providing all the action to the locals and visitors to this city.

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The Temple of Heaven is situated in the southern part of Beijing.  The Temple of Heaven is actually bigger than The Forbidden City but smaller than the grandeous Summer Palace.  This is due to the Temple of Heaven being constructed around the same time as the Forbidden City.  During the time it was thought that even the Emperor could not build a larger temple or city for himself than to God. 

The Temple of Heaven in the centrepiece of a park that covers an area of 273 hectares, it is three times the area of the Forbidden City.  Built in 1420 it was designed to allow the emperors a place to worship heaven.  The main buildings include the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests, Imperial Vault of Heaven and Circular Mound Altar. 

The Altar of Prayer for Good Harvest is over 38 metres high and 30 metres in diameter.  It stands on a round foundation built with three levels of marble stones.  A circular wall of bricks known as the Echo Wall encloses the Imperial Vault of Heaven.  The Temple of Heaven was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1998.


A walk through the park that occupies the Temple of Heaven is a joy as you see the elderly and locals who come here to pray or just spend the day in the park with their family.  It is an amazing greenspace in the middle of this bustling city and it’s not too hard to find your own little secluded part of the park to escape the busy streets outside.

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