Sundress or Sarong

Ladies, this is your chance to make a great first impression with that hot guy laying on the sand as you pass by. Show off those sexy legs of yours and a little cleavage too. You will want a loose fitting sundress or sarong. Comfort is as important as style and color.

Bikini or Swimsuit

The most important thing about your bikini is that it fits properly. Head to the local bikini shop or at your nearby mall. Select a design that works well with your body type. Then look for colors and patterns. Guys seem to love vibrant colors and especially when on a string bikini.

Sandals

Your shoes should compliment the rest of your attire. The beach is all about sand and water. Flats are most appropriate for this occasion. Rubber beach thongs, or leather sandals are fantastic!

Towel

Beach towels come in a large variety of colors and patterns. Lightweight towels dry faster than the thick plus ones. You will be laying on this for the good part of the day. It is your choice. Matching your swimwear never hurts.

Sunglasses

You get what you pay for, especially with sunglasses. The $5 pairs you find at the gas stations do not protect your eyes. Invest in a good pair of polarized sunglasses. A larger frame is especially nice for the beach.

Sunscreen for body, face and lips

Hawaiian Tropic, Tropical Blend, Banana Boat, and Coppertone, are all good brands of sunscreen. Bring a minimum of SPF 15 and apply frequently. For those hard to reach areas, ask one of the guys for assistance.

Hat

Beach hats are practical and stylish. Go neutral tones to match everything or something bright to match your outfit. We must protect our beautiful skin.

Limited cash

Stash your credit cards in the trunk of your locked car, but try to carry less than $20 cash on hand. It is easy to return to your car for more money if needed.

iPod and Cellphone

Like American Express cards, never leave home without them.

Anytime you park your car whether it is at the beach or a mall, never leave anything in plain sight. Leave your valuables at home or secure them in the trunk. Remember, “out of sight, out of mind”!

Be safe and enjoy your day at the beach!

Visitors can swim in the warm tropical sea, go canoeing, boating, parasailing, horseback riding and fishing. Those who prefer a less hectic holiday can just lie beneath a shady tree at the beach and relax your mind. After working up an appetite, head over to Sungai Rengit village to try its fresh, succulent lobsters for lunch. Then you can go to the 100ha Desaru Fruit Farm to sample a luscious spread of local fruits. Golf aficionados will also be able to enjoy their game and tee off at the many golf resorts in the area. At night, enjoy the twinkling lights of the fireflies in mangrove swamp.

On the way to Desaru, you can stop by Kota Tinggi where there are several places of interest. At the Kota Tinggi Waterfalls Resort, you also can enjoy a dip in cool, crystal clear mountain water, said to be able to relax muscle knots caused by stress and tension. Kota Tinggi has recently been caught up in “Bigfoot fever”. A beast is said to be living in the forest near the town and some locals claim to have seen it. Just ask the locals in the area and they will certainly help you find a guide to take you on a day trip to locate the creature's lair.

How to get there :

Johor is located in the southern part of Peninsular Malaysia about 300km south of Kuala Lumpur. It is well connected to the rest of the country by expressways and railways as well as air links. The state is also connected to Singapore via the Causeway and the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link.

Cebu is located in Southern Philippines. It is one of the very historic places in the country. It was in Cebu where Spanish maritime warrior Ferdinand Magellan conquered the Philippines in 1521 but was later killed after a fierce battle with Lapu-Lapu, a tribal Filipino warrior, in the historic Battle of Mactan. More than 40 years later, another Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legaspi sailed to Cebu with about 500 armed men and with Agustinian and Franciscan Friars, succeeded in colonizing the islands. His religious entourage would later succeed in spreading the Christian faith into the mainstream of the Philippine society; eventually making the Philippines known today as the bastion of Christianity in Asia.

Cebu City Today: A Vibrant Metropolis

Today, Cebu City is teeming with Expatriates from all over the world. Notably, the City is the favorite place of Australians, Europeans, Americans, Chinese, Japanese and Koreans. They are lured into the City for its relative peace and order situation, a vibrant economy, topnotch tourism attractions, affordable hotel and housing accommodations, exciting nightlife and entertainment and most of all, for its hospitable and English- speaking population. Most of these expatriates have been living in Cebu for many years. Some of them are retirees who enjoy life in Cebu with their meager pension money. A single guy who gets a US$1,000.00 monthly pension can “live like a king” in Cebu. With his pension money, he can afford to hire a personal driver, a house maid, a decent housing accommodation and still save extra money for food and other personal needs.

Cebu City Bantayan Island, Cebu

Cebu Hotels and Outdoor Facilities

Cebu is famous for its white sand beaches and inland attractions. Cebu has a number of upscale hotels and resorts of international stature. Some of the world class hotels that operate in the city include Marriot, Marco Polo, Shangri-La, Hilton, Parklane, Waterfront, Plantation Bay, Maribago, Days Inn, among others. There are smaller and budget hotels that offer first class accommodations at affordable rates.

If you are the kind of person who enjoys outdoors, Cebu is an ideal place for you. And if you live in the city, most of the beachfront resorts and hotels are just a few minutes away. You can enjoy the clear sea lanes of Cebu and popular water sports are available including fishing and scuba diving.

Cebu Beach Cebu Dive Spot Relaxing in Cebu

Cebu Nightlife

Cebu City is known for its popular bars and nightspots in the islands. Nightclubs and bars abound in the city offering fine food, drinks and entertainment. If you feel lucky, try your luck in a local casino. You can drink to your hearts content without hurting your pocket. Ice Cold San Miguel Beer, the world famous Philippine Beer can be had for less than 1 US dollar. Fresh sea foods abound at surprisingly low prices. If you are a guy who wish to talk the night away with the local hospitality ladies, Cebu City is the place for you. But if you hate nightlife, Cebu also offers exiting and wholesome places to see including the island provinces in Central Philippines.

Beauties from Cebu Nightlife Casino

Caramoan is a coastal town of Camarines Sur in the Southern Luzon corridor of the Philippines. It is host to a group of small islands with white sand beaches and unspoiled mountain ranges. The islands of Caramoan have remained pristine and undeveloped through the years mainly due to lack of infrastructure like roads and bridges that links the town to the other parts of the region. Caramoan town, in the recent past and during wet or rainy seasons, was isolated from the rest of the towns of Camarines Sur and connected only by sea lanes or water transpiration for its commercial survival.

This potential tourist destination has caught the attention of the regional as well as the national government of the Philippines when the crew of the well viewed TV series, “Survivor” visited the area and later decided to use GOTA Island, one of the major islands facing Pacific Ocean, as the venue for the filming the “Survivor” TV series. The executives of the production company as well as the crew and the cast must have been hooked to the beauty and serenity of the islands that they have in fact extended their stay to do more footage of the popular TV series.

Gota Island

For now, the islands part of Caramoan remained closed and off limits to tourists as well as the residents of the islands and vicinity. With the end of filming of the “Survivor” TV Series in the later part of the year, the pristine beaches and the beautiful islands of Caramoan will again be opened to the residents and visitors. And since these beautiful islands will be shown to the international audience with the showing of the “Survivor” TV Series, the people in Caramoan are preparing for the influx of international travelers and tourists who want to see for themselves the place where the “Survivor” TV Series was actually filmed.

Here are some of the smaller islands of Caramoan:

Here are some shots of the beach area:

Plans for Caramoan Peninsula

You will be surprised to know that Caramoan Peninsula will become a world class tourism destination in a few years.

Realizing its tourism potential, the provincial government of Camarines Sur has set in motion an ambitious plan to transform the Caramoan Peninsula into an upscale tourism site. This includes the upgrading and construction of a hi-way that will shorten travel time to Caramoan and a possible construction of an airport in the area. Plans have been drawn and finances have been secured to jumpstart the transformation of the area into a major tourist attraction.

Listed here are some of the great wonders of nature found in the Philippines. I have chosen 10 places that in my opinion are the best places to see in the country.

Banaue Rice Terraces

This beautiful place is located in the northern part of the country. This wonder of nature is known to Filipinos as the 8th wonder of the world. This rice terraces has been carved into the mountains by the indigenous people of Mountain Province and Ifugao more than 2000 years ago. The Banaue Rice Terraces is included in the Unesco World Heritage List in 1995.

Tubbataha Reef Marine Park

This Unesco World Heritage-listed marine park is located in the Municipality of Cagancillio, Province of Palawan. Tubbataha is made of about 10,000 coral reefs lying in the middle of Sulo Sea. Tubbataha is a nesting place for green sea turtles. It has almost 500 species of fish, about 45 species of birds, 9 species of dolphins and whales and it has about 400 species of corals.

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

This great wonder of nature is another sight to enjoy. It is located in Palawan, Puerto Princesa, about 50 kilometers north of the Capital City. It has about 8 kilometers of navigable Underground River considered to be the longest in the world and features a limestone karsts mountain landscape. The river winds through a cave before it flows directly to the sea. This underground river has several chambers and also contains major formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Like the Tubbataha Reef, this nature park is included in the Unesco Heritage List.

Chocolate Hills

Chocolate Hills is located in Bohol, Philippines. It is made up of around 268 small cone-shaped hills that are almost of the same size and spread over an area of about 50 square kilometers. These coned-shaped hills are covered with grass and turns brown like a dark colored chocolate during summertime

Mayon Volcano

Mount Mayon is located is located in the province of Albay and about 15 kilometers northwest of the capital city of Legaspi.

Mount Mayon is an active volcano and has erupted about 47 times in the last 400 years. The volcano is known the world over as the most perfect cone shape volcano.

The most destructive eruption of Mount Mayon occurred in 1814 when lava flows emanating from the volcano buried the nearby town of Cagsawa, leaving only the bell tower of the church visible from the ground.. In this worst eruption, more than 2,000 people died.

Boracay Beach

Boracay Island is located in the province of Aklan with a land area of about 10 square kilometers. The island is famous for its powdery white sand and now considered as one of the best beaches in the world. From an unknown travel destination years ago, Boracay is now teeming with upscale tourists from all over the world.

Siargao Island

Siargao Island is located in the province of Surigao del Norte. It has a land area of over 400 square kilometers. Siargao is known the world over as one of the best Surfing destinations. It is home to Siargao Cup, a Philippine and International Surfing competition sponsored by the local government of Surigao.

Hundred Islands of Pangasinan

Hundred Islands is located in Pangasinan. These islands are scattered in deep blue waters of Ligayen Gulf. Some of the bigger islands have white sand beaches and dining facilities for visitors to enjoy.

Pagsanjan Falls

Pagsanjan Falls is located south of Metro Manila in the province of Laguna. The place is very popular among domestic and international travelers. Shooting the rapids is its major attraction. Boatmen will take you in their banca (wooden boat) to the river upstream, go swimming and shoot the rapids on your way downstream.

Taal Volcano

Taal Volcano is located in the island of Luzon in the province of Batangas, about 50 kilometers south of Manila. It is an active volcano with a large lake in its crater. The lake is popular fishing ground for residents living in the vicinity of the volcano.

There is several campgrounds along the parkway where you can camp. There is some cabins and a few lodges. If you need gas or food you can get off of one of the exits that goes to a nearby town. Also all along the parkway there is stuff to do, that in not too far from the parkway. Sometimes we will drive along the whole parkway on our trips and camp at the different campgrounds along the way. Other times we will stay on the North Carolina side of the parkway.

The parkway is a nice place to get away from the big towns. There is a lot of pretty flowers. Some times you might even get to see a black bear. When you walk the trails and look around at the scenery, it is so peaceful. Now on the parkway, you do see a lot of bikers enjoying the scenery. There is a lot of tunnels to go through. The Blue Ridge Parkway is pretty in the spring, summer and fall. I have been there all of those times and have enjoyed the trips. The overlooks can look different at different times of the day or when the weather is different. It is all pretty!

In the evenings we like to go to a near by overlook and watch the sunset. It is really pretty and you can get a lot of pretty pictures. Sometimes we like to take some music and play it will we camcord the scenery. You also might see us sometimes on the video dancing to the music. Our relatives like to watch our camcorder stuff so we try to make it interesting for them. You never know what kind of silly stuff we might do on the parkway.

If you like scenery than the Blue Ridge Parkway is a place for you to go. If you like nature stuff go to the parkway. You can also camp with a tent on the parkway for a week and still be cheaper than going to some other place and paying for a night or two in a motel. When it is raining, we enjoy hearing the rain hit on the tents. It is very relaxing! For you who like to take lots of scenery pictures than the parkway is also for you. The parkway also has some places along it if you would like to get a postcard etc... to take home with you. If you are looking for a scenic drive to go on try the Blue Ridge Parkway. I think that you will enjoy it very much.

One thing that can get lost in all of the glitzy and fun atmosphere of the state's more popular attractions is just how beautiful the natural scenery of California can be. If you're looking for a holiday retreat, but one that's still environment friendly, Laguna is a great destination.

A young woman enjoying sunflowers at a local florist.

While they are each separate cities, we are grouping together Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, and Laguna Woods into one (Las Lagunas - Spanish: The Lagoons - I like to call them).

Laguna Beach

The Laguna Shore

Laguna has always been one of the best beaches, in my mind. While it can be a little more rocky than other Orange County beaches, it is so beautiful and has many lovely nature reserves and spectacular view points.

Laguna Hills, Niguel, and Woods are mostly residential areas, so the Beach and its surroundings are the real hot spots. Don't forget to check out the amazing tide pool by Heisler Park.

Tour the area surrounding the main beach for a fun, local sort of feel. Those producers at MTV didn't choose this location for their hit show for nothing.

Get That Inspired Feeling: Your Great Escape

Crystal Cove State Park

Laguna Art Museum -

A beautiful way to spend an afternoon... exploring history, culture, and thought expressed visually. The permanent collection of the museum has over 3500 works of art, many a great portrayal of California itself. The museum is in Laguna Beach on Cliff Drive.

Crystal Cove State Park -

Take a hike! That's right, take a hike on one of the lovely wilderness trails in the Crystal Cove State Park. This is a beautiful, natural reserve where you can literally spend the entire day just enjoying the fresh air and outdoors. Pack a lunch and a blanket so you can stop along the trail to sit and enjoy the scenery.

Sea Lion Kayak Tours -

Feel great by getting out there and loosen up a bit while kayaking through lovely coves of Laguna Beach. For those of you that haven't been out in a kayak before, no worries, it's simple to learn and La Vida Laguna will provide lessons before each tour.

A Taste of Laguna

Lunch at Las Brisas

The Gourmet Cheese and Wine Shop -

An extension of Laguna's school for Culinary Arts, the cheese and wine shop is filled with "a fabulous selection of cheeses, delicacies, food-friendly wines and lunchtime fare. Their lunch menu contains a nice selection, and you can either sit in the cafe or take your food to go. My favorite is the traditional fondue, best to share amongst friends/family, although the sandwiches are very reasonably priced and taste wonderful. Map.

Laguna Canyon Winery -

Take a break in the middle of your day and enjoy a few sips of vino. The Laguna Canyon Winery offers wine tasting in their tasting room Tuesday-Sunday, 11a-6p. My pick from this local winery is their sultry Cabernet Sauvignon, although most of my friends love the raspberry sparkling wine. Map.

Las Brisas -

Not only is this place practically a landmark at the north end of the main beach, it is a favorite of my mother's.The Sunday Brunch is legendary and an absolute must if your timing allows for it. If not, try to get a seat on the patio and order the delicious mahi mahi tacos. You won't regret it!

Sweet Dreams: Where to Rest Your Head

Comfort Inn, Laguna Hills -

This is one of only a handful of Orange County hotels participating in the state's Green Lodging Program. The accommodations are quite reasonable for a "Choice Hotel" (not known to necessarily be the best quality of lodgings), and some great features include free wireless internet, well-designed bathrooms, and a comfortable place to relax.

Casa Laguna Inn & Spa -

My expensive taste never fails me when it comes to accommodations, but Casa Laguna does offer rooms at reasonable prices. For instances, they have the tasteful courtyard rooms, with cottage-like decor starting at $150 per night. I personally prefer the Laguna Suite, which was incidentally featured as a "Romantic Stay" in Sunset Magazine and nightly rates start off at a more steep $400 per night. Whichever room you choose, you still have a fabulous spa to go to for a replenishing massage, along with all the other normal resort features.

Getting Around

EV Rental Cars

Because Southern California is the capital of cars, driving, and freeways, you almost can't get around without one. EV Rental Cars are partners with Fox Rent-a-car. They have a selection of three hybrid vehicles: the Honda Civic, Toyota Prius, and the Toyota Highlander. I recommend renting the Highlander, since you may find yourself wandering into an area without fully-paved roads. Pick-up station is available at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana.

OCTA: Cruisin' on the Bus

The Orange County buses are not known to run late or often, but they do have routes that cover nearly every section of the county. For bus routes/maps/schedules, click here.

When Subic Naval Base was converted into a Freeport zone by the then Mayor and now Senator Richard Gordon, through an enabling law, the rules on discipline as espoused by the Americans, were not changed and were in fact adapted and continued to be enforced by the local authorities. That is why; one would say that once you enter the gates of Subic Freeport, you are actually in an American territory. Traffic rules and regulations are patterned after the American system and are strictly enforced. Traffic enforcers are strict and cannot be bribed. All existing structures and utilities were made following US standards and specifications.

Subic Bay Freeport Zone is located in Zambales, Philippines. This place was once the home of the largest American Naval base in the world. In 1992, the US abandoned the Naval Base after the eruption of nearby Mount Pinatubo in 1991, the largest volcanic eruption in over 100 years that practically covered the entire naval base with ash fall causing a significant numbers of buildings inside the base to collapse. This American Naval Base was the home of the US 7th Fleet. The last ship, USS Belleau Wood left in November 24, 1992, signaling the end of the American military presence in the Philippines.

Subic Bay today is home to some of the world's blue chip companies including Hanjin Shipbuilders of South Korea, FedEx, Acer, Hitachi, etc. A Taiwanese, Japanese and Korean Industrial Parks were constructed inside the Freeport industrial area and are now home to some of the world's biggest exporters of electronic and other manufactured products to the world.

The Freeport has a complement of topnotch infrastructure and accommodations facilities. The Zone is host to a large Naval facility and a topnotch airport that were originally constructed by the US Armed Forces. Aside from hotels and retirement facilities, the Freeport offers private homes that you can actually own or lease for 50 years for a very reasonable price. These housing facilities were used by the officers of the US military establishment during their tour of duty in the Philippines. Condominiums and Townhouses are likewise available for sale or lease to foreigners.

Among the facilities and amenities inside the Freeport are fine restaurants, movie houses, hospitals, supermarkets, duty-free shops, casinos, hotels and resorts, first class beaches, ocean parks, Island resorts, etc. Outside of the Freeport are new first class villages and self-contained communities.

If you are a foreigner, the easiest way to start life in Subic is for you to avail of a retiree visa that is being offered by the Philippine Retirement Authority. You don't have to be a Senior Citizen to qualify so long as you are at least 39 years old when you apply. You can bring along your family and you can also work if you have an employer. The other way is for you to invest in the country by setting up a business inside the Freeport Zone. If you qualify, you can stay on as Zone investor and be entitled to various tax incentives and exemptions. There are of course other ways of making your stay legal like getting married to a Philippine citizen, obtaining a work permit, etc.

Subic is approximately 130 kilometers from Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. Travel time by car takes a little over one hour via the new toll way that connects Clark Freeport Zone to Subic in Zambales.

Places of interest nearby that are accessible by land and water transport are as follows:

• Hundred Islands, Pangasinan
• Mount Pinatubo, Zambales
• Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga
• Dambana ng Kagitingan, Bataan
• Corrigidor Island, Bataan
• Grande Island, Subic

Domestic and International Airlines serving Subic International Airport are as follows:

• Air Philippines
• Asian Spirit
• Southeast Asian Airline (Seair)
• Tiger Airlines (Singapore)
• Cebu Pacific
• Mandarin Airlines
• CR Airways

Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills are probably Bohol's most famous tourist attraction. The Philippines' 3rd National Geological Monument, they look like giant mole hills. Most people who first see pictures of this landscape can hardly believe that these hills are not a man-made artifact. It is composed of not less than 1268 hills. Aesthetically extensive, they are scattered throughout the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan in Bohol. They are very uniform in shape and mostly between 30 and 50 meters high. They are covered with grass, which, at the end of the dry season, turns chocolate brown. From this color, the hills derive their name. At other times, the hills are green, and the association may be a bit difficult to make.

Mayon Volcano

The Mayon Volcano is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay in Bicol Region. It is situated 15 kilometres northwest of Legazpi City.

Mayon is classified by volcanologists as a stratovolcano, or composite volcano. Its symmetric cone was formed through alternate pyroclastic and lava flows. It was known and famous as a "Perfect Cone" volcano because of it's almost perfectly shaped cone. Truly, nature is a great architect.

Tubbataha Reef

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is home to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. Rising from the volcanic depths of the Sulu Sea in the western Philippines, these magnificent atolls encompass an astonishing diversity of marine life. The reef is composed of two atolls, North and South Reefs. Each reef has a single small islet that protrudes from the water. The atolls are separated by a deep channel 8 km (5 miles) wide.

Over one thousand species can be found in the reef; many are already endangered species. Animal species found include manta rays, lionfish, pawikan or tortoise, clownfish, and sharks.

The park is the Philippines' only National Marine Park and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site being preserved for generations to come.

From majestic whale sharks to elusive seahorses - Tubbataha supports an unparalleled variety of marine creatures. Colourful reef fish crowd corals growing in the shallows while sharks and manta rays haunt the steep drop offs to the open sea.

Puerto Prinsesa Subterranean River

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 kilometers north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. It is located in the Saint Paul Mountain Range on the northern coast of the island. It is also known as St. Paul's Subterranean River National Park. The entrance to the Subterranean River is located a short hike from little town of Sabang.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park features a spectacular limestone karst landscape with its underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it flows directly into the sea, and the lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full mountain to the sea ecosystem and protects forests. The underground river is reputed to be the world's longest.

It was inscribed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on December 4, 1999.

Danjugan Island

Lying in the Sulu Sea, 3km west of Negros Occidental, Danjugan Island rises steeply to 80m and is covered in rainforest - home to a nesting pair of sea eagles, rare pigeons and doves, threatened Tabon scrubfowls and coconut crabs, fruit and insect bats and many other wildlife species that struggle to exist in the mainland.

Danjugan has five lagoons, two of which are open to the sea and four of which have surrounding mangrove stands. The island has a broken shoreline with numerous inlets of coral rubble and coarse sandy beaches. One of the sandy beaches is a confirmed nesting site for green turtles (Chelonia mydas). There is no permanent freshwater on the island.

Danjugan is rich in vegetation including plants like Pandanus spp. (screw pines), Veitchia merrilii (previously only known to occur in Palawan) and the threatened Pemphis acidula. The sub-tropical rainforest is an important bird nesting and feeding site for at least 55 resident and migrant avifauna species. The small limestone caves throughout the island act as important refuges of at least six bat species.

The island is completely encircled by fringing coral reef descending to a depth of approximately 30m. Seagrass beds occur along the western and eastern margin of the island.

Stunning scenery, towering mountains, exquisite heritage temples and exotic hill-tribe living represent a nation both deeply traditional and thrillingly young. Yes, you must sort of exit the most favorite tourist routes to call on the far north, by taking an extra flight from Bangkok to the “Rose of the North”, the eclectic city of Chiang Mai. As you arrive, direct your trip to the most southern point of the Golden Triangle, right on the banks of the Mekhong River. This is the ancient city of Chiang Saen, the birthplace of Mengrai, who founded the kingdom of Lanna. Around 1328, the city you see today was laid out when King Saen Phu, Mengrai's nephew moved the capital of Lanna to Chiang Saen, which he obviously named after himself. Chiang Saen today is an interesting place to visit. You can easily make out the remains of most of the city's walls, as well as several temples. In the grounds of the old Wat Mahathat is an information center that can provide you with the most current happenings in this city.

At the top of a hill, a short distance from the northwest corner of Chiang Saen is the temple of Wat Phra Dat Jom Kitty. The temple is thought to pre-date the founding of Chiang Saen and was practically in ruins until recently. It has been restored with a new wiharn and made a royal temple. Adorned with intricately detailed gable, it's a beautiful example of Chiang Saen style. Inside, you can find a large Buddha sitting serenely under an artificial Bodhi tree.

Then, a lazy afternoon can be spent by taking a boat tour on the Mekhong River, which will cruise right into the heart of the Golden Triangle, that is where borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos met. The 10th longest river in the world and the longest river in Southeast Asia, the Mekhong runs through narrow valley towards the Yunnan Province of China. While via the Golden Triangle, the river flows into Vientiane Plain. Once notorious for widespread opium production, the region remains a top attraction for its picturesque views, tranquil indigenous hill-tribe living along the riverbanks and an exotic sense of adventure all the way!

That is not all of course. You still must pay a visit to Lisu Village and Phami Akha hill-tribe community center, join an elephant safari at the Maesa Elephant Camp and buy handicrafts in Sankampaeng District. Not to mention the orchid farm and a stopover at the famous Buddha image of the Wat Phra Singh. All in all, despite its notorious past, the Golden Triangle provides a rare chance to reconnect with the soul inside us, a journey of the heart.

Tips

Travel Light, Travel Smart

Hopping countries while hauling mounds of luggage is a gigantic drag. Want to breeze through countries instead of sweating along the sidewalk? Pack light, pack smart. Get the right clothes and use the right bag!

Tackle the Amount of Stuff You're Taking

Set out what you think you'll need to pack, including items like camera and guidebooks. Put two thirds of it away. Even then, you may still find yourself with too much clothing while traveling. Force yourself to be ruthless! Try this test: put small items in the pockets of clothes you're wearing. Would you still want that stuff if you had to carry it on your body?

Carry the Light, Right Clothes

Types of clothing are crucial to light, smart packing. All-purpose or multi-purpose clothing means less space in a bag. Style is a good thing, but you'll wish you hadn't brought all those shoes. Bring soap and you can get by with two shirts - one long-sleeved, one short. Wear one while the other dries. You'll buy shirts on the road, too. Wear zip-off pants with several pockets so the lower legs can be zipped off and you don't need to pack a pair of shorts. Dorky -- yes, very. Light, washable, easy -- yes, very. Pants pockets make the difference in easy road travel too. Check out money belts you can wear like a belt, rather than the cloth pouches. Either way, do learn about travel money stashing in clothes.

Stuff Shoes, Roll Clothes, Tiny Toiletries

Shoes provide massive unused space. Cram them with underwear and socks (choose smart-wool socks -- no itch, no stink or shrink, not hot, fast drying). Roll clothing you don't want to wrinkle. Some folks put clothes in plastic bags with the same goal in mind. Buy sample size toothpaste tubes and deodorant. Stash small hotel soaps for travel use, which you can carry in a small ziploc bag. Pour your own shampoo into a plastic travel bottle. Also, mini folding-toothbrush is a must. All those clothing pockets can also become toiletry kits in packing, but stash stuff that might ooze in a plastic baggie.

Pack the Right Bag

To truly travel light, ensure you have the perfect bag with tons of compartments so you can get your camera, clothes, guidebooks, and all necessities in one bag, and preferably only need to put the most important stuff (passport, money, change of clothes) on your carry-on bag.

Leave a Little Room

Lastly, leave some space in your bag for souvenirs. And if you find you were too ruthless about packing light and are short of clothes, you've killed two birds with one stone by getting an extra shirt and a souvenir.