There’s definitely no substitute for one’s personal ‘throne,’ and most of us acknowledge this. Who gets excited or is even willing to use a public toilet when one is at home, let alone in a foreign country and traveling well off the beaten path? This is one daily activity that ideally requires the utmost cleanliness, familiarity, and personal space. But, as travelers we forgo this luxury in exchange for the exotic and interesting: an opportunity to see life on the other side of the door.

Half the battle in managing toilets in an unfamiliar country such as Thailand is knowing what to expect, what is expected of you, and how to get it done. Fear not – your friends at Smiling Albino have the advice and answers you’re looking for!

When you gotta go...

The toilet/bathroom in Thai, hawng nahm, literally translates to ‘water room’. This is a totally accurate name, as everything having to do with relieving one’s self, washing, and freshening-up is done with water in this one usually very small room. Forget the image of a large hotel washroom with fresh hand towels – we’re talking about the toilet at the back of a noodle shop, in a villager’s home, or behind a fresh market. This is when you’re most likely to genuinely need to use the toilet and this is what we’re here to prepare you for.

You walk in: the room is small, hot, humid, and occasionally dirtier than you’d hoped. First thing: yes, that’s a shower head. People do shower in here. It’s likely several peoples’ place to take their two showers a day, using the toilet and everything in between. Be lucky you only have to be in here once for a short time. Unless something has gone terribly wrong, don’t take a shower.

Next, see that small, semi-scummy-looking container of water near the toilet? You’re going to need that and should use it. This is the water you’ll use to perform a manual flush once you’re done.  Presuming you’re a responsible hawng nahm user, you should want to leave things clean for the next person. After doing your business, use the scoop/bucket to pour water into the bowl until there’s no trace of what you were up to.

You need paper for what you’re doing? Be sure to bring your own. If you are traveling with Smiling Albino you’re covered, as your host has a bunch and will have offered it to you before you entered this netherworld of relief. Just don’t throw the paper away in the bowl. Most small, rural plumbing systems such as the one you’re enjoying cannot cope with the copious amounts of tissue westerners use. Have a look around and ahhh, there it is…a small garbage bin almost full to the brim with paper. That’s the place to add your contribution to the pile. Just be glad you’re not the one who has to empty it!

And now the tricky bit – just how do you approach, mount, and use a ‘squat’ toilet? Carefully! Many women prefer a squatter as they don’t have to make contact with a potentially dirty seat, so fear not! First thing – be sure your shoes don’t have mud on them or anything that could cause you to slip. You don’t want to go down in here. Second – have a look around the edges of the bowl that’s sunken into the ground, become familiar with what you’ll have to plant your feet next to/around/on and that it’s not too wet. Third – depending on what you’re doing, carefully undo your pants/shorts/outerwear and ensure that nothing slides down and hits the floor. Fourth – approach, mount, and do what you have to, remembering the previous advice.

Now for the interesting part (as if all that wasn’t interesting enough!): there may be a small hose near the toilet, coming out of the wall, with a sprayer on it that looks like the one on your kitchen sink at home. No, people don’t do their dishes in here. But yes, it’s for washing; the item it washes is you. The back bit. Most visitors are uncomfortable at first when trying ‘the hose’, but anyone who’s lived here for any length of time loves them. Imagine: a couple quick sprays to clean and then drying yourself with paper instead of cleaning with paper, which is far less effective. Give it a go – you’ll thank us for it.

Are you ready for the challenge?

Now that you’re done, it’s time to wash your hands. But look – there’s only a small dirty sink with a bit of running water and no soap! Again, you’re in luck as your Smiling Albino host gave you a bottle of hand cleansing gel before you went in and you’re good to go.

Few toilets are as rugged as the one described above but if you’ve asked to get off the tourist trail and have to go then there’s a good chance you’ll experience something like the one we’ve written about here. In fact, it’s probably a good idea to have another read (or print a laminated copy to carry with you!)

Don’t be intimidated by the description of toilets in this piece. It, like our adventures, is intended to find the fun and joy in all aspects of your travel destination. All in all, Thailand is a clean, fun, and wonderful place to be; if you have a bit of pre-travel knowledge of what to expect, it will be that much more enjoyable.

Based on the blog Expat Business Owners Make Great Friends as a launching point for their discussion, Scott and Trevor share some greater insight and provide additional examples of how expat business owners are instrumental to exploring Asia, learning about different destinations, and creating the ultimate holidays in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Nepal.  Listen to Planet Asia Podcast now!

Cooking Organic Thai Food

Cooking classes in Thailand vary widely, from 5-star resorts with professional kitchens to budget guesthouses and rural farms with basic, but practical equipment.  Some schools make you feel like you are a guest on a TV cooking show, providing you with perfectly apportioned ingredients that require little preparation and whisking away your dirty dishes to be cleaned ‘backstage’; others require you to prepare dishes from scratch, creating your own chili paste with a mortar and pestle and (o.m.g.) washing your own dishes!!!

Regardless of the cooking school you select, most classes will begin with a trip to a local market.  A visit to a Thai ‘fresh market’ in the early morning is a fun activity in and of itself.  Interacting with the vendors who prepare fresh goods each morning, learning about the ingredients you must shop for, such as the difference between the two types of coconut milk, and photographing the giant piles of different chili/curry pastes is a fascinating experience.  Even if the cooking school has a fully stocked kitchen, most will offer to take you to the morning market so that you can see where the ingredients come from, and typically also explain a bit about how to select the best cooking supplies.

The typical Thai cooking course will require you to select three to five dishes; one or two starters, one or two main courses, and a desert.  Some schools offer fewer options but change the recipes daily, so you should check their upcoming calendars to make sure you don’t miss out on the opportunity to cook your favorite dish.  That said, popular dishes such as som tam (spicy papaya salad), phad thai (stir fried noodles), tom yam (spicy soup), and tom kha (coconut soup) are almost always offered.

Four Course Lunch at Four Seasons Chiang Mai

While there are professional course available in Thailand that offer week-long (or longer) instruction in particular categories of Thai cuisine, most cooking schools geared toward novice cooks are half-day affairs, typically beginning with the morning market tour and ending with lunch (or starting after lunch and ending with dinner).  As a three or four course meal may be a bit much to consume on your own, many schools will allow you to invite a guest to meet you for the best part of the experience, consuming your tasty creations!

Finally, many schools provide souvenir aprons, recipe books, and even take-away packages of ingredients; others have numerous products for sale, from dried curry-paste kits to instructional DVDs.

Culinary Schools

Samui Institute of Thai Culinary Arts
46/6 Moo 3, Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui
Tel: +66(0)77-413-172

While SITCA offers one and two week professional training courses, the culinary institute also offers one day Thai cooking classes and fruit/vegetable carving courses. The school, which is just across the street from Koh Samui’s spectacular Chaweng Beach, is a great place to spend a rainy day or pick up some cooking skills on your beach holiday.  They also have a mail-order service that includes DVDs, recipe books, and ingredients not easily found at your home market.  SITCA even offers short, free, online instructional videos if you aren’t fortunate enough to travel to Thailand or you want to brush up on your Thai cooking skills before or after your visit to Samui.

Cook Thai food in outdoor kitchens!

Thai Farm Cooking School
203 Moo 5, Tambon Muanglen, Chiang Mai
Tel: +66(0)81-288-5989

Certainly one of the most unique Thai cooking courses available, the one-day Thai Farm Cooking School class is easily the most hands-on of the lot.  After selecting which five dishes you will prepare that day, you will visit a morning market to learn about ingredients and pick up the few items unavailable at the farm.  After a 30-minute drive into the countryside you will arrive at the farm, where your instructor will walk you through the garden, leading a discussion of the ingredients and offering samples to taste and smell.  The open-air sala for preparing the ingredients, including mashing your own curry paste, is great for socializing with other students, and the preparation of dishes (performed simultaneously with the instructor’s demonstration) is fast and fun.

Blue Elephant Royal Thai Cuisine and Cooking School
233 South Sathorn Rd, Bangkok
96, 1/3 Krabi Road, Phra Pitak Chinpracha Mansion, Phuket Town
Tel: +66(0)22-659-9000 (Bangkok) / +66(0)76-354-355-7 (Phuket)

Whether you are in Bangkok or Phuket, one of the finest places to enroll in a Thai cooking course is at Blue Elephant.  The two Thai venues of this acclaimed international restaurant chain are both within beautiful buildings that exude Thai style and charm.  The demonstration areas and kitchens are arguably the finest in the kingdom; we particularly appreciated the mirror placed at an angle above the cooking instructor’s working area that allows students to clearly see the way ingredients are cut and prepared.  Morning and afternoon classes are followed by lunch or dinner in the restaurant’s elegant dining room, and multi-day packages are available for those looking for a more intensive training program.

Hotel-based Cooking Courses

Vegetable Carving is an Art!

Four Seasons Chiang Mai
Mae Rim-Samoeng Old Road, Chiang Mai
Tel: +66(0)53-298-181

The Four Seasons Chiang Mai cooking school has a beautiful setting within an open-air teak room overlooking the resort’s rice fields.  While the Four Seasons has all the ingredients necessary and the market tour is therefore optional, you should go for the experience and knowledge you will gain.  Otherwise, both the Thai cooking class and the fruit and vegetable carving classes are excellent, with the instructor cheerfully explaining how to prepare some creative dishes (spicy laab salad served in a hollowed out dragon fruit) that can easily be altered to suit your taste or your serving needs: “Throwing a cocktail party?  You can serve individual portions of the laab inside Thai-style soup spoons!”

Mandarin Oriental
48 Oriental Avenue, Bangkok
Tel: +66(0)2-238-0265

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok features Thailand’s oldest cooking school.  As the classes are given in a charming wooden house on the Chao Phraya River, across from the hotel, the class is one of few not to offer a market tour.  That said, knowledgable instructors explain Thai ingredients well and discuss the benefits of different cooking instruments, including brass woks.  Rather than producing multiple dishes independently, students work together on recipes so that a surplus of food isn’t prepared, and the neighboring spa is a fine treat for yourself after eating a satisfying, but not overly filling lunch.

Learning to make Thai Spring Rolls!

The Anantara Golden Triangle
229 Moo 1, Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai
Tel: +66(0)53-784-084

As if providing elephant training classes and rides wasn’t enough, Anantara offers an outstanding cooking class that combines a historical field trip with its morning market tour.  After shopping at the market and enjoying a breakfast picnic at the ruins in historic Chiang Saen, guests return to the resort to try their hand at cooking Thai food in a traditional and very natural way.  Utilizing clay cooking pots and wooden spoons, students measure ingredients by eye and adjust recipes to taste, cooking and dining in a charming kitchen area that exudes old-world charm.

One we haven’t tried that seems interesting:

Smile House Trek Cooking Course
Smile House Guesthouse – Chiang Mai

While we’ve never tried one of these Jungle Survival Cooking Classes, cooking tasty food in the wilderness just seems like something every good adventurer or explorer should know how to do.  The market tour apparently discusses the ingredients one might find in the jungle, including mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and taro.  Students are then taught how to cook over an open fire using natural utensils: rice in bamboo, fish wrapped in banana leaves, and ‘jungle’ pork curry inside a coconut!

What’s Going On?

Year of the Dragon! – The Chinese New Year is just around the corner! Chinese communities all around Asia will be celebrating the arrival of the year of the dragon with two weeks of festivities beginning on January 23rd! Bangkok’s Yaowarat, one of the world’s largest China-towns, is one of our favorite places to celebrate in Southeast Asia; we hope to see some of you there!

Bangkok’s Best Movie Theatres – Visitors to Bangkok usually don’t plan on going to see a movie while they are in Thailand, but they are always surprised to discover how cozy (and inexpensive!) the theater experience in Bangkok can be! Check out some of the best movie theaters in Bangkok according to CNN Go!

Posts, Pictures, Flicks & Podcasts

Planet Asia Blog:

A few of our Favorite Expat Business Owners in Cambodia – From Luang Prabang to Koh Samui and all points in between, some of the best places to stay or dine are run by foreigners, most of whom happen to be both interesting people and outstanding hosts. Here are a few reasons why we enjoy meeting these individuals, featuring a handful of intrepid expat business owners in remote areas of Cambodia. Read More…

Coming up on Planet Asia – Stay tuned for 2012′s new blogs and podcasts! Looking for the best beer in Bangkok? Can’t decide if Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai is the right destination to visit? Want to know the best way to spend 48 hours in Phnom Penh or Ho Chi Minh City? Stay tuned for interesting interviews, discussions with experts and expats, and our very own insider tips for discovering the best of Southeast Asia! Read More…

Adventure Highlights

Classic Cambodia – Looking to live out your Indiana Jones or Lara Croft fantasies? While there is only a slim chance of sighting Mrs. Jolie-Pitt, a frequent visitor to Cambodia, you will certainly experience romance and adventure in one of the hottest tourist destinations in the world, the Angkor Archaeological Park. The ancient temples are a few miles from charming Siem Reap, a town replete with boutique hotels, open-air restaurants, and excellent shopping opportunities. The six-day Classic Cambodia adventure showcases the Kingdom’s history from charming Phnom Penh’s French-colonial architecture to tragic memorials of the Khmer Rouge era, as well as spectacular temples, beautiful countryside, and fascinating culture. 6-day Classic Cambodia adventures are available on demand.

Thailand Trek and Trails – Our 10 day Thailand Trek and Trail, next starting on January 14, is the best adventure for active travelers looking to stay fit on their holiday to Thailand. Seeking a cultural journey with an outstanding workout each day? This adventure stands out as the ultimate multi-activity Siamese experience. Awesome bike rides combined with stunning hikes and multiple modes of transport make each day more exhilarating than the last. Contact us about our next scheduled Trek and Trail or other multi-sport adventure.

Connect With Smiling Albino!

Facebook and Twitter: “Like” and “follow” us on Facebook and Twitter and you will get tuned-in to the latest breaking news and hot tips on travel and adventure in Asia.

Planet Asia Travel Channel: Subscribe to the Planet Asia Travel Channel and receive expert advice and insider tips on travel in Asia from the team at Smiling Albino and our network of in-the-know locals, expatriates, and travel enthusiasts.

Contact:Get a hold of us any time.

While there are no electric monorails in Cambodia, it’s possible that Thailand’s developing neighbor might actually offer a greater number of transportation experiences: Batdambang has the ‘bamboo train,’ rural home-stays frequently employ ox carts for visiting nearby attractions, and there are some luxury river boats that allow you to travel the Mekong River in style (stay tuned for an upcoming blog specifically featuring these!).  All that said, the greatest variety of transportation you can experience in a single day is available for those exploring the temples of Angkor Archaeological Park, just outside Siem Reap.

Cambodian Tuk Tuk

Getting into the park:

While it is possible to hire a car or minivan to escort you the 5km from Siem Reap to Angkor, this commonplace option is only advisable in the height of the ‘hot season,’ when air-conditioning can provide some much-needed shelter, or for groups traveling with the elderly family or friends.

The most popular option is to visit the park by tuk tuk.  Unlike tuk tuks in Thailand, the Cambodian tuk tuk isn’t a single vehicle but rather a small motorbike that pulls a covered carriage.  The carriages seat four quite comfortably and have rooftops high enough to allow all passengers to easily see the sights while touring the park.  Cambodian tuk tuks even feature roll-down plastic walls to enclose the carriage and protect riders from dust or rain!

Explore Angkor Thom by Bicycle

Riding a bicycle into the park is also an excellent option.  While the main temples, such as Angkor Wat, are a mere 5-10 km north of Siem Reap, Angkor features hundreds of temples within an area of roughly 1,000 square kilometers! Even if you are going for a leisurely tour around the centralized temples and you are fit enough to spend your entire day peddling around, a higher quality mountain bike will make your ride much easier and more enjoyable.  A sturdy bike will also allow you to explore some of the more interesting areas of the park. Ta Nei temple, which is centrally located but down a seasonally sandy/muddy path, is inaccessible by car or tuk tuk.  More adventurous riders will enjoy a ride along the top of the Angkor Thom enclosure wall. Both are great ways to avoid the crowds and enjoy the natural environment of the park.

Angkor by Elephant

When western missionaries and adventurers first discovered the temples of Angkor, the best way to travel was by elephant.  Thanks to Compagnie des Elephants d’Angkor, it’s still possible to experience the thrill of ‘exploring’ the temples in such a manner, provided you give way to the tuk tuks and tour busses! After lumbering across the causeway leading into Angkor Thom, you will pass through an 800 year-old city gate that was not only built large enough for real elephants to pass, but also features larger than life sandstone elephants pulling up lotus flowers with their trunks!  While half the elephants work the morning shift from the South Gate to Bayon temple, the other half work the evening shift, ferrying guests up to the hilltop temple of Phnom Bakheng: arguably the more enjoyable ride.

Those who have biked into the park and need a break upon arrival at Angkor Thom’s South Gate have a couple of other alternatives for exploring the sights in the old city, including electric car.  Similar to those you might find at a western amusement park, these electric cars can seat up to 10 passengers; available by the hour, the cars travel quite noiselessly from temple to temple inside Angkor Thom, offering an eco-friendly way to rest your legs and enjoy some leisurely sightseeing.

Angkor Electric Cars

Also available at the South Gate is a collection of boats that navigate the moat around the fortified city.  Angkor Gondola offers a variety of Khmer-style boats that ferry small groups upon the city moat to the infrequently visited West Gate.  If this peaceful and romantic ride along the forest-fringed waterway wasn’t enough, Angkor Gondola also leads guests on a short walk atop the city enclosure wall to one of the isolated Corner Shrines for sunset champagne overlooking the moat and forest.

Angkor Gondola Boat

Haven’t had enough adventure for one day? A quick must-ride mode of ‘transportation’ is available from Angkor Balloon.  This large hot-air balloon is tethered to the ground just west of Angkor Wat so you don’t travel anywhere but up, but the short, spectacular ride provides an outstanding birds-eye view of Cambodia’s most famous temple, as well as nearby Phnom Bakheng.

Finally, those looking for the ultimate aerial adventure can opt for a helicopter or microlight tour of the temples.  Although prohibited from flying directly over Cambodia’s ancient, religious monuments, helicopters and microlight aircraft can cover a great distance over a relatively short time and the aerial perspective is the best way to appreciate the immensity of the former Khmer capital, including its numerous sandstone pyramids, massive artificial reservoirs, and moat-enclosed temple complexes.

Angkor Wat from Angkor Balloon

With so many options to choose from when exploring the expansive and attraction-filled Angkor Archaeological Park, it’s easy to understand why so many visitors are flocking to see this world wonder!  Whether exploring on your own by tuk tuk or bike, or hiring a reputable cycling organization to lead you on a biking adventure, a little coordinated planning will help you have a far more interesting experience than the one offered to those stuck on tour buses, who are simply herded through the standard sights.

Your Chariot Awaits!

From Luang Prabang to Koh Samui and all points in between, some of the best places to stay or dine are run by foreigners, most of whom happen to be both interesting people and outstanding hosts.  Here are a few reasons why we enjoy meeting these individuals, featuring a handful of intrepid expat business owners in remote areas of Cambodia.

First of all, these friends love the places they’ve chosen to set up shop in and so they make best sources of information about everything in their areas.  You want to rent a motorbike for a day?  They know the most reliable place and often have that person’s phone number.  Need to know which waterfall is the best to swim in?  Wow, you’re off tomorrow and offering to drive me in your jeep!  How about a great new restaurant in town? It’s often run by one of the other expats living in the area!

Middle of Somewhere Cafe Mondulkiri

In fact, as the expat communities are generally small in many remote areas, finding the right person to speak to can be an invaluable source.  One such expat is Bill Herod at Middle of Somewhere in Sen Monorom, Mondulkiri.  Interested in visiting some local tribal villages? Bill can arrange for a young tribe member to escort you via motorbike.  While incredibly low-key, Bill is clearly passionate about the people and land of his adopted home, and you are unlikely to find anyone around as insightful and helpful.  Oh, you wanted a cup of coffee while you were waiting? Bill offers steaming cups of Mondulkiri coffee sweetened with local honey; it’s also important to know where to get the best cup of joe.

Tanya and Friend: Bananas Restaurant

There are many outstanding restaurants run by foreign gourmands who have brought their love of their national cuisine to distant shores.  Certainly big cities such as Bangkok have a wealth of these, but you will also find them in the most unlikely places.  Sen Monorom is one of the most remote towns in Cambodia, so you might be surprised to discover a restaurant like Bananas.  Coq au vin and boeuf bourguignon are just a few items on the wonderful menu served within this one-room house that doubles as a kitchen and dining room: its like having a home-cooked fine-dining meal, prepared in proprietress Tanya’s rustic country home.

Not simply owners, these people are the patrons of hospitality, providing both western standards of service and a homey atmosphere.  Well, perhaps not typical western service, as they have typically adopted a lot of the local culture, which adds a certain charm.  But they know what western guests expect to a better degree, and they add lots of personalized touches that make their place feel more like a home away from home.

One of our favorite places to stay in Ban Lung, Ratanakiri, Cambodia is the Norden House.  The Norden Houseis owned and run by Nisse Almroth, an outstanding host, providing comfortable bungalows that are the closest to the region’s premier attraction, Boeng Yak Laom, a lake inside of a dormant volcanic crater.   Nisse is also an avid off-road motorcycle enthusiast, and you can rent a bike from him to explore on your own or hire Nisse to guide you along the backcountry roads.  Plus, he serves outstanding food, including “Swedish” meatballs with mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce, which you can wash down with a Beer Lao (another personalized touch as the beer isn’t widespread in Cambodia, let alone Ban Lung).

Norden House proprietor Nisse Almroth

Expatriate owners in foreign countries also tend to know a lot about the other communities of expats in other towns around the region.  When they travel, they also like to stay with and get to know the ‘local’ foreign business owners. In getting to know the members of this community, you become a part of this network of inspiring and interesting people.  Trying to figure out how to contact the Elephant Valley Project in Mondulkiri? Of course Bill at Middle of Somewhere can put you in touch with Jack Highwood, the founder of the project.  But you might also stumble across Jack at the Lazy Gecko in Phnom Penh: a major hub of Cambodia’s widely distributed expatriate community.  Just ask Barb or Ash and you’re on your way to a new style of travel, facilitated by the insider world of expatriate business owners; some of the best new friends you can (and should) make.

***This is the first in a series of articles featuring some of our favorite expatriate-run businesses in Southeast Asia***

What’s Going On?

SA co-founder Scott Coates reports from Asia Pacific Leadership Program – Scott has just returned to Thailand following his semester in Hawaii. Before departing, Scott shared some leadership lessons after a day on the high seas with legendary Hawaiian waterman Nainoa Thompson.

SA co-founder Daniel Fraser featured in the Calgary Herald – Read about the experiences and adventures of a Calgarian in Thailand.

Posts, Pictures, Flicks & Podcasts

Brewpubs of Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh – It’s beer season in Southeast Asia and we’re sharing some of our favorite brewpubs in a pair of beer loving cities! Read More…

Animal-friendly Wildlife Adventures – Elephants, tigers, and monkeys, oh my! Read about some of our favorite destinations to experience exotic wildlife in Southeast Asia! Read More…

Planet Asia Podcast: Linga Bar owner Martin Dishman on Gay Travel in Cambodia. – Smiling Albino Project Coordinator, Trevor Ranges sits down with Martin Dishman to talk about the growing popularity of Siem Reap, Cambodia as a destination for gay travelers and business owners.
Listen Now…

Adventure Highlights

Custom: Tri-Nation Voyage: Cambodia, Nepal & Thailand – A retired school teacher wanted to fulfill a lifelong dream of visiting Thailand, Cambodia and Nepal, but had limited time and a very specific budget. The result was a top-notch adventure experiencing key sites: Angkor Wat’s temples, hiking around the Kathmandu Valley, and exploring Bangkok’s hidden nooks and crannies. Comfy hotels, expert hosts, and seamless transitions made the dream reality. Adventures are personally customizable and available on demand.

Beach Escapes – Winter is the best time of year to visit the beaches of Thailand! Learn about the different beaches on Thailand’s two coasts and find the best one for your family holiday, romantic getaway, or ultimate solo beach holiday! Beach escapes are available on demand.

Day Trip: Bangkok High Culture – This full day trip is ideally suited to arts and culture buffs. Focusing on traditional Thai architecture, art, and history, Bangkok High Culture features three cultural wonders: the Home of M.R. Kukrit Pramoj, who almost single-handedly revived traditional Khon’ (masked dance); Jim Thompson’s House, the spectacular, classical Thai home of the American silk magnate and vestibule of his artistic treasures; and the National Museum, official repository of many of Thailand’s most prized artistic and cultural masterpieces. This adventure is available any time on demand.

Connect With Smiling Albino!

Facebook and Twitter: “Like” and “follow” us on Facebook and Twitter and you will get tuned-in to the latest breaking news and hot tips on travel and adventure in Asia.

Planet Asia Travel Channel: Subscribe to the Planet Asia Travel Channel and receive expert advice and insider tips on travel in Asia from the team at Smiling Albino and our network of in-the-know locals, expatriates, and travel enthusiasts.

Contact:Get a hold of us any time.

Many of Smiling Albino guests are interested in getting up-close-and-personal animal experiences, whether it’s riding elephants or seeing monkeys and tigers.  While opinion varies greatly as to what constitutes an animal-friendly environment, there is no doubt that elephant camps and tiger ‘shows’ range from downright abusive to caring and free.  We don’t claim to be experts on the subject of animal welfare, but here’s our take on a range of places where visitors to Southeast Asia can experience some of the region’s exotic animals.

Indigenous work-“horses”: Elephants and Water Buffalo:

Ayuthaya Elephant Ride

Two creatures that have long been integral aspects of the Thai culture and economy are elephants and water buffalo.  Thailand’s elephant population was once one of the kingdom’s greatest assets: Elephants were previously used for warfare, transportation, and as laborers in the nation’s timber industry, the lattermost of which ironically facilitated widespread destruction of their habitat.  No longer of much use in any of these three fields, elephants are almost exclusively employed in tourism nowadays.

In elephant camps from Chiang Mai to Phuket, visitors now have the opportunity to climb aboard these massive beasts of burden for rides through the jungle, occasionally entertained by elephants tricks, including painting and playing musical instruments. The Thai Elephant Conservation Center (T.E.C.C.) in Lampang houses the royal stable of albino elephants, operates an elephant hospital and mobile clinic, and a home-stay/mahout training school for visitors.

While many camps do not offer such caring treatment as TECC, others think that elephants doing anything other than being elephants is inhumane.  The Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai may be the most elephant-centric operation.  At this exclusive sanctuary for a small herd of lucky elephants, there are no exploitative shows or elephant rides; instead, guests are put to work as “volunteers” building mud-baths and laboring to create a sanctuary where elephants can roam freely and live in a protected natural environment, much as they do in Khao Yai National Park, one of the last refuges of Thailand’s wild elephant populations.  

Other recommended elephant experiences include the annual Surin Elephant Round-Up, the King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament, the Four Seasons Tented Camp Chiang Mai (which has its own stable of elephants), and the Elephant Valley Project in Cambodia’s Mondulkiri Province, where visitors can spend a week or more experiencing the life of a mahout (elephant handler), looking after the elephants and mastering the art of commanding elephants to do their bidding in a caring and compassionate manner.

Even the buffalo is smiling!

Like the elephant, the water buffalo was previously employed in a vital facet of the Thai economy: the “Thai tractors” of yesteryear rice farming.  While the water buffalo commands widespread respect in old-school, agrarian Cambodia, in Thailand the buffalo are learning tricks to compete for the tourist dollars. At the Chiang Mai Monkey Centre, the monkeys are optional; instead, get hands-on experience riding bareback (and barefoot!) on a thick, hairy buffalo.  They’re really gentle creatures and more comfortable to ride than elephants are.  You can trudge through the wet-rice fields, watch the buffalo dance, or see farmers walk atop the famous buffalo bridge.

Interestingly enough, it’s possible to have a somewhat similar experience just beyond your hotel balcony at the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi in Chiang Mai.  The resort grounds have working rice fields in which you can get dirty playing buffalo rider before going to the spa, where you will think you’ve suddenly been teleported to a wat in Burma.  However, the ultimate water buffalo experience may be the annual Chonburi Buffalo Races held each October; local farmers race their prized buffalos through the center of the capital city, compete in tug-of-wars between man and buffalo, and enjoy music and festivities including a Miss Water Buffalo beauty contest!

Tigers:

It is estimated that only perhaps 150-200 Indochinese Tigers remain in Thailand’s wilderness, while an unknown number roam the remote corners of Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, including the dense jungles of Ratanakiri’s Virachey National Park.

While there is fierce public debate about the quality of treatment provided or whether it’s right to confine animals that are meant to live in the wild, sadly there is less and less “wild” for them to live in.  There is no doubt that some tiger shows are blatantly exploitive: tigers jumping through flaming hoops to deafeningly loud Thai pop music, but others should be commended their efforts to prevent poaching and trafficking.

Roar of Approval

One popular place to visit tigers in Thailand is the Tiger Conservation Project at Wat Paluangtabua Yannasampanno in Kanchanaburi.  When the temple was first founded, a wounded rooster was brought in, followed by a wounded boar, and then a tiger cub, which was nearly drowned by poachers.  The abbot realized that his calling was to care for animals and the temple became known as a place that would do so, eventually accepting herds of cows and other animals from those making merit.  Over the years, this included a number of tiger cubs whose mothers’ were killed by farmers or poachers.

The temple has now raised many cubs to adulthood and others have been born in captivity.  While there has always been a buzz on the grapevine that the tigers were being drugged, visitors are allowed to walk with the tigers for their daily playtime in an open quarry and judge for themselves; an exhilarating (if not terrifying) experience that belies the drug claim, particularly when the tigers aggressively wrestle with one another. – Tip: If you hairdo looks like a frizzy ball of yarn, wear a hat.

Monkeys and Apes!

While a variety of monkeys are commonly found in the wilds of Southeast Asia’s jungles, on many islands, and even in the downtown areas of quite a few cities, there are a few opportunities to get involved in a different kind of monkey business.

The Monkey Festival in Lopburi, Thailand recently celebrated its 22^nd anniversary this past November.  Another grand feast in honor of the town’s resident monkeys was held on the grounds of the City Shrine and Phra Prang Sam Yord, an Angkor-era Cambodian temple where many of the monkeys reside.  Nearly 2,000kg of food was laid out as a banquet for the monkeys, who are believed by some locals to be ancient spirits that provide protection to the city.  There is no free lunch for the simians of the Monkey Training College in Surat Thani, Thailand.  Founded by Krue Somporn, whose celebrity pet monkey once carried the Surat Thani flag at the Thai National Games, the college offers instruction to local coconut farmers on employing monkeys to pick coconuts from trees.  One good monkey can out pick 10 men!  In their free time, the monkeys perform a daily show to visitors.

Gibbon in Cambodia

While one must travel to Borneo or Sumatra to see orangutans in rehabilitation centers or in the wild, there are some lesser known but just as adorable apes that inhabit mainland Southeast Asia.  One of our favorites places is the Highland Farm Gibbon Sanctuary, located near the Thai-Burmese border in Tak Province.  Highland Farm cares for a range of wildlife, including dozens of pileated gibbons.  These fascinating little apes are one of the most musical animals on Earth, singing love songs to each other as part of a courtship for lifelong monogamous relationships.  Visitors and guests of the farm, who can do a short home-stay or month-long volunteer commitment, will observe the caring treatment that includes feeding, cleaning, and lots of TLC.

Another places to learn about gibbons is the Angkor Center for Conservation of Biodiversity, outside Siem Reap, Cambodia, which looks after a pair of gibbons, and lots of other interesting local wildlife, including pangolin.  Even more Cambodian wildlife, including monkeys, apes, elephants, tigers, leopards, birds, and reptiles is cared for at the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Sanctuary.  Covering 6,000 acres of countryside just south of Phnom Penh, it’s a must-see daytrip from the Cambodian capital city!

For more information on these animal encounters:

Thai Elephant Conservation Center (T.E.C.C.): http://www.thailandelephant.org/en/

Elephant Nature Park: http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/

Kings Cup Elephant Polo: http://www.anantaraelephantpolo.com/

Four Seasons Tented Camp: http://www.fourseasons.com/goldentriangle/

The Elephant Valley Project: www.elie-cambodia.org  

Riding Buffalos at the Chiang Mai Monkey Centre: http://www.travelhubchiangmai.com/attractions/monkey-center.html

Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi: http://www.mandarinoriental.com/chiangmai/

Chonburi Buffalo Races: http://www.tourismthailand.org/see-do/events-festivals/info-page/cat/11/event/231/

Surin Elephant Round Up: http://www.tourismthailand.org/see-do/events-festivals/info-page/cat/3/event/2445/

Surat Thani Monkey Training School: http://www.thailandroad.com/trevor/samuigrey.html

Lopburi Monkey Festival: http://www.lopburiinnresort.com/english/monkey_festival.html

Wat Paluangtabua Yannasampanno: www.boonheng.com, http://trevorranges.wordpress.com/category/thailand-travels/

Highland Farm Gibbon Sanctuary: http://www.highland-farm.org/

Angkor Center for Conservation of Biodiversity: http://www.accb-cambodia.org/en/index.php

Stay Tuned for More Animal Experiences:

Stay Tuned for More Animal Experiences

Over the years, a handful of brewpubs in Southeast Asia have come and gone.  Only a few have survived upwards of a decade, and these perhaps owe their success to factors other than beer, including entertainment and cuisine.  Recently, however, the emergence of new brewpubs and bars offering specialty beers may reflect a new appreciation of beer that will continue to grow.  While Bangkok is leading the way in the craft beer renaissance and relatively sleepy Hanoi has perhaps more small breweries than any other regional city save Saigon, we’re saving those for another day (and another fun round of research) to highlight a few of our favorite brewpubs in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

 Phnom Penh, Cambodia Brewpubs

Drinking beer al fresco is a SE Asian winter tradition

Man Han Lou Restaurant

Address: #456 Monivong Blvd (Street 93)

Telephone: +855(0)23-721-966

Overview: Man Han Lou Restaurant is a bit out of the way, at the southern end of Monivong Blvd, just beyond the Vietnamese Embassy.  The towering restaurant looks more like a hotel, and, undoubtedly shuttling visitors of nearby Chinese tour-group hotels.  Man Hou makes some of the most creative beers in the region.

Setting: There is a “pub” room on the ground floor where the small fermentation vessels and beer storage tanks sit behind a glass wall, and small bronze brew kettles take center stage (though the bar surrounding the kettles was littered with empty Heineken bottles). The atmosphere in the main dining area is more an unpolished and informal Chinese Restaurant than brew pub.

Beer: The brewery produces four beers. A potable “Gold Draft”, a stout, the intriguing “Jade Draft” and a Red Ale.  Australian barley, Chinese wolfberries, Czech Xiangjiu flowers, and Cambodian water combine in a unique Red Ale, that is more aromatic and balanced than the Jade Draft, a green beer with a weizen-like sourness and minimal hop bouquet or bite.  The Jade is enhanced with natural spirulina extract, and features the same Xiangjiu flowers found in the Red.  The translation from the Chinese was ‘flower’ ‘smell’ ‘alcohol,’ perhaps suggesting a dry hopping that wasn’t apparent in the bouquet, but could have explained the small green flakes floating around my glass.  The character of the beers is better than their taste, so those interested in creative recipes will be more impressed than those looking for a cool brewpub and tasty suds. ($3 – 3.50 for 400ml and $6 – 7 for 1250ml)

Food: The unique menu features photo spreads of particular dishes, historical information about Cambodian dancing, and an article about exotic local cuisine, including deep-fried insects.  There are pages of entrees from Khmer, Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese cuisine; sadly there are no insects on the menu, so dim sum is the recommended accompaniment to the beer.

Entertainment/Music: The main dining room features Cambodian classical and folk dance performances on some nights; there isn’t a fixed schedule, but you’re more likely to catch a show on a Friday or Saturday night one would presume.

Munich Germany Beer Restaurant

Munich Germany Beer Restaurant

Address: Sothearos Blvd

Telephone: +855(0)81-889966

Open: 11am – 11pm

Overview:  This unassuming beer garden is close to the major Phnom Penh attractions, just a block from the riverside, south of the Royal Palace, and opposite the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Memorial park.

Setting:  In addition to the outdoor garden seating, there are three large air-conditioned family/party rooms, though the action (as it were) is in the garden, which is low on style and décor, but comfortable for drinking on cool winter nights.

Beer: The “gold” is a clear, yet not crisp, tasty lager with a bit more hop flavor than the bottled favorites found around town.   The stout is served unfiltered and is arguably more potent, as are most extra stouts popularly consumed in cans throughout Cambodia. Gold and stout in 1/3, ½, and 1 liter drafts: $1.20, $2.20, and $4 respectively ($0.30 – $0.40 more for stout).

Food: If you hunt through the menu you will find selections that can pass for German entrees (something akin to a pork knuckle was in there), but the menu is almost strictly Khmer.  While relatively diverse, the specialty seems to be seafood, and all dishes are available “small” or “large” size for reasonable prices, though one would assume even the “smalls” are reasonably large as the atmosphere suggests dining family style, sharing with a group of friends of family.

Kingdom Brewery Taproom

The Tap Room: Kingdom Brewery

Address: No 1748 National Road 5

Telephone: +855(0)23-430

Open: Monday – Saturday 1pm – 8pm

Web: kingdombreweries.com

Overview: This modern and comfortable taproom would be a better edition to the Phnom Penh bar scene if it were closer to the action.  As a brewery-cum-bar it’s in an ideal location: the brewing equipment easily fit into this former milk processing facility that overlooks the Tonle Sap River.  Despite its out-of-the-way location, its one of the most comfortable venues in the region to sample some locally brewed beer.


Setting:  A classic wood and brass pub-style bar surrounded by stools dominates the tap room, while several comfortable booths and an outdoor smoking area with river view and shady umbrellas provides the other drinking areas.  Khmer artwork and a jungle-themed Kingdom Brewery mural provide tasteful touches of décor.

Beer: Kingdom produces both a classic pilsner and a dark lager.  The Clouded Leopard Pilsner is crisp and potable; seemingly produced to satisfy the palate of the bottled beer market Kingdom is strongly courting with advertising throughout the city.  The darker lager, which is arguably the best in the region, offers a tasty chocolate malt finish, though the beer is unfortunately not available on draught except for special events for parties of 20+ people. (Draught pilsner available for $1 a mug. Bottled dark & pilsner for $1.50. 10.5 liter kegs are $19).

Crowd: The crowd on most weeknights is limited to those few in the know (mostly professional expats) or random travelers who have made the tuk-tuk journey beyond the epicenter of tourist nightlife and dining. The taproom is open 6 days a week (closed Sundays) and you are likely to have the place (and the attention of the friendly bar staff) to yourself.

Entertainment/Music: No live entertainment as of yet, though interesting and informative brewery tours are available for visitors upon request during most business hours. 


Tips: The brewing equipment is proudly on display for visitors looking to see how the beer is produced, and while no food is served, it’s a great place for sunset beers before heading out to dinner.

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam Brewpubs

Fresh Czech Beer in Vietnam

Hoa Vien Brauhaus

Address: 28 bis Mac Dinh Chi, D1

Telephone: +84(0)8-829-0585

Web: www.hoavien.vn

Overview:  Arguably one of the livelier brewpubs in southeast Asia, Hoa Vien Brauhaus may be a bit tricky to find, but has an authentic atmosphere, excellent beer, and a diverse menu certain to please any visitor.  While this venue is an “Honorary Consulate of the Czech Republic”, there are also locations simply serving beer in Hanoi and Mui Ne.

Setting:  Tucked away in a back alley off Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Hoa Vien is a large, multi-room brauhaus, the centerpiece of which is a bar that surrounds the small, brass brew-kettles.  Czech beer-hall music fills the entire brewpub, whose walls are adorned with vintage beer posters, empty bottles, and other memorabilia: a festive and vibrant atmosphere that includes numerous TV’s broadcasting various sports.

Beer: Hoa Vien offers both a pilsner and a dark lager, both of which are clear, crisp, and palatable, and is the only establishment offering Pilsner Urquell in Vietnam.  The filtered dark is arguably the best on tap in the city, with medium body and bitterness, and is available in various portions including one and two liter growlers and kegs of varying size.  If take-away beer is impractical, the brewery also sells ceramic beer mugs to bring home as a souvenir.  Pilsner (.3l – 30,000d/$1.50, .5l – 38,000d/$2, 1l growler– 82,000d/$4, 2l growler 164,000d/$8, 5l keg – 420,000d/$20, 20l keg – 1,560,000d/$75).

Food: The menu is typically diverse; featuring a range of Vietnamese, German, and Czech dishes, such as Bavarian grilled pork thigh (194,000d/$9.50), as well as more exotic fare, including red caviar (410,000d/$20).

Charming Nguyen Du Brauhof

Nguyen Du Brauhof

Address: 98 Nguyen Du Street, D1

Telephone: +84(0)3822-6861

Hours: Monday – Saturday: 11am – 11pm

Overview: Nguyen Du Brauhof is one of the most authentic European-style craft brewpubs in the region (as opposed to a beer hall).  As one of the smallest breweries around, the beer quality likely varies substantially from batch to batch, but this is arguably a good reason to come back repeatedly, as the food is excellent and the atmosphere charming.

Setting: Nguyen Du occupies the ground floor of a large two-story house.  A pair of vintage BMW motorcycles is parked just within the front door and cabinets and shelves throughout the brick and wood dining room feature ceramic beer steins and other beer-related memorabilia.  A small patio allows for al fresco drinking and dining.

Beer: The best of the three beers on offer is the (heffe) weizen, which is a perfect complement to the predominately German menu, though the head coagulated and dissipated quite rapidly.  The unfiltered Dunkel is rich and malty, though perhaps difficult to drink in the 5-liter towers that the beer is also offered in.  The pilsner is crisp and potable for those looking for something more refreshing.  (Helles/Lager: .5l – 44,000d/$2, Weizenbier: .5l – 46,000d/$2, Dunkel: .5l – 45,000d/$2)

Food:  Menu offers a wide range of ”homemade” Vietnamese and German dishes, and interestingly a few Russian, Japanese, and French offerings.  Try the wiener schnitzel (155,000d/$7.50), smoked sausage with mashed potatoes (85,000d/$4), or the grilled German bacon and sauerkraut (125,000/$6).

Holiday Cheer at Lion Brewery

Lion Beer Brauhaus

Address: 11C Lam Son Square, D1

Tel: +84(0)8823-8414

Overview:  Lion Beer has a central location, an excellent menu, and a pair of tasty and inexpensive German beers, making it almost a must-visit for those visiting Ho Chi Minh City, though those looking for a better beer might head elsewhere.

Setting:  Outdoor picnic-table seating opposite the opera house is a great people-watching venue, while the large indoor beer-hall has tables for 4 to 40, as well as a small bar beneath a massive projection TV that frequently features regional and international soccer matches.

Beer: Lion offers a ‘gold’ and a ‘dark’ as well as a selection of local and imported beers (though I don’t know who would order a Corona here).  The dark has a mild maltiness, low bitterness, and low carbonation, making it one of the lighter and more quaffable dark beers in the area.  The ‘gold’ is crisp and refreshing and also lightly hopped, made from all imported German ingredients by a German brew master in Kaspar-Shulz kettles. (300ml – 30,000d/$1.50, 500ml – 40,000d/$2, 1liter – 75,000d/$3.75).

Food:  A very eclectic menu of Vietnamese, German, and other international dishes, including a sausage platter of German bratwurst, kielbasa, and honey-glazed smoked ham (185,000d/$9).  The menu also offers braised ostrich, stewed oxtail, New Zealand mussels, BBQ Texas pork ribs, and some excellent seafood options, such as lobster flambé in scallop sauce (315,000d/$15) and shrimps steamed in hop beer!

___________________________________________________________________________

Green Beer! Yum or ummm....?!

Best beers:

Hoa Vien Pilsner, Nguyen Du Weizen, Kingdom Dark

Best atmosphere:

Hoa Vien Brauhaus, Nguyen Du Brauhof

Friendliest staff and best brewery tour:

Kingdom Tap Room

Greenest beer not designed for St Patrick’s Day:

Man Han Lou Jade