People | Culture | Places | Lifestyle
Fiery, gritty, honest, simple and yet complex — this is the essence of the Issan people. You can hear it in their music, the Mor Lam; songs of love, loss and homes left behind. You can see it in their architecture. Most of all, you can taste it in their food. The Issan region occupies […]
Read More1. Tham Khao Luang Thailand is home to some exquisite cave temples and the Tham Khao Luang is at the top of the list. It was converted into a temple by King Rama V, to honour his predecessors. The highlight of the cave is the 13 foot and 15 foot high buddha statues, each […]
Read MoreFirst, The Stillness Fear of the dark is a curious thing. On the surface, it seems as primal as our fear of the unknown. Perhaps because they are related. After all, the dark is the embodiment of the unknown in the physical realm. Even more curious are the select few who leap head-first into the […]
Read MoreIn early April of 1958, Clifford Geertz —a young American, was at the site of what would make him one of the best-known figures in modern Anthropology – The Balinese cockfight. Traveling with his wife, Hildred (an anthropologist herself), he made an attempt to ingratiate himself with community of a small Balinese village. But to […]
Read MoreStep 1: Arrange an Exit Tickets on Garuda Indonesia. Cheapest, classiest bet. Head for Lombok. Hiking up a volcano should be an experience, a personal expedition and not an extended vacation. So, we won’t fly in from all over the place. The fly direct option, on a well-positioned day, is about 34 sweet-easies. That’s 34,000 […]
Read MoreThe Young and Wild Roam The Earth. Yes, but with purpose. Towering above the tropical beaches of Lombok Island is the seat of Indonesia’s Mt Rinjani — the country’s second highest active volcano. An arduous trek across these roaring heights takes you past green savannahs, quicksand swamps, and sulphurous waterfalls; all in an effort to […]
Read MoreHere’s the story of a country that worships its volcanoes. The Ring of Fire. Doesn’t get more imposing than that. Yet, it understates the magnitude of the geological forces that are at play in the region. Much of the world we know today was forged in volcanic crucibles like these. The name, however, is a […]
Read MoreAwe. Sheer, unadulterated awe. There are few emotions that are as good for the body and soul as child-like wonder, and in a world that is easily unimpressed, the ability to inspire awe is revolutionary. Ballooning in Bagan inspires these feelings and so much more. We dare you to return unmoved. Begin at half light. […]
Read MoreTheVibe’s general guide to the golden lands of Myanmar. Myanmar (still Burma to most) doesn’t hold the place of honour that it deserves in every travellers’ handbook. Often overshadowed by the likes of India and China, or passed over for the easy appeal of beach destinations in South-East Asia, most people stop over in Myanmar […]
Read MoreTheVibe’s ambient visual slow punch to the heart. About 400,000 years ago, humans learned to wield mastery over one of the primary elements, fire. This blip in our evolutionary radar radically changed the way we lived. Though the primary influence was on our diets, because we could now cook food, a bigger chain of events […]
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