The travels and musings of Matt and Heidi
A hearty combination of roast beef and Spitfire Ale. "The pride of Britain's oldest brewer, Shepherd Neame. Head brewer Richard says the Kentish hops in our signature brew give the perfect zesty punch to the rich roasted beef." So what else would a good British national like Heidi eat in Laos 😉
The Vientianale International Film Festival celebrates the art of film and the diversity of Lao culture in the country’s capital, Vientiane. The annual festival showcases an exciting program of international feature and short films, emerging as an important platform for local filmmakers to screen their works. The Mini Vientianale International Short Film Festival returns to... Continue Reading →
Champasak Lao: ຈຳປາສັກ [càmpàːsák]) is a province in southwestern Laos, near the borders with Thailand and Cambodia. It covers an area of 15,415 square kilometres (5,952 sq mi). It is bordered by Salavan Province to the north, Sekong Province to the northeast, Attapeu Province to the east, Cambodia to the south, and Thailand to the... Continue Reading →
Don Khone Island (also known as Don Khong, Done Khone and Don Khon) is one of the many islands that comprise Si Phan Don (Four Thousand Islands) and is located in the Mekong just north of the Cambodian border, in the heart of the province of Champasak. Don Khone is a relatively small island, which... Continue Reading →
Just outside of the city of Pakse and across the Lao-Nippon Bridge aka the 'Japanese bridge' is Phu Salao, the temple of the Golden Buddha. We took 35 students there (average age around 14) in October and then had to convince them to climb the stairs 
What started off as a tribute to Led... Continue Reading →
Life on the sand of Done Daeng Island.
Done Daeng Island, known as the "Red Island", offers a tranquil environment and sandy beaches. There are approximately ten villages located on the island, bordered by the Mekong river on both sides. On the opposite shore is Mount Lingaparvata (now called Phu Kao) where lies the ancient temple of Wat Phou. Transport to the island... Continue Reading →
The structures within Wat Phou are built on seven terraces and, as is typical of most Khmer temples, it was constructed facing towards the east. The uppermost terrace contains the main sanctuary and offers fantastic views over the surrounding area. Sitting up here at sunset is an incredibly peaceful experience, however do not try to... Continue Reading →
The Wat Phou is a ruined Khmer Hindu temple that forms part of the Champasak Cultural Landscape, which is a well preserved landscape more than a 1,000 years old. According to UNESCO's website, "It was shaped to express the Hindu vision of the relationship between nature and humanity, using an axis from mountain top to... Continue Reading →
Wish You Were Here 