Saturday, 2 May 2015

Beautiful Coron

Perfect paradise - Coron, Palawan Islands, Philippines!

Banana island 

Malcapuya beach 

Pass island 

View of Pass island

From the viewpoint at Pass island 

Banana island

The sea near Bulog Dos beach

Stairway to heaven

Malcapuya beach

Maquinit Hot Springs, a fresh-salt mixed water hot spring, is a great place to relax after a long day of snorkeling or trekking

Tuesday, 7 April 2015

Secret beaches and lagoons of El Nido

Wading through a lagoon


To reach a beautiful solitary hidden beach


Kayaking in the Big Lagoon (Tour A of El Nido)


Idyllic beach in the Big Lagoon


Simizu Island, with its great variety of corals, is an absolutely spectacular place for snorkelling


Fantasy waters



Emerging through a hole to reach the Secret Lagoon


Crystal water and white sand


Delicious buffet lunch of fresh fish, octopus, chicken barbeque, fruits and dressings!


Seven Commandoes - another paradise beach


From inside a relaxing hut at Seven Commandoes Beach




Beautiful fiery sunset at Las Cabanas Beach


Matinloc Shrine



Old world charm


Tuesday, 10 March 2015

Fantasy landscapes of Mrauk-U















Mrauk-U looks like a sleepy village in northern Myanmar, far removed from the world. It was also the capital of the medieval Arakan (Rakhine) empire. In its days of power, it was a prosperous trading and religious centre; and a meeting point for Bengali and Mughal princes and Portuguese, Dutch and French traders. A myth surrounding the settlement of the lands around Mrauk-U says that a monkey and a peacock gave birth to a mighty prince who built the city of Mrauk-U near a jungle.

Myths are not hard to believe while visiting Mrauk-U. The surrealistic and fantasy-like landscape which stays shrouded in mist, and rising dust from the paths and roads around, give it a very rustic and dreamy atmosphere. Pagodas add to the mysterious nature of the place, with cave temples and passages holding hundreds of Buddha statues and carvings of humans, deities and animals.


Path near Andaw Thein Pagoda


Hundreds of stupas at Koe Thaung Pagoda


Mysterious deserted passages in Koe Thaung Pagoda


Villages and pagodas near Mrauk-U


Buddha statue inside Koe Thaung Pagoda


Village life


Sculptures inide Htukkanthein Pagoda


Sculptures inside Shite Thaung Pagoda


Htukkanthein Pagoda at sunset


Hidden statue of Buddha at Pizi Paya


View of Mrauk-U from Pizi Paya


A procession to celebrate young boys joining monkhood


A typical scene at Mrauk-U - foggy and mystical


Taking the river journey from Sittwe to Mrauk-U


Local people making their way along Sittwe River


Vesali Hotel at Mrauk-U, where I stayed


A beautiful little farewell gift from the staff at Vesali hotel - a handmade bouquet!


Inle Lake


Hidden Buddha statue




Leg-rowing fishermen on Inle Lake






Indein Village on the eastern banks of the lake


Local women going home from the market


Boating is the main transport means for those living on Inle Lake


Weavers of the long-necked tribes


Ruins of Indein Pagoda


Tree temples


Sculptures on the temple walls