Balance is not with me. I trip without cause. I fall off bicycles. I wobble on wooden planks. My body simply isn’t too keen on being too stable. So when my companions all boarded a traditional four-person canoe docked on murky brown waters along one of the distributaries of the Mekong River, I recoiled back. One step on that small rickety thing would send me plunging down the river, along with my cameras. I just know it in my heart. But I seem to have no choice. Either I come with them or I commute back all the way to the city. Which I have no idea how to. Darn it.

A TRADITIONAL BOAT ALONG THE MEKONG RIVER DELTA

It was another day of adventure for us. Since we were based in Ho Chi Minh, and the city doesn’t really look that interesting, we booked another out of town tour from our hostel. We already tried the Cu Chi Tunnel tour the day before, this time we’re doing the Mekong Delta Full Day Tour.

We rode a speedboat to get to our dinner. Yes, we did. After our Cu Chi Tunnels tour, from the mad bedlam of downtown Ho Chi Minh, we took a cab to the Cau Mong Pier, sauntered over to the boardwalk, and plunked our bottoms on the plush seats of a fancy speedboat. We roared across the calm waters of Saigon River, holding on to the railings at the sides while enjoying the afternoon scenery. It was over too soon, our boat slowing down on what looks like a grand white mansion facing the waters.

VILLA SONG SAIGON’S ELEGANT FACADE

WHILE WAITING AT THE LOBBY

Located at the District Two of Ho Chi Minh, the vibe at Villa Song Saigon was as far away as can be from the bustle of the city (they have complimentary boat rides to the city). The place is very romantic and serene. The main structure, a Victorian-esque building, holds twenty three unique rooms for guests wanting some quiet and privacy.

With full hesitation, I went down with my friends to the tunnels. It was dark. It was cramped. It was hot. The tunnel went narrower and narrower as we went along. I had to crouch. And it’s not easy to walk in that position. We were told we could exit on some junctions of the tunnel, as it would only get more constricted as we go further. I’m not claustrophobic, but I just had to get out of there.

BOUGHT VIETNAMESE CONICAL STRAW HATS FOR THE TOUR

Visiting Ho Chi Minh for the first time, we knew we just had to go to the Cu Chi Tunnels. It’s one of the more famous tours in the city and it would be a shame if we didn’t see it. So, off we went, booking ourselves a Cu Chi Tunnel half-day tour on our hostel which, surprisingly, was very cheap at USD5.00 per person, inclusive of roundtrip bus transfers from our lodging [BOOK THE TOUR ONLINE].

The salt water pool at Sokha Angkor Resort was heaven. It almost made us forget the Little Circuit Temple Tour that we’re supposed to be doing that day—spending too much time swimming and goofing around the hotel’s huge pool after breakfast. It was our second time in Siem Reap and this time, we decided to splurge a bit.

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SOKHA ANGKOR RESORT GRAND LOBBY

Coming from an overnight bus ride from Thailand, we arrived at Siem Reap at quarter past nine. We hailed a tuk-tuk and were dropped off at the Sokha Angkor Resort’s driveway in a few minutes. We knew, as we entered its expansive lobby, that we’re gonna be in for a treat.

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The music pumped. No more temples. They danced. No more temples. I drank my beer. No more temples. We don’t want any more temples! What we wanted was beer. More beer. More beer. And the city has just the place for us—the ubiquitously named Siem Reap Pub Street.

THE FLAMBOYANT PUB STREET IN SIEM REAP

Tucked on a not-so-quiet street in the Old Market Area of Siem Reap, far from the ancient Angkor temples, is Pub Street. It’s where tourists go after a whole day of temple hopping. It’s where the backpackers go after a day of biking. It’s where it’s happening.

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If you focus hard enough, you will see the Bangkok metropolis swirl into light trails.

The ground beneath our feet was moving. That ground though was set 84 floors above the city. It was spinning—showing off the city’s magnificence at almost a thousand feet. And I thought, having a tremendous buffet dinner just before going to this revolving view deck ain’t such a good idea.

YOU THINK WE HAVE IT BAD IN MANILA, BANGKOK HAS CRAZIER TRAFFIC JAMS

We were rooted in one of the city’s nasty traffic jams a couple of hours before we arrived at the Baiyoke Tower II for dinner. From Sofitel So Bangkok, where we were staying, we can easily see the tower. We thought it would be a quick cab ride from our place to our rendezvous.

We thought wrong. Very wrong.

It wasn’t the time for clouds to quickly scud out of sight and the sun to make a heated comeback. It threw its harsh, unrelenting rays across the courtyards of Bangkok’s Grand Palace, homing in on our heads and zapping us with its death rays one by one.

After a minute of walking, I was already bathed in sweat, my mouth turned down into a grimace and my face resembling that of a yaksha, a Thai demon, lifting a golden slab of whatever.

SPELL O-R-N-A-T-E

It was decided earlier in the day that we were gonna leave the comfort of Sofitel So Bangkok to see just what exactly the city has to offer in terms of temple runs. We checked the major temples, crossing out lesser known ones, until finally, there’s only one left. The Bangkok Grand Palace.

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Super Pussy. Now that’s a bar name you’d never likely forget anytime soon.

I was browsing through souvenirs being sold at the open-aired Patpong Road Night Market when I came across the glowing neon sign announcing that it has, well, Super Pussy. Whatever that means, I leave up to your imaginations.

EN ROUTE TO PATPONG ROAD

After a filling dinner at the very touristy Asiatique The Riverfront, instead of going straight to Khao San Road for a few bottles of beer, as we usually do when in Bangkok, the gang decided to head out to the more infamous street in the city, Patpong Road.

A few days in Thailand and we finally gave in to curiosity. And you know what they say about curiosity and pussies, err, I mean cats.

Beer, pad thai, spring rolls, and insects—in that order, was how we first experienced Khao San Road. It gave quite a show. Beautiful people reeling and dancing barefoot along the pavement. The sound of live acoustic music mixing with the hard thumps of electronica from another bar across. A hanging jungle of old beat-up lighted signs, all vying for attention. Tables and chairs, full of backpackers and locals alike, guzzling bottles of Chang beer like there was no tomorrow.

It was crazy as heck.

”What we really need to do is to wrap this tour up and head back to the hotel. Like right now.”

We were at the Bangkok Grand Palace, but ogling at temples was the last thing on our minds; what’s really running through our heads right now was how nice it would be to have another dip at Sofitel So’s infinity pool.

I could never imagine in a million years that I would trade taking photos of gleaming golden temples to simply staying put in a hotel. But that’s how it is when you’re checked in at one of Condé Nast Traveler's Hot List for the Best New Hotels in the World.

”Okay, let’s now head to Ayutthaya!” We excitedly exclaimed after visiting the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. Our cab driver scratched his head and told us that we’d arrive there by four in the afternoon and by that time, the temples would already be closed.

The Ayutthaya Historical Park is about 170 kilometers away from where we were and it would take two and a half hours to reach it by car. But promises are promises. We held our cab driver to his word that he would be taking us to Ayutthaya right after our Floating Market tour, be it open or closed.

It was something right off the pages of an adventure novel; a market in full swing, open-aired shop selling colorful wares, vendors wearing traditional hats hawking street food straight off the pot. It was a bedlam of people everywhere, locals mixing in with the tourists. It was everything you’d expect from a bustling mid-morning market scene in Asia. Except everything’s set on boats above water.

OUR CHEERFUL DRIVER WHO DROPPED US AT THE BOAT STATION INSTEAD OF THE MARKET

Our gang set off quite early from the Four Points Hotel in Bangkok, hoping to catch a mini-van from a park somewhere in the city to the Ayutthaya Historical Park. We hailed a cab, it was more economical since we were four in the group, and asked the driver to drop us there. Long story short, he convinced us that there was a rally going on and we’d be better off with him driving us all the way to Ayutthaya. After some mental computations, we agreed. 1,700 Baht (USD 52.00) is indeed cheaper, not to mention more convenient, than taking the mini-van.

A few minutes in and we saw a poster at his cab advertising the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. It was something all of us wanted to go to and our enthusiasm didn’t get past our cheery driver. He told us we can drop by the market before going to Ayutthaya. Deal!

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”They’ve got popcorns!” I joyfully exclaimed as we entered the lobby of Four Points by Sheraton in Bangkok. We came straight from Pattaya Beach by bus and we’re rarin’ to have a bit of rest time before exploring Thailand’s capital city once again. Seeing our eyes constantly drift towards the popcorn machine, one of the staff went towards us and started helping us to a serving each. Yum!

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OUR ROOM FOR THREE DAYS, FOUR POINT’S COMFORT ROOM

We were stuffing our mouths full with freshly popped popcorns as we strode across the shiny floors of Four Points, our bags trailing behind us, en route to our rooms. We can’t wait to lay down on the hotel’s trademarked Comfort Beds and sleep the afternoon away.

► CHECK OUT: DAMNOEN SADUAK FLOATING MARKET SCAM

We don’t usually wake up early when on trips. Gone were the days when I’d dutifully set my alarm off an hour before sunrise; dragging my feet, my heavy camera, and my still heavier tripod to the nearest body of water to shoot the first light of the day. Now, those times only surface when I find a really, really, really nice location for a sunrise shoot. And during our two-day stint in Pattaya Beach, I didn’t feel the need to wake up early at all.

PATTAYA CITY’S HOLLYWOOD-ESQUE LANDMARK

We were staying at the Bayview Pattaya Hotel, which was a few minutes away by foot from the beach, so we took our sweet time having our bacons and hotdogs before heading out. We’ve seen what the beach looked like yesterday, before we went to Mini Siam, and let’s just say that we’re really not that excited about it.

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The moon was shining brightly across the evening sky of Thailand. I trained my camera at the massive stupas and intricate temples of Wat Phra Kaeo, catching the faint rays of the moon reflecting over their smooth, golden surfaces. I crouched, and crouched some more, trying to level with the complex.

INTRICATE TEMPLE DETAIL

But everything wasn’t what it seemed. The moon wasn’t really a moon, but a lamp post a few feet away. The stupa and temples weren’t soaring above me, they were less than half my height. And I wasn’t really in Bangkok, I was at the Mini Siam in Pattaya. A park dedicated to nothing but replicas of famous temples and structures around Thailand.

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We were lounging on a beach recliner, our bare feet digging in at the cream-colored sand of Pattaya Beach, sipping on coconut juice straight from its husk. Our main reason for going to this resort town was mainly due to the fact that it was the nearest beach to the megalopolis that is Bangkok. And well, alright I’ll be honest, it was also because I saw it on one of the Starbucks Icon mugs that I have been collecting.

FROM BANGKOK TO PATTAYA VIA TRAIN, BUS AND SONGTHAEW

Coming from the beautiful country of Nepal and spending a single night at Bangkok’s posh Chatrium Hotel Riverside, we met with two more travel mates at the Suvarnabhumi Airport—which I could not pronounce correctly if my life depended on it. From there, we quickly hopped on a bus that sent us straight to Pattaya City.

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Long river boats noisily rip across the waters of Thailand’s Chao Phraya River, easily overtaking the much slower barges chugging along one of the city’s main waterways. Dusk was fast gaining upon the busy city as we sip cold Chang beers from glasses filled with ice—watching as the day transformed into early evening—a hot and sultry evening.

We were at The Chatrium, several storeys above the sparkling metropolis, and it was our first time in Bangkok.

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OUR FLIGHT FROM KATHMANDU, NEPAL

We arrived at Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport, all groggy and spent after a flight from Kathmandu with an interconnecting ride from Kuala Lumpur. We just came from Nepal—a very diverse and beautiful country; dusty and chaotically crazy. After two weeks around its key cities, we were definitely ready for some rest.

Our body was craving for luxury, a splurge, a staycation of sorts. And our chosen abode for some R&R before hitting the road again, Chatrium Hotel in Bangkok City.

Finally, the light weakened and evening arrived. We’ve been walking around Kuala Lumpur for the good part of the afternoon waiting for the glow of the sun to wane and the city lights of KL to take over. What we wanted was to simply see the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, which fronts the Merdeka Square, in all its illuminated glory.

From our last visit to Kuala Lumpur, we found a ref magnet bearing the façade of a Big Ben-like building. We really don’t do much research during trips, so we weren’t really surprised to find a sector of KL that we haven’t explored yet. The next day, from Chinatown Kuala Lumpur, where we had another cheap but filling lunch, we set out to find that icon.

► EAT OUT: JALAN ALOR FOOD STREET

One of the things I really miss about Kuala Lumpur is eating mee goreng (5.00 MYR) along its many side streets—cheap, freshly cooked, stir fried, and thick super spicy noodles paired with a cold, cold glass of kopi ice (2.00 MYR). Heaven.

That dish is actually the first thing we looked for during our last trip to KL. We’ve been dreaming about it through the whole four-hour flight from Manila and when we finally hit the streets of Kuala Lumpur along with our heavy backpacks, we knew exactly where our first stop would be.

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Jalan Alor Food Street is a street along the Bukit Bintang District of Kuala Lumpur and it is where we had the best mee goreng during our several trips to the city.

The area is unassuming during the day—just a strip of sleepy restaurants lining a street. But as the sun sets and evening arrives, it slowly comes to life. Chairs and tables spread into the sidewalks, until eventually, it invades the whole road. Overhead, lamps light up one after another, until the whole strip is sparkling like a cabaret.

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We went the wrong way and it took us a while to realize it. From the Apple Hotel KL, we saw a map plastered on one of its wall on how to get to the KL Tower—yup, Kuala Lumpur has another tower up its sleeve beside the celebrated Petronas Towers—we followed it and thought we were on the right road until we asked a local—we were directed to the opposite direction. Ugh.

Can we walk all the way there? We asked. The two girls we asked looked at each other and giggled. Definitely not! They replied.

Kuala Lumpur’s Menara KL Tower has been the city’s icon until the Petronas Towers came along and stole its thunder. After almost four years of construction, it started gracing the shimmering skyline of the city by the mid-nineties. It stands 1,381 feet high, a hundred and one feet short against the twin towers of Petronas.

But the tower is still impressive and has even attracted numerous events like the annual race to its top—pitting contestants against its 22 levels with a total of 2,058 whopping steps. Let me take the elevator now, please.

► HOW MANY STEPS: BATU CAVES