Eclectic crime fiction & informed, irreverent non-fiction from Asia & beyond
Tourism and climate change threaten way of life in scenic Himalayan valley. Laure Siegel and I report from Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, the Middle Kingdom, a remote valley between Tibet and the rest of India. KAZA, India — “There are more cars than potatoes now” sighs Chhering Angrup, slowly turning a prayer wheel below a […]
Continue ReadingSitting on the banks of the Song River, the rural town might seem serene now. But Vang Vieng has seen a tumultuous 15 years, evolving from an agricultural community to a hedonistic party capital when it was “discovered” by Western shoestring travelers in the late 1990s. Excessive drinking, drugs, trash, concrete construction and fatal accidents […]
Continue ReadingLast story of 2017, first story of 2018, with Laure Siegel. The show stays on the road and the road takes me wherever. Home is anywhere I lay my head. In this instance, north of Kolkata, the world’s most beautiful city, along the banks for the river Hooghly. Really enjoyed researching this one and am […]
Continue ReadingThe eastern India state of Odisha, stretching for more than 300 miles along the Bay of Bengal, bristles with architectural and cultural gems. Tropical, remote and home to some of the subcontinent’s most striking temples, much of the state was off-limits to foreign travel for some years because of Maoist unrest but reopened in 2016. […]
Continue ReadingI have been traveling in Sri Lanka recently. it was a blast and my first time on the island. Mellow people, so long as you don’t dig into the war (and I was not there for that), luscious green hills, great food, wonderful festivals and no stress. I did a bunch of hotel reviews for […]
Continue ReadingTom Vater has a dream job: as a travel and guidebook writer, he constantly explores Asian roads to get the details right and inspire others to start their own adventures. Writer Marco Ferrarese, author of seminal punk rock novel Nazi Goreng, recently interviewed me about my early travel exploits in Asia. Read the full story […]
Continue ReadingA slightly worn version of myself nicely captured by the inimitable Viraj Singh at Ta Prohm, Cambodia a couple of weeks ago. Been on the road for so long, 20 + years, that travel has become a permanent state of mind, all experiences are thankfully transient and most reflections turn into stories that continue to […]
Continue ReadingThailand’s unspoilt islands: Paradise mapped Looking for the perfect beach in Thailand? Tom Vater, our local expert, reveals his favourite island secrets… Read the full text here. Or check out this wonderful photo series presenting Thailand’s most sumptuous and low key hideaways.
Continue ReadingCheck out the book trailer for Burmese Light, my new non fiction book with photographer Hans Kemp, published by Visionary World this month. Reviews: “Whether you are planning a visit or have recently traveled to Myanmar, Hans Kemp’s magnificent photographs combined with Tom Vater’s illuminating text create an unforgettable portrait of a truly remarkable country […]
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