The dry season in Siem Reap starts from December through April, but the best time for photographers to spend hours waiting and capturing moments of sunrise to sunset is during February. It’s when the sun shines daily over the glorious temples of the Angkor kingdom, under the clear blue sky, and the temperature is way more comfortable compared to March or April. Siem Reap doesn’t only have Angkor Wat. Apart from the renowned Angkor complex, an overnight escape to the ancient Koh Ker then Preah Vihear will provide numerous photo opportunities as well as a vibe of the Khmer Empire’s mysterious past.
Just across the border with Cambodia, Si Phan Don with thousands of islands is a great place to escape from popular tourist attractions. Among its 4,000 islands, Don Khong is the largest and Northern-most island. The island is home to 99 mountain peaks and a plethora of historical sites, including 15 temples and structures from the French colonial era. Beside that, Don Khong is also famous for a wide variety of Mekong fish, together with other specialty products such palm sugar, palm leaf hats, and Lao Kao Gum – a potent alcohol.
Don Khong can be easily connected with the main cities by flights or land border crossing. The nearest airport is at Pakze (PKZ), about 02 two-hour drive to Si Phan Don area. The more adventurous option is by land border crossing from Cambodia site. It takes 5 hours to drive along the tranquil villages from Siem Reap to the border town, Stung Treng, then cross the land border to reach the Laos side, following by another 50-minute road transfer to Don Khong.
For the Chinese community around the world, as well as in Vietnam, the Lunar New Year celebration lasts at least half a month of Lunar January. The Lunar New Year is not only a Tet that brings joy and enjoyment, but also has spiritual meaning, commemorating the merits of ancestors and sages, and wishing for the best from the beginning of a New Year. There are many festivals taking place during these 2 weeks. One to be mentioned is the Lantern Festival which officially kicks off from the twelfth to the fifteenth with numerous activities such as parades in traditional costumes and mascots of Gods, lion and dragon dances, calligraphy, lantern lighting, and such. Visiting Chinatown these days, you can join the parades and feel a promising New Year waiting ahead.
