Offerings to Buddha.

Peaceful Prayertime

Vung Tau Beach

Temple in Nha Trang

Saigon – Old US Army Vehicles Plying the Streets

In 1988 the Phi Phi Islands in the Thailand’s Andaman Sea were an almost untouched paradise. I was lucky enough to visit, as a backpacker, before rampant development began in the 90’s.

The Bungalow Beach where I spent several days.

I began my journey from Krabi, a fishing port that did not yet have an airport or any hotel over two stars. About three hours later we arrived in Phi Phi. The largest structure on the island was a beautiful open-air mosque made of wood and palm fronds.

The village had no central electricity, though several bungalow settlements, the only accommodation available, ran generators from 6 to 10 PM. The bungalows were made of straw and wood.

Snorkeling the pristine reefs was amazing. Lazy lemon sharks mixed with millions of psychedelic fish and plants.

Nightlife was a trek to the village to gather around a roaring fire to eat fresh grilled fish washed down with Kloster beer, fresh from the ice pit. Later the traveler’s tales would begin, fueled by the passing around  of some Mekong Whiskey.

When I returned in 1995, the environment had been destroyed by greedy developers. An ugly concrete hotel stood where the mosque had been. The coral walls around the swimming pool had been dynamited from the reefs. The water was cloudy and devoid of fish. Jet skis drowned out the sound of the wind and swaying palms.

The 2004 tidal wave temporarily returned Phi Phi to its original look, but apparently the developers have returned with a vengeance.

Buddha in Krabi.

Krabi Beaches.

One must now go further and further in Thailand to find Paradise. However, nearby Burma offers thousands of untouched Andaman Islands. ArcticTropic will research those islands and report shortly. If anyone is headed there soon, please let us know.

The Philippines offer extreme adventure and incredible vistas . The island nation is easily accessible from Hong Kong for shorter getaways and is well worth the trip from Europe and North America for longer expeditions.  Above is a volcanic lake not far from Mt.Pinatubo.

Palawan, Northeast of Borneo in the South China Sea is excellent for mountaineering and diving . The Coral Reefs are pristine and mostly undisturbed.

ArcticTropic will be adding several new providers in the Philippines today. Reminder to current providers : Keep your websites up to date, or you lose your opportunity to reach our adventurers !

Long Lost Laos was cut off from the world for nearly 20 years after the Communist occupations. The country had never changed much before that – a great advantage if one is looking for the Old Southeast Asia – much like Thailand might have been 40 years ago. Jungles, mountains, Holy villages, the limestone forest of Khammouane and caves such as Xe Bang Fai are all part of Laotian Adventure.

Looking across the bridge from Mae Sai, Thailand into Tachiliek, Burma. All travelers must arrive through Rangoon airport. ArcticTropic is the Gateway to Adventure in Burma and Thailand, I shot this video in 1988, and things have not changed since then – Time Stands Still In Burma.

Turn down the music and go for a kite plane tour of Cambodia.ArcticTropic has just two listings right now – providers should contact us immediately by commenting below for inclusion and booking capabilities.

Until the 1990’s Burma was really the “Back of Beyond” It was isolated with only a twice weekly flight from Bangkok to Rangoon, and a maximum one week visa issued to visitors who were only allowed to come in on group tours. Now, the country has opened up and travel is unlimited for up to a month.ArcticTropic now has three providers in Burma, with many more to be added.

Although Vietnamese trains are slow, they’re a great way to see the countryside and meet people. At midway in the journey ,travelers stop for a lunch break. ArcticTropic leads to all adventure destinations in Vietnam.

Northern Thailand ,November,1988. An exotic,peaceful temple near the Burmese border. ArcticTropic has many links to exploration providers in Northern Thailand and the Golden Triangle Region.