People of Southeast Asia

Smiling Hmong Village Chief - Luang Prabang, Laos

This man was the chief of the Hmong village where we paused during our trek for lunch. He offered his house so that we could eat lunch protected from the sun. As we learned from our guide, village chiefs are elected by the village every couple of years. They are responsible for communicating with the local government, delivering news and enforcing new policies. There are elections, but only one political party. Laos is a communist country, but its flavor of Communism is different than that of Vietnam. People are hesitant to say anything bad about the government or question it. While in places like Vietnam and Cambodia people seem to complain about their corrupt governments quite a lot. Read more about the three levels of hill tribes we encountered on this trek.

Children Playing in Mud - Battambang, Cambodia

During our dry season tour of the Battambang countryside on motorbikes, a miracle happened - it rained! The dry and muted landscape became electric, giant puddles of water formed everywhere and the kids went nuts. These kids were really having a great time sliding up and down this muddy hill. Read more about our day on a motorbike around Battambang, Cambodia.

Elders Praying - Battambang, Cambodia

The blessing ceremony prayers and chanting went on for hours. This older man gets his nicotine fix mid-prayer. Read more about our visit to Battambang, Cambodia.

Girl with Curly Hair - Battambang, Cambodia

The daughter of one of the groom's cousins. She was a little princess, but shy - always at her mother's heels. Read more about our visit to Battambang, Cambodia.

Smiling Kid with Condensed Milk - Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Smiley kid and condensed milk (waiting for strong coffee to be poured on top). Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Woman Selling Embroidered Items - Sapa, Vietnam

Embroidered blankets and bed covers are also offered along the trek. Women are out in the markets and selling along the paths, while the men and boys work more in the fields and the house. That's the main reason we have more photos of women than men - it wasn't just that the women's dress was more interesting and colorful. Read more about the hill tribes and trekking in Sapa.

Monk Between Two Columns - Angkor, Cambodia

A monk looks out over Bayon temple ruins from a smaller active temple across the road. Read about our first impressions at the Temples of Angkor.

Man Working on Bamboo - Nong Khiaw, Laos

This man was hollowing out bamboo and making perfectly formed sticks...all day long, from the moment we passed in the morning to the moment we returned in the afternoon. He had a great smile. Read more about the villages near Nong Khiaw, Laos.

Woman and Baby - Bac Ha, Vietnam

A Black Hmong woman and child take a moment at Bac Ha Market outside of Sapa in Northern Vietnam. Read more about Bac Ha market in Vietnam.

Shy Little Girl - Battambang, Cambodia

We saw this girl on her way home from school in a little village outside of Battambang. She waved to us and when we asked if we could take her photo, she stood there a bit afraid of the camera. Her mother stood behind us, laughing at the whole scene. She was too cute. Read more about our day on a motorbike around Battambang, Cambodia.

Street Festival Actor - Bangkok, Thailand

This actor readies himself for a street celebration in the Banglamphu market area of Bangkok. Local families gathered in the blocked off area to watch the festivities (and slowly go deaf from the volume of music and banter). Without any Thai skills, we could still roughly follow the storyline involving love, royalty and a few peasants. Some things are universal. Read Bangkok's 15-course street meal.

Kids Under an Elephant - Angkor, Cambodia

As we walked the periphery of East Mebon, these two girls popped up out of nowhere. The terrace we were on was pretty high, so it wasn't an easy climb. They didn't speak much English, but we shared peanuts and water together in the shade of the elephant statue. Read about our first impressions at the Temples of Angkor.

Brother and Sister Piggy-Back Ride - Luang Prabang, Laos

Hmong village families can be large; everyone pitches in. This girl doesn't seem that much older than her little brother, but still old enough to take care of him. The Hmong, descended from Mongolian nomads, have higher cheekbones and wider faces than the Lao, or other minority communities such as the Khmu. Read more about the three levels of hill tribes we encountered on this trek.

Cambodian Girl - Siem Reap, Cambodia

Our tuk-tuk driver in Angkor Wat, Mr. Date, took us to his village home just south of Siem Reap. We hung out there with his family, drank coconut juice from freshly cut coconuts, and watched the kids chase the chickens. Read about our first impressions of Siem Reap.

Cyclo Driver - Phnom Penh, Cambodia

A cyclo driver navigates the rush hour traffic outside the Russian Market in Phnom Penh. Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Girl with a Duck - Luang Prabang, Laos

From Luang Prabang, we took a river taxi across the Mekong to the area of Ban Xieng Maen, a peaceful area with a few low-key temples. Its simplicity belied the fact that we were only minutes from Luang Prabang. This girl was waiting with her mother...and her duck. And she was quite serious about it. People were extraordinarily friendly, even happy to see us, with kids running up to us and waving and adults smiling as we passed by. We only saw a couple of other tourists the whole day, meaning that not many people make the trip. We'd really recommend it, an easy way to see a different side of Laos so close to Luang Prabang. Read more about Ban Xieng Maen.

Kids on the Street - Phnom Penh, Cambodia

These kids were sifting through garbage near the bus station. Notice their wispy, lightly colored hair. We saw this almost blond hair in other kids as we traveled around the country. Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Old Lady Selling Banana Leaf Wrapped Treats - Hoi An, Vietnam

We found banana leaf wrapped treats throughout Southeast Asia. Most of the time they were filled with some pork and sticky rice mixture as a savory snack. Occasionally, they were filled with sticky rice, bananas, and coconut milk as a dessert. This woman was selling her bundles outside Hoi An's main market. Read about Hoi An's food specialties.

Young Indigenous Girl - Bac Ha, Vietnam

A young girl, wrapped from head to toe in embroidery, walks with her mother through the Bac Ha Market. Read more about Bac Ha market in Vietnam.

Woman with Chickens - Luang Prabang, Laos

Read more about the three levels of hill tribes we encountered on this trek.

Hmong Mother and Daughter - Sapa, Vietnam

The women of the house were dyeing cloth outside when we arrived. Large vats of indigo dye and meters of dark cloth lined the house. The women make hemp cloth by hand. The indigo dye, extracted from flowers, easily stains the skin. Read more about the hill tribes and trekking in Sapa.

Elderly Man Praying - Battambang, Cambodia

Deep in Prayer © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Little Girl in a Bath tub - Battambang, Cambodia

Get in the tub. Read more about our visit to Battambang, Cambodia.

Child Waiting on a Motorbike - Siem Reap, Cambodia

This girl waits for her mother to return from the market in Siem Reap. Read about our first impressions of Siem Reap.

Men Building a House Boat - Battambang, Cambodia

Local men work together to rebuild a boat house for someone in their community. Read more about this boat journey from Siem Reap to Battambang.