Thailand travel has become synonymous with Koh Phangan’s Full Moon Party. No matter what age you are, or type of backpacker, this party has to be experienced at least once in your lifetime.  I have seven Full Moon parties under my belt. Some were spent writhing around in the crowds growing massive calves from attempting the hard feat of dancing on sand. Others were spent ‘working’ behind a bar, where the booze was free flowing and I spent more time laughing at all the heathens rather than being one myself. Either way, this party is so memorable and one of the many reasons why I love Thailand.

Thailand Travel - Full Moon Party

Full Moon Party Origins

Thailand Travel - Lighting display for the Full Moon Party

Full Moon Party folklore tells us that when I was only a whisper of a thing at two years old in 1985, a large leaving party, for a group of super cool travellers on Haad Rin Beach, went down so well that some clever soul thought, “Why don’t we do this every month?” From there spawned that glorious heard-it-on-the-grapevine thing and every month since, the party has gotten bigger and bigger with around 30,000 revelers turning up each month. The Full Moon party totally deserves it’s reputation for a unique experience in paradise.

How to get to the Full Moon Party

The island of Koh Phangan is a couple of hours off Thailand’s mainland.  Most travelers take a sleeper train down from Bangkok to Surat Thani or Chumpon and then a catamaran ferry to the island for around 1,200 baht.  Increasingly, cheap flights are being offered which whisk you down from the capital city to the neighbouring island of Koh Samui.  Costs for flights vary greatly, particularly during peak seasons or New Years Eve, so booking in advance is essential.  The ferry from Koh Samui is only 45 minutes so this isn’t a bad option if you don’t have a lot of time.

Haad Rin Beach

Thailand Travel - Full Moon Party

The party happens on Haad Rin beach, a cove setting where the only road access goes over some steep and often treacherous hills that make for a white knuckled moped ride or a shaky open taxi.  Staying in Haad Rin can be convienient as this party goes on until the sun comes up and beyond, so stumbling back to your hotel makes life easy.  Most people who are on the island for more than a few days often choose to stay on quieter parts of the island. I’ve done both and it totally depends on how long your staying and how much you can afford.

I have stayed just off the beach in Haad Rin in a private fan room for as little as 400 baht.  I found this place the night before the party which was very lucky by Koh Phangan standards.  When I had friends come and visit, they stayed in a 4-star resort on the neighbouring beach, about five minutes away from Haad Rin for around 1,500 a night – and they booked a month or so ahead.  Be sensible and try to arrive a few days before with either an advance booking or time to find somewhere perfect for you.

Thailand Travel - Beach Bar at the Full Moon Party

What to bring to a Full Moon Party

Not a lot.  Firstly, who wants to be partying with a bag to lumber around? Not me.  Security is definitely something that should be adhered to during this party.  Common sense goes a long way here.

Tips for a Fun and Safe Full Moon Party:

• Only bring enough money to last you the night, under 2,000 baht should be fine. (Although I often went with less than 1,000 and had an incredible time)
• Don’t bring any valuables as they’ll likely end up waterlogged or coated in sand.
• Don’t wear your best outfit.  Neon body paint is all the rave here and it doesn’t come out of clothes, so be warned.
• Of course you’ll want to bring your camera but be careful if you do.  Don’t leave it on the bar while you order a drink, and if it’s waterproof and shock proof, even better.
• Shoes! I know it’s a beach and being barefoot makes sense but broken bottles and naked feet are not a happy combination.  The clean up effort that happens the day after the party is brilliant but you’d be amazed at how many flip flops are left behind…

Thailand Travel - Kiri getting neon painted on her at the Full Moon Party

What to see at the Full Moon Party

Look up at the moon! It lights up the beach and casts a beautiful silvery glow over the crowds.

Make sure you check out the the Thai professional fire poi dancers. They are the best in the world.  Gorgeous sun kissed Thai men, usually adorned in some pretty impressive traditional Thai tattoos, marvel the crowds with perfectly timed fire routines.  They know how to get the crowds going and  it’s easy to spend hours dancing around them.

Watch out for the fire skipping though. I am still baffled by the amount of people that think skipping rope whilst its aflame is a good idea. It’s not. If you start thinking it’s a good idea, check yourself, you may have had one too many buckets and need to have a quiet word with yourself.

Thailand Travel - Dangerous Fire Skipping at the Full Moon Party

Thailand Travel - Kiri at the end of the Full Moon Party

Burns are the most common form of injury during the party, followed by all the mad people that ride a motorbike whilst inebriated. Never a good idea, especially on the Haad Rin hills.

Lastly, if huge thronging crowds seem a bit much for you, there are many calmer, nicer bars that overlook the beach.  Here you can dance to Resident DJ’s and still enjoy the atmosphere of the party whilst staying away from the mayhem.

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Laos travel is not only beautiful, but also jam packed with adventure activities.  I’m a selective adrenaline junkie, and sports such as rock climbing and tubing in Laos get me going.  However, suggest jumping out of an plane, and expect me to run for the hills.  Southeast Asia travel continues to be incredibly rewarding.

Laos Travel - Sailing Away by Dave_B_, on Flickr

Laos Travel

Laos surprised me for how active we could be and just how fun it was. My partner is Mr. Sport Extroadinaire and finding the right balance between the two of us, as backpacking partners, was sometimes challenging.  Pushing your limits is often what backpacking is about though and I’m glad I pushed mine.

You’ll be pleased to hear that Laos is one of the cheapest places in the world for adventure.  The country is easily affordable on a backpacking budget.  We could keep ourselves busy without breaking the bank.

Things to do in Laos

Rock Climbing in Vang Vieng

Whether you are a novice or a pro, Vang Vieng has a rock for you to climb.  I had only tried this once before, tucked up safely in an indoor arena. This was completely different and infinitely better. Laos has some stunning landscapes and in Vang Vieng, limestone cliffs border the town and make for perfect climbs.

With a friendly guide who spoke just enough English for him to answer my burning questions: “Yes, the harness was safe” and “No, you will not fall”, I boldly had a go and heaved myself up the rockface.  There were no markers indicating where you go like an indoor arena, this was free for all, grab on and go.  I tried three climbs (5A-C) with the difficulty intensifying each time and though failing to make it to the very top, I loved every second.

Needless to say my sporty boyfriend whizzed up every wall and even surprised the instructor by trying one of the more advanced 6A ones.  What made this challenging day all the more special was the feeling of satisfaction at pushing my body to limits I didn’t know I had and doing it all with the phenomenal Laos landscape as a backdrop.

Laos Travel - Rock climbing in Vang Vieng

Tubing in Laos

Now it’s arguable whether this is an adventure sport or just a big drinking binge, but either way it deserves a place on this list.  Tubing is unique to Laos. For a small fee, a tube can be hired out and you basically chuck yourself in the water and whizz down the Mekong.  Some genius (or madman) thought to turn it into a bar crawl and now at the start of the tubing experience and all the way along, bars scatter and haul you in to partake in drinking of quite mad proportions.

Down the river you can fly off huge slides, bounce off giant inflatables and swings and generally get your heart racing. It’s often a recipe for disaster however, especially in the dry season when the river is low. Make sure you plan your trip in the wet season, when the water is high and you can drink (or not of course) and cruise down the Mekong safely in a tube. Completely random but utterly brilliant.

Laos Travel - Vang Vieng Tubing - Flickr photo credit Kressie42

Mountain Biking in Laos

Hiring a bike in Laos is so cheap it’s almost unreal. For around a dollar for a day you can venture around and explore on your own.  We chose a day where the weather didn’t look so promising and lo and behold about half an hour in the heavens opened.  Though completely off putting for me at first and one or two harsh words thrown at my man, I almost turned back. Thank goodness I didn’t as the weather cleared and I had a completely exhilarating day discovering caves and lagoons and breathing in the fragrant air from the Laotian rice fields.

Laos Travel - Vang Vieng Landscape

Caving in Laos

Laos has many caving opportunities. Some with a guide and others with as little as “here’s a head torch and off you go”. We chose the latter and got to witness the awesome Phu Kam Cave and the Golden Buddha in Vang Vieng.  Beyond the Buddha, the cave goes on for miles and I’ll be honest, it’s pretty terrifying. But those of you that aren’t terrified of the dark and death inducing sink holes will surely love it.

Laos Travel - Phu Kam Cave, Vang Vieng

The Gibbon Experience in Laos

What could be more heart racing than zip lining through rainforest hundreds of feet up in the air?  The Gibbon Experience was firmly on our bucket list.  I’m sad to say it still hasn’t been ticked off, however, as unfortunately we timed our trip during a particularly heavy wet season and much of the experience was closed down. We made the choice to keep it on the list and have something to look forward to when we inevitably return.

The Gibbon isn’t just a day trip either. You can live in the tree canopy and spend your days zip wiring around, trekking and visiting waterfalls. I can’t wait to move into my little treehouse and experience life as the mystical gibbon.

Laos Travel - The Gibbon Experience - Flickr photo credit Dave

So there you have it, strap yourself in and get your blood pumping with all sorts of adventure things to do during your Laos travel.

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Bali Holidays - Bali temple by David Blackwell., on Flickr

When you think of a beautiful beach honeymoon, Bali often comes to mind. Aracely and I never really had a proper honeymoon, so trips to places like this are always on our minds. Aracely will bring up the fact, “But, we didn’t really have a proper honeymoon.” Someday we will enjoy Bali holidays. Our 10yr anniversary sounds good.

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When you think of Asia travel, you think Angkor Wat. There are very few people that visit Cambodia without paying a visit to this World Heritage Site.

Cambodia Travel - Angkor Wat

Asia Travel

I had often been transfixed by stunning images of these temples and was determined to explore them myself. Like many things, however, when a dream  is realised, sometimes it isn’t always exactly as you imagined…

Just like when I travelled to India and was saddened by the state of the Taj’s surrounding city, Agra, the Cambodian temples brought some disappointment in that the restoration work somehow spoiled the experience.  This is not to say that you shouldn’t visit. In fact, it’s the opposite, you most definitely should, as by time you go, the works will likely be finished.

Visiting Angkor Wat

For my partner and I, we did as we were duly told and woke at 4.30am, scuttling bleary eyed in a tuk tuk to the ticket office, hoping to catch the sun rise over these majestic temples when the site opens at 5am.  As we blinked through the dark and our eyes accustomed to the light we were sure the temples looked as though there was something covering parts of them.

As sunrise bore on and the temples shimmered into view our hearts sank at the unsightly green tarpaulin that obstructed the most iconic view of Angkor Wat.

Cambodia Travel - Angkor Wat

I couldn’t help feeling slightly miffed that when we paid our $20 fee, none of the staff thought to pre-warn us that the temples would look decidedly different to what you would expect.

In saying this though, even if I had been warned, we would have gone in anyway. We had travelled all the way from Phnom Penh and were not going to miss it for anything.

A hot cup of strong Cambodian coffee sorted us out and prepared us for our wanderings around the huge expanse of the Wat.

Cambodia Travel - Angkor Wat

The temples feature both Hindu and Buddhist sculpture but fall prominently under traditional Khmer Architecture. Built in the 12th Century, the temples were originally the capital city of Cambodia prior to Phnom Penh as it is now.  The structures are deeply weathered, crumbling under the strain of the sheer weight of the stone.

Cambodia Travel - Angkor Wat

The passage of time is most clearly shown as you walk around and see how trees have sprouted and taken root in between the walls and doorways. These iconic sights are what makes the temples so world renowned.

Cambodia Travel - Angkor Wat

An example of where the restoration work seemed to deflect from the unique history of the Wat can be seen here where a carving has been rather too obviously reworked.

Cambodia Travel - Angkor Wat

Of course, I appreciate that without some necessary restoration, ancient structures such as these may be lost forever.  It was just unfortunate that when we visited a lot of the work was so fresh, it looked somewhat fake and took away from of the original ancient beauty.

We spent the whole day, however, captivated by this beautiful place.  We got to sample some traditional Cambodian cuisine for lunch too. Well needed as the day was pretty exhausting walking around.

In summary, Angkor Wat was like nothing we had experienced before.  Nasty tarpaulin excluding, it was a fascinating day.

Travel Tips

• In my opinion, you don’t need to purchase a 3 day pass ($60) unless you are a photographer and are keen to get as many shots as possible during optimum light times around sunrise and sunset. Many of our shots were taken when the light was very bright so looked better in black and white. We were able to see all the main temples in one day.
• Take a big bottle of water with you.  A lot of the grounds are so large, it can be over an hour until you get to a cart selling drinks. We visited on a stifling hot and humid day and had failed to bring water with us. I might be being dramatic but it felt like I was trekking through the sahara at one point.
• Your guide book will tell you that sunrise is best to see the temples but remember every other traveller has been told the same thing so don’t expect to have the place to yourselves and lots of space to get a good view point. It’s SO busy at 5am!

Cambodia Travel - Angkor Wat

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Las Vegas Travel - Red Rock Canyon National Park

Las Vegas travel is always good to us. One might think that after you get married, Vegas doesn’t have the same appeal. We would disagree. It’s not just about hotels and casinos. We love Las Vegas for many reasons, including the adventure the area offers. Hiking, biking and rock climbing can all be done in the mars-like landscape of Red Rock Canyon National Park. Ride a dune buggy in the desert. So go out, work up a sweat, come back to your posh hotel and go enjoy some of the best dinning and gambling the world has to offer.

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China Travel - Asia Holidays

We recently visited Asia for the very first time during our visit to Beijing, China. Our only disappointment was that we didn’t have time to explore more of Asia. Many of the travelers we met in the hostels were doing the typical Asia backpacker trail, which included Thailand, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. Next time we visit Asia, I hope it’s after researching for Hong Kong holidays. It’s on our list of must see big Asia cities, and we hear it’s a lot easier to travel as a tourist in Hong Kong than in Beijing.

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Australia Travel - Byron Bay by aschaf, on Flickr

Guess where we haven’t traveled to yet? Australia.  Yup, still haven’t made it to the great Gold Coast or any type of Australia travel. Byron Bay is a popular stop for backpackers exploring the Australian coast, but yet, these 2 Backpackers haven’t made the trip yet. I am guessing when we finally venture out there we will be searching for Byron Bay hotels rather than hostels, as our travel tastes have changed a little bit. Although, it’s not a cheap country, so maybe a hostel will still suffice.

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I’ve lived in New Jersey most of my live and always within 45 minutes of New York City. My last residence in NJ was Hoboken, located just across the Hudson River. My morning runs always included the best views of “The City”, which is how we refer to it in those parts. Even after working in lower Manhattan for 3 years, this city still impresses me. It’s so incredibly big. Every time I visit a new city, I compare it to New York; and every time the cluster of skyscrapers on Manhattan Island tower over any other skyline that I’ve ever seen.

That was until I stared out the window of our plane as we descended on the landing strip of Beijing Capital International Airport.

“Beijing makes New York look miniature, I whispered.”

China Travel - Beijing Skyline

Beijing has approximately 22 million inhabitants, compared to the 8 million of New York City.

China Travel

We were only scheduled to be there for 8 full days and I didn’t do much research ahead of time, of course. I know Jason would have taken a different approach if he didn’t have a week full of business meetings. This meant I was going out and exploring this massive place alone. I remember wishing I was a little more prepared. “I’m going to need a map,” I thought.

All I knew about Beijing was that people don’t speak much English and it’s where Tiananmen Square is located. The first part is completely true. Actually, both the first and the second part are completely true, but Beijing also has an abundance of places to visit and it has a modern and easy to use subway system that will help you get to each and everyone of them. Here’s the places I visited during my short visit to Beijing during my China travels.

Tainanmen Square

Tainanmen Square has a lot of history, but it’s most famously know for the deadly protest in 1989. It’s huge, the size of about 50 football fields where over 1 Million people can congregate.  Today it’s highly protected by Beijing Police. There’s not much to see here except hundreds of Asian tourist groups.

China Travel - Tainanmen Square Beijing

Forbidden Palace

The ancient palace was home to the Chinese Emperor(s). This is massive, and I mean massive compound where thousands of eunuch, concubines  and high ranking officers lived to meet the demands of the Emperor as he ruled China. Anyone who visited the palace needed special permission or invitation, hence the name “Forbidden Palace.”  The place is usually extremely crowded, so go early and bring water and a snack. Depending on how interested you are in seeing a decent amount of the place this could easily be a full day event.

China Travel - Forbidden Palace - Beijing

The Great Wall of China

There are excellent sightseeing sections of the Great Wall available near Beijing. The most popular and picture perfect is at the Badaling section. We recommend avoiding the crowds and visiting the Mutianyu section instead. A lift takes you to the top of the wall where you can traverse several different sections for incredible views. Consider taking a toboggan ride down for a little extra excitement. Yes, I said toboggan.

China Travel - The Great Wall of China - Beijing

Hutong

Another popular Beijing activity is to take a rickshaw ride through the Hutongs (Alley’s) of Beijing. It’s an interesting way to see how and where the common people lived, but be aware of “Tea Ceremony” scams and always ask for a price before you decide to take part in any activity.

China Travel - Rickshaw Ride through Beijing

Temple of Heaven

Think of Central Park times 3. Here you will see people taking dance lessons, exercising, playing cards and practicing tai-chi. The Temple of Heaven translates to “Alter of Heaven” and includes many different buildings with historical and cultural significance.

China Travel - Temple of Heaven in Beijing

Lama (Buddhist) Temple

Over 50% of Chinese are Buddhist, which technically is not a religion, it’s more commonly referred to as a cultural practice or thought system. This is one of the largest and most important Buddhist Temples in the world. Here you can see an 85 foot tall Buddha carved out of one single piece of wood.

China Travel - Lama Temple - Beijing

China Travel - Lama Temple Beijing

Confucius Temple

“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.” ~Confucius. This is the second largest Confucian Temple in China and the only site where the entrance fee was a bit sketchy. My guide told me that tourists will get charged 70 Yuans but the real cost is actually only 30 Yuans. He asked me to stay behind while he purchased the ticket. On the actual ticket it did say 70, but he came back with 70 Yuan change for me. He said this is the only place where they have this issue. Inside the compound there is a museum that showcases how students of Confucianism learned the wisdom of their practice.

China Travel - Confucius Temple Beijing

Summer Palace

This peaceful compound was more or less the Emperor’s vacation home. He came here in the summer months to relax in the shade near the man made lake. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time as to enjoy the landscape and bring your walking shoes.

China Travel - Summer Palace Beijing

China Travel - Summer Palace Beijing

Beijing Zoo

Zoos in China aren’t the most animal friendly, and can be disturbing sometimes for animal lovers, but the Beijing Zoo houses something many westerners are eager to see. Panda Bears have residence in the zoo, but don’t expect them to look too happy with their living conditions either.

China Travel - Beijing Zoo Panda Bears

WangFuJing Shopping Street

Beijing’s most famous shopping center, housing famous Beijing brands, tea houses and restaurants. The street is closed off for pedestrian use only. Try venturing on a few side streets and your likely to find some disgusting bugs on sticks, ready to eat. Also be weary of “art students” inviting you to their exhibition and selling you fake art. I was approached by three different art students that asked me the same exact questions and offered the same exact thing.  They will engage in friendly discussion, asking where you are from.

China Travel - WangFuJing Shopping Street Beijing

Beijing Olympic Park

The most spectacular Olympic Games Opening Ceremony to ever take place was here, at Olympic Park in Beijing. The two most iconic stadiums are the Birds Nest and the Cube. Four years after the Games and Asian tourists still flock to visit the park in the thousands.

China Travel - Beijing Olympic Park - Birds Nest Stadium

Today’s post was made possible by Flightcenter.com.au. If you are looking for International flights, domestic flights, tours and cruises be sure to visit Flightcenter.com.au

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Thailand Travel - Eating Bugs in Phuket, Thailand

As a tourist traveling in Thailand you will inevitably stumble upon a food market, and, in that food market will be some interesting bugs to eat. It won’t be on everyone’s bucket list, but you will find foreigners taunting their buddies to have a try. If eating strange bugs is on your bucket list, start searching for flights to Phuket now, and beat your friends to the victory!

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China Travel - Great Wall

View of The Great Wall of China from Mutianyu on a warm March day during our visit to Beijing, China.  The Great Wall is only 1.5 hours away from Beijing, so be sure to visit this incredible Unesco World Heritage Site.  I still can’t imagine how they built this wall over the peaks of these mountains.  It’s truly an amazing human feat.

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Laos is a country firmly set on the Southeast Asia backpacker trail.  Vientiane, the capital city, is fully deserving of this status for its beauty and its diverse range of things to see and do during Laos travel.

Laos Travel - Buddha Park, Vientiane

Laos Travel

My partner and I had heard about Buddha Park on the outskirts of town (about 25km away) and saw it is an opportunity to hire a motorbike and go exploring.  We hadn’t anticipated just how unfinished many of the roads were, however, so it’s safe to say that this was one very bumpy ride!  By the time we arrived the heavens were looking rather menacing and we just managed an hour or so to wander around before a serious monsoon storm broke.

Laos Travel - Vientiane

Buddha Park, Vientiane

From first glance, you would be right to think that this park was ancient. The sculptures all look very weathered and authentic, almost as though each piece had been removed from an ancient temple somewhere else in Laos and moved to this giant outdoor arena.

Laos Travel - Buddha Park, Vientiane

In fact, the park is relatively new. Built in 1958 the collection of sculptures pay homage to both Hinduism and Buddhism.

Laos Travel - Buddha Park, Vientiane

The scale of some of the sculptures make this place truly magnificent.  Surrounded by lush landscaped gardens, Buddha crowns and mystical figures tower above you, reaching up for the sky.

Laos Travel - Buddha Park, Vientiane

There was something stirring about the sky becoming so moody as we slowly made our way between the outstretched arms of deities and mythical figures.  I couldn’t help but imagine as I heard thunder rumble that these epic behemoths might suddenly spark into life.

Laos Travel - Buddha Park, Vientiane

One of the most striking and somewhat odd sculpture is the large pumpkin shaped one that you can climb into and out of its gaping mouth.

Laos Travel - Buddha Park, Vientiane

At the beginning of my current Round the World trip, when I arrived in India, I was very excited by all the fascinating temples that I would see both there and in Southeast Asia. By the end of five months I must say that I had a bit of temple weariness. You can only see so much statues of Buddha himself or Shiva and her many arms.

Laos Travel - Buddha Park, Vientiane

At Buddha Park, however, I couldn’t help but be newly inspired by the craftwork that goes into the sculptures that make up temples and religious sites.  This place was magnificent.

And to make the day even more memorable, our little pop pop motorbike decided not to start when we tried to leave.  We had to wait in the pouring rain for over an hour whilst the hire company came out and fixed it for us.  This would have been annoying, but in fact it just gave us more time to admire these great structures.

Laos Travel - Buddha Park, Vientiane

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Beijing Travel - Panda

This baby Panda is laying down resting in between meals. Pandas eat for 14 hrs a day. They are vegetarians, they move slowly, are usually friendly and always incredibly adorable.

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Beijing Travel - Lama Temple

We are visiting Beijing, China for the first time and we are only here for one week. Naturally we’ve made it our mission to hit all the important landmarks of the city. This photo illustrates the amazing architecture of the 1600′s in the Lama Temple grounds.

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Florida Keys Travel - Key West Sunset Photo

View more Key West sunset and sunrise photos
It’s difficult to get a bad picture of a Key West Sunset or Sunrise, especially during the winter months when it’s rarely cloudy. This Key West travel photo was taken in March, during a weekend getaway to the Florida Keys.

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Argentina Travel - Aracely on the cliffs of Punta Ninfas in Patagonia Argentina

10 Unusual Things to Do in Buenos Aires
Punta Ninfas (Spanish, “Nymphs Point”) is found in Patagonia, Argentina. Just opposite of Península Valdés the Point is about 90 km southwest of Puerto Madryn. Argentina travel is vast and varying, from the bottom of the world in Ushuaia Patagonia to the the Gaucho lands of Northwest Argentina.

Punta Ninfas is the ideal location for observing a colony of elephant seals, whose breeding season occurs from September to December.

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Ecuador Travel - A Sea Lion Pup hangs out on a park bench in the Galapagos Islands

The wildlife on this Galapagos tour has been incredible as we continue #HangingWithTurtles during our Ecuador travel.

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Ecuador Travel - An Ecuador Food Tradition - the Empanada

Top List of Things To Do in Quito, Ecuador
During our tour of the Galapagos Islands, we were excited to come across a street food vendor making fresh empanadas. Empanadas are a food tradition present in most Latin American countries. Each country puts their twist on the fried dough snack, but Ecuador’s were always on top of our list. Our empanadas on this day were stuffed with either cheese or beef and fried right in front of us. During your Ecuador travel, don’t forget to indulge in some Spanish Empanadas.

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India travel has long been a favourite along the backpacking trail.  Especially when travelling with a partner, the erotic temples in Khajuraho are a must on any agenda to this fascinating country.

India Travel - Khajuraho Erotic Temples

India Travel

As an Indian woman, these temples define to me everything that is unique about India, everything that is beautiful and erotic.

India Photo Tour

Sensuality and the mother of all emotions, Love, is what holds this country together.  Ask any Indian how important the Karmasutra is to the history of the country, you may receive a blush but you’ll also recognise a profound respect.

India Travel - Kiri at the Khajuraho Erotic Temples

The temples are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and were the greatest highlight of my trip to India.  I would say no more than three days are needed here; one to freshen up on your day of arrival, one to explore the temples and another to unwind after a night of post erotic sculpture passion!

India Travel - Khajuraho Erotic Temples

Khajuraho - How to get there

These temples, which celebrate the act of love and much more, are found in the state of Madhya Pradesh.  Situated in the centre of this vast country, it is often aptly termed the heart of India.  This state boasts nine national parks and two other UNESCO sites, so an interesting itinerary can be created depending on how much time you have.

India Travel - Khajuraho Erotic Temples

The most common route is to fly into Delhi and first spend a day or two in India’s capital city. You can then catch a flight direct to Khajuraho, but frankly you would be crazy not to either catch the train or a flight to the Taj Mahal in Agra which is on the way and certainly needs no introduction from me.  Undoubtedly, one of the most romantic tourist spots in the world, everyone must see this wonder of the world once in their lifetime.

Khajuraho is an express (or cheaper) sleeper train away from Agra.  There is no direct flight.  The train is the best way to view the regions glorious landscape so foregoing the direct flight from Delhi and having the opportunity to see the Taj makes perfect sense.

India Travel - Khajuraho Erotic Temples

Khajuraho - Where best to stay

To my joy, the best positioned hotel, Hotel Siddartha, was literally opposite the temples and is fantastically affordable on a backpacker budget. We were lucky as this small hotel has only two levels and on the top floor there is only one room that overlooks these heritage grounds.  We travelled at the height of summer, it was 45C (113F) degrees in the heat and in general people tend to travel in winter when the climate is cooler.  Due to it being low season we were able to stay in this room and pretty much have the whole place to ourselves.

The room was huge, not luxurious, but comfortable.  It had a giant window and a King size bed positioned opposite the window so the temples could be seen in all their glory from our room.  The bed was so comfortable it was torture to get out.     There was the option to dine from the balcony outside or on the dining table in the room if it was too hot.  Watching the sun set from our air conditioned room was wonderful.

India Travel - Khajuraho Erotic Temples

The ease of being able to walk over the road to enter the grounds was perfect.  There are higher star hotels, with swimming pools and fine dining further up the road, but the view is by no means as good.  If you can, book far enough in advance to grab this room and its intimate view and you will be thanking me for a long time.

Don’t expect the height of luxury, be thankful for the medium range cost and the location is a dream.  I would probably advise eating in the local restaurants rather than from the mediocre hotel kitchen too.  It’s always best to get out and explore, rather than rely on resort hotel food.

India Travel - Khajuraho Erotic Temples

Khajuraho - What will I see?

It seems like a profound paradox that these temples, which were forbidden and completely infamous when they were originally found, were built to celebrate the Karma Sutra which is unique to India.  Wrongly deemed by some to be vulgar, these temples are boldly erotic but were not designed out of titillation alone.  The temples honour many Hindu deities and are therefore deeply respected.

India Travel - Kiri at the Khajuraho Erotic Temples

The sculptures around each temple depict couples in courtship, royal scenes, battles, marriage, meditation, sex and much more.

India Travel - Khajuraho Erotic Temples

One of the most famous sculptures is a man, pleasuring three women at the same time whilst standing on his head.  Here the combination of Yoga, Tantric Sex and the Karma Sutra combine and you realise just how much India has brought to the sensual world.

India Travel - Khajuraho Erotic Temples

What struck me the most was the artists beautiful skill in defining an idealistic female form.  The female figures are voluptuous, strong, often seeming to hold up the rock that surrounds them.

India Travel - Sculptures of Women at the Khajuraho Erotic Temples

Inside the dark temples, running my hand along the cool stone had quite a glorious effect on me.  The sensuous aesthetics of these intimate sculptures is an experience like nothing else in the world.  It’s impossible not to marvel at the craftsmanship and intricate architecture of a structure that was built as early as 950 A.D.

India Travel - Kiri at the Khajuraho Erotic Temples

Indian Cinema

Before making this erotic pilgrimage to Khajuraho, you might like to check out the now cult movie, Karmasutra: A Tale of Love directed by Mira Nair and released in 1996.  Originally banned in India (yes, seems incongruous, but unfortunately at the time of release kissing alone was still taboo in Indian cinema), this film takes you on a journey of the significance of the Karma Sutra’s teachings.

India Travel - Khajuraho Erotic Temples

This beautiful and tragic love story, takes you back to the time when these temples were created; a time of harems, courtesans and one sculptors obsession and devotion to his ultimate muse. When you walk around the temples for yourself having this movie as a reference point is a superb opportunity to bring these ancient temples to life.

Not many places in the world so brazenly encourage the pursuit of pleasure, so make sure you and your partner indulge! It will be a trip you will remember forever.

India Travel - Khajuraho Erotic Temples

All Images © Roscoe Duncan 2012.  All Rights Reserved.

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