Globe Trekker - Thailand, Malaysia & Laos
Located in the heart of South East Asia, Thailand's bustling cities and heavenly beaches continue to attract more and more visitors every year. This progressive, fiercely independent, country provides a stark contrast to neighboring Laos. Also Buddhist, it has been under communist rule for the last 30 years and continues to offer a unique glimpse of an old South East Asia. Traveler Ian Wright begins his journey in the chaos of Thailand's capital Bangkok. Traveling north through Surin he makes his way to Chiang Mai from where here embarks on a three day trek. He then takes a boat along the Mekhong River to Lauang Prabang, the capital of Laos. He ends his journey celebrating the full moon festival in Vientiane.  Along the way: Learn the popular art of Thai boxing  Sample the local cuisine and haggle with the women at the Damnoen Saduak floating market  Take part in a tug of war between 1 elephant and 100 men  Celebrate the annual monkey festival in Lopburi  Witness the legacy of American Bombing in Laos during the Vietnam war              In the heart of South East Asia, modern Malaysia is a vibrant mix of different cultures - Malay, Chinese, Indian, and indigenous people. It has some of the oldest rainforest on the planet, bordered by the beautiful beaches of southern Thailand.  Traveller Justine Shapiro starts her journey in Kuala Lumpur, travels up to the jungles of the Temenggor, heads east to Kota Bharu, before flying back to Kuala Lumpur for Malaysia's biggest Hindu festival. Finally she takes the train to the island of Phuket in southern Thailand. Along the way… ¨ Visit the bursting and modern Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur ¨ Follow the procession at the Hindu festival of Tapusan ¨ Go trekking in the jungle with traditional hunters from the remote Temenggor region ¨ Watch the stylised and refined Sila art, a mix of martial art and dance ¨ Visit the Tong red light district in Phuket