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An Indonesian Honeymoon, 48 Hours in Laos and Top Biking Trails… Akorn Southeast Asia Insider
In this issue of Akorn Southeast Asia Insider, we showcase one of our favorite honeymoon destinations – Bali, Indonesia, and share tips for the ultimate 48 hours in Luang Prabang, Laos. We also reveal our Top 5 Biking Trails in Southeast Asia and chat with an Akorn Insider who shares insights about where to find the best northern Thai crafts.
Why We Are Booking Bali For Our Honeymoon
Dream-like rice field valleys backed by dramatic mountains, a deep-rooted sense of spirituality, rich artistic traditions and laid-back coastal communities – the island of Bali, Indonesia, has all the ingredients for the perfect honeymoon experience. Whether you are looking for a luxury retreat or active adventures in nature, our tailor-made Akorn experiences are fully customizable to ensure the best start to any newly-wed couple’s life journey.
Our bespoke journeys include options to receive sacred blessings, immerse in wellness, engage in Balinese arts and more.
Spiritual Insights: See into the future with a private reading by a Balian, a traditional Balinese astrologer, who taps into centuries of wisdom to answer questions relating to life, health and relationships. Here in Bali, people often seek out the advice of a Balian during important life moments and the spiritual guide can provide valuable life advice to the newly-wed couple.
Vintage Vehicle: Feel the wind in your hair as you travel across Bali’s lush rice fields and rolling hills in vintage style, seated in a classic convertible Volkswagen with an open top roof. Explore peaceful villages that inspired many Balinese artists with their scenic rice terraces and lush, tropical rainforests and take a dip at a hidden waterfall with clear natural pools surrounded by greenery.
Royal Picnic Expedition: Celebrate the occasion with a gourmet picnic on a clifftop overlooking stunning landscapes backed by views of Mount Agung in the distance. Savor delectable dishes fit for Indonesian kings, prepared by your private chef and served with a bottle of Champagne.
Balinese Wedding Blessings: Experience a traditional cleansing ritual to purify your hearts and prepare your two souls for a long and blessed union together. The ceremony is performed by a high priest who splashes holy water on the couple and places a grain of rice on each forehead as a symbol of prosperity and good fortune.
Couples Treatment: Enjoy a day of infinite relaxation with traditional healing experiences at a Balinese wellness retreat followed a twilight dinner overlooking the scenic Ayung River valley. The experience begins with a relaxing massage at a treetop spa perched above a mango tree and ends with a private three-course meal overlooking the natural forests below.
Contact us to find out how to include these special moments or explore more Indonesian travel ideas for your next Akorn journey.
48 Hours in Luang Prabang: Slow Travel for the Soul
From sacred blessings to rice farming, traditional crafts or a jungle trek, Luang Prabang, Laos is one of our favorite slow travel destinations with several natural, cultural and historical wonders to experience and explore. To help you make the most of your time there, here is our guide to the perfect 48 hours in Luang Prabang.
Day 1
Traditions and Temples: Begin your Lao journey with a truly Lao experience - a traditional baci blessing with local villagers. This age-old ritual is often performed on auspicious occasions and is said to bring good luck and happiness. After the ceremony, explore the old town, which was once the center of the Lan Xang kingdom. Hear stories of the Royal Palace, pass by a traditional longhouse and admire the colorful mosaic art at Wat Xiengthong.
Akorn Insider Tip: Enjoy a cup of monastic tea at the Buddhist Archive of Photography, which stores a collection of over 35,000 photographs depicting the life of monks over 120 years. Akorn guests have private access to view the original photographs in an area restricted to the public.
Local Lao Flavors: Have lunch at Khaiphaen restaurant, a social enterprise that supports local youths. Get to know some of the team members and help to make Lao rice treats wrapped in banana leaves – a special offering you can give to the monks during tomorrow’s tak bat morning almsgiving ritual.
Cultural Crafts: Spend the afternoon exploring Laos’ crafts and cultures. Ock Pop Tok is a weaving center where village weavers create intricate textiles using traditional looms. Learn about the tools and textiles of Laos’ 49 ethnic groups at the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center or cross over the Mekong River to visit a pottery village where craftsmen create decorative pots and terracotta tiles using age-old wisdom.
Sundowners and a Market: Sip sunset drinks or local beer while enjoying a leisurely cruise on the Mekong River. For dinner, head to Manda de Laos for traditional Lao cuisine or opt for well-presented Mediterranean classics or wood-fired pizza at the retro-style Popolo Cantina. After dinner, we recommend a stroll through the night market where you can admire Lao arts and crafts, organic coffee and other locally made goods.
Day 2
Mystical Morning: Every day before dawn, Lao monks leave from their temples and walk in single file through the town to offer blessings and collect alms. This daily tak bat ceremony offers a glimpse into Laos’ deep sense of tradition, respect and spirituality.
Lao Lands: Spend the morning with Lao organic rice farmers and experience each stage of the rice journey – from plowing the field with a buffalo to planting seedlings and harvesting the final product.
Alternatively, opt for a morning trek in a limestone-rich forest tucked away in the quiet countryside. The trail starts at a small Hmong ethnic village and leads through a path shaded by centuries-old jungle trees and foliage, ending at the sparkling, turquoise lagoons of Kuang Si Waterfall. This is the perfect time to stop for lunch at a nearby restaurant that serves Lao soups and papaya salads with jungle views.
Akorn Insider Tip: On the way back to town, stop for some artisanal cheese, ice cream, yogurt and other dairy products at a buffalo dairy farm. Laos Buffalo Dairy is a social enterprise that works in tandem with local farmers to produce a smorgasbord of farm-made items such as buffalo mozzarella, feta and ricotta cheese, and ice cream infused with local flavors such as coconut, lemongrass and black sesame.
Bowls and Barbecue: Enjoy a fun night out with locals in Luang Prabang with a Lao-style barbecue and a friendly round of pétanque - a pastime inherited from the French (similar to bocce or lawn bowls). After the game, enjoy a sin dad grilled dinner where a selection of meats and vegetables are cooked and served with delicious sauces directly at the table.
Akorn Insider Tip: Keep the night going with a round of drinks beside the Nam Khan River at The Apsara Wine Bar or stop by Icon Klub for excellent cocktails on the peninsula.
Click below for more Laos travel ideas or contact us for personalized recommendations to make the most of your next journey in Southeast Asia.
Made in Chiang Mai: A Chat With Our Akorn Insider
Motivated by a love of rattan designs, tribal textiles and rare antiques, our Chiang Mai-based Arts and Crafts Akorn Insider has an eye for unique, northern Thai treasures. Delivering bespoke experiences for Akorn guests, the handicraft enthusiast opens the doors to small boutique shops, ethnic craft studios and design galleries across Chiang Mai, tailoring the experience according to individual tastes and preferences. We sat down with the Thai-Italian-American procurement specialist to find out more about her favorite finds around Chiang Mai.
Q: How did you get into the world of northern Thai crafts?
A: I was lucky to be involved with a project called Handmade Chiang Mai about 10 years ago. The project showcased craft makers in the area through documentaries and photography. I was exposed to so many artisans and was able to closely observe the detail and patience involved in their processes. It made me value handmade objects in a whole new way and led to more and more projects in this area, as well as a lot of shopping on my part!
Q: Were there any artisans from that project that particularly inspired you?
A: Boom Chappell from Metal Studio has been an inspiration to me for years. I photographed her jewelry-making process for Handmade Chiang Mai and really enjoy the organic nature of her designs. She makes rings, pendants, bracelets and other jewelry using shapes and patterns found in nature – trees, flowers, fire and water are her inspiration. She is passionate about stones and never creates the same piece twice.
Q: What makes Chiang Mai crafts unique and where is the best place to look for them?
A: Chiang Mai is in a unique position geographically. It was a trading stop on the Silk Road and for over a hundred years it has been a regional hub for commerce. In that time, the city has drawn in a wide variety of ethnic groups, all of whom have made unique contributions to the world of crafts with their textiles, wicker, woodcarving, silver and more.
The original hub for trading and the perfect place to start your exploration of northern Thai handicrafts is Kad Luang, a fantastic market in the heart of the city. The market sells a variety of products, from hill tribe embroidery and cotton textiles to upholstery fabric, rattan products, Thai cookware, fresh flower garlands and more. Another great place to explore is One Nimman, which has more modern crafts by contemporary makers.
Q: Can you share with us some “secret” spots to shop?
A: My go-to place for high quality handicrafts is Sop Moei Arts. They have a unique collection of textiles and basketry made by artisans from the Pwo Karen tribe who live in Mae Hong Son, a province to the west of Chiang Mai, near the Myanmar border. The crafts are made in the villages and brought to Chiang Mai to be finished - they modernize traditional crafts with great refinement. Bilan, just off the southern moat of the city, is also great if you like to rummage through antiques.
Q: Where is a good place to find pieces by new or undiscovered artisans?
A: One thing about Chiang Mai is that there are always up-and-coming artisans. It’s an incredible place for them to thrive. A great place to check them out is at Jing Jai Market which sells crafts on weekends and CAP Studio in the old city where young artists and printmakers showcase their work.
Q: Besides shopping, can you recommend any “insider” places to eat and hangout in Chiang Mai?
A: Thanin Market is a great foodie market to explore with a fantastic ready-made food section and great fruits. I love the kanom krok (a coconut custard dessert), kwuay chai (chive dumplings), sai oua (northern Thai sausage) and patang-go (deep fried doughnuts).
Meet our Akorn Insider in Chiang Mai for a personalized northern Thai arts and crafts experience. Stops are tailored according to individual interests and may include handmade ethnic textiles, locally-made woven baskets, decorative home décor and more.
Two-Wheeled Travels: Our Top 5 Biking Trails in Southeast Asia
We love to take the road less traveled and feel the wind in our hair. That is why we never pass up a chance to hop on a bike and go exploring. From remote villages to ancient temples and picturesque forests, our destinations offer an endless variety of Instagram-worthy backdrops for your next two-wheeled adventure. We’ve narrowed down our list of favorites here in our Top 5 Biking Trails in Southeast Asia.
1. On the Volcano’s Edge, Bali, Indonesia
Taste fresh oranges that grow from the rich, volcanic soil and cycle past scenes of rice fields, rainforests and villages that have inspired generations of wood carvers, sculptors, artists and musicians. The villages of Kintamani, on the side of Mount Batur are backed by rolling mountains and valleys and you can stop along the way to explore local plantations and taste a local family’s delicious Balinese cakes.
2. Temples and Villages, Siem Reap, Cambodia
The gray sandstone temples and lotus-shaped towers of the Angkor Archaeological Park create the perfect setting for a bike ride. Beyond the temples, we also love to go off-road and explore the countryside paths and villages around Siem Reap. Pedal past lines of sugar palm trees and see farmers working in their fields. Stop by to have lunch with a local family who offer unique insights and personal perspectives on life in their traditional Khmer house.
3. Biking through Backroads, Hue, Vietnam
Venture off the beaten path and cycle along local paths where humble farmers and villagers go about their day. Here, in the quiet countryside of Hue, you can discover small villages, rice farms and mushroom houses that offer a glimpse into the agricultural lifestyles of these communities. The route takes you to a hidden architectural gem, tucked away, beyond the reach of most visitors – an 18th-century wooden bridge reminiscent of the more famous Japanese-covered bridge in nearby Hoi An.
4. An Urban Oasis, Bangkok, Thailand
Just beyond the hustle and bustle of Bangkok’s city center, you find yourself in a natural oasis filled with jungle foliage, fruit orchards and winding canals – ideal for leisurely biking adventures. Often referred to as the city’s “Green Lung,” this protected conservation area lies in a bend of the Chao Phraya River and is a peaceful sanctuary where you can discover local temples, visit a Muay Thai boxing studio and have lunch with a view at a tree house restaurant.
5. Rural Villages and Farmland, Southern Laos
Home to fresh fruit, coconut and sugar cane farmers, Don Daeng is a quiet riverine island nestled in the Mekong River. The island offers a window into a peaceful, rural lifestyle where residents spend their days farming, fishing and weaving baskets. Here, the rural roads are ideal for gentle bike rides where you can pedal at your own pace past rice fields, houses and an old stupa - and stop for an authentic, home-cooked lunch at a local home.
Click the links below for more Akorn Southeast Asia travel ideas or contact us for more details about our biking experiences in Southeast Asia.
Regional News
• From June 2023, Thailand plans to introduce a new entry fees for international arrivals: THB 300 for arrivals by air and THB 150 for arrivals by land and sea. The entry fees are to be included in the cost of the travel ticket.
• In February 2023, Singapore removed all vaccination and testing requirements for visitors entering the country.
• Qatar Airways has added more flights between Thailand and Doha; the airline now offers three daily flights from Phuket and four daily flights from Bangkok.
• Akorn Thailand received the Travelife Partner award, recognizing our long-term commitment to sustainability and you can find out more in our Sustainability Code of Conduct.
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