There are several attractions surrounding Yogyakarta which are best seen right around sunrise! The reason for this, as with many places, is there are far fewer tourist and you can essentially get the entire attractions to yourself. In addition to this, you'll hear the local morning birds calls, and get the warm morning hues highlighting the temples and their surroundings. Indonesia is riddled with lush jungle and volcanic landscapes. Almost everywhere you go you'll be surrounded by scenery such as this.

High atop a mountain in the town of Air Itam, Malaysia, you'll find the Buddhist temple of Kek Lok Si. The literal translation of Kek Lok Si means Temple of Supreme Bliss. It's true, it's hard to feel anything but bliss while walking around the ornately decorated temple's walls. Looking up above you, it's sometimes hard to see the sky through the thousands of hanging chinese lanterns. Being the largest Buddhist temple in South East Asia, it is a quintessential visit while travelling through Penang, a short journey from the city of Georgetown. 

In the past, Tamansari (or Water Castle) was a recreation garden or a resting house for the Sultan and Family. Now it is a heritage site you may go to visit and wander through all the incredibly peaceful water-filled chambers. The water in the pools will occasionally be replaced, though the time in between, it often accumulates a bright, vibrant green hue, which in contrast to the white cemented walls, almost gives it the impression of a glowing ooze! It's quite incredible to see and is located centrally in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, a mere 2 Km from the King's Palace.

Many people have heard of the wild Full Moon parties which take place on Koh Phangan, though it's much less common to hear of all the other magic and wonder which exists there. From private beaches, to jungle waterfalls, this island has a bounty of incredible things to explore. Here was a gorgeous sunset caught pushing it's way through the canopy overhead, while walking along Lola's Beach near Hat Rin, in the south-eastern tip of the island. This just happened to be the last tease of the day's delights before the night of the full moon.

Upon disembarking the ferry which brings you to the island of Koh Lanta, off the western coast of Thailand, you arrive to a typical street market with produce, street food, postcards and handicrafts. It's not an overly large market, as almost immediately upon arrival a fleet of pick up trucks try to shuffle you off to their respective bungalows. If you decide to explore a little bit, you may come across an area full of forgotten ships, scattered in an abandoned bay. The ship pictured above is amongst my favorite shipwrecks. 

This temple is found, amongst many others, in the Nikko National Park. There was a dense fog rolling through the forest that day, and the higher up the mountain we climbed, the thicker it seemed to get. Truly a mystical experience, especially with the snow capped roofs. Amongst the temples found here, one is home to the origin of the three monkeys (see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil), where you find it's first recorded pictogram, carved into the front of one of the ancient temples. 

Nikko is located about 125 kilometers north of Tokyo and makes a good one or two day trip from Tokyo. Nikko is connected with Tokyo by Tobu Railways and Japan Railways (JR). 

Take the JR Tohoku Shinkansen (from Tokyo or Ueno Station) to Utsunomiya Station and transfer to the JR Nikko Line. With a good connection at Utsunomiya, the one way trip takes about 100 minutes. You can easily access it via the JR Rail, but this is only recommended if you have the JR Rail Pass, as it is otherwise quite expensive. 

If you don't hold a pass, there are several other trains heading to Nikko, just none quite as fast as the JR Shinkansen. 

A unique form of theatre commonly found around Kerala is the Kathakali. It is an ancient theatre which uses no spoken word. Communication is simply through action, musical tone, and a simple sign language, which is explained at the beginning of the performance. 

Though some may find the story a little confusing to follow, it is still a spectacle for the eyes and ears, with extremely elaborate costumes, make up, drums and singing. I would encourage anyone interested in the performing arts to see a show of Kathakali. Performances around Cochin often happen on a nightly basis, and shouldn't cost much more than 600 Rupees (roughly $15 USD). 

If ever in Thekkady, Kerala, you should definitely visit the Kadathanadalari Centre (try saying that 3 times fast)! For a small entry fee, you will be dazzled with a 2 hour performance exhibiting many old Indian Martial Arts, weapon demonstrations, and feats of skill. Above, there is actually 2 rings set a blaze, and we watched in awe as they took turns jumping through the fiery hoops!

While wandering through one of the many Shinto Shrines located in Kyoto, a city known for it's abundance of temples and shrines, you often catch a glimpse of a Miko or two. Miko are holy women of the Shinto faith, who often assist priests in their religious functions, offer fortune telling and occasionally will be seen selling souvenirs. This shot was taken at Heian Shrine. The Tori (archway) at the entrance to this shrine is one of the largest in the Japan!

Just off the highway, roughly half way between Cochin (Kochi) and Allepey, you'll find a small factory on the side of the road which produces yarn and twine. Visitors are welcome to stop in to explore from begining to end, as the twine is produced from coconut husks, almost entirely by hand or food powered machines. If you're daring enough, you can even try it yourself, with a guided hand of course. Purchasing any of their products will of course help maintain their livelihood, and ensure this road side factory has a prosperous future.