Pink Chopsticks

I’m currently based in Phnom Penh and since Angkor Wat is just a few hours  away by bus from the city, we headed over there last weekend. Not my first time there but still, the temples of Angkor Archeological Park never ceases to amaze and mystify me.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Angkor Wat is considered the main temple, and it is a great example of classical Khmer (Cambodian) art. It has also become a symbol of the country and is even featured in the Cambodian national flag.

The most common mistake people make about Angkor Wat is thinking that it is the only temple in Siem Reap Cambodia. It’s not, it may be the most popular and the most massive but it is just one of the hundreds of temples you can see there. One even has the danger of being templed out after seeing too many of them. But still, the park is one of the wonders of the world. A reason why its almost always jampacked with tourists all year round.

Gate to Angkor Thom Temples

The Bayon Temple

The city of Siem Reap is the gateway to the temples of Angkor. It is a highly accessible city, lots of transportation options and if you’re worried about places to stay, don’t be. From uber luxurious to the backpacker’s budget choice, the small city has a lot to offer with amenities to suit even the most discerning of travelers. Siem Reap also has its own international airport so you can fly directly from Bangkok, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore and Phnom Penh.

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Asia is becoming more and more the place to travel for a lot of Westerners. It’s easy to see why. The Asian region is so diverse and exotic when it comes to its people and its culture. A lot of Western tourists though a bit intimidated by traveling to Asia than traveling to Europe, the US or South America. The language is a big factor.

But now that the Asian region is opening up and becoming partially Westernized, traveling to Asia can now be easily enjoyed. Here are some tips on how you can have some adventure and new experiences when you travel to Asia.

Keep in mind that Asia is the biggest continent. It is not homogenous and not all countries you can cover by simply taking a train. Asia is comprised of several countries with hundreds of different cultures you can explore. A lot of islands can be found in the Asian region as well.

The best thing to do first is to find out which are best interests you. You may want to explore: • East Asia which includes China, Mongolia, North and South Korea, and Japan. • Southeast Asia is composed of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines. • South Asia region includes India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal and Bhutan; • Southwest Asia includes Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Cyprus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait; This region is also called the Middle East. • Russia and the states of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan Uzbekistan.

Learn about travel restrictions and the visa requirements of a country before you embark on your Asian travel. Some of the countries above are not safe for travel. North Korea most probably won’t give you a visa while other countries like Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand are easier to get in to.

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Hello! Ni hao! Konnichiwa! Chao! Mabuhay! 

I’m PinkSushi and welcome to Pinkchopsticks! This blog is all about living, exploring and celebrating all things Asian. Why Asia? I am an Asian. I was born and raised in the Philippines and now I’m living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I am proudly Asian. 

Traveling around different Asian countries made me realize just how unique and diverse Asia is. Not only in geography and natural environment, but also in people, languages, culture and traditions, lifestyle and more.

Asia is the world’s largest continent and covers about 30% of the worlds total land area. Asians make up about 3/5 of the world’s population with more than 4 billion people. So what could be better than exploring the richness in culture and diversity of the Asian region?

I’ll be making regular updates on Asian culture and traditions, trivia, fun finds, travel and places, cuisine, lifestyle, technology and innovation, latest news, well just about anything Asian.

As for the site name – Pinkchopsticks, Pink, because well I’m a girl and I love pink. Chopsticks, I asked several people what are the first words that come up to their minds when they hear the word Asia, and I got several answers of: chopsticks! Hence the name Pinkchopsticks. I’ll also be using the penname PinkSushi.Hmmn, obviously, I love Japanese sushi..

Thanks for visiting this site and hope you stick around and visit again. I’d really appreciate it if you can drop me a comment or a suggestion on how I could improve the site as well as topic suggestions. Do get regular updates from Pinkchopsticks, subscribe to my feed..

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