VIDEOS

MYANMAR: It’s Shwebo!
This one’s from Shwebo, Myanmar — a quiet town north of Mandalay that sees few visitors and is famous for thankha, the wood many Myanmar women grind into a paste and use as a skin lotion and sun block. Filmed in January 2008 while updating the Lonely Planet Myanmar guidebook.

VIETNAM: Phu Quoc
Phu Quoc is an island of white-sand beaches and fish sauce off the southern coast. I shot this while researching my online guide to Vietnam, released in mid 2007.

VIETNAM: Ha Tien
Ha Tien, in Vietnam’s southwest corner, sees few visitors, as essentially no tour groups make it here. It’s a low-key place, with a couple good beaches, fish shacks and cave sites to see. On the ride from Chau Doc (four or so hours north) you can stop off at an amazing Tuc Dup Hill (a Vietnam War site the US spent untold millions to conquer, in vain).