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Spirit Journeys gay travel to Thailsand, Laos and Cambodia is a wonderful way to experience this part of the world. Former gay vacations to this part of the world, including Nepal/Tibet, Bali, India and Thailand, have proved to be most rewarding both spiritually and culturally. Throughout this journey we will weave an ongoing, mindful meditation practice enabling us to more fully appreciate the greater purpose of the Buddhist temples and monasteries visited along the way. The journey begins in Bangkok where we spend two days visiting some highlights of this Asian metropolis, including the Royal Grand Palace with its famous Emerald Buddha, Wat Pho, which houses a marvelous 46 meter long gilded reclining Buddha, the floating markets of Tha Kha, and the Jim Thompson Thai House Museum.
The pilgrimage continues as we fly to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang in Laos. This ancient royal city is surrounded by mountains at the junction of the Mekong and its tributary, the Khan River. In the center of the city is Mount Phousi with stunning views of the surrounding temples and hills. Luang Prabang is a city where time seems to stand still. As part of the UNESCO plan, new buildings have been limited and development must be in keeping with this magical place. Our six days in the greater Luang Prabang area will include several Buddhist temples or "wats", such as Wat Xieng Thong with its rare statue of a reclining Buddha that dates back to the temple's construction in 1560. The sublime statue is one of the foremost Buddha images in the country. The itinerary features a boat trip up the Mekong River to the Pal Ou Caves housing hundreds of Buddha statues and a two night stay at the Kamu Lodge.
Next, we fly to Siem Reap situated 4 miles from the ancient city of Angkor, capital of the Khmer kingdom from 802 until 1295 AD. Angkor boasts some of the largest religious monuments ever constructed; it's a vast and mysterious complex of hulking sandstone blocks. Unknown to the world until a French naturalist literally stumbled onto it in 1861, the area of Angkor existed for centuries only as a myth -- a wondrous city (or cities, to be precise), its exact location in the Cambodian jungle unknown. After 1861, archaeologists flocked here, only to be foiled by years of conflict that left the temples in the hands of the Khmer Rouge. Many temples were damaged and pillaged. The temple complex covers some 60 square miles and carries the remains of some 290 monuments including passageways, moats, temples, and palaces that represent centuries of building in the capital. Our days are spent exploring numerous temples including Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Banyon, and Banteay Srei. This gay vacation ends back in Bangkok. We are planning this journey to be well-paced and relaxed. We have learned from prior journeys in Asia that "less is more" and so we are providing plenty of opportunity to simply "be" at temples and experience the people and sites of the surrounding area.
The people of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia are a joy to be with. Their smiles are genuine and their warmth is deep.
Have questions?
Contact us at 800-754-1875 or info@spiritjourneys.com
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