Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh Cambodia
Marissa Carruthers checks in to a desserted Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh, the latest and most expansive five-star offering in the Cambodian capital. If there’s one thing the current pandemic has…
Amber Kampot Cambodia Luxury Resort
Marissa Carruthers checks-in at Amber Kampot, the first luxury resort in the southern Cambodia riverine town, and experiences the rapid change taking place. As our boat meanders along a stretch…
Angkor Wat Away from the Crowds
Marissa Carruthers takes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Angkor Wat temple away from the crowds and finds it both an exhilarating and disheartening experience. It’s an eerie sight; almost apocalyptic….
Discovering the Beauty of Bohol Island, Philippines
Just prior to the coronavirus pandemic swept the world, Marissa Carruthers experienced the bounty of breath-taking beauty on Bohol island in the Philippines, which locals are trying to preserve as…
5 Unusual Things to Do in Phnom Penh Cambodia
Former AsiaLIFE Cambodia Managing Editor, Marissa Carruthers provides some insight into five of the more interesting things to do in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from sampling the local food to exploring…
Paradise Lost: Karimunjawa Islands, Indonesia
Marissa Carruthers takes a leap into the unknown to visit the small Karimunjawa archipelago off the coast of Java, Indonesia. I turned to Google for help when my friend asked…
4 Festivals in Cambodia Not to Miss
The Cambodian calendar is dotted with public holidays – so many that the government recently announced from 2020, the number will be slashed from 28 to 22. Here are the…
Zero Island : A Truly Sustainable Holiday
Marissa Carruthers talks to the team behind Neste Zero Island to see what this exciting project holds for the sustainable holiday of now and perhaps even weddings in the future….
Hoi An Photography Tour: Developing a Passion
Inexperienced photographer Marissa Carruthers joins an immersive three-day photography tour and workshop in Central Vietnam, emerging with a newly-found passion. I continue to wade through the thigh-high mirror-esque waters, clutching…
Halong Bay Cruise Avoiding the Crowds
Escaping a tourism conference in Halong City, Marissa Carruthers jumps on board a Halong Bay cruise to spend 24 hours exploring Vietnam’s UNESCO World Heritage site and its amazing karst…
Bizarre Ba Na Hills, Vietnam
Marissa Carruthers surprisingly steps straight out of Vietnam into a French village during a visit to Ba Na Hills, near the city of Danang, Vietnam. As we hop out of…
Finding Peace in Kampong Cham, Cambodia
Marissa Carruthers rejuvenates at the newly-opened Hanchey Bamboo Resort, an eco-venture that was lovingly carved from hand in the heart of the Kampong Cham countryside…
What to Do in Siem Reap Beyond the Temples
Siem Reap, home of Angkor Wat, is shaking off its image as simply a stop-off town while visiting the temples and becoming a destination within its own right. Marissa Carruthers…
Sedona Yangon: Too Little Time
On a travel business trip to the former Myanmar capital of Yangon, Marissa Carruthers finds herself at the Sedona Yangon with too little time to enjoy all its multifarious attractions.
48 Hours in Yangon
Marissa Carruthers ventures into Myanmar to take you through some of the former capital’s top attractions and more during 48 hours in Yangon.
Is Cambodia the Next Wellness Destination?
Fitness fads come and go but all feature the same goal – to keep your body healthy, but what about your mind? Marissa Carruthers asks whether Cambodia could become the…
Raid Amazones: Angkor Temple Challenge
The ancient temples of Angkor Wat provided the backdrop for Raid Amazones, a gruelling six-day sporting challenge that saw 175 women from across the globe gather in Cambodia’s Siem Reap….
Postcard Cambodia: Royal Sands Koh Rong
Marissa Carruthers travels to the islands off Cambodia’s southerly coast to sample luxury tourism at the Royal Sands Koh Rong and just about manages to drag herself back to normalcy….
Six Best Southeast Asia Wellness Resorts
Is 2018 the year to begin something new, to create a new year. Our resident expert in all things Eastern has given her pick of the best Southeast Asia Wellness…
Le Relais de Chhlong: Off the Map
Hidden off the main road, about 30 minutes before Kratie on the highway from the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, the small village of Chhlong remains off the map for…
Travel to Ogre Island, Mon State
In the second instalment in her Myanmar adventure, Marissa Carruthers gets crafty, takes a history lesson and hangs with the locals for a stunning sunset during a visit to Mon…
Books, Rockets and the Dead – Best Festivals 2018
What better way to discover different cultures than joining in with the festivities? Marissa Carruthers throws the spotlight on ten unique festivals 2018 has in store from around the globe.
Cardamom Tented Camp: Saving Rainforests
A pioneering sustainable tourism project is making its debut in the heart of the Cambodian jungle. Marissa Carruthers finds out from Willem Niemeijer how a stay at the Cardamom Tented…
Myanmar Travel Off the Beaten Track
In the first of two instalments, Marissa Carruthers falls in love with the bounty of natural beauty that Myanmar travel and Kayin State have to offer.