Laos

A boat down the Mekong brought us to the Pak Ou caves, a shrine filled with hundreds of Buddha figures. Back in the night food market of Luang Prabang, you can fill a platter from dozens of delectable noodle and vegetable selections for about a buck fifty.

Maggots for breakfast?

Worms for sale at a street market in the Old Quarter of Hanoi…

Phnom Penh

Fish flops out of a basket in a market stall, never to see the sea again. Pails of curried locust, platters of candied spider… Wild black dogs with an unassailable wisdom of these streets. Many old whites have washed up on the shores of the Mekong, 18 year old Cambodian girls by their side. They […]

Vietnam street barbecue

Papa he grill the pork and mama she assemble the plate. Voila, Vietnam streetside BBQ.

Fishing village and market

This is the harbour in Mui Ne where thousands of boats bring in the bounty of the sea. At night you can see lights strung out on the horizon, like stars fallen from the sky: squid fishers. They eat land creatures too – crocodile is popular.

Saigon cuisine

The food in this city is mouthwateringly flavorful, abundant and cheap, with fresh ingredients sourced from the nearby Mekong delta. Take for instance this soup from a restaurant in District 8, with leeks, dill, lime, chili, cooked fish and tomatoes.