{"id":3961671,"date":"2023-04-26T18:23:56","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T16:23:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/?p=3961671"},"modified":"2025-03-31T12:42:14","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T10:42:14","slug":"travel-journal-southeast-asia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/","title":{"rendered":"Southeast Asian travel journal"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=\u201d1\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||false|false\u201d collapsed=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d900px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||true|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d4_4\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d header_2_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d header_3_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_3_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_3_font_size=\u201d26px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d40px||40px||true|\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d]<\/p>\n

Fire, water, earth and air: an immersion in the essence of eastern wisdom<\/h2>\n
\n

Experienced travellers to exotic lands, Christine and Laurent L\u00e9v\u00eaque dreamed of travelling to Southeast Asia and climbing a volcano<\/u><\/a> to celebrate Christine\u2019s birthday. They embarked on a journey between Vietnam and Bali, concentrating on immersive experiences,<\/strong> unmissable sites<\/strong> but also on more unexpected discoveries<\/strong>. They are sharing some of their impressions with Escales,<\/em> taken from their travel journal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\u201d1_2,1_2\u2033 make_equal=\u201don\u201d admin_label=\u201dcolumn-swap\u201d module_class=\u201dcolumn-swap\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d width=\u201d100%\u201d max_width=\u201d1000px\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||true|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d text_font=\u201d||||||||\u201d text_line_height=\u201d1.8em\u201d link_font=\u201d||||on||||\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d header_3_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_3_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_3_font_size=\u201d26px\u201d header_3_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d header_4_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_4_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_4_font_size=\u201d22px\u201d header_4_line_height=\u201d2em\u201d header_5_font=\u201d|700|||||||\u201d header_5_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_5_font_size=\u201d18px\u201d header_6_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_6_font_size=\u201d16px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d12px|30px|42px|50px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d||50px||false|false\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d|||40px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d]<\/p>\n

The cultural and natural riches of Vietnam<\/strong><\/h3>\n

On their arrival in Ho Chi Minh City<\/strong>, a teeming and tumultuous metropolis, Christine and Laurent were soon bowled over by the charms of old Saigon: \u201cWe enjoyed exploring picturesque places and were amazed by the precise and singular gestures of the craftsmen in a lacquer workshop<\/strong>, and strolling through the colourful alleyways of the markets<\/strong> that were filled with the intoxicating scents of spices,\u201d <\/em>says Christine. \u201cI could have stayed in the Fito Museum for hours. Located in an old house with typical Vietnamese architecture, it is dedicated to medicinal plants and secrets of the traditional medicine<\/strong> to which the Vietnamese are very attached. It was fascinating!\u201d <\/em>The unspoiled archipelago of the Con Dao Islands<\/strong>, in the China Sea, also left an indelible impression on the couple, with its wild landscapes that stimulate the imagination, and fishing villages that line the sandy beaches and crystal clear sea.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_divider show_divider=\u201doff\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_image=\u201dhttps:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/iStock-1276863804-1.jpg\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d height=\u201d100%\u201d height_tablet=\u201d350px\u201d height_phone=\u201d280px\u201d height_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d border_color_right=\u201d#ffffff\u201d border_width_all_tablet=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d border_width_right_tablet=\u201d0px\u201d border_width_right_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_right_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\u201d1\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||25px||false|false\u201d collapsed=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_row column_structure=\u201d1_2,1_2\u2033 make_equal=\u201don\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d width=\u201d100%\u201d max_width=\u201d1000px\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||true|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_divider show_divider=\u201doff\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_image=\u201dhttps:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/iStock-1009914256-Personnalise-1.jpg\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d height=\u201d100%\u201d height_tablet=\u201d350px\u201d height_phone=\u201d280px\u201d height_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d border_color_right=\u201d#ffffff\u201d border_width_all_tablet=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d border_width_right_tablet=\u201d0px\u201d border_width_right_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_right_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d text_font=\u201d||||||||\u201d text_line_height=\u201d1.8em\u201d link_font=\u201d||||on||||\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d header_3_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_3_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_3_font_size=\u201d26px\u201d header_3_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d header_4_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_4_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_4_font_size=\u201d22px\u201d header_4_line_height=\u201d2em\u201d header_5_font=\u201d|700|||||||\u201d header_5_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_5_font_size=\u201d18px\u201d header_6_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_6_font_size=\u201d16px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d7px|30px|48px|50px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d||50px||false|false\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d|||40px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d]<\/p>\n

Fascinating cultural fusion in Singapore<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As soon as they landed in Singapore, the couple fell under the spell of this multicultural city-state. \u201cYou go from Chinatown to Little India, or Arab Street<\/strong> in a few minutes. You alternate between neighbourhoods with architecture shaped by ancient Asian influences<\/strong> and futuristic districts<\/strong> with avant-garde skyscrapers.\u201d<\/em> The couple made sure they visited the Botanical Gardens<\/strong> \u2013 a UNESCO World Heritage site \u2013 which is home to more than 10,000 plant species, some of which are rare and endemic. The urban part of their journey ends with cocktails and a breathtaking view from the city\u2019s most famous rooftop, the Marina Bay Sands<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\u201d1_2,1_2\u2033 make_equal=\u201don\u201d admin_label=\u201dcolumn-swap\u201d module_class=\u201dcolumn-swap\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d width=\u201d100%\u201d max_width=\u201d1000px\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||true|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d text_font=\u201d||||||||\u201d text_line_height=\u201d1.8em\u201d link_font=\u201d||||on||||\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d header_3_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_3_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_3_font_size=\u201d26px\u201d header_3_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d header_4_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_4_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_4_font_size=\u201d22px\u201d header_4_line_height=\u201d2em\u201d header_5_font=\u201d|700|||||||\u201d header_5_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_5_font_size=\u201d18px\u201d header_6_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_6_font_size=\u201d16px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d9px|30px|81px|50px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d||50px||false|false\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d|||40px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d]<\/p>\n

The unique marine life of Karimunjawa<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Off the coast of Java, Indonesia, <\/strong>Christine and Laurent were thrilled to go snorkelling and marvel at the idyllic underwater environment<\/strong> where tropical fish, sea turtles and coral flourish. \u201cVictor, one of the naturalist guides, found a wonderful spot right away. He was so enthusiastic about the beauty of the sea that we jumped straight into the water. We had never seen such a beautiful underwater garden and so many different types of coral!\u201d\u00a0\u00bb<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_divider show_divider=\u201doff\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_image=\u201dhttps:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/R091122_Divers_Indonesie_\u00a9julien_fabro_2N4A5620-2-Personnalise-1.jpg\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d height=\u201d100%\u201d height_tablet=\u201d350px\u201d height_phone=\u201d280px\u201d height_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d border_color_right=\u201d#ffffff\u201d border_width_all_tablet=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d border_width_right_tablet=\u201d0px\u201d border_width_right_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_right_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\u201d1_2,1_2\u2033 make_equal=\u201don\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d width=\u201d100%\u201d max_width=\u201d1000px\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||true|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_divider show_divider=\u201doff\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_image=\u201dhttps:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/r091122_Borobudur_Indonesie_\u00a9julien_fabro_0o5a1279-Personnalise-1.jpg\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d height=\u201d100%\u201d height_tablet=\u201d350px\u201d height_phone=\u201d280px\u201d height_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d custom_padding=\u201d||0px|||\u201d border_color_right=\u201d#ffffff\u201d border_width_all_tablet=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d border_width_right_tablet=\u201d0px\u201d border_width_right_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_right_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d text_font=\u201d||||||||\u201d text_line_height=\u201d1.8em\u201d link_font=\u201d||||on||||\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d header_3_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_3_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_3_font_size=\u201d26px\u201d header_3_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d header_4_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_4_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_4_font_size=\u201d22px\u201d header_4_line_height=\u201d2em\u201d header_5_font=\u201d|700|||||||\u201d header_5_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_5_font_size=\u201d18px\u201d header_6_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_6_font_size=\u201d16px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d14px|30px|36px|50px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d||50px||false|false\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d|||40px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d]<\/p>\n

A sense of inner peace in Borobudur<\/strong><\/h3>\n

At 123 metres square, 34.50 metres high, with 500 statues of the Buddha, and five kilometres of bas-reliefs that tell the story of Buddhism, Borobudur<\/strong>, built in the 9th<\/sup> century, is one of the largest Buddhist monuments<\/strong> in the world, rising amid a lush-wooded park. \u201cAs the monks reached the top of the temple, the rain began to fall, instantly emptying the site of visitors. We stayed until the rain eased off\u2026 It was as if time stood still, just like in the account by the journalist Roger Vailland in 1950, which I had brought with me in my luggage!\u201d <\/em>Laurent tells us excitedly.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\u201d1_2,1_2\u2033 make_equal=\u201don\u201d admin_label=\u201dcolumn-swap\u201d module_class=\u201dcolumn-swap\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d width=\u201d100%\u201d max_width=\u201d1000px\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||true|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d text_font=\u201d||||||||\u201d text_line_height=\u201d1.8em\u201d link_font=\u201d||||on||||\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d header_3_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_3_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_3_font_size=\u201d26px\u201d header_3_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d header_4_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_4_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_4_font_size=\u201d22px\u201d header_4_line_height=\u201d2em\u201d header_5_font=\u201d|700|||||||\u201d header_5_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_5_font_size=\u201d18px\u201d header_6_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_6_font_size=\u201d16px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d9px|30px|38px|50px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d||50px||false|false\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d|||40px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d]<\/p>\n

The spellbinding spectacle of the Mount Bromo volcano<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Mount Bromo<\/a><\/u> is an active Indonesian volcanic cone that rises to a height of over 2,300 metres above sea level. People often go there at night to witness the sunrise<\/strong> from its summit. The 360-degree view is unforgettable. \u201cAfter crossing the sea of black sand at its foot,<\/em> we took our time climbing the 250 steps to reach the edge of the crater. The closer we got, the more persistent the smell of sulphur became. But the sight on arrival was amazing\u2026 we were literally hypnotised: a crater in the hollow of which we could make out a jade green lake from which a dull noise and thick smoke were escaping. Fire, water, earth, and air<\/strong>..\u2019 I\u2019ve never felt so close to the bowels of the earth. You feel so small and fragile in the face of these giants of lava and ash,\u201d <\/em>recalls Christine with emotion.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_divider show_divider=\u201doff\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_image=\u201dhttps:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/R091122_Mont-Bromo_Indonesie_\u00a9julien_fabro_2N4A2934-Personnalise-1.jpg\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d height=\u201d100%\u201d height_tablet=\u201d350px\u201d height_phone=\u201d280px\u201d height_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d border_color_right=\u201d#ffffff\u201d border_width_all_tablet=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d border_width_right_tablet=\u201d0px\u201d border_width_right_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_right_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\u201d1_2,1_2\u2033 make_equal=\u201don\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d width=\u201d100%\u201d max_width=\u201d1000px\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||true|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_divider show_divider=\u201doff\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_image=\u201dhttps:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/R091122_Bali_Indonesie_\u00a9julien_fabro_0O5A4927-Personnalise-1-1.jpg\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d height=\u201d100%\u201d height_tablet=\u201d350px\u201d height_phone=\u201d280px\u201d height_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d custom_padding=\u201d||0px|||\u201d border_color_right=\u201d#ffffff\u201d border_width_all_tablet=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d border_width_right_tablet=\u201d0px\u201d border_width_right_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_right_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d text_font=\u201d||||||||\u201d text_line_height=\u201d1.8em\u201d link_font=\u201d||||on||||\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d header_3_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_3_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_3_font_size=\u201d26px\u201d header_3_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d header_4_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_4_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_4_font_size=\u201d22px\u201d header_4_line_height=\u201d2em\u201d header_5_font=\u201d|700|||||||\u201d header_5_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_5_font_size=\u201d18px\u201d header_6_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_6_font_size=\u201d16px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d14px|30px|33px|50px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d||50px||false|false\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d|||40px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d]<\/p>\n

A spiritual and cultural immersion in Bali<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The island of Bali has preserved its Hindu traditions and cultivates a gentle way of life enhanced by a variety of magnificent landscapes: terraced paddy fields<\/strong> surrounded by temples<\/a><\/u>, tropical gardens<\/strong> where orchids grow in abundance, refreshing waterfalls<\/strong>, hot thermal springs<\/strong> nestled in lush green valleys\u2026 This stopover was an opportunity for the Leveques to immerse themselves in the way of life of a Balinese famil. \u201cWe purified ourselves with water from the sacred springs of a temple before helping to prepare the offerings and the daily meal. The Balinese make daily offerings of plants to the dead and the deities. They honour them by building richly decorated altars in the courtyards of the houses.\u201d <\/em>The rest of the day was punctuated by learning about rice harvesting<\/strong>, coconut oil making<\/strong>, weaving<\/strong> with bamboo fibre, and dances<\/strong> to the sound of the gamelan<\/strong> (traditional instrumental ensemble).<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\u201d1_2,1_2\u2033 make_equal=\u201don\u201d admin_label=\u201dcolumn-swap\u201d module_class=\u201dcolumn-swap\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d width=\u201d100%\u201d max_width=\u201d1000px\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||true|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d text_font=\u201d||||||||\u201d text_line_height=\u201d1.8em\u201d link_font=\u201d||||on||||\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d header_3_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_3_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_3_font_size=\u201d26px\u201d header_3_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d header_4_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_4_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_4_font_size=\u201d22px\u201d header_4_line_height=\u201d2em\u201d header_5_font=\u201d|700|||||||\u201d header_5_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_5_font_size=\u201d18px\u201d header_6_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_6_font_size=\u201d16px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d9px|30px|48px|50px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d||50px||false|false\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d|||40px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d]<\/p>\n

The mysterious Komodo archipelago<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Komodo dragon<\/a><\/u><\/strong>, the world\u2019s largest lizard (over 3 metres long and weighing up to 70 kg), is an endemic, rare and fascinating species that can only be seen in Komodo, Indonesia<\/strong>. For Laurent, \u201cbeing able to get close to these shores to observe these famous dragons on their wild island, in the middle of the Indonesian archipelago, was a particularly striking experience. A real leap in time and space.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_divider show_divider=\u201doff\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_image=\u201dhttps:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/R091122_Komodo_Indonesie_\u00a9julien_fabro_0O5A6013-Personnalise-1-1.jpg\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d height=\u201d100%\u201d height_tablet=\u201d350px\u201d height_phone=\u201d280px\u201d height_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d border_color_right=\u201d#ffffff\u201d border_width_all_tablet=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_all_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d border_width_right_tablet=\u201d0px\u201d border_width_right_phone=\u201d\u201d border_width_right_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d900px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||true|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d4_4\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d text_font=\u201d||||||||\u201d text_line_height=\u201d1.8em\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d header_3_font=\u201d|600|||||||\u201d header_3_text_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 header_3_font_size=\u201d26px\u201d header_3_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d text_orientation=\u201djustified\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||40px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d]<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Photos credits : \u00a9iStock<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\u201d1\u2033 admin_label=\u201dPUSH\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d custom_padding=\u201d||0px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_row column_structure=\u201d1_2,1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d custom_padding=\u201d|50px||50px|false|true\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_image src=\u201dhttps:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/push-croisiere-ponant-1-1.jpg\u201d alt=\u201dpush-croisiere-ponant-1\u2033 title_text=\u201dpush-croisiere-ponant-1\u2033 align=\u201dcenter\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d445px\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d max_height=\u201d445px\u201d custom_margin=\u201d-90px||||false|false\u201d custom_padding=\u201d||20px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d custom_padding=\u201d|50px|||false|false\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d|50px||50px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d|20px||20px|false|true\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d text_font=\u201d|700|||||||\u201d text_text_color=\u201d#ffffff\u201d text_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d text_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d width=\u201d70%\u201d width_tablet=\u201d100%\u201d width_phone=\u201d\u201d width_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d custom_margin=\u201d10px||20px||false|false\u201d custom_padding=\u201d|||20px|false|false\u201d text_font_size_tablet=\u201d\u201d text_font_size_phone=\u201d25px\u201d text_font_size_last_edited=\u201don|tablet\u201d border_width_left=\u201d5px\u201d border_color_left=\u201d#26afc2\u2033 global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d]<\/p>\n

PONANT takes you there<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d text_text_color=\u201d#ffffff\u201d width=\u201d70%\u201d width_tablet=\u201d100%\u201d width_phone=\u201d\u201d width_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d]<\/p>\n

Prepare to be amazed by the extraordinary natural and cultural sites<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=\u201dhttps:\/\/us.ponant.com\/cruises\u201d url_new_window=\u201don\u201d button_text=\u201dDiscover the voyages \u201d button_alignment=\u201dleft\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.19.2\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d custom_margin=\u201d20px||20px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fire, water, earth and air: an immersion in the essence of eastern wisdom<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3961684,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1189],"tags":[],"thematique":[1463,1479],"class_list":["post-3961671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-get-inspired-us","thematique-asia-us","thematique-islands-us"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSoutheast Asian travel journal | PONANT US Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Southeast Asian travel journal | PONANT US Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Fire, water, earth and air: an immersion in the essence of eastern wisdom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Magazine de voyage Escales : interviews, inspirations et conseils | Magazine PONANT\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ponant\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-04-26T16:23:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-31T10:42:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/R091122_Komodo_Indonesie_\u00a9julien_fabro_0O5A1780_B_8_Personnalise_1-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1267\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"bleuebuzz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Cie_ponant\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Cie_ponant\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Southeast Asian travel journal | PONANT US Magazine","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Southeast Asian travel journal | PONANT US Magazine","og_description":"Fire, water, earth and air: an immersion in the essence of eastern wisdom","og_url":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/","og_site_name":"Magazine de voyage Escales : interviews, inspirations et conseils | Magazine PONANT","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ponant","article_published_time":"2023-04-26T16:23:56+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-03-31T10:42:14+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1900,"height":1267,"url":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/R091122_Komodo_Indonesie_\u00a9julien_fabro_0O5A1780_B_8_Personnalise_1-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"bleuebuzz","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Cie_ponant","twitter_site":"@Cie_ponant","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/"},"author":{"name":"bleuebuzz","@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/56f877bdc5a1fcd5e6a320e660df0351"},"headline":"Southeast Asian travel journal","datePublished":"2023-04-26T16:23:56+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-31T10:42:14+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/"},"wordCount":3186,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/R091122_Komodo_Indonesie_\u00a9julien_fabro_0O5A1780_B_8_Personnalise_1-1.jpg","articleSection":["Get inspired"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/","url":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/","name":"Southeast Asian travel journal | PONANT US Magazine","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/R091122_Komodo_Indonesie_\u00a9julien_fabro_0O5A1780_B_8_Personnalise_1-1.jpg","datePublished":"2023-04-26T16:23:56+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-31T10:42:14+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/R091122_Komodo_Indonesie_\u00a9julien_fabro_0O5A1780_B_8_Personnalise_1-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/R091122_Komodo_Indonesie_\u00a9julien_fabro_0O5A1780_B_8_Personnalise_1-1.jpg","width":1900,"height":1267},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/travel-journal-southeast-asia\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Southeast Asian travel journal"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/#website","url":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/","name":"Magazine de voyage Escales : interviews, inspirations et conseils | Magazine PONANT","description":"Le magazine de voyage par PONANT","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/#organization","name":"Ponant","url":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/logo-escales@2x.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/logo-escales@2x.png","width":510,"height":174,"caption":"Ponant"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ponant","https:\/\/x.com\/Cie_ponant","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/croisieres_ponant\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/ponantcruises\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/PonantCroisieres"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/56f877bdc5a1fcd5e6a320e660df0351","name":"bleuebuzz","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/82af9e4042f8c9993774a41e04ee9f36f492b575f8d6a4e9e11b82ba91462941?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/82af9e4042f8c9993774a41e04ee9f36f492b575f8d6a4e9e11b82ba91462941?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"bleuebuzz"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/escales.ponant.com"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3961671","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3961671"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3961671\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11179872,"href":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3961671\/revisions\/11179872"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3961684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3961671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3961671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3961671"},{"taxonomy":"thematique","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/thematique?post=3961671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}