Travel Photography Blog by Nisa Maier and Ulli Maier. » Asia

Jebel Shams: The Grand Canyon Of Arabia.

Ulli — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 15:19:05 +0000

As Oman is a really large country and our time was limited to just 10 days, we decided to explore the mountainous region in the northeast of Oman. It’s a very remote area and unless it’s holiday season in Oman, you won’t come across many fellow drivers/travellers. All we needed was a 4×4 car due to the many unpaved roads with steep climbs and river crossings.

If you take the main road from Muscat via Nizwa it’s a smooth 4 hour drive to Jebel Shams Plateau, also known as the Mountain of the Sun. Jebel Shams is actually the highest mountain of the country and part of the Jebel Akhdar Mountain range, which is one of Oman’s most spectacular areas. The trip up here can easily be expanded if you have the time for some detours through the mountains; then it can take up to 2 or 3 days to get there. If you decide to go for this, definitely bring your camp gear since you won’t come across many rest houses, plus a night under the stars is an unforgettable experience. Depending on the season, it can get quite chilly at night in higher regions, so be prepared to bring some warm clothes.

The area here is absolutely stunning, with abandoned villages as well as small oasis’ where fruits and vegetables are grown, with sophisticated hundred years old watering systems. You won’t come across too many people on your trip here, apart from some few trekkers and mountain bikers. For us, it was an amazing experience into a world we have not been to before. The Arabian Peninsular was never high on our bucket list, but Oman clearly changed our views. Our tickets are booked for Muscat in February 2015 already…

The landscape of Jebel Akhdar in Oman, with Jebel Shams as its highest point.

The region of Jebel Akhdar in Oman will take your breath away.

The mountains of Jebel Akhdar in Oman make quite an impression – especially during sunset.

Driving through the mountainous landscape of Jebel Akhdar in Oman definitely required a 4×4 drive.

The mountains of Jebel Akhdar in Oman make you feel like you’re a million miles away from civilisation … partly also because this actually is the case.

Breathtaking Views, Breathtaking Walks: Guoliang Tunnel Road.

Nisa — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 10:18:18 +0000

We often visit areas that are unheard of – or at least unknown to the majority of “normal” (no harm meant) tourists. This has always been our way of travelling. When on the road, we try to document the life around us through our photographs and share stories of these “hidden treasures”. One particular article caught our attention a while ago. It was about a dangerous hidden mountain road somewhere in China. Exactly what we needed to finish our seven-week journey through Asia (our initial route has changed a bit though).

Hidden Treasures.

This mountain road has been carved into stone by the local villagers not too long ago. They were simply fed up with having to climb steep & dangerous stairs and bamboo ladders to reach their homes. So, in 1972 thirteen villagers decided to start building this man-made wonder. Other villages in the area followed – some died along the way – and now, there quite a few tunnel roads to be found high up in the Taihang mountains of the Henan Province. Villagers worked for 15 years (while the major tunnel road only took 5 years), digging the roads along steep mountainside cliffs, carving tunnels and disposing the material through huge window-like openings.

Today, the area is a major tourist attraction (especially for Chinese tourists). From the early morning onwards, buses drive up the main tunnel road to a tiny village called Guoliang. Thanks to the well preserved old houses and the breathtaking scenery, this village is also a famous film location for the Chinese film industry. Apart from the famous mountain tunnel road, there is another one not too far from Guoliang that is even more spectacular…

Thank God For Binoculars.

We walked along the winding road, continuing upwards while scanning the area through our binoculars. It was actually the first time since our travels through Africa in the 70s & 80s, that we took along a pair of binoculars. You have to understand, travelling with a super heavy, bulky and unhandy gadget on our trips is not on our main agenda – we have about 20kg of camera equipment as it is. And after all, this is how we remembered binoculars.

Well, a lot has changed since those days. Thanks to Swarovski Optik, we had the opportunity to try out the CL Pocket 10 x 25. It took us a while to get used to the new feeling (compared to the old bulky pair), but that changed pretty quickly. This pair of binoculars is super light-weight, contrasts and colours are brilliant and the viewing comfort is truly amazing. No, we’re not trying to persuade you, but it really made our trip to the Guoliang Tunnel Roads even more worth while.

Swarovski CL Pocket 10 x 25 Binoculars.

Ulli has everything in sight with her Swarovski CL Pocket 10 x 25 binoculars.

Surprise, Surprise.

It was foggy up in the Taihang mountains and it wasn’t easy to recognize the far-away scenery easily. We continued scanning the area, when in the distance, we saw lots of holes in the centre of the mountain. Even further away we also spotted a cable car and some strange looking buildings built into the mountain. We would have needed at least two more days to check it out, but unfortunately our time was limited. When planning this trip, we had no idea that the area was packed with these many surprises. Therefore, we’re already counting the months until we re-visit for at least 10 days or longer…

Handy Information.

Since in Guoliang (& its surrounding villages) almost nothing is written in English, we’d quickly like to give you some hints if you decide to visit the Guoliang Tunnel Road any time soon:

Bring a Chinese dictionary and be prepared to be very patient with transport and accommodation.
How to get there (it’s a bit of an Odysseé): From Xinxijang East train station (high speed train station), take bus number 66 to the city/old train station. From here, take the bus to Huixian. At Huixian bus station you have to take another bus directly to Guoliang or to Nanping. Allow at least 5 to 6 hours to reach this place from Xinxijang with public transport. And make sure to have every destination written down in Chinese, otherwise who knows where you’ll end up…
Sometimes you don’t have to go all the way to the last stop, so do try to ask some of the locals. Not all Chinese will ignore you…
The advantage of travelling by bus? Almost no costs, so it’s a good option for a single traveller with patience and time.

Guoliang Tunnel Road | This is a real man-made wonder; it took 15 years and lots of energy to carve this road up the mountains to get an easier access to the village of Guoliang.

Guoliang Tunnel Road | One can feel the energy that these villagers needed to built this road. There are a few examples of these carved mountain roads in the area and we were speechless by this fascinating achievement.

Guoliang Tunnel Road | The “Road that does not tolerate any mistakes.”

Guoliang Tunnel Road | When villagers took matters into their own hands and started carving a road through the mountain rocks, they didn’t know that it would become such a tourist attraction…

Guoliang Tunnel Road | Tourists love the thrill of standing close to the edge…

Guoliang Tunnel Road | It’s a tight squeeze for vehicles, twisting past the tunnel’s “windows” which provide stunning views hundreds of feet below.

Guoliang Tunnel Road | Guoliang is nestled in a valley surrounded by great mountains, so the village was cut off from outside civilization until the tunnel was built.

Guoliang Tunnel Road | One can say: “They had a dream” when some initiative villagers took matters into their own hands and started to dig this road through Taihang mountains for better access to their village.

The village of Guoliang in the Henen Province is well worth too.

Strolling through the village of Guoliang will give you a great impression of the local way of living, which hasn’t changed all that much in the last years…

The Living Root Bridges Of Cherrapunji In Megahalya, India.

Ulli — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 05:23:32 +0000

In Cherrapunji, located in the Indian state Meghalaya, living root bridges are located throughout the rainforest. Travelling to the wettest place on earth, means heavy rain, thick fog, the greenest jungle, the tallest Indian plunge waterfalls and some of the most stunning & eco-friendly natural wonders you’ll come across.

It was by accident that we heard about these living root bridges in the Northeast of India. These really unique natural-man-made wonders can only be found in hidden valleys where rain tumbles down almost every day throughout the year. The logistic to get there at first seemed a bit difficult, but actually turned out to be pretty easy. We flew to Guwahati in the state of Assam and negotiated a cab straight up to Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort, which is a great starting point for a lot of hikes into the region. The guys in the resort were happy to hand out maps of the various trekking options and can arrange cabs and guides for every occasion.

As Cherrapunji holds the title “the wettest place on earth” one has to come prepared, especially during monsoon season – which of course the season when we decided to visit this extraordinary place. Yet it’s still an amazing place for travel photographers like ourselves.

The Double Decker Living Root Bridge.

We started straight away with the so called “most enduring trek”; 2.500 stairs down to the Umshiang Double Decker Living Root Bridge, called Jingkieng Nongriat. It’s a natural wonder designed and guided by man and even believed to be the only one of its kind in the world. The roots of a Ficus elastica tree have grown over a period of at least 25 years along a small rope across the river, always put into the right direction, until is developed into a bridge that could be “paved” with stones and can now hold up to 20 people at once. Some of the ancient root bridges in the area are used daily by the people of the villages around Cherrapunji for more than 500 years.

Getting To The Double Decker Living Root Bridge.

We hired a guide to lead the way, even though one could do it without one since the trek is well signed. But a guide knows many stories about the area and its people and knows exactly where to take special care on the path – during monsoon rain the trek can be slippery at times.

On the way to the double decker bridge, you have to cross two steel cable bridges. They were pretty shaking and we had to cross one by one, while being surrounded by raging waters … frightening in a way but amazingly impressive at the same time.

The entire trip takes about five hours, so it’s definitely necessary to bring plenty of water and some snacks, though there is a little place near the double decker bridge where you can get a bowl of instant noodles and tea.

Overall, the trek is a really rewarding experience through jungle, where betel-nut and bay-leaves are grown by the locals who do this trek everyday to reach the road. We were told that this trek is the most exhausting, but if you’re fit, it’s not even the slightest problem. We even did it a second time, since on our first trip down the valley it was raining cats and dogs.

The War-Khasis, a tribe in Meghalaya, long ago noticed this tree and saw in its powerful roots an opportunity to easily cross the area’s many rivers. Now, whenever and wherever the need arises, they simply grow their bridges.

The root bridges, some of which are over a hundred feet long, take ten to fifteen years to become fully functional, but they’re extraordinarily strong — strong enough that some of them can support the weight of 50 or more people at a time.

The root bridges lie in the dampest place on earth lies – the state Meghalaya in the northeast of India. It’s also known as “The Abode of Clouds”.

One special root bridge, believed to be the only one of its kind in the world, is actually two bridges stacked one over the other and has come to be known as the “Umshiang Double-Decker Root Bridge.”

The southern Khasi and Jaintia hills are humid and warm, crisscrossed by swift-flowing rivers and mountain streams. On the slopes of these hills, a species of Indian rubber tree with an incredibly strong root system thrives and flourishes.

Because they are alive and still growing, the bridges actually gain strength over time — and some of the ancient root bridges used daily by the people of the villages around Cherrapunji may be well over 500 years old.

This place receives a lot of rain, so wooden bridges rot and decay. But Root bridges are alive and growing and so gain strength over time.

Hairdresser And Barber Shops In Asia.

Nisa — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 19:52:18 +0000

Worldwide, a few things need to be done for ones appearance once in a while … for example, a visit to the hairdresser.

We also love to sit down at hairdressers overseas because of a couple of reasons:

It’s a lot cheaper than in Europe
You get all the attention from the trainee to the general manager
It’s a good way to step on the breaks when one is overly exhausted from sightseeing trips or monster shopping tours
Nothing comes above a nice long head massage before a good night sleep

Therefore we always try to pick a hotel in the vicinity of a hairdresser … one really needs a little bit of luxury and pampering once in a while.

If you’re travelling through India, you’ll notice that the hairdressers you’ll pass along the streets are barbers for men only. Lady hairdressers are mostly hidden behind closed doors or curtains. If you insist enough though, even a local barber will give you a nice wash and blow dry … and if you’re really lucky (and you’re up for it) even a haircut. Don’t worry, hair grows again… after all, no risk, no fun.

In other South-East Asian countries like Laos, you will come across makeshift hairdresser, who can pop up their gear straight away – a chair, a comb and scissors will get the job done.

Honestly, even when it came to the remotest places and the weirdest looking equipment, we always left the hairdresser with full satisfaction.

How about you? Any interesting hairdresser/barber experiences? Would love to get your stories on this.

A typical barber in the side streets of Varanasi, India.

This barber in Varanasi is still waiting for customers…

A barber shop in Varanasi at night.

A barber shop in the streets of Kolkata, India.

A barber shop in the streets of Varanasi, India.

A barber shop in Varanasi, India.

A man getting a shave at a local barber shop in Varanasi, India.

A hairdresser at the bus station in Laos.

We Love Asia, We Love This Video: Pan Asia.

Nisa — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:10:37 +0000

I think that the headline says it all for today: We love Asia & we love this video by Paul Wex. You’ll see geat impressions from his trip to Southeast Asia (filmed with a Canon EOS 7D). The only sad part about this is that we have to watch it while being in the cold & snowed in Vienna…

The Loop In Laos: Part 1.

Ulli — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:08:50 +0000

Tha Khek – Nakai – Lak Sao – Ban Na Hin – Konglor – Ban Na Hin – Vieng Kham – Tha Khek

About 450 km – Travel time (suggested) at least 4 to 6 days.

We already arrived in Tha Khek by motorbike, but I can definitely suggest to rent a motorbike directly in Tha Khek (if you don’t have that much time). Mr. Ku from the Tha Khek Travellodge – situated about a few 100 meters from the roundabout direction Eastwards on the left side with only a small sign – is the right man for motorbikes. The lodge is a pleasant hotel, with big rooms and a garden, despite the industrial area surrounding it.

After spending a night in Tha Khek, dining at one of the nice restaurants along the Mekong river and visiting the big market with all sorts of strange food, our journey started north-bound from the roundabout.

Ready, Set, Go!

The paved road was excellent and you can visit a few caves (at km 15 is a very large one) along the way. We didn’t get very far because right at km 12 to the right was – without sign – the German run Green Climbers Lodge crossed our way. This is an absolutely stunning place with pleasant stilt bungalows, a cave in the back, a swimming hole, great food and the opportunity for people (who know how to do it) to climb up the karst walls. Keep in mind that it’s only open from September to March, due to flooding.

We stayed the night and left early next morning. We were told that the entire way to Konglor was paved but we still wanted to have buffer just in case. Turns out that we needed that buffer, since the road isn’t paved all the way. Still, it was a smooth drive up to Nakai where we passed a weird looking landscape due to the building of a giant dam. It left us wondering if this was really the right thing for an otherwise beautiful jungle area. Villages were relocated and are now neatly arranged 50 meters in the back of the tarmac road, one house near the other. It’s interesting to drive through these villages (most tourists don’t bother to do so). The kids loved it and we were happy to shoot some great photos with us. There was no screaming for pens or lollies (like in other parts of Asia) because people here seem to have enough. We were told that nobody in Laos starves and if you are smart you can achieve a lot…

Here’s part 2 of our motorbiking trip through Laos.

Motorbiking the Loop in Laos.

Ready, set, go! The Loop in Laos would would be one of our great motorbike adventures of the year.

Bugs (Lethocerus), frogs & other dead animals can be found at the markets in Laos.

The vegetable at the markets in Laos looks really fresh (& it tastes amazing too).

The Green Climbers Lodge in Laos is a beautiful place to spend the night.

For this kind of climbing in Laos, you should know what you’re doing…

Dam building leaves strange-looking areas in great parts of Laos.

Dam building for electricity supplies leaves this behind…

The kids in Nakai village were happy to pose for us.

The People’s Armed Police In China.

Nisa — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:20:58 +0000

When thinking of the People’s Armed Police, many of us imagine grim looking communists; that’s not (always) true. Sure, there are areas in China, where almost at every corner policemen are patrolling and they do look a bit fierce but the life for “regular” police men is not enviable: The police in China are generally very poorly paid and not too well trained. They are regarded with suspicion by ordinary Chinese (particularly in rural areas). Police have traditionally been more involved in maintaining government control than solving crimes.

We never really saw one in action either … not even writing tickets, stopping cars or checking people. But if you’re in China, the tension can be felt immediately…

But, as you will see in the photo below, even the grimmest looking person, smiles at some point :D These young officers were obviously only at the beginning of their career and visited the Great Wall just like us…

Young officers at the Great Wall in China.

An officer in front of the Lost City in Beijing.

Here We Go: In Asia – Malaysia, Thailand & Laos.

Nisa — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:46:09 +0000

Tomorrow we are off on a four week trip through Southeast Asia again! Wohooo!

Starting in China, then flying further South to Malaysia, Christmas on an Indonesian island (á la Robinson Crusoe) and ending the year with a motorbike trip in Laos. Not bad huh? :D

Since we’re really excited about this, and in order to get attuned, we wanted to share these three videos by Vincent Urban & Clemens Krüger with you.

A Comfortable & Reliable Way Of Travelling Through Vietnam.

Nisa — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 07:22:47 +0000

It’s a 12 hours from Hanoi to Dalat with the unification express. You can relax in your chair thank god to the ventilation above (no AC!) and watch the area go by. Sadly in certain areas you can still see the impact of Agent Orange – almost no regrowth of vegetation.

Vietnam’s air-conditioned trains are safe, comfortable & inexpensive, the ideal way for independent travellers to get around and see Vietnam at ground level. The train journeys are a genuine Vietnamese experience in themselves, an integral part of your visit to Vietnam.

The Children Of Raja Ampat, West Papua.

Nisa — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 10:44:32 +0000

The remote area of Raja Ampat is home to one of the most amazing aquamarine life in the world. But there is more to this are. The children of Raja Ampat don’t see foreigners very often and we were lucky to meet a couple of them.
It is wonderful to see these children happy and active, even though they don’t have a lot. No Playstation, no Game Boy or Computer. Nature & people are still one.

The kids are always the most curious about foreign visitor. If you arrive in very remote villages in Western Papua Islands, you get the attention of the whole village, but especially the kids will follow you step by step. They notice every move you make and they will try to entertain you with jumps and handstands.

Beautiful skin and beautiful eyes; The people of Irian Jaya are a special race, a bit Asian a bit Melanesian and a bit African.

Cute curly hair.

What a cute smile.

Always wanting to see what’s going on.

Curious looking kids.