Southeast Asia | cultural explorations

silk spools in Myanmar (c) 2018 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Southeast Asia offers unique opportunities to explore fascinating cultures. Pictured above are some colorful spools of silk that we saw last March in a silk workshop near Inle Lake, Myanmar. We had the opportunity to see silk weaving in process and, of course, a chance to sample the merchandise. Retail therapy, anyone?

One of our favorite travel partners in Southeast Asia sent an email blast with three unique cultural experiences. I'm passing them along to inspire your sense of wanderlust.

1. Thai Puppetry Workshop — located in Bangkok, the Joe Louis Puppe Teatre is the last of Thailand's small puppet troupes. Keeping an ancient tradition alive, you can visit the studio where puppets are made and learn how to perform an intricate dance with puppets.

2. Shan Paper Workshop — in the Shan region of Myanmar, home to a centuries-old paper-making tradition. Shan paper is made form mulberry bark fibers and is used for paper umbrellas and other household items. You can visit a local workshop where you'll make your own Shan paper.

3. Local life in the Mekong Delta — exploring the lesser-visited, more local areas of Ben Tre, Vietnam. You'll get to dine with a local family, spend time with shrimp farmers, and ride a traditional sampan on the canal.

Is there a trip in your future to Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, or Laos? Travel expands our horizons and creates bonds of friendship around the world.

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.