Mick Shippen

Capital of Thailand and one of Asia’s most cosmopolitan and compelling cities, Bangkok is a vibrant mix of ancient and modern. It’s an intense city packed with people and a wealth of dazzling attractions. There are exotic temples, eclectic markets, gleaming palaces, ritzy shopping malls and, of course, the famous nightlife. Enchanting Bangkok captures the […]

Given the splendours of Angkor Thom together with another 90 temple sites within the Angkor Archaeological Park, it is no wonder that Cambodia is dubbed the ‘Kingdom of Wonder’. In its listing, UNESCO described Angkor as ‘an exceptional testimony to a lost civilization’. But Cambodia is also a revitalized modern country with new infrastructure and […]

A country of astonishing natural beauty and home to the incredible temples of Angkor, Cambodia is one of Southeast Asia’s most fascinating destinations. The fact that the country is now firmly on the itinerary of many cultural travelers, however, is nothing short of remarkable. In the 1970s, the country’s name became known for the brutal […]

In 1898, in “Letters from the East” Rudyard Kipling, recounting his journey by steamer sailing up the Irrawaddy Delta to Rangoon, wrote “Then, a golden mystery upheaved itself on the horizon…a shape that was neither Muslim dome nor Hindu temple spire…the golden dome said: “This is Burma, and it will be quite unlike any land […]

Chiang Mai is the natural capital of the north, a fascinating destination in its own right but also a starting point for exploring the country’s most dramatic scenery with its remote hills, villages and mountain tribes. Chiang Mai itself is a moated and walled city retaining many ancient treasures but also rapidly evolving into a […]

In 2005, I completed the Traditional Ceramics of South East Asia, the result of two years research and many trips to rural villages in the region. The book was published by the University of Hawaii Press in USA and A&C Black in the UK. It documents the life and work of traditional potters in Cambodia, […]

A country of intrigue and adventure, Thailand’s exotic mix of glistening temples, extraordinary annual festivals, idyllic tropical islands, and genuinely hospitable people has made it one of the world’s most popular and rewarding travel destinations. The country is home to a distinctive culture that enables old traditions to sit comfortably within a prosperous and progressive […]

Few countries conjure up such a sense of mystery and intrigue in the traveller’s mind as mountainous, landlocked Laos. Regarded as Southeast Asia’s sleepy backwater for many years, Laos’ communist government ensured that the country remained closed to the outside world. Unconcerned by neighbouring Thailand’s dash for modernity, Laos resolutely moved at its own pace. […]

I was also a contributing writer the the highly acclaimed To Asia With Love, and To Myanmar With Love published by Things Asian Press. My work will also appear in the forthcoming To Thailand With Love.