Five Reasons why I prefer Photographing Sukhothai, Thailand over Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Five Reasons why I prefer Photographing Sukhothai, Thailand over Angkor Wat, Cambodia, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

Photographing Angkor Wat in Cambodia last year was a dream come true. It is an amazing place, but I found the ancient capital of Sukhothai, Thailand much more enjoyable to photograph. Maybe it had to do with the name when translated, “The dawn of happiness.”

Sukhothai was the first capital of Siam founded by King Ramkhamhaeng during the 13th Century. The province's temples and monuments have been restored and is now the Sukhothai Historical Park and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here are five reasons why I enjoyed photographing Sukhothai Historical Park over Angkor Wat.

1) Cost: Cambodia is a very budget friendly country, but admission to Angkor Wat is expensive ($20/day USD). I found Sukhothai ($4-8/day) a much better value.

2) Crowds: Angkor Wat is Southeast Asia’s top destination so be prepared for the hordes of crowds even in the low season (when I visited). Most tourists visit Thailand’s other ancient capitol, Ayutthaya, since it is only an hour from Bangkok. Sukhothai is about a four to five hour bus ride from Bangkok so it doesn’t see as many tourists.

3) Cleanliness: With Angkor Wat’s steep admission price you would think it would go toward the upkeep of this magnificent place. Unfortunately that’s not the case. It was sad to see trash around most of the temples. On the other hand, Sukhothai, with its meticulous manicured grounds, is Disneyland with a Southeast Asian twist (hot and humid).

4) Conveyance: At Sukhothai I was able to rent a motorbike and take it in the park. In the city of Siem Reap, where Angkor Wat is located, they do not allow foreigners to rent motorbikes. As an independent travel photographer I find having a motorbike allows the maximum flexibility for taking photos.

5) Clerks: I was trying to think of a word that starts with the letter “c” that is similar to hawker and clerk was the only word that came to mind. The vendors at Angkor Wat bring persistence to another level. Little girls and boys will besiege you to buy bracelets, water or postcards. At Sukhothai the very few street vendors kindly ask for your business and a simple “no” will signify you’re not interested and you both can walk away with a smile.

This may seem like a bit of a rant against Angkor Wat, but it is not. If you have a chance to visit the temples please do so because you will be amazed.

Just be sure to dispose of your trash properly.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
I'm over at Pinterest too!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

The University of Guanajuato is located right in the historic center of Guanajuato, Mexico which gives the city a youthful atmosphere (there are over 30,000 enrolled students).

I photographed this young woman along one of Guanajuato’s cobblestone streets and her laugh reminded me Steve Jobs' Stanford commencement speech where he told this story to the graduating class.

“When I was young, there was an amazing publication called ‘The Whole Earth Catalog,’ which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960′s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: It was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.”

“Stewart and his team put out several issues of ‘The Whole Earth Catalog,’ and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: ‘Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.’ It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.”

“Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

As a wandering travel photographer I have to constantly remind myself to Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. To wander a city as a temporary local and seek new experiences and not have it handed to me from a formulaic tour package. To photograph people as human beings with fascinating stories and not as a cultural backdrop.

I guess this is why I love to travel and photograph, to tell compelling stories and to Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
I'm over at Pinterest too!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery