Saving The Elephants In Northern Thailand’s Sanctuaries
Long before British colonists arrived in Burma in 1824, the hill tribes of Burma (Myanmar)…
John Gottberg Anderson is a widely published American travel journalist and educator based in Southeast Asia. A former news editor for The Los Angeles Times and a senior editor for the Michelin Guides, he has written or co-authored 24 books, and hundreds of feature articles for magazines and newspapers around the world. Anderson studied journalism at the University of Oregon and did graduate work in Asian culture and history in Seattle and Honolulu. He was formerly managing editor of the Singapore-based Insight Guides series and, more recently, editor of the Southeast Asia Globe. In 2022, his popular blog, “Travels in Vietnam,” was chosen as one of the top five independent travel blogs in America. In 2025, he co-authored (with Nicholas Kontis) “Going Local: Experiences and Encounters on the Road,” reviewed on this site, and launched his Substack blog, “Travels in My Discomfort Zone.” Contact Anderson by email, johngottberg@gmail.com
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SAVING PHNOM PENH’S COLONIAL HISTORY
Although Phnom Penh dates its origin from the 14th century, it wasn’t until 1863 that…
PARADISE LOST? CHINA ALTERS CAMBODIA’S COASTAL VIBE
The Cambodian coastline is only 275 miles long, extending from the mangrove marshes of Koh…
Cambodia’s Capital, Phnom Penh, Embraces A New Generation
By John Gottberg Anderson The tuk-tuk driver reclined on a padded seat in the back…
Vietnam: A Hot, Humid Country that Loves Cold Beer
Drinking beer is woven into the social fabric of Vietnam. At family affairs and business…
A Spiritual Journey Through Vietnam From The Eye Of God To The Lady Buddha
By John Gottberg Anderson A colossal figure in alabaster rising majestically from a hilltop…
Vietnam’s Central Highlands Envision Becoming a Global Coffee Capital
Vietnamese love their coffee. Credit the French. Although Vietnamese have little love for France’s colonial…
Beyond Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s Tonlé Sap Has Floating Villages and Voracious Crocodiles
By John Gottberg Anderson I had crocodile for dinner the other night. Not the whole…
Vietnam’s Tet Holiday Brings Feasting, Prayer and Hope for the New Year
By John Gottberg Anderson I celebrated my first Tết holiday, as Vietnamese call the lunar…
The Áo Dài’s Flowing Elegance Mirrors Vietnamese Femininity
What images come to mind when you think of Vietnam? A peasant in the conical…
Angkor Wat: Cambodia’s 9th Century Temple Fights to Preserve Its Past
By John Gottberg Anderson Angkor is a city that haunts the imagination. For those of…
Saigon Soars into the 21st Century
By John Gottberg Anderson My first semi-permanent home in Saigon, better known to many by…