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ContactLara Dunston2020-12-04T12:58:20+07:00

Contact Me

To contact me, please send an email to:

laradunston @ icloud.com

Brief Bio

Lara Dunston is a Cambodia based Travel & Food Writer and has regular gigs with:
The Guardian, CNN, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Feast, Delicious, The Independent, Telegraph, National Geographic Traveler / Traveller, Get Lost, Wanderlust, Travel+Leisure SEA, DestinAsian, AFAR. Read more here.

RELATED WEBSITES

Our travel website:
GRANTOURISMO TRAVELS

Our full service digital media agency:
GRANTOURISMO MEDIA

Our Cambodian retreats site:
SIEM REAP RETREATS

Partner Phtography Site:
TERENCE CARTER PHOTOGRAPHY

LATEST ON INSTAGRAM

The remnants of a modern make of a vintage hand-pa

The remnants of a modern make of a vintage hand-painted ‘beware of dog’ sign, spotted in Siem Reap on our late afternoon stroll. On our first trip to Cambodia almost a decade ago, there were still a lot of hand-painted signs about advertising everything from hairdressers to wedding caterers. It’s rare to find them now.

Our friends at @trunkh.cambodia travel the country searching for these abandoned treasures, treating the originals like works of art, and reproducing their images on cool products like t-shirts and tea towels.

We’re also hoping to feature this sort of retro sign art in our epic Cambodian cookbook and culinary history. Yes, we’re still going! Now almost 8 years in the making, it’s going to be a time.

After a brief hiatus from recipe testing, we’ll start posting more Cambodian recipes next week and also add a few updates as to where things are at with the book, our research, and travel plans on our @patreon page. If you don’t know about it, details here: https://www.patreon.com/laradunston

#siemreap #cambodia #sign #signs #retrosign #vintagesign #bewareofdog #localtravel #backstreets #travellocal #exploremore #neverstopexploring #dailywalk #walking #afternoonstroll #travel #travelwriter #travelblogger #foodwriter #foodblogger #cookbookauthor #culinaryresearcher #culinaryhistorian #writingacambodiancookbook #grantourismotravels #igtravel #igdaily #instatravel

It’s heartening to see quirky little Japanese sp

It’s heartening to see quirky little Japanese spots such as Yakitori Taisho, pictured, and nearby Yokohama Bar still open in Siem Reap, when so many other Japanese eateries have closed. These characterful places always appeal more to me than a slick charmless restaurant in a shopping mall. Siem Reap had a sizeable Japanese expat population pre-pandemic. Would love to connect with Japanese expats to get their tips on where to go/eat/drink in the city now for a story.

#siemreap #cambodia #restaurant #restaurants #japaneserestaurant #yakitori #japanesefood #japanese #japaneseexpats #expatsinsiemreap #japaneseexpatsinsiemreap #travel #food #neverstoptravelling #localtravel #staycation #igtravel #igdaily #travelgram #travelwriter #siemreapcambodia #siemreapbeyondthetemples #grantourismotravels #journalistrequest #openinsiemreap

What staircases! Remember when I shared a pic here

What staircases! Remember when I shared a pic here of Siem Reap’s Hotel de Ville, also known as Hotel Terrasse Des Elephants at one time, with you a couple of weeks ago? (If not, scroll down to a black and white pic of this hotel.) I snapped another image for you from the side of the building on our afternoon stroll.

This grand old pile is still ‘for rent’. And apparently it has a stunning rooftop pool. Let’s hope someone takes it over who appreciates its kitschy colonial charm and potential as an atmospheric abode for discerning travellers and doesn’t tear it down to replace it with a concrete and glass monstrosity. Keep your fingers and toes crossed please.

#siemreap #oldtown #cambodia #asia #southeastasia #colonial #frenchcolonial #oldhotel #hotel #forrent #renovatorsdream #architecture #architecturelovers #architectureporn #localtravel #travellocal #exploremore #neverstopexploring #travel #travelwriter #travelblogger #grantourismotravels #igtravel #igdaily #instatravel #tourism #futureoftourism #cities #creativecities #futurecities

Another day another sunset, snapped in the histori

Another day another sunset, snapped in the historic centre of Siem Reap, from the bridge beside the former Art Market.

#siemreap #siemreapriver #river #riverside #oldtown #cambodia #asia #southeastasia #sunset #sunsets #sunsetlover #sunsetlovers #sunsetphotography #localtravel #locallife #travellocal #explore #exploremore #neverstopexploring #traveldeeper #slowtravel #travel #travelwriter #travelblogger #grantourismotravels #igtravel #travelgram #igdaily #instatravel #shotoniphone

It would be hard to believe that the Buddhist mona

It would be hard to believe that the Buddhist monastery of Wat Kesararam, Pagoda of the Cornflower Petals, adorned with beautiful murals, nagas and garudas, had a tragic history. Until you step through the entrance and see the monument to victims of the brutal Pol Pot-led Khmer Rouge regime to your right.

Filled with human bones found in a mass grave in the pagoda grounds during excavations prior to construction of a new building, the site was a Khmer Rouge prison and killing field — one of 24 in and around Siem Reap, which are thought to have contained the remains of more than 40,000 people. A sobering stop on our afternoon stroll.

#siemreap #siemreapriver #temple #pagoda #buddhist #buddhism #history #buddhisttemple #buddhistarchitecture #cambodia #asia #southeastasia #sunsettime #localtravel #travellocal #eveningstroll #explore #exploremore #neverstopexploring #traveldeeper #slowtravel #travel #travelwriter #travelblogger #grantourismotravels #igtravel #travelgram #igdaily #instatravel #shotoniphone

This beauty has had a bit of a trim but at least s

This beauty has had a bit of a trim but at least she remains standing. So many trees have been removed in the city to make way for new roads, wider roads, bicycle lanes, and footpaths. I hope they plant more when they finish the work. Snapped on the Siem Reap riverside on our evening stroll.

#siemreap #siemreapriver #river #riverside #oldtown #cambodia #asia #southeastasia #sunsettime #localtravel #locallife #travellocal #eveningstroll #explore #exploremore #neverstopexploring #traveldeeper #slowtravel #travel #travelwriter #travelblogger #grantourismotravels #igtravel #travelgram #igdaily #instatravel #shotoniphone

ALL MEDIA (WORDS AND IMAGES) COPYRIGHT © 2007– LARA DUNSTON AND TERENCE CARTER | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
DESIGNED IN APARTMENT RENTALS, HOTELS AND RESORTS AROUND THE WORLD BY GRANTOURISMO MEDIA. ASSEMBLED IN SOUTH-EAST-ASIA.

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