First Step Adventure

21/04/2026

https://www.naturallycrafted.co.uk/blog/a-brass-cast-statue-of-chenrezig-avalokiteshvara-the-bodhisattva-of-infinite-compassion

21/04/2026

Natural dyes for fabrics

https://www.naturallycrafted.co.uk/blog/2026/4/20/natural-dyes-for-fabrics

15/03/2026

Extend the life of your artisan goods. From humidity tips to gentle cleaning, discover how to care for naturally crafted products that breathe and age beautifully.

08/02/2026

As the sun sets on a visit to the Moonlight Pavilion at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, it marks a perfect end to a great adventure around Cambodia. A big thank you to all the amazing people who made this journey so special.

07/02/2026

Graffiti in Phnom Penh is an evolving mix of street art and traditional culture. For years, the city had very little public art. Most walls were either plain concrete or covered in commercial advertisements. However, the scene changed around 2015 when international festivals brought artists to the capital.
Today, you can find large murals in areas like Boeung Kak and Street 93. Local artists use graffiti to express their identity and modern history. Some of the art is looking a bit tired, but new pieces are popping up more regularly as this art becomes part of modern culture.
While some see it as vandalism, the government and business owners are increasingly accepting it. Many cafes and hotels now pay artists to decorate their walls. It has become a way to make the city look more vibrant and attract tourists. Despite this growth, it remains a small community. Most artists focus on “street art,” organized murals with permission, rather than the illegal tagging found in Western cities.

06/02/2026

Bad Bunny
Koh Tonsay, also known as Rabbit Island, has both positive and negative qualities. The main beach features a pristine shoreline and clear water. However, the opposite side of the island reveals a darker reality.

Small coves are littered with plastic and debris that the sea washes onto the shore from the Gulf of Thailand. If you have lost a flip-flop, it is likely here among a lot of others. It is heartbreaking to see how the seas and oceans have become a dumping ground.

04/02/2026

03/02/2026

Kampong Trach Water Cave is a natural limestone site in Kampot Province of Cambodia, near the Vietnamese border. It is part of a larger mountain complex known as Phnom Kampong Trach. It’s a short climb up some steps with a great viewing point of the surrounding area.

The cave is essentially a natural tunnel through the limestone. This path leads you to a large, circular open area in the center of the mountain where the roof has collapsed, leaving the space open to the sky. Inside, you will find small Buddhist statues and shrines used by locals for prayer.
At the entrance, local children often offer to act as tour guides for about $1 USD. While the paths are easy to follow without help, hiring them provides direct financial support to their families. In many cases, these children work to pay for their siblings’ school fees or basic needs and a few extra dollars goes a long way.
Inside the cave system, there is a small pool of water. On hot days, local children often swim and splash there to cool off. Because education costs can be a barrier for many families in rural Cambodia, giving a small tip to these young guides helps them avoid the hardships associated with a lack of schooling.

03/02/2026

Wat Samathi Pagoda is a Buddhist temple located on a hillside in Kep, Cambodia. It sits within the boundaries of Kep National Park and is known primarily for its quiet atmosphere and elevated views. Unlike the more famous temples in Siem Reap, this site is modest and serves as a functional place of worship and meditation for local monks and residents.

The pagoda features traditional Khmer architecture, including a main hall decorated with colourful murals that depict the life of the Buddha. Outside, the grounds are several large statues and smaller shrines. A significant new project is currently underway higher up the hill, where a massive Buddha statue is being built. This new landmark is designed to be visible from a distance once completed.

Because of its location, visitors can see the coastline of Kep and the nearby Gulf of Thailand from the terrace. To reach the pagoda, you travel up a winding road. It is a peaceful spot that avoids heavy crowds.

02/02/2026

The salt fields in Kep, Cambodia, are a primary source of natural sea salt. Located near the coastline, these fields consist of large, flat earthen pans. The process begins when seawater is pumped from the ocean into these reservoirs. Over several weeks, the sun and wind evaporate the water, leaving behind concentrated brine.
Eventually, the salt crystallises into solid white grains. Workers then manually scrape the salt into small mounds using wooden rakes. This raw salt is collected in baskets and transported to nearby warehouses for storage and basic processing.
Production is strictly seasonal, occurring only during the dry months from January to April. If it rains, the salt dissolves and the harvest is lost. While the industry provides essential income for local families, the work is physically demanding and depends entirely on predictable weather patterns. The salt produced here is used throughout the country for cooking, preserving fish, and making fermented sauces.