http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/emmanuel_lacoste/ Emmanuel moved to South East Asia in 2000 and started developing new crags in Okinawa, China, Hong Kong, and now Indonesia. As an International school teacher, Emmanuel has both a rewarding career and plenty of time off to climb. Emmanuel is supported by Black Diamond Asia and Arc'teryx. He normally spends his summer climbing other people’s routes in the United States. en-us http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/emmanuel_lacoste/ http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/emmanuel_lacoste/9Dragon-(7)-sq.jpg 11/22/10 - Cantabaco, Cebu, Philippines - Like most of Asia, climbing in the Philippines isn’t very documented. Most information is shared via word of mouth, and a few pamphlets are created to help climbers find specific routes once they arrive at the area. Unlike the well-documented Tonsai in Thailand, the Philippines doesn’t have a guidebook, and only recently did some climbers finally put together a website with basic information. When it comes to climbing and vacationing in the Philippines, Cebu should be at the top of climber’s list. http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/emmanuel_lacoste/emmanuel_lacoste_-_reader_blog_7 emmanuel_lacoste Mon, 22 Nov 2010 12:16:00 EST http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/emmanuel_lacoste/Blog-7-Vincent-sm.jpg Emmanuel Lacoste - Reader Blog 7 11/22/10 - <b>Cantabaco, Cebu, Philippines</b> - Like most of Asia, climbing in the Philippines isn’t very documented. Most information is shared via word of mouth, and a few pamphlets are created to help climbers find specific routes once they arrive at the area. Unlike the well-documented Tonsai in Thailand, the Philippines doesn’t have a guidebook, and only recently did some climbers finally put together a website with basic information. When it comes to climbing and vacationing in the Philippines, Cebu should be at the top of climber’s list. 9/14/10 - Southeast Asia Climbing - I just spent a week climbing about Tonsai and Railey and southern Thailand and was surprised at how many of southeast Asia’s climbing areas are still unheard of by travelers. Several of the climbers I met were on extended trips in Southeast Asia and were shocked to hear that the area they just left had climbing. I have to admit, after ten years of living in Asia, I should realize that information is hard to find. Most areas I know about I learned via word of mouth. The information trickles in, but it’s very limited. Many of the areas have tiny local guidebooks, but they are not readily available. Even the World Wide Web doesn’t help unless you know about a specific area already. http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/emmanuel_lacoste/emmanuel_lacoste_-_reader_blog_6 emmanuel_lacoste Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:31:00 EST http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/emmanuel_lacoste/baiyun-sm.jpg Emmanuel Lacoste - Reader Blog 6 9/14/10 - <b>Southeast Asia Climbing</b> - I just spent a week climbing about Tonsai and Railey and southern Thailand and was surprised at how many of southeast Asia’s climbing areas are still unheard of by travelers. Several of the climbers I met were on extended trips in Southeast Asia and were shocked to hear that the area they just left had climbing. I have to admit, after ten years of living in Asia, I should realize that information is hard to find. Most areas I know about I learned via word of mouth. The information trickles in, but it’s very limited. Many of the areas have tiny local guidebooks, but they are not readily available. Even the World Wide Web doesn’t help unless you know about a specific area already. 3/30/10 - Hong Kong is not on my vacation list, but when the school sent me to a conference there, I decided to spend the rest of my vacation visiting old friends, showing my wife the sights, and, most importantly, climbing on some great granite. I have to admit, the crimps and slabs of Hong Kong were a welcome relief after climbing on Asia’s tropical limestone for nearly a year. http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/emmanuel_lacoste/emmanuel_lacoste_-_reader_blog_5 emmanuel_lacoste Tue, 30 Mar 2010 13:10:00 EST http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/emmanuel_lacoste/EmmanueleLacoste-sm.jpg Emmanuel Lacoste - Reader Blog 5 3/30/10 - Hong Kong is not on my vacation list, but when the school sent me to a conference there, I decided to spend the rest of my vacation visiting old friends, showing my wife the sights, and, most importantly, climbing on some great granite. I have to admit, the crimps and slabs of Hong Kong were a welcome relief after climbing on Asia’s tropical limestone for nearly a year. 1/25/10 - Non-Climbing Friends - It’s my third year working here. My co-workers have learned not ask what I’m doing this weekend, break, or vacation. The question isn’t what are you doing, but where are you going climbing. My co-workers don’t take long to understand my obsession. My wife, who also climbs like to tell our non-climbing friends, “a fish swims, Eman climbs.” http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/emmanuel_lacoste/emmanuel_lacoste_-_reader_blog_4 emmanuel_lacoste Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:52:00 EST http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/emmanuel_lacoste/eman-lowering-thailand-sq.jpg Emmanuel Lacoste - Reader Blog 4 1/26/10 - <b>Non-Climbing Friends</b> - It’s my third year working here. My co-workers have learned not ask what I’m doing this weekend, break, or vacation. The question isn’t what are you doing, but where are you going climbing. My co-workers don’t take long to understand my obsession. My wife, who also climbs like to tell our non-climbing friends, “a fish swims, Eman climbs.” 8/24/09 - The Internationals - Every parking space has a car parked in it, so we pull off to the side of the road. The scene is pretty much the same every weekend. Men, women, and children of various shapes and sizes check and double-check their gear, before they burden their backs with the heavy load. My wife or other climbing partner looks at me, “Scuba diving is too much work,” one of them will usually say. http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/emmanuel_lacoste/emmanuel_lacoste_-_reader_blog_3 emmanuel_lacoste Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:52:00 EST http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/emmanuel_lacoste/OkiBlog-(8)-sq.jpg Emmanuel Lacoste - Reader Blog 3 8/24/09 - <b>The Internationals</b> - Every parking space has a car parked in it, so we pull off to the side of the road. The scene is pretty much the same every weekend. Men, women, and children of various shapes and sizes check and double-check their gear, before they burden their backs with the heavy load. My wife or other climbing partner looks at me, “Scuba diving is too much work,” one of them will usually say.