10 Things to Love About Melaka

10 Things to Love About Melaka

Every taxi driver in Malaysia to whom I posed the question, “where’s your favorite place in Malaysia?” answered without hesitation, “Melaka.” After the first two I asked gave this answer and so did two people working in or running guesthouses, I knew I had to get there. Not surprisingly, I wish I had taken the suggestion sooner and spent more time there. In no particular order, here are just 10

My favorite country so far? It’s not Vietnam.

My favorite country so far? It’s not Vietnam.

We recently finished 30 days in Vietnam and while we had some good times and met some wonderful people – both Vietnamese and travelers – I can’t say I love the country. If I’m honest, I spent most of those 30 days (1) wishing we hadn’t booked a departing flight in advance so we could get the hell out, and (2) trying to keep my anger and stress to a

Hoi An: The Good and the Bad

Hoi An: The Good and the Bad

I don’t recall when I first read about Hoi An but when I learned that the town is full of tailors and new clothes can be had for cheap, it made my list of must-go places in Vietnam. Not only are the tailoring options plentiful, there’s an old town with buildings that weren’t destroyed in the American-Vietnam War, a full moon festival that has nothing to do with partying, excellent

12 Things We Love About Dalat

12 Things We Love About Dalat

There’s much to love about Dalat, a mountain “resort” town north of Saigon. We didn’t go canyoning or pay a visit to the Crazy House but we still fell in love with this relatively calm city. These are just 12 things we love about Dalat. 1. You can walk around without sweating through every fiber of clothing you’re wearing. Dalat has been a resort area since the French controlled Vietnam

Why We Love Siem Reap

Why We Love Siem Reap

When we arrived in Siem Reap, I couldn’t decide whether to love it or hate it. The gateway to Cambodia’s famous Angkor Wat area, Siem Reap is bursting with restaurants, bars, hotels, and countless other businesses thriving solely because of tourist dollars. Visitors roam the streets at all hours, all year long, always accompanied by the cries of tuk-tuk drivers and shopkeepers trying to earn their money. For some tourists,

2 Days on the Mekong River Delta

2 Days on the Mekong River Delta

Along the lines of blackwater rafting in New Zealand, I’ve wanted to see the floating market on Vietnam’s Mekong River delta since I read about it more than a decade ago. Vendors live in their boats on the river, selling fruit and vegetables to locals in large quantities. Each vendor erects a bamboo pole at the bow with a fruit or vegetable tied to it showing what she sells. A

Kampot: Lazy Days With a Side of Peppercorns and Palm Wine

Kampot: Lazy Days With a Side of Peppercorns and Palm Wine

Kampot seems to be the darling of western travelers, loved by the couple behind Never Ending Voyage, the ladies of Globetrotter Girls, countless other bloggers, and travelers we’ve met in various places. We liked Kampot but neither of us counts it as our favorite spot in Cambodia. There’s a great deal to do in the area but it’s also an easy place to relax and do nothing for a few