One woman's journey through the world
When I decided to visit the Philippines, I planned to stay one month and I made a list of places I wanted to dive and a few, like El Nido, that I wanted to see and maybe dive if people on the ground vouched for their awesomeness. I did no research into anything other than diving, trusting that people would tell me about other places I should visit. I stayed
My favorite days of traveling are those when I’m both relaxed and busy: when I see or do something active but also enjoy a leisurely meal – ideally with someone whose company I enjoy; when I eat a new food or witness something unique to where I am; and when I end the day with a drink, I wind up in conversation with people who become friends. These are the
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
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
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
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
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,
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 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