Angkor Wat calls to backpackers like Paris calls to lovers. I understand that it’s not only backpackers who go to Angkor Wat (in fact, they’re probably the minority, especially given the price tag lately), but it feels like a rite of passage. You have not completed the “Banana Pancake” Southeast Asia circuit if you haven’t …
Having finished up our stay in Hanoi (including an awesome two-day one-night Bhaya Cruise on Ha Long Bay), it was time to see the rest of Vietnam. We have been consistently impressed by the quality and efficiency of trains in Vietnam, and highly recommend it as a transport option as you make your way through …
After a few lovely nights in Hoi An, it was time to continue our southward journey through Vietnam. Next up was Nha Trang, a beach destination (with great snorkeling!) about ten hours south by train. In this post, we cover how we got from Hoi An to Da Nang (the nearest train station) and then …
As we approach the end of our two months in Southeast Asia, we’ve arrived at our last new country in the region: Cambodia. I feel a bit bad for my assessment on Cambodia because it comes on the heels of Vietnam, a country we absolutely adored. Vietnam was right up there with Seoul as far …
If you don’t think of beach paradise when you think of Vietnam (I wouldn’t blame you, but …), you’d be missing out on so much of what the amazing country of Vietnam has to offer. Vietnam has something for everyone, from the metropolitan hub of Ho Chi Minh City to the spastic streets of Hanoi, …
Before we even left the US last summer, we had our first six months of travel fully planned: flights booked and accommodations reserved. As we enter the second half of our trip, we’re back on the travel-planning train as we try to figure out where we’re going, when and how much it’s going to cost. …
When you’re in Luang Prabang, Laos, you might hear the dusty streets and river tubing of Vang Vieng calling your name. And when you do, finding a way there isn’t difficult, but there a few options you should consider. In this post we’ll share our experience on one of the options: taking the Minivan from Luang …
If you’re in Hanoi, Vietnam, you should absolutely, 100%, without a doubt make your way to Ha Long Bay. In fact, if you’re not in Hanoi, you should probably book a trip to Hanoi so you can go to Ha Long Bay (and also because Hanoi is a fascinating city in its own right). The …
White bulb lights are strung between bars built out of the likes of recycled shipping containers. People eat high-end food-truck style meals on wooden tables and pull bottles of Beer Lao from ice buckets. Piles of hay bales mark the entrance behind face-in-the-hole photo spots of a cowboy and cowgirl. There’s a guitar player in …
Hanoi is intense. We have been in this city (and this country) for less than 24 hours and have had some of the more extreme travel experiences of our trip. I like it — it’s got a lot of energy, it’s chaotic — but it can challenge you on so many levels. I think my …