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, …
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 …
New Year’s Eve in Chiang Rai, Thailand was easily one of my all-time favorite trip memories and one of the best New Year’s I’ve ever had. It was festive, but so relaxed. There were lanterns and fireworks, Thai food and beer, and really, what more do you need to ring in the new year on …
If you’ve heard about Vang Vieng, it’s because you’ve heard about Tubing in Vang Vieng. And if you’ve heard about tubing in Vang Vieng, you’re either incredibly worried about us or have heard about how it has changed. While it’s nowhere near the experience it used to be, it’s still a great stop if you’re …
One of the most fun parts of the Southeast Asia backpacker trail is the slow boat from the border town of Huay Xai, Laos to the tourist hotspot Luang Prabang, Laos. The two-day trip totals about 14 hours with an overnight stop on Pakbeng, Laos. Note: Some sources refer to this same ride as the …
Wat Rong Khun, better known to travelers as the “White Temple” is a temple structure (Wikipedia refers to it as an art exhibit) a few miles outside of central Chiang Rai, Thailand. (If you’re looking for a “real” temple experience in the region, check out the hike to Wat Pha Lat and Wat Phra That …
During our year-long backpack trip around the world, we spent Christmas in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I recall that Christmas morning quite vividly. I was drinking a peppermint mocha and watching “A Christmas Story” on my laptop in a cafe. I knew that somewhere on the other side of the world, it was still Christmas Eve …
Back in 1383, the temple of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep was built on the top of Doi Suthep Mountain just outside of modern day Chiang Mai. Monks had to hike up Doi Suthep to get to the temple, and Wat Pha Lat was later built as a resting place for those Monks. Today, you can still …
Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China, located just south of mainland China. It comprises Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories and 200+ other near islands in the South China Sea, covering over 400 square miles of land. Hong Kong is hard to label because it’s (basically) a country but also a …