40 articles tagged with southeast asia
I first stumbled upon Dalat while backpacking through Vietnam five years ago, seeking refuge from the coastal heat. What I discovered was a misty mountain paradise that felt more like a European alpine town than Southeast Asia. With its temperate...
As someone who's spent the last decade balancing medical practice with global exploration, I've developed a knack for finding the pulse of a city's creative heart. George Town's art scene has long been celebrated for its iconic street murals, but...
Standing at the confluence of the Mekong and Se Don rivers, Pakse offers a perfect gateway to Southern Laos that won't drain your bank account. During my recent week-long leave from Border Patrol duties, I traded security checkpoints for checkpoints...
When my healing journey first took me to Southeast Asia ten years ago, I discovered that Kuala Lumpur—this magnificent collision of cultures, cuisines, and contrasts—doesn't have to drain your bank account. The city that boasts some of the world's tallest...
Hey fellow budget wanderers! After spending a combined six weeks bouncing between these two Southeast Asian powerhouses last year, I'm finally putting together the guide I wish I'd had. Both cities captured my heart in completely different ways – Bangkok...
Navigating the waterways of Europe has taught me that the most vibrant cities are like coral reefs—their true wonders often lie beneath the surface, away from the most photographed landmarks. Kuala Lumpur, with its iconic Petronas Towers piercing the skyline...
I never planned to write a family travel guide. But when my cycling buddy Dave invited me to join his family vacation to Vietnam last winter, I couldn't resist tagging along. Watching his kids experience Hoi An's magic transformed how...
The first time I stepped off the train at KL Sentral, I was hit by that familiar wall of tropical heat and the intoxicating aroma of *rendang* simmering somewhere nearby. Seven years and four visits later, Kuala Lumpur still captivates...
Standing on the weathered boardwalk overlooking Seria's coastline, I couldn't help but draw parallels between this humble Bruneian oil town and the working harbors back home in Chesapeake. The rhythmic nodding of oil pumps in the distance echoed the steady...
After five years of living in Seoul and countless business trips across Asia, I've developed quite the knack for finding exceptional shopping experiences. Kuala Lumpur—with its fascinating blend of Malay, Chinese, and Indian influences—offers one of the most diverse retail...
The morning mist hangs like a silk veil over the Mekong River as I join a small gathering of travelers and locals along the roadside. We kneel quietly, barefoot on woven mats, as the orange-robed monks appear in the distance...
When my materials preservation research brought me to Indonesia last summer, I expected to spend most of my time analyzing ancient temple compounds. Instead, I found myself conducting an entirely different kind of fieldwork: a methodical comparison of Lombok's crystalline...
The late afternoon sun casts a golden hue across the Gulf of Thailand as I wander barefoot along a stretch of pristine sand, kilometers away from the nearest tourist. This is Hua Hin, but not as most visitors know it....
G'day legends! Just rolled back to the Gold Coast after two epic weeks in Thailand's northern gem, and I'm still buzzing. Chiang Mai hit different – like properly different – from the moment I stepped off that overnight bus from...
Let me tell you straight up – Jakarta's a proper beast of a city. Seventeen million people, traffic that'll make your nan have a meltdown, and more motorbikes than you can shake a stick at. First time I landed here,...
