The Serendipitous Nature of Travelling Through Southern Cambodia
“Hey, you guys were here last night!” shouted a mop-haired Aussie tout to my wife and I as we meandered past waterfront pub, JJ’s Playground, on Sihanoukville’s Serendipity Beach. Never mind that it was 9am and we had our 4-year-old daughter in tow. In this guy’s world, there was only one reason anybody comes to […]
Channelling Gilligan: Southeast Asias Amazing Islands
There are literally thousands of islands in South-East Asia, ranging from tiny, uninhabited atolls to heavily populated slices of land, larger than some European countries. It would take a lifetime to explore all the islands in the region but these are 10 islands I think all tourists should have on their must-visit list: PhuketThailand’s largest […]
The Wild Beyond: Ulu Temburong Park’s Hiking Trails
While Brunei has largely tamed the wild side of its part of Borneo Island, a 500 square metre parcel of the country has been permitted to remain in its pristine, pre-development state. At Ulu Temburong National Park, tourists are only suffered admittance as part of carefully-guided tours, and only then visiting about one square kilometre’s […]
Camerons Lure: Malaysias Famed Tea Country
When it comes to colonial adventures, the British have a lot to answer for. One of our more pleasant inventions, however, was the hill station. Whenever the British Empire spread to somewhere considered a bit too hot, which for Brits meant pretty much anywhere in Asia, it was seen as essential to establish resorts in […]
Nature Calls: Day Tours from ASEAN’s Capitals
If you are on a short visit to a Southeast Asian capital city for business or leisure but fancy heading out of town for a day to experience a slice of paradise in a national park, then we have 10 suggestions for you. From Bandar Seri Begawan, Borneo Darussalam: Ulu Temburong National Park in the easternmost […]
Love Trunk: The Elephant Sanctuaries of Thailand
Thai Elephants have had their share of problems over the last few decades. As with any industrializing country, much of Thailand’s success has come at a cost to its ecological heritage, leaving tame elephant refugees incapable of returning to the wild. Elephants have long been a national symbol in Thailand. They once served as an […]
Another Side Of Singapore
With spectacular all-in-one resorts like the new Marina Bay Sands Casino and its 2500 rooms swallowing up much of Singapore’s 11 million annual visitors, a lot of tourists could be forgiven for thinking Singapore is the city-state equivalent of Disneyland with slick facilities, all carefully planned and purpose-built. While this is true to a large […]
Southeast Asia’s Most Scenic Day Hikes
Avid hikers will go on and on about Southeast Asia’s gorgeous multi-day trails – the hikes up Mount Fansipan in Vietnam and Myanmar’s Kalaw to Inle Lake trail come to mind – but even the region’s short hikes can give back far more than travelers dish out: amazing wildlife finds and stunning scenery out of […]
7 Unknown Beach Escapes
1. Mystical Island/Province of LoveThere’s something mysterious and magnetic about Dinagat Islands, a province located south of the Leyte Gulf. Adventures are in store for those who do not seek the luxury of hotels. What you have waiting for you are lodging rooms (sometimes built on stilts), homestay accommodations from warm villagers, and fresh, crawling […]
Secrets Of Mindoro
The mere mention of Mindoro conjures images of Puerto Galera and Apo Reef in most people’s minds. But, is there anything beyond these popular places that is worth discovering?After spending three days in and around San Jose, the gateway to Occidental Mindoro, the answers came to me. Think of discovering unspoiled beaches, serene island retreats, […]