This post was written by Sam, blogger and Vietnam expert, who blogs on Itching for Travel. Vietnam is a trending destination in Southeast Asia for both backpackers and location independent travellers. Some travellers spend three months exploring the length and breadth of Vietnam. Others teach English in Ho Chi Minh…
Much of South East Asia is already very well explored. Everyone knows about Bangkok, Bali and the Vietnamese coastal route (although it’s still very easy to get off the beaten track in these places!). But somewhere that’s not given nearly enough credit is Laos. Laos does have a position on…
Langkawi Island is one of the most popular travel destinations in West Malaysia. Located just 3 hours ferry ride from Penang Island, Langkawi Island has been welcoming foreign travelers and tourists since 1986, when the Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir decided to develop Langkawi into a major tourist hub. It was…
Sitting at a kind of crossroads between the Orient and southeast Asia, with an incredibly rich and varied culture and history, Vietnam has some stories to tell. Not all of them good; many people can still remember the brutal war that took place there in the 1970s – and given…
I, like most other travellers to Thailand, was very keen to see some beautiful elephants while travelling the country. There is something about these animals that’s just magical; they’re so peaceful and majestic, and seeing one in the flesh is a really awe-inspiring experience. But honestly, I’d kind of written…
Bangkok. There’s not really anywhere on this earth quite like it. It manages to be a melting pot of different cultures, yet still have a strong Thai culture. Bangkok’s a city with a distinct heritage, as well as a ridiculously modern eating, drinking and shopping scene. It’s somewhere where you can…
Oh Vang Vieng… how I hated you. Don’t get my wrong, the place is pretty – far away from the main strip, that is. Vang Vieng is the worst kind of backpacker town – one where boozed up Westerners flock the main street, seemingly day and night, and save for…
Not many tourists make it to Savannakhet in Laos. It’s kind of midway between the tubing of Vang Vieng and the chilled 4,000 islands; meaning many travellers skip past it on a night bus or don’t even go to through part of the country. Now, while I think it would…
I love new years, and I really enjoy making New Year’s resolutions – I love the feeling of a blank canvas to fill with more love, more success, and more happiness. And I don’t mean to brag, but I’m actually quite good at sticking to them. As well as backpack…
Singapore as a city definitely took me by surprise. A lot of people are very skeptical about including Singapore in their South East Asian itineraries, mainly due to concerns about it being expensive and thinking its small size means there isn’t much to do there. Admittedly, the first time I visited…