Every March 28, I’m reminded of the night when the boat went down. Falling asleep on a bench and woke up with a jerk at 2:00 AM, scrambling on the floor before a crew member came in and said, “Everybody, get your lifejackets on.” The night I cried and panicked on the same bench, holding on to a […]
Five Years Since the Shipwreck That Changed My Life Read More »
I’m a big advocate of traveling in the off-season and reaping the benefits: lower prices, fewer crowds, a more local experience. But as I sit here in Turkey, I’m disappointed at my decision to come here for three weeks in late November. Istanbul was great if a bit cold, Cappadocia was freezing cold and creepily
Traveling in the Off-Season: Sometimes Great, Sometimes Awful! Read More »
One of the highlights of spending extended time in Southeast Asia was that I got to see so much beauty, and so many different kinds of beauty. Here are the most beautiful places in Southeast Asia: Thailand’s Andaman Coast Clear turquoise water, limestone cliffs, white sand, longtail boats — this is the Thailand of postcards,
The Most Beautiful Places in Southeast Asia Read More »
It’s no secret that I wasn’t a fan of Kuta, the most popular beach resort town in Bali. But if you want to escape Kuta, you don’t have to go far — just visit Seminyak. Seminyak is part of the Kuta area, but it’s so different that it could be a different island. Instead of
Seminyak: Kuta’s Sexy Older Sister Read More »
I adore Southeast Asia — and I especially treasure my favorite places in this part of the world. But not every place captured my fancy, though I found something to love about every place I visited. Here are my picks for the most overrated places in Southeast Asia: Koh Phi Phi, Thailand Koh Phi Phi was
The Most Overrated Places in Southeast Asia Read More »
You know how much I live for adventures! My six months in Asia were filled with them, and I don’t regret any of them. I’ll be telling these stories forever. But some of the adventures were a lot better than others. Here are my top 10 adventures in Southeast Asia: Fighting Muay Thai in Koh
Adventurous Kate’s Top 10 Adventures in Southeast Asia Read More »
Southeast Asia is home to some of the best beaches in the world, and some of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. Unlike my favorite places in Southeast Asia, I’m going to rank this list — I’ll list my top three beaches in Southeast Asia, and everything else is an honorable mention. My favorite
My Favorite Beaches in Southeast Asia Read More »
After the shipwreck, I needed to shut myself away and decompress for awhile in Bali. And I found the perfect place to do it — the Alam Sari. After hearing about the accident, the Alam Sari, a sustainable resort in the village of Keliki, just outside Ubud, invited me for a weeklong stay. I couldn’t
Sustainable Tourism in Bali: The Alam Sari Read More »
After the shipwreck, we were taken from Komodo Island to the port town of Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores. Lonely Planet describes Labuan Bajo as “the next big thing” in Indonesia travel. I think there are two kinds of places you can describe as “next big things” — either places that are fantastic
Stranded in Indonesia? There are Worse Places than Labuan Bajo. Read More »
Over my six months in Southeast Asia, I stayed in lots of interesting places: Crazy party hostels, like Monkey Republic in Sihanoukville and Hanoi Backpackers Hostel in Hanoi. Super-basic bungalows on stilts on the islands of Don Det and Koh Chang. Hotels with swans made out of towels in Ao Nang. But most of the
A Typical Guesthouse In Southeast Asia — What’s It Like? Read More »