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, …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Dear Future Husband, You never expected me to wear a boring white dress, did you? I’m not traditional. Not remotely. But you knew that when you asked me to marry you. So you shouldn’t be surprised that I have chosen a Balinese dance costume for my wedding gown. Specifically, the one worn by Sita. (Probably …
I can’t stop raving about how wonderful the people of Bali are. They are so kind, so friendly, and genuinely interested to learn about you! At times, I literally sit back and marvel at how amazing they are. Before arriving in Bali, I contacted a few local organizations looking for complimentary activities in exchange for …
I would like to apologize to every guy I’ve ever mocked for wearing a speedo. That may be a strange way to start a post about surfing lessons in Bali, but stay with me here! Like it or not, you just can’t surf in a bikini. Boobs will be flying all over the place, and …
Don’t let these pretty pictures fool you — Kuta may be the most vile place on Earth. If you’ve researched Bali tourism, you may have heard that – but for me, I found that guidebooks mostly glossed over this fact. However, many travel bloggers wrote eloquently about this, none of them better than Wandering Earl. Kuta …