For my nearly month-long trip around Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan (and a side quest into Tajikistan for a day), I did that will seem something pretty absurd to most people: I packed only one carry-on backpack. Over the decade I’ve spent travel blogging, I’ve been working to simplify my packing. That’s because I am a…
If you take a trip from Nukus to the Aral Sea, you’ll see a very interesting slice of Uzbekistan that few tourists get to see. Most travelers stick to the famous blue-tiled Silk Road cities, sometimes stopping at Bukhara, occasionally making it out to Khiva. Few tourists continue the journey further west into Uzbekistan, into…
Many people wonder whether you should take a Ninh Binh day trip from Hanoi, or if Ninh Binh itself is worth a few days of exploration and it should be used as a base on a larger trip through Vietnam. My answer is that it’s all about timing. Yes, you absolutely can see the highlights…
I’ve been to Bali several times — so many that, somewhere along the way, I’ve actually lost track of the sheer number of times I’ve been. And honestly, slowly and slowly, the island has started to lose its charm for me. Especially in South Bali, as well as Ubud, there’s little magic left to be…
The two-for-one sight that combines both Lying Dragon Mountain (Ngoa Long) and Mua Cave (Hang Mua in Vietnamese) is a must-visit for any visitor to Ninh Binh, whether you’re staying in the region for a few days or you’re just visiting as a day trip. Personally, I had limited time in Hanoi (and a schedule…
It’s no secret that Iceland has some issues with overtourism. When I spent a week in Iceland, I admit I was a little nervous to come – afraid I was contributing to their massive overtourism issue with my mere presence. As I spent 8 days road-tripping through some of the lesser-known parts of Iceland, covering…
Perched atop a hilltop with a spectacular ocean view, you can’t miss the small but gorgeous town of Taormina, halfway between Catania and Messina. I had the fortune of visiting Taormina twice on my trips to Sicily while living in Italy, and I love it so much that it’s easily in my top three places…
If you’ve seen even one photo of Meteora, you probably have already decided that it’s a must on any Greece mainland itinerary. Giant rock pillars rising from the landscape, with monasteries balanced on top as precarious as Jenga towers and endless valley views below… it’s one of those places that doesn’t look real, until you…
I won’t bury the lede here: I didn’t hate visiting Pompeii without a guide. How could you? It’s one of the best-preserved, vastest archaeological sites in the world. But also, I wouldn’t do it that way again. While I have to admit that Naples is probably my least favorite city in Italy, I’ll happily give…
