I’ve had my fair share of weird drinks during my travels. I’ve tried Kava in Fiji, beer mixed with coke in Germany and Kierewiet (made from Marijuana) in Holland. But coffee made from the poo of an animal?
It sounds disgusting, but believe it or not, this is how the world’s most expensive coffee is produced. It comes from Indonesia, where it’s called “Kopi Luwak,” which translates to Civet Coffee. Continue reading »
After a few years on the road I usually manage to avoid tourist traps. This time I was completely caught off guard though. A painful mistake that wasted about half of my day.
I was staying in Bali with two of my buddies, Andreas and Vincenzo. We wanted to check out some cool spots on the islands. A friend of Vincenzo had recently visited the island and recommended a taxi driver to us. He had taken him around the island before and he had a great day. Continue reading »
On my way from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur I passed by a city called Malacca. I heard that there was some Dutch heritage in this city so I decided to stop for a night or two to check it out.
It turned out to be a good decision. Not only does the city have a really interesting history, its old city center has been listed as UNESCO world heritage site since 2008. Continue reading »
When visiting Port Villa, the capital of Vanuatu, a visit to Hideaway Island is well worth it. The only way to reach the island is by ferry. It’s free, but you have to pay a small fee once you reach the island.
Being a marine sanctuary, the main activity is snorkeling. Although some of the coral around the island has died, there is still plenty left. You can visit the island for the day or stay in the islands only resort. There are private rooms available as well as shared accommodation for backpackers. Continue reading »
Hong Kong is known for it’s amazing mix of international cuisine. I’ve spent two months in this vibrant city and I have had some of the best food in my life here.
Pretty much every cuisine is represented in the city and there is an excellent choice for every taste and cuisine. Creating this list of top five picks wasn’t easy. That’s why I’m very confident that you’ll enjoy every single one of my picks! Continue reading »
If you have the chance to travel to China, consider making a stop in beautiful Yunnan, one of China’s southwestern provinces filled with ethnic and geographic diversity. One of Yunnan’s best travel destinations is the ancient city of Dali, located south and west of Erhai Lake in the center of the province.
A fertile plateau with the Cangshan mountains to the west and Erhai Lake to its east, Dali is known as a place with perfect Feng Shui. It is home to Bai and Yi minorities, and is a popular stop over with foreign backpackers and Chinese tourists alike. Continue reading »
When traveling to China, a visa is always required. The easiest option is to apply for a visa in your home country before you leave. But there is an alternative available: you can get your China visa in Hong Kong. This is very handy when you make the decision to visit China while already traveling abroad.
Getting a visa for China is actually very easy in Hong Kong. There are two ways to get your visa: apply yourself at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or have a visa service agent do if for you. Continue reading »
My main reason to head down to Palawan, an island in the Philippines, was to visit the Palawan underground river, located in the Puerto Princessa Subterranean River National Park, about 50 kilometers north of Puerto Princessa. The river was known as the world’s longest underground river until the discovery of a even longer river in Mexico. Still, the visit proved to be more than worth it! Continue reading »
I was traveling in Asia when I met up with Christophe, a former colleague and good friend. He had taken three weeks off to join me for a trip to Thailand and Malaysia.
Christophe shares my deep passion for scuba diving. Accordingly, the question wasn’t if we would go diving, but (1) where and (2) for how long. I had heard enchanting stories about a group of islands in the Andaman Sea, just a few hours off the western coast of Thailand: The Similan Islands. Continue reading »
Hong Kong is well known for its unlimited variety of foods. From little roadside stalls to high end restaurants and everything in between, Hong Kong has it all. Its food is heavily influenced by Cantonese cuisine as well as other regions of China, Japan, and South East Asia. Due to its past as a British colony, Hong Kong also hosts a wide variety of international restaurants as well.
Over the next two months, I will have 15 hand picked dinners. Each one will be documented in this post. While it will be impossible to sample every available cuisine, I will do my best to get a good representation. Continue reading »
