When we set off backpacking around South East Asia, doing a PADI course to become qualified open water SCUBA divers was one of the first things we added to our list of things to do! After doing a taster session over 10 years ago on a family holiday to Turkey and also having friends who […]
Experiences
Seeing Orangutans in Borneo: A magical experience seeing this fascinating endangered animal in its natural setting.
Flying over to the Malaysian part of Borneo most have one main objective: To see the endangered Orangutans in their natural environment in the only place in the world where they exist. With dwindling numbers over the last few decades this bucket list item is even harder to tick. However with many amazing conservation areas […]
Experiencing the unique culture of Borneo up close and personal at the Mari Mari culture village. Plus, Where to stay in Kota Kinabalu!
When we decided to head over to Borneo, specifically the Malaysian side, we were keen to take the opportunity to soak in all this magnificent and mysterious island had to offer and especially to visit a Borneo cultural village. From trekking through the jungle in search of endangered animals to embracing the rich tribal culture of […]
The unbelievable paradise Gili islands between Lombok and Bali where you can swim with turtles! Indonesia!
The Gili islands Indonesia are three small Islands (Gili actually means small island in the local language of Lombok) off the coast of Lombok in the sea between it and Bali. These three islands are complete paradise, no cars, continuous immaculate beaches, crystal clear turquoise waters filled with corals and amazing sea life, little cottages […]
The mesmerizing trek up volcano Mt Bromo including a 16hr bus and a 2.30am wake up call, Indonesia
We had never heard of Mt. Bromo before heading off to Asia and unlike many big experiences it wasn’t etched onto our Asia bucket list for years! We had been staying in a homestay in the hills of SaPa in rural Northern Vietnam, huddled around a fire and drinking rice wine to stay warm when […]
A guide to Yogyakarta, the historic heart of Java we fell in love with, Indonesia!
When we heading over to Yogyakarta (pronounced Jogjakarta and often spelt like this too) from Jakarta we had really no idea what there was to do here. In fact we always just saw it as a kind of pit stop for heading off over to Mt Bromo rather than a destination in its own right. But […]
Exploring the Bako National Park Borneo: Stepping into the real Jurassic Park that is teeming with amazing animals, wildlife and jaw dropping landscapes!
When we decided to visit Borneo we did so to see the amazing wildlife, to explore the dense and otherworldly jungles and rainforest, to delve into nature and see some unforgettable sights. One of the best and easiest to reach places to do this is Bako National Park Borneo, from the Croc infested river that […]
Where to see Melbourne’s Best Street Art: Australia’s most vibrant city!
Melbourne is one of the great street art cities of the world. Rather than fighting the graffiti artists, the city has recognised their artistic talent and has opened up many of the city’s laneways for these artists to express themselves through their graffiti art, while murals are commissioned on walls throughout the city. The great […]
Experiencing the amazing “Thingyan” Water festival in lively Yangon, Myanmar
Leaving Thailand just a week or so before the famous water festival I couldn’t help but be a bit disappointed, so near and yet so far, we had booked our flights to Myanmar before we realised! But what we also didn’t realise is that not only does Thailand celebrate the water festival, but Myanmar do […]
What to expect when you visit Myanmar (Burma): The wonderful, surreal & authentic side of South East Asia!
Myanmar, or Burma as it was formerly known has to be one of the all time highlights of our travels so far. A truly authentic culture, welcoming people, unspoilt traditions, mysterious history and amazing landscapes. But often people we meet seem hesitant to visit, but here is our guide to Myanmar travel and what to […]
Visiting the majestic, mystical and sacred Golden Rock (Kyaiktiyo Pagoda) that teeters on the edge in Myanmar!
Ever since I saw a strange and somewhat obscure photo of this shimmering rock teetering off the side of a cliff I knew I had to visit. The mysterious land of Myanmar called me in with its untouched and mesmerising culture as soon as I learnt of its endless charms. The tourist trail, if you […]
The ancient temples of Bagan: Visiting this miraculous wonder of the world in amazing Myanmar
Whilst considering the countries we wanted to visit whilst touring South East Asia, Myanmar always came up as the one which held the most intrigue and unknown. A country relatively few visit in this region, one only just opened up to tourism where the culture is vastly different to that of places like Thailand or […]
Pai: The hedonistic hippy heaven in the mountains we almost never left, Thailand!
The longer we spent travelling around South East Asia the more we heard of this little mysterious place in the very north of Thailand with a funny old name: Pai! Everyone who had been was raving about this hippy hideaway in the hills that feels miles away from normal life, where you can explore by […]
Trekking for two days through the jungles of Chiang Mai: An eye opening trip which left us with mixed feelings
Chiang Mai trekking in the jungles of Northern Thailand was something we had wanted to do even before we knew anything else about the area, about trekking in South East Asia or even had any other plans for backpacking. It became our code word for the adventures we would have on our long term travels […]
Visiting the beautiful elephants of Chiang Mai at the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary: Selecting the right place to do good rather than harm
For years we have dreamt of meeting the beautiful elephants of Asia, but after hearing many horror stories of bad treatment and awful conditions we were wary of doing more harm than good in seeking out this dream interaction. After much research, speaking to others who had visited many of the sanctuaries and so called […]