Tag: Backpacking
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The Top Three Things to Do in Chiang Mai
For stop two of six in the Thailand leg of our trip, we headed to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand (not to be confused with Chiang Rai.) The next week would be intense for us. After three nights in Chiang Mai, we planned to catch a bus for a three-hour ride into the mountains to…
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Koh Lipe: The Thai Island You’ve Never Heard of
For our first island in Thailand, we decided to go to Koh Lipe. This gorgeous place is Thailand’s most southern island located in the Andaman Sea. It offers clear turquoise waters, incredible snorkeling and diving, and a less touristy experience than other popular Thai islands. In fact, some go so far as to call it…
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Kuala Lumpur: A Foodie’s Paradise
After we roughed it in the jungles of Malaysia, Matt and I headed to Kuala Lumpur for three days before our next country, Thailand. We’d heard mixed feedback about Kuala Lumpur, and the two of us tend to prefer tropical beaches to big cities when we vacation. However, since we needed to fly through the…
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Welcome to the Malaysian Jungle
Borneo is a large island — the third largest in the world — that is divided into three regions: Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Its expansive rainforest and biodiversity make it a popular destination for the adventurous traveler. Some of its most famous wildlife include pygmy elephants, clouded leopards, orangutans, proboscis monkeys, sun bears, and crocodiles.…
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Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan? Why We Chose Lembongan
Nusa Penida is one of the most famous islands in Indonesia due to its iconic viewpoint at Kelingking Beach. At the top of the cliff, you have sensational views of the rock formation and beach with monkeys lining the safety fence. If you want to visit the beach itself, you have a steep set of…
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One Week in the Gilis
The Gili islands are famous for their fantastic snorkeling, good food, and local bars. All three are just a swim away from each other and are very small compared to Lombok. We headed to Gili Trawangan (Gili T) first, the most popular island of the trio as the biggest — approximately three kilometers long and…
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Getting Lost in Lombok, Indonesia
Before this trip, I was only vaguely familiar with Asia’s geography. I knew what freshman year World Geography had taught me and that was where my knowledge ended. Planning this Southeast Asia trip introduced me to islands, cities, and popular tourist destinations that I’d never heard of before. So after we spent a day in…
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24 Hours in Ubud
Arriving in Bali after Singapore was a breath of fresh air — literally. Indonesia is the least hot and humid of the countries we’ll be visiting since it’s their winter, and I was thrilled to not be sweating out of every pore. We headed straight to Ubud after landing in the evening. It was about…
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First Stop: Singapore
When I announced to my parents that I would be quitting my job, subleasing my apartment, and backpacking through Southeast Asia with my boyfriend for several months, they took it surprisingly well. My mum just had one request: a blog to document my memories along the way. So Mum, this is for you. Singapore: a…
Postcards Home to Mum 