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Traveling Through Astana, Kazakhstan: The World’s 2nd Coldest Capital City
Astana is Kazakhstan’s capital city and the second coldest capital on earth after Ulaanbaatar. Though probably not the best idea, I went in January, right in the middle of the winter. Compared to Almaty, Kazakhstan’s second largest city, there is considerably less to see in Astana, despite it being marketed as “futuristic capital.” This was my second trip to Kazakhstan (first…
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El Chaltén: Argentina’s Trekking Capital
El Chaltén is small backpacker town located in the Patagonia region of Argentina, and your gateway to some of the best hiking in the country. Despite it being named the trekking capital of Argentina, not much is known about El Chalten, in fact, most locals have never even heard of it. Regardless of its popularity, El Chaltén is a must…
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Three Days in Uruguay
I’ll admit, before coming to Uruguay, I knew nothing about this country other than the fact that it was more European-like than the other South American countries. While planning for my trip to Argentina, I saw that Uruguay was fairly close to Buenos Aries, just an hour away by ferry, to be exact. Just an hour away? New stamp in…
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Best Places to See in Cape Town
Very few cities have left a lasting impression on me, but Cape Town is one of a kind. Coming into Cape Town, I didn’t quite know what to expect. In fact, I was constantly briefed on the dangers of the city rather than what to actually see. Not only did I find the city to be safe, but I also…
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Skip Guilin….Why You Should Visit Yangshuo
Before my flight to Guilin from Shanghai, I spent hours going back and forth wondering how much time I should spend in Guilin and the neighboring cities. My friends told me to skip Guilin, and it didn’t take long for me to realize why that was worth doing. To be honest, there isn’t much in Guilin. It’s simply your launching…
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China vs. Japan vs. South Korea: Which Should You Live In?
Since late 2012, I’ve had the privilege of living in China, Japan, and South Korea, and during this time, I’ve been able to truly immerse myself into each of their unique cultures. China, Japan, and South Korea are three countries that often come to mind to foreigners (mainly western) when seeking employment abroad, but the differences among the three are…
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Things To Do in Luang Prabang
Let me start off by saying, I love Luang Prabang! I’ll admit, heading into LP, I was a bit nervous. It seemed unanimous online that everyone enjoyed this small, former capital city in the north. I couldn’t find much criticism; it just seemed too good to be true. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, only to be disappointed.…
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Why You Must Visit Nong Khiaw
Not much is known about Nong Khiaw, in fact, most tourists don’t know it exists. This small town located 3 hours north of Luang Prabang is one of Laos’ hidden gems. Nong Khiaw is a quiet and scenic town jam-packed with adventure. Nong Khiaw is what you imagine backpacking in Southeast Asia to have been like in the past. Although…
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Best Budget Hotel in Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang was nothing short of amazing, but what really made my experience that much greater was my stay at Villa Ban Phanluang, the best budget hotel in Luang Prabang. Located just a short ride away from the city center, this hotel meets all the requirements of a great place to stay at: welcoming staff, clean and spacious rooms, delicious…
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Trekking Jyrgalan: Boz Uchuk Lakes
Jyrgalan is a town most people traveling to Kyrgyzstan have never heard of, even the locals in Kyrgyzstan! Jyrgalan was once a prosperous mining town during the Soviet era, but suffered financially in the 90s and 2000s. Years ago, Jyrgalan had absolutely 0 tourism, but in 2016, six families came together to form the Jyrgalan Destination Management Organization (DMO). Their mission,…
