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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,…
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A Day Trip to Burana Tower
Burana Tower is a large minaret in the Chuy Valley, which lies very close to the city of Tokmok. Built in the 11th century, Burana is one of the last remaining pieces of the ancient city of Balasagun, which was established at the end of the 9th century. Legend says Burana was constructed to protect the local king who was told his newly-born…
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How to Get to Jyrgalan From Karakol
Getting from Jyrgalan from Karakol can be done in two ways, taxi or marshrutka. The distance is 47 kilometers and takes roughly an hour and a half by marshrutka. By taxi, it will cost around 1,300 soms. You can have your hotel book the taxi for the best rate. To get to Jyrgalan from Karakol by marshrutka you’ll need to head to…
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A Backpacker’s Guide to Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan is a rugged country in Central Asia along the ancient Silk Road. Dubbed the “Switzerland of Central Asia”, Kyrgyzstan is a backpacker’s heaven and the MOST naturally scenic country I have been to so far. Kyrgyzstan is jam-packed with adventure and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone that says otherwise. This is one of my favorite countries and one…
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Trekking Ala-Kul in One Day
Coming to Kyrgyzstan, trekking Ala-Kul was one of my main goals. Although it was the beginning of June and the lake was still frozen, I wanted to trek Ala-Kul to prepare my body for the 3 day trek that would lie ahead in the upcoming days. Getting to Ala-Kul was fairly simple, I organized a tour with Visit Karakol for…
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Backpacking Through Old Dhaka
Dhaka is Bangladesh’s capital and one of the most densely populated cities in the world. From the moment I left Shahjalal International Airport, I was in shock by the sheer amount of people in the streets. Being in Dhaka felt like being in a city filled with the entire world population, I mean you could barely stretch your arms out without…
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Visiting the Rohingya Refugee Camp
Coming to Bangladesh, I had no intention of visiting the Rohingya Refugee Camp. I was in Cox Bazar, a beach town in the south, when a man asked me my purpose of visiting. He asked, “You come to see the Rohingya”? I knew of the refugee crisis going on, but I didn’t think much of it being in Cox Bazar.…
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Two Day Srimangal Tour
Srimangal was my favorite place in Bangladesh and one that is often overlooked by the few tourists that do venture out to Bangladesh. Srimangal lies in the Sylhet Division of the country, just four hours east of Dhaka by train. Not only is Sylhet considered the most scenic region in the country, but it is also the wealthiest. In fact,…
