We are running two Iraqi Kurdistan tours for 2020. Check out the details! When I launched my new tour to Iraqi Kurdistan, I received quite a few emails from people who were interested, but hesitant to come. Safety was their biggest concern and most people were worried about the security issues ther[...]
As a professional travel blogger, I get asked a lot about what travel items I can't leave home without. I thought today I'll answer that question once and for all with this post. You'll see that most items on this list are tech gear and gadgets -- I blame that on my work! For this blog and other mag[...]
Planning a weekend in Malaga? Here's my list of recommended things to do in Malaga. For travelers in Europe, Malaga is often seen as a touristy destination that has been simply ‘overdone’. This coastal city in southern Spain was the hottest beach destination in the 1980's, and it continues to[...]
After leading my first tour to Tibet, I'm sharing a detailed Tibet travel guide with all the information on how to travel Tibet, things to do and where to stay in Tibet. Tibet is called the ‘Roof of the World’ for good reason: With an average elevation exceeding 4,500 metres (14,800 ft), t[...]
Heading to Tibet soon? Here are some things you should know before your trip to Tibet. Monks, monasteries and mountains — Tibet is a spiritual place that has the power to move even the most hardened traveler. This remote, far-flung region is seemingly in a world of its own, with fabled villa[...]
A look at some of my best pictures of Tibet: from its landscapes to people. Tibet is called the ‘Roof of the World’ for good reasons: With an average elevation exceeding 4,500 metres (14,800 ft), the Tibetan Plateau is sometimes the world's highest and largest plateau, with an area of 2,500,0[...]
I’m making my way around Tibet as we speak — but this time, I’m traveling without my husband Alberto and our two-year-old daughter. After spending the last three months traveling Southeast Asia with them, I’m sad to bid farewell, but it’s time to hit the road once again on my own. This is[...]
It has been 7 years since we moved to Spain — first it was Madrid for a year, then just a couple of months in Seville and eventually Granada. We’ve also explored a lot of Spain, from the northwestern corner of Galicia to the eastern edge of Costa Brava, the southern shores of Cadiz to the outlyi[...]
After living in Spain for seven years, I'm sharing what it’s really like to live in Spain and some tips for those who want to move to Spain. Living in Spain is the dream for many. Most people imagine romantic strolls on beautiful cobblestoned walkways with flamenco music playing in the background,[...]
After a two-week trip to Jamaica with our daughter, we've compiled some of the best places to visit in Jamaica beyond the tourist resorts. Best Places to Visit in Jamaica Smooth like rum and hot like a spicy plate of jerk, Jamaica got me hooked almost right from the start. The media might call i[...]
In Bali, there’s seriously no shortage of accommodation to choose from, regardless of your budget and style. Whether you’re looking to be in the midst of upscale Seminyak or surrounded by nature in the spiritual hub of Ubud, it’s extremely easy to find a hotel that suits your needs in a matter[...]
When's the best time to visit Bali? I'd say during Nyepi, the Balinese New Year. Here's my experience celebrating Nyepi in Bali. The streets of Ubud are filled with hundreds of people – all dressed in multi-hued, kebaya blouses and batik-print sarong cloth wrapped around their waists. Priests cla[...]
In the past two years of traveling with our baby to 15 countries, Bali tops them all as the most family-friendly destination we've been. Here is a detailed guide on traveling Bali with kids. I’ve lost count of the number of traveling families we’ve seen and met on this trip. After all, Ba[...]
For the longest time, I dreamt of traveling the world for a living. Every job I had – whether it was teaching English in Spain, working as an administrator in London or a banker in Singapore – had always been a means to save up for travel. In 2008, I started this travel blog. It has since brough[...]
For the curious traveler, here’s my East Timor travel guide with tips on how to navigate your way around Asia's newest nation, Timor-Leste. East Timor, or Timor-Leste as it is called now, is a country that is rarely under the tourist radar. It is after all the newest country in Asia, having gaine[...]
This is my very own list of the top 10 cities in the world, based on my opinions and experience. Bright lights, vibrant urban life and an endless flow of energy: big cities can make some of the best travel destinations in the world. I used to be a city girl – dazed by the glitzy lights of New York[...]
Timkat in Ethiopia is a spectacular occasion to witness and best time to visit the country. Here's my experience (and tips) on celebrating one of the biggest religious festivals in Ethiopia. Hundreds of people - dressed as a sea of white - have gathered in the historic town of Gonder for[...]
If you only time to see one thing in Ethiopia, make it the rock church of Lalibela. Here's my guide to exploring the incredible Rock Churches of Lalibela. It’s barely dawn; the sky is still dark and birds are just starting to chirp and sing. In the darkness, I scramble along the slippery walkway[...]
A collection of my best pictures of Ethiopia to give you insights into this misunderstood country. To most of the world, Ethiopia is practically synonymous to famine and drought. Between the 1970s and 80s, a series of famine hit the country and killed more than a million people. It was one[...]
A collection of my best photos of Oman that will inspire you to travel there someday. Oman: a name so exotic and inviting, yet strangely unknown to many. At least I knew close to nothing about it before my recent trip there with my husband and our 2-year-old daughter. We spent most of Christmas an[...]
At the end of each year, I always make it a point to write a post about the places I've been to as a way to reflect and look back. 2016 has been a crazy year of travel for me as I traveled to 21 countries (16 are new to me) on five continents. It's clear that becoming a mother has not stopped me fr[...]
Traveling South Kyrgyzstan — Highlights of the Region Kyrgyzstan is known for its dramatic mountainous landscapes and rolling summer pastures (jailoos). It has been dubbed the Switzerland of Central Asia for good reasons. But most of these alpine landscapes are found in North Kyrgyzstan, and[...]
Wispy clouds hang low over the choppy dark indigo waters as the howling winds create ripples on the water surface. Backdropped by tall and mighty Tien Shan mountains, the water stretches into the horizon, far beyond where the eye can see. If I didn't know better, I would have thought this was a sea.[...]
Georgia — a name associated more with the southern state of US than the country itself, is often overlooked by travellers as a tiny landlocked country hidden in the shadows of its ex-Soviet past. For the uninitiated, Georgia is a relatively small country in the Caucasus, midway between Europe and[...]
Want to pursue a career in travel blogging? Here are my secret tips on how to grow your travel blog and turn it into a business. In 2008, I started this travel blog. Then in 2010, I took the plunge and became a full-time travel blogger. It’s been six glorious years and I haven’t looked back sin[...]
Want to go local and contribute to local communities in West Africa? Here are some eco tourism destinations in West Africa that are well worth visiting. West Africa is the stuff of dreams. It's packed with long-standing slavery history, remote and untouched landscapes, world-renown music[...]
My Favorite Places in the World Of all the questions I get asked as a travel blogger, this is probably the most popular one: “What’s your favorite place in the world?” For me, it’s also the hardest question to answer. Having traveled to 143 countries (and counting…), I’ve had[...]
If you're dreaming of seeing a puffin in the wild, go to Mykines. You're guaranteed to see puffins around their breeding grounds on the westernmost island in the Faroes. I hold my breathe and keep still. The wind is howling and whipping at my face, which has turned red from the wind and sun. My nos[...]
Next week marks the 15-year anniversary of the day I left Singapore. I can’t believe it’s been this long. In that time, I’ve lived in six countries, and traveled to more than 120 countries across all seven continents. I’ve taken on plenty of odd jobs abroad to fund my travels, before finally[...]
Are you thinking of traveling Jamaica with kids? We recently went on a two-week trip Jamaica family vacation and absolutely loved it. Here's why. For the longest time, Alberto and I dreamt of traveling Jamaica. He’s always been a reggae fan, and I’ve wanted to be a Rastafarian hippie since h[...]