At the end of each year, I always make it a point to write a post about the places I've been to over the year as a way to look back at the miles I've traveled and reflect on the lessons I've learned. 2015 has been a very special year for me: Alberto and I welcomed Baby Kaleya into our lives and[...]
My Best Photos of Cyprus from Ancient Ruins to Stunning Beaches. Cyprus is known to many as a sun-kissed beach destination — but few of us know its history or culture. Armed with a curiosity to learn about this island, we headed to Cyprus last week to find out what this country is all about.[...]
How Will Cuba Change? With the recent strengthening of ties between the US and Cuba, many are questioning if the time-warped nation will ultimately lose its charm. We check in with the Cubans to find out. Since the US trade embargo was implemented almost 50 years ago, Cuba has been kept in a 1950s[...]
One of the best places to visit in Cuba is the colonial town of Trinidad. But don't trust me on that, ask anyone and they'll surely tell you the same. Trinidad is the Cuba that many people imagine: rambling cobbled streets replete with cigar-smoking men playing dominos, hat-wearing guitar-wielding[...]
Photos of Havana Havana has an old soul. It's reminiscent of an old gentleman who loves his cigar and rum, who's suave and dashing, and have plenty of stories to tell. It’s charming and charismatic – and no lady can resist it. Despite 50 years of withering neglect, it's still achingly handsome.[...]
My Best Photos of Maldives Maldives is the stuff of dreams: spearmint blue water, powdery sand, swaying palm trees and ridiculously dreamy resorts. Perfect for a Maldives Photo Gallery. Having visited many island nations - Fiji, Hawaii, Mauritius, the Philippines, and more - I'm pretty hard[...]
Have you always dreamt of staying in an overwater bungalow in Maldives? Here's our experience. Hint: It was just as amazing as we imagined! With clear skies overhead and the shimmering aqua mint water beneath my feet, I'm sitting on the deck of our overwater bungalow, looking out to the sea that s[...]
A Weekend in Latvia One of the best things about living in Europe is that you can easily hop to another country and explore a new place in just one weekend. Back when we first moved to London, we would spend every other weekend visiting a new city: Prague, Berlin, Paris, Venice and so on.&nb[...]
Singapore is a special place for me. It's where I was born and raised, and where I spent almost 20 years of my life. Regardless of how much time I've been away, Singapore is and always will be my home. Every time I go back, there's always something new to explore -- be it a new museum, park or h[...]
[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ittle atolls rise from the dark blue water like droplets of turquoise pearls, in different shapes and sizes. There are hundreds, if not thousands of them, scattered randomly all over the Indian Ocean. It's as if Mother Earth had sprinkled a handful of sapphire gems into the s[...]
Are you traveling with your baby soon? I've compiled all my baby travel essentials into this comprehensive baby travel packing list. Hope it helps you on your trip! Baby Travel Essentials What to Pack when Traveling with Baby Let’s face it — Traveling with a baby isn’t easy, but as long[...]
Dreaming of staying in an Airstream? Here's our experience renting an Airstream camper in Malaga, Spain. It’s true what they say: It’s the people that make travel so enriching. Over the past decade or so, I've met many inspiring people on my travels who have interesting stories to tell. Trevor[...]
From Nomad to Mother Six months ago, my life was very different as what it is today. I was a full-time traveler, hitting the road at least once a month, to places far and wide — from Papua New Guinea and Antarctica to Iran and Mongolia. Last year alone, I went to 16 countries on four differe[...]
A story about my experience meeting nomadic Mongolians and how they lead a nomadic life in Mongolia. “Tolooo!” Cheers! We clink glasses, and gulp down yet another round of airag, local Mongolian firewater prepared by our host. It’s barely 10am and we’re downing alcohol strong enough to knock[...]
A photo essay of the Gobi Desert Mongolia and its tumultuous sand dunes dotted with yurts and camels. As the wind blows, I hear faint music in the air. The whistling tune is a hypnotic and eerie one, and it seems to echo out of nowhere. I’m standing on the top of the highest sand dune in the[...]
It’s a glorious Saturday morning and the sun is beaming through the window. Birds are chirping outside and the air is thick with the scent of pine trees and sunflowers. I look out to see rolling green hills dotted with yellow meadows and red poppies, framed by vast olive groves and imposing grey m[...]
Exactly a month ago, on Pi Day 3/14/15, our baby came into this world. We named the little explorer Kaleya, meaning "filled with joy" in Hawaiian, and indeed she's already filled our lives with so much happiness. Motherhood is challenging and I'm still struggling to learn the ropes but she mak[...]
I'm sharing my experience to show you why it's ok to travel during pregnancy. As a full-time travel writer, I spend quite a fair bit of time on the road. And because of my hectic schedule and lifestyle, I somehow missed the signs that the universe was throwing at me and only found out I was pregnan[...]
Traveling North Korea was nothing like what I imagined. Here are the 10 things that surprised me. North Korea has earned itself quite a few names: Axis of Evil, Hermit Kingdom, and the Iron Walls. Better known as the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK), it is one of the most isolated nations in the[...]
Atop an open-roofed jeep, we bounced across the muddy floodplains like a group of explorers out on a mission. Indeed, we were on a mission: to find Asian elephants in the wild. I had seen wild elephants many times but never in Asia — and being a wildlife buff, it was about time to s[...]
In the very center of Sri Lanka stands one of the country’s most iconic historical sites, Sigiriya Rock (Sinhalese for “Lion Rock”) — a massive column of rock that doubles as an ancient palace and historical site. From afar, it looks like a simple rock mount jutting out from a sea of greener[...]
Now that 2015 is almost here, it’s that time of the year again for to look back and reflect. 2014 has indeed been a fulfilling and meaningful year — I reprioritized my travels and made it my number one mission to tick off items on my bucket list. Places like Brazil, Papua New Guinea and Iran ha[...]
Here's a comprehensive, detailed Silk Road Travel Guide I wrote, based on my overland journey through Central Asia. The Silk Road is the greatest travel route of all time, spanning 8,000km across continents, weaving through deserts, mountains and grasslands and bringing traders from East to W[...]
I traveled Central Asia overland for two months and it turned out to be an epic once-in-a-lifetime journey. Here's all you need to know about overland travel in Central Asia. If you'd like to join me on the road, check out my new Tajikistan Pamir Mountains tour. Overland Travel in Central Asia T[...]
From my own personal experience traveling Iran, here are my tips on solo female travel in Iran, including how to dress and keep safe. As a curious traveler, I believe traveling is the best way to learn on-the-ground knowledge and to see a place beyond the headlines. My solo trip to Iran �[...]
Ever heard of the Darvaza gas craters in Turkmenistan? I visited as part of a Silk Road overland trip. Here's my experience. In the middle of the Karakum Desert, a roaring fire burns from deep beneath us, its flames dancing in the darkness taunting and teasing us. The walls of the oval crater drop[...]
Samarkand, Uzbekistan, was one of the highlights of my 3-month Silk Road journey. This is my recommended list of the best things to do in Samarkand. We travel not for trafficking alone, by hotter winds our fiery hearts are fanned. For lust of knowing what should not be known. We take the[...]
Prior to this Silk Road trip, I had seen photos of Uzbekistan’s monuments and I knew they were beautiful — but I had no idea of the extent and the sheer scale of it all. As my trip unveiled, Uzbekistan is home to some of the Muslim world’s best display of architecture, featuring grandiose[...]
Traditional gers dot the vast steppes while sand dunes rise from empty deserts and snowcapped mountains loom over lush green grasslands: Mongolia is packed with so much pristine natural beauty that few other countries can rival. Every turn on the road reveals a different landscape, be it a hill of c[...]
Walking the Camino de Santiago was one of the best experiences of my life. I've compiled a detailed Camino de Santiago guide for those planning for an adventure of a lifetime. As a well-known long-distance trek, the Camino de Santiago is a network of pilgrimage routes running across Europ[...]