Nomadic Notes

The new Bangkok metro to Chinatown and the Old City, and future old city metro plans

Bangkok is slowly but surely building out its metro railway system to help ease its infamous traffic problems. In July 2019 the western extension of the MRT Blue Line opened, making it the first railway of any kind in the Bangkok old city area. The extension is from Hua Lamphong (the main railway station), through […]

Notes on Can Tho – Urban life in the Mekong Delta

Can Tho is the fourth-largest city in Vietnam, and it’s one of 5 cities that’s an independent municipality at the same level as a province. From a tourists perspective it’s mainly seen as the jumping off point for the Cai Rang floating market and other trips around the Mekong Delta. I’ve been to the market […]

Where I’m At: January, 2020 – Koh Chang edition

Greetings from Koh Chang and happy new year! Here is the first edition for 2020 of Where I’m At – my monthly summary of where I’ve been and site news. Where I’ve Been Here’s a summary of where I’ve been in December. Follow me on Instagram for where I’m at right now. Tra Vinh View […]

How travel narrative blogging has changed over the last decade, and where to find great travel reads

10 years of Nomadic Notes and travel blogging in the 2010’s In February 2019 Nomadic Notes marked the tenth anniversary as a registered domain. I never got round to doing a blogiversary post (and it’s closer to 11 years now), but the passing date did get me thinking about the early days of my blog […]

Notes on Tra Vinh – Khmer temples and a tourist town that might have been

Tra Vinh is a city deep in the Mekong Delta region, 140 km south of Ho Chi Minh City. It’s not on the way to anywhere unless you are going to another place even more out of the way. It’s worth a visit though if you have more time to travel beyond the main Mekong […]

Notes on Ben Tre – Coconuts and the bad-ass women of Vietnamese history

Spend time in Southern Vietnam and you’ll soon notice the prevalence of Ben Tre coconuts. This provincial variety is so well known that vendors advertise coconuts as being from Ben Tre to let you know that you are getting a premium coconut. Maybe the Ben Tre Coconut Marketing Authority have got to me, but I […]

Ben Tre Farm Stay – An easy escape from Saigon life in the Mekong Delta

Hotel Name: Ben Tre Farm Stay Address: Cai Suc Bridge, Hamlet 3, Xa Phu Nhuan, Ben Tre, Vietnam. When exploring the Mekong Delta region I suggest staying for at least some of your time at a home or farmstay. Part of the appeal of the Mekong is exploring the rural roads and the many waterways […]

Where I’m At: December, 2019 – Ben Tre edition

Greetings from Ben Tre and another edition of Where I’m At – my monthly summary of where I’ve been and site news. Where I’ve Been Here’s a summary of where I’ve been last month. Follow me on Instagram for real time updates. Bali View this post on Instagram Beach walk in Canggu, Bali. A post […]

Jalan Jaksa – The slow demise of Jakarta’s backpacker street

On my first trip to Indonesia in 2009 I travelled from Medan to Bali by ferry, bus, train, and plane. Midway through that trip I arrived in Jakarta with a copy of Lonely Planet Indonesia in hand. The Book directed me to Jalan Jaksa – the backpacker street of Jakarta. I don’t remember where I […]

Jakarta Airport Rail Link – Train details, and which stations are best for visitors

Jakarta is famous for being one of the most congested cities in the world, so the introduction of the airport rail link has been a welcome relief for visitors to the Indonesian capital. The Soekarno–Hatta Airport Rail Link was built with the combination of a new railway connecting to an existing track. As such the […]