In my quest to visit different cafes in Saigon I’m always looking out for new places in my wanders. One day I found a sign pointing down an alley that stopped my in my tracks. It was for Cafe Saigon 1975. There are some years in history that are indelibly linked to a city; 1066 […]
Kanchanaburi to Hua Hin by train (with a bonus stop at the tallest stupa in the world)
August 3, 2017 By 4 Comments
Kanchanaburi is west of Bangkok on the Nam Tok railway line, separate from the main north and south lines. This line formed what was part of the Death Railway, which connected Thailand to Burma by rail. There has been proposals to connect Thailand and Myanmar by rail via this route, but for now it remains […]
Where I’m At: August, 2017 – Saigon edition
August 1, 2017 By 5 Comments
[Where I’m At; a monthly update of what I’ve been up to, site news, and where I’m going next.] Greetings from Saigon! I’m back in the home base after a month on the road, so here is a recap of the month that was. Where I’ve Been Seoul My month began in Seoul, where I […]
Dusit Thani Bangkok – The iconic modernist hotel that will soon be demolished
July 27, 2017 By 2 Comments
One of the most iconic hotels in Southeast Asia will soon be no more. The Dusit Thani is a landmark of the Silom area, but it now has a date with the wrecking ball to make way for a new mall and hotel development. The hotel was founded by Bangkok-born businesswoman Chanut Piyaoui, who brought […]
Sirima Guesthouse – the last of the old pier guesthouses in Hua Hin, Thailand
July 21, 2017 By 1 Comment
Hotel Name: Sirima Guesthouse Address: 31/3, Naresdamri Road, Hua Hin, Thailand I first visited Hua Hun on a one month trip around Thailand in 2008. Back then I was relying on the weighty goodness of the Lonely Planet Thailand. I don’t recall making any online bookings for accommodation in advance, as I was just turning […]
Notes on Seoul – the orderly megacity of South Korea
July 20, 2017 By 7 Comments
Seoul was a glaring omission in my visited cities of Asia list. I had long been saving Seoul as a stop-over city as Incheon Airport is a popular hub between Asia and North America. I wasn’t planning to go until I found a good flight deal from Hanoi, which coincided with a visa run from […]
Urban regeneration projects of Seoul that other cities should copy
July 11, 2017 By 2 Comments
Every city makes planning and development mistakes in the course of its history. No city is perfect, but a good city will at least try to rectify the err of its urban planning ways. The city of Seoul is a modern city that has razed most of its heritage buildings. The highlight for most visitors […]
Airbnb Review: Studio apartment in Gangnam, Seoul
July 4, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Airbnb name: The Best location in Gangnam Address: Near Gangnam Metro Station, Seoul, South Korea Before I visited Seoul I looked at the accommodation map and I didn’t have a clue which area to stay. I saw an apartment listed in Gangnam, which everyone now knows from the Youtube blockbuster Gangnam Style. I must admit […]
Where I’m At: July, 2017 – Seoul edition
July 2, 2017 By 3 Comments
[Where I’m At; a monthly update of what I’ve been up to, site news, and where I’m going next.] Greetings from Seoul! At the start of the month Seoul was not even a consideration. I was originally planning to travel to Sapa in Northern Vietnam, and then cross the border to China. I wanted to […]
Bun Cha Obama – visiting the restaurant that Obama and Bourdain ate at in Hanoi
June 29, 2017 By 4 Comments
During the 2016 Presidential visit to Vietnam, Barack Obama went to a bun cha restaurant in Hanoi with Anthony Bourdain. If you didn’t see what happened check out the video and this interview with Bourdain on meeting Obama in Hanoi. I wasn’t planning to visit Bun Cha Obama on my visit to Hanoi. There is […]
Hi, I’m James - welcome to Nomadic Notes. I've been a long-term traveller/digital nomad since 2003. Nomadic Notes is a travel resource featuring travel guides and notes from my travels. 
