Taman Negara is the largest national park in Peninsular Malaysia and one the most famous nature reserves in Southeast Asia. Taman Negara is Malay for “national park”, so there’s no need to say Taman Negara National Park when referring to it. As one of the world’s most ancient rainforests and being the green heart of […]
Jungle Railway in Malaysia – The best train times and most scenic sections
The Jungle Railway The Jungle Railway is one of the great train journeys of Southeast Asia, spanning the length of Peninsula Malaysia through its rugged interior. Officially known as the East Coast Railway Line (ECRL), the Jungle Railway travels from Johor Bahru near the Singapore-Malaysia border in the south, to Tumpat near the Thailand border […]
A day in Hong Kong is better than no day in Hong Kong
Taking a stopover between flights is a good way to get a bonus trip within a trip. Hong kong is one of those places where I’ll build in a stop if I have the time. I figure that a day in Hong Kong is better than no day in Hong Kong. I first used this […]
Notes on Nha Trang – stopover edition
Nha Trang is a provincial capital city of Vietnam that feels like a resort town. Like Danang in central Vietnam, the city is right on the beach. While Danang has been grabbing international headlines with it’s Golden Bridge and listing of top places to visit by the NY Times, Nha Trang has been quietly getting […]
The Aiqun Hotel – A budget hotel in a landmark building of Guangzhou, China
Hotel Name: Aiqun Hotel Address: 113 Yanjiang West Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, China. The Aiqun Hotel is a historic landmark in Guangzhou, which I didn’t know at the time of my booking. I was just looking for somewhere to stay near the river in the old part of the city. The Aiqun (also spelled Oi […]
Flight Review: China Southern Airlines – London to Guangzhou
Flight: China Southern CZ 304 From: London Heathrow (LHR) To: Guangzhou (CAN) I flew with China Southern Airlines from London to Guangzhou. This flight was the first leg of a flight from London to Ho Chi Minh City. After comparing flight options, China Southern was offering the cheapest one-way flight. This flight was $279 USD, […]
Staying in a Blade Runner-esque apartment block in Hong Kong
Edit: Daxiong Hotel is now showing as HAKKAS GUEST House on the booking sites, on a different floor in the same building. Hotel Name: Daxiong Hotel Address: Flat K, 4/F, New Lucky House, 15 Jordan Road, Jordan, Kowloon, Hong Kong. “I’m staying in that building!” I exclaimed to myself as I approached the Daxiong Hotel. […]
Hat Yai to Sungai Kolok – Getting the train in the troubled deep south of Thailand
As a frequent traveller to Thailand I’m familiar with the troubles of the deep south of Thailand, where many countries have advisories to not travel there. As part of my Southeast Asia railway project I took a train through the southern provinces. This is my trip report and what to expect. What this isn’t is […]
Koh Kradan – The tropical island paradise in Thailand you’ve been dreaming of
Koh Kradan is an island in the Andaman Sea off the coast of southern Thailand. Out of all the islands I’ve visited in Thailand, Kradan might be the most idyllic. Of course, there is no such thing as the perfect island, but Kradan ticks a lot of boxes for what would make a tropical island […]
Bangkok to Trang by train, and onward connections to the Trang Islands
Getting the train from Bangkok to Trang in Southern Thailand is a convenient overland way to get to the Trang Islands. Sleeper trains depart Bangkok every evening, arriving in Trang at a reasonable hour in the morning. From the train station, you can then get minivans to the pier for boats to the islands. There […]
