Cox’s Bazar is the pride and joy of Bangladeshis. Everywhere I went people would always say to visit their famous beach. I had already planned my Bangladesh trip to end at Cox’s Bazar, and after being in the big cities I was looking forward to filling my lungs with sea air for a few days. […]
Exploring the fading colonial remnants of Chittagong
From the chaos of Dhaka I made my way to Chittagong on an easy 6-hour train ride. Even though it’s much smaller than Dhaka, it has all the same traffic and pollution problems of the capital. Stepping out of the train station I was greeted with a scene similar to that of which I had […]
Notes on Dhaka – the chaotic capital of Bangladesh
Dhaka is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, and it’s famous for all the wrong reasons. It’s one of the most polluted, and it’s a regular on the lists of top 10 worst cities for traffic. It’s no surprise that it receives few visitors. I knew that there had to be […]
The train that will transform Nakhon Ratchasima
Nakhon Ratchasima (AKA Korat) is the gateway city to the Isaan region of Thailand. Depending on which list you read, Korat is either the biggest city in Thailand after greater Bangkok, or in the top 5. Either way, it’s about the same size as Chiang Mai. Seeing Korat on the map I couldn’t help but […]
The lovely lazy river town of Kampot, Cambodia
I was last in Kampot in 2012 and I was pleased to see it was still the sleepy town I remembered it to be. Outside the old town area the city is being city-like with new construction projects here and there, but nothing compared to what’s going on in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville. After travelling […]
Diamond Island – The fake Paris of Phnom Penh
I have a soft spot for Phnom Penh as it was the first city I visited in Southeast Asia. The combination of that good memory and it being a little rough around the edges has kept me coming back whenever I can. Every time I come back it’s a little less dustier and a little […]
Sihanoukville – The New Macau of Southeast Asia
“Guess how many casinos are in Sihanoukville”, my taxi driver asked as we drove from the train station. “20”, I said with confidence. I had read a news report about it recently and I felt certain with my answer, even though it seemed like a ridiculously high number. “55”, he said. I don’t know if […]
Crazy Jump Macau Tower: Bungy jumpers in costume at the highest commercial skyjump in the world
Sometimes the word crazy is overused, but in the case of the Macau Tower Crazy Jump the use of crazy is warranted. The Macau Tower is 338 metres high and was completed in 2001. Bungee jumping from the tower began in 2006. The jump is 233 metres, making it the highest commercial skyjump in the […]
Green spaces of Tokyo
As the biggest city in the world (by most definitions), Tokyo is not exactly famous for its greenery. Concrete jungle, sure. Actual jungle, not so much. [Tokyo – it’s a jungle out there.] I was a guest of the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau, and I spent a day visiting gardens and green spaces of […]
Visiting Aomori Prefecture in Japan
Aomori Prefecture is at the northern tip of Honshu (the largest island of Japan). Like many casual visitors to Japan with no ties to the country, I had never heard of Aomori. There are 47 prefectures (like a province or state) in Japan, and Aomori is one of the lesser visited of Japan. [Map of […]
