I first visited Canggu in 2014 when it was already creating a name for itself as the next cool place in Bali. By then it was called “the new Ubud” and “Ubud for surfers”, so of course I had to see for myself. Sure enough I could see the new-age/organic of vibe Ubud fused with […]
Da Nang – A dragon rising
I was in Da Nang for a wedding which was a great excuse to return to a city I enjoy visiting. I’ve been four times now over the space of 12 years. The first time I was in Danang was in 2005, where I only passed through on a bus from Hoi An. I remember […]
sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck – the best view in Hong Kong
When it comes to getting a good view from a skyscraper observation deck you need a combination of height and position in the city to make it a worthwhile attraction. The sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck ticks both of those boxes. Whenever I wanted a view of Hong Kong I’ve always gone to Victoria Peak. […]
The changing face of Saigon – 2017 edition
With around 8.5 million people in Saigon the city will soon join the ranks of the world’s megacities. I wrote about the changing face of Saigon in 2015 which summarised the changes to the city. Much has happened over the last two years so here is an update on the changes – good and bad […]
The Vietnamese dong: one of the world’s highest denominated currencies
The dong (đồng) is the currency of Vietnam, and at the time of this post 1 US dollar was equal to 22701.48 Vietnamese dong (VND). The dong has the distinction of being one of the world’s highest denominated currency. The world’s highest denominated banknote (as opposed to the world’s highest-value notes) is the 500,000 dong […]
Notes on Nha Trang: City by the sea in Vietnam
Nha Trang is a coastal city on the South Central Coast of Vietnam. The appeal of Nha Trang for me is it’s a “proper” city on beach, as opposed to a beach resort town. The city has been experiencing rapid growth in the last few years, especially since the airport has moved from the city. […]
Cafes in Vientiane, Laos
During my trip to Vientiane I did the rounds of the best cafes in the city. It had been nearly seven years since my last visit to Vientiane so I was curious to see how much has changed. There is now a good selection of cafes to work from here, so whether you are on […]
Gardens by the Bay: A wonderful urban park in Singapore
A hallmark of a great city is one that has a grand public park. Central Park in New York, Hyde Park in London, and Lumphini in Bangkok are three that spring to mind. Most of these parks were laid out over 100 years ago (or 1920 in the case of Bangkok), back when there was […]
Soi Ngam Dupli – The old backpacker neighbourhood of Bangkok
Any backpacker who has been to Bangkok knows that Khao San Road is the backpacker Mecca of Southeast Asia. When I first arrived in Bangkok in 2005 all I knew was to make my way to this fabled street and I could walk around and find a cheap guesthouse to stay. Khao San Road was […]
Notes on the Cameron Highlands: Malaysia’s hill station retreat
The Cameron Highlands is a hill stations retreat in Peninsula Malaysia in the state of Pahang. If you’ve been travelling around sea-level Southeast Asia for some time then the climate of the highlands will come as a shock. The air is cooler up here, with a mean annual temperature of 18 °C. It’s no wonder […]
