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 […]
Tour review: Cape Peninsula day tour from Cape Town
During my trip to Cape Town, the two day trips I had planned were for Robben Island and the Cape Peninsula. I didn’t realise that you could also do a safari from Cape Town in a day if you are pressed for time, but I have already been on a safari so that was not […]
Motorbike taxi comparison in Saigon (Xe Om, UberMOTO, GrabBike)
Ho Chi Minh City is famous for its motorbike traffic, which is not exactly what cites want to be famous for. For new visitors the swarms of motorbikes is one of the most noticeable features upon arrival. Once you get over the initial shock you will see that the bikes aren’t going too fast, drivers […]
Visiting the former apartheid prison of Robben Island
Cape Town has a range of museums and memorials remembering the era of apartheid. The most well-known symbol of apartheid is Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. Robben Island is about 7km off the coast of Cape Town at its closest point, and it has served as a […]
A list of the best cafes in Cape Town
On my trip to South Africa I spent two weeks in Cape Town which gave me enough time to visit the best cafes in Cape Town without getting over-caffeinated. I didn’t know what to expect so I was happily surprised to find a burgeoning cafe scene here. I was also surprised that there were no […]
