Category: Laos

Travel Costs: Laos

Arienne
How much does it cost to backpack through Laos?
The Royal Palace Museum in Luang Prabang, Laos.

Often overlooked on the backpacking trail in Southeast Asia, Laos is a diamond in the rough. It is the definition of laid-back travel, where days are spent reading in a hammock, discovering richly adorned palaces, or just watching the river float by as you enjoy a drink on a patio. This landlocked country is the idyllic place to sink your feet into, soak in your surroundings, and just enjoy a slower pace of life.

Itinerary

We entered the country from the Cambodian/Laos border in the south and made our way over to Si Phan Don (the 4,000 Islands). We stayed 1 night on Don Det, 5 nights on Don Khon, and 2 nights on Don Khong. Leisurely days were spent mainly eating and drinking sitting beside the mighty Mekong River. When we did pull ourselves away from our idle lifestyles, we rented bicycles and explored the islands.

Feeling refreshed and recharged after a week of practically doing nothing, we headed north to Pakse and stayed for 4 nights in a double room with AC. Again, we didn’t get up to much except spending most days at a great little café, meeting some amazing travelers (whom we’d continue traveling with for the next two weeks and dubbed “the family”), and taking a day trip to the Bolaven Plateau. Read more “Travel Costs: Laos” →

Photo Essay: View From My Window

Arienne
View From My Window
Penang, Malaysia

Sometimes a new post idea is created before I reach a destination. Sometimes they don’t even present themselves until I’m right in the middle of an extraordinary (and not so extraordinary) experience. And sometimes I get a little inspiration for a new post by other travel bloggers.

One of my favourite travel bloggers is Stephanie from Twenty-Something Travel. I’ve been following her adventures for the past 2 years and get a kick out of her posts. Her writing is honest, funny, and insightful. A couple of months before starting my backpacking trip, I read her post “Out My Window: A Retrospective” showcasing shots from the windows of places she stayed in. I loved the concept and decided it would make a great post at the end of my trip as well.

8-months of traveling meant there were a lot of accommodations that Tristan and I had stayed in, with varying styles and comfort levels. From overnight trains and buses, to hostel dorm rooms and guesthouses, to beachside bungalows and campervans, I managed to narrow the field down to 13 places. Compiling these photos was a trip down memory lane, bringing back the feelings and specific stories that surrounded these locations. Not all of our destinations are featured, but the post gives you overall view of where our travels took us. Read more “Photo Essay: View From My Window” →

Fruits of Southeast Asia: Part 1

Arienne
Fruits of Southeast Asia
“The King of Fruits” in Southeast Asia, the durian.

One of the best regions in the world for fruit is in Southeast Asia. With ideal growing conditions and multiple harvesting periods, Southeast Asia has an abundance of beautifully looking and deliciously tasting fruit. The fruit doesn’t get any fresher than here, where it’s picked when ripened and sold in supermarkets and on the streets only hours later. There’s the usual recognizable fare of bananas, pineapples, mangos and coconuts. But as you explore the area, you’ll find yourself being drawn to fruits you’ve never seen before wondering what they could possibly be. We took it upon ourselves to seek out and taste-test all the different fruits in the region. We’ve broken them down for you with descriptions of what they taste like and how to eat them, and of course photographs to help you identify them. This is part one of a two part series on the fruits of Southeast Asia, so be sure to check back tomorrow for our follow up post. Read more “Fruits of Southeast Asia: Part 1” →

5 Myths About Traveling in Southeast Asia

Arienne

Myths about traveling in Southeast AsiaBefore traveling to another country or part of the globe, we already have preconceived notions about what it’s roughly going to be like. Whether it’s through films, travel articles, photographs, or even word of mouth, most people will think a place is a certain way before they even step foot there. But it’s not until you finally get there that many of your concerns will be squashed, or that it just might not be all it’s been made out to be. Southeast Asia was definitely one of those places that I’d heard so much about, and naturally thought would turn out to be a particular way. But after spending 5 months backpacking through the region, I’m about to go all Mythbusters on many of the popular thoughts about Southeast Asia, well, at least what I had thought before setting foot there. Here are our 5 myths about traveling in Southeast Asia. Read more “5 Myths About Traveling in Southeast Asia” →