You know you’re isolated when you miss your bus because you can’t get to the road. It was high tide, the water was lapping at the shore and there was no beach in sight. I was staying at Lena House, an extremely peaceful collection of beach huts 28 km away from Maumere, a small city … Read more
“Bule, bule, hello, bule!!” screamed young and old as I passed through their tiny village. Bule means foreigner – I’m not sure if they were really saying hello or they were just alerting their friends that a tourist was in town. I’d wandered a few kilometres from Nemberala, the tourist epicentre of Rote Island, and by … Read more
There are 4 things you should look for when considering island hopping in El Nido, or anywhere else in Southeast Asia: 1: Nice beaches: If the beaches aren’t nicer than the one you’re staying on then what’s the point? 2: Blindingly blue, clear water to swim and snorkel in. 3: Interesting island scenery. You’ll spend a … Read more
The Philippines is home to over 7000 islands, but ask anyone who has been (or is planning to go) about their trip and they’ll probably mention El Nido, on the stunning and sparsely populated island of Palawan. Most people come for the island hopping tours, but spend a bit of time in and around El … Read more
Brunei is a really unique place to visit and makes for a great detour on any Southeast Asian trip. There are plenty of things to do in Brunei (Bandar Seri Begawan mostly), but the most interesting aspect of the country for me is the atmosphere. It’s incredibly quiet and peaceful, the people are extremely friendly and … Read more
Brunei had always been a mystery to me. For longer than I’d like to admit I thought it was in the Middle East (and I used to be good at geography – not sure how that one slipped by me), but it’s actually a small country wedged between 2 states of Malaysia, on the exotic … Read more
A dead man walking. I’m not talking about the depressing Sean Penn movie Dead Man Walking. I’m not even talking about Jim Thompson, the Thai silk industry guru who went missing while hiking in the area in 1967 (and is possibly still roaming the hills as a zombie). I’m talking about how I felt after the many … Read more
Indonesia is home to a unique blend of cultures and landscapes, and an equally unique blend of movies which are set there. The Japanese occupation is a well documented part of Indonesia’s history, but less known are the mass killings after the failed coup in 1965. Watch these movies set in Indonesia and you’ll learn all … Read more