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Thailand Itinerary: 10 Days

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You want to go to Thailand!? How exciting! We would HIGHLY recommend this diverse, varied, exotic, welcoming country as a first step into South East Asia. Thailand is the backpackers mecca, the creme-de-la-creme of foreign travel. Everyone should go at least once (although you’ll probably go back again!).

Taken at the Royal Palace in Bangkok

10 days is not enough time to get to see all that you should see while in Thailand. That said, sometimes you gotta’ work with what you’ve got. Here is a Thailand itinerary: 10 days that we’ve worked out based on our experiences, and other travellers’ advice to hopefully bring you some suggestions for your next trip.

If you are unsure about what you want to see check out our list of questions to ask yourself before going away to help you focus your trip.

A couple of notes about Thailand:

  • Thailand is super safe and very friendly
  • Thailand is one of the most visited tourist destinations IN THE WORLD so if you want to escape all western society and go into the unknown, this is probably not the place for you (and 10 days wouldn’t give you enough time for that!).
  • You can spend a ton of money here; it’s super easy to do. Or, you can get frugal and go on a shoestring. Whatever kind of budget you have, Thailand can provide.
  • There are mountains, beaches, temples, nightlife, culture and food to see and try.
  • It’s super hot here so pack light, and pack quick-drying clothes. We’ve seen so many huge bags being toted around and you just won’t need all of that.
  • The Thai royal family is considered very important so if you go don’t ever make jokes or talk badly about the royal family in public. Thais are really sensitive about that.
  • You can come here and spend 8 days on a beach. A lot of people do, however, have you really been to Thailand if all you are doing is spending the time on the beach? If it’s sun and surf you want: go to the Caribbean.

Here’s a sample Thailand itinerary: 10 days for those who want to dive in.

Arrive in Bangkok and then catch a plane leaving for Chang Mai

The walls of the Old City of Chang Mai

You’ll likely fly into Bangkok from wherever you are coming from. There are two airports: Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang.

  • Suvarnabhumi is the super flashy, modern international airport serving all major airlines. Lucky you.
  • Don Mueang is the not-so-flashy, “wait-where-am-I?” airport. It will likely serve as the domestic flights/ cheaper budget airlines airport so if you are flying back and forth across the country you’ll probably come in here.

Taking overnight trains is not very comfortable and takes a long time (Thailand’s land mass is bigger than the state of California!). Flights to the North and South are reasonably priced and will save you a lot of time. If you had longer, I might suggest an overnight train just for the experience, but otherwise you are not missing much…

Day 1: Bangkok (BKK)–> Chang Mai

Chang Mai is a popular destination for tourists and it is easy to see why. There are tons of temples and sights to see in the inner city. At night there is a massive food market where you can sample all sorts of yummy Thai specialties like grilled fish or crispy fried pork.

*** This is a popular destination and because of that be prepared for a lot of tourists!

Here was an old wooden temple.

Day 2 & 3: Chang Mai Area

We went bathing in this river.

There are a bunch of excursions you can go on around Chang Mai. I did a three-day hike into the mountains around Chang Mai and saw little villages, met some elephants, went tubing down a river, and slept under the stars. It was beautiful. Consider what you’d like to do and visit a local tourist agency (they are everywhere) to price out what you’d like to see and do.

Me from 6 years ago in a Chiang Mai that was peaceful and somewhat to ourselves during the off season (April- November).
Near the top of the mountain that we climbed. It was beautiful!

Day 4: Chang Mai –> Krabi (or Phuket! Also a good jump off point for beaches)

Long Beach, Koh Lanta

Heading down to the legendary beaches of the South is a must! These beaches are world class and you can really get a chance to relax and work on that suntan. Krabi is a good jumping off point for many of the islands:

  • Koh Phi Phi
  • Koh Lanta
  • Koh Pu
  • Koh Jung

…to name a few.

Day 5-7: Island life

Long Beach at Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta is a really great island to visit as it is not full of too much nightlife and has massive sun-drenched beaches to bask on.

Koh Phi Phi is more of the party-goer island if that’s what you are into!

Koh Pu and Koh Jung are quieter and smaller islands if you want to find more places to be alone.

Phuket is the end-all-be-all for tourists. It’s vastly popular and has a teeming nightlife (but prices there are also inflated).

Day 8: Krabi (or Phuket) –> BKK

As you’ll probably fly out of the metropolis at the end of your visit, why not save this for last? Bangkok is chock-full of great things to see and do.

Day 9-10: Bangkok

That’s us at the Royal Palace in Bangkok.
Chinatown boasts some pretty cool bars at night if you want a yummy cocktail and a hang.
  • Consider visiting as many temples as you can while here! There are so many and each one is fascinating.
  • The Royal Palace is a really popular destination and it is fabulous, but be aware that the nearly 30 million tourists that come through Thailand each year likely stop to see this place so it is OVERRUN with people.
  • Eat lots of street food!
  • Visit Chinatown! Lots of great bars and restaurants that are super hip and trendy as well as a chance to see this crazy and exciting part of town.

 

 

 

 

Long Haul 2.0: We’re Traveling Again!

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We’re taking off for another 5 months starting this January, 2018

We’re really excited about this Big Trip: 2.0 and we’ve decided to explore new continents and visit some old favorites.

Asia

Sri Lanka

We’re planning on flying into Sri Lanka for a wedding on Jan. 11. This is really exciting because it will be a chance to see a really special event for two people we care about and also witness a real cultural wonder! We’ll spend 2 weeks in Sri Lanka, visiting some of the areas we didn’t have time to get to last time (the north, some more national parks, beaches on the West Coast).

Thailand

We’re flying into Thailand for a 2-week visit. We agonized about going somewhere else. Our original plan was to go to Indonesia but what with the volcano erupting in Bali, and the sheer size of the country itself, we figured we would save this place for another trip and take it easy in Thailand. We’re going south this time: Hua Hin on the coast, National Parks and then ending in Koh Lanta for a relaxing couple of days on the beach.

Singapore

Can’t get enough of this city. It’s a great place to gorge yourself on different cuisines and we intend to do just that. Again.

Africa

South Africa

Jackson has been jonesing to go to South Africa for a while. I’ll admit that I always thought of Africa as some elusive continent that I might one day see, but wasn’t sure that “one day” would be so soon. We did some research and from what we’ve discovered this country looks like a great place to do a road trip, drink some delicious wine, and see some incredible sights.

Namibia

We wondered about going from S. Africa to Brazil, but ultimately thought that we’d probably not get a chance to be in this part of the world again and we should take advantage of what’s around us. Therefore: we’re going up into Namibia instead of going to South America. Namibia looks incredible. I can’t wait.

Botswana

With the Okavango Delta right there and the unbelievable wildlife that lives in this stable and beautiful country we had to go see it. We’ll be doing a two-month road trip through Africa ending in Johannesburg.

Morocco

Flights from J’Berg to Casablanca were surprisingly cheap. Therefore: up we go. I’ve always been curious about Morocco and we’re really excited to see how different the two opposite points of Africa are from each other.

Europe

Spain

A dear friend of ours has offered his parents’ hospitality to us and we’ll take them up on that. We’re going into Southern Spain for a few weeks to eat, drink and explore.

Portugal

Another country to check off the list of places I’ve wanted to see. We’ll visit Porto, Lisbon and hopefully some of the coastal towns before flying home in May.

Have you been to any of these places? Any thoughts? 

 

Croatia Nude Beaches (Our Favorites)

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Croatia nude beaches are some of the prettiest beaches we’ve seen on our travels and can also offer the best tan you’ll ever get.

We spent a little over 2 weeks in Croatia in May 2017 and during our visit we searched for and found beautiful beaches. Although we didn’t expect to be nude the entire time we were on a beach, it so happened that this way of enjoying the sun and surf felt the most comfortable and natural for us (and our tans were the BEST they’ve ever been!). We’ve put together some of our favorite Croatia nude beaches from when we were there.

Without further ado, here are our top 5 nude beaches (in no particular order)…

Croatia Nude Beaches

Kracjak FKK Beach [icon name=”map-marker” class=”” unprefixed_class=””]

This was our first Croatia nude beach on the coast just north of Crikvenica. After wandering around the park a little we found stairs that led down to the beach. This beach was gorgeous: cool, clear water and we had it to ourselves for an hour before anyone else showed up. People from the top of the park could look down and see you naked if they felt to, so be aware that you could be a little on display.  (There were three sets of stairs, that we saw, which lead down to the water. Each one had the letters FKK painted on the ground, so you’ll have a little bit of choice! We later found some of these details here. – Jackson)

 

The Northern Edge of Cove Debeljak in Kamenjak i medulinski park [icon name=”map-marker” class=”” unprefixed_class=””]

The drive out to this beach took a while, but it was really nice. The northern edge of the small bay was where all the FKKers went. The way the beach naturally formed gives small, secluded entrances to the water and divides the beach into 2-4 person capacity sections. This made the beach feel more personal and private than the previous beach. You can still see people across the water on the other side who are not nude, but it wasn’t too bad. (The bay is a delight to swim in. I swam from one side to the other, and back! – Jackson)

Looking out, across the bay.

Vruja FKK Beach, Put Vrulje, Zadvarje, Croatia [icon name=”map-marker” class=”” unprefixed_class=””]

We LOVED this beach. Stopping in Brela on the coast is already a jaw-dropper and this beach, about a 20min drive from Brela and another 10min walk was private and beautiful. We stayed here for hours and only saw a few people. There are several little coves that all branch off a main path, so you will occasionally get people walking the path right above you.

To get there, follow the road along the coast through Jakiruša. At some point you’ll reach the end of the paved road. There are a few parking spots right here, or you can keep on down the dirt road, and you’ll eventually come to a rough parking lot, where the dirt road turns into a bicycle path.

From there, you’ll pick your way down some pretty well marked dirt paths, as you climb down the cliff towards the water. Doing this, there is a large beach to the left, or you can continue to the right, where there are many small natural coves, each of which is only large enough for a few people.

(There was only a little info on this beach online, and some reports indicated that it was impossible to reach unless you used a boat. We found the best info here. – Jackson)

Naturist Grdni do Zuljana [icon name=”map-marker” class=”” unprefixed_class=””]

Easily the best beach on our trip. Taking the time to go out onto the peninsula not only got us off the beaten track, but gave us a private beach that was all our own FOR THE WHOLE DAY. We saw no one.

Getting there: As you drive along the road (away from Zulijana) above the beach keep an eye out for a steep dirt road on your left. Immediately past this are a few spots you can pull over and park. From there, walk down the dirt road, until you see a small goat path leading towards the cliffs. You’ll have to pick your way down some relatively steep paths, but if you keep an eye out, the way will be obvious.

Dubrovnik: Lokrum Island FKK beach [icon name=”map-marker” class=”” unprefixed_class=””]

This was the most exposed beach we went to. Tourist boats would sail past as we baked on the rocks and we really felt like we were on display. The cool thing about this beach is its proximity to Dubrovnik and the views. The rocks you can sun bathe on look out over spectacular coast lines and by taking a boat to Lokrum island you can beat the worst of the tourist crowds. There were also ladders with which you could climb into the water, though the day we were there, the sea was pretty rough, so we stuck to sunbathing.

 

Here’s a handy google map of the Croatia Nude Beaches we visited in this post!

 

Here’s a couple of things to note:

  • We rented a car while we were in the country; this made finding personal beaches much easier.
  • When looking for great beaches to strip down to your birthday suit, you’ll need to look for 3 letters that should give you the green light, those are: FKK. If you see “FKK” (which means Freikörper-Kultur, German for free body culture; naturism/nudism) you’re in the right place.
  • In our experience, European cultures are generally more open and accepting of nudity in public places. So, it was quite common to go to a public beach and see naked children running around or topless women sunbathing. On the FKK beaches everyone’s naked. Including you. Otherwise: why the hell are you there?
  • Croatia nude beaches are often marked with the “FKK”, but it’s not always the case. FKK/nudism culture is strong there, and you’ll often find people sunning themselves naked on any kind of slightly remote or out of the way beach/rock/cove. If you see someone else who is naked there, it’s pretty safe that you could do the same. Keep respectful, and you’ll be fine.
  • As a courtesy to others: don’t take pictures of anyone. Also, people tend to not give a rat’s ass about what you look like naked, and the same is expected of you so the best thing you can do is chill and not stare.
  • These beaches are seriously off the beaten path. Bring good shoes to scramble down a cliff face in. They’re also not marked very well, so keeping an eye out for small tracks made by the locals is the best way to find the beach.
  • We were in Croatia in May, which is shoulder season, and the beaches were not nearly as crowded as they can probably get in the summer.
  • Croatian beaches are largely quite rocky, and can be uncomfortable to some people. Think about bringing a padded beach mat, or one of these inflatable loungers!

A 2-Week Itinerary for Sri Lanka

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You should go see Sri Lanka.

Why? This island nation has a growing buzz and within a few years the secret will really be out. 

We’ve been there twice now (Jan 2017 and Jan 2018) and we experienced a place full of surprises. Sri Lanka was packed full of friendly people, incredible food, beautiful beaches, ancient ruins and touristy stops. It’s was easy to get around and CHEAP. I’d say this land is a back-packers paradise.

Although Jackson and I didn’t follow this itinerary in the order we’ve written it, we feel this would be an optimal way to spend 2 weeks exploring. Unfortunately, 2 weeks won’t cover everything so these are the highlights from the nearly 5 weeks we’ve spent here. Feel free to look at more of our blog to get more detail on what we did.

 

Day 1: Negombo to Colombo to Galle

Your airline ticket says “Colombo” but you’re gonna land in Negombo, a city an hour north of the capital.

Colombo is an explosion for the senses. I found it very similar to the busy streets of Indian cities: chaotic, noisy, crowded and full of a million sites and sounds. It’s quite hard to walk around and take things in at your leisure. If you cared to, you could stop in Colombo for lunch before catching an afternoon train down south. There are plenty of places to get good food and cultural spots to check out, but I’d skip spending time here and head straight from the airport toward Galle. It’ll be a long day on the move, but so worth it.

Jackson and our friend Annie walking through the streets of Colombo.

The airport is undergoing repairs (at the time of writing this) and can be a little chaotic. We took an Uber from the airport to Colombo and it cost us all of $16USD. There are cheaper alternatives, like a bus which can cost about $3USD, but getting an Uber was super easy and convenient.

The train station.
On the train!

Day 2-3: Galle (2 nights)

Old Town.

Welcome to Galle! After sleeping off your travels, go explore the old town!

Jackson and I loved walking around the fort and strolling along the old town streets. The area is packed with shops, restaurants and stalls. We didn’t do any shopping, but enjoyed the quiet churches, small streets and watching the locals play in the beach. Galle’s a beach town at heart and the coast is lovely.

Exploring Old Town in Galle.

I’d spend a day here at most. The old town is quaint, but a good day of exploration will take you to just about all there is to see.

Day 3: Travel from Galle to Ella

Buses can take a little getting used to, but once you’ve asked around you’ll find your way pretty easily. (Just don’t expect the world’s most comfortable ride!!)

This’ll take a few hours in a car or by bus. If you take a bus, you’ll spend only a few dollars to get there. Buses in Sri Lanka are cheap as chips and run frequently. They are not made for tourists, though, so don’t expect A/C or comfy seats. Travelling around in them is wonderful, however, and you’ll really get a sense of local life.

Day 3-5: Ella (3 nights)

Jackson taking in the view from the top of “Little Adam’s Peak”

Ella is back-packing central and can feel really touristy. I can see why everyone comes here, there is a lot to see and do.

Jackson and I spent 2 full days taking Ella in and we were glad we did. One day we spent hiking up Ella rock to check out the views. The hike was intense, but really worth it. At the top we saw some gorgeous views of the mountains. To get to the peak you’ll need to walk along train tracks and scamper through tea fields. It’s a strange path, but we enjoyed it.

Do as the locals: walk along the train tracks to get to the top. (There’s an excellent blog post, outlining the directions in detail here)

We spent another full day renting a tuk-tuk and getting a full tour of the surrounding attractions. There’s a waterfall, tea plantations, and beautiful vistas and bridges to check out. Jackson and I rented the tuk-tuk through the home-stay we were with and spent the day with another border at the home-stay to help split the cost. For the full day we spent about $23USD total.

A lot of people recommend Adam’s Peak. We didn’t go because we’d heard that it got really crowded. Especially on weekends. Adam’s Peak is a holy pilgrimage site for the locals in Sri Lanka and a hot-spot for tourists and the combination of both made it sound like it was swarming with people. That didn’t appeal to us. If you do go, set aside a full day.

Day 5: Travel from Ella to Kandy

Tea country. You’ll get views like this all over Southern-Central Sri Lanka.

Kandy is a huge hub and plenty of buses and trains and cars go there. There is a train you can catch that takes you through tea country on the way to Kandy. We didn’t take this train route, but heard it was beautiful. I’d recommend taking the bus; you’ll get stunning views and pay about a dollar to get where you need to go faster than the train could get you there. Also, buses in Sri Lanka are safe.

Day 5-6: Kandy (2 nights)

Kandy Lake.

Kandy used to be a separate kingdom and is home to some of Buddhisms most prized artifacts. The town is full of history. I’d spend a day there walking around. We went to check out the Temple of the Tooth which was PACKED with people. It was worth it, though. Inside the compound it was beautiful and the grounds are full of things to see, like museums and sculptures. For more on what we did there you can read this.

Tons of pilgrims to see “The Buddha’s Tooth”

Day 7:  Travel from Kandy to Sigiriya

Sigiriya Rock

Sigiriya Rock is incredible. It’s a world heritage sight for good reason and a must-see when coming to Sri Lanka.

Day 7 & 8: Sigiriya (2 nights)

The town of Sigiriya isn’t too much to write home about. We stayed in a small home-stay that was across the street from an elementary school. To get to the town we needed to take a bus to Dambulla and then negotiate a tuk-tuk to take us the rest of the way (about 800 LKR or $5USD). We didn’t find too many places to eat, although there is a “strip” that’ll offer food to the tourists, we didn’t find the food to be particularly mind blowing and was more expensive than other areas.

Bustling Sigiriya.

We went to Sigiriya Rock at 4pm. The park closes around 6. An ex-guide, now restaurateur told us that the best time to go was in the afternoon. I can’t speak to what it’s like in the early morning, but the afternoon seemed like a fine time to be there. We got to watch most of the sunset from the top of the rock, which was amazing. All-in-all, you only need about half a day to see Sigiriya and the sights around it. It’s just not that big!

Our friend Annie enjoying the view at the top of the rock. The hike is intense, but so worth it.

Day 9: Travel from Sigiriya to Tincomalee to Irrakkakandi Beach

This’ll take you a little out of your way, but you WON’T be sorry!

The bus from Tincomalee (or Trinco as it’s known locally) will take about 30-40 min and will cost about .20 cents USD. You can negotiate a tuk-tuk drive to your beach villa for a couple bucks. Just make sure you get out enough cash in Trinco, there are NO ATMs beyond the city limits!! (We made that mistake). Book at least 3 nights here so you can relax.

Day 9-12: Irrakkakandi Beach (4 nights)

Jackson enjoying the beach.

Do yourself a favor and stay on the Northeast coast. Why go out of your way? Because these beaches are deserted, beautiful and cheap. The East coast of Sri Lanka was devastated by the Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 and it has taken a long time to bounce back. These little communities are authentic, full of curious locals and really gets you off the beaten path.

Quiet, sleepy and peaceful.

We stayed at the Nagenahira Beach Villas and LOVED the relaxing atmosphere. They’ll give you dinner (you pay extra for that) and free breakfast. The beds were super comfy and we were able to go up to the roof of our villa and enjoy the sunset.

Our balcony

Day 12: Travel from Trinco to Polonnaruwa

 

On your way back to the West Coast, why not stop and check out some awesome ruins?

Day 12-13 Polonnaruwa (2 nights)

Polonnaruwa is a compound of ruins from ages ago. These ruins are awesome. They’re not as touristy as Sigiriya or Anuradhapura and you can get around and see almost everything in a day (if you rent a bike, which you should). We loved the temples, shrines, and pagodas and enjoyed the shade that the trees provided. I’d recommend Polonnaruwa over Anuradhapura because the latter is REALLY big and it can get super hot on a bike, whereas the former is smaller and provides more time to look around and explore.

Ancient, beautiful and mystical.

Day 14: Travel from Polonnaruwa to Negombo

Time to go home. You’ll likely need to go through Colombo to get to Negombo, but there are buses leaving from Dambulla very regularly if you catch a bus. You can also negotiate a tuk-tuk ride to get to Dambulla from Polonnaruwa.

Buses, buses, buses await.

The End

Hopefully you come out of Sri Lanka full of good memories of sunsets, ruins, beaches, food and people. It’s a wonderful country and 2 weeks isn’t enough to see how incredible it really is.

If you had unlimited time, I’d recommend 4 weeks. You can see so much more of this country including national parks like Yala or Sinharaja. Eat delicious food in Anuradhapura and tour the ruins there. Explore the countryside, taking side trips and touring tea plantations. There’s plenty to do.

Although this country can seem daunting at first, it’s best to dive in and embrace what it has to offer with an open mind. Enjoy yourself! Good luck!

Our Big Trip: A Timeline

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  • [icon name=”plane” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] NYC [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Nandi, Fiji

    Leaving freezing NYC for sunny Fiji felt glorious. We spent about 5 days lounging on a beach, and relaxing.


  • [icon name=”plane” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Nandi [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Christchurch, New Zealand

    New Zealand was where we got a bit more of adventure. I was able to catch up with my family, and a few friends joined us to go on an excellent hike in the South of the Island.

    [icon name=”plane” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Christchurch [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Wellington

    Towards the end of our stay in New Zealand, we flew up to Wellington to visit my brother. Natalie had never been to any other big city in NZ so it was nice for her to explore. I really enjoyed seeing Vince in the town that had been his home since soon after I moved to NYC.


  • [icon name=”plane” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Christchurch [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Melbourne, Australia

    My first time in Melbourne, and Natalie’s first time in Australia. We stayed with some great hosts here, and really enjoyed exploring the city and surrounding areas.

    [icon name=”plane” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Adelaide[icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Melbourne

    One of my old school friends lives in Adelaide, so we thought we’d fly there for a few days before leaving Australia. We had an excellent time, and it was great to catch up with old friends!


  • [icon name=”plane” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Melbourne [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Singapore

    My sister lived in Singapore for several years, so I’d been hearing a lot about it. We happened to arrive for a week were it was raining much more than normal (apparently). Despite this, there was a lot to see and do, and we definitely left with some things still on the list. We’ll have to go back.


  • [icon name=”plane” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Singapore [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Sri Lanka was a complete surprise. We hadn’t been intending on coming here, but whilst in Fiji we had it recommended to us several times. We spent a bit over two weeks here, and got to see a good mix of what the country has to offer during that time. I’d highly recommend visiting.


  • [icon name=”plane” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Colombo [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Bangkok, Thailand

    Natalie’s second time in Thailand, and my first. I really enjoyed Bangkok, it was a fascinating mix of modern Asian city, with traditional elements dotted about the place. The food carts are legendary here, and for good reason. We ate like kings.

    [icon name=”train” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Bangkok [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Chiangmai

    After Bangkok, we did a bit of a loop within Thailand, heading up to Chiang Mai, and then on to the Loei region, before returning to Bangkok for our flight to Cambodia.


  • [icon name=”plane” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Bangkok [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Siem Reap, Cambodia

    The main reason for coming to Siem Reap was for Angkor Wat. Natalie had been before, and had really enjoyed it. Since she was last there, it had gotten a lot more popular and crowded, however I still thoroughly enjoyed exploring the many ruins and temples. A must see, for sure.


  • [icon name=”plane” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Siem Reap [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

     

    We spent about 3 weeks in Vietnam, and while it wasn’t our favourite country, there were some really lovely moments. We started off on the island of Phu Quoc, then returned to Ho Chi Minh to spend a few days there. After that it was out to the coastal town of Nha Trang, and then back inland to the mountain town of Dalat.

    [icon name=”train” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Ho Chi Minh City [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Hanoi

    Our final stop in Vietnam was Hanoi city. After Ho Chi Minh, we were a little apprehensive that Hanoi might not be so great, but I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed our few days there, and were we to return to Vietnam, I’d prefer to focus in on Hanoi and the surrounding attractions.


  • [icon name=”plane” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Hanoi [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Hong Kong

    Hong Kong was another opportunity to catch up with old school friends. A friend of mine has been living there almost as long as I’ve been in NYC, so he was able to really show us around. Hong Kong the city is really cool, as you get a fantastic juxtaposition of modern skyscraper riddled city, right next to verdant green mountains.


  • [icon name=”plane” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Hong Kong [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Osaka, Japan

    Japan was a treat right from the get go. We spent 2 weeks zipping around on bullet trains, exploring temples, relaxing in hot springs, strolling through mystic gardens, and eating our way through some delicious food. We already plan to come back, ideally focusing on Hokkaido, Kyushu, and maybe one of the little beach islands far in the south…

    [icon name=”train” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Osaka [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Kagoshima

    [icon name=”train” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Kagoshima [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Tokyo

    [icon name=”train” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Kagoshima [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Tokyo

    [icon name=”train” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Tokyo [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Kyoto

    [icon name=”train” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Kyoto [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Mito

    [icon name=”train” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Mito [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Sendai

    [icon name=”train” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Akita [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Tokyo


  • [icon name=”plane” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Tokyo [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Towards the end of our time in South East Asia, we’d begun to look forward to more of a dose of the familiar that Europe would bring. Leaving Japan however, we were struck with the sadness of having to leave what was one of our favourite spots. Thankfully, Europe delivered, and we had a fantastic time travelling throughout. First up, a quick visit with friends in Amsterdam.


  • [icon name=”bus” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Amsterdam [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Paris, France

    Again, Paris was a place we hadn’t originally planned to visit. Over the course of plotting our route through Europe, it seemed like it was worth a stop. I’d been before (10 years prior!), but Natalie had never been. We ended up having a fantastic time, so good choice!


  • [icon name=”bus” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Paris [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Cologne, Germany

    Cologne was a opportunity to visit a new friend (whom we met in Vietnam), but also marked the start of a potion of our trip we we were bouncing around every few days.

    [icon name=”bus” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Cologne [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Berlin


  • [icon name=”bus” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Berlin [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Wroclaw, Poland

    Natalie really enjoyed here 2 months here last year, and so it was really great for me to finally see all of the places she frequented. Poland is a really cool country.


  • [icon name=”bus” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Wroclaw [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Prague, Czech Republic

    Were we to do it all again, we might skip Prague. It’s a great city, and we both enjoyed ourselves, however we’d both been here before. We did get some see somethings that neither of us had seen on previous trips, but in hindsight, being able to take our time somewhere else might have made for a nice exchange.


  • [icon name=”train” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Prague [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Krakow, Poland

    Back up into Poland, we spend a few days in Krakow before heading out towards Katowice and Bielsko Biala to visit some of Natalie’s friends. The more I saw of Poland, the more I liked it.

    [icon name=”bus” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Krakow [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Katowice


  • [icon name=”bus” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Katowice [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Budapest, Hungary

    About midway through our few weeks of bopping around, we decided we should just plant ourselves somewhere for a while at the end of it. We’d heard a lot of great things about Budapest, so we decided to spend a week just exploring a single city and relaxing a bit.


  • [icon name=”car” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Budapest [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Zagreb, Croatia

    Facing our final two weeks of our trip, we weren’t quite sure what to do. We managed to find a cheap (very) car in Zagreb, to be dropped off in Dubrovnik, which made up our mind. We grabbed a rideshare from Budapest to Zagreb, and then embarked on a two week road trip around Croatia.

    [icon name=”car” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Zagreb [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Istrian Peninsula

    [icon name=”car” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Istrian Peninsula [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Zadar

    [icon name=”car” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Zadar [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Split

    [icon name=”car” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Split [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Dubrovnik


  • [icon name=”car” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Dubrovnik [icon name=”long-arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] NYC