There’s a character to this preserved mountain town that’s unlike any we experienced in Taiwan. It’s a character you can appreciate in its architecture, its tight alleyways, and of course, in its food. If you’re looking to visit Shifen and Jiufen on your next trip to Taipei, then I hope this guide can help you plan your trip.
Just a day after our tour of Taroko Gorge and we were already talking about coming back. There’s so much natural beauty to be found here that the two days we spent in Hualien felt hardly enough. But as breathtaking as Hualien is, it wasn’t just its natural beauty that resonated with us. We fell in love with the atmosphere too, and its vibe.
As beautiful as the Philippines is, many destinations offer mostly sand and surf. But not Bohol. Apart from its many white sand beaches and world-class dive sites, Bohol is known for unique attractions that you can’t find anywhere else in the Philippines. Curiosities like the Chocolate Hills and the Philippine Tarsier come foremost to mind.
Chiang Rai is regarded as the northernmost “large city” in Thailand, though it isn’t actually that big. It’s much smaller and less developed as a tourist destination than neighboring Chiang Mai. It’s perhaps best known for Wat Rong Khun, a striking all-white structure that serves as both a Buddhist temple and an art exhibition.
Many travel bloggers have come to Manila and fallen in love with my city and its people, so much so that some of them are actually considering moving here. And they all said the same thing – when you’re here, you’re family.
Batad is a remote village of around 1,500 people in Ifugao province. It’s said to be home to the best and most well-preserved rice terraces in the Cordillera region. These terraces are between 2,000-6,000 years old and have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.
Kurokawa Onsen is a hot spring town high up in the mountains of Kumamoto prefecture in Kyushu. Set in a forested valley with a river running through it, Kurokawa Onsen is widely considered to be one the most scenic onsen towns in Japan.
Known as the “Jewel of Kedah”, Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands about 30 km off the coast of northwestern Malaysia. It was awarded UNESCO World Geopark status in 2007 and is home to lush forests, white sand beaches, waterfalls, caves, limestone cliffs, and mangroves.
Davao is a model city. It’s one of the most progressive cities in the Philippines and one of the safest in Southeast Asia. We got to experience this first-hand on our trip to Davao and with this guide, we hope you do too.
Not that I’m any less curious in my middle-aged years. I am. I just don’t dive in head first as much as I used to. I’m more deliberate now. I do research and I plan. Obsessively.