The 2013 To Go List: 5 Asian Destinations To Visit This Year

In my line of work, I am plagued with to-do lists, and they are both extremely helpful (they keep me organized) but also frustrating (they never seem to end sometimes!). And with this post I come to you with yet another list, but a fun one: not a To Do List, but a To Go List, with five of my top destination suggestions for 2013.

I have fond memories of all the five destinations I've included here - from swimming through a hole under limestone cliffs into secret lakes, enjoying a candlelit dinner on a balcony overlooking a riverside view, to tasting a sumptuous pork dish that could rival the Filipino lechon, these destinations are not exactly off the beaten path, but are maybe just a little ways away from the regular tourist hotspots.

Snapshots: Life in Airports, VIetnam

I'll be in and out of airports this week, and I know a lot of people loathe airports, but I quite like them. They open the gates to the rest of the world after all.

Snapshots: Hostel Breakfast, Vietnam

I will be flying out to Kuala Lumpur tonight, and will fly to Laos from there soon after. I can't wait! Looking forward to simple breakfasts like this one in the humble hostels and guest houses we will be staying in. 

I'm still not done packing,and I still have work today! I'm so stressed! I can't wait to take off.

Snapshots: Me, Backpacking in Hanoi, Vietnam

Tomorrow night I will be off on another Indochina adventure, this time in Laos, backpacking with good friend Jen whom I haven't seen in more than a year. I long for the uncomplicated life of a backpacker - of having your life conveniently stuffed in a backpack, devoid of unnecessary possessions and only crammed with what matters most. It's probably ironic, but I find that when one travels, the simple act of strapping on a backpack unburdens the traveler. Yes, one is forced to literally carry his life on his shoulders, but in doing so, he is also forced to let go of things he once thought important but really weren't. In effect, one is able to see his life and the things and people that complete it in a new light. Living away from home with a backpack not only provides momentary escape, but also possibly a clean slate.

Snapshots: Pineapples for Sale, Hanoi, Vietnam

On a super hot day like today, a frozen pineapple would be such a great snack to have. 

I've always loved this picture but it was a bit blurry and unfocused, so I had to edit it with Picasa to make it post-worthy.

Snapshots: Finding Home In Sunbursts Over Horizons Of Every Time Zone

"My home isn't about being grounded in one corner of the planet. It's about being in love and being lost in the middle of an amazing adventure, witnessing sunbursts over horizons of every time zone" - Jason Mraz

Jason Mraz is such a poet - this brilliant piece of writing isn't even from any of his songs. It was from a random entry he wrote in his online journal from when he was just starting to become mainstream, right around the popularity of "Waiting For My Rocket To Come". It's exactly how I feel about traveling.

I'm heading out to Camayan Beach Resort today with friends. Here's to summer-y Saturdays!

Also, the photo above is meant to be a wallpaper, but here's a Facebook Cover version as well, in case anyone's interested.

Snapshots: Temple Visit, Hue, Vietnam

Looking forward to go temple hunting again, in Laos this time. Indochina has a special place in my heart. I love the temples and the religion and the culture, and the people's optimism, found in their easy smiles and warmth despite their countries' troubled, tragic past.

Snapshots: In Transit, En Route to Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

The most enlightening parts of my travels often take place in transit - those moments in between two places, between departure and destination, a sort of real world limbo. I guess that's why they say it's not the destination, but the journey that counts.

Bus rides are particularly conducive to life-changing realizations. They may not be picture perfect or scrapbook-worthy, but they can have some pretty grand implications that will only manifest themselves to you long after you have stepped off that bus, hopped on a plane and gone back home.

Curious? Invite me for coffee and I'll tell you more.

Snapshots: Ornate Statues for Sale, Hanoi, Vietnam

We only got to explore Hanoi for a day when we were there, and I'd love to go back so I can discover it further, and try out the food!

Snapshots: Of Junk Boats and Descending Dragons, Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

One of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, the Bay of Descending Dragons, Ha Long Bay.

Snapshots: Flower Tea Shop, Hoi An, Vietnam

One of the many quaint, hole-in-the-wall shops in Hoi An, Vietnam that made us fall in love with the place. My favorite by far though was the little jewelry store tended to by a beautiful Vietnamese lady and her American husband, where Jen bought a pair of lovely jade earrings.

Snapshots: Woman Floating Along Hoi An Market, Vietnam

Cruising along the river that runs along Hoi An. I wonder where she's headed?

Snapshots: Boatman, Hoi An, Vietnam

One of the many pictures I took the first afternoon we were in Hoi An.

Snapshots: A Vendor and Her Boat of Goods, Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

One of my favorite photos from Vietnam. The operators of the junk boats you can ride to cruise along Ha Long Bay will discourage you to buy from vendors like this and convince you to buy from them instead, which is kind of sad - everyone's entitled to make an honest living.

Snapshots: Hue Traffic, Vietnam

We were having dinner at a local joint on our first night in Hue (I remember having some pretty good ravioli), and this was the view from the balcony on the second floor.

Snapshots: Business Partners, Hoi An Market, Vietnam

I'm actually not sure if these ladies are business partners or competitors. Either way, this is one of my favorite pictures ever from all of my trips so far. We were hanging around in the Hoi An market and the two of them came upon my vision, and with the afternoon sun hitting the scene just right, I was fortunate enough to have been able to take this shot.

A few days ago I chanced upon a feature on the living root bridges in North East India and in the process discovered my new travel and photography inspiration - Timothy Allen. His photos are nothing short of breathtaking. He even has a feature on the Pa-aling Divers of the Philippines and he has some amazing underwater photos documenting their line of work. I'm in total awe, and in total envy, of his work. My drive to take amazing pictures (at least as amazing as my point-and-shoot and my untrained, uneducated wannabe photographer self can accomplish) in the past year hasn't been as great as before, but I hope to change all that when I go on my travels this year. This picture of a fisherman crossing the Mekong River in Laos especially got me excited for our Laos trip in May. For now though, taking inspiration from Timothy Allen's blog will have to do.

More pictures and stories from Hoi An here.

Snapshots: Sunset at Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Happy new year! It would be really nice to end the first day of the year watching a magnificent sunset not unlike the one above.

I didn't blog much in 2011 - life kind of got in the way, haha - but this year I really want to keep this blog constantly updated with new content, so I'm starting a year-round project, in which I'll be posting a daily travel photo for every single day of 2012. I hope I have enough to last me the entire year!

What are your New Year's Travel Resolutions?

Twenty-Freaking-Five and Alive! The Epic Vietnam-Cambodia Trip

I've posted about this trip quite a few times already, and for good reason - it remains as, and probably will forever be, one of my life's greatest adventures.

Through this trip my love for travel was cemented. It was the first one that really took me out of the world I knew in such a massive, epic way, and I was pretty much in awe the entire time.

I have so many vivid memories from our trip to Cambodia and Vietnam, and often they come back to me randomly - sitting on plastic chairs in a roadside eatery at 2am on our first night/day in Ho Chi Minh; seeing Angkor Wat for the very first time at dawn on our first day in Siem Reap; walking along the lovely narrow streets of Hoi An; finding a tiny, hole-in-the-wall patisserie in Hue; and making friends with strangers on a junk boat cruise in Ha Long Bay. My two weeks in Vietnam and Cambodia remain to be two of the best and most unforgettable weeks of my life so far.

Cambodia





Hoi An, Vietnam


Hue, Vietnam



Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Snapshots: La Boulangerie Francaise, Hue, Vietnam

I love the random little places one finds when traveling. Our brief stay in Hue, Vietnam last year wasn't particularly special, and perhaps the least eventful of our Vietnam-Cambodia trip. But Tiff, Jen and I finding this random little bakeshop in one of our strolls along the streets of Hue was at least memorable.

The food wasn't particularly spectacular, to be honest - a few different kinds of affordable pastries and decent coffee - but we were drawn to the place somehow, and found ourselves coming back more than twice in the few days we were in Hue. I guess the fact that it just seemed out of place where we found it made it alluring, and gave it a unique charm.

Hoi An Cargo Club & Patisserie, Vietnam

In the serendipitous few days I spent in Hoi An last year I fell in love with the place, fell in love with its laid-back vibe and narrow streets and the little trinkets and souvenirs we took home to remind us of the place. One of my best memories in the short time I was there were the times I spent with Tiff and Jen at Cargo Club.

We dropped by Cargo Club on our second afternoon in Hoi An, after a day of shopping and going to the usual tourist spots around the area. We got a table on the balcony overlooking the river, and we spent the afternoon enjoying our pastries and drinks and in deep conversation about life back home.

(Photos below by Tiffany Orbien :D)

That night we put on our best dresses (at least the best ones we had stuffed in our backpacks), went back to Cargo Club and had our last dinner in Hoi An there. I remember getting the risotto, which was pretty delicious. The place was lovely at night, with the balcony lit by lamps and the river lined with lights.

We had dinner under the moon and stars and there was a vase of sunflowers on our table - it would've been pretty romantic, except we were all girls. We had a lovely night though, laughing and taking pictures, just enjoying the moment.

Self-portrait! :D

Hoi An Cargo Club & Patisserie
107-109 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Hoi An
Phone 0510/910-489
www.hoianhospitality.com