Akiko clearly loves her job. Our open-top train ride along…
Our Guide to the Maldives
Jazu pulls a large leaf from a tree, makes a…
Which teachers influenced you?
I was fortunate enough to win a writing competition recently…
Keeping Hiroshima’s History Alive
Every day Mito Kosei makes the same journey from his…
Game, set and match: Japanese red tape
This week we decided to sign the children up for…
How to nail job interviews
I was once in the middle of an interview when…
Akiko clearly loves her job. Our open-top train ride along the Takachiho Amaterasu railway only lasts 30 minutes, but Akiko puts everything she has into it. As we enter the first of two tunnels, there’s the light show. Akiko theatrically points to the ceiling to indicate where a flurry of disco lights are about to…
Our Guide to the Maldives
Jazu pulls a large leaf from a tree, makes a roll-up with it and then drops into a beach hammock. He’s spent the past hour kite-surfing the waves, managing a few jumps and spins. ‘You’re good at this,’ I say as he lights up. ‘Nah, the wind’s not strong enough today; can’t do many tricks…
Our Top 10 Vietnam Moments
Over the past three years, we’ve been fortunate to explore almost every corner of Vietnam. From trips down the Mekong river up to Sapa in the far northwest, it’s been quite a journey. As we prepare to move on to a new adventure in Japan, it’s time to look back at our top ten Vietnam…
Why Should You Visit Koh Mook?
If we’re honest, Koh Mook isn’t the greatest of Thailand’s islands. Its bigger neighbours – Koh Lanta and Koh Tarutao – tend to steal the limelight. And at first glance, you can see why. Koh Mook (literally Pearl Island), which sits just off the coast of Trang in southern Thailand, has some good beaches. But…
Why Yen Tu is Worth the Effort
The most impressive thing about Yen Tu mountain is the people who go up it. As we made our climb, octogenarians in wrinkled suits and creased leather shoes briskly overtook us. When they saw our three-year-old daughter gamely tackling the ragged stone steps, some stopped and cheered. Which made us wonder quite what kind of…
Top 10 Places for Children in Saigon
Top 10 Places for Children and Families in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) After spending the past three years in Ho Chi Minh City with two young children, we’ve explored numerous parks, play areas and picnic spots. And we still have a feeling that there’s heaps more to be discovered. Vietnam’s largest city may lack…
Top 10 Things to do on Phu Quoc
Phu Quoc is an island making up for lost time. Up until 1975, it housed a massive prison camp. In the same year, a group of Khmer Rouge soldiers landed but were soon seen off by Vietnamese forces – a sign of the long-standing tension about the island’s ownership. It took until 1999 for Cambodia…
Vietnam’s Best-Kept Secret?
You won’t find Phu Yen on many bucket lists. Nestled between the signature resorts of Hoi An and Nha Trang, it’s one of Vietnam’s best-kept secrets. The province is a 45-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City, yet is usually overlooked, even by locals. That’s likely to change soon as resorts are starting to pop…
Vietnam’s Tragic Heroine Attracts Travellers
The coronavirus has spelled disaster for many in the travel industry. But one remote Vietnamese island continues to thrive thanks to an unlikely saviour. Hotels are filled with locals who come to pay tribute to the country’s most-famous female political martyr, Võ Thị Sáu. It’s nearly midnight and, in the heart of the cemetery,…
Thailand – Koh Tarutao
Getting There: Your best bet is to head to Satun and get a ferry from Pak Barra. There is no airport in Satun so you’ll need to fly in to Trang or Had Yai first and get a minivan (seaholidaysatun@hotmail.com; 074 783 222; 200B per person). Alternatively, fly to Langkawi in Malaysia and jump on…
Thailand – Chiang Mai
Some cities demand your attention and won’t give it up. The frenetic pace of Bangkok immediately draws you in, the beauty of Ko Phi Phi is instantly stunning; Chiang Mai is more of a slow burner. It may be Thailand’s second-largest city but there’s none of Bangkok’s lung-bursting pollution or its soaring skyscrapers. The one…
Borneo
Nothing in Borneo rushes. And when you’ve been around for the past 100 million years, you can understand see why. Take the world’s largest flower. It quietly spends up to 12 months preparing for its debut, but only blooms for six days before withering away. Or there’s the humble firefly. It lies dormant in a…