The bright sunshine bounced upon the glassy water surface, reflecting off all the white surrounding me --the white from the icebergs that floated past us, the white from the mammoth mountains that enveloped us and the white from the glaciers that slide off ice cliffs. It was a gorgeous morning, wit[...]
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Nellie Huang
My Antarctica expedition didn’t start the way I’d expected it to. There were no plates shattering, chairs flying across hallways, nor Titanic-like mayhem. There was not even a single dark cloud or gust of wind. Instead, bright sunshine, clear skies and a light breeze accompanied us throughout t[...]
Ice in various shapes and shades of blue sparkle and shimmer under the midnight sun. A few crabeater seals and Gentoo penguins squawk and wiggle on the ice floes nearby, surrounded by water so crystal clear the reflection of the sun’s rays is almost blinding. It’s fiercely quiet; all we can h[...]
Before jumping on my Antarctica cruise, I spent a few days in the southernmost city on earth: Ushuaia, Argentina. As a tourist town that draws not just Antarctica expeditioners but also holidaymaking Argentineans, Ushuaia is a picturesque town that’s a cross between a Norwegian fishing villa[...]
Palau's Jellyfish Lake is one of the world's most incredible natural phenomenons. Here's my experience swimming in the Jellyfish Lake, Palau. Green, green, green all around me. Besides a few strands of dirt, I could hardly see anything in the dark, emerald water. But I swam on, armed with nothing[...]
A giant manta ray flaps across the sandbar under the spearmint blue water beneath my feet. A brown-footed booby soars overhead, while an egret swooshes to the water surface and nabs his catch for the day. We’re out on the beach taking a morning stroll, but scenes from the Animal Planet are u[...]
Paddling over whirlpools of turbulent water and watching the landscapes go by can be such an adrenaline rush. Aside from the high energy buzz, white water rafting also makes for an exciting way to explore and immerse deeply in the backcountry. What better way is there to see the Grand Canyon than b[...]
The Australian Outback is a big patch of arid, empty land inhabited by nothing more than a few groups of Aboriginals and wild animals. To see this part of the country, we decided to do a road trip on a campervan along the famous Explorer Way. It's the only motorway that links Australia’s top en[...]
As we rise above the bush, we see the sun’s rays slowly peeking over the horizon. Soon enough it’s blazing above our heads and showering the entire horizon in gold. The bush beneath us takes on a different dimension as the gum trees transform into dark green dots under our feet and rivers slithe[...]
Hot, dry and harsh, Australia Red Center is extremely inhospitable, and at the same time, intriguing. But as we found out over the past week in Central Australia, it is far from empty and lifeless. Dotted with patches of spinifex and eucalyptus trees, the desert is home to massive sandstone mountain[...]
It’s 7am and the sun’s rays are pouring into our wooden stilt bungalow on Inle Lake in Myanmar. I open the windows and hypnotic sounds of prayers flood in from the near distance. Every morning at exactly this hour, the Inthas recite their sermons in the Buddhist temple nearby. It’s become a da[...]
Thick, white clouds surround us almost as if we are floating above them. All the concrete of the city have disappeared beneath us, under that layer of marshmallow white clouds. There are only the soothing sounds of chanting prayers echoing in the distance. At 3,099 meters above sea level, all we se[...]
"Welcome to our home,” said Vivian, our guide for the day. Vivian grew up here in Masiphumelele, a township at the edge of Kommetjie and far from the glitz and glamour of Cape Town. Like the other 45,000 people living here, her parents and grandparents had c[...]
Millions of translucent white jellyfish dance and sway all around me, their short springy tentacles bobbing melodically in a synchronized rhythm, as if to welcome me into their world. This secret underworld must be one of the most magical places I’ve ever been -- as there[...]
Getting to Bazaruto Island, Mozambique, was an experience on its own. Onboard a light aircraft, we flew over the spearmint blue water off the sparkling coast of Vilanculos, past hundreds of submerged atolls, to get to Indigo Bay. The sea was painted in striated strokes of beige and white, with sub[...]
Driving the Cape Peninsula was the highlight of our South Africa itinerary and we highly recommend it if you love a good road trip! The road hugs the cliff, meandering along the edge of the Table Mountain range all the way to Cape of Good Hope, the southwesternmost tip of Africa. On[...]
Out on the brackish water, two enormous heads bobbed on the surface. We cruised nearer for a closer look. Two teenage elephants emerged from the water, their bulky bodies towering over our small boat. Flapping their ears, they moved swiftly towards the land. “They’re just swimming across the ri[...]
While in Guilin, China, we had the chance to visit Huang Yao, a 1,042-year-old town with beautifully-preserved remnants of the past. The time-warped, ancient city is a labyrinth of narrow streets and brick-laid houses, with giant marble paving the walkways and red lanterns hanging from the ceilings.[...]
One of the highlights of our trip to China was rice planting in Yangshuo and getting to know a local farmer and his family. Be sure to add this to your China itinerary! “Is this your first time planting rice?” said our host Mr Pan, a farmer from the rural outskirts of Yangshuo, Guilin. The grey[...]
A look at the world's tallest Buddha Statue in Leshan! It's an impressive sight that should be included in your China itinerary. World's Tallest Buddha Statue In our recent two-week trip to China, we had really wanted to explore more of Sichuan not just for the spicy foods the province is famous[...]
Our trip to North Korea was truly insightful and eye-opening. Here, we share our experience and answer all your questions on how to travel North Korea. Since our return from North Korea, we’ve been swamped by questions from readers who are all curious about the Hermit Kingdom. Rightfully so, sinc[...]
After six months of intensive traveling and working on the road, we’re now back at our home base in Granada, Spain, dizzy from the high of traveling and drained from juggling our crazy travel schedule and workload. It’s been quite a journey as we hopped from one country to the next, working[...]
We have just returned from North Korea (or more formally known as Democratic Republic of Korea) after spending the past five days making our way around the capital of Pyongyang to the ancient city of Kaesong and the DMZ border with South Korea. Although we’ve barely scraped the surface of the coun[...]
Flying to Bagan is like descending into a lost world: thousands of ochre stupas sprawl across the plains amidst wilting Acacia trees and whirlpools of brown earth. Wispy clouds hang low, shrouding the landscape in an eerie yet dreamy setting. Some of the best Bagan temples are those hidden from the[...]
Having left Southeast Asia behind us, we've just arrived in Guilin, China - a laidback, tree-lined city hemmed by karst mountains, rice fields and winding rivers. Coming from the chaotic traffic-congested metropolis of Bangkok, we've warmly welcomed the transition and eased into the peaceful setting[...]
A look at how over-tourism is destroying beautiful Halong Bay in Vietnam. In Northern Vietnam, thousands of grottos and limestone cliffs dot the emerald waters of Halong Bay. Junk boats ply its water, against the natural backdrop of dark green rock formations shrouded in mist. The limestone in t[...]
After three weeks of traveling around the Philippines, we simply wanted to kick back for a few days in Crusoe-esque splendor – and on Sumilon Island we did just that. Located 10 km from Cebu island, it might be just a hop away from civilization but it sure felt like a world apart. Landing on the[...]
"Filipinos have always bonded through food,” said Ivan, “The best deals have been settled on the dining table.” With that, we began our journey into the Philippine culinary world. In Manila’s Binondo district, also known as Chinatown, we met up with our guide, Ivan Mandy, who co-owns Old Ma[...]
The air was thick with humidity. We followed the trail that snaked through the dense tropical foliage, pushing past thick molave leaves as we ventured further. “Shhh…” Our 18-year-old park ranger, Ijie, stopped us in our tracks and pointed at a branch hanging above our heads. There they were[...]
It's wet, it's wild and it's loud. Songkran festival is synonymous with massive water wars and street parties. In Thailand and many other parts of Southeast Asia, Songkran is celebrated as the traditional New Year’s Day. Traditionally, people celebrate by paying respects[...]