Friday, October 2, 2020

The Ultimate 24 Hour Bratislava City Guide | Bratislava Things To Do

Nestled between imposing neighbours, Bratislava is a charming, yet often overlooked capital in Central Europe.

Bratislava City Guide and Svatopluk Statue

Slovakia is an oft-forgotten destination in the travel planning world. Sandwiched among prominent Central European neighbours it's easy to overlook this pint-sized destination - but if you look a little closer Bratislava is bursting with charm with a generous list of things to see and do.

Friday, January 24, 2020

One Breathtaking Day in Cesky Krumlov (Day Trip from Prague)

Just a stone's throw away from the capital, we spent one full day in the charming Cesky Krumlov.

One Day in Cesky Krumlov

Towards the end of our stay in Prague we decided to branch out and visit a city in the countryside before moving onto our next destination. Brimming with choice after researching day trips at the local tour office we settled on Cesky Krumlov, a town in Southern Bohemia described to us as a fairytale village hidden in the deep south of the Czech Republic.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

7 Unforgettable Days in Prague (the 'BEST OF' Prague Tourism)

The capital of the Czech Republic, Prague is also the cultural, social and economic hub of the entirety of Central Europe.

prague charles bridge

Following our stay in Krakow we thought it only natural to head west and visit the city I had been most anticipating since I began planning this trip. Not knowing a lot about Prague nor the Czech Republic we dived in head first and booked a weeklong stay in the heart of the capital.

Monday, October 7, 2019

How to Visit Poland's Mysterious Salt Mine Wieliczka (+ Krakow Old Town Guide)

After a few days in the Official Capital, we made our way to the Royal Capital Krakow.

krakow wieliczka salt mine

Continuing our journey south through Central Europe we thought it only natural to visit the cultural centre of Poland. But it wasn't just Krakow that motivated us to linger in Poland a few days longer. One of our family friends (and hosts in Krakow) told us of one of Poland's greatest cultural treasures that not so many outsiders are familiar of, the Wieliczka Salt Mine and the extravagant St Kinga's Chapel roughly 330 feet underground.

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Warsaw, The World's Youngest Old Town | Warsaw Things To Do

After being flattened by WWII devastation, Warsaw rose from the ashes and was bestowed the new title "Phoenix City"

warsaw poland header

Once described as the most beautiful city in Europe, Warsaw was completely destroyed in WWII and then rebuilt using pre-war photographs and records. With meticulous precision reconstructing every shop, square and marketplace, it is now known as the World's Youngest Old Town.

Monday, October 30, 2017

Sepia Restaurant - Australia's Best Restaurant (Terrific Review)

Sweeping three hats consistently since 2012, I finally had the opportunity to dine at Sydney's Sepia.

sepia australias best restaurant

After its meteoric rise to fame since opening in 2009, Sepia had been on my radar for quite some time. Since announcing their closure and relocation to Melbourne 6 months ago, I decided I must visit before they shut their doors forever.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Vietnamese Food Guide : 25 Mouthwatering Dishes You Won't Want To Miss

Vietnamese cuisine is renowned for its fresh ingredients with a strong harmony of textures, produce and distinctive flavours, making it one of the healthiest in the world.

vietnamese food guide

Before visiting Vietnam, the only thing I knew about Vietnamese cuisine was pho and those tasty bread rolls slathered with pate, chilli and soy sauce (now I can call them by their proper name, Banh Mi).

Monday, August 14, 2017

Vietnam's BEST Cooking Class in Hoi An (Taught by a Professional Chef!)

Cooking a 4 course Vietnamese Lunch was my most authentic cultural experience in Vietnam.

vietnamese cooking class hoi an

Personally I don't like cooking, but when our hotel recommended us a traditional Vietnamese cooking class and told us it is their most highly rated day excursion, we thought to ourselves why not?

Monday, July 10, 2017

Visiting Vietnam's BEST Snake Restaurant

If you're itching for an exotic feast in Vietnam, Le Mat Snake Village in Hanoi has you covered.

snake restaurant experience vietnam

A 15 minute drive from Hanoi Old Quarter you can find the Le Mat Snake Village. Famous for its reptilian specialty, the snake of your choosing is freshly prepared in every which way possible. The art of snakes on a plate is a family tradition in Le Mat, prepared with well guarded recipes.

Friday, June 16, 2017

My Unforgettable Halong Bay Cruise (2 Amazing Nights!)

Sitting on the north east coast of Vietnam, Halong Bay is a stunning sprinkling of 1600 islands and caves.

halong bay title

Shortly after arriving in Hanoi, we headed into the city centre and found a random travel agency to book a cruise in Halong Bay. One night or two, the agent asked us. Seeing as it is a 3 hour bus ride from Hanoi to Halong we decided one night was just not worth it.

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

One Week in Hanoi (Our Unforgettable Experience)

The capital of the nation, Hanoi is an amalgamation of diverse cultures, venerable shrines and narrow winding mazes in the heart of the city.

how to spend one week in hanoi

Hanoi was my second taste of the Vietnamese metropolis lifestyle. With chaotic inner city streets, a distinct European quarter and a unique food culture not found anywhere else in Vietnam, it's a must-do in any Vietnamese travel itinerary.

I did spend one full week in Hanoi, but I probably could have fit this itinerary into 3-4 days. After rushing ourselves in Hoi An and Da Nang we wanted to slow it down and give ourselves a little extra time - so if you're in a rush you could squeeze in all these places in about half the time.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

1 Day in Da Nang (Discover Vietnam's Secret Mountains)

Da Nang is a laid back coastal city popular for its tranquil beaches, thematic bridges, and mystic mountains with an ancient legacy.

da nang mystery mountains

During our stay in Hoi An we decided to spend one full day exploring the best of Da Nang. We debated whether we should move our accomodation to central Da Nang, but since Da Nang is a 30 minute drive from Hoi An we thought we could fit everything we wanted to see in one day.

HOW TO SEE THE BEST OF DA NANG IN ONE DAY


Da Nang is a BIG city (3rd biggest in Vietnam) so how did we fit everything we wanted to see in one day? For us, there was a bit of compromise, picking and choosing the most interesting things we found in guidebooks and tailoring a one day private tour suited to our needs. For $60 per person our customised tour took us to the places we wanted to go with a private car for an entire day, an English speaking guide and one meal included.

Monday, April 24, 2017

Discover Hoi An, Vietnam's Ancient Town (My Amazing Experience)

An elegant seaside retreat, Hoi An is a meticulously preserved trading port that blends French, Chinese and Japanese legacy into a modern Vietnamese town.

hoi an header

A stark contrast from the bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, we found Hoi An to be a relaxing five day escape. Driving to our hotel the atmosphere of the area was like a typical seaside resort town with palm trees lining the road and casual eateries along the waterside.

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

1 Day Adventure in the Mekong Delta (My Jungle Experience)

The Mekong Delta is the quintessential Vietnamese experience - rice paddies, bamboo hats for everyone and relaxing canoe rides.

mekong delta one day adventure

The Mekong Delta, which lies on the southernmost tip of Vietnam, is a lush area of greenery and waterways. Offered with the option of 1, 2 or 3 day tours, we chose the 1 day tour seeing as it was not so far from where we were staying in Ho Chi Minh City.

Monday, March 27, 2017

13 Weird and Wonderful Things I Love About Ho Chi Minh City (Things to do in Saigon)

Known for its hustle and bustle, Ho Chi Minh City is an exciting metropolis that offers everything from outrageously cheap street food to fish foot doctors and everything in-between.

ho chi minh city header

My Ho Chi Minh City experience began the very minute I stepped off the aircraft. Honestly, it's not the greatest tourist city I've ever visited. But beneath the chaos and disorder, it is a uniquely Vietnamese city - unlike any other I've ever visited in Asia. Not only that, everything is outrageously cheap. So after spending almost a week in Ho Chi Minh City, these are 13 of the uniquely Vietnamese things I LOVED about this city!

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Peruvian Cuisine - 15 Tantalising Dishes That Will Make Your Mouth Water

Peru's cuisine is a reflection of two empires clashing, an old world of cultures abandoned and a new world of cosmopolitan flavours mixing and creating something new and unique.

peruvian cuisine header

Peruvian cuisine is one of my favourite, so I thought I'd make a post using some pictures from my trip to show everyone else how awesome it is! The most common ingredients used are typically corn, potatoes and chillies. The meats used are reflected by the location of the origin of the dish. For example, dishes originating from the coastal cities are rich in seafood, while the dishes from inland typically use other meats, such as guinea pig (Yes! Guinea pig is a delicacy in Peru!)

Monday, January 12, 2015

Stranded in LA (My Horror Story)

stranded in los angeles header

Little did I know that making a small decision like leaving my Australian passport at home when I boarded the plane inbound to Mexico City that I would be setting myself up for a big disaster on the way home. Why would you do something so stupid as leaving your passport at home?? Well, in fact I am a dual citizen, which grants me the right to hold two passports legally.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

The ULTIMATE Guide to Los Angeles (Things to do in LA)

LA is a city of dreamers and sycophants. You can become anyone you want here, nothing is too out of the ordinary.

Los angeles guide header

I know. Its been done a million times before. A blogger making yet another guide to LA. But LA is truly my favourite city in America. It was never in our original plan to visit LA - after Mexico City we were supposed to take a flight home with a connection in LA, but due to unforeseen circumstances we were in LA for a little over 72 hours. The last time I was in LA was at the end of 2011 and we spent a considerably greater amount of time here. So taking into mind my unexpected detour I wanted to write a guide showing everyone the reasons I love this city so much using the experiences from my last two times here.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

8 Reasons to Visit Mexico City (Travel Guide + Tips)

In a strange, unexpected way, Mexico City reminded me a lot of Tokyo. One huge sprawled out metropolis with too many people and too many places too see.

mexico city header

The first time I visited Mexico City in 2011 I felt confused by this sprawling metropolis. There was just so much to do in such little time. Even stranger, I had never really heard anything good about Mexico City. No one had really ever recommended this amazing city to me. I debated whether I should make 2 entries for this beast of a post, but I think I can fit it in one. That being said, there is just so much to do here. With a population of 23 million people, this city reaches into far corners to bring together an amazing mix of food, culture, architecture and experiences. Is it safe? Everything I have ever heard about Mexico City, or Mexico in general was that it is such a dangerous country. But never had I ever felt in danger here. Of course, the usual precautions should be taken when travelling to any country but by all accounts, Mexico City is a very safe place.

So, here are my favourite things I saw and did in Mexico City these past eight days. This is by no accounts a complete list of things to do here - it really is a big, big city:

Friday, September 12, 2014

Santa Maria Tonantzintla : Inside Mexico's Most Mysterious Church and Cholula

Mexico is spilling with nature, charming villages and bustling cities. But if you travel between cities you will certainly come across something beautiful and unexpected on your way.

cholula and santa maria tonantzintla header

After our one night stay in Puebla, we had originally planned to head straight back to Mexico City. But after talking to some locals, we were heavily recommended to do a small day trip to Puebla's neighbouring city, Cholula. In Mexico, Cholula is known as the city of 365 churches (but we learnt from our tour guide there are in fact only 37). The locals of Puebla told us we must must must visit the church on top of the Aztec pyramid and we must must must visit Santa Maria Tonantzintla.