Local travel

During my 3-month travels through China in 2013, I had a hard time finding a fix for my daily coffee fix, especially outside of the major cities. Not weird, you could say, for a country with a long history of growing and drinking tea. However, I definitely saw more Western coffee culture scenarios (people sitting…

My little off-the-beaten path adventure in Tokamachi, Japan with snow, green forests and a weird animal that followed my every step.

The Banaue Rice Terraces are a trekking lover’s paradise for many reasons. A big one is the fact that Banaue and the area around it are still quite unknown, which is a nice contrast with many other places in the Philippines which have already been taken over by tourism. The scenic landscapes, healthy vegetation, and…

In the smartphone era, going off-grid has become a popular travel style. It seems that some people’s worst fears have become other people’s bliss. Take Alaska for example. Would you enjoy hiking where there is no path, crossing rivers that could easily drag you along if you don’t pay attention? Oh, and don’t forget the…

Svalbard is a small Norwegian island located north of the Arctic circle; roughly in between Norway and the North Pole. It has a little over 2.500 permanent inhabitants, making it the most northern settlement in the world. One of the few things I heard about this archipelago is that the weather conditions can be rough…

If you’re looking for truly off-the-beaten-track experiences, Central Asia will eminently be your dream destination. Each country in this area has its own attractions; the stunning natural beauty of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the colorful mosques of Uzbekistan, and then there is Turkmenistan. It’s in many ways the black sheep of the herd, the weird kid…

It’s hard to find perfection in this world, as often the most beautiful places are spoilt by tourism. Tanna island, however, located between Australia and Fiji, has everything that you could wish for without having to deal with the downsides. It has breathtaking scenery, palm trees, exotic fruit, pristine waterfalls, flowers, hills, local tribes, white…

The Wilsons Promontory National Park on the southern tip of Australia’s Victoria state is easily one of the best national parks all over Victoria and maybe even Australia. The good thing about it is that few people know this place, making this little piece of heaven a well-kept secret for adventurous travelers. If you look…

On one of my many searches for cheap flights I came across the option to have a layover in Qatar’s capital city: Doha. I have to admit that I didn’t know a single thing about this city (full disclosure: I didn’t even know it was the capital of Qatar) and as I would have a…

Ever stayed in a hostel where your first interaction with the staff put a big smile on your face that didn’t fade throughout your stay? The Jugaadus hostel in Amritsar (North West India) definitely falls into this category. I even ended up altering my travel plans in order to come back to it on my way…

Pakistan has truly received a bad reputation in the media over the last few years. Bordering Afghanistan and Iran on the west and India on the west, you can imagine that the country’s appeal as a travel destination is doomed by association alone. As there has been some terrorist activity in the country, you might think that getting…

If you have ever been an Ireland, you have probably noticed how prominently the Cliffs of Moher are advertised as a must-see place. Fair enough, these beautifully rugged cliffs on the magnificent west coast are definitely worth paying a visit. The thunderous sound of the waves crashing against the rocks, the many species of birds nesting…