Solo Travels Archives - Page 4 of 18

Vietnam

Hue Days in Central Vietnam (Vietnam Diary #7)

Hue (pronounced “hway”) is an interesting city in central Vietnam where a popular emperor from 18-voetsak used to make important decisions from a golden throne. More academically put, it was the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty in the national capital from 1802 to 1945. The major attraction is the 19th

Philippines

Port Barton and Phinal Thoughts (Philippines Diary #10)

A well-travelled local suggested a visit to Port Barton on the Island of Palawan while we were waiting to get trendy trims at a popular barber shop. With no expectations, I signed up to spend two of my remaining nights there while still in the Philippines. Port Barton is a

Vietnam

Tet in Danang, Pimps & The Bunker (Vietnam Diary #5)

I jumped wide awake thinking that Danang was being carpet-bombed! It was midnight on 29 January 2025. Tet in Danang (the Lunar New Year) had officially begun. I got a decent view of the show from my hotel window and didn’t feel the need to head towards it. Fireworks are

Vietnam

Vietnam Football Frenzy & Tet Prep (Vietnam Diary #4)

One night when I was back in Tam Coc Bich Dong, I followed my ears towards loud cheering. A huge crowd was chanting what sounded exactly like “NASI GORENG! NASI GORENG” (that lovely Indonesian rice dish with peanut sauce). It was a football match between Vietnam and Thailand. (Mr Goreng

Vietnam

Tam Coc Bich Dong & Ninh Binh (Vietnam Diary #3)

Yes, it sounds exactly like that phonetically. No one (however Trump-like) can put a price on fresh air. Well, Hanoi got officially declared as the world’s most polluted city in 2025. In the New Year, authorities were encouraging residents to pretty much avoid breathing. The Air Quality Index peaked above

Vietnam

Korean Street Karaoke – Bac Ninh (Vietnam Diary #2)

In 2012, I vowed to never spend the 25th of December alone again after that one time I tried to unsuccessfully defrost an entire turkey in a bathtub. So, I headed towards a friend living in the Vietnamese province of Bac Ninh, just north of the capital, Hanoi, which has

Thailand

Koh Samui Mountains and Khao Yum

With the roads gradually drying out after so much rain, I took a long bike ride up into the Koh Samui mountains. The highest point is called Khao Pom, which peaks at 2,083 feet above the ocean blue. Fortunately, it was a clear day and the view was fantastic! Also