I’ve said this many times before, but Nusa Penida might just be my favorite travel destination in Bali. I’ve written about it before, but in case you haven’t heard of it, Nusa Penida is an island located just off the southern coast of Bali. Although it’s only a short 30-minute boat ride from Sanur and a 10-minute ride from…
When I first traveled to Bali it was more out of convenience than desire. I first landed on this little Indonesian island back in 2013. I had just spent a month traversing the island of Java. And given its proximity to Java, Bali just seemed like the next logical stop. While most people would be…
Some say that the nine-hour ferry ride from Coron to El Nido is a hellish one. I’ve read stories of seasickness, overcrowded boats and even shipwrecks. But I experienced none of these things. Our ferry – which was actually more like a large boat – had only a handful of passengers. It was a flawless…
One week before I was gearing up for my two-month trip to the Philippines, the country was smacked by the strongest typhoon to ever hit land. Typhoon Haiyan (also known as Yolanda) made landfall on November 8, 2013. I was in my rental apartment in Pattaya, Thailand, glued to the TV. I watched, along with…
When most budget travelers think of Bali, the first thing that pops into their mind is, “It’s too expensive!” As a long-term, frugal-minded traveler I came close to skipping Bali altogether during my two-month trip to Indonesia. Guidebooks and friends alike warned me that this world-famous island would be way too pricy for my $40-a-day…