Yes, I traveled during a global pandemic. No, I’m not encouraging travel. But I will say for some of us out there, travel is actually kinda safe. Not 100% safe, but safe(ish). Or so I thought when I chose to travel in Vietnam in mid-July. When I made the decision to take a mini-beach vacation…
This post was originally published in May 2018 and updated in February 2020. When I first visited Bali, I was so lukewarm about the island that figured there was no way I’d ever return. Yet, somehow I’ve found myself back in Bali not once but six times in the past five years. I’m such a…
When I think back on my summer spent in Da Nang and Hoi An, I pretty much think all about food. I did a lot of eating last summer. I just couldn’t help myself. Now that I’ve lived in Ho Chi Minh City for two years, one would think I’d be sick of Vietnamese food….
Oh, Da Nang. I just love that city. I was lucky enough to spend two months there over the summer and when it came time to leave I just didn’t want to. Da Nang tends to get passed over by tourists in favor of the ultra-popular town of Hoi An, which is a short 30-minute…
I have a thing for quirky travel destinations so when I found out that Hue was home to a creepy abandoned water park, I just had to go. The water park opened in 2004 and was operational for a few years before mysteriously shutting down, despite the fact that it cost millions to develop. It’s…
Being a vegetarian in Southeast Asia isn’t always easy, but luckily Vietnam is a super vegetarian and vegan-friendly country. Because of the large Buddhist influence here, most big cities in Vietnam have an abundance of “chay” restaurants, which are pure vegetarian (and mostly vegan) eateries. (Chay means vegetarian in Vietnamese.) Coming from Saigon, I wasn’t…
After moving abroad in July 2014, I started compiling monthly roundup posts about life as an expat in Southeast Asia and all the nitty-gritty that goes on behind the scenes here at Travel Lush. Check out my most recent monthly roundup posts March, April and May. The best thing about working remotely is that I can work from…
I have fond memories of my Ha Long Bay cruise. I visited what is now one of Vietnam’s most famous destinations 13 years ago when Aaron and I were baby backpackers. Like every other budget traveler, we booked a super cheap Ha Long Bay cruise on a rickety junk boat and spent three blissful days…
After moving abroad in July 2014, I started compiling monthly roundup posts about life as an expat in Southeast Asia and all the nitty gritty that goes on behind the scenes here at Travel Lush. Check out my most recent monthly roundup posts February, March and April. When I started this blog back in 2014, I was on…
To be perfectly honest, I was hesitant to go back to Hoi An. I last visited 12 long years ago. My memory of what is now one of Vietnam’s most touristy destinations is a sleepy riverside village complete with picture-perfect French colonial buildings, cute little cafes and tons of fishing boats bobbing in the river….