ASIA

02.04.2019

FAST FIVE: 5 Unique Things You Have To Do in Taiwan

In this edition of Fast Five: Eye hospitals, boba tea, and a unique massage.

Welcome to the Taiwan edition of Fast Five! In this new feature, I’ll talk about some of the most fun and interesting things that you can do in a specific country.

These things are meant to get a glimpse of Taiwan’s culture, food, and the local scene. I won’t go into a wall of text explaining each of the things (that’s why it’s called the Fast Five!) but there’s just enough detail for you to decide if you want to check it out – and if so, I’ve provided all of the info so you don’t have to spend hours Googling. ;)

Can’t wait to see what’s inside? Here’s a mini table of contents of things that I’ll be talking about today:

1. Boba-making class
2. Knife Massage
3. Tea Plantation + Ceremony
4. Cat village
5. Ice cream in Eye Hospital

Let’s check out the rest! 

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01.28.2019

Maafushi Island Travel Guide: What to Do, Where to Stay, and More!

On my first evening in Maafushi, I ran into another Russian-speaking lady from Moscow. After a brief chat, she asked me if I’ve been here before.

Oh, It’s your first time in Maafushi? It’s even better than Male! In fact, I love Maafushi so much that it’s my sixth time here…

Sixth time?! I asked her with a surprised expression.

That’s right. I’m sure you’ll love it too. And with a smile, she disappeared into the souvenir shop.

Was Maafushi all that it was cracked up to be?

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01.17.2019

17 Things You NEED To Know Before Traveling to the Maldives: What To Do (And Not To Do!)

Best Maldives Travel Tips

THE BEST MALDIVES TRAVEL TIPS

For many travelers, the Maldives is an elusive destination that has so many stereotypes: it’s a hard to reach country only for the super-rich who can afford to stay in overwater villas – but that’s not true (at all)! There are so many misconceptions about the Maldives, and I want to set them straight. 

I created this post about the best Maldives travel tips because there was such a lack of information when I was planning my trip. I wanted to make sure other travelers could feel comfortable before they visit the country.  

You might be wondering, Why is there a lack of information? That’s because the Maldives is fairly new to tourism – it opened its doors for tourists in the 1970s by creating villa resorts, and regular guesthouses only became legal 10 years ago! Tourism simply hasn’t caught up to the level of other major island destinations, like Bali or the Dominican Republic, which means it’s the perfect time to visit.

So without further ado, here’s everything you need to know before traveling to the Maldives — from travel advice, what to do, and what to avoid in the Maldives. Let’s check it out! 

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11.29.2016

NEPAL TRAVEL TIPS: 28 Things To Know Before Traveling to Nepal (What to do – and NOT to do!)

travel_to_nepal

Namaste and welcome to this edition of things I wish people told me before I went to Nepal!

These tips for Nepal aren’t categorized in any certain order and contain a few fun facts as well – most of these are from personal experience, chatting with locals, and from fellow travelers. To give you a little background, I visited Nepal in the middle of September 2016, for 9 days, with two friends. This was one of my first trips and really opened my eyes, and now I want to share all of my Nepal travel tips (including what to do in Nepal — and what to avoid!) with you. 

Take a warm cup of chai, dip your roti into some palak, and enjoy these little nuggets of wisdom.

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10.07.2016

♡ HUGE Japan Souvenir/Omiyage Haul – The Best Souvenirs to Buy in Japan ♡

Best Souvenirs to Buy in Japan Candy

Fair warning: this is one of the biggest souvenir hauls I’ve had this year grinning-face-with-smiling-eyes
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One of my favorite parts of Japanese culture is their art of gift giving – there’s even a special word for it! Omiyage is a souvenir that’s specifically gifted to friends, family, and coworkers. However, it’s not just any regular souvenir from the tourist shop – omiyage has to be individually wrapped (usually in cute packaging) to make it easy to share. The first time I received an omiyage present was when my freelance clients, a small start-up from Japan, bought me “cat tongue” cookies” from Hokkaido.

The other reason why I love Japanese souvenirs so much is that they vary by region!
That’s right: if you visit a souvenir shop in Fukuoka, Tokyo, and Hokkaido, you’ll find souvenirs that can only be bought in that area – sort of like limited edition goodies. 

If you want to find out more about the best Japanese souvenirs to buy, check out my omiyage haul and let me know which was your favorite! ♡ Continue reading →