The Best of Singapore with Kids

Singapore is one of my favorite cities in Asia and the perfect choice for families looking to dive into Asia with kids. I always tell people that Singapore is the best of Asia providing a multitude of things to do and experience with none of the hassle. On the outside the city feels very western … Read more

10 Amazing Budget Travel Destinations

From Asia to Central America, this year’s list of the best budget travel destinations has something for every type of traveler. Whether you want to stick close to home or venture off the beaten path, we have scoped out some of the best in cheap destinations with amazing experiences. 

While some of these may be a bit more adventurous than some of you are looking for, we also include several places in the US that are a bit less touristy than your typical Los Angeles or New York trip while still offering a ton of things to do, amazing places to eat and fun for all ages.

If you see a place that strikes your fancy, there are so many amazing travel deals right now. Read our post on how to travel more and check out Flighthub to see what they have going right now!

Read more

10 Mistakes to Avoid When Visiting the Taj Mahal in India

If you are on a trip to India, the you will surely be planning visit the Taj Mahal in Agra. As one of the premier attractions in India it is on every bucket list, but there is a lot of information to know before you go to ensure you have the best visit. 

This white marble magnificence was ordered to be built by Shah Jahan for his most loved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Often called a monument to love, the Taj Mahal is spellbinding, no matter how many times you see it. 

After living in India for a decade and visiting the Taj Mahal many times throughout the years, with and without kids, I share with you my top 10 mistakes to avoid when visiting the Taj Mahal. Make sure to read all of this as it contains very important information that will make or break your once in a lifetime visit to this iconic landmark. 

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Read more

10 Mistakes to Avoid When Planning a Trip to India

India is a favorite destination among travelers for its varied and interesting culture, natural beauty and of course food. Planning a trip to India for the first time can feel daunting, but it’s not really that bad once you do a little bit of research!

After 10 years of living in India and more than 15 years of traveling to the country, I share the biggest mistakes tourists make when planning a trip to India. Read on to find out all you need to know when planning a trip to India.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Read more

The Perfect Borneo Family Holiday with Intrepid Travel

Have you ever wanted to take a Borneo family holiday to see orangutans in the wild? It has long been a dream of mine to do this. While researching the possibility of a trip, I quickly became overwhelmed with the logistics necessary for travel on this small island. Tourism infrastructure is in place but not on a large enough scale to make solo travel cost efficient like most other areas of SE Asia.

As always I turned to my trusty guide while planning a trip, Intrepid Travels tours. I often look to their tour itineraries as a guide on what all is possible in a country. Their tours are a perfect example of what I like to achieve in a trip – nature, adventure, culture and local experiences. It was then that I noticed they offer family tours and had the perfect 11 day Borneo family holiday available.

I took a tour with Intrepid to China in 2001 and have gushed about the experience ever since, so I was excited to give it a go again with my son in tow.

Read more

10 Unmissable Experiences in Vietnam With Kids

Vietnam with kids truly is the perfect trip for families looking for hands on educational and transformative travel. The country is teeming with unique activities and sites to visit that will appeal to all age ranges. From making things by hand to experiencing local life and immersing yourself in the culture through food, Vietnam family travel really has everything for all types of travelers.

After a few weeks exploring the country, we have come up with our top 10 things to do in Vietnam with kids (or even without!).

Read more

Making Hoi An Lanterns with the Lantern Lady

Hoi An, located in central Vietnam, is known for two things, tailors and beautiful silk lanterns! When you visit, you must experience Hoi An lanterns in some form or another. You can do this by just walking through the streets admiring the brightly colored lanterns hanging over head, by launching your own candle lit paper lantern on the river or by making your own beautiful Hoi An lantern.

During our visit, we ended up doing all three. Wandering around Hoi An soaking up the beautiful lanterns that are seemingly hung from every tree and strung across the roadside is magical. You feel like you are walking into a fairytale. While this is fantastic, our favorite experience of all was making our own silk Vietnamese lanterns with The Lantern Lady.

Read more

Gap Year: Month 4 Recap – Bangkok, Hanoi & Hoi An

A bit late, but here we go, our gap year recap for month 4! January has been a short month of travel since we only left the US on the 15th, but it has been full of adventure and feels like we have been gone for ages already!

Read more

What to Do in Hoi An with Kids (or without!)

Hoi An is a picturesque UNESCO Heritage town on the central coast of Vietnam. Even being one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam, Hoi An continues to showcase a well preserved example of an ancient port town. It’s traditional wooden buildings provide a beautiful backdrop to experience all the things to do in Hoi An with kids (and without too!).

Even though much of the ancient town in Hoi An is filled with shops geared entirely to foreign visitors, the lanterns, cute shop fronts and small lanes continue to lure visitors with it’s great food and fun energy, especially once the tour buses have left for the day!

To escape the crowds a bit, here are our top picks what to do in Hoi An with kids.

Read more

Where to Stay in Mumbai: An Insider’s Guide to the Best Hotels in Mumbai

Heading to India and wondering where to stay in Mumbai? We have you covered with our insiders guide to the best places to stay in Mumbai from hotels near the Mumbai airport to hotels in Bandra and beyond. Some of the best hotels in the city are not located in the main tourist areas, but … Read more

Okonomiyaki : Best Food in Japan

Okonomiyaki: The Best Food in Japan Japan continues to top our favorite trips list, with Hiroshima being one of our favorite places in Japan. So rightly so, that okonomiyaki, a dish from Hiroshima, remains as one of our favorite travel meals. It’s not often I post about food in my travels. There are a handful of … Read more

Insider’s Guide: Best Shopping in Mumbai

The Insider’s Guide to Mumbai series is loaded with information to help you visit and explore this expansive and vibrant city like a local. After living as an expat for so many years, I found that to really get to know a city quickly you need to stay outside of the tourist zones and hang out and eat where the … Read more

Travel Memories: Jaisalmer

Welcome to the A to Z Challenge, an initiative that invites bloggers to post an alphabet-themed post every day (excluding Sundays) during the month of April.  As part of this challenge, I’ll be sharing some of my travel memories to known and unknown places in the hope to inspire your travel dreams. J is for Jaisalmer (India) It’s … Read more

The Most Beautiful Hotel in Udaipur – Devi Garh Palace

Devi Garh Palace (Udaipur, India) The difficult part of living abroad is that eventually you have to leave. When our time was almost up in India, I knew I had to fit in a few more places from my never ending (India) bucket list. One of these was the beautiful (and expensive!) RASS Devi Garh Palace … Read more

Rickshaw Run: The Beginning

On a day to day basis it was the longest most frustrating 14 days of our lives, looking back it was the most amazing and adventurous 14 days. I should be scared, but I am not. I am full of excitement and anticipation sitting in the long line of rickshaws waiting to launch from Pondicherry. … Read more

Insider’s Guide: The Best Things to Do in Mumbai

The Insider’s Guide to Mumbai series is loaded with information to help you visit and explore this expansive and vibrant city like a local. After living as an expat for so many years, I found that to really get to know a city quickly you need to stay outside of the tourist zones and hang out and eat where the … Read more

Insider’s Guide: How to Ride Mumbai Local Train

The Insider’s Guide to Mumbai series is loaded with information to help you visit and explore this expansive and vibrant city like a local. After living as an expat for so many years, I found that to really get to know a city quickly you need to stay outside of the tourist zones and hang out and eat where the … Read more

Insider’s Guide: Top Restaurants in Mumbai

The Insider’s Guide to Mumbai series is loaded with information to help you visit and explore this expansive and vibrant city like a local. After living as an expat for so many years, I found that to really get to know a city quickly you need to stay outside of the tourist zones and hang out and eat where the … Read more

10 Top Tips on Travelling to India with Kids

  Travel to India without children seems daunting to most people, much less with small kids in tow. However, traveling to India with kids can be a rich and rewarding experience for the entire family. Yes, it can be difficult, but I have to say that it is not that much harder than a trip … Read more