Category: Backpacking

Chengdu is cheaper than you think I’d been warned about China. “It’s not as cheap as Southeast Asia anymore,” people told me. “The days of… Read more

Chengdu is the launchpad, not the destination I came to Chengdu for the pandas and the hotpot. I stayed for the day trips. That’s the… Read more

My first encounter with Sichuan spice I thought I knew spicy food. I’d eaten my way through Thailand, survived vindaloo in Goa, and never flinched… Read more

Why Chengdu caught me off guard I almost skipped Chengdu. My original plan had me flying from Shanghai straight to Southeast Asia, and honestly, I… Read more

Chengdu moves at its own speed Most cities in China feel like they’re in a permanent sprint. Shenzhen is building. Shanghai is dealing. Beijing is… Read more

Why the best of Southeast Asia is where the crowds aren’t Here’s something I figured out a few months into my first Southeast Asia trip:… Read more

Why island hopping belongs on every Southeast Asia itinerary I’ve done a lot of things in Southeast Asia. Night buses through Vietnam, motorbike loops through… Read more

What is the Banana Pancake Trail (and why every backpacker ends up on it) If you ask a hundred backpackers in Southeast Asia what route… Read more

The best backpacking routes through Southeast Asia: complete itinerary guide I spent weeks agonizing over the “perfect” Southeast Asia route before my first trip. Spreadsheets,… Read more

Everything you need to know about staying in hostels. From etiquette to making friends, master the backpacker accommodation of choice. Read more