We spent December 13 through December 16 in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Siem Reap is the second largest city in Cambodia and home to some of the largest religious complexes in the world. While famous for the iconic Angkor Wat Temple, we learned very quickly that Siem Reap has a lot more to offer. Angkor Temples: …
Hoi An and Saigon, Vietnam
We spent our last few days in Vietnam in Hoi An and Saigon. Hoi An was one of our favorite destinations in Vietnam. The town is cut through with many canals and beautiful lanterns hang above the streets and along the bridges. Each street is lined with quaint historical homes, cafes, and stores where you …
Ninh Bình, Vietnam
From December 8 to December 9 we travelled to Ninh Bình, a beautiful and non-touristy province known for its valleys and caves. After a four hour bus ride from Halong Bay, the bus dropped us off by the side of the main road. We then boarded small taxis that could manage the narrow and unpaved …
Halong Bay, Vietnam
We spent December 6 through December 8 in Halong Bay. It is on Vietnam's northern coast and has over 1,900 limestone islands streamed along emerald blue waters. Halong Bay is Vietnamese for "the land where the dragon enters the sea." The name stems from a legend about a mother dragon who descended on the earth …
Hanoi, Vietnam
We stayed in Hanoi for a few nights before and after our journey to Sapa. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and is know for its architecture and rich culture. We stayed in the Old Quarter, where the narrow streets each represent a different trade. We stayed on Hàng Buóm, which is the street of …
Sapa, Vietnam
On the evening of November 30, we took an overnight train North from Hanoi to Lao Cai. It was our first overnight train experience and it ended up being extremely comfortable! We had a “VIP” room on the Sapaly Express, fully stocked with beer, water, snacks, and toothbrushes. When we arrived in Loa Cai on …
Luang Prabang, Laos
We spent November 25 - November 28 in Laos. It was an easy, one hour flight from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang. The town of Luang Prabang is really small, which made it easy to explore. It is full of great restaurants, many of which offer beautiful views of the Mekong River. The town has …
Northern Thailand
We spent our first week in Asia (November 18 - November 25) in two cities in Northern Thailand!! 🇹🇭 Chiang Mai, Thailand Chiang Mai is the largest city in Northern Thailand. The city has tons of Buddhist temples, extremely friendly locals, amazing street markets, and lots of activities to do. We never found ourselves bored …
Medellín, Cartagena, and Santa Marta, Colombia
We spent the last week of our time in South America in Colombia! On Tuesday, October 31 we flew from Guayaquil, Ecuador to Bogotá, Colombia to Medellín, Colombia. Unfortunately our flights were delayed and we didn’t get to Medellín until late in the evening. We took an Uber (which we learned later is technically "illegal" …
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The Galápagos, Ecuador
On Oct 23 we flew two hours from Guayaquil to The Galápagos! We landed on Baltra Island, which was once a military base for the United States when it was established after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. As of today, the small island is an Ecuadorian military base, but the airport is commercial. It is …
Melanie & Cody 