There was once a time, not even a decade ago, where riding an elephant in Southeast Asia was a pinnacle accomplishment in one’s travel diaries. The dreamy pictures of exploring the jungle on the backs of these massive wild giants.

Don’t get me wrong, that’s something that was always on my list to do one day, and live out all of my colonial safari fantasies.

It’s an idyllic image that has appealed to hundreds of thousands of tourists for a long time, me included, and no one really questioned it. Where did these elephants come from? How were they being treated? What was their quality of life?

In the late 1980’s, after logging was banned in Thailand, local elephant trainers turned their talents to tourism, inciting the elephant tourism boom we’ve seen on all of the travel blogs and in our Instagram feed today.

To the untrained eye, it looked harmless. You’d ride an elephant just like you’d ride a horse right?

How different can it be? What’s so different? If you’re like me, you grew up going to the circus and visiting the zoo, interacting with animals was fun and exciting, not many thought much further.

Even now, many of what we see online is slated with a “conservation” agenda designed to deter us from digging further. But how many baby elephants or lion cubs are really in need of rescuing?

In June National Geographic launched a massive exposé around the cruel reality of wildlife tourism.

The truth is what you might expect if you begin asking questions, hard and cruel.

For example, elephants who are broken in a process referred to as “the crush,” are trained to parade tourists around in a circle, receiving some of the worst treatment of all captive animals in the world. If you’ve done what I’ve done and gone down a rabbit hole of videos of this, you’ll be beyond shocked.

There are only 40,000 Asian elephants left in the wild, and more than half of Thailand’s 7,000 elephants still live in captivity, enduring daily beatings. So why do tourists continue to ride on the backs of captive elephants?

The main culprit is simply lack of awareness.

As travel has become more and more accessible over the past few decades, tourists and travel industry leaders have come face to face with the ethics of visiting a foreign country and what activities cross the line of being irresponsible and exploitative.

How is cuddling a lion cub or playing with an elephant or posing with a tiger anyway ethical?

In 2010 Intrepid Travel took the lead against standing up against elephant cruelty by partnering with World Animal Protection (who conducted extensive research on the treatment of captive elephants).

The results were shocking and Intrepid Travel became the first global travel company to ban riding elephants on their trips. Intrepid used to make a lot of money riding elephants until they realized how cruel a practice it was, and they stopped, heralding in a new era of responsible travel.

I really admire how Intrepid has owned up to this mistake; it speaks volumes about their ethics and backbone as a company. And hundreds of others have followed in their footsteps since and have banned riding elephants too. Talk about inspirational.

So what’s all the fuss about? Are elephant rides really that bad? 

I’ve been privileged enough to experience wild elephants on safaris in Africa and Asia, and trust me, you can’t get near them. In fact, elephant – human conflict is still a very real issue in many parts of the world.

People often think that an elephant in captivity is domesticated, and so somehow it’s okay to have them under human control.

But the reality is that elephants never have been domesticated. Even if born in captivity, they are still a wild animal and need to be ‘broken’ to accept human control.

If “breaking” an elephant sounds harsh to you, you’re not wrong. Baby elephants are taken from the wild and begin training immediately. Many times their mothers are killed in the poaching process, and if you’ve observed elephants in the wild you’ll see how cruel it must be to separate them – elephant babies stay with their moms for years, and the herds are incredibly social.

They are tied up and beaten with bullhooks until their spirit is broken and they obey their trainer to avoid more injury.

They spend their days carrying humans around on a tourist path which is not nearly enough exercise for these giant animals. Despite their large size, their anatomy is not suited to carry humans on their backs and many sustain long-term spinal injuries.

When the elephants aren’t working, they are usually kept in shacks and they’re bound by chains that can be so tight they can barely move. These social creatures are kept isolated from other animals and kept in solitary confinement until their next job.

Is it surprising some of them go berserk?

How can you help?

It’s truly an awful practice but as travelers, we have the power to change this.

You, right there, reading this blog. You hold the power. Elephant tourism simply cannot exist without the tourists so if it’s on your travel bucket list, it’s time to remove it.

Know a friend traveling to Thailand? Gently inform them of the severe cruelty captive animals face.

Most people who have ridden on the backs of elephants simply didn’t know anything about the animal’s treatment. Spreading the word works. Just 10 years ago riding elephants was incredibly commonplace but now, most seasoned travelers know the cruelty that lies behind the practice.

The more we talk the better. Many of my friends have ridden elephants in the past and regret it now. Many didn’t know better, and we’re not here to shame people, but rather use our collective voices to try and change how elephants are treated now and in the future.

So what to do if you’ve always dreamed of seeing elephants?

Keep this one rule in mind: If you can ride or touch an elephant, or watch it perform, chances are the elephant has been subjected to cruel training and is living in poor conditions and you should not further encourage the practice.

Thankfully, public awareness of cruelty to captive elephants has increased but unfortunately, many attractions are trying to dupe tourists by adding words such as “sanctuary,” “rescue center,” “refuge,” and “retirement facility” to their names.

HOW WE CHANGED THE ELEPHANT RIDING INDUSTRY

But the abusive training methods and deprivation are often the same and make the elephants follow the trainers’ commands to let people ride, feed, touch, or bathe them.

All those trendy Instagrammers standing by elephants at sunset? Think what it took to have that mighty creature beaten into submission to allow a person to stand there with them peacefully.

Do you research before visiting these places; riding elephants is cruel.

What can we do?

It can be hard to truly pin down the ethical tourism operators from the frauds but trust me, it’s worth doing the research.

Intrepid Travel is an industry leader when it comes to prioritizing animal welfare during their programs and if you still really want to have elephants be apart of your Southeast Asia trip, they offer programs that do so ethically. They are also inspiring many other tourism operators to follow in their footsteps, and they’re trying to change an entire industry.

Intrepid works with places like Elephant Valley Thailand, Mahouts Elephant Foundation (MEF) and Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary (BLES), three of the high welfare venues doing great things for captive elephants.

At these venues, you can observe elephants from afar, where they are free to just be elephants and not performers.

Trust me, the best way to see an elephant is when it’s wild and free, just being happy funny creatures. I mean, elephants are hilarious! I love watching the babies trip over their trunks and getting scared by birds. They are so smart and fascinating to watch.

Consider joining safaris that are responsible and traveling with operators that put animal welfare first. I’ve seen elephants in the wild many times on my travels in Asia and Africa, and it never gets old. These are old and special creatures, with wise eyes that deserve respect.

We are living in an era when animal cruelty is being tolerated less and less and while we have made significant progress in the past decade, there’s still so much more work to be done with riding elephants.

Help us spread the word today on World Elephant Day by using #StopElephantRides and #WorldElephantDay but most importantly, speak with dollars by only supporting organizations who prioritize animal welfare and want to #BeKind.

Spill – have you ridden an elephant before and would you now? Have you seen some of these dodgy wildlife sanctuaries on your travels? Are you committed to protecting elephants too? I would love to hear more. 

The post Going to Southeast Asia? Please be kind and don’t ride elephants. appeared first on Young Adventuress.

For as long as I can remember, Bali has always been on my radar as one of *those* iconic travel destinations around the world that can, and does, change lives.

A popular hub for tourists from Australia and New Zealand, being close by, it’s almost a travel mecca in this part of the world, attracting explorers, surfers, expats, and tourists looking for a good time in a chill place, a vibe Bali exudes in abundance.

At the risk of being a total travel cliché, I definitely have had my own fair share of Eat, Pray, Love moments from Bali – minus a fling with Javier Bardem! With my first journey there five years ago to go diving and have a holiday away from my constant holidays (LOL), Bali has safely held a place in my heart as a beautiful part of the world, even with the monkeys.

Stay away from monkeys.

Since moving to New Zealand, travel has been a big part of my life.

Back when I first visited Bali 5 years ago, I used to just either buy individual travel insurance policies for each trip if I was forced to, or better yet, not at all. Oh to be young and naive again!

But with experience comes knowledge and I’ve seen enough misfortunes and experienced plenty of my own too, to realized that not having travel insurance is just plain dumb, especially when so many things could go wrong that are completely out of control.

Bali is one of those places that while it’s filled with Aussies and Kiwis (cough cough, Kuta, I’m looking at you) and can easily feel like home, it still is another country and unpredictable to a certain degree. Also monkeys.

Just like packing a bathing suit, sunscreen and beautiful twirly dresses are a must for my trips to Bali, so is travel insurance.

I used to just buy individual policies for each trip that I was taking, but it was adding up so now I just buy an annual policy – and after shopping around, Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) is now my go-to provider for all things insurance related on all my travels around the world.

I was doing more and more “hardcore” trips that often required me to have travel insurance with a high evacuation coverage – this means if I have an accident in Antarctica where it’s SUPER expensive to get back to mainland for medical coverage or riding horses in Mongolia or even just hiking in the mountains in a place where, if anything happened, I would need to be medivac-ed out, I’m taken care of.

I LOVE saying yes to seemingly crazy new adventures and SCTI really gives me the freedom to explore the world with peace of mind.

While my last trip to Bali was all about diving and having a real holiday, it was marred by getting a serious case of Bali belly or food poisoning waylaying me for two days in Amed. Totally uninsured at the time, I was really lucky to be staying at a luxury hotel that took care of me until I could move again, and it didn’t really impact my trip too much. All I can say is thank god it wasn’t the day I was flying home – can you imagine? Wait, don’t.

Anywho.

This time around I was headed to the little expat hotspot of Canggu with my business partners to work for a week together. Cheaper for us to all meet in Bali, I don’t think any of us could have booked our flights faster.

But being the total clumsy person I am and bit of a magnet for misadventure, I’m more likely to trip and break an arm in Italy or get my bag stolen in Australia then have something major happen. I think. touch wood.

I can count on SCTI look after me whether I’m chasing penguins in South Georgia to scootering in Bali to shopping in Sydney, freeing up my anxiety so I can travel more and worry a lot less.

That one time I crashed a scooter in Bali

As a total worrywart and a person who has developed a lot of anxiety and stress as an adult, this is so important to me, and it’s worth every penny.

I was so excited to see how Bali had changed, after watching it explode on Instagram over the years, and I knew I was in for a treat.

It didn’t disappoint. Bali was DIVINE.

From what I remember, Canggu was just a bunch of rice paddies and a surf beach the last time I was there; now it’s transformed into a veritable hub of influencers, creators, surfers and expats, a chill and relaxed place where you can prop up your feet for a $9 massage, sip a coconut and afford to stay for a good long while.

And man, has the food scene stepped it up! The cafe and restaurant scene in Canggu (and next door in Seminyak) is just incredible.

I didn’t have time in my schedule for Bali Belly Round 2, and luck and lady hygiene was on my side and there was no bout of sickness by any of us, and we didn’t skimp out on eating all the things.

Here are some of my picks for best meals in Canggu many of them recommended by Irish expat Janet from Journalist on the Run who is based there:

• Coffee and Coconuts
• Betelnut Cafe
• Lacalita Bar y Cocina
• The Slow
• Crate Cafe
• Fat Mermaid
• The Loft
• The Shady Shack
• Milk and Madu (Seminyak)
• Kynd Community (Seminyak)

And wow, let me just say, Canggu has quickly moved to one of my new favorite places in the world, and I do not say that lightly. I could even live there for a stint, and I hope to one day.

It’s like Canggu is a little haven for travelers just like me. I’ve found my people!

A beautiful place filled with lovely people, right by the beach, heaps of big comfortable and modern cafes where you can work all day in drinking the most lovely juices, heaps of healthy and clean eating that’s affordable, yoga everywhere, fast wifi and lots of creative people traveling solo too. It’s my place!

I really fell in love with Canggu on this trip, and my partners and I have already booked trips back later this.

Having travel insurance with SCTI is vital for me to continue feeling safe and worry free as I travel the world and spend more time overseas in places like Bali. I can eat all the things, drive and ride on scooters, go to new places and try new things while feeling safe and secure.

Now where should we go next in Bali?

Spill! Do you have travel insurance when you go exploring? Have you been to Canggu or Bali before? Any crazy travel misadventures to share? Spill!

Images by Lauren Bath and Liz Carlson

Many thanks to SCTI for sponsoring this post – like always I’m keeping it real  – all opinions are my own, like you can expect less from me!

The post Free your adventure: falling in love with Canggu, Bali appeared first on Young Adventuress.

Trust me, I know, I have even been made to into a very flattering meme:

Spending several years of my 20s in Asia meant having these experiences that, while amazing, stop being appealing after a while. There are only so many ‘where are you from?’ conversations you can have in a dorm in a lifetime.

When I went back to Southeast Asia at the beginning of this year, I wondered, is it still fun for someone who is in her 30s and is a bit more grown-up?

Thankfully, Southeast Asia is amazing at any age, and wherever you are in your life, you can find something to suit your interests there. These are 10 amazing places I found that are not on the backpacker trail and are all the better for it:

1. Nusa Penida, Indonesia

Bali has famously been the top destination Indonesia for decades.

Dreamy rice patties, monkeys, and gorgeous beaches have enticed travelers over and over, to the point that Bali is one big traffic jam and to me, has lost most of its luster. However there’s a little secret next-door, the Nusa islands.

This trio of islands, Lembongan, Ceningan, and Penida, are only a 30 minute ferry ride away from Bai but are already so much quieter. The beaches, particularly on Ceningan and Penida are super blue and have hardly any people around, and Penida really does feel like Bali must’ve been 30 years ago. The roads are bad, it’s quite rural, and the people are so adorable and friendly. Do yourself a favor and go now!

2. Lombok, Indonesia

On that note, Lombok, the major island next to Bali, is also an absolute paradise. There are tons of waterfalls, the amazing Rinjani volcano trek, and the laid-back back beach town of Kuta, not to be confused with Kuta, Bali.

This island gets less rain, far fewer tourists, and is much lesser known then Bali, but that’s changing. There’s so much to do on Lombok that you barely have to share with anyone else.

This is another one to check out before it explodes.

3. Siargao, Philippines

Filipinos have a reputation for being incredibly friendly and I found this to be true. The whole country is beautiful and with so many islands it can be hard to narrow it down.

Though the backpacker and resort haven, Boraracay, is the most famous, it’s overrun with people and there are better alternatives, one of which is Siargao. This surf paradise also receives far fewer tourists, works to reduce plastic and keep the beaches clean, and while it does have some backpacker accommodation, in general it’s higher end and caters more to a conscious, non-party crowd.

For non-surfers Siargao still has a lot to do including island hopping, Sugba lagoon, and snorkeling.

4. Hoi An, Vietnam

Vietnam’s Hoi An is located right in the center of the country and is in a word: charming.

This is where you can check out the UNESCO World Heritage old town, get shoes, dresses, suits, and all kinds of other clothing custom made, and eat some really good food. Other coastal towns in Vietnam are more about the party but Hoi An has so much more to offer.

5. Koh Yao Noi, Thailand

In sharp contrast to the glitz and raging parties in Phuket and the loads of tourists in Krabi, Koh Yao Noi has flown under the radar for quite some time despite being very easy to reach from both Phuket and Krabi, and just as beautiful.

Koh Yao Noi is perfect for those who are seeking more of an eco-lodge vibe. It mainly attracts rock climbers and yogis.

6. Kampot, Cambodia

While Cambodia’s coastal town of Sihanoukville has become a little Macau with casinos and tons of tourists, Kampot in coastal Cambodia is still a lovely place to visit, with colonial architecture, a plateau to climb, numerous waterfalls in the national park next door, and gorgeous coastline.

Be sure to try the famous Kampot pepper sauce, it’s delicious!

7. Raja Ampat, Indonesia

If you’re into diving then Raja Ampat just might ruin you.

This part of Indonesia is just beginning to become popular on the diver scene and is famous for the incredible corals, sea fans, the abundance of fish, variety of sharks and rays, and the Robinson Crusoe-like islands. An extra visa used to be required to visit Raja Ampat but now it’s opening up more to tourism.

That said, it’s still out of reach for most backpackers because of the cost of getting there, but once you’re there, it’ll be hard to top in terms of overall adventures in Southeast Asia. I still can’t believe it’s that beautiful and uncrowded! The best way to see it is with a liveaboard dive ship, though visiting the local islands, like Arborek, is fantastic too.

8. Georgetown, Malaysia

One refreshingly unique thing about Malaysia is the diversity. And nowhere is this more evident than in Georgetown.

In one day you can travel from Little India, which has delicious food and can be fun for shopping, to the gorgeous Chinese Kek Lok Si temple, and then back to town for a hipster coffee. Most of all, Georgetown is a foodie paradise, one of many in Malaysia.

Be sure to try the samosas, laksa, rojak, and cendol. 

9. Sipadan, Malaysia

Switching gears to Malaysian Borneo, Sipadan is another diving paradise that doesn’t have the crowds of Koh Tao (which is a good place to learn, though!). The waters are protected, which means limited permits are available for diving, but this has helped to create an underwater menagerie teeming with life in crystal-clear waters.

It’s common to see schools of Bumphead parrotfish, barracuda, and sometimes hammerhead sharks.

10. Doi Inthanon National Park, Thailand

The area surrounding Thailand’s northern capital, Chiang Mai, is a treasure trove of unique temples and national parks that very few tourists visit. It doesn’t take much to get off of the tourist trail up there, which basically just means getting out of Chiang Mai, until you’re in lush jungles and up in the mountains.

Thailand’s highest peak, Doi Inthanon, Has two lovely pagodas at the top dedicated to the late king and queen that are perfect for the sunset. To get there you can either self-drive or take a day tour From Chang Mai.

While this is by no means an exhaustive list of possible grown-up places to visit in Southeast Asia, these are a few of the things that I have really enjoyed now that I’m a bit older and my travel style has changed from doing things as cheaply as possible and hanging out with other backpackers, to having more local interaction, spending more time attending retreats, doing yoga, being in nature, and prioritizing comfort, food, and experiences that were harder to afford when I was younger.

There’s more than one fantastic way to travel through Southeast Asia, and that was a gift I learned by traveling there in my 30s.

Kristin Addis is a solo female travel expert who inspires women to travel the world in an authentic and adventurous way. A former investment banker who sold all of her belongings in 2012, Kristin has roamed the world for more than five years and visited over 70 countries. You can find more of her writings at Be My Travel Muse or on Instagram and YouTube.

The post 10 amazing places in Southeast Asia that aren’t on the backpacker trail appeared first on Young Adventuress.

If you follow me on Instagram you might have gotten quite the taste for it.

After four days of roaming the streets of mighty Kuala Lumpur, a metropolis chock full of hidden gems and undiscovered spots for us visitors, photographer extraordinaire Trey Ratcliff and I headed down for a bit of an island getaway to travel Langkawi at the Ritz-Carlton.

Oh my god guys, are you ready for this? Because I sure wasn’t.

Memories from Kuala Lumpur – an introduction to Malaysia

Hello there Langkawi!

Greetings from paradise. Now I know I might say that a lot, but this time I really mean it. I swear.

An archipelago for more than 100 islands, Langkawi is the jewel of Malaysia, and my new favorite island retreat. Full of secluded and empty sandy beaches, beautiful jungle, warm seas and lots of delicious food (minus durian – shivers!) right next to Thailand, it’s the perfect place for those who want a Southeast Asian holiday without the fuss and crowds.

Still relatively undiscovered and undeveloped, but with all the creature comforts (and more) at your fingertips at the Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi is the best of both worlds.

Plus a few monkeys thrown in to keep things interesting.

Overlooking the Andaman Sea and surrounded by a 10-million-year-old rainforest, at the Ritz you really feel like you’re in an oasis in Langkawi. It’s really the best of both worlds.

Opting for forest over seaside views, I squirreled away for days at the luxurious rainforest villas, surrounded by lush greenery and birdsong, with my own private infinity pool and the most comfortable bath to keep myself busy.

Don’t hate me.

I think I’ll always be a forest girl at heart. What about you? Ocean or forest?

Is there anything better than swimming outside in a tropical rainstorm?

After a very hectic 2017 with just a few too many commitments and after the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur, I absolutely relished having a few days all to myself in a quiet and peaceful place.

It’s funny to think about but the longer and longer I travel, I have found comfort in accepting that I have many different travel styles. Sometimes I want to be very busy and be in a new place, not sleep and see (and eat) as much as I can, like what I did in Kuala Lumpur, but also at the same time I am equally happy to just hang out in a more resort-style holiday environment, where the hardest decision of the day might be choosing between coconut cocktail or a mojito in the afternoon.

I suppose the trick is just knowing what kind of holiday you’re after and for when.

And I’ll be the first to stay I’ll take a tropical island holiday at the Ritz-Carlton any day of the year!

Langkawi was the holiday I very much needed, and this blog post is going to serve as my reminder to schedule one of these once a year, you know, for health purposes.

While resetting my internal clock, we had lazy days by the beach and pool, afternoon naps during rainstorms, with a few activities thrown in and of course, amazing meals along with learning to cook Malay food (hello beef rendang all day every day!), while discovering the best that Langkawi has to offer.

While I have plenty of more detailed stories to share down the road, I wanted to start by sharing some of my favorite memories from my time in Langkawi through photos in the hopes it might inspire you visit one day too. I, for one, know I’ll be back!

Enjoy!

The overwater spa might have been my favorite place

Exploring some of the uninhabited islands by boat – or even jet ski

Don’t you want to be surrounded by this lush greenery too?

The hornbill is Malaysia’s national bird and hangs around the forest around the Ritz

The house cocktail at the Ritz is inspired by the hornbill, can’t you tell?

Exploring the coastal mangrove forest in Langkawi was a real treat

Mudskippers can be spotted around Langkawi, the fish that lives on land!

Hello there favorite bath tub!

Pristine white sandy beaches galore and water as warm as a bath!

Ok, these monkeys aren’t that bad, they’re pretty cute!

A little glimpse at my rainforest villa, sigh, can I go back now?

Many thanks to the Ritz-Carlton for hosting me in Malaysia – like always I’m keeping it real, all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me. 

The post 25 photos to inspire you to get away to Langkawi appeared first on Young Adventuress.

The beating heart of Malaysia never stops, 24 hours a day it thrums along never sleeping and always alive, giving off a unique feel of energy that I haven’t really encountered in other big cities before. With a feeling of youthful ambition, Kuala Lumpur is quickly elbowing its way up the ladder of big cities demanding a visit in and of itself.

Now, I’ll be perfectly honest here; in terms of places to visit Kuala Lumpur wasn’t at the tippy top of my wishlist. But I will say it had been on my radar for years and had increasingly piqued my interest as I frequently fly through there from New Zealand overseas – it’s a popular transit city from the Pacific to, well, anywhere really.

Hello affordable long-haul flights! And I had a stunning suite at the Ritz-Carlton waiting to embrace me when I arrived instead of a grueling airport layover followed up with another long-haul flight somewhere else.

Well, I could get used to that.

This time around instead of stopping through on my usual lightning trip, I decided to give Kuala Lumpur the attention it deserves, and spent a few days exploring both its famous features and rooting around trying to find the hidden gems that you know are buried here.

And KL didn’t disappoint, holy crap! Just you wait. Are you ready?

I’ve been back home for a week, and I’m still dreaming (and drooling) over the incredible foods, stunning sites to visit, and especially the friendly people who are all but willing to shout from the rooftops of how much they love their city.

Without any irony, I can say that Kuala Lumpur is a city that enchants, if you let it.

First things first, I am a small-town country bumpkin at heart. Big cities aren’t always my jam. I’m picky. Really picky. A city has to tick almost all of my boxes for me to rave about it. Spoiler alert – KL does.

But instead of just doing up another travel blogger list of all the same spots that you totally-definitely-MUST visit on a trip to Malaysia (yawn), I wanted to try something a bit different. I want to share my favorite memories from my adventure in a new country through words and photos. I want to bring you along with me on my trip and let you feel what I felt, discover what I discovered, hated and loved what I hated and loved. What do you think?

Now, come with me on this visual and slightly verbal journey to the heart of Malaysia with 10 of my most dominating memories. And of course, don’t hold back, and let me know what you think at the end. Now, enjoy!

Laughter

Solo female travel is kinda my thing and has been for a decade. But we aren’t exclusive. I really enjoy traveling with other people who I get along with and who have similar travel values – i.e. let me be in charge and who love food. The people I explored Malaysia made the trip so much more fun than I think I would have had on my own.

I joined up with Trey Ratcliff in Malaysia as part of his very cool project 80 Stays around the World project with the Ritz-Carlton, a campaign to inspire art, creativity and presence. What a coincidence, those are all concepts that I’m all about in my own life and work!

I’ve been friends with Trey for years, a fellow American who lives near me in New Zealand, and for those of you who don’t know of him, he’s kinda of a big deal. One of the biggest photographers in the world, a bit of a humble gent who loves tech, every time we went on adventure together I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing! Now those are the people you want to be traveling with, right?

Flavors

The story of Kuala Lumpur is best experienced through food, something, of course, I never object to when traveling.

From sizzling satays to spicy rice dishes to fresh everything, all the mangos, all the coconuts, if you only come to Kuala Lumpur, let it be for the food.

An absolute mecca for foodies, the mishmash of cultures and stories here really play into building KL into a city of feasts. Famous for street food, which of course I thoroughly enjoyed, I also made sure to check out more modern fares and local haunts, always on the hunt for the next best meal.

5 Reasons Why Having a Food Allergy Shouldn’t Keep You from Traveling

Comfort

Growing up on the urban east coast in the US, the Ritz-Carlton hotels have always been a part of my childhood memories. It was a great joy for me to begin to return to them in adulthood, you know, once I evolved past the backpacker phase of my late teens and early twenties – shivers, glad that chapter is done and dusted.

Where the ancient rivers of Gombak and Klang intersect in Kuala Lumpur lies the stunningly renovated Ritz-Carlton, which let me tell you, is so cozy you might find it hard to leave and journey outside. The unaffected luxury of the Ritz guarantees a pleasant time for a traveler like me.

The friendliness of the kind souls who work here really made all of the difference for me, whether that was coming home back to my room after a long day exploring only to find a bubble bath drawn and hand-written note from my butlers (yes, plural) to the thoughtful touches hidden throughout the property, it was definitely my kind of place to escape to.

And they have a library restaurant, need I say more?

Fusion

Kuala Lumpur is the textbook definition of a modern-day melting pot.

Cosmopolitan and fresh, its three main ethnicities are Malay, Chinese, and Indian, all of which coexist and bring their own languages, cultures, religions, histories, traditions, and of course, foods to mix together and form a modern-day Malaysia.

While I’m no expert on commenting on cultures, I can say that this was what fascinated me the most about Malaysia, how one place would remind me of China, while others more spots in Southeast Asia. Of course it’s easiest to see when you visit some of the mosques and temples in the city, but I would recommend really opening your eyes and your heart while you’re there and asking locals to share some of what they love about their city with you.

Trust me, you’ll learn a lot.

Radiant

I’m such a sucker for colorful places – I mean, have you seen my Instagram?

A veritable rainbow in real life, I’m always drawn to the more vibrant places of the world, and Kuala Lumpur is no exception.

From the incredible street art to the street food markets to the temples, mosques and other noteworthy spots, KL embodies the philosophy of why paint in beige when you can have a rainbow?

Heat 

Kuala Lumpur is humid and hot. That’s all. Other pasty blonde folk of Scandinavian descent like me best prepare yourselves.

Scents

Kuala Lumpur is full of smells that are utterly unique and different from what I’ve grown accustomed to in the mountains of New Zealand. I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but the more I travel, the more attune I become to the way places smell.

And of course memory and smell are completely intertwined.

As soon as I stepped out of the airport in KL, I was hit with the warm humidity that reminded me of my earlier trips to places like Bali and Bangkok, the urban smell of diesel and simmering fried woks.

Perhaps what was most unique was the incense in the temples. That’s what I think of the most when I remember the smell of KL.

Illuminate

Trey’s a total night-owl. I’m a bit of a grandma.

The city really gets going when the sun goes down, the temperatures drop and people come out in droves. Kuala Lumpur at night is next level, and while I struggled to stay away past 10pm and keep up with Trey on his evening wanders in search of the best views of the city at night, I did manage to make up to one of the many rooftops of the high-rises that decorate the skyline.

A trip with Trey wouldn’t be complete without one city lights photo! How did I do?

Exquisite

High-tea in the afternoon is very much a thing in Asia (and of course other places too), and often when I’m in these big cities I indulge. I mean, who wouldn’t?

There is just something so divine about dressing up and sitting down with friends in a beautiful space (just to enjoy yourself), sampling delicious exotic teas with smaller savory and sweet goodies. Why yes, I’ll have two of everything!

The Ritz-Carlton in KL does a fabulous afternoon tea that’s worth treating yourself to, if only to just sit and relax in the wonderfully decorated lobby lounge, but I also highly recommend taking afternoon tea at the St. Regis to see another part of Kuala Lumpur.

Rosy

It was absolutely sweltering when we made our way out of the city center to visit the Putra Mosque, a place I had heard about but really wanted to clap eyes on.

Completely pink, it’s probably one of the most memorable mosques I’ve ever been to.

For a big city that seems a bit impenetrable, Kuala Lumpur left me feeling nothing but rosy happy thoughts. My memories are all positive, filled with noodles and colors, of delicious spices and happy smiles among new friends. It’s a place I wouldn’t hesitate to return to again, and get to know a little better. Thank you Malaysia!

What do you think? Have you been to Kuala Lumpur before? What are some of your favorite memories from a recent trip somewhere? Share!

Many thanks to the Ritz-Carlton for hosting me in Malaysia – like always I’m keeping it real, all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me. 

The post Memories from Kuala Lumpur – an introduction to Malaysia appeared first on Young Adventuress.

Would you believe me if I told you that an exotic island vacation in the incredibly picturesque Maldives is far more affordable than you may think?!

In fact, you can totally travel the Maldives on a budget. That super luxury expensive island honeymoon island vacay? Myth.

No? Don’t believe me?

Get ready for a quick break down. The Maldives is no longer an exclusive holiday playground reserved only for the rich and famous, and hasn’t been for a while now, keep up. There has never been a better time than now to plan your own dream vacation to the beautiful Maldives than you can *actually* afford.

The Maldives is a destination fast being added to many travellers’ holiday wish lists. After being based in the Maldives on and off for the past three years, I’ve learnt all the tips and tricks for planning an amazing and affordable vacation to the Maldives.

Here’s how you can travel the Maldives on a budget too!

Local island travel 

Let me introduce to you three magical little words that will change everything: local island travel.

The Maldives is a tropical nation in the Indian Ocean southwest of India and Sri Lanka. It’s made up of over 26 coral reef atolls, some of which are islands where the local people live on and others (around 100) are private resort islands, many of them 4 and 5 star properties that cost an arm and a leg and others a much more affordable.

People are only beginning to hear that it doesn’t have to cost thousands and thousands of dollars to visit the Maldives; in fact, it can be really reasonable.

And one of the cheapest way is to travel the local islands.

Guesthouses

The Maldives is made up of over 1000 islands – sandbanks, private island resorts and local islands inhabited by Maldivian people. In addition to all the luxury resorts, there are also over 400 guesthouses scattered across the Maldives, designed to cater entirely for budget travelers.

The government recently relaxed its rules which restricted tourism to only resorts on uninhabited islands, which means now there are guesthouses popping up on the local islands that cost much less than private island resorts. Think bed and breakfast style accommodation and facilities or mini hotels, located on locally inhabited islands.

If you want to experience the real, authentic Maldives, consider traveling this way.

Some guesthouses are more simple while others offer four-star facilities with roof top infinity pools and views over palm tree fringed beaches. With almost 7000 beds across the country in this type of accommodation, guesthouses are your key to a Maldives dream vacation on a budget.

Whilst the Maldives is not really comparable to ‘budget’ accommodation in South-East Asia, (you won’t find accommodation for $5 a night here), a stay in a guesthouse will cost you a fraction of the price of a luxury Maldives resort (upwards of $1000 a night). Guesthouse vacations can begin as little as USD$60 per night.

Depending on the island, it’s also possible that you may even just find yourself to be one of just a handful of tourists staying there. But be warned, you might never want to leave.

Pro tip – many guesthouses in the Maldives are called ‘Ocean View,’ ‘Ocean Front’ or ‘Seaside,’ but be sure to check their real location on Google Earth, as this is not always the case. I found this out the hard way, and I ended up staying smack bang in the centre of the island!

Each local island in the Maldives is very different. Do a little research to find the island and guesthouse that best suits your Maldives holiday needs. Lets face it, some of us like lying on the beach coconut in hand, whilst others like to be a little more adventurous and try the likes of parasailing, surfing or diving.

You can read my Maldives accommodation on a budget post here.

My top 5 guesthouse islands

1. Thoddoo – one of my favorite local islands in the Maldives. 67 kilometers away from Male, Thoddoo is not too far to get to, and there are some incredibly beautiful bikini beaches here and great spots to stay. It’s also one of the only agricultural islands where they grow food for the other islands.

2. Dhigurah – almost 100 kilometers from Male, Dhigurah is part of the Alif Dhaal Atoll with a local population of around 500. You can still travel there by speedboat. Oh, and did I mention it is home to whale sharks all year round?

3. Thulusdhoo – Thulusdhoo just north of Male and is considered to be one of the best surfing islands in the Maldives – around 1400 locals live here. You can stay and surf at the famous Cokes, or other places like the Canopus Retreat, Kahanbu Oceanview, or Season Paradise.

4. Maafushi – the first guesthouse in the Maldives opened here in 2010, and it’s a popular local island to visit, and there are dozens of guesthouses and even dive centers to chose from. It’s the local island with the most guesthouses in fact, in the Maldives.

5. Guraidhoo – I absolutely loved my time on the beautiful local island of Guraidhoo where you have the perfect combination of an authentic experience plus a nice holiday. Close to Male you can get there by speedboat or local ferry, and it has its own separate bikini island.

Excursions + day trips

Staying at a guesthouse island means you can really explore all that the Maldives has to offer in a more local way, and you’re often giving directly back to the community.

Book excursions like snorkeling, diving, surfing and fishing trips and visits to sandbanks and other nearby islands through your local guesthouse.

These excursions are usually half the price of the very same excursions sold at resorts. Resort guests will often experience the exact same sandbanks and dive sites, as guests staying at a nearby guesthouse!

Island hopping

Island hopping sounds extremely glamorous right? And trust me it is!

Cruising through sunny Maldivian islands without a single care in the world… enough said! Here in the Maldives it is possible to island hop, but you definitely need a little know-how and a well executed plan!

Transfers begin and end at the international airport in Male (the capital city). If you’re willing to start and end a trip here each time you wish to ‘hop,’ it’s possible to move from island to island. You don’t really go island to island, rather looping back through the capital each time on more public transport.

However I’d recommend choosing no more than 3 islands that best cater for your tropical holiday needs, otherwise the transfers can be really long.

When to visit

The low season is from May to October, and you can often find cheaper deals then – though it’s also the monsoon/wet season. If you’re wanting to do the Maldives on the cheap, consider visiting outside peak season for much better deals.

The best weather runs from November to April, with peak prices around the holidays.

The best of luxury and budget

If you’re coming to the Maldives, try staying at both resorts and guesthouses. If you’re on a budget, stay at guesthouses or cheaper island hotels and then splurge on one night if you can somewhere fancy to get a taste for the famous Maldives luxury.

Also remember that not all the private island resorts cost a fortune per night; there are plenty of more locally run, cheaper or even family-friendly island resorts that don’t cost that much. Resorts have cheaper rooms eg. garden view rooms that are an affordable alternative to the very expensive iconic overwater villas.

My best tip is to combine the two – it’s something I make sure all my friends do when they visit me in the Maldives.

If a short resort stay is still out of your budget, maybe a resort day pass is more your thing. Experience all of the luxuries at a resort of your choice (within close proximity to your guesthouse), and make the most of the glamorous wining and dining facilities… hello cocktails and poolside day beds! And at the end of the day, simply return home to your guesthouse accommodation.

Resort day passes range from US$50 to over US$200 per person and often include island transfers.

Getting around the Maldives

Super obvious, but remember that the Maldives are made up of islands. That means to get from the airport in Male to wherever you’re staying you either need to fly or take a boat.

It may be necessary to transit overnight at Hulhumale Island (the airport island next to Male), in between each ‘hop’. Or, you may get totally lucky and be able to jump from one speed boat to another from the airport, depending on each guesthouse / resort’s speedboat arrival and departure times…remember how I said it needs to be highly organized?

If you really want to island hop make it known to your guesthouse in advance. They can help assist you with how you to get to your next intended island destination.

Speedboat transfer

Before you arrive in the Maldives, make sure that you organize a speedboat transfer through your guesthouse to the island you are holidaying. Remember, all speedboats must be prearranged as there are no public speedboat services from the airport. Each guesthouse will either have their own private speedboat or transfer guests via a public island speedboat. Public speedboats are much cheaper and only depart guesthouse islands at certain times each day.

Domestic flights

Make sure you do a little research to determine the location of your guesthouse before booking. The islands and atolls of the Maldives are really spread out and far apart. By staying within an hour of the airport island and the Male Atoll, you can save yourself the cost of an additional domestic flight to reach your holiday island.

Local ferries

Local ferries depart Male and cost US$2 for a slower journey. Each public ferry has set arrival and departure time, and usually only makes one return journey each day. Unfortunately this is not something that can be easily Googled. Your selected guesthouse may be able to advise you on this, just ask.

Seaplanes

Seaplanes are generally out of the question for budget travelers. The journeys can cost around US$500 for a thirty-minute trip and mainly transfer guests to the private resort islands. A longer speedboat journey is your best alternative to a seaplane transfers and may just save you a little (or a lot of!) coin.

Arriving late at night

Many international planes arrive in the Maldives close to midnight. After a lengthy journey to the Maldives and a late night arrival, it may be more comfortable and far less expensive to stay at Hulhumale Island (airport island), than to be transported to your guesthouse right away.

Just last year my best friend paid US$200 for a late night 45-minute private speedboat transfer, one way!! It would have been far cheaper to book a guesthouse at Hulhumale Island for the night for US$50 to $100, then take the public speed boat or local ferry the next day.

Maldivian culture

One of the things I love most about a guesthouse stay is that it comes with the added bonus of an authentic holiday rich in culture that would be pretty difficult to experience on a private resort island.

The Maldivian people are up there with the most generous you will ever meet. One time a total stranger bought me a sarong on a local island!

Connect with the local people and explore what life in the Maldives is really like. Try traditional Maldivian foods like mas huni and mas roshi, and learn a little of the local language, Dhivehi.

It’s also really important to note that the Maldives is a Sunni Muslim country. Travelers must be respectful of the Maldivian people and their culture. That means no booze or bikinis on local islands (unless there is a designated tourist beach).

There is a total restriction of alcohol on all local islands, so take a day trip to a nearby resort or hop on a safari boat to enjoy your favorite holiday cocktail.

For more details of traveling around the Maldives, check out more of Kristie’s posts on here blog you.theworld.wandering.

Have you been to the Maldives? Did you know you can easily travel there on a budget and it’s not just for luxury honeymoons? Is it on your bucketlist now? Share!

Kristie Murray is a travel writer and blogger based between Australia and the Maldives. you.theworld.wandering is travel focused with a fusion of surf culture and fashion. Kristie reviews luxury properties and surfs exotic locations, whilst inspiring people to travel, seek happiness and live the life they dream of. Follow her blog and Instagram.

The post How to travel the Maldives on a budget appeared first on Young Adventuress.

Yes, I love adventure. Sure, I love animals. I mean, yeah, horses are cool. But am I a tried and tested rider with heaps of experience in the saddle? Nope. In fact, I am still pretty skeptical borderline total scaredy cat when it comes to riding things that have a mind of their own ever since the Great Camel Fiasco of 2013. Somethings just leave a scar.

But in spite of my fears, I yearn for adventure and overcoming challenges while traveling even more. And if there is a place that couldn’t be more suited for that, it’s Kyrgyzstan.

A country that pretty much defines the cliche “hidden gem” Kyrgyzstan is standing up now and just asking to be noticed. A growing modern corner of Central Asian that is a melting pot of languages, cultures and histories, while tourism is only starting to grow there, the traditions of the nomads remains strong.

And nothing is quite so central to Kyrgyz culture quite like the horse.

Once you get into the wilds of Kyrgyzstan, you have pretty much two options – your feet or a horse. I initially was planning on doing a multi-day hike but ended up arriving with bronchitis, and luckily was able to switch to a horse trek instead.

See you can do that there. Trails are trails, and the pony is still a very much acceptable form of transport. Hell, even when we are driving out of Bishkek you would see a road worker canter by you on the road carrying a shovel in one hand. Watching Kyrgyz people ride blows me away. They are the most incredible horseback riders; nothing with throw them off and they are so good at making it look effortless.

I was no stranger to long horse treks after spending a month riding with the eagle hunters in remote western Mongolia in 2014. Just like riding a bike, right? Right???

Here are some of my favorite and most memorable thoughts I had back in the saddle horse trekking in Kyrgyzstan this summer. Enjoy!

1. How is this so amazing?

If I’m being totally honest here, I was actually a bit nervous the day we started our horse trek into the mountains. The original plan was to hike for three days, but instead we swapped last minute to riding because I couldn’t walk 10 feet without hacking up a lung.

After a mellow morning at our yurt camp at Kara-kyz in the Jerghez Gorge, we managed to acquire horses and porters and we were off. As you do.

It was just like riding a bike! Even after years of not riding, it felt like it all came back to me. I had forgotten how much I loved riding. I had the biggest grin on my face as we made our way up into the mountains, further and further from civilization.

Completely lost in my own thoughts, it was the happiest I had been in a long time.

2. Is that marijuana?

We rode through colorful fields of flowers, through lush green valleys with towering mountains in the distance. It smelled divine. I was in heaven.

Then my inner monologue about finding my true purpose in life and joyous reverie was broken by my friend saying “that looks a lot like marijuana. Wait that’s definitely weed. Ditch weed.”

Turns out weed grows wild in the remote valleys of Kyrgyzstan. Who knew?

3. Shit, my ass hurts

After hours of trail riding through the mountains we start to climb up to a huge wide open valley at the end of the day. Smoke trails rise in the distance from the shepherd’s huts and we begin to see other horses in the distance.

Full of confidence and joy, I kicked my little horse into action and cantered/galloped into the camp with the biggest smile on my face. We camped with local shepherds that night.

Fuck guys, it gelt so amazing.

Til I climbed out of the saddle and basically fell over. Man, riding hurts the bum and the knees. Takes some getting used to.

4. OMG am I dead?

We spent the next day winding our way up into the mountains, making our way towards some of the alpine lakes, crossing many rivers and weaving our way through the valleys. It was a big day. I’ll also disclose that helmets aren’t really a thing in remote Central Asia.

Trail riding in Kyrgyzstan is mixed terrain. It’s not really even a trail. At one point we were heading up over slippery mud  rocks and my horse stumbled. I think it caused the saddle bags to slip because a few seconds later my saddle slid off depositing me on the rocks.

I landed on my elbow and ribs. Blind pain, white light, am I dead? You know that sharp pain you get as a kid when you hurt yourself during recess and you cry; it was like that. Deep breaths, don’t cry in front of the men. Ok, I can move my arm. I’m not dead. Ok, I’m alive, I can keep going. Surely I won’t fall off again.

Guys, I fell off again.

The very next day too. And that time it was totally my fault; I accidentally led my horse into a mud pit avoiding more slippy mud rocks and I flew over her head into the mud. At that point my horse had had enough of me and bolted clear across the valley through a bog.

Blink, blink, ok I’m not dead but I was upset and that time I threw a bit of a tanty. I mean, who falls off daily? Fucking hell, someone teach me how to stay on a horse in the mud.

5. When can I do this again?

For me horse trekking in Kyrgyzstan is the epitome of a true adventure. It may not seem like it but for me it was really challenging, not something inherently easy or that I was fearless doing, which means once you do it, it feels all the sweeter.

For me, true joy in travel comes from making me do things that are hard, learning new skills and overcoming fears. That’s what I’m all about.

Even though I’m a complete and total liability on a horse apparently, I still had an amazing time, with crazy highs and lows and before we even finished I was thinking, damn where can I do this next?

I guess I really did love it.

Have you ever considered doing a horse trek? Do you enjoy overcoming personal fears and challenges? Is Kyrgyzstan on your bucketlist? Spill!

Many thanks to USAID for hosting me in Kyrgyzstan, like always I’m keeping it real, all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me. 

The post 5 thoughts I had while horse trekking in Kyrgyzstan appeared first on Young Adventuress.

I’m quiet, I sit in the back and I observe. I’m a people watcher through and through.

But that doesn’t mean I’m not interested. In fact, I’m exceptionally curious, just socially shy and awkward (well I used to be, I know that’s hard to believe with this BLOG thing – I’m a fake extrovert). But I like to watch people. I imagine what their names are. I invent their backgrounds and stories. I look at how they talk.

And man, let me tell you, Kyrgyzstan is the place for people watching.

For one thing, there are a lot of people. For another, unless you’ve spent some time in Central Asia, it’s a place that is probably very different from what you’re used to. Also, it’s just a fascinating cultural place; a giant melting pot of nomadic traditions meet post-Soviet Union vibes slash unique modern Islam.

I mean, Kyrgyzstan and its people couldn’t be more interesting to the curious traveler.

For me, it was the kind of place where I wanted to be around people. I was so eager to learn why things were the way they were, what things meant, what different food was, what words meant in the different languages. It goes on and on.

And lucky for me I had different guides with me throughout the whole trip. It’s super cheap to hire guides in Kyrgyzstan, and I highly recommend it if you want to learn a lot about the place you’re exploring. You’ll also meet more people with a guide and translator with you. It’s a very helpful foot in the door.

It also helped I had my friend Eric (Instagram) with me to help me shoot photos and video, and he is very much the opposite of me. Incredibly outgoing, I’d walk into a room, and he’d already know everyone’s names, stories and probably a few dirty jokes in Kyrgyz before I even introduced myself. It certainly made meeting people heaps easier with him around.

I went to Kyrgyzstan expecting my favorite part to be the nature, but I ended up leaving falling in love with all of the incredible humans I met there. The biggest impression on me was how friendly and welcoming universally across the board everyone was. From the guides to the shepherds, to drivers to grandmas, everyone had a smile and a big cup of tea for you in Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan still seems like a place where you wave at people you don’t know and always say hello.

One of my goals with photography is to get better at portraiture. It’s my favorite type of image but it’s the hardest for me to shoot because I’m naturally quite shy.

I don’t feel super relaxed taking other people’s photos yet, and I’m still working on developing the fun kind of positive atmosphere that allows the person to feel comfortable enough for you to get a good shot of them. To me, it still feels quite intrusive even though I always ask permission.

Once an awkward turtle, always an awkward turtle.

Luckily Eric to the rescue! I wanted to share some of my favorite captures of the people who made my adventure in Kyrgyzstan so special. The majority were shot by Eric, but hey, some are mine too. I really wanted to share them with you all because each person here touched me in some way and helped me fall in love with this little corner of Central Asia a little bit more. And this is my thank you letter to them for sharing their world with me.

Enjoy!

Are you a people-watcher too when you travel? Do you enjoy portraits? What’s your favorite? Share!

One of the first locals we met on our horse trek over the Bozuchuk Pass

Azamat and his eagle Ak Zholtoi – Kyrgyzstan’s champion eagle hunter

A local shepherd family we camped with in the mountains

My favorite photo – a quick iPhone snap passing a young shepherd in the mists

Our incredible guide Kanybek pouring tea for us for the first time in Bishkek

A feast in one of our group tents on our horse trek over the Bozuchuk Pass

Our amazing guide Eldos in the Skazka Canyon

Our mountain guide Daniyar as we head into the Bozuchuk Pass

A boy and his little kitten at the Kyzyl-Tuu yurt camp

The cutest, chubbiest baby you’ve ever seen nomming on some cheese

A local shepherd in the Jergez Valley

Our young guide who led us up to Kol Tur Lake, and carried my camera bag like it weighed nothing on his front for hours as I suffered from bronchitis. He spoke no English and had nothing but smiles and thumbs ups

Working the traditional felt tapestries with Janil Baishova, at the Golden Thimble Workshop in Bakonbaevo – she had the kindest eyes you’ve ever seen

One of our amazing drivers who drove us all over Issyk-Kul

Outside the first local family yurt we stayed in the Jerghez Gorge

Our amazing host Emil in Jygalan – a mountain village and one of my favorite places in Kyrgyzstan – him and his wife Gulmira run the Alakol guesthouse and it was my favorite place we stayed, there was much food, laughs and vodka til 2am had by all

Bektemirov, one of the national yurt building champions (seriously) and his apprentice

A local shepherd and his baby near Ailanysh

Many thanks to USAID for hosting me in Kyrgyzstan, like always I’m keeping it real, all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me

The post The faces of modern Kyrgyzstan – portraits from Central Asia appeared first on Young Adventuress.

Now, I know I probably say that a lot, but this time I REALLY MEAN IT! I swear!

So a month ago I got invited on a whirlwind trip to the Maldives (fuck you, Liz) to deliver a keynote speech for a conference. I flew Emirates business class all the way there. I slept in overwater bungalows in beds that could have fit four people. I stayed on my own private island.

Don’t mind me, I’m just over here living my best life, guys. Seriously though, how the hell is that my life?! Slap me, go on, hate me. I hate me.

I was only there for four days, but it was a great four days. Oh, and it was my second free trip to the Maldives in a year.

But I’ve got something to confess, so don’t stop reading because I’m about to share my favorite funny travel story to date!

I had one and a half free days to myself in the Maldives on this trip. And they weren’t even that free, I had heaps of work to do.

But I took a break from my laptop mid-morning to go for a swim from my lovely romantic bungalow that is built on the water. You know, those ones everyone wants to stay in, especially on their honeymoon.

I wasn’t on my honeymoon though. Sigh. Haven’t managed to trick a guy yet.

Any takers?

My villa. Honeymoon for one?

I’m also going to preface this by saying I’m one of those people who is a magnet for “why me” moments. Can you relate?

Let me set the scene. It’s a scorching hot sunny day, and the water is as warm as a bathtub. I grab my fins and snorkel and climb down from my balcony to take some photos. Then I think, this water is ridiculously amazing, I’m gonna go for a proper swim.

Fair warning, the sea really isn’t deep enough to swim from around your bungalow until high tide, and even then the current can be a bit strong (this is an important thing to remember for later).

I’m only here for a few days, I’ve got to spend as much time in the water as I can, right?

Most resorts in the Maldives are on small islands, and have these overwater bungalows that go off from either side along a very long boardwalk. So I decide to swim all along the bungalows around to the other side then back to mine.

A very sane and logical decision, and I might add as a side note, a few other people were out swimming off their private decks too. I was not alone. Can you see where this is going?

Seriously, the water is amazing. It’s so clear and warm, and there are so many fish about, honestly, it’s the most beautiful beach place I’ve ever been, and I don’t say that lightly.

I passed other people swimming and sunning on their deck, waving hello and sharing “how amazing is this?” chit chat, as I paddle around.

I get all the way to the end of the bungalow boardwalk, then come back along the rows of villas on the other side. It’s high tide and a bit choppy with the current pushing me along coming back in the opposite direction.

I have this big goofy grin on my face, and I alternate between swimming on my stomach and on my back, every other second having one of those “pinch me is this real life?” moments.

I mean come on, 36 hours before I was in the snow in New Zealand. Now I was in 30 degree crystal clear water in the middle of paradise!

And then I heard a noise. Laughter. To be expected.

I hear “oh hello,” and more giggles.

I roll over into the water looking around saying “oh hi,” before spotting a couple on a balcony deck near me, and I raise my hand to wave. I mean, I’m in such a good mood; I’m even being social! Paradise, it does things to you.

Wait, why isn’t she wearing a top? Oh, they have no clothes on.

Then I realize.

They are naked. Totally naked.

AND doing it.

Hankie pankie. Having sex. Banging. Coitus. Going to the bone zone.

On the balcony. (Technically, over the balcony)

Meters from me.

In broad daylight. At 11am.

(FROM BEHIND!)

!!!!!!

It was one of those horrible moments where you’re looking at something and don’t initially realize what you’re seeing, like a giant spider on your leg or a car crash.

Me: 1, 2, 3, blink blink, OH MY FUCKING GOD! GAH!

Immediately begins to twist and flop around in the water looking away, choking on seawater.

I yell, “SORRY I’M NOT LOOKING,” as I frantically try to swim away.

And this is the best part, I couldn’t swim away back where I came from because the high tide current was too strong. I literally couldn’t get away!! IT WAS THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES!

In the end I just let it float me away underneath the villas back towards my side. Their villa to be exact.

Where I promptly died of embarrassment and was never seen from again.

What’s your best funny travel story? Have you ever accidentally stumbled on something you weren’t meant to see? Share!

The post This might be my funniest story of all time appeared first on Young Adventuress.

We plan our trips on blogs and get inspired on Instagram, and we often know quite a bit about a place before we ever step foot off the plane there. The more I travel the world, the harder it is I have found to be completely surprised anymore; that initial joy of “wow, I wasn’t expecting that” is much less frequent, the more stamps I collect in my passport.

When I hopped off the plane in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, I knew I was in for a lot of surprises.

While I did some planning and research before I flew halfway around the world to Central Asia, I avoided looking at visual sites and limited my serious planner side, hoping to be surprised.

And guys, surprised I was!

If I had to hanker a guess, I would say most of you guys don’t know anything about Kyrgyzstan, from where it’s located to how to spell it to what’s famous for, Kyrgyzstan has definitely been flying under the radar for international travelers for years.

But not anymore. With a strategic goal of boosting tourism, and knowing they’ve got a lot to offer, Kyrgyzstan is working hard to get the attention it deserves.

While I didn’t know much about this stunning country, I certainly left two weeks later almost overwhelmed with things I learned and with a newfound love for this amazing land and people.

Bottled down, here are 12 things you probably didn’t know about Kyrgyzstan. Enjoy!

1. There are some huge mountains

More than 90% of Kyrgyzstan is covered in mountains. There are even three 7,000 meter peaks here. So if you are a mountain fiend like I am, well this is the place for you.

They are fairly accessible if you’re willing to walk or ride. It’s really cheap to hire guides and porters and horses to head into the hills, and trust me, it’ll be the highlight of your trip.

2. And also a ton of lakes 

There are about 2000 lakes in Kyrgyzstan, most of them small mountain lakes. In Kyrgyz, the word for lake is “kul” something you’ll see a lot.

Lake Issyk-Kul is where we spent most of our time on the trip. It’s the region with some of the best infrastructure and tourism development, and the huge lake there is magical. It’s the second largest mountain lake in the world, 182 kilometers long and up to 60 kilometers wide. It’s a whopper.

But what makes Issyk-Kul really awesome is that it’s warm and never freezes. In fact, it’s a bit salty. Even more random, the Black Plague is thought to have originated here.

3. It is the definition of a cultural melting pot

One of the biggest surprises for me in Kyrgyzstan is the wide variety of culture and ethnic groups that make up the country. The main language is Russian but also everyone speaks Kyrgys too. Believed to be descended from 40 original tribes, the main current religion is Islam. But, if I’m being honest here, it didn’t really feel like any other Islam country I’ve ever been to before.

About half the people are ethnic Kyrgyz, the rest are Russian, Uzbek, Tatar, Ukrainian, and even ethnic Chinese Muslims called the Dungan people.

We spent a fair bit of time in Karakol with some of the local Dungan folk, and it was so fascinating to learn about how they ended up there. And don’t even get me started on the food.

4. Yurts, yurts everywhere

If you visit Kyrgyzstan, you will spend a lot of time in yurts. They are everywhere.

Though the area we were in was more modern, and while traditional nomadic culture is being preserved, most people live in houses and modern apartments in the cities. We only saw the more “authentic” kind of yurts once we were high in the hills among the nomad shepherds, and even then the yurt is often been replaced by a more modern tent.

One of the best ways to stay is at the yurt camps; they’re everywhere and super cheap. It’s a kind of accommodation that kinda reminds me of Southeast Asia but even better, holing up by the lake in a yurt of your own drinking .60 cent beers and getting a tan and gorging yourself on homemade meals in the communal yurt.

They are an awesome way to stay in Kyrgyzstan.

5. Bridenapping is definitely a thing

Now here is something I’ve never seen before and rarely, if ever, heard about on my travels. Bride kidnapping, ala kachuu in Kyrgyz, which means “grab and run.”

Despite being illegal in Kyrgyzstan, kidnapping brides is pretty common. It ranges from an elaborately staged consensual kidnapping between a couple have have been dating and are already engaged (usually in cities) to definitely not consensual grabbing a woman and forcing her into marriage (more often in rural places).

Even nowadays it’s estimated that half of all marriages in Kyrgyzstan resulted from bridenappings and two thirds are non-consensual. 1 out of ever 10 girls is married before they turn 18. So, um, yeah.

Watch two really good videos about it here and here.

6. It’s one of the easiest Central Asian countries to visit

Kyrgyzstan is currently visa-free for 45 countries (most of the EU, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Austalia etc.) for up to 60 days, making it the easiest of the Central Asian countries to visit as a tourist.

The United States has had strong ties to Kyrgyzstan since the collapse of the Soviet Union, giving over $2 billion in economic and tourism development through USAID (The U.S. Agency for International Developmen, with Kyrgyzstan being is the only freely elected parliamentary democracy in post-Soviet Central Asia. I traveled to Kyrgyzstan with USAID and was fascinated by the close ties with America.

Even more interesting, after decades, USAID is ending in Kyrgyzstan next year after the US State Department awarded a human rights award to Azimzhan Askarov, a journalist and activist currently serving a life sentence in Kyrgyzstan.

7. The food is delightful

My only comparison for Kyrgyz food before I headed over was Mongolia, and after a month there in 2014, I set the bar extremely low when it came to foodie expectations. My bag was stuffed full of granola bars in preparation for meals of sheep’s heads and horse meat.

However, let me tell you, the food in Kyrgyzstan is fabulous!

Barbecued meats, all the noodles, tons of flavor and spices, and of course, lots of dumplings, I definitely put on weight on the trip.

8. But the mare’s milk…

Forget Coca Cola, like Mongolia and many of its Central Asian neighbors, fermented mare’s milk is often the drink of choice. And to the untrained palate (mine), it’s revolting. And will probably give you the runs too.

Best avoided. From personal experience.

9. The World Nomad Games are a must!

Every two years the World Nomad Games are held in Cholpon Ata in an arena that rivals something from Gladiator, and it’s basically the Olympics for Central Asian nomad culture where they compete in 16 traditional games and sports.

While I missed it visiting in 2017, it looks like it’s on for 2018 and you can be rest assured I’ll be back for it.

10. Let’s play, naming your ancestor

One of our young guides told me that in Kyrgyzstan every kid learns and memorizes seven generations back of their fathers and grandfathers.

Growing up American (well I guess I’m still American) I feel like the respect for your ancestors has been culturally lost in recent decades. I certainly cannot name anyone past my grandparents, what about you? Be honest.

It’s refreshing and borderline jarring to be faced with a culture who’s primary importance, i.e. family and the past, is so different than your own which really just focuses on the present. It puts things in rather harsh perspective and it makes me wish I focused more on family. Sorry mom!

11. If you want to fit in, put jam in your tea

Tea drinking is a huge part of the culture in Central Asia and is no exception in Kyrgyzstan. You meet someone, you share a cup of tea. There are often elaborate rituals around how the tea is served, who serves is, what it all means, that’s almost incomprehensible to us outsiders.

But if you want to fit in with the locals, next time you’re offered a cup of tea, add a spoonful of jam into it. Go for the raspberry.

While I’m pretty sure this is a tradition that dates back to Soviet times (don’t quote me but I think they do the jam + tea thing in Russia too) it’s one I definitely can get behind.

12. It’s the most beautiful place you’ve never heard of and now’s the time to go

We all know the phrase hidden gem is totally overused when it comes to travel, but in this case, it’s a perfect fit.

Tourism has only recently begun to be more established in Kyrgyzstan, and only in certain parts of the country. If you are an intrepid, curious traveler who wants to get off the beaten path (yes yes YES) then start looking at flights to Bishkek.

Now is the time to visit Kyrgyzstan. Just wait to be surprised.

Have you been to Central Asia? Is Kyrgyzstan on your bucketlist? What place has surprised you the most traveling? Spill!

Many thanks to USAID for hosting me in Kyrgyzstan, like always I’m keeping it real, all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me.

The post 12 things you probably didn’t know about Kyrgyzstan appeared first on Young Adventuress.

Don’t let her young age fool you, for a more BAMF never existed, and she’s not to be trifled with. Her hobbies include chasing foxes, chowing down on raw chicken, cuddles and soaring with the wind beneath her wings (don’t we all). Dislikes include being held by bloggers who don’t know what they are doing.

Did I mention she is a golden eagle? In fact, she’s the queen of the eagles. Prepare to bend the knee, guys.

Ak Zholtoi and her owner, Azamat, are the champion eagle hunters at the World Nomad Games. No big deal right? And Azamat is only eighteen years old to boot. 

Together, they are out to follow in the footsteps of Ghengis Khan, or the more local but no less legendary Manas, to conquer Central Asia. Whilst this was not my first foray into spending time with eagle hunters, it was by far the most educational and intimate.

I’d like to think Ak Zholtoi and I met as colleagues but left as life-long friends. That is, if she can forgive me for dropping her. 

Yes, I dropped Kyrgyzstan’s champion eagle. Like on the ground. Guys, I dropped Kyrgyzstan’s champion eagle on the fucking ground. OMG!

If you all remember way back when around 2014 I spent a month riding horses with the traditional Kazakh eagle hunters in western Mongolia, an experience which changed my life. There I witnessed the traditional nomads in action, with their birds of prey perched on their arm, waiting to be let loose to reap destruction, ruination and despair amongst the local fox and hare community.

It was powerful, moving, and pretty freaking impressive. I’ll also add that there are only a few hundred people in the entire world that have maintained this practice.

I was hooked. Being a bird nerd is in my genes. My mom used to volunteer with rehabilitating falcons and hawks, and thanks to her in addition to living in New Zealand, the original land of birds, I’ve come to love and admire our feathered friends.

Speaking of, did you know that New Zealand used to be home to the biggest eagle in the world? They had a ten foot wingspan, and there are even Māori stories of how they used to hunt people before going extinct. Shivers

But I digress.

Their cousin, the mighty golden eagle, now rules the northern hemisphere these days, especially in Central Asia.

On my recent trip to Kyrgyzstan I was lucky enough to spend time with the best of the best champion eagle hunters, based on the South Shore of Lake Issyk-Kul and observe their badassery in action.

In Kyrgyz there is a specific word for those who hunt with eagles, and they are known as bürkütchü.

Traditional Kyrgyz hunting is known as Salbuurun and it’s an art involving the local communities coming together to go on long hunts on horseback (of course) with bows and arrows, eagles and even special hunting Taigan dogs as the drums beat in the background. They’d disappear for weeks in winter bringing back food and furs for their families, the knowledge of which has been passed down over the centuries.

At the heart of it, Salbuurun is completely Kyrgyz, with nothing else like it in the world, and it is totally unique, combining the best archers, eagles, horses and dogs all together on horseback.

Under the Soviets, Salbuurun almost disappeared as nomadic culture and practices were discouraged in Kyrgyzstan, but luckily younger generations have begun to take pride and interest in their traditional heritage and it’s making a comeback.

After spending the day with Ak Zholtoi and Azamat, I think what impressed me the most was their bond which transcended their differences. It seemed almost human how they interacted. 

He’s had her since she was a baby. Traditionally, the bürkütchü would climb high cliffs and steal the eagle chicks from the nest, though nowadays nets and purchases are more the norm. I feel conflicted about that, since I am definitely far entrenched in the whole “hands off leave the poor animals alone” camp yet I believe wholeheartedly in keeping tradition alive. Obviously stealing baby animals from their mothers is, um, not ideal, but so is an invading country intentionally trying to stamp out thousands of years of culture too. I think it’s really great that Kyrgyz traditional culture is being revived, and with all the eagle hunters I’ve seen, I was nothing short of impressed and amazed at how they work together.

Hunting with these birds has and still sustains people in this part of the world, and since I buy my meat gladwrapped at supermarkets, perhaps it’s not my place to have an opinion. I do, however, have an opinion on bride-napping, Kyrgyzstan, that is un-fucking-acceptable and needs to stop immediately.

Liz, stop talking. Like, right now.

Anywho, the eagles can live to be up to 40 years old, but they’ll spend less than half their lifetime with their owner, who will release them back into the wild. An eagle hunter in Kyrgyzstan will only have two eagles in his lifetime, so the bonds built between bird and master are incredibly tight knit and strong. In many ways they are almost like one person together.

For my part, I feel very privileged to witness something very rare and special in Kyrgyzstan, and I hope that this tradition can stay alive for future generations.

Are you interested in eagle hunting and learning about traditional nomadic culture too? Do you dream of seeing these guys in action one day? Are you a bird nerd at heart too? Spill!

Many thanks to USAID for hosting me in Kyrgyzstan, like always I’m keeping it real, all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me.

The post Ak Zholtoi, the six year old eagle queen of Kyrgyzstan appeared first on Young Adventuress.

It’s a land of pure nomadic culture, a place of thousands of blue lakes and glacier covered mountains seen by few and vast valleys filled with wildflowers with the occasional horse or camel in the distance.

Yes, it’s real and no, you probably haven’t been there, or can even find it on a map. And you definitely can’t spell it.

It’s Kyrgyzstan.

What do you think of when you think of Kyrgyzstan?

Be honest. If you’re anything like me, you probably can’t really picture it. You might remember it from high school geography classes and learning about the Silk Road, or maybe you think of it from the Soviet Union. Usually people just group it in with one of the ‘Stans.

Well, I’ll be the first to say, that “Stan” that you can’t really picture, locate, spell or identify, and above all Kyrgyzstan, is FREAKING AWESOME!

It’s literally my new favorite place. Like, for real. Tucked in between Tajikistan, China and Kazakhstan, and overshadowed by it’s louder neighbors, Kyrgyzstan is finally speaking up and getting noticed.

I love being surprised when I travel and Kyrgyzstan was nothing but a surprise. I shocked, wow-ed and amazed me consistently for the two weeks I was there this summer, and I’m already planning to go back next year. It was sort of what I imagined but completely different to.

I was invited to Kyrgyzstan last year for the World Nomad Games – yes it’s a thing, like the Olympics for Central Asian ethnic sports – and my curiosity was instantly piqued and I started reading about Kyrgyzstan and devouring the images online I quickly realized how stunning and undiscovered this place actually was by the west. I just had a feeling about it.

It looked similar to Mongolia, a place I traveled to a few years ago that changed my life, but with more mountains and even more off the beaten path.

When the opportunity came again this year, I was already hooked and had to go. I have so many crazy moments, fun adventures and wild stories to share with you all, but I have to start with the photos. Photos of Kyrgyzstan were what initially inspired my interest in this mountain country, and I hope it can do the same for you.

Here are my 25 favorite images from my recent adventure in Kyrgyzstan. Enjoy!

My second day in Kyrgyzstan was a whopper.

We decided to climb up to one of the lesser known alpine lakes near the Jerghez gorge called Kol Tur. It was a huge day that I wasn’t expecting, and I was recovering from a bad case of bronchitis, but decided to power through. It was an asbolute sufferfest, even though the hike itself wasn’t too hard. But it was all worth it when we finally arrived at the stunning turquoise lake in the mountains.

Sometimes it pays off to be incredibly stubborn.

I had spent some time with the eagle hunters in remote Mongolia a few years back and without a doubt, I was so excited to learn that it’s a tradition also in Kyrgyzstan.

Hunting things like marmot and foxes, these magnificent Golden Eagles are trained from birth by their owners.

I want one!

My favorite place we explored was the Jyrgalan Valley and we were only there for one night!

A picturesque valley only an hour from the city of Karakol, here there is a famous massive rock which supposedly has the footprints of Kyrgys epic hero Manas‘ horse, where he rode his horse onto the rock during a famous battle.

Karakol is a fascinating city because it has a blend of many cultures and languages.

The one I was particularly interested in was the Dungan people – have you heard of them?

Ethnic Chinese Muslims who fled to Kyrgyzstan to escape persecution, we visited their famous mosque in town which looks faintly like a pagoda before visiting a local Dungan family for a feast.

OMG give me all the dumplings! And noodles! The food in Kyrgyzstan was incredible!

The Russian Orthodox Church in Karakol. I’ve never seen anything like it, have you?

We spent three days riding horses over the Bozuchuk Pass and it was one of the best adventures of my life. From camping with nomads to falling off TWICE (why me?!) to swimming in remote alpine lakes, it blew me away.

I loved riding horses in Mongolia and was keen to give a shot in Kyrgyzstan where it seems everyone is born on horseback.

Taking notes about learning how to build a yurt from one of the Kyrgys masters. His team can build one in 10 minutes. I think it took us an hour.

I really want to build a yurt of my own one day in New Zealand – who’s with me?

How incredible are the stunning red cliffs of Jety-Oguz Gorge?

We got up at the crack of down to make it here in time for sunrise, and it was worth the early alarm.

Even in July, Kyrgyzstan is lush with flowers everywhere. I couldn’t resist a frolic through a random sunflower field on one of our travel days.

The best time for wildflowers in Kyrgyzstan is early summer, around May and June.

Skazka Canyon is nicknamed the Fairytale Canyon because of its irregular rock formations.

Even though I’ve never been to the grand canyon, this reminded me of what it would look like, and we could have easily spent hours here crawling along the different peaks and columns.

What a place!

Janil Baishova is the founder of the Golden Thimble felt workshop which teaches locals and visitors the master craft of felt tapestry and rug making.

She has the most wonderful smile and enthusiasm shines through and you can’t help but love her.

You can’t travel around Kyrgyzstan and not stay in a yurt camp. There are everywhere and are super cheap and comfortable. It might be my new favorite style of accommodation!

Our last couple of nights we spent at yurt camps on the shores of Issyk Kul lake, a massive warm saltwater lake in Kyrgyzstan. With the mountains twinkling all around you and the lake lapping nearby, they are the kinds of places you could easily squirrel away in for weeks just to find some peace.

Kyrgyzstan is a place that I fell deeply in love with; a place that’s already calling me back. Appealing to intrepid curious travelers, it has so many layers, I’m dying to go back for a second bite.

Have you been to Kyrgyzstan? What do you know about it? Is this the kind of place you would like to visit? Share!

Many thanks to USAID for hosting me in Kyrgyzstan, like always I’m keeping it real, all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me. 

The post 25 photos that will inspire you to visit Kyrgyzstan appeared first on Young Adventuress.