In this video, Nha Trang Back To Life, I visit some of the iconic sites of the city and share some thoughts from what it's been like since the last lockdown. We are obviously in the midst of one of the greatest challenges the human race has faced in the last 100 years. It's a time where we have an opportunity to grow individually and as a global community. I'm afraid we may miss this opportunity on a world wide scale but there's still hope, there always is. Nha Trang being a town that's relied on a robust tourism industry for some time now has faced one of the worst setbacks of any place in Vietnam as a direct result of the pandemic. I hope the day is coming soon when travelers will be once again welcomed back to the country and the hardships people have faced here will be long behind everyone. As always thanks again for your support. Stay safe and be happy. If you'd like to support the channel there are two ways: Patreon-monthly pledges/support-https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels Donations: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JohnASaboe

In this video, Nha Trang Back To Life, I visit some of the iconic sites of the city and share some thoughts from what it's been like since the last lockdown. We are obviously in the midst of one of the greatest challenges the human race has faced in the last 100 years. It's a time where we have an opportunity to grow individually and as a global community. I'm afraid we may miss this opportunity on a world wide scale but there's still hope, there always is. Nha Trang being a town that's relied on a robust tourism industry for some time now has faced one of the worst setbacks of any place in Vietnam as a direct result of the pandemic. I hope the day is coming soon when travelers will be once again welcomed back to the country and the hardships people have faced here will be long behind everyone. As always thanks again for your support. Stay safe and be happy. If you'd like to support the channel there are two ways: Patreon-monthly pledges/support-<a href="https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels</a> Donations: <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JohnASaboe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JohnASaboe</a>

Nha Trang Back To Life

It's been a few weeks since I last checked in, I apologize for that. The last days of lockdown felt like they were going to drag on forever. Then all of a sudden, some of the gates starting coming down in green zones and we were free to take a walk, pick up some takeaway, and even do some shopping. Either waiting at the door of the store for someone to fill your order or in a rare instance, actually entering a supermarket to pick up some badly needed staples. I found the stores were pretty well stocked except for some produce in one instance but living in Vietnam we are lucky to have many independent sellers with baskets up fresh fruit and produce ready to make a sale. In this video, Nha Trang, After Lockdown Vietnam, I share some moments from the first few days of freedom to a glance at some neighborhood festivities during the Mid-Autumn(Moon) Festival. I feel very grateful to have received my first vaccination here in Nha Trang and I'm on schedule to have my second jab in a few weeks. Life although looking different than before this last wave of the pandemic, seems to be returning slowly to a new normal, much dependent on being fully vaccinated and the use of apps to monitor public spaces and everything from cafes to supermarkets. It's fine we'll get used to it. Thanks again for your support! Donations: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JohnASaboe Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels

It's been a few weeks since I last checked in, I apologize for that. The last days of lockdown felt like they were going to drag on forever. Then all of a sudden, some of the gates starting coming down in green zones and we were free to take a walk, pick up some takeaway, and even do some shopping. Either waiting at the door of the store for someone to fill your order or in a rare instance, actually entering a supermarket to pick up some badly needed staples. I found the stores were pretty well stocked except for some produce in one instance but living in Vietnam we are lucky to have many independent sellers with baskets up fresh fruit and produce ready to make a sale. In this video, Nha Trang, After Lockdown Vietnam, I share some moments from the first few days of freedom to a glance at some neighborhood festivities during the Mid-Autumn(Moon) Festival. I feel very grateful to have received my first vaccination here in Nha Trang and I'm on schedule to have my second jab in a few weeks. Life although looking different than before this last wave of the pandemic, seems to be returning slowly to a new normal, much dependent on being fully vaccinated and the use of apps to monitor public spaces and everything from cafes to supermarkets. It's fine we'll get used to it. Thanks again for your support! Donations: <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JohnASaboe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JohnASaboe</a> Patreon:<a href="https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels</a>

Nha Trang(After Lockdown Vietnam)

In this video Nha Trang, (Social Isolation Vietnam), I document visuals of the city before and during the latest pandemic measures. For some, it has been extremely challenging, making it through these latest actions to manage the spread of infections. As extreme as some of these measures are they seemed to have worked so far in Nha Trang. From a logistics point of view it hasn't been easy I'm sure to ensure that people are complying with the latest directives. Overall on my street people have been very cooperative and as I mentioned in the video, industrious in finding ways to make some money with the current restrictions of staying in your home or street. I've managed to buy noodles, fruit, beer, and other essentials within a few steps of my building thanks to these pop-up shops. At the time of publishing this video we have news here in Nha Trang of the slow loosening of restrictions which will include in person shopping and exercise, for those in "green zones". Please stay safe wherever you are, we will get through this! Support the channel with your donation: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JohnASaboe Become a Patron:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels

In this video Nha Trang, (Social Isolation Vietnam), I document visuals of the city before and during the latest pandemic measures. For some, it has been extremely challenging, making it through these latest actions to manage the spread of infections. As extreme as some of these measures are they seemed to have worked so far in Nha Trang. From a logistics point of view it hasn't been easy I'm sure to ensure that people are complying with the latest directives. Overall on my street people have been very cooperative and as I mentioned in the video, industrious in finding ways to make some money with the current restrictions of staying in your home or street. I've managed to buy noodles, fruit, beer, and other essentials within a few steps of my building thanks to these pop-up shops. At the time of publishing this video we have news here in Nha Trang of the slow loosening of restrictions which will include in person shopping and exercise, for those in "green zones". Please stay safe wherever you are, we will get through this! Support the channel with your donation: <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JohnASaboe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JohnASaboe</a> Become a Patron:<a href="https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels</a>

Nha Trang (Life In Lockdown II)Vietnam

Nha Trang is normally a vibrant beach resort town hosting Vietnamese and international travellers with it's world-class bay, beach, and sites. In Nha Trang, Life In Lockdown Vietnam, I talk through the streets and explore the current situation just before the lockdown and reminisce about my visit here in 2016. Some of my very sites here include The Long Son Pagoda, Nha Trang Cathedral, and the stunning Po Nagar Cham Towers. Unfortunately all of these sites have been closed since my arrival so I share images from my last trip. Nha Trang is really like most any other city in Southeast Asia that relies heavily on tourism, from locals and foreigners. Many changes have taken place it seems since my last visit include new shopping malls and supermarkets but the beach remains as it was from my memory, inviting and safe. Lockdown has not been easy and for me this is the strictest one I have been through in Vietnam since the pandemic began in March 2020. With patience and an aggressive roll-out of vaccinations hopefully business and life will begin to return to a more normal level of activity. I am especially hopeful for the all the small operators that rely on daily customers from the food cart sellers to the small independent restaurants for as speedy recovery as possible. Thanks again for subscribing and supporting me and the channel! Anything and everything is very much appreciated! Donations:https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JohnASaboe Monthly pledges:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels

Nha Trang is normally a vibrant beach resort town hosting Vietnamese and international travellers with it's world-class bay, beach, and sites. In Nha Trang, Life In Lockdown Vietnam, I talk through the streets and explore the current situation just before the lockdown and reminisce about my visit here in 2016. Some of my very sites here include The Long Son Pagoda, Nha Trang Cathedral, and the stunning Po Nagar Cham Towers. Unfortunately all of these sites have been closed since my arrival so I share images from my last trip. Nha Trang is really like most any other city in Southeast Asia that relies heavily on tourism, from locals and foreigners. Many changes have taken place it seems since my last visit include new shopping malls and supermarkets but the beach remains as it was from my memory, inviting and safe. Lockdown has not been easy and for me this is the strictest one I have been through in Vietnam since the pandemic began in March 2020. With patience and an aggressive roll-out of vaccinations hopefully business and life will begin to return to a more normal level of activity. I am especially hopeful for the all the small operators that rely on daily customers from the food cart sellers to the small independent restaurants for as speedy recovery as possible. Thanks again for subscribing and supporting me and the channel! Anything and everything is very much appreciated! Donations:<a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JohnASaboe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JohnASaboe</a> Monthly pledges:<a href="https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels</a>

Nha Trang  (Life In Lockdown Vietnam)

It's been several weeks since my last COVID Diaries vlog. I honestly thought I was finished with the series but with the resurgence of the virus in Da Nang I've decided to continue with more videos. We have been impacted but only slightly overall here in Ho Chi Minh,(Saigon). Bars, nightclubs/discos, have been temporarily closed. Mask wearing in public is now mandatory and is being enforced with fines, up to $13USD. As I stated in the video I have been wearing a mask in public since we were first asked to wear them in public. I had never heard it was OK not to wear them. The situation is more serious in Da Nang with approximately 300 new cases detected since July 25th and for the first time, fatalities, as of this posting 18, all with underlying conditions. Thousands of volunteers, military personal, and healthcare workers have been deployed to Da Nang to fight the pandemic. I hope you are staying safe wherever you are, practising social distancing, avoiding crowds if possible, and wearing a mask in public to help stop the spread of the virus. It appears it may be some time before we are all through with this. Thanks so much for your support! You can make a donation to me and the channel by PayPal:http://paypal.me/JohnASaboe Fundly COVID Diaries Campaign-Visa/Mastercard/Amex/AliPay/WeChat-https://fundly.com/vietnam-covid-diaries You can support me through Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/join/FarEastTravels? Thanks again for following the series and subscribing to the channel. I hope this series helps people understand how other places like Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

It's been several weeks since my last COVID Diaries vlog. I honestly thought I was finished with the series but with the resurgence of the virus in Da Nang I've decided to continue with more videos. We have been impacted but only slightly overall here in Ho Chi Minh,(Saigon). Bars, nightclubs/discos, have been temporarily closed. Mask wearing in public is now mandatory and is being enforced with fines, up to $13USD. As I stated in the video I have been wearing a mask in public since we were first asked to wear them in public. I had never heard it was OK not to wear them. The situation is more serious in Da Nang with approximately 300 new cases detected since July 25th and for the first time, fatalities, as of this posting 18, all with underlying conditions. Thousands of volunteers, military personal, and healthcare workers have been deployed to Da Nang to fight the pandemic. I hope you are staying safe wherever you are, practising social distancing, avoiding crowds if possible, and wearing a mask in public to help stop the spread of the virus. It appears it may be some time before we are all through with this. Thanks so much for your support! You can make a donation to me and the channel by PayPal:<a href="http://paypal.me/JohnASaboe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://paypal.me/JohnASaboe</a> Fundly COVID Diaries Campaign-Visa/Mastercard/Amex/AliPay/WeChat-<a href="https://fundly.com/vietnam-covid-diaries" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://fundly.com/vietnam-covid-diaries</a> You can support me through Patreon:<a href="https://www.patreon.com/join/FarEastTravels?" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/join/FarEastTravels?</a> Thanks again for following the series and subscribing to the channel. I hope this series helps people understand how other places like Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnam COVID Diaries Vlog #16-War Sites/Stories

Thanks so much for watching and subscribing to the channel! If you feel like supporting the channel with a pledge or donation I would be most grateful. Monthly Pledges-Patreon-Far East Travels Patreon Donations-https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/my/profile This video references a little bit about what life is like for me but I'm hoping there are circumstances that anyone can appreciate and relate to as far as managing through this pandemic. It's still really hard to say when Vietnam will open up to the world again but I don't believe it will be before they bring their population up to herd immunity. Let me say here that there has been lots of talk and videos regarding the visa situation in the country. All I will say in my humble opinion is that whatever or however the government deals with visas is their business. I'm merely a guest, grateful to be here knowing that at anytime I might have to leave. Unless you hold permanent residence somewhere that is the reality of life as a foreigner or expat living abroad. I also make reference to people who are or were employed in the tourism industry. My heart goes out to you if you are currently waiting for tourism to reopen in your country wherever in the world. I have hired and worked with many career tourism professionals in the past and I look forward to working with you and using your services hopefully in the not too distant future. Thanks again for your kind thoughts and comments. I look forward to sharing more of life in Vietnam and beyond in the future.

Thanks so much for watching and subscribing to the channel! If you feel like supporting the channel with a pledge or donation I would be most grateful. Monthly Pledges-Patreon-<a href="" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Far East Travels Patreon</a> Donations-<a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/my/profile" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/my/profile </a>This video references a little bit about what life is like for me but I'm hoping there are circumstances that anyone can appreciate and relate to as far as managing through this pandemic. It's still really hard to say when Vietnam will open up to the world again but I don't believe it will be before they bring their population up to herd immunity. Let me say here that there has been lots of talk and videos regarding the visa situation in the country. All I will say in my humble opinion is that whatever or however the government deals with visas is their business. I'm merely a guest, grateful to be here knowing that at anytime I might have to leave. Unless you hold permanent residence somewhere that is the reality of life as a foreigner or expat living abroad. I also make reference to people who are or were employed in the tourism industry. My heart goes out to you if you are currently waiting for tourism to reopen in your country wherever in the world. I have hired and worked with many career tourism professionals in the past and I look forward to working with you and using your services hopefully in the not too distant future. Thanks again for your kind thoughts and comments. I look forward to sharing more of life in Vietnam and beyond in the future.

Life In Da Nang, Vietnam II

In this video, Vietnam Beaches - Da Nang, I'll visit the more accessible beaches including My Khe, Man Thai, Man Thai Fishing Village, T20, and Son Thuy Beach. These are the closest beaches to most of the hotels and resorts are depending on where you're staying, no more than 10 minutes by taxi or motorbike, and in many cases, within a few minutes walk. I have been fortunate to have traveled through much of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, so when I say this is one of the nicest beaches or coastlines in Asia I'm speaking from first-hand knowledge, it truly is! One thing I did not mention in the video is there is absolutely no cost to visiting any of the beaches in this video, unless you're using a paid parking lot. Currently renting chairs cost d40,000 for the wood chairs that sit under the thatched roofs and d20,000 for the webbed chairs, but I wouldn't recommend using those until the late afternoon when the sun is starting to set. The beaches shown are obviously less crowded due to the current situation and as I mentioned normally My Khe will have more visitors than what you see in the video but the other quieter beaches are not busy during normal times, with the exception possibly of lifeguard stations specifically at Son Thuy Beach. There are many beaches to explore around the Son Tra Peninsula and further south to Hoi An that I hope to share on this channel in the future. Thanks again for watching and giving a thumbs up. Subscribe to the channel and turn on the notification bell so you'll when the latest videos are released and feel free to explore the channel for more videos from Vietnam, the rest of Southeast Asia, East Asia, and South Asia. You can support the channel either by sending one off donations to:http://paypal.me/JohnASaboe Become a patron! Visit my Patreon page to see all of the offers:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels

In this video, Vietnam Beaches - Da Nang, I'll visit the more accessible beaches including My Khe, Man Thai, Man Thai Fishing Village, T20, and Son Thuy Beach. These are the closest beaches to most of the hotels and resorts are depending on where you're staying, no more than 10 minutes by taxi or motorbike, and in many cases, within a few minutes walk. I have been fortunate to have traveled through much of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, so when I say this is one of the nicest beaches or coastlines in Asia I'm speaking from first-hand knowledge, it truly is! One thing I did not mention in the video is there is absolutely no cost to visiting any of the beaches in this video, unless you're using a paid parking lot. Currently renting chairs cost d40,000 for the wood chairs that sit under the thatched roofs and d20,000 for the webbed chairs, but I wouldn't recommend using those until the late afternoon when the sun is starting to set. The beaches shown are obviously less crowded due to the current situation and as I mentioned normally My Khe will have more visitors than what you see in the video but the other quieter beaches are not busy during normal times, with the exception possibly of lifeguard stations specifically at Son Thuy Beach. There are many beaches to explore around the Son Tra Peninsula and further south to Hoi An that I hope to share on this channel in the future. Thanks again for watching and giving a thumbs up. Subscribe to the channel and turn on the notification bell so you'll when the latest videos are released and feel free to explore the channel for more videos from Vietnam, the rest of Southeast Asia, East Asia, and South Asia. You can support the channel either by sending one off donations to:<a href="http://paypal.me/JohnASaboe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://paypal.me/JohnASaboe</a> Become a patron! Visit my Patreon page to see all of the offers:<a href="https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels</a>

Vietnam Beaches - Da Nang

Rush Hour Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Series are episodes I'm presenting on the channel that highlight everyday life for the people of HCMC and how they make it through the traffic daily. We'll go to some of the most congested spots in the city so you can see how beyond the initial look of chaos it all seems to function. There are currently an estimated 8.5 million motorbikes in HCMC but the number could even be higher. As the city builds more infrastructure to help keep up with the growth commuters somehow continue to deal with the congestion, sometimes flooding, air pollution, among other things in an effort to improve the overall quality of their life. It's truly remarkable how entrepreneurs have founds ways to help accommodate bike commuters with food carts, markets, and other services you'll see in this series that help keeps the traffic moving. Thanks so much for watching! Any suggestions for interesting traffic spots we should highlight in this series are welcome! *I often get asked what camera or cameras do I use.* I currently use a DJI Osmo Pocket camera and an insta360 One R Twin Edition camera set that includes a dual lens 360 camera I use for drone like shots and other effect shots and a 4K wide angle action camera. If you use the following link to purchase an insta360 One R camera you can get either a free selfie stick or battery with the code in the link. I do receive a small commission if you use this link:https://www.insta360.com/sal/one_r?insrc=INRA92U

Rush Hour Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Series are episodes I'm presenting on the channel that highlight everyday life for the people of HCMC and how they make it through the traffic daily. We'll go to some of the most congested spots in the city so you can see how beyond the initial look of chaos it all seems to function. There are currently an estimated 8.5 million motorbikes in HCMC but the number could even be higher. As the city builds more infrastructure to help keep up with the growth commuters somehow continue to deal with the congestion, sometimes flooding, air pollution, among other things in an effort to improve the overall quality of their life. It's truly remarkable how entrepreneurs have founds ways to help accommodate bike commuters with food carts, markets, and other services you'll see in this series that help keeps the traffic moving. Thanks so much for watching! Any suggestions for interesting traffic spots we should highlight in this series are welcome! *I often get asked what camera or cameras do I use.* I currently use a DJI Osmo Pocket camera and an insta360 One R Twin Edition camera set that includes a dual lens 360 camera I use for drone like shots and other effect shots and a 4K wide angle action camera. If you use the following link to purchase an insta360 One R camera you can get either a free selfie stick or battery with the code in the link. I do receive a small commission if you use this link:<a href="https://www.insta360.com/sal/one_r?insrc=INRA92U" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.insta360.com/sal/one_r?insrc=INRA92U</a>

Rush Hour Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Series

Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon has been very good to me. So many positive things have happened since I arrived here almost two years ago. I created this video to help others who are either thinking of moving here or have just recently moved and are looking for some more insight into the options where expats would feel comfortable settling in. As you'll see in the video, there are some things you'll have to deal with depending on where you decide to live. Either traffic issues or a lack of safe places for pedestrians to walk are two things you'll have to come to grips with. Most expats do choose to live close to where they work as the traffic can be a nightmare to deal with, and then there's those downpours during the rainy season. If you are wanting to find out more about living in Ho Chi Minh City you can book a one hour session with me on Zoom or Skype. I can cover many topics from best places for expats to live, shopping, food, entertainment, some health and safety issues, cultural differences, and general things that can save you time and money. You can contact me by email to find out if I can help you out and rates-john@fareasttravels.com. I hope to share more insights and things that can help you learn more about Ho Chi Minh City before you decide to move. *I often get asked what camera or cameras do I use.* I currently use a DJI Osmo Pocket camera and an insta360 One R Twin Edition camera set that includes a dual lens 360 camera I use for drone like shots and other effect shots and a 4K wide angle action camera. If you use the following link to purchase an insta360 One R camera you can get either a free selfie stick or battery with the code in the link. I do receive a small commission if you use this link:https://www.insta360.com/sal/one_r?insrc=INRA92U

Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon has been very good to me. So many positive things have happened since I arrived here almost two years ago. I created this video to help others who are either thinking of moving here or have just recently moved and are looking for some more insight into the options where expats would feel comfortable settling in. As you'll see in the video, there are some things you'll have to deal with depending on where you decide to live. Either traffic issues or a lack of safe places for pedestrians to walk are two things you'll have to come to grips with. Most expats do choose to live close to where they work as the traffic can be a nightmare to deal with, and then there's those downpours during the rainy season. If you are wanting to find out more about living in Ho Chi Minh City you can book a one hour session with me on Zoom or Skype. I can cover many topics from best places for expats to live, shopping, food, entertainment, some health and safety issues, cultural differences, and general things that can save you time and money. You can contact me by email to find out if I can help you out and rates-john@fareasttravels.com. I hope to share more insights and things that can help you learn more about Ho Chi Minh City before you decide to move. *I often get asked what camera or cameras do I use.* I currently use a DJI Osmo Pocket camera and an insta360 One R Twin Edition camera set that includes a dual lens 360 camera I use for drone like shots and other effect shots and a 4K wide angle action camera. If you use the following link to purchase an insta360 One R camera you can get either a free selfie stick or battery with the code in the link. I do receive a small commission if you use this link:<a href="https://www.insta360.com/sal/one_r?insrc=INRA92U" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.insta360.com/sal/one_r?insrc=INRA92U</a>

Move To Ho Chi Minh City-Expat's Favorite Places To Live

Asia Life In Lockdown covers four cities that are experiencing various levels of lockdown during the latest wave of the pandemic, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam, Osaka, Japan, and Taipei, Taiwan. Thanks again to Derek Cowan, Bruno Black, and DaveInOsaka for contributing and sharing their personal experiences during the latest wave of the pandemic. I have been very grateful to be based in Vietnam where despite the latest challenges, has been a relatively safe place to live. The sharp social distancing measures that seemed extreme at first during this latest wave, have recently paid off with the lifting of some of the restrictions in Da Nang. Whatever the future may hold, I have learned alot living through this pandemic and I hope to continue to share some of these experiences with you. Thanks again to all of those that have recently supported the channel. Your donations help cover travel and production costs, and any unforseen expenses. If you would like contribute there are two ways. Donations:https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/my/profile Monthly Pledges:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels Follow Bruno Black Facebook-https://m.facebook.com/brunoblackofficial Podcast:https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F0wsi0TqXSCvAePBioJB5Pk%3Fsi%3DOAi66yvnSxGFubS803Goeg%26utm_source%3Dcopy-link%26fbclid%3DIwAR1N5B6yDVkL-D57Qfq8OI774xiuGlEic6SQbfCzMe2H2tnV_-lPc4Qrvwk&amp;h=AT0Ne8xLZK25HlNaTzqTHeKcWzRU... DaveInOsaka-https://twitter.com/DaveInOsaka

Asia Life In Lockdown covers four cities that are experiencing various levels of lockdown during the latest wave of the pandemic, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam, Osaka, Japan, and Taipei, Taiwan. Thanks again to Derek Cowan, Bruno Black, and DaveInOsaka for contributing and sharing their personal experiences during the latest wave of the pandemic. I have been very grateful to be based in Vietnam where despite the latest challenges, has been a relatively safe place to live. The sharp social distancing measures that seemed extreme at first during this latest wave, have recently paid off with the lifting of some of the restrictions in Da Nang. Whatever the future may hold, I have learned alot living through this pandemic and I hope to continue to share some of these experiences with you. Thanks again to all of those that have recently supported the channel. Your donations help cover travel and production costs, and any unforseen expenses. If you would like contribute there are two ways. Donations:<a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/my/profile" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/my/profile</a> Monthly Pledges:<a href="https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels</a> Follow Bruno Black Facebook-<a href="https://m.facebook.com/brunoblackofficial" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://m.facebook.com/brunoblackofficial</a> Podcast:<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F0wsi0TqXSCvAePBioJB5Pk%3Fsi%3DOAi66yvnSxGFubS803Goeg%26utm_source%3Dcopy-link%26fbclid%3DIwAR1N5B6yDVkL-D57Qfq8OI774xiuGlEic6SQbfCzMe2H2tnV_-lPc4Qrvwk&amp;h=AT0Ne8xLZK25HlNaTzqTHeKcWzRUdeDL7XHk8dYMqwmpAV5OrTRoS8dU4iCQYeGQ6G81XRv90d-Fvf_Uv2pa94ii8j-EG_Eznn-NwF-B8nkY3hUqQ3-vbyEblNVIbqhB655cgXpU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F0wsi0TqXSCvAePBioJB5Pk%3Fsi%3DOAi66yvnSxGFubS803Goeg%26utm_source%3Dcopy-link%26fbclid%3DIwAR1N5B6yDVkL-D57Qfq8OI774xiuGlEic6SQbfCzMe2H2tnV_-lPc4Qrvwk&amp;h=AT0Ne8xLZK25HlNaTzqTHeKcWzRU...</a> DaveInOsaka-<a href="https://twitter.com/DaveInOsaka" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/DaveInOsaka</a>

Asia-Life In Lockdown Reports From Vietnam, Japan, Taiwa

Far East Travels Video Podcast is inspired by Rick Steves, Lonely Planet, Anthony Bourdain, and National Geographic. Travel advice and inspiration from the Himalaya to the remote jungles of Norther Laos. Travels through Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo, Japan, Taiwan, India, Nepal, Korea and beyond.

I was already a fan of his live streams, and follow John already for about a year. With this video-podcast I am able to receive automatically his newest information on my phone: love it! His voice is very addictive, I could listen hours and hours to him. I hope we can see many and many more videos and learn about South-East Asia.

A truely gem in the world of video-podcast

John is the real deal. He’s a fabulous host and does an amazing job of sharing information on the places he travels to. You’ll feel like you’re right there with him. A must listen for anyone who loves travel!

Great travel podcast!

Far East Travels Video Podcast

Views of the Saigon River and District 1 in the rapidly changing Ho Chi Minh City from the 49th floor of the city's tallest building, the Bitexco Financial Tower[/caption] Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is a rapidly changing urban landscape. On my recent visit I was surprised to still find some iconic sites left over from the Vietnam war days despite all of the new construction including a underground metro system. The roof of the Pittman building located at 22 Ly Tu Trong was the scene of a helicopter evacuation of U.S. nationals including C.I.A. personnel on April 29, 1975, the day before the fall of Saigon. It was captured by a Dutch photographer Hubert Van Es and for years was mistaken for the U.S. Embassy, another evacuation site. Across the street from the historic building is the Vincom Shopping Center. A few blocks away the newly opened Saigon Shopping Center. It was amazing to still find the Pittman building and one of the locations of a burning image from the fall of Saigon amidst a changing city. There were still many traditional neighborhoods to discover including Cholon in District 5. This is considered the largest Chinatown in the world and it's massive Binh Tay Market is worth a trip to experience the trade and tradition of this mostly wholesale market. Visiting the rooftop bars that were once frequented by the international press, military and C.I.A. was another fantastic experience-for the history and the wonderful views over the heart of Saigon-District 1. The Saigon Deck located on the 49th floor of the Bitexco Financial Tower, Ho Chi Minh City's tallest building was also a wonderful experience, even with cloudy skies and heavy rains. I hope you enjoy these highlights from live broadcasts during my recent visit to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Watch out from brand new podcasts featuring exclusive footage from my recent 6 week visit to Vietnam on Far East Adventure Travel. I'm always live streaming from Asia on Periscope and Facebook. You can watch live broadcasts right from the Far East Adventure Travel website or Follow me at:https://www.periscope.tv/fareastadvtravl Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/FarEastAdventureTravel

Views of the Saigon River and District 1 in the rapidly changing Ho Chi Minh City from the 49th floor of the city's tallest building, the Bitexco Financial Tower[/caption] Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is a rapidly changing urban landscape. On my recent visit I was surprised to still find some iconic sites left over from the Vietnam war days despite all of the new construction including a underground metro system. The roof of the Pittman building located at 22 Ly Tu Trong was the scene of a helicopter evacuation of U.S. nationals including C.I.A. personnel on April 29, 1975, the day before the fall of Saigon. It was captured by a Dutch photographer Hubert Van Es and for years was mistaken for the U.S. Embassy, another evacuation site. Across the street from the historic building is the Vincom Shopping Center. A few blocks away the newly opened Saigon Shopping Center. It was amazing to still find the Pittman building and one of the locations of a burning image from the fall of Saigon amidst a changing city. There were still many traditional neighborhoods to discover including Cholon in District 5. This is considered the largest Chinatown in the world and it's massive Binh Tay Market is worth a trip to experience the trade and tradition of this mostly wholesale market. Visiting the rooftop bars that were once frequented by the international press, military and C.I.A. was another fantastic experience-for the history and the wonderful views over the heart of Saigon-District 1. The Saigon Deck located on the 49th floor of the Bitexco Financial Tower, Ho Chi Minh City's tallest building was also a wonderful experience, even with cloudy skies and heavy rains. I hope you enjoy these highlights from live broadcasts during my recent visit to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Watch out from brand new podcasts featuring exclusive footage from my recent 6 week visit to Vietnam on Far East Adventure Travel. I'm always live streaming from Asia on Periscope and Facebook. You can watch live broadcasts right from the Far East Adventure Travel website or Follow me at:<a href="https://www.periscope.tv/fareastadvtravl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.periscope.tv/fareastadvtravl</a> Facebook:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FarEastAdventureTravel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/FarEastAdventureTravel</a>

Saigon Highlights-Best Of Far East Travels "Live"

Da Lat is located in the South Central Highlands of Vietnam. It was established by the French during their occupation as a hill town resort in 1907. It’s temperate climate at an elevation of 1500 meters provided French settlers with a cool retreat from the hot tropical climate below. The railway was established to provide daily transport for passengers from Saigon and the coastal town of Nha Trang, which would further connect travellers to the north. The Da Lat Railway Station was designed in 1932 and opened in 1938. It is a unique building in that it incorporates an art deco style with traditional native Cao Nguyen highland communal house elements. Considering the railway shut down during the Vietnam war years due to military activity it’s surprisingly in pretty good shape. The railway and the Da Lat station laid dormant for many years until it was finally resurrected as a tourist attraction in 1991. The 7km ride takes passengers to Trai Mat with a 40 minute stop before heading back to the station. There’s an original steam locomotive on display but these days the train is pulled by a diesel engine. Service runs 5 times a day with the first train at 7:45 and the last one at 4pm. A ticket costs about $5 for foreigners. When this was a full service railway operating from Saigon and Nha Trang there would be three cars for passengers and one for cargo. Look for the carriage with the padded seats for a little extra comfort. There’s just something about train travel that sets it apart with other forms of transportation. The sound of the engine and the wheels clicking on the tracks, the whistle from the conductor, it’s a true adventure ride. As the train pulls away from the station the landscape opens up to reveal the little enclaves and rural landscape along with the reminders of Da Lat’s colonial heritage. The tradition of flower and vegetable growing in Da Lat goes as far back as the 1930’s. The train takes you past today’s latest technology in agriculture including greenhouses and aquatic farming. After 20 minutes we arrived at Trai Mat and are given 40 minutes to wander around the village. Most head for the Linh Phuoc or Dragon Pagoda about a 10-15 walk from the train station. The most unique aspect of this pagoda is the building material used to construct it. Made up of debris of glass, porcelain, and pottery. The pillars at the front of the Buddhist temple are in the shape of dragons, all made from glass. Another dragon is found near a pond next to the temple. It’s total winding length measures 49 meters, with scales made completely from 12,000 empty glass bottles. Across from the pond and dragon sits the temple’s most prominent structure, a 37 meter high seven storey tower. The first floor houses a bell that weighs 8.5 tons. The building is adorned with ceramic mosaics of dragons and phoenixes. This stop before getting back on the train for the return to Da Lat is a great opportunity to get a few quiet moments in the countryside. Surrounding yourself with the greenhouses and fields completes your experience in the southern highlands. Then it’s back on the train for the 20 minute ride to Da Lat station. This is a unique train travel experience, very different from a ride on Vietnam’s regular service. The sounds of rail travel on the Da Lat line are louder, deeper. The rocking cars and overall motion and sensation of the train perhaps would be tiring and uncomfortable on a long journey, but for a short tourist ride, it’s a sensational window into the history of Vietnam’s early tourism days.

Da Lat is located in the South Central Highlands of Vietnam. It was established by the French during their occupation as a hill town resort in 1907. It’s temperate climate at an elevation of 1500 meters provided French settlers with a cool retreat from the hot tropical climate below. The railway was established to provide daily transport for passengers from Saigon and the coastal town of Nha Trang, which would further connect travellers to the north. The Da Lat Railway Station was designed in 1932 and opened in 1938. It is a unique building in that it incorporates an art deco style with traditional native Cao Nguyen highland communal house elements. Considering the railway shut down during the Vietnam war years due to military activity it’s surprisingly in pretty good shape. The railway and the Da Lat station laid dormant for many years until it was finally resurrected as a tourist attraction in 1991. The 7km ride takes passengers to Trai Mat with a 40 minute stop before heading back to the station. There’s an original steam locomotive on display but these days the train is pulled by a diesel engine. Service runs 5 times a day with the first train at 7:45 and the last one at 4pm. A ticket costs about $5 for foreigners. When this was a full service railway operating from Saigon and Nha Trang there would be three cars for passengers and one for cargo. Look for the carriage with the padded seats for a little extra comfort. There’s just something about train travel that sets it apart with other forms of transportation. The sound of the engine and the wheels clicking on the tracks, the whistle from the conductor, it’s a true adventure ride. As the train pulls away from the station the landscape opens up to reveal the little enclaves and rural landscape along with the reminders of Da Lat’s colonial heritage. The tradition of flower and vegetable growing in Da Lat goes as far back as the 1930’s. The train takes you past today’s latest technology in agriculture including greenhouses and aquatic farming. After 20 minutes we arrived at Trai Mat and are given 40 minutes to wander around the village. Most head for the Linh Phuoc or Dragon Pagoda about a 10-15 walk from the train station. The most unique aspect of this pagoda is the building material used to construct it. Made up of debris of glass, porcelain, and pottery. The pillars at the front of the Buddhist temple are in the shape of dragons, all made from glass. Another dragon is found near a pond next to the temple. It’s total winding length measures 49 meters, with scales made completely from 12,000 empty glass bottles. Across from the pond and dragon sits the temple’s most prominent structure, a 37 meter high seven storey tower. The first floor houses a bell that weighs 8.5 tons. The building is adorned with ceramic mosaics of dragons and phoenixes. This stop before getting back on the train for the return to Da Lat is a great opportunity to get a few quiet moments in the countryside. Surrounding yourself with the greenhouses and fields completes your experience in the southern highlands. Then it’s back on the train for the 20 minute ride to Da Lat station. This is a unique train travel experience, very different from a ride on Vietnam’s regular service. The sounds of rail travel on the Da Lat line are louder, deeper. The rocking cars and overall motion and sensation of the train perhaps would be tiring and uncomfortable on a long journey, but for a short tourist ride, it’s a sensational window into the history of Vietnam’s early tourism days.

Vietnam's Romantic Hill Town Train-The Da Lat Railway

Kyoto is located in the central part of Honshu Island, Japan and was the imperial capital of the country for over a thousand years. It is also known as the City of Ten Thousand Shrines. It is an absolute must see on a visit to Japan. To get some expert advice on how best to spend your time and get the most out of your stay in the city I spoke with Niall Gibson expert guide, travel planner and managing director of kyotofun.com and myjapanadventure.com. from his home Kyoto. And please some advice on how to conduct yourself in this polite culture. I first set off on foot near the Yasaka Shrine To get a feel for the city. Wait a minute what the hell is this? Hari Kirshnas? In Kyoto? Well it’s an international city so anything is possible but not my idea of traditional Japanese culture. So I moved on to the Heian Shrine. It is a top ranked shrine by the Association of Shinto Shrines. Heian dates back to 1895, a relatively short history compared to other important temples and shrines in Japan. Outside the shrine on a busy road in Kyoto sits It’s Torii Gate, one of the largest in Japan. Built in 1929 it’s over 24 meters high. A torri gate symbolizes the transition from the profane to the sacred. The orange, green and white buildings inside are meant to be replicas of the old Kyoto Imperial Palace. The Heian Shrine’s gardens are some of the most impressive in all of Japan. If you’re timing is good you’ll see a stunning display of cherry blossoms in the spring. If you’re timing is good…. No matter what time of year taking a stroll through the gardens is a true zen experience, and hey you can even step over these stones. The same ones Scarlett Johansson hopped over in “Lost In Translation”. I left the Heian Shrine totally refreshed from my walk through the gardens and headed back to Gion to take a walk through this traditional neighborhood, where I’ve been told real Geisha’s can be seen. Actually the correct term or name for a Geisha in Kyoto is Geiko and an apprentice is called a Maiko. But my best sighting was just the many tourists who come and dress up in traditional kimonos and walk around and pose for pictures. I took another suggestion from Niall and made my way to Arishiyama, about a 30 minute train ride from central Kyoto to see the Tenru ji Buddhist Temple and finish off my visit with a walk through the world-famous Bamboo Grove. Arishiyama is home to several temples and interesting sites to see including a monkey park where over 170 monkeys reside. It’s also a spectacular place to visit for the beautiful scenery of the surrounding mountains, especially during the spring and fall. I made my way to Tenru ji-the head temple of the Tenru branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. Construction was completed in 1345 but the temple has subsequently suffered through many fires and the buildings that currently stand here were reconstructed in the last half of the 19 and early 20th centuries. Tenru ji is surrounded by beautiful gardens and was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1994. It’s North Gate is the entrance to the famous Sagano Bamboo Grove. It’s no coincidence that bamboo gardens or groves in Japan are usually situated near Shinto Shrines or Buddhist Temples. The bamboo represents strength, a symbol intended to ward off evil.If you want to truly experience the wonder of this place and it’s magical sounds, visit early in the morning or late in the day. That’s it for this week’s Far East Adventure Travel Podcast. Don’t forget to like the Far East Adventure Travel page on Facebook and for more inspiration subscribe to John Saboe on YouTube:http://bit.ly/2ni8SSjyoutube visit fareastadventuretravel.com Until next time this is John Saboe. Safe travels and Namaste!

Kyoto is located in the central part of Honshu Island, Japan and was the imperial capital of the country for over a thousand years. It is also known as the City of Ten Thousand Shrines. It is an absolute must see on a visit to Japan. To get some expert advice on how best to spend your time and get the most out of your stay in the city I spoke with Niall Gibson expert guide, travel planner and managing director of <a href="http://kyotofun.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">kyotofun.com</a> and <a href="http://myjapanadventure.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">myjapanadventure.com</a>. from his home Kyoto. And please some advice on how to conduct yourself in this polite culture. I first set off on foot near the Yasaka Shrine To get a feel for the city. Wait a minute what the hell is this? Hari Kirshnas? In Kyoto? Well it’s an international city so anything is possible but not my idea of traditional Japanese culture. So I moved on to the Heian Shrine. It is a top ranked shrine by the Association of Shinto Shrines. Heian dates back to 1895, a relatively short history compared to other important temples and shrines in Japan. Outside the shrine on a busy road in Kyoto sits It’s Torii Gate, one of the largest in Japan. Built in 1929 it’s over 24 meters high. A torri gate symbolizes the transition from the profane to the sacred. The orange, green and white buildings inside are meant to be replicas of the old Kyoto Imperial Palace. The Heian Shrine’s gardens are some of the most impressive in all of Japan. If you’re timing is good you’ll see a stunning display of cherry blossoms in the spring. If you’re timing is good…. No matter what time of year taking a stroll through the gardens is a true zen experience, and hey you can even step over these stones. The same ones Scarlett Johansson hopped over in “Lost In Translation”. I left the Heian Shrine totally refreshed from my walk through the gardens and headed back to Gion to take a walk through this traditional neighborhood, where I’ve been told real Geisha’s can be seen. Actually the correct term or name for a Geisha in Kyoto is Geiko and an apprentice is called a Maiko. But my best sighting was just the many tourists who come and dress up in traditional kimonos and walk around and pose for pictures. I took another suggestion from Niall and made my way to Arishiyama, about a 30 minute train ride from central Kyoto to see the Tenru ji Buddhist Temple and finish off my visit with a walk through the world-famous Bamboo Grove. Arishiyama is home to several temples and interesting sites to see including a monkey park where over 170 monkeys reside. It’s also a spectacular place to visit for the beautiful scenery of the surrounding mountains, especially during the spring and fall. I made my way to Tenru ji-the head temple of the Tenru branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. Construction was completed in 1345 but the temple has subsequently suffered through many fires and the buildings that currently stand here were reconstructed in the last half of the 19 and early 20th centuries. Tenru ji is surrounded by beautiful gardens and was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1994. It’s North Gate is the entrance to the famous Sagano Bamboo Grove. It’s no coincidence that bamboo gardens or groves in Japan are usually situated near Shinto Shrines or Buddhist Temples. The bamboo represents strength, a symbol intended to ward off evil.If you want to truly experience the wonder of this place and it’s magical sounds, visit early in the morning or late in the day. That’s it for this week’s Far East Adventure Travel Podcast. Don’t forget to like the Far East Adventure Travel page on Facebook and for more inspiration subscribe to John Saboe on YouTube:<a href="http://bit.ly/2ni8SSjyoutube" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2ni8SSjyoutube</a> visit <a href="http://fareastadventuretravel.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">fareastadventuretravel.com</a> Until next time this is John Saboe. Safe travels and Namaste!

Kyoto, Japan-Expert Travel Tips For Asia's Top Destination

Experiencing different climates from sub tropical to literally touching the Tibetan Plateau, topping it off with an ascent of the highest point of the trek, the Thorung La Pass at 5416 meters. As well, seeing and interacting with the people of several different cultures and villages that dot the valleys. Our timing for the trek was perfect starting on the biggest day of the country’s most important festival of the year Dasai, usually falling sometime in October. The festival celebrates the God Durga with the theme of good conquering evil and culminating with almost every family sacrificing an animal, in most cases a goat, as part of the celebration. Rituals and prayers take place before the final sacrifice but we didn’t stick around to watch. Another tradition of the Hindu festival is constructing a swing in the village for children that’s used only during the celebration. Along the path we came across a small herd of lucky goats that appeared to have dashed the sacrifices for this year’s festival. Our first stop was lunch in Bhulbhule, a small village with a population of just over 3000 that sits below views of Mansalu, the 8th highest mountain in the world at 8163 meters. These days many trekkers take a bus all the way to Bhulbhule to make this town their starting point of the Annapurna Circuit. It’s still very warm during the day at 840 meters elevation so we could enjoy the scenery and lunch in short sleeves next to the Marshyangdi River. Shortly after leaving the village we were hit with a huge downpour of rain so we stopped over in a little hut to avoid a drenching. When we finally got moving again we came across a giant new dam funded by the Chinese government. A construction flag marking the spot as a Chinese project was visible from the trail. An investment of this size is very helpful to local residents with steady work for many but it is definitely changing the landscape of the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Less and less of the original trail exists, replaced by roads that now take people and goods all the way to Manang, the last big village before crossing the Thorung La Pass. This region is considered subtropical and there’s lots of scenery to enjoy from beautiful terraced rice paddies to traditional villages. One highlight of trekking Annapurna are the frequency of villages allowing for plenty of comfortable stops for tea breaks and more opportunity to gaze at beautiful rice terraces and fruit trees. To get from one village to another most of the people of the area walk so it’s not uncommon to run into villagers especially along the old trail. One of the reasons why I insisted we stayed on this route as much as possible. On a good portion of the trail there’s plenty of company from the Marshyangdi River. And lots of village life to observe. Like some local villagers involved in a traditional Nepali gambling game. Hari my guide pronounces the name for me. We continued on our way to Chamche where we’d spend the night. Still more little villages along the way with dramatic waterfalls made the long day of trekking seem like a short hike. Finally we arrived in Chamche, where the village was preparing for their final night of celebrating Dashai, with dancing and singing performances. The next morning we were ready to go by 8am with a new plan of just a 2-3 hour trek to the village of Thal. I had come down with a cold so we decided it was best to try to rest while we were at a relatively low altitude before trekking into the higher villages of the region in Manang District. Still sticking with the old trail as much as possible to keep the trek as close to the original route. After walking for a couple of hours we reached the gate that marks the entrance to Manang District. Thal is a wonderful little village and we had the pleasure of staying in a perfect guesthouse, with super clean rooms, attached bathrooms and great food. I spoke with the owner Guru about the tragic trekking accident that happened on the Annapurna Circuit around the same time the previous year and how such disasters can be avoided. As well, Guru gave us some background on the village. After chatting with Guru we started back on the trail with a little stop to enjoy another waterfall just outside of the village. The next few moments were terrifying and proof that accidents happen quickly and without notice. Join me next time on Far East Adventure Travel for more of trekking Nepal's Annapurna Circuit.

Experiencing different climates from sub tropical to literally touching the Tibetan Plateau, topping it off with an ascent of the highest point of the trek, the Thorung La Pass at 5416 meters. As well, seeing and interacting with the people of several different cultures and villages that dot the valleys. Our timing for the trek was perfect starting on the biggest day of the country’s most important festival of the year Dasai, usually falling sometime in October. The festival celebrates the God Durga with the theme of good conquering evil and culminating with almost every family sacrificing an animal, in most cases a goat, as part of the celebration. Rituals and prayers take place before the final sacrifice but we didn’t stick around to watch. Another tradition of the Hindu festival is constructing a swing in the village for children that’s used only during the celebration. Along the path we came across a small herd of lucky goats that appeared to have dashed the sacrifices for this year’s festival. Our first stop was lunch in Bhulbhule, a small village with a population of just over 3000 that sits below views of Mansalu, the 8th highest mountain in the world at 8163 meters. These days many trekkers take a bus all the way to Bhulbhule to make this town their starting point of the Annapurna Circuit. It’s still very warm during the day at 840 meters elevation so we could enjoy the scenery and lunch in short sleeves next to the Marshyangdi River. Shortly after leaving the village we were hit with a huge downpour of rain so we stopped over in a little hut to avoid a drenching. When we finally got moving again we came across a giant new dam funded by the Chinese government. A construction flag marking the spot as a Chinese project was visible from the trail. An investment of this size is very helpful to local residents with steady work for many but it is definitely changing the landscape of the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Less and less of the original trail exists, replaced by roads that now take people and goods all the way to Manang, the last big village before crossing the Thorung La Pass. This region is considered subtropical and there’s lots of scenery to enjoy from beautiful terraced rice paddies to traditional villages. One highlight of trekking Annapurna are the frequency of villages allowing for plenty of comfortable stops for tea breaks and more opportunity to gaze at beautiful rice terraces and fruit trees. To get from one village to another most of the people of the area walk so it’s not uncommon to run into villagers especially along the old trail. One of the reasons why I insisted we stayed on this route as much as possible. On a good portion of the trail there’s plenty of company from the Marshyangdi River. And lots of village life to observe. Like some local villagers involved in a traditional Nepali gambling game. Hari my guide pronounces the name for me. We continued on our way to Chamche where we’d spend the night. Still more little villages along the way with dramatic waterfalls made the long day of trekking seem like a short hike. Finally we arrived in Chamche, where the village was preparing for their final night of celebrating Dashai, with dancing and singing performances. The next morning we were ready to go by 8am with a new plan of just a 2-3 hour trek to the village of Thal. I had come down with a cold so we decided it was best to try to rest while we were at a relatively low altitude before trekking into the higher villages of the region in Manang District. Still sticking with the old trail as much as possible to keep the trek as close to the original route. After walking for a couple of hours we reached the gate that marks the entrance to Manang District. Thal is a wonderful little village and we had the pleasure of staying in a perfect guesthouse, with super clean rooms, attached bathrooms and great food. I spoke with the owner Guru about the tragic trekking accident that happened on the Annapurna Circuit around the same time the previous year and how such disasters can be avoided. As well, Guru gave us some background on the village. After chatting with Guru we started back on the trail with a little stop to enjoy another waterfall just outside of the village. The next few moments were terrifying and proof that accidents happen quickly and without notice. Join me next time on Far East Adventure Travel for more of trekking Nepal's <a href="https://explorehimalayan.com/tour/annapurna-circuit-classic-trek-nepal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Annapurna Circuit</a>.

Trekking The Great Annapurna Circuit, Nepal Part I

How do you figure out which temples to see in Bangkok when there are over 400 of them? Here are the top 3 that should be on anyone’s list. I’ll explore more in another episode but here’s where to start. This may be enough for your first trip to Bangkok, Thailand. Let’s start the tour! Number 3, Wat Arun. Even though it’s name means temple of dawn this is a wonderful site best enjoyed at sunset. Located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, some consider it the most beautiful temple in Thailand. It’s prang or spire on the banks of the river is a world-class landmark. At the time of my visit, Wat Arun was undergoing major renovations as you can see by the scaffolding. Wat Arun held the great Emerald Buddha before it was transferred to Wat Phra Kaew at the Grand Palace. In fact the temple was part of the grounds of the royal palace where it was located before it was moved in 1785. Wat Arun glistens in the golden hour at sunset. It’s intricate craftmanship of tiny pieces of glass and Chinese porcelain artfully placed on the prang and other structures is an unforgettable site. You can get to Wat Arun via Tha Tien Pier also called Pier 8 right after you visit the number 2 temple. Wat Pho, home of the reclining Buddha. This temple complex is perfect for just wandering as most people will show up, check out the 46 meter long Buddha and immediately leave. You’ll have lots of space to enjoy the atmosphere of a world-class heritage site and the largest collection of Buddha statues in Thailand. Wat Pho was the first public university in the country and is also home to the top massage school. This is where you can experience a more therapeutic rather than soothing massage. Book ahead otherwise you may have a long wait which can eat into precious exploring time. Of course you also want to savour the presence of this incredible reclining Buddha that’s covered in gold leaf. This image is the Buddha entering Nirvana thus ending reincarnations. The statue is 46 meters long and 15 meters high with the soles of the feet at 3 meters height and inlaid with mother of pearl. There are 108 bronze bowls in the corridor representing the 108 auspicious characters of the Buddha. You can purchase a bowl of coins you can use to drop in the bowls for good fortune, which also aids the monks in preserving the reclining Buddha and Wat Pho. The sound the coins make when dropping is pretty cool in the giant hall. Wat Pho is within walking distance of the number one temple to visit in Bangkok, Wat Phra Kaew or the temple of the Emerald Buddha, located within the Grand Palace complex. Because Wat Phra Kaew doesn’t house any monks it is more like a personal chapel for the royal family than an actual temple. The emerald Buddha is considered the palladium of the Kingdom of Thailand. It is made of a single block of jade and is 66 centimeters or 26 inches high, cloaked in three different gold costumes appropriate for the three seasons, wet and hot, and winter, the cool season. No photographs or video are allowed inside the chapel but you can spend as much time as you like enjoying the Buddha and interior of the structure. This is the spiritual heart of Thailand and the top tourist attraction of Bangkok with thousands of visitors daily. There is a dress code and you will be stopped by officials if your clothing is deemed inappropriate. I’ll leave a link in the video description for your reference. In fact most if not all Buddhist temples in Thailand have specific requirements for appropriate clothing. The Grand Palace is crowded and most of the time, an extremely hot place with no air conditioning so pace yourself. To avoid some of the bigger crowds it’s best to start as early as possible, the complex opens at 8:30 everyday. Conceivably you could see all top 3 temples in one day. Starting out at The Grand Palace, then stopping for a coffee or tea beak in a cool cafe around Tha Thien or Pier 8, which is close by Wat Pho and the reclining Buddha. Then visiting Wat Pho before a leisurely lunch around Tha Tien. Then finishing off your tour with a river crossing to Wat Arun in the late afternoon and perhaps enjoying the sunset from one of the best spots in the city. Help others discover Far East Adventure Travel in iTunes! Write a Review: Dress Code For Royal Urn at Grand Palace-Bangkok, Thailand: Regular Dress Code: Music Credits Indore Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Mystic Force Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

How do you figure out which temples to see in Bangkok when there are over 400 of them? Here are the top 3 that should be on anyone’s list. I’ll explore more in another episode but here’s where to start. This may be enough for your first trip to Bangkok, Thailand. Let’s start the tour! Number 3, Wat Arun. Even though it’s name means temple of dawn this is a wonderful site best enjoyed at sunset. Located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, some consider it the most beautiful temple in Thailand. It’s prang or spire on the banks of the river is a world-class landmark. At the time of my visit, Wat Arun was undergoing major renovations as you can see by the scaffolding. Wat Arun held the great Emerald Buddha before it was transferred to Wat Phra Kaew at the Grand Palace. In fact the temple was part of the grounds of the royal palace where it was located before it was moved in 1785. Wat Arun glistens in the golden hour at sunset. It’s intricate craftmanship of tiny pieces of glass and Chinese porcelain artfully placed on the prang and other structures is an unforgettable site. You can get to Wat Arun via Tha Tien Pier also called Pier 8 right after you visit the number 2 temple. Wat Pho, home of the reclining Buddha. This temple complex is perfect for just wandering as most people will show up, check out the 46 meter long Buddha and immediately leave. You’ll have lots of space to enjoy the atmosphere of a world-class heritage site and the largest collection of Buddha statues in Thailand. Wat Pho was the first public university in the country and is also home to the top massage school. This is where you can experience a more therapeutic rather than soothing massage. Book ahead otherwise you may have a long wait which can eat into precious exploring time. Of course you also want to savour the presence of this incredible reclining Buddha that’s covered in gold leaf. This image is the Buddha entering Nirvana thus ending reincarnations. The statue is 46 meters long and 15 meters high with the soles of the feet at 3 meters height and inlaid with mother of pearl. There are 108 bronze bowls in the corridor representing the 108 auspicious characters of the Buddha. You can purchase a bowl of coins you can use to drop in the bowls for good fortune, which also aids the monks in preserving the reclining Buddha and Wat Pho. The sound the coins make when dropping is pretty cool in the giant hall. Wat Pho is within walking distance of the number one temple to visit in Bangkok, Wat Phra Kaew or the temple of the Emerald Buddha, located within the Grand Palace complex. Because Wat Phra Kaew doesn’t house any monks it is more like a personal chapel for the royal family than an actual temple. The emerald Buddha is considered the palladium of the Kingdom of Thailand. It is made of a single block of jade and is 66 centimeters or 26 inches high, cloaked in three different gold costumes appropriate for the three seasons, wet and hot, and winter, the cool season. No photographs or video are allowed inside the chapel but you can spend as much time as you like enjoying the Buddha and interior of the structure. This is the spiritual heart of Thailand and the top tourist attraction of Bangkok with thousands of visitors daily. There is a dress code and you will be stopped by officials if your clothing is deemed inappropriate. I’ll leave a link in the video description for your reference. In fact most if not all Buddhist temples in Thailand have specific requirements for appropriate clothing. The Grand Palace is crowded and most of the time, an extremely hot place with no air conditioning so pace yourself. To avoid some of the bigger crowds it’s best to start as early as possible, the complex opens at 8:30 everyday. Conceivably you could see all top 3 temples in one day. Starting out at The Grand Palace, then stopping for a coffee or tea beak in a cool cafe around Tha Thien or Pier 8, which is close by Wat Pho and the reclining Buddha. Then visiting Wat Pho before a leisurely lunch around Tha Tien. Then finishing off your tour with a river crossing to Wat Arun in the late afternoon and perhaps enjoying the sunset from one of the best spots in the city. Help others discover Far East Adventure Travel in iTunes! Write a Review: Dress Code For Royal Urn at Grand Palace-Bangkok, Thailand: Regular Dress Code: Music Credits Indore Kevin MacLeod (<a href="http://incompetech.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">incompetech.com</a>) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/</a> Mystic Force Kevin MacLeod (<a href="http://incompetech.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">incompetech.com</a>) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0</a>

3 Must-See Temples In Bangkok, Thailand

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam-5 Things You Should Know Before You Visit These aren't all of the things you should know before you visit Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon, Vietnam but it's a start. It also allows me to start this series on Vietnam's largest city! This is an incredibly fascinating city and when you visit your are really watching the process of a rapidly expanding, modernizing city. For now there's still lots of traditional and local neighborhoods that feel like the real Vietnam. I hope have a chance to visit these places as well as seeing all of the famous sites. For Yellow bus 109 here's the link with all of the stops:http://en.sats.com.vn/tan-son-nhat-airport-bus/airport-bus-109-tan-son-nhat-airport-ben-thanh-market . There's also a Yellow bus 119 that will take you to the bus station where you can move on to Can Tho and the Western provinces. I personally use Grab and the GoViet apps for motorbike taxis around the city. If you want to be picked up at the airport by one of them you'll need to walk outside of the domestic terminal area where the motorbikes have to stop.I hope you find these tips helpful. Please let me know what else you'd like to learn about Ho Chi Minh City.I plan on doing lots of videos on food, finding vegetarian and vegan food, good coffee, local producst and more! Don't forget to subscribe to my audio podcast:https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-podcast/id1079513943?mt=2Connect with me on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/johnsaboesfareasttravels/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/FarEastAdventureTravel/Support the channel by becoming a patron:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravelsDonations:http://paypal.me/JohnASaboe

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam-5 Things You Should Know Before You Visit These aren't all of the things you should know before you visit Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon, Vietnam but it's a start. It also allows me to start this series on Vietnam's largest city! This is an incredibly fascinating city and when you visit your are really watching the process of a rapidly expanding, modernizing city. For now there's still lots of traditional and local neighborhoods that feel like the real Vietnam. I hope have a chance to visit these places as well as seeing all of the famous sites. For Yellow bus 109 here's the link with all of the stops:<a href="http://en.sats.com.vn/tan-son-nhat-airport-bus/airport-bus-109-tan-son-nhat-airport-ben-thanh-market" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://en.sats.com.vn/tan-son-nhat-airport-bus/airport-bus-109-tan-son-nhat-airport-ben-thanh-market</a> . There's also a Yellow bus 119 that will take you to the bus station where you can move on to Can Tho and the Western provinces. I personally use Grab and the GoViet apps for motorbike taxis around the city. If you want to be picked up at the airport by one of them you'll need to walk outside of the domestic terminal area where the motorbikes have to stop. I hope you find these tips helpful. Please let me know what else you'd like to learn about Ho Chi Minh City.I plan on doing lots of videos on food, finding vegetarian and vegan food, good coffee, local producst and more! Don't forget to subscribe to my audio podcast:<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-podcast/id1079513943?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-podcast/id1079513943?mt=2</a> Connect with me on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/johnsaboesfareasttravels/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/johnsaboesfareasttravels/</a> Facebook:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FarEastAdventureTravel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/FarEastAdventureTravel/</a> Support the channel by becoming a patron:<a href="https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels</a> Donations:<a href="http://paypal.me/JohnASaboe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://paypal.me/JohnASaboe</a>

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam-5 Things You Should Know Before You Visit

The ancient Unesco World Heritage site of Hoi An, Vietnam is high on almost everyone's list of places to visit during their stay. So it goes that the place is crowded, actually over run with tourists, especially in the summer months! So how does one enjoy the quieter charms of this beautifully preserved town filled with wonderfully mixed architectural styles of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, British and French colonial? Wake up early like I did, on my recent visit. At 6am it's still possible to feel like you are truly in an ancient port town with merchant houses and quiet streets. The t-shirt stalls and tailor shops are boarded up so it's easy to imagine a different time with gorgeous facades and historic buildings that can be viewed with a ancient town book of tickets starting as early as 7am. The temples are some of my favorite sites to visit this early in the morning with usually only local people worshipping before their work day begins. It's also wonderfully pleasurable to just stroll up and down the streets, without the calls of "please come in and buy something from me". You can visit the morning market where you'll find the most activity in town, with usually only local people shopping, including restaurants and cafes buying their supplies of herbs, vegetables, fruit, meat and fish for the day. By 8:30 the tour groups start to arrive to begin their cooking school class and introduction to the vast array of fresh produce and other ingredients that go into some of the best dishes of Vietnam. Please join me for an early morning walk in the wonderfully atmospheric town of Hoi An, Vietnam-the latest Far East Adventure Travel Best of "Live" Podcast.

The ancient Unesco World Heritage site of Hoi An, Vietnam is high on almost everyone's list of places to visit during their stay. So it goes that the place is crowded, actually over run with tourists, especially in the summer months! So how does one enjoy the quieter charms of this beautifully preserved town filled with wonderfully mixed architectural styles of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, British and French colonial? Wake up early like I did, on my recent visit. At 6am it's still possible to feel like you are truly in an ancient port town with merchant houses and quiet streets. The t-shirt stalls and tailor shops are boarded up so it's easy to imagine a different time with gorgeous facades and historic buildings that can be viewed with a ancient town book of tickets starting as early as 7am. The temples are some of my favorite sites to visit this early in the morning with usually only local people worshipping before their work day begins. It's also wonderfully pleasurable to just stroll up and down the streets, without the calls of "please come in and buy something from me". You can visit the morning market where you'll find the most activity in town, with usually only local people shopping, including restaurants and cafes buying their supplies of herbs, vegetables, fruit, meat and fish for the day. By 8:30 the tour groups start to arrive to begin their cooking school class and introduction to the vast array of fresh produce and other ingredients that go into some of the best dishes of Vietnam. Please join me for an early morning walk in the wonderfully atmospheric town of Hoi An, Vietnam-the latest Far East Adventure Travel Best of "Live" Podcast.

Charming, Ancient Hoi An, Vietnam--Best Of Far East Travels "Live"

Tourist Scams

Hanoi, Vietnam-How To Avoid Tourist Scams And Overcharging I love Hanoi! It's one of my favorite cities in Southeast Asia. The Old Quarter, French Quarter, and Hoan Kiem Lake hold some of the most charm, intrigue, and atmosphere in the whole region. But being overcharged or taken on a scam can taint your stay so I put this video together on my last visit in order to help you be prepared.Actually many of these incidents don't usually involve big dollars but no one wants to be taken no matter how little it is. Sometimes the baguette ladies will try to charge you double, which is usually only 5000VND more or 20 cents but it's still double what you should be paying! As I said in the video most of these people are misguided or desperate and are often only trying to make some quick money to put food on the table. One other scam I did not include in the video are massage places that give you a price but then subsequently charge ridiculous fees for ad ons that feel like freebies, like water or tea. If you do a search on Trip Advisor or other platforms there are trustworthy places in Hanoi. Mostly it's just common sense and being very clear how much something costs and in what currency. I've been to Vietnam 4 times in the last two years and it's just something I naturally do when I'm there. Most often hotels and tour companies will always quote you a price in US dollars so I automatically ask them to give me the price in VND. That way you can check the conversion rate before you agree to anything.  Support The Far East Travels video podcast! Become a patron and get access to bonus content only available to patrons for as little as $2/month! Visit my Patreon page to view all of the offers! https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels

Hanoi, Vietnam-How To Avoid Tourist Scams And Overcharging I love Hanoi! It's one of my favorite cities in Southeast Asia. The Old Quarter, French Quarter, and Hoan Kiem Lake hold some of the most charm, intrigue, and atmosphere in the whole region. But being overcharged or taken on a scam can taint your stay so I put this video together on my last visit in order to help you be prepared. Actually many of these incidents don't usually involve big dollars but no one wants to be taken no matter how little it is. Sometimes the baguette ladies will try to charge you double, which is usually only 5000VND more or 20 cents but it's still double what you should be paying! As I said in the video most of these people are misguided or desperate and are often only trying to make some quick money to put food on the table. One other scam I did not include in the video are massage places that give you a price but then subsequently charge ridiculous fees for ad ons that feel like freebies, like water or tea. If you do a search on Trip Advisor or other platforms there are trustworthy places in Hanoi. Mostly it's just common sense and being very clear how much something costs and in what currency. I've been to Vietnam 4 times in the last two years and it's just something I naturally do when I'm there. Most often hotels and tour companies will always quote you a price in US dollars so I automatically ask them to give me the price in VND. That way you can check the conversion rate before you agree to anything.  Support The Far East Travels video podcast! Become a patron and get access to bonus content only available to patrons for as little as $2/month! Visit my Patreon page to view all of the offers! <a href="https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels</a>

Hanoi, Vietnam-How To Avoid Tourist Scams And Overcharging

Stinky, Crispy, Delicious Hanoi Street Food in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam I love the street food of Hanoi. My favorites? Rice noodles and tofu dipped in fermented shrimp paste. The paste smells fowl, really bad, but when you start eating it something magical happens. A wonderful umami explosion and since the first time I tried it a few years ago I've been hooked. Fortunately for me, most regional dishes of Vietnam are available in Saigon, (Ho Chi Minh City), so on my most recent trip I had to dive into some more of this wonderful eating. Alongside the Bun Dau Mam Tom I ordered some crispy wonderful Banh Tom Ho Tay, or West Lake Shrimp Cakes. These are shrimp or prawns deep fried with sweet potato and come with lettuce and herbs in the usual sweet/sour fish sauce for dipping. Hope you enjoy the video as much as I enjoyed eating this wonderful Hanoi street food!Please subscribe to the channel and share the video! You can support the channel and my podcasts by becoming a patron! Patrons get access to exclusive content and help with production and travel costs. Visit my Patreon page to see all of the offers:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravelsWhen in Ho Chi Minh City please visit:https://dauhomemade.vn https://dauhomemade.vn for great street food in an atmospheric setting. Subscribe to my audio podcast for travel tips and inspiration:https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/john-saboes-far-east-travels/id1079513943?mt=2

Stinky, Crispy, Delicious Hanoi Street Food in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam I love the street food of Hanoi. My favorites? Rice noodles and tofu dipped in fermented shrimp paste. The paste smells fowl, really bad, but when you start eating it something magical happens. A wonderful umami explosion and since the first time I tried it a few years ago I've been hooked. Fortunately for me, most regional dishes of Vietnam are available in Saigon, (Ho Chi Minh City), so on my most recent trip I had to dive into some more of this wonderful eating. Alongside the Bun Dau Mam Tom I ordered some crispy wonderful Banh Tom Ho Tay, or West Lake Shrimp Cakes. These are shrimp or prawns deep fried with sweet potato and come with lettuce and herbs in the usual sweet/sour fish sauce for dipping. Hope you enjoy the video as much as I enjoyed eating this wonderful Hanoi street food! Please subscribe to the channel and share the video! You can support the channel and my podcasts by becoming a patron! Patrons get access to exclusive content and help with production and travel costs. Visit my Patreon page to see all of the offers:<a href="https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels</a> When in Ho Chi Minh City please visit:<a href="https://dauhomemade.vn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://dauhomemade.vn </a><a href="https://dauhomemade.vn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://dauhomemade.vn</a> for great street food in an atmospheric setting. Subscribe to my audio podcast for travel tips and inspiration:<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/john-saboes-far-east-travels/id1079513943?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/john-saboes-far-east-travels/id1079513943?mt=2</a>

Stinky, Crispy, Delicious Hanoi Street Food in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Cheap And Tasty Snacks/Food in Kathmandu, Nepal I have been coming to Kathmandu for many years so I have dined at most of the famous restaurants, especially in Thamel. On this trip I started venturing out to try some new cheap places. I've already got some new favorites including Western Tandoori and Naan House, Dudh Sagar, Classic Momo Express, along with old favorites like BK's. On a couple of occasions I shared a table at Western Tandoori with other travellers that had eaten there multiple times on the same trip. With the recent passing of Anthony Bourdain, I can't help but think that eating at hole in the wall or humble places didn't have the wide acceptable exposure until Mr. Bourdain came along and showed us it was OK. His shows that featured eating at a roadside restaurant in Rajasthan, or street food in Kerela or some other far flung place was not only cool but not as risky as one might think. I ate sometimes on multiple occasions at the places featured in this video and I never got sick. Hope you enjoy the video. Send me some feedback if you want to see more videos like this. So many people now are doing food videos on YouTube that I think it's a bit of saturated topic but hopefully my take is maybe a little bit different and even amusing.Thanks again! If you would like to support my travels and video creation and at the same time get it on some exclusive content and chat consider becoming a patron. Visit my Patreon page for more details:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastAdventureTravelHere is a list of the featured places and addresses in Kathmandu:BK's Place-Thamel Bhagawati MargDudh Sagar-Kanti Path, KathmanduClassic Momo Express-Tridevi Marga, Sanchayakosh Building(Himalayan Bank)Western Tandoori Naan House-Amrit Marg/Thamel

Cheap And Tasty Snacks/Food in Kathmandu, Nepal I have been coming to Kathmandu for many years so I have dined at most of the famous restaurants, especially in Thamel. On this trip I started venturing out to try some new cheap places. I've already got some new favorites including Western Tandoori and Naan House, Dudh Sagar, Classic Momo Express, along with old favorites like BK's. On a couple of occasions I shared a table at Western Tandoori with other travellers that had eaten there multiple times on the same trip. With the recent passing of Anthony Bourdain, I can't help but think that eating at hole in the wall or humble places didn't have the wide acceptable exposure until Mr. Bourdain came along and showed us it was OK. His shows that featured eating at a roadside restaurant in Rajasthan, or street food in Kerela or some other far flung place was not only cool but not as risky as one might think. I ate sometimes on multiple occasions at the places featured in this video and I never got sick. Hope you enjoy the video. Send me some feedback if you want to see more videos like this. So many people now are doing food videos on YouTube that I think it's a bit of saturated topic but hopefully my take is maybe a little bit different and even amusing. Thanks again! If you would like to support my travels and video creation and at the same time get it on some exclusive content and chat consider becoming a patron. Visit my Patreon page for more details:<a href="https://www.patreon.com/FarEastAdventureTravel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/FarEastAdventureTravel</a> Here is a list of the featured places and addresses in Kathmandu: BK's Place-Thamel Bhagawati Marg Dudh Sagar-Kanti Path, Kathmandu Classic Momo Express-Tridevi Marga, Sanchayakosh Building(Himalayan Bank) Western Tandoori Naan House-Amrit Marg/Thamel

Cheap And Tasty Snacks/Food In Kathmandu, Nepal

I'm somewhat disappointed when I see visitors to Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City only having time to visit it's most famous market, Ben Thanh Market. Unfortunately as interesting a place it is, it's not the true reflection of a real traditional market in Saigon. To me it almost feels like a recreation of the real thing. It has the variety of stalls, even a wet market that operates in the morning, and lots of local dishes you can try but it lacks the soul of a real traditional market. Also because it's geared towards tourists it has very little of the authentic charm and warmth that you'll find in a non-tourist market. If you're in Saigon, walk over the charming little Rainbow Bridge into District 4 to visit the Xom Chieu Market. This is the real traditional style local market and it's here where you'll truly experience the warmth and charm of the Vietnamese. You'll also be free to roam, take pictures, and explore the market and surrounding area without being hassled by sellers,(I know, they're just trying to put food on the table). It's also a great place to do some shopping to fill up your fridge in your hotel with some local snacks, and fresh fruit. Don't worry about the language barrier. Most people that work in these markets do not speak English, but they'll understand "how much"? and either show you the bills or use a calculator to tell you the price. I also find that in these markets people are generally honest and do not try to cheat or overcharge foreigners. You'll notice the prices are cheaper compared with District 1 as well as a much more relaxed environment. One thing you do have to be careful of are the motorbikes that are constantly streaming through area. People, as you'll see, do not walk and shop in Saigon. Parking is sometimes a hassle and most are just accustomed to shopping on their motorbike. Xom Chieu Market-Le Van Linh (Lê Văn Linh) street, District 4, Ho Chi Minh (Hồ Chí Minh) City  Thanks so much for watching! Would love to get your feedback on the podcast or ideas for future podcasts. I'll be uploading more of these vlog style podcasts from Asia and would love to hear your thoughts. john@fareastravels.com Help support the podcasts by becoming a patron! $5/month gets you exclusive access to private episodes of the audio podcast. Visit my Patreon page to find out more:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels

I'm somewhat disappointed when I see visitors to Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City only having time to visit it's most famous market, Ben Thanh Market. Unfortunately as interesting a place it is, it's not the true reflection of a real traditional market in Saigon. To me it almost feels like a recreation of the real thing. It has the variety of stalls, even a wet market that operates in the morning, and lots of local dishes you can try but it lacks the soul of a real traditional market. Also because it's geared towards tourists it has very little of the authentic charm and warmth that you'll find in a non-tourist market. If you're in Saigon, walk over the charming little Rainbow Bridge into District 4 to visit the Xom Chieu Market. This is the real traditional style local market and it's here where you'll truly experience the warmth and charm of the Vietnamese. You'll also be free to roam, take pictures, and explore the market and surrounding area without being hassled by sellers,(I know, they're just trying to put food on the table). It's also a great place to do some shopping to fill up your fridge in your hotel with some local snacks, and fresh fruit. Don't worry about the language barrier. Most people that work in these markets do not speak English, but they'll understand "how much"? and either show you the bills or use a calculator to tell you the price. I also find that in these markets people are generally honest and do not try to cheat or overcharge foreigners. You'll notice the prices are cheaper compared with District 1 as well as a much more relaxed environment. One thing you do have to be careful of are the motorbikes that are constantly streaming through area. People, as you'll see, do not walk and shop in Saigon. Parking is sometimes a hassle and most are just accustomed to shopping on their motorbike. Xom Chieu Market-Le Van Linh (Lê Văn Linh) street, District 4, Ho Chi Minh (Hồ Chí Minh) City  Thanks so much for watching! Would love to get your feedback on the podcast or ideas for future podcasts. I'll be uploading more of these vlog style podcasts from Asia and would love to hear your thoughts. <a href="mailto:john@fareastravels.com">john@fareastravels.com</a> Help support the podcasts by becoming a patron! $5/month gets you exclusive access to private episodes of the audio podcast. Visit my Patreon page to find out more:<a href="https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels</a>

Saigon Vlogs-Exploring Xom Chieu Traditional Market

Luang Prabang, Laos-Revealing It's Beauty And Charm I hope you enjoy this film as much as I enjoyed waking up early and walking around the town of Luang Prabang, Laos, inspired to share it's beauty and charm. This is easily one of the most charming towns in all of Southeast Asia, not to be missed as you travel through the region. It has one of the largest monastic communities in the country, it was once the center of power and home of the Royal Family. Luang Prabang can be a little crazy in the morning. Shortly around the time of the beginning of Tak Bak, when monks and novices walk the streets collecting their meal for the day from followers, minivans and taxis invade the center of the town where many of the temples are located dropping off tourists eager to participate in the alms giving. How in the world this became a major tourist activity is beyond me as by my observations, many of the people participating don't even seem to know what or why they are giving alms. It's been a big problem for years with many locals complaining about the tourists, their misunderstanding of the ritual, and in many cases, bad etiquette. I actually found that just before the last of the monks finished up collecting proceeds for their meal of the day the frenzy died down and the ritual, and the town revealed it's true charm. I spent several days on my last visit wandering around the town during this time and capturing footage that became this film. Most everyone ignored me as I filmed them, particularly the monks except for the young novice who looked into the camera lens at the very end. Thanks again for subscribing to the channel and following my life and travels around East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. I also host a podcast available in iTunes or wherever you download your favorite podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-podcast/id1079513943You can also follow me on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/johnsaboesfareasttravels/Support the channel financially and get access to exclusive content on my Patreon page for as little as $2/month. Visit my page to find out more:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels

Luang Prabang, Laos-Revealing It's Beauty And Charm I hope you enjoy this film as much as I enjoyed waking up early and walking around the town of Luang Prabang, Laos, inspired to share it's beauty and charm. This is easily one of the most charming towns in all of Southeast Asia, not to be missed as you travel through the region. It has one of the largest monastic communities in the country, it was once the center of power and home of the Royal Family. Luang Prabang can be a little crazy in the morning. Shortly around the time of the beginning of Tak Bak, when monks and novices walk the streets collecting their meal for the day from followers, minivans and taxis invade the center of the town where many of the temples are located dropping off tourists eager to participate in the alms giving. How in the world this became a major tourist activity is beyond me as by my observations, many of the people participating don't even seem to know what or why they are giving alms. It's been a big problem for years with many locals complaining about the tourists, their misunderstanding of the ritual, and in many cases, bad etiquette. I actually found that just before the last of the monks finished up collecting proceeds for their meal of the day the frenzy died down and the ritual, and the town revealed it's true charm. I spent several days on my last visit wandering around the town during this time and capturing footage that became this film. Most everyone ignored me as I filmed them, particularly the monks except for the young novice who looked into the camera lens at the very end. Thanks again for subscribing to the channel and following my life and travels around East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. I also host a podcast available in iTunes or wherever you download your favorite podcasts:<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-podcast/id1079513943" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-podcast/id1079513943</a> You can also follow me on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/johnsaboesfareasttravels/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/johnsaboesfareasttravels/</a> Support the channel financially and get access to exclusive content on my Patreon page for as little as $2/month. Visit my page to find out more:<a href="https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels</a>

Luang Prabang, Laos-Revealing It's Beauty And Charm

Thanks so much for listening and subscribing to the podcast. Mumbai is one of my favorite cities to visit in India. Not only is it loaded with atmosphere and amazing heritage buildings from the British raj, it’s also where you can find some of the best street food and restaurants in the country. One of the most enjoyable experiences for me was sampling the incredible street food in Kala Ghoda and the row of stalls across the street from CST. Not only are the dishes absolutely delicious but the atmosphere in which they are consumed is wonderful with lawyers taking a break from the nearby law courts in traditional robes mixing with everyday working people from the area. There are definitely things to be cautious of when walking around Mumbai, especially the traffic which can be overwhelming for some. As well you will soon see that locals do not wait for green lights to cross a street so if you want to follow in their footsteps, extreme caution is advised. Beggars are also a concern. As a foreigner you will no doubt be approached by many. Unless you want a parade of them following you it’s best not to give them anything. They also approach locals but you will quickly notice that natives will not give them the time of day and simply move on as if they are not affected by the encounter. Showing no emotion will show them there is no hope so they will move on. Pacing yourself in the tropical heat and humidity is also extremely important. As I mention in the podcast, taking breaks in cafes and museums throughout your day of exploring will help you stay comfortable. Support Far East Adventure Travel with your pledge to my Patreon page! Visit now and discover great offers starting at $1/month:https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4035923 Write a Review in the iTunes Store and help others discover Far East Adventure Travel: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/adventure-travel-far-east-inspired-by-rick-steves-lonely/id890305531?mt=2

Thanks so much for listening and subscribing to the podcast. Mumbai is one of my favorite cities to visit in India. Not only is it loaded with atmosphere and amazing heritage buildings from the British raj, it’s also where you can find some of the best street food and restaurants in the country. One of the most enjoyable experiences for me was sampling the incredible street food in Kala Ghoda and the row of stalls across the street from CST. Not only are the dishes absolutely delicious but the atmosphere in which they are consumed is wonderful with lawyers taking a break from the nearby law courts in traditional robes mixing with everyday working people from the area. There are definitely things to be cautious of when walking around Mumbai, especially the traffic which can be overwhelming for some. As well you will soon see that locals do not wait for green lights to cross a street so if you want to follow in their footsteps, extreme caution is advised. Beggars are also a concern. As a foreigner you will no doubt be approached by many. Unless you want a parade of them following you it’s best not to give them anything. They also approach locals but you will quickly notice that natives will not give them the time of day and simply move on as if they are not affected by the encounter. Showing no emotion will show them there is no hope so they will move on. Pacing yourself in the tropical heat and humidity is also extremely important. As I mention in the podcast, taking breaks in cafes and museums throughout your day of exploring will help you stay comfortable. Support Far East Adventure Travel with your pledge to my Patreon page! Visit now and discover great offers starting at $1/month:<a href="https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4035923" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4035923</a> Write a Review in the iTunes Store and help others discover Far East Adventure Travel: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/adventure-travel-far-east-inspired-by-rick-steves-lonely/id890305531?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/adventure-travel-far-east-inspired-by-rick-steves-lonely/id890305531?mt=2</a>

Mumbai, India-Travel Tips To Get The Most Out Of The "Maximum City" Part I

Chinatown Ho Chi Minh City or Cholon(District 5,6,10) in my opinion is one of the most exciting districts in Saigon. I'm excited to share this busting neighborhood with you and it's historic Binh Tay Market. This is primarily a wholesale market for shop owners, cafes, and restaurants so it's not necessarily an ideal place to shop but it's an exciting place to visit. I love wandering through the market and the surrounding neighborhood with all of it's local ma and pa shops. The lack of international brands and chain shops is refreshing as well. It's a real personable place with locals greeting many visitors that make their way out to these districts. I really hope these videos encourage people to visit because you'll get such a different experience here than you will if you spend most of your time around Bui Vien or Pham Ngo Lao and the rest of District 1.Start out from Binh Tay Market and just wander. There are interesting shops everywhere and surprisingly still a record of the development of Saigon with architecture that spans the French colonial era, art deco, and 50's -70's. The Chinese style shophouses are still to be found in the are with traditional character signs. There are also some wonderful Buddhist/Taoist temples to visit that I didn't cover off in this video. Thanks for watching! Hope you enjoy these street videos.

Chinatown Ho Chi Minh City or Cholon(District 5,6,10) in my opinion is one of the most exciting districts in Saigon. I'm excited to share this busting neighborhood with you and it's historic Binh Tay Market. This is primarily a wholesale market for shop owners, cafes, and restaurants so it's not necessarily an ideal place to shop but it's an exciting place to visit. I love wandering through the market and the surrounding neighborhood with all of it's local ma and pa shops. The lack of international brands and chain shops is refreshing as well. It's a real personable place with locals greeting many visitors that make their way out to these districts. I really hope these videos encourage people to visit because you'll get such a different experience here than you will if you spend most of your time around Bui Vien or Pham Ngo Lao and the rest of District 1.Start out from Binh Tay Market and just wander. There are interesting shops everywhere and surprisingly still a record of the development of Saigon with architecture that spans the French colonial era, art deco, and 50's -70's. The Chinese style shophouses are still to be found in the are with traditional character signs. There are also some wonderful Buddhist/Taoist temples to visit that I didn't cover off in this video. Thanks for watching! Hope you enjoy these street videos.

Chinatown Ho Chi Minh City Travel Stories

Shopping For Chinese New Year's Eve Dinner At A Traditional Market-Taipei,Taiwan Binjiang Market is my favorite traditional morning market to visit in Taipei, Taiwan. Close to the wholesale fruit/vegetable market and wholesale seafood market you can get everything here from bananas to King Crab! Personally I mostly shop for fruit at Binjiang Market. Sometimes I'll buy sashimi and I will occasionally visit the Addiction Aquatic Development Restaurant for takeaway sushi or grilled fish. It's especially exciting to visit the market leading up to Chinese New Year as vendors will bring in special items knowing people will want to buy the best for the reunion dinner.  Thanks so much for watching! You can support the channel by becoming a patron! For as little as $2/month you an help with production and travel costs and get access exclusive content! Visit my Patreon page to see all of the offers:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels Help others discover the podcast by writing a review in the iTunes Store:https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-inspired-by-rick-steves-national-geographic/id890305531?mt=2Follow me on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/johnsaboesfareasttravels/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/FarEastAdventureTravel/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/johnsaboeofficial/

Shopping For Chinese New Year's Eve Dinner At A Traditional Market-Taipei,Taiwan Binjiang Market is my favorite traditional morning market to visit in Taipei, Taiwan. Close to the wholesale fruit/vegetable market and wholesale seafood market you can get everything here from bananas to King Crab! Personally I mostly shop for fruit at Binjiang Market. Sometimes I'll buy sashimi and I will occasionally visit the Addiction Aquatic Development Restaurant for takeaway sushi or grilled fish. It's especially exciting to visit the market leading up to Chinese New Year as vendors will bring in special items knowing people will want to buy the best for the reunion dinner. Thanks so much for watching! You can support the channel by becoming a patron! For as little as $2/month you an help with production and travel costs and get access exclusive content! Visit my Patreon page to see all of the offers:https:<a href="//www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">//www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels</a> Help others discover the podcast by writing a review in the iTunes Store:<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-inspired-by-rick-steves-national-geographic/id890305531?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-inspired-by-rick-steves-national-geographic/id890305531?mt=2</a> Follow me on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/johnsaboesfareasttravels/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/johnsaboesfareasttravels/</a> Facebook:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FarEastAdventureTravel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/FarEastAdventureTravel/</a> Facebook:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/johnsaboeofficial/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/johnsaboeofficial/</a>

Shopping For Chinese New Year's Eve Dinner At A Traditional Market-Taiwan

Tasting Banana Street Food Desserts In Saigon, Vietnam Two of my favorite desserts in Saigon, chuoi chien, (fried banana), and chuoi nep nuong, grilled banana with sticky rice coating, (batter), in warm coconut pudding. These treats make great snacks anytime of day and there are still many carts and stands that sell them in all of the districts. Vinachuoi.com has a stand in District 1 near the Nguyen Hue Walking Street.https://goo.gl/maps/4xmDVvkn1d819NyA9and another one here:https://goo.gl/maps/CbuNwJuLCNGNTWLY9The wonderful place that churns out grilled bananas with coconut pudding is located here:https://goo.gl/maps/8EUe6vBQq7CMgfQW9 Just remember they close at 7pm.You can also find places around the Ben Thanh Market that sell these treats but they're usually more expensive. You can find carts and stands scattered around Districts 3, 5 and 10. These locations listed are some of my favorite places for fried and grilled bananas. Thanks so much for watching the video and subscribing to the channel. Please also feel free to check out and subscribe to my podcast Far East Travels:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-podcast/id1079513943

Tasting Banana Street Food Desserts In Saigon, Vietnam Two of my favorite desserts in Saigon, chuoi chien, (fried banana), and chuoi nep nuong, grilled banana with sticky rice coating, (batter), in warm coconut pudding. These treats make great snacks anytime of day and there are still many carts and stands that sell them in all of the districts. <a href="http://Vinachuoi.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Vinachuoi.com</a> has a stand in District 1 near the Nguyen Hue Walking Street.https://<a href="http://goo.gl/maps/4xmDVvkn1d819NyA9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">goo.gl/maps/4xmDVvkn1d819NyA9</a> and another one here:<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/CbuNwJuLCNGNTWLY9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/maps/CbuNwJuLCNGNTWLY9</a> The wonderful place that churns out grilled bananas with coconut pudding is located here:<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/8EUe6vBQq7CMgfQW9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/maps/8EUe6vBQq7CMgfQW9</a> Just remember they close at 7pm. You can also find places around the Ben Thanh Market that sell these treats but they're usually more expensive. You can find carts and stands scattered around Districts 3, 5 and 10. These locations listed are some of my favorite places for fried and grilled bananas. Thanks so much for watching the video and subscribing to the channel. Please also feel free to check out and subscribe to my podcast Far East Travels:<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-podcast/id1079513943" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-podcast/id1079513943</a>

Tasting Banana Street Food Desserts In Saigon, Vietnam

Bukhansan National Park is almost 80 sq/km in size and is located so close to the urban area of Seoul, South Korea that it’s possible to take the subway here, like I did on this visit. I started out in Insadong and transferred to line number 1 and rode the train until the very last stop of Dobongsan, which is actually the name of the mountain I’m going to hike up today. I think it’s important wherever you are hiking to stake out a place to have a beer or coffee and something to eat afterwards,. Some motivation or a reward to think about as you’re making your way to the top and of course something to contemplate as you safely get back down. It’s a bit of a hike itself just to get to the entrance of the park from the subway station, passing through what seems like a galleria of hiking and outdoor stores, Koreans love their outdoor gear. Plus there’s loads of restaurants and stalls selling food. I’m going to grab some gimbap, Korea’s version of sushi, the perfect picnic or hiking meal. Some say gimbap was inspired by the tekkamaki sushi rolls eaten by the Japanese soldiers that were present here during Japan’s rule of the country. Others say it is totally an original food of Korea, Either its the perfect dish to stuff in my backpack along with some kimchi, Korea’s national spicy pickled cabbage dish. Finally it feels like I’ve arrived in the park or at least I’m alot closer. I spot this very cool relief style map of Bukhansan and all of the mountains that are hikeable. Rock climbing is also a huge sport here. Bukhansan National Park was established in 1983. Being so close to the urban sprawl of Seoul, which is the third largest urban area in the world and an area population of over 25 million it’s a very popular recreation area. In fact at least 5 million people visit the park every year making it the most visited national park per square kilometer in the world. Another added feature of hiking in Bukhansan National park are the Buddhist temples that are scattered throughout the mountains. The first one I come across is Gwangnyun-sa. Shaminism was widely practised in Korea before the introduction of Buddhism in 372. Because Buddhism did not conflict with the nature worship of shaminism it was allowed to blend with the indigenous religion. Because spirits were believed to inhabit the mountains in pre-Buddhist times they became the home to many temples. The trails here are well marked so it’s pretty easy to stay on course. Dobongsan mountain is made up of 5 peaks and on this day I will go to it’s highest, Jaunbong Peak at 740m. It’s not a hard hike if you are in reasonably good shape. OK Mr. positive I would like to see some amazing views but It’s just not going to happen today. Too bad because this peak looks absolutely spectacular from this photo point image. Even with a little light adjustment it only makes the trees stand out. The trails are quiet though and normally this place is crowded with hikers sometimes causing traffic jams. Within Bukhansan National Park you can see up to 1300 different kinds of flora and fauna, Bukhansanseong Fortress with over 2000 years of history and over 100 Buddhist Temples and monk cells. Bukhansan is also a birder’s paradise with a chance to see among other species the great spotted woodpecker. On this day I’m just going to have to settle for this spotted cat! I was getting closer to Jaunbong Peak but with the skies appearing to become darker the threat of rain was looming. I was hoping I would make it all the way to the top before a downpour. When it rains in this part of the world the showers are fierce and sometimes torrential. In East Asia you have to be prepared with rain gear, like a poncho or an umbrella, so long as there’s no lightning. With the heat and humidity in the summer months jackets, unless they are of the lightest material, will most likely cause you to melt. Because the skies were cloudy with the possibility of rain few hikers were here. Normally on a sunny day this trail can be backed up with people trying to get to the top. Wow, this was really a special feeling in the mountains of South Korea, only 20km from the border of North Korea amongst these beautiful rock formations. Just can’t see past these rocky of Dobongsan but on a sunny day this small area of Jaunbong would be packed with people. Oh yeah, gotta get the selfie in here. Hey think about it, if they had this ability back in the day do you realize Edmund Hillary would have actually had a picture of himself on the top of Mt. Everest. So laugh if you will but they are a great way to record your achievement. OK not even close to anything in the Himalaya let alone Everest but a great day hike with some incredible scenery and guess what-it just started to rain as I made it to the top. I will definitely come back to explore more of Bukhansan National Park in South Korea. There are so many trails, interesting sites and temples that I can’t wait to see. Now where was that place I staked out earlier for a much earned beer. I know it’s somewhere around here…. Write A Podcast Review:

Bukhansan National Park is almost 80 sq/km in size and is located so close to the urban area of Seoul, South Korea that it’s possible to take the subway here, like I did on this visit. I started out in Insadong and transferred to line number 1 and rode the train until the very last stop of Dobongsan, which is actually the name of the mountain I’m going to hike up today. I think it’s important wherever you are hiking to stake out a place to have a beer or coffee and something to eat afterwards,. Some motivation or a reward to think about as you’re making your way to the top and of course something to contemplate as you safely get back down. It’s a bit of a hike itself just to get to the entrance of the park from the subway station, passing through what seems like a galleria of hiking and outdoor stores, Koreans love their outdoor gear. Plus there’s loads of restaurants and stalls selling food. I’m going to grab some gimbap, Korea’s version of sushi, the perfect picnic or hiking meal. Some say gimbap was inspired by the tekkamaki sushi rolls eaten by the Japanese soldiers that were present here during Japan’s rule of the country. Others say it is totally an original food of Korea, Either its the perfect dish to stuff in my backpack along with some kimchi, Korea’s national spicy pickled cabbage dish. Finally it feels like I’ve arrived in the park or at least I’m alot closer. I spot this very cool relief style map of Bukhansan and all of the mountains that are hikeable. Rock climbing is also a huge sport here. Bukhansan National Park was established in 1983. Being so close to the urban sprawl of Seoul, which is the third largest urban area in the world and an area population of over 25 million it’s a very popular recreation area. In fact at least 5 million people visit the park every year making it the most visited national park per square kilometer in the world. Another added feature of hiking in Bukhansan National park are the Buddhist temples that are scattered throughout the mountains. The first one I come across is Gwangnyun-sa. Shaminism was widely practised in Korea before the introduction of Buddhism in 372. Because Buddhism did not conflict with the nature worship of shaminism it was allowed to blend with the indigenous religion. Because spirits were believed to inhabit the mountains in pre-Buddhist times they became the home to many temples. The trails here are well marked so it’s pretty easy to stay on course. Dobongsan mountain is made up of 5 peaks and on this day I will go to it’s highest, Jaunbong Peak at 740m. It’s not a hard hike if you are in reasonably good shape. OK Mr. positive I would like to see some amazing views but It’s just not going to happen today. Too bad because this peak looks absolutely spectacular from this photo point image. Even with a little light adjustment it only makes the trees stand out. The trails are quiet though and normally this place is crowded with hikers sometimes causing traffic jams. Within Bukhansan National Park you can see up to 1300 different kinds of flora and fauna, Bukhansanseong Fortress with over 2000 years of history and over 100 Buddhist Temples and monk cells. Bukhansan is also a birder’s paradise with a chance to see among other species the great spotted woodpecker. On this day I’m just going to have to settle for this spotted cat! I was getting closer to Jaunbong Peak but with the skies appearing to become darker the threat of rain was looming. I was hoping I would make it all the way to the top before a downpour. When it rains in this part of the world the showers are fierce and sometimes torrential. In East Asia you have to be prepared with rain gear, like a poncho or an umbrella, so long as there’s no lightning. With the heat and humidity in the summer months jackets, unless they are of the lightest material, will most likely cause you to melt. Because the skies were cloudy with the possibility of rain few hikers were here. Normally on a sunny day this trail can be backed up with people trying to get to the top. Wow, this was really a special feeling in the mountains of South Korea, only 20km from the border of North Korea amongst these beautiful rock formations. Just can’t see past these rocky of Dobongsan but on a sunny day this small area of Jaunbong would be packed with people. Oh yeah, gotta get the selfie in here. Hey think about it, if they had this ability back in the day do you realize Edmund Hillary would have actually had a picture of himself on the top of Mt. Everest. So laugh if you will but they are a great way to record your achievement. OK not even close to anything in the Himalaya let alone Everest but a great day hike with some incredible scenery and guess what-it just started to rain as I made it to the top. I will definitely come back to explore more of Bukhansan National Park in South Korea. There are so many trails, interesting sites and temples that I can’t wait to see. Now where was that place I staked out earlier for a much earned beer. I know it’s somewhere around here…. Write A Podcast Review:

Seoul, South Korea-Hiking Guide To Bukhansan National Park

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-Best Visitor Guide To The KL Monorail/LRT/MRT/Batu Caves I've put together a basic simple guide to what most visitors need to know to get around on KL's LRT/Monorail and trains. At first glance the lines can look a little on the complicated side but provided you're staying in a typical tourist center, like KL Sentral, Bukit Bintang, or around KLCC this guide should provide you with all you need to know. The KL Monorail, Kelana Jaya line, the newer SBK Line, and the Komuter train that takes you to the Batu Caves will get you to most popular landmarks and sites around the city. It's also helpful to be familiar with KL Sentral as this is the major hub for transportation which includes buses to and from both airport terminals, the KLIA Express train to both terminals and other trains. By the way there are shower facilities available for a nominal fee at KL Sentral. They were really handy one time when I had an 8 hour layover coming from Nepal while waiting for my flight to Taipei. A nice quick refreshing shower made my day while visiting KLCC just before Christmas. Even though in the video it looks like I only use tokens, this was only for demonstration purposes. I recommend if you're staying longer than a short layover to get a KL Touch 'n Go card. They are super convenient and you will feel it was well worth the nominal 5 Ringit purchase when you see the line-ups at the token machines during rush hour. Here's more on the Touch 'n Go card:https://www.touchngo.com.my/CMS/Personal/Products/Touch-n-Go-Card/About-Touch-n-Go-Card/As English is an official language of Malaysia you will find instructions and signs in English everywhere! Hope you enjoy the video and it helps you have a smooth stay in one of my favorite cities of Southeast Asia!

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-Best Visitor Guide To The KL Monorail/LRT/MRT/Batu Caves I've put together a basic simple guide to what most visitors need to know to get around on KL's LRT/Monorail and trains. At first glance the lines can look a little on the complicated side but provided you're staying in a typical tourist center, like KL Sentral, Bukit Bintang, or around KLCC this guide should provide you with all you need to know. The KL Monorail, Kelana Jaya line, the newer SBK Line, and the Komuter train that takes you to the Batu Caves will get you to most popular landmarks and sites around the city. It's also helpful to be familiar with KL Sentral as this is the major hub for transportation which includes buses to and from both airport terminals, the KLIA Express train to both terminals and other trains. By the way there are shower facilities available for a nominal fee at KL Sentral. They were really handy one time when I had an 8 hour layover coming from Nepal while waiting for my flight to Taipei. A nice quick refreshing shower made my day while visiting KLCC just before Christmas. Even though in the video it looks like I only use tokens, this was only for demonstration purposes. I recommend if you're staying longer than a short layover to get a KL Touch 'n Go card. They are super convenient and you will feel it was well worth the nominal 5 Ringit purchase when you see the line-ups at the token machines during rush hour. Here's more on the Touch 'n Go card:<a href="https://www.touchngo.com.my/CMS/Personal/Products/Touch-n-Go-Card/About-Touch-n-Go-Card/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.touchngo.com.my/CMS/Personal/Products/Touch-n-Go-Card/About-Touch-n-Go-Card/</a> As English is an official language of Malaysia you will find instructions and signs in English everywhere! Hope you enjoy the video and it helps you have a smooth stay in one of my favorite cities of Southeast Asia!

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-Best Visitor Guide To The KL Monorail/LRT/MRT/Batu Caves

Join me for a visit to the Tan My Market, one of the most interesting local markets in Ho Chi Minh City. Most people that visit Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon for the first time end up at the Ben Thanh Market. Nothing wrong with that, it's an interesting place too, one of the oldest markets in the country. But it left behind it's traditional roots along time ago and today is geared almost exclusively to tourists. If you want a true authentic market experience, I mean where they still kill chickens to order, sell live fish, frogs, and other seafood out of tanks or aluminum trays, then head for the Tan My Market in District 7 or one of several traditional markets that still do business everyday in and around the greater Ho Chi Minh area. Not only will you be able to observe daily life in a neighborhood like this one, but you won't be constantly asked if you want to buy a t-shirt, or coffee, or anything! In fact if you have any engagement at all with locals it will be the friendly warm welcoming that people in these neighborhoods exude, especially at the sign of a rare visit from a foreigner. If you do want to buy, most everyone will be happy to help you, and even though their English skills will be limited or non existent, they'll still find a way to communicate. I also find in these markets that everyone is fairly honest, in fact I would be shocked if you weren't given the local price everyone else gets. Thanks for watching! I would love to connect with you. Send me an email to john@fareasttravels.com. Please also follow me on any or all of the social media links on the front page. Also feel free to subscribe to my audio podcast:Far East Travels Podcast-(Audio)

Join me for a visit to the Tan My Market, one of the most interesting local markets in Ho Chi Minh City. Most people that visit Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon for the first time end up at the Ben Thanh Market. Nothing wrong with that, it's an interesting place too, one of the oldest markets in the country. But it left behind it's traditional roots along time ago and today is geared almost exclusively to tourists. If you want a true authentic market experience, I mean where they still kill chickens to order, sell live fish, frogs, and other seafood out of tanks or aluminum trays, then head for the Tan My Market in District 7 or one of several traditional markets that still do business everyday in and around the greater Ho Chi Minh area. Not only will you be able to observe daily life in a neighborhood like this one, but you won't be constantly asked if you want to buy a t-shirt, or coffee, or anything! In fact if you have any engagement at all with locals it will be the friendly warm welcoming that people in these neighborhoods exude, especially at the sign of a rare visit from a foreigner. If you do want to buy, most everyone will be happy to help you, and even though their English skills will be limited or non existent, they'll still find a way to communicate. I also find in these markets that everyone is fairly honest, in fact I would be shocked if you weren't given the local price everyone else gets. Thanks for watching! I would love to connect with you. Send me an email to john@fareasttravels.com. Please also follow me on any or all of the social media links on the front page. Also feel free to subscribe to my audio podcast:<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-podcast/id1079513943" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Far East Travels Podcast-(Audio)</a>

Ho Chi Minh City Market - Let's Explore

Finding Christmas in Taipei, Taiwan Seems like there's less decorations for Christmas this year in Taipei. I went on a search to find signs of Christmas. Granted Taiwan doesn't officially acknowledge Christmas as a holiday and the culture is definitely geared toward Chinese celebrations and rituals being an island of Buddhist/Taoist followers mostly. Still it's usually recognized by the retail and commercial industries. Often people will have a Christmas party at work, or go out with the family on Christmas Day but I would compare it to Halloween in importance and the way it's viewed. Usually though the shopping and entertainment districts will deck the halls and offer lots of opportunities for people to come out and take selfies, as you can see in the video.Hope you enjoy following my awkward journey to find Christmas in Taipei!

Finding Christmas in Taipei, Taiwan Seems like there's less decorations for Christmas this year in Taipei. I went on a search to find signs of Christmas. Granted Taiwan doesn't officially acknowledge Christmas as a holiday and the culture is definitely geared toward Chinese celebrations and rituals being an island of Buddhist/Taoist followers mostly. Still it's usually recognized by the retail and commercial industries. Often people will have a Christmas party at work, or go out with the family on Christmas Day but I would compare it to Halloween in importance and the way it's viewed. Usually though the shopping and entertainment districts will deck the halls and offer lots of opportunities for people to come out and take selfies, as you can see in the video. Hope you enjoy following my awkward journey to find Christmas in Taipei!

Finding Christmas in Taipei, Taiwan

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