Halong Bay Sunset I had wanted to visit Halong Bay for years now. It’s one of those destinations that you see a picture of and you promise yourself that you have to go some day. But I recently read some bad press about someone’s experience there: the Bay is polluted; there are too many boats […]
Photo of the Week: Halong Bay Sunset Read More »
For some this is the quintessential China experience. I must admit, after countless bus rides, hotel check-ins, and big city headaches, this river’s foggy stillness came as a relief. It may be extremely popular and touristy, but there is no denying the beauty that this river and the Three Gorges possess. Choose your Cruise There
Choosing your Yangtze River Cruise Read More »
By Stephen Bugno The Good The sights—Where else can you see the Great Wall of China, panda bears close up in their hometown, or a gorge the likes of Tiger Leaping Gorge? Nowhere. That’s why you come to China, for these heavy hitters. I won’t deny that I’ve seen some cool sights here. Climbing Emei
China: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Read More »
Dali is one of those places that I really hoped I wouldn’t dislike. Its description in the guidebooks made it sound so pleasant a town—except for one thing—the growing number Chinese tourists. Well, there were tons of tourists, but Chinese tourists seem to stick together in group tours and don’t drift very far from the
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Dear GoMad Nomad, I am wondering if you can advise me on good places to visit in China, off the beaten path, where the prices are low, the people are friendly, the women are beautiful, and the scenery is breathtaking. Sincerely, Symour in Pasaic Dear Symour, Great timing on this one—I’m in the middle
Ask GoMad Nomad: Where to go in China Read More »
A Walk through Lijiang China It’s not easy to navigate the streets of Lijiang’s old town. Timeworn cobbled streets follow steams, bending over ancient stone bridges forming a centuries-old maze. Lijiang is the capital of the Naxi Kingdom, set beneath the spiky Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The Naxi are an ethnic group descended from the
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Travel Costs in Yunnan Province It’s impossible to give a report of traveler’s expenses for China as a whole because prices differ extensively from region to region. So for this post, I’m going to focus on Yunnan Province, a destination in which I spent over a month traveling. It is a fascinating region with spectacular
A Day of Travel Costs in Yunnan Province Read More »
Muang Ngoi is a small village on the banks of the Nam Ou River in Northern Laos. It’s a one-street village with no motorized vehicles—the only way to get there is by a one-hour boat ride from Nong Khiaw. It’s a peaceful place to spend a couple days. There’s only electricity from 6pm to
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This video was filmed in February 2012. It was made together with Juno Kim of RunawayJuno.com. We paused in Luang Prabang for a couple of weeks on a trip through China, Laos, and Vietnam. I think it captures the essence of this tranquil city on the Mekong. If you enjoyed the video, please share with
The Sights and Sounds of Luang Prabang – Video Read More »
By Stephen Bugno Despite inflation and inflated expenses for travelers, Laos is still an inexpensive place to travel. I started this series with: What it costs to travel in Malaysia. I wanted to give independent travelers an idea of the costs associated with traveling in individual countries because it can be extremely helpful during the
What it Costs: A Day of Travel in Laos Read More »
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