HoliDaze Archive

travel guide

10 Things You Don’t Know About Sri Lanka

10 things you don't know about Sri Lanka

One of the best things about visiting a new country is learning new things. No matter how much research you do or how many people you ask, there are always things about the country that surprise or even bewilder you. Here’s a quick gift for all you Pinners Last November I had the honor of … Read More

Your Guide To The Phong Nha Caves

The colorful Phong Nha Cave

Tucked away in Quảng Bình province far removed from most tourists lies the Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, home to over 300 caves including the largest one in the world, Sơn Đoòng Cave. Back in 2003 the park earned itself a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List and tourism has been slowly increasing ever … Read More

The Ultimate Indonesian Food Guide: Regional Dishes

Ayam Bakar Bumbu Rujak

Part of the beauty of Indonesia is that the country and islands are composed of hundreds of different cultures that have all come together to form one diverse nation. As such the food in Indonesia varies not just island to island but city to city. So now I present to you the Ultimate Indonesian Food … Read More

Nusa Penida: Bali’s Hidden Paradise (Shhhh!)

The HoliDaze Guide to Nusa Penida: Bali's Hidden Paradise

This island has long been overlooked by tourists, much to the pleasure of the locals. In fact originally I was not even going to write about it. However my blog is not near as popular as some of the others out there and I highly doubt that this post will result in a flood of … Read More

15 Tips for Responsible Travel in Myanmar

Inle Lake, Myanmar

I first visited Myanmar in December 2010 shortly after the elections took place, an event that received mixed reactions internationally and signaled that a potential change was on the horizon. The release of Aung San Suu Kyi from decades of house arrest became a key catalyst for the international community lifting the informal travel boycott … Read More

The Remote Chavayan Village, Batanes: A Trip Back In Time

Chavayan, Sabtang Island, Batanes

The tiny village of Chavayan is located on Sabtang Island, part of the Batanes region of the Philippines and permanently locked in a time long since passed. There is just one long and lonely road in and out of the village, which helps keep the village isolated. It is nestled on a thin strip of … Read More

Nonbei Yokocho aka “Drunkards’ Alley” ― Tokyo’s Hidden Nightlife

Nonbei Yokocho, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan

Translated as “Drunkards Alley” or “Alley Of The Drunkards,” Nonbei Yokocho is two parallel alleys in Shibuya, Tokyo full of miniature bars. Altogether there a grand total of around 50 mini bars here, although sometimes it has mistakenly been cited as having a hundred or more. Sure, the bars are small, but there is no … Read More

How To Get A Job In The California Marijuana Fields

Did I ever tell you about the time I worked on a California marijuana farm?

Worth over $2 billion annually, California‘s world-renowned wines used to be its number one cash crop. They’ve been surpassed — err…blown away — by the marijuana industry, which according to a 2011 report is worth $14 billion, a whopping seven times that of the vineyards! And it’s growing every year. Analysts at Cowen & Co. … Read More

Exploring The Venado Caves of Costa Rica

My buddy Jared got stuck in the Venado Caves of Costa Rica

If you should find yourself near Arenal Volcano, be sure that you visit Venado Cave, which is located about a 45-min van-ride south of La Fortuna. Officially known in the cave registry under its original local Indian name, Caverna Gabinarraca (well, what has been explored so far) consists of over 2,700 meters and is believed … Read More

Now Museum, Now You Don’t: Strange American Museums

Road sign in the Valley of Fire State Park, Overton, New Mexico, United States

I love checking out the random cool, quirky or confusing museums that I stumble across while traveling. Some are educational, others are laughable, but most all are enjoyable for their own reasons. The next time you pass by a museum, I encourage you to stop in and have a look around. Here are some of … Read More