Longtime listeners and friends likely know that Scott and I love beer. I’ve worked on and off in the beer industry for decades and Scott has retained his amateur status in hopes of someday representing Canada when beer drinking becomes an Olympic event. Today, we’re going to talk hops and mashed malts from across the continent, to help you enjoy the best brews during your next Asian adventure on this episode: Favorite Beers of Asia.
Continue readingThe Mekong is one of the world’s great rivers. Covering a distance of nearly 5,000km from its source on the Tibetan Plateau in China to the Mekong Delta in Viet Nam, the river flows through six countries: China, Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Viet Nam.
Continue readingCentral Asia is one of those regions that few international travelers are familiar with, nowadays. That wasn’t always the case, however, as the Silk Road was once a crossroads for the movement of people, goods, and ideas between Europe and Asia, and Central Asia was at the heart of this prosperous trade route. Geographically, Central Asia stretches east-west from the Caspian Sea to China and Mongolia, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. In between are “the ‘Stans”, including the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Today we have the benefit of an expert in the region, writer Bradley Mayhew, joining us to share a bit about everything we didn’t know that we didn’t even know, about one of the largest — and least visited — regions of Asia.
Continue readingDiscover Isan on this week’s episode of Talk Travel Asia, as we get travel tips for northeastern Thailand from Lonely Planet author Tim Bewer.
Continue readingOn this episode of Talk Travel Asia podcast, we get Laos travel tips from legendary travel guidebook writer Nick Ray, who has written about traveling to Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar for Lonely Planet travel guidebooks.
Continue readingSitting just off the east coast of mainland China lies an island with a storied history. Formerly known as Formosa and officially known as the Republic of China, Taiwan is an island mired in controversy but full of natural beauty and an attractive destination for those who love traveling Asia. Home to nearly 24-million people, Taiwan is one of the world’s most developed countries and yet the eastern two-thirds of it is highly mountainous. Strangely, this destination is not on many people’s travel radar. Today we’re going to get some Taiwan travel tips from author and travel writer, Joshua Samuel Brown about everything Taiwan has to offer.
Continue readingHere on Talk Travel Asia podcast, we explore a variety of destinations across Asia, including the things to do and see, where to eat and shop, and even where to stay. Sometimes these are up-and-coming places, often they are off-the-beaten-track, and once in a while well-trodden, but almost always they are worth a look and certainly deserving of conversation. And then there are the many other places that are sometimes discovered by accident, perhaps on a fourth visit, or because a friend in-the-know put us on to it. These hidden gems are often the most memorable. While risking putting some of our favorite hidden gems on travelers’ radar, we’re willing to take the risk.
Continue readingTalk Travel Asia Episode 112: Travel Hacks
Helping you travel more smoothly and happily is what this episode of Talk Travel Asia podcast is all about. Recently we did an episode called “Don’t do That!” to help travelers to Asia stay out of trouble while traveling the region. This episode is its companion, and we’re going to put a more positive spin on a similar topic by offering you some of our best Travel Hacks. So get ready for some winning tips which will make your journey even more enjoyable and incredible.
Continue readingOn this episode of Talk Travel Asia podcast we explore riding Asian trains. Train travel is one of the most in-touch and connected ways to travel. Many a novel has been written around such journeys and the romance therein. With the advent of air travel and the cost of doing so dropping, train travel has become not as economical as it once was. At the same time, many countries are upgrading their rail systems, and others still rely on decrepit ones, which can be part of the appeal and charm. On this episode we’ll chat with train travel expert, Mark Smith, also known as The Man in Seat 61, who maintains the world’s top website for train travel information.
Continue readingOn this episode of Talk Travel Asia Podcast we talk about things to avoid doing while traveling in Asia. When you travel, you want to fit in, have things go smoothly, have fun and not get into trouble. While 99% of the people you will meet on your trip want to help you and most of your ideas are probably good and well-intentioned, there are some things and people you should avoid to ensure a smooth trip. On this episode we’ll talk about a variety of things we think you should keep in mind and avoid doing to have the best journey possible.
Continue readingOn this episode of Talk Travel Asia Podcast we talk about Food Tours in Asia, specifically Food Tours in China and Cambodia. Food is one of the top reasons that people travel. Some people travel specifically to eat the cuisine of a particular destination, while others are just eager to try a new type of food while exploring an exotic land. We chat with Brian Bergey and Leanna Payne from Lost Plate Food Tours, about designing food tours and the different types of cuisine available in the destinations they serve.
On this episode of Talk Travel Asia Podcast, Scott and Trevor discuss how best to spend Three Nights in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Siem Reap is home to one of the world’s truly most magnificent sites, the temples of the Angkor era. Not just one temple, rather hundreds, you must see and experience them if you’re a true traveler of Asia. But in addition to the temples, the surrounding landscape is beautiful, the largest freshwater lake in SE Asia, the Tonle Sap is on its edge, there’s great hiking, mountain biking, fantastic hotels in all budgets, and an array of restaurants. So today we’re going to dive in and share how we like to spend 3 Nights in Siem Reap.