For many people, travel is something they look forward to all year. It occupies daydreams, shapes savings plans and hopefully exceeds expectations when in the destination. But with a globally growing middle class, visa requirements easing-up and 
the cost of air travel dropping, more people than ever are hitting the road. And often, too many of us at the same time in the same place. This can not only lead to trips sometimes not living up to expectations, but the destinations themselves and people that live there becoming forever changed, often not for the better. On this episode we’ll explore the issue of Overtourism and talk with an expert about the future of travel.
Travel, as we say in our intro, is one of life’s great pleasures. But with visiting other countries comes waste we generate and impact as guests. As more and more people have the means to travel, the stress on communities and countries is growing. If destinations are to remain pristine, beautiful and worth visiting, travelers and those working in tourism are going to have to make some adjustments to preserve the places we love. On this episode we’ll chat about practical travel issues and ways you as a traveler can reduce your footprint and impact.
Cameron hard at work; courtesy Matthew Dakin
Laos is one of Southeast Asia’s sleepiest countries. Home to 6.5-million people and landlocked, it’s a place of mystery for many travelers and unknown to much of the world. Once a French colony, also ruled by a royal family, then taken over by communist forces in 1975, it’s one of the region’s most friendly and unique destinations. Its number-one tourist destination by far is Luang Prabang, a charming town of 56,000, situated on the banks of the Nam Khan and Mekong Rivers. A former royal capital, its been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995 and exudes laid-back cool. On this episode we’ll share our impressions and favorite things to do over a three-night visit.
Happy New Year! It’s 2018: time to start dreaming of new things in travel. On this episode of Talk Travel Asia podcast we’re going to look back at 2017, reflecting on the places we traveled to—what we liked, what could have been better—then focus on 2018. We’ll discuss top destinations we hope to visit, travel people we want to meet, episodes we hope to produce, things we want to learn, and a few other travel nuggets here and there. Join us on this first episode of Talk Travel Asia for 2018 and get dreaming of your next trip in the region. Continue reading
On episode 72 of Talk Travel Asia podcast, Northern Myanmar with Nick Ray, Scott and Trevor talk with Lonely Planet author Nick Ray about his recent explorations of the northern regions of Myanmar for a new version of the Lonely Planet Myanmar guidebook.
On this episode of Talk Travel Asia it’s Famous Thai Film Locations. Producer Chris Lowenstein shares his experience working for decades on films shot in Thailand, including The Hangover II, about which Chris shares his opinion on Bill Clinton’s infamously redacted cameo!
Yangon, formerly Rangoon, the capital of Myanmar, formerly Burma, is an exotic sounding name. In the early 1900s, it was one of the most developed and sophisticated cities in Southeast Asia. The elite sent their children there for school, commerce was booming, British, Indians, Burmese, and people from around the world mixed and mingled. And then things changed. In 1948 Burma got independence from the British. Then in 1962 the military took power for almost 50 years, finally loosening their grip in 2011.
The lifts are old, the mountains cold, but the hospitality and Instagram-worthy moments are off the charts. Iran is likely one of the last places on Earth most people think of taking a holiday, especially a skiing holiday. When Bush Jr. was president it became known as part of the Axis of Evil, and nowadays people are taught through TV news that Iran is a growing threat to stability in the middle east. But those who have met people from Iran realize the country is largely misunderstood and today we have two guests on the show, Americans John Fiddler and Kathleen Egan, who tell us exactly how misunderstood most of us are, based on their experience traveling and skiing in Iran.
Culture shock is certainly something that occurs when traveling abroad. Here in Asia there are many curious customs and holidays that are so different what we experience at home. We actually did an episode on Interesting Asian Holidays (Episode 62). On this episode we talk about some wild and wacky experiences and attractions in Asia, some of which we have experienced and some of which we have not…yet. Continue reading
Scott and Trevor have a beer and a chat with John Pemberton the founder of Heart of Darkness Brewery in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to talk about his beers, the beer scene in Vietnam, and how the brewing scene is developing across Southeast Asia.
First off, this is not a podcast about attractions and activities your dog or cat could enjoy while he or she is on holiday in Asia. While that would be fun, this is about how you can experience animals as a tourist in Asia. Some are good, some are bad, but all can be contentious as animal rights are something we care passionately about but are not always taken as seriously in Asia as they are in certain countries with more strict enforcement.