As expats who have lived in Asia for almost 25-years each, we recently got thinking about our proximity to famous, royal palaces. Scott is not so far from Bangkok’s Grand Palace and Trevor for many years lived very close to Cambodia’s Khemarin Palace. That got us thinking about other royal palaces we’ve been to throughout Asia, along with ones we have not yet visited. Then we wondered what constitutes a royal palace? We bumped into our friends Greg & Ed from the Bangkok Podcast, mentioned this to them, and realized we had a good episode on our hands, but it would be a heck of a lot more fun to chat about this as a foursome. So here we are, our second crossover episode together, where we’ll explore the royal palaces of Asia.
Continue readingIn 2020, longtime listener Kristina Tague packed up and set off for Asia with the intention to live in the region. In January 2023, she came on Ep. 163 to talk about how that decision was made, where she journeyed to, and why she settled in the city she did: Bangkok. Since being on the show, she’s traveled across Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, exploring largely by motorcycle, which she purchased in Laos. Today, Kristina returns to the show to share her adventures.
Continue readingIn the introduction, Trevor talks about how the idea for the show came about: We’ve done tons about Thailand but when we started thinking more deeply about our trips in the region, realized we’ve been lucky enough to go to a lot of places that tourists and travelers don’t know. So we decided there was a whole new level to what we’re doing and sharing and are now embarking on this Lesser-Known series, which started recently with Ep. 144: Lesser-known Japan with Mark Holguin. So, we’re going deep, contacting truly long-time residents, travelers, and experts to dive deeper into countries some of us already know well to find more spots to travel.
While we typically book our holidays based on the destination, it’s often the component experiences that really make or break a trip. Whether a half or full-day outing, day-trips within a longer trip, are the elements that make a vacation truly memorable. Still, making the most of your time can be challenging, so how do you ensure that you make your hours in-country count? Today, we’ll share some of our favorite, most rewarding, and memorable half and full-day experiences across the region that we’ve personally enjoyed to help you make the most of your time in Asia.
Continue readingLanguage screw-ups, weird taxi driver stories, and warning signs we wish we could tell our younger selves are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this special cross-over episode between Talk Travel Asia and Bangkok Podcast. Scott and Trevor have each spent the majority of the past 20 years living in Bangkok, as have our guests, Greg and Ed, whom they’ve known nearly as long as they’ve been living in Asia. Over the past two decades, the City of Angels has changed nearly as much as the four have, and, while three of the four are still experiencing it as a home, there’s an old expression that continues to summarize this expat life: the good, the bad, and the things that can only be explained by saying, TIT, “This is Thailand.”
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 podcast welcomes back Phillip Cornwel Smith to talk about his latest publication: Very Bangkok. There’s no doubt that Bangkok is one of the world’s most visited cities. Its sites are some of the most featured on Instagram, and almost everyone will come up with some mental pictures of the city, good and bad, the moment they hear the name. Founded in 1782 when the Chakri Dynasty established Bangkok as Thailand’s capital, it’s a vibrant, dynamic city that dazzles the senses at every turn. Some love it, others hate it, and all with good reason. Today we’ll explore the City of Angels well beyond the surface with longtime resident and author Philip Cornwel Smith, who will share insights from his book Very Bangkok.
Continue readingIf you travel, you almost always end up spending a reasonable amount of time in a hotel or lodging of some sort. Your room and property typically plays a key role in your experience, especially if it’s a special trip or one to a new part of the world you’ve been dreaming of for a long time. You’ve likely had a hotel experience that you still remember due to a few special touches and you’d go back in a flash if you were there again. And you’ve likely also stayed somewhere that was a bust and tainted your overall memories of a destination. On this episode we’ll go beyond the throw pillows and welcome drink to think about what makes a great hotel experience, with Jason Friedman, a longtime luxury hotelier specializing in Asia.
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Old and new looking towards Sathorn and Silom
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.
Episode 58: Asian Bar Game Olympics
A game cafe trend took off in Asia a few years back that included both board game cafes and beer pong tournaments, and it doesn’t seem to be dying down. Today, there are a wealth of opportunities to get your game on both in and out of bars across the region. In fact Scott and I recently organized and competed in the first Bangkok Bar Games Olympics. Today we are going to talk about a variety of places to play different games across Asia, everything from family fun to just get drunk.
Introduction: Trevor is in Kuala Lumpur visiting Scott for the recording of this episode, during which time they plan to do some cycling in Scott’s Bukit Kiara neighbourhood. The two discuss their different experiences biking in SE Asia as well as the great aspects of exploring the region by bicycle. Trevor enjoys how travel by bike allows you to mingle closely with local communities, while Scott talks about how it’s great to see the local sights. They bring in a cycling expert to share his expertise on what riders can expect from cycling in various countries across the greater region. From where the best areas are for climbing, road-riding trips, off-road adventures, and everything in between, we get to the bottom of what SE Asia has to offer riders.