Sitting 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 a territory/country 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 pe...
Mar 01, 2021•44 min
Well, 2020 sure wasn’t a great year for international travel and 2021 looks like it likely won’t be much better. We’ve generally avoided talking about COVID on Talk Travel Asia, but we’re not going to let it stop us entirely from traveling, and aim to look at the bright side of things as much as possible. On this episode we’ll share where we hope to visit regionally if international travel doesn’t open up and a few spots outside of the countries we’re currently living in should borders open this...
Feb 14, 2021•30 min
Mount Kailash, located in western Tibet, is considered to be sacred by Hindus, Bons, Buddhists, and Jains. It towers at 6,638m, and for Buddhists, represents Mount Meru, is central to its cosmology, and a major pilgrimage site for worshippers. One of those traditions involves trekking around its base, clockwise for Buddhists and Hindus, along its 52km path, seeking good luck and fortune along the way. The trip passes through remote lands, over a 5,500m pass and typically takes about four-days. T...
Feb 01, 2021•41 min
Here on Talk Travel Asia, we explore a ton of locations but we also discuss many things to do when you visit them. They are often off-the-beaten-track, sometimes well known, once in a while well-trodden, but almost always worth a look and certainly a conversation. But 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 you on to it. These hidden gems are often the ones you enjoy and remember the most. Whil...
Jan 15, 2021•39 min
Few modes of transport are as exotic, effective, fun and well known as the Asian tuk-tuk. They go by other names such as auto rickshaw in India or ramork in Cambodia, but they all have the same purpose: to move people quickly and cheaply, with a wee bit of style thrown in. On this episode we talk about the role tuk-tuks play in local life, travelers’ journeys and as a holiday experience in themselves, which our guest, Julian Carnall, has experience doing.
Jan 01, 2021•37 min
Welcome travel lovers. On this episode of Talk Travel Asia podcast we’re getting seriously tropical with Favorite Beaches in SE Asia. We’ve done other episodes about beaches, including Episode 11 - Asia’s Somewhat Secret Beaches, but this time we’re going to touch on some of our favorites we’ve been to in the region. Many listeners in the west are going into winter and no doubt getting cabin fever so we thought this would provide a nice tropical escape. Scott and Trevor chat about how they selec...
Dec 14, 2020•34 min
On this episode of Talk Travel Asia, we’re going way off the beaten path. We chat with former Bike Magazine Editor in Chief, journalist, explorer, and all around adventurer Brice Minnigh, about his mountain biking expeditions in Asia, including a recent film he made, The Kora, where he and some friends spent 10-days circumnavigating Himalayan peaks in Sichuan province, China. So put on your biking kit, strap on your helmet and headphones, and get ready for an exciting ride ahead!
Nov 30, 2020•41 min
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.
Nov 14, 2020•50 min
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 lon...
Nov 01, 2020•41 min
If 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 tain...
Oct 15, 2020•39 min
Scott and Trevor recount their adventure to the remote temple of Preah Khan Kompong Svay in Central Cambodia, which they visited in September 2018 by motorcycle. Remote, out-there, far-flung. All these words perfectly describe this temple complex. While located just 100 km east of Angkor Wat, it’s a lot further away from civilization than that. Located in Preah Vihear province, it is the largest single religious complex ever built during the Angkor Era. Constructed during the 11th century, it’s ...
Oct 01, 2020•31 min
On this episode of Talk Travel Asia podcast we explore traveling by train in Asia. 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 char...
Sep 15, 2020•32 min
On 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 av...
Sep 01, 2020•42 min
Not long ago mountain biking was simply a minority offshoot of cycling, a sport only a few pursued on mostly quiet, cross-country trails. But over the last two decades it’s gone mainstream and now has many disciplines of its own. And as the sport has grown more popular, it’s also gotten more extreme for some, particularly our guest, Darren Berrecloth. A freerider, he’s ridden all over the world, and in 2019 filmed a mountain biking movie, Chasing the Yeti, in Bhutan. He’ll share that experience ...
Aug 15, 2020•34 min
Wondering where we would travel in Asia if we had free time to explore? On this episode of Talk Travel Asia podcast we talk about our Dream Travel Destinations - Volume 3! The world is a big place, but air travel, open borders, and easier visa requirements have made it easier for travelers, in effect making the world a much smaller place. Back in December 2014 we shared some of the places in Asia we’d like to visit on ‘Dream Travel Destinations 1’ and then in June 2016 we followed up with ‘Dream...
Aug 01, 2020•30 min
On 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 destinat...
Jul 15, 2020•36 min
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, moun...
Jul 01, 2020•47 min
Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River and featuring India's oldest operating port, Kolkata lies approximately 80 kilometres west of the Bangladeshi border. Nicknamed the 'City of Joy', Kolkata is the principal commercial, cultural, and educational centre of East India and is considered the "cultural capital" of India. As six Nobel Laureates have been associated with the city it is no surprise that our guest today finds it a great place to inspire his writing.
Jun 14, 2020•48 min
Talk Travel Asia podcast Season Three begins with guest Ric Gazarian and his quest to visit every country on Earth. On this episode we talk about travel to Afghanistan, a new destination for the podcast! Few nations in the modern era have as tortued a history as Afghanistan’s. It’s been in conflict for most of the last century and is still firmly unstable. Hippy caravan travelers passed through the country in the 1970s while making their way from Europe to Kathmandu, but today it’s pretty much o...
Jun 01, 2020•36 min
Get ready for Season 3, starting June 1, 2020!
May 15, 2020•9 min
Wow - 100 episodes! When we started this podcast, with our first episode on June 11, 2014, we didn’t envision hitting 100 episodes nearly 5 years later. Asia’s been home to us for 37-collective years, we’ve had a ton of incredible experiences, from jobs to travel and even marriage. Join us as we celebrate hitting the big 1-0-0 by sharing 100 Things We Love About Asia.
May 15, 2019•59 min
Many countries in SE Asia have a sordid and fabled reputation. From movies about mercenaries trying to free POWs in the jungles of Vietnam to novels of colonialism and forbidden love, the region has served as a backdrop for more than a few of the world’s great tales and legends. Some true, others not so much. On this episode we’ll chat with American journalist, radio broadcaster, and documentarian, Patrick Winn about his life covering truly wild sides of life in one of the world’s most colorful ...
May 01, 2019•38 min
China has the world’s largest population, is the fourth largest in terms of physical size, and as a result has an incredibly wide variety of environments to explore. On this episode of Talk Travel Asia podcast we’ll dive into traveling China, a country we haven’t covered very much on our podcast, focusing on the northwestern region of Xinjiang. An American living in the region, who has written a travel book and hosts a YouTube show about the area’s exotic offering, will give us a unique insider’...
Apr 01, 2019•33 min
Almost everyone takes photos when they travel - especially to Asian countries, which tend to be very colorful, vibrant, exotic and smiling faces abound. With most people now having a high-quality camera in their pocket, photo-sharing sites like Instagram being popular, and social media everywhere, it seems everyone’s a photographer. On this episode of Talk Travel Asia we’ll chat with professional photographer Justin Mott about his work, some practical shooting tips and more. Dust-off your lens a...
Mar 15, 2019•39 min
Staying fit is not only good for your health, but a great way to enjoy holiday time. When we travel, we often find ourselves looking for a way to keep active and also see things in a different way. On this episode we’ll chat about the active pursuits we enjoy while traveling and share some of our favorites to help you work up a sweat while exploring and having fun on your next visit to Asia!
Mar 01, 2019•31 min
Hotels can sometimes make or break a holiday. Luckily SE Asia has properties for every style and budget. From backpacker haunts to ultra-LUX palaces, SE Asia’s hotel scene is one of the world’s most dynamic and affordable. The hotel scene here has changed a ton during our two decades living and working in the region, and we think, for the better. On this episode we’ll chat with Cambodia-based hotelier Alexis de Suremain about the industry, how it’s evolved and some of the unique properties he ru...
Feb 15, 2019•32 min
Bangkok is consistently rated one of the world’s most popular cities for travelers and has long been a mainstay on the SE Asian travel circuit. Vibrant traditional old communities bump up against gleaming new skyscrapers, the street-food dazzles, Michelin-starred restaurants abound, and the infamous Red Bull tank-tops are for sale street-side. Bangkok’s got a lot to experience and then some. On this episode of Talk Travel Asia we’ll chat about how the City of Angels has changed over our nearly 2...
Feb 01, 2019•43 min
On this episode of Talk Travel Asia Podcast, we chat with Paul Eshoo about the exotic Irrawaddy Dolphins: which live in rivers across Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, where today’s guest works with the Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Project.
Jan 15, 2019•25 min
Wrapping up 2018, Scott and Trevor look back at travel trends in Asia, their favorite episodes of Talk Travel Asia from 2018, and some of the trips they took across the region. Then they look forward to 2019, discuss episodes they would like to air in the coming year and make some New Year's travel resolutions.
Jan 01, 2019•33 min
This week's episode of Talk Travel Asia podcast is about Rock Climbing in Asia with Jojo Yee. Sometimes when we go on holiday we like to participate in an activity we enjoy doing at home. Sometimes that’s even the entire point of traveling to a certain place such as a liveaboard scuba trip in the Philippines or a skiing trip to Japan. We’ve done a few episodes on sports-travel in Asia over the years: kayaking along the west coast of Thailand, hiking and mountain biking in Hong Kong, trekking and...
Dec 02, 2018•33 min
