Over one thousand years ago, an ancient king established Angkor as the capital city of the Khmer Empire. The city would grow to be the largest in the pre-industrial world, home to about one million and covering an area the size of Los Angeles. Today, the ruins lay hidden in the forest near Siem Reap, Cambodia. Temples straight out of adventure novels are in various states of ruin, which often adds to the aesthetic; tree roots envelop entire temple walls, proving that nature always wins out over time. This was our first stop in Southeast Asia that was on everyone’s bucket list, however we (mostly) managed to avoid the hordes of tourists and find peace and beauty while exploring the temples.
We Love Hoi An!
Of all the places we have visited in Vietnam, Hoi An has felt the most like home. The town has everything you want: picturesque landscape for biking, nice beaches, historic walk streets lit only by silk lanterns, and the best banh mi. Quite a few expats have settled here, and we can see why.
Boating and Biking in Tam Coc
Tam Coc is a quaint village near the city of Ninh Binh, 2.5 hours by bus from Hanoi. Famous for its newly classified UNESCO landscape it is certainly growing as a destination for both domestic and international tourists in Vietnam. Like in Ha Long bay, limestone towers fly out of an otherwise flat landscape, and slow rivers flow between the tiny mountains.
Japan Part 1 – Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nara
After a long journey taking us through Dubai, we arrived in Tokyo. The sprawling metropolis swallowed us whole as we stepped into the neon craziness of Shinjuku and walked to our hotel. In the following 10 days, we explored Tokyo, and then Kyoto, and Nara with Dan and Jake who were visiting from LA.
Greece: The halfway point
Our first few hours in Greece were eventful! Not only did we see a bear cross the road, but we also admired the super deep Vikos gorge from the town above! Despite the rain that followed us from the Balkans, our journey to Athens was beautiful.
The Croatian adventure, continued!
After getting our fill at Paklenica, we continued our track south along the Adriatic. Along the way, we got spectacular lightning storms, more magical waterfalls, an ancient city, an impromptu rafting trip, and quality rock climbing!
Paklenica
Our first climbing destination in Croatia was Paklenica National Park, which initially felt like climbing in a gym! We walked 5 minutes from the van, and were climbing a wall between the park restrooms and cafe. While not the adventurous experience we were expecting, it was the perfect setting to meet other climbers and warm up.
Ancient cities and waterfalls
On our way south, we travelled through the cities of Rovinj and Pula before carving our way inland to explore Plitvice lakes (PlitviÄka jezera) national park. Our road trip was filled with history lessons and beautiful waterfalls, an excellent introduction to Croatia.
The Italian Traverse
Our journey across Italy took only three days, but we squished in as much sightseeing and adventure as we could!