Groundbreaking Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
Thailand’s first ever Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, the biggest contemporary art event in the country’s history, is still ongoing until 3 February next year and has so far received overwhelmingly…
Cultural Taiwan: Top Five Unmissable Experiences
For a small island nation, cultural Taiwan has been punching well above its weight with the establishment of several world-class performance venues in only…
Space Travel: the Final Frontier in Tourism?
On the occasion of the Orionids Meteor Shower, a new interactive guide imagines all nine planets in our solar system as holiday resorts on your space travel…
Ethical Travel Dilemma: To Boycott or Not to Boycott
From Israel to Myanmar, and Uganda to the USA, the list of countries you could avoid due to ethical travel concerns seems endless. Johan Smits tackles the thorny issue of…
Thailand Travel Tips: Do’s and Don’ts
Having lived three years in the Thai border town of Mae Sot and visiting the kingdom more times than he can recall, Johan Smits shares his Thailand travel tips to…
Things to Do in Kuala Lumpur without the Twin Towers
Looking for things to do in Kuala Lumpur without the twin towers, Johan Smits spends 48 hours in Malaysia’s capital discovering its Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures…
Five-Day Northern Thailand Motorcycle Trip
In search of the legendary Route 1148 in northern Thailand on the back of a metal steed, Johan Smits encounters welcoming villagers, five-year-old coffee and a temple in the sky…
Thailand Motorcycle Rental Tips, Chiang Mai
Thailand motorcycle rental can be an exercise fraught with danger, and that’s before you even get on the road. However, there are massive pluses to be gained from getting off-road…
Almaty: the Coolest City in Central Asia
Johan Smits explores Kazakhstan’s former capital Almaty and discovers an overlooked city destination full of cafe culture and a respect for its former Soviet heritage waiting to be discovered by…
Pamir Highway, a Road Less Travelled
After travelling through the Wakhan Valley, Johan Smits reaches the famed Pamir Highway traversing Tajikistan’s GBAO to reach what feels like the top of the world. One of the two…
Kazakhstan Winter Fun: Shymbulak and Medeu
Escaping from thatched roof chocolate-box cottages, Johan Smits tries out the unassuming ski slopes of Shymbulak and ice rink of Medeu in Kazakhstan. The view from the 2,840-metre ski mid-station…
Trekking the Wakhan Valley, Tajikistan
Expecting nothing but the soaring mountains in the Pamir region of Tajikistan, Johan Smits gets far more than he bargained for when trekking the Wakhan Valley. “Some of these petroglyphs…
Sampling the Great Outdoors in Kyrgyzstan
Enjoying homemade cuisine inside a yurt, listening to old folk music and admiring the wonderful landscape of the great outdoors from the back of a horse, Johan Smits gets a…
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan: Back in the USSR
Johan Smits wanders through Bishkek where he encounters Bolshevik statues, a free election campaign and crafted ales. Before I set off to visit Kyrgyzstan’s quirky capital Bishkek, a former resident…
Oi amigo! Sprechen Sie English?
Johan Smits argues that learning the local lingo is invaluable if you truly wish to interact with local people and enjoy their culture when travelling…
Slowing Down in the Sanatorium
Looking for a break from Dushanbe, Johan Smits unwinds in a Tajik mountain sanatorium – Soviet style. If someone asked you to sit naked on a bottomless chair and have…
Beyond Ecotourism – Our Responsibility
Instead of blaming others for a lack of genuine ecotourism, we should take responsibility for making our own travel sustainable, eco-friendly and respectful of local cultures, argues Johan Smits. The…
Tajikistan Travel – Dushanbe Lost in Time
Johan Smits shares his fascination for an intriguing mix of old-world charm and bold new vision in Tajikistan’s curious capital, Dushanbe. The employee shoos us away with a mixture of…
Trekking in Tajikistan and the Fann Mountains
Our man in Central Asia, Johan Smits, travels to the Fann mountains to discover wonderful trekking in Tajikistan and even takes his parents along with him. Our hired minivan emerges safely…
