Pearl of the Adriatic
"Pearl of the Adriatic," Dubrovnik sits in southern Dalmatia along the Adriatic Sea and is known for its unique Old Town, enclosed with massive stone walls from the 16th century and packed full of delicious seafood restaurants and charming boutiques.
Nuwara Eliya’s City of Light
Once a retreat for the British elite and colonial planters of the country’s tea industry, Nuwara Eliya lies in the misty hills of central Sri Lanka with the nickname, “City of Light.” The town has a temperate, chilly climate and is littered with colonial style bungalows and tea plantations.
Travel Do’s & Don’ts
Even after a decade of solo travel to more than 50 countries around the world, I'm often reminded that most others aren't as adventurous as myself. Still, it only takes following a few tips to create a seamless and safe holiday trip.
Charming Temples, Gardens & Geisha of Kyoto
Coined the "City of a Thousand Temples," Kyoto oozes old world charm, steeped in centuries of spiritual tradition. It's also the perfect jumping off point for areas like Japan’s Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Nara Park.
Candy Colored Colonial City of Antigua
Founded in the early 16th century, Antigua is a small town in Guatemala surrounded by massive volcanoes and famed for its candy colored Spanish colonial buildings.
Fes El Bali’s Walled Medina, Medieval Architecture & Old World Charm
Fes is referred to as Morocco’s cultural capital, known mostly for its walled medina, Fes El Bali. The walled city is a never ending maze of distinctive architecture, inspiring culture and beautiful handicrafts like Moroccan rugs, antiques and textiles, alongside historical museums, traditional hammams and leather tanneries.
East Meets West: One City, Two Continents
Formerly Constantinople, Istanbul straddles both Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait and is the largest city and main seaport in Turkey. Delight in all things spices, traditional meze, Turkish baths and towering mosques.
Viejo San Juan
Established in 1521 by the Spanish, Old San Juan is the oldest city in the United States and its territories. There you'll find colonial architecture, impressive fortifications, cobblestone streets, open plazas, and hidden patios. Nearby, el Yunque National Forest is the sole tropical rain forest in the U.S.
Kandy’s Giant Buddha, Botanical Gardens & Fire Dancing
A large city in central Sri Lanka, Kandy is set on a plateau surrounded by mountains home to tea plantations and biodiverse rainforests. The city is famed for sacred Buddhist sites like the Temple of the Tooth's and its heart is the scenic Kandy Lake.
Mountain Worship Deep in the Forests of Nikkō
Located in the lush mountains north of Tokyo, Nikkō has long been celebrated as for its Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship. Toshogu Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Nikkō National Park are highlights worth exploring.
Elephant Safari at Minneriya National Park
A small town in Sri Lanka, Minneriya is famous for two things — the great Minneriya Lake and Minneriya National Park. Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1938, the park is an incredible location for safari lovers and known for its abundance of roaming elephants.
Mogote Hills of Viñales Valley
Viñales a small town west of Havana with green rolling hills planted with fruit, vegetables, coffee and tobacco. It’s known for steep limestone hills called mogotes which dot the landscape and gardens full of palms and orchids.
Ancient City of Polonnaruwa
Traveling from Sigiriya, the ancient city of Polonnaruwa can be reached in no time. Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka and first established as a military post by the Sinhalese kingdom. Today, it's a remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of sacred temples, stupas and other religious monuments.
Teotihuacán’s Pyramid of the Sun
A short drive from Mexico City, Teotihuacán is known for its architecturally significant pyramids, including the Pyramid of the Sun and the Moon, which can be seen from heights above in hot air balloons during sunrise. The area is also famous for its well-preserved murals and fine obsidian tools.
Tokyo: Largest Metropolitan in the World
Tokyo is the largest metropolitan in the world and a wildly alive city. The mecca for all things anime and gaming, gourmet food and shopping, modern theater and opera, traditional kabuki and noh theater, modern skyscrapers and traditional Japanese wooden buildings, Tokyo has it all.
Sigiriya’s Eighth Wonder of the World (So They Say)
Dambulla is located in central Sri Lanka and the closest town to the Ancient City of Sigiriya. It's known for Sigiriya Rock Fortress and the largest and best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, Dambulla Cave Temple, both of which visitors climb.
Japan Rules
Though I'd already lived in Asia, some of Japan's rules were simply lost on me. And as predicted, it was a tough country to explore on my own. Tricky transportation, swarming tourists and wild weather were a challenge to navigate.
Elephant Watching in Pinnawala
Pinnawala is a village near Sri Lanka's capital city of Colombo. The small village is special because of its elephant orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for wild Asian elephants. Pop over for a night and grab a room overlooking the elephant's watering hole.
Chasing Waterfalls in Cienfuegos
Located on Bahía de Cienfuegos, a bay on Cuba’s southern coast, Cienfuegos is a peaceful town oozing charm. Known for colorful colonial-era buildings, the town is a chief seaport for sugarcane, coffee and tobacco.
Machu Picchu: A Dream Come True
At almost 8,000 feet above sea level, Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel high in the Andes Mountains in Peru. Set above the Urubamba River valley, the site was built in the 15th century and later abandoned. Even today, it carries an air of mystery with its exact purpose still debated.