TRAVEL

Borneo is the third-largest island in the world, after Greenland and New Guinea, and its territory is divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and the small Sultanate of Brunei. The Indonesian part, known as Kalimantan, covers most of the island, while the Malaysian part includes the states of Sarawak and Sabah. Its history has always been linked…

Penang is an island in northern Malaysia, connected to the mainland by two bridges. Its capital, George Town, is famous for its UNESCO-listed historic centre, colonial architecture, temples, street art and, above all, street food. Beyond the city, the island offers forests, beaches and Penang Hill, with beautiful views over the island and the mainland….

Ipoh and the Cameron Highlands are two of the most interesting destinations in Peninsular Malaysia and, thanks to the connections between them, they can easily be included in the same itinerary. Ipoh is known for its colonial architecture, local food and unusual temples built inside limestone caves. A few hours away, the Cameron Highlands offer…

Malacca, or Melaka, is a historic city on the Strait of Malacca, roughly halfway between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. For centuries it was an important trading port, and traces of the different cultures and colonial powers that passed through the city can still be seen today. Its historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage…

Kuala Lumpur, often simply called KL, is the capital of Malaysia and a modern, multicultural city. Malay, Chinese and Indian communities live side by side here, a mix reflected in the food, neighbourhoods, temples and architecture. With its skyscrapers, markets, mosques and temples, Kuala Lumpur is often the starting point for a trip around Peninsular…

Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country divided between the Malay Peninsula and Borneo. Planning an independent trip to Malaysia means moving from modern, multicultural Kuala Lumpur to tropical beaches, tea plantations and the wildlife-rich jungles of Borneo. The climate is hot and humid almost all year round and, of all the Southeast Asian countries we…

Guilin is a city in southern China, in the Guangxi region, famous for the distinctive karst hills rising along the Li River. This landscape, so different from the rest of our itinerary, was exactly why we wanted to include Guilin in our trip. We had very high expectations for this area, but of course you…

Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, is best known as the city of giant pandas and for its cuisine, one of the most famous and spiciest in China. Unfortunately, we had limited time and only managed to spend half a day in the city, in addition to visiting the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda…

Xi’an is one of the most important cities in Chinese history. With more than 3,000 years of history and a past closely linked to the ancient Silk Road, today it is best known for the famous Terracotta Army. We really liked Xi’an, but unfortunately our time was limited and we only managed to spend one…

Our trip to China began in Beijing, the country’s capital and the city where we spent the most time. Huge, chaotic and full of history, it was our first real introduction to China and to all those everyday details that had seemed far more complicated before we arrived. From the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square…