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Home / WanderTales / Asia

Asia

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Vegetarian in Vietnam

No meat, no soup? One vegetarian tries to find her way through Vietnamese cuisine.

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Bloodletting at Dakshinkali

My guide asked me if I’d be interested in attending a sacred Hindu ceremony in Pharping, a town about an hour’s ride from Kathmandu, Nepal.

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In Praise of Pickled Cabbage

To Koreans kimchi is more than just cuisine. It is a source of national pride, an identifying symbol, an all-healing health food.

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Waiting for Moss

Surrounded by monks, one carrying a large stick to whack anyone who moved, I had no choice but to accept it and sit still.

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Wrapped Up in Bows

A non-spiritual traveler ventures to Gyeongju, a southeastern province in Korea that hosts Golgulsa, a Zen Buddhist temple.

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Leeches and M&Ms

Tripping and sliding through the West Papuan jungle for five hours was not my idea of a good time.

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Of Bowing and Batons

Hoping to de-stress and detox, a woman signs up for 24 hours at a Korean Buddhist temple.

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The Love Person

The seasons of a relationship serve as a constant touchstone for connection during one person's travels in Vietnam.

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Fish Tale

A father and daughter shop for fish at a market, or pasar, in Sentani, West Papua.

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The Art of a Foodgasm

Gabijim, kimchi and makgeolli: a special foodie kind of threesome.

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Riding the Rails with Mother Theresa

Taking a train ride in Myanmar in coach instead of first class where most of the foreigners ride.

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Kaili Crack Buns

If you see a line in front of a bakery, chances are there's something great within.

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Recognizing Grace

A Fulbright teacher finds grace in Hai Duong City, Vietnam.

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Love in Yellow and White

Sitting the next morning across from our adoption specialist, my heart knew first what my trembling hands still waited to grasp.

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Lost in the Himalayas

I learned about my own humanness over those few days, how much I wanted to live, and how far I could push myself to live.

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Expect the Unexpected

It's not every day you stumble upon an annual Torch Festival.

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Meditating on the Terrifying

A tough meditation session reveals a clearer mindset and revelations.

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Ticket to Nowhere

The idea of a sail round the harbor was to escape the oppressive heat of Guangzhou, but which boat was it?

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The Mission

Continuing through the market, our eyes widened — here was food we’d never seen before.

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The Holy Mountain

The mountain is Sri Pada, also known as Adam’s Peak, is the only mountain in the world to be venerated by four major world religions.

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Sticky Rice – Alms in Luang Prabang, Laos

Travelers witness the traditional ceremony of giving alms to the monks, which begins at dawn.

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Naked

I can honestly say that not once in my life did I imagine I would someday conduct a parent-teacher conference in the buff.

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My Plans Have Changed Drastically

Sometimes unexpected twists and turns are best, like an invitation to visit a local in a small village in Vietnam.

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Fuji in a Trash Bag

A trek up Mt. Fuji doesn't end as expected.

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Chasing Shadows

Our expedition was a snow leopard conservation project to scout for signs that all was well in the snow leopard’s realm.

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Anup’s World: The Haunting Truth of a Twelve-Year-Old Boy

I followed 12-year-old Anup through the streets of Kathmandu, into a tangle of broken down, dilapidated apartment buildings.

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Taking Shots in China

Food and drink are perhaps the oldest and best way to connect with others.

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Survival Tastes Like A Bowl of White Rice

Without this staple, we all would have starved. Rice was breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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Running on the Roof of the World

There is literally nothing like running in the shadow of the world's largest mountain.

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Reborn in Rain

An English teacher in rural Northwest Japan seeks peace after an earthquake and a relationship shift.

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My Only Prayer

A steady stream of seekers continued around the monastery’s perimeter along Pilgrim’s Way, turning prayer wheel after prayer wheel.

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Half-Baked Decisions

Half way between two countries going after a lost passport. Half way between two relationships as well.

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Hair of the Dog/Bile of the Snake

Nothing could prepare us for the drinking adventure that began when the bar owner pulled out a live, 8-foot-long cobra used to make wine.

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Caught in the moment at a Taiwanese monastery

A weekend spent at Fo Guang Shan, a 55-acre Buddhist monastery in a bamboo forest at the base of a Taiwanese mountain range.

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A Place Less Foreign

Christmas in another country can show a lot about a local culture.

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Krang Yaw

We were visiting the only primary school for miles, and looking forward to working with the kids, ranging in age from 6 to 8 years old.

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James Bond Island

Phang-Nga Bay in Thailand is a virtual paradise.

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Trekking in Laos

I was hoping to meet some like-minded tourists on my foray into the Laos countryside, but I am the only one who has signed up for the trek.

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Another Tet Offensive

I was thinking about doing something to mark the new year, as well, something that would take a little bit of courage.

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All Bound Up

Yukatas and kimonos are not the same, but they are perhaps equally confusing for a first-time wearer.

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Trafficking Innocence

I choked on my chicken curry when Boupha told me she was 12. She looked six.

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Behind the Scene in Bali

One traveler seeks the spiritual in Bali.

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Confrontation at Xegar Checkpoint

“He wants your passports,” translated our Tibetan guide. We jumped to attention and, with misgivings, handed over the documents.

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Beep Beep! in Vietnam

Driving in Vietnam is an adventure in its own right, whether you're in a car, a bike or on a scooter.

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Lingering Garden

Suzhou, China is known throughout the world for its exquisite private gardens, including Liuyaun or Lingering Garden.

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South Kalimantan: The Land of a Thousand Rivers

Travels through South Kalimantan reveal a worldview that was instinctive and centered around nature and the river.

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Meditating in Southern Thailand

Ten days is the minimum amount of time to devote to learning the basics of what for some is a lifelong effort.

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Ten Things to try in Kuching, Sarawak

Here are 10 things you ought to try when you're in Kuching, Sarawak.

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The Ride Home from Phan Thiet

Watch out for the scooters. Everyone uses their horns. A herd of cows slowly crosses the road followed by three small women swatting them.

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Stinky Rotten Fish Sauce

My dislike of the touristy and love of the obscure found me seeking solitude on Phu Quoc island.

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Mojitos in Tokyo

Mojitos and a salsa club in Roppongi, Tokyo's racy bar district.

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Travel Somewhere

Come on, girl: Think. What have you always wanted to do and never done?

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Korean Grave Etiquette

An English teacher gets an invite to visit a student's grandparents' grave in South Korea.

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Saved in Suwon

A hospital stay and a cultural experience cross in South Korea.

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Circling the Mongolian Steppe

Mongolia holds none of the usual mental expectations of an adventure travel destination.

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Peach Cigarettes in Tokyo

The first time I smoked a peach cigarette, I was wearing a dinosaur suit and sitting on my friend’s balcony in a Tokyo suburb.

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Among the Hmong: Sa Pa, Vietnam

A connection with a Hmong woman in a market turns into friendship.

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Elephant Driving 101

Shivering in the dawn, we slurp instant coffee from bamboo cups and wait for the elephants.

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Flunking Buddhism

A traveler from Seattle ventures up a mountain in southwest China to experience Tibetan Buddhism in its motherland.

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Ibu Tina

Like most Indonesian women, Ibu Tina is not given to crying or complaining about her lot in life.

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The Wake

After being in the Philippines for only a few days, a woman sets out for a distant barrio to attend the wake of someone who has died.

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Tsunami

In Thailand, a traveler comes face-to-face with death - and the meaninglessness of "identity."

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Experience Indonesia By Soul Not Just Sight

A left-brained and a right-brained traveler share a love for Indonesia and experience the beauty and the bounty of Bali.

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Coming Home To Can Tho

What makes Can Tho in the Mekong Delta so special is not the pagodas or historical landmarks. It’s the people.

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Not Just Yet

We have been sucked into the backward world of Ban Cho Pla, a quaint village where time stands still.

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Looking for Black Gibbons

One woman hopes to spot a black gibbon, but instead has an adventure in jungle sounds.

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Tibetan Truths

A journalist ponders the truth behind whether the Tibetans were the oppressed and the Chinese were the oppressors.

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About Beth

About Beth I wear many hats as the founder of Wanderlust and Lipstick and WanderTours. I lead small group adventures to off-the-beaten-path destinations, am the author of the Wanderlust and Lipstick guides for women travelers and the publisher of this website. Read More…

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