By Stephen Bugno The highlight of many visitors trip to Borneo, and the reason for coming at all, is Gunung Mulu National Park. Mulu holds the largest cave chamber in the world, lush primary rainforest, […]
Jungle Trekking in Mulu National Park Read More »
If there were a capital city of Borneo, it’d be Kota Kinabalu. KK, as the city is known, is a great base for exploring Sabah, the northern of the two regions of Malaysian Borneo.
Photo from the Road: Kota Kinabalu Night Market Read More »
By Stephen Bugno Niah Caves aren’t the biggest in Malaysia, but they may be the most interesting. Don’t get me wrong, the caves are enormous, likely the biggest you’ll ever walk into (unless you go
Niah Caves National Park Read More »
By Stephen Bugno My first orangutan in the wild “You’re quite lucky,” our guide says from rear of the boat. “This is a good start.” It is a great start. Only five minutes into our
Wildlife on the Kinabatangan River Read More »
I spent a few days in Bangkok with Juno from RunawayJuno.com and we put together this photo-motion video over the course of a whole day. This is the first time I put one of these
A Day in Bangkok Time Lapse Video Read More »
Noel hesitantly agrees to take me to Brunei. He’s Malaysian and thinks it’s no more interesting than his own country, just more expensive. But he’s driving me the 160 km mostly to make me happy.
Road trip to Brunei Read More »
I’m ashamed to admit that before a few weeks ago I didn’t even know Penang existed. After having visited for only one afternoon, I can say it’s one of my favorite places I’ve been to,
Photo from the Road: Penang, Malaysia Walking Tour Read More »
By Stephen Bugno This morning I walked into Malaysia. It is a welcome change from Thailand. I thought I loved Thai food, but whoa, Malaysia is a food-lovers paradise. After I few more weeks I’ll
Crossing into Malaysia Read More »
By Stephen Bugno On the morning of the first day of Songkran I expected to be woken up by firecrackers. Supposedly it chases off the bad luck of the previous year. I was staying in
Getting Soaked at Songkran: the Thai New Year Read More »
Saving money on travel shots I just spend the first morning in Bangkok getting my necessary travel immunizations. Getting these shots here in Bangkok was a strategic move to save money—something I wish I could
My First Day in Bangkok (and where to get travel shots) Read More »
By Stephen Bugno Packing light is a refined art—I’ve been trying to perfect it for years. I’m almost there. The good news is the longer my trip , the less stuff I bring. On short
What I packed: 3 Months in Southeast Asia Read More »
By Stephen Bugno It was October 2005. I had arrived on foot in Leon, a city in northern Spain situated along the Camino de Santiago. One of the fellow Pilgrims who welcomed me that evening
Why I’m going to Borneo Read More »
Not only is it a good value destination, but Portugal a rich history, good food, and some of the friendliest people I’ve met in Europe Despite the Algarve’s reputation as an over-developed vacation spot for
Portugal: Alentejo and Algarve Beach Towns Read More »
If you’re a member of couchsurfing.org, you may already know how awesome it is. For those of you who are not, I just want to stress all the amazing experiences I have had because I’m
It’s not about the free couch Read More »
For the Love of Kimchi Sure the pay was decent, and the working conditions acceptable, but I have to admit, food was a major factor in my deciding to get take a short-term teaching contract
Crazy about Kimchi Read More »
Jeonju is a traditional city with a strong culture. It is also one of the best cities in South Korea to see preserved architecture in the form of historical monuments and houses. I took a
Photo from the Road: Jeonju Architecture Read More »
By Stephen Bugno Far outside the suburbs of Gwangju, in southwestern Korea, is the May 18th National Cemetery. Visiting is a moving experience—sad, beautiful, inspirational. In May of 1980 demonstrators of the democratic uprising were
The Independent Spirit of Gwangju Read More »
South Korea’s Jeju Island is known for having some of the best examples of lava tubes anywhere in the world. On nearly my last day in Jeju, after teaching English at a winter camp for
Photo from the Road: Jeju’s Lava Tubes Read More »
By Stephen Bugno “Don’t worry about Halla-san.” Says Jonghyun, referring to the massive volcano that dominates the center of the Jeju Island off the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula. “Instead focus on the 368
By Stephen Bugno As my South Korea Moon Handbook points out, Halla-San, or Halla Mountain, is the island of Jeju-do. It is South Korea’s highest peak and rises tall out of the center of the
Climbing Halla-san Read More »
On the morning of the Korean Lunar New Year, Eun Taek picks me up in his white Hyundai SUV. His parents are sitting in the back seat and we are on the way to his
My Korean Lunar New Year Read More »
By Stephen Bugno Korea’s Jeju Island is known for what it has and for what it lacks. It is called Samdado, meaning “Island of Three Abundances” due to its strong wind, sufficient supply of rocks,
No Beggars, No Thieves Read More »
Buckchon-ri, Jeju Island, South Korea I wanted to give everyone an idea of what a small village is like on Jeju Island. This is where the English Camp I’m working at is located. Everyday at
Photos from a Korean Village Read More »
What I actually found when I arrived The representatives from camp never came to the Jeju airport to pick me up. In the waiting room of the small airport, I sat for an hour
English Camp in Korea: What it’s like Read More »
