Some people travel to relax, unwind, and forget about the trials and tribulations of everyday life; some travel to expand their knowledge of the world; and others travel to make a contribution to the destination, or at least maximize the positive impact of travel while minimizing the negative impacts on local cultures, the environment, and economy. We’ve touched on the topic of responsible tourism a number of times on the show; but today we’ll talk about Environmental Educational Tourism and the impact tourism and tourism revenue has on the local people, their environment, and the regional economy, particularly in Khao Sok, Thailand, where our guests, Marius Herman and Mike Horrocks are working to turn tourism into a beneficial experience for everyone involved.

Some people are drawn to the macabre. Others make a life of it. Such fascinations cross cultures but they’re rarely the same in any given destination. There’s a long history of various religions and spiritual beliefs across Asia, along with many cultures believing in ghosts and spirits, which can lend themselves to some spooky sites that tourists sometimes seek out. On this episode we’re going to share some of the region’s scary and out-there spots you can visit. Turn on the lights as this one’s bound to give you the heebie-jeebies.

In 2020, longtime listener Kristina Tague packed up and set off for Asia with the intention to live in the region. In January 2023, she came on Ep. 163 to talk about how that decision was made, where she journeyed to, and why she settled in the city she did: Bangkok. Since being on the show, she’s traveled across Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, exploring largely by motorcycle, which she purchased in Laos. Today, Kristina returns to the show to share her adventures.

One of the best features of traveling in Asia is the broad variety of transport options that exist. From private cars, to motorbikes, planes, trains, and of course buses – Asia is one of the easiest continents to get around. Buses play an integral role in most journeys, from getting to and from an airport, sightseeing within a city, or moving between cities and provinces, buses can be one of your fastest and most affordable options. On this episode, we’ll cultivate our many, many years traveling Asia by bus, share some memorable stories, tips, and hopefully help to ensure you use buses to their fullest on your next journey to the region.

Experiencing wildlife in Asia is one of the world's great natural adventures. Few countries can compete with Indonesia for its diversity of terrain, flora, and fauna that thrive on soaring volcanoes, sandy beaches, humid jungles, and everything in between. Today we’re going to chat with travel journalist and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Mark Eveleigh, about what Indonesia has to offer those in search of wildlife and how to best approach this sort of trip.

Movies can do that magical thing of transporting us to another part of the world. As children, movies shape our opinion of a far-away destination, its people, geography, customs and food. As adults, movies often inspire us, whetting our appetite to travel somewhere or perhaps scaring us off that destination entirely. As we did several episodes earlier, discussing books about Asia that influenced our impressions of the region, on this episode we’ll chat about some noteworthy and most memorable movies about Asia or set in Asia. Get your popcorn ready!

What inspires people to pick up and move to the other side of the world? How many modern-day adventurers travel to a foreign destination with the intention to stay and try to establish a life there? This week’s guest did just that. In 2020, longtime listener Kristina Tague packed up and set off for Asia with the intention to live in the region. Today we’ll learn how that decision was made, where she journeyed to, and why she settled in the city she did.

Travel is one of life’s great eye-openers, teaching us about other cultures and many often unexpected things about ourselves. Some of us are fortunate enough to travel often as children, providing us with this insight at an early age. Other’s worry that, once a baby is on the way, that’s the end of their ability to travel often and enjoy themselves. As neither of your Talk Travel Asia co-hosts have children of their own, we’ve invited an expert to share her years on the road, traveling with children in Asia.

As we discussed in early 2022 in Episode #147: Most Memorable Hotel Experiences, Hotels can make or break a trip. Sometimes they bring you closer to a destination, sometimes they elevate your experience, sometimes they ruin it, and other times they are the destination themselves. Scott and I have been lucky enough to stay at a lot of interesting types of hotels in Asia over the years: today, we’re going to share some of those hotel experiences with you, as well as note various styles of hotels you should consider experiencing while in the region. From hostels to homestays, restored colonial mansions to tented camps, and ones over water, there’s a wide range of options for resting your head while on holiday in Asia.

Dreaming of and planning travel in the 21st century continues to evolve but there has been no greater change, perhaps, than the growth of traveler-curated content. From blogs and user reviews on popular travel websites and forums to Instagram and Youtube, travelers no longer rely entirely on travel publications or word of mouth to discover or design their next holiday. Perhaps the pinnacle of this evolution is the traveler literally making their way around the world by creating inspiring travel content to share with others and earning money in the process. Today we’ll chat with one such traveler to learn what life as a travel influencer on YouTube and Instagram is all about.