Hat Yai Municipal Park is a must-visit for anyone coming to Hat Yai, but here’s the catch: it can be tricky to fully enjoy without your own transportation. Why, you ask? Because if you’re relying on community songthaews to get there and back, their schedule is not necessarily going to match yours. In fact, I’d […]
Visiting Kuching’s Borneo Cultures Museum
Malaysia has plenty of fascinating museums, but Kuching’s Borneo Cultures Museum is one of my most recent favorites. With an impressive 1600-plus artifacts on display, it’s easy to get spiritually pulled into the visuals. One of the exhibits drew me in so intensely that my eyes welled with tears. There was something hauntingly familiar about […]
Kampung Walks in Langkawi: 20 Local Plants Worth Slowing Down For
Back in late 2024, I started taking daily village walks in Langkawi as a healthier lifestyle goal. It’s easy to do, free and all it requires of me is stepping out the door and just doing it. By taking the smaller village side roads I’m able avoid busy road traffic and kind of get lost […]
Bamboo Rafting in Sarawak: My Huck Finn Inspired Jungle Adventure
Like many American kids of a certain era, I grew up dreaming of rafting down the mighty Mississippi, just like my childhood heroes Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. Mark Twain’s fictional duo lived the life I thought I was destined for: one of freedom, mischief, and adventure. This was, of course, long before I ever […]
Hooked on Terengganu: Squid Jigging, Culture & Endless Coastlines
Twelve years ago, Kuala Terengganu felt like a sleepy seaside town with an eclectic array of storefronts and seemingly no visible town theme. It was real, raw, and unfamiliar. Beyond the Perhentian Islands, this part of Terengganu felt like secret handshake territory to me (at the time) and a little uncomfortable. Returning this year on […]
Squid, Sea Legs & Salty Boats: A Real Candat Sotong Experience
Curious about candat sotong? This Malaysian squid jigging tradition takes place every year off the coast of Kuala Terengganu during the annual Candat Sotong Festival, and throughout the squid season. After 10 years of wanting to join, I finally did have my first candat sotong experience. From rustic fishing boats to the real challenge of […]
RWMF 2025: My Ten-Year Reunion With Rainforest World Music Festival
Although I had planned to return much sooner, somehow a decade slipped by before I finally reunited this year with Sarawak’s Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF 2025). Ten years ago, I shyly shuffled through the festival grounds wide-eyed, inspired by the music, the culture, the art, and the fascinating people. Imagine my surprise to find […]