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Passions and Places

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A Koh Chang Travel Guide for Getting Off the Beaten Path

September 26, 2017 By Ryan Victor 6 Comments

Koh Chang, Thailand, is the perfect island to get a bit off the beaten path. While Lonely Beach is a popular backpacking destination, the southern beaches of Bangbao and Klong Kloi are more secluded. Diving and snorkeling, as well as hiking, are the top things to do in Koh Chang. This complete travel guide has everything you need to know about Koh Chang, including what to do, where to stay, and how to visit the other islands of eastern Thailand.

Want to visit a not-too-touristy beach in Thailand? Head to the southern tip of Koh Chang. Here’s everything you need to know about traveling to the island.

Filed Under: Asia, Off the Beaten Path, Thailand Tagged With: Southeast Asia

Reflections on a Yoga Retreat in Thailand

September 18, 2017 By Jen Ambrose 20 Comments

The Whole & Happy Yoga Retreat in Thailand was an amazing week of self-exploration, adventure, and relaxation all in one. Attending a yoga and meditation retreat while you travel is a truly unique experience, and you can find affordable yoga retreats all over Thailand and throughout Southeast Asia.

If you’re an avid yogi, or even just a curious beginner, maybe you’ve thought about doing a yoga retreat. Jen’s reliving her time at the Whole & Happy Retreat in southeastern Thailand, a magical week full of yoga classes, relaxation, introspection, and wonderful community.

Filed Under: Asia, Reflections, Thailand, Yoga Tagged With: meditation, retreat, Southeast Asia

A Guide to Cambodia’s Burgeoning Craft Beer Scene

September 10, 2017 By Ryan Victor 23 Comments

When you think of travel in Cambodia, what comes to mind is probably Angkor Wat or maybe just the Southeast Asia backpacking trail - but probably not craft beer. As it turns out, there’s a lot more in Cambodia than just Angkor beer - the country has six breweries! If you visit Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, or Kampot, consider stopping at one for some interesting Cambodian beer and a unique experience.

You probably wouldn’t expect Cambodia to have any microbreweries – but it turns out there’s six! Ryan visited them all, and now he’s sharing the highlights (and lowlights) of each, including where to find the best IPA, take a date you want to impress, and have an interesting local experience.

Filed Under: Asia, Cambodia, Foodie Travel Tagged With: craft breweries, Kampot, Southeast Asia

Getting Back Underwater: Scuba Diving in Koh Chang, Thailand

August 8, 2017 By Ryan Victor 6 Comments

Koh Chang may not be the top spot for diving in Thailand, but this huge island has a lot to offer. After visiting Koh Tao to do a PADI open water diving certification five years ago, Koh Chang was a great place to get back into scuba. It’s known for wreck diving, but the waters are also full of tropical fish and colorful coral accessible to divers of all levels.

When we arrived in Thailand, it’d been five years since the first (and only) time I went scuba diving. The island of Koh Chang turned out to be the perfect place to get back underwater and kick off our life of travel.

Filed Under: Asia, Nature and Outdoors, Scuba Diving, Thailand Tagged With: Southeast Asia

A Motorcycle Adventure to Cambodia’s Bokor Hill Station

July 7, 2017 By Ryan Victor 12 Comments

Cambodia is ripe with opportunities for adventure travel, and Kampot is no exception. Just 20 miles away is the Bokor Hill Station, a now-abandoned hill station developed by French colonists in the 1920s. Today, it’s a renowned spot for urban exploration, and it makes a great day trip from Kampot. There are plenty of organized tours to Bokor, but you can also rent a motorcycle in town and ride up independently for more adventure. Either way, you’ll enjoy the refreshing cooler temperatures and stunning views of southern Cambodia.

Bokor Hill Staton in Cambodia had been on my radar as a top urban exploration site for a while before we visited. It’s full of interesting abandoned old buildings, including what used to be a luxurious French hotel, and it makes a great motorcycle trip from Kampot.

Filed Under: Asia, Cambodia, Motorcycling, Nature and Outdoors Tagged With: abandoned places, Kampot, Southeast Asia, urban exploration

Looking Back on Three Months of Travel in Southeast Asia

June 26, 2017 By Jen Ambrose 14 Comments

You could spend years traveling around Southeast Asia, but this post covers slow travel as digital nomads over three months. We’ve traveled to destinations in Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia, including Bangkok, Krabi, Kampot, and Georgetown, Penang. Some highlights so far? Scuba diving, housesitting, a yoga retreat, and lots of delicious food!

After our first three months of traveling in Southeast Asia and working from the road, we’re looking back on our experiences so far. Our travels have taken us to Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia, with highlights like housesitting, a yoga retreat, and a little-visited Thai island.

Filed Under: Asia, Cambodia, Long-Term Travel, Malaysia, Reflections, Thailand Tagged With: Bangkok, digital nomad, housesitting, Kampot, Southeast Asia, work exchange

Riding Rohtang Pass: An Epic Motorcycle Adventure in India

December 30, 2016 By Ryan Victor 16 Comments

Ryan’s epic motorcycle ride in northern India is one of the highlights of his travels thus far. Here’s his recap of the trip, plus all the details you need to (safely) do it yourself.

Filed Under: Asia, India, Motorcycling, Nature and Outdoors, Off the Beaten Path

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Hi! We’re Jen and Ryan, an American couple on a journey to travel the world while working from the road. We’re passionate about outdoor adventure, responsible travel, and getting off the beaten path. Passions and Places is a space for us to share our stories and tips with you, but most importantly, we hope to inspire you to seek your own adventure.

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