It’s been roughly three months since I started using the Fujifilm XT-2 as my main travel camera. You may remember this post from late last year where I explained how I went from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, and mentioned I […]
My top travel photos on Instagram in 2016
It’s that time of the year again, when we look back on the year ending now and make plans for the next one. I have some incredibly exciting plans for 2017, beginning in January, but I’ll tell you about that […]
A visit to the astonishing temples of Bagan
If I had to pick my top 5 must-see places in Southeast Asia, the Bagan temples in Myanmar would make the list without a doubt. My impression is that Bagan may be now, in terms of tourism development, at the […]
Heisenberg and the Alms Giving Ceremony in Luang Prabang
Heisenberg? Alms giving ceremony? No, I haven’t lost the plot. And for fans of the amazing Breaking Bad series, I don’t mean that Heisenberg… I’m referring to Werner Heisenberg (the one Walter White chose his alias after, in fact), the […]
Luang Prabang – A gemstone between two rivers
When I sat down to make (rather loose) plans for my first trip to Southeast Asia, Luang Prabang was one of the first destinations I came up with. I had read about its striking beauty, its welcoming nature and its […]
Rough, chaotic, alluring Yangon
I arrived in Yangon, my first destination in Myanmar (Burma), after spending almost one month in Thailand and immediately realized I wasn’t prepared for it. In retrospect, I think it was the cultural shock on top of the one I’d […]
How I chose my travel photography gear
A few of you have asked me what photography gear I use. It is a question I wasn’t particularly keen on answering, because most of the time I’ve been using an almost embarrassingly short list of equipment. Despite that, I’m […]
Sunrise at Angkor Wat – a thousand people looking for a unique shot
For any visitor to Cambodia, sunrise at Angkor Wat sounds like a must. And it probably is. I say “probably” because it may not turn out to be the soothing, wondrous experience you might expect. I feel extremely lucky and […]
The Great Mosque of Xian, or why travelling is such a fulfilling experience
It has always been said that travel opens up your mind and teaches you many lessons, and my visit to the Great Mosque of Xian (or Xian) was a great example of that. When I told you about the buzzing […]
How to stop feeling anxious about photographing people when you travel
If you like photographing people while travelling, but feel anxious about it, or even rarely dare to do it, this is for you. I used to be like that. To be fair, I still feel anxious sometimes. The thing is, […]
Walking on the streets of Rome
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about how I took Rome for granted for too long. You know, one of those “clichéd” destinations abroad that’s close to your hometown; so you think: “I’ll go someday, there’s no […]
On authenticity in (travel) photography: the McCurry vs Singh “case”
As you must know by now, The Visual Traveler is as much about travel as it is about travel photography. I may have said here in the past that making photos is one of the main reasons why I love […]
How I took Rome for granted (and why you probably shouldn’t)
I have been meaning to write a post about Rome for a while. I can’t claim to have visited all the places worth visiting in the world, far from it. In fact, until two years ago, along with many far-away, […]
The real Bali: not idyllic, but will charm you anyway
When I decided to visit Bali I was nearly reaching the end of my 5-month trip around Southeast Asia. I didn’t have an itinerary for most of the trip, so I could have decided to go anywhere. Yet, for some […]
The stunning emerald lagoon in Hong Island
There are many reasons to visit Thailand’s Andaman coast, and Hong Island is certainly one of them. Hong Island lies quite deep inside Ao Phang Nga bay, about one to one and half hours off the coast from Ao Nang […]
Mahabandoola Road, Yangon – Myanmar
After a week in a much bigger capital, Bangkok, the hustle and bustle of Yangon still came as a shock to me. The streets of the old Burmese capital (nowadays the official capital is Naipyidó) felt, for lack of a […]
Orchha and the stunning Jehangir Mahal
There are so many highlights in the Indian subcontinent that small towns like Orccha can easily be overlooked. Founded in the 16th century, this capital of a former Rajput state in northern India boasts some beautiful examples of Mughal architecture. […]
The golden beauty of Myanmar’s Shwedagon Pagoda
It is not every day that you get to see something as impressive as the 100-meter-high main stupa in Shwedagon Pagoda, in Myanmar. The stupa was built somewhere between the 6th and 10th centuries to house as relics eight hairs […]
Closing the circle: a road trip through northern Iceland
A few months ago I wrote a first post about my visit to Iceland, and promised to tell you more about it in a second article. If you had a look at the places shown in that first article, I’m […]
How to choose the best photo tour or on-location workshop
A photo tour or an on-location photography workshop can be the perfect way to combine your passion for traveling and photography. A few years ago, I attended not a photo tour, but a street photography workshop in New York City, […]
The temples and shrines of Takayama
In my previous post I told you about Takayama, a small town that ended up being one of the highlights of my first trip to Japan. Today I want to show you another rather unique aspect of Takayama: its temples […]
Takayama: a gentle little town in central Japan
I’d never heard of Takayama before visiting Japan last year. To be honest, my previous knowledge about Japan’s geography was fairly limited (it probably still is), and all I knew was I wanted to see Mt. Fuji and visit Tokyo […]
Is the Terracotta Army of Xi’an worth the detour?
I don’t know if this has happened to you before, but I’ve sometimes been kind of disappointed after visiting world-famous places and landmarks. The Terracotta Army (or Terracotta Warriors, as they are also called) of Xi’an is one of those […]
My top 10 travel photos on Instagram in 2015
If you are anything like me (and you are, or you wouldn’t be here), you probably have a hard time keeping up to date with all the inspiring travel photography content shared across different platforms on a daily basis. Instagram […]
Travel to Nepal: Is it Time to Go Back Now?
My first and, so far, only visit to Nepal was just over two years ago, and I’ve been dreaming about coming back ever since. I went to Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan National Park. I watched the sunrise over the Annapurna […]
12 Ways to Keep Your Money Safe While Travelling
According to one recent survey, almost 20 per cent of us have experienced money problems while travelling, from losing our money or a credit card (or having them stolen), to experiencing debit or credit card fraud. In fact, there are […]
A Relaxing but Eventful Visit to Khao Sok National Park
If you’ve read any of my previous articles so far (if you haven’t, start now; right after you read this one!) you may remember me writing something like “I loved this place but didn’t have enough time and hope to […]
Borobudur and Sunrise on Setumbu Hill: When Things Don’t Quite Go as Expected
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had my fair share of disappointing experiences in all kinds of sunrise visits and tours. As you know, whenever you see the word “sunrise”, you can be sure a wake-up call at an […]
The Art of Traveling Alone: 11 Reasons Why You Should Try It
I know what some of you may be thinking: What? Me? Travel alone??? If you are thinking that, it’s ok. Only a minority of people have ever dreamt of hitting the road alone or actually ever done it. But that’s […]
The Colourful, Multicultural Charm of George Town (Penang)
*Note: All photos in this post were taken with my phone camera.* Picture this: you’ve just arrived in George Town, the capital city of the Malaysian state of Penang. You’ve done some research before arriving; not much, but enough to […]
Lijiang: the Ancient Town by the Jade Dragon Snow Mountains
It would be easy for anyone to say that Lijiang, the beautiful city in southwestern China’s Yunnan province, is almost too pretty for its own good. Since it would be easy, and there’s no need to overcomplicate things, I’ll start […]
Ulun Danu Beratan Temple and Observations about Religion in Bali
One of the things that struck me the most in my first visit to Bali is how pervasive religion is in Balinese society. Wherever you look, you’ll find the presence of religion, be it in the form of beautiful temples, […]
Hop On a Boat For a Tour of Inle Lake in Myanmar
Last month I told you about beautiful Inle Lake and showed you lots of photos from my visit. Prior to going there, I had heard great things about Inle Lake, and indeed it turned out to be one of my […]
How to Choose the Best Compact Travel Camera for Your Needs
Finding the best compact travel camera is one of those daunting tasks most travellers face every now and then. When it comes to classical, point-and-shoot style compact cameras, the emergence of smartphones with great photo and video capabilities hasn’t made […]
9 Buddhist Temples in Thailand To Escape The ‘Templed Out’ Feeling
Although it’s hard to verify this figure, apparently there are around 41,000 Buddhist temples (in Thai, wat) in Thailand. Now, I don’t know if that’s a lot in terms of population or compared to the number of religious buildings in […]
Varanasi: The Holy City On The Ganges That Will Move You
Varanasi can be a tough nut to crack for the less seasoned traveller who visits India for the first time. That’s who I was two years ago when I went there. Last week I told you of my shock when […]
A Two-Minute Stroll in Angkor’s Preah Khan (video)
Last week I posted a photoessay of Preah Khan, the thousand-year old ruined temple-city just North-east of Angkor Thom (see map here). In my view, Preah Khan doesn’t quite get the kind of attention it deserves. Granted, it can’t be […]
Preah Khan: The Little Talked About Wonder of Angkor
Preah Khan doesn’t seem to be as famous as other temples in Angkor (voted by a panel of Lonely Planet’s writers and travel experts as the best travel destination in the world) , which is probably why I skipped it […]
6 Delicious Japanese Food Dishes That You Should Try
Japanese food: “what else is there to discover?” you may ask. As with Italian, Mexican and a few other world-famous cuisines, we’re all so familiar with some of their trademark dishes (or, at times, with the poor versions served in […]
The 4000 Islands of Laos: Travel Tips and Photos
In Laos’s 4000 Islands (Si Phan Don), the Mekong River flows fast and time seems to grind to a near standstill (and that’s without even tasting the “happy” food and drinks openly sold on Don Det’s bars). It is in […]
First-time Travel to India: Lost in the Streets of Jaipur
You may or may not agree, but I’ve always felt that the names of cities like Jaipur or Udaipur (the “pur” suffix meaning “city” or “settlement) evoke the magnificence of the past. The capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur, is home to […]
Southeast Asia Food in 8 Delicious Dishes
If you’re anything like me, discovering new flavors is one of the things you love about traveling. As I found in my recent trip across the region, Southeast Asia food is fresh, diverse, rich in contrasting textures and flavours and, […]
Iceland: The Real Song of Ice and Fire
“A Song of Ice and Fire” is the title of the first book in the “Game of Thrones” series, which has now become world-famous thanks to the eponymous TV show. As any first-time visitor to Iceland will quickly notice, ice […]
Inle Lake: A Haven of Calm and Beauty in Myanmar
Inle Lake and I started off on the wrong foot, that’s for sure. Although my flight to Heho, the nearest airport, was uneventful and roughly on time, I was starting to go down with a strong cold and not feeling […]
How to Bridge the Language Barriers while Travelling Abroad
Plunging into an altogether different culture is one of the greatest pleasures about travelling, and language is the most obvious manifestation of those cultural differences. Even if you are able to communicate to some extent in the local language, or […]
5 Essential Apps for Travelers
Although traveling abroad often implies losing the constant internet connectivity we’ve come to take for granted, smartphones still remain powerful devices while on the road. There’s a plethora of travel apps, and the list seems to keep growing. While […]
A Stroll Through the Muslim Street Food Market of Xi’an
When I visited Xi’an last year, I thought the Terracotta Warriors would be pretty much the only interesting thing about the place. You can definitely chalk that one up to my ignorance. Later I learned that not only Xi’an was […]
6 Reasons Why You Should Travel to Cuba Now
For a very long time, I’d wanted to travel to Cuba. Last year I finally had the chance to spend ten days on the island, and it certainly lived up to all of my expectations, and then some. Here’s why: […]