Asia Travel

Photo by Greg Rodgers

If you're like most people, you'll come back from Asia with hundreds -- if not thousands -- of photos of the amazing landscapes, foods, sites, and cultural differences.

While flipping through scores of landmark photos may make your friends and family comatose with boredom, we as human beings never get tired of seeing other photos of human beings -- particularly when the subject's way of life is so much different than the one we know.

Forget the myth that taking good photographs requires expensive equipment. Legendary photographer Ansel Adams once climbed mountains with a wooden camera and waited for just the right conditions; Photoshop wasn't even remotely an option!

Making your travel photographs look more professional is mostly just a matter of approaching a picture with a theme in mind. What mood do you hope to portray? Having a simple objective for each photo is what separates the newbies from the professionals.

• Whether you are taking a photo of your travel mate or a local woman in the market, these 10 travel photography tips will help you to take better travel portraits!

Photo by Greg Rodgers

Soon, from Europe to South America to the US, a large portion of the world's population will don masks, throw beads at each other, and quite possibly wake up with a hangover to remember Ash Wednesday forever.

Fat Tuesday -- or Mardis Gras -- began as a day for gorging yourself on fatty and heavy foods before making sacrifices for Lent. The holiday has changed since its meager beginnings into a global excuse for debauchery, bead throwing, and madness.

While you probably won't find many beads or much Cajun food floating around Asia, you will most certainly find some epic parties that could give Mardis Gras a run for its money! The Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan, Thailand, regularly draws crowds of over 10,000 people to dance on the beach under a full moon. Meanwhile, Songkran -- Thailand's New Year festival held in April -- is undoubtedly the world's largest water fight.

But then again, who knows, with such an influx of American and European tourists along Southeast Asia's Banana Pancake Trail, you may actually find some venues with savvy owners who know that travelers may want to celebrate Fat Tuesday the Western way.

• Just in case you're missing the Fat Tuesday fun today, have a look at these famous party spots in Southeast Asia.

Photo by Greg Rodgers

My month spent crossing Malaysian Borneo from south to north in 2010 was one of the best travel experiences in memory. This magical place, still slightly off the mass tourism radar, won't last as a "secret" for very much longer; get yourself there!

Camping on island beaches, trekking to waterfalls, seeing wild orangutans and proboscis monkeys, sleeping in national parks, and enjoying the great culture of the former-headhunting Dayak people -- Borneo was everything that I hoped for in a travel adventure.

Malaysian Borneo is the type of place where you can be shopping in a modern mall in the morning, then attempting to open a fallen coconut you picked up on a private beach later that evening.

While the hubs of Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Miri, and Sandakan are nice places to act civilized for a few days, Borneo's real attractions lay in the rainforests which cover most of the island. There is a reason you regularly meet biologists and botanists there: the diversity of life is astounding.

I was lucky enough to see a rare Rafflesia -- the world's heaviest flower, pictured above -- in bloom while trekking in Sarawak's Gunung Gading National Park. One of only a few visitors sleeping in the wooden, longhouse accommodation at the park, I virtually had the trails to myself!

Even the giant, smelly flower was trumped when I first encountered wild orangutans and bizarre proboscis monkeys. The flat-nosed proboscis monkeys are in more danger of extinction than even the orangutans.

Malaysian Borneo is divided into two states: Sarawak and Sabah. While a majority of tourists flock to Sabah -- which is busier, more expensive, and more developed than Sarawak -- I was more at home in Sarawak, where visitors can hike without guides and find cheap accommodation in the national park longhouses.

Extremely cheap flights can be nabbed from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to either Kuching, Kota Kinbalu, or Sandakan. I highly recommend adding a little Borneo adventure to your Southeast Asia itinerary!

• Read about 7 reasons to visit Malaysian Borneo.
• Plan your trip around the many festivals in Borneo.

Martin Puddy / Getty Images

From the moment you get off the plane in Bangkok, you'll encounter both the famous Thai smile as well as the wai -- a prayer-like gesture with palms together.

You can loosely compare the Thai wai to bowing in Japan. A wai works for saying hello in Thai, to show gratitude, and as an apology, depending on the situation. Offering the right wai at the right time can be extremely gratifying, and sets you aside from tourists who otherwise don't take an interest in the local Thai culture.

Compared to the rest of the fairly complex, tonal language, learning how to say hello in Thai is easy. The most basic expression is sawasdee -- which sounds like "sah-wah-dee" -- followed by the correct gender ending. Men say "khrap," while women say "khaa."

Sawasdee is a relatively new expression; the greeting is the derivative of a Sanskrit word coined in the 1930s by a man named Phraya Upakit Silapasan. The new form of hello was meant to help modernize Thailand; the same professor also created the modern Thai expression for saying "thank you."

Before you land in Bangkok, take a quick moment to learn how to say hello in Thai, some basic greetings, and read a little about etiquette in Thailand. Hitting the ground culturally prepared will significantly enhance your trip to one of Southeast Asia's most amazing countries!

• Read more about how to say hello in Asia.

Photo by Flickr user Naomi Ibuki

The fun and bizarre Setsubun festival is getting ready to start up in Japan on February 3rd.

Celebrated on the day before Spring officially begins per the lunar calendar, Setsubun is all about throwing soybeans and shouting -- sometimes the beans are thrown out of the door, and sometimes at someone you love.

The bean projectiles are meant to frighten away unpleasant spirits who have a way of putting a damper on health and good fortune in the new year. People have been throwing beans for good luck in Japan since the 1300s, and the tradition in China dates back to the 8th century! In some parts of Japan, the head of the house is nominated to wear a demon mask while others throw beans at him.

Modern Setsubun is now a televised event where sumo wrestlers and national celebrities help to throw beans, sweets, and money into frenzied crowds. Eating one soybean for each year of your age is meant to ensure good health in the coming year, and a traditional sushi roll is consumed with family in silence while facing the coming year's auspicious direction.

The alternative to throwing soybeans to frighten spirits? You could hang fish heads and holly leaves above your doors to prevent them -- and probably neighbors -- from wanting to come inside.

Learn more about the Setsubun festival in Japan.

Photo by Flickr user Wyndham

From Thailand's insane, country-wide waterfight known as Songkran, to traveling through Vietnam during monsoon floods in 2010, I learned that you never know when or where you're going to end up drenched.

While getting wet in scorching temperatures isn't always unwelcome, unfortunately laptops and DSLR cameras don't enjoy it quite as much. Waterproof backpacks to the rescue!

Last year while trying to get photos of orangutans in North Sumatra's Gunung Leuser National Park, I met a smart German traveler who introduced me to Overboard waterproof backpacks. Their backpacks are basically a dry bag with a roll top, such as those used when scuba diving, but with proper straps and the look of a typical daybag.

I instantly fell in love, and now use an Overboard bag for any adventures where water, sand, or mud could threaten to turn expensive electronics into paperweights.

The best part? All of the waterproof backpacks rated Class 3 or higher actually float! Good news when some of the "boats" I take in Indonesia only qualify as boats in the strictest sense because they are floating at the time.

Overboard backpacks are made out of waterproof material, eliminating the need to scramble for your pack cover when the rain turns on without warning; how I could have really used these bags in the past -- particularly during Thailand's record flooding in Bangkok last year.

• If you find yourself in similar travel scenarios, I recommend having a look at my Overboard backpack review and decide if you need one of these bags in your travel kit.

Photo by Greg Rodgers

How much money do you need to travel the world?

The answer depends entirely upon you. If you've only got two weeks for a trip, then by all means, pamper yourself! If you plan to be on the road for a month or longer, you can save money -- and keep yourself on the road longer -- by following a few simple budget travel tips.

Unlike vacation-style travel where people typically spend more than they would at home, backpackers and budget travelers know that exploring Asia should be much cheaper than it costs to stay at home!

The secret to long-term travel is not to cut out expenses to the point of not having fun. Why travel to the other side of the world only to sit in the Bedbug Inn, afraid to go outside for fear of spending too much money? Instead, saving a little bit of cash at every opportunity on every transaction really adds up throughout a long trip.

If you're willing to use public transportation, stay with welcoming hosts, and cut out a few luxuries such as pizza and air conditioning, you can spend surprisingly little on an extended trip to Asia.

How much money you need for travel depends a lot on your destination. If traveling in cheaper parts of China and Southeast Asia rather than Japan and Korea, your travel funds will survive much longer. For instance, a beach bungalow or guesthouse room can be had in Thailand for US $10 per night or less; a typical meal costs around $2 -- even cheaper for street food!

Have a look at these 10 budget travel tips for saving money on the road, I'm sure that one or two will certainly come in handy on your trip to Asia.

Photo by Greg Rodgers

Exactly where is Borneo?

I was asked that question repeatedly after visiting there in 2010 and sharing amazing photos of wildlife and outdoor adventures with friends.

Borneo is actually the third-largest island in the world, situated in the center of Southeast Asia just east of Singapore and southwest of the Philippines.

Technically known as Kalimantan, Indonesia claims a lion's share -- around 73% -- of Borneo. The northern edge, which is also the most visited and developed, is owned by Malaysia. Made up of two states, Sarawak and Sabah, Malaysian Borneo is an outdoor lover's dream.

Tiny Brunei -- an oil-rich, independent country -- separates Sarawak and Sabah in Malaysian Borneo. With a population of just over 400,000, Brunei is famous for being the most Islamic country in Southeast Asia, as well as for the fact that citizens do not pay taxes there. The government is funded by oil and natural gas, which makes up for 90% of the GDP.

Arguably one of the wildest places on Earth, Borneo is unfortunately also one of the most rapidly deforested places on the planet as well. Logging has dwindled down once-pristine rainforests to make way for sprawling palm oil plantations. Palm oil turns up in a wide range of products from chocolate to cosmetics.

Borneo is also one of two places on the planet where endangered orangutans can still be found -- Sumatra in Indonesia is the other -- however, they are also being threatened by habitat loss due to palm oil plantations.

With unbeatable natural attractions, friendly people, and great food, Borneo is a favorite for nearly all who visit. You can score cheap flights to either the capital Kota Kinabalu in Sabah or Kuching in Sarawak from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

So while others are still asking, "where is Borneo?" get yourself to this green paradise before it's too late!

• Read about some of the top attractions and reasons why you should visit Malaysian Borneo.

Photo by Greg Rodgers

The Year of the Dragon begins on January 23rd, and with Chinese New Year celebrations kicking off around the world this weekend, why not learn how to say "happy new year" in Chinese?

The simplest of ways to show your well wishes for a prosperous new year is to say "gong xi fa cai" -- which means loosely "congratulations and prosperity."

Chinese New Year is one of the largest holidays in the world. Running for 15 days, welcoming the new year is less about resolutions and more about drawing good luck and prosperity. A long list of Chinese New Year traditions have been observed for centuries.

Another easy way to say happy new year in Chinese is with "xin nian kuai le" which is simply "happy or joyous new year." Unsurprisingly, there are many ways to wish others well during the holiday, why not surprise a Chinese friend in the days to come?

• Impress your cohorts, make new friends, or simply expand your cultural inclinations by learning the right way to say happy new year in Chinese before the Year of the Dragon begins next Tuesday!

Photo by Greg Rodgers

For a new traveler putting together their first trip to Asia, the long laundry list of to-dos can be daunting.

Navigate the web of bureaucracy to get a passport and apply for travel visas, schedule vaccinations, choose travel insurance, book a flight...the list tends to grow rather than shrink as your departure date approaches.

No need to stress! Preparing for a trip to Asia should not require flirting with a nervous breakdown. This step-by-step Asia travel guide will hold your hand throughout the process. You'll find official links, resources, advice, and information for making informed decisions so that your travel funds are spent on the trip rather than just trip preparation!

• See the Asia travel planning guide.