I used to say that I had a love hate relationship with this Indonesian island, but things changed: I am totally in love with this little green paradise! Due to its popularity the island went through massive changes the last years. The first time I decided to visit Bali was in 2010 and back then it was not at all a favourite: I got sick, it rained all the time and traffic was horrendous!

If you are not sure what to do in Bali then you should put ‘Ubud’ on top of your list. This village just an hour drive North from the popular beaches in the South is perched in and between rice fields and is where you will find the authentic Bali feeling. Ubud is a popular spot for travelers that want to get a slice of the real Bali. Ubud is the artistic and cultural center of Bali, but over the years drew the attention of nomads and spiritual people.

In the 6 years that I am now traveling around the world, Thailand is the most visited country. Somehow I ended up coming back to this place over and over and in total I visited, explored, lived and partied in this country 17 times. I have over 40 Thailand stamps in my passport and I am planning to go back again in 2018.

Have you always been dreaming of tiny islands, deserted beaches, limestone cliffs and dramatic sunsets? It was in 2008 when I found El Nido Palawan for the first time and this year I had the chance to come back to this exotic paradise. El Nido Island Hopping should be on every travellers bucketlist.

Travelling is not only about the destination; the journey is sometimes just as incredible! This famous quote was definitely applicable to my trip to Raja Ampat. If you have read my blog Sailing through the Raja Ampat Islands with Mutiara Laut you know how I ended up on this amazing luxury sailing ship and that I had the time of my life.

If you are going on a trip to Bali and you want a slice of real island life then please visit Nusa Penida. In this blog post I tell you everything you need to know about this magical island and while reading and looking at the pictures you will understand why this was one of my favorite places I traveled to in 2017. All the highlights, amazing places to see, things to do, where to stay, instagram spots and handmade itineraries will be be discussed and even some Nusa Penida tips if you take a day trip. Enjoy this fabulous island before mass tourism takes over!

With so many tourists visiting this tiny island, Bali is notorious for its traffic. This was one of the reasons I seriously did not like it when I first visited and that was back in 2010. The traffic back then was horrendous. Trust me it got even worse over the years, but I do love the island nowadays. How is that possible? Just avoid the overcrowded touristy areas like Seminyak and Kuta and you will find some truly magical places this island has to offer.

Everyone has that one trip in his mind that he dreams of taking once in his life. Some will never even turn their dreams into reality, but when it comes down to travelling there is always a way to make it happen. Sailing the Raja Ampat islands of West Papua was one of those trips for me where I kept on saying some day. That day lately became reality as I set sail with the Mutiara Laut to explore my number one destination on my bucketlist.

Welcome to the island of witchcraft and natural healing. This bewitched island is an off the beaten path destination in the Philippines and magical in many ways. A Siquijor tour is a great experience for every adventurous traveller. This lush green mountainous islet lies South of Cebu and East of Negros and can best be reached by boat from Dumaguete.