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Everyone loves picking up souvenirs from their trips, but there is often an overwhelming amount of knick-knacks to choose from and, if you’re going in unprepared, you probably don’t know what’s worth buying. Here are a few ideas of cool things to buy in Thailand, either as souvenirs and reminders of your trip or as gifts for your friends and family upon your return.   Silk   Silk is one of the most popular Thai souvenirs and is definitely worth bringing back from your trip. Thai silk is made from the strands of silkworms that have been fed on a strict diet of mulberry leaves, which is hand-woven to create silky smooth pieces in a variety of bright colors and patterns. Silk can be found everywhere in Thailand, but you should be wary of the silk sold at markets, as this is often very low-quality or fake silk made from polyester. While any textile can be a lovely souvenir and the cheaper options may be preferable, if you’re looking for quality Thai silk, head to a Jim Thompso...

Posted : 10/29/15 | October 29th, 2015 Earlier this year, I read the book Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams, about his quest to follow Hiram Bingham’s trail through Peru. It made me want to jump on a plane right then and there and gave me an insight to Peru I never knew before…and it gave a whole list of off the beaten path places to visit! After I read his new book, Meet Me in Atlantis , I cold e-mailed Mark for an interview. He was hesitant at first, but I persisted and got to speak to him while he was in NYC! After fanboying out over his books and taking a few selfies, we got to the interview: Nomadic Matt: Tell everybody about yourself. How did you get into travel writing? Mark Adams : I grew up outside of Chicago and studied English in college. I went off to grad school thinking I was going to be an English professor, but after getting my master’s, I took a year off and tended bar. One night a friend of mine said she’d met the managing editor of Outside mag...

A trip to Jamaica wouldn’t be complete without having a Red Stripe at Floyd’s Pelican Bar. No matter if you are staying in Negril, Ocho Rios, or Montego Bay it’s worth a day trip. It’s one of our favorite things to do in Jamaica. No other bar will ever compare. After several visits, we’ve put together everything you need to know when visiting the Pelican Bar in Jamaica. Floyd’s Pelican Bar Jamaica Guide 2020 History of the Pelican Bar Dreams do come true . Owner Floyd Forbes dreamed about a magical bar built on stilts in the middle of the ocean. Well in 2001 his dream became a reality and the Pelican Bar was open for business. There’s always a bunch of pelicans perched on the rocky sandbar next to the bar, and that’s where it got its name “Pelican Bar.” In the beginning, the bar was mainly for Floyd and his fellow fisherman buddies. However, it didn’t take long before more than just the fisherman wanted to grab a ...

If you’re planning your trip to Sri Lanka, make sure to add Ella to your itinerary. This cute town is an excellent base to explore the area and the tea country. In this guide, you’ll find information to help you plan your stay in Ella as well as the best things to do while you’re there. Note that we stayed two nights in Ella and we both agreed on the fact that we should have stayed in the area longer. Why? It’s a good base and some of the interesting places to visit are a bit far from the city. That said, if we had more time, we could have explored further. Since our time was limited, we stayed only two nights. We arrived in Ella from Nuwara Eliya. Our following destination was Udawalawe National Park.   Where is Ella?   Ella is a small town located inland towards the south of Sri Lanka. As you can see on the map below, it’s not too far from Kandy, Nuwara Eliya as well as Udawalawe and Yala National Parks.     How long do you need in Ella?   As I men...

I'll be honest with you: I've never been a huge fan of hostels.  And this isn't just because I'm getting older, or because I don't really like to party. I've just never been comfortable sharing my space with strangers. But, as hosteling evolves and more options become available in cities around the world, the face of “the hostel” is changing . Look at any hostel booking website today and you'll see TONS of options — and they aren't just your average 10-bed dorm room anymore. My friend Kash from over at Budget Traveller can attest to this, considering that he is now *the* expert on luxury hostels, especially in Europe. And my friend Laurence from Finding the Universe can confirm that some hostels these days are really thinking outside the box. In light of all this, I decided not long ago to set aside my preconceived notions and give hostels another go. Well, actually, I didn't have much of a choice. As a poor post-grad traveling around Europe thi...

When you picture the Yukon, what do you see? Lots of snow. Lots of skiing. Lots of cozy evenings nestled up to a fire in a chalet. Fair enough, but there are so many other awesome things you can do in Whitehorse, the capital city of Yukon. Whitehorse is considered one of the largest northern cities in Canada and was once a major hub during the gold rus h in 1898. It might be a bit chilly in this winter wonderland but don’t expect the locals to be hibernating. In fact, Whitehorse may be small but it has an incredibly lively community. Whether you are looking to take part in adrenaline-pumping activities or spend your evenings chasing the northern lights, Whitehorse has something for you.   Aurora Hunting     One of the biggest draws to the north is, of course, the infamous northern lights. The phenomenon of the aurora borealis can technically occur all year round but our ability to see them is determined by a few factors; how dark it is, how clear the sky is, and h...

Posted : 02/23/15 | February 23rd, 2015 What makes a nomad a nomad? Or a backpacker a backpacker? How do you define a budget traveler? Am I a nomad because I move around a lot, or did I give up the rights to call myself that when I got an apartment? Am I a luxury traveler because I stay in a hotel or a budget traveler because I use points to stay in them for free? I was faced with these questions last month when asked how it felt to no longer be a nomad. I responded by saying I didn’t feel any different nor did I think the label had any special meaning. Once a traveler, always a traveler! There are a lot of names for people who travel the world: backpackers, nomads, vagabonds, tourists, explorers, travelers. Labels are everywhere but seem especially prevalent among travelers seeking to differentiate their style of travel. For many travelers, these labels make them feel superior over another. Andrew Zimmerman from Bizarre Foods once said “Please be a traveler, not a touris...