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#SouthEastAsia snapshot Value for money - Great Security - Average People - Very Friendly Travel - Easy Length - Six months When - April - September Transfers - Taxis Accommodation - Airbnb and hotels #HongKong #Cambodia #Indonesia #Malaysia #Maldives #Philippines #Thailand #Vietnam

Value for money - Average Security - Very Safe People - Friendly Travel - Easy Length - 15 Months When - Starting July Transfers - Navigo Accommodation - Airbnb and Hotels Tipping - We rounded up or 10% For all our travel experiences, tips on accommodation, dining and experiences exploring Thailand click here. Extended stays in: #Bangkok #ChiangMai Koh Samui Pattaya #Phuket Top bars in Koh Samui. Top beach clubs in Koh Samui.

Victoria, British Columbia - Three nights Victoria is the perfect pocket-sized city to stroll around and immerse yourself in for a few days. Victoria is the capital of British Columbia and has recently been voted Canada's best small city, and we have to agree. We arrived on a short 30-minute seaplane flight from Vancouver. Alternatively, you can catch a ferry, but if you are short on time, we recommend the seaplane experience. This charming and colourful city sits on the southern end of Vancouver Island, is full of beautiful parklands, is known for outdoor activities, and is surrounded by coastline. The city's British colonial past shows its Victorian architecture, gardens and layout. The city is bursting with fresh flowers and exudes a genuine warmth from all the people. We felt very welcomed and loved exploring and enjoying the laidback nature. You are spoilt with the fresh farm-to-table dining options, and we enjoyed a very slow lunch with exceptional cocktails and service at The Courtney Room. We loved all the wildlife as we roamed around the immaculate gardens. One morning we came across a turtle sunbaking, a heron nesting, a wild deer strolling along the pathway, and squirrels playing in the park. Later in the day, we saw a sea lion and otter playing around, hoping to be fed by a nearby restaurant, and caught a glimpse of a seal as we arrived across the harbour on our water taxi! Special moments! We loved exploring Fisherman's Wharf Park, a pleasant stroll from the centre of Victoria, a quaint floating pier of food outlets and floating homes. Be sure to catch one of the cute water taxis home from Victoria Harbour Ferry; you'll be smiling for days. If you are lucky, you will even see seals on your way back. Victoria is home to Canada's oldest Chinatown and the second oldest in North America after San Francisco. You will love roaming around all the little alleyways full of lanterns. We found a lovely Airbnb near Chinatown; it was the perfect location. We even found a cosy neighbourhood coffee shop called Bean Around The World. The cafe was full of locals sharing stories, and the coffee was in 8oz cups and was delicious. In most coffee shops in Canada, the smallest cup is 10-12oz! We also had the most wonderful experience buying groceries on our first night. If you're staying near Chinatown, visit the local package-free grocery shop, Zero Waste Emporium. You bring your own containers to self-serve while minimising your impact on the environment, something unique; I genuinely hope this store grows in popularity. Don't worry; they offer free recycled containers for those new to the concept. The ability to gain the benefits of buying in bulk without wastage is a concept that needs to be taken worldwide. Victoria is just such a pretty little town that we could have easily stayed longer if time permitted.

Cardero's Restaurant - One visit Cardero's built over the water with simply breathtaking views of the harbour, mountains and the marina with food to match in the heart of Vancouver. This restaurant is very popular during the lunchtime rush, so coming a little later will give you a better experience. While busy, we enjoyed the service. The team still took the time to chat, handle our queries about wines, and move us to a window table when one became available—spot-on service. The food was hearty, and we decided to share the battered fish and chips, a specialty main dish, which was delicious and tender without being too strong (so perfect for those seafood novices like Wayne). Whether you are inside or out, the views are breathtaking, and the decor fits in with the style of the building. Pricing is standard for Vancouver, based on the size of the meals you are best to share. The wine list was extensive, and we enjoyed a beautiful Monterey Pinot Noir with a 3.8 rating on Vivino.

Harbour Air - Four flights The best commute from Vancouver to Vancouver Island is by seaplane. Flying was the perfect transportation for our mid-week getaway to Victoria (Captial of British Columbia). When researching ways to visit Victoria on Vancouver Island, we decided to take a seaplane over the ferry to maximise our time whilst making the most of the opportunity to take in the scenery, as it is not only a direct flight to Victoria but a scenic flight too. Harbour Air has the most efficient check-in and boarding process. Located in the heart of the city, so easily accessible, only a five-min walk from our hotel. You need to be there 30-minute prior; after a quick check-in, you can relax in the beautiful lounge, enjoying a beverage of your choice. You can even purchase a glass of champagne. The take-off was incredibly smooth, and we noticed the regular commuters carried air buds to reduce the noise, although we were not bothered by the noise. Magical scenery over the 35-minute flight, definitely ticking off another bucket list item for Wayne. It has been a month of them since we arrived in Canada. Harbour Air has a very flexible booking process, whereby if you need to make any changes, you can do this up to four hours online before your flight with no charges assuming you have booked a flex fare. The flight was smooth and simply just fun, with plenty of smiles from even the seasoned commuters. If you want to save time, we recommend booking your flight with Harbour Air. You will not be disappointed.

Villa Apollon Panorama - Four nights Villa Apollon Panorama is an Airbnb located about a 20-minute walk from Dalyan, Mugla region, Turkey, in a remote location nestled amongst the mountains. This stay is excellent for large groups, considering the six bedrooms spread out over three floors and those wishing to chill out at the pool or explore the region. Perfect for summer, you'll mainly hang outside, as the main lounge room would not accommodate everyone simultaneously. Don't miss listening to the call to prayer bouncing its way through the mountains. The beautiful mountains surround you, and you are only a short 10-minute drive from Iztuzu beach, otherwise known as Turtle Beach, where the sea turtles nest each year and worth a visit to support DEKAMER, the turtle rehabilitation centre. The kitchen is small, so it's more suitable for those that intend to eat out or use the BBQ - which Wayne took advantage of a couple of nights. We were very impressed with the BBQ and made sure we used it for a few nights. Fantastic butchers in town, so be sure to stock up on your favourite meats. We found this neat little charcoal kit from Migros, which was super easy. Some minor issues with the shower design can easily be fixed with a strip to stop the water from leaking into the bathroom. There is plenty of hot water and towels; the only issue is a lack of privacy, which will resolve once the garden is more established as this is a new property. The wifi requires the router to be placed outside, and you'll be able to work then or download your favourite Netflix series, which is not ideal for digital nomads due to the slow connection. We do recommend having a local sim card for backup. As it was the start of the season, the house needed a good deep clean, which would not be an issue in the high season due to turnover. We even walked into town, a gentle 20-minute stroll through the quiet village life. Murat, your host, is very friendly and welcoming; he will make sure your stay is comfortable and responsive.

Epocafe - Four visits Epocafe is a modern, fresh, quaint coffee shop located in the magical Gocek in Turkey. Epocafe has a chic coastal style reminiscent of Byron Bay, Australia. The best coffee we've tasted in our five-month journey around Turkey. Chill tunes and a team that is so warm and full of positive vibes, you keep on coming back. It's often full of digital nomads enjoying perfectly brewed coffee made by Oktay and his team of talented baristas. The list of coffees and teas is extensive, and you can also enjoy breakfast. My recommendation is the granola with yogurt, and the cheese toastie is delicious too. They have a freshly baked range of cakes for sweet tooths, and the iced teas are very refreshing, perfect for a hot summer's day. Sit outside in the chairs enveloped in the greenery and coolness with a book (the gentleman next to me is reading Hamlet while I type away). They have a selection of books to peruse while you are visiting. Epocasa their beautiful accommodation is located above Epocafe, should you wish to take advantage of the complete package. You also have Epoca Carpet, a traditional Turkish rug store for perusing or shopping.

Bodrum English Walton’s Home - Four nights A stylish Airbnb located in Gumbet with a lovely view on the Aegean coast of Turkey, a short 10-minute drive from the centre of Bodrum. This two-bedroom modern apartment is fully equipped and is perfect for those wishing to self-cater, with plenty of high-quality cooking utensils, pots and pans. Note there is no oven, but sufficient cookware to diversify. The furniture is high quality and very comfortable, and the full-sized windows and sliding doors provide a lovely ambience to enjoy the view whilst staying cool. Lightning quick internet, the apartment is ideal for enjoying the views and sunbaking on provided sunbeds out the front and watching sunsets over the bay. As previous guests have stated, the hot water service is inadequate for the size of the space; two of us were unable to shower immediately after each other. However, again, a simple fix by replacing the full flow shower headers with low flow heads, Our super friendly host, Ali, often dropped in to surprise us with some tasty desserts (truly spoiling us) as he lived in the complex. Ali has his guests as the top priority and was accommodating and helpful. Unfortunately, we didn't use the pool; however, it was large and inviting. Gumbet town is only a short 15-minute walk down a gently sloping hill; unfortunately, the supermarkets lacked dedicated meat areas, and let's say fresh produce was a bit light on. Again, maybe because of being in the shoulder season, it might be ideal for shopping in Bodrum. We also highly recommend Lizaz Restaurant and Chinabloom in the centre of Bodrum. You will not be disappointed. Most restaurants were closed in Gumbet due to early in the season, so self-catering suited us perfectly in the apartment. Gumbet during summer is a popular tourism resort and party region, so if this is your scene it will be perfect.

Bodrum Castle - One visit During our stay in Bodrum centre with a magical view of the Bodrum Castle and after recommendations from our local friends, we had to visit the Bodrum Castle. We were impressed and fortunate to enjoy it without the crowds. An insider's tip is to check how many cruise ships are docked, as this castle experiences large crowds and queues. We visited during the shoulder season and had the castle to ourselves and a few other people. It is a beautiful castle; I loved all the wildlife wandering around, peacocks (and white peacocks), and tortoises who were brave enough to say hello! Stunning views over Bodrum, very well maintained and goes without saying full of history lessons. The artefacts of the shipwrecks and discovery journeys were quite remarkable. The natural history lesson from Wikipedia: Bodrum Castle is a historical fortification located in Bodrum, built from 1402 onwards by the Knights of St John as the Castle of St. Peter or Petroleum. A transnational effort, it has four towers known as the English, French, German, and Italian towers, bearing the names of the nations responsible for their construction. The castle was completed in the late 15th century, only to be taken over by the Islamic Ottoman Empire in 1523. The chapel was converted to a mosque, and a minaret was added. The castle remained under the empire for almost 400 years. After remaining empty following World War I, in the early 1960s, the castle became the home of the award-winning Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology. Visit the significant shipwreck in the museum and reflect on the divers, many of whom had more than 5,000 individual dives to recover the displayed artifacts.

Oxygen 12 - Two nights An Airbnb located in the magical Gocek, Turkey, a place where you arrive and never want to leave, the perfect location to rest and rejuvenate. This three-bedroom Airbnb is huge, spread over three levels, and even includes a lift (a rarity in Turkey) to go to the entry level, great for luggage. It is even better than the pictures. Incredible value for the location, quality of apartment and size. Perfect for a family of six or two couples with a child each. You could easily self-cater with the massive kitchen, which includes everything you need to cook a fantastic meal. Spotlessly clean, with the master bedroom giving you a balcony to gaze out across the town to the majestic mountains surrounding the charming Göcek village, and you are spoilt with sunsets too. The showers are the largest we've experienced, and happy days, no water leaks out (which is also a rarity) and plenty of hot water! The windows are covered with flywire, so you can open them all and let the calm, gentle sea winds create a breeze through the apartment. This place has a giant LCD screen, the biggest I've ever seen for those who love chilling after a night out. Next door, the restaurant does have live music; however, this finishes nicely before midnight, which didn't disturb us and created a positive and fun ambience. Strong high-speed wifi with modems throughout the apartment, so ideal for digital nomads. The host is super friendly, and we could not have asked for anything more; a great find in Göcek. Villa Safiya hosts an excellent range of holiday accommodation in Gocek and surrounding Fethiye. Gocek is a hidden coastal gem; large developments are banned, nothing over two-story-high, calm, relaxed community vibe, super-yachts, and catamarans dot the harbour and marina. Peaceful views and spoilt for choice for dining.