Sokcho, a charming coastal city nestled in the northeastern part of South Korea. The city is known for its fresh seafood and vibrant flavours. Beyond seafood, Sokcho is also celebrated for its unique local delicacies. After concluding my South Korea trip covering nine different cities, Sokcho is one of the best food cities. Despite some misses during my short stay, the hit dishes scored extremely high. If you only have a short stay in this city, consider skipping some of the misses below. 1. North Korea Blood Sausage (Abai Soondae 아바이순대) Not just the regular soondae stuffed with vermicelli ..read more

Milk bar has a totally different meaning in different parts of the world. In Australia, milk bar refers to a local general store; in the UK, it could refer to a snack bar that sells dairy products. In Poland, milk bar refers to cafeterias offering dairy-based dishes and has a long history since WWI, as well as throughout the communist era. Today, locals visit it for quick and cheap everyday meals. Overview What can you expect from a Polish milk bar? How to order without speaking Polish? What to order in a Polish milk bar? Where to find milk bars in Poland? There are absolutely no affiliate ..read more

We had high expectations for Hoi An – a UNESCO heritage town also known as the magical town of Vietnam. Colourful, hand-painted lanterns hung all across the ancient town shophouses, adding a new charm to the well-preserved buildings at night.  However, we were overwhelmed and confused on the first day. Are we the only ones who think that this so-called magical town is dampened by the massive crowds and overpriced activities, street foods and even a bottle of water sold in this town are priced higher than all other big cities in the country? Hoi An in the morning is like a paradise but tha ..read more

Da Nang is the halfway point between the two big cities – Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It is the fourth largest city in the country and the chosen place where senior officials of the ASEAN countries gather for a summit. With increasing direct flights, the beautiful coastal city became a popular getaway spot in Asia. Little did many knows, central Vietnamese food taste profile is very bold and flavourful – the kind of taste I personally like!  Many of these places below are introduced by The Food Ranger – which are off the beaten path. The Google Map links below are accurate as used persona ..read more

I was as uncertain about this decision as you would right now before you make the trip to Sapa. It wasn’t until an adventurous soul who took time to start a forum about ‘winging a homestay in Sapa’ on TripAdvisor that I decided to take that leap of faith. Sure enough, the ray of light struck the moment I stepped out of my sleeper bus from Hanoi. I met May.  While everyone else is approaching Caucasians who were getting off the same bus, May approached me (who has a 100% Asian look) with the brightest smile and said softly: “Homestay?”  “I bring you walk my village, cook you ..read more

If this article is not your first one with us, you probably guessed it – our itineraries revolve around food. Well, that’s how it works in Hanoi at least. Walk like 10 steps and you’ll reach a stall selling food.  Vietnamese food is arguably our favourite cuisine in the world. It is more than just Pho. Ever since we embarked our 2-week journey in Vietnam, we have completely forgotten about Pho. You will see what we mean if you had done the same. This itinerary is meant to embrace the chaotic city so let’s not try too hard to escape the bustle and hustle. Traces of their history remain eve ..read more

Damyang is located way out of the tourists’ radar. It seems to be in the middle of nowhere so much that some call their trip to Damyang ‘off-the-beaten’ track. Travellers usually don’t include Damyang as part of the itinerary. We too, initially. Until we by chance, had to transfer at the metropolitan city, Gwangju where it only takes 30 minutes to reach the beautiful bamboo forest in Damyang. We stored our baggage at Gwangju Bus Terminal (U-Square) and jumped on the bus towards Damyang. Overview Metasequoia-lined Road (메타세쿼이아 가로수길) River Protection Woods (Gwanbangjerim 관방제림) Bamboo Fo ..read more

High sugar content and thin rinds – the two distinct traits of Jeju’s tangerines that made it stand out from the rest of the World. On Jeju island, it is not unusual to see a tangerine tree planted in their backyard. We went ahead with our tangerine picking experience while we were in Jeju. This activity is a cost-efficient alternative for any travellers who would like to try the famed Jeju tangerines at affordable prices. Overview Tourist-friendly Tangerine Farms in Jeju How Should You Pick The Tangerines? Perfect Season for Tangerine Picking in Jeju How Much Does Tangerine Picking C ..read more

Jeju Island is the ultimate getaway heaven for Koreans. A short flight away from the mainland is a paradise on Earth, or known as the ‘Hawaii of Asia’. I had high hopes for the island seeing shows that document the daily catch by haenyeon, the breathtaking sunset scenes, the pretty stacked stone walls, tangerine farms and an endless list of beautiful nature. A spoiler alert: I ended up didn’t enjoy Jeju Island as much as I thought I would but the food definitely lives up to my high expectations. As you may already know, food is the easiest way to my heart (or most people). Most of the f ..read more