I would wake up to the sound of waves hitting the abstract rock formation only a gaze away from the window. The breeze generously offered me comfort defeating the summer heat. The sea has always supplied us with a bounty of freshly caught seafood hastily carried by the local fishermen from within the neighborhood. But tucked away from this lucid image of my childhood bach memories is a town embellished by a Hispanic history I almost took for granted.

This tiny landlocked country remains a mystery to many. Although sitting right next to countries heavily favoured by tourists, many are still confounded by its existence.

Laos was once just a thought. Back then, Indochina sounded like a peculiar place to be but the idea of voyaging through this unique region, especially Laos, has always played in my mind, but then again, it always ends up as just, an idea.

I was clueless about what a few days in Siquijor would be like. Other than the unique picturesque photos that I picked up from Instagram, itineraries that suggest what to do and where to go, and countless tales of magic, potions and spell casting, nothing is much said about what an experience on the island is like.

The roads were a little rough, the streets were covered with sky scraper-high trees, electricity was considered a luxury and children learned how to ride a bike long before they knew how to do math.

Two hours south of Kuala Lumpur, Malacca (Melaka) offers an invitation to an experience sometimes overlooked by those who want to discover Malaysia. Listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, this town is decorated with history from the Dutch, Portugese and British colonisation fused by the influence of traditional Chinese cuisine.

A city quivering with vibrancy where neon and bright lights cast a glow in even the darkest alleys, the mouthwatering aroma of food making it almost impossible not to commit gluttony. Hong Kong flashes frantically before me, the fast pace seemed chaotic at first until I learned to blend in and become one more face in the crowd. How do I even keep up?

Our story begins in the far flung yet charming town of Luang Prabang. To me, this town is the epitome of what South East Asia is all about. After spending 8 strange hours aboard a very compact sleeper bus from Laos’ capital Vientiane, we arrived at this quaint and quiet town in high spirits despite the lack of sleep.

I drifted away from what was familiar to me. Hong Kong being a highly popular destination for tourists had me intrigued as to what more it has to offer. Aboard a ferry to the nearby island of Cheung Chau, Hong Kong yet again surprised me.