Hong Kong is a calm, slow, idyllic, low-rise, and bicycle-friendly place with lots of greenery and nice white-sand beaches. Sounds hard to believe? That’s because I’m not talking about the Hong Kong most people know: a dense metropolis and shopping destination whose skyline is filled […]
All posts tagged: island

Belitung through My Phone
Have you ever wondered whether or not you should bring your camera before leaving the house for a trip? And when your decision is to go without it have you ever regretted it? This happened to me on a company outing almost two years […]

A Boat Away, A World Away
Protecting the southwestern coast of one of Asia’s foremost financial centers from the occasional violent gusts of the South China Sea, Lamma Island with its heavily indented coasts boasts a life pace so different from the constant haste in downtown Hong Kong. A part of […]

Komodo: A Magnificent Conclusion
The morning’s silence was broken by unrelenting squeaks, penetrating the wooden walls of our cabin. It sounded like hundreds of rats, or birds, I was not sure. I got up from my bed, took my camera and went to the deck upstairs. The sound became […]

Western Flores: Heading to the Dragons
Dry, hot, flat. As soon as we left the endless verdant hills of Manggarai, a vast expanse of flat plains scorching under the midday sun welcomed us. No more snaking roads with sharp turns along steep slopes. Instead, Dino sped the car on a long […]

Flores: From Maumere to Komodo
As the propeller plane flew over the eastern part of the island of Sumbawa – Flores’ big neighbor to the west – Mount Sangeang Api emerged from the Flores Sea, puffing grey smoke from its lava dome. Two weeks earlier the volcano erupted and spewed […]

Nusa Ceningan: A Safe Haven for Birds
The sound is deafening. All of a sudden, we are met with the flapping wings of a bird with striking yellow feathers with black stripes. In less than three seconds it disappears into the lush forest, and everything is quiet again. The Black-naped Oriole (Oriolus […]

Nusa Lembongan: Small Island, Big Allure
Massive waves break onto a narrow niche on a limestone cliff, producing a dramatic swash with a merciless, thundering sound. A thin wisp of ocean spray dampens everything on the shore. Devil’s tears, aptly named for its daunting showcase of Mother Nature’s raw power on […]

Orchid Island: Taiwan’s Tropical Paradise
The 19-seated Dornier 228 was parked on the far side of the apron of Taitung Airport. A huge hose was blowing Oxygen into the cabin when James and I entered the plane. Seated on the first row behind the cockpit, we could clearly see what […]