This year is the 14th edition of the Amsterdam Light Festival. Between 11 November 2025 until 18 January 2026 the city center of Amsterdam is illuminated by various bright artwork. From Amsterdam Central Station you can walk a 6.5 km loop along Nemo science museum, the Nieuwe Herengracht, crossing the Amstel river at the Blauwbrug,…
Let’s go to Japan again! This time to Okinawa, the Japanese tropical island group. As I was coming from Taiwan, I was in the “neighborhood” anyways. My interest in Okinawa comes from pop culture, as I know the islands from various anime series and the movie Karate Kid. For my 4 day trip in Okinawa…
Sun Moon Lake is the biggest lake in Taiwan, and together with Alishan National Forest one of the most visited tourist spots in Taiwan. The locals love to come here for a long weekend getaway. How to explore Sun Moon Lake When visiting Sun Moon Lake, renting a bike is the most popular option. The…
Alishan National Forest is one of the most visited areas in Taiwan. At an altitude of 2200 meters it’s about 10 degrees colder in temperature than the rest of Taiwan. Don’t forget to bring a sweater! Chiayi The starting point to Alishan is Chiayi, a medium-sized city where I spend the late afternoon and evening.…
Tainan is the oldest city and former capital of Taiwan. Settlers from China and Europe who came to Taiwan first arrived in Tainan. The Dutch have strong roots here as the VOC established a ruling and trading base. A one day visit to Tainan is perfect to visit all the main sights in the city.…
From mainland Taiwan I’m taking a break for a few days to hop on the ferry to Xiaoliuqiu (pronounced: she-ao lee-o chee-o). A small coral island on the Southwest of Taiwan. The island is known for its giant sea turtles swimming close to the shore, and I wanted to witness these magnificent creatures myself. You…
This year is the 50th anniversary of SAIL Amsterdam. From 20 August until 24 August 2025 is the largest maritime event in the world, which takes place only once in every 5 years. Various tall ships and other unique vessels from across the globe come together at the IJ in Amsterdam. The best way to…
In June 2025 it was time for me to visit Albania. The country has been recommended as one of the more surprising Balkan countries. And with tourism rapidly increasing in the past few years, I didn’t want to miss out on the unique culture. With a rental car I explored the country for 10 days…
The Peaks of the Balkans is a 192 km trail situated in the mountains of Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo. When visiting Albania, it’s the perfect opportunity to head North and hike part of this popular trail. In Albania, between Valbona and Theth, the trail is about 16km long and it takes about 7 hours to…
After traveling to exotic places and shooting beautiful photos, it is only natural to want to showcase it in a beautiful physical photo album. In this post I’ll share my do’s and don’ts in creating your own travel photobook. Less = more My biggest tip of all! Do not use “fun” different backgrounds or artistic…