I adore the cultural aspects of India; it is the ultimate culture shock trip, and a sometimes overwhelming and intense experience. However, it is possible to suffer from temple fatigue, or sightseeing ennui. There are so many amazing things to see that sometimes you need to mix it up with something different, to keep you […]
Let’s be honest, Cambodia is only known for a few things, like the temples of Angkor Wat, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. The country has a magnificent past and a brutal recent history. A lesser-known fact is that Cambodia also has some brilliant not-so-old architecture, and the capital city of Phnom Penh is the […]
Apart from Goa, India is not known for its beaches; even there it tends to focus on the backpacker or party-goer wanting to, how shall we say this delicately, have a very good time with the aid of sun and substances. Calmer, luxury-seeking beach lovers may despair at the lack of options in a country […]
This is the moment when you’ve run out of patience. You know it. We know it. All the other drivers on the salt-crusted road know it. It’s mid-February and there are minimal daylight hours at the end of the tunnel, especially under this particularly heavy avalanche of snow. We’re all just trying too hard to […]
Love is in the air. Mostly because we’re trying desperately to ward off the snowy chill of February, but also because of that heart-shaped holiday awaiting us at the end of the week. Whether you think it’s a perfect time for romance or a total Hallmark sham, you can’t lose if you simply look at […]
When a tour guide invites you into her home and makes you a special herbal elixir to heal your cough, you have probably made the leap from travel client over to friend. Or maybe you’ve just met Hemali Talsania, the kindest Trufflepig guide of them all. Trufflepig is built on experience. We don’t plan in […]
For most people, just the trip to India would be adventure enough. In a country where crazy is the norm, simply wandering around on foot can provide a full day’s worth of diversions and interactions more than entertaining enough to blog home about. But Anton Lynch is not most people. Anton is our go-to man […]
Every November, for the past years, we’ve attended a remarkable travel show in Marrakech—PURE Life Experiences. It’s where we go to take the pulse of the travel industry (oh no, did I just use that word?), meet with some of the hotels and people we work with, and sniff around for new and noteworthy places. […]
In southeastern Turkey, not far (yet safely far enough) from the border of Syria, and about an hour and a half drive from the town of Adiyaman, lies the startling and stunning Mount Nemrut. Now a UNESCO world heritage site, this bald and rocky mountain is out-of-the-way Anatolia (the name for the Asian chunk of […]
Hotels in Asia are synonymous with fantastic service, beautiful gardens, orchids everywhere and delicious food. And most of the time that is exactly what you get. The variety (and quality) of hotels in Indochina is mind-numbing. Some are much better than others, and we are constantly working to ensure that we make the right choices for […]
Whether you fancy yourself a building buff or not, architecture in Indochina will definitely impress. Ancient temples, traditional teak houses, brutalist Communist structures, elegant colonial mansions and mid-century masterpieces all make an appearance. It sounds strange, but it all seems to work, and the results keep each and every location unique and worth visiting. Of […]
There is a recurring theme for every Indochina trip we plan: food. Produce is literally farm to table, whether you’re eating at a roadside stall or the best digs in town. A typical day can consist of mind-blowing noodles on a tiny roadside plastic stool, and then hours later find yourself dining in a beautifully […]
When you think about Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, most think about temples, food, monks, more food and the hustle and bustle that the region is famous for. Long a favourite of honeymooners, retired couples and backpackers (I’m guilty of this one myself), it attracts a really diverse crowd. What some don’t realize however is that […]
On a recent research trip in Turkey, I ventured to many new (for Trufflepig) destinations in this land that splendidly rewards repeat visits. It was a day of some of my favourite things to do when travelling, 1. Being on the water; 2. Seeing things that are surreally fascinating; 3. Eating lots of great local […]
I’ve never been to China. But yesterday I went to see an art show at the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) in Toronto, featuring the phenomenal work of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei (pronounced ‘I Way Way’). Even though I know there’s nothing like seeing a country in person, I kind of feel like this show […]
It would seem that Vietnam just got a little more comfortable. We were delighted to hear that Aman Resorts have just announced the opening of their newest property, and first in Vietnam, Amanơi. Opened at the beginning of September, it completes a triangle for those wanting to experience Indochina from the comfort of an Aman […]