John Saboe's Far East Travels

Unhealthy levels on the Air Quality Index are a fact of life in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. In this episode I review the AQI so you'll have some context as to what could be considered safe or dangerous depending on how sensitive you are to air pollution. Other factors like seasonal conditions, for example the yellow dust from the Gobi Desert in Spring throughout East Asia, and the slash and burn season that affects Southeast Asia can also determine how you should be prepared. High quality masks that guard against large particles of pollutants are always easily available in some cities so ordering your masks before you leave on your trip is probably a good idea. As well as downloading the Air Matters app and having some websites that you can easily access before and during your trip. As I mentioned in the episode there are some days where the AQI can vary from over 150 in the morning to 80-90 later in the day, so in some cases just staying indoors for the morning or a portion of a day can make a

In this episode I give you a quick run down of my go to apps for booking hotels, airlines, food delivery, rideshares, and general use and information. I did not mention rail apps that are handy for booking tickets in places like Taiwan, where you can reserve tickets for either Taiwan Railways or for the Taiwan High Speed Rail-I will leave those for future episodes. For myself these apps are equivalent to infrastructure, and they would be for you too if you plan on extended travel or stays in East Asia, Southeast Asia, or South Asia. With any of these apps that can take payment from an international debit or credit card I use a virtual card number. I also leave notifications on for my bank app so I can see in real time charges or authorizations being applied to my account as I am booking and of these services. Should my card become compromised, I can notify my bank immediately and or lock the card from being used. There are lots of incentives these apps offer from discounts to cash back you can use towards fut

Full disclosure, I'm not 100% vegan, maybe 85%, which I suppose would infuriate some people because veganism seems to be just as much if not more of a cause than just a diet preference. Choosing to be vegan because you are concerned about the treatment of animals and the health of our planet are absolutely worthy choices to change your diet but I believe it's also OK just to be doing it for you and your own personal health. So you don't have to be "vegan" to try vegan food and enjoy vegan food. If you're not vegetarian or vegan next time you're in one of these cities in Asia go vegan for a few meals. I especially enjoy trying traditional local dishes that are vegan or have been adapted with plant-based ingredients. The desserts are amazing too! I'm blown away by the quality of vegan food restaurants in most of the cities that are on the list, that I've visited.With a minimum pledge of $5/month you can support the Far East Travels Podcast and get access to private episodes. Visit here to sign up:https://www

There are definitely much more than just 6 sites or places to see in Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City but if I had to narrow it down to a few select these are the places I recommend you should see-especially on your first visit. Ho Chi Minh City has an estimated population of around 13 million. It is a megalopolis and rapidly changing. I've left off more tradtional markets and districts or spots that are more frequented by locals. These are familiar sites your friends will recognize when you share your photos and they are all well worth visiting. Oddly one place I haven't been to yet that's on the list is the new "Skyview" of Landmark 81, the tallest building in Southeast Asia, about a 10-15 taxi ride from the city center of District 1. At $35USD this I believe is the most expensive tourist attraction in Saigon. Most of the museums are less that $3 and some of the sites listed here are free to see or visit like the post office and of course the hotels. I did forget to mention the iconic Saigon Opera House as a plac

Join me on a walk through Co Bac/Co Giang the streets and area that was featured in the Netflix series Street Food Asia Ho Chi Minh City episode. You'll will definitely feel the rumble and energy of the motorbikes that act as the pulse of the city. I hope that these "on the street" episodes help you feel the energy of Southeast Asia and inspire you to travel and visit these truly dynamic places. As I said in the episode to walk these streets and smell the aromas of the food cooking while hearing the sounds of the sizzling and stirring of woks and barbeques is wonderfully stimulating. It's like you're in someone's kitchen waiting for them to cook you something comforting and delicious. Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City is a funny place, when you're here for an extended period of time it can drive you crazy. When you're away you can't wait to get back!Support the Far East Travels Podcast and get access to private podcasts with your pledge of $5 or more per month. Visit my Patreon page to find out more:https://www.pa

Join me on a walk from The Saigon River to The Notre Dam Basilica(Cathedral), on one of Saigon's most iconic streets, Dong Khoi. During the French Colonial period it's name was Rue Catinat and even today there are still many leftover gorgeous buildings of the era from hotels like The Majestic, Grand Saigon, and The Hotel Continental Saigon, to The Opera House and more. This coincides with my YouTube video that was released this week on best areas to stay in when visiting Saigon-https://youtu.be/wleYCU99ZjII also invited my Twitter live followers to join in on the conversation with questions. Which countries have the most visitors to Vietnam. They are in order starting with:1.China2.South Korea3.Japan4. Taiwan5. United StatesThanks so much for listening! If you have a question or suggestion for a podcast topic I would love to hear from you. Send me a message to john@fareasttravels.com.Get access to exclusive private podcast episodes by pledging $5/month. Visit my Patreon page to find out more:https://www.patre

Walk with me as I explore the latest fruit and produce offered at a traditonal non-tourist market in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The Tan My Market is located in District 7, not an area frequented by tourists but many foreigners in here. One of my favorite things always is exploring markets across Asia. The traditional markets actually whether they're frequented by tourists or not are a great way to understand how locals eat. The non-tourist markets are going to feature mostly local and everyday products so you obviously won't be seeing t-shirts or souvenirs. You probably will see live and fresh animals as well as the cleaning of fresh killed creatures like frogs and chickens so it's not for the squeamish either. Picture some crowded streets filled with people shopping on their motorbikes, with many carrying bags of fresh greens and herbs, rambutan, limes, bananas, and mangos.Thanks so much for listening and your support!For $5/month you can access private episodes of the podcasts with either additional intervi

Thanks to Tod Pohlmann of the San Francisco Bay Area for his question about SIM cards in Asia. I hope I've covered off everything you need to know about SIM cards in East Asia, Southeast Asia, or South Asia. If you have any more questions or suggestions for future podcasts I'd love to hear from you. Send me a message either to john@fareastravels.com or on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/FarEastAdventureTravel/ or https://www.facebook.com/johnsaboeofficial/. Support the Far East Travels Podcast and get access to private podcasts starting at $5/month. Visit my Patreon page to find out more:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravels

It's always a pleasure to have Niall join me on the podcast for chat about one of the most visited cities in Asia-Kyoto, Japan. Niall has been living in the most traditional city of Japan for over 11 years and has a very extensive understanding of Japanese culture as well as expert knowledge on Kyoto and it's fascinating sites. Niall has been a tour operator for several years and now hosts his own podcast-The Kyoto Fun Podcast. In this episode and chat with Niall about how he ended up in Kyoto, marrying a Japanese woman and starting a family. Niall shares some insight into life as a a foreigner in Japan and some tips on visiting Kyoto. I carry on the conversation with Niall in a private podcast for Patreon supporters. You can get access to private episodes of the Far East Travels Podcast starting at $5/month. Visit my Patreon page to find out more and sign up:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravelsSubscribe to Niall's Kyoto Fun Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kyoto-fun-podcast/id1478528318Find ou

I'm sharing some more of my experiences and cost comparisons between Phnom Penh and Saigon. I was asked recently while I was in PP whether it was cheaper than Saigon. The Phnom Penh cost of living is overall 15-18% higher than Saigon. Very reflective in the cost of meals and transportation. You'll notice it almost immediately. Interesting in that Saigon by far exceeds Phnom Penh as a cosmopolitan city but overall is less costly. As I mentioned in the episode I will probably be spending a few months living and exploring Cambodia starting next month. Thanks so much for listening. I want to thank Sheila Osman and Yi Jing Zhou for inviting me to be a guest on The Podcast Show Asia. Here is my interview with Shida:https://soundcloud.com/thepodcastshowasia/john-saboe-far-east-travelpodcast-the-podcast-showGet exclusive access to private podcasts for $5/month-Visit my Patreon page to find out more:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravelsHelp others discover Far East Travels Podcast by writing a review in the iTunes S

At one time Cambodia was one of the easiest countries in Southeast Asia to obtain a long term visa. Just a matter of applying for an "Ordinary" visa when you arrived and renewing it to a business visa before the 30 days was up and you would have a multiple entry visa good for one year. Things are more complicated now with extensions for people working in Cambodia, retiring, or other categories. Of course you can still renew your tourist visa for 30 days but if you want to stay longer you'll have to exit the country and then return. I suppose with a huge amount of foreign investment and a population that's eager for good jobs the government is tightening up the rules to help favor locals looking for jobs. But I believe it's still possible for foreigners with experience to find work in Cambodia. I would recommend Phnom Penh for either a long term stay of employment or retirement. There are a few things they will have to do to adjust the infrastructure to meet the needs of all of the new development. Even with a

As I settled in after arriving in Phnom Penh after my last visit 4 years ago and felt a comforting sense, a wonderful gift of experiencing so many different cities in and cultures in Asia and recognizing the subtleties of each place. I actually have been trying to arrange a return visit in the last 2-3 years to Phnom Penh but the stars never seemed to line up so perhaps my appreciation for Cambodia and the Khmer culture has only grown since my last visit. It's certainly different in that there is much more residential and retail development and a bigger global presence in for years. The massive investment from China is seen everywhere. As I said in the episode there still is a somewhat peaceful feeling along some of the streets near riverside, something that has long vanished from Ho Chi Minh City. But perhaps that will change here too with more foreign investment. Thanks so much for listening to the podcast! The Far East Travels Podcast is brought to you by sacredtrekking.com. Book your trek to the Himalay

Having lived in Vancouver most of my life I have lots of great memories and for sometime I couldn't imagine myself living anywhere else, so I have no ill or bad feelings about the place. But I was very surprised to see Vancouver listed as the number 1 most friendliest city in the world on Lonely Planet's Top 10 Friendliest Cities list. Especially when I saw that Taipei, Taiwan placed number 4 considering it's the only other place I've lived long term.Knowing the way locals react to foreigners that visit Taipei compared with Vancouver is quite different. I discuss this in the episode. I was delighted to see that another one of my favorite cities in Asia made the top 10 list and came in at number 2-Kuala Lumpur. In this episode I also include some of my favorite Asian destinations that didn't make the Lonely Planet list but are certainly on my list of friendly cities or destinations. Thanks for listening and sharing!You can support the podcast by becoming a patron! Patrons get access to exclusive content and at

Far East Travels Podcast friend DaveInOsaka joins us from Ilulissat, Greenland for a beyond The Far East episode sharing his journey through this mysterious island full of ice fjords and sled dogs. Dave arrived in Nuuk, Greenland, the capital of the Danish territory via Reykjavik, Iceland before making his way to the most popular destination on the island, Ilulissat, with it's World Heritage Icefjord. Dave shares his impressions of the island from it's breathtaking landscape to what whale meat tastes like. Greenland is very much not for sale and it appears that with the exception of maybe a few locals are really interested in discussing the topic. Dave is also on the lookout for talkshow host Conan O'Brien who is also visiting Greenland. Thanks again to Dave for sharing his impressions Greenland. You can follow Dave on the rest of his trip and around Asia on Twitter and Periscope:https://twitter.com/DaveInOsaka, and Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/daveinosakaHelp support the Far East Travels Podcast by b

Yves Chouinard, the founder of the Patagonia adventure gear and clothing company once said the adventure doesn't begin until the s*** hits the fan. In this episode I share some of my misadventures or mishaps that uncomfortable or a little terrifying at the time, made the trip much more interesting to share. Unfortunately with the advent of Instagram and other platforms too many people gauge the expectations of their trip on someone else's experience rather than going in without any preconceived expectations. This can be fatal to ultimately enjoying your own experience. If you'd like to share your experience of a trip that went sideways but made for a great adventure send it to me at either john@fareastravels.com or to my Instagram account johnsaboesfareastravels. You can support the podcast by becoming a patron! Visit my Patreon page to find out more:https://www.patreon.com/FarEastTravelsHelp others discover the podcast by writing a review in the iTunes Store:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-tra

Demonstrations and the intensity of protests have escalated over the past couple of weeks leading to violence and unpredictability. As a result many countries have increased the degree of caution to their citizens who will be traveling to Hong Kong. Australia, USA, Canada, and others have raised the degree of caution to Level 2 or to "exercise a high risk of caution to their citizens this week. In this episode I discuss alternatives and safetly measures you can take when visiting Hong Kong.

Replacing a passport due to loss or theft is obviously necessary when traveling but what about just a normal renewal process? For many the only time they will ever need to visit their consulate or embassy abroad would be if they have lost their passport or had it stolen. But for those that plan on traveling for several months or longer, or just plan on living abroad indefinitely renewing a passport is actually almost as easy as just doing it in your home country. There are a few differences, things to remember and make note of and in this episode I go over a typical passport renewal for anyone who finds themself in need of getting this done away from their home country.Sometimes it's too early to renew your passport before you leave home because either it's expiry date is too far off, or you are running out of available pages for visas and stamps. In these two instances you most likely will not be allowed to renew your passport before you either are close to your expiry date, 6 months or less, or you are down

The latest episode was inspired by a chance meeting with an expat Irishman in Saigon this week. I asked him where he was off to after Saigon. He said to me Thailand, but he had troubles with obtaining Thai visa so he might have to travel to Laos first. I summed up that he had done too many visa runs in a row on exempt entries. Thailand allows many foreigners to visit the country with either a 15 or 30 day visa exemption, meaning you can enter without a visa, but only for one of these short stays. It also may require showing an onward ticket, proof that you're not staying longer than the exemption. Some people will leave the country and then immediately return, essentially doing a visa run, to extend their stay. The problem is you can going do so many of these before it raises suspicion with immigration. If you've done this more than two times they may ask you why you haven't gone to a Thai embassy and applied for a proper visa. This is where I think my Irish friend went wrong. If you're an expat none of thi

I'm always eager to receive email feedback from listeners of The Far East Travels Podcast. Scott from Utah recently came back from an extensive trip covering Hong Kong, The Philippines, and Taiwan and shares his thoughts and feelings on visiting these three destinations in East Asia. Palawan has been gaining attention especially recently so it was nice to hear Scott's impressions of the paradise, and it sounds like it exceeded his expectations. If you have a recent trip to either East Asia, Southeast Asia, or South Asia you'd like to share please send it to john@ fareasttravels.com to possibly have it shared or featured in an upcoming podcast. Help others discover the podcast by writing a review in the iTunes Store:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/far-east-travels-podcast/id1079513943

Kuala Lumpur easily is one of my favorite food cities. The cultural mix of Chinese, Malay, and Indian cuisines as well as the various dishes that are a result of this meltling pot of cultures makes KL a must do destination for food lovers. In this episode I highlight some of the best places to go to sample food, whether it's Indian in KL Sentral/Brickfields/Little India, Malay/Chinese in Kampung Baru or seafood and bbq on the Jalan Alor. I mention too that KL has some of the best food value especially for a major city in Southeast Asia. The little restorans that appear everywhere in the city are great places to stop for a quick snack of roti canai, or a masala dosa and a teh terek, (pulled milk tea), typically a drink and a snack is less than $2! I agree that Saigon and Bangkok offer some of the best food on the planet but don't overlook Kuala Lumpur if you're a serious food lover!Help support the podcast by becoming a patron! Patrons get exclusive access to content on my Patreon page as well as private podca