15Jan201715Jan2017

Accommodation Guide to Korea (2017)

Julio Moreno South Korea accommodation, hanok, hanokstay, minbak, South Korea, templestay, UNESCO, World heritage sites, yeokwan 5 Comments

Accommodation in Korea is somewhat different from other countries. A lot of unique options are available for all kinds of budgets, so it would be wise to consider them in addition to the usual suspects of hotels, motels, hostels, guesthouses and more recently, Airbnb. Unfortunately, many are marketed only to Koreans an require knowledge of the language. Here is (hopefully) a complete list of all kinds of accommodation in Korea.

[Note – If searching through a maps website, it is usually better to search for the Korean word and on a Korean maps website like Daum or Naver. Feel free to copy and paste.]

1) Hanok Stay / 한옥스테이

This hanok in Andong was wonderful. — This hanok in Hahoe Folk Village (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) was wonderful.

By far, my favorite type of accommodation in Korea is Read more →

30Dec201630Dec2016

Map of the Town of Gunung Mulu National Park: Accommodation and Restaurants

Julio Moreno Malaysia Malaysia, Sarawak, UNESCO, UNESCO world heritage site 1 Comment

To my knowledge, there are no known maps (that sounds so cool) of the town directly outside of Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak… until NOW! While Google Maps does have a presence in Malaysia, their map is grossly outdated. When I stayed there (August, 2016), I made sure to note every important building, including every hostel, restaurant, and even two churches and a mosque. The town is one long Read more →

18Aug2016

Five Amazing Untouristy World Heritage Sites

Julio Moreno UNESCO World Heritage Site galapagoes, korea, nepal, UNESCO 2 Comments

[The following is a guest post from a fellow UNESCO fanatic named Jordan Adkins (his bio and blog link is at the bottom). I found his entries very fascinating (especially #3) so I hope you enjoy them as well. If you would also like to contribute your top 5 UNESCO sites and are a fellow travel blogger, shoot me an email: maximuz04 (at) gmail.com]

Have you ever visited a tourist site and thought it looked better in pictures? Or arrived only to be overwhelmed by hordes in tourist buses? I feel your pain! Global tourism is booming, and yet everyone seems to go to those same few places…Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, Statue of Liberty. Now this is not without good reason but we have a huge planet out there to explore. There must be somewhere we can have a little time and reflection to ourselves? Well yes there is … there are over 1000 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, most of which have very few visitors, and are spread out all over the globe. I myself have been to 200+ so far and want to help people explore the lesser-known gems. So I put together a list, from my experiences so far, of 5 Amazingly Un-touristy World Heritage Sites! Hope you enjoy, and are inspired to visit more yourself!

#1 of 5 Amazingly Untouristy World Heritage Sites:

The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum in Malta

The Hal Saflieni Hypogeum (underground cemetery) was only found in 1902 during residential construction in Malta. Little did the workers know they had stumbled upon an enormous subterranean structure which was originally excavated in 2500 B.C.. Little is known of the incredible neolithic find other that its construction at the time was unparalleled with any other known developments on earth. Huge blocks of coralline limestone where lifted into place to create this ancient space, which was originally a sanctuary, but then became a necropolis in prehistoric times. Today it is one of the treasures of Malta and strictly guarded. Only 10 people are allowed in per hour on a limited guided tour (to prevent excess carbon dioxide and air humidity damaging the rock paintings), with no back-packs, cameras or other items. These guys are serious, and tickets sell out months in advance but WOW…It is worth it! Not to be missed!

P.S If you in the area check out my guide to the Top Five Things to Do in Malta!

16Nov201517Nov2015

Ten Hidden Gems in Ten Countries

Julio Moreno Top 10 Style Lists around the world, hidden gems, UNESCO, World heritage sites 1 Comment

On the last post, I shared some of my favorite off the beaten path spots in the USA. It is easy to find those kinds of spots in one’s own back yard as it is more comfortable to take risks and explore. Abroad though, it takes some research, a lot of bravery, and a little luck. Here are ten places around the world which are not well traveled, but will completely blow you away.

13Oct201513Oct2015

Five Hidden Gems in America

Julio Moreno California, Top 10 Style Lists, UNESCO World Heritage Site, United States chaco, hidden gems, UNESCO 8 Comments

The United States is hands down one of the most amazing places to travel. As the third largest country in the world by size and population, adrenaline junkies, road trip lovers, popular culture aficionados, and even those who are looking for places off the grid will never ever be ‘done.’ This list focuses on that last bit, as I too am a big fan of finding places ‘off the beaten path’ which give me a sense of, ‘hey I did something not often done.’ I am trusting you dear reader, to not ruin these places for me as they are some of my favorites!

Channel Islands National Park