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Southeast Asia

33 stories

Volcano sunrises, islands, street food and old trading towns across Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Brunei, all a short flight from home in Saigon.

BruneiInto the Green Heart of Brunei: A Day Trip to Ulu Temburong National ParkMost people think of Brunei as golden mosques, quiet streets and a very wealthy sultan. Few realise that more than…October 3, 2026IndonesiaLombok and the Gili Islands in the Dry Season: Boats, Turtles and Quiet BeachesEveryone told me Bali was too crowded in July and August, and that the best escape was just one boat…August 22, 2026MalaysiaIsland Hopping, Sunsets and Seafood: Four Easy Days in Kota KinabaluI had heard that Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah on Borneo, is the kind of place where you can…June 24, 2026SingaporeExploring Katong, Joo Chiat and Tiong Bahru: Singapore’s Most Charming Heritage NeighbourhoodsOn my previous trips to Singapore I spent most of my time around Marina Bay and Orchard Road. This time…June 6, 2026IndonesiaExploring Bandung: Kawah Putih, Tea Hills and the Old Streets of BragaWhenever Jakarta gets too hot and too busy, people there say the same thing: go to Bandung. The capital of…May 18, 2026MalaysiaA Day in Kuala Lumpur: Batu Caves in the Morning, the Old Town in the AfternoonMost people I know treat Kuala Lumpur as a shopping stop: Bukit Bintang, the malls, a photo with the Petronas…January 6, 2026ThailandChiang Rai in the Cool Season: The White Temple, the Blue Temple and the Black HouseEvery time someone posts a photo of the White Temple in Chiang Rai, my phone seems to know I want…December 16, 2025MalaysiaTwo Slow Days in Malacca: Dutch Square, Jonker Street and Nyonya FoodI had been to Kuala Lumpur a few times, but somehow I had never made the short trip south to…November 30, 2025ThailandA Day Trip to Ayutthaya: Trains, a River Ferry and the Buddha Head in the Tree RootsI had walked past pictures of the stone Buddha head wrapped in tree roots for years, on postcards and in…September 26, 2025MalaysiaA Day in Air Itam: Riding Up Penang Hill and Exploring Kek Lok Si TempleMost people come to Penang for the food and the old shophouses of George Town, and honestly, so did I.…August 15, 2025
Ink drawing of Bill, the writer of Ink on the Map, seen from behind

Hi, I'm Bill

I live in Saigon and travel slowly around East and Southeast Asia, Australia and the US, writing down the practical bits: how to get there, what it costs and what is worth your time.

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