After a brief stop for lunch in Brindisi we arrived in Sternatia. It turned out that someone rents out her parent’s house in the center of the city. A beautiful old house all for ourselves. We really got to appreciate the town’s life. We were the only tourists there as far as we could tell and got a good glimpse at Italian small town life in Salento.

As we did in Monopoli, we used Sternatia as a base to explore the region. We went twice into Lecce, the region’s main city with a beautiful old town. To avoid issues with parking (and enjoy a glass of wine or two), we took the train for one trip. Cheap at 1.75EUR per way and surprisingly reliable and on-time.

Especially the evening stroll through the pedestrian zone in Lecce was beautiful and a really nice atmosphere.

Another day trip took us south to Gallipoli on the Ionian Sea. We enjoyed wandering the narrow alleys, drinking coffee on a terrace and going for a swim while watching the sunset.

Our third and final day trip from Sternatia took us to Otranto and from there south along the SP87 and SP358 towards Castro where half the town was going for a swim. Just beautiful.

Besides the vibe, we really liked Sternatia’s location. All of the above day trips were less than an hour driving away. You could even check the weather in the morning and decide whether you’d want to go for a swim in the Ionian or Adriatic Sea based on the winds.

We stayed in the very center of the old town at Orazio 33, a cute B&B where breakfast is served on a little square just beneath the hotel.

While Monopoli itself can easily be explored in half a day (the new part of town is not so much worth seeing), what we really liked about Monopoli was its location. Within 30-45mins drives we were able to visit other towns of interest in the area such as beautiful Polignano a Mare, Alberobello and Locorotondo.

On the first day we drove up the coast to wander around Polignano a Mare. We got really lucky in the sense that tourist numbers had dwindled yet the weather was still beautiful throughout our time in Puglia with not a cloud in the sky and 25 degrees during the day.

By the way, I can really recommend Graecalis Restaurant for seafood. Based on the map you’d think it is some sort of gas station joint but trust me, superb food there.

Day 2 took us to trulli country. We first stopped in Alberobello, the best known town for the unique trullo building. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these stone huts with a conical roof, were mostly built in the 19th century. I’ve read various theories as to what they were built this way. But whoever came up with the idea has created a fantastic tourist magnet in the 21st century.

From Alberobello it was a quick drive to Locorotondo, another town of around 15’000 people living in a magnificent old town.

We were off to a very good start. Great weather, great locations, great food. Puglia set the expecations high for the next couple of days!

• off-season (always a must for me)
• weather was still supposed to be okay-ish (it turned out to be great)
• small distances to drive
• several towns to base ourselves in for a couple of days
• of course we knew the food would not disappoint
• easy to reach from Switzerland with several direct flights
• not as crowded with tourists (yet) as other parts of Italy

We settled on a 10 day itinerary with three three night stays and a one night stay. We would fly into Bari and leave again from Naples.

I’ll be grouping some of the towns together based on where we had our “base”: Monopoli, Sternatia (near Lecce), Ostuni and Matera. I hope you’ll enjoy reading about Puglia as much as we did exploring.

In order to avoid starting our trip in one of the mega gateways of Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya), we set off in Hiroshima. From there we made our way overland through the tourist hotspots of Osaka, Kyoto, the Mount Fuji area and on to Tokyo. Since pretty much any Spring vacation needs a bit of beach time, we extended for a few days and flew down to the Yaeyama Islands to soak in the Okinawan spirit on Ishigaki.

It has been a fun two weeks and thanks to Japan’s great public transportation system not too hectic despite the few stops along the way.

Below is our itinerary:

Looking back, we’re pretty happy with the itinerary. Two weeks is way to short to see such a densely populated country with rich history and obviously only scratched the surface. However, given the time, we were happy with our choices. After last year’s spring vacation to Chengdu/Thailand/Singapore, we wanted to pace things a bit slower, especially since we covered most of the trip with public transport. Having multiple nights at all stops except Osaka was nice and we never felt that we spent too much time in a location. The only exception might be the Mount Fuji area where we got very unlucky with the weather and it actually snowed on the day we intended to go hiking.

Being end of March, it was still chilly apart from Ishigaki. We had to wear a jacket on most days and it was still too cold for wearing shorts. Just something to keep in mind should it matter to you.

This is the site where John the Baptist is said to have baptized Jesus. Archaeologists are fairly certain that the site they have found matches up with the description in the Bible.

The site lies in the Jordanian side of the Jordan River. Along the Jordan River, visitors from both sides of the border can visit to get baptized but you’ll only see the actual site from the Jordanian side. 

We had to park our car and jump on one of the guided tours. Which reminded me of why we opted for driving ourselves in the country…

A short drive takes you past churches that numerous Christian groups have erected:

Churches near Jesus Baptism Site

The guide then takes you on a short walk to the actual site:

Jesus Baptism Site

Not sure what the purpose of the guide was as he was very stingy with explanations. There are a few signs explaining the biblical significance of the site and show some photos of prominent visitors, such as Pope John Paul II in 2000.

Not far away you can dip your feet in the Jordan River. Some people, especially across the border, go all in and get baptized. On the Jordanian side however it is fairly quiet and a stark contrast to the visitor numbers across the border.

We then drive the 20 minutes to our Dead Sea resort. It was Saturday and the Amman socialites were wrapping up their weekend. Apparently a wedding had taken place and most of the hotel seemed to be curing their hangovers.

Dead Sea Marriott

The Dead Sea is actually a lake but a pretty massive one. It is called dead because the high salinity levels prevent pretty much any life. The shore is currently situated at around 400 meters below sea level but is expected to drop further unfortunately.

We enjoyed a nice day by the pool but of course went swimming in the Dead Sea as well:

Swimming in the Dead Sea

It is really as fun as you’d expect. You just sit in the water and can read a newspaper. Lots of fun! Apparently it is also a thing to cover yourself in Dead Sea mud. Good for your skin bla, bla bla.

Tourism on the Jordanian side of the Dead Sea is more or less limited to a few high(er) end resorts situated next to each other. So you’ll probably also end up eating your meals within the resorts.

A night was enough for us and we continued our drive up the mountain towards the Ma’in Hot Springs. We had read it was supposed to be the country’s number one destination for spa.

Diving from the Dead Sea towards Ma’in

We had to take a significant detour because a tragedy that had happened just two days prior: a flashflood had killed several children on a school trip and also destroyed a road along the Dead Sea. Again we were surprised by the good quality of the roads, even in remote parts of the country.

Diving from the Dead Sea towards Ma’in

When we reached the Ma’in Hot Springs Resort we quickly noticed that also the hotel had been impacted by the flashfood. There was damage to the spa complex as well as some of the access roads. We contemplated driving onwards but decided the stay.

Ma’in Hot Springs Resort

A word on the hotel: it used to belong to the Jordanian government and apparently is now in private hands. While a unique location and great facilities, you can notice that some of the hotel has been neglected in recent times. Let’s see how this develops. Also the employees were less friendly than the average we had encountered on our trip.

Spa complex Ma’in Hot Springs Resort

The spa complex was completely flooded and covered in mud. By the time we arrived two days later, they had cleaned up the basics and opened again. The spa manager put in a huge effort.

The Dead Sea is a really unique destination to visit and should be a quintessential part of every Jordan itinerary. The Ma’in Hot Springs Resort however can be skipped.

Jerash, best known for its Greco-Roman ruins, is only about an hour’s drive from Amman and easily doable as a day-trip from the capital. Since the mid-1920s excavations have been ongoing, revealing settlements from the Bronze Age through the Roman and Byzantine periods all the way to the Ottoman period.

Arch of Hadrian

One enters the archaeological area through the Arch of Hadrian which was built to honor the visit of Emperor Hadrian to Jerash in 129/130 AD (nice welcome gift).

Roman history in Jerash

Oval Forum and Cardo Maximus

We had arrived around the same time as a few tour groups but the area is so large that it quickly spread out.

Jerash Temple of Artemis (finished CE 150)

Northern Theatre

Cardo Maximum

After grabbing some lunch we continued our drive about an hour west towards Ajloun and its famous castle.

Ajloun Castle

Built in the 12th century, it was actively used until the 17th or 18th century and eventually partially destroyed by an earthquake (like many buildings in the area).

Ajloun Castle

Ajloun Castle

Ajloun Castle

We continued south towards the destination for the night, the small city of As-Salt. I wanted to avoid returning to Amman and thought the Dead Sea would be too far (it turned out it was not). As-(or Al-) Salt used to be the most important city in the region before it lost that status to Amman and nowadays is a sleepy town with an intact historic center. As we were there on Friday, almost all shops and restaurants were closed. While the town has the potential to become a tourist destination with its charming historic buildings, the inhabitants have a long way to go cleaning up trash. We experienced it as one of the dirties towns throughout our visit.

Al-Salt view from the hotel

Al-Salt view from the hotel

The Treasury in Petra – probably the most famous impression of Jordan

We knew few people who had been to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Even though Jordan doesn’t get a lot of news coverage (positive nor negative) in Europe, it doesn’t seem to be on many people’s radar. And once we mentioned our intention of traveling there, usually we were met with surprise. It seems it has taken some collateral reputation damage due to the war going on in neighboring Syria and the uncertainties in Iraq. What unfortunately gets lost is that Jordan has been politically very stable and seen little what would be considered reason not to travel there.

The breathtakingly beautiful Wadi Rum

Planning our itinerary wasn’t too difficult. There’s a more or less standard tourist trail that covers most major attractions and isn’t too crowded yet (which I expect to change in the near future). We could have rushed through our itinerary in probably 7 days but really enjoyed the somewhat slower pace but additional nights here and there. We did not drive for more than 2-3 hours a day in Jordan’s excellent roads. We contemplated for a while whether we should hire a driver and in the end opted for the independence of self-driving and we’re glad we did. Google Maps was the perfect navigation aid, roads were in very good conditions and not once we did have any issue with police stops.

What would I do different next time? While I’ll explain a bit more in the individual installments, As-Salt is something where I’d skip the overnight stay (not the town!). The Ma’in Hot Springs did not fully convince us but otherwise, it was a really good itinerary.

Roman history in Jerash

Stay tuned for some impressions of Jordan! 

Now, before you think I am crazy to go on such a trip – I was glad that another friend did the exact same a few weeks prior. So I did not have to plan much; not that there is much to plan as Kuwait isn’t exactly a tourist hotspot. The small country receives less than 200’000 tourists a year. Yup, that’s less than 600 a day on average.

We arrived late and night and went straight to our hotel. The next morning we enjoyed the temperatures around 20 degrees; much appreciated coming from below freezing. We set out to rent a car (only American cars are available) and set out to explore the city. First stop: the landmark – The Kuwait Towers. Three towers, part of the larger Kuwait Water Towers system. Designed by Swedes and built by Yugoslavians in the late 1970s.

The Kuwait Towers

There is an observation platform inside one of the towers that can be visited. Not sure where all the daily 500 tourists go, but it seems not to visit the towers as we were by ourselves.

The Kuwait Towers

The Kuwait Towers

The Kuwait Towers

From there we drove to the nearby Fish Market where you can catch a glimpse at more traditional everyday Kuwaiti life, away from the glitzy skyscrapers (which are far less abundant than in neighboring gulf emirates).

Kuwait Fish Market

Kuwait Fish Market

Kuwait Fish Market

Next to the Fish Market, there’s the harbor with all the traditional boats used for fishing:

Kuwait boats

Next up on our list was the Al-Qurain Martyrs Museum, commemorating the Iraqi invasion. It was an easy 30 minutes drive south and on the way we passed several neighborhoods away from the city centre which was interesting.

Al-Qurain Martyrs Museum

On the way back we stopped at the Souk Al Watiya where apprently the countless migrant workers stock up on things from home and go for their remittances. It reminded me a little bit of Lucky Plaza in Singapore but at a much smaller scale. After a break at the hotel, we got ready for dinner. We were recommended to check out the Souq Al Mubarakeya, the main souq in the country. It was a lively atmosphere and we enjoyed a very delicious (and good value for money) meal.

Souq Al Mubarakeya

In the hipster corner of Souq Al Mubarakeya

Souq Al Mubarakeya

Souq Al Mubarakeya

The next day (Sunday) we realized that we had already visited more or less everything we wanted to see. Hmmm… what to do? We asked the hotel receptionist and believe it or not, the two guys actually followed the recommendation to check out the country’s newest and largest shopping mall, The Avenues!

The Avenues

Almost every significant Western brand was represented and we enjoyed some burgers at Shake Shack.

We were glad that we had booked an afternoon flight out of Kuwait with a long layover in Abu Dhabi instead of an evening flight. This gave us the chance to visit the breathtaking Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Truly magnificent.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

On the way back to the airport (we stopped for an excellent Indian dinner at Ushna at The Souk) we had a taxi driver from Nigeria who had arrived just a few weeks prior. Apparently Abu Dhabi has expanded recruitment to Africa and it was interesting to hear the expectations and reality check with which he left his home country.

Back at the airport we awaiting our midnight flight back to Europe. My conclusion of Kuwait? Been there, done that. Sure, it was nice to see a gulf country that’s a bit more authentic than the likes of Dubai or Qatar but don’t plan on spending much more than a day there.

There happen to be direct flights from Chengdu to Chiang Rai which seemed a convenient way to connect the two destinations. So after spending some time with the adorable pandas, Sichuan Airlines flew us in a bit over two hours on a Saturday morning to Thailand – us and close to 200 hundred Chinese tourists traveling as a tour group.

Getting off our Sichuan Airlines flight

Us being the only non-Chinese on the flight also meant we were the only ones not needing a visa on arrival. We were lucky because there aren’t that many international flights arriving in Chiang Rai (read: barely any) so immigration can take a while. After renting a car (a first for me in Thailand), we were on our way to our hotel (kind of like a four room homestay) around 20mins north of Chiang Rai. If you’re looking for something quiet, I can recommend Bambuh Homestay – but you’ve been warned; it is far outside the city and you’ll need a car.

We quickly made our way south of town to visit one of the main reasons I had wanted to go to Chiang Rai: Wat Rong Khun or more commonly known as White Temple. Local artist Chalermchai Kositpipat designed and built this temple which only opened in 1997, so it is still relatively new compared to the other temples you’re likely to visit in Thailand. Its design is quite unique:

Wat Rong Khun / White Temple

Wat Rong Khun / White Temple

Wat Rong Khun / White Temple

Wat Rong Khun / White Temple

Entrance fee must have recently gone from 0 to THB50 (EUR1.30) for foreigners

It was well worth the visit and truly a remarkable work for art. Unfortunately the sheer number of tourists and their selfie-obsession meant that the experience walking around this religious structure was not that enjoyable.

We headed back into the city and started to wander around Chiang Rai.

While Chiang Rai province is predominately Buddhist, there’s also a Muslim population –
Darul Aman Mosque

We had mango sticky rice at least once per day

We also changed our remaining CNY into THB at Super Rich Money Exchange

We were lucky in the sense that we visited on a Saturday when the once weekly night market takes place. It is probably one of the larger ones I’ve ever seen and did not feel overly touristic but rather the locals from the surrounding areas seem to visit. We really enjoyed the atmosphere and of course the street food. Eating through the stalls, we probably had our best meal(s) of the trip that evening and spent less than any other night.

Chiang Rai Saturday Night Market

Chiang Rai Saturday Night Market

Chiang Rai Saturday Night Market

The next morning we drove north towards Mae Sai (bordering Myanmar) and from there headed East towards the Golden Triangle where we first visited the excellent Opium museum which is a must visit in the area. Sponsored by the Royal Family, it does a superb job at sharing the history of Opium and how much death and destruction the Colonialists brought to the region through its trade (no photos allowed inside):

Hall of Opium

From there it is a short drive to Wat Phar Pu Khao where you have a good view across the mighty Mekong river towards Myanmar on the left and Laos on the right:

Golden Triangle

Myanmar on the left, Laos on the right

We stopped for some great fish for lunch, overlooking the Mekong.

Lunch in Chiang Saen

And wandered around the sleepy town.

Wat Mung Muang in Chiang Saen

Wat Phrachao Lan Thong in Chiang Saen

Coffee shop in Chiang Saen

We took the slow route back turning from road 1290 to 1271 to 4034 and were rewarded with gorgeous views onto rice paddies.

Driving along route 4034

Back on the main highway we stopped at one of the dozens of stalls for fresh pineapple

For dinner our host recommended us Ban Saowaga, not far from our homestay. A local Thai restaurant with live music that apparently doesn’t get a lot of non-Thai speaking guests.

Ban Saowaga

The last morning before flying off, I went for a run around the beautiful campus of Chiang Rai Rajabhat University.

Chiang Rai Rajabhat University

And our final stop was another work of art by Chalermchai Kositpipat; the Baan Dam Museum (Black House) – a very strange place. Check out this link if you want to know more about the background.

Baan Dam Museum

Baan Dam Museum

Baan Dam Museum

With that we wrapped up our short stay in Chiang Rai province and I can say I really liked it! Great food, not many tourists, friendly people and beautiful nature. Definitely an area to bookmark and revisit.

With animals and nature checked, we wanted to add some beach time and settled on Koh Lipe in the very south, advertised as “the Maldives of Thailand”. The trip would end with some days in Singapore, our old home.

This was our final itinerary:

Looking back, it was probably too much travel for the short period of time. Not necessarily too many stops, but too much travel with planes.

Stay tuned for the trip report!