Tag Archives: surfing

Travelogue: Kenting National Park

Kenting (墾丁) National Park (國家公園), on the southern tip of Taiwan, is a gloriously beautiful landscape, a symphony of water, wind, and earth. From anywhere on the Kenting peninsula, you can see the clear water all around you, undisturbed by heavy industry, great for surfing, diving, and banana boating. From the southeast blows a powerful trade wind, stirring up the waves and cooling the air. And a rolling, forest-covered mountain to complete the set. A glorious landscape, but unfortunately one that’s been overrun by mainland Chinese tourists.
Kenting - panorama east coast Kenting - panorama west coast field 1

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Travelogue: Kuta, Lombok

From Senggigi, I traveled to Kuta, Lombok. Like its sister city in Bali, Kuta has amazing surf, but that’s where the similarities end. While Kuta (Bali) is a big city full of tourists, traffic, and partying, Kuta (Lombok) is a small, peaceful village.
Kuta Lombok - town 1

Here in Kuta, I rented a basic room ($7 / night), scooter ($5 / day), and spent two weeks relaxing.
Kuta Lombok - scooter Kuta Lombok - guesthouse room

(Please pardon the mess)

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Travelogue: Kuta, Bali

After my quick stopover in Singapore, I hopped on a last-minute flight to Bali, where I made a beeline for the backpacker mecca of Kuta. Twenty years ago, in the ’90s backpacker world, the most famous backpacker destinations were the three Ks – Khao San Road (Thailand), Kuta (Indonesia), and Kumatra (Nepal).
Kuta Bali - architecture 2 Kuta Bali - beach 3

Since then, resorts, shopping centers, and restaurants have sprung up like weeds, making it into a general tourist destination, especially amongst Australians, but it’s one of the cheapest and best beginning surf spots in the world.
Kuta Bali - street view 1 Kuta Bali - street view 2

And like a moth to the flame, I came to Kuta.
Kuta Bali - sunset portrait

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