HoneyTrek

A couple on a 5,000-day honeymoon around the world. Currently exploring Thailand our 91st country, and loving every day! Check out http://HoneyTrek.com for photos, connecting up on social, and living your best life!

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Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile https://www.honeytrek.com/patagonia-chile/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

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Small Ship and Expedition Cruises for Adventurous Couples https://www.honeytrek.com/small-ship-and-expedition-cruises/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

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Wait, HoneyTrek went to Vietnam this spring? If you didn’t see any IG stories from our Phú Quôc Island trip, that’s because it was our tourism nightmare. When trying to get a flight from Tasmania to Southeast Asia, the prices were out of control, so when tickets to Phú Quôc were coming up 50% less, and we realized it was just a ferry ride from Cambodia (our intended destination), we gave it a closer look. An internet search on Phú Quôc showed palm-fringed beaches, ladies in conical hats giving massages, a cable car gliding over the sea, and a colorful Italian-inspired village out of a movie set. Turns out in the 90s, the island was strategically picked by the Vietnamese government to compete with Phuket as Southeast Asia’s “hot” new beach destination. The island’s southerly location is sheltered from the typhoon belt, offers sea-facing sunsets, and has enough room for an international airport, and was made all the more accessible as a visa-free zone. We definitely had our doubts, but thought… a tropical island, a country with great vegan food, and an affordable beach holiday before a busy trip…why not? Well, always trust your gut because this place quickly proved to be one big construction site surrounded by trash-laden beaches and package tourism at its worst. We tried to suspend disbelief and get into the holiday-maker spirit at the beach bars, but between the aggressive peddlers pushing massages, tours, and menus in Russian, we had to get off the strip. We went to Duong Dong town, basically the only part of the island that has retained its traditional markets, fishing culture (the boats are amazing!), and sea cliff temples. After that much-needed hit of Vietnam’s typically vibrant culture, we cut our losses and found a beach resort with a pool and wifi on the remote east coast. The simple Sunrise Hill Resort had nothing around, except for a stilted fishing village in the distance. Our favorite part was kayaking past the floating homes and smiling kids running out to wave hello. Phú Quôc was a reminder that there is always kindness even in the worst places, but cheap flights aren’t usually the best way to find it. https://www.instagram.com/p/DbBetxCkRy5/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

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South Shetlands Antarctica https://www.honeytrek.com/south-shetlands-antarctica/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

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Cambodia’s Cardamom Rainforest spans 4.1 million hectares and is home to mainland Southeast Asia’s largest coastal mangrove forest. With a region this expansive, biodiverse, and straight gorgeous, we decided to extend our Cardamom trip with a stay at the fabulous @Canvas.Orchids. With floating tented villas on the Tatai River, this glamping camp is as dreamy as it is inspiring–from its sustainability efforts to its community development. Working with the local Koh Andet village since 2008, people who didn’t have education beyond elementary school and couldn’t speak English are now the hotel managers, head of operations, naturalist guides, excellent chefs, and hands down the happiest hotel staff we have ever met. With their positive attitude, anything felt possible. Want to learn to make rice wine? Have a candlelit dinner on a floating dining room? Take a night cruise hunting for fireflies? Yes, yes, and yes. The team planned an incredible three days of adventures for us–doing everything from spelunking waterfalls to planting mangrove trees with a local conservation group. We loved every minute of our three days at Canvas & Orchids and know we’ll be back to see our new friends. @cambodia_tourism_board https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ2ptEBkSpf/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

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Cambodia has mainland Southeast Asia’s largest coastal mangrove forest, with over 700 unique species of wildlife. Boating with our Canvas & Orchids crew down the Tatai River towards the sea, we couldn’t believe how tall, varied, and beautiful the mangroves could be. Sadly, this area is becoming increasingly threatened, but with the help of IUCN, The Fishing Cat Project, and community-based nurseries, the mangroves are making a comeback! We reached the fishing village of Koh Kapik, and were welcomed into the local mangrove sanctuary with prayer hands and smiles. Here, hundreds of saplings were being lovingly watered and getting ready for transplant. With a tour of the nursery and this forgotten French colonial village, we realized that the conservation project isn’t just helping the environment, but also the local community find new livelihoods in eco-tourism. After a great lunch, we kayaked the mangrove forest’s maze of channels, with our saplings aboard. We found the perfect spot deep in the mud, and each planted our own tree. Can’t wait to come back someday and see this mangrove forest stronger than ever! @Cambodia Tourism Board @Canvas & Orchids Retreat

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Can one of the world’s most luxurious hotels also be among the most adventurous and sustainable? Watch this video from our stay at @ShintaManiWild to find out! ShintaMani @Cambodia Tourism Board partner KingdomofWonder RegenerativeTravel CardamomMountains See less

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https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZbanNruzFK/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

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The Cardamom Mountains are home to one of Southeast Asia’s most intact rainforests and also one of the most threatened. @WildlifeAlliance has been working with the Cambodian Ministry of Environment since 2002 to stop illegal logging, poaching, and wildlife trade. To help their efforts, @ShintaManiWild built a ranger station and covers their salaries, expenses, and equipment. As a thank you and to raise awareness of their conservation work, they take guests on patrol…and we know we were sooo in! We hopped on motorbikes with Wildlife Alliance & the armed government rangers to patrol a slice of their 1.4 million-hectare range, looking for illicit activity. We went deep into the jungle, splashing through rivers, busting through branches, and surveying the ground. Today, we found 2 cases of illegal logging and 1 snare, then added our findings to their database for closer investigation and monitoring. Since 2002, Wildlife Alliance has removed over 275,000 snares, stopped 3,500 cases of land encroachment, and rescued 7,000 wild animals…such amazing work and so stoked we could be a part of it for a day!

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A hotel check-in like no other…Take a vintage army jeep into the Cardamom Rainforest, climb a seven-story tower, and zipline for 380 meters above the tree canopy! Coming in hot at 50km/hr you reach station two, then bounce along the suspension bridge and strap in for your final flight. Zipping past a raging waterfall, you reach the Landing Zone Bar, where your Adventure Butler is waiting with a cool towel and fresh coconut. Welcome to @ShintaManiWild, quite possibly the world’s most adventurous luxury lodge. zipline ecolodge kingdomofwonder @Cambodia Tourism Board

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In a rapidly developing world, have you ever been nervous to travel back to a place you loved, for fear it had changed for the worse? We just returned to the capital of Cambodia after 13 years, and Phnom Penh was even better than we remembered! Without losing its gritty charms, the capital has blossomed with new green spaces, glittering monuments, cute cafes, and more urban delights. What was once little more than a sidewalk along the Tonle Sap River is now a glorious tree-lined promenade, hosting weekly festivals. Koh Pich, which was basically a sandbar, is now an island gleaming with skyscrapers. And the French colonial central market with grannies selling their fish, fruit, and stir-fried noodles? They were smart enough to leave that exactly as is. While rapid urban development and foreign investment can certainly have their downsides, Phnom Penh is a capital city that was begging for a jumpstart. The Khmer Rouge totalitarian regime of the 1970s decimated the country’s infrastructure, murdered a quarter of its population, and left unfathomable trauma to its citizens. But today, with 80% of Cambodia’s population under 40, there is a new generation fueled by optimism. Whether it was chatting with a street food chef or sitting alongside couples on our sunset cruise, smiles were a part of every local interaction and made us so happy to be back. kingdomofwonder partner @cambodia_tourism_board https://www.instagram.com/p/DZNevRRkk8K/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

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When in the capital of Cambodia, a night cruise is a must! City sights, glittering lights, cool breeze, and a local beer for $5...can't beat that! @Cambodia Tourism Board

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We weren’t planning on a trip to the Chiang Mai countryside, but when we met the utterly charming Peter & Dtor, and they told us about their near-net-zero ecolodge and how community-based tourism has transformed their village, we re-routed! See our stay at @harmonyhuailan in their gorgeous rice paddy cabins and all our cultural adventures–from weaving on a handloom to chanting with Buddhist monks at a house blessing ceremony!

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We are so honored that our friends at Harmony @ Huailan included us in a Buddhist house blessing ceremony in their Chiang Mai village. The family welcomed us into their home, decorated with prayer flags and flowers. The highest monks of the region were there to give their blessing with chants, holy water, and a spiritual guidance. Once the ceremony was complete, the monks summoned us over and tied an amulet around our wrists to protect us from negative energy and bring good luck. We'll wear this spun-cotton bracelet until the day it falls off and treasure this experience forever.

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https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZAiCNmvxOx/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

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So thrilled we made it to the Eco Resort Network Summit in Thailand! Run by our dear friend, publisher of Glamping Business Magazine & director of The Glamping Show, the incredible Steph Curtis-Raleigh, we knew this annual outdoor hospitality conference would be top-notch and extra fabulous in Chiang Mai. Holding true to the @ecoresortnetwork name, this intimate event was held at @aleentaretreatchiangmai— century-old teak dwellings turned Michelin Key and National Geographic Traveller “Best Wellness Haven.” Better yet, our group of 60 hospitality experts had this fab hotel all to ourselves, sharing dawn meditation, leisurely lunches, and pool parties late into the night for extra quality time. While ERN26 hosted formal talks and panel discussions, it was more of a rolling forum on using travel as a force for good. I loved this question posed by Guy Heywood, former COO for both Six Senses & Alila, “If your hotel disappeared tomorrow, would the destination be better or worse for it?” There was a real call to action to move from sustainability to regeneration…to do more than donate to local communities but empower them to thrive…to create guest experiences that go beyond luxury and foster healing and human connection. “If we get this right, we don't just build hotels…we improve people’s lives.” Over the three days, we dove deep into the new frontier of regenerative travel, covering everything from wellness to design, community development, and building brands with integrity. By night, we had plenty to celebrate! We took Chiang Mai by storm, riding in tricked-out vans through the walled city to cocktail parties in historic mansions and live music at riverside bars. When it was time to say goodbye, our newfound friend circle lingered by the pool, made plans to further explore the city, and promised to find each other again in the world. Until next time, EcoResortNetwork friends! See our gallery from this inspiring event and the charming Chiang Mai. https://www.instagram.com/p/DY2HSGBkoZy/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

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They call the Museum of Old and New Art, “A Subversive Adult Disneyland,” we call it the coolest museum experience EVER. Wander this wonderland with us... @monamuseum monamuseum Tasmania museums @Discover Tasmania