Of all my experiences from living in Taiwan for 9 months, backpacking the Holy Ridge Trail in 5 days was one of the highlights. The Holy Ridge (or “雪山聖稜線” in Chinese) is an awe-inspiring, often razor-thin ridge of mountains in Taiwan’s Shei-pa National Park. It spans from north to south, connecting the famous Snow Mountain (“雪山” / “Xueshan”) all the way to Mt. Dabajian (“大霸尖山” / “Dabajianshan”). At 12,749 ft, Snow Mountain is Taiwan’s most famous mountain and second highest. As we traversed this ridge in an O-shaped loop, our views spanned the mountain range and we summited several peaks along the way and climbed more than a few sketchy scrambles. From sparse, steep rocky bits to lush forest hiking, this trip had some unforgettable views and even better memories. Continue reading →

Packing lighter is no news to backpackers and trekkers who want to ease sprains and strains on their weary muscles. But the ultralight packing trend that the outdoor industry is embracing can be applied to travelers as well – even if your end destination is a resort instead of a tent under the trees. If you have a big trip coming up but are fed up with lugging around those 2 exactly-50-lb suitcases, this article is for you! Not only will international transfers be a breeze, but you also don’t have to break your back stuffing it into the back of a taxi, shuttle, or longtail-boat-transfer-to-tiny-island-resort. Win-win! Leave the packing tips to us, embrace the minimalism, and focus on all the R&R you could want on your actual vacation. Continue reading →

A panoramic shot of a lookout from Munra Point.

For the last post in our series of winter hikes in the Columbia River gorge (see our previous features on the Cape Horn Trail and Eagle Creek Trail) we have the seriously stunning Munra Point Trail. Continue reading →

Qantas Airlines took the top slot for the third consecutive year.

For the third consecutive year, AirlineRatings.com has released its annual list for the world’s safest airlines. They base the ratings off of factors like certifications, audits, fatality records, and incident records. And for the third year in a row, Qantas Airlines was the top pick for safest airline! The company remains completely fatality-free, which got praise from the editors as “extraordinary.”

The entire list of top 20 airlines, alphabetically arranged, are as follows:

• Air New Zealand
• Alaska Airlines
• All Nippon Airlines
• American Airlines
• Cathay Pacific Airways
• Emirates
• Etihad Airways
• EVA Air
• Finnair
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Japan Airlines
• KLM
• Lufthansa
• Scandinavian Airline System
• Singapore Airlines
• Swiss
• United Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• Virgin Australia

…and on the other end of the spectrum, they also rated the 10 worst airlines (womp womp):

• Batik Air
• Bluewing Airlines
• Citilink
• Kal-Star aviation
• Lion Air
• Sriwijaya Air
• TransNusa
• Trigana Air Service
• Wings Air
• Xpress Air

They all happen to be from Indonesia, Nepal, and Surinam. C’mon, guys!

For more info about this year’s winners (and losers), head over to their full review.

Cheers!

Mia

P.S. featured image courtesy of TechDrive.

It’s that time of year again! In case you loved last year’s Christmas gift guide, we’re back with all-new ideas for you to get the world traveler in your life: 2015 edition!  Continue reading →