Matador Network's Blog, page 1136

How to travel to Turkmenistan

There’s a fiery pit in Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert that’s been ablaze since 1971. Ever since Soviet geologists seeking oil mistakenly drilled into a cavern filled with natural gas. The rig collapsed, the pit opened up, and the scientists set it on fire to burn off the dangerous, leaking methane gas. That was over 40 years ago.

Photo: JoostP/Shutterstock

This scorching site is the Darvaza gas crater, but locals are more likely to call it the “Door to Hell” for obvious reasons. The same reasons that have intrigued travelers and made the massive crater a must-see for the intrepid in Central Asia.

Those lucky enough to make it inside Turkmenistan, that is.

Turns out hell doesn’t sit behind a wall of cackling orange flames but a seriously thick layer of red tape. Anyone brave enough to stand at the lip of the crater, its ashy mouth grinning 230 feet across, must first obtain a visa, an easier task almost anywhere else in the world.

Turkmenistan is up there with North Korea in terms of difficulty of entry. Granted, while the US government has banned travel to North Korea, citing its history of detaining US citizens under a tomato-red banner reading “North Korea — Level 4: Do Not Travel” on the state department website, Turkmenistan is officially open to tourism. Yet according to the Human Rights Watch, it’s among “the world’s most isolated and oppressively governed countries.”

Entry requirements for US citizens include getting a certified letter of invitation from the host government, applying for a visa, and paying a registration fee. Transit visas allow for three to five days of unaccompanied travel, but they’re increasingly hard to get. Longer stays require tourist visas, valid for up to three weeks; an accredited tour group or guide; and registration with the State Migration Service (SMS).

Rejection rates are high, particularly among dual passport holders as dual citizenship isn’t acknowledged, and registration issues could lead to deportation or even arrest.

Of course, the rules and regulations don’t ease up inside the country. Several areas are restricted to travelers without special permits granted by the SMS, particularly along the Caspian Sea and near the borders of Afghanistan, Iran, and Uzbekistan, including Daşoguz, home to the UNESCO-listed monuments of Kunya-Urgench.

The state department also discourages public displays of affection for all travelers and notes that same-sex relations between men are punishable by law. There are even regulations around photography, much like in North Korea, so travelers should always ask before whipping out their iPhones to capture the architecture.

But the North Korea comparison doesn’t end at visas and strict customs (in both senses).

Photo: velirina/Shutterstock

Like the East Asian nation led by Kim Jong Un, Turkmenistan operates under a dictatorship. At the helm is president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, under whom the country’s track record for human rights has been abysmal. Before him was totalitarian ruler Saparmurat Niyazov, famous for stoking a massive personality cult over his 16-year, post-Soviet-independent presidency.

Photo: Uwe Seidner/Shutterstock

Like Pyongyang, capital city Ashgabat is more a prop than a metropolis. A flashy piece of propaganda with gold-domed, white-marbled architecture; more green spaces than you’d expect; and grand boulevards that are almost always empty.

It’s like a ghost town decked out in Nashville’s neon lights.

Filmmaker David Farrier describes feeling “terribly alone” in the city (sometimes called “the city of the dead,” he notes) in an article for The Guardian on his travels through Turkmenistan while shooting his Netflix documentary series Dark Tourist. Farrier masqueraded as a sports reporter, reminding readers, “Turkmenistan doesn’t exactly embrace a free and open press.”

His is an unusual situation, of course. Tourism in Turkmenistan is limited, but it is possible. For some, like the dark tourists who inspired Farrier’s series by going places most people don’t like talking about, the country’s unattainability even gives it a certain allure.

Though most of us will probably never feel the heat of the “Door to Hell” up close, anyone who goes through the proper channels, finds a legitimate tour company, and manages to get approved for a visit to Turkmenistan will discover the sandy ruins of Silk Road cities like Merv, mesmerizing mosques, and an overwhelmingly hospitable people. For all its oddities, Ashgabat also has grand monuments and museums.

Turkmenistan is one of the most closed-off countries in the world for travelers. But it might just be worth a try.


More like this: How to do the ultimate Silk Road trip

The post Turkmenistan is the new North Korea of travel appeared first on Matador Network.

Nanny job requires Disney costumes

The five-year-old twin girls of one British couple are about to become spoiled little princesses — literally. The children’s parents recently posted a help wanted ad on a British childcare website seeking a part-time nanny, with one unusual job requirement — the nanny must dress as a different Disney princess every month.

The family lives in the suburban town of Brookmans Park, north of London. The costume expenses will be covered as part of the job, which also comes with a generous $53,000 annual salary. However, whether you consider the costumes or the pay to be the biggest perk, there’s more to the job than just dressing up. The chosen applicant will be expected to act as a positive female role model and set a good example for the girls, showcasing the “determination, compassion, fearlessness, and ambition” of a Disney princess.

Loving Disney and its famous princesses is as important for the job as proper nannying skills. The expectation is that the nanny will bring their fervor for classic fairytales to work with them each day, essentially Disney-fying daily activities like cooking, arts and crafts, and getting ready for bed. You might even get to belt out a Disney song or two along the way. “We are looking for someone who can commit to a character and create a really fun atmosphere in our home,” the posting said, “but also won’t be afraid to be a disciplinarian if the twins are naughty or act out — they can be little terrors at times!”

H/T: Travel & Leisure

More like this: This job will pay you to travel the world, but your plans will be determined by social media users

The post This British family is offering $53,000 for a nanny to dress as a Disney princess appeared first on Matador Network.

Sydney college mistaken for Hogwarts

There’s a rumor flying around Chinese tourist circles, one that has caught the eye of Harry Potter fans in particular. The false story claims that the Quadrangle building at the Sydney University in Australia was one of the filming locations for scenes involving Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the popular Harry Potter film series. As such, Chinese tourists are flocking to Sydney, with many asking the university’s front desk where they can find the film site.

“There’s been an astonishing increase in visitors throughout the university campus; in two years in February we’ve had more than a 4,000 people increase since 2017 to 2019,” said Dr Jamie Fraser to SBS News, senior curator of the Nicholson Museum, located inside the Quadrangle building.

The rumor caught wind largely because a number of unscrupulous websites serving travelers from China made the claim, which was then backed up by many tour guides escorting the tourists.

“Our tour guide told us this is where one of the scenes of Harry Potter was filmed,” a Chinese visitor told SBS News.

Instead, the series was filmed in the United Kingdom with many Hogwarts scenes taking place at Alnwick Castle in England. Misguided tourists disgruntled by their misfortunate quest will need to make the journey westward to visit this castle, as well as many other spots where the Harry Potter franchise was shot, such as the famous London Millennium Bridge featured in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the little village of Goathland in North Yorkshire with its train station, where the scenes of the Hogwarts Express arriving in Hogsmeade were shot.

H/T: Lonely Planet

More like this: 18 real-life places every Harry Potter fan needs to visit

The post Several Chinese tour groups are pretending Sydney University was Hogwarts in the ‘Harry Potter’ films appeared first on Matador Network.

Thailand alcohol ban during election

If your weekend plans involve partying on the beaches of Thailand, you’re going to have to do a bit of rearranging. The country is heading to the polls this weekend for national elections, and in an effort to prevent manipulation or bribery at this critical time, the country is suspending alcohol sales from 6:00 PM on Saturday, March 23 to 6:00 PM on Sunday, March 24. Bars, restaurants, and other vendors that normally sell booze will be restricted from doing so for the full 24-hour period — including those near the country’s beaches and Bangkok‘s famed backpacker strip, Khao San Road.

The stakes of this weekend’s vote are quite high, and authorities are concerned that adding alcohol into the mix will cause problems. “The ballot (is) widely considered to be a vote between a return to democracy and legitimized military rule,” according to a report by CNN.

Those caught disobeying the ban face a fine of 10,000 baht, about $315, or a prison sentence of six months, says Phuket News. Though tourists can’t vote, they are still subject to the consequences should they fail to abide by the policy — so no matter where you are in the country, do everyone a favor and stay sober this weekend.

H/T: Fodor’s

More like this: The 7 most amazing temples in Thailand outside of Bangkok

The post Thailand is banning alcohol this Saturday and Sunday appeared first on Matador Network.

Auschwitz Memorial wants people

Some rules of travel etiquette are so obvious, they should not need to be spelled out, but here we go: Visitors to memorials or the sites of tragedies should not, under any circumstances, take grinning selfies, go into a headstand for their yoga-craze Insta followers, or attempt the perfect jump shot — that’s a matter of respect. Apparently, for some tourists to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, the preserved site of the concentration and extermination camp that is responsible for the death of over 1.1 million children, women, and men, this needs emphasizing.

On Twitter, the Auschwitz Memorial posted a plea to visitors asking them to please stop balancing on the Auschwitz train tracks for pictures.

When you come to @AuschwitzMuseum remember you are at the site where over 1 million people were killed. Respect their memory. There are better places to learn how to walk on a balance beam than the site which symbolizes deportation of hundreds of thousands to their deaths. pic.twitter.com/TxJk9FgxWl

— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) March 20, 2019

Responses to the tweet have been largely positive, echoing the need for a proper show of consideration. “Our picture taking habits are completely out of control,” said Francesca, one respondant. “I don’t understand why people use Auschwitz as a photo op,” said another, “or how they take cheerful selfies at a site that saw the muder of thousands of innocent people.”

The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum calls for solemnity and humbleness in the face of some of the worst atrocities ever carried out. Put away the phone, observe, and respect.

H/T: BBC

More like this: Why traveling for the #gram is a terrible idea

The post Auschwitz Memorial asks visitors to stop posing for photos on rail lines appeared first on Matador Network.

Best summer festivals in Canada

Canada is really the perfect neighbor. Quiet. Polite. And never does much other than say “Maybe you might not wanna do that, eh?” every time America gets drunk and starts yelling about burning the whole world down. Then once in a while, Canada throws a pretty good party too, and is always sure to invite us over.

Most of those parties go down in the summer, the perfect time to visit since the weather is actually above freezing. Whether it’s the world’s richest rodeo, North America’s most prestigious film festival, or one of the biggest jazz fests outside New Orleans, Canada’s summer festivals rank among the best in the world. Here are 16 worth planning a summer vacation around.

1. Great Okanagan Beer Festival

Photo: Great Okanagan Beer Festival presented by The Train Station Pub/Facebook

Though BC’s Okanagan region is better known for its wines, during the second weekend in May it’s also home to the most scenic beer festival in North America, where thousands of people gather along the shores of Okanagan Lake to sample over a hundred beers in the shadow of the towering Columbia Mountains.

When and where: May 12 in Kelowna, British Columbia

2. Toronto Poutine Fest

Photo: Lobster Limo: Powered by Caudle’s Catch/Facebook

Whether you take your poutine slathered in classic gravy and cheese curds or topped with wild ingredients like lobster or buffalo chicken, you can find it at the Toronto Poutine Fest. This three-day festival in Yonge-Dundas Square draws some of the best poutiners from Eastern Canada, and also features a live music stage with concerts from Thursday to Saturday.

When and where: May 24-26 in Toronto, Ontario

3. Spock Days

Photo: Vulcan Spock Days/Facebook

Throw on your Leonard Nimoy finest for this three-day festival of everything Vulcan…in Alberta! This tiny town about 85 miles southeast of Calgary has been welcoming Spock lovers for over 25 years during the second weekend in June, showcasing the city with a slow-pitch softball tournament, nine-hole golf tournament, pancake breakfast, and fireworks. It’s not a Trekkie convention in the traditional sense in that there are no Trek-specific events other than the name of the festival (though plenty of people wear costumes). But for fans, it’s a pilgrimage and the social highlight of Vulcan’s year.

When and where: June 7-9 in Vulcan, Alberta

4. Vancouver Dragon Boat Festival

Photo: Dragon Boat BC/Facebook

The majestic, ornate dragon boats that race through Vancouver’s False Creek are some of the most impressive vessels you’ll ever see, meticulously designed for both aesthetics and speed. Though the races aren’t exactly NASCAR, they are both peaceful and beautiful, a cultural experience that is quintessentially Vancouver. Boats race throughout the weekend, which also includes a concert series on Saturday and Sunday. All of which is free, a welcomed respite in this perpetually expensive city.

When and where: June 21-23 in Vancouver, British Columbia

5. Montreal International Jazz Festival

Photo: Festival International de Jazz de Montréal/Facebook

Outside of New Orleans and Montreux, the world’s most popular jazz festival is this one, which kicks off a month of world-class festivals in Montreal. This year marks the 40th edition of the festival, and will feature headliners like Bryan Adams, Buddy Guy, George Benson, and Norah Jones.

When and where: June 27- July 6 in Montreal, Quebec

6. Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo

Photo: Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo/Facebook

Unless you’re strangely familiar with 17th-century Dutch, the name of this festival might be a little misleading. It is not, in fact, a weeklong celebration of sometimes ill-advised body art, but rather an indoor festival of bagpipes, military demonstrations, highland dancers, and other northern European traditions. It began in 1979 celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Nova Scotia, and continues today as the largest indoor tattoo show in the world.

When and where: June 29-July 6 in Halifax, Nova Scotia

7. Quebec City Summer Festival (FEQ)

Photo: Festival d’été de Québec/Facebook

The absolute best summer music festival value in North America is in uber-French Quebec City, where for a scant 95 Canadian dollars you get 11 days of music across ten venues and 250 performances. These aren’t obscure Canadian bands either, as previous headliners have included Foo Fighters, the Dave Matthews Band, Neil Young, and The Weeknd. It’s also the perfect chance to check out Quebec City, the largest walled city north of Mexico with narrow stone streets and brick buildings reminiscent of 19th-century France.

When and where: July 4-14 in Quebec City, Quebec

8. Complement Cirque Circus Festival

Photo: MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CIRQUE/Facebook

Montreal is the birthplace of Cirque du Soleil, so you know this isn’t just going to be a festival of tigers jumping through hoops. Quite the contrary, the 11-day festival is when cirque-trained acrobats take over the city, turning Montreal into a giant grand chapiteau with daily public performances, and aerial acrobatics breaking out of nowhere in public spaces. You can also attend the ticketed performances, where you’ll see the greatest stunts and offbeat clowns.

When and where: July 4-14 in Montreal, Quebec

9. RBC Bluesfest (Ottawa Blues Festival)

Photo: RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest/Facebook

Like a lot of festivals who tie their names to a specific genre, the one-time Ottawa Blues Festival has branched out to other types of music to increase its appeal. Yes, you’ll still see blues legends like Buddy Guy, and newer blues acts like River City Junction. But if you wanted to see DJ Pauly D at a blues festival, well, this is your year. Other headliners include The Killers, The Offspring, Kygo, Chvrches, and Snoop Dogg. So yeah, “blues” is a loosely used term.

When and where: July 4-14 in Ottawa, Ontario

10. The Calgary Stampede

Photo: Calgary Stampede/Facebook

Perhaps the best-known Canadian summer festival is the Calgary Stampede, the world’s richest tournament-style rodeo that draws the biggest names in the sport, and hundreds of thousands of others to watch them. It’s a little like going to the Super Bowl, in that the rodeo itself is secondary to the 10 days of parties, concerts, and general mayhem. If you’re into watching rodeo, spend your days watching everything from bull riding to barrel racing,.Then at night catch chuckwagon races and fireworks. This year you’ll also get a closing night concert from Tim McGraw, whose dad once went 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fumanchu.

When and where: July 5-14 in Calgary, Alberta

11. Just for Laughs Montreal

Photo: Just for Laughs/Facebook

The biggest comedy festival in North America descends on Montreal throughout the last few weeks of July, when the brightest stars in stand-up come to town during Just for Laughs. This year’s lineup isn’t fully set yet, but already on the bill is Daily Show host Trevor Noah, Jim Jeffries, and Bobby Lee.

When and where: July 10-28 in Montreal, Quebec

12. Winnipeg Folk Festival

Photo: Winnipeg Folk Festival/Facebook

A visit to the Canadian plains might not be at the top of your northern to-do list, but hitting this mid-July camping festival in Winnipeg is as good an excuse to go as any. The four-day festival lets you live in the warm Manitoba summer, perusing the large outdoor art gallery and taking home crafts as souvenirs. There is, of course, plenty of music, which extends beyond American folk music to African, Asian, and other genres, plus a headlining performance from Death Cab for Cutie.

When and where: July 11-14 in Winnipeg, Manitoba

13. Dawson City Music Festival

Photo: Dawson City Music Festival/Facebook

Dawson City might be the last frontier town left in North America, a place where old wooden buildings line dirt streets, people gamble past sunrise, and limited cell service means what happens there truly does stay there. This last bastion of the Wild West also has over 20 hours of daylight during the height of summer, and it’s best experienced during this weekend festival that brings the biggest party of the year to Canada’s best party city. You won’t find huge names, but you will find free concerts with great crowds and daylight well after midnight. If you can handle the perpetual sun it’s worth the epic trip.

When and where: July 19-21 in Dawson City, Yukon Territory

14. Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival

Photo: Edmonton Fringe Theatre/Facebook

After the famous fringe fest in Edinburgh, this is the largest fringe festival in the world, where creative thespians and street performers take over this oil-and-cowboy town for 10 days of zany performances. As the name might imply, you won’t find big names, so the fun is scanning the program and seeing what looks interesting, provocative, or just plain weird, then exploring what’s there. You’ll be entertained, surprised, and possibly even revolted, but one thing it will never be is boring.

When and where: August 15-25 in Edmonton, Alberta

15. Canadian National Exhibition

Photo: Canadian National Exhibition/Facebook

“The Ex,” as it’s colloquially known, is like Canada’s version of a Midwestern state fair, complete with all the livestock, midway rides, and obscenely fried food. Here you can sample stuff like cronut burgers, then ride mousetraps and Gravitrons until you throw it back up. You’ll see the latest in gadgets at the At Home Pavillion/Shoppers Market before taking a sky tram over the whole thing. You’ll also find cat and dog shows, a women’s fastpitch softball tournament, and nightly concerts at the bandshell. Plus this year will feature the 70th anniversary of the Canadian National Air Show.

When and where: August 16-September 2 in Toronto, Ontario

16. Toronto International Film Festival

Photo: TIFF/Facebook

See some of 2020’s top Oscar contenders at the Toronto International Film Festival, generally considered the film industry’s summer launching pad for big-time, non-superhero films. Both Green Book and If Beale Street Could Talk launched here last year, as well as the gut-wrenching rock-climbing documentary Free Solo.< Of course, it also draws the requisite celebrities that come with any big-time film fest, so it’s a chance to do some Toronto stargazing for people other than Drake.

When and where: September 5-15 in Toronto


More like this: The 5 best places to celebrate Holi outside of India

The post 16 awesome Canadian festivals you should check out this summer appeared first on Matador Network.

Best ramen instant noodle flavors

American’s perception of ramen has come a long way since being viewed as the dietary staple of college students, artists, and everyone else who’s ever had to return Christmas presents to pay rent. Today, Asian noodle dishes from Chinese hot pots to Japanese ramen are foodie favorites. Late-night noodle shops are springing up all over the country and inspiring countless slurp shots on Instagram and gimmicks like glow-in-the-dark ramen from restaurants trying to attract said Instagrammers.

While we do have some truly great ramen and noodle shops in the US, the most common type of pan-Asian noodles people see stateside still comes dehydrated in little plastic packages. You know the ones. But even in this format, the authentic stuff can be acquired — if you know where to look.

A site called Yamibuy, which is kind of like the Amazon of Asian products, you can order hundreds of different Chinese, Japanese, and Taiwanese noodles in packages that lack a single letter of English. It’s a taste of the other side of the world, only conveniently shipped to your door and made in minutes. Not all are destined to be your new favorite flavor, though. No matter what, this is still mass-produced instant ramen, nothing like the delicious, complex, steaming bowls of fresh ramen you can and should try abroad.

To help you decide which of these noodles are like a sensory trip to another country, and to intake enough sodium to generally piss off my cardiologist, I tried and ranked a dozen of the most popular Asian noodles you can have shipped to America. Now granted, my tastes lean towards spicy food and vegetable flavors, and I’ve been known to spit out anything that tastes “too fishy,” including actual pieces of fish. But with an open mind and a forcefully broadened palate, I gave them all a shot, so you know which flavors you’re missing out on — and which aren’t worth the shipping costs.

12. Haohuanluo Instant Spicy Rice Noodle — $4.59

Photo: Yamibuy

Six different packets of sauce and flavoring fall out when you open up this bright purple package, including mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and some indiscernible brown liquids. The second sentence of the cooking directions clear things up a little with the instructions to “Drain noodles, then boil water for snail soup.” Like it was telling you to add a pinch of oregano. Turns out one of those brown liquids is indeed snail soup.

Putting in the work for a two-step cooking process just makes instant noodles seems a little like hand-waxing an ’82 Corolla, but I had hopes that the end result would pay off. It did not. Though I can’t say the Chinese soup tasted snaily, the flavor wasn’t much to speak of — hot water, chili oil, and noodles that verged on slimy.

Try it for yourself: HAOHUANLUO Instant Spicy Rice Noodle

11. Fukuoka Ichiran — $43.99 for a pack of five

Photo: Yamibuy

Saying you overpay for this famous Japanese restaurant’s instant noodles would be like saying the Phillies slightly overpaid for Bryce Harper. It’s been called some of the best ramen in Japan, and maybe it’s good at the original restaurant. The at-home version, however, is long on fat and onions, an aroma a little reminiscent of a White Castle hamburger if you turned it into a soup.

Thankfully, it didn’t taste like White Castle. Unthankfully, it didn’t really taste like much of anything, and oil pooled on top. In general, the noodles feel a little like a bad Tinder experience where the picture on the box is sexy and shiny, but the actual product is dull and uncomfortably greasy.

Try it for yourself: FUKUOKA ICHIRAN Ramen

10. Nongshim Udon Noodle Soup — $3.69

Photo: Yamibuy

The name is highly misleading as there’s no mention of seafood in the title. But a quick perusal of the ingredients shows tuna, cuttlefish, anchovies, and all kinds of other stuff that gives it a distinctly fishy flavor. The smell when the boiling water hits the noodles and seasoning reflects that. If you’re the kind of person who moves as quickly past the seafood counter at the supermarket as possible, this stuff is not for you.

The noodles are actually pretty solid, with a watery broth that’s thankfully not nearly as strong as the smell.

Try it for yourself: NONGSHIM 2013 Chefs Best Award Japanese Style Instant Udon Noodle Soup

9. A-sha Hakka Noodles — $5.99 for a pack of five

Photo: Yamibuy

A big thanks to these beautifully packaged Taiwanese Hakka noodles for the four-step cooking process that doesn’t require much more than boiling water and pouring it on the noodles. Once the water hits the noodles, however, those thanks melt away a little. It smells slightly of ginger, but the flavor doesn’t do much. I got notes of PVC pipe, but it mostly tastes like generic ramen noodles. Not great, not bad. It’s like a first date you can’t complain about, but you probably won’t call again.

Try it for yourself: A-SHA Hakka Noodle

8. Nissin Cup Instant Noodles Spicy Seafood — $1.69

Photo: Yamibuy

Nissin is a Japanese brand that many Americans can find at their local supermarket. This spicy seafood flavor is a big cut above the typical 27-cent, shrimp-flavored pack on aisle 12, though, with corn and other vegetables complementing a strong seafood flavor that’s toned down in US versions.

It’s a valiant attempt at seafood and definitely the best seafood option on the list. That said, freeze-dried fish is still freeze-dried fish, so don’t expect anything great.

Try it for yourself: NISSIN Cup Noodles Instant Noodle Spicy Seafood Flavor

7. Soup Daren Spicy Pork Bone Noodle — $2.99

Photo: Yamibuy

Get the right combination of veggies on a spoon of this Taiwanese cup and you’ll be whisked back to the Chuck E. Cheese of your childhood, where the mix of processed cheese, mild pork, and dehydrated mushrooms makes you long for giant animatronic singing mice. This bowl of noodles has a complex flavor of meat and vegetables, and the construction is pretty easy: Simply dump a packet of what looks like chili sauce and some meat-based oil on top of the noodles before adding boiling water.

You’ll get a hearty whiff of cheese when removing the lid though the ingredients don’t list it unless “spice” is code for “powdered Velvetta.” Still, it’s hard to shake the pizza connection. This has more kick and more flavor than many on this list and is worth trying if your usual lunch is a frozen pizza.

Try it for yourself: UNIF Soup Daren Spicy Pork Bone Noodle

6. Tseng Sichuan Pepper Spicy Noodles — $9.49 for a pack of four

Photo: Yamibuy

Aside from the overwhelming chemical scent upon opening the package, these Taiwanese pepper noodles are actually pretty good. They’ve got a sharp, spicy flavor with just a hint of grease. That said, it leaves a thick, oily layer of grease in your mouth that you don’t realize is there until you’re done eating.

Try it for yourself: TSENG Sichuan Pepper Spicy Noodle

5. Prima Taste Singapore Curry La Mian — $3.19

Photo: Yamibuy

Saying instant noodles could use more salt is kinda like saying Post Malone could use some more face tats, but this inoffensive curry might be the lone instant noodle that’s a little lacking in sodium. Sure, technically there’s 1.8 grams — or about 80 percent of your daily allowance — of sodium in one package. But you won’t really taste it past the soft overlay of curry.

While it doesn’t have the strongest flavor, Prima’s noodles are, in fact, prime on the list. They’re the freshest-tasting instant noodles you’ll ever have, with just enough texture to make you chew but not so much they taste al dente. I may have even tried a few before putting them in water, which was surprisingly addictive.

Try it for yourself: PRIMA TASTE Singapore Curry La Mian

4. Samyang Hot Spicy Chicken — $5.99 for a pack of five

Photo: Yamibuy

The package looks a little like a warning label for battery acid. Thick red letters on black plastic just scream dangerously spicy, and emptying the sauce packet of deep-red paste onto the noodles doesn’t do much to make you feel better.

But if you’re into spicy food, these will be your favorite noodles ever. Mix only eight tablespoons of water with the noodles and paste, and you’ll get a mouth-watering, fiery noodle bowl with just enough spice to make it hurt but not so much it’s all you taste. It’s the classic spicy dish where the first bite makes you say, “This ain’t so bad,” but by the end of the bowl you’re literally taking your clothes off and stuffing your mouth with ice cubes. If you’re a-ok with unnatural spikes in body temperature, itadakimasu!

Try it for yourself: SAMYANG Stir-Fried Noodle Hot Spicy Chicken Flavor Ramen

3. Mama Shrimp Creamy Tom Yum — $0.69

Photo: Yamibuy

Oddly, these shrimp noodles don’t taste even a little like shrimp, despite having the word “shrimp” in the title. Maybe it’s one of those “lost in translation” things.

Regardless, this creamy broth has a pleasant level of spice with chewy noodles that are almost the consistency of a pasta casserole with considerably more water. For non-lovers of seafood, this could just be the most affordable gateway food.

Try it for yourself: MAMA Tom Yum Shrimp Flavor

2. UNIF Bowl Spicy Beef Flavor — $1.49

Photo: Yamibuy

Though “spicy” would probably only apply to these Taiwanese noodles if you served them in a senior center cafeteria, the bowl has a pleasant, savory, and slightly meaty aroma that’s warm and comforting — especially if you’re eating it in cold weather. The dehydrated vegetables have some flavor, and in the case of the bowl I tried, there was actually a discernible cabbage leaf!

Most of the flavor comes from the package of thick red paste you put on the noodles before adding water. If you eat it with a spoon and get plenty of broth, the UNIF bowl has one of the more complex flavor profiles on this list.

Try it for yourself: UNIF Bowl Instant Noodles Spicy Beef Flavor

1. Nongshim Vegan Kimchi Cup Noodle — $1.19

Photo: Yamibuy

Well vegans, even though you cut out cheese, eggs, and bacon, you can still wreak havoc on your cardiovascular system with some instant noodles. Unlike almost every other food in the world, instant noodles are apparently at their best with no animal products whatsoever.

This Korean instant noodle cup gives off a rich, oniony scent when you open the lid, with strong notes of sour cream and onion Pringles. Throw in boiling water and three minutes later you have a tangy, vegetable-heavy soup that finishes spicier than it starts. The noodles are nothing special, I’d say they’re on par with any instant cup you’d find at Costco. But the broth is the most flavorful on the list, with a kick that builds the more you eat.

Try it for yourself: NONGSHIM Vegan Kimchi Cup


More like this: This Japanese restaurant just unveiled its newest dish: beer ramen

The post 12 instant noodle flavors you can only get shipped from Asia, ranked appeared first on Matador Network.

Best hikes near the Rocky Mountains

Spring is upon us. The Rocky Mountains and its sub-ranges are beginning to shed snow, colorful wildflowers are in bloom, and hiking trails that have been accessible only to cross-country skis and fat bikes for the past few months are opening up to eager hikers. Spring hiking focuses more on canyons than scrambles and meadows than summits, and these five towns are the place to base yourself for epic spring hikes throughout the Rocky Mountain region.

Cortez, Colorado

Photo: 2Kahns Photo Arts/Shutterstock

Tucked away in southwest Colorado, about an hour from the Four Corners Monument, the town of Cortez is often overshadowed by the nearby tourist draw of Durango. Cortez offers equally impressive outdoors access, and it’s actually closer to Mesa Verde National Park and many of the hikes in the La Plata Mountains that are low enough in elevation for spring access. Cortez is a town of about 9,000 residents with a number of restaurants and bars in the heart of town to hit up after your hikes. We recommend you start with a pint of beer and green chili stew at Main Street Brewery & Restaurant.

The best hikes

Photo: Cheri Alguire/Shutterstock

The Knife Edge Trail in Mesa Verde National Park is spectacular as the snow seeps into the landscape each spring. At 2.4 miles in length, Petroglyph Point Trail is another option in the park for a quick day hike. Later in the spring season, as snow runoff begins to wane, the Owen Basin Trail takes you four miles into the La Plata Mountains with a moderate incline. It also connects to a full system of trails if you can’t wait until summer to get that first backpacking trip in.

Box Canyon is where seasoned hikers with a good pair of hiking crampons should head for a full-day adventure into the backcountry. Out and back, this trail system is close to 13 miles, though you don’t need to reach the end to catch striking views of the surrounding peaks.

Moab, Utah

Photo: Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock

If you’ve driven through eastern Utah, you’ve likely seen the bumper stickers emphatically proclaiming “New York. Paris. Moab.” Moab issues a beacon call to mountain bikers and climbers the world over, a tiny town with an outdoors scene that rivals any place, big or small, in the western United States — and that has the ego to go along with it. But the vast expanses of wilderness surrounding the town, including nearby Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, are also lined with hiking trails, and spring is the time to get the goods before the summertime hordes show up by the RV-load. The snow melts quickly here in the desert, clearing the path on most hiking trails by April. In town, unwind over a beer at The Moab Brewery or a towering margarita at Miguel’s Baja Grill. Just don’t ask for a double because that’s not possible in Utah.

The best hikes

Photo: Andrew Repp/Shutterstock

Inside Arches National Park, the 2.9-mile Delicate Arch Trail is a decent workout and the best way to view one of the park’s most famous arches. There is also easy access to other nearby trails if you’re looking for a full day hike.

If you haven’t been to Canyonlands National Park, the Needles District here and its 20 miles of trails should be the first stop on your trip. Canyonlands is vast, full of terrain dominated by massive sandstone structures, and explored by few. It can be a bit eerie winding through the open stretches of rock that seem to suddenly drop into steep canyons. The key is to embrace the solitude and the fact that you won’t find another place like this anywhere.

Outside of the parks, the Hidden Valley Trail is a semi-challenging four miles with incredible views of the La Sal Mountains.

Ruidoso, New Mexico

Photo: FrimuFilms/Shutterstock

Ruidoso is New Mexico’s best-kept secret for outdoors lovers. The town sees a good amount of snow during winter, but due to its far south location — the US-Mexico border is less than 150 miles away — hiking trails below treeline tend to open up following the first hints of spring warmth. Lodging in Ruidoso is cabin style, matching the rustic feel of the town that you’ll find in the shops and pubs of Sudderth Drive. Fuel up before the hike with a breakfast burrito from Sacred Ground Coffee. After that, trail access is easy, as many of the best spring hikes start just outside the city limits.

The best hikes

Photo: Ryan Goodin/Shutterstock

The Cedar Creek Trails are the place to start. Wide and well-maintained, the trails in this park system stretch for 30 miles and offer wide open views of the surrounding Sierra Blanca peaks.

White Mountain Wilderness Area is home to an extensive system of trails. While many reach altitudes where you’re likely to encounter snowpack, the lower section of trails doesn’t skimp on epic mountain views, including the 11,981-foot Sierra Blanca Peak. Start with the Three Rivers Trail and Nogal Canyon Trail.

The five trails surrounding Grindstone Lake are the most accessible from Ruidoso proper, and the lake itself is a great place to chill over a picnic lunch after a morning spent hiking as much of the 17 miles of maintained trail as you can fit in.

Cody, Wyoming

Photo: Steve Cukrov/Shutterstock

Before you’re all, “Why would I go to WYOMING?” just hear us out. Wyoming doesn’t have a great city to call its own, and nightlife is minimal — often non-existent — outside of Jackson and Laramie. There’s also no major airport, so unless you have cash like Kanye and can afford to fly into Jackson, you’re going to have to drive there.

But here’s the deal. If you’re into wide-open trail systems, a laid-back lifestyle that prioritizes what you’re doing more than what you do, and enough protected space to fit multiple New England states, Wyoming is epic. That’s why you’re here, and Cody won’t let you down. For starters, it’s the eastern portal to Yellowstone National Park, which offers several worthy spring hikes once the snow pulls a wicked witch of the west. Closer to town, check out Spirit Mountain Cave and the Shoshone Riverway Trail. If you come later in the spring, the Wind River Range awaits for your next backpacking trip a few hours south. Just watch out for that wind.

The best hikes

Photo: Daniel J. Rao/Shutterstock

Spirit Mountain Cave offers four miles of trail through limestone rock and leads you to some enchanting, if ominous, caverns. These caves are among the deepest in the country, but they aren’t totally mapped — so be careful. The trail is accessible throughout the spring, so long as a recent dumping of snow hasn’t covered the area.

The Bluebird Trail, a few miles east of Cody, is among the best places to see wildlife in the area, outside of Yellowstone. You ascend a steep incline at the beginning of the hike and are rewarded with wide-open views of the Owl Creek Mountains and Big Horn Mountains. The hike is generally accessible by mid-spring.

The Little Sunlight Trail takes you from a well-marked campground bearing the same name into the North Absaroka Wilderness. The eight-mile trail is doable in a day hike; just don’t get too distracted staring at the surrounding peaks.

Bozeman, Montana

Photo: Visit Bozeman/Facebook

With nearly 50,000 residents, Bozeman is a thriving metropolis in comparison to the other towns on this list (it was one of our favorite small towns in America this year). This city in southern Montana also offers unrivaled early-season trail access, both in Yellowstone National Park and in the mountains just north of it. Plus, there’s no better excuse to dust off that old cowboy hat than a night out at Bozeman’s Rocking R Bar, one of the few places where old-school cowboys mix seamlessly with college kids and dirtbags.

The best hikes

Photo: aceshot1/Shutterstock

Bear Trap Canyon is home to a seven-mile trail that winds through the canyon along with the river, remaining mostly flat the whole way. As an out-and-back trek, you may be tempted to turn around early, but excellent, and largely empty, fishing spots await if you see it through to the end.

For a bit of a climb, head to the Drinking Horse Mountain Trail. This 2.5-mile ascent up the mountain is doable much of the year though in early spring it may be muddy. Slog it up and take in 360-degree views of the mountains surrounding Bozeman, as well as the city itself just to the west.

Another hike right near town is the 4.3-mile Sourdough Creek Trail that follows Bozeman Creek as it slices its way through the valley to Mystic Lake just south of Bozeman.


More like this: The best spring break destinations in every state

The post The best towns near the Rocky Mountains for hiking this spring appeared first on Matador Network.

NYC's pizza Godfather on pizza

You think you know New York pizza. You’ve seen it in movies, waited in lines for the trendiest pies, heard all of the cliches, and eaten too many dollar slices to count. But few people really know the city’s full connection — both past and present — with pizza. Brooklyn native Nino Coniglio wants to change that.

Coniglio is like a relic from New York’s past, despite being in his 30s. An old-school Italian guy with a religious respect for the pizza trade, he’s more than just a pizza expert. He’s a staunch advocate for the authentic New York Italian experience. To Coniglio, pizza-making is a passion, not a business.

“No one does it with love anymore,” he tells me. “No one takes their time. Pizza is art.”

Unless you’re in the pizza business yourself and know how to spot an authentic Italian pizzeria a mile away like Coniglio does, it’s easy to get lost in the sauce. There are thousands of New York pizzerias, and visitors and locals alike are always intent on finding the New York slice. Coniglio has built an entire brand around equipping pizza-lovers with the information they need to tackle the NYC pizza scene. Of course, no one will ever agree on the best pizza style. Coniglio, naturally, believes his Brooklyn-style pizza is the best. But he’s also all about promoting pizzaiolos (Italian for “pizzamakers”) he respects along with authentic Italian eateries all around the city, from bakeries to delicatessens.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nino Coniglio (@brooklynpizzacrew) on May 8, 2016 at 9:15pm PDT

Coniglio is an integral part of the fabric of NYC’s pizza culture. He’s the owner of five restaurants: two Williamsburg Pizzas (one in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn), 310 Bowery Bar, Brooklyn Pizza Crew, and The Woodstock NYC. He’s won the Caputo Cup and Best Traditional Pizza at the Las Vegas Pizza Expo. He’s been on Chopped and traveled the world as an acrobatic pizza-dough slinger (bet you didn’t know that was a sport). But he’s still at heart just an Italian boy from Brooklyn who loves pizza.

I met with Coniglio on a winter afternoon at his favorite Italian bakery, Fortunato Brothers Cafe, in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg. Coniglio claims it’s the best Italian pastry shop in the city, and he takes me to the kitchen where, in his classic Brooklyn inflection that sounds straight out of an ‘80s mob movie, he tells me about the intricacies of the pizza industry and the pizza-making process. It’s the small things that matter that most people don’t recognize, like the proper crumb structure of the crust, the importance of making dough from scratch, and what separates “good grease” from “bad grease.”

At times, it feels like Coniglio likes getting the word out about real pizza almost as much as he likes eating it. That’s what led him to create a first-of-its-kind confederation of pizzaiolos called the Brooklyn Pizza Crew (not to be confused with his Crown Heights restaurant of the same name). The Crew is made up of pizza-makers from NYC, Chicago, Detroit, and beyond, and Coniglio is essentially the Godfather of the group.

The Brooklyn Pizza Crew’s goal is to spread the love for quality pizza. Think of it like the Avengers, but instead of Thanos, they’re fighting Dominoes. Get familiar with the Brooklyn Pizza Crew, and you’ll learn everything you ever wanted to know, from proper pizza dough consistency to Italian pastries you can’t pronounce.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nino Coniglio (@brooklynpizzacrew) on May 1, 2018 at 3:16pm PDT

The Crew’s web presence is essentially a social media one-stop shop for pizza connoisseurs and those who want to be pizza connoisseurs. Its Instagram page shares a host of drool-worthy pizza photos and short videos made by Coniglio. Its YouTube channel features lengthier videos where Coniglio conducts documentary-style culinary tours — not just of pizza joints but of other Italian eateries, as well.

“Chefs have all kinds of groups that meet and trade culinary ideas and secrets, but there’s nothing like that for pizzaiolos,” he says. “I wanted to create that community.”

On an hours-long tour of Williamsburg, which has historically had a tight-knit Italian community, Coniglio runs through what makes the area so important to what he does. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the neighborhood’s history and evolution, and as we walk he details the stories behind bars, cafes, and even the auto garages that we pass by. Eventually, we cross over to Manhattan to a pizza place in the Lower East Side called Scarr’s, which Coniglio considers one of the best in New York, and then to Regina’s Grocery, a small family-owned delicatessen.

Seeing New York City through the eyes of the Godfather of the Brooklyn Pizza Crew isn’t just about pizza, it’s about Italian culinary culture as a whole. Coniglio feels that these restaurants and these people deserve more attention than they get, hence the spotlight he’s giving through the Brooklyn Pizza Crew’s social pages.

Photo: 310 Bowery Bar/Facebook

At Williamsburg Pizza, Coniglio sets a variety of slices before me from classic cheese to the truffle-adorned “grandma-style” — a square pie cooked in a pan coated with olive oil. The ingredients are fresh, the crust crumbles perfectly, and I wonder how much I would have to tip a pizza boy to deliver from New York City to my home in Boston. As he ate, Coniglio paces the small restaurant, declaring his preference for “New York pizza” over “tavern pizza,” explaining the history behind the square-shaped, grandma-style pizza and saying which NYC pizza makers he believes to be fugazzis (frauds).

His booming voice commands the room, and several unwitting diners find themselves part of his audience. They didn’t even know he owned the place. They just thought he was a guy who really liked and knew a lot about pizza. And when it comes down to it, that’s exactly who Coniglio is.


More like this: Every American pizza style, ranked

The post You don’t know real New York pizza until you’ve met its fiercest protector appeared first on Matador Network.

Best hiking and camping in Hong Kong

Fewer than 200 years ago, what is now the mega-metropolis of Hong Kong was little more than a couple handfuls of fishing villages scattered around the base of mountainous islands. Today, the average tourist can be forgiven for focusing their attention on the Special Administrative Region’s sun-reflecting, monumental glass structures.

Yet the intrepid traveler who can look beyond this mesmerizing, skyscraper-clad facade will be surprised to find that less than one-quarter of the SAR’s land has been zoned for development. Already, those who tram their way to the top of Hong Kong Island’s Victoria Peak marvel at how much of the area is covered in greenery. This, however, is only the tip of the iceberg.

A little further away, just beyond the bowl of mainland and island mountains where the bulk of Hong Kongers congregate, you can hike for hours without bumping into another soul and spend days not seeing a single skyscraper.

Leaving the big city behind

Photo: POM POM/Shutterstock

From the Mass Transit Rail (MTR) station aptly named “Central” you’ll need to make one train change at the Mong Kok platform to get to Diamond Hill station. There’s a bus terminal above Diamond Hill where you’ll find city bus No. 92 waiting to transport you away from the stereotypical city atmosphere to a quaint seaside town famed for its fresh seafood, Sai Kung.

Fishermen and women sell their catch of the day from small boats, locally known as sampans, while tourists enjoy a sumptuous feast at any one of the many waterside restaurants. It’s a fine place to fuel up for the immensely wild adventure ahead.

Sai Kung town sits on the edge of Sai Kung Country Park, a vast swath of wild rainforest, sharp peaks, and stark coastline that make up one of Hong Kong’s largest nature reserves at over 17 square miles. Minibuses service all corners of the park, at least hourly throughout the day, and can be found idling at their station near the town’s waterfront. Drivers of this miniature public transportation have developed the uncanny knack of making beat-up buses travel at Formula One speeds around even the tightest of bends. Jump into Minibus 7 and hold on tight as civilization fades fast behind while the countryside warps by in a verdant blur.

The wild journey begins

Photo: Lee Karl Van Katwyk

In under two hours and for less than the price of a beer at Ozone, Hong Kong’s highest bar, you’ve been transported to the majestic marine park of Hoi Ha Wan in the far northwest of Sai Kung Country Park. From here, the untamed coastline stretches eastward before dropping south and eventually curling back around to the west. The cape is entirely accessible by a network of crisscrossing hiking trails.

Minibus 7 terminates its route at the end of a quiet road shrouded by hills and punctuated with a home or two. One of them is owned by Celina, a local who has operated her house-cafe for decades, serving milk tea, or cha chow, a creamy yet bitter local delicacy, along with hot food and chilled beer. She serves these in an outdoor setting, shaded by the surrounding forest and to the soundtrack of its animals.

A short stroll down an overgrown path, just past Celina’s rental kayaks, the world suddenly erupts into one of its most impressive views. Hoi Ha Wan’s bay is the size of a football stadium, hugged by natural stands densely populated with shrubbery, that overlap to form an area protected from the ocean. This marine conservation park is as big and beautiful as it is pristine. It’s easy to sit for hours on the white-sand beaches and marvel at your luck having stumbled upon paradisiacal perfection.

Discovering the abandoned village of Chek Keng

Photo: Lukas Bischoff Photograph/Shutterstock

The hike between Hoi Ha Wan and Chek Keng will take two hours (at a strong pace) along challenging steep trails that are thankfully well maintained. Your energetic efforts will be rewarded, at least every 15 minutes, with stunning vistas of sparkling emerald seascapes. On weekdays it’s unlikely you’ll bump into many other people, but on public holidays be ready to greet the other friendly local hikers with a smiling nod and a neih hou, or “hello,” which will almost always be reciprocated.

Chek Keng village, once home to the ethnic Hakka Han, is only accessible by foot or ferry. The Hakka left over 50 years ago, abandoning their family homes in search of a better quality of life in the rapidly modernizing outside world. Poking your head through glassless windows and doors permanently ajar is enough to get a crumbling snapshot of what life was like on the idyllic mangrove shore. Many of the household relics sit awaiting total burial in the collapsing rubble of walls and roof.

Setting out on a hardcore hike

Photo: Gorma K/Shutterstock

Beyond Chek Keng, the hiking trail climbs at a steep incline that’s hard for even the most accomplished hiker to summit without taking a break. The main trail peaks in an anticlimactic fashion, thanks to the all-encompassing and view-blocking rainforest. Before the trail starts to dip, those in the know will look for a dirt trodden path off to the left. Pushing through overgrowth for a couple of hundred meters is well worth the prize: unparalleled 360-degree views of Sai Kung’s stunning countryside.

Trek further still and the landscape rises to its highest point, 1,535-foot Sharp Peak. The rainforest gives way to the elements as only grass can grow on the wind-and-rain-battered flanks. There is no path on which to continue except the scarred routes of landslides. The loose rocks make for a hard scramble in even the driest and safest of conditions. Unless you’re skilled in bouldering or climbing, my advice is to enjoy the incredible view offered just a couple hundred meters off the main path.

Photo: KY CHO/Shutterstock

Looking westward from the direction you came, the natural wonders of Chek Keng and Hoi Ha Wan appear lake-like, protected by overlapping green arms of rolling hills. But, to me, it’s eastward and forwards that provides the most spectacular, paradoxical view of Hong Kong. The coastline is like a four-pearl necklace, divided into segments by dense, vivid green rainforest, and lashed at by the year-round waves crashing in off the open South China Sea.

In the deepest wilds of Sai Kung country park, cloaked by the late-afternoon shadow of the highest mountain, there’s another rainforest-encroached fishing village for which Google Maps has no name. Many of the higgledy-piggledy homes now lie in a state of disrepair, while at least one family remains year-round. In the hotter summer months, they open their doors to sell drinks from the fridge to those who make the arduous hike over a sun-blocking Sharp Peak.

Looking east to the South China Sea

Photo: seaonweb/Shutterstock

Onwards, the well-maintained hiking trail continues in one direction. Splitting off into dense vegetation, a dirt trodden path beckons the adventurer deeper into the forest. Before long you’re balancing on fallen logs and striding between uneven stepping stones in the slim hopes of avoiding squelching through festering swampland. Brushing past vines, it’s best practice to keep an eye out for native cobras, pythons, and venomous giant centipedes that frequent these lesser-walked paths. After approximately 15 minutes, mother nature spits you out in the middle of a jaw-dropping stretch of beach. Even the most widely traveled beach lover will agree, Tai Wan Bay is an ample reward for braving any potential fauna dangers.

Even on busier public holidays, such as Cheung Yeung festival weekend in mid-October, it’s still relatively easy to find a quiet slice of paradise along the expansive wraparound bay. Counterintuitively, China’s long-distance-travel-jamming public holiday, Chinese New Year, dissipates the usually bustling epicenters of human activity when many workers return home to the Chinese countryside. So if you want to explore Hong Kong’s many wonders at their quietest, settle in a couple of days prior to Chinese, or Lunar, New Year.

Photo: Lee Karl Van Katwyk

Magnificent birds of prey soar above Tai Wan, their wings motionlessly riding updrafts ramping up the valley’s steep cliffs. For them, it’s easy to access what is quite simply one of Asia’s best beaches. But for those on foot, it’s a hard slog through overgrown wild boar tunnels before slipping and scrambling your way up and down steep mudslide tracks high above the jagged, surf-dashed coast — an arduous natural hike not for the fainthearted or unsure footed.

Like the moat guarding a magical kingdom, a steady freshwater stream greets all that wish to enter the naturally protected bay of Tung Wan, just north of Tai Wan beach. Splash some of the refreshing mountain water on your face before stumbling across the ravine to discover a surreal world. The bushy banks were once tamed by an unknown people seeking a very remote way of life. Pockets of grassland, perfect for pitching a tent, roll far back into the cradle of towering scree-scattered walls. In each section of seemingly still manicured grasslands, the patchwork of bushes opens a little to offer a million-dollar view of what, on most days of the year, will likely be your own private, idyllic bay.

Bamboo beach bars on the sand and stars above

Photo: Lee Karl Van Katwyk

If you’re not staying overnight, don’t leave it too late to start heading back, unless you’re prepared with night-hike gear. If you’ve got headlamps and spare batteries, enjoy the temperate journey under a dazzling array of stars, untempered by street lamps. Heading back during the stifling heat of a midsummer day, across the energy-sapping, burning hot stretch of Tai Wan sand, you’re naturally obliged to take two cool-off dips in the surf. At the long beach’s southernmost point, you’ll have to cross over another headland. This five minute, well-trodden path is made relatively easy by permanent guide ropes to aid over steep sections.

Reaching the other side, known as Ham Tin, you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve stumbled into a mirage. No need to fear sun sickness just yet though. Pull up a chair under one of two bamboo beach bars and thoroughly enjoy your well-earned chilled beverage while marveling at the juxtaposition between Tai Wan and Ham Tin. Here, along the much busier shore, you’ll often spy a plethora of luxury yachts bobbing just beyond the wave line, their captains waiting to deliver any number of boat party revelers from the bay straight back to civilization.

Photo: Lee Karl Van Katwyk

On weekend days drenched in sun, Ham Tin is bursting with a sea of closely parked tents. If you’re looking to camp with family, it’s highly recommended that you pitch as far away from the northern point’s bars as possible. This is where the younger, more rambunctious crowd likes to camp, and they won’t tone down their fun for anyone at any time of night. Yet, they’ll almost always offer a beer and some good company.


More like this: Rock climbing in Taiwan’s Dragon Bay will blow your mind

The post The real Hong Kong is a vast and wild natural wonder appeared first on Matador Network.