Pictured: Taking a bike ride around the island on Joali Being

Spending 8 days in the Maldives is a lifetime of dreams. We wanted to see Maldives multiple ways, so we booked multiple resorts that have a different experience and are on different islands. We’re so happy to have had the versatility in our discovery of the Maldives, and we’ve already decided that next time we visit we’ll also do the same.

We arguably spent more waking ours under water diving, and while some go to the Maldives to relax, we found ourselves running from activity to activity (except for the 1 day that Max would allow a day of rest).

The most exciting sighting was a 5 foot long matured reef shark swimming along the reef… 15 feet in front of us.

Pictured: Cultural festival running through the streets of Galle

Sri Lanka was a dream! Prior to arriving, we did not have many expectations on what the country would be like, but we were blown away at how incredible the small country/island is. Precious gems are found in the mountains, the streets are busy but clean, the people are present and friendly, and the scenery is unsuspectingly beautiful. We spent our time mostly within the walled city of Galle and found ourselves in the middle of a Sri Lankan cultural parade at one point. We loved walking around at night after dinner and the mom and pop shops that lined the Main Street.

Pictured: Dressed in our Diwali best at Aman I Khas in Ranthambore

Im not sure how long one needs to spend in India to properly explore, but 7 days is certainly not enough. A month should seem sufficient, but even Indians will tell you that to see all that India has to offer you would need to spend a lifetime.

We spent time in 3 different areas of India, all offering a different and unique experience. We got extremely lucky in Ranthambore and were able to see 7 different bengal tigers in their Ranthambore National Forest. I’m told that not everybody gets to see the tigers, but in all our safaris, we saw one every day. Ridhi and her 2 month old tiger cubs was the highlight of the tiger safari. Visiting Agra is a must for the Taj Majal visit.

Pictured: Taking a photo with local students inside the Lalbaugh Fort

We admittedly did not know much about Bangladesh prior to visiting, but we left having learned about the country, its formation, its history, and what the future could look like for it. While we were there, we were unable to go to the fishing village due to political unrest in the area. We did, however, get to explore the markets in Dhaka which is where we got a feel for what daily life is like for a Bangladeshi.

Pictured: Standing in front of the Chorten Memorial in Thimpu on Descending Day of Lord Buddha (The day marks the return of Lord Buddha to earth from the heavenly realm after three months of teaching).

We spent 5 days in Bhutan and are already planning a return trip. Flying into Paro was an adventure itself, known as the world’s “second most dangerous airport” and only a handful of licensed pilots are even allowed to fly into it.

We loved the people, the scenery, the food (oh my goodness, the chili, cheese and red rice!), the culture and the stillness that we felt while touring around. We visited 2 of the main cities while we were there, but plan to visit their smaller cities when we return to get another feel for the other regions of Bhutan. Our hike up to Tigers Nest was a memory we will hold onto forever.

Pictured: Standing on top of a view point overlooking the ancient walled city of Lo Manthang

Nepal is such an incredible country, packed with life and culture. We spent almost 10 days in Nepal and toured as many spots as we could. We spent a lot of time in a helicopter which took us to all of the top 8000 meter peaks in the famous mountain ranges. Visiting Mount Everest was extremely moving, and evoked childhood memories of learning about its enormous existence. Walking around Annapurna basecamp was another highlight of the helicopter tour. Many Nepalese people we met wanted to make sure we would see more than just the mountains and the city of Kathmandu; and the universal suggestion was to spend a few nights in Pokhara - which is exactly what we did.

Pictured: Snapping a selfie in front of the Thean Hou Temple

We had 2 quick days in Malaysia, but were able to stack our days and nights full of activities. Visiting Thean Hou Temple and Selayang were the two tourist highlights, and we loved walking up and down the stalls of Petaling Street at night.

We were told that we should have signed up for a city food tour, so next trip to Malaysia, we will make sure to try their wide variety of cuisine!

Pictured: Standing in front of a local temple supported by the villages of Park Ou off the Mekong River

Laos was an incredible visit and we have so much appreciation for the Lao people. Our cruise down the Mekong River was such a highlight and there’s no better way to see the country, learn about the culture, and check out the local highlights than via river boat.

Pictured: Taking in the scenic views at Victoria’s Peak

Hong Kong’s food & drink scene is buzzing right now and we spent most of our time exploring just that! The days were filled with touristy ventures, and evenings were filled with incredible meals and inventive cocktails.

Pictured: Snapping a selfie at sundown as we walked the entire circumference of the island where Amanpulo resides.

Arguably, we spent most of our waking hours under water diving in the Philippines. Trying three different famous dive spots, each location had their own unique wildlife to show off. The sardine show in Cebu was unlike anything we’d seen… thousands of large sardines working in a pack and moving all together like a large underwater monster. It was breathtaking.

Pictured: Looking at a bronze art sculpture just outside Taipei 101, the country’s tallest building (and once the worlds tallest building).

The food in Taiwan is unparalleled and we loved visiting all the lively parts of the city. The foot massage parlors were endless and we found ourselves walking around every corner of the city.

Pictured: Max walking alongside the The Door To Hell in the Karakum Desert

We wrapped up our tour of “the Stans” by spending a few days in Turkmenistan; one night in the desert and 2 evenings in the city were the right amount of time to get your bearings. While Turkmenistan has many rules that are foreign to western culture, there were many things to appreciate about the country; including the smiling faces of the locals and the beautiful horses.

Pictured: Dressed up in traditional Uzbek clothing at the Registan in Samarkand.

We ended up spending the most time in Uzbekistan of all the ‘stan’ countries. Seemingly the most modern of the ‘stans’, Uzbekistan had both modern elements as well as historic and cultural artifacts that helped to keep it a dynamic and versatile country. Samarkand is the top attraction in Uzbekistan, and we found ourselves winding through the structure in amazement for many hours.

Pictured: Standing in front of Nofin (the 4th lake of the seven Tajik lakes) in the Shing Valley

We spent the least amount of time in Tajikistan, only one night in a small village. The beauty of Tajikistan is it’s most redeeming quality, and as we weaved our way to viewing the Seven Pearls of Shing, we drove past groups of people who have made the mountains and the hills their home. We stopped to take pictures with a few and help others with medical questions.

Pictured: Posing with 15 Kyrgyz horsemen after an intense game of Kok-Boru on the Issyk Kul Lake

Of all the ‘stans’ - Kyrgyzstan undoubtedly had the most beautiful landscape of all. The cultural experiences we had access to in the deep corners of the countryside were unlike any experience we’ve had to date; spending time with the golden eagle hunters, watching an authentic game of Kok-Boru (a goat carcass game via horseback), and spending time with a nomad family in their 10-person yurt. Just, wow.

Pictured: Standing in front of the Palace of Independence in Astana

Our few days in Kazakhstan were eye opening ones! We never imagined that a new and young city like Astana would have so many modern buildings and tourist attractions to see. We spent half of our time in Astana, and the other half in Almaty (the previous capital of Kazakhstan). Astana is for those who enjoy the city life and Almaty is for those who enjoy the outdoors.