Erika Bisbocci
Erika is an avid traveler and explorer of over ninety countries on six different continents. Since 2011, she has spent time studying Arabic in the Middle East, teaching English in Namibia and working as a flight attendant for a major US airline. When not traveling overseas, she loves exploring her own backyard in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
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Visiting Bali: The Island of 1000 Temples
Sitting smack in the middle of the Indonesian Archipelago and sandwiched between Java and Lombok, the achingly beautiful island of Bali is, without a doubt, Indonesia’s number one tourist attraction. Bali’s beaches, verdant scenery and cultural relics have fueled the island’s popularity and turned it into a mecca for those seeking relaxation, yoga and healing. Bali’s spirituality is palpable and the island’s intricately carved Hindu temples are everywhere—on street corners, between houses and even in individual yards. It is no wonder they call Bali the island of 1000 temples. Yet, despite often being associated with paradise, the island sometimes…
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Kawah Ijen Volcano: Blue Fire and Sunrise Hike
I first heard about the Kawah Ijen Volcano during an episode of Human Planet. The video clip featured a scene in which miners, undertaking one of the most hazardous jobs on Earth, hauled chunks of yellow sulphur out of the depths of an active volcano. The video footage of their harrowing journey was captivating. And I was mesmerized by the scenes that unfolded in front of me on TV. In the months and years that followed, images of Kawah Ijen’s blue fire, its sulphur miners and its turquoise lake remained…
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Mount Bromo Sunrise Tour and Crater Hike
Java is a land born from volcanic fire. On the island alone, there are 112 volcanoes, 35 of which are active. These unpredictable mountains of lava and ash have sculpted Java’s wild and mountainous landscape. The Indonesian island teems with fertile highlands, steamy jungles, cloud-ringed cinder cones, and billowing craters. Perhaps the most emblematic of these Javanese peaks is Mount Bromo. With its puffing smoke and sea of undulating sand, the volcano puts Indonesia’s natural beauty on display in dramatic fashion. BROMO TENGGER SEMERU NATIONAL PARK Bromo Tengger Semeru…
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Dieng Plateau Day Trip from Yogyakarta
When people think of Indonesia, their imaginations usually take them straight to Bali and its abundance of ornate Hindu temples. But high up in Dieng Plateau of Central Java, a much more off-the-beaten path adventure awaits that can be equally rewarding. The name “Dieng” means Abode of the Gods and there are clusters of ancient temples—most dating back to the 8th and 9th centuries—that sit nestled in the area’s verdant hillsides. In the Dieng Plateau, the cultural and geographical riches rival those you’ll see in Bali. But there’s one major…
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Visiting the Temples of Borobudur and Prambanan
Though Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country on Earth, the archipelago nation has a deeply-rooted, multi-religious history. It is a place where minarets share space with Buddha-clad temples and richly-decorated Hindu shrines. Indonesia’s rich religious heritage is particularly apparent in the cultural capital of Yogyakarta (also known as Jogja), where the iconic temples of Borobudur and Prambanan rise from the bottle-green hills of central Java. THE YOGYAKARTA TEMPLES Bali may be the land of 1,000 temples, but Yogyakarta is arguably home to Indonesia’s most impressive religious monuments. Dozens…
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Top Singapore Attractions and Highlights
Organized, efficient and squeaky clean, Singapore is a small island nation that packs a lot of punch into its neat and tidy borders. In a country where littering, jaywalking and forgetting to flush the toilet can incur hefty fines, the sense of cleanliness and discipline is palpable. Yet, despite its order, Singapore is not sanitized or sterile. Instead, it is colorful and vibrant and culturally diverse. Singapore’s world-class attractions and architecture give the city a feeling of being both forward-thinking and modern, yet also deeply rooted in its multi-layered history. …
