Our Local Knowledge interviews — and the other expert interviews we do for our local guides and Playlist series — are with locals we’ve befriended who have helped us get beneath the skin of a place, by sharing insider advice, hidden gems, local secrets, and their most favourite things to do. Meet Janet Chan from … Read more
We met 18 year-old Cambodian waiter, Pheng Vibol, or ‘Vibol’ as he’s called, at the wonderful Romdeng restaurant in Phnom Penh. Romdeng had been recommended to us by several locals as Phnom Penh’s best restaurant with fine Cambodian cuisine and a lively atmosphere. It didn’t disappoint. In addition to the delicious food, what we also … Read more
We were greeted by the delightful Miss Audrey Tran and her warm smile when we stumbled upon her groovy shop, Saigon Kitsch, when I was scouting for fashion boutiques and cool new shops for a magazine story we were working on about the renaissance of Vietnam’s southern capital, Ho Chi Minh City. The 26 year-old … Read more
We first met Thai-born chef Duangporn ‘Bo’ Songvisava, better known as Chef Bo and her Australian chef husband Dylan Jones – protégés of the legendary master of Thai cuisine David Thompson at Nahm London – after eating a very memorable meal at their restaurant Bo.lan, just after it opened in Bangkok. In the last 18 … Read more
We’ve resisted using mainstream guidebooks on our grand tour this year, choosing instead to rely on local people for advice. However, wherever possible we’ve sought out local guidebooks written by residents of the places we’ve visited, like Owen from Edinburgh. In Venice, we used the illustrated My Local Guide to Venice, and in New York City … Read more