Sarah Lempa
sarahlempa
Writer + founder of Dang Fine Creative | Turkey | Bali | USA
-
Waterpark Hue: Inside Vietnam’s Creepiest Abandoned Attraction
Read more...Most people can agree: abandoned places are wildly intriguing and eerie as hell at the same time. Ho Thuy Tien Waterpark (AKA Waterpark Hue) possesses this winning combination of traits—an unrealized dream that now makes for a one-of-a-kind, off-beat adventure. A visit to the park is easily one of the best things to do in […]
-
7 Travelers Share Their Wildest International Love Stories
Read more...Flirty foreign flings, intense vacationships, and delicious eye contact with attractive strangers at 30,000 feet: folks, we can’t make this sh*t up. There’s really nothing like falling for someone — whether for 6 hours or a lifetime — when you’re already jittery with excitement over being somewhere completely new. It’s pretty much the icing on […]
-
8 Purple Places You Need to Add to Your Bucket List
Read more...Can’t talk right now — we’re doing cartwheels in France’s fragrant lavender fields and running around futuristic, purple-hued parks in Singapore. It’s a lifestyle, ya know? But for real, once you see some of the world’s best purple places, you’ll want to switch that vacation responder on and bask in the magic of magenta. These […]
-
9 Blue Places You Need to Add to Your Bucket List
Read more...We promise you won’t get the blues from any of these blue places. But you will have to endure a few cheesy puns… sorry not sorry. Blue villages, blue caves, blue sinkholes that look like they’re straight out of the movie Jaws — our world is teeming with sapphire splendor, and the ocean is just […]
-
14 Green Places You Need to Add to Your Bucket List
Read more...“Are they talking about sustainability or what?” —Most people, before reading this introduction. No folks, we’re talking about literal green places— although it makes sense that the two usually go hand-in-hand. From rainforests and misty pine tree-covered wonderlands to emerald-colored palaces and living, breathing skyscrapers, “green travel” brings an impressive amount of beauty. Buckle up and […]
-
9 Yellow Places You Need to Add to Your Bucket List
Read more...Singer-songwriter Donovan knew exactly what he was talking about when he wrote that song “Mellow Yellow.” This color is an absolute mood booster. And when the sun shines, these locations brighten up our days even more than usual. So grab a banana for the road (to match your surroundings, duh) and explore 9 of the […]
-
11 Orange Places You Need to Add to Your Bucket List
Read more...Dreamsicle-colored deserts (not desserts, for once) cover our planet…and they’re not the only show-stopping orange places around the globe. Orange festivals, orange cities, orange monuments —whether you prefer to sweat your way through arid ginger-scapes or dance through a valley of delicate flowers, you’ll have ample opportunity for both. Check out these 11 orange travel […]
-
How to Spend One Day in Hoi An, Vietnam
Read more...Narrow streets peppered with lanterns and cultural fusion make Vietnam’s ancient city of Hoi An a wondrous storybook to step into. The mélange of historical influences are evident in golden colonial-style buildings which house some of the best eats and local goods in town. Although tourism is booming (and understandably so), it doesn’t manage to […]
-
11 Red Travel Destinations For Your Bucket List
Read more...Ah, the rich color of red. Often associated with love and romance (or anger for a stark contrast!), this hue is undeniably bold and assertive regardless of what it denotes. But when it comes to traveling the world, the color red offers an entirely different experience. Cherry-colored lakes and ornate temples drenched in scarlet are […]
-
36 of the Most Colorful Places in the World
Read more...Curiously crimson landscapes that are (somehow) natural and Gatorade-level hues of blue are found in droves across our travel rainbow—along with every other eclectic shade in between. Mother Nature formed and human-made alike, these destinations provide a hearty dose of monochromatic magnificence that’ll have you reconsidering your favorite color left and right. Toss out everything you […]
-
Hiking Roy’s Peak: Everything You Need to Know Before the Climb
Read more...If you haven’t heard of Roy’s Peak, you’ve probably seen at least one glorious pic of it on Instagram. With bird’s-eye views of sparkling Glendhu Bay and fresh air that feels therapeutic to inhale, it’s hands down one of the best hikes in New Zealand. Oh, did I mention that most people hitchhike to get there? […]
-
Colombia Itinerary: the Caribbean Coast
Read more...With mountains, deserts, jungles, and beaches, Colombia takes the cake for landscape diversity. The craziest thing is that you can find all of these geographical features right along the Caribbean coast, along with an impeccable amount of heart, soul, and delicious street food that will mysteriously nab most of your spare pesos. The landscape itself […]
-
11 Types of People You’ll Date While Traveling
Read more...Listen, Benjamin the Beefcake Bachelor: I’ve met you eighteen times in eleven different countries, and I’m simply not going to fall for your flirtatious fanfare anymore. Travelers, you know who I’m talking about. Whether you’re dealing with beefcake bachelors or wayward wanderers, it’s safe to say dating abroad adds a highly unique element to an […]
-
How Are Travel Influencers Adapting To Life in Quarantine? We Chatted With Marie Fe & Jake Snow To Find Out
Read more...Coronavirus-induced trip cancellations are a royal pain for anyone —but when the act of traveling is your livelihood, stay-at-home restrictions are more than your average waiting game. Like everyone else, travel influencers are finding themselves at a shocking standstill as borders shut and quarantine measures squash vagabond pursuits worldwide. So, what’s a travel influencer to […]
-
Top 9 Day Trips From Melbourne, Australia
Read more...Eclectic sprawls of laneway graffiti and the exuberant fast pace of Melbourne’s central business district (CBD for short) are enough to keep you enthralled for weeks on end. If you’re anything like me though, after the 37,257th crowded city tram you’ll find yourself craving some sweet, sweet middle-of-nowhere nature to contrast the city’s unfettering buzz. […]
-
Coronavirus Anxiety: How to Manage Your Mental Health During a Pandemic
Read more...Anyone else feel like they’re living in some dystopian sci-fi movie lately? Perhaps you’ve felt your stress level rising incrementally or you’re already in full-on disaster prevention mode, surrounding yourself with an arsenal of cleaning products and canned beans. Either end of the spectrum—you’re definitely not alone. If I see one more grocery store sold […]
-
Should the Coronavirus Change Your Travel Plans? 150 Digital Nomads Weigh In
Read more...When your entire existence revolves around travel, an infectious virus spreading at a rapid rate across the globe is bound to jumble up your plans. Despite years of experience under their belts and an astute know-how of navigation, responses from digital nomads and full-time travelers vary from seemingly unbothered to plan-altering levels of concern when […]
-
29 of the Best Things To Do in Colombia
Read more...Swaying in a colorful hammock to nature’s tune of a gentle Caribbean breeze is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Colombian treasures. Amazonian greenery, misty mountains, and arid deserts give this country (nearly) all of South America’s land diversity right within its borders. Before my fist visit, fellow travelers emphatically shared […]
-
Riding Hai Van Pass: Ocean, Mountains, & Adrenaline
Read more...The dichotomous intersection of sea and mountains is where Hai Van Pass lies: a gloriously serpentine road famed for motorbike travel. The pass feels far away from civilization and is all too thrilling to zip across while riding (literally) an adrenaline high. Between the northern loop and Ho Chi Minh Trail, Vietnam is known for […]
-
The Best 1-Day Copenhagen Bike Tour, from city to small towns
Read more...Copenhagen and cycling are essentially synonymous— the two exist in harmony, a match made in heath heaven. Believe it or not, there are more bikes in the city than actual residents. The bike scene is brimming with enthusiasts, structural innovators, and people like me who enjoy leisure exercise and saving a few bucks from skipping […]
-
9 Rooftop Bars for the Best Views of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Read more...Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon, as many still call it) is beautiful chaos at its finest: Vegas-like saturated neon lights, bánh mì sandwich carts on every block, and a mind-boggling amount of motorbikes actively forcing you to really look both ways before crossing the street. At street level, it’s occasionally dizzying. Take it to […]
-
These Are the Best Places for Solo Travel, According to 9 Travel Experts
Read more...The thought of packing up a bag and jetting off thousands of miles from home can be a bit daunting for some, but luckily, you’re never actually alone when you consider how many others are hitting the road solo. When you know the world’s best corners for solo travel, it becomes a lot easier to […]
-
Minimalist Travel: How to Pack Four Seasons in One Carry On
Read more...Observing feeble attempts to stack airport carts sky high with boulder-like suitcases and precariously perched bags never gets old, especially when someone has to act fast and rescue a piece of luggage that starts to tumble off into the terminal. It’s like Tetris, but a nightmare. As a self-proclaimed minimalist, all of my earthly possessions […]
-
Marrakech to the Sahara: 6 Must-See Spots Along the Drive
Read more...Say sayonara to gas station hot dogs, creepy rest stops, and boring tumbleweed-filled plains. You’re free of those now. We’ve traded them for ancient villages carved right into cliffs and valleys that will make you mutter holy sh*t under your breath. Staggeringly magnificent mountain ridges and sporadic film sets are just two of the contrasting […]
-
7 Ways to Stop Wasting Travel Time on your Phone and Be More Present
Read more...Like. Comment. Share. We’re inundated with notifications and virtual interactions around the clock — and ‘round the globe, too. A heavy emphasis is placed on capturing memories, but what if that very focus is detracting from the actual act of creating them? Without proper engagement in the present, our memories cease to embody the true […]
-
31 of the Best Things to Do in Vietnam
Read more...Vietnam is notorious for chaotically vibrant cities, iconic limestone mountains, and enough crave-worthy local cuisine to inspire you to extend your visa. Seriously, that pho is downright captivating. But wait, there’s more, and I’m not here to just tell you about Ha Long Bay like everyone else. You’re going to want to make your way […]
-
14 of the Worst People on Airplanes (and How to Deal With Them)
Read more...“For the love of god, Linda, if you don’t sit your butt down until we taxi to the gate I’m going to lose my damn mind.” — me internally, on at least 12 separate occasions. Trade out Linda for any name you’d like; this type of passenger is notorious for standing when they shouldn’t and […]
-
Copenhagen on a Budget: 11 Unique Ways to Experience the City on the Cheap
Read more...The Danish capital isn’t exactly known for being affordable, but there are tons of ways to take in all the energy and culture while keeping your budgeting badass status. Sure, you can go on free walking tours, but there are far more creative (and less touristy!) free or cheap activities that the city has to […]
-
11 Ways to Stay Safe As A Solo Female Traveler (Without Sacrificing Experience)
Read more...Let’s get something straight: bad things can happen anywhere in the world, both right at home and a thousand miles away. The road is no exception, whether you’re in a beachside 5-star resort or a cramped bus bumping through the misty Ecuadorian Andes. But that’s no reason to back down. I’ll never accept the notion […]
-
Bikepacking Vietnam on a Budget: Our Tell-All Guide
Read more...The quietest, most serene corners of Vietnam are often completely passed over by traditional methods of transportation — a true shame, if you ask me. You’ll never see a bus of tourists heading to places like Quảng Ngãi or Bảo Lộc, but on a motorbike, it’s a real life choose-your-own-adventure novel. Gear up, it’s time […]