Our family’s catching a flight from our part-time home in the Philippines to the opposite side of Asia, touching down in the city and emirate of Dubai. Even though this is our first time in the UAE, we’re bypassing the obvious tourist traps in search of some Arabian adventure that’s more off the beaten path. So we’re about to explore Dubai by sea… by air… and by land.

Our 2-week tour of India has already taken us through the back alleys of Delhi, the sights of Agra, the palaces of Jaipur, and the lakeside ruins of Udaipur. Now, we’ve headed to the country’s southern tip for a truly unique, overnight experience, on the waters of the Alleppey. Will this excursion be the ultimate in authentic travel or will it be a bit too laid back for our adventure-hungry family?

After spending a couple of nights in downtown Hanoi, we decided to head back onto the water for a 2-day luxury cruise through the spectacular Ha Long Bay. The only problem is that the company that booked our voyage has completely ghosted us and missed our morning pickup. So we've scrambled to rebook with another provider just hours prior to embarking. We have just 3.5 hours to arrive at the dock and a 3-hour taxi ride to get there.

We’ve left the hustle and bustle of BGC Manila and flown down to the beach city of Donsol, where we’re hoping to catch a glimpse of the glowing trees of fireflies and cash in a raincheck for swimming with the majestic whale sharks of the Philippines.

After spending a magical 3 days living among a community of free range elephants in the jungles of Changrai, Thailand, we’re flying south to Phuket. This rainforested, mountainous island in the Andaman sea is home to some of the country’s most beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters. But since we’re only here for two nights, we have to find as many authentic, local experiences as possible so that we can get to know the culture of Phuket in one perfect day.