by Daryle Rico | Jun 5, 2026 | Culture, Food, Thai Smiles, Thailand
One of the greatest joys of living in Thailand—and yes, I’m including the beaches, the people, and the dangerously affordable cost of living—is the food. But dining here? That’s a whole different experience. And I don’t just mean swapping burgers and fries for curry...
by Daryle Rico | Jun 1, 2026 | Culture, Food, Vietnam
While planning my first trip to Southeast Asia back in 2024, I asked my Vietnamese friend Kieu if she had any advice for me before I boarded the plane. She gave me two priceless nuggets of wisdom. First: carry pristine $100 bills. Apparently, wrinkled American money...
by Daryle Rico | May 24, 2026 | Culture, Vietnam
Asking me to name my favorite city in Asia is a bit like asking a mother to choose her favorite child. Impossible. That said, if you cornered me and demanded a Top Five at passport-point, Hoi An would absolutely make the list. Located along the central coast of...
by Daryle Rico | Apr 23, 2026 | Culture, Food, Hua Hin, Thailand
One of my new favorite evening haunts here in Hua Hin is the ever-lively Hua Hin Night Market—also known as the Chatchai Night Market. Now, the name might suggest it’s the night market in town. It is not. Hua Hin has night markets the way I have excuses for ordering...
by Daryle Rico | Apr 20, 2026 | Culture, Thai Smiles, Thailand
One of the first things you learn in Thailand—usually the hard way—is this: Never… ever… use a 7-ELEVEN as a landmark. “Just turn left at the 7-ELEVEN,” they say. Which one? The one next to the other 7-ELEVEN? At last count, there are over 14,000 7-ELEVEN stores...
by Daryle Rico | Apr 13, 2026 | Culture, Thai Smiles, Thailand
When I think of New Year’s back in America, I picture myself heroically trying to stay awake long enough to watch the ball drop in Times Square… only to fall asleep somewhere around 11:47 PM, wake up confused, and then spend the next month writing the wrong year on...
