Smiling Albino

Tourist vs Expat: Must Eat Dishes in Bangkok

Tourist: Pad Thai has to be one of Thailand’s most famous exports, and it’s no wonder once you take a look at the history – the dish was created in the late 1930s as part of then-Prime Minister Phibun’s project to modernize and westernize the nation, along with changing the country’s name from Siam to […]

Vietnam Dining Experiences Reach New Heights

Don’s Bistro, Ha Noi Vietnam has seen remarkable development in the last decade, in part fueled by a tourism boom. Along with economic growth, popular western TV shows like Top Gear, Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown and President Obama’s 2016 visit have put Vietnam in the international media spotlight, with a particularly focus on its cuisine. […]

The Lowdown on Food and Water in Southeast Asia

thai food

Some of the most common questions we hear are, “Is this water safe to drink?” and, “will this food make me sick?” They’re perfectly legitimate questions. In Southeast Asia, almost all drinking water and ice (and certainly all on a Smiling Albino trip) come from modern factories using treated water.  The main reason for this […]