Steph Hays on Extraordinary Family Travel
A travel expert, Steph shares seven things she loves and 5 under-the-radar spots to escape typical, touristy vacations.
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Steph Hays is a seasoned traveler- to say the least. She is the American half of
Steph and Pete Travel who has explored 60+ countries, which is enough, except that she has also lived in Shanghai, London, Mumbai, and Chiang Mai. We happened to meet her years ago in little old Chattanooga, Tennessee.
She met her British half, Pete, as they call it “the old fashioned way” in a bar in Shanghai. They are a couple who prioritize global travel with their young son and share their journey through YouTube.
When asked about Steph’s travel style, she says, “You'll find me seeking out local experiences, be it an overnight train ride (my fav!), enlisting a local guide to introduce me to all the street food or resting my head in a small, unique hotel. But ultimately, I like a bit of everything and have tried it all.”
As an advisor, Steph helps travelers “plan thoughtfully and connect more deeply with the places they visit.” This is why we love her work! We eagerly await her new Instagram posts as she pops up in places that we are fascinated by. She brings a unique blend of global perspective, practical expertise, and personal insight to every journey she supports as you will see in her 7’s. We wouldn’t consider planning a trip to Asia without her.
TELL US ABOUT A HOTEL YOU LOVED. We recently had a super memorable stay at the Hotel Indigo Lijiang Ancient Town in Lijiang, China. The hotel has around 60 rooms, all built in individual villa-style buildings that mimic the Naxi architecture of Lijiang’s UNESCO-listed ancient town, but what was really special about the hotel is that they arranged writing and drumming workshops for us. The Naxi are an ethnic minority native to this region, known for their unique Dongba script—one of the world’s last living pictographic writing systems and the instructor we were learning from is only one of around 200 people in the world who can still write it!
HAVE YOU FOUND A RECIPE YOU MAKE OFTEN? A staple in our house is Anjum Anand’s tarka dal - classic Indian lentils.
WILL YOU SHARE A SPECIAL GIFT YOU’VE RECEIVED? Our Japanese friends, Dice and Akina, gifted us a Daruma doll once. The ritual is that you fill in one eye when setting a goal—and the other when you’ve achieved it. So we did. We set the goal of living in India and filled in the second eye the first night in our new apartment three years later. Dice and Akina couldn’t believe we had taken it so seriously! So for a birthday a few years ago, Pete schemed with Dice to have another one sent to me. For this one, the goal was to travel the world for a year with our son…which we did! So towards the end of our big trip, we actually got to return the doll to its temple. Here’s the full story.
FAVORITE TRAVEL SHOES? I could walk 100 miles in my Teva platforms! Seriously!
WE ARE DYING TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR TRAVEL ESSENTIALS. We actually have a page for that— but a top pick is my Moft invisible laptop stand since I work in a lot of random places. Also an eSIM! We use Holafly. (👉 Use code STEPHANDPETE at checkout)
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO READ? Anything by Paul Theroux. I love train travel and no one captures it like him. Note: We have selected a popular novel by Paul Theroux. Ghost Train to the Eastern Star: On the Tracks of the Great Railway Bazaar at Amazon or Bookshop
DO YOU HAVE A VIDEO THAT CAPTURES WHAT YOU DO?. Here’s one from last October I’m really proud of.
HOW DO WE REACH YOU? Email me at steph.hays@fora.travel. You can follow along with our adventures on Instagram and YouTube.
We love the way Steph shares details that helps us envision our families in the locations she loves. If you read our NYC with kids issue, a big takeaway was the power of the “in-between moments” to provide connection. Steph’s style of travel really lends itself to creating more of those treasured moments with one another and the places visited. We asked Steph to share cities in Asia that she loves for family travel and she delivered.
Five of My Favorite Spots in Asia for Adventurous Families
Since we left to travel full-time in 2021, and eventually settled down (for us, at least) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I’ve visited nearly 30 countries with my husband and now five-year-old son. Asia’s our favorite place to explore, so here are five of our favorite spots if you’re looking to ditch the theme parks and crowded beaches on your next family vacation.
Hoi An, Vietnam
Hoi An is hardly undiscovered, and at first glance, its charming but packed UNESCO-listed Old Town can feel over-touristed. But if you give it a chance and dig just a bit deeper, Hoi An really delivers. We've visited three times in as many years and love cycling through the rice paddies, sampling street food, and taking cooking classes with Na of Eat Hoi An (a non-negotiable!) Bonus: just up the road in Danang, you can end a trip with a few days of unwinding at a (very well-priced!) beach resort. We love the Hyatt Regency for its packed calendar of kids’ activities— many of which are supervised, so you can sneak off for an adult beverage beachside. ;)
Chiang Mai, Thailand
I had to include our adopted home of the past year: Chiang Mai; it’s rare to meet someone who visits and doesn’t fall in love with it. The city’s laid-back pace, abundance of night markets, aesthetic cafes, and 300+ temples offer plenty to explore. And that’s before mentioning the elephant encounters, bamboo rafting, and rich, coconut-spiced bowls of khao soi: Northern Thailand’s most famous and beloved dish. One of our favorite under-the-radar experiences? A motorbike food tour with our friends at Just Love Experience (kids allowed! But if motorbikes aren’t your thing, they have plenty of alternatives.)
Jeonju, South Korea
South Korea was love at first visit for us and we’ve since crisscrossed the country and enjoyed over a dozen cities. One of the most family-friendly stops is Jeonju, just two hours from Seoul. It's the perfect place to wander among traditional hanok houses and picture-perfect streets, or take a ride on Rail Bike where you can cycle along an old train line. It’s also the birthplace of both bibimbap, one of Korea’s most popular dishes. It’s another place that can veer a bit touristy, but still has plenty to love. Top tip: stop for a craft beer at Nomadic Brewing Company.
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Taiwan might be the most underrated country we’ve been to. The food scene is incredible (especially at the night markets), the train system is fast and reliable, and you get mountains, beaches, and vibrant cities all in one small, easy-to-navigate island. While Taipei gets most of the buzz and is fantastic, we loved this laid-back port city for its perfect blend of industrial grit, seaside charm, and vibrant arts scene.
Lijiang, China
The Great Wall might be on your China bucket list, and for good reason, but the country is full of lesser-known gems (at least to international tourists— domestic tourists have been flocking to these places for years and years.) Lijiang, in Yunnan province, is one of them. Its Old Town is all cobblestone lanes and canals, with a rich culture shaped by the Naxi people, an ethnic minority known for their music. Yunnan’s (the province Lijiang is in) is famous for fresh produce (wild mushrooms galore), and nearby Jade Dragon Snow Mountain makes a stunning backdrop—especially during Impressions of Lijiang, a live outdoor show choreographed by the same person who was responsible for the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, set right at its base.
Bonus: Mumbai, India
India isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and its biggest city might not be at the top of your family travel list, but for us, Mumbai is magic, so it’d be remiss to not include what might be my favorite city in the world. It’s chaotic, bold, and endlessly fascinating. You can find pockets of calm at Bombay Panjrapole, a peaceful cow sanctuary in the middle of the city, or snack on pani puri by the sea at Chowpatty Beach. We also love lazy days cafe-hopping in Bandra, a trendy neighborhood with plenty of space to breathe. Mumbai isn’t necessarily easy with kids, but it’s one of those places that feels alive and is a city you won’t soon forget.
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