Meet Dave

After his first footsteps into Thailand in 2006, Dave quickly became fascinated with all things Asia. He has returned countless times since (partly, so he tells us, in search of the perfect Penang curry!) with his travels taking him far and wide across the continent. 

Joining the travel industry in 2008, Dave discovered a love for helping others get as much as possible out of their adventures abroad. Whilst he’s travelled to destinations across the globe, it’s his passion for Asia that led to his specialism in the region, and to joining the Selective Asia team in 2019. After a brief hiatus, Dave is back at Selective Asia with even more knowledge and knowhow under his belt.

In his words

There’s something so special about spending time in Asia. It’s hard to pick favourites, and Cambodia, Myanmar and India all very much sit towards the top of my list, but it would be hard not to put Thailand first.

Stepping off a plane in Bangkok, I knew almost instantly I’d found my home away from home. The pulsating intensity of the city, the breathtaking architecture, the rich cultural heritage, the friendliest people, and then the food…the most sumptuous cuisine at every corner!

"It was hard not to fall completely in love. From those first moments in Thailand, the whole region has had a profound impact on me, inspiring my own wedding there and many more visits to the continent."

For me, travel is all about those magical moments when something just captivates you, and I think that comes from getting under the skin of a place and staying a little longer to truly appreciate it. When we visited Inle Lake, we decided to stay an extra couple of days and visited Kakku, which was just a couple of hours away from our base in Nyaung Shwe. As we set foot amongst the incredible complex of over 2,000 pagodas, we knew we’d made the right decision. Not only was it truly mesmeric but we had the whole place to ourselves. An experience I’ll never forget.

"What’s next? I’m going to keep exploring more of Asia, and Japan is definitely top of my must visit list!"

Q&A

Countries visited in Asia:

Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, India, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Hong Kong

Favourite Asia-related book?

'Shantaram' by Gregory David Roberts - heart-warming and heart-breaking in equal measure. You feel yourself diving into the raw underbelly of Indian culture as you immerse yourself, page by page.

Favourite experience in Asia?

I love a food tour! What better way to experience the local way of life than through the food? I particularly enjoy a street food tour, which is a chance to try a multitude of dishes that I likely wouldn’t think to order without a local by my side.

Favourite Asian food? 

There’s so much good stuff to choose from but I absolutely love Miang Kham. These little nuggets are quintessentially Thai - a flavour-bomb of sweet, sour, salty and spicy!