Chris Schalkx Chris Schalkx is a freelance writer and photographer with a focus on travel and design. He swapped his native Holland almost a decade ago for a home in Bangkok, which he uses as a base to explore cool local emerging designers and offbeat travel destinations in Asia and beyond. His words and photos have appeared in print and online on Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Architectural Digest, Bloomberg Pursuits, and more. About Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is a top travel media brand with a mission to inform and inspire passionate travelers. Our expert team includes a network of hundreds of writers and photographers across the globe, all providing a local eye on the best places to stay, eat, and explore. We reach an audience that takes 76 million round trips annually, offering valuable travel tips, ideas and inspiration, and products you need to get you to your destination — whether it’s a small town or big city, beach or lake, national park or theme park, road trip, cruise, or long-haul flight, and everything in between. Learn more about us and our editorial process