Audrey Phoon is not just building a travel writing platform; she’s charting a philosophy. As co-founder and editor-in-chief of Eastside, she’s part of a growing movement to center Asian voices in travel writing and to do it with discipline, warmth and a deep respect for the human moment behind every story.
For The Greater Regional Good
Audrey tells us she’s inspired by people who think bigger than themselves and act with integrity toward a greater good. “I’m inspired by people who take risks (ethical risks) and who have the discipline to work towards a greater vision,” she says, naming role models who embody that spirit.
Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen are cited as legendary examples of teamwork and focus—an idea she reveres not for glory, but for the way individuals collaborate to elevate a shared mission.
She also points to Tan Sri Tiong Hew King, a Malaysian media pioneer who began as a rubber tapper and grew a news empire built on Chinese perspectives. These aren’t just anecdotes—they’re touchstones that shape the way Eastside approaches storytelling and partnership.
She exclaims, “My mum is also a huge inspiration—she’s very disciplined and ethical about everything she does.”
And yes, a nod to the reality many women face: “Most of my role models are male, because there weren’t many women in the spotlight when I was a kid. That’s why a podcast like yours is so important.” The drive to spotlight women’s perspectives, especially in a region as diverse as Asia, is a thread that runs through Eastside’s fabric.
She admits that she loves hard trance and psychedelic trance because they help her brain relax. As for her favourite food, she remarks, “I used to be a food writer and have had the privilege of eating fancy food all over the world, and maybe that’s why my favourite food today is just really simple stuff. Double boiled soup, fried chicken, good sushi. Pure unadulterated flavours. I hate it when ingredients are added unnecessarily, it just complicates things. Matcha chocolate or durian kueh, yuck!”
It is no surprise when Audrey says, “Travel is my first love. I like almost everything about it, from being on a plane to the smell of the air when you land in a different place. Being elsewhere makes me want to take photos of everything because the light is so different.”
Asian Representation by Asian Storytellers
The platform’s origin story is equally practical. Audrey and co-founder Lorraine Ishak recognized a gap: “There wasn’t representation of Asian travel content by Asian storytellers.” That prompted a shift from passive content consumption to a mission-driven publishing home where editors and writers curate stories through lived experience.
The goal isn’t just to publish; it’s to cultivate voices that readers can trust and feel seen by. And the work isn’t glamorous all the time. Audrey highlights the day-to-day realities: the admin, the systems, the negotiations with partners and the ongoing journey of personal and professional growth.
Residency Program For Individuals Who Aren’t Necessarily Writers
A cornerstone of Eastside is its residency program. Audrey describes a thoughtful, scalable model designed to nurture younger writers and photographers, offering mentorship and publication opportunities that enrich portfolios and futures. It started with one participant and the ambition is to expand—more writers, more creatives, more perspectives from across Asia.
The residency embodies the platform’s broader mission: to build Asia’s travel community by elevating regional voices, and to translate interest into real opportunities for creative careers. And no, they don’t have to be established writers or writers at all – in fact, that’s not the objective. She welcomes anyone who is Asian and from this region who has a deep desire to share stories to apply for their residency program.
Ethics in the age of AI features prominently in the dialogue. Audrey is explicit: “We definitely 100% do not use AI content.” She believes AI has a place, but not at the core of Eastside’s storytelling. The human voice—the texture, nuance, and place-specific sensibilities—remains irreplaceable. The conversation also dwells on the complexities of travel writing: joy, challenge and the realities of aging, family, and memory.
Travel Writing Is A Practice of Listening
Audrey recounts experiences that remind us travel writing is a practice of listening, not merely an itinerary.
Audrey’s love for travel remains the compass and shares favourite writers who help make life’s complexities legible: William Dalrymple and Rohinton Mistry, whose works invite readers to see places through nuanced, lived truths rather than glossy postcard moments. She casts travel not as a checklist, but as a practice of learning—about people, places and the power to connect.
“Having the gumption to leave and explore new uncharted things when environments don’t support my growth. It’s easy to stay where you are and do the same thing over and over again but if you want a different result you need to do something different — yes I know I mangled Einstein’s quote,” Audrey says of her personal milestone.
“I think what’s also hard is leaving and not thinking about ‘what if I stayed’ when things go wrong. Because that will lead to one of the worst things one can do with life, which is to live in regret.”
That’s why she loves the mantra “Just do it!” and Helen Keller’s “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”. She says she is someone who can’t live in an endless cycle of routines.
And what of the future? Audrey envisions Eastside as a growing ecosystem: partnerships, experiences, events and perhaps ecommerce—always anchored in authentic Asian storytelling. The journey is about guiding readers toward new, meaningful ways to see and appreciate the “lived” Asia.
This episode offers a candid look at the realities of stewarding a mission-driven business in a crowded media landscape. Audrey’s reflections on risk, purpose and humanity resonate far beyond travel writing, offering a compelling model for creating impact while staying true to your core values.
This episode is sponsored by Redbox Studio.
Sign up for behind-the-scenes updates, opportunities and news and more.