Asia holds the titles for being both the largest and most populated continent in the world. It’s also rich with history. And that’s all before we get to Asia’s beaches and, of course, Asia’s delectable food.
Don’t be fooled, however. While Asia might sit as one gigantic land mass (with plenty of Asian islands), the various countries are very culturally distinct. From Japan and China in the north to Indonesia and Thailand further south, you could spend a lifetime exploring Asia’s different cultures and sights.
Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Beijing will no doubt grab the attention of city lovers but the Thai beaches, Cambodian temples, Vietnamese food and Myanmar’s Asia of yesteryear deserve separate trips all in themselves. But don’t worry, this easy to navigate continent makes it possible to combine a few countries into one trip.
For those of you looking to spend time backpacking in Asia, you’ll be thrilled to find that travel is pretty budget-friendly in these parts.
As for me, I’ve visited Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong and China, The Philippines and, most recently, Myanmar.
There’s still so much to see and I have some favourites I will return to time and again.
In my posts, I tend to cover things to do in Asia as well as what to eat, where to go, suggested itineraries and the occasional travel story about the downright odd and amusing things that happen while you travel…like that time I found a snake in my room in Vietnam. Don’t worry, ‘this never happens’ the hotel lady told me. Personally, I hear that a lot, but it’s all part of the story.
So, get stuck in. I hope there’s some Asia travel inspiration in here for you to enjoy.
As ever, I often travel quicker than I write so if I’ve listed some places in Asia above but haven’t got any posts up on the site yet, drop me a line. Or sign up to my newsletter.
How to get a Vietnam visa used to be a pretty straightforward question – you had to get it in advance, from an embassy. Full stop. However, as tourism continues to increase, the Vietnamese government has begun to adapt. While this is great news because it introduces easier and sometimes cheaper ways to visit Vietnam, … Read more
Want to know what to do when you have 3 days in Hong Kong? Read on… On my first visit to this Asian cultural hub, I was so jet-lagged that my 3 days in Hong Kong were a blur of sights, snacks and somewhat insane sleeping hours that culminated in me ordering breakfast with a … Read more
No matter which way I slice it, the beginning of 2010 was a monumentally shit time for me. My personal life had fallen apart and I couldn’t stop crying. My sleeping pattern was in tatters and in the darkest parts of the night I lay in my bed, straining my eyes against the dim bedside … Read more
Before I visited the land of the rising sun, my knowledge of what to eat in Japan could be summed up in one word: sushi. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan and I dined out like sushi was in short supply during my month in Japan, but I spent half of that month with my … Read more
What are the best destinations for solo female travelers? It’s a good question and one I’ve given a lot of thought to. I travel as a solo female traveler about 98% of the time. I travel around 9 months per year. And I’ve been doing that for over four years. Oh, and I’ve visited over … Read more
Vietnam holds a very special place in my heart. Not only was it one of the first countries I ever visited as a solo traveller , it’s the country that triggered my desire to quit law and travel the world. In fact, I adore Vietnam so much that when I hit an all-time travel low … Read more
I get asked on a regular basis where is the best place I’ve visited. It’s a hard question to answer because over the years I’ve fallen in love with so many destinations and all for different reasons. However, someone asked me a slightly different version of this travel question the other day: where is the … Read more
On 20th September 2010 I set off on an around the world trip that I thought would last a year. As my career break came to an end, I knew that I couldn’t go back – not because I’d done anything illegal (that I’d been caught for), but because wanderlust has taken root so deep … Read more
Have you ever felt like the Travel Gods are mocking you? You know, one of those trips where you have become more of a travel comedy than a travel pro, where you can’t seem to do right for doing wrong and you go to sleep each night wondering whether to laugh or cry…or … Read more
Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Vietnam that offers a curious combination of colonial France coupled with Oriental charm. However, Hoi An’s UNESCO status is not the only reason this beautiful location is pinned to the travel map. Once a major port on the silk route the town’s perfectly preserved 15th century trading … Read more