Since Rob and I returned, one question
which we have been consistently asked is 'Which was your favourite country?'
It's a question both of us have found difficult to answer as every country we
visited had elements which made it special. There wasn't a country we visited
where we didn't enjoy parts, and conversely each one offered it's own
challenges. Beyond that, Asia is hugely diverse and while we may not have liked
parts of a country, we might have loved others- for example, neither of us were
that enthralled by mainland Malaysia but Malaysian Borneo was one of our top
highlights of the entire trip.
For these reasons, I wanted to finish our
series of Asian blogs with an entry depicting our overall highlights. We had a
truly amazing time and it's hard to comprise this list as every day we did
something fantastic! Here's the things which really stand out though-
1) Exploring the Electronics District in
Tokyo
Before travelling to Japan, I used to
imagine it as being a crazy, futuristic world with new technologies being
created all the time. When you walk through Akihibara in Tokyo that's exactly
what you get. It's a kaleidoscope of colour with neon signs, crazy inventions
and a frantic pace which is quintessentially Japanese.
2) Spying a Geisha in Kyoto
Japan as a country is a complete fusion of
an Ancient Kingdom and a Modern Metropolis. Nothing exemplified that for me
more that spotting a Maiko (apprentice Geisha) along one of the back alley's of
Gion. With her elegant hairstyle, classic kimono and poise it instantly
transported me to a different world. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a photo
as she disappeared as quickly as we spotted her but we got lots of photos of
people in classic Japanese garments.
3) Visiting the Peace Memorial Park at
Hiroshima
It's strange to note a tribute to one of
the worst atrocities in human history as a 'highlight' but visiting Hiroshima
was such an enlightening experience I had to include it in this list. The
preservation of the A-bomb dome, the museum littered with Hiroshima's efforts
to stop nuclear weapon development and the beautiful memorials to the victims
of the tragedy are so well put together and we both felt it was a very
cathartic experience.
4) Hiking to Arashiyama Monkey Park
One of our first wildlife encounters,
Arashiyama is located just on the outskirts of Kyoto. At the top of a rather
steep climb, you find a troop of Macaque Monkeys (native to Japan) who live
freely with minimal human supervision. They have strict rules about feeding,
touching and making eye contact with the monkeys but it is amazing to go and
see them living in the wild and observe their natural behaviours!
5) Standing on (and tobogganing down) the
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall is one of those monuments
which you see and think 'it's bound to be a disappointment'. I really didn't
have the highest hopes when we visited it, but I was so pleasantly surprised.
It's been very well maintained and it's so big, you're not rubbing elbows with
hundreds of other tourists. We had a great day traversing the wall, and
tobogganing down it (yes, really) was an absolute highlight!
6) Catching an Acrobatic Show in Shanghai
I'd heard a huge amount about the Chinese
Acrobats in Shanghai but they were something else entirely. The stunts, jumps,
leaps etc. were all unbelievable. I spent the vast majority of the show with my
hands clasped over my mouth on the edge of my seat, convinced someone was about
to die in front of me.
7) Exploring the Hutongs in Beijing
One of the parts of Beijing which we both
found the most interesting was the Hutongs. It's the old part of the city with
tiny, winding alleys giving way to large courtyards surrounded by houses. It's
very typically Chinese and with interesting bazaars and street vendors
scattered around them, it's the perfect place to get lost for the
afternoon.
8) Getting close to nature in Yangshuo
Without question, Yangshuo was one of my
favourite places in China. A small village (by Chinese Standards) which used to
be only home to agriculture, it's now the perfect place to go to escape the
chaos of big cities and relax. With the Li river running alongside it, we spent
a blissful couple of days cycling in the countryside, kayaking and swimming in
the river, checking out the mud baths and hot springs and eating some good
Cantonese food in the village centre.
9) Heading across to Lantau Island and
Ngong Ping Village in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a really cool city (although
expensive) but one of our favourite days here was when we headed across to the
quieter island of Lantau (easily reached by MTR) and took the bus to the peak.
Here is the largest seated Buddha in the world and a small village with a
monastery. It was a lovely day out with some great scenery (apart from the 250
odd steps to the peak).
10) Trekking with the Hill Tribes in Sa'Pa
Sa'Pa in Vietnam is a gorgeous place.
Located right up in the North, the people are some of the nicest and
friendliest we met throughout Asia. There are five tribes who live there and
who are slowly starting to generate sustainable tourism through running
trekking tours. The scenery is breathtaking and we spent a night at a home stay
right in the middle of the landscape which was cool.
11) Spending time in the Old Quarter of Hanoi
Hanoi was our first stop in Vietnam, and
although it is short of typical tourist 'attractions' it's a great place to
spend a week as it's perfect for a traveller. It's got cheap shopping, a great
old quarter which is filled with things to see and some of the best food
(especially the Spring Rolls) in Asia.
12) Staying on a Private Island in Halong
Bay
Halong Bay was a mixed experience. Rob
nearly drowned (funny now but a bit of a downer at the time), parts of it were
a huge let-down (don't go to Ti Top Beach) but overall the natural beauty of
the area is worth the trip. The best part of our experience was staying on a
private island on the bay on the night of the staff's annual party. They made
us feel so welcome sharing their food and drink with us, inviting us to join in
their beach tournament and even presenting us with flowers!
13) Learning about Vietnamese History in
HCMC
Ho Chi Minh City is much calmer than Hanoi
and it was a big contrast. We loved all the War History though in the region
especially the War Remnants Museum and the Cu Chi Tunnels. Both of us were so
ignorant about the history of South East Asia and HCMC was one of the places
where we most able to rectify this.
14) Boating through the Tra Su Forest
As part of a trip along the Mekong Delta
we headed to the lesser-known Tra Su Forest. We were the only tourists there
and it was fantastic. Getting rowed through the huge mangrove swamp under a
creep tree-lined canopy was a definite highlight of the Southern Region of
Vietnam prior to our border crossing into Cambodia.
15) Gaining an Understanding of Cambodia's
Recent History at the Killing Fields and S-21
Considering Cambodia's recent history is
filled with tragedy and that almost 3 million Cambodian's died under a regime
which ended only 40 years ago, we were both so ignorant of the effects of Pol
Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Similarly to Hiroshima, visiting the Killing Fields
was a devastating experience but it was also incredibly interesting and it
offered you an entirely different perspective on Cambodia as a country.
16) Visiting the Grand Palace in Phnom
Penh
Of all the temples and historical
buildings which we visited, the Grand Palace in Phnom Penh definitely stands
out as one of the highlights. In one of the most impoverished countries which
we visited, the Palace stood out as a true marvel with high golden stupas and
beautiful grounds.
17) Temple-hopping in the Angkor Complex
Angkor Wat is another one of those 'I bet
it's over-rated' places but to be honest, it did disappoint. Compared to other
temples we had seen, it was not the best. However, the Angkor complex as a
whole is amazing! Ta Prohm (where Tomb Raider) was filmed, is my favourite for
its over-grown tree roots which engulf the temple, however it was all amazing.
It was even worth getting up at 5am for to watch the sun rise!
18) Spying a Wild Orangutan in Borneo
Rob can definitely take the credit for
this one, as he was the one that caught the glimpse of orange in the canopy at
the Rainforest Discovery Centre near Sandakan. It was amazing to see such an
endangered species in the wild and we must have spent half an hour just
watching it go about it's business.
19) Releasing a wild turtle into the sea
at Selingan Island
Selingan Island is one of the most amazing
places either of us have ever visited. Where else in the world can you be on an
island where only 30 people are allowed at once, snorkel on a coral reef, watch
a mother turtle lay her eggs on the beach and release baby turtles back into
the sea?
20) Spotting a herd of Wild Pygmy
Elephants off the Kinabatangan River
This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime
experience and one I'm pretty sure I'll never get to repeat. We were so lucky
to be at the right spot on the river during their migration period and we saw
approximately 70 wild elephants. We were both completely amazed at the
opportunity to sit and watch and we could have done so for hours.
21) Exploring Balinese Culture
Bali was so different to other parts of
Asia as it is predominantly Hindu, rather than Buddhist or Muslim. The culture
is so apparent everywhere with ceremonial offerings placed on the streets every
day, temples everywhere (including some of the most unusual ones we saw
throughout Asia- see below) and processions taking place all the time. It’s so
unique and it’s clearly apparent why it is called the ‘Island of the Gods’
22) Checking out the different Balinese
Temples
In Bali, we saw a temple on the precipice
of a cliff, one in the middle of a lake, another you could only reach at low
tide and one next to an active volcano at the top of an incredibly steep hill
overlooking the whole island!
23) Taking a Thai Cookery Course and
eating the results!
With the exception of Japan (perhaps), the
best food we ate was in Thailand. Spicy and sweet and salty and sour it was
AMAZING, especially the curries and the street food. One of my favourite days
in Thailand was a day I spent on a farm outside Chiang Mai learning to cook
some of the regional specialities. Of course, this gave me an excuse to try and
recreate it all at home.
24) Heading to the most Northerly Point of
Thailand and visiting Chiang Rai
We took a full day trip to Chiang Rai from
Chiang Mai, and while this involved spending a lot of the day on a bus it was
completely worth it. Wat Rong Khun, or the White Temple, is worth the trip
alone. Where else can you see a modern temple with Spiderman and Harry Potter on
its’ walls. Beyond that we also got to learn about the history of Opium
production in the region, catch a glimpse of Laos and Burma and visit the
long-necked Karen tribe.
25) Playing with the Elephants at Elephant
Nature Park
Elephant Nature Park is a fantastic
sanctuary for mistreated and geriatric elephants and the day we spent there was
wonderful. We got to feed, stroke, bath and play with many elephants and learn
about the historical mistreatment they have received in Thailand and other
parts of Asia. I would love to go back and volunteer in the future but that’s
one for the bucket list!
26) Witnessing a Thai Festival on Loy
Krathong
Loy Krathong is an annual full moon
festival celebrated throughout Thailand. We were in Chiang Mai at the time and
it was beautiful watching a cascade of paper lanterns rise from into the sky and
seeing ornately decorated boats coming along the river.
27) Hiking through the Thai Jungle
Northern Thailand is beautiful and it was
great to spend a day trekking through its’ jungles. It was pretty challenging
but worth it for the stunning views and wonderful wildlife along with the
remote villages which we encountered on the way.
28) Viewing Bangkok from above at the Sky
Bar
Bangkok is a bit like marmite- it seems
you either love it or hate it. I happened to love the chaos, but it was still
nice to escape on the 88th floor of the Banyan Tree Hotel with a
cocktail and a film-worthy view of the city.
29) Checking out the seedy side of Bangkok
at Pat Pong and Khao San
Bangkok is famous for its’ less-than-respectable
underbelly and Pat Pong Market is definitely the place to see this. Khao San
Road is like a traveller’s mecca, and whilst also seedy, it’s a must-see for its’
cheap souvenirs, raucous atmosphere and popular street food.
30) Meeting the animals at Singapore Zoo
So that's the round-up. There's other things which would make the list if I did a top 50 for example frolicking in the waves of Kuta, spending a disproportionate amount of time on Chinese night trains, some of the other big cities or the specific people we have been lucky enough to meet. However, this list could genuinely go on forever. Suffice to say we had a fantastic time and this list only captures a small percentage of that.
It's an opportune time for me to have written this as I'm jetting off for my next adventure tomorrow- to the States and the Caribbean. I'll be posting with a bit more information over the next few days, but for now I'm off to get some beauty sleep before another long-haul flight tomorrow!
