Japan
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Essentials
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Nagoya
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Kyoto
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Osaka
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Essentials
- ICOCA (Bought it at Kyoto which can be used pretty much anywhere it's accepted)
- For Nagoya, I suggest just getting a day pass because it's already ¥180 to ¥200 to go a stop over
- Kyoto:
- Stayed at Santiago Guesthouse (really close to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Gion, and a lot of other famous shrines)
- Only downside of this place was you probably need an extension cord on you because they only had one outlet
- $10/night
- Osaka:
- Stayed at Casa Macondo ($15/night)
- The building looks shady, but it's really homey just kind of a far walk from Namba Station even if Google Maps tells you 10 minute walk
- Really close to Dotonbori & OCAT Namba has a direct Airport Limousine to Kansai International (¥1,100 one-way)
- Exchanged $250 USD before I left Singapore
- Ended up needing about $400 USD total for one week
Nagoya
- Nagoya Castle
- Sakae District
- Oasis 21
- Nagoya Tower
- Shirotori Garden
- Osu Kannon
- Atsuta Shrine
- Nagoya Station
Kyoto
- Kiyomizu-dera Temple
- Yasaka Shrine
- Fushimi-Inari Taisha
- Gion District
- Kamo River
- Nishiki Market
- Arashiyama
Osaka
- Dotonbori
- Nara
- Nara Park
- Kofuku-ji Temple
- Todai-ji Temple
- Mount Wakakusa
- Kasuga-Taisha
Macau
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Essentials
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Day 1
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Essentials
- $40 USD should be enough for food and travel across Macau
- 370 HKD or $50 for roundtrip Turbojet ferry tickets from the China Ferry Terminal in Kowloon
- Last ferry back from Macau is at 9:35 pm so be aware
- There's Turbojet which stops at Macau Ferry Terminal or Cotaijet which should dock at Taipa
- You can use HKD in Macau, but change will be in MOP
- I'd say exchange $50 USD and find a vending machine to get some loose change for the bus (6 MOP per ride)
- Since Macau is another SAR of China, you need your US Passport but you don't need to apply for a visa
- Upon arriving back in HKG, you need to fill out the arrival card again
Macau Peninsula (where you would get off at for Macau Ferry Terminal)
Taipa
Cotai
Coloane Village
- Macau Fisherman's Wharf
- Tempolo A-ma
- Ruins of St. Paul's
- Senado Square
- Monte Fort (it was too hot so I didn't climb up but it's free)
Taipa
- Old Taipa Village
- Sei Kee Cafe (Pork Chop Buns)
- Gelatina Mok Yi Kei (Serradura/Sawdust Pudding)
- The Galaxy Macau
- Pak Tai Temple
Cotai
- The Parisian
- The Venetian
- Cotai Strip
Coloane Village
- Tin Hau Temple
- Hac-Sa Park
- Original Lord Stow's Bakery
Bali, Indonesia
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Essentials
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Day 1
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Day 2
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Day 3
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Day 4
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Essentials
- If you know how to ride a moped, renting one is easier to travel around
- Otherwise, having a private driver is much safer
- Contact Wayan at +62 815 29003214 thru WhatsApp if you ever need a private driver or Enrico thru Bali Flow Tours
- To Ubud from Kuta is 600,000 IDR
- To Lempuyang is 900,000 IDR or 700,000 IDR depending
- To Uluwatu is 600,000 IDR
- To Tanah Lot is 600,000 IDR
- To Ngurah Rai International Airport is 150,000 IDR to 200,000 IDR
- I stayed at an AirBnB called Kuta Ecostay and for the price of it in Bali, it wasn’t too bad
- (if you’re picky about bathrooms then I wouldn’t stay here) - $15/night plus $8 service fee for $67/four nights total
- Exchanged $500 SGD for 5,100,000 IDR or $384 USD which should last if you’re careful about it
- $300 should be enough for 4 and a half days in Bali (private drivers + admission tickets and food)
Day 1 - Ubud
- Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (80,000 IDR)
- Ubud Royal Palace (I skipped it so I’m not sure about ticket price)
- Ubud Market
- Terrace River Pool Swing + Coffee Plantation (technically free if you only do the free coffee tasting or it’s 50,000 IDR to walk around and 50,000 IDR for Luwak coffee)
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace(10,000 IDR + 5,000 IDR donation fee)
- Pura Tirta Empul (50,000 IDR)
- Tegenungan Village Waterfall (20,000 IDR)
- Kuta Beach (for sunset)
Day 2 - Mount Lempuyang (East Bali)
- Pura Lempuyang Luhur (10,000 IDR to rent sarong, 5,000 IDR for donation, 40,000 IDR total to access temple via moped, and 150,000 IDR if you want a local guide for the first temple)
- Tirta Gangga (40,000 IDR)
- Goa Lawah Temple (30,000 IDR)
Day 3 - Uluwatu
- Bukit Sari Pecatu Agrotourism - Coffee Plantation (50,000 IDR for Luwak coffee, free taste testing)
- Padang-Padang Beach (10,000 IDR)
- Uluwatu Temple (30,000 IDR)
Day 4 - North Kuta/West Bali/East Bali
- Mount Batur - Sunrise Trekking (best to find a tour to join for this off Klook)
- Tanah Lot (60,000 IDR)
- Nusa Penida
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Essentials
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Day 1
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Day 2
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- MyRapid KL Card
- Works for MRT, LRT, Monorail, busses
- The monorail is really slow so avoid it at all costs at night
- $100 USD should last for two days
- Transportation was pretty easy to use so I didn't have to use Grab except coming into KL after a late flight (about RM 73 after you add in all the tollways)
- KLIA Express connects KLIA/KLIA 2 to KL
- RM 55 one-way
- Take KMT or Komuter train to Batu Caves from KL Sentral
- RM 2.60 one-way
- Stayed at Ohana Hostels in Bukit Bintang through AirBnb ($8/night; paid $27 for 3 nights total)
- Close to Imbi (Monorail) Station
- A pretty good hostel actually considering it is a mix dorm
- Right behind Berjaya Times Square so if you like to shop, it's a great place for cheap deals
- One day in KL is honestly enough to see everything as long as you're good at planning
Day 1
- Batu Caves (technically free)
- I wouldn't suggest visiting Ramayana Caves (RM 5)
- Petronas Twin Tower
- Wait in line at 6:30 am before they open ticket office at 8:30 am to nab first come, first serve tickets for walk-in
- Suria KLCC
- KLCC Park
- KL Tower
- Chinatown
- Petaling Street - good place to haggle for souvenirs
- Koon Kee Wan Tan Mee
- Berjaya Times Square
Day 2
- Little India
- Lot 10 Hutong
- Jalan Alor Night Market
- Melacca (day-trip)
Bangkok, Thailand
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Essentials
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Day 1
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Day 2
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Day 3
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- Air Asia (Thai) has some of the more cheaper flights to Bangkok
- MRT Smart Card (180 baht)
- 100 baht can last a day if you're wise about it
- From Hua Khwang to Hua Lamphong (Chinatown) was 37 baht one-way
- To reload, you need to go to the service counters; Bangkok doesn't have self-service kiosks
- BTS Rabbit Card
- Bought a one-day pass on the last day only (140 baht)
- Purchasing one-way tickets might save you more money
- April 13 - 16 is Songkran (Thai New Year)
- Bring extra clothes in case you decide to partake in the water parties
- Khao San Road & Silom Road
- Saphan Taksin
- Where you go to ride the river ferry
- 60 baht per person one-way on tourist ferry
- I exchanged $200 SGD = ~ 4,500 baht at Changi
- Should last you three days but only if you are by yourself
- If you take a late night flight to Don Mueang International Airport, be prepared to call a taxi
- 850 baht into downtown Bangkok
- Stayed at Guyasuka Ratchada (near Hua Kwhang MRT Station)
- Go with another friend to share the Airbnb cost ($12/night; paid $39 for 3 nights total) since they mostly have bunk beds
Day 1
- Chinatown (Yaowarat Road)
- The Golden Buddha
- Silom Road
- Chao Praya River
Day 2
- Bangkok Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
- Chatuchak Weekend Market
- Saphan Taksin
- Wat Arun
- Wat Pho
- Ratchada Rot Fai Train Night Market
Day 3
- Food adventure kind of day :)
- Baan Phadthai
- Siam
- For shopping
Penang, Malaysia
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Essentials
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Day 1
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Day 2
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Day 3
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- Transportation
- Grab - I paid about RM 158 for Grab over 3 days or about 50 SGD/$40 USD
- Penang International Airport to Georgetown (and back) - 20 to 30 minutes tops
- If you alight at KOMTAR - ~ RM 19/20
- Georgetown to Kek Lok Si - ~ RM 11 (25 minutes)
- Kek Lok Si to Penang Hill Lower Station - ~ RM 5 (10 minutes)
- Penang Hill Lower Station to Chulia Night Market - ~ RM 14 (30 minutes)
- Further side of Georgetown to Clan Jetties - ~RM 6 after 7 am or ~ RM 8 before 7 am (10 minutes)
- Georgetown to Batu Ferringhi - ~ RM 23 (30-40 minutes)
- Penang International Airport to Georgetown (and back) - 20 to 30 minutes tops
- Rapid Penang - should only take about an hour or hour half depending on traffic
- Busses 401, 401E, 401A from Penang International Airport to KOMTAR (Georgetown's main bus terminal)
- Rapid Penang Airport Transit (AT) line "Jeti-Airport"
- Express bus route that connects Penang International Airport to Georgetown
- Fare RM 2.70
- Depart Lane 5 at KOMTAR when you go back to Penang International Airport
- Busses don't give change so if you exchange for ringit prior in Singapore, try to break the RM 50 that they give you and find some place that will give you coins
- Tip: If you're in Penang for a week, I'd just purchase a Rapid Passport Pass for RM 30 which gives you unlimited rides via bus for a week
- Grab - I paid about RM 158 for Grab over 3 days or about 50 SGD/$40 USD
- I exchanged about 200 SGD which equaled RM 600 (1 SGD = 3.013 RM)
- Ended up only using about less than 150 SGD for the span of 3 full days
- I exchanged 150 SGD at the Arcade in Raffles and an extra 50 SGD at Changi Airport (UOB stall) to get smaller bills
- AirBnb: Hotels charge a bit more in taxes but the prices are about the same
- The AirBnB was on the farther side of Georgetown which meant 20 to 30 minute walk each way
- I wouldn't suggest staying at this place unless you'd need just a place to sleep in
Day 1
- Kek Lok Si Temple
- Penang Hill
- Sky Walk
- The Habitat
- Air Itam Market
- Pasar Asam Laksa
- Curry Mee Shua
- Cendol
- Sugarcane Juice
- Chulia Night Market
- Oh Chien
- New Lane Food Stalls
- Apom
- Sih Jing San Food Centre
- Satay
- Clan Jetties
- Chew Jetty is the most famous one (9 am to 9 pm)
- Lee Jetty (for sunrise)
- Ong Jetty
- Yeoh Jetty
- Mixed Jetty
- Lim Jetty
- Tan Jetty
- Armenian Street
- Street Art (a few are missing)
- https://theoccasionaltraveller.com/street-art-george-town-penang/
- The link has a slightly updated version of where the art is at
- Street Art (a few are missing)
- Ho Ping Cafe
- Char Kway Teow
- Penang White Coffee
- Chinatown
- KOMTAR
- Shopping malls
- Also The Top is the tallest building in Penang, there's a sky deck observation platform at the 68th floor
- Batu Ferringhi Beach
- Lee Jetty for sunrise
- Hokkien Mee Shua
- OO White Coffee Cafe (great breakfast place)
- Roti Bakar
- Random kopitiam
- Nasi Lemak
- Chicken Rice
- Ais Tingkap (11:30 am to 7:00 pm)
- Near Armenian Street
- Refreshing drink for the hot weather (basil seeds, rose syrup, coconut flesh, and coconut water
- Tuai Pui Curry Mee
Seoul, South Korea
With only two days to spare, it was hard to cram all of South Korea in. However, I feel that I saw most of what Seoul had to offer. And as cold as South Korea was, the culture and delicious food warmed me up. I'm still smiling at the thought of sitting around Seoul and watching locals gliding by. It hasn't hit me yet that I was really there, but I'm taking it as I go.
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Essentials
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Day 1
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Day 2
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Subway System
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Essentials:
- If you are using your T-mobile, AT&T or other American cell phone provider, data roaming should work
- Normally, StarHub's Prepaid Data (for Singapore) should work in most Asian countries
- However, it did not work for South Korea and it may have something to do with the APN settings
- I ended up purchasing a two-day unlimited 4G prepaid sim card for 12,100 won or $10 under LG U+
- The good thing about this was that I ended up with free Wi-Fi connection throughout the metro stations and while riding the metro in Seoul
- The sim card does not work in Jeju (they said to purchase a separate Wi-Fi router)
- T-Money Card (4,000 won if you purchase at 7-11 or GS 25)
- Loaded 10,000 won at first to get me to Seoul
- It was 4,050 won to get to Digital Media City where I got off at
- Every one-way trip starts off at 1,250 won and may increase if you go somewhere far away
- Ended up loading about 25,000 won in total
- M Pass is another option (18,000 won + 5,000 deposit for two-days)
- Gives you up to 20 free rides on subways and busses (works like a T-Money Card so you can top-up if needed)
- Naver Map App
- Probably the best app to have in terms of figuring out what is the fastest & cheapest mode of transportation
- Will actually map it out for you, tell you how many stops until you need to get off
- If using it for metro, it'll actually tell you which way the train is bounded for and you just have to look at the signs carefully before entering the ticket gate so that you don't end up going in the wrong direction
- Kakao Metro App
- If you only take the Seoul metro system, this map pretty much does what Naver does but for the metro.
- When you open the app, you'll see the whole metro map
- You can easily tap a station, select whether you want to go to there or leave from there and select your departing/destination station
- It'll show you travel time, whether you have to transfer, how much you'll be paying total, and which door to exit from
- Stayed at an Air Bnb in Sadang which was hard to find for a one-night stay ($25/night)
- Host was Yunhee and she's extremely nice! :)
- Again, I had to use SGD to exchange to KRW
- This time, I went at a time where everyone wanted to exchange for KRW so it was hard to find a stall at the Arcade in Raffles with in KRW in stock
- If you know you're leaving for a country and find the currency in stock, it would probably be best to exchange it then
- 1 SGD = 830 KRW (I saw it go up to 842 KRW a few weeks prior)
- $150-200 USD should be enough for two days
Day 1:
- Hanuel Park
- Myeongdong
- Food/Shopping
- Insadong
- Food
- Dongdaemun
- Dongdaemun Design Plaza
- Gwangjang Market
Day 2:
- Bongeunsa Temple
- The only place where the dark plum cherry blossoms were in full bloom
- Bukchon Hanok Village
- Gyeongbokgung Palace
- Itaewon
- Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art
- Dongdaemun Design Plaza Rose Garden
- Hongdae
Subway System:
- There are 18 lines total and it can get quite confusing especially when it gets very busy or you happen to be at a station with more foot traffic than others
- Sometimes you have to exit one part of the station to get to the other line while transferring
- When that happens, make sure to look at the ticket gate and it'll state whether that gate is for the transfer line
- This way you won't end up exiting the station in general and end up having to pay another 1,250 won once you make it to the other line
- The buses are cheaper by 500 won depending on distance
- Since I knew I was going to get off at a subway station, I didn't take the Airport Express and took the Airport All-Stop Train instead which at most costs 4,150 won compared to 8,000 won if you get off at Seoul Station
Hong Kong
Since Hong Kong wasn't properly planned, I had to make do with what I could and still squeezed in all of Hong Kong in about two and a half days time.
Note: Most estates that I visited are private estates so it's always best to proceed with caution as you could get kicked out if the security guards find that you're disturbing the residences.
Hong Kong was a nice getaway from Singapore's humidity. Although I could not go to certain places like Lantau Island for Big Buddha or hike up to Victoria Peak, I took away with me many unforgettable memories. If I have a chance to return to Hong Kong in the future, I hope that I'll be able to bring a drone so that I can capture more of the city that never sleeps.
Note: Most estates that I visited are private estates so it's always best to proceed with caution as you could get kicked out if the security guards find that you're disturbing the residences.
Hong Kong was a nice getaway from Singapore's humidity. Although I could not go to certain places like Lantau Island for Big Buddha or hike up to Victoria Peak, I took away with me many unforgettable memories. If I have a chance to return to Hong Kong in the future, I hope that I'll be able to bring a drone so that I can capture more of the city that never sleeps.
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Essentials
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Day 1 & 2
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Day 3 & 4
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Day 5 & 6
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Essentials:
- Airport Express Travel Pass + 3 days/72 hours unlimited MTR rides (works like a regular Octopus Card; best option)
- What makes this pass the best pass to have especially if you are staying for at least 3 days - a week is that even though the pass is supposed to expire after 72 hours, it actually gives you additional hours up until 23:59 on the last day.
- This means that you could honestly arrive at 6:00 am day one and still use it past 6:00 am on the fourth day after the 72 hours is up
- You can either purchase the one ride Airport Express option ($31) or two rides Airport Express option ($63)
- If not, I paid 105 HKD on my way back from Kowloon Station to the airport
- MTR Mobile App
- There is actually really limited Air BnB listings for Hong Kong
- Sometimes, the bookings you make for Air BnB are actually connected to Bookings.com so always check with every website as well as the hotel's actual website if they have to make sure there is a room for you
- I booked a place called Rainbow Lodge in Tsim Sha Tsui as I figured it would be easier since a lot of the places I visited were all on Kowloon/New Territories side ($20 per night, 850 HKD total for five nights)
- Not the best place to stay at, but for a backpacker hostel in the area, it wasn't too bad
- Only downside is I ended up on a top bunk so it was really hard to get down without bumping into people
- I had to exchange my currency twice: once from USD to SGD then SGD to HKD
- 1 USD = 1.35 SGD (at that time)
- 1 SGD = 5.70 HKD (at that time; should actually be around 5.78 HKD)
- Exchanged $500, but only ended up using $300 total as I had unlimited MTR rides
Day 1 (rained a lot so bring an umbrella):
Day 2:
- Tsim Sha Tsui
- Jordan
- Mak Man Kee Noodle Shop
- Yee Shun Milk Company
- Victoria Harbor
- Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Day 2:
- PolyU Jockey Club Innovation Tower
- Xiqu Center
- Harbour City Mall
- Avenue of Stars
- Choi Hung Estate
- Lok Wha South Estate
- Diamond Hill
- Ying Kee Delicacies and Snacks
- Kennedy Town
- Hong Kong Pulse Light Festival
- Admiralty (connects three huge shopping malls/plaza)
Day 3:
Day 4:
- Ping Shek Estate
- Nam Shan Estate
- Jimmy Bridge
- Sham Shui Po
- Dai pai dongs
- Quarry Bay
- Montane Mansion
- Sai Wan Swimming Shed
- Western District Public Cargo Working Area - "Instagram Pier"
- Mong Kok
- Shanghai Street
- Fa Yuen Street
- Prince Edward
- Temple Street
- Yau Ma Tei
Day 4:
- Sheung Wan
- Lin Heung Tea House
- Victoria Park
- Tin Hau
- Sister Wah
- There's a lot of good food here
- Fortress Hill
- Causeway Bay
- Olympic Bridge
- Wan Chai
- Blue House
- Central
Day 5:
Day 6:
- Australia Dairy Co. - Jordan
- Kowloon Tong
- Whampoa
- Olympic Station
- Hill Road - HKU
- University of Hong Kong
Day 6:
- Tsui Wah Restaurant
- Austin Station
- Kowloon Station
S'pore
Here's a quick 3-day trip guide if you're every in Singapore :)
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Essentials
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Day 1
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Day 2
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Day 3
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Food
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- EZ-Link Card
- Either purchase it for $8 or try see if purchasing one of the pre-paid sim cards at the stalls in Changi will give you a free one
- Transportation in Singapore can be cheap but expensive as well
- If you run around to a lot of places in one day, you could be paying up to $5-$10 round trip
- Getting off one station over is $SGD 0.83 and you could be paying up to $SGD 2 one way
- CityMapper
- Tells you the exact busses/MRT stations you'd either take or get off at
- Food is cheap if you eat at hawker centers everyday
- About $10 to $15 can last you all 3 meals
Day 1
The following shows can be viewed for free:
- Merlion Park
- Either get off at Raffles and walk it (green line) or Esplanade (yellow line)
- Marina Bay Sands
- A lot of shopping
- Gardens by the Bay
- Depending on weather, best to go right around 6 p.m. right before the sun begins to set
- I usually find a place to sit by the Cloud Dome and then walk to the Supertree Grove right after sunset for the light show
- MRT: Bayfront or walk it from Marina Bay Sands (4th floor and loops into the hotel itself)
- Marina Barrage (just right behind Gardens by the Bay)
- Best place to see the lightshow and sunset if you hate crowds
- East Coast Park
- Esplanade Theatre
- If you're into music, you might catch a good show going on!
- Lau Pa Sat Market (hawker center)
- Best carrot cake you'll every have!
- If it's too hot, take blue line or yellow line to Bayfront Exit E
The following shows can be viewed for free:
- 19:45 Gardens by the Bay 's Garden Rhapsody
- Mon-Thu & Sun: 20:00 and 21:00
- Fri & Sat: 20:00 & 21:00 & 22:00
- 21:00 Spectrum Show in front of Marina Bay Sands
- 19:45 & 20:45
- Start at Gardens by the Bay first, then move onto Marina Bay Sands if you'd like to see both
Day 2
- Singapore Zoo/River Safari/Night Safari
- Friends have told me mixed feelings about this, but most say the zoo is a pretty neat place to visit!
- Most of them spent the whole day here
- S$37 for Adults - Singapore Zoo
- S$34 - River Safari
- S$49 - Night Safari
- Pulau Ubin
- Pekan Quarry
- Puaka Hill
- Best to go on a sunny day
- Great for bike riding if you dislike zoos
- Hiking
- Southern Ridges
- Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
- Hindhede Nature Park
- Bukit Batok Nature Park
- TreeTop Walk at Macritchie Reservoir
- Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Day 3
- Chinatown
- Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
- Maxwell Food Center
- Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
- Lao Bao Soya Beancurd
- Chinatown Complex Food Centre
- currently under renovation :( but it has the best lil' dragon buns!
- Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao
- Old Amoy Chendol
- The 1950s Coffee Wu Shi Nian Dai
- Fatty Ox Hong Kong Kitchen
- Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Fu
- Jia Ji Mei Shi
- Ann Chin Popiah
- Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck and Kway Chap
- currently under renovation :( but it has the best lil' dragon buns!
- Little India
- Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
- Mustafa Center - if you'd want souvenirs
- Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple
- Tekka Centre - Food
- Bugis
- Arab Street
- Bugis Street
- Founder - pretty good bak kut teh here
- Masjid Sultan - Main attraction
- The Jewel Changi
- If you have nothing to do before your flight
I can't list them all because there's too much to eat in Singapore, but I'm sure there's something that'll hit home for you :)
- Smith Street Chinatown Complex Food Centre (renovating until May 31, 2019)
- Maxwell Food Centre
- Tian Tian Hai Nan Ji Fan
- You can get chicken rice anywhere, but this spot makes it just right!
- Tian Tian Hai Nan Ji Fan
- Ya Kun Kaya Toast
- See Lam Herm Coffee Shop
- Yi Shan Popiah
- Lau Pa Sat
- Carrot Cake
- Old Airport Road
- Chili Crab (it's pretty expensive so I wouldn't suggest getting any unless you're with a group of people)
Taiwan
To be able to fully cover all of Taiwan requires two to three weeks total because there's truly just too much around every corner to be able to enjoy what Taiwan has to offer in a short amount of time.
There's five main cities/towns that most people go to: Taipei, Hualien, Tainan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. Each of these places are easily accessible by trains, high speed rail, or busses. For me, since I do not have a car in Taiwan, I usually only go to Taipei and Kaohsiung as public transportation is fairly easy to use. What is even more convenient is the ability to pay for all of these fares using your Easy Card (Yo-Yo Card). The card is 100 NTD to purchase and I always suggest depositing around 500 NTD first if you are arriving from Taoyuan International Airport because it costs 150 NTD to get to Taipei from the airport.
Essentials:
The following are a list of places of what to do in each city + lesser known places:
Taipei:
Northern Taiwan/Areas near Taipei
Hualien/Taitung - Accessible by train
Yilan - a 45 mintue bus ride out of Taipei
Taichung:
Kaohsiung - $90 roundtrip by HSR, can easily do a day trip here
Tainan (best to have a private tour guide)
Hengchun/Kenting - my hometown (also hard to get to so best to have a private tour guide)
Yunlin/Miaoli/Changhua/Yuanlin/Taoyuan/Hsinchu/Pingtung/Nantou/Chiayi are also great places to visit, but since public transportation isn't very big in these areas, it's always best to hire a private driver/tour guide.
For fun:
Taiwan is a kind of home that many take granted for. Aside from all the delicious, cheap xiao chi (street food) that the whole island offers, there are still a lot of places that I have yet to visit. For me, I like leaving Taipei once in a while because there is too much hustling and bustling taking place which makes me want to take a break in the slow-paced city of Kaohsiung. If you ever have time, it's definitely worth to take an around the island trip around Taiwan. In comparison to South East Asian countries, although Taiwan has become more of a developed country, you can still see get a historic, rustic vibe even in Taipei. As a local Taiwanese growing up in Hawaii, Taiwan will always be one of those places that you wouldn't mind returning over and over again.
There's five main cities/towns that most people go to: Taipei, Hualien, Tainan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. Each of these places are easily accessible by trains, high speed rail, or busses. For me, since I do not have a car in Taiwan, I usually only go to Taipei and Kaohsiung as public transportation is fairly easy to use. What is even more convenient is the ability to pay for all of these fares using your Easy Card (Yo-Yo Card). The card is 100 NTD to purchase and I always suggest depositing around 500 NTD first if you are arriving from Taoyuan International Airport because it costs 150 NTD to get to Taipei from the airport.
Essentials:
- Yo-Yo Card - your one card to all your problems
- $300-400 should last over three weeks if you're only there to eat and sightsee (Exchange rate: $1 = 30 NTD so $3 = 100 NTD)
- If you really need to exchange money, don't do it at the airport but at the Bank of Taiwan (make sure bills are new $100 bills & passport is needed)
- Air BnB is a thing, but sometimes the small motels/hostels or even high-end hotels are much cheaper than actually paying for Air BnB
- If you plan on staying at youth/backpacker hostels, make sure you're with a group of friends
- Can pay as low as $10 a night
- Rule of thumb: If food/vegetable dishes are over 100 - 200 NTD (except beef noodle soup), it's a bit on the expensive side even for Taiwanese people
The following are a list of places of what to do in each city + lesser known places:
Taipei:
- Danshui - a lot of good food/seafood (ah gei, oden, sour plum juice, pepper buns)
- Fisherman's Wharf
- Fort San Domingo
- Tamsui Old Street
- Aletheia University
- There's a night market/street full of shops across from the MRT station (it's the street right next to Uniqlo; great place if you want to stock up on stationary)
- Mister Donut
- Guandu
- Guandu Temple - Popiah Ice Cream
- Yangmingshan
- National Park
- Various hiking places - Qingtiangang, Qi Xing Shan
- Hot spring - 馬槽花藝村
- On the other side of the mountain is Jinshan which has an old street known for its goose meat
- Xinbeitou
- Hot springs - public one right behind Beitou Public Library
- Shipai - The best place for midnight snacks :)
- Shipai Night Market - 石牌商城
- Stinky Tofu
- Braised Pork on Rice
- Shui Jian Bao
- Guan Dong Zhu
- Shipai Night Market - 石牌商城
- Zhishan - Tianmu
- Shilin Guandi Park/Tianmu Historic Trail - A 5 mile hike, if you're lucky you might see wild mountain monkeys.
- Shilin
- National Palace Museum - only go if the Jade Cabbage is there
- Jiantan
- Shilin Night Market - great place to buy cheap clothes but not for the food (always overpriced since it's geared towards tourists)
- Yuanshan Grand Hotel
- Yuanshan
- Yuanshan Expo Park
- Taipei Fine Arts Museum - with your UH ID, you only have to pay 15 NTD or $0.50
- Shuanglian
- Sweet Rice Balls - 雙連圓仔湯
- Oyster Pancakes - 賴雞蛋蚵仔煎
- Tip: Go to the food street carts near Shuanglian Market or Ningxia Night Market (one of the better night markets)
- Zhongshan
- Zhongshan Underground Mall - This mall connects from Shuanglian to Taipei Main Station (if it's really hot and you don't want to pay 16 NTD on the MRT, it's a great exercise)
- A lot of fairly cheap restaurants and cafes nearby
- Taipei Main Station - one stop for Tamsui/Bannan MRT Line, TRA, HSR, Taoyuan Airport MRT Line, Taipei Bus Station
- It's really easy to get lost in this station, but just follow the signs and you'll find where to go
- Tip:
- If you're ever trying to change from the Red (Tamsui) Line to the Blue (Bannan) Line, walk straight to the front of the station and it'll take you up a long set of escalators up to the level to get to Bannan Line faster. Just go down and you'll arrive at the concourse level for Bannan Line.
- If you take the shorter set of escalators in the middle of the Tamsui Line Concourse level, walk backwards towards 7-11 and it'll take you to the entrance for the Zhongshan Underground Mall as well as Taipei Underground Mall
- The station also connects to Q-Square which consists of a department store/movie theatre at the very top floor (early bird is about $8 for movies)
- The very first floor of the station has a lot of restaurants too if you want to grab something to eat before going somewhere by train/HSR.
- The Eslite Underground Mall has an Eslite Bookstore that is opened 24 hours
- Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall - Memorial Hall + National Concert/Theatre Hall
- Hangzhou Xiao Long Bao (if you don't want to wait at Din Tai Fung)
- Dongmen
- Yongkang Street - known for Beef Noodles Soup
- Flagship Din Tai Fung
- Xinyi Anhe
- Linjiang/Tonghua Night Market
- Swell Co. Cafe - Taipei has a lot of cute cafes that are worth supporting :)
- Taipei 101/Xiangshan Hiking Trail
- Xinyi Area - long stretch of shopping/food
- Wuxing Street
- Four Four South Village
- Tip: Only go up to the Taipei 101 Observatory if the weather is clear (best to go in the mornings)
- Hike up Xiangshan if you'd rather save money (best to go at sunset); climb a bit farther in for a better view
- Zhongshan Junior High
- Fu Te Cold Noodle - 福德涼麵
- Songshan
- Raohe Night Market
- Pepper Buns
- 冰火 Pineapple Bun
- Four Herbals Soup
- Popcorn Chicken
- Tang Yuan - 御品元冰火湯圓
- Pig Blood Cake
- Aloha Orange Lemonade
- Sweet Rice Sausage - 大腸包小腸
- Raohe Night Market
- Xing Tian Temple
- Long Shan Temple
- Bopiliao Historical Street
- Huaxi Snake Alley
- Zhongshan Dunhua
- Eastern Ice Store - 東區粉圓 (Douhua is a must-try!, 60 NTD)
- Shopping District
- Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall
- Taipei City Hall Station
- Songshan Cultural Park
- Zhongshan Xinsheng
- Hua Shan 1914 Creative Park
- Fuhang Doujiang - 阜杭豆漿
- Known for youtiao and its salty soy milk (steamed eggs with shrimp)
- Rumor has it you can queue up to 2 hours & it has happened to me so go early around 6 - 6:30 am
- If not Yonghe Dou Jiang is another popular breakfast spot, but I like to go to the hidden ones
- You could get a whole breakfast for three people for under $5
- Zhongxiao Fuxing
- Cyclo - LA-Style Pho
- Changhua Meat Balls - 安東街彰化肉圓 (only open from 3:30 pm to 5 or 6:30 pm, closed Sunday's; best place for glutinous rice meat balls)
- Gongguan - National Taiwan University
- Chen San Ding - 陳三鼎 (Best brown sugar bubble milk tea, 40 NTD)
- Lan Jia Taiwanese Traditional Snacks 藍家割包 (Taiwanese braised pork buns, 60 NTD)
- Gongguan Night Market (small, but a lot of food carts)
- Tip: Go any day besides Monday; many small food stalls in Taipei are either closed Monday or Tuesdays
- Treasure Hill Art Village - It's actually free to explore but they're closed Monday's
- Gangqian Station
- There's a lot of good food here
- Ximen
- Ximending - shopping district
- Sun Way - 三味食堂 (hidden & out of the way, but popular sushi shop; make sure to go before 4 pm to put down your name then go back to Ximending to shop before they open at 5:30 pm)
- A Chuan Mian Sian
- Jingmei
- Jingmei Night Market
- Taipei Zoo/Maokong Gondola
- 120 NTD or $4 one-way for the gondola
- 60 NTD or $2 admission to zoo
Northern Taiwan/Areas near Taipei
- Pingxi Old Street - If you really want to set sky lanterns, go to Shifen after going to Pingxi first
- Shifen Old Street/Shifen Waterfall
- Ruifang - a lot of street food
- Jiufen Old Street/Qing Wa Rock - take the train to Ruifang then bus it to Jiufen, take bus back to Taipei from Jiufen
- Fulong Beach - 龍洞 Lungtung Snorkeling Cove
- Fulong Lunch Boxes (must try!)
Hualien/Taitung - Accessible by train
- A great place to hide in the countryside
- Ruisui Township
- Ruisui Night Market
- Rareseed Farm
- Yuli Township
- Yuli Night Market
- Along the East Coast, you're bound to hit Taroko Gorge which is beautiful, but be careful of falling rocks
- There's a lot of beautiful places along the East Coast, but it'd be best to either hire a tour guide or go with a tour group
Yilan - a 45 mintue bus ride out of Taipei
- Known for seafood
Taichung:
- Feng Chia Night Market - Actually a cheaper place if you want to buy stationary in Taiwan
- Taichung Mitsui Outlet Park
- Gaomei Wetlands
- The bus system is a bit confusing so I barely visit here, but everything is really cheap here (food, movies, everything)
Kaohsiung - $90 roundtrip by HSR, can easily do a day trip here
- E-Da Theme Park/Outlet Mall
- Lotus Pond
- The Pier-2 Art Center
- Cijin Island - Take the ferry at Sizhiwan and rent a bike for 100 NTD
- Star Tunnel
- Cijin Light House
- Cijin Fort
- Good seafood/night market food
- Love River
- Taroko Park
- Dan Dan Hamburger is a must or you didn't go to Southern Taiwan!
Tainan (best to have a private tour guide)
- Anping Old Street - well known for tofu beancurd
- A few tourist spots, but there really isn't much around here
- Historical places/temples
- Sun Moon Lake
- Best place to get pretty cheap, but good bubble tea (you could purchase a bubble milk tea for as little as $0.50)
Hengchun/Kenting - my hometown (also hard to get to so best to have a private tour guide)
- National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium
- Chu Huo - a place that spits out fire (you'll see a lot of people trying to bake yams)
- Hot springs
- Kenting National Park
- Baishawan
- Maobitou
- North/South/East/West Gate
Yunlin/Miaoli/Changhua/Yuanlin/Taoyuan/Hsinchu/Pingtung/Nantou/Chiayi are also great places to visit, but since public transportation isn't very big in these areas, it's always best to hire a private driver/tour guide.
For fun:
- If you ever feel tired, but don't want to get off the metro - just ride from one end to the other to rest
- Walk into random alleyways and you'll find the hidden gems of Taipei
- A lot of places like department stores actually don't open until past 11 am, so if you really don't want to grab an early breakfast, you could just sleep in
- Taiwanese people are normally really nice, so if you get lost ask for directions
- 7-11 and Family Mart has the best food when you're in a rush and want a quick bite
Taiwan is a kind of home that many take granted for. Aside from all the delicious, cheap xiao chi (street food) that the whole island offers, there are still a lot of places that I have yet to visit. For me, I like leaving Taipei once in a while because there is too much hustling and bustling taking place which makes me want to take a break in the slow-paced city of Kaohsiung. If you ever have time, it's definitely worth to take an around the island trip around Taiwan. In comparison to South East Asian countries, although Taiwan has become more of a developed country, you can still see get a historic, rustic vibe even in Taipei. As a local Taiwanese growing up in Hawaii, Taiwan will always be one of those places that you wouldn't mind returning over and over again.