Thailand

Looking to tour Thailand to sites like Bangkok and Chiang Mai and to do much of the travel by rail. Information and ticket purchases are available online at SiamTickets.

Thailand Railway maps

Bangkok Metro map

Indonesia

Sumba is an Indonesian island resort that is the opposite of Bali - no wild parties or youngsters but a peaceful, relaxing resort area. NIHI Sumba is one of the best resorts there. Their specialty is a large variety of individual seaside "villas" but on the edge of the wilderness.

East Asia 2026

Look at Pandaw who have river cruises throughout Asia including Ganges, Mekong, Brahmaputra, Red, and Halong Bay.

Penang looks like a good destination and possible winter stay — see Malaysia page. It is also part of Portillo's Great Asian Railway Journeys.

Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur

I stayed at The Majestic, one of the nicest Colonial era style hotels, comparable to Raffles in Singapore. To get to and from The Majestic, take the KLIA Ekspres from the airport (terminal 1 or 2) on the 6 (purple) or 7 (light blue) line to KL Sentral station. (Line 6 is direct, line 7 makes 3 stops along the way.) At KL Sentral go immediately outside to the right to the dedicated parking spot for The Majestic's shuttle bus.

I visited the excellent war memorial on Nov. 11 - the Tugu Nagara. I just missed the official ceremony because they hold it on the nearest Sunday to November 11. It was nice to see that the Canadian High Commission had laid a wreath at the memorial on the day.

Visited Petronas Tower which is interesting. The view from the tower is okay. They note that the design (if you look at a cross section) is modeled on the Muslim Victory Tower in New Delhi.

The KL metro system is great.

Asia Rail Journeys

Research good rail journeys like the Sjourney in Vietnam (see Vietnam page). 

Look at Michael Portillo’s Great Asian Railways series on YouTube. one such journey is Penang to Kuala Kangsar.

Many stops of his stops have a lot of colonial era influences. The island of Penang is a ferry ride from Butterworth. In Georgetown, take the funicular to the top and visit the butterfly conservancy. Many heritage buildings in Georgetown are a must see. In Taiping, the former tin mines have been transformed into picturesque parks noted for the magnificent Rain trees.

Vietnam

Sjourney are a luxury train provider in Vietnam that goes from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. The cost is $9,890USD. There is a good video on Youtube. There are also shorter journeys available.

Australia

Entry into Australia requires an electronic travel authorization (ETA) to be completed within 3 days prior to arrival but no earlier. See app below.

Perth/Fremantle

I stayed at Oaks Perth Hotel, 305 Murray St, Perth. Nov 13-16. A 4-star hotel. Take the Airport Line train to Perth Station. Do not stay there or any hotels on Murray Street (like the Ibis) because of the noise from partiers, especially on Saturday night.

Take the Airport Line to Perth Station, or take the 940 bus. CJ Explores stayed ar Mercure Hotel. Also suggested visit to King's Park and climb DNA Tower (the shape suggests the name). Murray Street [outdoor] Mall is like Asian malls, but looks interesting. See also London Court, Elizabeth Quay and The Island Brew House.

SITES
I want to visit the West Australia Military Museum in Perth.
The Perth Mint was definitely worth the visit.
I visited the WA Shipwreck Museum in Fremantle, very good.

The Perth Explorer website list the many tours available in and around Perth.

FOOD
Had a great steak sandwich at the Belgian Beer Cafe, located at the corner of King and Murray Streets in Perth.
Had an excellent cappuccino at La Veen, a chain of coffee shops, though, surprisingly, many are not open on the weekend! The one I went to close to my hotel was open on Saturday, located at 79 King Street. They also have breakfast and lunch sandwiches and wraps.

The best high teas in Perth. After enjoying one at The Majestic, I was looking for one in Perth.

Go Perth to Hobart.

Take SkyBus from airport to hotel district. See pickup and drop-off map here. Get off at stop #4 DoubleTree by Hilton which is beside Ibis Styles Hotel.

Ibis Styles Hobart, 173 Macquarie St. Nov 16-19 (Booking.com). Has a pool and self-serve laundry.

The Still LARK Whisky Bar, 30 Argyle Street, Hobart has a huge selection of Tasmanian distilleries including all from Lark Distillers. There are over 40 whisky distilleries in Tasmania!

I tried the Lark Classic Cask Single Malt - 43%ABV. Good smooth like Glenfiddich. Second tasting was the Dark Lark 2024 Single Malt - 43%ABV. Excellent as described in the tasting notes, on second tasting the sweetness comes out. 

Hobart Sites:
Battery Point
Jackman & McRoss Bakery
Ozus Coffee shop
Salamanca Market and area (market on weekend but go to visit anytime)
Irish Murphy’s Pub
For meals in Hobart try Elizabeth Street, or the Bangkok “City” area.
Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens

From YouTube video - CJ Explores:

Mount Wellington (1,271m, 4,170ft) is half hour drive from Hobart (car rental from East Coast Car Rental - right-hand drive) For 10% of rental use link - https://www.eastcoastcarrentals.com.au/cjexplores

Or take bus to Mount Wellington (GYG) - https://gyg.me/Dw5ShpeM

Hop-on, Hop-off Bus (GYG) - https://gyg.me/uDLXNlLg

APPS TO DOWNLOAD

Australian ETA

New Zealand

Entry into New Zealand requires an electronic travel authorization (ETA) to be completed within 3 days prior to arrival but no earlier. You are also required to complete a Traveller Declaration prior to arrival. This can be done electronically using the app or by completing a paper version that is handed out on the aircraft prior to landing. The declaration can be completed on landing but will substantially delay clearing passport control. See apps below.

I used Marlborough Jade Tours for a winery tour; they pick up in Blenheim which is a half hour bus, taxi or train ride from Picton. Some good quality wines. A Pinot Noir from Jackson Winery was voted the best Pinot Noir in the world in 2019. At Allan Scott Bistro winery I had their sparkling wine Cecilia Brut Marlborough Cuvée NV. The most sparkling of any sparkling wine I have had. Bubbles were still forming intensely from the base of the glass 10 minutes after it was poured. As they mention in their description, the wine has “a fine and persistent mousse.” (Cost $24NZD). Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc Wairsu Reserve was voted the best SB in New Zealand. Lawson Dry Hills Winery sells a very minerally Riesling bouquet and on the palette. Some of their wines are sold at the LCBO. Whitehaven is a big exporter - their SB is sold at the LCBO. 80% of the wine produced in Marlborough is Sauvignon Blanc. AMW is a guarantee that the wine is authentic and unadulterated (like our VQA).

Picton is the landing point for the ferry from Wellington. Ferry ride is 4 hours. Interislander and Bluebridge are the two main ferry services between Wellington and Picton, and they have different docks in Wellington. (I took the Interislander on the Premium Lounge which has excellent seating and food. The premium lounge seats 56.) To get to Blenheim take the Intercity bus that goes to Nelson. Buy tickets at the Picton Information Centre which is about 50 feet from the ferry terminal. The bus stop is about 20 feet from the Information Centre. Cost was NZD$24.

Secure Storage have luggage storage throughout NZ.

MARLBOROUGH

Ferry from Wellington to Picton then InterCity bus to Blenheim - take the Picton to Nelson bus. Jade Tours does pickup from Riverside Hotel Marlborough.

I booked 2 nights at Riverside Hotel Marlborough, Blenheim. It is a very nice hotel, though more like a motel. About a 15 minute walk from the bus stop (which is also the train stop). There is a good Japanese restaurant on the premises; a fish & chips shop is a block away (in the direction of the bus stop). Room was okay but breakfast is very sparse.

Picton has many car rental agencies located at the ferry dock. Blenheim is called "New Zealand's sunniest place" - it was cloudy most of the day of the winery tour!

Hiking is very popular on the South Island with many established hikes. You can also try skydiving.

Assistant on train recommended using only Blue Bubble or Co-op taxis.

WELLINGTON

I stayed Gilmer Apartments, 10 Gilmer Terrace. It is good if you need an apartment with a kitchen (2 burner hotplate, fridge and microwave), and there is even a cloths washer/drier in the apartment. Room size is not bad but there is no air conditioning.

I stayed at Mövenpick Hotel Wellington, The Terrace. Nice hotel but not close to downtown. The nearest bus stop is Salamanca Road at The Terrace on the #4 bus route.

Cable car to Botanical Garden is a good city break. Starts at Lambton Quay and takes about 4 minutes.

Leuven Belgian Beer Cafe, 135-137 Featherston Street - had an excellent venison burger topped with a poached pear and cherry compote. Also sampled the excellent Zeffer Green Apple cider.

Grocery stores: Woolworths, Lambton Quay (at Cable Car Lane or Grey St.); Lambton Goods, 180 Lambton Quay (at Farmers Lane); Metro Supermarket, Willis Street (at Mercer).

From Wellington station, take the MetLink Airport Express to the airport.

I took the Northern Explorer railway from Wellington to Auckland. (Train runs Friday, Sunday and Wednesday.) The best side to be on for viewing is east. So try to book the right side going north, left side going south. A and D are the window seats, right and left side respectively. Interesting variety of natural sites. From the train there is a good view of snow-capped Mount Ruapehu.

Northern Explorer route

Besides the Northern Explorer there are scenic railways on the South Island. These are the Coastal Pacific that goes from Picton to Christchurch, and the TransAlpine that goes from Christchurch to Greymouth. Tickets can be purchase online (as I did), but for the Coastal Pacific tickets can also be purchased at their counter inside the Interislander Ferry terminal in Picton. So you can take three trains in succession: Auckland to Wellington, cross the strait to Picton and take the train to Christchurch and then another to Greymouth.

Grocery stores in Wellington: Woolworths, Lambton Quay (at Cable Car Lane). Lambton Goods, 180 Lambton Quay (at Farmers Lane). Metro Supermarket, Willis Street (at Mercer).

There are many hikes on the North Island. A guy on the train mentioned going on the Timber Trail.

AUCKLAND

In Auckland stayed at La Quinta by Wyndham. Wouldn’t stay again: the front desk only open til 8:00pm. Also not in a great location.

Mint Laundry, 2 Anzac Ave. Woolworths, 76 Quay St.

Luggage storage at the city waterfront: Self-storage lockers at Pier 11.

Visited the Auckland War Museum which was excellent.

Had a great pastry at Vaniyé Patisserie, 1/7 Windsor St., off Parnell St. Excellent.

At Auckland International Airport, pick up the Airport Link bus at the pillar A located right after Pillar 1 on the G Level. This bus goes to the Puhinui metro stop for the Southern and Eastern lines that you can then take into the city centre.

CHRISTCHURCH

Must try Dimitris Greek restaurant.

APPS TO DOWNLOAD

New Zealand ETA	NZ Traveller Declaration	Great Journeys Railways

Asia Flight Times

See Schedule Spreadsheet. Use the flight time calculator.

Flight Times

Japan to South Korea - 1hr, 30min

South Korea to Taiwan - 2hrs, 20min

Taiwan to Philippines - 2hrs

Philippines to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - 3hrs, 30min

Kuala Lumpur to Singapore - 1hr

Darwin to Sydney - 4hrs, 25min

Sydney to Auckland - 3hrs, 10min

Auckland to Fiji - 3hrs

Vancouver to Toronto/Montreal - 4hrs, 30min

Auckland to Los Angeles - 13hrs, 30min

Los Angeles to Tahiti - 8hrs, 45min

Taiwan

For a next visit try the Formosensis aka the Alishan Forest Railway which is Taiwan’s most popular tourist railway line, and reaches the highest point of any railway in Asia at 2451m (8,000ft). However, it is notoriously difficult to get tickets, so book as early as possible. One sure way of getting a ticket is to buy the Taiwan Pass – High Speed Rail Edition which includes unlimited HSR rides for 3 consecutive days, one MRT pass, and one Taiwan Tourism Shuttle Bus pass OR the Alishan Forest Railway ticket.

The most luxurious train in Taiwan is the Haifeng (meaning "sea breeze"). See also the Breezy Blue and the Formosa Express (which circumnavigates the island).

Haifeng interior

Breezy Blue route

2025 Trip - Sites visited in Taipei:

Taipei 101 Tower was good. A great view of the city and area, and got to try great tea at TWG and great coffee at Das Kafe D located at the top of the tower (see both below).

Beitou Thermal Valley Park was worth the visit. About a half hour subway ride from Taipei Station.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial was worth the visit.

Walking food tour of night market was very good.

ACCOMMODATION

Stayed at citizenM hotel in Taipei. Would not stay again - I had an inside room with no view. First time ever. Like being in a basement or submarine. Creepy. Though they did have a nice bar. Here is the bar menu which includes some snacks as well.

FOOD

Had a fantastic lunch and tea at TWG in the Taipei 101 Tower next to the Observatory entrance. They have over 800 varieties of tea. The roasted chicken with porcini mash was fantastic. TWG, based in Singapore and has shops in 20 countries, typically in the major city in each. The shops are mostly located in Asia and the Far East, as well as London, New York, Paris and Casablanca. TWG stands for The Wellbeing Group.

Had the delicious Blue Mountain no. 1 coffee at the top of Taipei 101 at Das Kafe D, an award winning coffee maker. Coffee was strong and very smooth without any bitterness. I had it black without sugar. Not cheap - $15 for 150ml.

Two other restaurants that look interesting at Taipei 101 are Fujin Tree Taiwanese Cuisine & Champagne which is rated as a must-visit restaurant in Taiwan by Louis Vuitton City Guide, and a one-star award in the "Michelin Guide Taiwan" from 2021 to 2023; and Shi Ling Shabu which is considered to be the pioneer of "boutique hot pot" that uses "carefully select seasonal fresh produce and the highest quality ingredients."

According to an American I spoke to during a walking tour, he said he was told the best coffee in Taipei was at The Folks.

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TWG locations: Singapore, London, Taipei, New Delhi, Tokyo, Paris, Dubai, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, New York, Jakarta, Casablanca, Kuwait City, Shanghai, Doha, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City.

South Korea

Flight time from Osaka, Japan to Seoul, South Korea is 1.5 hours. Express train from Incheon Airport (ICN) to Seoul Station takes about 45 minutes. There is a non-express train that takes about 1 hour and costs less.

From Youtube video channel, Lais, entitled 3 Days in Seoul South Korea - A Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors.

Get a T-Money card at kiosk for metro and buses - 20k won (about $20) is good for 3 days.

Google maps works good for metro, bus and driving but not so good for walking. For walking download the NAVER Map app.

I did a cooking class at the Korean Cooking School.

I did a GYG walking tour in the Gwanjang Night Market in Seoul; the guide's name was Rocky.

MAJOR SITES
Gyeongbokgung Palace - the grandest of the royal palaces
Hanok Village - traditional architecture but modern shops and restaurants (Soho Salt Farm)
Cheonggyecheon Stream riverside walk
Bukchon Hanok Village - traditional architecture and scenic streets
Gwangjang Market - great evening food stall market - I did a GYG tour - excellent
Starfield Coex Mall - huge multi-story library

For a good breakfast try Cheong su dang Bakery, 31-9 Donhwamun-ro 11na-gil, Jongno District (Closest subway stop is Jongno 3-ga on the number 1 line.)

ACCOMMODATIONS
Hotel Skypark Myeongdong 3, 139, Toegye-Ro, Jung-Gu, Seoul - a very popular and highly rated 3-star hotel.

I stayed at Fraser Place Namdaemun Seoul, 58, Sejong-Darron, Jung-gu, 04526 - a fantastic place! I had the deluxe double room which had a separate living room and bedroom with a king size bed. Closest subway stop is City Hall on the 1 line which is about a five minute walk to the hotel. The City Hall stop is only one stop north of Seoul Station.

Japan

Trains: Tokyo to Yokohama using the local trains from any train station - 49m; Tokyo to Kyoto on the Shinkansen bullet train - 2hr 17m; Kyoto to Osaka - 13m.

Tickets can be booked on the Shinkensan high-speed trains at the stations or using the app. See app below. 

Note, when taking a bus you pay when getting off at the front door. Either cash or you can buy day passes.

CIDER: I did not get to try any ciders in Japan but here is an article on one Japanese cider and where to try it.

Tokyo
Uobei Restaurant (recommended by B&J) - food on conveyor belts. I tried but not exceptional.

I visited the Sumida Hokusai Museum. Excellent! I like his landscapes but not his portraits. Though the bodies show some motion at times all have the same blank facial expression - which seems to be the style in his and other portraits, especially of women. The only portraits I saw showing any facial expression were of evil fictional characters expressing anger. (To get there take the Oedo line to Ryogoku Station (E12), exit A2.)

ACCOMMODATIONS:
Park Hotel Tokyo in the Shiodome Tower was excellent. Rooms were a good size, and the restaurant and bar good. Coffee and tea were free in the lobby 24 hours, and there was also an automatic wine dispenser (3 reds and 3 whites) in the lobby that was not free at ¥1,000 (~$9.00) per glass. Besides laundry service there was a laundromat. Hotel is popular with foreigners. One downside is their very expensive breakfast (~$40!) which was an very ordinary buffet and worth the cost, so I then had breakfast every day at Yoshinoya Hamamatsucho (see below). From the hotel there is access to both the Shiodome subway line and Shimbashi JR station, all without having to go outside. To reach the hotel from Tokyo Station take either the Yokosuka [JO] (blue), Tōkaidō [JT] (orange) or Yamamoto [JY] (green) line just one stop to Shimbashi Station. Note: hotel reception is on the 25th floor and guest rooms are above that.

The Kyoto Tokyu Hotel looks interesting. I went there for an afternoon drink and it looks very impressive; it is listed as a 4-star hotel but looks like a 5 to me. Take bus 50 from Kyoto Station. There are also a few higher end hotels around Kyoto Station.

FOOD:
Regularly had breakfast at Yoshinoya Hamamatsucho, 2 Chome-7 Hamamatsucho. Inexpensive and excellent - ¥666 (~$6). Very close to Daimon subway stop (E20) on the Oedo line, only one stop from Park Hotel Shiodome stop. Yoshinoya is a large chain with outlets throughout Japan (203 in Tokyo alone).

One fish I tried was Pacific saury which was very strong, even stronger than mackerel.

Hama Suchi is a large restaurant chain and is noted to be reliable and inexpensive.

Yokohama
Cup Noodle Museum. A quirky museum that highlights the success of Momofuku Ando in creating the cup noodle which helped considerably during the food shortages in Japan after WWII. You see all aspects of cup noodles, and at the end of the our you make your own custom cup noodle to take home.

Kyoto
I did the famous Fushimi-Inari Shrine hike. An interesting walk to the top of Mount Inari through the 880 gates and the shrines along the way until reaching the large shrine at the top. It was also interesting to see the many prayers that people had left for issues such as medical problems or career concerns. The hike starts near Inari train station. Take the Nara line from Kyoto Station - takes about 5 minutes.
I visited Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is a must see. To get to Nijo Castle take the bus to the Nijojo-mae stop. I noted two examples of balanced asymmetry: the fantastic portrayal of pine trees by the artist on wall panels, and the many delicate wooden shelves.
I went on the Hozugawa River Cruise from Kameoka to Arashiyama. (See also this Japan Guide article). Cruise was great especially as rapids that start off very tiny but grow increasingly large. And the crew (of three) are very entertaining. From Kyoto, take the JR Sagano line to Kameoka (E11stop); take the Keifuku Arashiyama train back to Kyoto. There is also a Scenic Railway (also called the Romantic Railway) that goes between Kameoka and Arashiyama that follows the Hozugawa River. You could first take the JR train to Arashiyama then take the Scentic Railway to Kameoka then the River Cruise back down to Arashiyama.
The Kyoto Railway Museum has a collection of trains and an operating steam train that you can ride. The exhibits are excellent but the steam train ride is disappointing, going only about half a kilometer, but at least it’s cheap at ¥3.

I tried the Kyoto Insider Sake Experience which is a sake tasting course paired with foods and guided by an expert. It usually includes a sake brewery tour though that was not available the day I went. Choices are 1.5hr with 7 tastings or 3hr with 10 tastings. There is also an advanced course. The experience was very good! Shogo gave a very detailed explanation of the sake making process and, importantly, the distinguishing characteristics between the various types, a lot of which depends on how much the rice is polished. To get to their tasting house, take the Kintetsu-Kyoto line (B orange) from Kyoto Station to the Momoyamagoryo-mae Station (B 08). (Note that this is a surface train that leaves from Kyoto’s Kintetsu line station which is about a 15 minute walk from Kyoto Central Station and not that easy to find. Best to enter Kyoto Station Central Entrance off Hachijō West Side.) The tasting house is about a 5-10 minute walk from Momoyamagoryo-mae Station.

Great restaurant that I did not get to try is Tominokoji Yamagishi, highly rated.

ACCOMMODATIONS:
Kyoto Tokyu Hotel, 580 Kakimotocho that I visited for an afternoon drink looks to be very high quality.
I stayed at nearby Urban Hotel Kyoto which was just okay. Room was smaller than Park Hotel in Tokyo but it includes a very good breakfast (better than Park Hotel) and has a laundromat. But a major downside is the street noise from a 10 lane street - and my room was on the street side. Also, pillows were terrible - extremely hard, and their restaurant was only available for breakfast and lunch, not dinner.

Hozugawa River Boat Cruise

Regional rail map

Local rail map

Osaka
World Expo 2025 Festival

Fujikyu train service in the Mount Fuji area; many options available. Download map PDF here. From Tokyo, take the train from Shinjuku Station to Otsuki Station, then Fujikyu train to Mount Fuji Station for view of Mount Fuji and Chureito Pagoda. Optionally, continue on to Kawaguchiko Station and take boat tour of Lake Kawaguchiko.

ACCOMMODATION
Stayed at Hotel Hankyu Gran Respire Osaka, next to Osaka Station. You can walk from Osaka Station to hotel mostly inside then via a covered, elevated walkway. There are 39 restaurants in the building where the hotel is located. (Don't confuse this hotel with Hotel Hankyu Respire Osaka nearby.)

JAPAN RECOMMENDATIONS

Sites recommend by B&J and from my research:

Tokyo
Uobei Restaurant (food on conveyor belts), Yoyogi Park, Daikanyama, Shimo-Kitazawa

Nagoya
Nagoya Castle

Kyoto
Nishiki Market, Ghibli Village. Also see recommendations from tour companies below especially Nijo Castle and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine Hike.

Nagoya
Nagoya Castle

GYG tours in Tokyo: Shinjuku Food Tour, Ramen Tasting Tour, Classic Tsukiji Food Tour.

Anthony Bordain restaurant recommendations (from his Youtube video):
Sushi Kara Ku (Ginzo)
Chanko Edosawa Restaurant (might try the Chanko Nabe "Sumo" Stew - very hearty)
XEX Morimoto
Mienoumi (have the Katsuo No Tataki)
Have cocktails at Bar Ishinohana

Site recommendations based on tour company itineraries

G Adventures

Itinerary Tokyo - Takayama - Kyoto (all by bullet trains)

Tokyo:
1. Sensō-ji Temple: Explore Sensō-ji Temple, a colourful Buddhist temple and the oldest temple in the entire city. Leading up to the temple the street is lined with shops selling yummy food and great souvenirs.
2. Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingū): Visit this shrine dedicated to the 123rd emperor of Japan, Emperor Meiji and his wife. The shrine is a great place to escape the bustle of the city and wander the grounds along the wide walking paths.
3. Yoyogi Park
4. Asakusa shrine
5. Quirky Harajuku
6. Shibuya Crossing
7. From Tokyo, GetYourGuide has tours of Mount Fuji and Fuji area lakes

Takayama:
Visit picturesque Takayama, surrounded by the Japanese Alps. Take in the quaint streets of old town—lined with craft shops and sake breweries

Kyoto:
Hiking Tour from Kurama to Kibune: Transfer by train and subway to Kurama Station and begin your hike. Walk between these two picturesque, quaint villages of Kurama and Kibunein the Kitayama Mountains and follow the stone steps up into the verdant, mist-shrouded forests. Pass through the highland and visit smaller temples and search for spring water outlets flowing down the trail. Stop along the way at the Kurama-dera Temple—located atop the mountain with stunning views of the countryside, Yuki Shrine, Maoden, ending at Kibune Shrine. The total hike time will be 2.5 hours for a total of 3.9km and a total elevation gain of 584m.

APPS TO DOWNLOAD

Shinkensan Booking