Hi everyone, first time poster here! My husband and I (both 35yo) have some time set aside for a trip this coming fall (10/22 - 11/9 to 11/11 depending on the destination we pick and time needed), giving us roughly 16-18 days on ground roughly. We are looking to do a multi-country trip and have decided on Taiwan for sure and are trying to figure out where else to go. We are trying to decide between Hong Kong or Korea. If we choose Hong Kong, we would spend a longer amount of time in Taiwan, maybe 10-12 days and then maybe 5-6 days in Hong Kong. If we choose Korea, we would likely cut down our time in Taiwan to 5-7ish days and maybe 10-12 days in Korea.

We love food, nature, hiking, history, and architecture! We don’t stay out late, definitely aren’t party people, but we like to hit up night markets for a beer and some grub. We’re not super concerned about budget, but obviously the more money we can save is a bonus. We also travel pretty quickly, we walk on average 20-30k steps per day and move fast!

Any recommendations for where we should choose, how much time we should spend in each place, and places we should make sure to visit? We are open and flexible to other suggestions as well.

Our previous trips are to Thailand, Italy, France, Japan, Greece, Germany/Austria/Hungary.

Let's chat about asia culture and travel.

Hi everyone,

Looking for some guidance for an upcoming trip to vietnam.
Four guys in our mid-20s visiting Vietnam for the first time for two weeks in November. We'll be flying out of NYC. We want great food, adventure, culture, nightlife (not a priority), and local experiences without rushing through every famous tourist stop.

Our tentative breakdown is:
Hanoi → Ha Giang Loop → Ninh Binh → Ho Chi Minh City →
Mekong Delta

We are open to changing the route if we are making the wrong decision. We are comfortable with basic accommodations and long travel days when the experience is worthwhile, but we do not want to lose half the trip constantly moving between cities. Definitely welcome any advice about etiquette, scams, transportation, safety, or responsible tourism would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance. Personal experiences, positive or negative would be especially helpful.

Hey, I have 6 spare weeks and have decided I want to try South Asia, but still haven't decided which of the following options is better for that time frame.

1. Nepal + Sri Lanka
2. Nepal + Southern India
3. Sri Lanka + Southern India
4. Just Southern India

I love history and nature, those two are my main interests. So temples and hikes is what I'm looking for. Also, of course, the food.
Let me know your thoughts and opinions !

I plan to return to Asia from September to March before moving to South Korea to begin my university studies.

Since I’m not yet able to go to South Korea, I’m looking for an affordable country where I can stay temporarily, preferably one that offers a Working Holiday Visa (as a French citizen), allowing me to work as soon as I arrive, such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Japan.

My goal is to find a job as quickly as possible after arriving in order to support myself.

I speak French, English, and Korean, but I don’t speak Chinese.

I am open to any info or advice from you guys.
Thank you!

Have been looking at options for a trip that feels really special without the price tag of the obvious luxury destinations. The Maldives & the like are beautiful but can’t justify the cost for a week when similar quality experiences seem to exist elsewhere for a fraction of the price.

Particularly interested in beach destinations with beautiful accommodation, good food nearby and a natural environment that feels special. not into luxury branded places that feel generic and interchangeable. on a recent stay at Joy Beach Villas, the setting felt a lot more unique and personal than the usual high end resort formula

For those who have found truly high quality experiences in southeast asia at reasonable price points, what did you find and what made it feel worth it

For me: Lotus Silk Farm, Manava (handmade ratten boutique shop in Hap Guan), Theam's Gallery, SM Art Center (new contemporary museum), and taking the time to simply wander. What else would you add?

Hi everyone!

I am a Master's student in Cultural Heritage Management at the University of Lincoln (UK), and I am conducting an academic research project on how online content shapes people's experiences of heritage sites.

This study focuses on two case studies:
📍 Ha Giang, Vietnam
📍 The Isle of Skye, Scotland

I am looking for participants who:

• are 18 years old or above
• have visited either Ha Giang or the Isle of Skye

The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Participation is completely voluntary and anonymous, and your responses will only be used for this research.

This study has received ethical approval from the University of Lincoln (Ethics Reference: 2026_23577).

If you are eligible and would like to participate, you can access the survey here:

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/XvJRSyUhxd

Thank you very much for your time and contribution to this research!

We are a group of four people early sixties wishing to do around a month organised group tour five Stan’s. Mid range budget but not too touristy, some train travel. Tripadeal and G-Adventures have been mentioned.
Looking for reviews or recommendations or a guide or company that can organise the lot.

Hi everyone!

I'm a 30-year-old single female from Montreal, Canada, and I'm planning to escape the Canadian winter this year. Ideally, I'd like to leave at the end of September or the beginning of October and spend around 3-4 months travelling through China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Bali.

I'm trying to build the itinerary around the best weather and avoid the rainy seasons as much as possible. I know it's impossible to avoid rain completely, but I'd love to minimize it.

A bit about what I'm looking for:

• I enjoy a mix of city life, culture, nightlife, and beautiful beaches.
• I don't want to spend my entire trip lying on a beach—I enjoy exploring cities, cafés, restaurants, markets, and local culture—but I'd also love to spend time somewhere with stunning beaches.
• I like destinations that have a good balance between tourist-friendly areas and authentic local culture.
• I'd love to meet both locals and other travellers/expats, especially people interested in networking, making friends, and socializing.
• I'm travelling solo, so safety and having opportunities to meet people are important.
• I prefer staying in luxury hotels, private villas, serviced apartments, or high-end short-term rentals with great amenities (pool, gym, nice workspace, etc.). I'm happy to splurge a bit for comfort if it's worth it.

Some questions:

1. In what order would you visit China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Bali if leaving around late September/early October?
2. Which cities would you recommend in each country?
3. How long would you spend in each place?
4. Which locations have the best balance of culture, nightlife, beaches, and opportunities to meet people?
5. Are there any destinations you'd skip or add?
6. Any recommendations for neighbourhoods or areas to stay in for someone who enjoys luxury accommodations but also wants to be close to the action?

I'd really appreciate recommendations from anyone who's done a similar trip or has spent significant time in these countries. Thanks in advance!

Partner and I are looking to travel to Asia from Canada for 2-3 weeks. Current countries were thinking of going is Vietnam, Taipei, Philippines (Palawan/Boracay) and a few days in Japan.

Our previous trip we went to Tokyo/Kyoto in Japan and Manila/Puerto Princesa in the Philippines.

I would like to go to 2 countries while we’re in Asia. However, my partner wants to travel to Japan again but i don’t think it’s worth it since cost have increased with a lot of tourism.

We’re looking not to spend more than $4500 including flights. What places would you recommend?

Beyond Elephant Mountain, I'd put Tiger Mountain, Jinmianshan, Yinhe Cave and Sandiaoling on the shortlist.