Asia | Viator Travel Blog

Top Things to Do in Japan

3. July 2009

Editor's Note: We asked Cheryn for her top things to do in Japan, Tokyo, Kyoto and beyond for travelers planning a trip to Japan. This is her reply.

Top Things to Do in Kyoto: A 5-Day Itinerary

31. May 2009

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Top Things to Do in Kyoto: A 5-Day Itinerary

Arriving at my ryokan in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto, a commotion of tourists near the hotel entrance erupted as maiko (apprentice geisha) stopped in front of a silvery-leafed tree to pose for a photographer. Given my location near Gion, famed for the ochaya, or teahouses, where geisha entertain affluent clientele, the sight of maiko became a common experience during the week I spent in Kyoto.

Trans-Mongolia Part 3: Mushing to Moscow

7. April 2009

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Trans-Mongolia Part 3: Mushing to Moscow

Irkutsk is the jumping off point for Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest and weirdest lake. Water gushed into the space between two tectonic plates and created a huge crescent-shaped water that runs over 600km. It’s apparently more than a fifth of the world’s fresh unfrozen water. The tectonic plates are slowing moving away from each other and may one day split so that this could be the world’s fifth sea. Isolated within these depths is a unique ecosystem that serves as a sanctuary for nerpa (freshwater seals) and the omul fish.

Trans-Mongolia Part 2: Erlian Border Crossing

30. March 2009

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Trans-Mongolia Part 2: Erlian Border Crossing

China seems to be behind us as we pull into Erlian, to cross the border into Mongolia. Already we’ve seen the landscape growing drier and stations have lost their grim institutional look. Actually crossing the border is a formality. Customs officials snatch up our passports and give us no idea of when we’ll see them again. We begin the long slow wait for the gauges to change.

Top Things to Do in Hong Kong

27. March 2009

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Hong Kong reminds me of urban landscapes from cyberpunk novels. It's all grime and glitz with narrow, twisting alleyways the color of sepia, mile-high concrete block buildings, and mirrored office towers, all bursting from a motley skyline of a billion neon signs. It’s eclectic, fast paced, stylish and modern –- but even so, there are plenty of places to find peace, quiet, and zen in a city park, temple, or monastery.

Trans-Mongolia Part 1: Beijing to Yunguan Caves

24. March 2009

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Trans-Mongolia Part 1: Beijing to Yunguan Caves

We’re not going to catch the train out of Beijing. Our first leg of the Trans-Mongolian train and the cab doesn’t seem to be going fast enough to get us to Beijing West Train Station. It’s about 10 minutes before departure and I’m trying to communicate with my scraps of Mandarin - and frantic pointing - that we need to go faster. The cab driver takes this has a critique of his music and switches from the hip hop station to some fluffy Canto-pop. Actually, the determined rhymes and driving beats of Eminem suited the mood better.

Suggested Itineraries: Vietnam

19. March 2009

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Let's start with the coffee. Because in Vietnam coffee is more than just a drink. It doesn't come venti or frappuccinoed or with whipped cream. And it definitely does not cost $3.75 a shot. No, coffee in Vietnam is thick, cheap and super-sweet. And it is beautiful.

One Pick-Up Truck, 9 People, 900 Kilometers, No Map

23. February 2009

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One Pick-Up Truck, 9 People, 900 Kilometers, No Map

Here's a recipe for adventure: a long weekend visit to family in Nakon Patom, Thailand. Naturally nobody has a map, but the general instructions seem to be, "head west to the big road, then head south; turn right just before you hit Bangkok". Uh-huh. Great instructions to cover a 900km trip! So it's 4am, off we set westerly into the darkness. Sure enough after an hour or two we hit "the big road," and duly turn south. A few more hours, and the dreaded murmur begins to make its way around the car: "shortcut!".

Suggested Itineraries in Malaysia

13. February 2009

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After two years of living in Malaysia, I am consistently surprised how few tourists visit this beautiful country. Lying between the famous beaches of Thailand and the cosmopolitan splendor of Singapore, Malaysia falls into the “overlooked” and “maybe next time” categories for most travelers. And that's OK. The fact that travelers tend to skip Malaysia makes the country that much more special.

The Viator 50: The Year’s Top Travel Destinations

21. January 2009

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The Viator 50: The Year’s Top Travel Destinations

Before we say farewell to 2008, let us take a moment to honor the Top 50 destinations of the year as determined by Viator.com travelers. This is our third annual "Viator Top 50" list, and like last year, 2008 has been a great ride, full of surprises (good on ya Paris, Rome and Las Vegas) and some surprising absences (Mexico, we missed you).