What cities / regions in East and Southeast have you visited before and which ones stand out as your favorites?

[bus man]

Originally Posted by Selurong

Shameless westerners rape and burn Manila to the ground 11 times and rebuilt to their ideals yet won't even visit the city they butchered.

Japanese are Westerners now? Because they're the ones who most recently burned Manila to the ground.

[Selurong]

Originally Posted by bus man

Japanese are Westerners now? Because they're the ones who most recently burned Manila to the ground.

Both America and Japan burned the city to the ground in WW2. Erasing so many irreplaceable cultural architectures. Ermita district for Mexicans known for Latino Baroque was destroyed, the oldest Steel Bridge in Asia and the oldest trains in Asia were destroyed too, so was Intramuros the ancient walled city. Japan bombed the Philippines and then America bombed her again.

Not to mention we lost decades of economic growth due to the dictator Marcos which allowed neighbors to surpass us because Marcos was a US puppet who funneled money he plundered to America and the US supported that dictator because he was anti Communist and it was the Cold War then and they needed their Philippines bases to attack Vietnam.

[GoldenTiger]

I have always liked Japan, especially Kyoto, Tokyo and Osaka. With very low crime, people following rules and very polite, and generally quiet environment despite being crowded, it makes for an ideal place for me to go on a vacation. I can feel the tranquility, serenity and harmony in Japan. What occurred a generation or two ago doesn't have much or any impact on my travel decisions though.

[Greysholic]

Tbh I think the OP has much more experience in travelling in Asia than most other users here. There's very little advice to give.

[OyCrumbler]

Originally Posted by bus man

Busan might be a good choice for you. It's got beaches, it's got urbanization, and I assume it has hiking, given that it's surrounded by mountains. I didn't really have any expectations going into it, but I found that I really liked it. (I'll admit, I liked Seoul better.)

That sounds pretty good. If you think Seoul was better, what did you do in Seoul that you thought was fun?

Originally Posted by projectmaximus

ahh ok. First off if you are not going to be in Taipei then go there for sure. If you will be there then consider taking a short trip to the countryside, there are some popular destinations like yilan, jiufen, hot springs, or even the beaches. Ok, besides remaining in Taiwan...

Hong Kong and then Macau (if you have an extra day or two) would have certainly been my top rec. That said, with what's been going on in the region you'll have to use your best judgment whether or not to plan such a trip. Otherwise, I would go with either Tokyo, Seoul, or Shanghai for leaving the most impactful impression. Maybe Beijing if you would like to see Tiananmen, Great Wall, etc.

Yea, I love Taiwan! I've been to most of what you've mentioned, but I've never been Yilan. However, I'll for various reasons need to be out of Taiwan and China for a part of the trip, so I think that's a second vote for Seoul. What about Seoul did you like?

Originally Posted by MarisaMay

We loved Sabah the most. Kota Kinabalu is a nice small city, the wildlife is great and there are some lovely resorts as well. As in all of Malaysia, the food is great.

Singapore has lost its attraction for us as it has become rich and westernised, though it is still a very pleasant city. We love Hong Kong but with all the unrest, would probably avoid it right now.

Not as keen on Thailand as other parts of Asia. Really enjoyed Vietnam but would not rush back. We love visiting China as well.

I've never been to Kota Kinabalu. Is it easy to get around without renting a car? What did you like about Kota Kinabalu and Sabah?

Originally Posted by Christine Mae Dela Cruz

You must go to the Philippines.

I have been to Manila and areas around it. Do you recommend any place outside of Manila? What are your favorite picks

This looks pretty good to me, thanks!

Originally Posted by GoldenTiger

I have always liked Japan, especially Kyoto, Tokyo and Osaka. With very low crime, people following rules and very polite, and generally quiet environment despite being crowded, it makes for an ideal place for me to go on a vacation. I can feel the tranquility, serenity and harmony in Japan. What occurred a generation or two ago doesn't have much or any impact on my travel decisions though.

Thanks for the suggestion! We've been to Kyoto, Tokyo, and Osaka. While we don't mind going again especially if there are some interesting sites outside the main ones we've been to or if there is a special event in January, we're probably more inclined, if we go to Japan, to try Kyushu, Okinawa, or Hokkaido at this point.

[GoldenTiger]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

I have been to Manila and areas around it. Do you recommend any place outside of Manila? What are your favorite picks?

If you're from NYC and had been to Manila, I would think you probably don't see lots of reasons to go back. If you are based in Taiwan, you can fly direct to Cebu. Many airlines serve the Taoyuan to Cebu route and AirAsia flies from Kaohsiung to Cebu, but am still partial to EVA Air. From Cebu, you can go to the beaches or scuba diving just near the airport or go whale shark watching in Southern Cebu or go to the cheaper and more natural beach resorts in Northern Cebu. Among the best beaches in the Philippines have short direct flights from Cebu too. I recommend Boracay (fly to Caticlan rather than Kalibo so you don't need to have a long ride to the jetty to go to the island), Busuanga (in the island of Coron, province of Palawan) or El Nido (also Palawan province). Boracay appeals more to those who like to party by the beach, Busuanga is cheaper and more natural with more basic accommodations while El Nido is more expensive and luxurious, but still has great natural beauty.

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

Thanks for the suggestion! We've been to Kyoto, Tokyo, and Osaka. While we don't mind going again especially if there are some interesting sites outside the main ones we've been to or if there is a special event in January, we're probably more inclined, if we go to Japan, to try Kyushu, Okinawa, or Hokkaido at this point.

Still planning to visit Okinawa and Hokkaido myself. Have been to Fukuoka, it's still nice, but don't have a whole lot to recommend to make it a special visit, except I ate at Ichiran almost everyday because I love Hakata ramen and the line at their main branch there is shorter and faster moving than their restaurants in Tokyo or Osaka. The other place I want to go back to in Japan is Mt. Fuji. Went to Lake Kawaguchiko but it was winter. Need to go back there in the summer some other day, as I want to climb (actually hike) up Mt. Fuji.

[projectmaximus]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

Yea, I love Taiwan! I've been to most of what you've mentioned, but I've never been Yilan. However, I'll for various reasons need to be out of Taiwan and China for a part of the trip, so I think that's a second vote for Seoul. What about Seoul did you like?

Ah you are a seasoned Asian traveler...I got it. I was coming from the perspective of recommendations for a newbie. Yeah you may find East Malaysia interesting, or perhaps one of the many many beach resorts throughout SEA (including Cebu mentioned above).

To answer specifically about Seoul, I just prefer its overall vibe and culture. Awesome food, drink, entertainment, efficiency, etc, but with a friendliness and "welcome home" kind of sense to it. This is obviously personal and could easily be different for another visitor so take it with a grain of salt. And of course largely swayed by my close friends who showed me around the city both times I was there, versus not having that in Japan.

[rsmremoteservices]

If you love beaches, try Palawan, Philippines

[bus man]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

That sounds pretty good. If you think Seoul was better, what did you do in Seoul that you thought was fun?

I'll preface my remarks by saying that I've only been to South Korea one time, and this constituted the entirety of any time I have ever spent anywhere in Asia. So I have nowhere else in Asia to compare with Korea.

Seoul had a feeling about it that I found very endearing. It was modern, yet historic. Polite, yet friendly. Dignified, but accessible. Busy, but not overwhelming. Pretty much any sightseeing interest that one might have, be it history, architecture, culture, or whatever, could be satisfied there. Moreover, I was amazed by how clean it was, and how orderly, even in areas that felt chaotic on the surface, such as Myeongdong.

It certainly helped that I have good friends in Seoul, including people that I knew beforehand (whom I had met when they came to the United States) and also people that I met while I was there.

As far as things to do, of course that would depend on your (the OP's) interests. I know that they have some hiking trails in the mountains that dot the city, but I have no first-hand experience with that. You also mentioned beaches, and Seoul does not have those. (Nearby Incheon does, but I've heard that theirs are not all that nice. I was very pleased with Haeundae Beach in Busan, except that the water was pretty chilly for it being early July.) There is plenty of shopping to be had in Seoul, so if that's your thing, you won't be disappointed.

My purpose for visiting Korea was sort of a cross between business (of a personal nature) and pleasure. Thus, I didn't really see all that many typical tourist attractions while I was in Seoul. I did visit and enjoy Gyeongbukgong Palace. And the "Cooking Nanta" show was a whole lot of fun. It's almost entirely non-verbal, so anyone can enjoy it, regardless of whether you can speak Korean or not. (It involves some audience participation, so be prepared; you may be called up on stage, as I was.) I visited Lotte World Adventure, and while I wasn't all that impressed with it overall, they have an attached exhibit of small-scale models of ancient Korean villages and cities that I found very interesting.

Nearby to Seoul, in its southern suburbs, I thought that the Korean Folk Village (in Yongin) was interesting. The Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon was also well worth a visit. (It's kind of like Korea's version of the Great Wall of China.) And if you're in Suwon, and you have young children with you, be sure and pay a visit to Mr. Toilet House. The kids will love it!

[pete98146]

My wife and I really enjoyed our trip to Krabi Thailand. We've gone back to back years now....We stayed at the Dunsit Thani which is a few miles out of town. Great resort and great value for the money.