New York Times “Asia issue” is out
Two pagodas in Guilin, China. Photo: Cyril Bèle / Flickr Creative Commons
The New York Times travel section is recently dedicated to covering the Far East: 37 Asian Odysseys. Although the media is dominated by coverage of Japan’s natural and nuclear disaster, the rest of the continent is humming along as usual.
With booming economies and traditional cultures, Asia has long had a special place in the traveler’s imagination. Tourist infrastructure is well developed, and can make for a softer landing. Southeast Asia in particular has a well-worn (overworn?) backpacker scene that makes it easy to navigate and get what you need.
Here’s a slideshow to whet your appetite: Asia Up Close.
Have you traveled or lived in Asia? What are some of your most memorable experiences? Please share them in the comments.
March 25th, 2011 at 11:03 pm
Hi there,
Thanks for asking for our experiences. My dad’s family still lives in Bangkok and the surrounding area. My step mom’s family is from there but also lives around Chiang Mai. This June will be my 3rd time traveling back to Thaialnd, but I await the trip with anticipation because I will be going back with a little more maturity and perspective. The last two times I was 11 and 15 years old, so Thailand and the trips we made to the Grand Palace, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, (and all the other places that I was too young to remember the names of) all get blurred together. Some of my favorite memories were staying on the River Kwai Jungle Rafts, rafting down the river in Khao Yai, and snorkeling off of Ko Mun Nork. I’m both excited and worried about going back during Thailand’s month of elections, but I hope to be able to travel extensively throughout the country with a new set of eyes. However, I think it means a lot that at that age I appreciated the savory food, beautiful surroundings, and rich culture. And what I loved most about being there was not just the tourist spots, but most of all living as if a regular Thai person would: going to the market for fresh fish, fruit, and sweets; climbing up a coconut tree in my grandma’s backyard; taking tuk-tuks to and from various places; bargaining with the locals; and most of all, sitting on plastic stools eating a bowl of noodles on the street from a vendor. Sometimes the small things prove to be the most memorable.
Thanks for listening!
March 28th, 2011 at 11:00 pm
I have lived and traveled in Asia and am looking forward to going back this year. I spent three years in Korea teaching English and also traveled in Thailand, India, Nepal and a few days in Malaysia. Living in Korea had it’s share of frustrations but there were many things I loved about it; people were very nice to me, I love the food and visiting the temples and mountains. Certainly I learned more about Korea from living there than I could have from just visiting or only reading about it. I loved my other travels in Asia as well and had so many unusual experiences, much different than if I had only stayed in my own country (USA).
March 29th, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Sunrise in Bagan, on the top of a temple, all alone
April 19th, 2011 at 4:51 am
My wife and I have been living in Saigon for the last two years and we have no desire to ever leave Southeast Asia. The food, the people, the travel and living expense will keep us here for the foreseeable future.
We’ve watched the sunrise over Angkor Wat, Borobudur, Bagan, and Mt Bromo.
We’ve spent hours lounging on the beaches of Bali, Lombok, Phuket, Phu Quoc, Mui Ne, and Nha Trang.
We’ve eaten the best food from Adobe Chicken in the Philippines to Laksa in Malaysia.
We’ve visited more UNSECO World Heritage locations than we ever thought existed; from Ayutthaya to Luang Prabang to Halong Bay.
We’ve wandered through the most modern and energetic cities; Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, as well as the most interesting cities where you could just sit and watch the fascinating daily life unfold around you; Phnom Penh, Luang Prabang, Hanoi, and Chiang Mai.
To us, Asia is the best the world has to offer and there is so much more for us to explore!