Travel Tales from Asia

Bangkok is an increasingly popular tourist destination and it has reason for this. Not only is it referred to as Venice of the East, but it has lots of different scents and smells and it is completely different from any country you will ever visit. Bangkok is big, bold and beautiful.

Last year I reluctantly decided to travel to Bangkok. It had never been a destination which appealed to me, but I ended up going with a friend. Yes, there is a lot of noise, pollution and I did feel a bit unsafe at times. However, there is a magical side to Bangkok that I fell in love with. I had never been to Asia and now that I have tried it, I want to travel more.

Bangkok has all the great tourist attractions you would expect to see…..lush gardens, temples, shrines and all in the middle of an urban jungle. All I can say is go. But here are some of my dos and don’ts.

Do……….

• book your flights in advance

Bangkok is a popular destination so make sure you get your airline tickets in advance to avoid paying high fares. Airlines such as British Airways and Delta Air Lines operate to the main airport serving the city – Suvarnabhumi Airport.

• travel between November and March

If you want to experience the best weather for sightseeing, travel to Bangkok between November and March. However, this is the high-season, so hotels may be more expensive.

• get vaccinations before you go

Make sure you visit your doctor (I would recommend at least 3 months before you travel) just in case you need to get a vaccination before you travel. I got the Hepatitis A jab.

Don’t……….

• travel alone

Perhaps not many people will agree with me. But I would recommend that females don’t travel alone in Bangkok, especially at night. They say that Bangkok is a safe city. Keep your wits about you and be careful…remember that tourists are easy targets.

• show public affection

Make sure you respect customs in this country…for example, it is offensive to show affection to your loved one or even a friend in public in Thailand. You should also have respect for sacred places and don’t be too noisy.

Capital, largest city and one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Korea = Seoul.

Asia fascinates me….the culture, food, the people, the tourist attractions…every country in Asia is unique and that is why you have to travel to a couple of destinations on this continent in order to get a feel for it. Having visited Japan, China and India, my next destination was to be Seoul in South Korea.

I would recommend booking flights to Incheon International Airport, which is the largest hub in South Korea and the main gateway to Seoul. I travelled with Delta Air Lines, but there are many other companies which operate flights to Seoul, such as Korean Air and Asiana Airlines.

So what is there to see? As I mentioned before, I decided to visit Seoul because I had never been to South Korea and where better to start than in the capital city. When I arrived in Seoul, I was taken aback by the number of palaces in the city. There are five and many of them are definitely worth visiting. Gyeongbok-gung is perhaps the most famous and apart from being a personal favourite, this palace has historical importance being the first one used by the Joseon Dynasty. Other important palaces to look out for are Changdeok-gung and Deoksu-gung. Like me, you will probably love wandering around this city because the architecture is so different and you will get to see shrines and temples you just don’t find in the western world.

After exploring the city, you should do what I did and head for the mountains…especially if you like hiking. The mountains in Seoul are accessible and especially designed for tourists as they have trails marked out. Bukhansan is perhaps one of the best mountains to visit and here you can take a tour of Bukhansan National Park. Not only can you enjoy hiking but you can get great pictures of South Korea’s landscape, birds and there are also lovely views of Seoul from the mountain.

I loved sightseeing by day, going on day trips and then by night trying South Korean food in a traditional restaurant. Don’t forget to buy some souvenirs before returning home. I would recommend going to Namdaemun, which is a market located in the centre of Seoul….here you will get lots of presents.

They say that the best time of the year to visit Asia is during the autumn or the winter. Why? Well, autumn marks the end of the monsoon season and the weather is much dryer. Temperatures are lower and more pleasant for sightseeing. The only catch is that autumn is the start of the high season so you will probably have more difficulties finding cheap flights to Asia. As winter arrives, the tourists flock to some of the most popular destinations in Asia, such as Thailand, India, China and Japan. This is because the temperatures are low and just perfect for sightseeing.

Spring is also a popular time to visit destinations such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, the Philippines, Bali and some areas of China. However, other areas may be experiencing intense heat and humidity which makes sightseeing rather unpleasant. I would not advise visiting Asia during the summer because this is when the temperatures are at their highest and the monsoon season is in full swing.

So it would appear that although the best time of the year to visit Asia is during the autumn or the winter, this is when airline tickets are most expensive, because it is the high season. I personally would recommend organising to go during the spring, the start of the low season, as this is when you are likely to get cheap flights, as well as cheap accommodation and there will be fewer tourists. The weather should be okay too.

This is a general overview. If you want to find out what the weather is like in a particular Asian country, you should do further research on the internet. By doing this you will know exactly where to go or avoid during the spring and summer.

Tips for finding flights to Asia

To find flights, I would recommend spending quite a bit of time doing various searches online until you find the best deal. Try searching different dates, days and months (if you are flexible about travelling of course) until you find the right deal. Some of the airlines you should consider booking with are British Airways, Thai Airways and Virgin Atlantic.