A lot of misconception by people thinking Krabi is an island. It is not, people. Nevertheless, Krabi is the perfect place if you wanted to clear off your mind from your work or from your hectic city.

I wanted to share you all the stuff that makes Krabi so famous so the next time you visit Krabi, you can straight away try it.

Beach

Krabi have 2 famous beaches you can stay. Both is almost the same. Ao Nang is the main tourist attractions and Railay beach is its sister and has an island feel. It is entirely up to your preference on which beach you like to stay. Or if you prefer to stay at both places why not spend one night in Ao Nang and another night at Railay Beach?

Activities

For this part I will enlist all the top activities you can try when you are in Krabi;

i) Phi Phi Island tour

If you are visiting Krabi for the first time, Phi Phi island tour is a must place for you to go. This island is the most visited place for tourists when they come to visit Krabi or Phuket. Mostly when you come here, you can either spend a night on this island or just to take a one-day tour to this island. Most of the time, the place you will cover when doing Phi Phi Island tour is like sightseeing, swimming or snorkeling at Maya Bay, Loh Samah Bay, Pileh Cove, Viking Cave, and Monkey Beach.

ii) Krabi Island tour

Krabi surrounded by many small islands and it is not surprising to see tours offering various kind of island hopping around Krabi. An example of island tour you could take is like Krabi 4 island tour, Koh Hong day tour, James Bond island tour and Krabi 7 island sunset tour.

I still remember ended up taking Krabi 7 island sunset tour. Well, it is not 7 islands but instead of 7 places. The whole package is good since you could go to lots of places in one day. However, the activities in each place rushed as you need to cover 7 places. The time allocated in each place is only around 30 minutes only.

The highlight of the activity is when after getting our dinner, they will bring you to the middle of the sea to see bioluminescent plankton. The light of the boat will be switched off and we are at total darkness. Then they told us to snorkel around the boat surrounded by darkness. At first, I hesitate to jump out of the boat as it is pitch black out there. But the moment I entering the water, I could see the light of the plankton. It is quite a nice scene to see.

iii) Emerald Pool & Hot Springs

If you want something that is not related to the beach, you can definitely try to soak yourself at the famous emerald pool in Krabi. This emerald pool can be found if you go to the Khao Phra Bang Khram Nature Reserve. If you are not taking a tour and decide to drive, you need to pay THB200 at the entrance for both hot springs and the emerald pool.

In order to reach the emerald pool, you need to walk for around 20 minutes from the entrance to the pool. On your way to the emerald pool, you will witness a hot spring available for you to soak yourself into. At the emerald pool, you also could swim over there and enjoy the scenery. And if you walk for another 20 minutes further up from the emerald pool, you can enjoy seeing the blue pool. This place is unfortunately not open for swimming and only for taking pictures.

If you wanted to experience something else, there are tons of activities you can do. Some of them are rock climbing, riding ATV, kayaking, riding a horse along a beach and many more.

There are like over 50+ activities you could do in Krabi. All of it you can mix and match based on what your budget and your time. There is a lot of a travel agent setting up a booth along Ao Nang and Railay beach. Just walk a few of them and search for the best price. They will bargain the price since the competition is high among them. If you found the best deal, grab it and make a booking. Whether you like it or not, I believe if you want to do any activities here in Krabi, it will always a better choice to pick a travel agent as they really control the majority of activities in Krabi. But there is always an alternative if you want to do it yourself without hiring any travel agent. This is entirely up to you to make up the choices.  

Banana Pancake

I read a lot of bloggers who recommend trying banana pancake in Krabi. To me honestly, I cannot find why it is so famous and craving by so many people. I detest none of the Thai food, in fact, I love them! I bet there are many other Thai foods in Krabi that is better and taste good. But for me banana pancake is like the normal ‘roti canai’ that I could find back in my town; Kuala Lumpur which is cheaper and taste exactly the same. One banana pancake in Krabi cost almost THB50 (USD1.5) based on what flavor you want to add while in Kuala Lumpur you can get the same pancake with only THB20 (USD 0.5).

The resemblance is uncanny, isn’t it? Okay. Enough ranting about this pancake. My advice just does not skip this signature food in Krabi. Try this banana pancake once to taste it. If you like it, good, buy another one. But, if you did not like it, then you can try other Thai food like Pad Thai or Mango Sticky Rice which are way better.

Pubs & Bars

Unlike its neighbor, Phuket which has its famous Bangla Road where most people spend their nightlife by either partying and drinking until morning surrounded by a loud noise and crowded people. Here in Krabi, such night is rare to be seen. Krabi is a much quieter town with not so much entertainment available at night. For me, its good news. After spending a whole day snorkeling, swimming or doing island hopping for the whole day; what would be more relaxing other than chilling at the bar drinking and feasting your ears with good music.  

Krabi is crawling with pubs and bars. Almost every corner has one. You need to search for which one that suits your taste and preferences and pay them a visit. They will surely welcome you with an open heart.

And so, Krabi is really a perfect place for you to go if you want to take your mind off and to take your body to rest. Enjoy every moment you spend in Krabi and have fun with it. 

Cebu is the second largest city after Manila. It is one of Philippine’s province in Central Visayas with its capital city known as Cebu City. In 2015, it is recorded that Cebu City has a total population of 922,611 which make it to always have a problem with traffic jams and congestion; although it is not as bad as in Manila.

In 2018, Cebu has received approximately 6.9 million tourists all around the world which makes Cebu is one of tourist attraction in Philippine. Traveling across Cebu is easy as public transportation like buses and taxis are readily available and fairly cheap. Communicating with the locals is troubled free as most of them can speak in English. During my visit there, I lost my way in Cebu City and ask for help from the locals. They generously help me since we do not have communication barrier at all.

Cebu is known with its insane adrenaline pumping canyoneering at Kawasan Falls and adventurous swimming with the whale shark. In this post, I will explain in details regarding these two main activities so you will get the ideas why these two things are must do activities when you visit Cebu.

i) Canyoneering Kawasan Falls

A turquoise river flowing right before your eyes. Kawasan Falls is one of the famous waterfalls in the world. This is truly a beautiful place to visit with its three-layered waterfall system. The water is crystal clear and fresh. Added with its landscape and environment truly make this waterfall as an ideal paradise to anyone who loves to have an intimate time with nature.

• How to get here

A few routes are available depending on where you are from. Kawasan Falls is located in Badian and the easiest and cheapest route is to travel by bus. Taxis are also available but it is a little pricey. Motorbike or car also available to be rented but be prepared for a long ride as the distance to travel from one activity to another is far.

Or else, if you want a hassle-free trip, you could book a travel agency which can give you full tour packages with an option of 1-day tour up to 3 days/2 nights tour around Cebu.

• How much to spend

Around the area in Badian, there are a lot of tour companies you can find that offer canyoneering activity in Kawasan Falls. The price you should expect to pay to them will be around $USD30–$USD40 per person. But it is highly advisable for you to book in advance and look at the reviews for these tour companies so you will get a better expectation for what you are paying them.

• The activities

If the activity like canyoneering in Kawasan Falls is not your cup of tea, you could also just go straight to see Kawasan Falls by paying small entrance fees. But it is more rewarding for you to finish the full course of canyoneering and which finally end at Kawasan Falls. This experience is far more amazing and satisfying. 

The canyoneering adventure started with a small walk down a jungle path as you will follow your guide. Lifejacket, anti-slip shoes, and helmet will be provided to you for this activity for safety purposes. However, if you are a good swimmer, you can request to go without lifejacket and helmet.

Your first jump of the day is fairly easy with only a few feet falls. Your guide will be there to guide you to show where is the safest spot to jump and properly do it. My guide on that day is sensible and patient and guide us in every way he can. There are a few mandatory jumps but most of the big jump can be avoided if you choose not to do it.  

Along the way, you will see foods and drinks sold by locals halfway through the adventure. Hence, it would be smart to bring spare money so you will get a drink and some snack to recharge your energy.

At one point, you will encounter one huge dam wall, a rope swing and a man-made water slide that you can enjoy before moving on. I spent quite a long time here repeating the slide and rope swing until I satisfied before we continue our journey. The scene here is magical with its amazing setting and I can spend the whole day watching it.  

The last fall will be the longest fall; about 50-feet drop. This jump is the scariest among others. I watched others jump before me and hesitated at first because yes; it is absolutely a huge drop. After my guide encourages me with his pep talk, I decided this was a great way to end this adrenaline-pumping day!  

• Tips and advise

You need to have a guide. I know some of you wanted to ditch the guide to save a few bucks for this activity, but please, for your own safety hire a guide. You will need to rely on their knowledge for your own good.  

GoPro is your best companion. For this activity, GoPro is a must and definitely no DSLR. You will jump and going on a slippery terrain which might put your DSLR in danger. And do not forget to bring spare batteries too. You will thank me later.  

Do not hesitate when jumping. One of my mistakes when doing the last jump is over-thinking. Luckily my guide is there beside me. His advice is first to look where you want to jump and then on count 1,2 and 3 you have to jump.  

ii) Swimming with whale shark

Swimming with the whale sharks in Cebu has received worldwide recognition and attract tourists to Oslob, Southern Cebu.

Whale Sharks can be seen in a small Barangay Tan-awan, which is 10km away from Oslob. Tourists who arrived in Oslob want to see the whale sharks as well as to snorkel and dive with them.  

• How to get here

A few routes are available depending on where you are from. The most famous whale shark watching is located in Oslob and the easiest and cheapest route is traveling by bus. Taxis are also available but it is a little pricey. Motorbike or car is also available to be rented but be prepared for a long ride as the distance to travel from one activity to another is far. 

Or else, if you want a hassle-free trip, you could book a travel agency which can give you full tour packages with an option of 1- day tour up to 3 days/2 nights tour around Cebu.

• How much to spend

Around the area in Oslob, there are a lot of tour companies you can find that offer whale shark watching. The price you should expect to pay to them will be around $USD20–$USD30 per person. This activity is available daily from 6 am to 12 pm only. 

• Activities available

You could either snorkel with the whale shark or just watching them from the boat. Before you go, however, there is an informative talk and presentation regarding the whale sharks and some rules to be applied during the activity. No feeding, touch, ride or chase the animals. A whale shark is wild animals and come and go as they pleased. You will see floats around the surface which are the mark for motorized boats to stay away; only paddle boats may enter the area. Beside the activity area, there will also a large boat for marine biologists to monitor the water activity.

I enjoy seeing this whale shark up close but there are still a few things that make me disappointed. I respect locals in Oslob as they committed helping tourists to get the best experience to see the whale shark. You can see how dedicated they are controlling the crowd and managing the activity. But I am sad with what I saw; tourists touching the whale sharks, chasing them and the crowd is too overwhelming making monitoring what they do is impossible. All rules are in motion hard to be implemented when tourists are too obsessed for a perfect photo. I really wish that in the future, more tourists would respect the whale shark guidelines and realize what they do can harm them.  

• Tips and advise

This activity lasts for 30 minutes. The boat will bring you to see the whale shark and when time expires, they will bring you back. Activity will commence by batch. 

Come early. If you wish to avoid the long queue and traffic, arrive as early as possible (the activity
starts at 6 am).  

Bandung is the third-largest city in Indonesia. It is the capital city of West Java province in Indonesia. Bandung has a cooler temperature compared to other Indonesian cities since it is located 768 meters above sea level.  

Bandung receives a lot of visits from locals and tourists who came here with an intention to shop until they drop. There is a swarm of markets where you can do good shopping, thriving cafes in Dutch relics and tons of restaurants, luxury hotels and traffic everywhere you look.  

With its popularity gaining each year, we visit Bandung to give it a try to taste its flavor. This is our story to Bandung.  

i) Top locations to visit  

White Crater (Kawah Putih)  

Situated 50km away from Bandung city center, this crater lake has become a major attraction when visiting Bandung. Driving to Kawah Putih will take around 1 ½ hour but sometimes it will take more due to the infamous traffic in Bandung.   

Kawah Putih is a stunning lake of turquoise water and the view will take your breath away. Although it is beautiful, the water is actually highly acidic (pH 0.5). Do not even think about dipping your toes in it!   

Tangkuban Perahu  

Mount Tangkuban Perahu is another famous spot to visit while in Bandung. This spot is actually an active volcano that is reportedly last erupted in 1983. Tangkuban Perahu which means upside-down boat gets its name due to the fact that this mountain has a distinctive shape like it.  

Located 30km from Bandung, Tangkuban Perahu offers a lot of places and things to see and explore. There are three craters which we can walk through; Kawah Ratu, Kawah Domas and also Kawah Upas. Apart from seeing its huge craters, just enjoying the splendid panoramic scenery is enough to make Tangkuban Perahu an interesting destination for everyone.  

ii) Famous spot to shop  

Rumah Mode (Mode House)  

Pronounced as Moh-day House, this factory outlet is definitely a must-visit. This place holds a lot of international brands such as Zara, Mango, Billabong, H&M and many more.   

The concept of this place differs from any other shopping malls as this place is designed like a park. There is a spacious interior inside; a courtyard with a water feature, statues and have a lovely exterior for taking pictures too.  

Opening hours: 9.30am—9 pm daily  

Pasar Baru Trade Center  

This market has been around in Bandung since 1906 and already have countless shops to quench your thirst for shopping. This store will have everything that you looking for to shop; textiles, fabrics, clothing, batik, souvenirs, snacks and a lot of others.  

This place is packed with people and it is highly advisable to come early. Since haggling is allowed, you could put your bargaining skills to test to get the best price. Based on our shopping experience in Pasar Baru Trade Center;  

• At the entrance of the Pasar Baru Trade Center, you will see a few locals asking for a small donation. When I give a small donation to one of them, in an instance, I was swarmed by others asking for a donation too. My advice is, yes, you can certainly donate to them if you feel generous but please do it very discreetly to avoid others swarming and blocking your way.  

• Inside the mall, there will be local peoples asking if you need their help to guide you around the mall (with a price of course!). Avoid their help as much as you can as the mall is easy to be explored. Hence, having people follow you around in the mall is not too comfortable, isn’t it?  

• Asking for tips is common in this place. We met with a very nice seller in this mall. He explained a lot of things to us about his items in store and we made a few purchases. Since we didn’t aware of the tipping culture in Bandung, we left the store. A few moments later, he chases us to ask for a tip. As he did a fine job, we generously give him tips.  

Opening hours: 8 am—5 pm  

Jalan Cihampelas (Cihampelas Road)  

Known as a ‘Jeans Street’ and a haven for denim lovers, Jalan Cihampelas is indeed the busiest shopping area in Bandung especially during the weekend.   

All prices are affordable and there is a wide variety of options to choose from. Among the things you could find here is; t-shirts, jerseys, jeans, jackets, and accessories. All prices are affordable and there is a wide variety of options to choose from.  

Opening hours: most stores open at 9 am—night  
   

In Parfum Fragrance Bandung  

 Another thing that makes Bandung famous is its “inspired perfume”. This ‘inspired’ perfume is a fragrance that comes from the generics of the original designer perfume and sold in a frosted glass bottle.   

There is almost everywhere you will find this glass bottle of perfume selling in the streets of Bandung. The standard price for this 35ml of inspired perfume will cost around $USD3.   

I try a lot of this perfume around Bandung but one shop that strikes the most and getting a lot of attention is ‘In Parfum Fragrance’. To get to this shop is easy. Just type the name in google maps and it will show you the exact direction. And if you are taking a taxi, just mention the name of the shop and they will most likely know the place and bring you here.  

And since this place has gotten a lot of attention, buying perfume will take your times too.  As this shop is quite small to cater to all the demand, we spend almost two hours to queue, select our perfume and waiting for it to be ready.  

Opening hours: 8.15am—8.30pm daily  

Vietnam has been blessed to be surrounded by a variety of places to be visited. If you are looking to travel to places that can offer; (1) beach to relax, (2) an added element of a theme park on an island, (3) with a very low budget, then look no further because Nha Trang is a perfect destination for you.   

Nha Trang is a coastal city on the South-Central Coast of Vietnam. It is well–known for its beaches, scuba diving, and managed to develop into a popular place for tourists. The best attractions Nha Trang could offer are set to its six–kilometers stretch of white sandy beaches, mountains ranges on all three sides of Nha Trang and 19 unexplored islands.  

With its rapid development of the building and infrastructure in Nha Trang, its natural beauty starts to take a toll. The Tran Phu beach in central Nha Trang especially starts to look less impressive, and the water seems cloudy. All around the area, Nha Trang is packed with burgeoning numbers of tourists coming from Russia and Asia especially from mainland China.  

However, Nha Trang still possesses unique attractions and with its unbeatable low price for food and accommodations, it is still a worthy place to visit.  

Where are the best attractions?  

i) Beaches  

Choosing what beaches to go would be a great challenge since in Nha Trang there are no two beaches which are the same. The options are up to you on which beaches you look after. From overcrowded to secluded beaches, all of it is available if you look for it when you in Nha Trang.  

• Tran Phu Beach  

Located just an easy walk from almost anywhere in Nha Trang City, this beach is the most popular beach in Nha Trang. As I mentioned before, I would strongly advise to not bother about this beach at all. Yes, the location is super convenient but if you are okay with its current state; you are most welcome to visit this beach. Spending just 30 minutes on this beach and you will mostly be done.   

There is a noticeable amount of trash in places, murky waters, overloaded on holidays and high buildings decrease the peace of the beach.  

However, Tran Phu Beach is famous for its nightlife. The Sailing Club, ZIMA and Rooftop Beach Club are among the highly recommended bars to spend during night time.  

• Hon Chong Beach  

Just on the north side of Tran Phu Beach, you will find Hon Chong Beach. If you visited Bo Panagar Cham Towers, this beach is only 5 minutes’ drive from it.  

This beach has a formation of piled rocks that stretch out towards the sea. Some of an interesting thing to do while in Hon Chong Beach is to climb the rocks to enjoy the panorama of nearby islets and Nha Trang. This activity requires you to pay a fee of VND 22,000 (USD 1).  

• Bai Tru Beach  

Located on Hon Tre Island, Bai Tru Beach is situated inside the Vinpearl Amusement Park. This beach will be among the best beach to spend your time as this beach is carefully being maintained by Vinpearl Land.   

To get to this beach, you need to pay the entrance fee to go inside the amusement park; VND 1,100,000 (USD 47). This fee includes the entrance to the park, lunch buffet and a return ticket to Hon Tre Island via cable car.  

• Bai Dai Beach   

Located 28km away from the center of Nha Trang, Bai Dai Beach is a perfect beach for those who seek a beautiful beach, secluded area with the hippy-like atmosphere.  

You could spend hours swimming in the clear water or just sunbathing on the beach. And if you are feeling hungry, there are seafood delicacies, western cuisine, beer or juices from the beachside restaurants nearby.  

ii) Vinpearl Land   

Build by Vietnamese billionaire; Pham Nhat Vuong, Vinpearl Land is established in their effort to increase its tourism industry in Nha Trang itself. Officially open to the public in April 2018, Vinpearl Land on average manage to attract 12,000 visitors per day and 95,000 visitors during public holidays.  

In order to get here, first, you need to get to the cable car terminal station via bus, taxi or Grab. Oh! This theme park is built on an island; hence it is only accessible via cable car and boat only. Upon arriving here, purchase a ticket at the counter or book online in order to skip the line.   

The admission fees will cost you around VND 1,100,000 (USD 47) which includes return trips via cable car, admission to the theme park and a lunch buffet. Vinpearl Land is divided into different sections namely; outdoor water park, outdoor and indoor arcade centers, an aquarium, shopping street, zoos, movie castle, performance stage and a huge variety of gardens called the blooming hill.  

The price is considered being acceptable since the theme park offers a lot of attractions that some of it might catch your attention. After roaming around the theme park from the morning, you could then try its lunch buffet which is included in your ticket fees. The lunch buffet ranges from Western to Local cuisine.  

The amusement park is so large, it is 200,000 square meters. Some attractions might catch your interests and some might not. I could say that since there are vast attractions to visit here, you might be interested in some of it.  

There are tons of activities to do here. Some of it is;  

• Outdoor Waterpark. A huge area in 50,000 square meters in size and the only seaside water park in Vietnam. Among the slides in this water park is kamikaze (free fall from a height of 21 meters), tsunami, space holes, flying boat, body slide.   
• Beach Sports Games at Bai Tru Beach. Some of the activities are sailing, jet-skiing, parachute, a fly board, and splash bay.  
• Outdoor Game Area. Tons of ride awaits you but not mind-blowing namely as the giant sky wheel, mine adventure, swing carousel, bungee jumping, alpine coaster.  
• Blooming Hill. A large botanical park which houses thousands of floras and faunas from all continents.  
• King’s Garden. A Zoo for rare animals such as rhino, lions, Bengal tigers, antelope, and flamingos.  
• Indoor Playground. Some of it is the interactive 3D museum and bull riding.  
• Aquarium. Displaying over 3000 species of rare marines species from many countries around the world.  
• Performances. There is quite a variety of performances to watch based on their specified timing such as dolphin show, a mermaid show and musical water fountain (equipped with modern water, sound, lighting and fire systems).  
• 4D Cinema.  
• Shopping Street.  

iii) Po Nagar Cham Towers  

If you fancy learning about Nha Trang, this temple will be the perfect place for you. Po Nagar Cham Towers were built to honor the goddess of Po Nagar – ‘The mother of the country’.  

It is built between the 7th and 12th centuries and is actively used for worship by Cham, Chinese and Vietnamese Buddhists.  

These towers of Po Nagar Cham are in a square red brick structure. Once, there are actually 10 buildings each dedicated to a different deity, but now only four remain.   

How cheap is Nha Trang?  

i) Places to stay  

Nha Trang is flooded with hotels and apartments build along the beach area. There are a lot of options you have to cater to all the demands. Since there is a lot of competition for places to stay in Nha Trang, the price drop makes staying in Nha Trang is very cheap.  

On average, one whole apartment with 2 rooms in Nha Trang can be rented as low as USD 10 per night. Prices for hotels are cheap too. The prices will start from USD 10 for one night for an average 3-star hotel.  

ii) Transportation  

Upon arrival at Cam Ranh International Airport, the cheapest way to arrive in Nha Trang is by bus. Just walk outside the airport and you will never miss the airport bus. Another option is to take a Grab or taxi which easily accessible. The journey from the airport to Nha Trang will take around 30 minutes.  

Exploring the city in Nha Trang is easy too. Walking is always an option but you can opt to ride a bike around the city. The city is not big so you won’t get lost easily. Plus, the rental price for a bike is only VND 80,000 (USD 3) per day.  

iii) Food  

• Pho  

Tasting local foods in Nha Trang is a must. And what a waste for you not to try Pho–a local noodle soup well known to Vietnam. Pho comprises flat rice noodles in a light meat-based broth. The dish usually accompanied by basil, lime, chili and other extras on the side.  

• Seafood  

Everywhere you look, seafood is widely available all around Nha Trang. Even ordering a variety of seafood still will not burn a hole in your pocket.  

Along the beach, you will find locals selling roasted lobsters. The price for two lobsters is VND 150,000. Very cheap indeed. Even if you are not a fan of seafood, but you must at least try this.  

• Ice Cream Roll  

Fancy for a local snack? This fruity ice cream roll will be great to enjoy especially when the sun is scorching hot. You will find this ice cream almost anywhere around Nha Trang as it is famous among locals and visitors. 

 The experience of visiting Japan will always unlike any other countries you visited before. With their unique culture, the courteous of their people and Japan itself will make you feel welcomed the moment you arrive at this sunrise country.  

Japan is in the continent of Asia with no land borders to any countries and it is the 64th largest nation in the world. The capital city of Japan is Tokyo, which originally known as Edo. The surface area of Tokyo comprises a very impressive sprawl with a population estimated to be over 13.4 million. Being a capital city of Japan, Tokyo is known to be hectic with a fast-paced scene all around it.   

Growing up watching anime, collecting figurine of my favourite anime and playing Japanese video games like Super Mario, Pokemon, Final Fantasy, Zelda and many others make me always eager to visit Japan. And when the opportunity arises for me to visit Tokyo, I never think twice!  

My experience visiting Tokyo during a winter season (December to February) is a bliss. I loved how discipline they are (i.e. people queuing up when getting on the train or getting up an escalator), how clean their country is (i.e. it is hard to find a rubbish bin while exploring Tokyo since their people are encouraged to bring back their rubbish home and yet their city is still clear from rubbish), and how courteous they are (i.e. the gesture of Ojigi or also known as Japanese bow).  

During our visit to Tokyo, we cover all the top places to visit while we are in Tokyo, trying their local cuisine and also to shop at some famous spot.   

Must-Try Foods  

i) Sushi  

Sushi has become widely known worldwide and eating sushi has become a common thing in most part of the world. The dish is done on a wooden or lacquer plates and involves dipping sushi in soy sauce. Others also enjoy eating it with wasabi and pickled ginger.   

Your trip to Tokyo will never be going to complete if you did not eat sushi in its homeland. And believe me, sushi tastes way much better when you are in Japan.   

ii) Udon / Soba / Ramen  

Udon is actually quite similar to Soba in terms of being a noodle. As with Soba, it can be served either hot or cold. Udon is made in a broth and best served while it is hot. There is a lot of a variety of toppings can be added into Udon like scallions or prawns.  

Ramen is also another famous Japanese dish. Ramen shop can be found almost anywhere in Tokyo and really easy to find. There are also tons of different types of Ramen available across Tokyo and one of them surely will strike to your likings.  

iii) Tempura  

Another must-try Japanese food while in Tokyo is Tempura, which is introduced by the Portuguese back in the 16th century. This dish includes a vegetable, seafood and other ingredients, all covered in eggs and flour which then fried in cooking oil to form a very crispy texture. Good tempura is always crisp and delicious but never greasy nor soggy.  

Local Attractions  

i) Mount Fuji  

Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest mountain with 3776 meters high. It is considered as a sacred mountain and becomes popular among tourists and locals throughout the centuries.  

A day trip to Mount Fuji is one of the best ways to see this Japan’s biggest attraction depending on the season you are visiting Japan. Since it was a winter season during my visit to Tokyo, I get an opportunity to head to Fujiten Snow Resort to try skiing for the first time of my life.   

Heading to Mount Fuji from Tokyo is easy since public transportation is ready for you to grab. There are two options to go to Mount Fuji from Tokyo which is via train or bus.   

• A bus ticket from Tokyo Station to Kawaguchiko Station or Fuji—Q Highland will cost you around JPY 2000 (one way) and the journey will take around two hours. You can make your bus reservations for Tokyo to Kawaguchiko here. From Kawaguchiko Station, you can hop on a local bus or taxis which are readily available.  
• The train is another option you can have if you are not interested in taking a bus. However, the price will be a bit expensive than buses. From Shinjuku Station, take the new Fuji Excursion Limited Express train direct to Kawaguchiko Station. It will cost you around JPY 4000 (one way) and the journey will take around two hours.  

ii) Disney Sea / Disney Land  

Tokyo Disneyland is the first Disney theme park to be open outside the United States. Just beside it is the Tokyo DisneySea, the one and only Disney theme park based on myths and legends of the sea making it the 4th most visited theme park in the world.   

This Tokyo DisneySea is made up of seven themed ports which are Mediterranean Harbour, Mystery Land, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, Lost River Delta, Port Discovery and American Waterfront.  

We are intrigued by the fact DisneySea is only available only in Tokyo and we gave it a shot. We get to DisneySea by taking a JR Railway (Keiyo Line) and getting off at Maihama Station. It is only 15 minutes from Tokyo Station. We made our booking at KLOOK which made our entrance to DisneySea smooth as butter.   

iii) Tokyo Tower  

If you wish to view Tokyo from a top view, the Tokyo Tower will be your best bet. This tower painted in orange and white is the tallest structure in all of Japan and become the landmarks in Tokyo.   

Built-in 1958, this tower is used for communication and broadcasting but it is possible to visit one of the two observation decks which offer a spectacular view of the city below.  

We found the best deal for the admission to the Tokyo Tower from KLOOK. You definitely can check it out here.  

iv) Shibuya Pedestrian Crossing  

Shibuya Pedestrian Crossing is a part you must – see while in Shibuya because of its unique and beautiful sight. It is an enormous pedestrian crossing flooded with people at every change of the spotlight with a giant neon above displaying advertisement in bold colours with a flashing light. It is believed that around 2,500 will cross the streets every time the signal changes. And while in rush hours, this Shibuya Pedestrian Crossing could fill a football stadium with all the people that cross. That is how dense the population of the city is. 

Just directly in front of the Shibuya Station, you will notice the statue of Hachiko, one of the most touching real-life stories in the world. Hachiko is a golden-brown Akita owned by Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor at the University of Tokyo. Every single day, Hachiko will greet its owner near the Shibuya Station. This continues to happen until Professor Ueno did not return because he suffered from a cerebral haemorrhage and died, never to return to the station where Hachiko was waiting. Every day for the next nine years, Hachiko loyally waited at Shibuya Station patiently waiting for its owner until Hachiko also met its maker.   

Shopping Places  

i) Shinjuku  

Shinjuku is one of Tokyo’s largest shopping and entertainment districts. This district is home to half a dozen major department stores and outlets of Japan’s largest electronics retailers combined with a host of other shops and boutiques along its streets and underground shopping arcades. 

ii) Akihabara   

Akihabara is a major shopping and electronics district in Tokyo. Japanese flock to Akihabara for tons of reasons and it is definitely a top pick for travelers primarily because of these two things; electronics shopping and otaku culture. There are a lot of electronics retailers such as Yodabashi Camera, Yamada Denki, Laox and Sofmap as well as several hundred small electronics shops jammed along the district’s streets.   

Apart from that, Akihabara is also known as a center of Japanese otaku and anime culture where there are dozens of stores specializing in anime, manga and others collectables. Honestly, since electronics and anime are my forte, one whole day walking around Akihabara definitely still not enough for me to explore all Akihabara had offered.