The bags have been unpacked and the memories are spilling out in the form of stories and day dreams. We’ve gotten a ton of questions about the highs and the lows, the best of the best and the worst of the best. As we reflect on our four months in Asia, we came up with a list highlighting the most memorable experiences across the eleven countries we visited. We hope these can help guide future trips and at the very least provide a little insight on exactly what went down on the other side of the globe.
- Best City: Tokyo, Japan
- Worst City: Vientiane, Laos
- Best UNESCO World Heritage Site: Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Best Town: El Nido, Philippines
- Best Restaurant Meal: Sushi Taku, Tokyo
- Most Missed Western Beverage: Red wine
- Best Home-Cooked Meal: Ka Betty— host of Airbnb “Treehouse by Taal Lake”, Kapusod, Philippines
- Prettiest Viewpoint: Haad Yuan Beach, Ko Pangan, Thailand
- Biggest Sleeper Destination: Hanoi, Vietnam— Romantic French influence with parks, cafés, and killer food.
- Worst Food: Luke warm skewered squid at Lake Ashinoko, Japan – It didn’t help that we were hungover.
- Best Beer: Myanmar Beer — Especially the rare situations where it was actually cold.
- Worst Beer: Cass (Korea)
- Most Missed Western Food: Spaghetti and marinara Sauce – not ketchup!
- Longest Travel Day: 2 hour ferry from Koh Tao –> Chumphon –> 40 min bus to Train Station –> 8.5 hour Sleeper Train to Bangkok (Thailand)
- Favorite Tourist Attraction: Temples of Bagan, Myanmar— Especially when chasing a sunrise or sunset on motorbikes with a gang of hostel friends.
- Favorite Cultural Experience: Alms Giving Ceremony, Luang Prabang, Laos — The daily offering of food and gifts to monks at 5am.
- Best Festival: Songkran Water Festival celebrating the Thai New Year, Chiang Mai, Thailand — A country-wide 3-day water fight. Don’t expect to get to dinner without getting drenched.
- Best Nature Experience: Kuang Si Waterfalls, near Luang Prabang, Laos
- Coolest Temple: Kek Lok Si, Penang, Malaysia – Lit up for Chinese New Year
- Best Accommodation: Penthouse Airbnb in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Worst Accommodation: Paddys Bar Backpackers and Dive Centre in Sabang, Puerto Galera, Philippines
- Best Host: Bill Nguyen at Golden Lotus Guesthouse in Luang Prabang, Laos
- Hottest Day: Over 105 degrees Fahrenheit in Bagan, Myanmar
- Most Beautiful Beach: Islands of El Nido, Palawan, The Philippines
- Nastiest Beach: Puerto Galera, The Philippines— Very polluted
- Best Sunset: Sunset Bar in El Nido, Philippines
- Best Sunrise: Haad Rin Beach, Koh Phangan – After the all night full moon party and viewed from a floating position in the ocean.
- Most Utilized Western Comfort: Sour Cream & Onion Pringles
- Best Nightlife: Koh Phi Phi, Thailand
- Best Boat Ride: Batangas to Sabang, Philippines – Our first boat ride in Asia, during an epic sunset.
- Best Café: Cappuccino Coffehouse serving French Pastries and fancy coffee drinks on Koh Tao, Thailand— Our pre-scuba class breakfast spot for five days.
- Best Skyline: Hong Kong Island
- Best Tour Guide: Mo Mo, who led us 36 miles on foot through the hills of Myanmar over the course of three days (he does this in flip-flops 2x a week, every week).
- Best Mode of Transportation: Motorbikes – Thankfully no injuries!!
- Clearest Water: Koh Phi Phi, Thailand
- Best Airport: Incheon International Airport (ICN), Seoul, South Korea
- Most Reliable Western Food: French fries
- Best Streetfood: The Banh Mi Queen, Hoi An, Vietnam – OMG!
- Cheapest Country Overall: The Philippines
- Best Night Market: Rot Fai Market (Train Market), Bangkok, Thailand
- Biggest Cultural Difference: Squatter toilets – and you have to buy your own T.P!
The Neophiles 