With its beautiful character design and story that have captured the hearts of people from around the world, it’s no wonder that Sailor Moon is still a popular series today. As someone who grew up with the English dub of the anime in America, I am proud to say it is still one of my all time favorites. Though there have been a number of pop-up Sailor Moon cafes that last for a limited time, a new and permanent theater show restaurant called Shining Moon has permanently opened this year. I decided to check it out with one of my best friends and I genuinely enjoyed my experience here. The live performances definitely added a lot to it!
During dinner time two immaculate shows with professional actors are performed. One is recordable and the other is non-recordable. Both will keep you on your toes because they feature a lot of fighting, singing, and dancing with colorful visuals. One began with Usagi dancing at a ball with Tuxedo Mask, only to wake up and find it was all a dream! Another was completely original and showed the girls visiting different areas of Tokyo (like Harajuku and Asakusa), then being swarmed by villians that they need to defeat. The shows did a good job in showcasing each girl’s abilities and giving them equal time on stage. It really felt like I was watching a live version of the anime.
At this time the restaurant only features the inner senshi and it is unknown if other characters will be featured. I see it being possible in the future as long as this restaurant continues to attract customers (which it is).
Before entering the cafe, you must make a reservation online in advance (we did a few days before) and pay by using credit card. This cafe is a bit more expensive compared to the other themed ones; dinner is 8500 yen for S seats and 7500 yen for A seats. The lunch time option is only 3500 yen but doesn’t include the show. However, a drink and a meal is included in all of these prices. Here are some of the things that we ordered:
I genuinely enjoyed the Jupiter Seafood Pasta and Venus Crepes I ordered. They had drinks for all of the Sailor Scouts too! Every food item that you order comes with a free Sailor Moon plate which makes the entry fee worth it. They also have a gift store you can buy special goods from. The menu items seem to rotate every month, so please check the online menu in advance to see what’s available. Fortunately they had some vegetarian options available.
At the end of the shows, all of the actors will come out and wave at you! It was amazing to see them up close. Their outfits were very detailed and they stayed enthusiastic until the very end. It was a very memorable experience!
Address
〒106-0045 Tokyo, Minato City, Azabujuban, 1 Chome−10, ジュールＡ
Pop-up Sailor Moon Cafe (2017)
Earlier in 2017 I went to a pop-up Sailor Moon Cafe that was available for 2 months in Omotesando. Here are some old photos that I took. I really enjoyed the design of the Usagi and Mamoru pancakes, and the cotton candy Luna drink:
This cafe is now closed, but sometimes they have themed collaboration cafes that open in this rental space and it’s possible there will be another Sailor Moon one in the future. I will be sure to write about it if it happen!
Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever.
I never thought that I’d be spending the first night of my third trip to Seoul dressing up in Slytherin robes at a Harry Potter cafe, but recently life has been taking me to some interesting places. 943 King’s Cross Cafe is located in the Hongdae district and features magical concoctions, beautiful Hogwarts-inspired interior decor, and costumes you can borrow and dress up in. Immediately I was seduced by the Dragon’s Blood and eyeball cocktail upon entering (fortunately no advanced reservations were required). After my long flight, sipping on some vodka and relaxing at this 5 floor cafe seemed like the perfect way to relax.
I have been to the Harry Potter cafes in both Tokyo and Singapore before, but Seoul’s by far was the most extravagant. I appreciated the long boarding school-like tables they had on one floor, but they also had couches and tables for small groups on other floors. Each floor had a unique theme and the top floor even had a Christmas tree since I came here during the winter. Many paintings were hung on the walls mimicking the Hogwarts portraits. Although they couldn’t talk, under the fluorescent lighting they almost looked like they could! A dementor was hidden in one of the stairwells and gave me a great surprise. Luckily I didn’t stare it in the eyes, or else my trip would have ended there.
The menu had a lot of desserts that you could order individually, but unfortunately the food menu was designed for large groups (like many restaurants are in Seoul). Fortunately I wasn’t bothered by this because cocktails and desserts were all I wanted anyway! The main draw of this cafe is the free robes that you can borrow on the 5th floor. I had so much fun taking pictures and all of the people around me were genuinely thrilled to be here. There’s also a gift shop with some very cute Slytherin earrings that I almost bought (but I decided to look at the night market instead).
Experiencing childhood memories in a foreign country is truly something special. I would recommend coming here if you are a fan of the series because it is truly something magical.
The Imperial Palace Brightly shines brightly in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
On my last day in Cambodia, I decided to take a walk to the Imperial Palace in Phnom Penh and try some aesthetic food at the cafes nearby. What an amazing trip this was! I had the opportunity to visit the killing fields and learn about the brutal history of Cambodia, rave in a jungle on Koh Rong, volunteer with bears, and also see the historic temples of Angkor Wat. I ended my trip by coming to the capital city to see how it has reshaped itself since the rule of the Khmer Rouge. Phnom Penh reminded me of a smaller Ho Chi Minh City because there were a lot of motorcycle commuters and international travelers with tiny shops that lined the streets. It was a bit harder to traverse on foot compared to Siem Reap with all of the traffic, but it is definitely worth checking out.
Since I had done a lot of traveling in this country, I spent a lot of time relaxing in my room at Lovely Jubbly Villa, which I highly recommend staying at. They have an excellent bar by the pool with a happy hour every night and the staff are extremely friendly. Plus the panda mascot is so adorable! The perks of coming during the off season is that it is very easy to make friends and go out with the Cambodian locals here. My hotel was able to help me book cheap tuk tuk rides and a ride to the airport, and they had cheap tours you could book the day of. It was such a pleasant stay and I was sad to leave, but 10 days here was enough for me to see everything that I wanted.
Overall I was extremely impressed by the warmth and friendliness that everyone showed me here. Most people that come to Cambodia have already been to Thailand and are looking for a different experience. I was able to meet a lot of cool people that inspired me to travel to other Asian countries as well. It’s amazing how much this country has built itself back up since its destructive civil war in the 1970s.
If you have any questions about traveling to Cambodia, please see my original itinerary, or feel free to ask me in the comments.
When caught up in work, stress, and a maze of relationships, it’s often easy to lose sight of yourself and forget what is important. Though I love living in Tokyo, I find it often hard to relax here and there is an endless amount of events occurring which really places a lot of pressure on my life. Spending 4 days on the small Cambodian island of Koh Rong in Koh Touch, a small village that only stretches for about a mile, really taught me taught me some valuable lessons I will treasure for life.
It was here where I went to my first old-school rave in the jungle and learned to live frugally compared to my extravagant city life. The villagers were extremely kind and I was always surrounded by friendly people that took care of me despite the fact that I ventured here completely alone. My time here really helped me let go of a lot of anxieties and insecurities I had that were holding me back recently. Though I have many caring friends in all the countries I have visited, being in this setting helped me resurface to reality and form an entirely new perspective so I could enter a new mindset that I couldn’t reach before. I am still trying to find the proper words to convey exactly what happened, so I am just going to start from the beginning and write it all as I feel it.
The night began I as I wandered from my treehouse from around 9pm to a local bar called Karma, just because it had a lot of pretty murals, dank music, and was the designated pre-game spot before the rave in the jungle. The best way to find out where these places are at is by word of mouth (simply by asking someone that works at the bar what’s going on for the night). Here I met a crazy diverse group of people (one banker, one bar owner, and one government worker) who I really hit it off with so they ordered me some happy cookies, shots, and some Turkish coffee (which is just really strong, delicious tasting coffee) to keep me awake. We all just had the same vibe–this was our first time in Koh Rong and we wanted to go out for the night but didn’t know what to expect–so we stuck together. Fortunately all of us were experienced travelers who had done the Fullmoon Parties in Thailand already and were looking for something different. And an absolutely insane night full of neon lights, fantastic music, and important self-discoveries was ahead of us!
If you haven’t heard, the main reason that people flock to Koh Rong is because of their weekly beach parties on the un-ironically named Police Beach. In addition to the vivid nightlife, there is a ton of unspoiled nature and beaches to explore. The reason I love Koh Rong is because unlike other places, it usually only has one event going on per night such as beach parties, bar hopping, or game nights between small groups of people. There is no competition between events and everyone that shows up is generally friendly and looking to have a good time. I did not encounter one unpleasant person while on this island. I came during the off-season in October, but the weather was still sunny with only mild rain. It was perfectly suited for me because I never felt like I was missing out.
We arrived almost at the start of the party because we were already buzzed and ready to dance. I wasn’t extremely familiar with any of the DJs but they did a great job of mixing really classic techno songs. I liked the venue because it had an indoor area that protects you from the rain, lounge chairs where you can relax and smoke joints, and nicely-sized dancefloor, and an outdoor area where you could relax on the beach but still hear the music. It wasn’t anything fancy because it was partially in the jungle, but it was perfect for what it was. I have been to many clubs in Asia so I was looking for something different like this.
Basically anything goes at this party–it preserves the old rave culture that is lost to Japan and many other places. If you’re looking for something, then you’re likely to find it if you make friends with people beforehand. I also loved the fact that wild dogs would roll up to the party and fall asleep on the ground (they were friendly and nice). While I was at this party I really had a lot of fun twirling on the dance floor and running across the beach. I felt relaxed, energized, and full of life. It reminded me of being in college again, so I messaged some of my old college friends and told them I was thinking of them while I was there (since it was day time in the US and they were awake we had some great convos).
I stuck with the group of people that I had met earlier, but also was in my head for the most of the night. To be honest I don’t remember a lot of things, but I was able to reach a level of thinking where I could compartmentalize my stress and anxieties and manage them a lot better. That in itself made the entire experience worth it.
When the clock struck 6am, we climbed down to the beach and watched the sunrise. It was breathtaking. The sun looked like a red beady dot that was emerging from a sea of clouds, just like how we were all slowly trickling out of the jungle to the beach. Earlier that night I had put a lot of effort into my appearance but at this time of morning I didn’t have a single care in the world. I felt like a mermaid as I swam in the cool water.
When the party ended, I didn’t go to sleep. I ran back to my treehouse and blasted my favorite songs from my balcony. I met one of the bartenders on the way walking his dog and we had a lovely conversation. Then I waded in the water until the first ferries arrived and sailed off to Koh Rong Samloem Island (which I will cover in my next post). Overall, this was one of the best party experiences I had in my life, and I am so grateful I made the decision to come out here.
Compared to the beautiful islands I traveled to in Thailand, this was like an off-the-grid, undiscovered, party paradise that only the true backpackers make it to.
It’s not as if Thailand lacks an authentic culture…but the country, especially its islands, has been inundated with foreign tourism for so long that it’s far more difficult to forge sincere connections than it was on Koh Rong.
The biggest issue with islands in Thailand is that they are sometimes overcrowded with tourists so it’s difficult to partake in genuine Thai culture while you are there. Plus because their Full Moon parties attract a large number of tourists, there are always other smaller underground parties going on at the same time as competition. If you are only in Thailand for a short time, then it’s really impossible to hit up all the events. However, at Koh Rong you never have the fear of missing out and can really learn from the culture of the people there. The parties take place away from the hotel area so you can easily escape them if you need to. There is a sense of peace and balance on Koh Rong that you’d never find elsewhere. From what I’ve heard, Thailand used to be like this in the 80s, but this kind of culture is starting to fade away with the huge tourist boom. However, I am extremely grateful I had the opportunity to travel to both countries and make friends.
Will I come back to Koh Rong to resurface to reality again in the future? Perhaps one day. Next I have my sights set on the Philippines and Indonesia which I likely will traverse next year! But this has been my best island experience by far so I likely will try to go again. Thank you to everyone for reading my heartfelt post.
Koh Rong, a tropical island in the Sihanoukville Province of Cambodia, is an extremely attractive destination with its white-sand beaches, jungle full of waterfalls and wildlife, and its weekly parties on Police Beach. Though the island is about the size of Hong Kong, most of it is undeveloped so it feels like an untouched paradise. Most of the villages here only stretch for about a mile so everyone recognizes one another and knows each other by name. I compare a lot of the islands that I’ve traveled to The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker, but this actually felt like an island straight out of an RPG the way it was laid out. There are tons of places you can freely explore on foot, and you can also take boat taxis to access more remote parts of the island. Or just stay in the main village and enjoy drinking with the locals every night on the beach!
Similar to Koh Phangan in Thailand, there are Full Moon Parties thrown here that attract a lot of backpackers, but the atmosphere of this island is truly rural and more off-the-grid than any other island I have ever traveled to. Most of the people I met here had already been to Thailand and were looking for a different experience. I learned a lot from the observing the life of the villagers here and am extremely excited to share my experience!
Getting to Koh Rong
In order to reach Koh Rong, you must fly or take a bus to Sihanoukville and take a ferry because there are no airports on the island. I opted to take an overnight bus from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville that I booked through 12goAsia for $25. The journey was 10 hours, but I actually slept quite well on the bus because I was exhausted from exploring Angkor Wat and the floating village.
When I first booked this bus, I was expecting to meet some strange people (like those you see riding the MegaBus in America), but I was surprised to see that actually everyone riding this bus was quite normal. Everyone around me were international backpackers trying to save money, so we opted for the cheaper route. I even cheersed the guy that was holding a beer beside me with my tiny bottle of wine. After about an hour, almost everyone was asleep so it was a pleasant ride.
Sihanoukville itself is a strange town full of construction and Chinese-owned casinos. The roads are absolutely chaotic, and though it has beaches, the ones in Koh Rong are much more beautiful so I would not recommend staying here. Go straight to Koh Rong and experience life in paradise instead! The ferry ticket there was only $11 and the ride was about 30 minutes long. Though the overnight journey took a while, everything I was about to discover on the island would make it worth it.
Staying in a Treehouse
Since the village of Koh Touch is near the weekly Police Beach parties, I opted to book a private room at Treehouse Bungalows. I paid around $50 a night for this room, but in my opinion, the stay was worth it! Not only is it quiet and more private than other hostels, but it also has a great view of the beach. I enjoyed playing music from my balcony and being up in the trees. There is a wonderful restaurant down below, and a massage place on the beach that I went to nearly every day. For those looking for cheaper options, please check Hostelworld (some dorms are only $5 per night).
I made a somewhat funny video to commemorate my treehouse stay which you can watch below:
Sunset on Long Beach, which I was informed by one of the islanders is the best beach to watch the sunset.
During my first day at Koh Rong I decided to explore the beach nearby my treehouse called 4K beach, and I also hired a motorcycle driver for $30 to take me to some of the other remote beaches. What amazed me is how truly undeveloped this island is. Most of the roads are made of dirt and some twist through the jungle, so I would recommend hiring an experienced driver or a boat taxi your first time. These can easily be found within the village, and the bartenders can also recommend you where to get a cheap ride. There is also a lot of abandoned property on the island. I really hope it is put to use someday, because the atmosphere of this island is lovely.
Sweet Dreams Beach was the first place that we ventured to. It was extremely gorgeous with its swimming pool and paved road to the beach. I saw a few families staying here because this is a safe and relatively quiet location away from the main village:
The next place we went to was Long Beach so I could go swimming and watch the sunset. My driver told me that in the fall season this is the only place where you can clearly watch it, so I was grateful to see this on my first night. I think this is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island because it is extremely quiet and pristine.
In addition to the beaches that I visited, you can find a fantastic Koh Rong Beach Guide here. There is also a nearby island called Koh Rong Samloem with a nice vibe that I will be covering in my next post. Overall I really loved staying on the main Koh Rong island due to all of the nice people that I met and the privacy of my treehouse.
Finding Happiness
Throughout the main village of Koh Touch (and other locations in Cambodia) you will see signs advertising “happy” consumables that you can buy, but also signs reminding you that you cannot buy happiness. What do these things all mean, and what is happiness to Cambodian people and travelers on this island?
Happiness is Khmer is “សុផមង្គល” (so ph mongkol), but rarely will you see the word written in anything but English. Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world, and many of the country’s people were slaughtered by their own kind or forced into slavery during the rule of the Khmer Rouge. The country is still rebuilding itself from those times and the devastation from the war is very apparent. However while traveling here–especially on this island–I saw nothing but smiles from all of the local people. As a fellow traveler examines in The Happiness Plunge:
“When you live through a genocide, life is kind of like a miracle. And maybe the people here live each day like it’s a miracle.
I suppose when every day is a miracle, you see things you wouldn’t otherwise see – things that make you smile.”
A lot of backpackers come here to escape life and party on the beach to find happiness, as well as consume psychedelics and cannabis to forget their worries, but the miracle of happiness and life that Cambodian people have cannot be replicated by this. However, staying on this island gives everyone a chance to connect with one another and appreciate nature while learning about the culture of this country. This feeling cannot be bought because happiness is not a concrete thing or consumable, but it can be shared a celebrated with others and found within yourself. Though the horrors that Cambodia has faced in the past cannot be erased, we can do our best to pay our respects and look forward to a brighter tomorrow.
Happiness is both a journey and realizing to be thankful for what you have in life. Whether it takes a happy cookie or a long journey to realize this depends on you. But if you make it all the way out to Koh Rong, likely you will find happiness in some way or form. Life here is so different than living in the city or a first-world country. People have simple lives and because of it they are relatively carefree. You can learn a lot by simply spending a few days here. If you are living a high-stress life, then coming here may simply be the cure.
In my next article, I will be writing about the techno rave in the jungle I went to while I was here for my birthday and re-examine happiness once more. Thank you for reading.
Angkor Wat’s nostalgic reflection in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Traditionally every year during the half of October I spend my birthday alone on a remote island in Asia. Traveling to the final destination takes a lot of research and effort, but in return gives me valuable time to reflect on life and also become acquainted with a new culture. Past destinations have included Okinawa and Yakushima (Japan) and Phu Quoc (Vietnam), which were all unforgettable experiences that have taught me a lot about myself and the stunning world around me. This year I wanted to go somewhere similar that had tropical beaches and lush nature so I could relax and do photography. Since I’ve already been to Thailand twice and loved it, I decided to try one of its adventurous neighboring countries: Cambodia.
Cambodia is beautiful, less developed country with a sad past (which I’ll get into later), but is now extremely safe for foreign tourists and backpackers to travel to. Like Thailand and Vietnam, the majority of people you will meet speak English and are quite friendly. On a rainy day while I was in Australia, I came up with a tentative Cambodia itinerary which I managed to successfully complete in the 10 days while I was here. Please take a look at it for reference if you plan on traveling to Cambodia in the future!
Overall, this trip was extremely eye-opening and completely changed my outlook on how I should live my life. Staying 4 days on a small Cambodian island in a village that only stretched for about a mile taught me how to live frugally compared to my extravagant city life. The villagers there were extremely kind and I was always surrounded by friendly people that took care of me. This really helped me let go of a lot of anxieties and insecurities I had that were holding me back recently. Though I have many caring friends in all the countries I have visited, being in this setting helped me resurface to reality and form an entirely new perspective so I could enter a new mindset that I couldn’t reach before. I am very excited to start this blog series and share the knowledge I have gained with others.
Exploring Siem Reap’s Pub Street
Pub Street: A endless expat all-night party complete with strobe lights and neon signs.
I chose Siem Reap as my first destination simply because it is the cheapest city to fly to from Tokyo and has all of the famous temples to explore. Fortunately getting a visa to Cambodia is quite easy; all you need to do is fill out a form and pay $30 to enter the country for a short-term stay. You can do this upon arrival, but I applied for an e-visa through Cambodia’s official government website. This will speed up the process and ensure your swift entry into the country. *Please be wary of other advertised e-visa websites on Google because they are often double in price.
I arrived to the center of the city around 9pm, just in time to try some of the infamous “happy pizza” adjacent to Pub Street–every bar lover’s dream. What is happy pizza exactly, and why is it sold openly around Cambodia?
Traditionally, marijuana was used as a herb in some Khmer dishes to complement the flavour. In the provinces, it’s also used by some for medicinal purposes.
Though recreational marijuana is illegal in Cambodia and most Asian countries, the “happy” foods and drinks sold here create a loophole in which it can be safely consumed by travelers. In addition to happy pizza, they also have regular pizza and food here as well. I decided to try the Happy Angkor Pizza restaurant first due to its raving Google Reviews:
Needless to say, I was extremely satisfied with the light vegetarian pizza I ordered, so I tried another nearby restaurant called Ecstatic Pizza too. “Why just be happy, when you can be ecstatic?” the official website questions you. After my long 10 hour flight, I definitely needed to relax and the “add some extra :)” for a mere $3 more on my receipt did just the trick. I felt calm and ready to explore the rest of Pub Street.
What I walked into was a street full of strobe lights, loud music, and people from around the world dancing in a trance under the light of the moon. Fortunately I was in the perfect state of mind to join them:
Angkor What?
The first bar I checked out was called Angkor What? which is a hilarious pun of the famous temple I was going to the next day. It is actually the oldest bar in Siem Reap and has been “Promoting Irresponsible Drinking since 1998” (though the atmosphere was kind and welcoming with no overly drunk people like in Tokyo). It’s mindblowing to think about how the oldest bar in Siem Reap is actually younger than me!
Though obviously aimed at expats, I enjoyed Pub Street more than I have other expat drinking holes I have visited in Japan and Thailand. This is because the street only stretches for a few blocks and is not overly crowded with obnoxious tourists. Most drinks are priced from $3 – $5 and are extremely affordable. The menus contained a variety of imported beers, fruity cocktails, and other hard liquors. Despite the dirt-cheap prices, I was pleasantly surprised to not run into any reckless drinkers–everyone that I met was just drinking to relax and enjoy the night. And that’s how it should be.
After having my fill I wandered through the night markets (which are a lot similar to those found in Vietnam), walked by a few “Doc of Fish” massage places (I’ve already tried this in Tokyo and it’s quite a weird sensation), then I decided to go back to my hotel. I stayed in a private room at the Jasmin Hotel for less than $20 a night. I highly recommend it because it is close to the center of the city and has a beautiful pool. I was able to sleep peacefully and wake up in time for my tour the next day, as well as finish my morning workout.
I will be writing in detail about my trek through the famous Angkor Wat temples in my next blog entry this week. Thank you to all of my readers! I will try to be as open and honest about my experiences here as possible.
For the past 2 weeks I’ve been invading Australia; starting from the southern picturesque city of Melborune to the charming countryside of Adelaide. Since a number of my Japanese friends have studied abroad or traveled to this country, it’s always been on my radar. Unlike my previous trips to Asian countries where I have a set itinerary for each day, this trip was a lot more easygoing and spontaneous. A friend I met at a beach party in Japan kindly let me crash at their place near the center of the city, so together we decided to hit the city while catching up and also experience the seemingly endless nightlife.
A lot of my American friends have asked me what Melbourne was like, and I told them: “Picture a cleaner, safer, version of your favorite American city with slightly less people, and that’s pretty much it!” One thing I notice about most Australians is that they are pretty laidback and travel more frequently outside the county than a lot of Americans do. Australia is very affordable to live in, and the tuition fees for education are greatly subsidized by the government compared to America. The only downside is that eating out is somewhat expensive, but on the plus side, there is no tipping like in the US.
This trip initially started out very rough because I negligently forgot to apply for my ETA to enter the country (I thought I could do so upon arrival), so Jetstar had to reschedule my flight a day later after I applied for it. Essentially all you need to do is fill out a form online and pay $30 to enter the country so it’s extremely easy, but make sure to do this before your flight! I have never had issues with tourist visas until this trip, but it was only a small bump in the road because I still was able to do everything I wanted.
Once I landed, I took the Sky Bus to Southern Cross Station to meet my friend. Immediately he recognized me due to my flamboyant blonde hair despite us not seeing one another for over two years. We first got some lattes at Mid Town Coffee which I highly recommend, then immediately proceeded to go day drinking at Melborune’s famous rooftop bar. The coffee and the White Russians somehow helped me fight off the jetlag as we walked around Chinatown and other parts of the city. What I liked most about Melbourne is that almost all of the downtown area is walkable and there are inexpensive trams available as well. The system is very easy to figure out.
Being in Australia felt like being in an alternate universe America. Instead of GameStop, they still have EB Games, which seems to have more selection and be far more superior. Forget about Burger King–it’s called Hungry Jack’s here. Porn Hub should cum and get their pizza. 8bit burgers is also a great place to eat out (I love their logo design). Lord of the Fries is not only a good pun, but they also has an entire vegan menu. Despite living in Tokyo, I tried a lot of Japanese places here that were a little expensive but overall delicious. Wagaya was one of my favorites due to its large sake list, but Japanese Gyoza Bar deserves an honorable mention. Those are just a few of the places that we visited, but there are many more!
My favorite dessert places were Chokolait, where I had amazing rainbow pancakes made with pavlova, and a cakeshop called Glace where I had an amazing mushroom pastry. They also had a really cute marshmallow one I wish I could have tried, but was too full!
There are a number of bars along the Yarra river that runs through the city, but my favorites were Storyville where I ordered Butterbeer, and the Croft where one of my Japanese friends DJed. They also have syringe drinks available that are very tasty and fun to share with others. All of these places had really friendly and welcoming atmospheres, and I even managed to make friends in the bathroom!
One event I recommend checking out is Delight because they run really fun music events with Smash Bros. tournaments at various locations in central Melbourne. I met some very nice people here, and was impressed with the quality of music.
それを考えぬく – EMBRACE
One of my favorite memories in this city was drinking Korean sochu while watching Kenny Beats & Zack Fox with two friends in an office building. I felt like I was reliving my college days and it was extremely nostalgic. The above poster I shot inspires you to let go of your thoughts and embrace your surroundings, which is exactly what I did during this trip. It was really beneficial for my mental health.
Seeing this Shelter poster hanging in my friend’s room only continued to add to the nostalgia.
Overall I was very impressed with this city and felt like I could finally escape from my high-stress life in Tokyo. Some people refer to Melbourne as the “hipster” area of Australia, but I think it has a lot more to offer than just chic cafes and murals like other places that have that label. I will be writing more about the art galleries and wildlife reserves I visited in my future posts so you can get a better feel about what this country is like, but I recommend that you visit it if you ever get the chance!
With its historic temples, crowds of people wearing colorful kimonos, and perfect view of the mountains from its central station, Kyoto is hands down one of my favorite cities in Japan.
However, a rainy day can definitely damper plans! Instead of going hiking in the mountains and risk being stranded in a downpour, I decided to check out the local cafes and stumbled upon Alpha Foods & Drinknear Nijo Castle. This is a relatively new cafe with a hipster vibe that will definitely brighten your day!
Mimicking the weather, I decided to order the “clouds over coffee” cotton candy drink. You can choose other drinks like hot cocoa, banana milk, and soy milk coffee (which I chose). The cotton candy stick is creatively balanced so the steam from the drink will slowly melt it in for a subtle sugary taste. Additionally, you can choose to eat the cotton candy separately if you prefer or request a cold drink instead.
Another reason to come to the cafe is to meet the owner’s extremely adorable miniature schnauzer! She was an extremely polite yet energetic dog that sat quietly on the couch but was friendly when I approached her:
My Japanese friend also took me to this extremely charming % Arabica Coffee store in Higashiyama which is unique to Kyoto but is gradually expanding due to its popularity with the locals. He claimed it was one of the best coffee shops in Japan due to the founder exporting coffee beans and owning his own coffee farm.
Was it really worth the hype? Yes, it was! Usually I don’t always try coffee shops with large crowds like this one, but the wait time wasn’t too bad. However, I tried the iced coffee latte, and was extremely impressed with not only the taste but also the cup design:
Overall, I had an amazing time exploring both of these places even though the weather wasn’t favorable. Both of these drinks were cheaper than Starbucks and more delicious too! I’ve been to Kyoto nearly 5 or 6 times, but there are always new things to explore each time I come!
Malaysia is a country where you can find an abundance of places such as remote beaches, penthouses with infinity pools, markets, skyscrapers, temples, and more amazing architecture. I loved the diversity that the city of Kuala Lumpur had to offer. Though the center of the city is quite fancy, the country itself is actually very affordable to travel in, making it a popular destination for backpackers. I traveled here via bus for three days after exploring Singapore, and was extremely happy with all the sights I was able to see.
I recommend staying at least three days in KL to make sure you have time to see everything. Much of the city is reachable on foot or via train, but since it was cheap I used the Grab app to call taxis around the city. With the tropical weather, delicious food, and affordable accommodations, you really can’t go wrong traveling here! Here are the places that I definitely recommend seeing:
Petaling Street & Chinatown
The Chinatown district of KL is always very lively and has a ton of cultural aspects to enjoy. When exploring a new country, my strategy is always to usually start with the local market to see what the downtown area was like. That is why I chose to come here early in the day, though most places are usually open until around 11pm or later. The market on Petaling Street had an array of knockoff handbags and interesting items. I managed to score a seemingly authentic-looking Ted Baker bag for less than $50. Prices here are open to negotiation, and I recommend that you look around!
If you’re not into shopping. there is still a lot to see around this area because it’s very close to KL’s central transit station. I explored the local Sri Mahamariamman Temple, which is the oldest Hindu temple in the city. I also got some local street food that tasted amazing! I recommend that you try the local fried rice dishes and curry here.
I also tried “ABC Ice”, which is a very unique Malaysian spin on shaved ice:
The top of it tasted like traditional shaved ice you find in Japan–it was topped with condensed milk which made it extremely sweet and delicious. However, at the bottom it was filled with jelly cubes, sweet beans, and this mysterious green noodle sweet I had never tasted before! It was refreshing, but the texture of the toppings they placed at the bottom as a bit too much for me… However, I was happy that I tried it!
The Batu Caves
The Batu Caves is a beautiful area with rainbow stairs leading to a limestone cave with temples inside. There are actually a total of five caves, but the central ones with the golden statue of Lord Murugan are the most frequented. Though the hill looks steep, it actually only takes approximately 8 minutes to climb. The caves are extremely gorgeous, and this trip is a relaxing escape from the city that only takes approximately 30 minutes to reach. I enjoyed sipping on some fresh coconut juice while going on this short hike. To reach the Dark Cave, it is required you book a tour, but you can see the majority of the area without one.
Petronas Towers
The Petronas Towers are an iconic landmark of KL and are currently the tallest twin towers in the world. At night they light up and you can find groups of people gathered around them because they are in the heart of the city. When you first enter them, you will find an upscale shopping district called Suria KLCC. However, on the 41st and 42nd floor, you will find the skybridge that connects the two towers. You can go up to the top and take some stunning photos. This is an ingenious design because it saves a ton of time walking through here rather than from one building to the other. This very well could be the future of architecture!
Bukit Bintang
Bukit Bintang is the main bar street of KL, and there’s a lot of adventures to be had here! Though I only had two nights to explore it, I came across this upscale Asian bistro called Opium that I really enjoyed. They had a ton of Asian cuisine (Thai, Maylasian, Japanese, Vietnamese), as well as some fascinating cocktails. I tried the spiced rum and coffee cocktails. Though they were a bit pricey, just two of them got me pretty tipsy.
I then briefly popped into the club called Zion (Sieg Zion)! The pro was that it was free, the con was that it played mainly American hiphop music with no variety, but I was bought a handful of drinks by locals so it was a night well spent. The club was big enough to dance, and I’m curious to know what the music selection is like on other nights.
Final Thoughts
Though this might not be the first trip on your itinerary, as someone who’s lived in Asia for a while, I can definitely say traveling here is like a breath of fresh air. The country is extremely safe, and I enjoyed experiencing the culture of the people that live here. It feels familiar because everyone speaks English, but also extremely foreign at the same time. The biggest culture shock for me was that people eat rice with their bare hands! However, people were extremely polite and kind to me, and it reminded me of Thailand at times. Please consider taking a trip here.
Singapore is not only home to the courageous Merlion, but is also a reputably safe country to go drinking in. Like many big cities in Asia, Singapore has no shortage of unique night life places to explore until the early hours of the morning. The plus is that almost everyone in this country speaks English among other languages and are generally helpful and willing to talk to you. Most bars and clubs usually stay open until 1am-4am depending on the day. Essentially whatever you’re in the mood for you’ll probably find here!
A lot of people enjoy drinking in the upscale Clarke Quay district near the heart of the city, but I did my best to venture off the beaten path and into the bars with unique themes and original cocktails. Here are my top picks:
When I was researching bars online, the name and theme of this one caught my attention right away. Who doesn’t love a Nintendo-themed bar?! Not only that, but they also have a number of Midway Arcade machines available to play, a worthy collection of cartridges displayed on the wall, and an original hand-drawn menu (my favorite was the shooters page). There are also DJs that frequently play a handful of genres depending on the event. I came during oldies night which wasn’t really my taste, but I still enjoyed the atmosphere of the bar. Seeing “It’s on like Donkey Kong” written in the Sega font IRL in a foreign country was surreal.
The downside was the crowd was mostly drunken expats, and the music was loud so it was difficult to hear anyone. Nineteen80 is definitely a “get up and dance” bar when they have weekend parties, so be sure to come here when you have properly pre-gamed (fortunately I had). The cover fee was around 18 SD, but that included one drink so it wasn’t bad. If the music was more my type, I’m sure I would have stayed here a lot longer.
This bar is situated near Chinatown, and is also in the gay district so there are a lot of interesting bars nearby. I would recommend getting here before your main destination on your barhopping journey.
The deer seats add an interesting aesthetic to this Harry Potter cafe.
As someone who’s been a Harry Potter fan for more than half of their life, I could not pass up the opportunity to go to this magically themed cafe. They not only brew magical potions filled with booze, but also have a full food menu with delicately crafted desserts. I had previously gone to the Wizarding Worlds Cafe in Tokyo and had a great experience, so I wanted to see how this place measured up. Platform 1904 has a more extensive menu and less of a wait time since it’s a permanent establishment (as compared to the pop-up cafe that I went to). I enjoyed ordering a golden snitch cake and the Flaming Brew Cocktail because the presentation was very elaborate:
In addition to the golden snitch cake, there are many other colorful pastries for sale that all beautifully capture the Harry Potter theme:
The only downside of this cafe was the price. I could buy a lot more food for a cheaper price at most restaurants around this area, but I came here once again for the experience. One dish and one dessert are pretty filling, plus I mastered the art of potions class and took some neat photos in the process!
This restaurant is located Serangoon Road where many of the hostels are, so I was able to walk here.
First of all, I love the name of this restaurant–it truly stands out for being a Korean bistro. Second of all, I love the shochu cocktails here. They are absolutely gigantic and craftily tipped into a glass of margarita mix to create a wonderful flavor. Though I’ve been to Korea twice, I’ve never seen a cocktail like this before:
What happens in Singapore stays in Singapore.
In addition to this crazy concoction, they also have a ton of westernized Korean food available. The kimchi fries caught my eye, but the downside of this bar was that all of the portion sizes were too huge for one person to finish. Though I very much enjoyed my shochu cocktail, I was only able to get through half of it. I looked around and nobody else at the bar was able to finish it either! Though in this case it was worth the money, I wish they sold their food and drinks in smaller portion sizes so it wouldn’t get wasted.
This bar is located near Chinatown not far from Nineteen80. I recommend getting only one drink here, else you will easily get full.
Overall I was extremely happy with my bar choices, because I had the chance to try so many crazy things that I’ll always remember. I hope that those traveling through Singapore find my experiences helpful!
