Tag: trip

Super Aesthetic Adventures in Taiwan

taiwan

On the first day of 2020, I have decided to fly to Taipei from Tokyo and embark on yet another wild adventure!  A year ago I was at a Full Moon Party in Thailand, but this year I have decided to focus on hiking and photographing the various destinations in this country.  Fortunately the western new year isn’t widely celebrated in Taiwan due to the country honoring the Chinese New Year (which occurs later in January), so everywhere I want to go to will be open.  The dates I have chosen are 1/1 – 1/9 which should give me enough time to see everything I want.

Taiwan has been on my radar for a long time because not only is it cheap to fly there (I only paid $250 for a roundtrip flight), but also it has great hiking destinations and a number of my favorite Tokyo producers have played there.  The weather is much warmer than Tokyo, and it has a high speed rail so it’s much faster to get around places compared to other Asian countries.  I am super excited to try the delicious food, meet both new and old friends, and also try out the GoPro Camera that I just bought!

My planned itinerary (so far) is listed below:

Tokyo → Taipei → Jifuen → Hualien (Taroko Gorge) → Taipei (Laomei Reef & Beaches) → Kaoshiung → Taichung → Taipei ↺ Tokyo

December 30th & 31st

During the last week of December there are an endless amount of parties going on in Tokyo.  On December 30th I am watching my friends of Trekkie Trax play at THE BASS, and the 31st I am watching them play again at ageHa Countdown 2020.  My flight leaves around 11:30am on the 1st which I booked through Scoot airlines.  I’ll have just enough time to run back to my apartment to get my luggage at 7am and make it to the airport.  There is no better way to go out than seeing the homies play twice.  Japan is usually quiet during the first week and a half of the new year, so overall this is a power move.

January 1st

I will arrive to Taipei around 3pm and begin exploring as much of the city as possible.  There are a number of places I wish to see such as the Songshan Ciyou Temple, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial, and Confucius Temple.  I also wish to eat at the Modern Toilet Restaurant and try some street food.  I noticed that there are a number of vegetarian and vegan options as well.  I will be staying at Come Inn Hostel for around $15 a night.  All accommodations in Taiwan are quite affordable so I will be spending most of my money on traveling around the country.

There is also an infamous bar called “The Fucking Place” (操場) where I am super excited to drink at.  It became a meme on my timeline when a Tokyo DJ got really lit there and I am stoked to experience it myself.

January 2nd

I booked a really cheap bus tour to Jifuen and Shifen (the famous lantern-filled village that inspired Spirited Away), and Yehliu Geopark through Get Your Guide.  Every website I’ve read recommends these places so I’d like to tackle them the first full day I’m here.  I’m sure they will be breathtaking and amazing!  I’m excited to light a lantern and see it burn bright in the sky.

At night I will be taking a two hour train ride to Hualien Station and staying in a cheap hostel called Cave.  I will be waking up at 7:30am the next morning to explore the famous Taroko Gorge.

January 3rd

One of the most famous national parks in Taiwan is Taroko Gorge, so I have decided to spend a full day hiking here.  There are a number of tours available, but a lot of the private ones are super expensive.  I decided on the highly-rated Better Taroko Gorge Tour, because it starts very early to avoid the crowds and you have the option of paying in cash.  It’s a group tour but I think I will enjoy it since the tour organizer that I’ve been corresponding with is friendly.  If I don’t like the people I can always just use my headphones to ignore them.  I am very stoked to see the Eternal Spring Shrine, learn about the culture of this region of Taiwan, and have some delicious Aboriginal food.

At night I will be taking a train back to Taipei and seeing Night Tempo at Club FINAL.  By coincidence, he and Neon City Records will be having an event during the same time that I’m here.  I haven’t seen senpai in almost a year, so this will be a lovely reunion!

January 4th

When I wake up I plan on heading straight for the beach.  I was informed it may be too cold to swim, but I’m not opposed to trying.  I am planning to see Laomei Reef and Baishawan Beach since they are two of the most photogenic places.  I will likely be tired from hiking and partying the previous day, so this will be my recovery day.  I will also check out the night markets in Taipei if I have time.

January 5th

After spending a day recharging, I will be taking the high speed rail to Kaoshiung City and exploring all of the famous sights.  First I want to see the street art and warehouses at Pier 2, then I will take a boat to the scenic Cijin Island that is only 5 minutes away from the port.  I plan on renting an electric bike (like I did in Jeju, Korea) and traveling along the island to the Rainbow Church and doing photography.  This island is very long and rectangular, so seeing it in one day is doable.  I will be staying at Legend Hotel Pier2 which is right near the beach too!

At night I plan on seeing the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas and stopping by J.C.co Art to try their realistic-looking dog cakes.  Kaoshiung is in southern Taiwan so I’m sure there will be a number of interesting things to see.

January 6th

When I feel satisfied with my sightseeing in Kaoshiung, I will head to the nearby Taichung City via train.  I’m most looking forward to seeing the Rainbow Village here.  There’s also a Sea of Flowers in Xinshe, the Cultural Heritage Park, and numerous hiking spots around here.  I’m going to play it by ear and see how energetic I feel.  I may end up just going to the Rainbow Village and a couple of breweries.  I will be staying at Loosha Hostel which is once again central and affordable.

January 7th

On this day I will be traveling to the lovely Sun and Moon Lake and taking the ropeway up to the mountains.  I will also be spending the majority of my day at Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village.  This has the tallest free-fall ride in Taiwan and also has a waterpark.  I’m not sure what the weather will be like, but I went to a similar park in Sentosa, Singapore and had an absolutely lovely time.  Regardless of how warm it is, I should be able to get some amazing shots while I’m here so I’ll be happy.  The lake is very large and also has frequent cruises.

January 8th

This will be my last full day in Taiwan, so I will head back to Taipei and resolve any unfinished business I have here here.  I plan to hike up Elephant Mountain, take a bus trip to the cat village, and also see the Golden Waterfall.  After this time I should feel extremely satisfied with all the places I have been.  Hopefully I get some good GoPro footage too.

January 9th

I will be heading back to Tokyo very early in the morning.  January is filled with amazing events in Japan.  I will be traveling to Nagoya the same weekend for another Pasocom Ongaku Club / in the blue shirt event, and also seeing Madeon in the same week.  I am excited for what 2020 has to bring!!

Aesthetic Adventures in Cambodia

HERO_Best_Temples_and_Ruins_Cambodia_shutterstock_339593069

Although I have just returned from Australia, I’ve already decided where I’m traveling to next in order to celebrate my birthday; the historic and tropical areas of Cambodia!  I chose Cambodia as my next destination because it has a similar climate and activities as Vietnam and Thailand, which were two of my favorite vacations because of their laidback beaches and inexpensive lodging.  I will be staying in Cambodia for a total of 10 days, though 2 of them will be travel-heavy due to layovers.  I will be bringing my Nintendo Switch and playing Fire Emblem to keep me occupied during these times.

I am most excited to try the local cuisine, explore the famous Angkor Wat temples, and even volunteer to be a bear keeper for a day!  I will also be flying to the tropical island known as Koh Rong to soak up some sun and party on the beach.  Then I will be flying to the capital to learn about the sad history of the killing fields and visiting the memorial.  I hope to keep a good balance of exploring and taking part in cultural events here to make the most of my experience.

My planned itinerary (so far) is listed below:

Tokyo → Siem Reap → Angkor Wat → Tonle Sap Village → Siranhoukville → Koh Rong → Koh Rong Samloem → Phnom Penh → Killing Fields → Siem Reap ↺ Tokyo

Oct 1st: Arriving to Siem Reap

Siem Reap is the cheapest city to fly to from Tokyo, so I booked a $450 flight through Vietnam Airlines from Narita Airport.  This is a discounted flight that includes a 3 hour layover in Vietnam, but from my experience, this time usually goes by quickly (especially if you pregame in the airport).  Since it is my birth week, I will not be holding back on indulging.

Once arriving to Siem Reap, I plan on hitting Pub Street and trying the infamous happy pizza.  I will be posting my own review to let everyone know about my experience.  I have extremely high expectations for it, but even if it’s not “happy”, there are tons of other restaurants and bars around to explore.  I definitely want to try the bar Angkor What? not only because of its hilarious name, but also because I will be visiting the historic Angkor Wat (temple) the next day.  If there’s time, I plan on visiting the Old Market too.

I will be staying in a private room at the Jasmin Hotel for less than $20 a night.  I chose this hotel because it is close to the center of the city and has a pool, so I am excited to go swimming here since it was too cold to during my Australia.  I already know this is going to be an awesome trip!

Oct 2nd: Exploring the Angkor Wat Temples

This will be a travel-heavy day as I explore the most famous temples on a sunset tour I booked from GetYourGuide.  This tour is highly rated and only costs $19 to go with a group of people, so that will give me a good opportunity to meet fellow backpackers.  We will be heading deep in the jungle to see the main Angkor Wat temple, and also trekking to the other aesthetic Buddhist temples around it.  The tour last for 10 hours, but I am more than ready to go hiking again!  I think it will feel like going through ruins in a videogame, which makes me feel a little like Lara Croft from Tomb Raider.

Oct 3rd: Sailing through the Floating Tonle Sap Village

In the morning I plan on waking up early and jogging through the city to see the famous Preah Ang Chek & Preah Ang Chorm temples.  I also want to try some street food and familiarize myself with more of the local shops and parks.  Maybe even do a little souvenir hunting too.

In the afternoon, I booked another cheap tour from GetYourGuide to see the the floating village on the Tonle Sap lake.  This is a fishing village that is similar to Ine that I visited in Kyoto, and looks very relaxing and interesting to see.  I love being out on the water and feeling the wind in my hair!

Once the day comes to an end, I will be taking an overnight bus from Siem Reap to Siranhoukville that I booked through 12goAsia for $25.  Though this is a 10 hour trip, it’s way more cheap than flying, and I really want to experience it at least once.  The reviews on the website are quite mixed, but I had a pleasant time riding buses in both Malaysia and Singapore so I think I will be okay on this trip.  It will be an adventure, at the very least!

Oct 4th – 7th: Partying at Koh Rong

From Siranhoukville, I will be taking the very first ferry to Koh Rong so I can begin relaxing and partying on the beach!  I booked a single room at Treehouse Bungalows right near Police Beach where all of the parties take place.  My room is less than $30 per night and is in a real treehouse!  I am so excited to take pictures and see the beautiful view of the oceanfront.  There are many bars and hostels around the area, so it’s extremely easy to make friends on this island.  I have been to the Fullmoon Party in Thailand before, so I already know what to expect here.

I also plan on sailing to Koh Rong Samloem, which is another beautiful and more private island that is easy to get to by longboat.  It has the gorgeous Saracen Bay to explore as well as a variety of other nightlife options.  I might also attempt a jungle trek to Long Beach on the main island if I have enough energy.  Basically I’m just going with the flow to see where life takes me!

October 8th: Visiting the Killing Fields

To reach the capitol city of Cambodia; Phnom Penh, I will be taking another inexpensive bus from Siranhoukville that I booked through 12goAsia.  This trip will only be 6.5 hours, and I’m sure I will be tired from my island adventure so I won’t mind the travel time.

Once I arrive, I will be going on the Killing Fields tour I booked through GetYourGuide.  I do not know much about the horrors of the Khmer Rouge Regime, but I do know it is a tragic part of the history of this country and I would like to learn more about it so I can write a proper article.

During my stay in Phnom Penh, I will be staying at a place with the hilarious name of Lovely Jubbly Villa.  Once again, this is a conveniently located accommodation with a beautiful pool, so I had to book it.  I expect to have a “lovely” time here!

October 9th: Freeing the Bears

As I have said before in my previous blog entries; whenever I travel to a new country I like to volunteer with animals.  I have been accepted to the Free the Bears Bear Keeper Program, and am excited to help rare species of bears in Cambodia!  This program also has other locations in Thailand and Vietnam.

While being a bear keeper, I will be preparing food for the bears, cleaning their habitat, and grooming the ones that are friendly.  I am always happy to contribute to the well-being of endangered animals, as I am lucky to have a lot of things in my life already.  I hope to look for more programs like this in the future if it goes well!

October 10th: Exploring the rest of Phnom Penh

Before taking my late night flight home, I plan on exploring the city of Phnom Penh and see all that it has to offer.  Some of the places I’m interested in seeing are: The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, National Museum of Cambodia, Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh Night Market, The Russian Market, and of course experiencing the night life.

At the end of the day, I will have to fly from here back to Siem Reap, where I will take my overnight flight to Tokyo.  I hope to sleep well after all of this travel!

October 11th: My Birthday

For the last few years of my life, I have always spent the day of my birthday on tropical islands, but this time I really want to spend it with my friends in Tokyo.  I am leaving this day open for spontaneous shenanigans to ensue, but I know for sure that on October 12th I will be going to a footwork party called Battle Train Tokyo CLIMAX in Ebisu!  My favorite underground DJ Carpainter is playing, and I know that it will be an awesome event.

I am extremely excited to turn 26 this year because each year that passes I am able to experience more of the world and learn more things about myself.  Overall I will always feel very young at heart and still plan on traveling as much as I can!