This year, the author visited three destinations in Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur, Desaru, and Johor Bahru. In Kuala Lumpur, they celebrated their wife’s birthday with a stay at the Hotel Majestic, a fine-dining experience featuring local flavors, and a visit to the awe-inspiring Batu Caves. Desaru offered a relaxing weekend with stays at both Westin and Amara hotels, each with unique perks—Westin being cost-effective and beach-accessible, while Amara offered exclusivity and activities like open-air cinema. Finally, Johor Bahru presented challenges like traffic jams, confusing navigation, and an encounter with traffic police, yet highlights included an exhilarating go-karting experience and discovering a delightful dim sum restaurant. Despite some hiccups, each trip brought memorable moments and enjoyable experiences.

A long weekend in Manila started with a stay at The Peninsula Manila in the Makati district, offering a luxurious experience worth recommending. Arriving late, we explored the nearby Raffles Hotel and enjoyed drinks at the Long Bar. Day two was filled with sightseeing—starting with the National Museum of Natural History, which was underwhelming, followed by the impressive National Museum of Fine Arts with its grand architecture and art collection. We also visited Fort Santiago, Casa Manila, and Saint Augustine Church, admiring the colonial-era architecture and rich history. The final day included shopping, food, and navigating Manila’s infamous traffic jams.

After years of planning a trip to Kota Kinabalu, the closest city to Mount Kinabalu, COVID-19 delayed my dream of hiking Malaysia’s highest peak with friends. Recently, I convinced my wife to join me for a long weekend there, where we stayed at the well-located Hilton hotel. We explored fireflies and proboscis monkeys via boat tours, enjoyed scenic views of Kinabalu Mountain from Nabalu and local dairy farms, and even hiked near hot springs and saw the world’s largest parasitic flower. A visit to the MariMari cultural village offered fascinating insights into local tribes and their traditions, while evenings at the vibrant quay added a lively touch to the trip. Despite a lackluster museum experience, the journey was a mix of adventure, culture, and unique wildlife, making it unforgettable.

Xi’An was a key destination for its Terracotta Army, which I had long wanted to see. We traveled by high-speed train, stayed at a wonderful Hilton, and explored unique spots like the grand shopping mall with animal enclosures. Visiting the Terracotta Warriors museum was breathtaking, with intricate statues and ongoing excavations, followed by the nearby Huaqing Palace, Xi’An’s spicy local cuisine, and the Silk Road Theater’s spectacular show. Our final day included the Wild Goose Pagoda and the historical museum, making for an unforgettable experience in Xi’An.

During our visit to Beijing, we explored several fascinating places including the Team Labs exhibition, which I found even more impressive than the one in Singapore due to its extensive installations like the obstacle course and crystal universe. We also visited Maliandao Tea Street, a haven for tea enthusiasts filled with tea shops and a massive mall dedicated to tea products, and concluded with a view of the iconic TV tower from a nearby bar, although we couldn’t enter due to its closing hours.

In the second part of our Beijing itinerary, I’m going to talk about our visit to the Beijing Zoo, a very nice, local restaurant recommended by my friend, a newly opened Pop Mart theme park, and, lastly, our trip to the Great Wall.

The last time I was in China was more than 10 years ago, so I was very keen to check out the country’s progress. During the last trip, I wasn’t able to visit Xi’an and see one of the world’s wonders—the Terracotta Army. Thus, I spent a couple of weeks convincing my wife to come onboard on this trip.

To conclude our trip to Korea, let me cover our 2 days in Busan. Before the trip to Korea, we decided that 7 days was too much for a tiny Jeju, and we decided to spend a couple of days in Busan. In this post, I will share our one-day plus (one whole day and two halves) Busan itinerary.

For the final day of our 5 days itinerary, we decided not to rush through the island, but enjoy a slow, easy trip through the island. Our itinerary was quite straightforward: visit an ocean road, check wind turbines, checkout a Sanbangsan Canola Field, and head back to Jeju city to enjoy the eveing.

On the fourth day of our 5 days itinerary, we took a ferry to Udo Island. Afterward, we hiked Seongsan and enjoyed the view from the summit. Unfortunately, we missed the famous divers’ show but enjoyed the jetty & sea view. LAstly, we had dinner in Jeju City with my friend.