Asia
Malapascua Island, Daanbantayan, Philippines
I feel like I'm betraying a well-guarded secret by telling people about this secluded slice of paradise, but it's bound to be discovered sooner or later. Malapascua, a tiny little island off of Cebu's northern tip in The Philippines, is known as...
Coron, Philippines
Coron is one of the northern-most islands of the Palawan archipelago. We spent a day touring the island by boat, visiting its lagoons, coves and lake. I loved observing our boatman who was at total ease, effortlessly maneuvering our banca through...
22 Majang-ro, Sindang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
We lose ourselves in travel, work or play. Becoming fully engulfed in the moment is all to frequent. This photo was taken in the Sindang Market in Central Seoul. It is tough to put a finger on Sindang Market, it is a place where you can find an...
1 Euljiro 7(chil)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
I go to Dongdaemun Market (Dongdaemun Stadium Station) to see how the locals live. The market is made up of 26 shopping malls over multiple blocks. There are more than 5,000 shops. You can find everything from food to clothing to electronic goods...
Cheonggyecheon, Jongno 5(o).6(yuk)ga-dong, Seoul
Chong-gye-cheon stream and park is a several-miles-long ribbon of pedestrian tranquility in the heart of Seoul. For decades, an elevated expressway ran through the heart of Seoul. The air pollution and congestion made people forget that a stream...
Euljiro 6(yuk)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Dongdaemun, the old East Gate of Seoul, has been the site of a market for generations. Today, the double-roofed stone arch no longer marks entry into the city, but the capital's residents still come here to haggle over everything from shoes to...
Jibong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
"Dongdaemun" is the old east gate of Seoul. The word is also synonymous with the massive market area that surrounds the gate, both above and below ground. Several of the nearby subway stations connect with underground shopping arcades. You can...
21 Cheonho-daero 4-gil, Sinseol-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Seoul's Folk Flea Market is a place where you can buy anything, I mean anything! This scary contraption looks like an invention of a comic book super-villain, but for the small price of 5 dollars you could be tightening those crow's feet and...
Chungmuro 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
In the midst of the crowds, this roasted chestnut stand caught my eye in Myeongdong's nighttime chaos. This bastion of neon and pedestrians in the heart of Seoul is known not just for its shopping, but also for its eating. In addition to...
Chungmuro 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
There is a definite rhythmic buzz along the streets of Myeong Dong, in the heart of Seoul. From the energetic calls of salesgirls thrusting skincare samples into the hands of passersby to the throngs of trendy travellers stopping at the roadside...
Myeongdong 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
"Oh-deng" is a street-food classic found on the streets of Seoul. It's kind of hard to describe: formed crab-cakes, or white fish sausage (sounds weird, tastes great!). Late one night in Seoul's Myongdong district (think Times Square meets the...
Khumjung, Nepal
En route from Namche Bazaar, Nepal, we stopped to visit the Tenzing Norgay Memorial Chorten. Norgay was a member of the first expedition team to summit Mt. Everest in 1953, along with Sir Edmund Hillary. While trekking in the Nepal Himalayas on...
Sarangkot, Pokhara 33700, Nepal
We rolled out of bed in the dead of night, hopped onto our mechanical bull - a 600cc whirling dervish of unsteady power - and rode off into the mountains. We arrived at SangKot, a favored sunrise destination for many people whom visit Pokhara, and...
958, Taiwan, Taitung County, Chishang Township, 新興村新興107號
There are few places in the world where you can so quickly and completely be enfolded in the tender embrace of nature than in Taiwan. From rock climbing to jungle treks, there are active pursuits for everyone, but one of the most scenic is a rice...
People's Square, Huangpu, China, 200000
Yu Garden - This is the traditional Chinese garden, a very large garden. The feel is very zen. Again, I went there in pouring rain, but still very pretty. There are other major sights that you should go once in Shanghai: 1. The Cheng Huang Temple...
Hong Kong, Diamond Hill, Fung Tak Rd, 60
Located in the Diamond Hill section of Kowloon, the Nan Lian Garden offers a peaceful oasis in the midst of bustling Kowloon. The eight acre public garden boasts beautiful ponds and pavilions as well as collections of banyan, pine and flowering...
Hong Kong, 中環羅桂祥茶藝館香港公園地下層
427 Siming S Rd, Siming Qu, Xiamen Shi, Fujian Sheng, China, 361005
Running for nearly five kilometers along an old right-of-way west of the railway station, the Railroad Culture Park is one of Xiamen's hidden secrets. This linear park is a fantastic example of urban planning and creative reuse, taking a remnant...
Japan, 〒103-0023 Tōkyō-to, Chūō-ku, Nihonbashihonchō, 3 Chome−6−２ 小津本館ビル 1F
Learn to mash your own washi, traditional japanese paper, at Ozu Washi, where masters have made sheets from the fibers of kozo (mulberry) and other native plants since 1653. Or, skip the DIY and just buy the final product from the floor-to-ceiling...
1 Chome-1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tōkyō-to 100-0005, Japan
Eating at Mutsumiya is like taking a trip to Hokkaido, an island in northern Japan. The place serves the classic Hokkaido miso-based ramen, created with water brought over from Hokkaido. The shop is located on the Tokyo Ramen Street, a collection...
The Mandarin Oriental’s new Gourmet Shop is a gallery for international pastry (babka, yuzu macarons). Better yet: chef René Redzepi of Noma—named the world’s best restaurant (again)—will host a pop-up dinner series in the hotel this January. Read...
Tokyo, Japan
Japan has the highest number of vending machines per capita. All across Japan you'll find machines selling all sorts of items—coffee in cans (hot or cold), sushi, umbrellas, alcohol, pornography, trinkets, noodles, books, eggs, and so much more....
2 Chome-8-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tōkyō-to 163-8001, Japan
View of Tokyo at dusk as seen from the 54th floor observation deck of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Nishi-shinjuku. Admission to the observatory is free and well worth it for a fantastic, sweeping view of the Tokyo skyline.
Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
The best way to see Shibuya? By night! Stride the streets a bit, then choose your preferred coffee shop, find a perch and watch the night-life swirl past.
Japan, 〒160-0004 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku-ku, 新宿区Yotsuya, 1 Chome−1−１１ 陽臨堂ビル 1F
When I took my beautiful wife to Tokyo to celebrate her birthday in March, because we only had three days in town we had to very carefully curate our dining choices. While we did visit an old favourite, most of the restaurants we visited were new...
1 Chome-1-１０ Aomi, Koto, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan
Everyone knows Japan is famous for certain things—sushi, geisha, Mt. Fuji, samurai and ninja, Godzilla, and of course giant robots. And in Tokyo, even the latter is real—at least, life-sized mockups of them are. A great place to see one is Odaiba,...
2-1 Yoyogikamizonochō, Shibuya-ku, Tōkyō-to 151-0052, Japan
Yoyogi park is this great park in Harajuku where everyone congregates to practice their hobbies. There were people playing sports, games, dancing, everything! This is where you'll find many of the fancifully dressed folks that Harajuku is famous...
Japan, 〒107-6290 Tōkyō-to, Minato-ku, Akasaka, ９丁目7−６ 東京ミッドタウン・ガーデン内
Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake created this experimental design museum, and star Japanese architect Tadao Ando constructed the building. The museum always has great installations by artists such as the industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa. —...
2 Chome-10-１ Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda-ku, Tōkyō-to 100-0006, Japan
Koji, a volunteer for Tokyo Free Guide, knew only that I wanted to experience something in the city related to food. Instead of taking me to the Tsukiji fish market, he led me to a shopping mall in the Ginza neighborhood. We descended into the...
