Tokyo is still on my wish list. So are Beijing and Shanghai. As are Hanoi, Siem Reap and many, many more destinations. But hey, no point in whining about what we did not see (yet). Better to enjoy where we did go!
We saw wonderful, interesting, exotic and weird things everywhere we went, but I really fell in love with these 9 cities:
About the rating system below:
- comfortable/easy: how easy is it to get around? (Think public transport, touts, language, hygiene)
- climate: my ideal climate is a low humidity 27 degrees al year around.
- green/nature: are there parks, forests, trees, hiking possibilities?
- culture/heritage: how much has been preserved that is worthwhile?
- art: is there an art scene, are there any good musea, is there street art?
- safe: think criminality, traffic, hygiene, touts and con-artists
- architecture: is there interesting architecture, other then heritage buildings?
- interesting: how overall interesting is this city to visit?
- food: I am a very fussy eater myself, so for this rating bullett, I went with the reputation of the city’s food, local cuisine and food culture.
- affordable: how expensive is a city for the traveler? Ofcourse this is not always a simple answer. Maybe hotels are expensive in a certain city, while it’s food is dirt cheap or vice versa.
- beach: are there any beaches and if so, are they any good?
- cool-factor: how cool is the vibe in that city? Cool as in hip, happening, exciting.
- special: specific points that are not in the bulletpoints above.
1. Singapore, Singapore
- comfortable/easy ◉◉◉◉◉
- climate ◉◉◉◉◎
- green/nature ◉◉◉◉◎
- culture/heritage ◉◉◉◎◎
- art ◉◉◉◉◎
- safe ◉◉◉◉◉
- architecture ◉◉◉◉◎
- interesting ◉◉◉◉◎
- food ◉◉◉◉◉
- affordable ◉◉◎◎◎
- beach ◉◉◎◎◎
- cool-factor ◉◉◉◉◎
- special: spacious, versatile, Asia for beginners
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| Picture taken by my friend Sylvia from 40plusstyle. Location: Haw Par Villa. |
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| ION Orchard |
2. Hong Kong, China
- comfortable/easy ◉◉◉◎◎
- climate ◉◉◎◎◎
- green/nature ◉◉◉◉◉
- culture/heritage ◉◉◉◉◎
- art ◉◉◉◉◎
- safe ◉◉◉◉◎
- architecture ◉◉◉◎◎
- interesting ◉◉◉◉◎
- food ◉◉◉◉◉
- affordable ◉◉◉◎◎
- beach ◉◉◉◎◎
- cool-factor ◉◉◉◎◎
- special: islands, China for beginners
3. Sydney, Australia
- comfortable/easy ◉◉◉◉◎
- climate ◉◉◉◉◎
- green/nature ◉◉◉◎◎
- culture/heritage ◉◉◉◎◎
- art ◉◉◉◎◎
- safe ◉◉◉◉◎
- architecture ◉◉◉◎◎
- interesting ◉◉◉◉◎
- food ◉◉◉◉◉
- affordable ◉◉◉◎◎
- beach ◉◉◉◉◉
- cool-factor ◉◉◉◉◎
- special:laidback
4. Bangkok, Thailand
- comfortable/easy ◉◎◎◎◎
- climate ◉◉◉◉◎
- green/nature ◉◉◎◎◎
- culture/heritage ◉◉◉◉◉
- art ◉◉◎◎◎
- safe ◉◉◉◎◎
- architecture ◉◉◎◎◎
- interesting ◉◉◉◉◎
- food ◉◉◉◉◉
- affordable ◉◉◉◉◉
- beach ◎◎◎◎
- cool-factor ◉◉◉◎◎
- special: shopping
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| Bangkok’s palaces and temples are drop dead gorgeous! |
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| Bought a zillion voodoo dolls at the fabulous Chatuchak Market;-) |
5. Melakka, Malaysia
- comfortable/easy ◉◉◉◎◎
- climate ◉◉◉◉◎
- green/nature ◉◉◎◎◎
- culture/heritage ◉◉◉◉◎
- art ◉◉◉◎◎
- safe ◉◉◉◉◎
- architecture ◉◉◎◎◎
- interesting ◉◉◉◉◎
- food ◉◉◉◉◎
- affordable ◉◉◉◉◎
- beach ◎◎◎◎◎
- cool-factor ◉◉◎◎◎
- special: peranakan culture, charming
6. Taipei, Taiwan
- comfortable/easy ◉◉◉◎◎
- climate ◉◉◉◎◎
- green/nature ◉◉◉◉◎
- culture/heritage ◉◉◉◎◎
- art ◉◉◉◎◎
- safe ◉◉◉◉◎
- architecture ◉◉◉◎◎
- interesting ◉◉◉◎◎
- food ◉◉◉◉◉
- affordable ◉◉◉◉◎
- beach ◎◎◎◎◎
- cool-factor ◉◎◎◎◎
- special: charming, not many people speak english
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| Taiwanese pineapple cakes. |
7. Seoul, South Korea
- comfortable/easy ◉◉◉◎◎
- climate ◉◉◎◎◎
- green/nature ◉◉◉◉◎
- culture/heritage ◉◉◉◎◎
- art ◉◉◉◉◉
- safe ◉◉◉◉◎
- architecture ◉◉◉◎◎
- interesting ◉◉◉◉◉
- food ◉◉◉◉◉
- affordable ◉◉◉◎◎
- beach ◎◎◎◎◎
- cool-factor ◉◉◉◉◉
- special:not many people speak english, cold winters
8. Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
- comfortable/easy ◉◉◉◎◎
- climate ◉◉◉◉◎
- green/nature ◉◉◉◎◎
- culture/heritage ◉◉◉◉◎
- art ◉◉◉◉◉
- safe ◉◉◉◎◎
- architecture ◉◉◉◎◎
- interesting ◉◉◉◉◉
- food ◉◉◉◉◉
- affordable ◉◉◉◉◎
- beach ◎◎◎◎◎
- cool-factor ◉◉◉◎◎
- special: street art, charming
9. Bali, Indonesia
- comfortable/easy ◉◉◉◉◎
- climate ◉◉◉◉◉
- green/nature ◉◉◉◉◉
- culture/heritage ◉◉◉◉◉
- art ◉◉◉◎◎
- safe ◉◉◉◉◎
- architecture ◉◉◉◎◎
- interesting ◉◉◉◉◉
- food ◉◉◉◉◉
- affordable ◉◉◉◉◎
- beach ◉◉◉◉◎
- cool-factor ◉◉◉◉◉
- special: paradise, sunsets
To read more about these destinations, just type in the name of the city in the search box on the right side of this page. All relevant posts will then pop up.
I highly recommend Seoul (no. 7), an underestimated travel destination. If you can, go during blossom season. You can easily spend several weeks there without getting bored. I spent 4 weeks there and I am not done yet!
Georgetown (no. 8) is a hidden gem. A lovely destination for a long weekend or for a week.
Bali (no. 9) technically is of course no city; it’s a whole island. I see it as one destination though and for me Bali is paradise. I could live there.
Have you been to any of these destinations? Fell in love with any of them?
Which cities around the globe did you fall in love with and why?
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