Asian countries

The world is huge and when planning a trip, how we would like to have time and money to travel comfortably everywhere! But in general it is not possible, so one has to look at a map, check flight prices and plan, plan, plan. What do you think of Asia?

I believe that Asia has super interesting countries to visit, but it is very difficult to cover them all in a single trip because the region is very large and there are countries, like China, that are a world unto themselves. So, thinking of traveling to Asia it occurs to me today to talk about the best countries to visit in Asia Pacific.

Asia Pacific

Asia is very wide and varied and many tourists mentally divide it into groups. Those who enjoy the beach, surfing and cheap vacations opt for Southeast Asia with countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, India. Those who prefer better infrastructure and better transportation turn their compass to countries like Japan, South Korea or China. Each name contains a culture, a gastronomy, landscapes, languages ​​...

We call Asia Pacific the part of the world that is in or near the Pacific Ocean and usually includes much of Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Central Asia. It is variable, but for reasons of size when traveling one has to make choices.

So today we will leave out all of Southeast Asia for focus on Japan, South Korea and part of China.

Japan

My place in the world is a country of islands and mountains, of large urban concentrations and little space. It is inhabited by more than 120 million people and was reborn from the ashes of World War II as an economic powerhouse. For about 15 years tourism has been growing rapidly And if it weren't for the pandemic, this year with the Olympics, it would have broken records.

While most travelers visit Tokyo and Kyoto, sometimes Osaka, it really is a much more interesting country the further you get into it. A first look should include these cities, and Nara, Hiroshimao Nagasaki, maybe Sapporo in the north, but if you have the time and money or are stuck and want to go back it's unfold the map and discover new directions.

I do not recommend traveling to Japan in summer. I went in 2019 and the heat and humidity are tremendous. You can't move without breaking a sweat. I went to Okinawa and Miyakojima to enjoy the Caribbean but even on those islands, with the sea, the heat was unbearable. Not to mention Tokyo. You do not want to walk, the heat exhausts you.

Now, summer can be a good opportunity to go to know the north, Hakodate, Sapporo, places like that. You escape the 30-odd degrees and go straight to enjoy the most beautiful lake landscapes. This if the cold of winter does not scare you, but they are very classic destinations of snow and frost.

Tokyo It is a beautiful metropolis, chaotic in its own way, silent, clean, very safe and with a great gastronomic and cultural offer. I recommend staying in the Shibuya or Shinjuku area as you can walk between neighborhoods without problem. The secret is not to be afraid of getting lost. Walking around Tokyo is the best, even having the JapanRail Pass. This transport ticket ties you to the train and the truth is that sometimes the subway is much faster and also allows you to discover subterranean landscapes.

Kyoto it is a calm, leisurely city, full of temples. Close is Nara, with his deer, or Arashiyama with its bamboo forest. If you continue a few more hours on the bullet train you get to Hiroshima with its museum and further afield, to Nagasaki. Nagoya it's closer to Tokyo, and Osaka It competes directly in size and nightlife with the capital. People are nicer and you will have a lot of fun.

Kanazawa It has the rhythm of the village and a beautiful old samurai neighborhood. enoshima It is a beach one hour from the center of Tokyo to enjoy in spring, Takasaki It has the statue of Kannon and the largest production of darumas in the country, kawagoe It's like Tokyo centuries ago, the Mount takao it's beautiful, from the lake of kawaguchico you look at Fiji… and the list goes on. The idea is to unfold the map and hang the backpack.

Prices? Medium to expensive, but if you handle it in euros or dollars, you will not be surprised. For Latin Americans it is an expensive destination, yes.

South Korea

The advantage of this country is that it is small And although it has its own, you can get to know Seoul or Busan in one trip. Seoul It is a city as modern as Tokyo, although a little dirtier and with poorer neighborhoods. The history of both countries is not the same and although South Korea has grown a lot, there are greater economic differences than in Japan.

Seoul has a modern cityscape that you will not be disappointed. If you see k-dramas or do you like him Korean popEven better since Korean audiovisual productions are filmed a lot outdoors. Good tourist advertising, if you ask me. The food is great, there are many street stalls, and it has good museums, as well as the funicular that takes you to a good height when the sun goes down.

You can also go to the Demilitarized Zone, the small area between the two Koreas. Remember that the war did not end, there has officially been a ceasefire that has lasted decades. This is why you will see American officers, something that many Koreans do not like. I would say that some Americans like them as little as the Japanese ...

You can take a plane and go to the Jeju Island, beautiful at any time of the year, even if that added expenses Anyway, there are cheap flights and the truth is that it is advisable not to miss the trip. Then you can take the bullet train to Busan, that surely will not have zombies like in the movie, to know this port city whereby there is close contact with neighboring Japan.

The government has invested heavily in the development of Busan and hence the celebration of the Busan International Film Festival, as part of this promotion. From here you can cross to Hiroshima, in Japan, for example.

China

Although we said at the beginning that China is a world unto itself, when planning a little trip through this region of the sub-region called Asia Pacific, we can cut back and stay with Shanghai and Hong Kong. These are special economic zones where the idea of ​​"two systems, one country" prevails, which has done so well for the Chinese economy in recent decades.

The two cities they have been foreign colonies for many years so the European footprint is still present in its architecture and gastronomy. That's why they are beautiful, and if you look at them, they are both on the coast of China, close to Japan or South Korea.

Shanghai is in the Yangtze River Delta, on the east coast of the country, roughly equidistant between Hong Kong and Beijing. It includes some small islands and has a Humid subtropical climate which makes it a bit repellent in summer. Much more considering the millionaire number of people who inhabit it since it is the commercial and financial center of China and one of the most important worldwide.

As a traveler you cannot stop touring the Pudong district, with its skyscrapers and the Shanghai Tower, an undisputed icon. You also can't leave out the Huangpu district, more commercial and residential or that of xuhui and its museums. The old town is wonderful, the famous Waist, on the banks of the river. Aim the Jade buddha, Yuyuan Gardens and she always wakes up Nanjing avenue.

Finally, Hong Kong. It is said to be a city more capitalist than Shanghai and it is always in the news demanding greater democracy. Hong Kong is made up of the island of Hong Kong, the so-called New Territories and Kowloon.

Also has Humid subtropical climate So if you can, don't go in the summer. There are always travelers, there are always tourists visiting Peak Victoria, Lantau Island or the Avenue of the Stars, the Escalators. But beyond these destinations, the city itself is the main attraction: its skyscrapers, its narrow streets, its interesting and cheap markets, its food ...

Month and a half and you travel some of Japan, some of South Korea and some of China. But hands down some of the best countries of Asia.


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