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The Birthplace of Taiwan (Tainan, and Chiayi)

March 15, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in Taiwan, TravelLeave a comment

This post is really just memories of a really nice couple of days in two really nice cities. I arrived in Tainan via train with just enough time to walk the ten minutes to my hostel, off the main road and hidden away in one of Tainan’s many windy narrow lanes, and get settled in. This is actually Tainan Part 1 as I decided to come back later in the trip. I needed a bit of a rest so indulged in doing my laundry at the hostel for about 50p (I’m not sure why but I find doing laundry in hostel really satisfying, enjoyable even), treated myself to a western style avocado brunch at the ‘Australian’ cafe over the road and signed up for a walking tour in the afternoon.

I then set off for the Amping Fort area, walking along the riverside for an hour which sounded lovely but was actually just walking along a busy road with hardly any pavement and stopping to cross the street every 5 minutes. It was interesting though to see the residential areas next to the river.

Walking in Tainan isn’t the easiest as what looks like a pavement is actually a moped parking area, or seating for a restaurant and often just abruptly comes to an end. It also takes forever to cross the road as like Japan, nobody ignores the little red man and the timers on the traffic lights run for a couple of minutes. I spent ten minutes backtracking as I missed my hostel entrance, mistakenly crossed the road, tried to walk along one side and literally came up against a brick wall then had to wait to cross back again, all whilst being only a few metres away from the hostel the whole time. In fact Tainan has a huge roundabout in the middle of the city which is impossible to cross without waiting to cross five lanes of traffic.

Tainan is Taiwan’s oldest city and has a rich history spanning 400 years. Initially established by the Dutch East India Company as a trading base known as Fort Zeelandia during the Dutch rule, Tainan was the capital city for 260 years. It gained the name ‘the Phoenix City’ due to the number of changes that it went through – from the Dutch rule, to being seized by the famed Koxinga (the most highly respected saint known for getting rid of the Dutch – the “original ancestor” for a free Taiwan) in 1662 and surviving under the Chinese Qing dynasty until 1887, followed by the Japanese Empire until 1945.

The old Dutch Fort therefore is at the centre of this history. Built in 1624, Fort Zeelandia (meaning the place where land meets the sea) was one of the most important sites for trading in East Asia due to it’s location. Now known as Amping Old Fort, the Dutch style buildings were completely destroyed during Japanese rule and it was reconstructed in red brick.

*Inside one of the many temples in Tainan*

The streets around the fort are filled with food stalls and Bubble Tea shops. I tried a peanut rice ball which was not the sweet treat I expected – instead it was filled with veggie meat but I had to eat half of it as I was sitting next to the woman rolling them in banana leaves – and an Oat Milk Tea which turned out to be milk tea with thick sweet porridge oats at the bottom.

I didn’t want to miss the walking tour so I rushed back to the centre on the bus, helped out massively by an old couple who told me which bus to take and exactly when to get off, in fact half the people on the crowded bus were involved in making sure I got off. The lady also told me ‘you are very courageous!’.

It was only when I arrived at the meeting point at the Chihkan Tower and nobody was there that I realised I had mixed up the two walking tours and it actually departed from the Fort. Exactly where I had just come from. With nothing else planned, there was time for a massage at the spa next to the Australian cafe with the most attentive masseuse I’ve ever had. It was just less relaxing when I could feel him looking at me intently every minute to check if I flinched and to constantly ask if the pressure was OK (it always was).

Something else worth a look is the historic Hayashi department store from the 1930s and it’s ‘granny lift’ with the floor number pointer that everyone wants to see. This meant everyone was queuing take the lift up, which I thought was a bit unfair on the actual grannies who actually did need to take the lift.

Rather than wait, I just walked up the four flights of steps and all the way up to the rooftop which houses a Shinto Shrine, and where bullet holes from WW2 are visible (although I couldn’t see them), then hopped straight in the lift down and out past the queue.

One of the things I loved about Tainan is the amount of plants everywhere. Plants of all sizes in flowerpots, clearly being looked after by someone. The food is also great and there are plenty of interesting independent cafes – Oreo tofu pudding is a new favourite.

With a trip booked a couple of days later to a place I was really looking forward to, the Alishan National Forest, I left the next morning via train to the smaller city of Chiayi – the jumping off point for buses and trains to Alishan.

I expected Chiayi to just be a stopover but it was a nice surprise. I paid around £10 at the Planet 23 hostel for a hi-tech style pod with different coloured lights and individual air con controls, a big clean common area with free coffee from a proper coffee machine and toast and peanut butter for breakfast. You would expect it to be fully booked but I only saw one family.

The train station separated the area where the hostel was from the rest of the city. Since the station was under some sort of construction, in order to cross to the other side of the main road, I had to pass through the station by taking a fake ticket, showing it to station staff and going all the way through the platforms and up and down over passes. This meant I again spent a long time trying to get out of the station.

I spent a very pleasant afternoon wandering around the Japanese inspired Hinoki village, which is not cheap but has lots of cute Japanese shops and I had to try the peanut latte coffee which cost me the same as a meal over here.

I ended up walking all the way through the city streets, past the old prison and up to the lovely Chiayi Park and the Sun-Shooting Tower. The park was pretty parched looking but filled with older locals exercising as is common in Taiwan, including women stretching on bars like ballerinas with their legs higher than people half their age could manage, a Tai Chi group and a man power walking backwards.

The other demographic out at sunset were younger people with cute little handbag sized dogs. I wasn’t sure what the Sun-Shooting Tower was all about as it was closed, but it was nice to walk around! There would generally be more to see on a day other than Monday when things like the art museum are closed.

That’s all I had time for in the South of Taiwan for now – but I’d already decided to extend my trip and spend a bit more time here. Moving on to the mountains in the centre of Taiwan to the Alishan National Forest…

*Unfortunately I didn’t like the rice cracker*

The City That Has It All: from Monkey Mountain to Tiger Temples, Super Heroes to Palm Trees and the Tunnel of Stars (Khaosiung)

March 9, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in Taiwan, TravelLeave a comment

Moving clockwise around Taiwan, the next stop was the city of Khaosiung in the South West of the island – an over the top mix of old and new with a good amount of nature thrown in. Khaosiung has it all and I loved it immediately. The “mountain line” train journey from Taitung was also beautiful as it hugs the coast then cuts across inland. The only thing I didn’t like was my choice of budget accommodation which was my own fault – you get what you pay for and £10 a night got me a pod style bed in a dark basement of a building, with a slightly creepy giant teddy bear sitting in the windowless lounge area that nobody used. The lack of windows meant I got dressed for a summery day only to go upstairs to find it pouring down with rain.

*There’s always room to squeeze a temple in*

Top of my list of things to: visit the circuit of outlandish temples around the Lotus Pond, go for a hike up Monkey Mountain and take the ferry to Cijin Island. The city is connected by monorail around the centre, then local trains and buses but nowhere near as frequently as the northern cities so it can take twice as long as you think. I fitted in a quick visit to the Fine Arts Museum, only to find it was less fine arts and all modern art.

*Tiger Temple* – *enter through the mouth*

On to the temples – the Lotus Pond is a man made lake, with over 20 incredible and fairly garish temples situated on the 3km cycle and walking paths that surround it. Renting a bike and cycling would probably be the better option. The biggest ones are the Spring and Summer Pavilions, the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas and the Confucian Temple.

My favourite had to be the Dragon and Tiger Temples, which were designed to stand in the lake. These are no ordinary temples – I’m talking about temples where you enter through the mouths of huge dragon and tiger statues, climb up towers 7 stories high, and walk through tunnels connecting the temples to the shore, containing art that apparently tells stories (this went over my head). It’s mental and amazing.

*There’s a reason why I’m averaging 25,000 steps a day in Taiwan*

In the evening I headed to the Pier 2 area (recommended by the lady on the bus in Taitung who told me YOLO!). The harbour area is absolutely gorgeous in the evening and the modern buildings are in stark contrast to the temples. I’ve added a lot of photos because they are all different examples of the architecture on show.

*The stadium beaming light into the sky*

One of stars of the show has to be the dolphin shaped pedestrian bridge that is Asia’s longest rotating bridge, horizontally rotating 90 degrees in 3 minutes. Although I didn’t see the Great Harbour Bridge in action, walking across was good enough.

As I walked along the harbour, I came across the massive stadium beaming lights up into the night sky. I wasn’t sure what it was at first but asked a very young student who had stopped me to tell me I was cute (when I politely said he didn’t need to accompany me he graciously said that’s fine we can just be friends).

Things get more modern and more weird the further around the harbour you go. An absolutely massive floating alien like creature awaits. What I didn’t understand was why there was a real life man sitting on the alien and another in the water. Some official looking people were shouting instructions from the harbour, so they weren’t there by mistake. I Googled it later and found out it was not in fact an alien but a giant inflatable “Ultraman” statue floating in Love River Bay. Ultraman being a Japanese superhero character.

After a lot of walking I made it to the Water Drop Teahouse vegetarian restaurant just before closing time at 20.00 where a very smiley and kind nun made me extremely welcome and assured me there was plenty of time so no need to rush my vegetable curry soup.

The next day, having ready about a hike where you can see monkeys, on Monkey Mountain, naturally I had to go. It was a hot day so I saved the location of the start of the trail head, behind a temple around the corner from a 7-11 not that far from the Fine Arts Museum and set off. I saw a man who looked to be in his 70s and clearly dressed to go hiking – full walking gear, boots and poles – and followed him past the numerous signs warning not to take any food inside the forest. I had ironically just finished my banana and in Taiwan there are no rubbish bins. Anywhere. I carried this banana skin around looking fruitlessly for somewhere to throw it until the point of entering the forest when I had to accidentally drop it away from the CCTV. It was either that or take a banana skin into an area known for aggressive monkeys.

Following the old man was a rookie mistake. It turns out there is more than one entrance to the trails and this was not the “easy, signposted route” I was looking for. These are the retired Taiwanese super hikers and this was something I needed a lot more water for and a proper map. Luckily there were two local women who were also on the wrong path so I followed them to get back on track.

You see monkeys everywhere on this mountain and they are the bigger, more intimidating macaw monkey. Signs presented instructions in English that if a monkey was to jump on you, don’t panic or wave or shout. Just carry on calmly and “the monkey will leave”. I absolutely loved seeing families of monkeys eating fruit, grooming each other and hanging out on the side of the trail. A couple of times they might have been following me. These macaws have the intelligence of a 3 year old child and you should not drink water or open your bag infront of them if you don’t want it to be stolen.

The 70 year old pro hikers powered on past making light work of the steps, wearing their sweatbands, carrying their portable speakers and playing their music out loud.

The “boardwalk” trail isn’t actually a boardwalk after you finish the stairs up, rather it’s a stony path. But it’s signposted and there are several rest areas with benches where you can watch monkeys. All in all I spent a couple of hours here and thoroughly enjoyed it. As before you can safely embark on these hikes alone as there are enough people around without it feeling in the least bit crowded.

*Another world lies just over the water*

In the afternoon there was just the right amount of time to catch the short ferry over to Cijin Island. This narrow stretch of land (a sandbar) is only 5 miles long and has a real holiday atmosphere. I loved seeing how all the people on scooters rode on and off the ferry – you just have to look where you’re walking at all times. Cijin Old Street has a long street market filled with that rancid smell of the local speciality “stinky tofu” and due to construction work there is no other option but to go past every single stinky stall.

The palm tree lined black sand Cijin beach that stretches 1.5km is very pretty, too windy to swim but perfect for walking. You just have to dodgy the cutesy tricycles decked out like cartoon creatures that everyone rides like they’ve never ridden a bike before. Imagine strolling along enjoying the view then Mickey Mouse comes hurtling around the corner and there’s nowhere for you to go.

I also climbed the hill up to Cijou Fort which dates back to 1720 when Taiwan was ruled by the Qing Empire of China. There is a beautiful view over Khaosiung Harbour that it was designed to protect. At the top stands the Lighthouse, whose history is also interesting. The harbour was opened to foreign traders in 1863 and it was British engineers who initially built a Chinese style lighthouse in red brick. The Lighthouse was then rebuilt in 1916 during Japanese rule and opened to the public as a historical building in 1985. There is a small museum inside, not much in English but some interesting old photographs of the construction.

In order to get up to the Lighthouse you must walk through the Tunnel of Stars (a wind tunnel through the cliffs decorated in stars and psychedelic art). Again I didn’t know what it actually was until I looked it up but it’s a Japanese era military tunnel. The effect of the wind rushing through from the sea was deafening.

After a busy day I headed to a tiny dirt cheap restaurant with 5 star reviews where the ex-Michelin restaurant chef now cooks up the most delicious vegan stirfries on his outdoor gas flame. He was keen to have a chat and gave me all the free spinach from the buffet before he closed up shop.

I hope this conveys the absolute variety of places, styles and the unexpected sites in Khaosiung. I would definitely return here for a few more days next time. That’s all I had time for before catching an evening train to Tainan as the race to reach Taipei again before the Chinese New Year continued …

Taitung: Nature and Neolithics

March 1, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in Taiwan, TravelTagged backpacking, solo travel, Taitung, Taiwan, Travel, travel blogLeave a comment

Taitung was an addition to the itinerary after reading about a national park where you could hike with monkeys and soak in hot springs. I liked Taitung as soon as I got off the train. The sun was shining and there were cute figurines in the garden around the train station. I treated myself to my own room in the lovely Giraffe B&B for £20 a night including breakfast. This got me a beautiful room with two beds, shiny white bathroom and a TV set to BBC news. The housekeeper let me in and asked via Google translate what time I wanted breakfast. It’s located along with the other more budget options close to the train station and regular buses run the 15 minutes to the downtown area.

Taitung has a lot to offer – I could easily have spent more than the couple of days I had. Close to the downtown area there is a big coastal park where walking and cycling paths connect the beach with the city. Follow the paths further and you reach the massive forest reserve with its lakes and bird watching. It’s a popular cycling route and renting a bike would be really nice. The indigenous culture is also much more visible here – more on that later.

To get to the downtown area there are regular buses that take about 20-30 minutes as they literally go all around the houses. Taitung just has a really nice vibe to it. Even the dogs are chilled out. They appear to be street dogs as they are freely wandering around town but they have collars and look cared for.

I found a lovely little vegan food stall called Vegine with a limited number of seats where the owner cooks whatever vegetables and noodles you select from the shop and like at many of the stalls, her children took a break from playing to help bring the food to customers. It was so good I went back twice and ordered two lots of the fried tofu. I’d go back again just for that.

I was about to get the bus back to the B&B when I heard music and discovered a low key night market with a local band playing songs I hadn’t heard before mixed in with some Bon Jovi covers and people from the nearby islands selling local food, crafts and jewellery. Scones filled with hot brown sugar seemed to be the thing. I had wanted to visit the two islands, Green Island and Lanyu (Orchid) Island to learn more about their indigenous culture, but local advice was that it’s too windy in winter and regular boats aren’t running.

*Entrance to the Jhihben Forest Reserve*

The next day I went down to breakfast at the pre-arranged time to find the housekeeper had already put out a plate of food including a chunk of meat and a salad, neither of which I wanted to eat. I explained I only needed the bread and fruit and set off on a day trip via local bus to the Jhihben Forest Reserve. I hoped to stop at the hot springs in the area on the way back. As was becoming usual, I was the only westerner around, with just a few passengers on the bus but the journey was easy enough. After paying the small entry fee you get given a map with a few aptly named options for hiking, like the ‘Brave Climber’s Trail’ and a key that indicates level of experience and effort required. I went for the ‘Forest Bath’ and ‘Scenic Trail’.

Hiking in Taiwan is amazing because you get the trails almost to yourself but there are enough friendly families around and it’s well organised so it’s very safe. Aside from all of the ‘beware snakes and wasps’ signage. Everyone I passed said ‘Welcome to Taiwan’ – a big reason that travelling in Taiwan in general is so great because it’s not overrun with other visitors, there are no tourist prices and nobody rips you Local people are interested to have a chat and go out of their way to help.

The first thing I noticed were the butterflies. There are 100 species in the forest and they swarmed around me, it’s quite magical. As soon as I got higher up into the park I saw the first mammal of the day, the gorgeous ‘Reeve’s muntjacs’ which I watched with a family several times along the trail.

Next up were the Formosan Rock Monkeys. These cute little monkeys were just hanging out in the trees in their groups eating their fruits, rather than trying to steal your food.

Monkeys

The forest is an absolutely idyllic spot. You need a couple of hours to explore the park depending how many trails you do. One part was closed off due to damage, I assume from some sort of natural disaster. The prime spot for the monkey viewing had signs about passing through quickly due to risk of rockfall but the monkey watching was too good a chance to pass up.

There are no food or drink facilities inside but there are toilets and water fountains – in fact there are water fountains everywhere in Taiwan. You never need to buy water. I made the mistake of following Google maps to the hot springs. This meant I got off the bus at a temple car park next to the river which was definitely not a public hot springs spot. I asked some ladies visiting the temple but they misunderstood and thought I wanted to paddle in the river.

By then it started to rain and the only thing I could see was a hot springs resort hotel. They weren’t open until later on that day by which time I’d have missed the bus back – the buses ran at very irregular hours. There is always a solution particularly when you have a strong currency on your side. The nice lady at the hotel made several suggestions including taking a “private spa” for one hour and getting a taxi back all the way to Taitung. This hadn’t even crossed my mind but it cost less than £10 to be driven back door to door. The lady stressed that this type of spa was naked, so I had to use Google translate to confirm that it was indeed a private spa and I wouldn’t be sharing with anyone. It was a truly luxurious experience which would be outrageously expensive if hot springs even existed in the UK.

When I got the bus back from town to my B&B after the long day, as often happens in Taiwan, a lady started chatting to me. She knew some English and told me she was in her 70s and on her way back from meeting up with her sister in a mountain town to see the early cherry blossom blooms. When she learned I was travelling alone around Taiwan she said that’s wonderful, and told me ‘YOLO – you only live once!’. I also had a concerned text message from my B&B saying “We noticed that you didn’t enjoy our breakfast. Would you like a vegan meal?”.

In contrast to the nature, I would highly recommend a day exploring the history of this area visiting the very impressive History Museum and the Peinan burial site. You can do them together but likely need a taxi due to the erratic bus schedule, though the Peinan site is walkable from the train station.

The History Museum takes you through from the creation of Taiwan from a geological perspective through to the movements of the Polynesian people up to the present day culture with influences from all over Asia. What makes Taiwan interesting is the tectonic evolution, namely the collision of the Eurasian and Philippine Sea Plates. According to the museum facts, the Coastal Range is still moving at a speed of 6-13 cm per year relative to the Central Range. During the Ice Age, the Taiwan Strait became land because the sea level dropped, allowing the migration of plants and animals into Taiwan.

Taiwan is also a know as a “place of convergence” due to it’s location – many different ethnic groups and objects have passed through, including the trade of Jade, glass beads and sweet potatoes with China, Southeast Asia and the Austronesian people. The museum has some really good exhibits of indigenous culture. Austronesian people make up less than 2.3% of the population according to when the info was written but they make up 7% of Taiwan’s military and 60% of special forces.

Without turning this into a history lesson, the Peinan site is also fascinating. This a prehistoric culture, with people settling here 5000 years ago. In 1896 a Japanese scholar visited Taitung and photographed the stone pillars. But it wasn’t until 1945 when the Japanese carried out the first excavation. The Peinan Culture is believed to have been active from middle to late Neolithic Period with people leaving the site approximately 1900 years ago – nobody really knows why or where they went though there are theories they went into the mountains.

In 1993 the huge group of slate coffins were excavated – this is the largest excavated slate coffin burial complex in East Asia with over 200 unearthed, including single-body and multi-body burials.

What I liked about this site is that you can walk right around the excavation and look at the walls, the stairs, the ladders, pottery vessels … This brings it more to life. And of course aside from a group of Chinese visitors who were just leaving, I had all it to myself as usual. Next stop, Khaosiung.

Carry On Buses (a bizarre solo experience in Hualien)

February 24, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in Taiwan, TravelTagged Asia, backpacking, solo travel, Taiwan, travel blog1 Comment

The first stop on my route east around Taiwan was Hualien, a couple of hours away from Taipei. The main attraction of this city is the nearby Taroko Gorge which sadly remains almost entirely closed to visitors due to the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in 2024. I had heard that Hualien was a bit of a ghost town and unfortunately the rain didn’t help the already strange vibe of the place. I imagine in better weather it’s lovely with its mountain backdrop but all I could see was low cloud.

The “Hualien Wow” hostel was really good, right opposite the train station and the bargain price of £10 included toast and peanut butter for breakfast. The hostel may have been Wow but Hualien was not. Even the well known night market was a washout – with no buses running that I could find, I walked the 30 mins each way in the rain (the hostels lend you umbrellas or you can just rent one on the street) only to buy some inedible tofu sticks and a pot of sweetcorn. Most of the food on the street markets is fried in some sort of cooking oil that smells rancid – the whiff of it makes me feel sick.

An extremely earnest woman at the bus station information stand told me there was not much point in visiting Taroko, especially in bad weather, as only the visitor centre was accessible. Instead she highly recommended an 8 hour day trip up and down the east coast. The next day it wasn’t raining so I decided to take her advice – it was either that or leave Hualien without doing anything, as there was actually nothing else to do. I arrived at the bus station (conveniently right opposite the train station) 15 minutes before one of the 3 departures of the day hoping I’d still get a seat, and was greeted enthusiastically by an attendant manning the desk. He gave me a ticket from a machine with the number 1 on it, which I thought was a little strange. At 9.30 on the dot a minibus bus pulled up and a little old man got off with a clipboard, wrote down my name and contact details on the first line of his sheet, ushered me into the first seat and off we went. I was the only passenger. It became apparent he didn’t speak any English when he spoke into a translator on his phone in a comedy monotone voice to tell me he would be my guide. It’s ok, I thought, I’ll be getting off at each of the 7 or 8 different stops and can do my own thing.

After about ten minutes his phone told me in its robot voice to get my camera ready as we were going past the world’s biggest building made of Lego (I think), followed by a mountain in the distance that he was very insistent I got a photo of. I obediently got my phone out but had no idea what I was meant to be capturing. What happened next was interesting. Some military tanks drove past with soldiers in camouflage gear standing on top arranged in a circle facing outward with their machine guns pointed right at us. It looked like a scene from a movie. There are some military bases around so I assumed (hoped) it was some sort of drill. I asked my guide who suddenly refused to talk, shaking his head and making a “no comment” sort of gesture. He obviously didn’t want a record of any mention of the military on his phone.

*Waterfall through hole in the bridge road*

We arrived at the first stop, the world’s only fire station that is actually built like a fire hydrant. It’s cool, but you don’t need more than 5 mins to have a look and take a photo. Oh no, said my guide, the departure time is in 25 minutes – I must look at the temple next door, use the squat toilet, then we will take photos and “I’ll show you some wonderful illusions”. I then realised he was going to accompany me on every stop and I’d be participating in the world’s most ridiculous photoshoot. It was going to be a very long day.

Here is me infront of the fire station after he whipped out a hand held mirror and took a photo that gave the illusion of a water reflection. I feigned delight and said oh wow, so clever! He then took a panoramic with me running in a circle so there appeared to be two of me. “Do your parents know you have a twin in Taiwan?” he asked. Once was quite amusing. But at each stop in the drizzle, it got old very fast.

Today was the only day I didn’t bring any snacks. By the time we got to the fishing village for the lunch stop I was starving and it was now pouring down with rain. His instructions that “We will eat lunch at a local fish restaurant and the bus will depart in 90 minutes“ was not what I wanted to hear. I translated that I wanted vegetarian food and suddenly he spoke a few words of English – “OH MY GOD” he said slapping his head, suggesting I walk up the hill as there was a shop that “might sell bread”. The tiny shop at the top did not sell bread or any sort of snack I could identify and the missing-toothed shop owner seems to have no idea what I was asking for – but he did gesture further up the hill. Turns out at the very top there was a restaurant with “Welcome” written in English, several vegetable based options and a lovely lady and her little daughter greeted me with “would you like a beer?”. Yes please.

*One of the few interesting things he pointed out, a fossil*

My guide was a stickler for the official “bus departure time”, which wasn’t for another ten mins so when I got back we had to stand in the rain looking at a mural of whales on the wall and playing a guessing game of which species each of them was and do I have whales in my country. After lunch he told me “This afternoon will not be fun. It is raining”. No kidding. If I wrote about every excruciating stop we made this would be a very long post. I will just mention the best (or worst) three:

1. The Nissan cave. We stopped at the Shimen recreation area where a long path leads to a stunning rocky coastline and a cave. But it was raining, the rocks were slippery and the sea looked ferocious. Ever so often the waves threatened to cover the rocks where we were standing. The guide was in full photographer mode by now. Try following instructions in Chinese to recreate specific poses when you have no reference as to what they are. It’s only when I saw a photo in the recreation area explaining that “The sea-facing opening is called the “March Cave” as it looks like a March (a Nissan car model)” that I realised I was supposed to be driving a car. After I fell over on the rocks trying to reach the next spot I was getting annoyed and told him no more photos. This just annoyed him and he told me crossly that “an American tourist got an amazing photo in that spot”. Good for him.

2. The cliff rescue. For someone who looked about 70 he leapt up the rocky slope to the top of the rocks. After looking over the edge I decided I really didn’t want his photo to be the last one I ever took. But getting down was harder than he made it look, so much so that I got stuck. To add to the ridiculousness of this entire day there was a family a bit lower down who sent their approximately 10 year old son up to fetch me. Unfortunately he appeared to be scared of heights. The poor boy started screaming (no exaggeration) as he tried to reach me while his parents laughed their heads off and took photos of us both. My only regret is that I didn’t video it. The guide just looked disgusted that I didn’t want a photo on the edge.

Not actually as dangerous as it looks

3. The bum shot. Best of all, or worst of all, at an otherwise average viewpoint he started positioning my arms and told me to hold my nose. Again I had no idea why until he showed me the photo. Like other tourists on his camera roll, I am supposed to be pointing at a mountain in the shape of a bottom and holding my nose at the smell. Is that even funny?

I couldn’t hide my annoyance at the end when he wanted me to do the mirror trick myself and I failed the test. He snatched it back and his phone shouted “No! Never drop the mirror!”. The final straw was when I was trying to enjoy my ginger tea whilst praying for the departure time to come around and he asked where my husband was and informed me that he was 66 and not married yet.

I didn’t realise I wasn’t meant to actually climb it til he shouted “No!!!”

Hualien is probably best left until the Taroko Gorge reopens, or perhaps I missed something. Unfortunately I just wanted to get out of the place so I went straight to the train station to secure my train ticket down the coast to Taitun the next day.

“*Running from an earthquake” – getting run over more likely*

*The one viewpoint he didn’t accompany me, too many stairs*

48 Hours in Taipei (Tea, Temples and Taiwanese Food Heaven)

February 19, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in Taiwan, TravelLeave a comment

Lesson learned when taking budget flights in Asia. They are strict. Firstly I was forced to buy a ticket out of Taiwan before they would let me check in at the airport in Okinawa and secondly what constitutes carry-on baggage in Europe doesn’t mean carry-on here. If you thought Ryan Air staff were petty, Air Asia staff weighed every single item I had on me with a hand-held scale and as it was over 7kg I had to pay to put my ridiculously small bag into the hold. Airport hassles aside, arriving in Taiwan was smooth sailing. I bought an ‘Easy Pass’ travel card and took a fast train to the city from the airport. You get to choose a cute design for the card (I went for a sort of gothic Minnie Mouse) which makes it fun to use and it’s valid all over Taiwan on buses, trains (apart from the High Speed Rail) and in convenience shops, just top it up with cash.

The ‘’Old Door Hostel” was actually right opposite one of the many exits of the Taipei Main Station. This is a convenient base although my friend in Taipei warned me to expect a lot of homelessness, which was sad to see. The main station is a maze of floors and underground shopping malls and subways. It felt like I spent half of my time in Taipei somewhere in that station trying to get out. Not to worry, there are people on hand with English translators ready to spot anyone looking lost.

Taiwan is noticeably quieter at night than Hong Kong or Japan. Restaurants generally open for lunch from 12.00-14.00 and again from 17.00-19.00, so a bit of planning is needed so you don’t miss out. Some of my favourite cheap food has been in the food courts of the shopping malls, particularly vegetarian buffets which are always busy, the food is fresh and you can fill up for £3.

What I’m saving on food and accommodation on this trip I could easily spend on coffee. Taiwan has an excellent coffee scene with independent coffee shops and speciality cafes everywhere. I made the mistake of popping in one in the more touristy area of Dihua Street and tapping to pay for their “signature hand dripped coffee” without checking the price. I could not believe it when I realised later that I had paid over £6 for a single black coffee that I didn’t even like. Granted, it was served with a sample in a test tube and ice cubes to taste how the flavour changes when it gets cold. It didn’t taste any better.

*Shaved ice pudding, hand dripped coffee, sweet and sour dried plums with tea, and tea cocktail*

The Old Door Hostel has its own bar and cafe downstairs which is a nice touch. I never got back on time for the free whisky shot, probably because I was still in the station. It’s about £15 a night for a bed in a pod style dorm but the Japanese powder rooms are long gone. It’s two showers per 12 or so beds here and a couple of shared wash basins.

I had 2 days in Tapei before starting my route Eastwards around the island, with a plan to return at the end. I quickly fell in love with the capital city, and Taiwan in general. There are flowers and plants everywhere. The roads are crazy busy with motorbikes and you have to wait for what seems like eternity to cross the road (nobody skips the lights). A lot of the restaurants are in the huge shopping malls so it might take a while to find them. I spent a few hours browsing the electronics shops – there is some serious gaming going on here. Prices go down the further away you get from the big stores.

I found my ideal food spot in another mall, called VegeCreek, which seems genius and I wish we had this concept in the UK. You take a basket and choose all the ingredients like you’re in a grocery shop, then they make a stirfry or soup for you with the price based on how many items you pick.

There is enough to do in Taipei alone for a couple of weeks with it’s cultural sites, city parks, temples, the river … each district has it’s own vibe and then there’s the day trips, hiking routes and hot springs. To make the most of my 48 hours, on my first day I walked to the Peace Park. Here there is a memorial to the 228 Massacre, a crackdown on Taiwanese civilians by the KMT-led Nationalist government, triggered by a dispute over cigarette contraband in Taipei. On February 27 1947 agents beat a female cigarette vendor and killed a bystander. Protests escalated the next day and Chinese troops began a crackdown specifically targeting students, lawyers, and doctors, aiming to suppress dissent. The following period known as “White Terror” started with the declaration of martial law in May 1949 which continued for 38 years, not lifted until 1987.

The estimated death toll for the 228 Massacre ranges from 18,000 to 28,000. I gained my information from the plaque in the park but here is a link to Wikipedia for more details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_28_incident

A shortish walk from the park (not counting the time waiting to cross the roads) is the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. This national monument from 1980 was built to honour the former President of the Republic of China.

The scale of the building isn’t immediately obvious as you enter through the ornate gate and walk up towards the monument itself – but it’s absolutely massive up close. Inside is a huge bronze statue of Chiang Kai-shek. It’s totally worth the climb for the view alone.

A great way to spend the afternoon is wandering around the Datong district and Yongle market. As my friend said, it’s so busy because it’s the equivalent of a Christmas market in Europe. Stalls were selling all kinds of snacks in preparation for the Chinese New Year which was in a couple of weeks time.

*Cutesy steps in visitor information centre*

This area is famous for its tea industry which was booming in the 1860s. It became the centre of Taiwan’s tea trade and today the streets are full of traditional tea houses and little shops. I found the most wonderful little vegan restaurant but don’t remember the name. The lovely owner has travelled a lot and speaks perfect English, now spending her time lovingly preparing her menu at the counter where her regular customers sit in a row. One lady purchased 3 bag fulls of cookies. It feels like being in her home.

On my second day after a terrible nights sleep with snoring in the dorm – a definite downgrade from Japan – I met up with my friend Ann who I used to work with via video calls but had never met in person until now. It rained on our plans to climb the Xiangshan mountain so Ann, her sister in and I met for coffee followed by lunch at a “Michelin recommended” vegetarian restaurant. It was the most incredible experience and probably the best food I’ve experienced on my travels.

The restaurant served a vegan version of the traditional New Year’s hotpot, listed on the menu as the interestingly named dish “Buddha jumps over the wall”. The pot comes out steaming and packed full of so many different ingredients – including chestnuts, dates, several kinds of mushrooms, taro and “vegetarian sharks fin” (no idea what that actually was). It was amazing to try mushrooms I’ve never seen before and vegetables I’ve never heard of. Apparently Taiwan cultivates over 30 types of mushrooms. We ate so much we couldn’t manage any dinner but there’s always room for tofu pudding and shaved ice!

Clock wise from top left:
1: Chayote leaves,
2: Betel nut flowers, 3: Lions Mane and 3-Cup Monkey Head mushrooms, a 4: Tofu and basil, 5: “Buddha jumps over the wall”, 6: Ready to eat

Ann took me to some cool places I might have otherwise missed, like the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, a former tobacco factory. It’s now a collection of arty shops, including a 24 hour bookshop where you can get coffee and read any time you fancy and the Taiwan Design Museum.

Taiwan has earthquakes on a regular basis, so much so that the locals take it in their stride. I asked Ann what to do – she said “nothing unless it’s a big one”. “What’s a big one?” I asked. “If things keep shaking for over 30 seconds, consider going outside. Actually, you can open the door as well, just so the door doesn’t get stuck.” She added that if I was really worried, I could take my pillow and hold it over my head though I’d get some funny looks if it wasn’t a “big one”. Hoping that’s not what my travel pillow gets used for.

The Taiwanese love their tea so much they even have tea cocktails, which I had to try, served in a classy old building (the sort you’d normally dress up a bit for, not go in your walking shoes and rain jacket but Taiwan is free of judgement). The first cocktail wasn’t on the menu but the barman assured me it was a “good first drink, nice and light” – he wasn’t wrong. The second one was a gamble – oolong tea, Campari, sherry, prickly ash pepper and prosecco. It took two of us to finish it. Ann’s gamble on a seaweed based cocktail did not pay off – it was so undrinkable she asked them to make her something else.

After two days of sightseeing and enough food to see me through for a week, it was time to start my route eastwards around the island…

From the Tranquil to the Tacky (the other side of Okinawa)

February 9, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in Japan, TravelLeave a comment

In one week I experienced two very different faces to Okinawa. There is the wild beauty of the coast and the nearby islands, some uninhabited. The serenity of the gardens and palaces. But then there is the holiday park concrete jungle.

I didn’t want to leave Okinawa without seeing the north of the island. Without a car the only option is an organised bus tour, given the lack of much public transport outside of Naha. There are a few companies running trips but only one stops at both the Nakijin castle ruins and Cape Manzamo without including entrance to the aquarium. I didn’t want to visit anywhere that claims to house a whaleshark in a tank, having swum with these magnificent creatures in the wild.

All of the northern trips seem to be called the Blue route. You’re supposed to book before 15.30 the day before but I turned up at 8.00 and they were happy for me to join as there were only about 8 other guests, already on the bus. The tour is only in Japanese but they provide ample written material in English. Our very enthusiastic guide gave us stickers to wear and made sure I went to the toilet before we left (I didn’t even want to go but felt obligated and everyone smiled and nodded when I got back on the bus). At every stop she handed me written instructions on the meeting point.

The guide talked non stop in rapid Japanese for the full hour to Cape Manzamo. The name of this place means “all the people” and it got the name because all the people could sit together outside and enjoy the Cape’s beauty. Legend has it that in the 18th century when the King of the Ryukyu Kingdom visited he was told “it is wide enough to sit all thousands of people” and hence he gave it the name.

The other people on the tour were friendly and we again managed a conversation via Google translate. One woman in her 70s spoke some limited English which comically included saying to her husband “come on Grandad” when he lagged behind. As well as non stop commentary our guide broke into spontaneous song every now and then. I had no idea what she was saying of course but clapped politely when everyone else did. I asked a man from Singapore who spoke Japanese why she was singing and he said “I don’t know. I guess she’s keeping us entertained.”

Singing along

Next stop was an early buffet lunch at a monster of a hotel, the Orion. My new friends the Japanese couple and Singaporean man had made a little group by now so we ate together. There was a full 3 hours at this stop as it was the Ocean Expo Park which is absolutely huge. Aside from the aquarium there is an ocean themed museum, botanical gardens and reconstruction of a traditional village.

With clear instruments to be at the hotel lobby by the pickup time, I went to have a look at the ‘Manatee Pool’ and turtles outside to see how bad it was. It was bad. The large manatees were in small tanks for their size and the turtles were swimming round the edges of what I’d describe as a paddling pool, over and over again. No rocks or any sign of a natural environment. It made me very sad to see the huge crowds jostling for photos of large marine life without questioning if they should be kept in there or not. I can only imagine the whale sharks.

The aquarium itself is a monstrosity of a concrete building with multiple escalators transporting the masses inside.

I actually quite enjoyed having a look at the traditional village and walking along by the coast although the highlight for me was probably finding a new snack – hot, very sweet, sweet potato in a tube out of a vending machine.

I had found Mr Singapore again by then and he insisted I eat my potato sitting down in the designated eating area. He said he was sure of the way back and we had plenty of time. As we set off for the hotel, however, he said “actually we have to run”. Given he was tall he ran twice the pace of me. They won’t leave without us both I said. This is Japan, he said, they will leave without us on the dot. It was when we got to the hotel it became apparent he only knew the way to the hotel, not the way through it and we could not in fact cut through.

This led to my frantically chasing him through the manicured gardens and around the swimming pool thinking we must be on their CCTV. When we eventually got into the building we couldn’t activate the lifts without a hotel key. Luckily he flagged down a staff member who escorted us to the lobby where our guide was anxiously waiting. She ran with us to the bus – technically we weren’t even late as it was the exact departure time. Everyone on the bus found it very funny when I explained the situation via Google translate.

The final stop on the tour is the Nakijin castle ruins. The ruins are very much ruins but it’s beautiful to see the old walls with the early Japanese cherry blossom. There is a museum with 3 floors of exhibitions but there wasn’t time to investigate – we were taking no chances with the departure time.

The drive back was full of more commentary and a mandatory toilet stop, plus snacks given to me by the Japanese woman and Grandad. When we arrived in the city the driver dropped me off close to the Monorail and everyone waved goodbye through the window which was lovely.

It was time to leave Okinawa, after some more sushi (they were very happy I went back!). Next destination, and the main reason for this trip – Taiwan.

Palaces, Beaches and Cabin Hotels (Okinawa)

February 8, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in Japan, TravelLeave a comment

To get away from the hustle of Kokusai-dori street I took the bus to the Shikina-en Royal Gardens. Here you’ll find quiet, tranquil gardens surrounding the old royal palace and lake. It’s all very orderly, no eating or drinking outside of the designated spaces and a signposted route to follow.

The gardens were created in 1799 under the Ryukyu Kingdom and used for the reception of an envoy from China. Totally destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa, restoration took 20 years starting in 1975. If you take your shoes off you can go inside – the rooms are open and bare but it’s interesting to see the use of each space. For example a “place to warm tea, liquor and foods”, and the room where tea was served to Chinese delegates in 1800.

Although the numerous warnings about the local poisonous snake made it slightly less relaxing as I only had the cartoon like drawing to go by with no idea how big or small or aggressive it was. Aside from seeing no snakes, I only saw a couple of other people and had the inside of the palace to myself. There is a sweet little bakery right outside, if you can find a place to eat.

Ready for a change of scenery I wanted to visit one of the smaller islands. I was advised by the tourist information that given the weather (boats can be cancelled and not everything is open) it was best to choose the closest one, Tokashiki. This gave me the option of a shorter more reliable car ferry across. It’s 100% worth the trip. In winter the options are more limited with both the faster more expensive speed boat and the ferry each running once per day (there and back). The risk is that if they are cancelled you’d have to stay the night, which wouldn’t be all that bad!

I got off the ferry after about a hour and a half and jumped straight on the local bus to Aharen beach on the other side of the island. It’s helpfully timed with the ferry schedule. Aharen is a bit of a one horse town with a main road running down to the beach – it literally opens up onto the shore. There are a handful of cafes and snack bars dotted around but most were closed.

I found myself on the most stunning natural beach with crystal clear water and could imagine how amazing it would be to swim here in summer. The contrast with the thick forest is even more beautiful. The advantage of going in winter is that I again counted just 5 or 6 other people. I spent a few hours just chilling on the beach, climbing up to a viewpoint and enjoying sweet potato fritters and Okinawan lemonade.

For my last few nights I paid £19 per night for a cabin room at the Grand Cabin Hotel. This is the best hotel I have ever stayed in. I could live there. You enter into a huge lobby and cafe area where the complimentary Okinawan breakfast and free lemonade or shot of local spirit are served. You can also pick up something from the Manga collection to read or buy souvenirs at the shop.

Going through to the women only floor, you get a decent sized bed in a lockable room with ample space for your luggage. But that’s not all – in your basket you’ll find two fresh towels, changed daily, and around the corner you go to the pillow bar and select from at least 10 different types of pillows and pickup a comfy pair of pyjamas and slippers.

And that’s still not all – enter the powder room of all powder rooms. Several individual stations with hair dryers and straighteners, all the toiletries you could ever need and a SHAMPOO BAR. At least 10 different luxury shampoos and conditioners to choose from. In the UK people would be stuffing their pockets and stealing everything that’s not nailed down.

It may have only cost £19 but the sheer joy of returning to this hotel in the evening, after picking up some freshly made cucumber sushi from across the road, was priceless.

The Hawaii of Japan (Naha, Okinawa)

February 4, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in Japan, TravelLeave a comment

There is a lot more to Japan than the mainland. Looking at the map, the Okinawan islands were only a short flight from both Hong Kong and Taiwan so it was too good a chance to miss. It’s winter in Jan/Feb so I went for the larger of the islands, basing myself in Naha which is described by some as the Japanese Hawaii. I can see why. Arriving at the airport there are strict rules on bringing in any type of food and sniffer dogs on patrol. My peanut butter snack bar was totally fine though. And the lady who searched my bag was the most polite customs officer I’ve come across, giggling and quickly closing the bag when she came across my underwear.

Straight onto the Yui Rail Monorail that connects the city of Naha and less than 15 mins to my accommodation! I loved the Monorail with the orderly queue to board, strictly no eating or drinking onboard and the smart driver in his pristine cap and white gloves. Again just tap your contactless and you’re automatically charged, no need for a ticket.

Welcome to the world of Japanese capsule hostels, the answer to no longer in their 20s solo female backpacker’s prayers! My accommodation for the first three nights was Hotel Minimumms. Entirely women only, you get a private pod style bed with your own air-con, light and shelf, two towels changed daily, plus slippers and cosy pyjamas to lounge around in. The price of around £20 per night includes a simple but decent enough (dietary preferences aside!) breakfast of tea/coffee, bread rolls, croissants and boiled eggs. Given it’s women only, you just roll out of your pod in your PJs, have breakfast, chill out for a bit then get ready in the powder room full of free toiletries. Strictly no talking and phones on silence rules mean you get a great nights sleep – I admit I broke these rules with my morning alarm.

Walking around at night the streets have a holiday buzz about them, with Japanese and other Asian families on vacation. I didn’t see a single other Westerner for at least a day. The only thing I had pre-booked before leaving the UK was a spot on a morning whale watching trip which are likely to sell out with it being peak season for spotting humpback whales as they return to mate. Otherwise I rely on tourist information and local advice on what to see which usually works out.

I lucked out on dinner as I found a tiny one-man-band vegan restaurant called Tamatebako tucked down one of the side streets. It was full but they squeezed me in at the bar and I enjoyed an ice cold Okinawan beer while the chef cooked the most delicious laksa and Okinawan tofu which is a speciality. This is not the place to eat in a hurry – it’s all freshly cooked.

*Vegan dumplings, fried peanut tofu, fresh peanut tofu and coffee in cup of choice*

On my first day I headed to the Shuri castle, which served as the royal residence of the Ryukyu Kingdom for over 450 years between 1429 and 1879. It’s in a beautiful area with cute little streets away from the hustle of the main strip. The castle itself is under reconstruction but it’s still well worth a visit. An interesting fact about Shuri is that it had a water clock (“Rokoku”) – the volume of dripping water was used to measure time.

The best spot for lunch was actually the onsite restaurant which serves very reasonable set lunches including vegan options. I tried another local specialty of “bitter melon” stir fry – the bitter part is accurate, the melon not so much.

Keen to learn some more about the history of these islands, I paid the Prefecture museum a visit. It takes you literally year by year through the fairly turbulent history from the independent Ryukyu Kingdom in the 15th-19th centuries who traded with China under the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Ryukyu Kingdom was a thriving nation which connected Southeast Asia, China, Korea and Japan. The islands had a very strategic location for trading and therefore developed a unique culture. The museum takes you through to Japanese rule in 1879 after the Satsuma Invasion of 1609, then US military occupation from 1945-1972 before going back to Japan. The British had their own impact with the British Opium War in the 1800s.

The museum also educates on the early history – these islands have the most well-preserved fossils in Japan, with each set of islands having their own fossil fauna. Something interesting is the islander’s belief that Gods come from across the sea and bring blessings. The people have a very close relationship with the sea, and in Okinawan spiritual culture, the sea has multiple layers that are the source of all life, a home for deities and final resting place for spirits.

There is a huge “American Village” on the island which is where lots of people base themselves, but I didn’t come to Okinawa to be surrounded by fake American scenes. The airbases are visible enough from the road heading north.

*Shurijo castle through the scaffolding*

I had another great dinner experience, when I walked past a restaurant just outside my hotel with a big Vegan sign outside. It was again full, but after some smiling discussions between a family sitting at one of the tables and the owner, I was invited to join the family. With the help of Google translate we established that they were Mikki and her husband (who was fully blind which I would not have know until she told me) and Yuna, who had also met the couple in this restaurant some time before and became friends. It’s times like this where travelling alone is actually a better way to meet local people, which is one of the best things about travelling. I tried another Okinawan speciality of peanut tofu. I learned that deep fried is not the best way to have it as it turns to mush, but since I was with the family who were friends with the chef I had to eat it.

The next day I left early for my boat trip at 8.30. Pickup was at 7.40 at a nearby hotel. I was very nearly late then remembered that in Japan they leave on the dot. I finally found the other Westerners on the island (all three of us) and we spent the boat ride chatting about life.

*Shisa guarding the castle and figure from the Prefecture museum*

The whale watching boats are big enough for a top and bottom deck, toilet and can hold about 30-40 people. Despite them wanting to keep the English speakers downstairs we managed to nab a spot up the top for a more exhilarating (windy) experience. After an hour I was starting to doubt we would see any whales then we were all instructed to sit down on the front of the boat. Suddenly out of nowhere a gigantic Humpback whale jumped out of the water and flipped right in front of us, possibly 10m away but none of us were very good at guessing distances and by then we had lost the English speaking guide. It was far too quick to catch on camera unless like a lot of the group you had your camera held above your head videoing the entire 3 hour trip. After that we saw a few more in the distance, but nothing could beat that experience.

I made a hasty exit after the trip ended as the fellow Brit and I had already covered all conversation topics and his jokes were becoming annoying so I went for a more chilled afternoon of wandering the pottery district. The main Kokusai-dori street (International street) in Naha was already getting tiring with its flashy neon, fast food and crowds. On Pottery street you can find beautiful tea rooms (I was asked to go to the display cabinet and select which cup I would like my coffee to be served in, which made the experience) and shops with truly the most exquisite Okinawan blue pottery you can imagine. It’s not even expensive. But travelling with pottery isn’t practical so I could only dream of taking a pair of huge statues of Shisa, the traditional Okinawan lion-dog guardian, home with me. I settled for a key ring.

There is enough to do on the main island for a few days in winter season. It’s warm for winter (around 20c) but a bit rainy and too cold to swim, plus the ferries to other islands are on a reduced winter schedule. It’s also much easier if you have your own transport. I decided to take a trip to a nearby smaller island anyway and join a tour bus to explore the north …

24 hours in Hong Kong

February 1, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in Hong Kong, TravelLeave a comment

Two places that have long been on my travel wish list are Hong Kong and Taiwan. Perfect for a 4 week trip along with a last minute addition of the Okinawa islands off of Japan due to their surprisingly close proximity to Taiwan. I was pretty sceptical of the £350 return flight I booked from London to Hong Kong via booking.com with China Eastern Airlines five days before travelling. Were they really as bad as some reviews suggest? As it turned out, no! They were excellent and everything had gone through – aisle seat and special meal all sorted out (it even included a vegan chocolate bar) and comfortable enough for the 11.5 hour flight to Shanghai followed by a short connection in Hong Kong. When we were an approaching Shanghai there was a muffled announcement over the audio system about scanning a QR code to fill out a landing card that EVERYONE must do. Cue all the westerners onboard asking each other what was all that about and a mad scramble to connect to the onboard WiFi which buckled under the pressure. The air stewards walked around causing total panic presenting a QR code that nobody could use. Of course it turned out totally unnecessary for those transiting i.e. ALL of us. It did break the ice so I had people to hang out with during the layover, although they were also panicking over where their luggage was headed. I took a punt on the flight price but didn’t trust it enough to check my bag in.

It has been almost 20 years since I’ve been to China and I had forgotten just how big the airport is and how many rules there are. I sat charging my phone next to the escalators listening to a relentlessly repetitive voice over warning of the dangers of letting an elderly person set foot on it.

*Bus to Tsim Sha Tsui, just tap your contactless card*

Finally arriving at Hong Kong International Airport I was amazed how easy everything was. As soon as I passed through customs I reached the information desk who directed me to the buses and idiot proof signposting. Less than an hour and a £3.90 fare later I found my hostel. Accommodation in Hong Kong is both tiny and expensive and booking in advance would be recommended rather than the day before arriving. I stayed at the strangely named Pillows Co-Living which is a collection of tiny ensuite rooms at the top of a tall building in the East Tsim Sha Tsui area. I can’t imagine anyone could actually live there. The location made up for paying 400 HK dollars (around £37) a night for a box. Any thought of catching up on sleep went out the window (although for that price you don’t get a window) due to the building work taking over the entire building. The lift under renovation was the most worrying part as I was up on the 8th floor.

I love Asian big cities at night as they come to life. It’s safe and you can get food and walk around until late with all the other people who are out and about. Hong Kong is actually made up of over 250 islands, with Victoria Harbour dividing Hong Kong Island from Kowloon (where most budget accommodation is). Every night at 20.00 there is a free light show over the harbour where all the buildings across the water are lit up in time to the sound of the philharmonic orchestra which is well worth a visit and makes for an lovely evening walk.

*Boats leave just before the show starts*

With just one day before flying to Okinawa, after breakfast at the trendy N1 cafe in the same building – everything being so high rise and crammed in, it’s common that the place you’re looking for is several floors up or down and not visible from the outside – I walked just ten minutes to the wharf and found an extremely helpful tourist information. They even have an app to show you the current view at the various viewpoints so you can wait for a clear day.

*Even the transport appears squashed in*

My tips for a fairly relaxed 24 hours in Hong Long are as follows:

Take the Star Ferry across the harbour: it runs every 10 mins or so and takes the same amount of time, costing about 35p.
Ride the Mid Town Elevator all the way to the top. The longest reversible outdoor elevator in the world takes commuters up or down depending on time of day and gives a wonderful glimpse into each neighbourhood it passes through.
Stop by the Man Mo Temple crammed in between buildings. It’s free to enter.
Spend a couple of hours exploring Tai Kwun, the site of the old prison and join the free Architecture tour every hour.
Have tea and snack at a tea room. Madame Fu-Grand inside Tai Kwun is on the pricier side but worth it for the atmosphere.
Grab dinners in a shopping centre food hall for a cheap and quick meal with plenty of choice.
Join the crowd to watch the light show for 15 mins or so on the harbour at 20.00.
Indulge in the dessert culture, take a number and queue for a seat at one of the very popular tofu based dessert cafes open late.

My favourite parts … I really enjoyed the Mid Town escalator because it gave me a view of each neighbourhood and a glimpse into Hong Kong life, seeing people sitting at cafes or going to work or about their day. Take it all the way up to the residential area with mansion blocks and a lot more greenery. Just remember you’ll have to walk down.

The British effect is clear to see – M&S food departments and happy hour pubs are dotted around. I found Hong Kong to have a really interesting, cool sort of vibe with its mix of Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and British history amongst others and will have to visit some museums on my return trip.

Tai Kwun prison was a surprising highlight for me. This is the former Central Police Station Compound and includes three main sites: the old Central Police Station, the former Central Magistracy and the Victoria Prison. The government partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to turn it into a heritage site including art gallerys and cafes in 2018. The British influence is especially clear here as it’s in between Chancery Lane and Old Bailey Street.

I happened to arrive just as the free architectural tour was starting and the over enthusiastic guides did a good job of haranguing myself and two other women into joining. The women tried saying they might have to leave but it didn’t work. What followed was an hour’s architecture lesson, covering in EXCRUCIATING detail the five types of material used to construct the buildings (there are some key differences which we were quizzed on) – namely brick, granite, wood, iron and aluminium (I think).

The guide was excited he had someone from Britain in the group but disappointed I didn’t know the origin of the original highest quality bricks. It’s Leicester. To be fair it was actually really interesting and a good way to see some areas that are usually closed off. Plus if I ever need to tell if some bricks are hand or machine made or if a railing is wrought or cast iron, I’ll be all set.

I spent a few hours there in total as it’s worth looking inside the old cells as well. The guide asked me what I thought about the “overcrowded cells” and I stopped myself from pointing out it was the same size as my hotel room. I also failed the test of guessing the toilet system, i.e which bucket in the cell was for number one or number two, which he said would have got me killed.

Food wise, vegetarian food is everywhere but not always in English. Finding a tiny restaurant hidden away inside a office block, where locals are eating is great until you really don’t like what you’ve ordered (not knowing what it was) and have to try and sneak out without appearing rude and wasteful.

*Cashew and tofu dessert with sweet rice balls*

That concludes one full day in the city. I plan to return to Hong Kong in a few weeks to see a few more places, go up to The Peak and visit Macau. Next stop Okinawa…

Glimpse into the North (South Korea Part Two)

January 21, 2025January 21, 2025Posted in Asia, South Korea, TravelTagged Asia, backpacking, solo travel, South Korea, travel blog1 Comment

Let’s start by that saying as far as strange tours go, this was up there with the best of them. The Demilitarised Zone is a strip of land cutting the Korean peninsula in half, forming a ‘buffer zone’ approximately 2km wide on either side of the Military Demarcation Line, the divider between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). The zone itself may be ‘demilitarised’ but the areas on either side are very heavily militarised indeed. Within the DMZ is the Joint Security Area (JSA) where negotiations take place and until recently it was possible to visit the spot where North and South Korean soldiers face off. This is important to know before booking, because the JSA closed to tourists in July 2023 after an American soldier attempted to cross the border from South to North without authorisation. Tours to the DMZ continued, with a couple of options that generally include a walk through one of the infiltration tunnels, a visit to an ‘observatory’ / visitor’s centre with telescopic viewing platforms set up to provide the coveted glimpse into North Korea and a stop at one of the suspension bridges, which are a fun way to stagger the group arrivals to the DMZ. The other thing to know (which I didn’t) is that various bridges and tunnels are closed on different days. As it turned out, the tour I initially booked was closed on Mondays so I ended up on this one, which I actually would recommend as the guides were great and it wasn’t too crowded – ‘2nd Tunnel and Y-Shaped Suspension Bridge‘ via the GetYourGuide platform. I set off at 6.30am for the meeting point at Myeondong subway station, a 20 min walk from my hostel.

*Map of the DMZ and 2nd infiltration tunnel*

The roads were dark and quiet other than some office workers starting their day but Seoul is a very safe city. Finding anywhere open for breakfast at that time was impossible so I settled for a coffee and and a bread roll filled with sweet red beans from the 7/11 convenience store, a good way to use up some of my T-Card balance. I arrived at the subway station and spotted a group of blank looking tourists sitting on some benches. A guide with a clipboard introduced herself as Lucy, gave me a tag to hang around my neck with her name on it and sent me over to join the others. There’s always an annoying person or two in group trips (as the saying goes if there isn’t one, then it’s you) and sure enough two middle aged Australian men joined the group after unnecessarily loudly having a go at Lucy for changing the meeting point (she didn’t) and asking us all if we had received the location details on time (we had).

Video from the bus, entering the DMZ

Bus tours are a very popular way to see South Korea and in fact the only way to see the DMZ, which needs to be booked in advance with your passport details. Lucy and her fellow tour guide Joey didn’t believe in any rest on the bus – this theme continued on all of the bus tours I took in South Korea. Sitting up front meant I had no choice but to listen to the non-stop commentary aside from a 20 min break where Joey announced ‘ok you can take a rest now, sleep well’. It was actually very informative, and if I’m not forced to listen then I will switch off. Meanwhile our suit and sunglasses wearing driver Mr Sony provided a cheerful hello and thank you each time we embarked and disembarked the purple bus. Interestingly, Joey said that until she became a tour guide a few years ago, when she was living in London and working in Pret, she hadn’t given much thought to the question of unification between the North and South. Her father recalls North Korean citizens being referred to as animals during his own school days and her mother still considers them ‘the enemy’. It’s only now that she’s working in tourism that her view has shifted and she has come to view them as normal people mostly working as farmers and living below the poverty line, and she now sees unification as a good thing.

*Y-Shaped Suspension bridge, taken from the observation deck*

Our first stop was the ‘Y-Shaped Pocheon Suspension Bridge’, which at 410m is the longest suspension bridge in Korea, as the name suggests forming a Y shape over the Hantangang River. The advantage of starting the tour so early is that you’re the first group to arrive – the observatory and cafe were just opening up and the bridge was quite literally empty. The real reason there are multiple suspension bridges in this area is because they were once used as a defence line, but nowadays they are fun to walk over and provide some lovely views of the autumn colours.

Perhaps the most unsettling thing about this tour compared to other war memorials and places of historical interest, is that usually the conflicts, or at least the wars, are in the past. Whereas this conflict is most definitely in the present. It was also disconcerting to hear the ‘rivalry’ referred to in a lighthearted manner, i.e the raising of flagpoles higher than the other one, and the blasting of K-Pop and Gangnam Style music – both sides broadcast various music / messages / material into the area over loud speakers. It was only recently in the news that thousands of balloons filled with rubbish (according to news reports, possibly also containing human waste) were sent over from the North and dropped on the South.

Back on the bus and off to our second stop, the “2nd Infiltration Tunnel” and, unexpectedly, a Crane centre (the bird variety) which we had a look around whilst Lucy sorted out some admin. The tunnel is one of four constructed by North Korea, intended for a surprise attack. The information in the visitors centre explained that some South Korean soldiers heard banging noises leading to the discovery of the tunnel in 1975, which had already been abandoned. It’s about 2m by 2m and could apparently accommodate up to 30,000 armed soldiers per hour, along with vehicles, artillery and tanks. I’m not so sure about the tanks – I soon understood why helmets were mandatory, as the ceiling is really low in places and the only sound was that of people bumping their heads every minute or so.

Strictly no photos were allowed inside the tunnel, but it’s fairly well lit (the artificial lights allowed plants to grow despite the dampness). Our guide said there was some type of mineral on the ceiling – I forgot exactly what, but it’s meant to be lucky to touch it – but all I touched was slime. There are some benches for weary tourists at the deepest point, after which the tunnel is barricaded off and you need to turn back. It’s a bit surreal to consider that if you did continue on, you’d surface somewhere in North Korea, which presumably wouldn’t be a tourist attraction. Or would it?

This day trip was 10 hours long (another common theme with the bus trips) and included a basic buffet lunch. Eventually we made it to the highlight of the trip and main reason for coming, the Peace Observatory. Lucy and Joey warned us not to take any photos of the South Korean guards, who would apparently all look very young (this was true). After a short train/cable car ride up, we all filed into a cinema style room (no photos inside either) and watched a short video which could itself be described as propaganda with it’s horror music style soundtrack. Positioned around the floor to ceiling glass windows were telescopes, some with digital screens trained on the DMZ and beyond into North Korea. We were told that whilst no photos were allowed outside either, nobody would check our phones which could be taken as encouragement. The adolescent looking soldiers helped focus the lenses on what was described as Propaganda Village – a village on the North Korea side which they say is fake. I did spot a moving truck, and Joey got very excited at a blob she said was “a North Korean”. She said this like it was some type of rare exotic species. I wondered were there lenses trained on us from the other side? Outside was even more surreal as over the wind I could hear a message being broadcast very loudly from the speakers, which the soldiers said was a message of peace. I have no idea what it was, as it was in Korean. But I found it fascinating wandering around the terrace, using the telescopes to look past nomads land. I would be slightly wary of posting any footage on social media, even if I had taken any.

*Tanks outside the visitor’s centre (spot the name tag)*

After some photos with the tanks and a visit to the shop selling 10kg bags of rice – also free green tea and samples of purple rice cake (this is prime rice growing territory) – off we went to yet another stop, the abandoned Woljeongri station. This is the now dilapidated last train stop before the border. It was a great photo opportunity and fairly eery with the remains of a carriage just rusting away on the tracks, which now lead to nowhere and the distant sound of K-Pop being broadcast from the South Korean speakers.

Korean K-Pop music in the background

Not far from here, and the final stop on the tour, is the last building constructed in North Korean architectural style, the Korean Workers Party Headquarters. Constructed in 1946, the three story building is falling down but there was still a a team of gardeners tending to the bushes. I didn’t get any more information on this, but imagine it’s an influencer’s dream photo spot in the Spring.

*Cheorwon Korean Workers’ Party Headquarters*

Finally it was back on the bus and a couple of hours drive back to Seoul. It was certainly an eye opening day, and once more it was too late to find a proper meal. These long days are tiring – I managed a walk around the night market in Myendong and a cheap veggie spring roll before retreating to my pod for some sleep before my morning flight to the South Korea’s answer to Hawaii, Jeju Island…