07 - Stay in a luxury jungle treehouse on Ko Yao Noi
Sleep among the trees on Thailand's laid back island, set between the jungle and the ocean.
Embrace island living at its chilled-out finest.
Tucked in between Phuket and the busy beach towns of the Krabi coastline, quieter Ko Yao Noi attracts a small number of visitors every year with its natural, understated charm.
The island's coast is lined with tangled mangroves and its lush interior teems with forests and rubber plantations and rice paddies patrolled by wandering buffalo. It also has stilt fishing villages where life has changed little in decades, and classic white-sand beaches, too.
Set among a treetop canopy with uninterrupted views to the sea and the ancient Jurassic massifs of Phang Nga Bay is the dreamy five-star, adults-only TreeHouse Villas resort. You'll enter your two-level treehouse over a suspended bridge and find a private plunge pool, swing, day beds and private dining area.
If you can tear yourself away from your treehouse, the island offers outdoor activities galore, from sea kayaking and rock climbing to diving and snorkelling.
"From your treehouse you can see beautiful islands, blue sea and white sandy beach. In the other direction, green foliage and hornbills. Outdoor living at its most luxurious."
Luke - InsideAsia team
Connects with:
Ko Lanta
Ko Lanta is a tiny little drop of beach-fringed greenery in the middle of Thailand’s famous turquoise seas. If you’re looking for a low-key island retreat, this is it.
Krabi Krabi’s coastline is the stuff travel dreams are made of. Emerald vegetation clings to dramatic, gravity-defying cliffs, towering limestone pinnacles teeter precariously over the sea, and hundreds of little islands lie waiting to be explored.
Can't do March?
On Thailand's southeast coast, you can expect:
- Dry season from November to May
- Wet season from June
- Hottest months - March to May (29-35°C/ 84-95°F)
- Coolest months - December to February (upper 20's)
Where in the world is Ko Yao Noi?
08 – Stroll Gangneung's pink-dusted coastal streets
Beaches, mountains, seafood, art, K-pop and fishing culture – cherry blossom, Korea style.
Get Lost Magazine - InsideAsia partner, Korea 2023
Things are on the up in Gangneung, a mellow city fringed with popular beaches
Gangneung is surrounded by lush pine forests, bordered by the dazzling East Sea, and famous for its cuisine and coffee. Several of Korea’s best ski resorts are just a short drive away in the mountains that rise immediately west, while the peaks and hiking trails of nearby Odaesan National Park wind through South Korea's largest natural wood. On the other side of the city, a string of beaches vie for your attention, each with their own unique appeal. Jumunjin ropes in those keen to mimic their K-pop or movie heroes at various shooting locations; Anmok is presided over by a clutch of high-quality, sea-view cafés; while Gyeongpo is the busiest stretch, and has numerous restaurants known for a special kind of tofu made with salt water from the East Sea. Further south, Jeongdongjin boasts the one thing all good beaches should have – a giant, ship-shaped hotel stuck on a cliff – and has for decades been Korea’s favourite place to see in the New Year.
Cherry blossom sweeps in in late March or early April, depending on the weather, dusting the streets of this beautiful, fun coastal city with pink. When the blossom arrives, head to Gyeongpo Lake and stroll the 4km path lined with hundreds of cherry trees.
Where in the world is Gangneung?
Connects with:
Seoul This hyperactive, endlessly beguiling megalopolis somehow feels uber-cool, hyper-modern, charmingly traditional and historically fascinating, all at the same time.
Read more Seoraksan National Park Tucked up in the north-eastern corner of the country, Seoraksan National Park is Korea's most spectacular mountain area – and if you’ve got the energy, you’ll also find some of the loveliest hiking trails in the country here.
Can't do March?
Korea has four distinct seasons: spring (March-May), summer (June-August), autumn (September-November) and winter (December-February). Most people visit in spring or autumn, when temperatures are great. Summer is very hot and humid, while winter is very, very cold - although if you love snow, illuminations and winter festivals, it's brilliant.
09 - Embrace your inner geek in Tokyo
From anime to J-pop, it's time to get into Japan's pop culture.
Pokémon statues, cosplay cafés, karaoke
Where day-glo cafés, video game arcades and kawaii street fashions collide with ancient temples, exquisite gardens and spectacular natural scenery, Tokyo is a cultural crucible, bubbling with kitschy pop culture and Japanese traditions.
For those whose inner-nerd is desperate to break out, welcome to otaku ('geek') paradise. It's here that you can be served by robot receptionists, curl up with a manga comic book, find just about anything you could wish for (and some things you probably wouldn't) in a vending machine, and marvel at high-tech toilets, all within your first hour of arriving.
Start by diving headfirst into the world of Hayao Miyazaki at the Studio Ghibli Museum, view the dramatic skyline from the 60th floor of Ikebukuro's Sunshine City, or explore the mecca of all things eccentric, Akihabara 'electric town'.
Then, fill your days by learning about emerging science, testing out gadgets at tech giant showrooms, eating impossibly cute pastries in a themed cafe - or even spending the night in the Godzilla hotel, if dinosaurs are your bag.
If you're curious about Japan's cultural phenomena, you're in the right place.
Dan - InsideJapan customer, Japan 2023
Where in the world is Tokyo?
Connects with:
Hakone
Just a hop, skip and a jump (read: a short bullet train ride) from Tokyo, on a good day Hakone offers views of Mount Fuji in all her glory — and it’s your best bet for a good time even if she doesn’t oblige.
Nikko Welcome to Nikko, where the stage is set for the final showdown between art and nature. Will magnificent pagodas measure up against towering Japanese cedars? Is the beauty of Tokugawa’s mausoleum a match for the majesty of Kegon Falls? We’ll let you keep score.
Can't do March?
Japan has four distinct seasons: spring (March-May), summer (June-August), autumn (September-November) and winter (December-February). Being so far north, Hokkaido experiences the seasons earlier in the year, so is the first place to see the foliage change and snow, and the last to see cherry blossoms. Winter is extremely cold and very snowy.