JumperGi

Hey guys,
I'm thinking about going to Asia in the early spring or summer next year. Any ideas on possible destinations? I've been to Europe many times over, so I'm in that mindset of being able to jump on the plane/train/bus/ to hit multiple countries and surrounding cities as long as time permits. I've checked out some books on China, Japan, India, Thailand....and Egypt. LOL!!
I guess I don't really know what I'm looking to get into on this particular trip, but definitely something different from what Europe typically has to offer. Thailand seems exciting in regard to the tropical scene and the city exploration. I dunno. Whatever you've got, send it my way. Ideas, personal experiences, recommendations...I'm open to anything. I'm a 28y.o. male if that helps any. Oh yeah, and what about safety because I may be traveling alone? Thanks flyer friends!

Onward to Asia....

arubalad

Thailand, its exotic, safe and friendly. Depending on the time you have bangkok, chang mai, puket

BKKROP

Hi jumper GI, Asia is a big shock to most, you have absolute luxury which you have never seen at home or abroad and right next door are slums and open sewerage. You spend an hour checking out all the 5* top name shops in a shopping center and around the corner is the local wet market where they slaughter the goats and chooks. My recommendations would be Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, starting your journey in Singapore. Using LLC, fling yourself across to Jakarta and overland on the train through to Denpasar. From there up to KL, down into the interior, ending at Penang. Here you can hop up to the delights of Thailand, essential you see Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket. You are as safe in Asia as you are in New York city, if you ask for trouble, you will get it, if you are an easy scam you will be conned. Don't pat anyone on the head, drink to excess, abuse their faith or their government and you will be fine. Most of the Asians countries nationals have close to nothing and are very poor, but they will do anything for you, offer you their only meal, are interested in you as a person not what you have or who you are, and they are as happy as can be. Of course there are some bad ones, but every country has them. What is the biggest problem, I would say it's the weather. Everytime I take a new person on my trips, they collapse, fade away and die. 32 degrees is hot, but combine that with 100% humidity and you are sapped. Allow yourself 5-7 days to get used to it, otherwise the combination of heat stress, bad judgement and then you get food poisioning which can lay you low for a lot longer, regrads bkkrop

Koby

Singapore is probably the best place to start your first trip to Asia. It will be familiar enough but with some Asian touches. After that you can move on to the “real Asia”...

And don’t forget Hong Kong. It was for me the first city visited in Asia, and it absolutely blew me away. (I would even suggest limiting China to Hong Kong only on your first trip unless you have plenty of time. No visa needed, which makes it easier to organise...)

dannyr

I'm a bit biased, as it's my number 1 destination, but Penang is Gods Country. It's a little bit slower than most of the fast paced cities around, the people are IMHO friendlier, and the countryside is delightful.

Aircoco

If you have enough time and budget, you should definitely visit Japan. Trendy Tokyo, beautiful Kyoto (esp at this time of the year), and many other wonderful cities.

Language might be a challenge if you don't stay in international hotels chain, and things are expensive when compared to other Asian countries.