My Travel Footprints in Asia (2005 - 2014)
This is a record of my travels in Asia — day trips and business trips excluded.
I have not been travelling far and wide than I wanted to be, but it is a matter of what I want to achieve more than reaching the far corners. Nevertheless, I will still want to see the whole world in my lifetime. I will keep building this list with my journeys to see the world that I live in.
Why only Asia?
1. I have more leisure trips in Asia than any other places. Most of my trips outside Asia were work-related and, technically, not considered as travelling. And there are still a few more countries in East Asia that I have not visited.
2. Asian countries are nearer to my home country — Singapore. I can choose to travel over land or water without always needing to fly.
3. Singapore passport allows free visas to almost all the countries in Asia.
I will start with my first backpacking trip in 2005 as my memories and old photos (using films) of trips before 2005 are pretty hazy.
Note: All expenses stated below include air tickets, visa and travel insurance, if any. If you want to track your travel expenses too, download iTreasurer (iOS only) — made by me too.
— YEAR 2005 —
February '05 — Vietnam
Period: February 2005 (13 days) Expenses: SGD 1,185 Places: Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi Tunnels, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sapa Remarks: My first backpacking trip.
April '05 — Through West Malaysia to Thailand
Period: April~May 2005 (13 days) Expenses: SGD 750 Places: Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Hat Yai, Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya Remarks: Singapore to Ayutthaya and back using trains and buses only.
November '05 — Ipoh, West Malaysia Period: Nov 2005 (4 days) Expenses: SGD 170
Places: Cave Temples, Gua Tempurung
— YEAR 2006 —
May '06 — Beijing, China
Period: May 2006 (10 days) Expenses: SGD 1,100
Places: The Great Wall, Summer Palace, Heaven Altar, etc.
August '06 — West Malaysia
Period: August 2006 (13 days) Expenses: SGD 520 Places: Penang, Cameron Highlands, Taman Negara (Malaysia National Park), Malacca
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November '06 — Eastern China
Period: November 2006 (28 days) Expenses: SGD 1,750 Places: Nanjing, Wuxi, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Tunxi, Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), Wuyuan
— YEAR 2007 —
Got a new job and not enough annual leaves to travel. But, I accumulated more leaves for 2008.
— YEAR 2008 —
January '08 — Hong Kong
Period: January 2008 (9 days) Expenses: SGD 1,420 Places: Disneyland, Big Buddha, Ocean Park, The Peak, Macao (day trip)
May '08 — Siem Reap, Cambodia
Period: May 2008 (6 days) Expenses: SGD 550
Places: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Kbal Spean River
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September '08 — Sabah, East Malaysia
Period: September 2008 (8 days) Expenses: SGD 683
Places: Kota Kinabalu, Mount Kinabalu, Poring Hot Spring Remarks: Conquered Mount Kinabalu!
Related Posts:
— YEAR 2009 —
May '09 — Taiwan
Period: May 2009 (13 days) Expenses: SGD 1,670 Places: Taipei, Chiayi, Alishan, Nantou, Sun Moon Lake, Qingjing Farm, Yeliu, Jiufen
October '09 — Sichuan & Xi'an, China
Period: October 2009 (15 days) Expenses: SGD 2,080 Places: Jiuzhai Valley, Songpan, Wenchuan, Chengdu, Leshan Big Buddha, Xi'an, Terracotta Warriors
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— YEAR 2010 —
April '10 — Phuket, Thailand
Period: April 2010 (5 days) Expenses: SGD 700
Places: Patong Beach Remarks: Songkran Festival — It was difficult to stay dry.
June '10 — Southern Vietnam
Period: June 2010 (8 days) Expenses: SGD 900 Places: Ho Chi Minh City, Vinh Long (Mekong Delta), Cu Chi Tunnels
Related Posts:
Day 1, Saigon: Arriving in Ho Chi Minh City & Eat, Eat & Eat
Day 2, Saigon: Ben Thanh Market & Vietnamese Water Puppet Show
More: #Vietnam2010
November '10 — Ancient Capitals of Thailand
Period: November 2010 (9 days) Expenses: SGD 780 Places: Bangkok, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Ayutthaya Remarks: A circuit around Northern Thailand using trains. And to experience Loi Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai.
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— YEAR 2011 —
November '11 — Hoi An, Central Vietnam
Period: November 2011 (7 days) Expenses: SGD 775
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December '11 — Cambodia
Period: December 2011 (9 days) Expenses: SGD 2,742 (include family expenses) Places: Siem Reap, Phnom Penh
Remarks: Family trip.
Related Posts:
More: #Cambodia2011
— YEAR 2012 —
May '12 — Taiwan
Period: May 2012 (16 days) Expenses: SGD 1,800 Places: Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan, Taitung, Hualien, Taipei
Related Posts:
Unique Homestay Experience at Adagio Shihtiping, Taiwan (石梯坪缓慢民宿)
Unique Dining Experience at Adagio Shihtiping, Taiwan (石梯坪缓慢民宿)
More: #Taiwan2012
October '12 — Guangxi & Yunnan, China
Period: October 2012 - January 2013 (84 days) Expenses: SGD 3,600 Places: Hainan Island, Guilin, Yangshuo, Longji Rice Terraces, Chengyang Bridge, Nanning, Kumming, Yuanyang Rice Terraces, Dongchuan Red Earth, Dali, Nuodeng, Shaxi, Lijiang, Lugu Lake, Shangri-La, Meri Snow Mountain, Xiamen, etc.
Related Posts:
Solo Traveller in Guangxi & Yunnan, China (landing page for the trip)
China #17: Lost Paradise of Shangri-La's Dukezong Ancient City (香格里拉独克宗古城)
More stories: #China2012
YEAR 2013 —
January '13 — Northern Taiwan
Period: January - February 2013 (23 days)
Expenses: SGD 1,590 Places: Kinmen Island, Taichung, Taipei, Yilan, Hualien, Taroko Gorge Remarks: Continued from China trip (Oct 2012).
Related Posts:
March '13 — Kuala Lumpur & Malacca, West Malaysia
Period: March 2013 (4 days) Expenses: SGD 200
Places: Kuala Lumpur, Petronas Twin Towers, Malacca
August '13 — Thailand
Period: August 2013 (19 days) Expenses: SGD 1,050 Places: Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Pai, Sukhothai
Remarks: As a travel partner to a Chinese traveller and show her around Thailand.
— YEAR 2014 —
Back to a desk-bound job and no annual leaves to travel again. Well, I made up with more trips in 2015.
Continue: My Travel Footprints in Asia (2015 - Present)