My favorite Korean BBQ restaurant is a small, family-owned gem called Mapo in Flushing, New York. This place has the ultimate trifecta for me: amazing beef, lots of non-English speaking locals and employees, and it’s so close to LaGuardia that you can easily discern the tail number of the planes on final approach.
The focal point of my trip to Asia was Cambodia. I took so many pictures at Angkor Wat and some of the surrounding temples that it took me a week to go through them and pick the best ones. Angkor Wat is the largest religious structure in the world and is as beautifully detailed, mysterious, calming, and exquisite as it is enormous.
Vietnam has a fascinating dichotomy between urban high energy and the peaceful remote areas of the country. Ho Chi Minh City has a buzz to it that I haven’t felt in a lot of places. Taking a boat on the Mekong Delta or visiting the Cu Chi tunnels in the jungle north of Saigon is incredibly serene. I can’t wait to go back and see more.
From the Petronas Towers and Hindu temples tucked away on an old avenue in Kuala Lumpur, to the entirely planned administrative capital of the country, Putrajaya, Malaysian architecture has a wide range of influences.
Bangkok is one of the most colorful cities that I have ever visited. From the temples, monuments, food, and even the taxis, it’s stunning.
Tokyo is one of my favorite cities. Despite a little jetlag, a 14 hour time difference, and some chilly temperatures, I enjoyed every minute of it during my recent visit in December 2013.
I am in the midst of a 15 day trip wandering across Asia that cost me $1,521 to book. It also required a lot of miles and points – 216,750 to be exact – but considering I have a first class ticket from the US, a business class seat home, coach flights intra-Asia, and 14 nights at Starwood and Hyatt properties, it was completely worth the effort amassing the points.
So how did I book it? Continue reading…