Cheonggyecheon is a stream that runs for 11 km through the heart of South Korea’s capital, Seoul. Since being redeveloped in 2005 it has become a popular tourist destination, featuring a linear park and many attractions. But it wasn’t always as clean or popular as it is today. The stream has a turbulent history.
Kampong Ayer is a series of interlinked stilt-house villages built along the Brunei River, which runs through the capital Bandar Seri Begawan. The villages are home to an estimated 30,000 people and are thought to be the largest stilt settlement in the world.
Malaysia has much to offer the senior traveller. From relaxing beach breaks to rainforest adventures, it provides a relatively safe environment for the holiday of one’s choice. English is widely spoken. The country often ranks high on lists of best places to retire to, an indication of its generally welcoming approach to older foreign visitors.
Beach hawkers can be annoying and many will not take no for an answer. So how do you get them to go away and stay away? Here are some tips on how to deal with beach hawkers in Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.
These days Vietnam is high on the list of recommendations for first or second-time visitors to Asia because it is a country with many natural attractions, UNESCO heritage sites, colonial shopping precincts, and value-for-money beach resorts.
Often billed as Asia's most spectacular pageant, the Esala Perahera is held in the Sri Lankan hill town of Kandy. The Esala Perahera festival runs for 10 days, and there are parades during the day and at night featuring dancers, drummers, acrobats, fire-eaters and brightly decorated elephants.
Japan’s wisteria flowering season is from about mid-April to mid-May, immediately following the sakura (cherry blossom) season, so if you’ve not been able to make it to Japan to see the cherry blossoms, then the wisteria flowering season provides an excellent substitute.
For first-time senior travellers to Asia, there is no better place to start than the island state of Singapore. It’s quieter and more orderly than Hong Kong, and provides an introduction to Asian culture whilst still being very ‘western’ in terms of the number of people who speak English, the amount of English signage around the island, and the availability of familiar western food.
When seniors travel off the beaten track, the risk of being struck down by a life-threatening illness or other serious medical issue is much greater than it is for younger travellers. The biggest risk, of course, is that over-exertion could result in a stroke or heart attack that can’t be quickly treated because of the distance from a hospital.
For first-time senior travellers to Asia, Japan is undoubtedly the number two choice as a safe and easy country to visit. In fact for seniors who may have difficulty coping with Singapore’s heat and humidity, Japan may be a better first choice because in spring and autumn, the climate in most parts of Japan is close to perfect.
The Philippines has some of the best beaches in Asia. As the Philippines doesn’t attract as many tourists as Thailand, often those beaches are less crowded. But there are mountains, volcanic islands, waterfalls and many interesting rural destinations with beautiful scenery for those not into the beach scene.
In recent years this island nation — once known as Ceylon — off the southern tip of India has established itself as one of the primary up-and-coming tourism destinations in Asia. It’s become popular with visitors from Europe for cheap tropical beach holidays and also has a lot to offer older travellers — especially history buffs and those interested in nature, wildlife and cultural festivals..
