Over the holidays we took a big trip – 26 days in Japan and Thailand–with our two boys who are in college.  Sebbie’s a senior and Jude is a freshman.  This is the only year where their holiday breaks overlap, so it was now or never…and we are so glad we went!  

A quick overview: 

• 8 days in Japan (Tokyo, Shibu Onsen, Kyoto, Osaka)
• 7 days on the island of Koh Phi Phi off the coast of Phuket, Thailand
• 10-day tour from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, with 4 days trekking to visit the Hill Tribes

Everyone has been asking me what I liked best and I realize the answer can be applied to almost any destination.

Here are my top 5:

1.  Going for 26 days – I know this is not easy for Americans with corporate jobs but I realized that on ~day 10, I was truly living in the present…plus we’d all got over our jet lag! The strong dollar currently goes far in Asia, making dining, lodging, and shopping more affordable than doing a similar trip in the U.S.

2.  Taking a tour:  While we planned the Japan and Koh Phi Phi portions ourselves, having a tour group take over the Bangkok to Chiang Mai part was fantastic.  Meeting people from all over the world made me feel like I was in my 20s backpacking again.  Our group of sixteen ranged in age from 19 to 61 with a number of solo travelers in their 20s-50s…one fellow American with Australians, Swiss, Irish, British, and Canadians.

3.  Meeting locals:  Meeting the Japanese is a lot easier in the smaller towns. We loved getting out of urban Japan to visit Shibu Onsen in the Japanese Alps, where we bathed in the public geothermal baths (naked! with the Japanese!), and visited Izakayas (Japanese pubs) playing American 70s music. On Christmas Day, we visited Universal Studios Osaka and rode Demon Slayer with young Japanese couples who were “Christmas Dating”…it’s a thing. We spent NYE, dancing on a beach with Thai locals and meeting tourists from all over the world.  We took the local overnight train to Chiang Mai.  And best of all, we stayed with local families in huts in Northern Thailand. 

4.  The food:  Forget touristy restaurants, we are talking street vendors and small restaurants and noodle shops – Udon, Yakiniku (grill your own Wagyu beef) and Ramen in Japan;  Thai curries, Khao Soi, and Mango Sticky Rice in Thailand.  I lost 6 pounds from so much soup!

5. Adventure – Hiking to see the Japanese Snow Monkeys, scuba diving and snorkeling with black tip reef sharks, trekking for 4-6 hours per day from hill town to hill town, taking local boats and trains, boating through a cave, hiking up waterfalls, and watching the sunrise over the mountains (from the one coffee shop with a cappuccino maker in Northern Thailand) were some major highlights. 

If you are watching the new season of The White Lotus – this is not that trip, but it truly was unforgettable.  Feel free to reach out if you are planning a visit and want to know more.