Guides.
Written from the same research the planner runs on — real opening hours, crowds, honest travel times.
66 guides
OsakaGetting around · 14 Dec 2026
Osaka's subway & the Midōsuji line for first-timers
One red line does most of the work, and one tap-card handles the rest. Here's the Osaka in a nutshell — plus the one city pass that's actually worth buying.
Read the guide →
HanoiItineraries · 11 Dec 2026
How many days do you need in Hanoi?
Two days sees the Old Quarter and the icons; three is comfortable. But Hanoi is really a base — Ha Long Bay and Ninh Binh are the day trips that decide how long you stay.
Ho Chi Minh CityItineraries · 8 Dec 2026
How many days do you need in Ho Chi Minh City?
Two full days sees the city itself — it's compact and walkable. The real question is how many day trips you bolt on, because the Cu Chi tunnels and the Mekong Delta each want a whole day.
BaliDay trips · 7 Dec 2026
Day trips from Bali: the temples, the terraces, the volcano and the islands
In Bali you don't day-trip from the island — you day-trip within it, from your base. Four kinds — the temples, the rice terraces, the volcano and waterfalls, and the Nusa islands — how to reach each, and how to pick.
KyotoGetting around · 7 Dec 2026
Kyoto by bus (and subway) for first-timers — it's the confusing one
Kyoto's sights are spread out and the buses are famously crowded. Here's the 2026 way around it — and why the ¥700 (~US$5) bus pass every old guide recommends is gone.
BaliFood · 5 Dec 2026
Bali food: what to eat, and where
Bali is two food scenes at once — smoky Balinese warung classics like babi guling and betutu, and a world-class café and fine-dining scene. Here's what to order, and where to find both.
HanoiGetting around · 4 Dec 2026
Getting around Hanoi: the walkable Old Quarter, the new Metro, and Grab
Hanoi's centre is small enough to walk, its new metro doesn't reach it yet, and Grab handles the rest. Here's how to get in from the airport and around the city.
BaliWhere to stay · 3 Dec 2026
Bali: where to base yourself (it decides your whole trip)
In Bali your base matters more than in any city — the traffic makes hopping around miserable, so the area you sleep in decides your whole trip. Here's each one's character, who it suits, and where to stay.
Ho Chi Minh CityGetting around · 1 Dec 2026
Getting around Ho Chi Minh City: the new Metro, the airport bus, and Grab
Saigon opened its first metro line in December 2024 — here's how to ride it, the cheap bus into District 1, and why Grab still wins most trips. Sorted before you land.
BaliItineraries · 1 Dec 2026
How many days do you need in Bali?
A week is the honest minimum — Bali is really three trips in one, and the move that makes it work is splitting your stay between two bases. Here's the shape, and how the number changes with what you're after.
SingaporeDay trips · 27 Nov 2026
Day trips from Singapore: Sentosa, the islands, and across the border
Singapore is compact, so its day trips are the islands and a border hop. Four kinds — the resort island, the rustic one, the quiet Southern Isles, and Malaysia or Indonesia for the day — how to reach each, and how to pick.
SingaporeFood · 25 Nov 2026
Singapore hawker food: what to eat, and where
Singapore's food is a hawker-centre culture — cheap, communal and world-class, with Michelin stars over plastic stools. Here's what to order, the dishes worth crossing town for, and which hawker centres to head to.
SingaporeWhere to stay · 23 Nov 2026
Where to Stay in Singapore, First Time
For a first visit, base central and on the MRT — Marina Bay for the icons, or Chinatown and Bugis for character and value. Here's each area's trade-off, plus Orchard and a Sentosa splurge.
SingaporeItineraries · 21 Nov 2026
Singapore in 3 days without the checklist sprint
Three days is right for a first visit — the Marina Bay icons, the ethnic quarters, and one day for Sentosa or nature. Here's a zone-a-day shape that leaves room for the food and the evening light shows.
SingaporeGetting around · 19 Nov 2026
Getting around Singapore: the MRT, tapping your own card, and Grab
Singapore's MRT is one of the world's best, and you can ride it by tapping your own contactless card or phone — no ticket to buy. Here's how to move around, the fast way in from Changi, and when to just Grab.
OsakaDay trips · 19 Nov 2026
Day trips from Osaka: Nara, Kobe, Himeji, Kōyasan (and Hiroshima)
Osaka is the best day-trip base in Japan — the deer, the castle, the temple mountain, an old capital, all a short train away. Which to do, and how far each really is.
Hong KongDay trips · 16 Nov 2026
Day trips from Hong Kong: Lantau, the Big Buddha and the islands
The city is two or three days; the day trips fill out the rest. Four kinds — the icon, the islands, the hikes, and the close half-days — and how to pick.
Kuala LumpurItineraries · 11 Nov 2026
How many days do you need in Kuala Lumpur?
Two days sees KL's towers, temples and food without a rush. Here's the shape — and why the city's compactness makes it a great short stay and a base for day trips.
Kuala LumpurGetting around · 9 Nov 2026
Getting around Kuala Lumpur: the trains, Touch 'n Go, and Grab
One tap card covers KL's whole rail network — LRT, MRT, Monorail — and Grab fills the gaps. Here's how to move around, plus the fast train in from the airport and the one thing the map won't tell you.
BangkokDay trips · 7 Nov 2026
Day trips from Bangkok: Ayutthaya, the floating markets and the River Kwai
Bangkok is three or four days; the day trips fill out a longer stay. Four kinds — the ruined old capital, the markets on the water and the tracks, the war history, and the wild — how to reach each, and how to pick.
BangkokFood · 5 Nov 2026
Bangkok street food: what to eat, and where
Bangkok might be the best street-food city on earth — the four flavours in every dish, eaten on a plastic stool for pocket change. The dishes to order, the neighbourhoods to eat them in, and how it all works.
TokyoFood · 29 Oct 2026
Tokyo for eaters: the neighbourhoods that matter
Where to eat by district — Ginza's counters, Shinjuku's smoke and noodles, old-Tokyo tempura in Asakusa, breakfast at Tsukiji — and how to base a food trip.
Japan-wideWhen to go · 28 Oct 2026
Japan at New Year: what's open, what closes (oshōgatsu)
The one week a lot of Japan shuts — and the things that are gloriously open. What to expect from Dec 29 to Jan 3, and how to plan a trip that lands then.
TaipeiDay trips · 27 Oct 2026
Day trips from Taipei: Jiufen, the north coast and Taroko
Taipei is three or four days; the day trips fill out a longer stay. Four kinds — the northeast gold towns, the north coast, the mountains and the big gorge east — how to reach each, and how to pick.
KyotoItineraries · 26 Oct 2026
Kyoto with kids (and grandparents)
The handful of Kyoto sights that actually land with children, the gentle version for slower legs, and how to pace a day three generations can finish.
Japan-wideWhen to go · 24 Oct 2026
Japan's winter illuminations: where and when
The big winter light displays, from Nabana no Sato to Kobe Luminarie — when each runs, which is worth a special trip, and how they fit a December visit.
TaipeiWhere to stay · 24 Oct 2026
Where to Stay in Taipei, First Time
For a first visit, base around Taipei Main Station or Zhongshan — central, on the MRT, one ride from everything and straight in from the airport. Here's each district's trade-off, and how to pick.
BangkokItineraries · 23 Oct 2026
How many days do you need in Bangkok?
Three days sees the temples, the river, the markets and the food without a sprint. Here's the shape — and why Bangkok's size and traffic mean you plan it by zone, not by list.
Hong KongWhere to stay · 22 Oct 2026
Where to stay in Hong Kong, first time
It comes down to one choice — Hong Kong Island or Kowloon. Here's how to pick, the two bases everyone forgets, and the "harbour view" trap that costs you.
Japan-wideWhen to go · 21 Oct 2026
Planning a 2027 cherry blossom trip (book this early)
Sakura is the one season you can't wing — the window is short, it moves, and the rooms sell out months ahead. How to plan and book a 2027 blossom trip.
SeoulDay trips · 17 Oct 2026
Day trips from Seoul: the DMZ, Nami Island and the fortress
Seoul is three or four days; the day trips fill out a longer stay. Four kinds — the border, the scenery, the history and the family day — how to reach each, and how to pick.
TokyoItineraries · 17 Oct 2026
A Disney day in Tokyo: what to do with the days either side
The park is a whole day on its own — here's how to shape the day before and the day after so the rest of your Tokyo trip survives it.
Japan-wideGetting around · 15 Oct 2026
Luggage forwarding in Japan (takkyūbin), explained
How to send your suitcase ahead hotel-to-hotel or from the airport, what it costs, and why it beats wrestling a big bag onto the shinkansen.
SeoulFood · 15 Oct 2026
Seoul food: what to eat, and where
Seoul eats big — barbecue you grill yourself, soups and stews, a street-food market you plan a night around, and a serious fine-dining scene. The dishes to order, the neighbourhoods to eat them in, and how a Korean table actually works.
Japan-wideWhen to go · 13 Oct 2026
Japan's autumn leaves: when, and where to catch them
The colour isn't one date — it's a wave that rolls from the northern mountains down to the southern cities over about six weeks. Here's how to time it, and where to go.
SeoulWhere to stay · 13 Oct 2026
Where to Stay in Seoul, First Time
For a first visit, base around Jongno/Insadong or Myeongdong — central, on the metro, walkable to the palaces and the markets. Here's each district's trade-off, and how to pick.
BangkokWhere to stay · 12 Oct 2026
Bangkok, first time: which neighbourhood to sleep in
For a first visit, base on the BTS or MRT — Sukhumvit or Siam put you on the train and near everything. Here's each area's trade-off, and why sleeping by a station matters more than sleeping by a sight.
SeoulItineraries · 10 Oct 2026
Seoul in 4 days: a first-timer's itinerary
Four days covers the palaces, the markets and one proper night out — if you group the days right. Here's the shape that works, with the closed-day traps flagged.
TaipeiGetting around · 8 Oct 2026
Getting around Taipei: the EasyCard, the MRT, and the trains out
One card taps you onto the whole city, the MRT is world-class and bilingual, and the Airport MRT gets you in for pocket change. Here's how to move around Taipei — plus the high-speed rail for the rest of Taiwan, and the one MRT rule you must not break.
OsakaFood · 6 Oct 2026
Osaka street food: what to eat, and where
Osaka calls itself Japan's kitchen — this is a city you plan around meals, not sights. The dishes to order, the neighbourhoods to eat them in, and the one rule you must not break.
OsakaItineraries · 3 Oct 2026
How many days do you need in Osaka?
Two days sees the city — but Osaka's real trick is as a base for Kansai. Here's the math, and why "how long in Osaka" is really "how many day trips?"
TokyoGetting around · 2 Oct 2026
Tokyo's subway for first-timers (it's easier than the map looks)
The map looks like spilled spaghetti. It doesn't matter. Two rules get you anywhere in Tokyo — and the one real skill nobody tells you is reading the exit number.
TokyoDay trips · 1 Oct 2026
Day trips from Tokyo, ranked
Kamakura, Hakone, Nikko, Yokohama, Kawagoe — ranked by what you get back for the day it costs, with the two that work as a half-day.
Kuala LumpurDay trips · 29 Sept 2026
Day trips from Kuala Lumpur: Melaka, the cool hills and the fireflies
KL is two days; the day trips fill out a longer stay. Four kinds — the UNESCO old town, the cool highland escapes, the wild, and the garden capital — how to reach each, and how to pick.
BaliGetting around · 29 Sept 2026
Getting around Bali: scooters, private drivers, and Grab
Bali has no trains and barely any buses — you get around by scooter, by hiring a car and driver for the day, or with the Grab and Gojek apps. Here's how to choose, the traffic truth, and the ride-hailing catch nobody warns you about.
BangkokGetting around · 29 Sept 2026
Getting around Bangkok: the BTS, the MRT, the boats, and Grab
Two train lines skim over Bangkok's legendary traffic, boats cover the old city on the river, and Grab handles the rest. Here's how to move around — plus the one ticketing catch that trips first-timers up.
Hong KongGetting around · 29 Sept 2026
Getting around Hong Kong: Octopus, the MTR, and the Star Ferry
Hong Kong has the easiest transport in Asia. One card does everything — here's how to set it up in five minutes, and the two rides worth taking just for the view.
SeoulGetting around · 29 Sept 2026
Getting around Seoul: T-money, the Metro, and the trains out
One card taps you onto the whole city, the Metro is world-class, and Kakao T handles taxis. Here's how to move around Seoul — plus the KTX and buses for the rest of Korea, and the one foreign-card catch to plan for.
Hong KongFood · 29 Sept 2026
Hong Kong dim sum: where to actually go
From a two-Michelin-star hotel room to a Sham Shui Po shop with a queue out the door. How to pick your dim sum table in Hong Kong — and what to order when you sit.
Hong KongItineraries · 29 Sept 2026
How many days do you need in Hong Kong?
Three days sees the icons without rushing. Here's the shape — and why Hong Kong's compactness means the real question is how many days OUT to add.
TaipeiItineraries · 29 Sept 2026
How many days do you need in Taipei?
Three days sees the icons and a couple of night markets without rushing. Here's the shape — and why Taipei's compactness means the real question is how many days OUT to add.
Kuala LumpurFood · 29 Sept 2026
Kuala Lumpur food: what to eat, and where
KL is three cuisines at once — Malay, Chinese and Indian — plus the mamak stalls that never close. Here's what to order, the dishes worth crossing town for, and where to find them.
TaipeiFood · 29 Sept 2026
Taipei night markets: which ones, which nights
Shilin, Raohe, Ningxia and the rest — how to pick one per evening, what each does best, and the good news about closing days.
Kuala LumpurWhere to stay · 29 Sept 2026
Where to Stay in Kuala Lumpur, First Time
For a first visit, base in the Golden Triangle — Bukit Bintang or KLCC — central, walkable and linked by a covered skywalk. Here's each area's trade-off, plus the old city, the transport hub and a local pick.
KyotoDay trips · 24 Sept 2026
Day trips from Kyoto: Nara, Uji, Osaka (and Hiroshima)
Kyoto reaches the same Kansai greats as Osaka, plus a couple of its own quiet ones — tea-town Uji and the mountain temples. Which to do, and how far each really is.
KyotoFood · 23 Sept 2026
Kyoto food: kaiseki, tofu, matcha, and the market
Kyoto is the refined, seasonal counterpoint to Osaka's street-food riot. What to eat — from a three-star kaiseki to a bowl of temple tofu — and where to find it.
KyotoWhere to stay · 22 Sept 2026
Where to stay in Kyoto, first time
Downtown or Kyoto Station is the real choice — plus the atmospheric districts and their catches, why a ryokan night is worth it, and the "stay near the views" trap.
Japan-wideGetting around · 21 Sept 2026
How to ride the shinkansen: tickets, seats, and the Fuji seat
Book it in five minutes, tap through with your phone, and know which seat sees Mt Fuji. The bullet train, start to finish, for a first-timer — including the big-suitcase rule that catches people out.
Japan-wideGetting around · 21 Sept 2026
Is the Japan Rail Pass still worth it? (2026)
For the classic Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka trip, no — not since the price jumped. Here's the math, when it does pay off, and why you might want to buy before 1 October 2026.
Japan-wideGetting around · 21 Sept 2026
Suica, ICOCA, Pasmo: which IC card, and how (2026)
Short version — in 2026 it barely matters, they all work everywhere. Here's the easy way to tap onto Japan's trains, why iPhone users should skip the queue, and the old advice to ignore.
OsakaWhere to stay · 31 Aug 2026
Where to stay in Osaka, first time
Namba or Umeda is the real question — plus the two bases everyone forgets to consider, and the one mistake that costs you an hour a day.
TokyoItineraries · 27 Aug 2026
Tokyo with kids: an itinerary that actually works
The parks, the robots, the one museum you must book a month early — and how to build a day that survives contact with a tired four-year-old.
KyotoItineraries · 25 Aug 2026
How many days do you need in Kyoto?
Three days covers the big temples without the 6am alarm clock. Here's the math — and when Kyoto should be a day trip instead.
TokyoItineraries · 19 Aug 2026
How many days do you need in Tokyo?
Four days covers the icons without sprinting. Here's the math — and what changes if you're a first-timer, a foodie, or travelling with kids.
Japan-wideItineraries · 19 Aug 2026
Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka: how to split a Japan trip
The classic first-timer question. Splits that work for 7, 10 and 14 days — and the one-night mistake almost everyone makes.
TokyoWhere to stay · 19 Aug 2026
Where to stay in Tokyo, first time
Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza or Asakusa? The real trade-offs of each base — and why the right answer depends on your plan, not the district.
When to visit
Typical weather and the crowds worth timing, month by month.
Best time, by place
Measured quiet hours and crowds for each attraction — the hour to go, not just the season.
MICHELIN, verified
The complete current-year star & Bib Gourmand roster, pulled from the Guide.
Rather have it planned for you?
Everything in these guides, applied to your dates — in about a minute.