The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- Sarah Marshal
Want to take a trip to Asia, but feel overwhelmed by choice?
Tour guide Zoe Stephens, 30, can help you decide on a destination.
The traveller, from Liverpool, has visited all 19 countries in East and Southeast Asia and currently lives in Taiwan – and here has shared the best and worst of Asia, saving you weeks of hammering search terms into Google.
The polyglot can point you in the direction of incredible landscapes, the best food, friendly locals who are ‘all smiles’, cities with ‘amazing energy’, ‘paradise islands’, places to travel ‘off the beaten path’ where you’ll have ‘authentic experiences’ and top places to stay.
She also suggests how to avoid ‘same-y meals’, places with ‘little to see and do’, nations that are hard to navigate with just English and the places with the least welcoming locals.
Tour guide Zoe Stephens, 30, from Liverpool, has visited all 19 countries in East and Southeast Asia and currently lives in Taiwan. She has shared her destination recommendations. Here, she is pictured in China – her favourite Asian country for travel
Zoe says: ‘People talk about getting off the beaten path. In China, take one train out of the city and you’ll probably be the only foreigner around.’ Here, she is seen at Paektu Mountain at the border of North Korea and China
Zoe says that tourists can enjoy ‘real, authentic travel experiences’ in China
THE BEST OF ASIA
Where are the top three places to visit?
China, Korea and Japan, Zoe says.
She explains: ‘China will always be my favourite country for travel. It has such a rich history and I love the people and the culture.
‘Even with several lifetimes, you can’t visit everything that China has to offer. Skiing and mountains in the north, paradise islands and surfing in the south, massive cities in the east, grasslands to the west… and everything in between.’
Political science PhD student Zoe praises the country’s lack of tourists and ‘incredible landscapes’, ‘travel-friendly infrastructure’ and ‘great’ public transport.
Zoe adds: ‘People talk about getting off the beaten path. In China, take one train out of the city and you’ll probably be the only foreigner around, no one will speak English and you can have some real, authentic travel experiences.’
Zoe recommends Korea and lauds the neighbourhood of Hongdae (above) in Seoul, noting that it has an ‘amazing energy’
Above – Lake Ashi and Mount Fuji in Japan. Traveller Zoe says: ‘Japanese mountains and countryside are something special’
In Korea, she lauds the neighbourhood of Hongdae in Seoul, noting that it has an ‘amazing energy’.
Zoe says: ‘It sticks out in my mind as one of my favourite places in the world. It’s where lots of young people will go to drink and party, but it’s also full of people busking and dancing, showing off their talents. I could walk around Hongdae for hours.’
Finally, there’s Japan. Which is ‘something special’.
She says: ‘Japan is an amazing country and a travel favourite. But aside from its amazing food and cities, the Japanese mountains and countryside are something special. One of my best trips was walking one of the pilgrimage trails – no other tourists in sight, beautiful surroundings and rural, traditional-style accommodation. Here you get the most authentic experiences.’
Which has the best food?
Zoe, who has visited 70 countries worldwide, rates the cuisine in Thailand, Korea and Japan.
But when it comes to eating out, China tops her country ranking due to the ‘diverse’ food available. She states: ‘While in the UK we might choose to go for Italian food or Greek, in China you eat out based on the region.
Zoe says China is the best country for food. Pictured above is a market in Beijing. She says: ‘You can go from dirt cheap to crazy expensive, and you know it’s going to be good’
‘It’s, “Shall we go for spicy Sichuan, sweet Guangdong, savoury northeastern, noodles from Xi’an, meat from Inner Mongolia, dumplings from Beijing?”. And within each restaurant and style, there are so many things to choose from! The price range makes it a winner, too. You can go from dirt cheap to crazy expensive, and you know it’s going to be good! Of course, in big cities, there is also a wide range of international restaurants, too.’
Which country has the friendliest locals?
Zoe says: ‘Locals in most East Asian countries are all pretty friendly, but in terms of most welcoming to tourists, perhaps Taiwan and Japan. It’s all smiles and politeness!
‘They’re also the safest countries. You can leave your laptop and wallet on the table at the coffee shop, go shopping next door and come back… and your things will still be there, untouched.’
Some lesser-visited countries have friendly locals, Zoe comments, such as Timor Leste (East Timor) and Myanmar, where she is seen above
It may surprise some, but Zoe can’t wait to revisit North Korea, where this photograph was taken. She says: ‘It’s been almost five years since I last visited. I used to go at least once a month and miss it dearly’
Of North Korea, where Zoe stands in this photo, she says: ‘I hope, since the borders will be opening, I can visit as soon as possible’
Some lesser-visited countries have friendly locals too, she comments, such as Timor Leste (East Timor) and Myanmar.
Which country is she desperate to return to?
It will surprise many, but Zoe can’t wait to revisit North Korea, where she has worked as a guide.
She says: ‘It’s been almost five years since I last visited. I used to go at least once a month and miss it dearly. I hope, since the borders will be opening this December, I can visit as soon as possible!
‘The best thing about North Korea is the people. They’re incredibly welcoming and a lot of fun. Plus, there’s lots to see, from local cafes to museums and from beautiful landscapes to markets.’
THE WORST OF ASIA
Which was her least favourite country in Asia?
Zoe, who has been travelling for 15 years, responds: ‘It would have to be Singapore. I have nothing against it. I like Singapore. But in comparison to the rest of East Asia, there’s a lot more going on in other places.’
Zoe says: ‘I like Singapore (above). But in comparison to the rest of East Asia, there’s a lot more going on in other places’
Zoe says: ‘I don’t think the Malaysians are unfriendly, maybe it’s just part of their culture, but the attitude of anyone working in the service industry makes you feel like you’ve done something seriously wrong to them.’ Above is the country’s capital, Kuala Lumpur
Does anywhere have unfriendly locals?
‘Sorry, Malaysia,’ the traveller says. ‘But I have to say you here! In general, I really like Malaysia. I love the food and how multicultural it is.
‘I don’t think the Malaysians are unfriendly, maybe it’s just part of their culture, but the attitude of anyone working in the service industry makes you feel like you’ve done something seriously wrong to them.
‘Even when you just arrive at the airport and go through customs… the customs officer acts like checking your passport is a massive inconvenience. At first, I thought everyone must have been having a really bad day. Then I realised it’s just how things are done. I didn’t take it personally!’
Which has the worst food?
Zoe says Taiwan – despite living there since she graduated from university.
She comments: ‘This is all based on preference and I’m going to have a lot of backlash and disagreement by saying this but for me, the characteristics of Taiwanese food mean that it’s very sweet, and I’m more of a savoury girl.
‘It’s all pretty similar, too, so while the night markets and breakfast food choices might seem great to tourists, it gets a bit samey after a couple of weeks – especially because Taiwan’s food culture means that people dine out for most meals. You run out of new things pretty quickly when you live there!’
Additionally, she says that ‘East Timor isn’t known for its food’ and that its cuisine is ‘nothing special’. She adds: ‘Same goes for North Korea – it’s fine.’
Zoe, seen here in China, says: ‘I speak Chinese, Japanese and Korean, otherwise I think these would be the hardest places to navigate (and in that order!)’
Zoe, pictured here in Myanmar, says that locals in rural areas are less likely to speak any English, which can make it harder to navigate
Which is the most difficult to navigate without knowing the language?
Zoe says China, Japan and Korea.
She adds: ‘I speak Chinese, Japanese and Korean, otherwise I think these would be the hardest places to navigate (and in that order!). In Southeast Asia – especially the tourist spots – people often speak English, but in some more rural parts of Vietnam, Laos or Myanmar there’s less English around.’
Finally, which country would she be least keen to return to?
Zoe says: ‘Probably bottom of my list would be Brunei and Singapore purely based on the fact that they’re small with relatively little to see and do.’
