Book the Explore! Klong Toey Slums of Bangkok tour here. Bangkok is a city of 13 million people, and a significant part of her labor pool lives in the slum neighborhood of Klong Toey. In the West, we tend to see the word “slum” in pejorative terms, but here, its encoded into the Thai language […]
Read the rest of this entry »Archive for the 'Tours Treks Outdoors' Category
WoWasis tours Unknown Bangkok and the Thonburi Klongs
If you’re like us, you just get those days where you want to see a half day of great stuff, get on the water a bit, then spend the rest of the afternoon having a beer and beating the heat. We just finished taking a tour in Bangkok that gave us just that. The Unknown […]
Read the rest of this entry »Tourist complaints increase in Japan as Nikko’s historic sites are renovated
Japan is undergoing renovations of major historical buildings all over the country, but in the eyes of many visitors, it’s most apparent and frustrating in the city of Nikko, two hours north of Tokyo. Shrines and Temples of Nikko is a UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of two Shinto shrines and one Buddhist temple (Futarasan […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits the Todai-Ji Temple complex in Nara, Japan
The Todai-Ji Temple complex is considered to be the top tourism attraction in Nara. There is much to see here, and the complex is large, including some uphill walks to fascinating shrines and temples. You begin at the Nandai-mon gate, which leads to the main temple area. Encased in huge chicken-wire boxes are two wooden […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis’ Top 6 picks in Takayama, Japan
Takayama is a small jewel of a city located to the north of Kyoto, and makes a refreshing two day stop. It’s unrushed, and a terrific walking town. To get here, you’ll probably take the train from Nagoya. If you do, get a window seat, as the scenery around the Hida river is at times […]
Read the rest of this entry »Thai Air Asia flies new low-cost route to Siem Reap-Ankor Wat, Cambodia
Bangkok Airways no longer has an exclusive air route flying from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia, gateway city to the historical Angkor Wat complex. With an agreement that took five years to forge, Thai Air Asia, beginning October 1, 2013, will now fly to Siem Reap, opening with a promotional fare that essentially amounts to […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits the beautiful Isui-en Garden in Nara, Japan
On your day walk through the old Japanese capital city of Nara, it’s easy to miss one of Japan’s most outstanding gardens. It’s a must-see, though, and it will take you less than an hour to complete the magnificent walking loop. Located to the west of Todaiji Temple’s Nandaimon Gate, the Isui-en Garden sits astride […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits the Hida Folk Village (Hida No Sato) in Takayama, Japan
The hillside and lake-situated Hida Folk Village historical park in the city of Takayama, Japan, isn’t to be missed, and is worth a visit if you’re anywhere close to Takayama. Opened in 1971, the site consists of more than thirty buildings from the Hida area, moved here to preserve them from destruction. Architectural styles include […]
Read the rest of this entry »Not optimized for westerners: an afternoon wasted in Kibune, Kyoto, Japan
The tiny mountain village of Kibune, a half-hour north of Kyoto, Japan, sounds great in the guidebooks. It sits next to a mountain stream, and people eat at restaurants that consist of platforms nestled next to the steam. The traditional dish is cold noodles dipped in a local sauce. Sounds wonderful and idyllic, doesn’t it? […]
Read the rest of this entry »See Kyoto’s eastern temples in a half-day walk in the southern Higashiyama district
Kyoto’s Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines are spread all over this fairly large city, and using the bus system is something visitors get used to doing quite quickly, unless they want to run up considerable taxi bills. For us here at WoWasis, therefore, a half-day north to south walk along Kyoto’s eastern perimeter in the […]
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