Best Asian city?
Discussion
What do people generally consider to be the best Far Eastern city?
I know the word 'best' is very subjective, but if replies could have some back up to their claims and maybe with actual experience it would answer my query very well.
I've spent plenty of time in Shanghai and found it to be a great spectacle with all its high buildings, mixing futuristic styles with traditional. Its a massive place with plenty always going on.
But one thing that I always remember is how friendly some people are and also how the people who are kinda struggling with life can be very abrupt. Its a city that can always surprise you in both ways, and also a place where you'd like to do a bit more exploring.
How do the other major cities in Aisa compare to the above?
I'm thinking the likes of Singapore, Thailand, Tokyo etc.
I know the word 'best' is very subjective, but if replies could have some back up to their claims and maybe with actual experience it would answer my query very well.
I've spent plenty of time in Shanghai and found it to be a great spectacle with all its high buildings, mixing futuristic styles with traditional. Its a massive place with plenty always going on.
But one thing that I always remember is how friendly some people are and also how the people who are kinda struggling with life can be very abrupt. Its a city that can always surprise you in both ways, and also a place where you'd like to do a bit more exploring.
How do the other major cities in Aisa compare to the above?
I'm thinking the likes of Singapore, Thailand, Tokyo etc.
Currently living in Bangkok, which I have a love hate relationship with. It can be filthy and frustrating, punishingly hot and sweaty, and very difficult to get around without spending your life stuck in traffic.
On the other hand it can be immensely enjoyable - I find it much more accessible than Chinese cities I have been to (though admittedly spent very little time in). In Bangkok I find it quite easy to get talking to people, easy to find a new street full of weird and interesting looking shops (though they usually sell the same stuff as every other weird and interesting looking street). It has enormous variety, between some foreign bars and restaurants which could be in Europe, through to smoky street vendors and tin shed restaurants that can serve up some great meals for less than a pound.
It is however very difficult to make a living here, and extremely difficult to make a fortune. If you get transfered with a big company or are independently wealthy then it's a great place.
The other thing I like about it is the fact that in 2-3 hours you can be in a different world, either rural rice farming country where people still point at foreigners, beautiful beaches or Kao Yai national park with mountains, monkeys and elephants.
I enjoyed Hong Kong too. Great food. Dramatic setting amongst the mountains and islands, and friendly people, although hell bent on making money. And great food. But quite expensive. Although great food. Did I mention that?
Singapore - people who live there seem to love it, and I imagine if you find your way around and earn good money it's fun. For me, travelling through on a budget I found it very sanitized and expensive. Maybe I'm weird in that I quite like the dirt and chaos of other Asian cities, which Singapore seems to have eliminated, whereas Hong Kong has just moderated.
KL I never got away with either, though I didn't spend a long time there. It seemed to have the dirt and chaos of Bangkok without the charm.
In China I have visited Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. All short visits, but I liked Shanghai for it's feeling of being infinitely explorable. Shenzhen felt like an industrial estate. Guangzhou felt like an industrial estate with the heart of a city somewhere, but I didn't quite find it. Though I would happily go back there to look again.
By the inaccesibility of Chinese cities, I mean that I most times that I took a turn down a side street that looked like it might have an interesting bar or restaurant or something else I had never seen before, I usually found myself wondering around a motorway or a trading estate, or the back of some huge shopping centre. It could be down to my rather unstructured way of exploring new cities - wondering around until I see something I like, rather than going to specific sites or museums, or it could just be that I took the wrong turns.
On the other hand it can be immensely enjoyable - I find it much more accessible than Chinese cities I have been to (though admittedly spent very little time in). In Bangkok I find it quite easy to get talking to people, easy to find a new street full of weird and interesting looking shops (though they usually sell the same stuff as every other weird and interesting looking street). It has enormous variety, between some foreign bars and restaurants which could be in Europe, through to smoky street vendors and tin shed restaurants that can serve up some great meals for less than a pound.
It is however very difficult to make a living here, and extremely difficult to make a fortune. If you get transfered with a big company or are independently wealthy then it's a great place.
The other thing I like about it is the fact that in 2-3 hours you can be in a different world, either rural rice farming country where people still point at foreigners, beautiful beaches or Kao Yai national park with mountains, monkeys and elephants.
I enjoyed Hong Kong too. Great food. Dramatic setting amongst the mountains and islands, and friendly people, although hell bent on making money. And great food. But quite expensive. Although great food. Did I mention that?
Singapore - people who live there seem to love it, and I imagine if you find your way around and earn good money it's fun. For me, travelling through on a budget I found it very sanitized and expensive. Maybe I'm weird in that I quite like the dirt and chaos of other Asian cities, which Singapore seems to have eliminated, whereas Hong Kong has just moderated.
KL I never got away with either, though I didn't spend a long time there. It seemed to have the dirt and chaos of Bangkok without the charm.
In China I have visited Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. All short visits, but I liked Shanghai for it's feeling of being infinitely explorable. Shenzhen felt like an industrial estate. Guangzhou felt like an industrial estate with the heart of a city somewhere, but I didn't quite find it. Though I would happily go back there to look again.
By the inaccesibility of Chinese cities, I mean that I most times that I took a turn down a side street that looked like it might have an interesting bar or restaurant or something else I had never seen before, I usually found myself wondering around a motorway or a trading estate, or the back of some huge shopping centre. It could be down to my rather unstructured way of exploring new cities - wondering around until I see something I like, rather than going to specific sites or museums, or it could just be that I took the wrong turns.
Singapore, a western city with humidity as said some people appear to like it, I just think it has all the disadvattages of Europe, prices, people in a hurry, and all the disadvatages of Asia, awfull traffic, heat.
Bangkok I loved it, as said charm when you see behind the dirt. but I like Kl to live in,
KL nearly everything works school, hospital, OK all private so I pay, greeat people with time for each other and not to dirty if you don;t go down side streets.
I think you have to take traffic and dirt as a given.
Bangkok I loved it, as said charm when you see behind the dirt. but I like Kl to live in,
KL nearly everything works school, hospital, OK all private so I pay, greeat people with time for each other and not to dirty if you don;t go down side streets.
I think you have to take traffic and dirt as a given.
Another one to add to the mix for very different reasons to others is Hanoi. A great mix of colonialism and modern Asian city although I do prefer HK or Tokyo from my experices. I am also a fan of Seoul with the bright neon lights, hustle and bustle, modern technology mixed with tradition and general chaos - everything you'd imagine in an Asian city!
I found Seoul a bit soulless if you'll pardon the pun. Sure, everything you'd expect in an Asian city, but nothing really worth shouting about. I like Busan better, though also found it to be a big sprawl and missing the chaos of Asia in general. Never been to Vietnam but heard good and bad things.
For something totally different try Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Sleepy small city on the Mekong, no bright lights or excitement but some great restaurants (not cheap) and some interesting little nooks and crannies, and if you live over the river in Thailand, the rare treat of decent bread.
I've been there a few times, never fallen in love with the place but it's a nice spot for a couple of days.
For something totally different try Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Sleepy small city on the Mekong, no bright lights or excitement but some great restaurants (not cheap) and some interesting little nooks and crannies, and if you live over the river in Thailand, the rare treat of decent bread.
I've been there a few times, never fallen in love with the place but it's a nice spot for a couple of days.
AJI said:
What do people generally consider to be the best Far Eastern city?
I know the word 'best' is very subjective, but if replies could have some back up to their claims and maybe with actual experience it would answer my query very well.
I've spent plenty of time in Shanghai and found it to be a great spectacle with all its high buildings, mixing futuristic styles with traditional. Its a massive place with plenty always going on.
But one thing that I always remember is how friendly some people are and also how the people who are kinda struggling with life can be very abrupt. Its a city that can always surprise you in both ways, and also a place where you'd like to do a bit more exploring.
How do the other major cities in Aisa compare to the above?
I'm thinking the likes of Singapore, Thailand, Tokyo etc.
I've lived in both HK and Singapore. HK was great for a bit, but very hectic, and the accomodation very expensive and cramped. As a proposition to live in, Singapore is just about spot on - good wages, low taxes, but expensive booze. However, the biggest selling point for me is that it's so easy to get out of, in the nicest possible way of course! Being a major hub, you can explore SE Asia on a shoestring, yet still have a first world country to come back to for the 9-5. The more time I spend in Singapore, the more subtleties I find that you'd never come close to on a 4-5 day city break.I know the word 'best' is very subjective, but if replies could have some back up to their claims and maybe with actual experience it would answer my query very well.
I've spent plenty of time in Shanghai and found it to be a great spectacle with all its high buildings, mixing futuristic styles with traditional. Its a massive place with plenty always going on.
But one thing that I always remember is how friendly some people are and also how the people who are kinda struggling with life can be very abrupt. Its a city that can always surprise you in both ways, and also a place where you'd like to do a bit more exploring.
How do the other major cities in Aisa compare to the above?
I'm thinking the likes of Singapore, Thailand, Tokyo etc.
The traffic's bad, and cars very expensive, but that seems to be the case all over asia. I'm looking forward to my first visits to Seoul and Tokyo later this year, as well as some long weekends in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Oh, and of course, you have the night race....
AJS- said:
I found Seoul a bit soulless if you'll pardon the pun. Sure, everything you'd expect in an Asian city, but nothing really worth shouting about. I like Busan better, though also found it to be a big sprawl and missing the chaos of Asia in general. Never been to Vietnam but heard good and bad things.
For something totally different try Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Sleepy small city on the Mekong, no bright lights or excitement but some great restaurants (not cheap) and some interesting little nooks and crannies, and if you live over the river in Thailand, the rare treat of decent bread.
I've been there a few times, never fallen in love with the place but it's a nice spot for a couple of days.
I came back from a week in Busan yesterday! Loved the city, great place to relax and also decent nightlife too. I loved my time in Vientiane, very different to any other Asian city but a place I could see myself living in the future! The mixture of French colonial and Asian backwater works very well!For something totally different try Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Sleepy small city on the Mekong, no bright lights or excitement but some great restaurants (not cheap) and some interesting little nooks and crannies, and if you live over the river in Thailand, the rare treat of decent bread.
I've been there a few times, never fallen in love with the place but it's a nice spot for a couple of days.
fareaster said:
No, should I be? sounds interesting....
Lived in Nagoya and never went to Lucy's Oar House? http://www.infohub.com/TRAVEL/SIT/sit_pages/2587.h...
i believe the w
es are upstairs.... eta - just occured to me, you are referring to Nagoya, Honsu, Japan, not Nagoya, Batam, Indonesia!!!!
Edited by XJSJohn on Monday 25th October 04:17
Best Asian city for what? Visiting or living? It really depends on what interests you. It's like trying to decide on the best titty to suck on.;)
As for myself, I'd like to give you my opinion based on several different perspectives.
Hong Kong- Great atmosphere of east meets west. Modern and sophisticated, a shopper's paradise. Love Mongkok.
Bangkok- A popular tourist destination. The modern juxtaposed with the traditional. Just cross the Chao Praya river and you go from skyscrapers to wats.
Ho Chi Minh city- Frenetic and fast paced. A city that never sleeps. Good sightseeing places, eg. reunification palace, but also a good place to relax and watch the motorbikes speed by.
Phnom Penh- Love the old French colonial charm. The riverside Sisowoth quay is a great place to relax.
Osaka- Cheaper than Tokyo, has more character. Not much in terms of sightseeing, but plenty of entertainment and stuff to do. The city has long be famous for food and business. Check out Dotonbori with its many restaurants.
As for myself, I'd like to give you my opinion based on several different perspectives.
Hong Kong- Great atmosphere of east meets west. Modern and sophisticated, a shopper's paradise. Love Mongkok.
Bangkok- A popular tourist destination. The modern juxtaposed with the traditional. Just cross the Chao Praya river and you go from skyscrapers to wats.
Ho Chi Minh city- Frenetic and fast paced. A city that never sleeps. Good sightseeing places, eg. reunification palace, but also a good place to relax and watch the motorbikes speed by.
Phnom Penh- Love the old French colonial charm. The riverside Sisowoth quay is a great place to relax.
Osaka- Cheaper than Tokyo, has more character. Not much in terms of sightseeing, but plenty of entertainment and stuff to do. The city has long be famous for food and business. Check out Dotonbori with its many restaurants.
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