Where I’ve Been (2023)

These is a list of places I’ve visited this year, with links to travel diary entries I’ve written. My focus on this part of my trip was Asia, specifically South East Asia.

See also where I went in 2022: England, Scotland, France, Spain, Barbados, USA.

January

• Anaheim, California
  • From Los Angeles to Tokyo with Singapore Airlines

February

• Feb. 7-9 Narita, Japan
  • Aeon Mall Narita
  • Naritasan Shisho-ji
• Feb. 9-15 Tokyo, Japan
  • Tokyo DisneySea
  • A day in Asakusa
  • A day in Kawagoe
• Feb. 15-Mar. 15 Daito, Japan

March

• Feb. 15-Mar. 15 Daito, Japan
• Mar. 15-18 Hiroshima, Japan
  • Miyajima Island (daytrip)
• Mar. 18-21 Yonago, Japan
  • Up the mountain in Yonago, Japan
• Mar. 21-25 Matsue, Japan
• Mar. 25-27 Hiroshima, Japan
• Mar. 27-Apr. 24 Fukuoka, Japan
  • Nagasaki (daytrip)
  • Yufuin (daytrip)
  • From Fukuoka to Busan by ferry

April

• Apr. 24-May 1 Busan, South Korea
  • Phantom of the Opera

May

• May 1-2 Gimpo, South Korea
• May 2-7 Jeju City, Jeju Island, South Korea
• May 7-10 Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea
  • Jeju Island, South Korea Backpacker Travel Guide
• May 10-23 Seoul, South Korea
  • Seoul, South Korea Backpacker Travel Guide
• May 23-26 Jeonju, South Korea
• May 26-28 Geongju, South Korea
• May 28-30 Seoul, South Korea
  • A month in South Korea | May 2023 Travel Budget Breakdown
  • Stamp Collecting in South Korea

June

• May 30-June 3 Singapore
• June 3-10 Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
  • Batik painting class
  • Sacred Monkey Forest
• June 10-17 Sanur, Bali, Indonesia
• June 17-21 Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
• June 21-25 Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia
  • Borobudur Tour
• June 25-July 1 Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia
  • Sunrise tour of Mt. Bromo

July

• July 1-4 Surabaya, Java, Indonesia
• July 4-11 Jakarta, Java, Indonesia
  • Puppet Museum
• July 11-14 Singapore
  • Singapore travel tips & recommendations
• July 14-15 Gemas, Malaysia
  • From Singapore to Kuala Lumpur by train
• July 15-21 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Batu Caves
  • Kuala Lumpur City Center
• July 21-26 Kuching, Borneo, Malaysia
• July 26-29 Mulu, Borneo, Malaysia
  • Mulu National Park Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
• July 29-Aug. 1 Miri, Borneo, Malaysia

August

• Aug. 1-3 Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
  • Brunei Backpacker’s Travel Guide 2024
• Aug. 3-5 Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, Malaysia
• Aug. 5-6 Sandakan, Borneo, Malaysia
• Aug. 6-8 Sukau, Borneo, Malaysia
  • 3 days on the Kinabatangan River, Borneo
• Aug. 8-10 Tuwau, Borneo, Malaysia
• Aug. 10-11 Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, Malaysia
  • East Malaysia, Borneo travel tips & recommendations
• Aug. 11-15 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Aug. 15-18 Ipoh, Malaysia
• Aug. 19-Sep. 6 George Town, Malaysia

September

• Sep. 1-6 George Town, Malaysia
• Sep. 7-11 Bangkok, Thailand
• Sep. 11-13 Ayutthaya, Thailand
  • From Bangkok to Ayutthaya by train
  • Exploring Ayutthaya’s historical ruins, Thailand
  • Visiting the Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building
• Sep. 13-16 Sukhothai, Thailand
  • From Ayutthaya to Sukhothai by bus
  • Exploring Sukhothai’s ruins
• Sep. 16-Oct. 1 Chiang Mai, Thailand

October

• Oct. 1-4 Chiang Rai, Thailand
  • Chiang Rai day tour (up to Myanmar border, Golden Triangle)
• Oct. 4-5 Huay Xai, Laos
• Oct. 5-6 Pakbeng, Laos
  • From Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang by bus and slow boat (October 2023)
• Oct. 6-9 Luang Prabang, Laos
  • Exploring Luang Prabang and nearby
• Oct. 9-11 Elephant Conservation Center, Sayaboury, Laos
  • Three days at the Elephant Conservation Center in Sayaboury, Laos
• Oct. 11-13 Luang Prabang, Laos
  • 10 fun things to do in Luang Prabang
• Oct. 14-16 Phonsavan, Laos
  • From Luang Prabang to Phonsavan by minibus
  • Visiting the Plain of Jars, Phonsavan, Laos
  • Visiting Mulberries Organic Silk Farm in Phonsavan, Laos
• Oct. 16-27 Vientiane, Laos
  • From Phonsavan to Vientiane by plane
• Oct. 28-30 Vang Vieng, Laos
  • Flying over Vang Vieng in a hot air balloon
  • A month in Laos | Travel Budget Breakdown
• Oct. 31- Nov. 4 Hanoi, Vietnam
  • From Vientiane to Hanoi by airplane
  • Two walking tours in Hanoi’s Old Quarter
  • Day trip to Halong Bay, Vietnam from Hanoi

November

• Nov. 4-9 Ha Giang, Vietnam
  • 4 days on the Ha Giang Loop (Easy Rider edition)
• Nov. 9-11 Hanoi, Vietnam
• Nov. 12-14 Tam Coc (Ninh Binh), Vietnam
  • From Hanoi to Tam Coc (Ninh Binh) by minivan
  • Going on a Ninh Binh day tour
• Nov. 14-17 Hue, Vietnam
  • From Tam Coc to Hue by overnight bus
  • Flooding in Hue!
• Nov. 18-20 Hoi An, Vietnam
  • From Hue to Hoi An by tourist bus
  • Exploring Hoi An
• Nov. 21-24 Da Lat, Vietnam
  • On an overnight bus from Hoi An to Dalat
  • Day tour in Dalat, Vietnam
• Nov 24-27 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • From Dalat to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) by bus
  • Day tour to Mekong River Delta
  • Exploring Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
  • A month in Vietnam | Travel Budget Breakdown
• Nov. 27 Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Nov. 28-Dec. 2 Siem Reap, Cambodia
  • Angkor Wat sunrise tour

December

• Dec. 3-9 Bangkok, Thailand
  • From Siem Reap to Bangkok by bus | Overland travel from Cambodia to Thailand
• Dec. 10-16 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Dec. 16-20 Malacca, Malaysia
• Dec. 20-24 Singapore
  • From Malaysia to Singapore by bus | Overland travel guide
• Dec. 24-Jan. Anaheim, California, USA
  • How to get from LAX to Disneyland (Updated 2024)

Here’s what was in my backpack when I came back to the States!

See where I went in 2024 as well.