Matt
&
Shan
Every stop, in order
The itinerary
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Bangkok, Thailand, 2026-12-03 to 2026-12-06
Street food, and a few days to shake off jet lag
Recover, eat well and get our bearings
Getting there: Overnight flights from Seattle
Koh Lanta, Thailand, 2026-12-06 to 2026-12-20
Dive courses, then Koh Haa and Hin Daeng
Matt's PADI Open Water, Shan's refresher and Underwater Navigator, Advanced together, then boat days to Koh Haa and Hin Daeng
Getting there: Short flight to Krabi, then a van and two car ferries
Koh Haa: Five little islands with caves and swim-throughs
Hin Daeng: Deep pinnacle known for mantas and whale sharks
Chiang Mai, Thailand, 2026-12-20 to 2027-01-02
Christmas and New Year's, temples, Doi Inthanon
Old City temples, the Monk's Trail up Doi Suthep and a day at Doi Inthanon
Getting there: Flight from Krabi
Doi Suthep: The Monk's Trail up to the temple
Doi Inthanon: Thailand's highest peak, a day trip
Pai, Thailand, 2027-01-02 to 2027-01-06
Mountain town: canyon sunsets, hot springs, waterfalls
Pai Canyon at sunset, hot springs, waterfalls and the walking-street market
Getting there: Minivan from Chiang Mai, about 3 hours of mountain curves
Pai Canyon: Narrow ridges at sunset
Chiang Rai, Thailand, 2027-01-06 to 2027-01-10
The White and Blue Temples, on the way to Laos
Getting there: Back through Chiang Mai, about 7 hours
White Temple: Wat Rong Khun
Blue Temple: Wat Rong Suea Ten
Huay Xai, Laos, 2027-01-10 to 2027-01-11
Border town on the Mekong: the night before the slow boat
Getting there: Bus to the Chiang Khong border, across the Friendship Bridge, about 4 hours
Pakbeng, Laos, 2027-01-11 to 2027-01-12
Two days down the Mekong by slow boat
Day one of the slow boat ends in this riverside village
Getting there: Slow boat, day one
Luang Prabang, Laos, 2027-01-12 to 2027-01-17
Temples, the morning alms round, Kuang Si falls
Getting there: Slow boat, day two
Kuang Si Falls: Turquoise pools below the falls
Vang Vieng, Laos, 2027-01-17 to 2027-01-21
Karst scenery, blue lagoons, the river
A sunset hot air balloon flight over the karsts with Above Laos
Getting there: Laos-China Railway, about an hour
Blue Lagoon: Tham Phu Kham's lagoon and cave
Balloon flight: A sunset hot air balloon flight over the karsts with Above Laos
4000 Islands, Laos, 2027-01-21 to 2027-01-26
Mekong islands: hammocks, bikes, Khone Phapheng falls
Getting there: Train to Vientiane, a short flight to Pakse, then minivan and boat
Khone Phapheng Falls: The largest falls in Southeast Asia
Siem Reap, Cambodia, 2027-01-26 to 2027-02-01
The temples of Angkor
Three days among the temples: Angkor Wat at sunrise, the Bayon, Ta Prohm
Getting there: A long minivan over the Laos border, about 9 to 10 hours
Angkor Wat: At sunrise
Bayon: The temple of faces
Ta Prohm: Trees growing through the ruins
Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2027-02-01 to 2027-02-06
Royal Palace, Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields
Getting there: Bus from Siem Reap, about 6 hours
Choeung Ek: The Killing Fields memorial
Moalboal, Philippines, 2027-02-06 to 2027-02-11
The sardine run and Kawasan Falls canyoneering
A shore dive with the sardine shoal off Panagsama Beach; canyoneering down Kawasan Falls
Getting there: Flight to Cebu, then about 3 hours by car
Sardine run: A shore dive off Panagsama Beach
Kawasan Falls: Canyoneering down to the falls
Panglao, Bohol, Philippines, 2027-02-11 to 2027-02-16
Chocolate Hills, tarsiers and Balicasag's turtles
The Chocolate Hills, the Loboc River, tarsiers at Corella and a dive day at Balicasag
Getting there: Van to Cebu City and the fast ferry to Bohol
Chocolate Hills
Tarsier sanctuary: At Corella
Balicasag Island: A dive day with the turtles
Malapascua, Philippines, 2027-02-16 to 2027-02-20
Thresher sharks at dawn
A dawn dive at Monad Shoal, one of the few places thresher sharks show up almost every day
Getting there: Ferry to Cebu, a van north to Maya, then a boat across
Monad Shoal: Thresher sharks at dawn
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 2027-02-20 to 2027-02-24
Street food, markets, a Mekong Delta day trip
Getting there: Flight from Cebu
Da Lat, Vietnam, 2027-02-24 to 2027-02-28
Cool highland town: waterfalls and coffee
Getting there: Short flight from Ho Chi Minh City
Datanla Falls
Hoi An, Vietnam, 2027-02-28 to 2027-03-14
Two-week base: old town, beaches, Cu Lao Cham dives
The lantern-lit old town, An Bang beach and a dive day at Cu Lao Cham
Getting there: Flight to Da Nang, then a short drive
An Bang Beach
Cu Lao Cham: A dive day off the islands
Phong Nha, Vietnam, 2027-03-14 to 2027-03-18
Huge caves: Paradise and Phong Nha; Hue on the way
Getting there: By car over the Hai Van Pass, stopping in Hue
Paradise Cave
Phong Nha Cave: By boat up the river
Ninh Binh, Vietnam, 2027-03-18 to 2027-03-22
Rowboats through limestone karsts
Getting there: Car to Dong Hoi, then the day train north
Trang An: Rowboats through the karsts
Ha Giang loop, Vietnam, 2027-03-22 to 2027-03-26
Vietnam's most dramatic mountain roads
Four days with easy-rider drivers, homestays along the loop
Getting there: Limousine bus via Hanoi
Hanoi, Vietnam, 2027-03-26 to 2027-03-30
Old Quarter food before Bali
Getting there: Limousine bus from Ha Giang
Amed, Indonesia, 2027-03-30 to 2027-04-03
Easy shore dives, including the Liberty wreck
Shore dives on Amed's reef and the USAT Liberty wreck at Tulamben
Getting there: Flight from Hanoi, then about 3 hours by car
USAT Liberty wreck: A shore dive at Tulamben
Canggu or Pererenan, Indonesia, 2027-04-03 to 2027-05-02
A month-long base: beaches, cafes, mantas, Batur sunrise
A Nusa Penida manta day, sunrise on Mt Batur and Uluwatu weekends
Getting there: Driver across the island, about 3 hours
Nusa Penida mantas: A manta day
Mt Batur: Sunrise from the summit
Uluwatu: Weekends on the cliffs
Komodo, Indonesia, 2027-05-02 to 2027-05-07
Liveaboard diving and Komodo dragons
Three days and two nights on a liveaboard: currents, mantas, sharks and dragons
Getting there: Short flight to Labuan Bajo
Canggu or Pererenan, Indonesia, 2027-05-07 to 2027-05-20
Downtime before Japan
Getting there: Flight back to Bali
Tokyo, Japan, 2027-05-21 to 2027-05-25
Time with friends; food and neighborhoods
Nine days with friends across Tokyo, Fuji and Osaka
Getting there: Overnight flight from Bali
Fuji Five Lakes, Japan, 2027-05-25 to 2027-05-26
Fuji views with friends
Getting there: Highway bus from Shinjuku, about 2 hours
Osaka, Japan, 2027-05-26 to 2027-05-30
Street food capital; Kyoto and Nara day trips
Getting there: Bus to Mishima and the Shinkansen, about 4 hours
Kyoto: A day trip
Nara: A day trip
Kumano Kodo, Japan, 2027-05-30 to 2027-06-03
Ancient pilgrimage trail, inn to inn
The Nakahechi route, walking between family-run inns
Getting there: Limited express to Kii-Tanabe, then a bus to the trailhead
Hiroshima and Miyajima, Japan, 2027-06-03 to 2027-06-06
Peace Memorial and Miyajima's floating torii
Getting there: Bus and trains from the Kumano Kodo, about 6 hours
Itsukushima Shrine: The floating torii
Sapporo, Japan, 2027-06-06 to 2027-06-10
Hokkaido's capital: Otaru, ramen and beer
Otaru's canal, miso ramen and a day climb of Mt Yotei
Getting there: Flight from Hiroshima
Otaru: The canal
Mt Yotei: A day climb
Hokkaido road trip, Japan, 2027-06-10 to 2027-06-18
Furano fields, Akan lakes, Shiretoko wilderness
Eight days driving Biei and Furano, Sounkyo, Akan-Mashu and Shiretoko, then up the Okhotsk coast to Wakkanai
Getting there: Rental car from Sapporo
Biei and Furano: Flower fields
Sounkyo: Gorge and waterfalls
Akan-Mashu: Caldera lakes
Shiretoko: Wilderness and the Five Lakes
Wakkanai: Japan's northern tip, for the island ferry
Rishiri and Rebun, Japan, 2027-06-18 to 2027-06-24
Rishiri summit and Rebun's flowers at peak bloom
Climbing Rishiri's 1,721 m summit, Rebun's flower trails and sea urchin in season
Getting there: Ferry from Wakkanai
Mt Rishiri: The 1,721 m summit
Rebun flower trails: Flowers at peak bloom
Daisetsuzan, Japan, 2027-06-24 to 2027-06-28
Hokkaido's high peaks: Asahidake to Kurodake
Getting there: Ferry, train and bus to Asahidake, about 8 hours
Asahidake: Hokkaido's highest peak
Kurodake: The far end of the traverse
Naha, Japan, 2027-06-28 to 2027-06-29
A night in Okinawa before the island ferry
Getting there: Flight from Sapporo
Kerama Islands, Japan, 2027-06-29 to 2027-07-04
Turtles and clear water, after the rainy season
Two boat dives off Zamami
Getting there: Fast ferry from Naha, about 50 minutes
Zamami: Two boat dives
Kanazawa, Japan, 2027-07-04 to 2027-07-08
Kenrokuen garden and the old teahouse districts
Getting there: Flight from Naha to Komatsu, then a bus
Takayama, Japan, 2027-07-08 to 2027-07-12
Old town and Hida beef; Shirakawa-go on the way
Getting there: Bus via the thatched village of Shirakawa-go
Shirakawa-go: Thatched farmhouses, on the way
Matsumoto, Japan, 2027-07-12 to 2027-07-16
Matsumoto Castle and the Northern Alps foothills
Getting there: Bus over the mountains, about 2.5 hours
Kiso Valley, Japan, 2027-07-16 to 2027-07-19
Walk the old Nakasendo post road from Magome to Tsumago
Getting there: Train to Nagiso
Magome: Start of the walk
Tsumago: End of the walk
Kamikochi and Yarigatake, Japan, 2027-07-19 to 2027-07-23
Northern Alps hut trek to Yarigatake
Three to four days between mountain huts to the spire of Yarigatake, once the rainy season ends
Getting there: Train and bus up to Kamikochi
Yarigatake: The spire at the top of the hut trek
Nikko, Japan, 2027-07-23 to 2027-07-27
Toshogu shrines and cool mountain lakes
Getting there: A long day of trains via Tokyo, about 7 hours
Tokyo, Japan, 2027-07-27 to 2027-08-04
Last week in Japan
Getting there: Train from Nikko, about 2 hours
Blairgowrie, Scotland, 2027-08-05 to 2027-08-06
On the way to the wedding
Getting there: Overnight flight from Tokyo, then a drive north
Glenshee, Scotland, 2027-08-06 to 2027-08-08
A family wedding, Aug 7
Getting there: A short drive into the Highlands
Edinburgh, Scotland, 2027-08-08 to 2027-08-09
A night at the Fringe
Getting there: Drive back to Edinburgh
Lucerne, Switzerland, 2027-08-09 to 2027-08-12
Lake Lucerne and the Stoos ridge
The Stoos ridge hike and a boat across the lake to Rigi
Getting there: Flight to Zurich, then the train
Stoos ridge: The ridge hike
Rigi: By boat across the lake
Grindelwald, Switzerland, 2027-08-12 to 2027-08-16
The Eiger and Jungfrau region hikes
First to Bachalpsee, Lauterbrunnen and Mürren, Männlichen or the Jungfraujoch
Getting there: Trains via Interlaken, about 3 hours
Bachalpsee: From First
Mürren: Above Lauterbrunnen
Männlichen
Jungfraujoch
Dobbiaco, Italy, 2027-08-16 to 2027-08-18
Gateway to the Dolomites and the Alta Via 1
Getting there: A long train day via Brig, Milan and Verona, about 9 hours
Alta Via 1, Italy, 2027-08-18 to 2027-08-25
A week-long Dolomites hut trek
Seven nights hut to hut from Lago di Braies south through the Dolomites
Getting there: Bus to Lago di Braies
Lago di Braies: Where the trek starts
Belluno, Italy, 2027-08-25 to 2027-08-26
First bed after the trek, on the way to Venice
Getting there: Walk down off the trail, then a bus
Venice, Italy, 2027-08-26 to 2027-08-28
Canals and art, at a slow pace after the trek
Getting there: Regional train, about 2 hours
Florence, Italy, 2027-08-28 to 2027-08-30
Renaissance art, the Duomo and Tuscan food
Getting there: Fast train, about 2 hours
Levanto, Italy, 2027-08-30 to 2027-09-03
A quieter base for hiking the Cinque Terre
Getting there: Train via Pisa or La Spezia
Cinque Terre: The coastal path
Rome, Italy, 2027-09-03 to 2027-09-11
The Colosseum, the Vatican Museums and St Peter's
Room for day trips to Orvieto, Tivoli or Ostia Antica
Getting there: Train via La Spezia, about 4.5 hours
Orvieto: A possible day trip
Tivoli: A possible day trip
Ostia Antica: A possible day trip
Maiori, Italy, 2027-09-11 to 2027-09-16
Amalfi Coast base: Maiori's long beach, the Path of the Gods
Getting there: Train to Salerno, then a bus or ferry along the coast
Path of the Gods
Lipari, Italy, 2027-09-16 to 2027-09-21
Aeolian Islands base: boat trips and a dive
Getting there: Train to Milazzo and a hydrofoil, about 8 hours
Stromboli, Italy, 2027-09-21 to 2027-09-22
Hike an active volcano at sunset
Getting there: Hydrofoil from Lipari
Ortigia, Italy, 2027-09-22 to 2027-09-30
Baroque old town by the sea; a Plemmirio dive
Getting there: Hydrofoil to Milazzo, then on around Sicily
Plemmirio: A dive in the marine reserve
Catania, Italy, 2027-09-30 to 2027-10-03
Mt Etna, then fly to Seoul
Getting there: Short train or bus from Siracusa
Mt Etna
Jeonju, South Korea, 2027-10-04 to 2027-10-06
Hanok village and Jeonju bibimbap
Starting in the south while Golden Week crowds fill Seoul and Jeju
Getting there: Overnight flight from Catania, then a bus from Incheon
Jirisan, South Korea, 2027-10-06 to 2027-10-09
Ridge trek between mountain shelters
Getting there: Bus to the trailhead town
Busan, South Korea, 2027-10-09 to 2027-10-12
Beaches, fish markets, seaside temples
Getting there: Bus, about 3.5 hours
Gyeongju, South Korea, 2027-10-12 to 2027-10-14
Silla royal tombs and Bulguksa temple
Getting there: Short train from Busan
Bulguksa
Jeju, South Korea, 2027-10-14 to 2027-10-22
Hallasan, Olle trails and a dive
Hallasan's summit, the Olle coastal trails and a soft-coral dive off Seogwipo
Getting there: Short flight from Busan
Hallasan: The summit
Munseom: A soft-coral dive off Seogwipo
Seoraksan, South Korea, 2027-10-22 to 2027-10-26
Peak autumn foliage
Getting there: Flight to Seoul, then an express bus to Sokcho
Seoul, South Korea, 2027-10-26 to 2027-11-05
Long base: neighborhoods, food, palaces
Getting there: Express bus, about 2.5 hours
Beijing, China, 2027-11-05 to 2027-11-10
The Great Wall and the Forbidden City
A Great Wall hike at Jinshanling
Getting there: Flight from Seoul
Jinshanling Great Wall: A Great Wall hike
Xi'an, China, 2027-11-10 to 2027-11-13
Terracotta Army and Muslim Quarter food
Getting there: High-speed train, about 4.5 hours
Terracotta Army
Chengdu, China, 2027-11-13 to 2027-11-17
Pandas and Sichuan food
Getting there: High-speed train, about 3.5 hours
Giant panda base
Dali, China, 2027-11-17 to 2027-11-29
Slow base by Erhai Lake and the Cangshan range
Getting there: Short flight from Chengdu
Lijiang and Tiger Leaping Gorge, China, 2027-11-29 to 2027-12-03
Tiger Leaping Gorge trek
Getting there: Train from Dali
Tiger Leaping Gorge: The high trail
Yangshuo, China, 2027-12-03 to 2027-12-08
Li River karsts by bike and bamboo raft
Getting there: Flight to Guilin, then a bus
Yulong River: By bamboo raft
Hong Kong, 2027-12-08 to 2027-12-12
Food, harbor views and hikes, then home for the holidays
Getting there: High-speed train to West Kowloon