Shanti's travel journals

Travel tips, adventure stories, and sustainable initiatives

Japan or Thailand: which country should you choose for your trip?

Japan and Thailand offer two very different ways to discover Asia. Japan appeals to travellers with its temples, modern cities, mountain scenery and traditional culture. Thailand attracts visitors with its beaches, fragrant cuisine, lively markets and opportunities to combine nature with relaxation.

Wat Pha Lat, our favourite temple in Chiang Mai

Wat Pha Lat is a quiet forest temple on the Doi Suthep road above Chiang Mai, reached by car or by the 30 to 45 minute Monk's Trail walk. It has a stream, mossy stairways and resident monks, and most visitors to Doi Suthep drive straight past it.

Borobudur Temple in Java: Visiting the World's Largest Buddhist Monument

The Borobudur temple in central Java is the largest Buddhist monument ever built: nine stone levels, 2,672 carved panels and 72 perforated stupas, about 45 km from Yogyakarta. A climb ticket costs IDR 455,000 as of May 2026, and the park opens at 6:30 am.

Things to Do in Uluwatu: Temple, Beaches and Surf

The best things to do in Uluwatu are watching sunset and the Kecak dance at the clifftop temple, walking down to hidden beaches like Padang Padang, and seeing the surfers from a cliff-edge beach club. Two days is enough for all three.

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