Adam needs to renew his visa in September and instead taking the hydrofoil over to Japan like he did last time, I mentioned taking a trip. We have been in Asia now for 6 months and not traveled (I know, can you believe it?!?!)
So, I casually looked through the calendar at work and noticed there are 3 national holidays coming up. I did the math and realized, If I take 5 days off.. then we can take a 11 day vacation! (basically I get one week free due to the holidays) I jumped on it.
My boss approved my vacation and we immediately got to work on a destination.
China was near the top of the list but due to Visa requirements we would have to spend a bit more money then we wanted on the preparations… So, I started exploring Interpark.com (It is a Korean travel site, all in Korean. I have mastered the navigation and even have my own login, even though my Korean is still at survival level.
Then, I checked all of the airlines directly. I included Taiwan (We have only been there for 24 hours), New Zealand, Australia, India and Philippines.
We ended up with a great deal for tickets. We leave at 8 am on Sept. 27th and head to Hong Kong. We will be there for 24 hours, which I have been told is enough time to wander and explore. Then on the 28th, we head to Manila.
We are super excited to explore the not so popular tourist destinations of the Philippines, the untouched beaches, the local villages in the far north etc.
We are openly seeing recommendations from everyone out there in Cyberland. (Anything from lodging to places to food! For both Hong Kong and The Philippines)
At the moment we have:
- Palawan
- Coron
- Ilocos
- Baguio
- Sagada
I will also have you know that I have finally learned how to spell the Philippines and get it right every time (it only took 32 years)
Stay in the loop
Planning a trip to Asia? Check out our Japan family travel guide, our Korea family travel guide, our destination guides and plan your Asia trip with Nicole.
More from Asia
Intentionally and incrementally. Most families who live this way did not leap from conventional to adventurous overnight. They built remote work capacity, paid down debt, tested longer trips, and had increasingly honest conversations about what they actually want from their lives. The leap feels bigger from outside than from inside.
Different for every family. For some it is long-term travel. For others it is weekend adventures close to home. What connects them is intentionality about how time is spent and a preference for experiences over accumulation. The version that fits your family is the right one.
By finding stability within the adventure rather than treating them as opposites. Routines, rituals, and family rhythms travel with you. Familiar foods, bedtime routines, and predictable family dynamics provide stability even when the location changes. Kids need consistency in relationships more than consistency in geography.
That people are fundamentally similar across cultures in what they want for their families. That comfort zone is a smaller circle than it feels from inside. That the things worth having in life require effort and discomfort to get. And that time together doing hard interesting things is the most reliable source of family closeness.
By getting clear on why you made the choices you made and returning to that clarity when the outside noise gets loud. Most families living unconventionally describe an initial period of explaining themselves that gradually gives way to just living the life. The explaining becomes less necessary as the results become visible.
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Hi there,
I have been living in Hong Kong for almost one year and we are moving to Busan next week!
I would love to provide some tips on your stay in Hong Kong. Actually I have been reading your blogs since the day I found Busan bridge, i really like your blogs and learnt so much about busan from you! I would really love to get to know you after we move to Busan.
I’m originally Chinese who has lived in Cyprus and Finland. My husband is Finn and we have one son. We decided to live in different courntries. So Hong kong is our first ‘one year home’. We have enjoyed it a lot!!!
Pls drop me an email to april.zhangautio@gmail.com if you wants to contact me. 🙂
Where are you moving in Busan?! Of course we can all meet!! So nice of you to write. We would love to hear about your tips about Hong Kong!
We will move to DOOSAN WE’VE JUNG-DONG HAEUNDAE. We have never been to South Korea, so we are so excited!
I could see from both of your blogs that we have many thing in common. Can’t wait to meeting you there in Busan!
We will arrive to Busan next Friday. I will drop you a message after we settle in.
Two words: “El Nido!”
Trust me, you’ll love it there! You might not even wanna go back home. 🙂
Thank you! I will check it out!!
Palawan is definitely a must see.
It may get touristy at times, but your schedule is in the lean season. Also, include the Bicol region in your options 🙂 I will be in the Philippines during Chuseok, would love to at least bump into you in Manila!
[…] Seeking NON-Touristy Recommendations… Please Help! […]