36 locations with photos and travel notes
Where to go in Southeast Asia? Morgan personally visited 36 places in Southeast Asia, including Thailand Bangkok JUNICHI Japanese Restaurant, Myanmar Mandalay, Amarapura, Sagaing, Inwa One-Day Tour, Bagan, Myanmar, Bagan, Myanmar, Myanmar Mandalay Hill Sunset (Mandalay Hill, Myanmar). Every spot below links to a detail page with photos, visit dates, addresses, and an interactive map.
Southeast Asia covers 6 popular cities, ranked by visit frequency: 緬甸 (4 places), 菲律賓 (4 places), 新加坡 (4 places), 泰國 (3 places), 越南 (3 places), 印尼 (2 places). Each city's locations include full visit notes, photos, and map positions.
Location: Thailand Travel Note Summary: Thailand - Bangkok JUNICHI Japanese Restaurant. Back in Bangkok for a break; it's been years since I stayed overnight in Bangkok. In the evening, at the Japanese restaurant in the hotel, I ordered sashimi, nigiri sushi, dobinmushi, and junmai daiginjo sake. The total was just over a thousand Taiwanese dollars—really great value for money! Oh, and the post-dinner Thai massage adventure was equally exciting! Kap khun krap~ After the massage, I got hungry again. Back at the hotel, I couldn't help but open Grab and order more late-night snacks. @@ By Morgan @ Evening of 2026.1.31 #Bangkok #Thailand
Location: Mandalay, Myanmar Travel Notes: After returning to Mandalay last night, I spent over a hundred dollars today to charter a car for a full-day tour of several famous cities around Mandalay: Amarapura, Sagaing, and Inwa. Due to last year's major earthquake in Myanmar and political instability, there are very few foreign tourists visiting during this period, but I actually prefer coming now—it's incredibly quiet and relaxed. At the monastic school, I watched locals making offerings; I took a wooden plank boat across the river to the opposite bank; and I rode a horse-drawn carriage through the simple village paths. At the same time, I saw many temples and pagodas still being rebuilt after the earthquake. The driver who took me around brought me to the riverside at noon, where we both drank refreshing Myanmar beer and ate eye-opening fried shrimp. As we chatted, I learned about his wife of 23 years, a teacher who doesn't allow him to drink beer at home—a funny story. We talked about the KK Park controlled by China and Thailand, the average monthly income of people here (50 USD), and government regulations... At this moment, it truly left an extremely profound memory in my life. Finally, in the evening, I arrived at the famous U Bein Bridge to watch the sunset. U Bein's Bridge, built around 1850, is considered the world's oldest and longest teak bridge. The boats swaying on the lake, dotted against the golden-red evening reflections on the water, created such a beautiful scene that I was mesmerized for a moment... After the sun set, I asked the driver to drop me off at (probably) Mandalay's most expensive restaurant for dinner: HANA Yakiniku Japanese BBQ, with a Google rating of 4.7. Given that prices in Myanmar are astonishingly low, I decided to splurge on high-end beef and ultra-thick beef tongue steak—money I'd save by eating modestly later in Europe. I also ordered a bottle of sake to accompany the meal, two freshly squeezed juices, and some grilled vegetables to try. With dedicated table-side grilling service, I ate until I couldn't stop burping, and the final bill was less than 1,500 TWD. I guess you could say I achieved some kind of culinary arbitrage! But realizing that one meal cost as much as many locals' monthly salary really made me reflect on the stark differences around the world. @@ By Morgan @2026.1.30 evening #Myanmar #Burma
Location: Bagan, Myanmar Travel Notes: I have been moved by the lingering sunset glow at Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and I have been awed by the golden dawn light at Borobudur in Indonesia. Therefore, among the three major Buddhist sacred sites in Southeast Asia, the last one I visited—the Bagan temple complex in Myanmar—I chose to appreciate from sunset to sunrise, feeling the millennia-old peace and tranquility here. Later, I continued with my guide, Wen, visiting one after another temples built from the 11th to the 13th centuries. At its peak, there were over ten thousand monasteries and pagodas here. Seeing the various colossal Buddha statues and the red, yellow, and white murals on the walls, while listening to stories of Nirvana and reincarnation, I felt as if cut off from the world, immersed in the prosperous scene of the Buddhist capital during the medieval unification of Myanmar by the Bagan Dynasty... By Morgan @2026.1.29 #Bagan #Myanmar
Location: Bagan, Myanmar Travel Notes: I woke up at 6 a.m. this morning and asked the hotel I stayed at last night to call a tuk-tuk to take me to the long-distance bus station in Mandalay. After purchasing a ticket here (JJ Express), I spent over five hours on a bus traveling from Mandalay to Bagan. I was the only foreigner on the entire bus, and the language barrier was real—I just followed everyone else, getting off to use the restroom when they did. The route mostly passed through rural paths, with the bus swaying along the way. We stopped at several military checkpoints for identity checks. Upon arriving in Bagan, I chartered a car with a driver and hired an English-speaking guide (it's probably the off-season now, as they arranged a nine-seater vehicle just for me @@) to begin exploring the thousand-year-old Bagan temple and pagoda complex... By Morgan @2026.1.28 #Myanmar #Bagan
Location: Mandalay Hill, Myanmar at sunset. Travel note: Mandalay Hill, Myanmar — it took me 15 years, one country at a time, slowly traveling, and today I finally visited all 10 ASEAN countries. Myanmar’s strong Buddhist atmosphere naturally calms the heart... 1. Cambodia, 2011 2. Malaysia, 2011 3. Singapore, 2016 4. Thailand, 2017 5. Indonesia, 2019 6. Laos, 2019 7. Philippines, 2020 8. Vietnam, 2023 9. Brunei, 2024 10. Myanmar, 2026. By Morgan @2026.1.27 #41stCountry #Myanmar #ASEAN10
Location: DMK Miracle Lounge Travel Notes: Every time I have the chance to visit airport lounges around the world, I naturally treat it as an all-you-can-drink wine event. In less than an hour, I'm on my fifth glass! @@
Borneo is the world's third largest island, shared by three countries: besides Brunei, there's also Indonesia and Malaysia. Flying from Brunei to Sabah, Malaysia, took just a few dozen minutes—arrived in no time. Though the flight was short, I still appreciated the quality service of Royal Brunei Airlines.
After landing last night, I took a Grab to the hotel, then used GrabFood to order delivery from a famous local spot—Jia Xiang Raw Meat Noodles—straight to the hotel. A decent four-star hotel in Sabah costs only around a thousand Taiwan dollars per night.
Tanjung Aru Beach is globally famous for its sunsets.
Location: Dat Xanh Group, Vietnam. Today I attended a briefing by Dat Xanh Group (stock code: DXG), a listed real estate developer in Vietnam, specifically their overseas investor sales division. They recently launched the 32-story Capital Elite project in Hanoi's city center (floors 1–9 are commercial space), with current prices around NT$230,000–250,000 per ping. Wrapping up this productive trip—time to head back to Taiwan tomorrow!
Location: Haiphong, Northern Vietnam, dusk at Do Son. Evening in Do Son, Haiphong, Northern Vietnam.
越南 海防市 博物館(Hai Phong Museum) 海防是越南五個直轄市之一， 根據過往旅行習慣， 要快速了解一個未曾造訪的城市， 還是從博物館先進行參觀，較有全面概念。 剛好今天是禮拜天，…
Location: Hanoi. Good morning, Hanoi in Vietnam! It's delightful that after three years, I can continue to explore this world. Good morning, Vietnam, Hanoi!
Location: Singapore Travel note: Anticipating another busy week ahead. It kicked off with a remote Zoom meeting with Pat and Kimi Huang, one of the co-founders of the Singapore-based brokerage LongBridge. LongBridge's founders are all seasoned tech veterans from Alibaba, and its individual investors include several of Alibaba's original '18 Arhats.' Their recent Series A funding round valued the company at around $200 million. Shortly after entering the Hong Kong market, LongBridge saw a rapid increase in app downloads and account openings. (With its internet brokerage + social investing DNA, it really hits the pain points of local Hong Kong brokers.) Recently, they've also started looking to enter the Taiwan market, seeking partnerships with licensed Taiwanese brokerages. That's how they connected with senior Pat, who then invited me to join the meeting. I shared insights about the landscape of Taiwan's brokerage apps and some observations. Later, I'll discuss with Pat to see what suitable resources we can connect. :P By Morgan @2021.12.13
Location: Philippines, Boracay. First diving experience. If humans have explored less than 5% of this vast planet, shouldn't life also pursue the other 95% of unknown possibilities? After Diving @ Boracay @2020.1.20
Location: Boracay, Philippines, KASBAH Moroccan Restaurant Travel notes: Originally planned to have dinner and drinks with Guo Xiang, a PE teacher from Beijing I met during the day. But he suddenly said he'd picked up a girl and could only join for drinks later, not dinner. So I strolled alone along Boracay's White Beach. At the far end, I spotted a small shop with few customers, labeled 'Flavor of Morocco.' Embracing my Aries spirit of adventure and trying new things, I went in, sat down, and asked the staff to recommend some Moroccan dishes. After she listed a few, I heard 'Masala' and asked if that was Indian—she nodded and recommended another Moroccan dish instead. Ended up ordering Chicken Tagine in a clay pot, plus a glass of red wine to go with it. This dish uses Morocco's distinctive cone-shaped clay pot, stewing chicken with lemon and olives. It was so fragrant I ordered an extra bowl of rice. With heavy rain on the island now, listening to the rain outside, eating exotic food, gently swirling my wine glass, feeling the vastness of the world, chatting casually with the chef who said he likes Taiwanese food... maybe life can be simple, just follow your heart. Cheers with myself! By Morgan, night of Jan 19, 2020 @Boracay
Location: Boracay, Philippines Travel note summary: Boracay, Philippines – one of Asia's most beautiful beaches. Full blog post: https://morgan0321.org/morgan%e9%9a%8f%e7%ac%94047-%e8%8f%b2%e5%be%8b%e5%ae%be%e9%95%bf%e6%bb%a9%e5%b2%9b/
Location: Philippines Travel note summary: Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is a city of over a billion people and ranked among the world's top five most populous cities in 2017. Beyond its historical sites, Manila also has a modern metropolitan side. Aside from briefly stopping by a casino, I visited the National Museum and SM Mall of Asia – the largest mall in Asia. SM is huge, not tall but sprawling, divided into north and south wings; walking around really tires your legs. It's packed with restaurants and shops, enough to make your head spin. There's also the Venice Grand Canal Mall, comparable to Macau's Venetian, with both outdoor and indoor areas. I tried Jollibee fried chicken and Halo-Halo at Mang Inasal, then watched the sunset at Roxas Boulevard, famous for one of the world's most beautiful sunsets over Manila Bay. Many people just pass through Manila for layovers, but like any city, it has its own interesting and worthwhile spots... :) By Morgan, evening of Jan 17, 2020
Philippines, Corregidor Island. This island is located at the entrance of Manila Bay, making its strategic position extremely important. As a result, it became a famous battlefield of the Pacific War during WWII. The US, Philippines, and Japan fought bloody battles here multiple times. In 1942, 11,000 US-Philippine forces were defeated and captured here. The island was seized by the Japanese, and General MacArthur left his famous quote 'I Shall Return' here, vowing to come back. Later in 1945, US forces attacked Corregidor again, nearly annihilating the 6,700 Japanese soldiers on the island and retaking it. This shows how fierce the fighting was here back then. From the port in Manila (Esplanade Seaside Terminal), it takes about 2 hours by speedboat to reach the island. The war ruins on the island still faintly show the intensity of the battles. Looking at the abandoned ammunition depots, barracks, tunnels, and gun batteries, time suddenly transports you back to World War II, a world full of turmoil and uncertainty about the future. For later generations, the traces of history can only be remembered and imagined, commemorated and cautioned, contemplated and learned from. And what can our generation leave for those who come even later? By Morgan on 2020.1.17
Location: Manila, Philippines Travel note summary: Manila, Philippines – San Agustin Church, Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral. Since Portuguese explorer Magellan discovered this place in 1521, followed by Spanish conquest in 1565, centuries of colonial rule began. After WWII, the US maintained military bases here, ensuring the Philippines' deep Western influence. In Manila's Intramuros district, these historical traces are everywhere, making you pause for half a day to soak it all in... By Morgan, Jan 16, 2020 #27th country visited #Just came for a layover and ended up near the once-in-a-century eruption of Taal Volcano, talk about luck QQ #No Uber or Didi in Southeast Asia, had to install Grab
Location: Boracay, Philippines - First Diving Experience Travel Notes: If humans have explored less than 5% of this vast planet, shouldn't life also pursue the other 95% of unknown possibilities? After Diving @ Boracay
Location: Laos, Almsgiving, Morning/Night Markets Travel note: Laos, Almsgiving, Morning/Night Markets Laos has a land area of 230,000 square kilometers and a population of about 7 million. Most people devoutly believe in Buddhism. Boys aged twelve or thirteen enter temples to study, ranging from as short as one month to several years or even a lifetime. Due to the educational concept that 'all beings are Buddha,' you rarely hear honking on the roads, and motorcycles parked by the roadside don't need any locks. Everyone is Buddha; disrespecting others is disrespecting Buddha. Deceiving or insulting others is deceiving or insulting Buddha. There are over 2,000 temples throughout Laos. For thousands of years, regardless of wind or rain, it has never stopped: every day at dawn, monks come out in order to receive food alms from the people. As a result, you don't see any beggars in all of Laos, because when you have no food to eat, you can go to the temple and indirectly eat this food. This has also made this country, although the poorest among the ten ASEAN countries, have a relatively high happiness index. Even though I only stayed in this country for a few short days, I deeply felt how deeply Buddhism is ingrained in people's hearts here. Every country has its own unique characteristics. I hope to continue to see more, hear more, and think more, reflecting more broadly and deeply on the meaning of life and living... By Morgan on the morning of October 6, 2019
Location: Mount Bromo, East Java, Indonesia Travel note: As always, Jinli's itinerary was a bit crazy, but that's what makes it unforgettable. This time, besides using four plane tickets in four days, we had to wake up at 5 AM, then 3 AM, and today at a ridiculous 1:30 AM – XD. Indonesia has the most volcanoes in the world; not counting extinct ones, there are over a hundred active volcanoes. So, heading out this early was to hop into a jeep and catch the sunrise at one of the world's most famous active volcanoes, Bromo, in eastern Java. At dawn, the temperature on the mountain was only 7°C, and even with a mask, scarf, wool hat, down jacket, and gloves, it was still a bit chilly. But watching the volcano gently puff smoke against the colorful clouds, surrounded by a sea of clouds, it felt like either the end of the world or a fairyland, making me forget the cold. After sunrise, we climbed to the crater's edge. Although I'd seen a dormant volcano in Heilongjiang before, the feeling was different here, with white smoke rising as if it could erupt at any moment—Bromo last erupted in 2015. Finishing this volcano trip in Indonesia gave me a deeper sense of awe for nature and the smallness of humanity. – By Morgan, September 14, 2019
Location: Borobudur, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Travel note: My old travel buddy from college, Jinli, who I used to go on night trips to wild hot springs with, suddenly asked if I wanted to go to Indonesia for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Realizing it had been 12 years since our last trip together, I used my Asia Miles to get a free ticket and joined Jinli in Indonesia for the festival. The Great Wall of China, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the Taj Mahal in India, and Borobudur in Indonesia are known as the Four Great Wonders of the Ancient East. Borobudur was the last of these wonders I visited, and it's also been listed by CNN as a must-see destination. Just after 5 AM, the rising sun slowly appeared beside a distant volcano, illuminating the primitive jungle shrouded in mist. Sitting quietly atop this 8th-century Buddhist temple, gazing into the distance, I felt an unprecedented sense of peace. Sun rises and sets, life is like morning dew—nirvana, yet rebirth... – By Morgan, Mid-Autumn Festival, September 13, 2019
Location: Hainan, Sanya - Phoenix Island Travel note summary: Phoenix Island in Sanya is an artificial island modeled after Dubai. Tonight, I booked a huge high-floor room with the most spacious balcony in one of its iconic five buildings. From here, I can see the other four Phoenix Center buildings. The balcony even has a large bathtub that can be filled with water for a soak. Braving the cold wind, I hid in the warm water, slowly sipping a freshly opened Australian red wine. Slightly tipsy, I pondered solutions to many problems while gazing at Sanya's enchanting harbor night view, ready to count down to the New Year. Looking back on 2018, perhaps many things were not as desired, but welcoming the arrival of 2019, Still To be all you can be! Cheers~ Wishing all my family and friends a Happy New Year!!! May everyone have peace and smooth sailing~ :) By Morgan on the evening of December 31, 2018.
Location: Hainan Island, Sanya Travel Notes: Hainan Island, Sanya—Phoenix Ridge Cable Car, Sanya Romance Park, Ice and Snow World, Dadonghai International Shopping Center (Big Pineapple), Luhuitou Scenic Area. There's a crystal church on Phoenix Ridge, quite beautiful. The 'Romance Park' series by Songcheng and Zhang Yimou's 'Impression' series each have their strengths and are eye-opening performances, definitely worth watching!
Location: Hong Kong Travel Notes: Hainan Island, Haikou—Feng Xiaogang Movie Town, Century-old Qilou Old Street. I casually bought a plane ticket from Hong Kong and arrived here in just over an hour. The Movie Town is a filming location for many movies, giving a feeling of traveling through time. At night, standing on the centuries-old Qilou Old Street that dates back to the Southern Song Dynasty, with flickering lights, eating Hainan's famous Wenchang chicken, experiencing the local night scenery...
Location: Thailand Travel note summary: At Bangkok International Airport, Thailand, wrapping up 18 days of various itineraries and getting ready to head back to Hong Kong. Came out with just one backpack containing my laptop, charger, books, clothes and socks, neck pillow, medicine... Although I picked up extra items like a suit jacket and leather shoes in Europe, I still managed to keep it all in one backpack for the return trip—phew. #FlightNo36ThisYear
Location: The Westin Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok — Kisso Japanese Cuisine. Merry Christmas Eve~ Cheers!~
Location: Thailand Travel note: Thailand—traditional markets, train markets, Mekong River boat tours, Amphawa floating market. Many of these are sights I've only seen on TV, and I finally got to experience them in person! The train market briefly packs up when the train comes each day, then resumes after it passes—pretty unique. The floating market is lined with all kinds of Thai snacks and seafood on both banks, an overwhelming variety. Some seafood is even cooked and sold right on the boats. The weather on the Mekong River today was perfect!!!
Location: JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok — New York Steakhouse. First time actually entering Thailand (only transited before). Originally wanted to try Nami Teppanyaki Steakhouse, ranked #1 in Bangkok on TripAdvisor, but it was full. So I switched to this New York steakhouse in the same hotel, also ranked in Bangkok's top 10. Ordered a Kobe steak medium rare with California red wine—a relaxed and enjoyable dinner.
Location: Singapore, Little India. Clarke Quay, Jumbo Seafood, Chili Crab Travel note summary: Singapore, Little India. Clarke Quay, Jumbo Seafood, Chili Crab. Gardens by the Bay. Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh. Singapore is a country of multicultural fusion. Yesterday went to Chinatown, which is the Chinese district. This morning went to Little India, which, as the name suggests, is naturally the Indian district. Had Prata (Indian flatbread) for breakfast, and it tasted good. For lunch, had a meal with my university club friend Zhiqian (TS) and his family of three, Huizhong (guava), as well as university classmates Junhong and Xingjian. Except for Xingjian and me, everyone else works in Singapore—MediaTek, UMC, AUO, plus Xingjian at Texas Instruments—just forming an industry chain. Time flies by in the blink of an eye; we've known each other for over eighteen years. Thinking about it, it's really a bit hard to believe how time could pass so quickly. When Zhiqian first came to Singapore for work in 2008, he once returned to Taiwan and told me to visit him in Singapore if I had the chance. I never thought it would take eight years to finally meet him in Singapore. Thanks to Brother Zhiqian for treating us to this meal~ After the meal, Junhong, Xingjian, and I went to Gardens by the Bay (a 101-hectare reclaimed land area). There's a skywalk suspended 22 meters high and two large cooled conservatories that simulate various climates and altitudes, growing all kinds of plants. It's very comfortable and worth a visit. Finally, went downstairs to the Marina Bay Sands hotel next door and had Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh. That's a wrap! By Morgan on the evening of 2016.9.17
Location: Singapore, Marina Bay Sands Skypark Travel notes: This afternoon, I arrived at Marina Bay Sands Hotel, bought a ticket (23 SGD), and took the elevator to the 56th-floor Skypark. From here, you can overlook many views of Singapore. As for the famous infinity pool on the 57th floor, only hotel guests are allowed, so I could only watch from a distance. After coming down, I entered the casino after my passport was checked twice (once for age verification, and once where someone carefully compared my photo and records). The casino regulations here feel much stricter than in Macau. When leaving, someone checked again. My friend Xingjian and I took out 50 SGD to play a little and ended up winning nearly 100 SGD (about NT$2,000), which basically covered our tickets for the Night Safari. Singapore's Night Safari is quite famous—it's the world's first nocturnal zoo. From Ang Mo Kio MRT Station, take bus 138 for about 40 minutes to get there. Entry starts at 7:15 PM, and there's a fire show before entering. Inside, we took a guided tram ride around the park with English commentary. Unlike daytime zoo visits, seeing various animals active under the moonlight—the night river, the tranquility, the life, the forest—left a very deep impression. There was also a night animal performance show, which was very novel and fun, featuring owls, raccoons, pythons, and more, with the host bringing various acts. Great new experience at night safari in Singapore~ By Morgan, evening of September 16, 2016.
Location: Singapore, Chinatown Food Complex 2F, Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle Travel notes: After having the famous Song Fa Bak Kut Teh at the main store in the morning, I walked here. In this year's Michelin Guide, two hawker stalls in Singapore received the honor of one Michelin star, and one of them is Liao Fan, located in this food court that resembles a traditional market. When I arrived around 10 AM, there was already a long line. By noon, every visitor from various countries who came after hearing about it would first chuckle, then exclaim words like 'Woo,' 'Crazy,' 'Goodness,' or 'No way~' You can imagine how spectacular the scene was with the crowd winding around several times. Cutting in line wasn't easy because the wait was so long—you'd been looking at the people in front and behind for so long that it was hard to mistake them. This meal also set two personal records for me: one, of course, being the cheapest Michelin meal I've ever had, with a dish priced at 2.5 SGD (about NT$60); the other being the queue time—a full 2 hours and 46 minutes, enough to flip through an entire Singapore travel guide from cover to cover... When I finally got close, I saw that in the small shop, besides the owner Chan Hon Meng, there were only two people helping. Looking back at the huge crowd, I couldn't help but worry about the owner's health. We ordered one plate of soya sauce chicken noodles and one plate of char siu rice. The sauce drizzled on top was slightly sweet. In terms of taste alone, the food was quite tasty, and the value for money goes without saying. But indeed, there's no need for overly unrealistic expectations. More important is the owner's dedicated attitude and the spirit he puts into the ingredients themselves. Only persistence leads to success...... By Morgan, September 16, 2016.
Location: Singapore, Sentosa, Universal Studios Travel notes: Last night, I flew from Hong Kong to Singapore for over three and a half hours, arriving in the early morning. After sleeping most of the night at Changi Airport, I met up with Xingjian, who came from Taiwan, at the airport this morning. We bought EZ-Link cards and took the MRT, got off at Outram Park Station, walked to the hotel to drop off our luggage, and then made our way to Universal Studios on Sentosa. Today was a weekday in Singapore and other countries, so most rides didn't require long waits. From around 10 AM until 6 PM, except for Jurassic Park which took a little over an hour, every other ride was under half an hour, so we managed to experience almost all the major attractions: Shrek, Transformers, WaterWorld, The Mummy... In the evening, we moved to the iconic Merlion Park to gaze at the sail-shaped Marina Bay Sands and the night view of the Singapore Flyer, then went to Lau Pa Sat for some satay skewers. Returning to the hotel, we ended today's fulfilling itinerary~ By Morgan, evening of September 15, 2016.
Location: Cambodia Travel note: Ta Prohm Temple in Cambodia (one of the filming locations for Tomb Raider).
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