Preparing for a Trip to East Asia

With 2 weeks of upcoming downtime, I knew taking a trip was necessary. Once I found a $500 round trip ticket from San Francisco to Hong Kong, it was a DONE DEAL. Interested in how I planned my trip in a short amount of time? Grab your favorite beverage, get comfortable, and read more below!

PLANNING 101

Tickets

I used Google flights to search for affordable ticket prices to any destination but within a specific timeframe. This is how I came across the ticket, which I purchased on the United Airlines website.

Destinations

After securing the round trip ticket to Hong Kong, I determined other neighboring countries I wanted to visit. While planning on countries to visit I took into account, 1.) Interest 2.) Visa or Entry requirements 3.) Cost of living: Accommodation and feeding 4.) Recommendations and/or family or friends living in the country. For example, although I wanted to visit Mainland China, this required a visa and I could not apply in time.

Accommodation

To find accommodation I researched and gathered tips from friends and family on recommended neighborhoods to stay in. When I had knowledge of neighborhoods that were safe, would best suit my interests, and were centrally located to the activities I wanted to do, I begun looking into hotels and Airbnbs.

In comparisons to South East Asia, e.g. Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei, etc where hotel accommodation can be more affordable, hotel prices in HK, Seoul, and Tokyo were expensive. This is one of the reasons, I focused on Airbnb.

Another reason I appreciate Airbnb when traveling solo is because it provides the opportunity to live and learn from locals. I booked airbnb’s in Hong Kong, Seoul, and Tokyo. But when figuring out accommodation for Japan, a friend warned me about using Airbnb because the government issued new rules that were impacting the home sharing industry. As a result people who had been booking on Airbnb were having their bookings cancelled. In anticipation of this, I looked into actual guest houses who advertised on the Airbnb platform. Therefore it was a registered hotel but who posted their affordable listings through Airbnb.

By far my accommodation costs in Tokyo were the most expensive (SIGH that’s just the nature of the city). You can read more about my experience finding and comparing Airbnb options in HK, Seoul, vs Tokyo here.

Itinerary and activities

To build an itinerary of activities for each location, I researched online and gathered recommendations from friends, family, and Airbnb hosts. I had a general idea of what I wanted to do everyday in each location, but also modified the plan as I got more recommendations from people. I created and modified my itinerary using a google spreadsheet.

LOGISTICS 101: Finances, Internet, and Transportation

Finances

In preparation for my trip I created a budget. My budget included the following: Flight tickets: round trip to HK and flights to Seoul and Tokyo, feeding, accommodation, transportation, activities, and extra expenses. My flight tickets and accommodation were paid ahead of time, while I used my credit card and cash to pay for food, activities, and transportation within each country.

I prepared for my trip by doing research on the currency and payment method accepted in the cities and countries I was visiting. It’s important to be aware of the currency and payment methods accepted because this allows you to prepare for any situation ahead of time. For example, although Hong Kong is a major financial hub and major banking institutions are present in East Asia, cash was mostly used to purchase street food or to shop with smaller cash based vendors. In that situation it was helpful to have both a debit and credit card that can be used internationally for transactions and to withdraw money.

Internet

To be honest… I was not interested in buying a local sim to use in each location (laziness or preference to be offline? LOL). I relied on WIFI, which worked perfectly fine for me. I had free WIFI access in my Airbnb’s, in major restaurants or cafes (Starbucks is always a staple), and downloaded transport and language apps that could be used offline. While on this trip, my goal was to be offline, focusing on spending time with myself, being in the moment, and enjoying the activities I participated in.

I planned the logistics of the day ahead of time (usually the night before), identifying activities and transportation options. The rest of the time, I followed the motto “it is wherever life takes us”. If I get lost, I get lost. If I discover something amazing, I discover something amazing. This mentality made me get out of my comfort zone. It allowed me to walk and wonder, to try new foods and restaurants, and to be a problem solver. If ever I needed WIFI urgently, I would stop by Starbucks or a hotel.

This worked well for me and was feasible in this travel environment (accessible city), but remember people are different and each location is different. Before determining to go this route look into the travel location you’re visiting. If you want or your destination requires internet and a phone access on the go, look into purchasing a local sim or consult your phone service provider.

Transportation

To prepare how I would get around, I did research into the most commonly used form of transportation. Infrastructure is well developed and there is heavy emphasis on using public transportation in HK, Seoul, and Tokyo….in summary PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION was my best friend. I used the busses, subways, trams, and trains, downloading city specific public transportation apps that explained the routes, provided departure and arrival times, and also gave directions.

In my experience, I noticed the subway station names and stops were written and announced both in local languages and english. Larger more populated cities, such as Tokyo, had more complicated routes. Whereas in the central areas of Hong Kong Island, the subway and tram lines were simple to follow.

If you are not a fan of public transportation, look into local taxis or alternative forms of Uber.

SAFETY TIPS

Staying safe particularly as a solo black female traveler was essential to me, especially in an environment where I stood out. Here are the steps I took to ensure my safety:

Share Travel Itinerary

Before my trip and while traveling, I shared my travel itinerary and local contact information with friends and family. This included accommodation and all logistics information.

Communicate and Check-in

Prior to my trip I communicated with my family and friends that I would have limited access to internet during the day and while I was on the go. Instead, I developed a cadence where I would check in with them at the beginning and end of each day, in order to let them know I was fine and to share my fun stories (of course LOL).

Be Aware of Surroundings

Throughout my trip I maintained awareness of my surroundings, by being alert of where I was, who was around me, and if I felt uncomfortable or that there was threat.

Emergency Contact and Plan

Prior to my trip, I created an emergency contact kit. This consisted of emergency contact information for the police, hospitals, insurance, and my embassy. That way in an emergency I’m not scrambling to look up that information - I can access it quickly.

Research Dangers and Possible Crimes

Before traveling to each city I researched dangers or crimes to be aware of, in order to be prepared and to stay attentive to any possible signs. For example being aware of pick pocketing in specific areas, kidnapping, etc.

Get Insights from Female Travelers and Locals

Before traveling, I researched experiences by other fellow female travelers, spoke with friends who had visited, and to friends who are from that city. Furthermore, while in each city, I spoke with locals about safety and asked for their recommendations on issues to be aware of.

Overkill?…Nah

This may seem like a lot of steps to prepare for a trip but I wanted to make sure that I was safe, saw all the sights, participated in activities unique to the area, and had an unforgettable experience. Preparing ahead of time allowed me to focus on being in the moment and to fully enjoy my trip.