Tips for traveling in Asia

So far all my tips for traveling in Asia in one place. Hope it will be useful for your travels.

Tips for traveling in Asia Indonesia

Tips for traveling in Asia Malaysia

Tips for traveling in Asia Vietnam

Have more questions? Need more tips for traveling in Asia, especially in Indonesia? Contact me and I will try to help you :)

Guidelines on how to become an annoying tourist in Asia

While you are traveling you almost can’t avoid meeting other travelers, tourists on your way. But let’s be clear who is “tourist” and who is “traveler”. The most common definition of “tourist” is “a person who is traveling, especially for pleasure”. “Traveler” – “someone who is traveling or who travels often”. I think (and I use this description in this post): “tourist” a person who comes to a place just to take what he wants, needs, “check” on the “been/seen/done” list. He thinks everything goes only around his needs; “traveler” – a person, who comes to a place to give, understand, be a part of local culture. Who wants to make the trade – take but as well give something in return.

If a tourist wants to get the most benefits of being a tourist, be noticed by local people, other travelers – he should follow these guidelines. Then he can claim to get an award of most annoying tourist in Asia.

How to become the most annoying tourist in Asia

#1 Become a speaker

How will people know you or understand better, if you won’t share how you feel, think without saying it? It’s too tiring to speak with each person about yourself? So just be sure to speak as loud as you can with a person in front of you. Then everybody who is around (workers, other tourists, travelers) will hear you and you will get attention, even if you are not the most important person in that place.

#2 Be proud of your success by showing how much money you have

You feel that people won’t give attention to you if you won’t start to show/tell how rich you are. And because of it, you can get everything you want? So do it! Don’t accept any negative answer to your wishes, just tell people that you have a lot of money and you can buy everything you want: respect, justice, people and etc. Like you believe people in Asia are poor, so money the only way to solve problems, get anything.

Tourist in Asia

#3 Forget your clothes

You have worked so hard in the gym a month before the holiday (just to look good in photos that you will share in your social profiles). So why you should cover your body with clothes? The swimsuit is not only for the beach, walk with it in the city as well. Why you should dress properly in front of local people, respect their religion and culture? Who are they – just locals, don’t care about them. Don’t forget you are the main person!

#4 No need to use simple humanity rules

Local people don’t understand when you are polite to them. Only if you scream, showing disrespect – they will solve your problems. They are not normal people like you or those with whom you deal in your own country. So act differently than you do in your country.
You respect only those who are worth it, right? Who are the local people? You don’t know them, you don’t understand them. So, why you should respect them? Don’t do that, act with them like they are not humans.

#5 Delete words “local rules” from your vocabulary

You should forget the expression “local rules”. You are not local, you are a tourist, just temporary staying for your vacation. You should have a good time, do things that you don’t do in your own country, without thinking about anything. Remember – “rules” are not for you! Drive motorbike without a helmet, as fast as you can, with as many people on a motorbike as you can take and etc. Don’t think that it can be dangerous for you and other people. If others do like this, why can’t you? You don’t need to think, you left your brain at home and want just follow others’ behavior – it’s much easier.

Tourist in Asia

#6 Make a challenge for yourself

Alcohol in your country too expensive? Don’t have reasons to get drunk there? Yes, vacation in Asia is the right time and place to be the drunk the whole day! Get drunk till stage when local people try to help you find where are you staying or call for help like you can’t even stand up (and your friends just left you lying somewhere). A holiday is all about it – be drunk all the time.

#7 Take pictures of local people like in the zoo

While you are completing you “been/seen/done” list, you will meet local people which maybe you will find interesting. So just go to them, put a photo camera in front of their faces, no matter what they are doing at that time, and try to get the best shot. Don’t forget to make as many as possible shots. As well don’t think to be polite and ask people permission to take their picture. Some locals in Asia don’t speak English, so why you need to waste your time asking for permission? Feel free to just behave with them like with animals in the zoo.

Tourists in Asia

#8 Follow your animal instincts

You feel passion here and right now? So have sex straight where you are, for example in the public hotel swimming pool. Who cares if somebody will see you? You feel the passion and want to demonstrate it. After all, you do the same in your country, in other countries outside Asia while you are traveling. So, why you can’t do it here as well? And don’t forget to “order” local females/males for your sex games – like “it’s part of the culture”, “you can help them to earn a little money” and they “enjoy working this job”.

#9 Leave your brains at home

You worked hard for a long time to get these couple weeks of pleasure. So just leave your brain at home and do things that you never do in your country or outside of Asia. Get crazy, do dangerous things, don’t think about anything. Try everything that locals suggest even if you don’t know what this is. Vacation is the time when you don’t need any limits. And Asian countries just waiting for your craziness. Here is one of the crazy things which you can do in Asia.

So it’s all my tips to get an award of most annoying tourist in Asia. Maybe you have suggested other tips?

Annoying tourists pinterest

 

I hope I haven’t offended any of you. But at least you know now how sometimes your behavior looks like from another point of view. And why local people treat you in a way which you don’t like. Keep in mind that everything is written in a sarcastic way from my personal experience during traveling in Asia.

 

Pictures are taken from internet sources.

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Asian people are not poor
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Bukittinggi

I visited Bukittinggi city for the Darmasiswa scholarship program closing ceremony in May 2015. So all the things were arranged and paid for, that’s why I don’t know some of the prices or didn’t visit some places. But still, I have what to share :).

Minangkabau styleBukittinggi (in Indonesian known as “High hill”) is the 2nd biggest city in West Sumatra island. From Padang airport, it ~ 2,3 hours by bus. The road through hills so a bit tortuous.  The town has a hilly contour with small hills and valleys where possible to find ascending and descending roads and stairs for pedestrians.

Bukittinggi citizens call their town “a town with thousand stairs” – but I hardly could call it like this :). Bukittinggi is well known for its beautiful scenery and is surrounded by 3 mountains: Marapi (still active), Singgalang (inactive), and Sago (these 3 mountains more popular in the term “Tri Arga”).

Even if possible to find information that there are many touristic places to see but in my personal opinion – not so much, of course, depends on what you are interested in. I think 1 day, maximum 2 it’s enough for this city.

So the main touristic objects to visit in Bukittinggi:

“Panorama park”
Located on side of The Silent Canyon (“Sianok Canyon”) where possible to see a beautiful view of the canyon with mountain Singgalang as background. You can see here a lot of wild monkeys. It’s a place to have a nice walk or have a picnic. As well you can find here a Japanese tunnel  (“Lobang Jepang”). It was made by the Indonesian people during World War II as a bunker for the Japanese military in 1942.

The Silent Canyon – “Sianok Canyon”
It’s ~ 2 km from the city center. It’s suited on the edge of Bukittinggi which separates the town from mountain Singgalang. The cliffs are 100-120 meters in height. Sianok Canyon is a beautiful green valley with winding rivers on the bottom flowing as far as ~15 km from the back of cliffs.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t lucky to visit “Panorama park” and “Sianok Canyon”. But I think that these places the only ones that really worth seeing.

The big clock tower – “Jam gadang”
Some of the people call it “Bukittinggi Big Ben” :). It’s possible to see it in the center of the downtown and this object became the symbol of the city (this tower possible to see from many places in the city). The tower surrounded by some space where people hang around, sells souvenirs, snacks. In front possible to see “The Hills” hotel (if somebody would like to stay in the center).
It’s 26 meters high clock tower, with a roof shape like Minangkabau traditional house. From the top possible to see the Bukittinggi surrounding. The unique thing that in numerical order 4 numbers written in Roman numeral.
The tower was built in 1926 by the local architect Yazid Abidin with his partner Sutan Gigi Ameh. The clock itself was a present from Queen of Netherlands to Rook Maker, a secretary of Bukittinggi Municipality during colonization time. There are 4 clocks which face to 4 directions. The top of the clock was restored a few times. In the beginning, it had a rounds shape roof with a statue of the rooster. Then it changed into a monastery shape like a roof during the Japanese colonization. In independence time the top was changed to the shape like it is now.
Across the square is traditional tourist markets, called “Pasar Atas” and “Pasar Bawah”. Many goods sold there, from souvenirs, handicrafts, textiles, traditional food, traditional snacks, to fresh fruits, vegetables, chicken, meat, and fish. Behind the market is the town’s old Chinatown with many old shophouses.

Limpapeh bridge – “Jembatan Limpapeh”
It’s a beautiful bridge with Minangkabau architecture. It connects Kinantan Zoo (“Kebun Kinantan”) to Fort de Kock (“Benteng fort de Kock”) passing right on Ahmad Yani street. You can see a really beautiful view from the bridge: on one side the town part surrounded by one mountain on another side – another part and a different mountain.

Other touristic objects that you might be interested to see:

Fort de Kock – “Benteng fort de Kock”
Lays on the hill “Bukik Jirek” that was designed as a fortress by Duch during Paderi War. Like all visiting places have they own story but for me wasn’t so interesting this place – just a nice place to walk surrounded by some cages of birds and through it possible to go to the Zoo by “Limpapeh” bridge.

Kinantan Zoo – “Kebun Kinantan”
Was established in 1929 and is the first zoo in Indonesia with various rare endangered animals. Truly to say the zoo looks quite poor (even if there is really some exotic kind of animals). I was felt sad looking at the animals; some of them were eating plastic bags, some people were riding the elephant. And I could feel like the animal there as well – when local people started to ask making pictures with me. In this zoo, there is a customary house of Minangkabau named “Rumah Gadang”. The museum display many kinds of ancient collections and all building looks impressive. Unfortunately at that time when we visited the zoo, it was closed. And also you can visit the zoological museum.
There are few toilets but they don’t work. Some souvenir and snacks shops.
There is an entrance fee (for fort and zoo the same ticket) – but I don’t remember the price.

Tri Daya Eka Dharma Museum – located in front of “Panorama park”. You can see the historical things when Indonesia opposes the Japanese and Dutch colonial.
Museum rumah kelahiran Bung Hatta – located in Soekarno Hatta street. It’s a place where Muhammad Hatta (Bung Hatta) was born. He was the first Vice President of Indonesia and a proclaimer of Indonesia’s independence along with Soekarno.

Bung Hatta Library – located in the hill Gulai Bancah. The library made by international standards, equipped with audio-visual facilities, conference rooms, auditoriums, and mosques. Meeting rooms are usually rented for various events, weddings and etc. So if you will be lucky enough maybe you can participate in a traditional event.

The ladder 40 – “Jenjang 40” – was built in 1908 and connects the “upmarket” (“Pasar Atas”) with “down market” (“Pasar Bawah”). The ladder was inspired by composer Minang Syahrul Tarun Joseph with the title track ”Andam Oi”.
Panorama Baru view – a touristic object which has still a natural view. On the bottom side, it’s possible to enjoy the Sianok Canyon view. Here you can have lunch or dinner, camping or a bit of hiking.

The ladder 100 – “Jenjang seribu” – it’s an object with green fertile soil and the rivers follow the steep riverbanks gaps. Passing the ladder possible to enjoy the view of Marapi and Singgalang mountains.

 This is were located all the mentioned places:

 

PRACTICAL INFORMATION:

The tourist office is at Jl. Syech Bantam 1 (near the clock tower). Working:  Mon-Thurs 8:00 am-2:00 pm, Fri 8:00-11:00 am, Sat 8:00 am-12:30 pm ( tel 0752/22403).

What food to try in Bukittinggi?
Locals say that here possible to try a lot of delicious food. I enjoy “rendang” – but not all “warungs” prepares it good.
As well this city is famous for: “nasi kapau”, “kerupuk sanja”, “kerupuk kulit”, “denting kering”, “belut kering”, “pisang kapit” and many others.
Where to buy in Bukittinggi?
There are some markets like:
  • “Pasar Atas” (east of Jl. Minangkabau) –  located in front of the clock tower.
    This market provides many kinds of souvenir and special food from Bukittinggi with reasonable price: “sate padang”, “nasi padang” and “kerupuk sanja”. There is another special culinary that you shouldn’t miss when you visit “Pasar Atas”, it’s “nasi kapau” made from special ingredients that have been passed from generation to generation, from area named Kapau.
    Besides the tourism market, Pasar Atas also become a center of trading. The other unique stuff that is selling here is “bordir kerancang” – special stripes. The people of Minangkabau is known for “border” making.  You can found in this market many clothes or material with “bordir kerancang”.
    “Hari pakan” market means special days that more sellers will come. And in each area or market, they have their own “Hari pakan”. In this market “hari pakan” is on every Wednesday and Saturday.
    Try to avoid visiting “hari pakan” because if you will shopping for your own need you will find a lot of signs “sorry not allowed to buy in pieces”.
  • “Pasar Bawah”. It’s a traditional market located under “Pasar Atas”.
    Here you can find vegetables, fruits, meat, fish and many fresh spices, ingredients for cooking. Just like many other traditional markets, when you entered the alleys of  “Pasar Bawah”, you will see the same condition, wet, very humid, smelly especially in the fish and meat section.
  • “Pasar Grosir Aur Kuning”. Jl Minangkabau 19 (located near to Aur Kuning terminal). Has a huge range of textiles from Sumba and Irian Jaya and king sticks from North Sumatra.
    This market lays on a 2.3 ha wide area with around 1470 shops and many more small shops.
    It was built in 1980 and used by people to trade earth resources (plants and spices), and now this market already became the biggest grocery trading on Sumatra island. The meaning of the market name “aur kuning” is “yellow small bamboo tree”. And it seems the development of the market was related to its name philosophy – “when it is small it used for one thing and when gets elder and elder the function changing as well”.
    The “hari pakan” (market day) is on Wednesday and Saturday.

As well you can find some shopping centers, malls, supermarkets.

Festivals in Bukittinggi
This city has many events like:
  • Muharram festival
    To celebrate the entry of Moslem New Year that is the date of 1 Muharam (first month in the Islamic calendar) hence by Office of Bukittinggi Tourism Bureau to performs various activities of like competition of Moslem cloth, singing and etc.
  • Traditional Dance in Medan Nan Balinduang
    Every night in Medan Nan Balinduang is performed by the traditional artistry of Minangkabau filled by galleries under the supervision of the Office of Bukittinggi Tourism Bureau.
  • Horse racing
    Executed 3 until 4 times in one year and performed in Lapangan Bukit Ambacang.
  • Birth commemoration of Bung Hatta
    This event executed every date of the 12th of  August and filled by a various events of artistries.
  • Khatam Al-Quran
    This event usually is executed every vacation of school, where pupils MDA (Islamic Informal Institution) has finalized the education in learning read Alquran, and all the MDA in Bukittinggi does cortege together.

 

Have you been to Bukittinggi city? What else you would recommend to see?