AsiaRoutes · blog
Travel blog about Asia
Articles and guides on independent travel across Asia: visas, money, transport, seasons, routes and practical tips for Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Cambodia and Bali.
Saigon Morin Hotel: The Hotel That Was Once Hue University for Forty Years
Saigon Morin Hotel was built in 1901 — in 1957 the building was confiscated to house…
17 Sep 2026
The Pavilion: The Queen Mother’s Country Residence in Phnom Penh
The Pavilion occupies four villas from the 1920s – formerly the residence of Queen-Consort Sisowath Kossamak,…
17 Sep 2026
Broadway Mansions Hotel: An Art Deco Tower That Once Housed the Shanghai Foreign Correspondents’ Club
Broadway Mansions Hotel was completed in 1934 to a design by Palmer & Turner – the…
17 Sep 2026
Tamarind Village: A Hotel Built Around a 200-Year-Old Tree
Tamarind Village in Chiang Mai’s old city is named after the tamarind tree growing on its…
17 Sep 2026
Puri Saren Agung: Ubud’s Royal Palace – Where Balinese Hospitality Began
Puri Saren Agung – a palace dating back to the early 19th century, the official residence…
17 Sep 2026
Nanjing Centre Hotel: A 1930s Hotel Where Zhou Enlai and the US Ambassador Once Stayed
Nanjing Centre Hotel opened in January 1930 – among its guests during the Republican era were…
17 Sep 2026
The Columns: Kampot’s Colonial Shophouses – A Family Affair
The Columns occupies restored French colonial shop houses in Kampot’s old town – the hotel is…
17 Sep 2026
Minamikan: A Ryokan Dating Back to 1888 on the Shores of Lake Sunset Shinji
Minamikan opened in 1888 on the shores of Lake Shinji in Matsue – authentic rooms and…
17 Sep 2026
China’s Railway Stations: How to Navigate Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an & Guangzhou
Large cities in China rarely have just one train station—usually there are two or three, and…
14 Sep 2026
How to Pay in Thailand as a Russian in 2026: Cards, QR and Cash
Russian cards work selectively in Thailand, and it is worth working out what will definitely work…
14 Sep 2026