Lucille Wong

  • Staying in a ryokan

    A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn. They’re typically floored with tatami mats and equipped with sliding doors. They have rollout futons rather than beds. A high end ryokan would be made exclusively of organic materials such as wood, grass, bamboo and stone. Rooms would come with private gardens and bathtubs filled with water from…

  • Is a JR pass worth it?

    The Japan Rail (JR) pass allows unlimited travel on any JR service in Japan. This includes most shinkansen (bullet trains), JR buses and JR ferries. This pass is available to foreign tourists and Japanese overseas residents. It must be pre-purchased outside of Japan and many travellers assume it would be convenient and good value. If…

  • Staying in a ‘luxury’ capsule in Kyoto

    The ‘luxury capsule’ is perfect for the traveller who wants the capsule experience with some additional comforts. Traditionally, capsule hotels have targeted drunken Japanese businessmen who have missed the last train home. These hotels offer coffin-sized ‘rooms’ stacked on top of each other. Each capsule is generally equipped with a single mattress, power point, clock,…

  • Is Kōbe steak worth it?

    Kōbe beef is a type of wa-gyū (literally Japanese beef) that is bred exclusively in the Kōbe area. It is known for being delicious because the fat is marbled throughout the meat. As a steak lover, I was keen to sample this in its town of origin. On a recent trip to Japan with my…

  • Perils of a wrong turn in the Mekong Delta

    Perils of a wrong turn in the Mekong Delta LAST year my friend and I went on a three-day bike riding tour of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. The trip began with a boat ride down the Mekong River and a long lunch. Then we threw our bags in a minivan and began an easy…

  • There’s no such thing as a free flight

    There’s no such thing as a free flight While budget airliner Jetstar is just beginning to make its mark on Australian domestic travel, the concept of “no-frills travel” boomed in Europe more than two decades ago. Carriers such as easyJet and Ryanair are widely recognised for cheap travel within Britain and Europe. Recently, Irish-based Ryanair…