Some journeys are about one country. This one was about a feeling: that wonderful sense of curiosity that keeps growing as you move from one place to the next. When I designed this three-week route through Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, I wanted to discover how four destinations, so close together, could each have such a different soul. What I found was a journey full of mountains and harbours, temples and skyscrapers, and above all, some of the best food I have ever tasted.
My journey began in Taiwan, and I spent my first week there. Taipei won me over almost immediately. In the morning, I stood in the incense-filled courtyard of Longshan Temple, watching locals light candles and quietly say their prayers. In the afternoon, I looked out over the city from Elephant Mountain, with Taipei 101 rising above everything else. But the real Taipei revealed itself after dark, at the night markets. Walking between the stalls, I tasted pepper buns straight from the clay oven, fresh bubble tea and dishes I couldn’t pronounce but will never forget. The best way to end a day of exploring? A soak in the natural hot springs of Beitou, just a metro ride from the city centre.
A day trip took me to Jiufen, an old mining town clinging to the mountainside. Its narrow stairways are lined with red lanterns and traditional teahouses, and as the evening fog rolled in from the sea, the whole town looked like a scene from a dream. Nearby, in Shifen, I wrote my wishes on a paper sky lantern and watched it rise slowly above the railway tracks and into the sky. It’s a small ritual, but one that touched me more than I expected.
From the north, I travelled into the green heart of the island, to Sun Moon Lake. Surrounded by forested mountains, its calm water changes colour with the light. I cycled along its shores, took a boat between the lakeside villages and visited a tea plantation where I tasted some of Taiwan’s finest oolong, right where it was grown. After the energy of Taipei, it was exactly the peace I needed.
A short flight later, I landed in Hong Kong, where I spent four days that felt like a whirlwind. On my first evening, I crossed Victoria Harbour on the Star Ferry as the skyline lit up around me. It’s one of those views you’ve seen a hundred times in photos, yet in real life it still takes your breath away. The next morning, I rode the Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak and looked down over the forest of skyscrapers, the harbour and the green islands beyond. I spent my days moving between the old and the new: incense spirals hanging from the ceiling of Man Mo Temple, the bustling markets of Mong Kok and long dim sum breakfasts in traditional teahouses. A day on Lantau Island, with the Big Buddha and the stilt houses of the fishing village of Tai O, showed me that Hong Kong is much greener than most people imagine.
Then came Singapore, three days in a city that seems to live in the future. As the sun went down, I stood beneath the giant Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay and watched them light up in a show of colour and music. Inside the Cloud Forest, a waterfall tumbled down a mountain of plants, wrapped in cool mist. But what I loved most about Singapore was how many cultures live side by side. In a single day, I walked from the temples of Chinatown to the colourful streets of Little India, and then on to Kampong Glam, where the golden dome of the Sultan Mosque shines above the boutiques of Haji Lane. And the hawker centres? They are pure joy. Sitting at a plastic table with a plate of chicken rice that costs just a few euros and tastes like a meal in a fine restaurant is one of my favourite memories of the city.
From Singapore, I crossed the border into Malaysia for the final week of my journey. My first stop was Malacca, a historic port where Portuguese, Dutch and British influences blend with Malay and Chinese culture. Standing in front of the red Stadthuys on Dutch Square, I couldn’t help but smile at this unexpected piece of Dutch history so far from home. In the evening, the Jonker Street night market filled the old streets with food stalls, music and laughter, and I discovered Nyonya cuisine, a delicious blend of Chinese and Malay flavours.
In Kuala Lumpur, the Petronas Twin Towers shimmered above the city, especially beautiful at night. I climbed the colourful stairs to the Batu Caves, where a giant golden statue guards the entrance to a temple hidden inside a limestone cave, while cheeky monkeys watched every step. In the evening, Jalan Alor came alive with sizzling woks, satay on the grill and the sound of a city that never seems to stop eating.
To escape the tropical heat for a few days, I travelled up into the Cameron Highlands. The air was suddenly cool and fresh, and endless green tea plantations rolled over the hills as far as I could see. Sitting on a terrace with a cup of tea and a slice of scone, looking out over the valleys, felt like the perfect pause before the final stop.
My journey ended in Penang, and I couldn’t have chosen a better finale. George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage city, is a joy to explore on foot or by bike. Around every corner, I found another piece of street art, a beautifully restored shophouse or a hidden clan temple. And then there is the food. Penang is often called Malaysia’s food capital, and after a few days of char kway teow, assam laksa and fresh roti canai, I understood why. Sitting by the water on my last evening, watching the sun set over the Strait of Malacca, I knew this journey had given me far more than I had expected.
Taiwan gave me warmth, peace and a gentle beauty. Hong Kong gave me energy and some of the most spectacular views I’ve ever seen. Singapore showed me how harmony can look between cultures, and Malaysia surprised me with its history, nature and incredible food. Four destinations, one unforgettable journey.
In three weeks, this route comes together perfectly: around a week in Taiwan, four days in Hong Kong, three days in Singapore and a week in Malaysia. The most pleasant time to travel is from October to April, when the weather is comfortable across most of the route and the typhoon season in Taiwan and Hong Kong has passed.