1 Week -- Japan or Thailand or ???
 

Greetings!!

My husband and I are taking a week vacation around labor day (late August or early September). We just can't decide where to go :) I was thinking of either Japan (Tokyo for a couple days and then a train ride somewhere...) or Thailand (flying into either Phuket or Bangkok). In reality, I know nothing about either country, but am up for an adventure.

We've been all over South America and Europe, so we are hoping to explore a small part of either Asia or Africa -- so any other suggestions would be great! We like the beaches and the city...we also like trekking and wondering. But we also LOVE good food.

If you can help, we would truly appreciate it!!

First, figure out how to take some more time off. Labor Day gives you another work day so that if you can only take five business days, you leave the one or two Saturdays before Labor Day and return on Labor Day or the Monday after it and get about 9 days with only five work days lost.

If you're interest is beaches primarily, you can travel halfway around the world and go to Thailand . . . or go somewhere else closer (Hawaii comes to mind, ditto the Caribbean) so you don't spend 35+ hours in transit out of your 168 hour vacation (more than 20% of your "week"). Otherwise, you go for a little beach time in Thailand and to visit Bangkok and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Japan is mountainous -- the four islands are basically undersea volcanic eruptions hardened into land masses (this oversimplifies so much a Rocks for Jocks student should be offended). Thus, there are places to trek, wAnder (you can do your wondering anywhere), and enjoy the various hot springs (onsens) throughout the country. Go to japan-guide.com to figure out what you want to do and where you want to go. By the Hikari Shinkansen train, Kyoto is about 2.5 hours from Tokyo and wandering in and near it is quite interesting.

As for Africa, I'd suggest no, until you can get more time away. Getting to Tanzania and Kenya for safaris takes a day and a half and needs (almost always from the US, I think) a connection and long airport layover in Europe; going to S. Africa is a 17 hour flight from Atlanta or NYC, which means again you're blowing more than 30 hours in transit, and if you fly into Johannesburg, you'll need to transfer somewhere else (because you don't want to stay in Jo'burg). North Africa is a somewhat different story.

While it's always wonderful to have more time, you can certainly get a sample of a place in a week. I've done a number of one-week trips to Asia.

No one can tell you where you want to go. I'd suggest you browse some guidebooks or read some trip reports here to get a sense of what might interest you. Once you have a destination in mind, we can be helpful in figuring out how to use your time.

Great advise! Originally it was supposed to be a 2 week trip...but we had to cut it short. Japan sounds absoletly perfect for our interests.

And yes, I do realize that I can't spell :)

We did a Japan trip that included Tokyo, Matsumoto (we like castles) and Kyoto. Our trip was 10 nights (3-2-5), you can pull off about 8 nights if you structure properly around the holiday (leave Friday night, arrive Sunday morning, leave Labor Day) and go about 3 in Tokyo and 5 in Kyoto. Kyoto is far cooler.

If you want take a really neat 2.5 mile trek mixed with religion and culture just outside central Kyoto, go to the Fushimi Inari shrine and walk the whole path of the torii tunnels.

Well if you want to stretch your dollar out a little I think you will get more bang for your buck in Thailand!

You can find cheaper good accommodation in Thailand along with good transportation. Thai food is great and cheap. In Thailand tourism is big business and they want you happy so you return again and again. Travel agencies in Bangkok can set you up with tours pretty easy or you can use the tour desk at your hotel.

Before you do book your flights read up on these places and see what you prefer.

Good luck.