Explera Journal
Asia stories
8 articles in Asia, newest first — written by our travel desk for journeys that start in Gujarat.
Kanazawa: The Japanese Castle Town That Escaped the War
Kenrokuen garden, intact Edo-period teahouse and samurai districts, and most of Japan's gold leaf — a practical Kanazawa guide for travellers from Surat and Gujarat, covering routes, visas, seasons, food and budget.
9 min · 7 SEPT
Hakone: Onsen, Volcanoes and Lake Ashi — A Practical Guide from India
Hakone is the classic overnight escape from Tokyo: a volcanic caldera full of hot-spring towns, a loop of trains, cable cars and boats, and a view of Mount Fuji that may or may not show up. Here is how we plan it for travellers from Surat and Gujarat.
9 min · 7 SEPT
Fuji Five Lakes and Kawaguchiko: An Honest Guide for Indian Travellers
Kawaguchiko and the Fuji Five Lakes are where you go to actually see Mount Fuji across water. Here is what that region is really like, when the mountain shows itself, how to reach it from Gujarat, and how to plan around a peak that often refuses to appear.
9 min · 7 SEPT
Seoul's Five Grand Palaces: A Considered Guide for Indian Travellers
Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung and the three others are not interchangeable. Here is what each palace is actually for, how to book the Secret Garden before it sells out, and how travellers from Surat and Gujarat should plan the trip.
9 min · 7 SEPT
Uji and Byodo-in: The Green Tea Town Half an Hour from Kyoto
A quiet Kansai half-day trip that puts a UNESCO Pure Land temple, the birthplace of Japanese matcha and the closing chapters of the Tale of Genji within thirty minutes of Kyoto Station. Practical planning notes for travellers from Surat and Gujarat.
8 min · 7 SEPT
Banaue and Batad Rice Terraces: An Honest Guide for Indian Travellers
The rice terraces of Ifugao are one of Asia's great human landscapes, but reaching them takes real effort. Here is what the journey from Gujarat actually involves, which terraces are UNESCO-listed, when to go, and how to travel there with respect.
9 min · 30 AUG
Vang Vieng, Laos: An Honest Guide for Indian Travellers
Karst mountains, a slow river and a town that reinvented itself. What Vang Vieng is actually like today, how to reach it from Gujarat by air and rail, what the visa involves for an Indian passport, and where the real risks lie.
9 min · 26 AUG
Railay and Phra Nang, Krabi: The Thai Peninsula You Can Only Reach by Boat
Railay sits on the Thai mainland but has no road in — only a longtail boat. An honest guide for Gujarati travellers to Krabi's cliff-locked peninsula: the four beaches, the Princess Cave shrine, climbing, seasons, visas and realistic costs.
9 min · 26 AUG
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