So here we are. This is the ranking that really matters. After sampling cities all around the world, I know which ones I would return to in the future and which ones I have no interest in going back to.
1. Bangkok, Thailand
2. Seoul, South Korea
3. Singapore, Singapore
4. London, United Kingdom
5. Jerusalem, Israel
6. Paris, France
7. Hong Kong, Hong Kong
8. Tel Aviv, Israel
9. Amman, Jordan
10. Tokyo, Japan
11. Taipei, Taiwan
12.Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
13. Macau, Macau
14. Penang, Malaysia
15. Johor Bahru, Malaysia
16. Mumbai, India (airport)
The list is pretty easy to divide. Number 7 and below, I would not revisit for personal vacation. Number 2 through 6, I would consider visiting again on a future trip. I will certainly visit Bangkok again someday. I don't know when it will be, but that's the one city on this list that I keep thinking about.
Mumbai doesn't really count since I didn't make it to the city. Still, the airport (and its staff) earned it last place.
Johor Bahru should be avoided. I really have nothing positive to say about my visit. It's just not a place for tourists.
Penang may have good beaches, but I think there are better places to go. I didn't spend all that long there, but I'm glad.
Macau may generate more gambling revenue than Las Vegas, but it's nothing in comparison. It's crime-ridden, dirty, and strikingly poor. See my Macau post for a telling picture.
Kuala Lumpur was worth seeing, but not revisiting. See my post on it for more details, but it had all the problems of a developing country without any of the charms.
Taipei had one of my favorite attractions (Taipei 101) but had little else. Getting runover by a scooter is not my idea of fun. The buses are painful and the air quality is terrible.
Tokyo was the surprise on my list. As explained in my Tokyo summary, it is like a machine. It's clean, efficient, and organized. The lack of character proves to be its downfall. I just didn't enjoy my stay in Tokyo as much as other cities because Tokyo lacked charm. Tokyo is worth a visit for newcomers, but I'm happy spending future trips elsewhere.
Amman was another city that is very worth visiting once. How many cities are safe enough for Americans to visit in the Arabic world? I found Amman to be an unappealing desert. Still, it was worth the flight to find that out. It was also good to see the biblical sights that I did. Again, I'm glad I went, but won't be going back.
Tel Aviv was fine, but it reminded me of Miami. It was a beach town. The languages barrier left me with a slightly more negative impression than I otherwise would have had. If you are going to visit Jerusalem, I would take the one hour bus ride to Tel Aviv. I wouldn't make a vacation based on Tel Aviv though.
Hong Kong was the final city that was worth a visit, but not a revisit. It lives up to its reputation as Asia's "World City" but I was ready to leave before my plans called for it. (Hence my visit to Macau). I just never quite clicked with the feel of the city.
This was my third visit to Paris. I was barely there, but there is still a charm to it. I am sure I will be back in the future. The French language is just fun to listen to and no one makes pastries like the French.
Jerusalem was a city where I wished I had scheduled more time. I hope to go back some day. Jerusalem has a unique atmosphere to it. There are so many religious pilgrims from all different countries and faiths. It makes for a completely different experience. I have never visited a city like Jerusalem before.
London was packed with sights. I hope to go back and see all the ones I missed. The only knock to London is that it felt like NYC with older buildings. Maybe that's a compliment. Maybe NYC is actually a copy of London. Either way, London would have been so much more exciting had I not spent significant time in NYC. It watered down the experience because of the similarities between the two cities. Still, London was one of my favorites.
Singapore is what I had expected Hong Kong to be. Singapore speaks perfect English and is packed with air conditioning and shopping. My favorite part of Singapore was the hawker centers with the food stalls. I really wished we had those here. Singapore is the city in Asia I would be most likely to live in.
I can't really explain my ranking of Seoul. I just ended up liking the city and its people. Seoul had a swagger to it. Maybe that's what happens when you have a huge US military base in the middle of your city to protect you. Seoul was planted nicely in the middle of the spectrum in Asia. It was cheaper than Hong Kong and Tokyo, yet much more refined than Taipei and Bangkok. More than any city except Bangkok, I felt welcome here.
See the next post for Bangkok.
1. Bangkok, Thailand
2. Seoul, South Korea
3. Singapore, Singapore
4. London, United Kingdom
5. Jerusalem, Israel
6. Paris, France
7. Hong Kong, Hong Kong
8. Tel Aviv, Israel
9. Amman, Jordan
10. Tokyo, Japan
11. Taipei, Taiwan
12.Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
13. Macau, Macau
14. Penang, Malaysia
15. Johor Bahru, Malaysia
16. Mumbai, India (airport)
The list is pretty easy to divide. Number 7 and below, I would not revisit for personal vacation. Number 2 through 6, I would consider visiting again on a future trip. I will certainly visit Bangkok again someday. I don't know when it will be, but that's the one city on this list that I keep thinking about.
Mumbai doesn't really count since I didn't make it to the city. Still, the airport (and its staff) earned it last place.
Johor Bahru should be avoided. I really have nothing positive to say about my visit. It's just not a place for tourists.
Penang may have good beaches, but I think there are better places to go. I didn't spend all that long there, but I'm glad.
Macau may generate more gambling revenue than Las Vegas, but it's nothing in comparison. It's crime-ridden, dirty, and strikingly poor. See my Macau post for a telling picture.
Kuala Lumpur was worth seeing, but not revisiting. See my post on it for more details, but it had all the problems of a developing country without any of the charms.
Taipei had one of my favorite attractions (Taipei 101) but had little else. Getting runover by a scooter is not my idea of fun. The buses are painful and the air quality is terrible.
Tokyo was the surprise on my list. As explained in my Tokyo summary, it is like a machine. It's clean, efficient, and organized. The lack of character proves to be its downfall. I just didn't enjoy my stay in Tokyo as much as other cities because Tokyo lacked charm. Tokyo is worth a visit for newcomers, but I'm happy spending future trips elsewhere.
Amman was another city that is very worth visiting once. How many cities are safe enough for Americans to visit in the Arabic world? I found Amman to be an unappealing desert. Still, it was worth the flight to find that out. It was also good to see the biblical sights that I did. Again, I'm glad I went, but won't be going back.
Tel Aviv was fine, but it reminded me of Miami. It was a beach town. The languages barrier left me with a slightly more negative impression than I otherwise would have had. If you are going to visit Jerusalem, I would take the one hour bus ride to Tel Aviv. I wouldn't make a vacation based on Tel Aviv though.
Hong Kong was the final city that was worth a visit, but not a revisit. It lives up to its reputation as Asia's "World City" but I was ready to leave before my plans called for it. (Hence my visit to Macau). I just never quite clicked with the feel of the city.
This was my third visit to Paris. I was barely there, but there is still a charm to it. I am sure I will be back in the future. The French language is just fun to listen to and no one makes pastries like the French.
Jerusalem was a city where I wished I had scheduled more time. I hope to go back some day. Jerusalem has a unique atmosphere to it. There are so many religious pilgrims from all different countries and faiths. It makes for a completely different experience. I have never visited a city like Jerusalem before.
London was packed with sights. I hope to go back and see all the ones I missed. The only knock to London is that it felt like NYC with older buildings. Maybe that's a compliment. Maybe NYC is actually a copy of London. Either way, London would have been so much more exciting had I not spent significant time in NYC. It watered down the experience because of the similarities between the two cities. Still, London was one of my favorites.
Singapore is what I had expected Hong Kong to be. Singapore speaks perfect English and is packed with air conditioning and shopping. My favorite part of Singapore was the hawker centers with the food stalls. I really wished we had those here. Singapore is the city in Asia I would be most likely to live in.
I can't really explain my ranking of Seoul. I just ended up liking the city and its people. Seoul had a swagger to it. Maybe that's what happens when you have a huge US military base in the middle of your city to protect you. Seoul was planted nicely in the middle of the spectrum in Asia. It was cheaper than Hong Kong and Tokyo, yet much more refined than Taipei and Bangkok. More than any city except Bangkok, I felt welcome here.
See the next post for Bangkok.
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