Hey all I took advantage of the 3-in-1 Asia deal here and will be leaving in less than a week !

Here’s the cities I’ve booked accommodations in:
South Korea - Seoul 4 days, Gyeongju 2 days
Taiwan - Taipei 4 days, Hualien 1 day (for Taroko Gorge), Tainan 2 days
Japan - Tokyo 4 days, Kyoto 2 days, Osaka 2 days
Never been to East Asia + It’s my first solo trip
Looking for advice/recommendations based on the above !

In Korea, make sure you do a day tour to the Demilitarized Zone...needs to be booked in advance.

Haha yep everyone goes there, don’t see the appeal though personally

OMG my top 3 fav places .... don;t even know where to start! LOL

Kyoto Train Station is a must see. Visit the terrace.

Cool , I assume I’ll arrive to Kyoto Station if I’m using my JR pass

Hit up night markets in Taipei!

Yesss

Shilin is the biggest

And get a mango ice with mango in Ximen square!!

Allison done

I would spend more time in Kyoto than Tokyo. Kyoto has alot to offer - shrines, temples, parks etc. If you prefer city life, then Tokyo is your best bet.

Yeah I think my Japan schedule is too tight (especially the second half kyoto/Osaka), but I know I will definitely return to Japan for a longer trip !

Side trip to Nara to see the wild deer park, can be done in one day. Nara is between Osaka and Kyoto. Personally prefer Kyoto over Osaka. Budget wisely, you'll probably spend the most in Japan then Korea and in Taiwan, everything is cheap there, especially food. Try the original ding tai fung in Taipei. Visit jiu fen in Taiwan if your a spirited away fan and shi fen to release sky lanterns and shi lin night market is a must. Love Asia, you'll have an amazing !

Everyone tends to ignore other cities in Japan, but if you make time for an overnight trip from Osaka, Koyasan in Wakayama prefecture is really amazing! Giant cemetery and a much different feel from Kyoto. You can stay overnight in one of many Buddhist monasteries (which incidentally have AMAZING traditional vegetarian food) and see their morning ceremonies.

Awesome thanks
will look those up ! I’m planning to do a day trip to Nara and still deciding on a day trip from Tokyo

Daniel Nara is another great pick, I really love Todaiji Temple!!! The earthquake centre also had a cool chair where you can experience some famous Japanese earthquakes

Experience an earthquake ... LOL

Would spend the night before in Hualien so you have the full day for Toroko Gorge as the train ride is 3 hours from Taipei if I remember

And is that the high speed train ? Or is 3hr the train ride only option ? Maybe I can take an earlier train from Taipei

The high speed doesn't go to the gorge, just regular one. (Roughly a 3 hour drive) and then a short cab from the starting to the gorge. You can do it in a day but it will be a long, exhausting one. (I've done it twice, lol)
http://taiwan-itinerary.blogspot.ca/.../HualienTaipeiTran...
May help a bit.
TAIWAN-ITINERARY.BLOGSPOT.CA
Transportation Between Taipei And Hualien (Taroko)

Station to the gorge*

If you need more tips let me know. I lived in Taiwan for years (Taipei and Taichung)

When did you see this deal?

It's from last September
http://yyzdeals.com/2-in-1-trips-toronto-to-taiwan-japan...
YYZDEALS.COM
2-in-1 and 3-in-1 trips (Toronto to Taiwan, Japan, South Korea) - $619 to $658 CAD roundtrip including taxes

Hi I can't see these deals?? Where do i look?

It was from last September (2017)

Glad you posted! I also took advantage of the deal but from May31-June21 and was going to ask for tips.

I'm a Canadian living in Seoul. I've been here for just over 6 years and in Korean for more than 10. There are lots of things to do here, so it's hard to narrow things down without knowing what you're into. If you like, send me a message and I can give you more info based on your interests.

I just came back from Seoul! When in Seoul, Hongdae/Hongik University is a must visit! It comes alive at night with dancers & singers on the streets, shopping, food, nightview.
- Rent a hanbok & visit the palaces for free & take lots of amazing photos
- Solgaheon Healing Cafe - amazing Hanok style cafe where you must get a foot soak for $10 and try their herbal teas that come with mini snacks
Noryangjin Fish Market - if you like seafood
Sanmotoonge Cafe - mountain corner cafe with a beautiful view

Sweet suggestions thanks ! The mountain cafe sounds cool ... and maybe I’ll get some healing at the other one

Daniel and if you like to hike, Bukhansan is good

Agree with others about cutting off time in Tokyo and adding to Kyoto/Osaka area.
In Osaka...All Star Walking Tours is a great deal and you get a feel for the city. Best places are...Namba area/Dotonburi, Komon Food Market and Shinseikai. You can walk between all these place or take train/subway. Make sure you see Namba at night.
Nara...great one day trip if you want to hike around a bit...or half day.
Kyoto....walking the streets of Gion up to Kiyomizudera. Sadly, this temple is under construction so the mai area is all covered up. Golden Pavillion/Kinkakuji is worth the bus ride and is the most popular temple in Kyoto. Fushimi Inari Shrine is my favourite in Japan. Make sure you walk up quite a bit to avoid the crowds. This shrine is open 24 hours so you could go in the early morning. There is also a bunch of food stalls here as well. Finally I really liked Sanjosangendo near JR station. No pics allowed though.
If you have the JR pass....I would suggest a day trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima Island. Though I would stay longer, I have done it in a day. No trip is complete without coming here. A must see.
As for a castle...Heimji castle is must better than Osaka in my opinion. I would suggest going to Mt. Shosha in the morning to the temple complex where The Last Samurai was filmed. It is one of my favourites. you purchase a bus/cable car ticket at Heimiji station. Its about a 30 min ride to the cable car. On the way back just get off at the castle.
Love Japan and the weather is great the moment. Caution....it looks like you are coming during Golden Week which is the busiest time for travel in Japan. Hope you don't mind crowds.

thanks !

I think I’ll have to save a lot of this for a longer trip

Yes maybe. All mentioned above were done as day trips....but u may be tired....