The Ultimate Asia-Pacific Adventure: Our 3-Month Journey Across 8 Countries

We did it. After months of planning, spreadsheets, credit card applications, and more than a few heated debates about luggage space, we’re embarking on what might be the most ambitious adventure Our Travel Journey has ever documented. From October 2025 through January 2026, we’re taking you on a 3-month expedition across eight countries, hitting 15 cities, and experiencing everything from hidden Bangkok speakeasies to the misty mountains of northern Vietnam, from Taiwan’s neon night markets to the grandeur of Beijing’s Forbidden City.

This isn’t your typical “fly in, hit the checkboxes, fly out” trip. This is deep travel. This is where we chase the experiences that don’t make it onto Instagram feeds, spend time with locals who become friends, and discover that the real magic of Asia isn’t in the monuments—it’s in the moments between them.

Thailand - Where It All Begins

Vancouver to Bangkok: The Gateway to Southeast Asia

Our journey kicks off with a long-haul flight from YVR to Bangkok, and honestly, we couldn’t be more excited. Bangkok isn’t just our entry point to Asia; it’s a city that rewards those willing to venture beyond the tourist trail. Most visitors stick to the same three temples and night markets. We’re going deeper.

From there, we’re taking a bike tour through Thonburi with a local guide, crossing over canals and discovering temples that see maybe two tourists a week. We’ll stop at Wanglang Market, our favorite local food market in the city, where the breakfast noodles cost under $1 and taste like home.

Starting Costs

Before even leaving, our entire adventure is already off to a budget-friendly win thanks to points and miles. For our departing flights, we booked Cathay Pacific flights with 96,000 British Airways Avios plus about 315 USD in taxes and fees, which is incredible value for the distance we’re covering. We’re also dipping into a stash of World of Hyatt points and redeeming 25,000 points for a 5 night stay at Hyatt Place Bangkok Sukhumvit 1, a booking that would have cost us around 550 USD in cash. That redemption alone saves us hundreds of dollars and makes our time in Bangkok feel even sweeter, and we’re genuinely happy with how these redemptions are stretching our travel budget further.

Hidden Gems Beyond Backpacker Central

We’re hoping to check out ChangChui Creative Park, an offbeat night market built inside vintage airplane hangars and warehouses. It’s part night market, part art gallery, part live music venue, and completely worth the trip outside the city center. The contrast alone—browsing artisan goods while live bands play and street food vendors work their magic—is pure Bangkok.

One evening, we’ll be doing a sunset canal boat tour from the quieter side of the river, away from the Grand Palace crowds. Hopefully, we’ll find a local restaurant serving Michelin-level mango sticky rice at street food prices, then watch Bangkok light up as the city shifts into night mode.