Asia's outdated myths include Bali's lost reputation for bargain travel and improved English communication across the continent. Photo / Supplied
Asia seems so vast and exotic that it can intimidate some travellers, especially those fooled by stories exaggerating its supposed dangers or drawbacks.
After spending 10 years living in Asia and taking more than 50 trips across the continent, here are five outdated myths to ignore.
Negative stereotypes aren’t the only kind that can become outdated. Bali was long considered the mecca of bargain travel in Asia. And while it remains very affordable compared to travel in Aotearoa or Australia, Bali no longer deserves its thrifty reputation.
I’ve visited this Indonesian island a dozen times over the past 35 years, and prices have noticeably spiked. A decade ago, one could get a room at a five-star beachfront resort for $120 a night. Now, it’s difficult to find such accommodation for less than $240.
Shopping is no better. Gone are the days of stocking up on sunglasses, sarongs, shirts and souvenirs for a song. Many of Bali’s tourist markets are now barely cheaper than shops back home. Seeking cheap and cheerful? Try rival tropical destinations, like Krabi in Thailand, Phu Quoc in Vietnam, or Langkawi in Malaysia.
For generations, English-speaking tourists feared they would be unable to understand locals, signs or menus, and rightly so. While solo exploring the wilds of central China 15 years ago, when I couldn’t communicate my destination to taxi drivers, my order to waitresses, or any request to hotel staff. Compare that to my 2025 trip to China, when just one app – Google Translate – removed all confusion.
Using the app, I could hold real-time (albeit slow) conversations with any Chinese person I met. Using the camera feature, Mandarin menus were instantly translated to English. Not to mention that, like in most of Asia, standards of English speaking have since greatly improved in China. All of which means that I can’t remember the last time I was genuinely inconvenienced by my inability to speak Mandarin, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, take your pick.
Many visitors to Dubai find it attractive but soulless, and Singapore long suffered from the same perception. Tourists commonly were impressed by Singapore’s cleanliness, efficiency and modernity, but felt that it lacked warmth and cultural heritage. Such negative views were further fuelled by Singapore’s harsh laws, such as a ban on chewing gum, the death penalty for illicit drug possession, and littering fines of up to $5000.
But Singapore is not, and never was, as boring and buttoned-up as observers suggested. Tourists needed only to venture beyond its clinical downtown area to discover its diversity, creativity, and frivolity.
Singapore’s society is flavoured by three contrasting ethnic groups, who’ve combined to give it addictive food, deep cultural heritage, and a variety of pretty religious sites. About 74% of Singaporeans have Chinese ancestry, with 13% being Malay and 9% Indian.
The latter’s culture is vibrantly showcased in Singapore’s wonderful Chinatown, a labyrinth of markets, restaurants, and photogenic Buddhist and Taoist temples. Neighbouring Little India is similarly laden with dining and shopping options, interwoven with several fascinating Hindu and Sikh temples. While Malay culture takes centre stage in Kampong Glam, Singapore’s oldest neighbourhood and a former Malay Royal headquarters. All of this combines to give Singapore more than adequate “soul”.
Tokyo’s reputation as the world’s most hyper-modern metropolis has its genesis in the 1964 Olympics, which Japan used as a global showcase of its prosperity and technological innovation. Some 800 million viewers worldwide watched this event, which promoted Tokyo’s skyscrapers, and the country’s brand new Shinkansen, the world’s first bullet train system.
By the 1980s, Tokyo was the global hub of tech, and was far advanced on any other city. Visitors were amazed by its sophisticated vending machines, skyscrapers, automated train ticketing, and abundance of new digital products.
Nowadays I find that its supposed modernity is exaggerated by starry-eyed first-time visitors, who rave about robot restaurants, bullet trains and neon-lit neighbourhoods. Yet none of those things are new. In fact, they’ve existed in Tokyo for decades. Don’t get me wrong, Tokyo remains modern. But it’s no longer futuristic.
Pattaya is widely considered a city of sin because of its large red light district. Yet it’s actually Thailand’s most under-the-radar family destination, just two hours’ drive south of the Thai capital. When my wife, son and I visit her family in Bangkok, we often stop by the oceanfront city and neighbouring Jotiem to enjoy the white sand beaches, water parks, luxury spas, golf courses, indoor play centres, bargain markets, and rooftop restaurants. Avani Pattaya Resort, which has an indoor kids club stacked with toys, plus drawing and painting sessions, pinball machines, video games, table tennis, children’s cooking lessons, and a huge swimming pool with a water slide. Avani also has family-themed rooms equipped with books and toys, and childcare services for when parents want to have a spa session or shopping spree.
Pattaya also boasts two impressive water parks – Columbia Pictures Aquaverse has a brilliant kids’ slides area, and Ramayana has 21 slides and two dedicated kids’ zones. Children are also catered to by a pair of gigantic indoor play centres run by HarborLand, including MEGA HarborLand Pattaya, reputedly Asia’s biggest such facility.