Vivian Loh
Destination & Culture Writer
Travel journalist and cultural explorer who has lived in four countries. Vivian focuses on destination deep-dives, local culture, and off-the-beaten-path experiences.
Vivian spent three years living and working across Southeast Asia before relocating to Europe. Her writing draws on deep local knowledge and a genuine curiosity for how people live, eat, and celebrate around the world.
Areas of Expertise
- Southeast Asia, Japan, and East Asia travel
- European city guides and cultural travel
- Food tourism and local culinary experiences
- Budget and mid-range travel planning
Writing Approach
Vivian goes beyond surface-level travel tips. Her destination guides include cultural context, local etiquette, and the kind of neighborhood-level recommendations you only get from someone who has spent real time in a place.
Articles by Vivian Loh (154)
Food in Bali: Prices, Spice Levels and 5 Must-Eats
Warung plates of food in Bali run IDR 25,000-50,000 ($1.60-$3.20) in early 2026, so $100 a day is an overestimate. What to order and skip.
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Ubud Bali: Monkeys, Rapids, Markets and Villas
The biggest Ubud Bali lodging mistake is location drift: stay central and short trips become 30 to 60 minute transfers. Cluster stops into 6 to 8 hours.
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Legal Drinking Age in Japan: 20, No Exceptions
The legal drinking age in Japan is 20, unchanged even after adulthood dropped to 18 in 2022, with no parental carve-out and vendor fines past 500,000 yen.
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Hiking in Japan: Regions, Seasons, Huts and Costs
Mount Fuji now charges a 4,000 yen access fee and Alps huts hit 12,000 yen a night, so plan hiking in Japan by region, season and budget first.
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Ski Rental Japan: 2025/26 Prices, Tokyo to Niseko
Budget about USD 72 per day for ski rental in Japan with nothing of your own: gear, lift pass, and clothing. See what foreigners need at the counter.
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Wildlife in Japan: Hokkaido Bears to Okinawa Sharks
Roughly 90,000 species make wildlife in Japan a region-by-season puzzle: bears in summer, cranes in winter, whale sharks in spring. Plan before you book.
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Earthquake Safety in Japan for Tourists: A Guide
Japan logs thousands of tremors a year, but earthquake safety in Japan for tourists comes down to five decisions you make before you fly out.
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White Day in Japan: The san-bai gaeshi Gift Rule
San-bai gaeshi expects return gifts at two to three times the Valentine's value, and on White Day in Japan the gift type signals more than the price.
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40 Interesting Facts About Japan, Osaka to Kyoto
The best interesting facts about Japan go beyond trivia: 18-second train delays, KFC on Christmas Eve, and skipped 4th floors, with late-2025 prices.
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Japanese Cultural Experiences in Kyoto: Tea and More
Japanese cultural experiences in Kyoto run from a 30-minute matcha session (about USD 60) to a four-hour chaji past USD 150 - here is how to choose.
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Cultural Differences Between Japan and the USA: 6 Areas
A rail firm apologized for a train leaving 20 seconds early: that benchmark frames the cultural differences between Japan and the USA, from tipping to silence.
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Basic Japanese Phrases: 30 Lines That Cover a Trip
Just 20-30 basic Japanese phrases handle most of a trip; here is why sumimasen does the most work, plus the tipping and ordering etiquette apps skip.
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